DEPARTMENTOFBIOLOGYDEPARTMENTALBYLAWS(Updated4/05/2016)
DepartmentFaculty
Thedepartmentfacultycomprisealltenuredandtenure-trackfacultymembers,
includingfacultyonleave(bothsabbaticalandleavewithoutpay),researchfaculty,
facultywithjointappointmentsinotherdepartments,andtermfaculty.The
departmentfacultydonotincludeemeritusfaculty,adjunctfaculty,affiliatefaculty,
orvisitingfaculty.
Thedepartmentfacultyareresponsibleforalldepartmentaldecisionsandpolicies.
Thefacultyformulateeducationalpolicy.Thefacultymakerecommendationstothe
Chairconcerninghiringpriorities,theselectionofjobcandidates,andthehiringof
newfaculty,althoughonlytenure-lineandtenuredfacultymayvoteduringthe
hiringprocess.Thefacultyformulateteaching-loadpolicies,pursuanttotheFaculty
ManualandguidelinesfromtheDeanofCAS.
Duringafaculty-searchprocess,thefacultyprovisionallydelegatetheirrelevant
authoritytotheSearchCommittee.GuidedbytherecommendationsoftheSearch
Committee,thedepartmentfacultymakerecommendationstotheChaironthe
hiringofnewfaculty.Basedonthe(usuallyinformal)recommendationsofthe
faculty,theSearchCommitteeprovideswrittenrecommendationstotheChairon
thehiringofnewfaculty.
Duringachair-searchprocess,thefacultyprovisionallydelegatesitsrelevant
authoritytothedepartmentalRankandTenureCommittee.Guidedbythe
recommendationsofthedepartmentalfaculty,theRankandTenuremakes
recommendationstotheDeanonchoiceoftheDepartmentChair.
ThefacultywillmeetatthecalloftheChair,oruponthewrittenrequestofatleast
one-halfthefaculty(submittedtotheChair).Allmembersofthedepartmentfaculty
areinvitedtoattendregularfacultymeetings.
Chair
TheChairisresponsibleforconceiving,shaping,andimplementingexistingandnew
academicprogramsinordertopromotetheimprovementoftheDepartmentand
theDepartmentFaculty.TheChairisalsoresponsibleforenablingtheprofessional
developmentofthedepartmentfaculty.
TheChaircoordinatesallfacetsofdepartmentaloperationandoverseesthe
administrativefunctioningofthedepartment,includingcoursescheduling.The
Chairwillappointfacultyadvisersandprogramdirectorsforallgraduateand
undergraduateprograms.
TheChairreportstotheDeanofCAS.Thoughresponsibilitiesmaybedelegated,the
Chairremainsresponsibleforensuringthatallmajordepartmentalfunctionsare
carriedoutinsuchfashionthatallinterestedpartiesareinformed,thatthe
obligationssetbytheofficeoftheDeanofCASaremetpunctually,andthat
University-stipulatedproceduresarefollowed.
TheChairmakesrecommendationsforfacultyhiringandreappointment,forfaculty
promotionandtenure,andforfacultymerit.TheChairalsoforwardsthe
recommendationsoftheSearchCommittee(orFaculty)concerningthehiringof
tenure-track,term,andadjunctfacultytotheDeanofCAS.
ExceptwhereprohibitedbyAUregulations(aswiththeRankandTenure
Committeewhenitconsidersindividualfacultyactions),theChairmaychoosetosit
onotherdepartmentalcommittees,whetheradhocorstanding.
SubjecttoapprovalandappointmentbytheDeanofCAS,theChairofthe
DepartmentofBiologyisselectedbydepartmentfacultyholdingaminimumrankof
associateprofessor.
TheChair'stermofofficeisordinarilythreeyears.Subjecttoapprovaland
appointmentbytheDeanofCAS,thedepartmentfacultymayrecommendthatthe
Chair'stermofofficeberenewedforanadditionalthreeyears.Underextraordinary
circumstances,theDeanofCASmaybepetitionedbyatwo-thirdsvoteofthe
DepartmentFacultytoterminatetheChair’stermofofficeattheendofany
academicyear.
StandingCommittees
UndergraduateStudiesCommittee
TheUndergraduateStudiesCommitteewillhaveatleastthreefacultymembers;itis
chargedwithconductingthedepartment’sannualassessmentevaluationof
undergraduateprograms.TheUndergraduateStudiesCommitteewillalso
administergrantsandawardstoundergraduatestudents(e.g.,theGrebeAwardand
theGloriaLikinsScholarship).
TheGraduateStudiesCommittee
TheGraduateStudiesCommitteewillhaveatleastthreefacultymembers;itis
chargedwithconductingthedepartment’sannualassessmentevaluationof
graduateprograms.TheGraduateStudiesCommitteewillreviewallapplicationsto
graduateprogramswithinBiology,andmakealldecisionsregardingadmittanceand
graduatefunding,includingdepartmentalgraduateawards.TheChairofthe
GraduateStudiesCommitteewillberesponsibleforoverseeingtheprocessby
whichgraduatestudentsfulfillrequirementsfortheirdegrees,coordinategraduate
advising,andoverseetheadministrationofcomprehensiveexaminations.
RankandTenureCommittee
TheRankandTenureCommitteecomprisesalltenuredmembersofthedepartment
faculty,unlessexcludedbyAUregulations.Toavoidaperceivedconflictofinterest,
facultywhohaveaseparatevoteorvoiceinfacultyactions,suchastheChairorany
facultymemberservingasadeanorassociatedean,areexcludedfromallRankand
Tenuremeetingsthatconsiderindividualfacultyactions.
WorkingonthebasisofUniversityandDepartmentcriteria,theR&Tcommitteeis
responsibleformakingrecommendationstothedepartmentChairconcerningthe
following:promotionsinrank,tenuredecisions,tenure-trackreappointments,
facultymerit,andleavesofabsence.Onthesematters,thedepartmentR&T
committeeisalsoresponsibleformakingrecommendationstotheCASScienceR&T
committeecomprisedoftenuredfacultymembersinCASsciencedepartments
includingMathematics&Statistics,ComputerScience,Physics,Chemistryand
EnvironmentalScience.
Votingonrecommendationsforpromotiontoassociateprofessorortofull
professorisrestrictedtotenure-linefacultycommitteememberswhosecurrent
rankexceedsthatofthecandidateforpromotion.ForpromotionstoDistinguished
ProfessororUniversityProfessor,onlyfullprofessors(andanycurrent
distinguishedoruniversityprofessors)mayvote.
CurriculumCommittee
Thiscommitteeiscomprisedofatleastonefacultymemberfromeachofthe
followingconstituents:tenurelinefaculty,termfaculty,undergraduatestudies
committeeandgraduatestudiescommittee.Thiscommitteeisresponsiblefor
advisingthechaironcourseofferingsandschedulingtowardsensuringtimely
availabilityofallcourseworkforallstudents,andforsubmittingminorandmajor
modificationstotheEPC.
AdHocCommittees
SearchCommittee
TheSearchCommitteeistheinitiatingbodyfordecisionspertainingtothehiringof
full-time,tenure-trackfaculty.Itchoosesthecandidatestointerviewandselectsthe
candidatestobringtocampustopresentseminars.TheSearchCommitteepresents
itsrecommendationsviatheChairtotheDeanofCAS.TheSearchCommitteemay
alsomakerecommendationsonanyotherappointmentmatters,suchas
appointmentsoftermfaculty,andwilldosoifrequiredbyCollegeorUniversity
rules.Toavoidaperceivedconflictofinterest,facultywhohaveaseparatevoteor
voiceinfacultyactions,suchastheChairoranyfacultymemberservingasadean,
areexcludedfromservingontheSearchCommittee.Whenawillingcandidateis
available,theDepartmentFacultymay(atitsdiscretion)electonegraduatestudent
totheSearchCommitteeasanon-votingmember.
GrievanceCommittee
Facultygrievances,studentacademicgrievancesandstudentgrievanceson
discriminationandsexualharassmentaredealtwithbyaGrievanceCommitteein
accordancewiththerelevantsectionsoftheFacultyManual,theUniversity’s
AcademicRegulations,andUniversityPoliciesonDiscriminationandDiscriminatory
Harassment.
Chair’sAdvisoryCommittee
Thiscommitteeiscomprisedofseniorfacultymemberswithexperienceand
expertiseinatleastoneofthefollowingareas:undergraduateteaching,college
and/oruniversitycommitteeservice,andcurriculumdevelopment.Thiscommittee
advisesthechaironissuestodowithchangesindepartmentalpersonnel,spaceand
curriculum.