Bylaws

Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review Committee

Article I: Purpose & Responsibilities

Section 1: Purpose

The purpose of the Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review Committee is to review Instructional and Research academic staff members who are recommended for indefinite status by the appropriate departmental executive committee(s) (or supervisor when there is no executive committee) and to make a recommendation to the appropriate dean/division head.

Section 2: Responsibilities

In accordance with UWM Academic Staff Personnel Policies and Procedures Chapters 103.02 and 107.03, the Committee conducts a review of each candidate’s employment history at the University according to the requirements of the candidate’s position and the professional standards of the academic staff. The Committee must provide a written recommendation to the appropriate dean/division head within thirty days after receiving the request for advice from the dean/division head.

Committee members must vote in all cases except where a clear conflict of interest exists (see “Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review Committee Operating Policies and
Procedures,” Sections IX.B. and C.).

To insure a thorough review and privacy of the candidate, Committee members must respect the strictest standards of confidentiality. The contents of the review file, additional information, and the Committee deliberations must not be revealed to non-members of the Committee, except as legally mandated. A written recommendation is sent to the dean/division head and the candidate but must not be revealed to anyone else without the written consent of the candidate.

At its first meeting of the committee year, the Committee reviews the “Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review Committee Operating Policies and Procedures” and “Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review for Indefinite Appointment” and submits recommended changes to the Senate of the Academic Staff for approval. The “Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review Committee Operating Policies and Procedures,” as amended, become effective upon approval. Any changes to the “Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review for Indefinite Appointment” become effective on the first contractual day of the academic year following approval.

Each year, no later than October 15, the Committee publishes the “Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review for Indefinite Appointment,” “Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review Committee Operating Policies and Procedures,” and a schedule of meetings and distributes them to the Chancellor, deans, division heads, department executive committee chairs, and probationary Instructional and Research academic staff members.

Article II: Membership

Section 1: Structure

The Committee consists of seven members: five Instructional and Research academic staff
members with indefinite appointment elected by Instructional and Research academic staff
members holding probationary or indefinite appointments and two tenured faculty members elected by the faculty. No more than two academic staff members may be from any one college or division, and no more than one faculty member may be from any one college or division at the time of their election to the committee.

  • (AS Doc 71, 2/12)
  • (AS Doc 112, 11/18)
  • (AS Doc 146, 1/24)

Section 2: Nomination/Election Procedures

Academic staff members are nominated and elected in accordance with standard Academic Staff Operating Rules. Faculty members are nominated and elected in accordance with standard faculty policies and procedures.

Section 3: Term of Office

The term of office begins on the first day of the fall contractual period as it appears in the
academic year calendar published on the Secretary of the University’s website and ends the day before the next fall contractual period begins. All members serve three-year terms. No member may serve consecutive three-year terms.

(AS Doc 146, 1/24)

Section 4: Absences

Participation of the entire Committee membership is essential to insure a timely and equitable review of each candidate. At the first meeting of the committee year, the Committee sets a maximum number of absences permitted for that year based upon its anticipated workload. The number of absences permitted should equal approximately one-third of the anticipated meetings. Members who miss more than the permitted number of meetings forfeit their committee membership. There are no excused absences.

Section 5: Vacancies

  1. If a vacancy occurs, the position is filled by the eligible candidate who received the next highest number of votes in the most recent election. That candidate will serve the
    remainder of the term associated with the vacancy. If no eligible candidate is available,
    the Academic Staff Committee appoints an Instructional and Research academic staff
    member to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term of service. (AS Doc 40, 5/09, revised 7/09)
  2. If a faculty position becomes vacant, it is filled in accordance with standard faculty
    policies relating to vacancies. (AS Doc 40, 5/09, revised 7/09)

Article III: Organization

Section 1: Officers

The officers are the Chair and Secretary. Other officers are appointed by the Committee as
necessary.

  1. Responsibilities
    The Chair presides at meetings; communicates on behalf of the Committee with deans/division heads, executive committees, and review candidates; forwards official files of the Committee, including minutes of meetings and records of official actions, to the Secretary of the University’s Office; appoints subcommittees to perform other tasks, as appropriate; prepares and distributes the agenda for all meetings; and is the liaison with the Academic Staff Committee.

    The Secretary takes minutes and distributes them to Committee members, the Chair of the Academic Staff Committee, and the Office of the Secretary of the University; maintains the attendance records of Committee members; and conducts Committee business in the absence of the Chair.

    Responsibilities of other officers are determined when each position is created.
  2. Eligibility
    The Chair must be a member of the Instructional and Research academic staff. In order to maintain continuity of leadership, the Chair must have served on the Committee during the year prior to their term of office. Other offices may be held by any Committee member regardless of prior length of Committee service.
  3. Election, Term of Office, Vacancies
    Officers are elected in May for nine-month terms beginning on the first day of the fall semester contractual period as it appears in the academic year calendar published on the Secretary of the University’s website. Officers may not serve more than two consecutive terms. If a vacancy occurs, the Committee elects a new officer at the next regular meeting to complete the unexpired term. (AS Doc 146, 1/24)

Section 2: Meetings

  1. Regular and Special Meetings
    No later than October 1, the Chair calls the first meeting at which the Committee establishes a schedule of monthly meetings. The Chair calls special meetings as needed or at the request of two or more Committee members.
  2. Quorum
    A quorum consists of five members for votes on review files and four for other Committee business.
  3. Standing Rules
    All Committee meetings are conducted according to the latest edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order”, unless otherwise specified in these bylaws.
  4. Agenda
    The agenda is distributed at least five working days prior to each meeting. Any Committee member or instructional and research academic staff member may place an item of business on the agenda of any regular meeting by contacting the Chair prior to the distribution of the agenda. Additional items may not be added to the agenda of special meetings once the agenda has been distributed.

Article IV: Amendments to the Bylaws

A motion to amend these bylaws may be made only by a Committee member and must be
placed on the agenda prior to a regularly scheduled meeting. Amendments must be approved by a majority vote of both the Instructional and Research Academic Staff Review Committee and the Senate of the Academic Staff. All proposed amendments must be reviewed by the Codification Committee for logic, clarity, and consistency prior to final approval by the Senate. Lastly, approved bylaw amendment(s) must be reported at the next General Meeting of the academic staff. (AS Doc 119, 4/19)

IRASRC Bylaws

  • 6/05
  • 2/12
  • 1/16 editorially revised
  • 4/19
  • 1/24