METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY FACULTY ASSOCIATION
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND COMMITTEE DUTIES
First approved by Faculty Council 12/5/96; last revision Spring 2005
Election of Committee Members
Academic Units and Community Faculty will elect members to IFO committees according to membership requirements of the committees and using guidelines established by the Faculty Council. The Executive Committee will be responsible for recommending such guidelines to the Faculty Council.
The Executive Committee will call for nominations and conduct elections in cooperation with Academic Unit Conveners during the Fall term. All terms are for one year.
Committee Meetings
All committee meetings are open for any member of the Faculty Association to attend. Only members of the committee are permitted to vote.
Committee Chairs
Committees elect their own chairs from among the members of the committee. Faculty members cannot serve longer than three consecutive years as chair of any given committee.
General Committee Responsibilities
Each committee shall be responsible for:
1. Refining description of committee duties.
2. Reporting members' names, committee chair's name and meeting schedule to the Faculty Association via the Association Secretary.
3. Identifying yearly goals and objectives and reporting these goals and objectives to the Faculty
Association (via the Association Secretary) by October 30 of each academic year
4. Meeting as necessary to carry out its duties.
5. Consulting broadly with other committees and faculty about issues before it.
6. Forwarding recommendations to the appropriate body (major committee or Faculty Council) for action.
7. Establishing ad hoc subcommittees for among its regular membership as needed to conduct the work of the committee.
8. Providing written minutes of each meeting to the Faculty Association via the Association Secretary.
9. If not elected as committee chair for next year, pass on a complete historical file of committee activities and open issues. Meet with new chair to assist in transition.
Committee Member Duties
1. Be aware of committee charter and purpose.
2. Attend committee meetings.
3. Participate in committee activities.
4. Represent Academic unit position in committee decision-making.
5. Share pertinent committee information with unit through unit Faculty Association meeting.
Academic Unit Convener Duties
An Academic Unit Convener will be elected by unit members. Only those serving as a current Faculty Association Council member may seek the position of Convener.
1. Act as liaison between the Council and the Academic Unit for Faculty Association matters.
2. Convene monthly Academic Unit meeting for unit members. Seek, to the greatest degree possible, that all issues to be discussed at Faculty Council will be discussed at Academic Unit first.
3. Report Academic Unit position on open issues to Faculty Council.
4. Upon notification from Committee Chair, seek to fill open committee slots.
5. Encourage participation in Faculty Association matters by all Academic Unit members, especially new faculty.
COMMITTEE DUTIES AND MEMBERSHIP
Academic Programs Committee
Membership: One member from each academic unit.
Reports to: Faculty Council.
Functions:
1. Review new program proposals forwarded by the academic unit for overall quality, Q7, need for the program, ability of the University to support the program, coherence in the curriculum (progression from lower division to graduate, overlaps between academic units, gaps) and for adherence to the new program development process.
2. Develop and propose policy for review of existing curriculum and academic programs for curricular transformation, progression from lower division to graduate, and State University Board program review requirements.
3. Recommend amendments to proposed new programs.
4. Return reviewed new program proposals with recommendations to the academic units.
5. Recommend to academic units development of new programs as appropriate based on issues of overall curricular coherence.
6. Review and make recommendations about deletions to the curriculum proposed by the academic units.
Academic Steering Committee
Membership: Two members from each academic unit and two community faculty members at-large (from different academic units). The Metropolitan State University faculty representative to the State IFO Academic Affairs Committee serves as an ex-officio member.
Reports to: Faculty Council.
Functions:
1. Review and approve or disapprove new course proposals forwarded by Academic Unit Curriculum Committees for overall coherence in the curriculum (progression from lower division to graduate, overlaps between academic units, gaps) and for adherence to the course development process.
2. Forward comments and recommendations on all proposed new courses to the academic unit. Curriculum Committee from which the course proposal originated, including (in the case of a disapproved course) the areas of concern clearly demonstrated in writing and specific written suggestions for correction of the concerns.
3. Propose policies for the standing committees of the Academic Steering Committee.
4. Propose changes in existing curriculum review policies and procedures to the Faculty Council.
5. Review and make recommendations about deletions to the curriculum proposed by the academic units.
6. Review and make recommendations regarding other university wide academic related issues of curricular coherence.
Academic Unit Curriculum Committees
Membership: One member from each department in each academic unit.
Reports to: Academic Steering Committee.
Functions:
1. Review new course proposals from departments within the academic unit for:
a. Overall quality,
b. Appropriateness for the academic unit curriculum (including assignment to lower division, upper division, graduate, or cross-listing as upper-division and graduate),
c. Teaching and evaluation methods (including alternative learning strategies),
d. Q7 criteria (including sensitivity to and inclusion of gender and multicultural issues),
e. Materials (including textbooks),
f. Course title and coverage.
2. Recommend amendments to new course proposals.
3. Forward provisionally approved new course proposals to the Academic Steering Committee.
4. Receive recommendations and comments from the Academic Steering Committee.
5. Forward approved courses to the Dean for administrative approval.
6. Review and make recommendations about deletions to the curriculum proposed by the departments.
Center for Teaching and Learning Committee
Membership: One member from each academic unit.
Reports to: Faculty Issues Committee.
Functions:
1. To advise the Center for Teaching and Learning in its efforts ?to help Metro State faculty improve their teaching skills and knowledge in order to be better teachers of Metro State students.?
2. To help develop a policy and procedure for the structure and administration of the Center for Teaching and Learning, including a competitive selection process for the Center?s faculty chair.
3. To communicate routinely with IFO about the Center for Teaching and Learning?s plans, actions,
and activities.
[Note: Formerly the ?Teaching, Learning and Instructional Technology Center,? the Faculty Council changed this committee?s name on November 15, 2001.]
Executive Committee
Membership: The officers, as voting members. In addition, ex-officio, non-voting members will be appointed by the Council from the faculty at-large: state negotiator, grievance officer, and state IFO board representative(s).
Reports to: Faculty Council.
Functions:
1. Oversee the operation of the Faculty Association.
2. Receive reports and act on recommendations from IFO committees.
3. Propose guidelines for elections of committee members by the Academic Units.
4. Conduct nominations and elections for Faculty Council positions and committee positions.
5. Maintain roster of Faculty Council and IFO committee membership.
6. Nominate faculty to the Faculty Council for task forces and university committees as requested by the Faculty Council.
7. Recommend changes in policy and/or practice regarding organizational and structural relationships of the Faculty Association.
[Note: The Committee on Committee was merged into the Executive Committee in May, 1999; its functions appear immediately above as 3-7.]
Faculty Issues Committee
Membership: One member from each academic unit plus one community faculty member at-large.
Reports to: Faculty Council.
Functions:
1. Review and recommend changes in promotion and tenure policies and procedures.
2. Promote faculty development.
3. Coordinate resident and community faculty issues.
4. Propose policies and procedures regarding faculty.
5. Represent faculty interests regarding workload issues.
6. Promote faculty development activities.
7. Work with VPAA to improve faculty handbook.
8. Award professional development funds and Q7 block grants.
9. Ensure that all junior faculty receive information on promotion and tenure, and are offered an opportunity to work with a senior faculty mentor.
[Note: The Professional Development Committee was merged into the Faculty Issues Committee in May, 1999; its functions appear immediately above as 6-8. Function 9 was added by the Faculty Council on 11-18-99.]
General Education Committee
Membership: One member from each academic unit.
Reports to: Faculty Council.
Functions:
1. Review new and existing courses for inclusion in the general education and liberal studies curriculum and university-wide graduation requirements.
2. Develop and maintain a process (including criteria) for reviewing courses for inclusion in the general education and liberal studies curriculum and university-wide graduation requirements.
3. Monitor and evaluate the general education and liberal studies curriculum and university-wide graduation requirements.
4. Maintain a list of courses approved as meeting general education and liberal studies curriculum and university-wide graduation requirements.
5. Propose changes in existing general education and liberal studies curriculum and university-wide graduation requirements policies and procedures to the Academic Steering Committee.
Governmental Relations Committee
Membership: Metropolitan State University representatives to the State IFO Governmental Relations Committee plus one representative from each Academic Unit.
Reports to: Executive Committee
Functions:
1. Coordinate activities of the Metropolitan State University Faculty Association representatives to the State IFO Governmental Relations Committee.
2. Inform the Metropolitan State University Faculty Association members about State IFO Governmental Relations Committees.
Graduate Program Committee
Membership: One member from each college or school and two more at-large members.
Reports to: Faculty Council
Functions:
1. Review new graduate programs for appropriateness, overall quality, and need for the program. Returns proposals with non-binding recommendations.
2. Develop and propose policy for reviewing existing graduate programs and graduate curriculum.
3. Develop and propose policy for developing new graduate programs and courses.
4. Develop, review and recommend graduate program policies, such as: defining graduate faculty status, grade policy, residency, academic standing, and degree completion.
5. Provide advice to the University administration on the marketing of the graduate programs.
6. Review and approve all new graduate courses, including those that are cross-listed to offer both graduate and undergraduate credit. The Graduate Program Committee reviews graduate courses after they have been approved by the department and the college curriculum committee, and forwards its recommendation to the appropriate college dean. Issues considered in course review include suitability for graduate study and overlap with existing graduate curriculum.
[Note: Membership expanded and Function 6 added by Faculty Council, Feb. 21, 2002.]
Library Committee
Membership: One member from each academic unit. The Director of Library Services serves as an ex- officio member.
Reports to: Faculty Council
Functions:
1. Works closely with the dean for Library Services to develop and implement a vision and detailed plans for the University?s library services.
2. Functions in a formal way to review and approve plans in regard to such matters as collection, development and use of the resources allocated to library service, subject to final decision by the President.
3. To establish an annual process for input by all faculty to collection development decisions.
4. To review and prioritize all collection development requests to best meet program, department, college, and university wide needs within the approved collection development policy and budget constraints.
5. To communicate to LISC any issues/problems with collection development procedures.
6. To work with the Director of Library and Information Services to ensure that collection development is accomplished in a quality and timely manner.
[Note: The IFO Library and Information Services Council (Functions 1-2) and IFO Library Collection Development Committee (Functions 3-6) were merged into a single IFO Library Committee in FY02.]
Multicultural Education Committee
Membership: One member from each academic unit and the chair of the Multicultural Education Unit. The Metropolitan State University representative to the State IFO Multicultural Committee serves as an ex-officio member.
Reports to: Faculty Council
Functions:
1. Collaborate with the Teaching Center to support and encourage faculty efforts to include multicultural perspectives in their courses.
2. Collaborate with IFO committees and university initiatives to provide professional development opportunities for resident and community faculty members, with particular emphasis on junior faculty.
3. Serve as advocate for diversity curricular issues affecting students and faculty.
4. Designate a committee member to serve on the Internal Multicultural Advisory Committee.
Student Issues Committee
Membership: One member from each academic unit plus one community faculty member at-large
Reports to: Faculty Council
Functions:
1. Represent faculty concerns/interests regarding advising, student services, admissions policies, student conduct code, student handbook, student awards, and other related student issues.
2. Propose student-related policies and procedures to the Faculty Council.
3. Receive reports and act on recommendations of the Student Appeals Committees.
4. Conduct nominations and selection processes for student awards.
5. Propose changes in student award categories, numbers and policies.
6. Publicize award processes.
[Note: The Student Awards Committee was merged into Student Issues Committee in May, 1999; its functions appear immediately above as 4-6.]
Technology Committee
Membership: Open to all IFO members
Reports to: Faculty Council
Functions:
1. Establish appropriate liaison with the administration on technology issues.
2. Advise Faculty Council on technology.
3. One member (or more) of the committee will attend each of the University subcommittees on technology and both represent faculty interests and report back to the full committee.
4. The committee, in conjunction with IT, will conduct an annual survey of the faculty on satisfaction with technology at the university. IT will produce an annual report on progress in meeting technology needs.