6.20-6.27 – Faculty Standing Committees Standard Provisions

6.20 – Establishment and Regulation of Faculty Standing Committees

As provided in 1.02(3), the University Faculty may create, modify, and dissolve standing committees and regulate the operation of such committees.

6.21 – Faculty Standing Committee Membership: Eligibilty

  1. Any Faculty member as defined in 1.01(1)(a), any member of the Academic Staff, any member of the University Staff, and any student may serve as a voting member of committees. Individual committee charters may authorize additional categories of membership eligibility.
  2. Administrative staff members, as defined by 4.04(4), may not serve as voting members on a Faculty standing committee. Administrative staff members appointed to committee membership serve as ex-officio members unless the individual charter of the committee provides otherwise.
  3. Committees may invite individuals to serve as non-voting consultants.
  4. The University Faculty, on recommendation of the University Committee, shall designate committees in which plural membership is prohibited. (see FD1087R3)

6.22 – Faculty Standing Committee Officers

The Chair’s office shall be held only by a Faculty member, as defined in 1.01(1)(a), who is a voting member of the committee; other committee offices may be held by Faculty members, Academic Staff, University Staff, and student members.

6.23 – Changes in Faculty Standing Committee Structure

  1. Proposals for the creation of additional standing committees or changes in established committees are editorially reviewed by the Codification Committee for clarity and consistency with Faculty rules, prior to their inclusion in calendars of the University Faculty or Faculty Senate.
  2. The Secretary of the University is authorized to make editorial revision of UWM Policies and Procedures, subject to Codification Committee review, consistent with changes as finally approved by appropriate authority.

6.24 – Faculty Standing Committee Membership

  1. Election of Faculty Members – The Nominations Committee presents a slate of nominees for elective committee positions and calls for nominations from the floor of a University Faculty or Faculty Senate meeting. Only persons who have agreed to serve shall be slated as nominees. Following completion of the slate of nominees the Secretary of the University is authorized to prepare and distribute an electronic ballot to all Faculty members eligible to vote as defined in 1.01. Elections are held annually in the second semester of each academic year. The University Faculty may provide for primary election procedures for certain committees.
  2. Student Membership on Faculty Standing Committees – Student membership to those Faculty standing committees on which student membership is prescribed in the charters will be appointed by the Student Association. Appointments will be for a one-year term. For the purpose of this section, a student is a person registered for study at UWM during the term of service on a committee.
  3. Appointments – Following an election, unless otherwise specified, the Chancellor fills appointive positions on Faculty standing committees from names submitted by the appropriate nominating committee. At least two (2) nominees must be submitted for each vacant position.
  4. Terms of Office – Except as otherwise provided, the terms of office for all elective and appointive positions on standing committees are for three (3) years on a staggered basis. Except as otherwise provided, terms of office for elected and appointed committee members begin on the first contractual day of the next academic year.
  5. Election Results – The Secretary of the University is responsible for the tabulation, publication, and distribution of the results. Ties in elections are decided by lot, under supervision of the Secretary of the University.
  6. Vacancies – A vacancy in an elective committee position is filled by the eligible candidate who had the highest number of votes. The person so designated shall serve up to the first contractual day of the next academic year. If the term of office extends beyond the current academic year, an election for the unexpired term is held at the next regular election. A vacancy in an appointive committee position is filled by the person or group authorized to make the initial appointment. In the case of appointive Faculty positions, the Chancellor will select appointees from names submitted by the University Committee. At least two (2) nominees must be submitted for each vacant position.
    1. Faculty Members. If there is no eligible candidate, a vacancy in a Faculty elected position is filled by an appointee of the University Committee.
    2. Academic Staff Members. If there is no eligible candidate, a vacancy in an Academic Staff elected position is filled by an appointee of the Academic Staff Committee.
    3. Student Members. A vacancy in a student position is filled by an appointee of the Student Association.

6.25 – Organization of Faculty Standing Committees

  1. When all Faculty appointments to the committee have been made, the Secretary of the University shall designate a Faculty member of the committee as the person responsible for calling an organizational meeting of the committee during the first four weeks of the academic year.
  2. Except as otherwise provided, each committee selects its own Chair, secretary and such other officers as it deems appropriate at its organizational meeting.
  3. Officers serve for a one-year term.
  4. A quorum of one-half of the voting members is required for the transaction of business at meetings of Faculty committees, except as otherwise may be provided in the UWM Policies and Procedures.
  5. For committees composed exclusively of appointed members, the person responsible for convening the organizational meeting is designated by the Chancellor.

6.26 – Faculty Standing Committee Functions

  1. University Faculty may delegate authority and responsibility to committees, other groups, or administrative officers as provided in 1.02(4).
  2. Faculty Standing Committees may carry out the following functions:
    1. Study referred problems or make studies in designated fields and make recommendations for action to UWM Administration.
    2. Study problems and make recommendations for University Faculty action.
    3. Make rules within terms of authority granted by the University Faculty.
    4. Make determination of issues of fact in individual cases where delegated authority has been granted by either Faculty legislation or Faculty regulations.
    5. Establish subcommittees or other subordinate bodies of any membership composition deemed appropriate to a given task, to investigate and report back to the parent committee.
  3. Action of any committee which is normally effective without approval by the University Faculty may be reviewed by the University Faculty on appeal of the affected party or parties.

6.27 – Faculty Standing Subcommittee and Limited term Subcommittee Membership

  1. Faculty Standing Subcommittee – A Faculty standing committee may establish a standing subcommittee to consider ongoing matters within the general functions of the committee. The membership and functions of the standing subcommittees are expressed in writing and approved by the Faculty Senate. Standing subcommittees may only include as voting members, Faculty, Academic Staff, University Staff, and student members who are already members of the committee or who are Faculty who have been specifically elected to the standing subcommittee. The Chair of the subcommittee and the majority of the standing subcommittee members must be Faculty members serving on the committee. A quorum consists of a majority of the total voting Faculty membership of the standing subcommittee. Recommendations of a subcommittee must be approved by the full committee before being forwarded to the Faculty Senate for further action.

    All standing subcommittees must have approved charters and these charters must be on file with the Secretary of the University and be subject to review by the Faculty.
  2. Faculty Limited Term Subcommittee – A Faculty standing committee may establish a limited term subcommittee to consider short term or special matters within the general functions of the committee. Permission must be granted by the University Committee to extend the activities of limited term or special subcommittees beyond one academic year. The membership and functions of the subcommittees are expressed in writing and approved by majority vote of the committee. Subcommittees may include as voting members, Faculty, Academic Staff, University Staff, and student members not already members of the committee, provided that at least the majority of the voting members of the subcommittee are concurrently voting members of the committee. The Chair of the limited term subcommittee must be a Faculty member serving on the committee. A quorum consists of a majority of the total voting Faculty membership of the limited term subcommittee. Recommendations of a limited term subcommittee must be approved by the full standing committee before being forwarded to the Faculty Senate for further action.