BYLAWS NEUROSCIENCE PROGRAM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

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1 Approved April 1998 Amended August, 2013 BYLAWS NEUROSCIENCE PROGRAM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 1. PREAMBLE The Neuroscience Program is an interdepartmental and intercollegiate doctoral program and a College of Natural Science based Bachelors of Science degree granting program. The objective of the Neuroscience Program is to prepare students for careers in neuroscience-related fields. The purpose of these bylaws is to outline the procedures by which the Neuroscience Program faculty and graduate and undergraduate students participate in the academic governance of the program. If, in any matter, specifications or omissions place these Bylaws conflict with University policies, as promulgated by the pertinent official document, the latter shall take precedence. 2. DIRECTOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR 2.1 Director The Director is the chief administrator, responsible for the overall operation and management of the Neuroscience Program. His/her function is to achieve the objectives stated in the preamble. The Director shall be advised by the Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) relevant standing and ad-hoc committees, and/or the Neuroscience faculty and students as a whole Functions Long range planning for the Neuroscience Program involving matters of graduate student training and budget Serve as administrative liaison between the Neuroscience Program and the departments, colleges and other graduate and undergraduate programs of Michigan State University Prepare annual budget requests and supervise budget expenditures Provide, within limits of the budget, adequate supporting services (e.g., secretarial, program announcements.) Organize and oversee the Neuroscience Program seminar series. 1

2 Oversee faculty hiring and facilitate partnerships with departments to provide laboratory space and tenure homes for these faculty Provide annual performance reviews for faculty jointly hired by the Neuroscience Program and partner departments Provide annual performance reviews for all students in the Neuroscience Graduate Program Appointment and Review Nominations (including self-nominations) for the Director will be solicited from the faculty membership. Candidates should hold the rank of Full Professor. Nominations should include the candidate s curriculum vitae, a statement of the candidate s qualifications for the Director s position and a vision statement describing the candidate s plans for enhancing the overall success of the Neuroscience Program. Nominations will be reviewed by a search committee (see below) and the committee will rank the candidates and make a recommendation for candidate selection to the Dean of the College of Natural Science The Dean of the College of Natural Science shall appoint a Chair for the search committee to be charged with ranking candidates for the Neuroscience Program Director s position. The search committee Chair, in consultation with the Neuroscience Program Faculty Advisory Committee, shall select 4 additional members of the search. The search committee including the Chair shall be composed of faculty who are members of the Neuroscience Program In accordance with the Bylaws of Michigan State University, at intervals not to exceed five years, the Provost (or designee) shall review the desirability of continuing the appointment of the current Director. At the same time, the director shall be consulted by the Provost concerning his/her desire and willingness to continue. The FAC or a designated adhoc committee shall represent the Neuroscience faculty in determining procedures for the review, reappointment or new appointment of the Director. Under extraordinary circumstances, the Neuroscience faculty may request from the Provost a review of the Director at any time Upon recommendation of the Provost that a new Director be found, or upon retirement or death of the Director, a new Director shall be appointed in accordance with The FAC will serve in an advisory capacity to the Provost in the selection of a new director. 2

3 2.2 Associate Director In the event that no person holds an appointment as Director, or upon incapacitation of the Director, the Associate Director shall serve as the Acting Director. The Acting Director shall perform the duties of the Director until a new Director is appointed In the event that the Director is absent from the University for an extended period of time (e.g., sabbatical or medical leave), the Associate Director will serve as the Acting Director The Associate Director is elected by Neuroscience Program faculty. Candidates for election are nominated by colleagues or by self-nominations. Candidates provide their most recent curriculum vitae and a brief statement of their goals while serving as Associate Director. The Associate Director will serve a 3 year term and can stand for election for a maximum 2 consecutive terms. The assigned duties are to advise the Director on program matters and other duties are assigned at the discretion of the Director. The Associate Director will also be responsible for coordinating and administering the standardized component of the comprehensive exam for Neuroscience Program Ph.D. students. The Associate Director is an ex officio member of the FAC. 2.3 Undergraduate Program Director The Undergraduate Program Director is appointed by the Program Director after consultation with the FAC. The Undergraduate Program Director is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the undergraduate degree program in Neuroscience. These responsibilities include teaching, curriculum development and innovation, engaging in recruiting activities, seeking funding for research and professional development activities for undergraduate students, and supervising the undergraduate secretary, academic advisor and the laboratory manager. The Undergraduate Program Director reports to the Program Director. The Undergraduate Program Director shall be an ex officio member of the FAC The Undergraduate Program Director is appointed on a recurring basis contingent upon satisfactory performance. Performance will be evaluated annually by the Program Director and will be based on tangible accomplishments in the areas described above and student evaluations of teaching and course coordination. 3. MEMBERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP REVIEW 3.1. Membership Tenure-track Faculty 3

4 There are two categories of NSP faculty membership: Regular faculty and Training faculty. Regular faculty are those who contribute to the success of the program through teaching, research, service and outreach activities. Training faculty have the same responsibilities and rights of Regular faculty but in addition they have the financial and other resources sufficient to support a Ph.D. student research project. Regular faculty can change their status to Training faculty status when financial and other resources needed to support a Ph.D. student become available. Faculty wishing to change membership status should provide the program Director with documentation that the resources needed to support a Ph.D. student are available in sufficient amount and for a sufficient funding period Any MSU faculty member with an active involvement related to any aspect of Neuroscience is encouraged to apply for Neuroscience Program faculty status. The prospective Neuroscience faculty member should submit a membership application form and an up to date curriculum vitae to the Director. Faculty applying for Training faculty status should also include a list of current and pending grant support. These materials will be distributed by the Neuroscience Program Director to the FAC. FAC members can make recommendations for program admission to the Director via communications. The final decision will lie with the Director. The Director will be responsible for notifying the candidate of the decision All Neuroscience Program faculty members will have the right to vote in Neuroscience Programs elections and at Neuroscience Program faculty meetings In accordance with Michigan State University Guidelines, Regular and Training Neuroscience Program faculty members will have the right to serve on Neuroscience Program Ph.D. student Guidance Committees. They are expected to ensure that the rules of the Neuroscience Academic Program are followed In accordance with Michigan State University Guidelines, Training Neuroscience Program faculty members will have the right to supervise Neuroscience Program Ph.D. students and serve as major professor (advisor) on their Guidance Committees. They are expected to ensure that the rules of the Neuroscience Academic Program are followed Neuroscience faculty members are expected to participate in the teaching of Neuroscience courses, attend Program faculty meetings and other Program activities such as the Neuroscience Seminar Series. Members are also expected to serve on Neuroscience Program Committees and to 4

5 3.1.2 Fixed Term Faculty 4. Faculty Meetings contribute to other Neuroscience Program activities (outreach and student recruiting are examples) An individual in a fixed term faculty position with an active interest in neuroscience can have Regular or Training faculty status in the Neuroscience Program. The application process is the same as described for Neuroscience Faculty above in Regular faculty can serve on student dissertation advisory committees with Graduate School approval. Fixed term faculty may serve as Training faculty provided they meet the same requirements as tenure stream faculty. The Program Director will petition the Graduate School on behalf of the faculty member seeking to serve as either a dissertation advisory committee member or as major advisor (see: for details of this process) Fixed term faculty members will have the right to vote on issues before the Neuroscience Program faculty Fixed term faculty members are expected to participate in all program activities. 4.1 The Neuroscience Program Director shall notify members of the Neuroscience faculty of the time, place, and agenda of the proposed meetings at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. The Neuroscience Program faculty will meet at the end of the fall and spring semesters each year. Faculty meetings will be scheduled in the last Neuroscience Program seminar series slot each semester. 4.2 Each Neuroscience Program faculty member in attendance shall have a vote on matters raised at the meeting. 4.3 Actions requiring a vote may be taken if a minimum of 50% of the voting Neuroscience Program faculty are in attendance. If less than 50% of the faculty are in attendance, actions requiring a vote will be decided by electronic ballot. Electronic ballots shall be conducted by the Program Director. 5. NEUROSCIENCE PROGRAM COMMITTEES 5.1 Neuroscience Program Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC) Membership 5

6 The FAC shall consist of the Neuroscience Program Director, the Associate Director (ex officio), the Undergraduate Program Director (ex officio), the Graduate Affairs Committee Chair (ex officio), the Director of the Neuroscience Program training grant (ex officio), the Rosenberg Chair (ex officio) and three elected Neuroscience Program faculty members representing three different departments. The three faculty members shall be elected by the Neuroscience Program faculty to serve three-year terms arranged so that one new member is elected every year. No member shall serve consecutive terms. The elections shall be held in the Spring Semester, according to the procedures described below, and members shall take office on June 1. There will also be graduate student and undergraduate student representatives on the FAC. The graduate student representative will be selected by the graduate student council. The undergraduate student will be selected by the Undergraduate Program Director after consultation with the leadership of the undergraduate Neuroscience Club and the Nu Rho Psi Honor Society. Student representatives to the FAC will be excused from confidential discussions of individual students or faculty and any other confidential matters before the committee The election shall be by electronic ballot. Nominations, including selfnominations, will be solicited from the Neuroscience Program faculty, and the willingness of nominees to serve if elected will be confirmed before ballot are made available. The nominee receiving the most votes shall be elected In the event of an impending absence greater than six months by a FAC member, a replacement will be selected by the Director to fill the vacancy for the length of the absence Functions The committee shall serve to represent the faculty and students in providing advice to the Director on policy matters relating to the Neuroscience Program The committee shall make recommendations to the Director about addition of new faculty to the Neuroscience Program faculty membership. The student representatives on the committee will not participate in these recommendations Meetings of the FAC will be held once per month according to the availability of FAC members. The Program Director will solicit agenda items from committee members prior to each meeting. 6

7 The FAC shall draw up a set of Neuroscience Program Bylaws for approval by the faculty and make recommendations for change to the faculty when the committee deems it desirable Minutes of FAC meetings will be distributed to Neuroscience Program Faculty following each meeting. 6.2 Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC) Membership The GAC shall consist of five Neuroscience Program faculty selected by the Director in consultation with the FAC. GAC members shall represent at least three departments or units and shall serve three year terms. The GAC Chair will be appointed from among the GAC members by the Program Director. The GAC will also have one graduate student representative selected by the Graduate Student Council Functions The GAC is responsible for monitoring the progress of all students in the Graduate Program. GAC will make recommendations to the Program Director about needed remedial actions for underperforming students or for dismissal of students who consistently do not meet program expectations in terms of academic, scholarly and professional activities and behaviors The GAC shall evaluate applications for admission to the Neuroscience Graduate Program and make admissions recommendations to the Director. GAC recommendations will be based on review of applicants academic research credentials and on applicant performance during their visit to MSU during program recruiting days The GAC shall recruit vigorously the best-qualified candidates, and assist the Director in identifying such candidates and in procuring recruiting fellowships for them. 6.3 Neuroscience Program Curriculum Committee (CC) Membership The CC shall consist of three Neuroscience Program faculty selected by the Director in consultation with the FAC. CC members shall serve a three year term. The Program Director and the Undergraduate Program Director will be ex officio members of the CC. The CC Chair will be 7

8 6.3.2 Functions 7. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES appointed from among the three appointed CC members by the Program Director. There will also be a graduate student member selected by the Graduate Student Council and an undergraduate student member selected by the Undergraduate Program Director after consultation with the leadership of the Neuroscience Club and the Nu Rho Psi early in the fall term The CC will be responsible for periodic review of the graduate and undergraduate curricula and will provide guidance on curricular changes and updates. The CC will also make recommendations about overall curricular modifications to ensure that the graduate and undergraduate curricula are meeting the needs of Neuroscience students at MSU The CC will review and make recommendations for approval of new recurring courses proposed by Neuroscience faculty to be taught to Neuroscience Program graduate or undergraduate students. Special topics or seminar style courses are exempted from this requirement. 7.1 Any Neuroscience Program faculty member, research associate, or student may initiate a grievance procedure, alleging violation of existing policies or established practices by an administrator, pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Faculty Grievance Procedure As a first step, the Neuroscience Program Director, Associate Director, or FAC shall meet with the parties involved in an effort to resolve the grievance informally. 7.3 In the event that the grievance is not resolved to the satisfaction of all parties, a formal complaint may be filed with the University Faculty Grievance Official (FGO) pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Faculty Grievance Procedure. BYLAWS 8.1 Initial Approval The Neuroscience Program Bylaws, as drafted by the FAC, shall become effective upon approval by a majority Neuroscience Program faculty who vote on the ballot. 8.2 Interpretation The FAC shall be the final authority with regard to the interpretation of these 8

9 bylaws. 8.3 Amendments or Revisions Any voting faculty member or student may request in writing that the FAC initiate procedures to amend or annul any part of these Bylaws. The FAC shall research and discuss the proposed amendment and shall forward the request, together with its recommendation, to the faculty at a regular or special meeting so that it can be considered further, and amended if necessary. Following passage of a motion for approval of the request, or its amended version, the amendment shall be submitted to the voting faculty. Upon approval by a two-thirds majority of all voting faculty, the amendment becomes a part of the Bylaws, or the section whose annulment was desired, shall become void. 9