College of Arts & Letters
Michigan State University
Bylaws last updated May 15, 2022.
1. THE FACULTY
1.1. Composition of the Faculty
1.1.1. The regular faculty of the College of Arts and Letters shall consist of all persons appointed in the College under the rules of tenure and holding the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor, or as further defined in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
1.1.1.1. The jointly appointed tenure-system faculty of the College of Arts & Letters shall consist of all persons appointed to two Departments in the College (or between the College of Arts & Letters and another college, holding a majority appointment in CAL) as a faculty member under the rules of tenure and holding the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor or as further defined in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University, whose responsibilities are clearly defined in each person’s Memorandum of Understanding (refer to the CAL Memorandum of Understanding Guidelines for Tenure-system Faculty with Joint Appointments and Assignments).
1.1.1.2. The jointly assigned tenure-system faculty of the College of Arts & Letters shall consist of all persons appointed in one Department and assigned to one Program or Center as a faculty member under the rules of tenure and holding the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor or as further defined in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University, whose responsibilities are clearly defined in each person’s Memorandum of Understanding (refer to the CAL Memorandum of Understanding Guidelines for Tenure-system Faculty with Joint Appointments and Assignments).
1.1.2. The fixed-term faculty of the College of Arts and Letters shall consist of all persons holding the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor, but not appointed under the rules of tenure, as defined in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
1.1.3 The academic specialist faculty of the College of Arts and Letters shall consist of all persons holding the rank of academic specialist, academic specialist-continuing, or senior academic specialist, but not appointed under the rules of tenure, or as further defined in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
1.1.4. Other faculty shall be those persons designated as visiting professors, adjunct professors, or professors emeriti.
1.2. Voting Faculty
1.2.1. The voting faculty in College matters shall consist of all College faculty and academic staff who serve under a full-time appointment in the College and who are engaged in the academic activities of the University. The voting faculty in Department matters shall be determined by those units’ bylaws.
1.2.2. A faculty member jointly appointed in two or more Departments or Colleges may vote only once in a given election. In elections voted upon by two or more units the faculty member shall vote in that unit which has primary responsibility for initiating personnel action, with respect to that faculty member.
1.3. Faculty Meetings
1.3.1. A College meeting shall normally be held at least twice during each academic year. Additional ordinary meetings of the College may be called by the Dean, the College Advisory Council, petition to the Dean by ten percent of the voting faculty of the College, or petition by at least fifty students enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters as defined in 2.1.2.
1.3.2. Announcement
1.3.2.1. The Dean shall email to each member of the faculty and to each eligible voting student member notice at least one week prior to an ordinary meeting, along with an agenda for the meeting.
1.3.3. Special Meetings
1.3.3.1. Should a situation require immediate action any of those who may call an ordinary meeting may call a special meeting by providing in writing the agenda of the meeting and an appropriate explanation of the situation, delivered electronically via email or in hardcopy to the office or campus mailbox of each qualified voting member of the College at least two working days prior to the meeting. Actions taken at special meetings shall be only those on the agenda described in the notice. Written minutes of a special meeting shall be delivered electronically to the email address or by hardcopy to the office or campus mailbox of each qualified voting member within five working days after that meeting.
1.3.4. Conduct of Meeting
1.3.4.1. Thirty percent of the qualified voting members of the College shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business of both ordinary and special meetings.
1.3.4.2. The Dean of the College or their designate shall preside at all College meetings.
1.3.4.3. Conduct of business at College meetings shall follow the revised Robert’s Rules of Order, except as modified by a vote of the College. A parliamentarian shall be designated for each meeting by the chairperson.
1.3.4.4. An email ballot may be called for any agenda item by a simple majority vote. If a quorum is not present at the meeting then all voting must be by email vote. All email ballots must be sent out, accompanied by the minutes of the meeting, within one week of the meeting and a deadline set for the return of the ballot(s).
1.3.4.5. The secretary of the College Advisory Council, as defined in 3.2.3.1, shall serve as secretary of meetings of the College and shall distribute the minutes of each meeting to all qualified voting members in the College within two weeks after the meeting.
1.3.4.6. In consultation with the Chair of the College Advisory Council, the Dean shall place on the agenda any items concerning matters of policy or position requiring faculty action. Except in cases of special meetings, only those items that are listed on the agenda that was distributed at least one week in advance of the meeting may be acted on.
1.3.4.7. Items may be placed on the agenda of meetings by the Dean, the College Advisory Council, petition by 10% of the voting faculty of the College, or petition by at least fifty students enrolled in Arts and Letters as defined in 2.1.2.
2. THE STUDENTS
2.1. Student Constituency of the College
2.1.1. The student constituency of the College for the purpose of selecting student representatives from the College to University committees shall be all currently enrolled students who have declared with the Registrar a major or major preference (in the case of lower division students) in an academic program administered in the College. A person who has enrolled for two consecutive semesters may retain student status for one semester when not enrolled, if the person has not been awarded a degree, or enrolled as a degree candidate at another college or university, or been withdrawn or recessed by the University.
2.1.2. Those students who are enrolled as candidates for graduate degrees or as candidates for graduate-professional degrees shall be deemed graduate students.
2.1.3. All other students shall be deemed undergraduate students.
2.1.4. The student constituency for purposes other than that specified above shall be all students who have declared a major or major preference in an academic program of the College.
2.1.5. All students serving on College standing committees; two students selected by each Department, preferably one graduate and one undergraduate, from Department standing committees; and one undergraduate and one graduate student from the degree-granting Interdepartmental and Interdisciplinary Programs shall automatically be voting members at College meetings, except on matters reserved to faculty by the current Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
2.2. Student Participation in Academic Governance
2.2.1. Student participation in College academic governance bodies shall in all cases be the same as faculty participation, except as reserved. In accordance with the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University, the reserved matters in which only faculty may participate are:
2.2.1.1. Policy concerning salary, leaves, insurance, retirement and fringe benefits of faculty.
2.2.1.2. Decisions concerning the appointment, salary, reappointment, promotion, tenure or dismissal of individual faculty members.
2.2.1.2.1. Evidence from students regarding the teaching performance of faculty shall be considered in decisions concerning the above matters.
2.2.1.3. Matters affecting the professional responsibility of the faculty to establish and maintain the intellectual authority of the University.
3. COLLEGE ORGANIZATION
The College includes Departments, Interdepartmental and Interdisciplinary Programs, Research Centers, Museums, the Center for Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities and its Administration.
3.1. Administration of the College
3.1.1. The College’s administrative officers are the Dean, Associate and Assistant Deans, and the Department chairpersons or directors of programs. The duties, responsibilities, and powers of these officers and the procedures for appointment and review of appointment shall be as specified in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
3.1.2. The Dean is responsible for the educational, research/creative, and service programs of the College. This responsibility includes budgetary matters, physical facilities and personnel matters in their jurisdiction, taking into account the advisory procedures of the College.
3.1.3. The College Advisory Council of the College shall have shared responsibility with the Provost to determine procedures for the selection of the Dean to be nominated by the Provost.
3.1.4. The selection of assistant and associate College administrators to be nominated to the Provost shall be the responsibility of the Dean, who shall consult the College Advisory Council.
3.1.5. The Dean of the College shall be subject to regular review at intervals not to exceed five years.
3.1.5.1. The College Advisory Council shall have shared responsibility with the Provost to determine procedures for the review of the Dean. It is recommended that the procedure developed should include solicitation of faculty input and interviews with the chairpersons and directors by the Provost.
3.1.5.2. There is no limit, other than the limit imposed by the University rules on retirement from administrative positions, on the number of times an individual may be continued in the position of Dean.
3.1.5.3. At any time during the term of office the appointment of a Dean, as Dean, may be terminated either by resignation or by action of the Board of Trustees upon recommendation of the President and Provost.
3.1.6. The Dean shall participate in academic governance as part of their administrative responsibility. This participation shall include those responsibilities listed in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
3.2. College Advisory Council
3.2.1. Composition
3.2.1.1. To ensure that the overall academic interests of the College are represented, the College Advisory Council shall be composed of:
3.2.1.1.1. One faculty member from each Department with vote.
3.2.1.1.2. One member selected each year by the elected faculty members of the College Advisory Council from among the College representatives to the University Council, who will serve ex officio, without vote.
3.2.1.1.3. One academic specialist or non-tenure-stream faculty member assigned to a non-department unit with vote.
3.2.1.1.4. One staff member representative selected from College staff with vote.
3.2.1.1.5. The Dean, who may also appoint an Associate or Assistant Dean at their discretion. They shall serve ex officio, without vote.
3.2.1.1.6. Two undergraduate students with voting rights, except in the nomination, election, or appointment of a faculty member to College or Council, and the elected Faculty Senate and University Council.
3.2.1.1.7. Two graduate students with voting rights, except in the nomination, election, or appointment of a faculty member to College or University committees, the College Advisory Council, and the elected Faculty Senate and University Council.
3.2.2. Functions
3.2.2.1. The College Advisory Council shall serve as a deliberative body for faculty and students to participate in the policy-making of the College.
3.2.2.2. The College Advisory Council shall serve as a deliberative body which recommends policies to the Dean.
3.2.2.3. The College Advisory Council shall establish, as the need arises, a process of faculty review before any action is taken to create, alter, dissolve, discontinue, disband, or downgrade an academic Department, Program, or Center.
3.2.2.4. The College Advisory Council shall act as an agency through which individual faculty or students may initiate action in the academic governance of the College; it may refer such matter to an appropriate College committee, and shall receive reports as required from College representatives to University committees.
3.2.2.5. The College Advisory Council shall advise and consult with the Dean on problems concerning the welfare of the College.
3.2.2.6. The College Advisory Council shall have delegated authority to supervise and conduct all faculty elections at the College level, including the election of College representatives to the Faculty Senate and University Council of the University.
3.2.2.7. The College Advisory Council shall name replacements to the Faculty Senate and University Council of the University when an elected faculty representative is unable to serve for a period of one academic semester or more.
3.2.2.8. The College Advisory Council shall have shared responsibility with the Dean in determining the time, date and place of all College faculty meetings.
3.2.2.9. The College Advisory Council shall have shared responsibility with the Dean in preparing the agenda and meetings.
3.2.2.10. The College Advisory Council shall consult with the Dean on the replacement and appointment of Associate and Assistant Deans.
3.2.3. Procedures
3.2.3.1. The College Advisory Council shall determine its own operating rules and procedures and annually elect a chairperson and a secretary from its voting membership at the first meeting of the fall semester.
3.2.3.2. The College Advisory Council shall meet as often as required to perform its duties, but no less than four times in each academic semester, except summer session.
3.2.3.3. Meetings may be called by the Dean, the College Advisory Council chairperson or by petition of at least one-third of the voting members to the College Advisory Council chairperson.
3.2.3.4. The minutes of the College Advisory Council meetings shall be published and distributed to all members of the faculty and the student representatives within ten days of approval.
3.2.4. Elections
3.2.4.1. Elections for faculty representatives to the College Advisory Council shall take place in the spring semester as determined by and in units.
3.2.4.1.1. Any voting faculty as defined in 1.2 shall be eligible for election to the College Advisory Council.
3.2.4.2. Elections for the academic specialist or non-tenure-stream faculty member assigned to a non-department unit shall take place in the spring semester using procedures agreed upon by academic specialists and non-tenure-stream faculty assigned to a non-department unit.
3.2.4.3. Elections for the staff representative to the College Advisory Council shall take place in the spring semester using procedures agreed upon by the staff.
3.2.4.4. Student representatives shall be elected to the College Advisory Council using the procedures agreed upon by the student constituency.
3.2.4.4.1. Any student, as defined in sections 2.1.2. and 2.1.3. of these bylaws, shall be eligible for election to the College Advisory Council.
3.2.4.5. Elected faculty members of the College Advisory Council shall serve two-year terms. No faculty member of the College Advisory Council shall serve more than two consecutive terms.
3.2.4.6. Elected academic specialist or non-tenure-stream faculty members assigned to a non-department unit shall serve two-year terms. No representative shall serve more than two consecutive terms.
3.2.4.7. Elected staff members of the College Advisory Council shall serve a two-year term. No staff member of the College Advisory Council shall serve more than two consecutive terms.
3.2.4.8. Student members shall serve one-year terms.
3.2.4.9. All terms of office shall commence at the beginning of the fall semester.
3.2.4.10. Any faculty vacancy occurring during a term of office shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term. A vacancy shall occur by resignation or when a College Advisory Council member is absent, or expects to be absent, for a period of two months or more. The replacement shall be selected by the Department of the resigning representative. The replacement is eligible for reelection after the replacement term expires. Such appointed members of the College Advisory Council shall serve without restriction to the number of consecutive terms served.
3.2.4.11. Any academic specialist or non-tenure-stream faculty member assigned to a non-department unit vacancy occurring during a term of office shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term. A vacancy shall occur by resignation or when a College Advisory Council member is absent, or expects to be absent, for a period of two months or more. The replacement shall be selected by a special election using procedures agreed upon by academic specialists and non-tenure-stream faculty assigned to a non-department unit. The replacement is eligible for reelection after the replacement term expires.
3.2.4.12. Any staff vacancy occurring during a term of office shall be filled as provided for in section 3.2.4.3.
3.2.4.13. Any student vacancy occurring during a term of office shall be filled as provided for in section 3.2.4.4.
3.3. Standing Committees of the College Advisory Council
3.3.1. The Standing Committees of the College Advisory Council shall be the College Curriculum Committee and the College Graduate Council.
3.3.2. College Curriculum Committee
3.3.2.1. Functions
3.3.2.1.1. The College Curriculum Committee shall review and evaluate College educational policies, including those governing pedagogy and educational objectives, and bring before the College any issues that might, in the opinion of this Committee, require deliberation by the College faculty as a whole.
3.3.2.1.2. The College Curriculum Committee shall serve as the College curriculum committee for all undergraduate courses and programs.
3.3.2.1.3. The College Curriculum Committee shall deal with problems presented to it or issues defined within the Committee as a result of its concern for curricular matters inside and outside the College.
3.3.2.1.4. In consultation with the faculty of the Departments, the College Curriculum Committee shall decide on the establishment and elimination of courses and curricula within the College.
3.3.2.2. Composition
3.3.2.2.1. To ensure representation of the diverse academic interests of the College the College Curriculum Committee shall be composed of:
3.3.2.2.1.1. One voting faculty member as defined in section 1.2, selected by each Department offering courses in the College.
3.3.2.2.1.2. Two voting undergraduate student representatives and two voting graduate student representatives.
3.3.2.2.1.3. Ex officio members, without vote, consisting of the Dean and the appropriate Associate or Assistant Dean and any faculty members from the College serving on the University Committee on Curriculum .
3.3.2.3. Procedures
3.3.2.3.1 The Committee shall determine its own operating rules and procedures.
3.3.2.3.2. Its chairperson shall be elected from among its members at the first meeting of the academic year. The chairperson shall be elected to serve a one year term.
3.3.2.3.3. The Committee shall meet at least once during each of the fall and spring semesters.
3.3.2.3.4. The Committee shall meet on the call of the chairperson or on petition by half of its members.
3.3.2.3.5. The chairperson shall report the activities of the Committee at the spring meeting of the College.
3.3.2.3.6. The Committee shall report its activities to the College faculty through its minutes and make an annual report to the College Advisory Council.
3.3.2.4. Eligibility
3.3.2.4.1. All voting members of the faculty of the College shall be eligible for election, with the following exceptions:
3.3.2.4.1.1. Members of the College Advisory Council and other standing committees of the College with a remaining term of office longer than six months.
3.3.2.4.1.2. The Dean, Associate and Assistant Deans, and Department chairpersons.
3.3.2.4.1.3. No voting faculty member shall serve more than two consecutive terms.
3.3.2.4.2. Undergraduate majors in Arts and Letters in good academic standing shall be eligible for the undergraduate student seats.
3.3.2.4.3. Graduate students in the College of Arts and Letters in good academic standing shall be eligible for the graduate student seats.
3.3.2.5. Terms of Office
3.3.2.5.1. Voting faculty members shall serve two-year terms, with one-half of the members elected each year.
3.3.2.5.2. The undergraduate and graduate student representatives shall serve one-year terms.
3.3.2.5.3. Terms of office shall commence at the beginning of the fall semester following election.
3.3.2.5.4. A vacancy occurring during a term of office shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term. The replacement of a faculty member shall be made by the Department concerned. The replacement of an undergraduate student or graduate student shall be made by the respective group naming the representative. A vacancy shall occur by resignation or when a committee member expects to be unable to serve for a period of two months or more.
3.3.2.6. Elections
3.3.2.6.1. Each Department offering undergraduate courses in the College of Arts and Letters shall determine its own methods of selecting its representatives.
3.3.2.6.2 The election of faculty representatives shall take place during the spring semester of the academic year under the auspices of the College Advisory Council.
3.3.2.6.3. Undergraduate student members of the College Curriculum Committee shall be chosen in accordance with the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
3.3.3. College Graduate Council
3.3.3.1. Composition
3.3.3.1.1. To ensure representation of the diverse academic interests of the College, the College Graduate Council shall be composed of:
3.3.3.1.1.1. One voting faculty representative as defined in section 1.2 from each Department or extra-Departmental Program with a graduate degree program.
3.3.3.1.1.2. A representative from the Center for Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities, ex officio without vote, and one representative without vote from among the degree granting programs of the College that do not offer graduate degrees, both selected by the Dean.
3.3.3.1.1.3. The representatives of the College on the University Committee on Graduate Studies, ex officio without vote.
3.3.3.1.1.4. The College Associate or Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and Research. ex officio without vote,
3.3.3.1.1.5. Two Graduate student representatives who shall be chosen in an election to be organized in Spring Semester each year by the office of the Dean. A call for nominations will be drawn from, and subsequent balloting limited to, the graduate student constituency.
3.3.3.2. Functions
3.3.3.2.1. The College Graduate Council shall be the legislative and policy-making organ of the College in all matters dealing with graduate work.
3.3.3.2.2. In consultation with the faculty of the Departments, the College Graduate Council shall make decisions on existing and proposed graduate programs and courses within the College.
3.3.3.3. Procedures
3.3.3.3.1. The Council shall determine its own operating rules and procedures.
3.3.3.3.2. The Council shall select its own chairperson at the first meeting of the academic year. The chairperson shall be elected to a one year term.
3.3.3.3.3. The Council shall meet on the call of the graduate chairperson or on petition by half of its members.
3.3.3.3.4. The chairperson shall report the activities of the Council at the spring meeting of the College.
3.3.3.3.5. The Council shall report its activities to the College faculty through minutes and shall make an annual report to the College Advisory Council.
3.3.3.4. Eligibility
3.3.3.4.1. Any voting faculty member of the Departments and extra-Departmental Programs offering a graduate degree is eligible for selection to the Graduate Council, with the exception of the Dean, Associate and Assistant Deans. This selection is subject to provisions enumerated in Department and extra-Departmental Program policies.
3.3.3.4.2. The graduate student representatives must be enrolled in an advanced degree program within the College of Arts and Letters and in good academic standing.
3.3.3.5. Terms of Office
3.3.3.5.1. Faculty representatives shall serve terms of office according to individual Department and extra-Departmental program policies.
3.3.3.5.2. The graduate student representatives shall serve a one-year term, to commence at the beginning of the fall semester.
3.3.3.5.3. A faculty vacancy occurring on the Council during a term of office shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term. A faculty vacancy shall occur by resignation or when a Council member is absent or expects to be absent for a period of two months or more. The replacements shall be selected by the Department or extra-Departmental program of the resigning representative.
3.3.3.5.4. Any student vacancy occurring during a term of office shall be filled as provided for in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
3.3.3.6. Selection
3.3.3.6.1. When a faculty representative is about to finish a term of office, the relevant Department or extra-Departmental program shall select its representative in accordance with its policies.
3.4. Standing Committees Advisory to the Dean
3.4.1. College Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee
3.4.1.1. Function
3.4.1.1.1. The College Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee (RPT) acts in an advisory capacity to the Dean. It shall review the dossiers of all candidates for reappointment, promotion, and tenure according to the criteria for reappointment, promotion, and tenure set forth in the MSU Faculty Handbook in the section entitled “Appointment, Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion Recommendations,” and in accordance with the College of Arts & Letters Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Guidelines as attached for reference to these bylaws. It shall also review matters of procedure in the relevant Department RPT process.
3.4.1.2. Composition and Selection
3.4.1.2.1. The Committee shall consist of five members holding the rank of associate professor with tenure or full professor, but the Dean, Associate or Assistant Deans, and Department chairpersons and directors shall be ineligible to serve on the Committee. Four members will be elected by the College faculty and one member appointed by the Dean. No Department shall have more than one of its members on the Committee at any given time, both Arts (AAH and THR) and Letters (all other departments) shall be represented on the committee, and the majority of the Committee shall be composed of members holding the rank of full professor.
3.4.1.2.2. Elected Committee members shall serve two-year terms. To provide continuity on the Committee, the terms of Committee members shall be staggered.
3.4.1.2.3. Elections for the following year’s Committee shall be no later than November 15. Each Department of the College that does not have a continuing representative on the Committee shall nominate one tenured faculty member. From this list of nominees, the CAC shall select four for the final ballot, three of whom shall hold the rank of full professor. From this list of four tenured members, persons appointed in the College under the rules of tenure and holding the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor shall elect two individuals to serve on the committee.
3.4.1.3. Procedures
3.4.1.3.1. Each year’s Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee shall be called into session at the beginning of the spring semester by the Dean. After consultation with the Dean, the Committee shall determine its own operating and reporting procedures.
3.4.1.3.2. At the initial meeting of each year’s Committee the Committee shall elect a chairperson from among its members and shall then meet upon the call of the chairperson.
3.4.1.3.3. Deliberations and discussions of the Committee shall be confidential. If clarification is required concerning a nominee’s credentials or a policy of a Department, the chair of the Committee shall gather information through the chair or director of the Department making the nomination.
3.4.1.3.4. In each case, the Committee shall make a recommendation to the Dean. Each recommendation shall include a) a statement that the candidate be reappointed or not, promoted or not, and/or tenured or not, and b) an assessment of the candidate’s research/creative work, teaching and service.
3.4.1.3.5. At the end of each academic year the Committee shall report to the CAC on the Committee’s own activities and procedures and on matters regarding the reappointment, promotion, and tenure process at the Department or College level.
3.4.1.4. Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure Dossier
3.4.1.4.1. In order to make its recommendation to the Dean the Committee shall have access to:
3.4.1.4.1.1. All the materials submitted by the candidate to their Department RPT committee.
3.4.1.4.1.2. All outside letters of recommendation submitted by the Department as part of the candidate’s reappointment, promotion, and tenure materials.
3.4.1.4.1.3. The report of the Department RPT committee regarding the candidate.
3.4.1.4.1.4. The letter of recommendation submitted by the chairperson or director of the Department in which the tenure.
3.4.2. College Non-Tenure Stream Promotion Review Committee
3.4.2.1. Function
3.4.2.1.1. The College Non-Tenure Stream Promotion Review Committee acts in an advisory capacity to the Dean. It shall review the dossiers of all candidates for Associate Professor-Fixed-Term, Full Professor-Fixed Term, and all review stages in the Academic Specialist Continuing System (Probationary Review, Review and Awarding of Continuing Status, Senior Academic Specialist) set forth in the MSU Faculty Handbook section on the promotion of fixed-term faculty and the MSU Academic Specialist Handbook in the section entitled “5.3 Reappointment, Continuing Appointment, and Promotion,” and in accordance with the College of Arts & Letters Guidelines concerning the promotion of fixed-term faculty and academic specialist review in the continuing system. It shall also review matters of procedure in the relevant unit non-tenure stream promotion review process.
3.4.2.2. Composition and Selection
3.4.2.2.1. The Committee shall consist of five members holding the rank of Associate or Full Professor-Fixed Term, Senior or Continuing Academic Specialist. The Dean, Associate or Assistant Deans, and Department chairpersons and directors shall be ineligible to serve on the Committee. Four members will be elected by the College fixed-term faculty and academic staff and one member appointed by the Dean. No Department, Center, or the Dean’s Office shall have more than one of its members on the Committee at any given time, both Arts (AAHD and THR) and Letters (all other departments) shall be represented on the committee. There shall be at least two fixed-term faculty and at least two academic specialists. If a promotion to Full Professor-Fixed Term or Senior Continuing Academic Specialist is under consideration, then at least one member of the committee must hold that corresponding respective rank.
3.4.2.2.2. Elected Committee members shall serve two-year terms. To provide continuity on the Committee, the terms of Committee members shall be staggered.
3.4.2.2.3. Elections for the following year’s Committee shall be no later than November 15. Each Department, Center, or the Dean’s Office of the College that does not have a continuing representative on the Committee shall nominate one member of the faculty or academic staff. From this list of nominees, the CAC shall select four for the final ballot. From this list of four members of the faculty or academic staff, persons appointed in the College as full-time, non-tenure stream faculty or academic staff shall elect two individuals to serve on the committee.
3.4.2.3. Procedures
3.4.2.3.1. Each year’s Non-tenure Stream Promotion Review Committee shall be called into session at the beginning of the spring semester by the Dean. After consultation with the Dean, the Committee shall elect a chair and determine its own operating and reporting procedures.
3.4.2.3.2. Deliberations and discussions of the Committee shall be confidential. If clarification is required concerning a candidate’s credentials or a policy of a Unit, the chair of the Committee shall gather information through the respective unit chair or director.
3.4.2.3.3. In each case, the Committee shall make a recommendation to the Dean. Each recommendation shall include a) a statement that the candidate be reappointed or not, promoted or not, and b) an assessment of the candidate’s work as defined in their job description.
3.4.2.3.4. At the end of each academic year the Committee shall report to the CAC on the Committee’s own activities and procedures and on matters regarding the non-tenure stream and academic specialist promotion process at the Unit or College level.
3.4.2.4. Reappointment and Promotion Dossier
3.4.2.4.1. In order to make its recommendation to the Dean the Committee shall have access to:
3.4.2.4.2. All the materials submitted by the candidate to their respective unit review committee.
3.4.2.4.3. Any and all outside letters of recommendation submitted by the unit as part of the candidate’s reappointment and promotion materials.
3.4.2.4.4. The report of the Unit Review committee regarding the candidate.
3.4.2.4.5. The letter of recommendation submitted by the chairperson or director of the Unit in which the majority of the appointment is held.
3.4.3. College Inclusive Practices Committee
3.4.3.1. Function
3.4.3.1.1. The College Inclusive Practices Committee shall work with departments, programs, centers, and the administration of the College to sustain inclusive practices as part of the core work of the College across all areas of endeavor, including teaching, scholarship, service, governance, leadership, professional development, and administration.
3.4.3.1.2. The Committee shall support full participation in the activities of the college by a diverse cohort of faculty, staff, and students, where diversity encompasses, but is not limited to: rank or appointment type; area of artistic or scholarly endeavor with the arts and letters; identity and individual characteristics noted in the MSU Anti-Discrimination Policy.
3.4.3.2. Composition
3.4.3.2.1. To ensure representation of the diverse academic interests of the College, the Committee shall be composed of:
3.4.3.2.1.1. One faculty member selected by each Department in the College.
3.4.3.2.1.2. One faculty member selected by the Centers and Programs of the College.
3.4.3.2.1.3. One fixed-term faculty member considered a voting member of the College.
3.4.3.2.1.4. One academic specialist considered a voting member of the College.
3.4.3.2.1.5. One staff member representative.
3.4.3.2.1.6. One undergraduate student representative.
3.4.3.2.1.7. One graduate student representative.
3.4.3.2.1.8. One member appointed by the dean, if deemed necessary, to ensure appropriate balances of rank and appointment types.
3.4.3.2.1.9. Ex officio members without vote will include: the Dean or his/her Associate or Assistant Dean; the Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement; the Faculty Excellence Advocate; and the IDEA coordinator.
3.4.3.3. Procedures
3.4.3.3.1. The Committee shall determine its own operating rules and procedures.
3.4.3.3.2. Its chairperson shall be elected from among its members at the first meeting of the academic year. The chairperson shall be elected to serve a one-year term.
3.4.3.3.3. The Committee shall meet at least once during each of the fall and spring semesters.
3.4.3.3.4. The Committee shall meet on the call of the Dean, the Committee chairperson, or by petition of at least one-third of the voting members of the committee to the Committee chairperson.
3.4.3.3.5. The Committee shall report its activities to the College faculty through its minutes, a written annual report to the College Advisory Council, and a report by its chairperson at the Spring College Meeting.
3.4.3.4. Terms of Office
3.4.3.4.1. Faculty committee members shall serve two-year terms, with one-half of the members selected each year. No faculty member shall serve more than two consecutive terms.
3.4.3.4.2. The elected staff member representative shall serve a two-year term. No staff member shall serve more than two consecutive terms.
3.4.3.4.3. The undergraduate and graduate student representatives shall serve one-year terms.
3.4.3.4.4. Student representatives shall be elected to the College Inclusive Practices Committee in an election to be organized by the Office of the Dean in the Spring semester each year. A call for nominations will be drawn from, and subsequent balloting limited to, the undergraduate or graduate student constituency to be represented.
3.4.3.4.5. Other representatives shall be elected using the procedures agreed upon by their constituency.
3.4.4. Dean’s Arts Advisory Committee
3.4.4.1. Function
3.4.4.1.1. The Dean’s Arts Advisory Committee (DAAC) acts in an advisory capacity to the Dean. It shall proactively develop arts initiatives, suggest and support arts programming, and create strategic arts benchmarks for the College. The DAAC will act as a conduit to gather existing and suggested ideas for arts-related programming and curricula within and for the College, as well as recommend University-level arts-related programming and curricula to the College. The DAAC shall work with the Dean to identify potential funding and collaborative resources, to consider national and international trends in cross-disciplinary artistic endeavors, and to create sustainable and recognized opportunities that would situate the College and University as a leader in artistic projects.
3.4.4.2. Composition and Selection
3.4.4.2.1. The Committee shall consist of seven practicing artists from Departments, Centers, and Programs across the College of Arts and Letters. A practicing artist is someone who is primarily involved in creative production.
3.4.4.2.2. Five members will be elected by the College faculty and two members appointed by the Dean. Artists (including staff) of any rank or academic category are eligible with the following exceptions:
* Members of the College Advisory Council and other standing committees of the College with a remaining term of office longer than six months.
* The Dean, Associate and Assistant Deans, and Department chairpersons.
3.4.4.2.3. No more than two artists from the same Department, Center, or Program may serve at the same time.
3.4.4.2.4. One graduate and one undergraduate student artist will also be selected by the committee to participate on the committee.
3.4.4.2.5. Candidates for the committee are nominated by departments in accordance with unit procedures following a college call for members. Department nominees shall submit a one-page letter of intent and current CV to CAC for possible placement on a college-wide ballot.
Elections for the following year’s Committee shall be no later than the last day of March. Each Department of the College that does not have continuing representatives on the Committee may nominate up to two members and those departments with one continuing member may nominate one member. From this list of nominees, the CAC shall select the final ballot.
3.4.4.3. Terms of Office
3.4.4.3.1. Elected Committee members shall serve two-year terms. To provide continuity on the Committee, the terms of Committee members shall be staggered.
3.4.4.3.2. Committee members may serve two consecutive terms.
3.4.4.4. Procedures
3.4.4.4.1. The committee shall elect a Chair and Secretary annually.
3.4.4.4.2. The Committee shall determine its own operating rules and procedures.
3.4.4.4.3. The Committee shall meet monthly during each of the fall and spring semesters.
3.4.4.4.4. The Committee shall meet on the call of the Dean, the Committee chairperson, or by petition of at least one-third of the voting members of the committee to the Committee chairperson.
3.4.4.4.5. The Committee shall report its activities to the College faculty through its minutes, a written annual report to the College Advisory Council, and a report by its chairperson at the Spring College Meeting.
3.5. Special Committees
3.5.1. Special committees may be established by the Dean, by the College Advisory Council, or by a majority vote of the College faculty.
3.6. Grievance and Hearing Procedures
3.6.1. Faculty
3.6.1.1. The College of Arts and Letters follows the Faculty Grievance Policy published in the Faculty Handbook and approved by the Board of Trustees for resolving employment related disputes that arise between faculty or academic staff and administrators. The formal procedures described there are intended to be used only when matters cannot be resolved informally.
3.6.2. Students
3.6.2.1. The student grievance procedure shall be in accord with the procedures detailed in the document titled “Student Rights and Responsibilites,” and, in the case of graduate students, in the publication titled “Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities.”
3.7. Faculty Salary Adjustments
3.7.1. The Dean shall publicize criteria and procedures for all salary adjustments.
3.7.2. Chairpersons and directors shall publicize criteria and procedures for all salary adjustments.
4. DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION
4.1. Definition
4.1.1. The Department is the basic administrative unit of teaching, research, service, outreach and engagement within the College.
4.2. Chairperson or Director
4.2.1. The appointment, duties, and responsibilities of a Department chairperson or director shall be in accordance with the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
4.2.2. The chairperson or director shall be reviewed at regular intervals not to exceed five years. In this process, the Department faculty shall have shared responsibility with the Dean on procedures for review.
4.3. Faculty
4.3.1 The faculty of each Department shall prepare a set of Department bylaws, which shall be accepted by majority vote of the eligible voting faculty. Once approved, a copy of the Department bylaws shall be placed on file in the Office of the Dean.
4.3.2. Department bylaws shall be consistent with the bylaws of the University and those of the College of Arts and Letters.
4.3.3. The Department bylaws shall provide for the election of one or more committees to advise the Department chairperson or director on Department matters, including promotion, appointments, and the elaboration and operation of programs within the Department.
5. THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY
5.1. Composition
5.1.1. The composition of the University Council of the University is established in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University. The method for determining the number of Council representatives from each College is established in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
6. STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
6.1. List of Standing Committees
The standing committees of the University Council are established in the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University, and are as follows:
University Committee on Undergraduate Education
University Committee on Graduate Studies
University Committee on Curriculum
University Committee on Faculty Tenure
University Committee on Faculty Affairs
University Committee on Student Affairs
University Committee on Academic Governance
Only in the case of the first five of the above-named standing committees does the College participate in the selection of members.
6.2. Selection of Representatives from the College
6.2.1. Faculty representatives
6.2.1.1. Terms of office
6.2.1.1.1. In accordance with the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University, the term of office of elected Arts and Letters faculty members on standing committees of the University shall be two years.
6.2.1.1.2. Terms of offices shall begin on August 16 and shall terminate on August 15.
6.2.1.1.3. No person may serve as a voting member of more than one University standing committee at a time.
6.2.1.1.4. No elected faculty member of a University standing committee shall serve more than two consecutive terms on the same University standing committee.
6.2.1.2. Elections
6.2.1.2.1. No later than January 10 the College Advisory Council shall distribute to the Departments a list of the faculty positions on the standing committees of the University which will become vacant the following August 15.
6.2.1.2.2. Not later than February 1, each Department of the College shall select, in accordance with its bylaws, one faculty candidate for each of the standing committees of the University on which an Arts and Letters position will become vacant on August 15.
6.2.1.2.3. These nominees shall be submitted to the College Advisory Council, which shall select from the list two candidates for each Arts and Letters position.
6.2.1.2.4. The names of these candidates shall be submitted by ballot through the campus mail or e-mail to the voting faculty of the College, who shall vote for one member for each position to become vacant. Election shall be by a majority of votes cast.
6.2.1.2.5. If an elected faculty member of a University committee is unable to fill their office for a semester or longer a replacement shall be appointed by the College Advisory Council.
6.2.2. Student Representatives
Student representatives on University standing committees shall be chosen according to the Bylaws for Academic Governance-Michigan State University.
7. DISTRIBUTION, INTERPRETATION, REVIEW, AND AMENDMENTS
7.1. Distribution
The Dean shall distribute these bylaws to all current and new members of the faculty, and they shall be posted on the College of Arts and Letters website.
7.2. Interpretation
The College Advisory Council shall be the final authority concerning the interpretation of these bylaws.
7.3. Review
The College Advisory Council shall review these bylaws at intervals not to exceed five years.
7.4. Amendments
Amendments to these bylaws shall be adopted upon approval by two-thirds of those voting on a mailed or an emailed ballot following an ordinary College meeting at which the amendment was discussed and at which the email ballot was approved by a majority of those present and voting. Minutes of the meeting must accompany ballots when the letters are sent out.
Appendices:
- College of Arts & Letters Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Guidelines
- College of Arts & Letters Memorandum of Understanding and Annual Review Guidelines for Tenure-system Faculty with Joint Appointments and Assignments in CAL
- College of Arts & Letters Guidelines for Promotion of Fixed Term System Faculty from Assistant to Associate Professor or from Associate Professor to Professor
- College of Arts & Letters Criteria and Procedures for Reappointment, Awarding of Continuing Appointment Status, and Promotion Review of Academic Specialists in the Continuing System