BYLAWS OF THE FACULTY SENATE 2007

Article I: Bylaws of the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Council

1. Name

a. The name of this Faculty Senate standing council shall be the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Council.

2. Purposes

a. The Council shall be accountable to the Faculty Senate, as representative of the faculty which has primary responsibility for undergraduate curriculum and instruction. All Undergraduate Academic Affairs Council actions shall be communicated to the Senate. Receipt by Senate of the report of Council actions regarding courses and curriculum changes shall constitute approval. All other matters will be subject to Senate approval.

b. The purposes of the Council shall be to review, develop, and recommend policy and guidelines regarding curriculum and approve or disapprove requests for new course, course revisions, new programs, program revisions, major and sub-major academic programs, minors, concentrations, specializations, and other academic policies, e.g., admissions standards, academic calendar, academic reinstatement, decisions on academic credits, class size, grading, issues related to attendance, student concerns related to curriculum and instruction and other responsibilities as directed by the Faculty Senate.

c. The objective of the council shall be:

1) To review, develop, and recommend new and/or modified curriculum policies.
2) To serve as an academic forum to consider and act upon proposals for credit-producing learning experiences as well as major and sub-major academic programs and specializations.

a. To ascertain if the proposal is in accordance with the Institutional Mission Statement, priorities, and policies of the University.
b. To ascertain if the proposal will fulfill a justifiable need.
c. To ascertain if the proposal has realistic, consistent and measurable objectives, and appropriate evaluation procedures.
d. To ascertain if the title and catalog description is descriptive of the content and objectives of the proposal.
e. To ascertain if the proposal results in unnecessary overlap or duplication with existing offerings.
f. To ascertain if the proposal is desirable from an instructional viewpoint relative to quality and its relationship to other offerings.
g. When appropriate, to ascertain whether a proposed course fulfills the requirements for inclusion in a specific category of the curriculum.
h. To encourage multicultural and trans-disciplinary approaches to curriculum and instructional growth.
i. To promote academic excellence and educational opportunity and encourage the use of appropriate standards throughout the curriculum.

3) Membership

a. The members shall concern themselves with the Institutional Mission Statement, and shall be elected to provide a cross-section of the academic community of the University.

b. The qualifications of the members for the Council shall be:

1) To be knowledgeable about the University, its mission, structure, and the more specific specialized objectives and missions of the various units which comprise the total University.
2) To be knowledgeable about the Bylaws and status of the Council within the University structure.
3) To be able to serve without undue distraction of other activities either imposed on or undertaken voluntarily by proposed members. This implies that members should not be so unduly involved with other activities that they distract from active and meaningful service on the Council.

a. The duties of the members of the Council shall be:

1) To attend all meetings of the Council.
2) To study all the material submitted before the meeting to become knowledgeable of what is to be considered, and to be able to act intelligently and professionally on the material at the meeting.
3) To participate fully in the activities of the Council in considering all items submitted.
4) To serve, as needed, on subcommittees of the Council when so assigned by the chair. Subcommittees are established according to need to study and make recommendations to the Council about those items under consideration or other items, which the Council deems necessary of special consideration.
5) To assume an All-University attitude in their membership, by refraining from individual or special group interest in their deliberations and voting. This implies giving highest consideration to the good of the University and its students on the part of the members of the Council.

a. The members of the Council shall consist of faculty, academic staff, and students:

1) Each academic department with and undergraduate program will be represented by one member. The Council shall elect a chair from among its members. The Council Chair serves as an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.
2) The Academic Staff Council shall be invited to appoint two (2) non-voting members of the Academic Staff.
3) The Student Government shall be invited to appoint two (2) non-voting student members.
4) The Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Dean of Faculties, the Registrar, and the Director of Undergraduate Advisement shall be non-voting, ex officio members.

a. The Terms of office shall be as follows:

1) The length of term of faculty members shall be three year terms. Initial terms shall be staggered by lottery.
2) The length of term of student Council members shall be at the discretion of the Student Senate.
3) The length of term of academic staff members shall be at the discretion of the Academic Staff Council.
4) Faculty Council members may serve three year terms..
5) When a member must resign from the Council before the member’s term is completed, the unit represented by that member shall elect a replacement to fulfill the uncompleted portion of that member’s term.
6) Should a Council member be unable to perform council duties for a period of sixty (60) days or more during the regular academic year, as in the case of a sabbatical leave, a leave-of-absence, or a class conflict with most scheduled Council meetings, then the unit affected shall elect an ad interim replacement, which shall not extend the length of the term, nor effect the eligibility of the original member for re-election.

a. Officers and Secretary

1) The officers of the Council shall be a chair and secretary.
2) The secretary shall be a voting member elected by the Council.
3) The secretary shall serve a term of one year and may be re-elected.
4) The election of the secretary shall be held at the first meeting of the Council.

a. Duties of Officers and Secretary

The chair shall:

1) Preside at all meetings of the Council.
2) Establish and arrange meeting schedule and location.
3) Maintain liaison with the vice chancellor regarding curriculum matters.
4) Attend the meetings and serve as a voting member of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate.
5) Maintain liaison with the chair of the Faculty Senate and the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate.
6) Conduct proceedings of the Council in accordance with the by-laws.

a. The secretary shall:

1) Notify all faculty and administrators of regular meetings, including in the notice a call for materials to be submitted and deadlines for submission.
2) Notify all members of the Council, the chair for the Faculty Senate, the vice chancellor, and other necessary parties of any special meetings.
3) Receive copies of all materials submitted for consideration at a meeting and collate them in preparation for distribution.
4) Prepare an agenda for each regular meeting and distribute copies of the agenda plus copies of all submitted materials to personnel as required.
5) Notify parties who submit materials of the meeting at which such materials will be considered, and inform them if their presence is required.
6) Keep an accurate record of the proceedings and actions of each meeting.
7) Prepare copies of the minutes within one week after a meeting and distribute them as required.
8) Send out one (1) copy of the minutes and a set of all materials to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate, to the vice chancellor and to the chancellor.

a. Meetings

1) Regular meetings of the Council shall be held at least monthly during the academic yar and as needed during the summer session.
2) Special meetings may be called by the chair.
3) The quorum shall consist of a majority of the voting members.
4) The meetings shall be open.

a. Task Forces/Subcommittees.

1) Task forces/committees, as needed, shall be appointed by the chair subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present. Membership on these task forces/committees will not be limited to current members of the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Council.
2) The charge of each task force/committee shall be determined by the chair subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present.

a. Amendments

1) Recommendations for changes in the Bylaws shall be distributed to the Council members at least two weeks prior to consideration by the Council.
2) Recommendations to the Faculty Senate for changes in the Bylaws shall be approved by a two-thirds majority of the voting members of the Council.

Article II: Bylaws of the Personnel Council

1. Name

a. The name of this Faculty Senate standing Council shall be the Personnel Council.

2. Purposes

a. The Council is accountable to the Faculty Senate.
b. The Council is responsible for reviewing and making recommendations on personnel matters including:

1) Personnel rules
2) Salary guidelines
3) Promotion, tenure, and post-guidelines
4) Workload
5) Affirmative Action and Diversity policies
6) Faculty and staff development

c. The council will appoint a faculty hearing committee to deal with complains and grievances.
d. The Council will serve as the Faculty Consultative Committee

3. Membership

a. The Council shall consist of seven members as follows:

1) The Council shall elect a chair from among its members. The Council Chair serves as an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.
2) Six members from the faculty at-large shall be elected to serve on the Personnel Council. Annual elections for the new members of the Personnel Council will be held during the first two weeks in May. Nominations or self-nominations shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Faculty Senate for distribution of ballots for voting purposes to the general faculty population. The nominees with the highest vote totals shall constitute the new members of the Council.
3) All faculty members shall serve three year terms of office. Should a Council Member be unable to perform council duties for a period of sixty (60) days or more during the regular academic year, as in the case of a sabbatical leave, a leave-of-absence, or a class conflict with most scheduled Council meetings, then the unit affected shall elect and ad interim replacement, which shall not extend the length of term, nor effect the eligibility of the original member for re-election.
4) A quorum will consist of a majority (4) of the voting members.

4. Officers

a. Each year, at its first organizational meeting, the Council shall elect a secretary from the members on the Council.
b. The secretary’s term of office shall be one year in length with the possibility of re-election.

5. Task Forces/Subcommittees

a. Task forces/committees, as needed, shall be appointed by the chair subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present. Membership on these task forces/committees will not be limited to current members of the Faculty Senate Personnel Council.
b. The charge of each task force/committee shall be determined by the chair subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present.

Ad-Hoc grievance committees, as needed, shall be appointed by the Council subject to the approval by a majority vote of the members present. Membership on this committee shall be limited to tenured faculty. All such faculty shall be required to serve on this committee when called-upon (excluding faculty who would be in a conflict of interest). This committee would be determined on a rotating basis.

6. Revisions

a. Recommendations for changes in the Bylaws shall be distributed to the Council members at least two weeks prior to consideration by the Council.
b. Recommendations to the Faculty Senate for changes in the Bylaws shall be approved by a majority vote (4) of the Council.

Article III: Bylaws of the Budgeting Review Council

1. Name

a. The name of this Faculty Senate standing Council shall be the Budgeting Review Council.

2. Purposes

a. The Council shall review, develop, and coordinate the university’s strategic and long-range plans and planning process and shall make recommendations (proposals) to the Faculty Senate.
b. The Council shall receive and react to communications from the Faculty Senate or the Senate Executive Committee.

3. Organization:

a. Membership

a. The Council shall elect a chair from among its members. The Council Chair serves as an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.
b. Six members from the faculty at large shall be elected to serve on the Planning, Budgeting, and Review Council. Annual elections for the new members of the Planning, Budgeting, and Review Council will be held during the first two weeks in May.
Nominations or self-nominations shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Faculty Senate for distribution of ballots for voting purposes to the general faculty population. The nominees with the highest vote totals shall constitute the new members of the Council. One sear on the Council shall be reserved for a member of a graduate program to be elected to the Council by the faculty at large.
c. Should a Council member be unable to perform council duties for a period of sixty (60) days or more during the regular academic year, as in the case of a sabbatical leave, a leave of absence, or a class conflict with most scheduled Council meetings, then the unit affected shall elect an ad interim replacement, which shall not extend the length of term, nor effect the eligibility of the original member for re-election.

b. Terms

All members shall serve three-year terms of office.

c. Quorum

1). A quorum shall consist of a majority of voting members (4).

d. Officers

1) Each year at its organizational meeting the Council shall elect a secretary from the members of the Council.
2) The terms of office for the secretary shall be one year in length with possibility of re-election.
3) The terms of office for the secretary and chair shall be one year in length with possibility of re-election.

4. Revisions

a. Recommendations for changes in the Bylaws shall be distributed to the Council members at least two weeks prior to consideration by the Council.
b. Recommendations to the Faculty Senate for changes in the Bylaws shall be approved by a majority vote of the Council.

5. Task Forces/Committees

a. Task forces/committees, as needed, shall be appointed by the chair subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present.
b. Membership on these task forces/committees will not be limited to current members of the Faculty Senate or Budgetary Review Council.
c. The charge of each task force/committee shall be determined by the chair subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present.

Article IV: Bylaws of the Program Review and Planning Council

1. Name

a. The name of this Faculty Senate standing Council shall be Program Review and Planning Council.

2. Purposes

a. The Council shall review the procedure and policies in the program audit and review the process. The Council shall conduct and supervise the program audit and review process. The Council shall conduct and supervise the program audit and review process. The Council shall audit all University programs on a regular basis. The Council shall forward its findings, stipulations, suggestions, and observations to the Faculty Senate for approval. The final recommendation of the Faculty Senate will be transmitted to the vice-chancellor of the university by the chair of the Faculty Senate.
b. The Council shall receive and react to communications from the Faculty Senate or the Senate Executive Committee.

3. Organization:

a) Membership

a. The Council shall elect a chair from among its members. The Council Chair serves as an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.
b. Six members from the faculty at large shall be elected to serve on this Council. Annual elections for the new members of this Council will be held during the first two weeks in May. Nominations or self-nominations shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Faculty Senate for distribution of ballots for voting purposes to the general faculty population. The nominees with the highest vote totals shall constitute the new members of the Council. One seat on the Council shall be reserved for a member of a graduate program to be elected to the Council by the faculty at large.
c. Should a Council member be unable to perform council duties for a period of sixty (60) days or more during the regular academic year, as in the case of a sabbatical leave, a leave of absence, or a class conflict with most scheduled Council meetings, then the unit affected shall elect an ad interim replacement, which shall not extend the length of term, nor effect the eligibility of the original member for re-election.

b) Quorum

1). A quorum shall consist of a majority of voting members (4).

c) Officers

1) Each year at its organizational meeting the Council shall elect a secretary and chair from the members of the Council.
2) The terms of office for the secretary shall and chair be one year in length with possibility of re-election.

d) Revisions

a. Recommendations for changes in the Bylaws shall be distributed to the Council members at least two weeks prior to consideration by the Council.
b. Recommendations to the Faculty Senate for changes in the Bylaws shall be approved by a majority vote of the Council.

e) Task Forces/Committees

a. Task forces/committees, as needed, shall be appointed by the chair subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present.
b. Membership on these task forces/committees will not be limited to current members of the Faculty Senate or Planning Council.
c. The charge of each task force/committee shall be determined by the chair subject to approval by a majority vote of the members present.

Article V: Bylaws of the Graduate Council*

*These Bylaws are a draft and have not been approved by the Graduate Council.

Preamble: The Graduate Faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Superior, in order to enhance high quality learning at the graduate and post graduate levels, so as to provide an opportunity whereby individual graduate faculty and students shall participate in determining the conduct and direction of graduate education in the university, encourage research in all academic areas, provide leadership in education for the region which the university serves, and to be general service to the State of Wisconsin, do hereby adopt these bylaws.

1. Composition and Function

a. The official name of the body shall be the Graduate Faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

b. These bylaws shall become effective and replace the previous charter of the Graduate Faculty upon adoption by a two-third majority of the Full Graduate Faculty Members voting, the University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty and by approval of the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

c. The Graduate Faculty is the community of scholars responsible for creating the academic climate for graduate education by teaching graduate courses, stimulating and conducting research, and advising graduate students. The chair person of each department, forward names of Graduate Faculty candidates with current and appropriate credential documentation to Dean of Faculties. The Dean of Faculties shall present candidates to the Graduate Council for approval. Non-approved candidates by the Graduate Council shall be referred back to the recommending department for reconsideration and reapplication for full or limited membership. Possession of the earned doctorate or terminal degree does not automatically constitute either a full or limited graduate faculty appointment. The Dean of Faculties shall notify the candidate in writing of the Graduate Council’s action within ten days. Membership of the Graduate Faculty is of two types, full and limited.

1) Full membership Full Graduate Faculty Members shall:

a. possess the earned doctorate or terminal degree in their academic discipline;
b. have full-time University of Wisconsin-Superior faculty appointments;
c. be authorized to teach graduate classes, advise graduate students,
d. direct and guide graduate research and theses;
e. be authorized to conduct oral and written comprehensive graduate examinations;
f. be eligible to serve as a member of the Graduate Council;
g. be eligible to serve as an officer of the Graduate Faculty; and,
h. need to be approved only once during a period of continuous appointment.

2) Limited membership Limited Graduate Faculty Members shall:

a. generally posses the earned doctorate or terminal degree in their academic discipline, with the minimum of a Masters Degree and a level of experience appropriate for teaching graduate students as recommended by each individual graduate program.
b. have full-time or part-time faculty appointments, adjunct or ad hoc faculty appointments, or full or part time academic staff appointments;
c. be authorized to teach graduate cources;
d. on special occasion with consent of the graduate council participate in the conducting of comprehensive oral and written graduate examinations;
e. not be eligible to serve as a member of graduate student application to candidacy or as a committee member for any theses or degree required scholarly work;
f. not be eligible to serve as a member of the Graduate Council;
g. not be eligible to serve as an officer of the Graduate Faculty; and,
h. be approved annually by the Graduate Council.

d. The Graduate Council shall be the policy making body for the Graduate Faculty and Graduate Programs, acting within the limits of the University of Wisconsin Faculty Senate and its graduate faculty bylaws, policies of the State of Wisconsin and the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Receipt by the Senate of the report of Council actions regarding courses and curriculum changes shall constitute approval. All other matters will be subject to Senate approval.

e. The Graduate Council shall serve as a council of the University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty Senate. All powers necessary to implement these bylaws and those necessary for controlling operation of graduate education and programs shall be reserved to the Graduate Faculty.

2. Officers and Duties of the Graduate Faculty

a. The officers of the Graduate Faculty shall be a Chairperson of the Graduate Council and a Secretary of the Graduate Faculty.

1) The Chairperson of the Graduate Council shall;

a. be elected from the membership of the Graduate Council to a one year term at its first meeting of the academic year;
b. convene and chair all Graduate Council meetings;
c. convene and chair all Graduate Faculty meetings; and
d. perform those executive responsibilities and duties normally associated with the office.

2) The Secretary of the Graduate Faculty shall:

a. be elected to a biennial term by a majority of the Graduate Faculty present at its annual meeting;
b. be responsible for providing a copy of the agenda and other pertinent materials to members of the Graduate Council at a meeting of the Council;
c. be responsible for providing a copy of the agenda and other pertinent materials at a meeting of the Graduate; and,
d. perform those management responsibilities and duties normally associated with the office.

b. The graduate Faculty shall adopt its own rules of order except that it may not depart from conventional procedures.

c. The Graduate Faculty shall hold at least one meeting each academic year. Additional meetings may be called if needed. Meetings of the Graduate Faculty will be called by the Chairperson of the Graduate Council. Upon absolute majority vote of the Graduate Council or upon presentation to the Graduate Council a petition bearing the signatures of a least one fifth of the Full Graduate Faculty Members, the Graduate Council shall request that the Chairperson of the Graduate Council call a meeting of the Graduate Faculty within fourteen days following such a Graduate Council vote or the receipt of such petition.

d. Meetings of the Graduate Faculty shall be open to any interested person. At these meeting the Dean of Faculties shall report on the activities of graduate education at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. The report for meetings of the Graduate Faculty shall be distributed to the Graduate Faculty by the Dan of Faculties five days in advance of any meeting.

e. In order to vote on any question at a Graduate Faculty meeting, a full member of the Graduate Faculty must be present at the meeting at the time of the vote. Only Full Graduate Faculty Members shall be eligible to vote. No member shall vote by proxy. A quorum of the Graduate Faculty at a graduate faculty meeting shall be those Full Graduate Faculty members present.

3. Structure and Standing Committees

a. The University of Wisconsin-Superior academic departments shall formulate requirements for graduate degrees within the framework of the Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty Senate, University of Wisconsin System and policies of the Board of Regents.

b. Within the framework of policies established by the Graduate Faculty each graduate program shall be responsible for recommending graduate candidates for degrees, completion of course, writing and additional degree requirements, as well as administration of final comprehensive written and oral examinations.

c. Each department of designated graduate program shall be responsible for continual evaluation, adjustment, and improvement of existing graduate program sand the proposed development of new graduate programs. Department chairpersons or designated graduate program representatives shall make recommendations regarding the graduate program for final action by the Graduate Council, receipt by the University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty Senate, with final approval by the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty Senate, with final approval by the Chancellor of the University and the Board of Regents.

d. The Graduate Council shall have a standing petition committee to act on all student petitions and problems related to admission, retention, suspension, and granting of degrees. The petition committee shall elect its own chair; convene meetings independent of the Graduate Council so as to be held on a monthly basis during the academic year. The Full Graduate Member Representatives of the Graduate Council shall be assigned by the Secretary of the Graduate Faculty to a semester long appointment to the petitions committee.

4. Composition of the Graduate Council

a. The Graduate Council shall consist of one Full Graduate Faculty Member Representative selected from the graduate degree programs of:

a. Communicating Arts
b. Education Administration
c. Counselor Education
d. Instruction
e. Reading
f. School Psychology
g. Special Education
h. Visual Arts

The Chairperson of the Graduate Faculty and Secretary of the Graduate Faculty shall serve as voting members of the Graduate Council. The Chairperson of the University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty Senate shall be an ex officio member of the Graduate Council.

b. The Chairperson of the Graduate Council shall be elected from among the membership of the Graduate Council at its first meeting of the academic year to the one (1) year term. There shall be no term limit.

c. The Secretary of the Graduate Faculty shall be elected from among the membership of the Graduate Faculty at its annual meeting to a two (2) year term. The secretary shall represent the entire Graduate Faculty membership as a voting member of the Graduate Council. There shall be no term limits.

d. A quorum of the Graduate Council shall be a majority of the Full Graduate Faculty Member Representatives present. In order to vote on any question, a member of the Graduate Council must be present at the meeting at the time of the vote.

e. Upon the entitlement of a new graduate degree program to the University of Wisconsin-Superior, a Full Graduate Faculty Member Representative from that program area shall be selected to membership on the Graduate Council.

f. Upon the elimination of an existing graduate degree program of the University of Wisconsin-Superior, said Full Graduate Faculty Member Representative from that program area shall be removed from membership on the Graduate Council only subject to written formal action of such by the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Superior and approved by the University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty Senate.

g. Full Graduate Member Representatives on the Graduate Council shall be selected by each graduate department or designated graduate program no later than the end of the spring semester to serve from August 1 to July 31 of the following year.

h. The Graduate Council shall follow Roberts Rules of Order, latest edition.

5. Functions of the Graduate Council

a. The Graduate Council shall be the legislative body recognized by the University of Wisconsin-Superior and the University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty Senate for graduate program policy in all matters related to graduate education including, but not limited to, new program authorization, program planning and review, program operation and resource allocation.

b. The University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty Senate shall be the body recognized by the Graduate Faculty in matters related to faculty governance aside from graduate program policy as set forth in Article V. 1.

c. The Graduate Council shall be the policy making body for graduate education and act on behalf of the Graduate Faculty in the operation of graduate programs. The Graduate Council shall be responsible to the Graduate Faculty.

d. The Graduate Council shall continuously review all aspects of graduate education and may do so through committees composed of Graduate Council Members or Graduate Faculty Members as appointed by the Chairperson of the Graduate Council and approved by the Graduate Council.

e. The Graduate Council shall consider and approve for a semester basis any person who is not a full or limited member of the Graduate Faculty to teach a specific course open to graduate student enrollment.

f. Proposals for new graduate workshops, institutes, courses or any academic activity awarding graduate credit shall be presented to the Graduate Council for consideration and approval a minimum of thirty days prior to the offering.

g. The Graduate Council shall distribute its meeting agenda through normally accepted means of public dissemination.

h. The Graduate Council shall hold regular bi-weekly meetings throughout the academic year and as needed during the summer session. Additional meetings of the Graduate Council may be called by the Chairperson of the Graduate Council. All meetings shall be open except when a matter under considerations subject to state or federal law, must be closed.

6. Duties of the Dean of Faculties

a. The Dean of Faculties shall be the principal administrator of the Graduate Program. The Dean administers graduate policies, standards and procedures approved by the Graduate Council. The Dean of Faculties shall act on behalf of the university in the administration of the Graduate Program.

b. In cooperation with graduate education departments and designated programs, the Dean of Faculties shall administer procedures for the effective operation of the graduate program.

c. The Dean of Faculties shall serve as admissions officer for the graduate program subsequent to an applicant’s admission determination made by each program area designated graduate program representative.

d. The Dean of Faculties, upon the recommendation of each program area designated graduate program representative, shall be responsible for making final verification on admission, candidacy, completion of degree requirements and any other aspects of graduate student’s degree program prior to the awarding of a degree.

e. The Dean of Faculties shall prepare the graduate catalog and all other publications related to general administration of the graduate programs.

f. In cooperation with graduate education departments and designated program directors the Dean of Faculties shall provide administrative leadership and advocacy for:

1. entitlement to plan new graduate programs;
2. support, development and operation of new graduate programs; and;
3. successful pursuit and attainment of external accreditation.

g. In cooperation with graduate education departments and designated Dean of Faculties shall provide administrative leadership and advocacy for the promotion and marketing of the universities graduate program.

7. Amendments

a. Amendments to these bylaws may be initiated by:

1. a two-third vote of the Graduate Council; or
2. petition of one-third of the Full Graduate Faculty Members as determined by the last roll of members maintained by the Dean of Faculties.

b. Having been initiated bin either manner, the Secretary of the Graduate Faculty shall distribute the proposed amendment to the Graduate Faculty. Following the Graduate Faculty meeting and discussion of the proposed amendment, a mail ballot shall be conducted among the Full Graduate Faculty Members no later than seven days. Approval by two thirds of the Full Graduate Faculty Members voting, the University of Wisconsin-Superior Faculty Senate Executive Committee and by the Chancellor of the University is required for adoption.

8. By-Laws

a. Amendments to these bylaws shall become effective when they have been approved by two-thirds of the Full Graduate Faculty Members voting and the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.

b. Membership and organization of the Graduate Council existing prior to the adoption of these bylaws shall remain in full existence and effect until new bylaws have been adopted by the Graduate Faculty and approved by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.

Article V: Department Bylaws Policy

As part of effective governance, each department or functional equivalent shall have developed and approved a set of bylaws.

In order to ensure that each department has adequate Bylaws, which conform to the policies listed below, and to form a consistent governance structure, completed Bylaws will be sent to the Faculty Senate for review by the Executive Committee to determine if they conform to this policy.

1. Bylaws must not:

a. Contradict state or federal regulations and UW-System and UW-Superior policies.
b. Restrict the prerogatives of members and faculty or staff in an illegal manner.
c. Assume authority or give directives to persons holding positions outside the department.

2. Bylaws:

a. Must define procedures for making recommendations regarding recruitment, new appointments, retention decisions, tenure decisions, promotions, and performance evaluations of department faculty.

b. Must define a mechanism for electing a department chair.

c. Must define the role and responsibility of faculty and staff in governance of the department, i.e. curriculum planning and review, educational activities and faculty personnel.

d. Must identify standing committees, define procedures for the selection of members, describe the qualifications of members, establish procedures for the committee(s) to follow and provide charges for the committees(s).

e. Must define the general and the voting membership of the department, specifying the difference.

f. Must describe or define expectations the department has about its members, their actions, responsibilities and roles.

g. Must provide for changes or revisions when needed in the Bylaws themselves.

h. Should provide a procedure or mechanism for the resolution of conflict between department members and the chair or each other within the department’s structure.

i. May include explicit statements about policies, assumptions, positions, and any other items that are pertinent to the departments’ operation as a unit.

j. May define procedures and state policies for the chair to follow in conducting the department’s business as these actions pertain to the primary responsibility areas of the faculty.

3. Amendments to Bylaws will be developed by the department and sent to the Faculty Senate.

4. Departments will submit their Bylaws for review to Faculty Senate within one year of the date of the documents adoption. Feedback will be provided if the department so requests.

5. The department chair is the chief administrator and representative of the department or functional equivalent in its day to day activities.

6. Copies of department Bylaws are available from the department chair.

7. Department chair selection:

a. All departments will have a mechanism for electing a department chair. This method shall be designed by the voting members of the department and shall provide for the decision of the department to be transmitted to the vide-chancellor, who will then make a recommendation to the chancellor.

b. If the chancellor or vice-chancellor finds the decision unacceptable she or he will inform the department in writing. The chancellor or vice-chancellor may then request additional recommendations from the department.

Article VI: Technical Corrections to the Constitution of the Faculty Senate.

1. The Faculty Senate may authorize editing or other clearly technical changes in the test of the Constitution by a two thirds vote of those Faculty Senators present and voting, without observing the procedural requirements for formal amendment as prescribed in Article VII of the Constitution; but if a least ten (10) percent of the Faculty Senate electors should sign a petition questioning the “technical” interpretation by the Faculty Senate of any contemplated change in the text of the Constitution, then the formal amendment procedure stipulated in Article VII shall be followed.