II. Faculty Bylaws and Descriptions of Faculty Committees

A. Faculty Bylaws

Article I: Organization of the Faculty

Section 1.

Members of the Faculty shall be (a) the President, the Provost, the Vice Presidents, the Dean of Academic Affairs, and the Chaplain; (b) all persons appointed with the ranks of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor; (c) professional librarians; and (d) others admitted to membership by vote of the Faculty. Voting members shall be those of the above who hold fulltime University appointments. When voting takes place at meetings of the Faculty, voting members normally must be present if they wish to vote. However, in the event a person is unable to attend a faculty meeting on the advice of a physician, that person may vote by absentee ballot for elections to faculty committees only. The person must arrange with the Office of the Provost both to pick up and deliver the absentee ballot. It must be returned to the Office of the Provost by noon on the Friday before the elections.

Section 2.

The permanent officers of the Faculty shall be the President of the University, the Provost, and the Secretary of the Faculty. The Secretary shall be elected by the Faculty at the regular April meeting for a term of two years commencing on the June first following such election.

Section 3.

The Provost shall preside over all faculty meetings except when the President of the University chooses to preside. In the event neither the President of the University nor the Provost can preside at a regular meeting of the Faculty, the senior full professor, in terms of service, on the Executive Committee shall preside.

Section 4.

The Secretary of the Faculty shall prepare and keep full and complete minutes of all faculty meetings. If, for any reason, the Secretary is unable to perform his/her secretarial duties, the chair shall appoint a secretary pro tem who shall perform the functions of the Secretary.

Article II: Committees of the Faculty

Section 1. 

Standing Committees of the Faculty shall be designated, elected and directed by the Faculty and shall have as ex officio members the President of the University and the Provost. Ad hoc committees are to be established by the Faculty only when the subject matter is outside the area of responsibility of a standing committee.

Section 2.

Except as may otherwise be provided in this handbook, the term of office for committee members shall be six semesters and shall commence on July 1 and end on June 30 of the sixth semester thereafter, or when successors have been elected or appointed. Leave time of up to one year is included as part of a faculty member’s term. In the event that a faculty member takes leave time in excess of one year, he/she is required to relinquish committee assignments. No member of the Faculty shall serve more than 14 consecutive semesters on the same standing committee of the Faculty. A faculty member may not serve on a committee on which he/she has served 14 consecutive semesters until two consecutive semesters have elapsed. If a faculty member vacates his/her term of office on any standing committee because of election to another standing committee, he/she may not resume service on the first committee when his/her term on the second committee expires.

Section 3. 

Normally, a faculty member shall serve on no more than one standing committee. Exceptions to this rule may be adopted as provisions in the official descriptions of particular committees. 

Section 4.

Except as otherwise provided, it shall be the duty of each committee of the Faculty: 1. To keep the Faculty informed of agenda items on which the committee is working that may affect the long-term future of the institution, its faculty or students.  The committee shall provide opportunity for faculty response and questions where feasible and appropriate, whether at the time of an oral report to the faculty, at an open meeting, in written surveys or by other means.  2. To act for the Faculty when and as directed by the Faculty. 3. To make recommend-ations to the Faculty on matters of policy relevant to its area of responsibility.

Section 5.

Except as otherwise provided, each committee of the Faculty shall elect its chairperson and vice chairperson and be responsible to the Faculty for its own organization and procedures.

Section 6.

A committee of the Faculty can, upon a majority vote of its members, invite other persons to participate in its deliberations, but only members of the committee shall be permitted to vote.  

Section 7.

With the exception of the Faculty Reappointment Appeals Committee and the Academic Conduct Review Board, each committee of the Faculty shall make a full and complete report of its activities during the academic year at the regularly scheduled meeting in April.

Section 8.

In the event an elected member of a standing or ad hoc committee of the Faculty is unable to complete his/her full term of office, the Executive Committee of the Faculty shall seek a replacement applying the methods outlined in Chapter II, Article II, Section 2 above and Article IV., Section 3, below.

Section 9.

Whenever provision is made for faculty representation on Trustee, Administration, University, Divisional, or Departmental Councils, Boards, or Committees, it shall be the responsibility of such faculty representatives to keep the Faculty informed of the activities of these bodies and act as liaison between them and the Faculty.

Section 10.

In consultation with the President and the Provost, the Executive Committee will set the initial meeting time for new committees prior to the election of faculty committee members. For all existing faculty committees except WCSA, the meeting time maybe changed, beginning the following academic year, by 1) a unanimous vote of all faculty and administrators with a continuing term of office and 2) a majority vote of the Faculty.

Article III: Meetings

Section 1.

Regular monthly meetings of the University Faculty shall be held during the academic year. At the last regular meeting of each academic year, a schedule of meetings for the coming year shall be adopted, provided that the time or place of meetings may be changed or the meeting may be canceled by the presiding officer or the Executive Committee, when it is deemed in the interest of the Faculty to do so.

Section 2.

Special meetings of the Faculty shall be held at the call of the presiding officer or the Executive Committee or upon the request of 10 members of the Faculty, transmitted in writing to the Secretary of the Faculty.

Section 3.

Except for executive sessions, faculty meetings shall be open to all members of the Ohio Wesleyan University staff and guests invited by a majority vote of the Faculty.  Reporters, whether affiliated with the university or not, shall not be admitted as guests to the monthly meetings of the Ohio Wesleyan University faculty.  A meeting summary, consisting of the agenda and result of action items will be made available to the public within 24 hours after the end of the faculty meeting.

Section 4.

After the completion of the regular order of business, the Faculty shall go into executive session at the request of any member of the Faculty; it may vote to do so at any other time on motion to that effect.

Section 5.

The agenda of each faculty meeting shall include the following items in the order specified: 1. Call to order. 2. Introduction of guests. 3. Approval of the minutes. 4. Reports: (a) reports of University officers, (b) reports of Faculty committees. 5. Communications. 6. Old business. 7. New business. 8. Announcements. 9. Adjournment. The agenda of each faculty meeting shall be in the faculty mailboxes 72 hours in advance of the meeting. On any subject requiring a vote, a detailed report should accompany the agenda, such report should include the proposal to be voted on and substantiating statements. On a subject not requiring a vote, advance materials for the Faculty are desirable but optional. The Faculty shall have the right to waive the 72 hour rule by majority vote. The motion to waive must be accompanied by a rationale for suspending the rule. The motion to waive is debatable.

Section 6.

A majority of the voting members of the Faculty who are not on approved leave shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 7.

The proceedings and deliberations of the Faculty shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, except that upon the request of a voting member of the meeting the body will vote by secret ballot.

Article IV: Nominations and Election Procedures

Section 1.

The Executive Committee of the Faculty shall act as a Nominating Committee of the Faculty. The agenda of the February faculty meeting shall include a slate of nominees for those faculty committees the members of which do not, under the provisions of Bylaws Article II, Section 3, normally serve on more than one standing committee of the Faculty. The elections for these committees will occur in the March faculty meeting. For all other committees or other responsibilities to which faculty members are elected, the Executive Committee will prepare a slate of nominees for the March faculty meeting; the elections for these positions shall be in the April faculty meeting. In preparing all ballots, the slate will consist of, insofar as possible, at least fifty percent more nominees than positions to be filled. After the Executive Committee’s slate has been presented, there shall be a call for nominations from the floor.

Section 2.

At all elections, each member of the Faculty shall have as many votes as there are positions to be filled for each office. Depending upon the number of offices to be filled, the candidate, or candidates, receiving the greatest number of votes shall be certified as elected by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Faculty or his/her designate. In the event of ties, a runoff election will be held by mail ballot. The official announcement of the election results shall be made by the presiding officer as soon as possible after each of the March and April elections.

Section 3.

The Executive Committee shall fill, or cause to be filled by election, vacancies on committees created when members cannot serve some or all of their terms of service. A vacancy for an unexpired term of one or more full academic years shall be filled by election in the spring or at the earliest possible fall meeting of the Faculty, depending on when the vacancy becomes known to the Executive Committee. Vacancies of less than a full academic year on all committees other than Faculty Personnel Committee shall be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee, unless such partialyear vacancies can be summed to one or more full academic years, in which case each summed vacancy shall be filled by election. When such summed vacancies are known in time, the election(s) shall be held in the spring. Otherwise summed vacancies shall be filled by special election at the first possible faculty meeting in the fall. 

Article V: Amendments

Upon the motion of any members of the Faculty at any one of its regularly scheduled meetings, a motion to amend, alter, or abolish any bylaw of the Faculty or description of faculty committee may be entertained. No vote shall be taken on any such motion, however, until it has been submitted in written form to the Secretary of the Faculty and, by him/her, circulated among the Faculty at least 12 full class days before the vote at the next regularly scheduled Faculty meeting or at a meeting called especially for that purpose. If approved by a threefifths majority of the members present and voting, the amendment shall have carried.

B. Descriptions of Faculty Committees

For the purpose of determining eligibility for membership on faculty committees, the word “faculty” appearing under Membership or Membership Qualifications shall be understood to include all persons appointed with the ranks of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, or professional librarian and to not include all persons that serve half-time or more in the administration.

The committees described below are considered non-overlap committees. Faculty may not serve on two non-overlap committees at the same time:

1. Committee on University Governance

a. Duties

It shall be the responsibility of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson to meet with the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees and for the total committee to meet with the full Board and to cooperate with the officers of the University in fiscal planning and budgeting. Such responsibility shall include consideration of the size of the administration and of the number of faculty in relation to the number of students, seen from the overall institutional perspective. On matters affecting academic programs, the committee shall work together with the Committee on Academic Programs and the Academic Planning and Allocation Committee. The Committee on University Governance shall also act as liaison between faculty and administration on such matters of faculty welfare as pensions, insurance programs, sick leaves, group health, retirement, tuition benefits, and faculty aid.

b. Membership

Four faculty members.

c. Membership Qualification

A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.

2. Faculty Personnel Committee

a. Duties

1. To develop for faculty consideration recommendations on policies related to the employment and reappointment of faculty members, their promotions, tenure, merit increases, and leaves of absence.
2. To evaluate faculty members for retention, promotion, tenure, merit increases, and leaves of absences and to recommend on individual cases to the administration; to recommend to the administration appointments to vacant endowed or named chairs.
3. To evaluate the performance of the Provost and to report these evaluations to the President of the University. An evaluation will be performed in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years of service and every four years thereafter, unless more frequent evaluations is deemed necessary by the Committee. A review also will be performed in years when a search is being conducted for a new President.
4. As a full committee, to interview candidates for the senior ranks (full and associate professors) and to make recommendations in regard to their appointment.
5. To provide a member of the committee to work with two faculty members appointed by the Provost to interview all candidates in other than senior ranks for each particular position or vacancy.
6. To recommend to the President of the University the recipients of the Welch Award for Scholarly or Artistic Achievement and for the Sherwood Dodge Shankland Award for Encouragement of Teachers.
7. To contribute to the annual performance evaluation of the people who report directly to the Provost by collecting evaluative comments from selected faculty and reporting a summary to the Provost. Comments will be collected beginning in the second year of service and every three years thereafter unless a greater frequency is deemed necessary by the Committee.

b. Membership

Seven faculty members, with representation across genders. Administrative members are not considered voting member when the issue on the floor of the committee concerns a recommendation to the administration.  If a member cannot serve in either semester in any year of an unexpired term (due to a leave or for other reasons), that member must be replaced for the entire year.  The one-year vacancy will be filled by election as described in the Faculty Handbook, Chapter II, Section A. Article IV, Section 3, above.

c. Membership Qualification

A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.

3. Executive Committee of the Faculty

a. Duties

1. To review the structure, and function of all existing faculty committees when deemed necessary by the committee, but at least once every ten years; to review the structure and function of all proposed faculty committees; to review the annual reports of all existing faculty committees once per year; to recommend such changes as seem desirable.

2. To work with the Provost on updating the Faculty Handbook as necessary.

3. To nominate members of standing and ad hoc committees and to fill committee vacancies of less than one year’s duration.

4. To conduct the necessary elections of members to all faculty committees.

5. To make available and count secret ballots at faculty meetings.

6. To be responsible for assigning to the appropriate standing committee, or committees, any problem or issue not already allocated as a regular function of any existing committee, when consideration of such problem or issue has been requested by appropriate faculty action or deemed advisable by the Executive Committee.

7. To provide the election process for faculty members to serve on committees outside the regular structure of Ohio Wesleyan University.

8. To consider a grievance, brought by any member of the Faculty, for which no regular committee channel is available, providing attempts have been made to resolve the matter through the good offices of the Chairperson, Dean, or Provost (as appropriate), or President (in that order). In such matters, the Executive Committee will operate in an advisory capacity to the President.

9. To act as liaison between faculty and administration on matters not specifically assigned to other regular standing committees.

10. To act for the Faculty during extended vacation periods or in an emergency of such urgency as to make impractical the timely assembly of the Faculty.

b. Membership

Seven faculty members.

c. Membership Qualification

A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.

4. Committee on Academic Programs

An academic program is any set of courses that leads to a degree granted by the institution.

a. Duties

1. To review the functioning of academic programs as needed, taking into consideration the academic plan of the institution; and to bring recommendations to the Faculty regarding:

   1. changes in course offerings; including temporary, permanent, summer, and online courses;

   2. changes to a major or minor;

   3. Universitywide requirements and policies including competency and distribution requirements;

   4. changes in the academic program structure of the University, including the creation or termination of academic programs.

2. To collect program reviews from all academic programs, to work with the Provost’s office to ensure that all program reviews are stored securely and accessible to the Faculty

b. Membership

Seven faculty members, one member of the administration, and one student. Administrative members are not considered voting members when the issue on the floor of the committee concerns a recommendation to the administration.

c. Membership Qualifications

1. Faculty: A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.

2. Administration: By virtue of the office or appointment by the President.

3. Students: As selected by WCSA.

5. Academic Planning and Allocation Committee

The total academic program is the aggregate of all academic programs.

a. Duties

1. To review the functioning of the total academic program across the previous two academic years; to provide a report on the revierw to the Faculty. 
2. To review the academic plan of the institution reported by the administration in the previous academic year; to provide a report on the review of the Faculty.
3. To develop short- and long-term policy goals for advancing the total academic program, taking into consideration the functioning of the total academic program and the academic plan of the institution; to provide a report on the goals the Faculty.
4. To convene an academic planning meeting twice each year with all APAC members and the faculty chairs of all non-overlap committees for the purposes of sharing information and providing feedback:
   1. In September, the committee chairs shall provide an update on planned committee actions that affect the academic programs;
   2. In March, the administration shall provide an update on the academic plan of the institution.
5. To keep under continuing review the resources required for the total academic program and for proposed or adopted changes in academic programs as follows:
   1. To consult with the Committee on University Governance during the preparation of the University budget, especially concerning those portions which may affect the academic programs. Such responsibility shall include consideration of the number of Faculty om relation to the number of students, seen from a program prespective.
   2. To recommend for faculty consideration and appropriate action policies and procedures regarding changes in faculty positions, after the necessary review, consultation and analysis of relevant data.
   3. To recommend to the administration on the allocation of faculty positions among teraching areas, taking into account the potential effects of such allocations on the total academic program.
   4. To report to the Faculty on the work of the committee regarding faculty position changes, as fully as is compatible with the confidentiality of personnel information.

b. Membership

Seven faculty members.  Administrative members are not considered voting members when the when the issue on the floor of the committee concerns a recommendation to the administration. 

c. Membership Qualifications

A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.

6. Teaching and Assessment Committee

a. Duties

Taking into consideration the learning assessment report collected from each academic program every two years, analyze the educational environment at Ohio Wesleyan University and encourage and assist Faculty in reaching the education goals of the University. This is accomplished by supporting and assessing the educational efforts of the Faculty and academic programs in the following ways:

1. Promote faculty development, support the teaching and learning goals of academic programs, support efforts to create and maintain inclusive learning environments.
   1. Develop and promote on-campus programs and workshops; advocate for resources to support these initiatives.
   2. Review the recommendations made by the Director of International and Off Campus Programs on the awarding of Theory to Practice Grants, and make changes deemed necessary by the committee to these recommendations.
   3. Review the policies and adequacy of academic facilities including the library, information services and bookstore, and recommend priorities regarding University pedagogical resources.
   4. Review the policies and procedures for international, domestic, and summer off-campus programs in consultation with the Director of International and Off Campus Programs.
   5. Encourage faculty involvement in international off-campus education and faculty development in international issues through their own international study and research.
2. Assessment of student learning within and across academic programs; assessment of the educational goals of the University.
   1. To collect and evaluate a learning assessment report from each academic program once every two years.
   2. To offer assistance to academic programs and administrative units in the construction and implementation of assessment plans and assessment instruments.
   3. To develop and implement, in consultation with academic departments and others, an assessment plan for our general education program.
   4. To respond to the Higher Learning Commission’s initiatives regarding assessment.
   5. To communicate in a timely manner with the Chair of the Committee on Academic Programs regarding assessment issues that are pertinent to the work of the committee.

b. Membership

Five faculty members, at least one from each academic division (Social Sciences, Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts, Natural Sciences/Mathematics), the Academic Administrator who oversees assessment, the Director of Libraries, the Director of International and Off Campus Programs, and two students.

c. Membership Qualifications

1. Faculty: A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.
2. Administration: By virtue of the office.
3. Students: As selected by WCSA.

7. Academic Status Committee

a. Duties

1. To serve in an advisory capacity for policies and procedures related to academic counseling, academic advising and new student registration and orientation.
2. To formulate and recommend for faculty consideration and to implement all policies governing academic warning, academic standing, dismissal of students for academic reasons, and re-admittance of students following academic dismissal.
3. To review student petitions for exceptions to university academic policies and procedures.  These include, but are not limited to course registration and graduation requirements.    
4. To review appeals of academic dismissals and applications for re-admittance following dismissal.

b. Membership

Five faculty members, the Registrar, one administrator involved in advising from the office of Academic Affairs, and one administrator from the Division of Student Affairs, and two student members.

c. Membership Qualifications

1. Faculty: A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.
2. Administration: By virtue of the office or appointment by the Provost or Vice President of Student Affairs.
3. Students: As selected by WCSA.

8. Committee on Enrollment and Communications

a. Duties

1. To exercise primary responsibility over academic standards and policies for the admission of students to the university.
2. To advise the Vice President for Enrollment and Communications and, as needed, the President and Provost on enrollment-related issues.
3. To collaborate with Enrollment and Communications to optimize admission, financial aid, and communication practices.
4. To serve as a liaison to the faculty by communicating (1) how policy is established and managed by the Offices of Admission, Financial Aid and Communications, and (2) other enrollment-related information relevant to teaching and to faculty policy decisions.
5. To support and ensure accurate and robust representation of OWU’s academic offerings and faculty members in on- and off-campus programs and marketing initiatives for prospective students.
6. To advise the administration on student retention issues that pertain to enrollment management.  

b. Membership

Five faculty members, the Vice President for Enrollment and Communications, and two students. Administrative members are not considered voting members when the issue on the floor of the committee concerns a recommendation to the administration.

c. Membership Qualifications

1. Faculty: A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.
2. Administration: By virtue of the office.
3. Students: As selected by WCSA.

9. Committee on Women and Gender

a. Duties

1. To review all policies and procedures insofar as they affect faculty, staff, administration, or students on the basis of their sex, gender, or sexual orientation.
2. To recommend to the Faculty and appropriate committees such changes as seem desirable.
3. To act as liaison between the faculty, administration, and all other interested groups on issues related to women, gender, and sexual orientation.
4. To collect and communicate data and other information related to women, gender, and sexual orientation.

b. Membership

Five faculty members, one administrator, two staff members  one selected from the clerical staff and one from the housekeeping staff - and two students. The Coordinator of the Women’s Resource Center shall be invited to serve as an ex officio member.

c. Membership Qualifications

1. Faculty: A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.
2. Administration: By appointment of the President.
3. Staff: As selected by appropriate staff action.
4. Students: As selected by appropriate student action.

The committees described below are considered overlap committees. Faculty may serve on both an overlap committee and other faculty committees at the same time:

10. Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics

a. Duties

1. To recommend to the administration and faculty policies under which the intercollegiate athletics program of the University shall be maintained.
2. To participate in and approve of the scheduling of all intercollegiate athletic events and post-season competition. To formulate policy guidelines for the scheduling of intercollegiate athletic events.
3. To formulate policies for, the review and approval of athletic awards to, student participants in the intercollegiate athletic program.
4. To establish procedures by which groups or clubs apply for varsity sport status, and to make recommendations to the administration and faculty regarding approval of a sport for varsity status.
5. To establish and review policies and procedures regarding the use of university recreational and athletic facilities.

b. Membership

1. The chair of the Department of Health and Human Kinetics.
2. Three faculty members not in the Department of Health and Human Kinetics, one of whom shall serve as chairperson.
3. The Men’s and Women’s Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) to the North Coast Athletic Conference.
4. Two University administrators.
5. The University’s Title IX Representative for Athletics.
6. Two Athletic administrators.
7. Two students, one woman and one man.
8. Two alumni, one woman and one man, shall be non-voting members.

c. Membership Qualifications

1. Department of Health and Human Kinetics chair: By virtue of the office.
2. Other Faculty: A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty, but not a member of the Department of Health and Human Kinetics. Faculty may simultaneously be members of other standing committees of the Faculty, Article II, Section 3 of the Faculty Bylaws notwithstanding.
3. Faculty Representatives to the North Coast Conference: By virtue of the office.
4. University Administration: By appointment of the President.
5. The University’s Title IX Representative for Athletics: By virtue of the position.
6. Athletic Administration:
   1. Director of Athletics
   2. Ranking male athletic administrator if Director of Athletics is a woman; or Senior Women’s Administrator if Director of Athletics is a man.
7. Students: A student in the University appointed by WCSA; one woman and one man.
8. Alumni: A member of the “W” Association appointed by the Director of Alumni Relations.  Term limit of 3 years (renewable).  

11. Reappointment Appeals Committee

a. Duties

To entertain appeals from faculty members who have been denied reappointment (including denials of tenure), according to procedures and policies approved by the Faculty and described in the Faculty Handbook.

b. Membership

Five faculty members and three faculty alternates elected for overlapping threeyear terms. The alternates shall replace faculty members who disqualify themselves for consideration of specific individual appeal cases. 

c. Membership Qualifications

A member of the Ohio Wesleyan Faculty. Members and alternates may simultaneously be members of other standing committees of the Faculty (except current members and members elect of the Faculty Personnel Committee), Article II, Section 3 of the Faculty Bylaws notwithstanding.

12. Trustee-Faculty Committee

a. Duties

To fulfill the responsibilities designated in the Code of Regulations to the Trustee-Faculty Liaison Committee and the Committee on Honorary Degrees.

b. Membership

Six faculty members.

c. Membership Qualification

A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.

13. Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs

a. Duties

1. To formulate basic policies on all matters related to student life outside the classroom.
2. To make regular written reports to the President, to the Faculty at its regular meeting, and to the Board of Trustees through the President.
3. To prepare an annual report to be made available to all constituencies prior to the end of the academic year.

b. Membership

1. Thirty-two students.
2. One faculty member, non-voting. 
3. Two members of the administration, non-voting.

c. Membership Qualifications

1. Faculty:  A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty.
2. Administration:  By appointment of the President.
3. Students:  As selected by appropriate student action.

14. Academic Conduct Review Board

a. Duties

To hear and rule on alleged cases of academic dishonesty according to procedures and policies in the Academic Honesty Policy.

b. Membership

Three faculty members and one faculty alternate, the Dean of Academic Affairs, and two students.

c. Membership Qualifications

1. Faculty: A member of the Ohio Wesleyan University Faculty. Faculty may simultaneously be members of other standing committees of the Faculty, Article II, Section 3 of the Faculty Bylaws notwithstanding.
2. Administration: By appointment of the President.
3. Students: As selected by WCSA.