STANDARDOPERATING PROCEDURESOFTHE UMKCFACULTY SENATE
[PresentedattheAll FacultyMeeting, Spring2008;Revision approved bytheFaculty SenateMarch
6, 2012;Approved attheAll FacultyMeeting, April 3, 2012; Revision approved by Faculty Senate 27 November 2012; Revision approved by Faculty Senate via a round-robin vote on 28 May 2013]
TheseStandardOperatingProceduresare established and adopted bytheUMKC FacultySenate and Voting Facultypursuant to the requirement ofCRR 300.020.E.7.d oftheBylaws of the Universityof Missouri-Kansas City.
ARTICLEI MEETINGS
1. Regular MeetingsoftheUMKCFaculty Senate.Themeetingschedule foreach semester shall be establishedbythe chairperson oftheFacultySenate, distributed toallFacultySenate members and to all facultymembers prior to thefirst FacultySenatemeetingof eachsemester, and posted on the FacultySenate website. Such meetingschedules shallconstitute noticeof thedate, time, and location ofthe regular FacultySenate meetings listed. Meetings of theFacultySenateshall be conducted inaccordancewith Robert’s Rules ofOrder.Formal implementation of theseRules is required when requested byanymember of the Senate.Without such request, simplified procedures maybeused.IfRobert’s Rules areformallyactive, the vice-chair will act as the Parliamentarian. Aquorum for FacultySenate meetings shall beasimple majorityof voting members ofthe full Senate.
2. General Faculty Meetings.As specifiedbyCRR 300.020.B.3, ageneral facultymeetingwill be calledat least onceperyear.A callfor agendaitems willgo to allfaculty members. The agendawill contain as required items: reportingof past business of the FacultySenate to the faculty;reportingofFacultySenate committees. Motions and resolutions which are part ofthe official published agenda for themeeting can beacted upon. A quorum of votingmembers of theFaculty Senate is requiredfor anyofficial businessaction.Business can be conducted bymajorityvote of votingfacultypresent and voting.
3. SpecialorEmergency Meetings.Special or emergencymeetings of the FacultySenate may be called bythechairperson, and shallbe called ifrequested bythe Provost/Chancellor, 51%of the votingmembers of the FacultySenate, or10%of thevotingfaculty. The chairperson shall give reasonable noticetothe FacultySenate and ifpossible to the faculty. Such noticeshall state the date, time, place,andpurposeof the meeting.
4. Agenda. The chairperson shall prepare an agenda foreach regular, special, or emergency meetingof theFacultySenate andfor anymeetingof thegeneral faculty.Theagenda forany meeting, with relevant attachments, shall set forththe business to be conducted at themeeting. The FacultySenate maytakeup such other business as it deems necessaryor appropriate. The agendawillbedistributed bythechairperson ordesigneeto all members of the facultyin advanceof anymeeting,except where emergencytime constraints makesuch distribution impracticable.
5. OpenMeetings.All FacultySenate meetings shallbeopen, except discussion and votes upon awards, honorarydegrees, or personnel matters.
ARTICLEII SENATEMEMBERSHIP
1. The compositionoftheUMKCFaculty Senateis defined byCRR 300.020.E.1.
2. Non-voting Senatemembers.The FacultySenate accepts thepresenceofnon-voting senators, representingpart-time facultyand the StaffAssembly.
ARTICLEIII SENATECOMMITTEES
Standing Committees.The followingstanding committees aredefined bythe FacultySenate. The FacultySenate shallmake everyeffort to maintain continuityof committeemembership. Anycommitteeof theFacultySenateshall, as theydeem necessary, meet and conferwith committees of other employeegroups on issues ofcommon concern.All standing committees
shall report regularlyto theSenate. Officialyearlyreportingof committeesis expected at general facultymeetings. Each committeeshall function in accordancewith policies andprocedures approved bytheFacultySenate. The chair ofeachstandingcommitteeshall be amember of the UMKC FacultySenate.
1. ExecutiveCommittee.Inaccordanceto CRR 300.020.F.6, this committeeshall consist of the Chair, Vice-Chair,and Secretaryof theFacultySenate, and thetwoIFC representatives.It shall bethe responsibilityof this committeeto meet regularlyand to plan allmeetings of theFaculty Senate. Amongits duties, this committeeshall be responsible forreferring to thestanding committees for consideration, thoseissues which ariseduringan academicyear whichfallwithin agiven committee’s areaof responsibility; and forrecommendingto theFacultySenatethe establishment of ad hoccommittees. TheExecutiveCommitteeshall meet with the Provost/Chancellor and/or other members of theadministration as often as isdeemed necessary and appropriate, to discuss issues of concern to the FacultySenate orgeneral faculty. The Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall maintain separate email rosters of voting and non-voting faculty members.Senators from each unit will provide a verified roster from their unit within the initial four weeks of each fall semester.
2. Faculty WelfareCommittee.This committeeshall, on behalf ofthegeneral faculty, address issues related to health care, retirement, and otherbenefits of thefaculty, issues involvingtenure, grievanceprocedures, orlegal matters which might affect the faculty.
3. Academic Issues Committee. This committeeshall, on behalf ofthegeneralfaculty, address issues related to admissionsprocedures andrequirements, degreeprograms and requirements, curricula,gradingprocedures, academicceremonies, honorarydegrees andtitles, and anyother issueof an academicnaturewhich is theresponsibilityor prerogativeof thegeneral faculty.
4. Administrative Issues Committee.This committeeshall, on behalf ofthe general faculty, address issues ofstrategicplanning efforts and reviewof anyother issuesrelated to the administration ofthe institution that affect the faculty. The committeeshallreview and proposeprocesses and proceduresrelated to implementation or changeof Collected Rules and Regulations fortheUniversityand the campus, and of Senate StandardOperatingProcedures. The committeeshall administerthe uniform procedures described in theStandard Operating Procedures,as approved,forthe nomination and election ofofficers oftheFacultySenate andforthose committees wherefacultyrepresentation is the responsibilityof the FacultySenate. The committeeshall conductfacultyevaluations of UMKC administrators as defined byCRR
300.020.D.3.f.
A. This committeeshall be responsible for conductingandreviewingthe procedures and instruments for administrative reviewand forreviewingthe results of all facultyevaluations of UMKC administrators, includingChancellor, Provost, and allDeans. Rules in academicunits that definevoting rights forthe unit determinewho willbeinvited bythe committeeto participate in the review.The committeewillpropose to the Senate forconfirmation the groupof evaluatingfacultyforthoseupper-level administrators where evaluation byallcampus voting facultyappears inappropriate, as forinstance for the evaluationoftheDeanofthe School of Graduate Studies.
B. Unit faculty input for a Deanunder review shalloccur in conjunction with the Provost’s office, when such person reports to the Provost. Deans will undergo a 360 evaluation, coordinated through the Provost’s Office, during the fall semester after completing three years in their position. Subsequent evaluations will then occur at three-year intervals. Deans will be officially informed of the impending evaluation by the Office of Institutional Research eight (8) weeks prior to the start of the Fall semester and be provided with a copyof theevaluation form. Each Dean undergoing evaluation will be given an opportunity to provide a short (1-2page) summary of their activities over the three years under review. This summary will be placed at the beginning of the evaluation survey. Administrators and Deans who report to the Chancellor will be evaluated in the Fall semester after they have completed five years of service. These individuals will be notified by the Vice Chancellor of Human Resources eight (8) week prior to the evaluation process. A copy of the evaluation form will be provided, and the opportunity to provide a short (1-2 page) summary of their activities over the years under review. This summary will be placed at the beginning of the evaluation survey.
C. Evaluations will occur during the Fall semester. The evaluation surveys, along with the administrator’s summary and the Senate-approved survey items will be placed in a password-protected system. Once final dates for the evaluation are determined, all eligible voting faculty for each unit will be sent an invitation to participate in the evaluation. The invitation will include information regarding access to the evaluation materials and the closing date of the evaluation.
D. All aspects of the evaluative procedure will be overseen by the members of the Administrative Issues Committee. Once the evaluation period is complete, the survey site will be closed and the results will be tabulated.
E. Review results areprovided to theDean, the Provost or Chancellor (as appropriate),and the FacultySenate ExecutiveCommittee. Evaluation results forupper-level administratorsare provided to the next- higherrank, includingtheUM President in caseof evaluation of theChancellor. A summaryof the results willbe compiled bytheProvost’s/Chancellor’s office(as appropriate) in consultation with theSenate Executive Committee and be made available to the facultyof the respectiveunit, and theDeans/Provost will meet with theirfaculty/faculty senate no later thansemester break week of the semester following their evaluation to discuss the results. Additionally, the chairperson ofthe facultygovernancebodyof therespectiveunit/senate shall prepareareport on how the Dean/Provost has addressed the evaluation results with the faculty. This document will be forwarded to thefacultyofthe school, theProvost/Chancellor (as appropriate), and the FacultySenate’s AdministrativeIssues Committee for its filesand to serveasa referenceforthe next evaluation.
5. Budget Committee. The FacultySenateBudget Committee (FSBC)willconsist of a chairand two additional Senate representatives, who havebeen elected bytheFacultySenators to
represent facultyon thecampus-wideUniversityBudget Committee, and anyadditional members who havevolunteeredas Senator orasofficial orunofficial representative faculty members of anyacademicunit. This committeeshall providea forumfordiscussion ofbudget issues andbroad campusinputto and the capabilityfor factual analysisandfeedback on budget matters forthe facultyrepresentatives on thecampus budgetcommittee.
6. CommitteeonOrganizational StructureandCommunity Outreach(COSCO). This committeeshall, on behalf ofthegeneral faculty,analyzeand evaluate administrativestructures and efficienciesand theirbudgetaryconsequences, and allotherstudies asdirected bythe FacultySenate. The committeeshall report to the Senate its findingandexplicitlyprovidethe Senate with recommendations which, upon approval bytheFacultySenate,arepresented to the Provost/Chancellor foraction.
7. UndergraduateCurriculumCommittee.This committeeis responsible for reviewing and makingrecommendations regardingundergraduate education at UMKC.Membership will consist of one facultymember from each of theschools, three facultymembers from the College ofArts and Sciences (oneeach from Humanities, Social Science, and Scienceand Mathematics), one member from theLibraries, andonemember elected from theFacultySenate orthe Academic Issues Committeeof theSenate.In addition, theViceProvost forAcademicAffairsand the Registrar will serveas exofficio, non-votingmembers. Facultymembers in each school/divisionwill elect their representative colleagues. The committeewillelecta chairand a secretaryfrom thecommitteemembership who willserveamaximum of three consecutive terms.
8. General Education Curriculum Committee. This committee is responsible for activities related to implementing the UMKC University-wide General Education Curriculum. Membership will consist of one faculty member from each school that houses an undergraduate degree program, three faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences (one from each Division), one member from the Libraries, two elected members from the Faculty Senate, an appointed, non-voting member from the Provost’s office, the Associate Vice Provost for Assessment, and the Provost and Registrar (ex officio). Faculty will elect their representative colleagues in each school/division. The committee will elect a chair from the committee membership.
ARTICLEIV ELECTIONS, NOMINATIONSAND APPOINTMENTS
1. Election procedures forSenateOfficers andIFCrepresentatives.Election procedures
shall be consistent with terms and conditions defined byCRR 300.020.E.2, includethe following standard assumptions and processes.
A. Responsibilityfor these election procedures restswith theAdministrativeIssues Committee. It will invokethe participationofthe chair of FacultySenateat thosesteps whereofficial public Senate invitations or actions areappropriate.
B. Requestsfornominations, includingself-nominations, will be distributed to all eligible faculty members in Januaryof theacademicyear whichends theterm ofoffice. Typicallythis request shallbe combined with requests fornominations of facultyforparticipation on other committees (see IV.2) and maybe combined with the reminder tothe facultygovernanceentities of academic
units to electnew Senators forthose members whose terms ofofficewill end duringthe academicyear in progress.
C.In thosecases wherethenumberof nominations, acceptable to the nominees, equals the number and typeof positions, no formal ballotwillbe required.Information about new membership forpositions filled in this manner will be distributed on behalfof FacultySenate. This information maybepart ofthe ballots forthosepositions wherethe numberof nominees exceeds thenumberof positions.
D.In those cases wherethenumberof nominations, acceptable to the nominees, isless than the numberof positions to be filled, theChair ofthe AcademicIssues Committeeand the Chair of the FacultySenate will consult in order to identifyadditional nominees to fill the slate. Efforts toobtain nominees should continue even if this means that prescribedrepresentation of defined academicunits– if any–is notfollowed. Positions which cannot befilled in this manner remain vacant butshould be filled, if possible, at thenextscheduled orinterim election.
E.In those cases wherethenumberof nominations, acceptable to the nominees, exceeds the numberof positions to be filled, theslateon the election ballot shall list thenominees in the order in which thenominations werereceived bythe chair of theAcademicIssues Committee.
F. Nomineesareinvited bythechair oftheAcademicIssues Committeetoprovide ashort biographical sketchand reasons whythe nomineeshould be consideredforthe position.
G. All UMKC Academicunits havean electronic, password-protected platform that is used forvoting.Facultywith voting rights are entered into this system after theFacultySenatorsfrom that Academicunit have verifiedeligibility. Thelist of eligiblefacultywillbeverified during each Fall Semester. The chair(s) of theAdministrativeIssues Committeeis responsible formaintainingtheelectronicsites.
H. When an item appropriate forfacultyinputis identified,the AdministrativeIssues Committee willadminister the electronic voting.Ina password-protected data collection system, asurveytoolis themethod used to ensure confidentiality. With the surveytool,onlythe results are available tomembers ofthe AdministrativeIssues Committee. The password-protected data collection system does not provide ameans of viewinghow someone has voted, onlywhether that personhasvoted.
I.Votingperiods aredetermined bytheAdministrativeIssuesCommittee, but as ageneral rule the period oftime forvotingto occur shouldencompass no morethan twoweeks.
J. Results of thevotingwill be viewed bytwo (2)members ofthe AdministrativeIssues Committee andthe resultwillbeprovided tothe ExecutiveCommitteeof the FacultySenate within two (2)weeks.
K. The chairperson of theAdministrativeIssuesCommitteepreparesa report of allelection tallies and final election results forpresentation duringthe nextscheduled FacultySenate meeting. TheMinutes ofthe FacultySenate represent theofficial announcement ofthe election results, without formal reportingon nominations which requireofficialletters of appointment (seeIV.2.B).
L. Terms ofofficestartwith thebeginningof thenext academicyear, typicallyin August, unless specifiedotherwise.
M. Coordinated transferofofficeresponsibilities is suggested for theperiod between the timeof election and the timethatthe position is officiallyassumed.
2. Procedures fornominations andappointments offaculty andsenators oncommittees.
TheAcademicIssues Committee is responsible forthe process and timelycompletion ofnominations, elections or appointments of official facultyrepresentatives on standingcampus committees, and fortheelection, selection, or nomination of facultyrepresentatives orsenators on various other committees andtask forces. Unless specifiedotherwise, the process describedinIV.1 shallbeused.
Wheredefined, Collected Rules andRegulationsdeterminethe process parameters.If not defined byCRR or bytheseStandard OperatingProcedures, an appropriateprocess willbe developed bythe AcademicIssues Committee, presented to the FacultySenate forapproval and, when approved, added to theseStandard OperatingProcedures.
Official representative facultyappointments to committees, which aretheresponsibilityofthe Senate orwhichfollow official requestsforsuch appointments madeto Senate, will be announced during regular facultymeetings. Suchannouncements will be delayed for appointments that requireofficial letters ofappointment ofnominees. Theannouncements will
bemade available to all facultythrough theMinutes ofthe Senate meetings andbypostingto the
FacultySenatewebsite.
A. Campus PromotionandTenureAdvisoryCommittee. [Passed in Senate 4/19/2005]
1. The facultymembership of the UMKC Campus Promotion and TenureAdvisoryCommittee willconsist of one (1) elected representativefromeach UMKC school with regularfaculty, headed byadean,and ofthree (3)elected representatives from the CollegeofArts and Sciences. The annual representatives willbe appointed bythe FacultySenate followinganelection process in each unitin accordanceto CRR 310.050.B.2 and 3, to be declared openand fair bytheFaculty Senators ofthe unit and to be completed beforethe end ofthe SpringSemesterforthe following academicyear to allow theChair oftheFacultySenate to report the composition of the Committee forthe next academicyear to theChancellorin a timelymanner, consistent with CRR
310.050.B.1 requirements.
2. Foreach Committeeseat with an expiringterm of appointment, the facultyof theunit represented, through their facultySenatorsand/orthe chair ofthe facultygovernancebodyof the unit, willbe requested bythe Chairof the AcademicIssues Committeeto elect duringthe precedingSpringSemester from amongthefacultyofthe unitone (1)nominee.
3. Full-time tenured facultymembers oncontinuous appointment with less than 50%
administrative appointments areeligibleto be nominated.
4. Foracademicunits wherealargefraction of full-time facultyhavenon-tenured facultystatus, full-time non-tenured facultywith the rank of professor and with less than50%full-time administrative appointments maybenominated.
5. Each nominee’s nameis forwarded bythe Senate to theChancellor forappointment to a three-(3)year term.
6. TheChancellorhas the rightto refuse, once,aproposednominee,andto ask for reconsideration bythe facultyof thatnominee.
B. AcademicGrievanceHearing Panel. [Passed in Senate3/15/2005 and4/19/2005]
Refer to CRR 370.010, section C formembership,terms and qualificationsformembers of the
GrievancePanel.
C. Standing CommitteeonResearchDishonesty. [Passed in Senate3/15/2005]
1. Themembership oftheUMKC StandingCommitteeon ResearchDishonestywillconsist of one (1) elected representative from each UMKC school, headed byadean,and from UMKC Libraries, andthree(3) elected representatives from theUMKC CollegeofArts &Sciences.
2. The annual representatives will be appointed bythe FacultySenate followinganelection process in each unitin accordanceto CRR 420.020.B.3 and 4, to be declared open and fair bythe FacultySenators of theunitand to be completed beforethe end ofthe SpringSemester forthe followingacademicyear.
D. University Budget Committee.
1. TheUBC responsibilityis defined byCRR 140.020.B: “Facultymustbemeaningfully involved through regularon-goingmechanisms with the total Universityfiscal situation. Appropriatecommittees with facultymembers at thesystemand campus levels shallbe created ordesignated to advise ineducational planning, toappraise resourceneeds and fiscal conditions, and to adviseon allocation and reallocation of resources.”
2. CurrentlythreeSenators arethefacultyrepresentatives on the UBC to advise provost and chancellorin matters ofcampus budget.
3. The3 Senators areelected bythe FacultySenateto serve2-year terms, oruntil their term as Senator ends. Oneof theseis electedas the chairofthe FacultySenateBudget Committee and is expected to function with theprovost as oneof theco-chairs ofthe UBC.
E. Additional standingcommitteeswith officialrepresentation of facultyprovided through the
FacultySenate. Theseinclude:
1. TheUniversityof Missouri System FacultyCommitteeon Tenure. TwoUMKC facultymembers serve as primarymembers andtwo as designated alternates in staggered terms. As part oftheyearly campus-wideelections, oneUMKC facultyrepresentative and onealternate are elected from amongnominees fora2-year term.
2. Facilities AdvisoryCommittee. Elections of six faculty members, representing diverse groups on campus, are elected fromamongnominees forstaggered 2-year terms.
3. Parking and Traffic Committee. The FacultySenate electsfrom among nomineesyearlyone facultymember to serve forastaggered 3-year term.
4. UMKC Research AdvisoryCouncil. OneSenator is elected byFacultySenate for a2-year term.
Nominations forthese and other campus committees that requireor requestfacultyor Senate representatives should berequested from amongeligible facultybyan opencallfornominations. Ifpossible, elections should be thebasisof anyselection. Onlyas amatteroflast resort should Senators and officers of the FacultySenate beinvolved in “picking”nominees.
ARTICLEV ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT
TheseStandardOperatingProcedures shallbe adopted or amended uponaffirmative voteof two- thirds ofthe FacultySenate and upon ratification bythe Voting Facultyasdescribedin articleI.2 oftheseOperatingProcedures.