The Faculty Council operates under its own constitution and bylaws to consider matters of interest to the faculty and to make recommendations to the President and Provost regarding those matters.  Especially in its responsibilities to review and make recommendations on faculty personnel actions and faculty grievances, the Faculty Council committee members operate as officers of the university with authority delegated by the President.
 

Due to the growth of the university and to address the needs of faculty issues more efficiently, a smaller group representing the Faculty Council (smaller group henceforth called the Faculty Senate) was created.  The senate also becomes a larger body of the Executive Council strengthening the Executive Council.
 

C-1 Constitution of the Faculty Council
 

Preamble
 

The Faculty Senate is an elected body of the Faculty Council and represents the Faculty Council on a regular basis:  (l) to provide a forum wherein any matter associated with the institution can be openly discussed by any faculty member; (2) to enable the faculty to reach informed collective decisions on academic matters; (3) to advise the administration on non-academic matters; and (4) to give the faculty a collective voice in issues relating to the exercise of academic freedom, professional rights, and professional responsibilities in the university community.
 

Article I Membership
 

Any person who holds a current appointment to a full-time faculty position (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor) for at least one academic year is a member of the Faculty Council.  Any member of the Faculty Council is eligible to serve in the Faculty Senate and is eligible to sit on any Faculty committee for which he or she is otherwise qualified, and has full rights and privileges of voting in the Faculty assemblies and on the Faculty committees.  Any person who holds a faculty appointment for a designated period of less than one academic year and teaches one or more classes is not eligible to serve in the Faculty Senate, but is eligible to be a non-voting member of the Faculty Council, may attend Faculty assemblies, and, at the discretion of the Faculty Council/Senate President, may serve as a voting member of Faculty committees. In Faculty assemblies, non-voting members have the privilege of speaking from the floor at the discretion of the presiding president. The University President and the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs are excluded from faculty membership in the Faculty Council.  The Faculty Senate shall serve as the representative body of the Faculty and shall consist of at least 9 members, 2 from each academic school and the members of the Executive Committee.
 

Article II Officers

Section l:
 

The Faculty Council shall have a president, vice-president, and secretary. The Council members shall elect the vice-president and secretary for terms of one year. The vice-president automatically becomes president of the Faculty Council for the following year. The duties of these officers shall be established in the bylaws.  These officers will serve in the same capacity as officers of the Faculty Senate.
 

Section 2:
 

If the office of the president becomes vacant, the vice-president shall become president for the remainder of the president's term.
 

Article III Executive Committee
 

The Executive Committee shall consist of the president, vice-president, secretary, and immediate past president of the Faculty Council.  In case an academic school has no member on the committee, one faculty member from that school shall be elected to the committee by the Faculty Council immediately following the election of the officers of the Faculty Council.  The president of the Faculty Council shall serve as a representative to the University Faculties Executive Council, act as president of the Executive Committee, and serve as president of the Faculty Senate.  The Executive Committee shall prepare an agenda for meetings of the Council and Senate and conduct other Council and Senate business.  The Senate, by a majority vote, may empower the Executive Committee, or any other committee of the Council, to act for it and the Council in any particular matter, or well-defined class of matters.  A majority of the Council or Senate may rescind such power at any time by vote of the respective body.
 

Article IV Faculty Senate
 

The Faculty Senate shall serve as the representative body of the Faculty and shall be composed of those members of the Faculty Council duly elected to serve in the capacity of Senate Representative.  The Senate shall consist of at least 9 members, 2 from each academic school and the members of the Executive Committee.  Members of the Faculty Council of each of the academic schools will choose their Senators.  

Section 1:  Elections and Voting
 

All matters voted on shall be determined by a majority of the quorum except where this constitution or its bylaws provides otherwise.  All elections of the council and its committees, including the election of representatives to the senate, will be the responsibility of the executive committee.

 

Nominations and elections of officers and at large committee members for Faculty Senate and Council, as well as issues involving the Faculty Council, shall be done using a web-based medium.

 

In any case of deadlock, or tie votes, the motion fails.

 

Section 2:  Web-based discussions

 

Names are to be used in all postings to the Faculty Senate discussion board.

 

Effective:  Fall 2005

Article V Meetings
 

The Faculty Council shall meet at least once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester.  The Faculty Senate shall meet at least once each month during a regular academic year.  The Executive Committee may cancel regular meetings of either body when no items of business are pending. The Executive Committee may call additional meetings of either body at its discretion and in accordance with the bylaws.  A quorum of the Faculty Council shall be defined as the members attending a legitimate meeting.  A quorum of the Senate shall be defined as a two-thirds of the members of the Senate attending a legitimate meeting.  All meetings of the Faculty Council and Senate shall be conducted in accordance with this constitution and its bylaws.  When a question of procedure that cannot be resolved by these documents is raised, the guide shall be Robert's Rules of Order.
 

Article VI Adopting Procedures
 

This constitution and its bylaws shall be effective when approved by a majority of the Faculty Council members.
 

Article VII Bylaws
 

The Faculty Senate may adopt or amend the bylaws only as follows:
 

(1) at a regular Senate meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present and if the proposed bylaw or amendment, having been read at a prior meeting, is newly amended; or

(2) at a regular Senate meeting by a majority vote of the members, provided that the bylaw or amendment has been read at a prior meeting of the Senate in the exact form in which it is to be finally adopted; and

(3) approval by a majority of all members of the Faculty Council. 

 

Article VIII Amending Process
 

This constitution may be amended only by:
 

(1) a reading of the proposed amendment in exact form at a regular Senate meeting followed by a vote at a subsequent meeting to amend by two-thirds of the members; or

(2) a written vote to amend by two-thirds of the entire membership of the Senate after having been read in exact form at a regular meeting; and

(3) by approval of two-thirds of the Faculty Council.
 

C-2 Bylaws
 

Article I Membership
 

When an individual's membership in the Faculty Senate or Council is in doubt, the facts of the individual's status shall be gathered by the secretary and presented to the Senate at a regular meeting. The Senate shall decide the issue.
 

Article II Meetings
 

Meetings of the Faculty Council and Faculty Senate shall be open to any Faculty Council member and shall be open to any visitor except in cases where the privacy of an individual is likely to be at issue.  In these cases, the Senate may restrict a Senate meeting to the Senators only with a two-thirds vote.  Faculty Council may also be restricted in these cases by a two-thirds vote of the Council members present.  Non-members may be asked to address the Council or Senate or to speak at meetings.  The Council or Senate may request non-voting members and non-members to address the appropriate groups or to speak at the appropriate meetings.  

Article III Duties of Officers
 

The duties of the officers shall be as follows:
 

The president shall:
 

1. Preside over all meetings of the Council and Senate,

2. Be ex-officio non-voting member of all Council committees,
3. Be president of the Executive Committee,
4. Transmit decisions, recommendations, and resolutions passed by the Senate or Council to appropriate administrative personnel,
5.  Receive requests and responses from administrative personnel,
6. Propose and supervise the budget and expenditures of the Council and Senate,
7. Serve as a representative to the Council of Faculty Governance Organizations,

8. Serve as a representative to the University Faculties Executive Council, and
9. Deliver the "President's State of the Council" address to the Faculty Council at the regularly scheduled fall and spring meetings.
 

The vice-president shall:
 

1. Assume the duties of the president in his/her absence,
2. Assist the president and the secretary with their duties,

3. Act as parliamentarian in Council and Senate meetings, and

4. Serve as a representative to the University Faculty Executive Council.
 

The secretary shall:
 

1. Record, publish and maintain a file of minutes of each meeting of the Council, Senate, and Executive Committee,
2. Keep a role of members present at each meeting,
3. Carry on correspondence for the Council and Senate, and
4. Act as treasurer when necessary.
 

The past president shall:
 

1. Advise and consult with other Executive Committee members.

Article IV Standing Committees

 

All committees are to report the name of the committee chair to the Chair of the Faculty Council by September 30.

 

All committees are to provide to the Chair of the Faculty Council a schedule of meeting times and a summary of each meeting, to the extent that privacy is not violated.

 

Effective:  Fall 2005
 

The standing committees of the Council are as follows:
 

The Executive Committee:
 

Composition:
 

This committee shall consist of the following members:  the president, vice-president, secretary, and past president of the Faculty Council.  In case an academic school has no member on the committee, one shall be elected to the committee by the Faculty Council following the election of the Council/Senate officers.
 

Election:
 

The election of the Executive Committee members, excluding the president, shall be held during the spring semester of the academic year prior to the year of their service. This election will be carried out by secret and/or electronic ballot.  The vice-president of the preceding year and the other newly elected members of the Executive Committee assume their offices two weeks prior to the beginning of classes in the academic year of service.
 

Duties:
 

In addition to duties specified under Article III of the Faculty Council constitution, this committee shall:
 

1. Call all meetings of the Council and Senate by written announcement and circulate an agenda to each Council member no fewer than three working days prior to any regular meeting and no fewer than two working days prior to any additional meeting,
2. Place on the agenda any issue presented in writing by a Council member,
3. Appoint members of all ad-hoc committees of the Council,
4. Consult with any members about matters of possible interest to the Council or Senate, and
5. Conduct all elections of the council and its committees including the election of representatives to the Senate.

 

Undergraduate Affairs Committee (formerly Academic Affairs Committee):
 

Composition:
 

This committee shall consist of the following members:  one member from each academic school, for a total of three members, and two at-large members.  Members of this committee must be tenured or hold tenure-track appointments.  No more than two members from one academic school may serve at the same time.  The at-large members shall serve staggered two-year terms.  The members from the academic schools shall serve for one academic year.  The committee shall elect its own chair.
 

Election:
 

The at-large member to be elected each year shall be elected by mail, web, or electronic mail during the spring semester of the academic year prior to the year of his or her service.  Following the election of the at-large members of the committee, the three members from the academic schools shall be elected by their schools not later than the end of the spring semester of the academic year prior to the year of their service.
 

Duties:
 

This committee shall:

 

1. Recommend to the Faculty Senate for or against all proposed curricular changes, including new courses, changes in existing courses, new degree programs, changes in existing degree programs, and deletion of courses or degree programs;

2. Work with the administration on long-range curricular needs and the design of programs to meet those needs;
3. Monitor and recommend to the Faculty Senate actions concerning requirements for student admission and retention;
4. Monitor and recommend to the Faculty Senate actions concerning academic honesty policies; and
5. Conduct academic program review and make program recommendations to the Faculty Senate and the provost.
6. Conduct academic program review jointly with the Graduate Studies Committee and make program recommendations to the Faculty Senate and the Provost. (Chairs of the
two committees will appoint two members each, representative of the three schools, to serve on a joint program-review subcommittee.)

 

Graduate Studies Committee (formerly Academic Affairs Committee):
 

Composition:
 

This committee shall consist of the following members:  one member from each academic school, for a total of three members, and two at-large members.  Members of this committee must be on the graduate faculty and must be tenured or hold tenure-track appointments.  No more than two members from one academic school may serve at the same time.  The at-large members shall serve staggered two-year terms.  The members from the academic schools shall serve for one academic year.  The committee shall elect its own chair.
 

Election:                                                                                      
 

*The at-large member to be elected each year shall be elected by mail, web, or electronic mail during the spring semester of the academic year prior to the year of his or her service. Following the election of the at-large members of the committee, the three members from the academic schools shall be elected by their schools not later than the end of the spring semester of the academic year prior to the year of their service.
 

Duties:
 

This committee shall:
 

1. Develop and maintain criteria that distinguish graduate-level study;
2. Recommend to the Faculty Senate for or against all proposed curricular changes, including new courses, changes in existing courses, new degree programs, changes in existing degree programs, and deletion of courses or degree programs;
3. Work with the administration on long-range curricular needs and the design of programs to meet those needs;

4. Monitor and recommend to the Faculty Senate actions concerning requirements for graduate admission and retention;
5. Monitor and recommend to the Faculty Senate actions concerning academic honesty policies;

6. Review academic school recommendations for the awarding of graduate faculty status and submit its views to the Provost; and

7. Conduct academic program review jointly with the Undergraduate Affairs Committee and make program recommendations to the Faculty Senate and the Provost. (Chairs of the two committees will appoint two members each, representative of the three schools, to serve on a joint program-review subcommittee.)
 

*Except for the initial election of the Committee, which becomes effective with the selection of its members for fall semester 2003.
 

Promotion and Tenure Committee:
 

This committee shall consist of six members, each of whom must be a full-time, tenured faculty member at the rank of associate professor or higher.  The committee shall include two members from each academic school.  The following are ineligible for membership on the committee:

(1) members of the administration, including Deans and any Chair who has faculty evaluation duties;
(2) current members of the Faculty Grievance Committee; and
(3) candidates for promotion.  The term of service shall be one year. At least one member of the committee from the previous year shall be re-elected.  In case the committee cannot be so composed, the Faculty Council shall elect by secret ballot either by mail or cast during a regular Council meeting additional members from the eligible tenured faculty members in the university as a whole until either the committee has six tenured members at the rank of associate professor or higher, or the pool of eligible faculty members has been exhausted.  The committee shall have no fewer than three members.  The committee shall elect its own chair, who has voting privileges.

Election:
 

Nominations for membership on the committee and elections shall be conducted by mail, web, or electronic mail during the spring semester of the academic year prior to the year of service on the committee, and following the election of the executive committee.
 

Duties:
 

This committee shall:
 

1. Receive and evaluate faculty applications for promotion and tenure;
2. Recommend in writing to the Provost that the candidates be or not be promoted or awarded tenure;

3. Follow the procedures for promoting and awarding tenure as stipulated in the appropriate sections of the Academic Personnel Policies and Procedures of the University of Houston-Victoria;

*The Promotion and Tenure Committee members do not serve as school representatives but rather are to bring to their deliberations an institutional perspective combined with the standards of the academic professorate in the broadest sense; and

4. Conduct post-tenure review.
 

Faculty Grievance Committee:
 

Composition:
 

This committee shall consist of six members, two from each academic school.  Each member shall be a full-time tenured faculty member at the rank of associate professor or higher.  No member of the administration, including Deans, shall be eligible for membership on the committee; nor shall any current member of the Promotion and Tenure Committee be eligible for membership.  The term of service shall be one year.  At least one member of the committee from the previous academic year shall be re-elected. The committee shall elect its own chair, who has voting privileges.

 

Effective:  Fall 2005
 

Election:
 

Nominations for election to the committee and elections shall be conducted by mail, web, or electronic mail during the spring semester of the academic year prior to the year of service on the committee, and following the election of the P&T committee.
 

Duties:
 

This committee shall hear grievances concerning any academic matter, including promotion and tenure, in accordance with System and University of Houston-Victoria faculty grievance policies and procedures.  Regarding promotion and tenure grievances, this committee may rule only on due process, according to System policy.  
 

Budget Oversight Committee:
 

Composition:
 

This committee shall consist of three members, one member from each academic school.  The term of service shall be one year.  No member shall serve on this committee for more than two consecutive years.  The committee shall elect its own chair, who has voting privileges.
 

Election:
 

The members shall be elected by their schools as soon as practical after the beginning of the academic year of service.
 

Duties:
 

This committee shall:  
 

l. Review planned spending by UHV from all revenue sources.  The President will forward the preliminary annual budget to the committee chair prior to adoption.  The committee shall review the budget, item by item, for its relationship to academic programs, and make recommendations to the Faculty Senate for:
 

a. Approval of items that support academic programs including equipment, plant, and space allocations, and  

b. Change of items that do not contribute adequately to the support of academic programs;
 

2. Review all proposed additions or deletions of positions relating to academic programs at faculty, administrative, staff, or clerical levels.  The committee shall assess the need and feasibility of such changes in institutional staffing and shall make a recommendation to the Senate;

3. Make semi-annual reports to the Senate on the current status of budget planning and implementation;
4. Work with the appropriate administrative officers of the institution to enable those officers to better understand the priorities of the faculty in budgeting and financing within the institution and to provide the Faculty Senate with a source of information about budgeting procedures; and
5. Receive or solicit information from other Faculty Council committees (especially the Academic Affairs Committee) in order to prepare balanced recommendations to the Senate.
 

 

Council of Faculty Governance Organizations Committee (CoFGO) Committee:
 

Composition:
 

This committee shall consist of the President of the Faculty Senate/Council and one elected representative of the Senate (although need not be a member of the Senate).
 

Election:
 

The President of the Faculty Senate/Council shall serve during his or her term of office.  The elected representative shall be elected for a three-year term at the last regular meeting of the academic year every third year thereafter beginning with 2002-2003 (began 1987-1988) academic year.  Any vacancy, which occurs, shall be filled by a special election for the remaining portion of the term.
 

Duties:
 

This committee shall represent the Faculty Senate/Council on the Council of Faculty Governance Organizations by presenting to CoFGO the concerns of this faculty and reporting back information and actions pertinent to UHV.
 

 

Faculty Awards

 

Distinguished Faculty Service Committee:

 

The Distinguished Faculty Service Award is given to a faculty member for a minimum of three years, who while in the employment of the University of Houston-Victoria, has given outstanding service to the university, the community and the region; or their profession.  The university's mission statement shall be a basis for defining many of the activities which can be considered service.

 

Service is a contribution of professional talents and expertise to support both the public and internal services including but not limited to serving on university committees and councils; participating in the recruitment and professional placement of students; and serving as an officer or committee member in professional organizations and providing the benefits of their expertise and service to community and regional organizations; making public professional contributions such as appearances or performances; consulting with governmental agencies, business industries, educational systems, community service or arts organizations in either the local community and region.

 

Composition:

 

There shall be two members from each of the schools and the president of the Faculty Senate who shall be an ex officio member.

 

Election:

 

The committee of six shall be appointed by the president of the Faculty Senate. 

• The appointment shall be for a period of two years.  Three members shall be appointed each year from each of the three schools.  This will create a committee of three members serving the second year of their appointment and three members serving the first year of their appointment.

• The committee shall elect a chairperson and secretary from its members.

Duties:

 

Annually, the Service Award committee welcomes the assistance of the university, community, region and other interested in nominating a faculty member who has provided distinguished service.  The invitation to nominate will be published by December 1 for the upcoming year.  Self-nominations are also appropriate.  The deadline for nominations is the second Friday in February.  Nominations received after that date must be returned without consideration.  Nominations should be sent in a confidential envelope to Faculty Service Committee via the Senior Administrative Assistant, Provost Office.  After reviewing the documentation portfolios the Faculty Service Committee will submit their final recommendation to the Faculty Senate by the first Friday in April.  After the Faculty Senate approves the nominee recommended, that person's name will be submitted to the university president.

 

The Committee will contact those who are nominated to request a portfolio documenting service.  All supporting documentation must be submitted at the same time and is the basis on which a candidate is considered.

I.  Criteria Policies

1.  The primary criterion should be one of impact.  There should be substantial evidence that a nominee's service activities have had a significant positive effect on the University of Houston-Victoria and on the community.

2.  The scope of a UHV faculty member's service activities is a second criterion.  There should be substantial evidence that the nominee's professional life has been characterized by a commitment to service activities as opposed to a one-time major involvement in such activity.  In addition to evidence of a pattern of service over time, there should also be evidence of recent and or current service contributions.
 

Examples of recommended criteria would be

• Community  (local, regional, state, national, or international)

• Professional Organizations and Societies (local, regional, state, national, or international)

• Program, Department, School, University, and System

  • Service and leadership that contributes to the growth and stature of the University of Houston-Victoria

  • Service and leadership that extends the impact and presence of the university into the larger community.

  • Service and leadership through innovative and effective programs

  • Substantial evidence that the nominee's service and leadership activities have had a significant positive impact on the community at-large and/or university.

  • Substantial evidence that the nominee's professional life has been characterized by a commitment to service activities.

  • Service and contributions to Faculty Governance at all levels internal and external.

3.  The nominee shall have a consistent excellent performance in professional service as evidenced by the level of professional service activity, commitment to the quality of the service provided and breadth and depth of the service record.

4.  The nominees shall have evidence of outstanding leadership in a major service activity and of sustained leadership in multiple professional service activities.

5.  Once a faculty member has received the award, he/she will not be eligible for the same award for a period of three years.

6.  Accomplishments being reviewed should be those which occurred while the nominee was employed by the University of Houston-Victoria.  The nominee shall be employed by the University of Houston-Victoria with full time status for a minimum of three years.

7.  Accomplishments may be directed at improving the internal functioning of the university, the university's image in the eyes of the community and region its seeks to serve, or serving the nominee's professional community.

8.  Accomplishments need not be restricted to those for which no remuneration was accepted by the nominee.  Both 'paid' and 'unpaid' service should be reviewed.  However, the most desirable nominee would not be a person whose primary motivation for involvement in service activities appear to be a pecuniary one.  Service should entail at least some semblance of 'giving of one's self.'

II.  Documentation submitted in structuring the case for a nominee should

A. Provide sufficient evidence that the nominee did, in fact, engage in the consistent excellent performance in professional service as evidenced by the level of professional service activity, commitment to the quality of service provided and breath and depth of the service record.

B. Provide sufficient supporting material to establish the significance/ worth (impact) and scope of the nominee's accomplishments during the last three (3) calendar years in the form of a vita.  The nominate shall provide evidence of sustained leadership in multiple professional service activities, or in exceptional cases evidence of outstanding leadership in a major service activity.  Be prepared specifically for consideration by this award committee.  Portfolios prepared for other purposed will not be persuasive unless revised to specifically address the criteria for this award.  For example the Service Award Documentation Portfolio may include:

i. checklist cover sheet (name and school) or table of contents

ii. statement of service philosophy/achievements/contributions which includes

1. dates

2. duration of activity

3. role of participation/involvement

4. letters of support from entities

5. statement of pro bono or non-pro bono

iii. recent curriculum vitae;

iv. and other items selected by the nominee as a demonstration of service excellence.

III.  The committee may decline to recommend a nominee or may re-open the competition if the committee deems that it be appropriate.

Approved:  Spring 2006

 

Research and Scholarly Activity Excellence Award Committee:

 

To honor the commitment of the university of research and scholarly activities, the university selects one professor each year who--among many outstanding researchers and scholars--has earned special respect from his or her peers.  This professor receives the Research and Scholarly Activity Excellence Award. 

 

Composition:

 

Selecting the award winner is the charge of a committee comprised of two faculty members from each academic school.

 

Election:

 

The members are appointed by and responsible to the Faculty Senate.

 

Duties:

I.  Guidelines

1. The award is based on research and scholarly products completed in the calendar year immediately preceding the award.

2. Only full-time faculty with tenure or on tenure-track appointments are eligible.  Department chairs are eligible.

3.  The committee will consider the quality of the products first and quantity second, under the assumption that multiple faculty members will have work of high quality.

4.  The types of products to be considered by the committee include but are not limited to the following (not given in rank order):

• Published books, monographs, and reviews

• Reviews of books, monographs, and journal articles

• Published articles in peer reviewed journals

• Formal presentations at professional meetings and workshops

• Participation in regional, national, and international meetings as an invited speaker, session chair, or moderator

• Receipt of best presentation or research award

• Organization of regional, national, or international research meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops, consortia, or colloquia

• Funded research grants at the regional, state, or national levels

• Reviews of grant proposals at the regional, state or national level

• The award of intellectual property protections, including copyrights, trademarks, and patents

• Consulting in the discipline of the faculty member

II.  Procedures

1. By the end of the fall semester of the year whose work is to be reviewed, the committee will send to all eligible faculty members a request for applications for the award. 

2. By February 15 of the spring in which the award is to be presented, applicants should submit a current vita and an application letter of no more than two pages stating their qualifications for the award.

3. The two committee members from each school will screen applications from that school and bring forward to the whole committee as many applications as they deem worthy.

4. The whole committee will review the finalists and select the award winner.  In steps 3 and 4, the two committee members from a school or the whole committee has the option of soliciting further information from any applicant on their qualifications for the award.

Approved:  Spring 2006

 

Teaching Excellence Award Committee:
 

Composition:
 

This committee shall consist of seven members; the past recipient of the award, who shall chair the committee; one faculty member from each academic school; and one student from each academic school.
 

Election:
 

With the exception of the chair, the members of this committee shall be elected by their respective academic schools no later than two weeks after the beginning of the academic year of service.
 

Duties:
 

This committee shall:
 

1. Announce the procedures for this award on or before the first working day of March, and

2. Receive nominations, evaluate the qualifications of the nominees, and announce the recipient of the award to the Faculty Senate and to the University President by the 15th of April.

 

Version:  2003
 

See Also...

Deans' Guide
Faculty Manual
UHV Home Page