Bylaws

Article I

Meetings of the Faculty

Section 1.  Ten regular faculty meetings will be held every year.  The chairperson of the faculty shall designate the date of the first faculty meeting that shall be during the period immediately preceding the first day of classes in the fall semester.  A standard day and time shall be designated by the chairperson of the faculty for the remaining regular faculty meetings held each month of the academic year. 

Section 2.  Order of Business
The order of business for all regular faculty meetings will be established by the chairperson of the faculty at the first faculty meeting of the academic year.  Any changes in the order of business of a particular faculty meeting can be proposed by the chairperson or any faculty member at the beginning of that meeting and will require a majority vote for implementation. 

Order of the Agenda:
Call to Order
Consideration of Minutes
Report of the President
Report of the Academic Dean
Items Requiring 28-day Waiting Period
Unfinished  Business
New Business
Reports of Faculty Committees
Reports of Officers of the College
Reports of Officers of the Faculty
Announcements
Adjournment

Section 3.  In a special faculty meeting the consideration of any business other than that for which the meeting was called must be approved by two-thirds of the members present. 

Section 4.  All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, except that informal consideration of all business shall prevail and paragraph seven of Article I of Robert’s Rules of Order on the limitation to debates shall be suspended, unless the faculty votes to invoke this paragraph for the consideration of a particular question. 

Section 5.  If a faculty member believes that action taken by the faculty is in violation of the constitution or bylaws and if an appeal of the decision of the chair was not upheld by a majority vote of the faculty, then any two faculty members may request the Handbook Committee to study the constitutional issues involved and to return with a recommendation to be acted upon at the next regularly scheduled faculty meeting. 

Article II

Divisional and Departmental Organization (revised 12/6/2023 faculty meeting)

Section 1.  Statement on the Academic Divisions and Departments of Simpson College 

The academic divisions of Simpson College are a creation of the administration of the college in consultation with the Faculty Council and exist to support the academic goals of the institution.  The organization of the departments into divisions is similarly at the discretion of the Senior Vice President and Academic Dean in consultation with the Faculty Council. 

Section 2.  Authority and Role of Division Heads

Division Heads function as representatives for the departments in their divisions and communication links with administration through the Faculty Council.  They also help coordinate interdepartmental matters within their division and interdivisional matters.  Division Heads are directly elected by voting faculty members of the division for terms of three years and limited to two consecutive terms.  For continuity on the Faculty Council, Division Head elections will be staggered.  The election will be facilitated by the Handbook Committee prior to the March faculty meeting. 

Section 3.  Authority and Role of Department Chairs

Department Chairs are to facilitate the academic and pre-professional programs of the department in both the tradational and Continuing, Graduate, and Online Education Program (CGOE).  In promotion of the academic quality of the department and its programs, Department Chairs should coordinate with department with department faculty to develop and articulate the goals of such.  In doing this, they have the role of organizing and presiding over departmental meetings and offerings.  Department chairs will be chosen by the Academic Dean in consultation with the department members. 

Standing Faculty Committees and Organization (revised 12/6/2023 faculty meeting)

Section 1.  Committee Organization

• The President of the college and the Academic Dean or the Academic Dean’s designees are non-voting, ex officio members of all committees.  They should be notified of all meetings and should receive copies of the minutes of each meeting.  Other members of the faculty and administrative staff may be asked to serve ex officio on committees realted to their interests and responsiblities, subject to approval by a majority vote of the faculty. 
• If the committee chair is not elected by the full faculty, the first alphabetically listed member of the newly elected or appointed committee shall be responsible for convening the first meeting of the committee for the purpose of electing a chairperson and a secretary. 
• Each committee has the authority to designate subcommittees from its own membership and to enlist the cooperation and assistance of other faculty members and college officers, not members of the committee.  
• No faculty member shall be elected to serve on more than one governance committee nor two total standing committees, with service on the Faculty Grievance Committee exempt from this count.  For example, a faculty member could serve on the Handbook Committee and the Campus Advisory Committee, but they could not serve on the Handbook and Curriculum Committees at the same time. 
• Unless otherwise specified, faculty members elected to committees shall serve for three years. 
• If there is no available non-tenured faculty member to serve in one of the non-tenured committee positions, any faculty member may be elected to the position.  Those elected to fill the non-tenured positions on committees will serve out their three-year term on committees even if tenure occurs mid-term, except for the representative to the Faculty Cuncil.  In the case of the non-tenured member of the Faculty Council becoming tenured during their term, an election will be held for a new non-tenured at-large representative at the April faculty meeting. 
• Generally, proposals considered at full faculty meetings originate in a standing committee.  When proposing a change to the faculty handbook or college catalog, committees can request a vote at the next full faculty meeting or request that the proposal be given a “waiting period” before faculty vote.  In either case, the proposal must be distributed to the faculty at least ten academic days prior to the meeting and request a vote at the following faculty meeting.  Any changes to the proposal must be finalized and distributed to the faculty at least ten days prior to the meeting in which the vote will take place. 
• Except for the Faculty Personnel Committee (FPC) and Faculty Council (FC), elected faculty committee meetings (as designated in Part I: Constitution and Bylaws, Article V, Section 3) are normally open to all members of the faculty.  Other elected faculty committees may vote to close their meetings to non-members by a vote of the majoirty of committee members.  Non-Committee members of the faculty who choose to attend elected faculty committee meetings, do not have the right to speak, unless permission is granted by a majority of the committee.  

Section 2.  Elections (revised 12/6/2023 faculty meeting)

• In order to be eligible for committees membership a faculty member must meet the specified membership requirements of the committee to which they would be elected.  Faculty on leave or teaching a semester abroad in a given academic year may not serve on an elected committee during that semester. 
  • Election of committees; requiring divisional representation, at large-members of the Faculty Council, and faculty chair shall be held in the April faculty meeting. 
  • All other elections will be held in the faculty meeting in May. 
  • Members of each division shall nominate two faculty members for each vacant position that represents their division on the Faculty Personnel Committee and at least one faculty member for each vacant position on each of the other committees with divisional representation.  These nominations shall be submitted to the Handbook Committee no later than March 20 for elections at the April faculty meeting. 
  • The Handbook Committee shall have the slate of candidates, along with each nominee’s department and rank, included with the agenda prior to the faculty meeting at which the elections are scheduled. 
  • Nominations may be made from the floor before voting begins for each committee to be elected.  
  • If during the academic year vacancies occur in committees having divisional representation, the appropriate divisions will submit their nominations to the Handbook Committee which will in turn submit such nominations to the faculty for election at the next regularly scheduled faculty meeting.  If vacancies occur in committees not having divisional representation, the Handbook Committee will submit such nominations to the faculty for election at the next regularly scheduled faculty meeting.  Nominations may be made from the floor before the voting beings.
  • Nomination and election of faculty to committees are to begin at the commencement of the April and May faculty meetings, with the balloting process to be initiated immediately following the opening of the meeting and the approval of the minutes of the previous faculty meeting. 

Standing faculty committees elected at the last regular faculty meeting of the academic year shall take office at the beginning of the next academic year. 

Section 3.  Standing Governance Committee (revised 12/6/2023 faculty meeting)

Faculty Council (FC)

Membership:

• Faculty Chair
  • Elected term of 3 years, non-renewable for consecutive terms
• Division Heads/Representatives
  • May not fulfill any other membership category
• At-Large Tenured Faculty Representative
  • Must be from a different academic division than Faculty Chair and other at-large member
• At-Large Non-Tenured or Non-Tenure Track Faculty Representative
  • Must be from a different academic division that Faculty Chair and other at-large member
• Faculty representative from the Budget Advisory Committee
• Ex officio non-voting members:
  • Academic Dean
  • Dean of Simpson Online and Graduate Studies
  • Associate Dean
  • Registrar

Responsibilities:

• To advice faculty and administration on issues of shared governance serving as the liaison between the faculty and the administration in the discussion of matters of common interest and the establishment of procedures by which interests of both may be represented. 
• Led by the faculty chair, works with the Academic Dean to set the agenda for faculty meetings. 
• To serve as an information site for communication among the Academic Dean, the faculty, and working committees. 
• To advise and help develop strategic and tactical planning initiatives including position requests and replacements. 
• To make recommendations to the Academic Dean and the President in matters of the financial welfare of the faculty including compensation levels and equity, changes to health insurance, and other benefits programs. 
• To request and receive periodic updates from committee chairs. 
• To serve as the hearing committee, upon request by the affected faculty member and in accordance with the procedures noted in Part II of the Faculty Handbook, for decisions regarding dismissal for cause other than financial threat or retrenchment. 

Curriculum Committee (CC)

Membership:

• One faculty member from each division with staggered terms. 
• One at-large non-tenured or non-tenure track faculty member from any division. 
• One at-large faculty member of any rank from any division. 
• One at-large faculty member from a department which offers post-baccalaureate degrees or certificates. 
• At least four members, including the chair, must be tenured. 
• The chair shall be elected by the full faculty from committee membership and will also serve as a representative to the Board of Trustees. 
• Ex officio non-voting members”
  • One student of junior status or higher appointed by the president of the student government with the advice and consent of the student senate may participate in meetings. 
  • One graduate student elected by the Graduate Student Council may participate in meetings. 
  • Registrar
  • Associate Dean of Curriculum and Assessment
  • Dean of Simpson Online and Graduate Studies

Responsibilities:

• To study, evaluate, and make recommendations to the faculty concerning the addition and deletion or substantial alteration of undergraduate and graduate courses and programs, majors, minors and certificates in all day, evening, weekend offerings of the college as proposed by department chairs. 
• To coordinate and integrate the undergraduate and graduate courses, programs, and academic functions of the college. 
• To recommend to faculty academic policies and procedures. 
• To communicate curricular and policy changes to the registrar in the manner and for the registrar requires. 
• To convene an Academic Petitions Subcommittee to consider academic petitions.  There will be four members of this subcommittee, three voting members chosen from Curriculum Committee membership and the Registrar as a non-voting member. 
• To provide periodic updates to the Faculty Council. 

Faculty Personnel Committee (FPC)

Membership:

• One faculty member from each division with stagggered terms.  All must be tenured.  At least two must hold the rank of professor. 
• At-Large faculty member with tenure from any division. 
• Those eligible for and intending to apply for promotion to full professor shall not serve on the Faculty Personnel Committee during the year(s) their applications are to be considered. 
• Committee members shall not participate in any matter regarding their own employment status nor shall they be made aware of verbatim discussions of the committee in such cases. 
• The chair of the committee must hold the rank of full professor with tenure. 
• The chair shall be elected by the full faculty from committee membership and will also serve as a representative to the Board of Trustees. 

Responsibilities:

• To make recommendations to the Academic Dean and the President in matters of reappointment, rank and tenure; sabbatical leaves and leaves of absence of faculty members; initial appointments above the rank of assistant professor; the general welfare of the faculty excluding compensation levels and other predominatly budgetary matters. 
• To recommend to the faculty: candidates for honorary degrees; criteria for earning tenure, promotion, and sabbatical leaves. 
• To provide periodic updates to the Faculty Council. 

Handbook Committee (HC)

Membership:

• One faculty member from each division with staggered terms.  Every member must have at least two years of service as a faculty member at Simpson College. 
• One non-tenured faculty member from any division. 
• The chair shall be elected by the full faculty from committee membership. 

Responsibilities:

• To make recommendations regarding changes in or additions to the faculty handbook. 
• To accept nominations for elections to faculty committees. 
• To provide periodic updates to Faculty Council. 

Section 4.  Standing Administrative Committees (revised 12/6/2023 faculty meeting)

Admissions and Appeals Committee (AAC)

Membership:

• One faculty member from each division with staggered terms. 
• One non-tenured faculty member from any division. 
• The chair shall be one of the representatives of the faculty to the Board of Trustees. 
• Ex officio non-voting members: Affiliated campus leadership when related work is discussed
  • Admissions: Vice President for Enrollment and the Assistant Vice President for Enrollment & Financial Assistance. 
  • Academic Appeals: The Registrar and Dean of Students
  • Teacher Ed: Chair of the Education Department
  • One student appointed by the president of the student government with the advice and consent of the student senate may participate in meetings related to policy development. 

Responsibilities:

• To develop policy regarding scholarships, student aid, activity aid, and recommend adoption of such policy to the faculty, administration, or student government as appropriate. 
• To hear student appeals concerning final grades, academic probations, suspension, academic dismissal, graduation eligibility, readmission or advancement through the Teacher Education Program, and decisions of the Academic Petitions Subcommittee of the Curriculum Committee or actions of the Registrar. 
• To evaluate the administration of related policies, and exercise final responsibility in the case of exceptions to the normal academic policy.  
• To participate in development and review of policies regarding the Teacher Education Program and its integration into the mission of the college. 
• To collaborate with the offices of Admissions and Financial Aid in the development of new policies. 
• To act as liaison between the committee and thre greater Simpson community, reporting operation to the faculty, and recommending policies governing the admission of students to the college. 
• To review the Teacher Education department recommendations regarding the selection and retention of students in the Teacher Education program based on students’ fulfillment of the program requirements. 
• To provide periodic updates to the Faculty Council. 

Assessment Committee (AC)

Membership:

• One faculty member from each division with staggered terms. 
• The Associate Dean of Curriculum and Assessment, ex-officio, voting. 
• One member of the academic support staff appointed by the Academic Dean to serve a three-year term, voting. 

Responsibilities:

• To review the results of the annual student learning assessment reports of the academic majors and academic support programs. 
• To administer the annual assessment of the general education program. 
• To make recommendations about improving student learning to the academic departments and academic support programs based on the results of the annual student learning assessment reports. 
• To report annually on the assessment of the general education program to the faculty and academic support staff. 
• To develop procedures and policy for the assessment of student learning. 
• To maintain a database and archive of academic assessment activities. 
• To provide periodic updates to the Faculty Council. 

Campus Advisory Commitee (CAC)

Membership:

• Two at-large tenured faculty members with staggered terms
• Two at-large non-tenured or non-tenure track faculty members with staggered terms
• Membership must represent at least three divisions.
• Ex officio voting member:
  • College Librarian/Archivist
• Ex officio non-voting members:
  • One student appointed by the president of the student government with the advise and consent of the student senate may participate in meetings apart from those deciding scholarships and grants. 
  • Off-Campus Programs Director
  • Registrar
  • Associate Director for Multicultural and International Affairs
  • Director of the Teaching and Learning Center

Responsibilities:
In coordination with the appropriate directors and academic leadership, the Campus Advisory Committee shall:

• To make recommendations to administrative leadership regarding the awarding of internal grants to support faculty and course development. 
• To advise academic leadership about faculty development opportunities around research, scholarship, creativitiy, pedagogy, study abroad, and new faculty orientation. 
• To receive, discuss, evaluate, and provide feedback on all proposals for study abroad courses offered for academic credit and forward all approved proposals to the Curriculum Committee or the Academic Dean. 
• To provide periodic updates to the Faculty Council. 

Committee for Academic Diversity and Inclusion (CADI)

Membership:

• One faculty member from each division with staggered terms
• One at-large non-tenured or non-tenure track faculty representative from any division

Responsibilities:

• To ensure faculty search committees are educated on and consider matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• To approve Faculty Development diversity grants to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) awareness and engagement in particular courses. 
• To serve as the faculty representatives to the All Campus Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ACCDEI).
• To consult with the Advisory Committee, the Director of the Teaching and Learning Center, and the Director of Foundations to assist with faculty diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training. 
• To help establish relevant academic policies to enhance inclusion, equity and respect for diversity. 
• To advise on relevant major lectures, including the Carver lecture and Women in America lecture. 
• To provide periodic updates to the Faculty Council. 

Faculty Grievance Committee (FGC)

Membership:

• Five faculty members, no more than two from a single division and no more than one from a single department.  All must be tenured.  A majority must hold the rank of professor. 
• Committee members should not participate in any matter regarding their own employment status, grievance they are a party to, grievance a family member is a party to, or grievance involving a faculty member in their department, nor shall they be made aware of verbatim discussions of the committee in such cases.

Responsibilities:

• To review, upon request by the affected faculty member and in accordance with the procedures noted in Part III of the Faculty Handbook, decision against tenure, promotion, or reappointment. 
• To serve as the formal hearing board and make recommendations to the Academic Dean on faculty grievances and appeals outside the scope of tenure, promotion, or reappointment as described in Part II of the Faculty Handbook. 
• To make a report at the end of each academic year to the Faculty Council on its activities in the preceding year. 

Undergraduate Research & Creativity Committee (URCC)

Membership:

• The Undergraduate Research Director(s) (appointed by the Academic Dean) will serve as chair(s) of the committee and (co) director of the Symposium. 
• One faculty member from each division with staggered terms
  • When possible, one faculty representative should teach on Ethics course. 
• The Academic Dean may appoint one ex officio voting member who is not a college professor, and not otherwise associated with Simpson College. 
• So long as no person is elected on the basis of gender, the Handbook Committee will make every effort to ensure that committee does not consist entirely of one gender. 

Responsibilities:

• To review all proposals to conduct research that involves human subjects, by either exempting a proposal from Institutional Review Board (IRB) review, approving a proposal, require modification in a proposal (to secure approval), or disapproving a proposal. 
• To follow the written instructions for the research review procedures as they are described in the code of federal regulations for the protection of human subjects. 
• To maintain a database of proposed research projects and the review process associated with each proposal. 
• To oversee the planning and operation of the annual Research and Creativity Symposium. 
• To support the Undergraduate Research Director(s) in the planning of and operation of the Summer Research Symposium. 
• To assist the Undergraduate Research Director(s) in awarding SUSI (Simpson Urban Studies Institute) and SIR (Simpson Interdisciplinary Research) grants and student travel stipends. 
• To work with the Undergraduate Research Director(s) in developing and promoting initiatives supporting undergraduate research. 
• To provide periodic updates to the Faculty Council. 

Section 5.  Ad Hoc Committees
Members of ad hoc committees may be elected by the faculty or appointed either by the chairperson of the faculty or the vice-chairperson of the faculty.  Such committees shall be dissolved with the submission and acceptance of a final report and shall in no case extend beyond the end of the academic year succeeding the one in which the committee was constituted. 

Section 6.  Committee Leadership (revised 12/6/2023 faculty meeting)

6.1 Committee Chairs

• Each standing committee, without a Chair elected by the full faculty, shall elect a Chair from among its voting faculty members in accordance with the requirements of each committee. 
• The Chair may not be an ex officio member of the committee. 
• The term of office shall be one year with the exception of chairs elected by the full faculty. 
• A Chair may be re-elected with the exception of the faculty chair. 
• A Chair’s responsibilities include:
  • Establishing committee agendas
  • Scheduling and conducting meetings
  • Representing the committee in meetings of the full faculty
  • Acting as a liaison between the committee and the administration
  • Review archived committee procedures and update as necessary. 
• Each standing committee shall elect a Secretary from among its voting faculty members. 

6.2 Committee Secretaries

• The Secretary may not be an ex officio member of the committee. 
• The term of office shall be one year. 
• A Secretary may be re-elected. 
• A Secretary’s responsibilities include:
  • Keeping minutes of the committee
  • Soliciting the approval of the committee for those minutes
  • Collecting the official electronic correspondence of the committee to be included with the minutes
  • Making minutes available to:
    • Other members of the current committee
    • Dean of Academic Affairs
    • Incoming chair and secretary once they are elected
    • Official records of the college as defined by established procedures. 

6.3 Representatives to the Board of Trustees (revised 12/6/2023 faculty meeting)

Membership:

• The faculty chair and the chairs of the Curriculum Committee, the Faculty Personnel Committee, and the Admissions and Appeals Committee shall serve as faculty representatives to the Board of Trustees.

Responsibilities:

• Attend meetings of the Board of Trustees following the bylaws set by the Board:
  • Members of the faculty will serve as representatives of the faculty to the Board and will be invited to attend the Board meetings as guests and to attend the following designated committees.  They may, however, elect to attend a committee meeting of their choice when circumstances warrant, with the permission of the committee chair or the administrator support person.  They will have no voting power on either the Board or on the committees, but may be asked to provide faculty perspectives to either body, and should expect to report on committee deliberations to the faculty. 
    • The chair of the Curriculum Committee may attend the meetings of the Committee on Learning Programs. 
    • The chair of the Faculty Personnel Committee may attend the meetings of the Committee on College Advancement. 
    • The faculty chair may attend the meetings of the Committee on Resource Management. 
    • The chair of the Admissions and Appeals Committee may attend the meetings of the Committee on Enrollment Management. 
  • Faculty representatives may, at their discretion, present reports to the faculty. 

6.4 Representatives to the Sexual Misconduct Review Board (revised 10/14/2020 faculty meeting)

Membership:

• Four faculty members with staggered terms. 
• No more than two faculty members from the same division. 
• Diversity of faculty representatives is encouraged and should be considered by faculty when voting for representatives. 

Responsibilities:

• Undergo training as established by Simpson College and the Title IX Coordinator. 
• Participate in Sexual Misconduct Review Board hearings on a rotating basis. 
• Serve as an advisor to a complainant or respondent if needed. 
• Participate in Sexual Misconduct Appeal hearings. 

Article III

Amendments to the Bylaws (revised 12/6/2023 faculty meeting)
A member of the faculty (including chairs of committees) may propose an amendment to the bylaws.  An amendment must be presented to the faculty at one meeting and voted on at the next regularly scheduled faculty meeting.  Robert’s Rules applies a simple majority vote to pass. 

Upon introduction at the first faculty meeting, the chair will refer the bylaw amendment to the Handbook Committee for review and recommendation.  The Handbook Committee will return the proposed amendment to the faculty with its recommendation (positive or negative) at the next regular meeting for a vote.