Bylaws for the Department of Computer Science & Engineering

Bylaws for the Department of Computer Science & Engineering

Last version Approved:July 9, 2003

Revisions Proposed: Februrary 4, 2009(This file contains Sections I and II, revised and approved by STC; see minutes of the STC during Winter 2011 and Spring 2011.. Section III. Promotion and Tenure is with FDC. This file is dated: Apr 140, 2011.)

I. Introduction

The bylaws for the Department of Computer Science and Engineering define 1) the role of faculty participation in governance, 2) procedures and criteria for promotion and tenure, and 3) procedures and criteria for the annual evaluation of tenure-track and tenured faculty. These bylaws may be amended in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.

For the purposes of this document, departmental faculty refers to all full-time faculty members (except for the Department Chair) whose primary appointments are in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The faculty body thus specifically includes full time instructors and lecturers unless otherwise noted.Items relating to only bargaining-unit faculty members (BUFMs) will be so noted.

II. SteeringCommittees

2.1 Standing Committees

The participation of the BUFMs of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering in departmental governance shall include four five standing committees: the Steering Committee (STC), the Undergraduate Studies Committee (UGSC), the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC), Faculty Search Committee (FSC), and the Faculty Development Committee (FDC). Bargaining unit faculty who are members of the Steering Committee are elected; the Faculty Development Committee is composed of all tenured BUFMs; and all other committee memberships are appointed by the Department Chair with advisement from the Steering Committee. Members of the Steering Committee have two year elected terms, which will be staggered. All other committee appointments are for an academic year. New committee members will take office at the beginning of the fall term. The Department Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees so as to have the opportunity to be directly involved in deliberations but without vote.

2.2 Ad hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees may be created by the Department Chair or by the Steering CommitteeSTC to undertake and discharge specific tasks.The composition and selection of members of ad hoc committees shall be determined by the Chair and the Steering CommitteeSTC.

2.3 General Responsibility

It is expected that committees will occasionally establish guidelines they view as helpful in the efficient execution of their duties. .A guideline may constitute a useful precedent and will be made available to successive committees for their convenience.Guidelines are not binding on future committees.A committee may form subcommittees to focus on specific issues within the general area of responsibility of the committee.

The committees shall meet at least quarterly during the academic year, or more often at their discretion, in order to achieve their goals and charges presented to them by the Department Chair. Members of the committees are expected to attend most, if not all, of the meetings. Minutes by standing committees will list all members grouped into those (i) present, (ii) absent, and (iii) excused.

Findings, reports, minutes of meetings, and correspondence shall be maintained by the committee Chair.

2.4[Deleted] 2.4 Election of Steering Committee Members
[but keeping the section number alive so that other changes are easier to see]

The election of members for a subsequent year’s Steering Committee shall be held near the end of the academic year and be supervised by the current Steering Committee. The BUFMs will be canvassed to solicit nominations for the Steering Committee. The election shall then be conducted by secret ballot. Voting is restricted to BUFMs. If a vacancy develops midway through a term, an election will be held to select a replacement for the remainder of the unexpired term.

2.5 AppointmentsMembership of Committees

Steering Committee membership details are described in Section 2.6. Faculty Development Committee details are described in Section 2.9. The membership of committees is open to only the departmental faculty. A committee may decide to invite others as needed.

Any BUFM may volunteer to serve on UGSC, GSC (provided the BUFM is a graduate faculty), or any ad hoc committee. Such requests should be sent to STC.

The Department Chair shall be (only) an ex-officio member of all standing committees so as to have the opportunity to be directly involved in deliberations but without vote.

Voting is restricted to BUFMs (except in UGSC) whose primary appointment is in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The Department Chair shall break any vote that is tied.

The chair of a committee must be a BUFM and is elected by the voting members of that committee during the first meeting of each academic year. New committee members will take office at the beginning of the fFall term. A majority of the members present must be BUFMs to constitute a quorum.

Committee appointments, except for Steering, are for an academic year.

Appointments to standing committees shall be the responsibility of the Department Chair advised by the Steering Committee. Voting membership on standing committees is restricted to fully affiliated faculty membersBUFMs whose primary appointment is in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. Non-BUFM members of the departmental faculty may be appointed to serve (non-voting) on committees.

The Steering Committee shall request volunteers for appointed committee positions and make recommendations to the Chair regarding departmental and college committee assignments. The Steering Committee will attempt to distribute the faculty committee service load of the Department throughout the BUFMs. Any BUFM may volunteer to serve on any Departmental committee; such requests will always be considered.granted unless membership in the committee is otherwise restricted or extraordinary circumstances prevail.

2.6 Steering Committee (STC)

Purpose

The purpose of the Committee is to serve as an advisor to the Department ChairChair. Specific responsibilities of the Committee are given below.The Committee

• Shall recommend nominations of department faculty for College committees.
• Shall supervise elections for membership on the next Steering CommitteeSTC.
• Shall recommend department faculty for College and University awards.

Shall review budget priorities and the allocation of departmental resources with the Department Chair chair and bring attention to any matters that should be discussed by the entire faculty.

• Shall make recommendations onfacilitate appointments to departmental committees.make committee appointment recommendations to the Department Chair; requests from volunteers to join UGSC or GSC are expected to be honored.
• Shall recommend teaching assignments and class schedules, including summer and overloads.

Composition

STC consists of elected BUFMs and the Department Chair (without vote). The Committee shall be composed of BUFMs with three or more years of experience with the department. The number of elected members voting membership of the committee will consist of equals the larger of 4 members and a rounded-up number that is equal to one-fifth20% of BUFMs in the Department. The Chair of the Committee shall be a BUFM elected by the Committee at the first meeting of each academic year. The elected members shall serve staggered two-year (2)-year terms. The Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering will serve as a non-voting member of the Committee.The Chair of the Committee shall be a BUFM elected by the Committee at the first meeting of each academic year.

The election of members for a subsequent year’s STC shall be held near the end of the academic year and be supervised by the current STC. The BUFMs will be canvassed to solicit nominations of BUFMs with three or more years of experience with the department. The election shall then be conducted by secret ballot. Voting is restricted to BUFMs. If a vacancy develops midway through a term, an election will be held to select a replacement for the remainder of the unexpired term.

The elected members shall serve staggered two-year terms.

2.4 Election of Steering Committee Members

The election of members for a subsequent year’s Steering Committee shall be held near the end of the academic year and be supervised by the current Steering Committee. The BUFMs will be canvassed to solicit nominations for the Steering Committee. The election shall then be conducted by secret ballot.Voting is restricted to BUFMs. If a vacancy develops midway through a term, an election will be held to select a replacement for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Activities

The Committee shall meet at least quarterly during the academic year or more often at their discretion, in order to achieve the goals expressed above.

2.7 Undergraduate Studies Committee (UGSC)

Purpose

The Committee UGSC has the responsibility for evaluating and making recommendations to the department faculty and to the appropriate College and University committees on issues relating to the undergraduate programs of the department.Many of these will be routinely approved. Some may be sent back for further revisions. In particular, the Committee shall

• Make recommendations on all changes, additions, or deletions of undergraduate courses offered by the Department. of Computer Science and Engineering.

Make recommendations on and set policy for all changes, variations and exceptions to the degrees Make recommendations on all changes in the requirements for degrees or certificate programs in all undergraduate programs in the department including honors program.

• This includes the evaluation of transfer courses and substitutions.
• Review materials used in courses to insure that course content is consistent with the catalog descriptions and prerequisite material is covered in prerequisite courses and make recommendations as needed. Also, prepare materials for To Be Discussed: ABET and other accreditations..
• Make policy recommendations on and set policy for all variations and exceptions to the degree requirements.
• Review and make recommendations on undergraduate petitions.

Make recommendations for undergraduate awards and scholarships awarded by the department.

• Make recommendations on the selection of departmental GTAs and GRAs.



• Review and make recommendations for undergraduate awards, scholarships, and fellowships.
• Recommend to STC a BUFM to be the department representative to the College Undergraduate Studies Committee.

Composition

The Committee UGSC shall be composed of at least five faculty members. A majority of the members present must be BUFMs to constitute a quorum.BUFMs. The chair of the committee shall be a BUFM elected by the members at the first meeting of each academic year.The Chair of the Undergraduate Studies committee should be the ex-officio representative of the department to the corresponding College committee.

The Committee, at its discretion, may invite other members of the faculty and staff to participate and contribute to discussions on curricular issues. Such invitees are without vote.

Voting is limited to the BUFMs, Lecturers and Senior Lecturers on UGSC.

2.8 Graduate Studies Committee

Purpose

The Committee GSC has the responsibility of evaluating and making recommendations on all issues relating to the graduate programs of the Department.Many of these will be routinely approved. Some may be sent back for further revisions. In particular, the Committee shall

Make recommendations on all changes, additions, or deletions of graduate courses offered by the Department. of Computer Science and Engineering.

Make recommendations on and set policy for all changes, variations and exceptions to the degrees or certificate programs in all graduate programs in the department. This includes the evaluation of transfer courses and substitutions. Make recommendations on all changes in the requirements for degrees or certificates in all graduate programs in the Department.

• Make recommendations on and set policy for all variations and exceptions to the departmental degree requirements. This includes the evaluation of transfer courses and substitutions. in the degree program.
• Review and make recommendations on the Ph.D. program including the organization and administration of qualifying examinations, candidacy examinations, and dissertation defenses.
• Review and make recommendations on graduate petitions.
• Make recommendations on the selection of departmental GTAs and GRAs.
• Review and make recommendations on admission to graduate programs.
• Recommend a member to serve as the departmental liaison with the library.
• Review and make recommendations for graduate awards, scholarships, and fellowships.
• Recommend to STC a BUFM to be the department representative to the College Graduate Studies Committee.

Composition

The Committee GSC shall be composed of at least five BUFMs who are members of the graduate faculty and will include the Director of the CSE Ph.D. program.All members shall be BUFMs and be members of the graduate faculty. The chair of the committee shall be a BUFM elected by theThe members at the first meeting of each academic year..

Voting is limited to the BUFMs on GSC. shall elect the chair of the Committee. The Committee will forward to the department Steering Committee the name of the member recommended to be the departmental representative to the College Graduate Studies Committee.

2.9 Faculty Development Committee (FDC)

Purpose

The purpose of the committeeFDC is toTo assists in establishing a faculty of outstanding ability and superior performance in teaching and scholarship.The specific responsibilities of the Committee FDC are as follows:

• To provide an annual evaluation of all untenured BUFMs summarizing their progress toward tenure.
• To provide an annual evaluation on request (or as required by the current collective bargaining agreement) for all tenured BUFM Assistant and Associate Professors summarizing their progress toward promotion. unless the individual requests that the evaluation be conducted once every three years.This review shall be conducted by only by those faculty members of higher rank than that of the individual being evaluated.Full Professors.
• To make department faculty recommendations on tenure and promotion cases.
• To perform peer evaluation of teaching for untenured BUFMs and for any tenured BUFMs who request it.Peer evaluation will normally consist of review of course materials, syllabi, and student evaluations.If a review of these materials indicates that there may be significant problems in teaching, class visitations (1 to 3 class sessions) will be arranged by members of the FDCFaculty Development Committee, results from which will be used to inform the FDC’s peer evaluation.Peer evaluation reports will be used by the FDC Faculty Development Committee and by the department Department cChair for their annual evaluations.
• To select tenured BUFMs from other departments to bring the membership to the minimum required if there is are an insufficient number of members of the Committee as required by the collective bargaining agreement.
• To review and make recommendations for requests for Professional Development or other leaves.
• To arrange for colloquia and special lectures to support faculty areas of interest.

To assign a mentor for each new untenured BUFM.

Composition

The FDC Committee shall be composed of all tenured BUFMs in the Department. The chair of the Committee shall be elected by the members at the first meeting of each academic year..

Activities

The Faculty Development Committee shall meet as needed to undertake such tasks as it may set for itself in achieving the goals expressed above. Members of the Committee shall not participate in the evaluation or vote on recommendations for promotion to a higher rank than their own.

2.10 Faculty Search Committee (FSC)(s)Committees

Purpose

The FSC evaluates applicants and assists in finding faculty at various levels, in particular The standing search committee’s primary role shall be the selection of candidates for tenure-track BUFM appointments.

Composition

The FSCstanding Faculty Search Committee shall consist of atAt least TBDfour 75% of the members or 75% of the BUFMs of the department. All members shall of a search committee for a faculty position will be BUFMs whose primary appointment is withfrom the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The standing search committee’s primary role shall be the selection of candidates for tenure-track BUFM appointments. Additional search committees may be constituted, with the FSC standing committee’s approval, to consider non-BUFM faculty appointments.

A search committee for an instructor, lecturer, or other non-tenure-track faculty position shall include at least one unit BUFM selected by the Faculty Search Committee.

A search committee for Department Chair shall include, as no less than 75% one-half of its overall membership, unit BUFMs selected by the Faculty Search CommitteeFSC. A majority of the members of a search committee for a Department Chair will be BUFMs from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

The administration may find it necessary to make a temporary non-tenure track appointment to an open faculty position. Any position held by such an acting appointee shall be the subject of an appropriate faculty search during each annual faculty search cycle until a regular appointment is made.

2.11 AdministrativeAdminstrative Reviews

The BUFMs will participate in the reviews of the Chair, the Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and other administrators. as requested.

2.12 Departmental Faculty Meetings

Purpose

The purpose of departmental faculty meetings is twofold: to make faculty recommendations to the College committees, or the University committees;committees, or the Department Chair; and to inform the faculty of items of interest occurring in the Department, the College, and the University. The chair of the Department Chair with the aid of the Steering CommitteeChair shall run the departmentalchair department faculty meeting.meetings.

Activities

The format of department faculty meetings will be

1.Approval of minutes of preceding meeting

2.Report of the Department Chair

3.Reports of the Department Standing Committees

4.Unfinished Business

5.New Business

6.Announcements

A department faculty meeting may be called by the Steering CommitteeSTC, the Department Chair, or at the written request of at least one-third33% of the faculty members of the department. The Department Chair shall set the agenda for each department faculty meeting and shall make the agenda available to all faculty members of the department at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. A quorum for a department faculty meeting consists of a simple majority of the BUFMs of the department.