Faculty Handbook : III. Faculty Policies and Procedures

III. Faculty Policies and Procedures

A. FACULTY GOVERNANCE BODIES

The University as a whole and its principal administrative units have faculty committees that determine academic policy and advise the academic administrators on a range of issues. These bodies are established to insure full faculty participation in matters of broad university interest by sharing responsibility with the Administration and Board of Directors in the conduct of university affairs.

1. University Faculty Senate

The University Faculty Senate has members from all three campuses. It formulates academic policy at the University level, and advises the President and Board of Directors on central fiscal and administrative decisions that affect the mission of the University. The President and other officers of the Senate are elected by the Senate. The Constitution of the Faculty Senate is Section III. F. of the Faculty Handbook.

2. Campus Executive Faculties

Each campus has an Executive Faculty which formulates academic policy for the campus as a whole. Their members are selected in different manners, according to their constitutions, from across the campuses they govern. All three advise the Provost or Executive Vice President for their campus on fiscal and administrative matters as well as academic policies. The Executive Vice Presidents of the Medical Center and the Law Center chair their respective Executive Faculties. The Chair of the Main Campus Executive Faculty is elected by its members.

3. School Executive Councils

Each school on the Main Campus has an Executive Council that is the educational policy making body for that school. Members of the Executive Councils are selected from across the school they govern by the procedure specified in their constitution. The Dean of the School is the Chair of its Executive Council.

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B. CHAIRS OF DEPARTMENTS

Contents

1. Appointment

The Chair of a Department is appointed by the President, based on recommendations of the Department faculty (or a search committee including Department faculty) and the relevant academic officers.

2. Responsibilities

The Chair consults regularly with the Dean(s) of the School(s), to whom he or she is responsible. The Chair is responsible for:

Ensuring that the Department conforms to all University, Campus, and School policies.

Establishing and administering all Departmental policies and procedures, and for acting in accordance with all established policies.

Supervising the members of the Department in academic and technical matters, and promoting the highest possible grade of research and instruction in the Department. The Chair or a designee may visit any class to monitor and ensure the quality of instruction.

Selecting the courses to be taught in the Department.

Recommending to the Dean changes in curricula in the light of trends and developments in the Department's area of study.

Calling and presiding at meetings of the Department, which are normally held monthly throughout the academic year, and seeing to it that minutes are prepared and put on record.

All expenditures by the Department, and preparing budgets for the next fiscal year.

All official correspondence of the Department.

Recommending, in accordance with the Department's procedures, annual merit increases to the Dean(s) for all faculty members and academic staff of the Department.

Communicating to the Dean(s) the Department's recommendations on faculty candidates for appointment, tenure or promotion.

The timely purchase and acquisition of textbooks and other educational materials for courses in the Department.

The purchase of all books, apparatus, equipment, and supplies for the Department, and for their maintenance, storage and inventory.

The allocation of office and research space.

In departments with graduate programs, the Chair or a designee recommends to the Graduate Dean all candidates to be admitted to the Department's masters or doctoral programs, as well as all degree candidates, fellowships and terminations.

The Chair is jointly responsible with the Department faculty and the Dean for the progress and welfare of all students enrolled in the Department. The Chair sees to it that students pursuing degrees in the Department receive adequate direction in their selection of courses and in their preparation for comprehensive exams, independent studies, practica and theses. In the clinical departments of the Medical Center, the Chair sees to it that residents and fellows receive proper direction and supervision.

The Chair is expected to be available as departmental needs shall require and to appoint an Acting Chair during any extended absence. Once appointed, the Acting Chair has all the powers and responsibilities of the Chair.

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C. FACULTY RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Contents

The basic functions of the University are teaching, research and service. By accepting an appointment in this University, an individual assumes a responsibility to teach, pursue scholarly and professional activities, and participate in the academic life of the University. Faculty members have the rights and responsibilities set forth in this Faculty Handbook, in the Faculty Grievance Code (Section III. G.), in a faculty member's contract or in other appropriately authorized University documents approved by the Faculty Senate, similarly intended to establish faculty rights and responsibilities. Faculty rights and responsibilities shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. Academic Freedom

Academic freedom is essential to teaching and research. Such freedom requires free inquiry, free expression, intellectual honesty, respect for the academic rights of others, and openness to change. The rights and responsibilities exercised within the academic community must be compatible with these requirements. All members of the faculty, in common with all other members of the community, share the responsibility for maintaining a professional atmosphere in which violations of academic freedom and responsibility are unlikely to occur. The University endorses the American Association of University Professor's 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, with clarifications that place it in the Georgetown University context (see Section XXI).

A Faculty member has rights and responsibilities common to all citizens, free from institutional censorship. In furtherance of this principle, a Faculty member may be held accountable by the University for his or her private acts only as they substantially affect teaching, research or University service. However, in his or her private pursuits the services of the University shall not be used nor shall the University affiliation be used so as to indicate University approval. When speaking or writing in a controversial field, members of the Faculty should indicate that their viewpoints do not necessarily reflect the official position of the University authorities.

2. Research

Members of the Faculty have a right and a responsibility to pursue scholarly activities designed to advance knowledge in their field. In some fields, creative or professional contributions are appropriate.

3. Teaching

Members of the Faculty have the following specific responsibilities in connection with their teaching:

a. To remain current in their subjects.

b. To instruct assigned courses at the scheduled time, promptly beginning and ending each class.

c. To complete in a professional, timely and responsible manner all other teaching and academic assignments which the faculty member has accepted as, or which are a normal part of, his or her duties.

d. To avoid using his or her position improperly as a faculty member to coerce students to adopt or feign positions similar to the faculty member's, or to prevent the student from holding a view opposed to it.

e. To give individual evaluations of student performance.

f. To hold regular office hours adequate for advising and counseling students, including during the registration and pre-registration periods.

g. To attend Commencements and Convocations.

h. To notify the Department Chair of any plans to be absent in order to attend meetings. Members of the Faculty who must be absent because of illness or other emergency should inform the Chairs of the Departments and/or Deans of Schools as soon as possible. Arrangements must be made to cover or reschedule any classes missed. Absence to attend meetings is not sufficient reason for the cancellation of classes.

4. Grading

Academic freedom includes the faculty member’s right freely to evaluate student academic performance in his or her classes. A faculty member’s teaching responsibilities include providing grades in the manner and within the deadlines specified by the Registrar, doing so honestly, fairly, and without bias, using appropriate criteria and following stated procedures.

a. The grade submitted by a faculty member to the Registrar at the end of the course may be overruled only as the result of an appeal procedure approved by the faculty governance body responsible for academic policy in the campus or school governed by the policy.

i. Any such appeal procedure should be designed to protect students against evaluation in which the professor uses inappropriate criteria or ignores stated procedures and grading standards.

ii. Such procedures should provide for a faculty committee to review the appeal and authorize any resulting change in a grade.

iii Deans may resolve an appeal only if the faculty committee fails to act in the time specified.

iv. Faculty have a responsibility to cooperate fully with grade appeals conducted according to the approved procedures.

b. The faculty member’s ability to change a grade after it has been recorded by the Registrar is limited by School policy. School policies may also authorize the Registrar or Dean to record administrative Fs when faculty members fail to turn in grades, retroactively withdraw students from courses, and convert letter grades when a course is taken pass/fail.

5. Service

Members of the Faculty have a responsibility to accept a reasonable number of assignments to committee work.

6. Participation in Governance

Faculty members have the right to participate in the governance of the University, and to seek change of University policies by appropriate means and through appropriate channels provided within each part of the University. The principal governance bodies are the University Faculty Senate, the Campus Executive Faculties, and the School Executive Councils (see Section II. C.). In addition, there is a chapter of the American Association of University Professors on campus.

7. Outside Professional Activities

All members of the faculty are expected to belong to, and participate in the affairs of, the important professional and educational associations and societies in their respective fields.
To the extent possible, members of the faculty are expected to deliver papers at meetings of professional and educational organizations and to contribute to professional and educational journals and publications at reasonable intervals. Within the limits of the budget, the Chair of the Department may authorize such active participation of a full-time faculty member in the meetings of an important society. Requests for such travel must be made in due time and must be accompanied by an estimate of cost so that the Chair may have opportunity to consider the budget. All expense accounts for authorized trips, itemized and accompanied by receipts, should be submitted through the Chair to the appropriate University Office for payment. Similar approval must be obtained in cases of travel chargeable to grants or contracts.
A regular full-time faculty member shall not accept regular or part-time employment as a full- or part-time teacher during the academic year in another institution, without the approval of the Department Chair and the appropriate Dean(s).
While full-time status will not afford much extra time, faculty members may serve as consultants. Such consultation or other remunerative occupation outside the University, however, should not exceed an average of eight hours a week and must not be undertaken until the Chair of the Department is satisfied that teaching, research, mentoring, and committee and other school obligations will be met.
Occasional participation in traditional scholarly activities such as, but not limited to, service on study sections and review panels, delivery of academic seminars, the review, presentation or writing of scholarly papers, and service on editorial boards is considered part of the routine academic duty of faculty members. No advance review is required for activities of this type so long as they do not conflict with other faculty duties. Major and ongoing extramural academic commitments that are expected to require commitment of University resources and/or to conflict with other faculty duties do require advance consultation and agreement with the Department Chair, the Dean, or other appropriate administrative officer to assure that teaching, research, mentoring, and committee and other school obligations will be met.
When Faculty members use University equipment or facilities in professional work for clients outside the University, the University shall be compensated for the actual burden, including direct costs, borne by the University for such use, and such compensation shall be at a rate determined by the Chair of the Department and the Dean of the School in question, or by other officials of the University who are concerned with the matter.

8. The Academic Year

The Academic Year of the Main Campus and at Law Center consists of the nine month period that begins with registration and terminates with Commencement, provided all University obligations in the matter of marks, grades, theses, and other reports have been satisfied. Twelve-month contracts normally prevail in the Medical Center. Members of the Faculty should not depart for recess or vacation until all their reports, grades, and current assignments, as may be required by Chairs of Departments and Deans of Schools, have been completed and submitted.

9. Leaves

a. Leave Requests and Limits

Requests for leave must be made in writing by the faculty member through the department chair or unit director and the appropriate dean to the EVP or Provost, whose final decision will be addressed to the faculty member in writing. The decision will take into account the proposed activity during the period of the requested leave and the impact of the faculty member's absence.

Leave approval will include a specified term of no more than four semesters (two academic or calendar years). Only in exceptional circumstances will an extended leave be approved for a consecutive period of more than four semesters up to maximum of four years. Such requests will be considered by the Provost or EVP.

Any request for consecutive leave and leave extension for a combined period of more than four years will be granted only if the proposed leave is recommended by the Provost or EVP and approved by the President. Such approval will be granted only in the most exceptional cases.

A faculty member who does not return from approved leave following the specified term will be terminated from his or her position and, as applicable, relinquish tenure.

b. Sabbatical Leave

In the interest of self-improvement, professional advancement, and productive scholarship, full-time faculty members of the rank of Assistant Professor and above are eligible for a sabbatical leave after six years or twelve semesters of service, from the date of initial appointment or following completion of the previous sabbatical leave. Leaves of absence neither count as semesters toward sabbatical eligibility nor require the clock for eligibility to restart. Exceptions to this service requirement (e.g., postponement for departmental exigencies) must be agreed upon in writing by the concerned parties. Delaying one sabbatical need not delay eligibility for future sabbaticals for faculty on the Main Campus, though, in order to bank the time, the faculty member must first apply for the sabbatical and get it approved.

Applications must be made in writing through the Chair of the Department and appropriate Dean to the Provost or the appropriate Executive Vice President, not later than December 1 of the academic year preceding the year of absence. Only tenured faculty members on the Main Campus are eligible. An application from those faculty for sabbatical leave will be reviewed by the applicant's departmental Chair, program director, and the relevant Dean (including the Graduate Dean when appropriate). Their recommendations will be forwarded to the Provost or appropriate Executive Vice President, who will convene the Council of Deans with the expectation that all but the most unusual recommendations will be accepted without discussion.

In general, sabbatical leaves will be granted when the University will not suffer undue academic inconvenience by such absence and when the applicant uses leave for research or for formal study and not to teach in another college or university.

Normally the terms of sabbatical leave will be either one academic year at half basic pay or one semester at full salary. At the end of the leave period the faculty member is to report in writing to the Provost or appropriate Executive Vice President on the progress of research or formal study during that time. This report is to be submitted upon completion (customarily within thirty days) of the sabbatical.

It is evident that the number of leaves granted in any academic year must be limited. All full-time faculty members of the Medical Center who are on a twelve-month salary basis are eligible to apply for sabbatical leave for twelve weeks with full salary. These faculty members are eligible to apply for sabbatical leave every four years. The above described procedure should be followed accordingly.

Since the award of a sabbatical is an investment which is meant to profit the institution as well as the individual, faculty are committed by the acceptance of this award to return to Georgetown after a sabbatical to teach for at least one year.

10. Fair Treatment

Every member of the University has the right to be treated fairly, courteously, and professionally by students, colleagues, the Department Chair and by all members of the University administration, and to be protected from arbitrary or capricious action on the part of any such persons.

Members of the Faculty are to be free from arbitrary or capricious action on the part of the University Administration with respect to the determination of his or her own individual annual compensation. In this regard, faculty members have the right to receive full information concerning all factors material to the determination of his or her own individual annual compensation, provided that an individual is not entitled to receive any information concerning the salaries or the factors material to the salaries of others, nor may the faculty member by this provision be entitled to receive any information received by the University in confidence relevant to initial appointment, the grant of tenure, promotion or retention.

Members of the Faculty must refrain from committing or inciting to acts of physical violence against individuals or property, or acts which interfere with the academic freedom of other persons within the University, or interfere with the freedom of speech or movement of such persons.

11. Religious Tolerance

Members of the faculty have an obligation to recognize that Georgetown University is a Jesuit university committed therefore to Catholic principles and religious values. While this places no obligation on faculty members with regard to their personal beliefs or religious practices, it does require a respect, in their capacity as faculty members, for the basic religious commitment of Georgetown University.

12. Confidentiality

Members of the faculty should make themselves aware of various confidentiality requirements imposed by the University and by federal laws, e.g., the University Faculty Grievance Code (Section III. G. infra), the University Procedures for Alleged Misconduct In Research (Section IV. D. infra), and The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Members of the faculty are expected to use good judgment in determining which affairs of the University are confidential, and to make conservative decisions in case of doubt. University Counsel can be consulted for advice in this regard.

13. Financial Conflicts of Interest

Despite the frequency and complexity of the relationships of the University and its faculty and staff with industry, government and other entities, these relationships are governed by one basic principle--the full-time faculty and staff of Georgetown University recognize that their primary professional responsibility is to Georgetown University. They must not allow outside obligations, financial interests or employment relationships to compromise their objectivity as teachers, researchers, clinicians, and administrators. In addition, members of the Georgetown University community who are supported by public funds bear a special obligation to preserve the public trust. To further these ends, Georgetown University has developed a policy for the identification and prevention of financial conflicts of interest. The full text of this policy is set out in Section IV. C.

14. The University Policy Concerning Indemnification of Faculty Members

Georgetown University will defend, indemnify and hold harmless its faculty members from and against any and all expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees and disbursements, judgments or settlements, arising out of any act or failure to act by faculty members acting in good faith within the scope of their employment and in performance of their authorized or assigned duties. The University reserves the right not to defend or indemnify a faculty member where the injury or damage results from intentional wrongdoing, gross negligence, or willful violation or disregard of University policies and procedures. Nor will the University defend or indemnify a faculty member (1) in the event that the action or proceeding on a claim is brought by, on behalf of, or in the right of, the University, or (2) in the event that in the action or proceeding of the claim, the faculty member is aligned as a party adverse to the University. Acts or failures to act by faculty members rendering medical, nursing, legal, or other professional services not within the scope of their employment or not part of authorized or assigned duties are not included herein. In addition, indemnification shall not be available to a faculty member to the extent that any damage or loss is indemnifiable under other insurance covering the faculty member.

Defense and indemnification are conditional upon the delivery to the Office of the University Counsel of the original or a copy of any summons, complaint, process, notice, demand or pleading within 10 working days after service of such document. [8] Secondly, the University must be given the absolute and continuing right to take charge of the claim or litigation including the right to direct any litigation, to appoint counsel and to settle any and all claims in a manner deemed appropriate by the University. The University shall give prior notification to the faculty member of any settlement proposals and allow the faculty member the opportunity to comment upon the proposal and shall give reasonable consideration of such comments. To the extent that it is within its control the University shall maintain the confidentiality of all settlement proposals and agreements. Finally, the University and its counsel are to be given full assistance and continuous cooperation of the faculty member throughout the defense of any covered claim or litigation.

In deciding whether a faculty member will be defended or indemnified the University shall presume that the faculty member acted in good faith and within the scope of his or her employment until evidence to the contrary proves otherwise.

15. Faculty Support

Libraries are provided to support the teaching and research of the faculty and their students.

Computer and information technology is provided to facilitate the teaching, research and communication of the faculty.

Desk and office space and computers are provided as available. These are allotted by the Chair as nearly as possible in order of rank and of seniority of service in the University.

Administrative officers and secretaries are employed in the offices of schools and departments. The services of such personnel must be arranged through the Chairs of Departments, the Deans of the Schools, or the appropriate University official.

Parking facilities are made available by the University to the best of its ability. Faculty members are asked to comply with the parking regulations as promulgated.

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D. APPOINTMENTS, RANK, AND TENURE

Contents

1. Faculty

All officers of instruction are members of the faculty [9] of the University although assigned to service in distinct schools. A faculty member has a primary appointment in only one department, but may have secondary appointments in one or more units (departments, programs or schools). [10]

Those officers of instruction who by reason of their qualifications have been appointed to one of the four full-time tenure-eligible academic ranks (which in ascending order are Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor) constitute the ORDINARY FACULTY of the University.

The President, and by delegated authority, the Provost or campus Executive Vice President, appoint members of the faculty. Generally, the President makes appointments to the Ordinary Faculty at the ranks of Associate and Full Professor, and the Provost or campus Executive Vice President makes other faculty appointments.

Professional librarians share certain rights and privileges of the faculty specified in the Faculty Handbook.

2. General Norms for Appointment, Retention and Advancement

Those appointed to the faculty are expected to observe the professional standards and procedures set forth in this Faculty Handbook. Included within these standards is the expectation that all those appointed to the faculty will provide the University with full and accurate information about their credentials.

It is to be expected that all members of the faculty will perform satisfactorily their teaching and other duties. Satisfactory performance does not of itself constitute grounds for retention or advancement in academic rank however. With advancing levels of academic experience, it is expected that faculty members will demonstrate an increasing level of achievement in teaching, scholarship and service, as appropriate.

A faculty member who teaches is expected to have a thorough knowledge of the subject(s) being taught, a demonstrated ability to communicate that knowledge to students, and the skill to stimulate students to reach their potential.

A faculty member whose responsibilities include research is expected to have a wide and critical command of the field of his or her study. The highest indication of scholarship is the ability to make original contributions in one’s field of knowledge. Scholarship is generally evidenced by scholarly publications of high quality, but also may be evidenced in certain areas by creativity and professional contributions demonstrated through the medium of communication customary in that discipline. Consideration will be given to such subsidiary evidence as direction of or significant participation in research projects, particularly in the scholarly activities of learned societies and professional consultative service.

Faculty with a responsibility for service are expected to make contributions that enhance the University, the missions of their unit, and their profession.

3. Tenure

Through the institution of tenure, the University seeks to retain outstanding faculty and protect the academic freedom essential to the best research, teaching, and service. Tenure entails a mutually acknowledged expectation of continuing employment that is terminable by the University only for just cause (as for professional incompetence or moral turpitude of the faculty member, for grave economic stringency on the part of the University, or for reasons of major changes in institutional aims). [11]

Tenure is awarded by the President. Tenure is awarded only following explicit review and never by length of service. Initial appointment, promotion, and the award of tenure are separate actions. Appointment or promotion to any rank does not confer tenure.

A tenured faculty member must hold the rank of Associate Professor or Professor.[12]

Requirements for tenure, at any rank, ordinarily include 1) teaching ability rated by one's students and peers as being of high quality, over a period of several years; 2) scholarly accomplishments consistent with the rank, and supportive evaluations of the scholarship by authorities outside the University; and 3) service (both inside and outside the University) commensurate with the rank. The basis for the awarding of tenure extends beyond a distinguished scholarly record achieved during the probationary period or prior to appointment. The award is also contingent upon a strongly favorable judgment of the faculty member’s prospects for continued accomplishment in research, teaching, and service throughout his or her University career. Tenure is warranted only if there is a clear expectation that the candidate’s professional record already does or eventually will justify promotion to Full Professor at Georgetown University.

The recommendations for tenure are submitted for decision by the President. The decision shall be transmitted to the pertinent faculty member in an expeditious and appropriate manner.

Tenure expires at the date of retirement or earlier if the faculty member's employment at the University has been terminated for other reasons. If a faculty member resigns from the University and later returns, his or her situation with repect to tenure should be set forth in clear, unequivocal language in the letter of appointment.

4. Request for Reconsideration

Whenever a faculty member receives in writing an adverse decision of the University concerning his/her application for promotion and/or tenure, the faculty member has thirty calendar days to file with the President of the University a petition for reconsideration. The petition should be submitted in writing and list the reasons for the request for reconsideration.

5. Standards for the Academic Ranks

Instructor

Appointment to the rank of Instructor generally presupposes the following qualifications:

Candidacy for the Ph.D. or possess the degree required for teaching in certain fields.

Proven or presumptive teaching ability.

The potential to progress toward the Assistant Professorship according to ordinary norms.

Those qualities of character and personality expected in a teacher and advisor of students.

Assistant Professor

Appointment to this rank or promotion from the rank of Instructor presupposes:

Possession of the Ph.D. or the degree required for teaching in certain fields.

Evidence of the possession of those qualities of character, personality, and competence expected in a teacher and advisor of students.

Evidence of scholarship and research

Expectation or evidence of satisfactory performance of other University responsibilities.

Associate Professor

Promotion to this rank from the rank of Assistant Professor requires:

Excellence in research. This requires a substantial body of scholarship that impartial experts in the candidate’s area of study and the relevant faculty at Georgetown consider to be outstanding. The quality of a candidate’s scholarly work, including contributions to collaborative activities, is crucial. Quality is judged by the contribution that the work makes to a specific body of knowledge and is usually indicated by its scholarly impact or recognition (nationally and often internationally). The candidate’s corpus of scholarly work must demonstrate creativity and originality.

Excellence in teaching. Quality of teaching is assessed in terms of a thorough knowledge of the subject(s) being taught, a demonstrated ability to communicate that knowledge to students, and the skill to stimulate students to reach their potential.

Effective professional or institutional service. Service is judged by its contribution to the candidate’s field, to the missions of his or her unit, and to the University as a whole. Given that faculty in the probationary period need to establish a record in teaching and scholarship, service is decidedly less important for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor than either scholarship or teaching. An exceptional service record cannot substitute for outstanding scholarship and excellent teaching.

Initial appointments to this rank shall be based on the standards described in a-c above or on professional experience and recognition.

Professor

Promotion to the rank of Full Professor requires a sustained level of achievement according to the same indicators of scholarly excellence as those required for the rank of Associate Professor. This rank is awarded in the expectation that the faculty member’s entire professional career will live up to this standard. Substantial accomplishments since appointment or promotion to the prior rank should be clearly demonstrated. Promotion to Professor is recognition of scholarly achievement at a level that meets or exceeds what is generally expected for full professors at peer research universities, a commitment to excellence in teaching, and substantial service and leadership with every expectation of continuing contributions to the University.

Initial appointments at the rank of Full Professor shall be made on the basis described in the previous paragraph or, in exceptional circumstances, may be based on professional experience and recognition.

6. Term of Service

Prompt written notice shall be given by the University to the pertinent member of the Ordinary Faculty setting forth the rank of initial appointment, the rank to which one is promoted, the grant of tenure, the denial of tenure, or of any final action taken in regard to rank and tenure.

For one regularly appointed to the Ordinary Faculty without tenure the normal term of employment is one year, renewable annually within the tenure probationary period. (See 7 below)

During the probationary period, notice of non-reappointment will be given in writing to members of the Ordinary Faculty in accordance with the following standards:

Not later than March 1st of the first academic year of service at Georgetown.

Not later than December 15th of the second academic year of service.

Not later than July 31st in the year prior to termination after two or more years of service.

If for any reason a member of the Ordinary Faculty intends to terminate his or her employment with the University, due notice should be given in writing to the Provost or Executive Vice President of the appropriate campus at least six months prior to the date of termination.

7. The Tenure Probationary Period

The tenure probationary period for untenured full-time members of the Ordinary Faculty is seven academic years. For a faculty member whose term of appointment begins 1 January, or later, the tenure probationary period commences with the academic year following his or her initial appointment. Otherwise the tenure probationary period commences with the academic year of the appointment. The duration of the tenure probationary period is not affected by the status of, or changes in, a faculty member's rank (such as instructor or assistant professor).

An untenured Ordinary Faculty member becomes eligible for tenure review at the end of the third year of his or her tenure probationary period and may request a review in any year of the tenure probationary period after becoming eligible. Untenured Ordinary Faculty must confirm in writing no later than the beginning of the sixth year: 1) their intention to apply for tenure in the sixth or seventh year of the tenure probationary period, and 2) their understanding of the remaining tenure probationary period and reappointment limits. A faculty member who is denied tenure in the sixth year of the tenure probationary period and who does not reapply in the seventh year of the tenure probationary period, will be terminated at the end of the seventh year. A faculty member who applies for tenure in the seventh year of the tenure probationary period, may request a terminal appointment for the subsequent year, in case the application is denied. If tenure is denied, the tenured faculty of the relevant unit may, at their discretion, recommend a terminal year appointment with a normal teaching assignment but without tenure-eligibility, provided that the request for the appointment is received prior to course planning for the year of the appointment and that such appointment is consistent with the needs of the department. No application for tenure may be made during a terminal year following expiration of the tenure probationary period.

The tenure probationary period at Georgetown for an untenured member of the Ordinary Faculty with previous employment in a tenure-eligible position at another university will be reduced by the number of tenure-eligible years previously served minus one; provided that the tenure probationary period at Georgetown will never be less than four years. Exceptions must be approved at the time of the faculty member’s initial appointment by the Executive Vice President on recommendation of the Chair and Dean, and explicitly stated in a written agreement between the faculty member and the Executive Vice President. In approving exceptions, consideration shall be given to whether the previous employment provided adequate opportunity for scholarship and teaching.

The tenure probationary period may be interrupted while a faculty member is on leave to perform public or professional service that does not contribute to the production of academic scholarship of the type normally considered in an application for tenure. Such leave and interruption of the tenure probationary period shall not ordinarily be granted in the seventh year of the tenure probationary period. The Executive Vice President, acting with the advice of the Chair and Dean, will determine if the leave interrupts the tenure probationary period.

The tenure probationary period may be interrupted as provided in section V “Fringe Benefits” of the 1999 Faculty Handbook, in the New Parent Leave Option for Ordinary Faculty on the Main Campus, or in such other personal and family leave policies that may be adopted from time to time; or as required by District of Columbia, state or federal law.

For purposes of this policy, references to a particular numerical year of the tenure probationary period are to the adjusted year after accounting for any interruptions described in paragraphs (d) and (e) that have occurred and approved credit for service elsewhere.

Nothing in this policy shall have the effect of changing the tenure probationary period for any faculty member whose tenure probationary period begins before July 1, 2006. All such faculty will have their probationary period determined by the policies and practices in place at the time of their initial appointment. If such faculty have not received a research or teaching leave that interrupted their tenure probationary period, they may request a terminal non-tenure-eligible year as specified in paragraph (b) above.

8. University Professor

a. Policy

Georgetown University reserves the rank of University Professor for faculty members of extraordinary achievement whose scholarly accomplishments have earned them substantial recognition from their academic peers. The rank is bestowed by the President in recognition of distinguished record of scholarship, teaching, and service to the University and higher education community at large. The rank is recognized as the University's most significant professional honor, and is awarded rarely and only in accordance with the criteria specified in this policy.

b. Criteria

To be eligible for appointment to the rank of University Professor a faculty member must satisfy the following criteria:

i. He or she must either hold the rank of professor with tenure at Georgetown University or have been recommended to the President for tenure at that rank in accordance with the University's rank and tenure policies and procedures.
ii. He or she must possess an outstanding record of scholarly accomplishment that establishes him or her at the front ranks of university faculty nationally and internationally.
iii. As a condition of appointment to the rank of University Professor, the faculty member must agree to relinquish any chair or endowed professorship he or she currently holds.

c. Procedure

To be appointed to the rank of University Professor, an otherwise eligible faculty member must be selected by the President of the University upon the affirmative recommendation of at least two Executive Vice Presidents or Provost and taking into account the views expressed by members on affected department(s).

d. Privileges of Rank

Appointment to the rank of University Professor will be with tenure. Tenure will reside in the department in which the faculty member serves as a professor.

9. Emeritus Policy

a. Policy

A faculty member who retires, who does not accept a full-time or part-time academic appointment at another institution of higher education, and who satisfies the eligibility criteria in paragraph (b) below, may be appointed Professor or Associate or Assistant Professor Emeritus by the President.

b. Criteria

To be eligible for appointment to emeritus status, a retired faculty member must satisfy the following criteria:

i. The faculty member must have served, for at least ten years with tenure, at Georgetown University at the rank of Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor.

ii. The faculty member must possess a record of distinguished and meritorious service to Georgetown University.

c. Procedure

If a faculty member satisfies the eligibility criteria and wishes to be considered for emeritus status, he or she should apply to the Provost or the appropriate Executive Vice President.

d. Benefits

In addition to the customary health and retirement benefits, the provision of any other benefits, amenities, and facilities, as they are reasonably available, is left to the discretion of the department.

10. Clinical Emeritus Faculty

a. Policy

This title will be offered to a faculty member who retires, who does not accept a full-time or part-time academic appointment at another institution of higher education, and who satisfies the eligibility criteria described below. The specific titles eligible faculty could have bestowed are: Clinical Professor Emeritus, Clinical Associate Professor Emeritus, or Clinical Assistant Professor Emeritus by the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences.

b. Criteria

To be eligible for appointment to Clinical Emeritus status, a retired faculty member must satisfy the following criteria:

i. The faculty member must have served, usually for at least ten years, at Georgetown University Hospital or one of the affiliated educational institutions at the rank of Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor on the Clinician Scholar or Clinician educator or Clinical tracks.

ii. The faculty member must possess a record of distinguished and meritorious service to Georgetown University Medical Center.

c. Procedure

If a faculty member satisfies the eligibility criteria and wishes to be considered for Clinical Emeritus status, he or she should apply to the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences.

d. Benefits

The provision of any other benefits, amenities, and facilities, as they are reasonably available, is left to the discretion of the institution or requesting department under established University policies and procedures.

[13]

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E. Guidelines on Submitting Applications for Tenure and Promotion

Editor’s note

These guidelines appeared in the Faculty Handbook 1999. Slight modifications in style and context, not substance, have been made since. The most up-to-date information about the rank and tenure application process, including the May 2006 announcement of change in deadline dates, is available at the website of the University Committee on Rank and Tenure.

(Revised June 5, 1992)

Introduction

Rank and Tenure are at the heart of a mutually acknowledged and mutually beneficial long-term relationship between the Ordinary Faculty and the University. They deserve special attention throughout the faculty member's career at the University. The Faculty Handbook spells out the larger frame of reference for this relationship, and individual departments provide the most immediate and long-term favorable environment for faculty members' growth.

At certain points during their employment history--whether at the time of initial appointment or later in their careers at the University--faculty members may elect or be required to apply for tenure and/or promotion. This document (the Guidelines) is intended to clarify the procedures pertaining to both of these application processes. Given the importance of rank and tenure, all members of the Ordinary Faculty will be provided with copies of these Guidelines at the time of initial appointment. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the Department Chairpersons to inform faculty, early on, of the expectations for the granting of tenure and promotion that hold within a given Department and within the University as a whole.

While these Guidelines are by no means exhaustive in that regard, they can provide a useful framework for the procedural steps to be taken in the actual application process.

General Statement

The procedures for submitting applications for tenure and promotion at Georgetown University are organized variously across the University's major divisions. Though there are different administrative entities and different decision-making bodies all procedures should achieve a fair and objective evaluation of the applicant's total record in terms of teaching, scholarship, and service.

In general, this evaluation takes place in three stages, at the departmental level, at the school level, and, finally, at the level of the University Committee on Rank and Tenure. The University Committee on Rank and Tenure (the Committee) serves as the President's advisory body on all matters pertaining to the granting of tenure and promotion. The Committee's deliberations are confidential and the Committee reports only to the President. All decisions on tenure and promotion rest with the President of the University.

Procedures at the Departmental or School Level

Applications for tenure and promotion can be submitted by all full-time members of the Ordinary Faculty who are eligible to be considered for promotion and/or tenure in accordance with the Faculty Handbook. Internal support, whether from the Department or the School, is not a prerequisite for consideration by the University Committee on Rank and Tenure. However, all applications must be forwarded through the Department Chairperson or Dean or other official who normally is responsible for applications. This administrative officer will process them expeditiously through the relevant channels and will assure that all materials that were considered by the various deliberating bodies, whatever their conclusions, are included in the file that is transmitted to the Committee.
Whatever procedural variations may exist in different originating bodies, the following points apply to all applications:

Candidates must be assessed in the three categories of teaching, scholarship, and service.
Excellence in teaching reveals itself in a variety of ways. Course critiques submitted by students and faculty evaluations, although imperfect, still provide a useful measure of the manner in which a professor's teaching is received and perceived by students. Summary data of the Teacher and Course Evaluation Forms should be included in the application file. Obviously, the most useful evaluations are those in which the majority of students enrolled in a course have participated.

In addition, systematic assessments prepared by the applicant's colleagues who have observed selected classes over several years and, who, in addition, may have obtained formal or informal input from students can provide important additional information regarding teaching.

Since teaching is considered an important component of a faculty member's professional life at Georgetown University, it is particularly important to help younger colleagues at the beginning of their career to become successful teachers. Thus, any indication of a colleague's growth in that regard, particularly as it is documented in the annual evaluations prepared by the department on tenure-track faculty prior to the granting of rank and/or tenure, should receive special note.

In some fields, specifically within the Medical Center, teaching may be conducted in clinical settings. When a standard evaluation form is not available, evaluations from students, residents, and/or fellows taught in such clinical settings would normally be in the form of letters. Testimonials from selected students or friends should not be expected to carry much weight in the Committee's deliberations.
"While there is no concise definition of what may constitute evidence of scholarship, it is generally recognized that a scholar has a wide and critical command of his or her field of study as well as broad cultural interests. The highest indication of scholarship is the ability to make original contributions in one's field of knowledge." Excellence in scholarship typically reveals itself as continuing research documented primarily in publications appearing in the relevant journals or in the form of books published by respected publishing companies. It may also be "evidenced in certain areas of creativity demonstrated through the medium of communication customary in a discipline." Citation of a candidate's work in the professional literature is another indicator of scholarly standing.

Consideration will be given to such subsidiary evidence as direction of or significant participation in research projects, particularly in the scholarly activities of learned societies and professional consultative service.

Major invited addresses given at national and international conferences, election to editorial boards, and service on peer review committees also reflect the applicant's scholarly productivity and ability.

The publication of a textbook can be considered either under the category of teaching or of scholarship, depending upon the nature of the textbook and the contributions it makes to the field. A judgment on this matter should be requested from the outside evaluators as part of their written statements. A textbook would be viewed as indicative of scholarship if, for example, extramural evaluators cite evidence that the book exhibits exemplary scholarship, offers original insights and perspectives in the field, and is read and cited by scholars and researchers.

Extramural research funding from organizations using peer review committees is an index of scholarly potential for younger colleagues, and sustained support denotes peer acceptance of the importance of the research activity for senior members of the faculty.

Work in progress is usually not considered by the Committee, unless it has been subjected to the same extramural assessment as published work.
It is the responsibility of the academic Department or other appropriate faculty committee to secure genuine and timely evaluations of the candidate's scholarship. The candidate may suggest appropriate outside reviewers. However, the ultimate decision on the group of reviewers rests with the academic department or the appropriate faculty committee which, in consultation with other appropriate faculty members, selects impartial and competent evaluators.

A statement describing the procedures followed to select outside evaluators should be included with the application submitted to the University Committee on Rank and Tenure.

Scholarship must be evaluated by extramural authorities in the field who are in a position to give an objective evaluation.

The Committee requires a minimum of three written evaluations of scholarship from extramural authorities. The Chairperson of the Department or committee should submit a brief statement concerning the qualifications of the external evaluators. Any social, academic, or institutional relationship between the evaluators and the applicant should be clearly indicated by the evaluators and on the application's summary listing of reviewers.

At least two evaluators should be distinguished scholars who are neither members of the Georgetown faculty nor former teachers, co-workers, or students of the candidate. That is, evaluators should primarily be acquainted with the candidate through his or her published work or other professional accomplishments. Where a field is so small that this is not feasible, this should be justified in the application.

All evaluations received should be included in the application.
The applicant's curriculum vitae and copies of appropriate publications should be sent to the evaluators, together with an explanation of the conditions and expectations under which the applicant has worked. Since standards of acceptable scholarship may properly vary within a single unit from one time to another, from one unit to another within an institution, and from one institution to another, it is important that the standards applicable to a given application be clearly explained to each evaluator. A copy of the explanation of conditions and expectations which was furnished to each evaluator, should be included with the application.

The rank, experience, and overall standing of these evaluators determine the confidence the Committee has in the extramural letters of evaluation.

Statements from extramural evaluators should provide answers to some of the following questions: Have the publications of the candidate added to or modified existing knowledge and how was this accomplished? Has the candidate developed a new idea? Has the candidate provided additional examples or applications for the theories stated by others? Has the candidate explained, at least partly, a difficulty encountered by other researchers? Has the candidate tested any theorem or idea under different conditions, or in new circumstances?

Each reviewer must be requested to justify any conclusions regarding the quality of scholarship of the applicant and do so at a level of detail that permits an understanding of the achievement of the applicant relative to standards of excellence in his or her field. Evaluations that do not identify clearly specific components of the applicant's work which support the evaluator's conclusions cannot be considered as persuasive.
Service recognizes the applicant's record as a colleague rather than as a teacher or scholar. It covers departmental and extra-departmental administrative, committee-work, and community service. Of particular importance is the advising that faculty offer to students in their own or in other departments.

Since an applicant's record of relevant service may not always be known within the Department or School, and may thus be overlooked easily, it is important to direct particular attention to this category in the preparation of the file.
Secret and separate votes shall be taken on applications for promotion and/or tenure. These are to be reported to the Committee. In the case of applications for tenure, all tenured members of the Department are entitled to vote. In the case of applications for promotion all members holding at least the rank to which the applicant is applying are entitled to vote. Voting should take place at a meeting at which the application can be discussed by the group as a whole. Absentee votes, if permitted by the Department, should be so noted in the transmission of the file.

In Schools or Departments having Executive Faculties or separate committees on rank and tenure, applications will indicate the votes submitted by such bodies as well as votes obtained from the relevant Department(s). Where applicants have interdisciplinary responsibilities they should also be assessed by their interdisciplinary program.

The University Committee on Rank and Tenure

The Committee, and therefore each member serving on it, is charged with judging each application according to the best interests of the University in terms of the candidate's record of teaching, scholarship, and service. In arriving at its recommendations to the President the Committee is guided by the Faculty Handbook and considers all information which is relevant to the assessment of candidates in those three categories.

Membership on the University Committee on Rank and Tenure comes about either by Presidential appointment (half of the membership) or by election by the Faculty Senate. It is offered for a three year term. Although it is customary for members of the Committee to be drawn from a variety of academic divisions of the University, the members of the Committee are not "representatives" of particular Departments or Schools. An individual may serve on the Committee for no more than two terms in succession, and must remain off the Committee for at least one term between appointments.

At its initial meeting of the academic year, the Committee elects its officers, the Chairperson, the Recording Secretary, and the Corresponding Secretary.

The officers of the Committee may serve for no more than three consecutive years. As much as possible, successive chairpersons should come from different campuses of the University. Individual members of the Committee, as well as its officers, are not available to discuss the business of the Committee except with the President and those designated by him.

Preparation and Submission of Applications

Complete applications must include all of the following:

A covering SUMMARY SHEET (a copy is attached on the last page), with all applicable items completed;
The applicant's current curriculum vitae, including earned degrees (with institutions and dates), academic and professional history, publications, academic honors, speeches and addresses, professional memberships, and academic and public service;
Material demonstrating the applicant's record as a teacher, including student evaluations and assessment by colleagues;
All letters from extramural experts addressing the quality of the applicant's scholarly contributions, including information about any relationship to the candidate;
Copy of letters sent to the outside evaluators; a statement regarding the procedures used in selecting them, and a brief statement concerning their qualifications;
Letters from appropriate Deans and Chairpersons evaluating the candidate's record of teaching, scholarship, and service;
Letters, or summaries of letters, submitted by Georgetown colleagues;
Two copies of representative publications.

All pages of the application are to be numbered consecutively. Submission of the full application to the Committee IN EIGHTEEN COPIES, no later than March 15, is required for action during the current academic year. When practical, earlier submission is encouraged.

Applications dealing solely with promotion of current Georgetown faculty who already hold tenure are to be submitted to the Committee prior to January 15 for action during the current academic year.

Under extraordinary circumstances, at the request of the Executive Vice President for the Main Campus, the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences, Director of the Medical Center, or the Dean of the Law Center, applications will be accepted for review in the current year after the deadline date for submission. However, the request for special consideration must be received at the Office of the Corresponding Secretary by the deadline date and the completed application must be received no later than May 1.

A completed application includes all of the above components. Questions regarding guidelines specific to the processing of applications by each campus should be submitted to the appropriate campus head or the head's designee.

Departments deliver all copies of the completed application to the office of the appropriate campus head. The campus head or head's designee will then forward the application to the Office of the Secretary.

Inquiries regarding the mechanics of the application process that go beyond these Guidelines may be directed to the Corresponding Secretary or the Chairperson, c/o The Secretary of the University, Healy Hall, Room 205.

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F. FACULTY SENATE CONSTITUTION

Contents

(Amended May 1993)

1. The Georgetown University Faculty Senate

There is hereby established a Senate of Georgetown University, for the purpose of insuring full Faculty participation in matters of general University interest by sharing responsibility with the University Board of Directors and Administration in the conduct of University affairs.

2. Functions of the Senate

The Senate shall have authority to discuss and express its views on any matter of general University interest, and to make recommendations to the President and Board of Directors, and to the University Faculties. The Senate shall discharge its functions as a body or through committees or persons duly delegated to act for it.

Matters may be brought before the Senate by the President or Board of Directors, and the Executive Faculties; University Committees; on petition of any Faculty member or groups of Faculty members; and on the Senate's own initiative. The Senate shall at all times control its own agenda.

The Senate shall participate in University affairs including the following areas:

Educational affairs of general University interest;

The determination of conditions of academic freedom and responsibility, including the recommendations of desirable standards and grievance procedures;

The formulation and application of standards for rank and tenure, including appointment and promotion procedures and grievance procedures;

University governance, including consultation with the Board of Directors concerning the appointment of the University President, Executive Vice Presidents of the three constituent Faculties, and Academic Deans, and recommendation of appropriate procedures for the selection of Departmental Chairmen;

The University budget, including examination of budgets and consultation with respect to the University's financial status and policies;

Grants of general University interest;

Faculty and staff salaries, retirement plans, and fringe benefits, including periodic reviews of salary and benefit standards and ranges;

Faculty research grant and sabbatical leave procedures and policies;

Student affairs, including liaison with the Office of Student Affairs and with student governments, and recommendations regarding student concerns;

Physical plant and facilities including planning development;

University convocations, including recommendations concerning honorary degrees.

3. Membership

The Senate shall be composed of seventy-five elective members from three constituent Faculties, as set out in Paragraph 2, below and of the following "ex-officio" members: the Executive Vice Presidents of the three constituent Faculties, as set out in Paragraph 2, below; the Senior Vice President; and four Main Campus Deans, selected annually by the Main Campus Council of Deans, the other members of the Council being designated as alternates, with full privileges of Senate membership in the absence of any of the four.

The elective members shall be apportioned among the three constituent Faculties; the Main Campus, the Medical Center, and the Law Center. The distribution shall be: Main Campus, 45, including at least 2 each from the School of Nursing, from the School of Business Administration, from the School of Languages and Linguistics, from the College of Arts and Sciences and from the School of Foreign Service; Medical Center, 20, Law Center 10. The Senate shall at reasonable intervals re-examine the apportionments.

4. Election Procedure

All full-time Faculty members with at least one year of full-time service at the University shall be eligible to vote in elections for the Senate, and to serve as members of the Senate.

Nominations for seats in the Senate, for full terms or for unexpired terms in the event of vacancies, shall be in writing and bear the signatures of five qualified votes in the constituency of which the nominee is a member of the Faculty.

Within each constituency the candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be considered elected, except that in accordance with C.2, the School of Nursing, the School of Business Administration, the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Foreign Service, shall have a minimum of two representatives each at all times. A tie shall be decided by lot.

Elections shall be held annually in the spring semester for one-third of the seats in the Senate in each constituency and for the filling of any vacancies.

For the first election to the Senate, the Chairman of the Provisional Assembly shall appoint an Election Commission representative of the three constituencies, to conduct the election in accordance with the provisions stated above. Thereafter, the Presiding Officer of the Senate shall appoint annually the Election Commission. It shall be the duty of the Election Commission to certify lists of qualified voters, to receive nomination petitions, and certify winning candidates. Vacancies shall be filled at the next regular election.

5. Terms

The term for elected members of the Senate shall be three years.

At the first convening of the Senate, following the first election, Senators from each constituency shall be divided by lot into three equal groups, one group to serve for one year, one for two years, and one for three years. Thereafter, all terms shall be for three years.

Members elected in 1971 shall draw for terms of one, two and three years, the number of each being such as to preserve the constitutional provision that one-third of the Senate in each constituency shall be elected annually.

When a Senate vacancy occurs, either temporarily due to sabbaticals or leaves of absence or permanently because of retirement, resignations or other causes, the vacancy shall be filled by the runner-up in the most recent Senate election as determined by the Senate Election Committee. When there is no runner-up or when the runner-up is unable or unwilling to serve, the vacancy shall be filled by the respective Caucuses.

6. Officers and Steering Committee

The Senate shall elect, biennially, from its membership, at the first regular meeting following election of new Senators, a President, three Vice Presidents, (one from each of the three constituent faculties), and a Secretary-Treasurer. Nominations for these officers may be made by a Nominating Committee and from the floor. In the event that a vacancy occurs, there shall be a special election.

The five officers, the Executive Vice President of the Main Campus, and a second ex-officio member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the University, shall appoint the chairmen of the Senate's standing committees subject to confirmation by the Senate, who, with the officers, and the two ex-officio members, shall serve as the Steering Committee of the Senate.

The Steering Committee shall have the following authority:

To receive communications concerning matters to be put upon the agenda of the Senate;

To establish the agenda for Senate meetings, excepting that any member of the Senate may, at a meeting of the Senate, ask the body to consider a particular matter;

To refer appropriate matters to the Standing Committees of the Senate, which standing committees shall be free to take up matters on their initiative;

To select members of the standing and special committees of the Senate;

To designate a member or members of the Senate to serve as representatives to the Executive Faculties of the University, the designation of such representatives being subject to confirmation by the Senate;

Subject to confirmation by the Senate, to appoint members of standing and special committees whose jurisdiction and membership are university-wide, including at least half the membership of the Rank and Tenure Committee, the others being appointed the President of the University. For major committees serving more than one Department or School, the Steering Committee shall appoint two voting members, subject to Senate confirmation, the remainder being selected as the President of the University shall designate. In making appointments to University committees, the Steering Committee shall insofar as appropriate give representation to each of the three constituencies.

To call special meetings of the Senate;

To manage the budget of the Senate.

7. Senate Committees

The standing committees of the Senate shall include:

The Committee on Educational Affairs, whose jurisdiction shall extend to matters described in B.3.a,f,h,k.

The Committee on Academic Freedom and Responsibility, whose jurisdiction shall extent to B.3.b and c.

The Committee on University Governance, with jurisdiction over B.3.d.

The Committee on University Budget and Finance, with jurisdiction over B.3.e.

The Committee on Faculty and Staff Salaries, Retirement Plans, and Fringe Benefits, with jurisdiction over B.3.g.

The Committee on Student Affairs, with jurisdiction over B.3.i.

The Committee on Physical Facilities, with jurisdiction over B.3.j.

By majority of those present and voting, the Senate may constitute special committees, and may add to or abolish standing committees.

The Senate shall elect, biennially, a Nominating Committee for the selection of officers.

8. Procedure

A quorum shall consist of 40 percent of the membership of the Senate.

No member shall have more than one vote.

The Senate shall establish and may amend its rules of procedure by majority vote.

In matters not regulated by this constitution or by the Senate's rules of procedure, Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall be the parliamentary authority. The President of the Senate may appoint a parliamentarian.

9. Meetings

The Senate shall hold four (4) regular meetings during each academic year: one in October, one in December, one in February, and one in April.

Special meetings may be convened by the President or--in his absence--by one of the Vice Presidents.

Special meetings shall be convened by the President upon written request by ten members, or upon request from an Executive Vice President of the three constituent Faculties.

Unless there is an emergency, the calling of a meeting shall be made at least two weeks before the date of the meeting; the call shall be in writing and contain the proposed agenda.

Constituent Campus Faculty Meetings. A meeting of the Main Campus, Medical Center or Law Center full-time Faculty, may be called, for the discussion of issues of interest to that Faculty in the following two ways:

By the Officers of the Faculty Senate. Notice of no less than ten days shall be given in the call, and the issue(s) specified as explicitly as possible. OR

On petition of twenty-five full-time members of the Constituent Campus Faculty addressed to the President of the University Faculty Senate. Upon receipt of such a petition, the President of the Senate shall call such a Faculty meeting no later than two weeks from the date of receipt of the petition. The petition should be as specific as possible concerning the issue(s) to be discussed.

The President of the Senate, or in his/her absence or illness, one of the three Vice Presidents of the Senate, or in the event of their being unable to act, the Chairman of the Main Campus Caucus of the Senate, shall preside over the Faculty meeting.

10. Amendment Procedure

Amendments to the Constitution shall become effective after having been adopted by two-thirds of the members present and voting, and approved by the President and Board of Directors of the University, and by a majority vote of the full-time Faculties with at least one year of service.

11. Ratification

Ratification of this Constitution requires:

Approval by a two-thirds majority of those members of the Provisional Assembly present and voting called to consider the Constitution;

Approval by the President and Board of Directors of the University;

Approval by a majority voting in each of the three constituencies in a referendum on the Constitution. Qualifications for voters shall be in the same as in D.1. As a constituency ratifies the Constitution, it shall be in effect in that constituency.

When ratified, the Constitution shall become a part of the Statutes of the University, and shall appear in an appendix to the Faculty Handbook.

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G. Faculty Grievance Code

Contents

Faculty Grievance Code (2004)

( approved by the University Faculty Senate, October 2003)

(approved by the University Board of Directors, February 2004)

effective February 12, 2004

INTRODUCTION

This code provides the procedures under which a faculty member believing himself aggrieved by department, school or administrative action described herein is able to seek a remedy within the University. The faculty member is obliged to exhaust these procedures with regard to any grievance before pursuing remedies outside the University.

A. APPLICABILITY

For purposes of this Code, faculty members are defined as all part-time and full-time tenured, tenure eligible and non-tenure eligible, persons who are appointed by the University as officers of instruction to teach and/or conduct scholarly research, and librarians of professional rank. (1) University administrators and staff, however, are not covered by the Code, except that any such person may invoke the Code if, in his or her capacity as an individual faculty member (and not because of any action or omission in his or her administrative or staff capacity) he or she is subjected to any of the disciplinary actions listed in Sections B.1 through B.7 of this Code. Specifically, for example, no such person is entitled to grieve the decision of the University to terminate his or her administrative or staff appointment. Resolution of questions concerning which capacity gave rise to the grievance shall be a jurisdictional matter for the Grievance Panel. Trainees (e.g., post-doctoral fellows, research associates, clinical interns, residents and fellows) of whatever title are also excluded from coverage of the Code.[14]

Grievances ascribed to discrimination (including denial of tenure, promotion or reappointment) are not covered by this Code and should be processed as defined in the Georgetown University Affirmative Action Plan, Section 7.[15] Nor does this Code cover conflicts between faculty members, unless the faculty member against whom the grievance is lodged was in that case acting administratively in a manner described by Paragraph B, Grievable Matters.

B. GRIEVABLE MATTERS

A grievable matter arises when any of the following department, school or administrative actions involves a violation of academic freedom or of University procedures or of other faculty rights as set forth, for example, in individual faculty contracts, the Faculty Handbook, AAUP statements adopted by the Board of Directors or other appropriately authorized University documents:

Recommendation of dismissal;
Suspension;
Recommendation of revocation of tenure;
Recommendation of reduction of academic rank;
Recommendation of reduction of individual salary;
Denial of tenure or promotion or reappointment;
Any other action that materially harms the faculty member.

In general, this Code does not cover the merits of refusal of tenure, promotion or reappointment. It does, however, require that the rules and regulations applicable to the grant or refusal of tenure or promotion or reappointment promulgated in the current issue of the Faculty Handbook and in other relevant University publications be fully complied with and administered fairly. This Code also covers situations where tenure or promotion or reappointment is denied for reasons that allegedly involved a violation of academic freedom.

C. NOTICE OF PROPOSED DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The following disciplinary actions - dismissal, suspension without pay, revocation of tenure, reduction in rank and reduction in salary - shall take effect only if the administrative officer of the University who intends to take such action gives to the faculty member affected by the proposed action written notice of the action at least fifteen days[16] in advance of its effective date and only if the faculty member affected by the proposed action does not invoke the procedures of this Code. Such notice shall be confidential unless confidentiality is waived by the faculty member affected by the proposed action. A faculty member may, however, be summarily suspended with pay if the functioning of the University is impeded by his/her actions. Such suspension with pay shall be carried out only by the President of the University or by the appropriate Executive Vice President.

D. COMPOSITION OF UNIVERSITY GRIEVANCE CODE COMMITTEE

The University Grievance Code Committee shall consist of seventeen tenured members of the faculty, seven from the Main Campus of the University and five from each of the Medical and Law Center campuses of the University. Tenured faculty members simultaneously serving as administrators are not eligible for appointment to or continuing service on the Committee. The Faculty Senate shall elect nine members of from the faculty members covered by this Code and the University President shall appoint eight members from the faculty members covered by this Code. The normal term is three years and the members of the Committee are not eligible for election or appointment by the University President to more than two terms consecutively. However, Committee members serving on a grievance panel at the expiration of their term or terms shall continue to serve until that panel has completed its consideration of that particular grievance, including any remand thereof. Terms commence on July 1st and expire on June 30th. The President of the Faculty Senate shall appoint, from the members of the Committee, a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson of the Committee to serve three years terms each. The Senators from each campus shall designate a total of six tenured faculty members (two from the Main Campus, two from the Medical Center Campus and two from the Law Center Campus) to act as an alternate source of members of any Grievance Panel. These members will be used only if the requisite number of panelists from the Committee are not available in a particular case. Members shall serve on this alternate list for a three year period. The names will be submitted to the Chairperson of the Committee by July 1 of each year.

When in the judgment of the Committee Chairperson the volume of Committee work demands, he or she may request the designation, in such even number as he or she sees fit, of additional alternate members of the Committee, such designation to be made half by the Faculty Senate President upon the advice of the Faculty Senate caucus of the campus or campuses to which the request is submitted, and half by the Executive Vice President of such campus or campuses. Alternates thus designated shall serve only during the University fiscal year during which they are appointed, provided that, if any is serving on a grievance panel at the end of that fiscal year, he or she shall continue to serve until that panel has completed its consideration of that particular grievance, including any remand thereof. Alternates designated under this procedure shall be, as in the case with previously authorized alternates, from the ranks of tenured faculty. Alternates selected in either of the ways described above have the same rights and duties as a regular Committee member to participate and vote in full committee proceedings with regard to the decision of a panel on which the alternate has served.

CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENT

Unless confidentiality is waived in writing by the grievant, members of the Committee and participants in all proceedings of this Code shall make every effort to maintain the confidentiality of the proceedings, but a breach of confidentiality will not invalidate the proceedings. The confidentiality requirement also applies to any communications at any time between the President of the Faculty Senate, or any conciliator (see Sec. F.(2)), and the parties to the grievance.

E. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The University Grievance Code Committee shall establish operating procedures necessary to implement the code. The procedures include the following:

The committee shall establish a hierarchy of members in the order of precedence to act in the absence of the Chairperson or the Vice Chairperson of the committee.
Subject to the disapproval of the President of the Faculty Senate or his/her designee, the Chairperson of the Committee or his/her delegate shall have discretion, before the expiration of the time limits set by the Code or within ten days thereafter, to enlarge the time or times within which action must be taken under this Code if in his/her judgment such extension of the time is appropriate, as, for example, when Committee members are unavailable due to holiday recess. It shall be the responsibility of the Chairperson or his/her delegate to notify all parties affected by any enlargement of the time granted under this section.
The Committee shall establish any procedures to the extent not defined by this Code such as, but not limited to, balloting, quorum, and time frame of activities. The Committee shall also define any terms not defined in this Code and shall establish any other guidelines to protect equitably the interest of the grievant and the University. The Committee shall file its operating procedures with the President of the Faculty Senate.
When a grievance proceeding ends, the Chairperson shall forward the file to the Secretary of the University so that the University may maintain a record of proceedings. The file consists of all written evidence and documentation, including tape recordings and stenographic transcriptions used by any Panel or the Committee in connection with the proceeding, except documents generally circulated, such as the Faculty Handbook. The University Secretary shall keep the contents of the file confidential.

F. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Filing Procedure.
1. Notice of Grievance. A faculty member who believes that he/she has a grievance should file a "Notice of Grievance" with the President of the Faculty Senate (or another Senate officer in the President's absence) within 30 days of receiving Notice of the action that gives rise to the grievance. Where negotiations between the grievant and the relevant administrative department are pending or other circumstances suggest that formal initiation of the grievance procedure would best be deferred in the interest of all concerned, the grievant, at the discretion of the President of the Senate (or another Senate officer in the President's absence), can satisfy this filing requirement if within 30 days he or she files a letter with such person indicating an intent to file a formal grievance. The President of the Senate will notify the grievant if the request to defer filing has been granted. If the dispute is not resolved within 25 days of the President's approval of a deferral, the President of the Faculty Senate shall notify the grievant and require him or her promptly to submit the formal "Notice of Grievance" described in this section, unless a further extension is agreed to in writing by both the grievant and the relevant administrator. (5)
  
  Should the Senate officers be unavailable, the faculty member may file the notice with the Secretary of the University, who shall forward it as soon as possible to the appropriate Senate officer. In any case a copy of this notice shall also be forwarded by the official receiving it to the appropriate Executive Vice President, or, if that Executive Vice President will be a respondent, to the University Vice President. The "Notice of Grievance" shall contain a concise statement of the reasons that lead the faculty member to feel aggrieved, and shall include the name of the administrator whose action has given rise to the grievance. (6) It is the responsibility of the grievant to properly record his/her grievance within the specified time frame. With the consent of the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee, the President of the Faculty Senate can dismiss a grievance if the applicant is not a person covered by Paragraph A (Applicability) of this Code. Any such dismissal may be appealed to the full Grievance Code Committee following procedures outlined in Paragraph F(4), infra. If not thus dismissed the case shall proceed under the next paragraph involving a conciliation.
2. Subsequent Filings. After the Notice of Grievance, whenever any notice or written submission is filed by the Grievant or the Respondent, or by any representative on behalf of either of them, with the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee, with the Chairperson of the Grievance Panel, or with the entire Panel, a copy of that notice or submission shall be sent simultaneously to all other parties or to representatives acting on their behalf.”
  A faculty member who believes that he/she has a grievance should file a "Notice of Grievance" with the President of the Faculty Senate (or another Senate officer in the President's absence) within 30 days of receiving Notice of the action that gives rise to the grievance. [17] Should the Senate officers be unavailable, the faculty member may file the notice with the Secretary of the University, who shall forward it as soon as possible to the appropriate Senate officer. In any case a copy of this notice shall also be forwarded by the official receiving it to the appropriate Executive Vice President, or, if that Executive Vice President will be a respondent, to the University Vice President. The "Notice of Grievance" shall contain a concise statement of the reasons that lead the faculty member to feel aggrieved, and shall include the name of the administrator whose action has given rise to the grievance. It is the responsibility of the grievant to properly record his/her grievance within the specified time frame. With the consent of the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee, the President of the Faculty Senate can dismiss a grievance if the applicant is not a person covered by Paragraph A (Applicability) of this Code. Any such dismissal may be appealed to the full Grievance Code Committee following procedures outlined in Paragraph F(4), infra. If not thus dismissed the case shall proceed under the next paragraph involving a conciliation.
Conciliation. Within three days of receiving a "Notice of Grievance" from the grievant or from the Secretary of the University judged to be complete by the President of the Faculty Senate (or another Senate officer in the President's absence), or as soon thereafter as circumstances permit, the President of the Faculty Senate shall appoint a conciliator who shall attempt to resolve informally the issues that gave rise to the grievance. The conciliator shall be a tenured faculty member of this University drawn to the maximum extent possible from a panel of conciliators established by the Faculty Senate. The conciliator shall meet with the grievant and the administrator whose action has given rise to the grievance (and/or his or her successor in office), either individually or together. Any such meeting shall be closed (e.g., no advisor for either party may attend) and confidential. The conciliation process should proceed expeditiously and should ordinarily be completed within fourteen days of the appointment of the conciliator. The process may be extended, however, if in the judgment of the President of the Faculty Senate, and with the agreement of the parties, special circumstances make such an extension desirable. At the conclusion of the conciliation process, the conciliator shall promptly report in writing the results of the process to the President of the Faculty Senate. This report shall not contain a recommendation on the merits of the dispute, but shall simply state whether or not the dispute has been resolved. If the issues that gave rise to the grievance have been resolved to the satisfaction of the grievant and the administrator whose action gave rise to the grievance (or his or her successor in office), the matter is ended. If the issues have not been satisfactorily resolved, the President of the Faculty Senate shall, within three days of receiving the conciliator's report, inform the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee.
Initial Review. When a grievance has not been resolved by conciliation, the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee shall appoint a Grievance Panel, to consist of three committee members, two from the campus on which the grievance arose, and one from either of the other two campuses, to hear the grievance. The Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee shall appoint the Chairperson of each Grievance Panel. As to each of these appointments the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee should seek to assure that appointees are free of bias, conflict of interest, or such previous association with the issues raised by the grievance as would recommend that the appointee not serve. The Grievance Panel shall begin to review the grievance on a calendar established by the Committee chairperson. The Panel may seek additional information from any source. The panel shall decide whether it has jurisdiction to act. If it decides it lacks jurisdiction, it shall dismiss the grievance. If the Panel decides it has jurisdiction, it shall decide whether the matter merits investigation. If the Panel decides that the matter on its face merits investigation, it shall decide the merits, conducting as many formal hearings (Paragraph 5) as it considers necessary. If it decides that the matter does not merit investigation, it shall dismiss the grievance. The Panel shall make its decision as expeditiously as circumstances permit and shall promptly report its decision to the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee who shall inform the grievant, the involved administrator (or his or her successor in office) and the appropriate Executive Vice President.
Appeal from the Initial Review
1. By the Grievant. If the Panel dismissed the grievance on jurisdictional grounds or decides that the matter does not merit investigation, the grievant may appeal either determination to the full Grievance Code Committee.
  
  If the grievant does not appeal, the matter is ended and the Chairperson of the Committee shall notify the President of the Faculty Senate, the involved administrator and the appropriate Executive Vice President.
  
  To appeal, the grievant shall, within five days after receiving notification of the adverse determination, file an appeal with the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee or, in his/her absence, the Vice Chairperson. In their absence the grievant may file with the Secretary of the University or his/her designate, who will present the "Notice of Appeal" to the appropriate Committee member (Paragraph E(2)). The Chairperson or in his/her absence the Vice Chairperson shall promptly distribute copies of the appeal to all Committee members along with the request that each member notify the Chair immediately if that member wishes to convene to discuss the appeal. Unless within seven days of such distribution the Chair receives six votes favoring a meeting to discuss the appeal the appeal of the grievant is denied. If fewer than six votes are timely entered, the matter is ended. If six members do timely vote to consider the appeal, the Chairperson shall promptly convene the Committee for such purpose. The full Grievance Code Committee shall then review the Panel's determination as expeditiously as possible.
  
  Thereafter, an appeal is rejected unless a majority of those members of the Grievance Code Committee who vote on the matter votes to overturn the Panel's decision. The Chairperson or his/her designate shall report the results of the Committee's review to the President of the Faculty Senate, the involved administrator (or his or her successor in office), the grievant and the appropriate Executive Vice President.
  
  If the Committee does not vote for the grievant, the grievant may appeal to the President of the University. If the grievant does not appeal, the matter ends.
  
  If the Committee decides that the Panel erred in dismissing the grievance on jurisdictional grounds, it shall remand for a determination as to whether the matter merits investigation as provided in Paragraph F(3) (Initial Review). If the Committee decides that the Panel erred in deciding that the matter did not merit investigation, the Committee Chairperson may remand for a hearing on the merits, as provided in Paragraph F(5) (Formal Hearing); for this remand, the Committee shall appoint a new Panel to conduct a formal hearing on the grievance.
2. By the Administrator. The involved administrator (or his or her successor in office) may appeal a Panel's determination that the grievance falls within the Panel's jurisdiction by filing a written appeal with the Grievance committee Chairperson (or Vice Chairperson or Secretary of the University as per the preceding subsection 4.a) within five days of receiving notification of the Panel's jurisdictional determination. The Chairperson shall promptly distribute copies of the appeal to all Committee members along with the request that each member notify the Chair immediately if that member wishes to convene to discuss the appeal. Unless within seven days of such distribution the Chair receives six votes favoring a meeting to discuss the appeal, the appeal of the administrator is denied. No further appeal on the jurisdictional issue is permitted the administrator until the time of later appeal to the President described in Section F.7. infra. If six members do timely vote to consider the appeal, the Chairperson shall promptly convene the Committee for such purpose. At that meeting the administrator's appeal is rejected unless the majority of those members of the Grievance Code Committee who vote on the matter votes to overturn the Panel's decision, and no further appeal by the administrator on the jurisdictional issue is permitted until the time of later appeal (if any) to the President described infra in Section F.7. If a majority of those members of the Grievance Code Committee who vote on the matter votes to overturn the Panel's decision, determining that the Panel erred in finding jurisdiction, the matter is ended unless the grievant appeals to the President per the preceding subsection (F.4.a.).
Formal Hearings. In conducting a formal hearing, the Panel shall use the following procedures:

The Panel Chairperson, after consulting the parties, shall promptly notify them of the time and place of the hearing, which the Panel should hold as promptly as possible after determining that the Committee has jurisdiction and that the matter merits investigation. The parties may submit written evidence or documentation before the hearing. Each party shall notify the Panel Chairperson and the opposing party of the witness(es) he/she intends to call no later than five days before the hearing. Each party has responsibility for arranging the attendance of any witness he/she intends to call.

Each party can choose an advisor to accompany him/her to the hearing.[18] Each party can call witnesses or present other evidence; can examine any evidence submitted to the Panel by anyone else; and can question witnesses he/she has not called. The hearing shall be electronically or otherwise recorded verbatim. Upon request, a copy of the recording shall be furnished to either party at the University's expense.

The Panel may adjourn the hearing to permit the parties to obtain further evidence.

A grievance hearing is not a formal judicial proceeding. Its ultimate purpose is to evaluate the fairness of the administrative action that gave rise to the grievance. To achieve that end, the Hearing Panel can exclude irrelevant issues or evidence, and can place reasonable limits on argument, on the questioning of witnesses.

The Panel can decide when it has enough information to decide the merits.

A member of a Hearing Panel shall serve until the particular grievance process is concluded, even though his/her term of service on the full Grievance Code Committee has expired.

Written submission in lieu of hearing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may at any time waive his/her right to a hearing and elect to proceed on the basis of written submission alone. Any such waiver must be in writing, must have the agreement of both parties and must be submitted to the Panel Chairperson. Written submissions on the merits of the case are to be thereafter submitted to the Panel in accord with a schedule prescribed by the Chairperson, whose duty it is to see that the matter is advanced expeditiously.

Within fifteen days after the conclusion of the hearing, or of written submission in lieu of hearing, the Panel shall submit its findings and decision (the report) to the Committee Chairperson who shall immediately sent the report to the grievant, to the appropriate Executive Vice President, to the administrator to whose action the grievant objected, to the President of the Faculty Senate, and to other members of the Grievance Code Committee.
Appeal to the Full Grievance Code Committee. Within ten days of receiving the Panel's report from the Committee Chairperson under the preceding paragraph, either party to a grievance proceeding may request a full committee review of the Panel report. The request must be in writing and must state reasons for review. When so requested, all divided Panel reports shall be reviewed by the full Committee. Unanimous Panel reports shall be reviewed only if, within fifteen days of receipt of a request for review, six members of the full Committee vote to review the Panel report. In either case, the Chairperson shall promptly call one or more meetings of the full Committee. The Committee can reverse the Panel's findings and/or recommendations or may remand with appropriate instructions to the panel if a majority of those voting vote to do so. Such action shall be taken on the basis of the existing record and without further hearing or fact-gathering.

The Chairperson of the Committee shall file and distribute the decision of the committee as provided under Paragraph F(5).
Appeal to the University President. Should either party desire to appeal the Committee's decision to the President he/she shall file his/her "Notice to Appeal" within 15 days after the Chairperson has sent the Committee's decision to the parties. The party shall file his/her "Notice of Appeal" with the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee, concurrently sending a copy to the adverse party. The "Notice of Appeal," shall contain a concise statement of the reasons that lead the party making the appeal to believe that the Panel's determinations were erroneous, and shall include a designation by the appealing party of which papers in the file he/she wishes forwarded to the President of the University. Upon the filing of the "Notice of Appeal," the file on the grievance shall be forwarded by the Committee chairperson to the President of the University. The file consists of such parts of the record as may be designated by the parties, but the Committee chairperson is authorized to place fair and reasonable limits on the size of the record forwarded. At the President's discretion, but not later than ten days after his receipt of the file on the grievance, the President may remand the matter to the Committee or to the Panel for further deliberations. If the matter is remanded, the Chairperson of the Committee shall report to the President as soon as possible on the outcome of the panel's and/or the Committee's further deliberations.

Within twenty days of receipt of the "Notice of Appeal," or, if there has been a remand, within twenty days of the receipt of the Committee's additional report, and after such consultation as he deems appropriate, the President shall accept or reject the findings and decision of the Committee, including the finding of jurisdiction and shall state in writing the reasons for his acceptance or rejection. Review by the President shall be confined to evidence considered by the full Committee, in addition to whatever arguments the parties may make with regard thereto. If the President is unavailable to act within the time provisions of this section, then the President shall appoint an Executive Vice President from a campus other than the campus on which the grievant is employed to review the appeal in the manner described. Either the President or the Executive Vice President who conducts such a review may at his/her discretion appoint a senior member of the faculty as a "Master" to assist with the review.

The President or Executive Vice President conducting such a review shall communicate his/her decision to the adverse parties, to the Chairperson of the Grievance Code Committee, to the President of the Faculty Senate and to the appropriate Executive Vice President. In the extraordinary event that the President or other officer designated above does not act within the time limits imposed by this section, the Panel's decision shall become final and shall be immediately implemented by the appropriate University authorities.

G. AMENDMENT

The Code may be amended only after: (1) an advisory vote of a majority of the University Faculty Senate present at a meeting after the matter has lain on the table for at least one meeting and proposed amendment has been publicized to the full Faculty; and (2) approval by the University Board of Directors.

H. RATIFICATION

This code shall take effect only after advice by the University Faculty Senate, approval and recommendation by the President of the University and ratification by the University Board of Directors. Every five years the University President shall appoint a six member committee to review this Code. The President shall select three members and the University Faculty Senate shall select three members.

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H. Revision Policy

Contents

Any revision to the Board-approved policies defining rights and responsibilities of faculty members, or any addition to or deletion of any such policy, may be proposed by the Faculty Senate, any Executive Vice President, the President, or the Board of Directors. Before the Board of Directors votes on the issue:

The proposed revision shall be made available for review to all members of the faculty, The Faculty Senate, the Executive Vice Presidents, and the President;

The Faculty Senate shall have the opportunity to deliberate on the proposed revision and submit its recommendations to the President and Board of Directors;

The President shall have the proposed revision reviewed by designated advisory bodies.

A proposed change that has been submitted to the Faculty Senate for review may be taken up by the Board of Directors without a Senate recommendation if the Senate fails to act in a timely manner. In extraordinary circumstances, if the Board of Directors determines that there is insufficient time for a full review by the faculty and Senate, the Board shall make every effort to consult with the Senate Officers.

A change becomes final when approved by the Board of Directors. After the Board of Directors approves a change to the policies defining rights and responsibilities of the faculty, the Executive Vice Presidents, the Faculty Senate, and all members of the faculty shall be informed. Updating of the Faculty Handbook website in which such policies are published is the responsibility of the Provost.

Some Board approved policies defining rights and responsibilities of faculty members have additional requirements for revision, such as the Faculty Senate Constitution. Any additional requirements are stated in those policies.

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