Handbook of Operating Procedures > Series 100 Authority, Delegation, Administration > 1.4.2 Academic Committees

1.4.2 Academic Committees

A. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide (1) general membership guidelines governing the formulation and operation of Academic committees and councils (hereafter committees) and (2) responsibilities governing University academic committees.

B. Definition and Purpose of Academic Committees

1. An Academic committee is a group of persons appointed by the President to consider, investigate, review, and recommend on certain matters or subjects under the committee's assigned responsibilities. 
2. There are two types of Academic Committees in the Division of Academic Affairs standing committees (which have a continuing existence) and special or ad hoc committees (which go out of existence as soon as they have completed a specific task). 
3. All Academic Committees and Councils in this document except for ad hoc committees identified in section C.8 below, are standing committees.

C. Membership

1. All full-time faculty members/librarians are eligible for membership on academic committees. 
2. The term of office for faculty members/librarians is for a maximum of three academic years. 
3. No faculty member/librarian shall be appointed for two consecutive terms on any University Academic Committee. 
4. Department chairs are eligible for membership. 
5. Faculty membership for academic committees shall be in accordance with the following formula:

   Each college shall have at least one representative. The College of Arts and Sciences shall have at least one representative from the Arts and at least one representative of the Sciences. The Graduate Council is an exception to the distribution requirement from the College of Arts and Sciences.

6. Each committee/council may have one librarian member serving as a member.

7. All faculty appointments to Academic Committees shall be made by the President in the following manner:

   1. Prior to the beginning of a new academic year, when faculty vacancies exist on an academic committee, President – elect of the Faculty Senate will convene the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees, which is comprised of Senators representing each College.

   2. The Committee on Committees, following procedures adopted by the Faculty Senate, will identify and review prospective appointees. 

      1. All faculty in a unit who are eligible to serve on an academic committee shall be formally notified of committee vacancies and provided an opportunity to express interest in such service. If qualified and willing to serve, all faculty should be provided with an opportunity for appointment to academic committees over time.

      2. The Committee on Committees should strive to achieve ethnic/gender/discipline balance in selecting prospective committee members.

   3. The Committee on Committees shall forward their recommendations to the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs.

   4. The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs shall consult with the Deans to verify faculty members availability to serve, or to suggest alternative faculty members.

   5. The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs shall then consult with the President – elect of the Faculty Senate to verify the Academic Committees membership rosters.

   6. The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs shall then submit the recommendations to the President for final approval.

8. The President and/or Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs shall consult with the President of the Faculty Senate before making faculty appointments to special or ad hoc committees and task forces.

9. The term of office for student members is one academic year.

   1. Student members shall be nominated by The University of Texas at Tyler Student Government Association.

   2. Student members shall be nonvoting. The Graduate Council is an exception.

10. The Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee shall be a nonvoting ex-officio member of all academic committees. In addition, the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs shall assign to each committee a nonvoting administrator/staff person to serve as liaison to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

11. Appointment of additional ex-officio members by the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs is specified, where appropriate, in the individual description of committees.

12. A committee vacancy shall be declared when any of the following conditions are met:
    1. A member's term expires.
    2. A member resigns from the University or from the committee prior to the expiration of his/her term on the committee.
    3. A member has three (3) unexcused absences from regularly scheduled committee meetings.
    4. A member is removed from the committee by two-thirds majority vote of the committee members.
    5. A member is incapacitated and cannot serve on the committee.
    6. A member dies.

13. When a vacancy occurs in an unexpired term of membership, a replacement shall be appointed following established procedures to serve the remainder of the three-year term.

    1. If the vacancy occurs at, or near, the end of the academic year, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with section C.7 above.
    2. If the vacancy occurs during the fall semester, or early in the spring semester, the following procedure shall be used: 
       1. The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs shall notify the President of the Faculty Senate.
       2. The President of the Faculty Senate shall consult with the appropriate Dean to identify at least two faculty member candidates for the vacancy.
       3. The President of the Faculty Senate shall then present the candidates for the vacancy to the Committee on Committees, which shall evaluate the candidates and form a recommendation.
       4. The President of the Faculty Senate shall forward the recommendation to the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs.
       5. The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs shall forward the recommendation to the President for subsequent appointment.

D. Procedures

1. All committee appointments or recommendations are to be made the prior Spring Semester and are effective at the beginning of the academic year.
2. The Committee on Committees shall designate a chair and chair – elect. Officers will serve for a one-year term which commences with the beginning of the academic year.
3. Relevant committee reports and recommendations shall be forwarded to the Faculty Senate and the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. 
4. The chair of each committee shall distribute the minutes of each meeting to committee members and the Faculty Senate using the Faculty Senate website. 
5. The committee chair shall submit an academic year-end report of its activities and recommendations to the Faculty Senate. 
6. The Faculty Senate shall review the recommendations of the committees and forward the recommendations, along with any amendments to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. 
7. Each committee member is assigned a term of membership by the Committee on Committees so that one-third of the committee member's terms conclude each year. Appointees whose terms are shortened will be eligible for re-appointment following the guidelines for replacement of a vacancy in Section C.13. 
8. Proxy voting is prohibited. 
9. A majority of committee members constitutes a quorum.

E. Standing Academic Committees

1.  Undergraduate Council

The Undergraduate Council has the responsibility for reviewing criteria for program outcomes, program evaluation, evaluation criteria for course changes, approval of substantive course changes and adoption of new courses. The Council is also responsible for advising University librarians on all matters related to library operations affecting undergraduate curricula. The council includes a member from the Library. This Undergraduate Council reports to the Faculty Senate and Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs. 

2. Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is the graduate faculty’s advisory body to the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs regarding graduate education at UT Tyler. The Graduate Council reports to the Faculty Senate and Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs. The Graduate Council shall advise the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs, through the Senior Vice President of Research and Dean of the Graduate School with regard to:

a. The setting of policies and procedures for the operation of graduate programs.

b. The growth of graduate studies at UT Tyler.

c. The approval of all graduate programs offered by the university.

d. The setting of minimum university-wide standards for admission to and graduation from graduate programs.

e. The approval of program exceptions to university graduate admissions and graduate administration policies.

f. The means by which proposed and existing graduate programs can be strengthened.

g. The qualifications for designation as graduate faculty.

The Graduate Council shall be composed of members elected from the Graduate Faculty of the University. Included are the Senior Vice President of Research and Dean of the Graduate School and two graduate students chosen by the Senior Vice President of Research and Dean of the Graduate School. Each college with graduate programs shall have two representatives on the Council; one member elected by the members of the college, and one member appointed by the Dean of the College. Representatives shall serve three-year terms with terms of service beginning in the fall semester. The Registrar, Director of the Library, Faculty Senate Representative, and the Dean of the Graduate School, shall be ex-officio members without vote. In the event of a resignation or inability to continue term of office, the Dean of the College will appoint an interim representative.

The Chair-elect for the Graduate Council shall be voted on by the Graduate Council membership at the first fall meeting with the term as Chair beginning the following fall semester.

The Chair and the Dean of the Graduate School shall prepare the agenda for all meetings of the Council.  

The Curriculum Committee shall consist of at least five members, including the Committee Chair, and shall be appointed by the Chair of the Graduate Council. This committee shall review and make recommendations on all new courses, course changes or deletions, new programs, program changes or deletions, and new certificates. Ex-officio members will be the Registrar and the Executive Director of the Library.

3.  Research Council

The Research Council is a university-level committee comprised of faculty at different points in their careers and drawn from eight colleges of the university.  

The Research Council is charged with the promotion and development of research and scholarship activity throughout the university community. The Council serves as an advisory body to the President, the Provost, the Senior Vice President for Research, the Associate Vice President for Research, and the faculty at large. 

Members of the Council work collaboratively with the Senior Vice President of Research and Dean of the Graduate School and his team to advance research and sponsored programs with a focus on the following duties and responsibilities. 

1. Advise the Senior Vice President and his team on research administration matters including, but not limited to, research funding, research productivity goals, awards for research activities, and other cross-cutting research matters. 
2. Review and recommend improvements to existing policies, programs, and practices governing the conduct of research and scholarly activities. 
3. Provide input on policies governing the establishment and monitoring of research centers and institutes. 
4. Participate in the review of internal grant competitions and other seed funding opportunities. 
5. Represent the college’s faculty, students, and staff on the Council. 
6. Assist the Senior Vice President of Research and Dean of the Graduate School with other assigned duties and responsibilities. 

F. Other Academic Committees

Other academic committees may be formed to perform specific functions as deemed necessary by the President. These committees shall be formed following direct consultation with the Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Faculty Senate.

G. Review

The Divisional Head for this policy is the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. This policy shall be reviewed every even year or sooner if necessary by the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation with the Faculty Senate.