Bylaws Department of Geography Florida State University. Adopted April, 1992 Revised and Approved May 1, 2015

Transcription

1 Bylaws Department f Gegraphy Flrida State University Adpted April, 1992 Revised and Apprved May 1, 2015 The missin f the Department f Gegraphy is t prvide excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching; t cntribute t internatinal research in gegraphy and related disciplines; and t be available as a public service t the lcal cmmunity. These bylaws are designed t fster an atmsphere f cllegiality while pursing academic and administrative duties. The authrity f the Department shall reside in its vting faculty members. (I) FACULTY (a) Vting membership in the Department f Gegraphy shall include all nine-mnth, fulltime, tenured and tenure-track faculty in the department and the graduate student representative; Faculty hlding thers types f appintments shall be nn-vting members f the Department f Gegraphy, but are allwed t attend meetings. Absentee vting is permissible (and cmmunicated thrugh the Chair). (b) The vting faculty and the graduate student representative shall have ultimate jurisdictin ver all Departmental plicy subject t Cllege and University plicy and the regulatins and statutes f the Flrida Bard f Gvernrs and the State f Flrida. (c) Vting privileges may be extended t ther than full-time members f the Department hlding prfessinal rank. A tw-thirds majrity f the vting faculty is required. Vting privileges are fr ne year, and are renewable. (d) Hereafter in this dcument, the use f the term faculty shall refer t that defined in Sectin I(a). (II) CHAIR (a) The Chair shall serve at the pleasure f the Dean f the Cllege f Scial Sciences and the President f the University. (b) The Chair will be the chief executive fficer f the Department and is respnsible t the Dean and the faculty f the Department. (c) The Chair shall execute all nrmal administrative activities in and n the behalf f the Department, subject t plicies specified elsewhere in the Bylaws, and the rules f the University. (d) The Chair will be a nn-vting, ex-ffici member f all Departmental cmmittees. (e) The Executive Cmmittee will cnduct a frmal departmental review f the Chair every year. (f) Prcedures fr remving the Chair frm ffice 1

2 1. The Department may recmmend t the Dean that the Chair be remved frm ffice. Such actin must be taken accrding t the fllwing prcedure: (a) A mtin calling fr remval must be submitted t the Executive Cmmittee by at least three vting faculty members. (b) T be adpted, the mtin fr remval must be supprted by a twthirds majrity f the vting membership f the Department in a secret ballt fllwing a meeting t discuss the mtin called by the Executive Cmmittee. The Chair will nt be present at the meeting and will have n vting privileges. (c) The Executive Cmmittee will reprt the vte t the membership f the Department and t the Dean f Cllege f Scial Sciences. (g) If the Chair is absent fr a brief perid respnsibility fr the gvernance f the Department will rest with a member f the Executive Cmmittee. Fr perids f a semester r lnger, the Chair, after cnsultatin with the faculty, shall appint an acting Chair. (h) The Chair shall regularly reprt t the Executive Cmmittee and the Department thse actins he/she perfrms in administering Departmental affairs. (i) The Chair shall present the Department with an annual financial reprt. (j) The chair will maintain a list f faculty service bligatins and demnstrate equity in assignments ver time. (k) The Chair shall evaluate teaching perfrmance f nn-tenure track teaching staff and graduate students. (III) STUDENTS The Department recgnizes all students enrlled n graduate prgrams. Students are encuraged t rganize their wn cmmittees and t fster an atmsphere f scial harmny and critical thinking. (IV) COMMITTEES It is the plicy f the Department t prmte equity in the allcatin f service as apprpriate t rank and tenure status. (a) Executive Cmmittee 1. Three vting tenured faculty members shall be elected t the executive cmmittee in a departmental meeting by a secret ballt f vting faculty. Any faculty member may nminate candidates. The three elected members, plus the Chair, shall cnstitute the Executive Cmmittee. The Chair shall nt have vting privileges n the Executive Cmmittee. 2

3 2. Members f the Executive Cmmittee shall serve three years, and be renewable. Any member absent frm the University fr ne semester r mre f the academic year will be replaced by an interim. 3. Meetings f the Executive Cmmittee will be held as needed and a majrity f the membership will cnstitute a qurum. A tentative agenda fr meetings will be annunced t members and t the faculty in the minutes f the preceding meeting r by special annuncement in advance f the meeting. Reprts f the prceedings and decisins f the Executive Cmmittee will be made prmptly t the faculty and graduate students. The recrd f Departmental business shall be kept in the minutes f the meetings, and include all Departmental decisins in applicatin f regularly determined plicy, as well as the decisins taken in establishing the plicies themselves. 4. The Executive Cmmittee serves as an advisry bdy t the chair. The chair shuld cnsult with the Executive Cmmittee n decisins abut: (i) the departmental budget; (ii) travel fund allcatin; (iii) recruitment f faculty, graduate students and staff; (iv) capital equipment, thrugh the chair appinted Equipment Cmmittee; (v) implementatin f the three-year review f the perfrmance f the chair; (vi) apprve master s and dctral directive status; (vii) preparatin f the annual financial reprt. (b) Graduate Cmmittee 1. The Chair shall appint a Graduate Directr and tw members f the faculty t frm the Graduate Cmmittee and be ratified by a majrity f the faculty. The Directr shall serve as chair f the cmmittee fr three years, and is renewable. The Graduate Directr s teaching is t be reduced by ne curse per year. 2. The Graduate Cmmittee shall be respnsible fr implementing the plicies f the Department with respect t the graduate prgrams and in recruitment, administering financial aid prgrams, assignments f research and teaching assistants, c-crdinating cmprehensive examinatins, and in advising and cunseling graduate students. 3. Decisins regarding recruitment, financial aid, and the assignment f assistants t the faculty shuld be made in cnsultatin with the faculty. The cmmittee will als functin as an appeals bdy fr students n the varius degree requirements. Peridically, the Graduate Cmmittee will initiate a review f graduate requirements t ascertain if changes are needed. All changes will require a majrity vte f the faculty. 4. The plicy n graduate student funding (either as teaching assistants r as research assistants) is three years (with a pssibility f fur) fr students entering the dctral prgram with a master s degree; and fur years (with a pssibility f five) fr students entering the dctral prgram withut a master s degree. Funding fr all years is based n gd academic standing as defined in the Gegraphy Graduate Student Handbk. Decisins t revke funding will be made by the Graduate Cmmittee. 5. Departmental funding fr students entering the master s prgram is at the discretin f the Graduate Cmmittee in cnsultatin with the Chair. 3

4 6. Departmental funding fr graduate students shall be determined by the Graduate Cmmittee in cnsultatin with the Chair. (c) Undergraduate Teaching Cmmittee 1. The Chair shall appint an Undergraduate Advisr and tw ther faculty members t frm the Undergraduate Teaching Cmmittee fr a perid f three years, and is renewable. 2. The Undergraduate Teaching Cmmittee will be respnsible fr implementing the plicies f the Department with respect t the undergraduate prgrams; this includes recruitment and advising, verseeing the internship prgram, and mnitring teaching activities f graduate students. 3. The Undergraduate Advisr will crdinate the undergraduate activities f the Department and peridically, initiate a review f undergraduate requirements t ascertain if changes are required. (d) Faculty Search Cmmittee 1. The Chair shall appint three members f the faculty and a dctral student t serve n a Faculty Search Cmmittee, with the respnsibility f advertising, adjudicating, and cmpiling a shrt list f candidates fr vacant faculty psitins. 2. The Chair f the Search Cmmittee will circulate candidates files and recmmend a shrt list f candidates t a faculty meeting. 3. The selectin f candidates t be interviewed will be made in a faculty meeting. 4. All vting faculty and the graduate student representative are eligible t vte fr jb candidates. In the event f a tie, there will be further discussin and a subsequent vte. (e) Other cmmittees, such as Equipment may be appinted by the chair n an ad hc basis. They shall reprt n their activities annually in a faculty meeting. (V) DEPARTMENTAL MEETINGS (a) A full departmental meeting will be held at least nce in the fall semester and nce in the spring semester. Meetings may be called by the Chair; by the majrity f the Executive Cmmittee; r by petitin f the majrity f the faculty. (b) Three-quarters f the vting faculty and the graduate representative shall cnstitute a qurum and a simple majrity f thse present, r vting absentee (cmmunicated thrugh the Chair), carries a mtin. (c) Meetings will be scheduled with at least three days ntice t faculty members. A tentative agenda will als be issued then and faculty and the graduate representative will have the pprtunity t add t the agenda. (d) Minutes shall be taken by a nminated member f the faculty r a member f the staff, and psted r distributed t faculty and the graduate student representative within ne week f the meeting. 4

5 (VI) PROMOTION AND TENURE (a) Recmmendatins that a faculty member assembles materials in rder t apply fr prmtin and tenure are made by the Executive Cmmittee. (b) Departmental recmmendatins fr prmtin and tenure fllw University-wide plicies detailed in the BOT-UFF Cllective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the Faculty Handbk (FH). (c) Recmmendatin fr prmtin t the rank f Prfessr, Assciate Prfessr r fr tenure shuld be based n recgnitin f demnstrated effectiveness in teaching, service, schlarly r creative accmplishments, and recgnized standing in the discipline and prfessin as perceived by peers bth within the Department and utside. As decisins are made at the Cllege and University levels, the fllwing criteria shuld be cnsidered as apprximate guidelines: 1. Candidates are expected t have been awarded a dctrate in gegraphy r a related subject. 2. Evidence f quality teaching, based n student evaluatins frm curses taught and satisfactry peer-bservatin by senir faculty. Candidates shuld als dcument their teaching lads, number f new preparatins since arriving at FSU, any significant curse enhancement effrts, their supervisin f graduate students, and any and all significant teaching related effrts. 3. Evidence f an active and cntinuing research agenda is critical fr the awarding f tenure. Fr the rank f Assciate Prfessr, publicatins in refereed jurnals (preferably thse listed by the Institute fr Scientific Infrmatin if apprpriate fr the research agenda f the faculty member) are deemed as the primary evidence f research excellence; thugh ther types f research accmplishments may be pertinent depending upn the candidate s area f expertise. As a guideline, candidates shuld aim t publish an average f tw refereed jurnal articles per year. Additinally, fr the rank f prfessr, candidates shuld demnstrate leadership in the field f gegraphy r related disciplines. (d) Prmtin t Assciate Prfessr must take place within seven years unless an extensin f the tenure-earning perid has been granted. (e) A faculty member may request an extensin f the tenure-earning perid fr ne year frm the Chair, with the apprval f the Dean, due t qualifying circumstances, befre being cnsidered fr tenure. Persnal circumstances include, but are nt limited t: childbirth r adptin, persnal injury r illness, care f ill r injured dependents, elder care, r death f a clsely related family member resulting in the need fr extended dependent care. (f) Standards fr Nn-Tenure Track Prmtins: Faculty members in nn-tenure track psitins qualify fr prmtin t the next higher rank based n satisfactin f the minimum Cllege and University requirements fr that rank and n demnstrated perfrmance abve the minimum satisfactry level in her r his areas f assigned duties during at least the three years preceding the prmtin. 5

6 (g) Infrming Faculty f Prgress tward Prmtin r Tenure: The Chair will infrm all faculty eligible fr prmtin r tenure f their prgress annually in writing. (VII) ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES (AOR) (a) Each faculty member will receive annually a written assignment f respnsibilities frm the Chair. The AOR will be develped by the Chair in cnsultatin with the faculty member, and will reflect the mix f teaching, research and service and/r administrative duties. (VIII) ANNUAL EVALUATION (a) Every spring semester all faculty members will participate in the annual evaluatin exercise, fr the distributin f merit salary, fr pst-tenure evaluatins, and fr the determinatin f differential teaching lads. The criteria and prcedures cmply with and are supplemented by the prvisins f the Cllective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the Faculty Handbk (FH). The criteria affrd each faculty member an equitable pprtunity t achieve a merit raise, since evaluatins are based n each member s assignment f respnsibilities (AOR). (b) Annual Evaluatins are based slely n activities cmpleted the preceding calendar year. Criteria fr evaluatin are based n research, teaching and service. The Executive Cmmittee will specify the exact criteria each year but will generally cntain the fllwing: 1. Research prductivity (jurnal articles, bks and bk chapters in print), presentatins and participatin at learned meetings, active grants. Any grant and manuscript submissins shuld be listed in a clearly separate categry. Faculty may submit a ne page summary f activity if desired. 2. Teaching perfrmance. Evidence n teaching perfrmance shall include SUSSAI/SPOT results, syllabi, enrllment data, and evidence f graduate advising activity. Faculty may submit a ne page summary f activity if desired. 3. Service and administratin t the Department, Cllege, University, Gegraphy discipline, and interdisciplinary academic assciatins. At a minimum, evidence will cnsist f a list f ffices, departmental respnsibilities, and membership t cmmittees, and academic assciatins. Faculty may submit a ne page summary f activity if desired. a. Service activities include administrative duties that serve t facilitate faculty perfrmance in teaching, research and service, and are nrmally restricted t department chairs r persns whse majr respnsibilities are administrative. The fllwing evidence must be cnsidered in evaluating administrative perfrmance: i. Faculty Relatins. Fairness in dealing with faculty; facilitatin f faculty cmmunicatins; facilitating faculty perfrmance; crdinatin f faculty activities; recruitment f faculty; accessibility t the faculty. 6

7 (c) Evaluatin Prcedures ii. Administrative Activities: Scheduling curse lads; timeliness and accuracy in perfrming administrative tasks; effectiveness in allcating resurces, and effectiveness in crdinating prgrams and related activities. iii. External Outreach: develpment f alumni relatins. iv. Other Activities: Ability t lead department tward achievement f its cllective gals; effectiveness in representing the interests f the faculty t the dean and ther cnstituencies. 1. Each faculty member s perfrmance will be evaluated relative t his r her assigned duties as spelled ut in the AOR. The Executive Cmmittee is respnsible fr evaluating all members f the faculty, including members f the Executive Cmmittee, and the Chair. When a member f the Executive Cmmittee is being evaluated, they will exit the Cmmittee and be replaced by the Chair. In all evaluatins the fllwing will be used as a guide n each faculty s perfrmance in each f the three categries, research, instructin and sercvice: Significantly Exceeds FSU s High Expectatins describes a faculty member wh far exceeds expectatins during the evaluatin perid, and makes extrardinary cntributins t research, instructin r service gals when prmting the field f Gegraphy. Exceeds FSU s High Expectatins describes a faculty member wh exceeds expectatins during the evaluatin perid, and makes substantial cntributins t research, teaching and service gals when prmting the field f Gegraphy. Meets FSU s High Expectatins describes a faculty member wh meets expectatins during the evaluatin perid, and makes cntributins t research, instructin r service gals when prmting the field f Gegraphy. Official Cncern describes a faculty member wh demnstrates a cmmitment t supprt Departmental gals during the evaluatin perid, but des nt make cntributins t research, instructin r service gals when prmting the field f Gegraphy in line with the high standards f the University. Des Nt Meet FSU s High Expectatins describes a faculty member wh fails t demnstrate a cmmitment t supprt Departmental gals during the evaluatin perid and des nt make cntributins t research, instructin r service gals when prmting the field f Gegraphy in line with the high standards f the University. 2. N restrictins limit the number f faculty wh can be placed in a given categry. 3. The Chair will assign salary merit increases based n a sliding scale and within the limits set by the Dean. 7

8 4. Faculty will be prvided with a letter frm the Chair detailing their perfrmance, and feedback n hw t strengthen and imprve fr the next year, and trajectry fr prmtin and tenure. 5. Chair may recmmend an increased teaching assignment fr any tenured faculty member wh receives fficial cncern r des nt meet FSU s high expectatins n research fr tw cnsecutive years. If the Chair decides that a teaching lad increase is necessary, the faculty member will be infrmed in writing in their annual evaluatin and asked t increase their teaching lad t 3/3 in the next academic year. Cntinued research perfrmance at fficial cncern r des nt meet FSU s high expectatins will result in the assignment f anther curse per semester (fr a ttal maximum teaching lad f 4/4) fr subsequent years. Receipt f a research rating f at least meets FSU s high expectatins fr tw cnsecutive years will allw a return t the standard teaching lad. 6. Faculty members are evaluated accrding t their Assignment f Respnsibilities (AOR) and are eligible fr merit salary increases based n their annual evaluatins. Faculty with higher teaching lads will be equally eligible fr merit salary increases as are faculty with research assignments. Tenured faculty may chse t increase their teaching lad, in which case their research and service bligatins will be decreased prprtinately. 7. Since schlarly activity is clsely related t effectiveness in training graduate students, faculty n a 100% teaching assignment r a cmbinatin f teaching and service will n lnger participate in the graduate prgram, which includes teaching graduate curses, grading dctral examinatins, serving n master s and dctral cmmittees and directing dissertatins. (IX) RATIFICATION OF THE BYLAWS (a) The Bylaws f the Department f Gegraphy shall be effective upn apprval f a tw-thirds majrity f the vting faculty. (b) Faculty and staff members are expected t be familiar with and fllw the Flrida State University Substantive Change Plicy as fund n the university web site (X) AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS (a) All amendments t the Bylaws shall be submitted fr faculty cnsideratin by the Executive Cmmittee and must be circulated t all vting faculty n later than ten days prir t the date upn which the prpsed amendments are t be discussed and vted upn. The Executive Cmmittee shall frward any recmmended change submitted by the Chair r by three r mre members f the faculty. (b) T be effective all amendments must be apprved by tw-thirds f the vting faculty. (c) All prvisins f these Bylaws, and any subsequent amendments, are null and vid and f n effect if cntravened by State Statutes, Flrida Bard f Gvernrs, r Cllege and University plicies. 8

9 9