Faculty Congress Bylaws (revised March 23, 2007April 28, 2006)

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1. Disclosure Rule

Any business not routine in nature or any proposal of more than 15 words must be available for review by members at least 48 hours before consideration by the Congress. This rule may be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the Congress members present.

2. Quorum

One-half of the voting members of the Congress shall constitute a quorum. Likewise, one-half of the voting members of Congress standing committees shall constitute a quorum.

3. Election of Chairperson

The Chairperson of the previous year will preside over the election of a new Chairperson as prescribed in Article II, section 3 of the Charter.

4. Seating of Standing Committees

Standing Committees must be appointed before October 31 of each school year for a term of 24 months. Membership on Standing Committees is not restricted to Congress members save that, at the time of appointment, Chairs of Standing Committees shall be Congress members.Committee Chairs whose terms of service on the Congress conclude prior to their terms of office as Committee Chair shall continue as ex officio members of the Congress. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half of the membership will be replaced to provide continuity from year to year.

5. Standing Committee Membership

The Executive Committee will submit to the Congress a slate of candidates and the name of a recommended Chair. Congress members may also submit candidates' names under the same conditions.Members and Chairs of Standing Committees shall be appointed by majority vote of the Congress.

a.Academic Policy Standing Committee

The Congress will appoint an Academic Policy Standing Committee of not less than five members with at least one member from each college, one member from the Office of Student Affairs, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or his/her designate, and a student representative. The Congress will also appoint a faculty member to serve as Chair of this Committee. The purview of this committee will be academic issues that affect more than one college. Members shall serve two-year staggered terms.The Congress Chair may negotiate a course reduction with the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for the Chair of this Committee, depending on the agenda of the Committee for the upcoming year. In recognition of the duties and responsibilities associated with this office, the University shall grant the Chair a course reduction of not less than one course per semester. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half of the membership will be replaced to provide continuity from year to year.

b.General Education Standing Committee

The Congress will appoint a General Education Standing Committee of no fewer than five nor more than seven faculty members (at last one of which shall come from each UH Hilo unit) and one student representative. from each college that awards undergraduate degrees. The Congress will also appoint a faculty member to serve as Chair of this Committee. This committee shall be charged with

  • advising the Congress on all matters relating to campus-wide General Education,
  • developing policies and procedures for implementing and monitoring General Education,
  • and undertaking regular assessments of the effectiveness of General Education at the University.

Members shall serve two-year staggered terms. The Congress Chair may negotiate a course reduction with the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for the Chair of this Committee, depending on the agenda of the Committee for the upcoming year.In recognition of the duties and responsibilities associated with this office, the University shall grant the Chair a course reduction of not less than one course per semester. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half the membership will be replaced to provide continuity from year to year.

c.Assessment Support Standing Committee

The Congress will appoint an Assessment Support Standing Committee of faculty members representing each of the units and each of the college faculty governing bodies, the faculty Coordinator of Graduate Programs, the Institutional Analyst, and a student representative. The Congress will also appoint a faculty member to serve as Chair of this Committee. The Committee will

  • promote assessment activities,
  • review and recommend funding for assessment proposals,
  • arrange for assessment training for departments preparing for program review,
  • develop annual budget requests for assessment activities
  • prepare an annual report to the Congress on campus assessment activities, results and costs, which will form the basis of periodic reports to accrediting commissions
  • periodically review the campus assessment plan and propose revisions as appropriate.

Members shall serve for two-year staggered terms. In recognition of the duties and responsibilities associated with this office, the University shall grant the Chair a course reduction of not less than one course per semester. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half the membership shall be replaced to provide continuity from year to year.

d.Budget Committee

The Congress will appoint a Budget Standing Committee composed of one faculty member from each degree granting college/school (except that there shall be one faculty member from each CAS Division/School), one faculty member from the Office of Student Affairs, one faculty member from the Library, and a student representative. The Congress will also appoint a faculty member to serve as Chair of this Committee. The Committee shall be charged with

  • assuring that all information concerning current budgets, resource allocation, and processes used to develop future budgets are widely available to all members of the UH Hilo community and
  • representing the UH Hilo faculty and participating with UH Hilo administration in the development of future budgets and resource allocation. Specifically, the Chair of the Committee and one other faculty Committee member selected by the Committee shall, with the agreement of the UH Hilo administration, participate in those decision-making processes leading to the development of budgets and resource allocation priorities.

Members shall serve for two-year staggered terms. In recognition of the duties and responsibilities associated with this office, the University shall grant the Chair a course reduction of not less than one course perthe semester before the preparation of the biennium budget. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half the membership shall be replaced to provide continuity from year to year.(note:This wording is largely taken from the Resolution passed by the Congress establishing a Budget Committee.)

e. Admissions Standing Committee

The Congress will appoint a standing admissions committee composed of at least one faculty representative from each college that awards undergraduate degrees and one faculty representative from Student Affairs., the director of admissions, the dean of each college that grants undergraduate degrees, one student representative, and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or his/her designee. The Institutional Analyst shall be an ex-officio member of the committee. The Congress will also appoint a faculty member to serve as chair of this committee. The committee will be charged with

  • reviewing and recommending general admission standards for UH Hilo undergraduates. These standards will address first-time new students, transfer students, home schooled students, dismissed students, and students who would otherwise be denied admission but have exceptional skills and talents of interest to the university. While the committee makes recommendations for general admission standards, it will not infringe on the prerogative of individual colleges to 1) establish higher admission standards for students enrolling in its courses or programs, and 2) establish admission opportunity programs for students that would not otherwise meet the university's general admission standards.
  • making periodic assessments of admission standards in light of the mission of the university, the strategic plan, financial considerations, University of Hawai'i system policies, and Board of Regents policies.
  • making periodic, evidence-based assessments of admission opportunity programs established for students that do not meet the general admission standards. These assessments must also address whether the admission opportunity programs have admission standards, a faculty review process, an on-going academic support structure to assist students, and an evaluation component to monitor effectiveness of the program.

Faculty members shall serve for two-year staggered terms. The Congress Chair may negotiate a course reduction with the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for the Chair of this Committee, depending on the agenda of the Committee for the upcoming year. In recognition of the duties and responsibilities associated with this office, the chair shall be entitled to a course reduction of not less than one course per semester. Terms of office for faculty committee members will be overlapped so that each year half the membership shall be replaced to provide continuity from year to year.

6. Administrative Review

Congress will conduct an annual administrative review. Tenured and tenure-track faculty will be mailed a confidential form which will be returned in a blank inner envelope with the faculty member’s name on the outer envelope. At least three Congress members will oversee the opening of the envelopes such that confidentiality is maintained. The forms will be analyzed and summarized with a report sent to the appropriate supervisor. In the case of the President, a report will be sent to the Board of Regents. The report summary will be reviewed by Congress in executive session and shall not be reported in the minutes.

7.6.Support Staff

The University shall provide the Congress with student clerical support of twenty hours per week and with a separate budget account sufficient to carry out its responsibilities.

This page last revised April 30, 2006 February 9, 2007.