Proposed Revisions to the Faculty Congress Bylaws
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The bylaws were last revised May 9, 2002
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The proposed revisions set forth below were drafted by the CEC on March 10, 2006
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Proposed insertions are in UPPER CASE ARIAL FONT.
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Proposed deletions have been crossed
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The most important revision pertains to the establishment of a standing admissions committee.
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Other minor revisions include:
out and are in a larger font size.
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Changes in wording to reflect the formation of the College of Business and Economics.
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Providing for consistency through the addition of student representatives to the standing
committees that did not previously have them.
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Minor housekeeping changes.
1. Disclosure Rule
Any business not routine in nature or any proposal of more than 15 words must be available for review by
members at least 48 hours before consideration by the Congress. This rule may be suspended by a twothirds vote of the Congress members present.
2. Quorum
One-half of the voting members of the Congress shall constitute a quorum. Likewise, one-half of the
voting members of Congress standing committees shall constitute a quorum.
3. Election of Chairperson
The Chairperson of the previous year will preside over the election of a new Chairperson as prescribed in
Article II, section 3 of the Charter.
4. Seating of Standing Committees
Standing Committees must be appointed before October 31 of each school year for a term of 24 months.
Membership on Standing Committees is not restricted to Congress members save that, at the time of
appointment, Chairs of Standing Committees shall be Congress members. Committee Chairs whose terms
of service on the Congress conclude prior to their terms of office as Committee Chair shall continue as ex
officio members of the Congress. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half of the
membership will be replaced to provide continuity from year to year.
5. Standing Committee Membership
The Executive Committee will submit to the Congress a slate of candidates and the name of a
recommended Chair. Congress members may also submit candidates' names under the same conditions.
Members and Chairs of Standing Committees shall be appointed by majority vote of the Congress.
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a. Academic Policy Standing Committee
The Congress will appoint an Academic Policy Standing Committee of not less than five members with at
least one member from each college, ONE MEMBER FROM and the Office of Student Affairs, and
the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or his/her designee, AND A STUDENT
REPRESENTATIVE. The Congress will also appoint a faculty member to serve as Chair of this
Committee. The purview of this committee will be academic issues that affect more than one college.
Members shall serve two-year staggered terms. In recognition of the duties and responsibilities associated
with this office, the University shall grant the Chair a course reduction of not less than one course per
semester. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half of the membership will be replaced to
provide continuity from year to year.
b. General Education Standing Committee
The Congress will appoint a General Education Standing Committee of no fewer than five nor more than
seven faculty members (at last one of which shall come from each UH Hilo unit), three students (one
from each College). AND ONE STUDENT FROM EACH COLLEGE THAT AWARDS
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES. The Congress will also appoint a faculty member to serve as Chair
of this Committee. This committee shall be charged with
 advising the Congress on all matters relating to campus-wide General Education,
 developing policies and procedures for implementing and monitoring General Education,
 and undertaking regular assessments of the effectiveness of General Education at the University.
Members shall serve two-year staggered terms. In recognition of the duties and responsibilities associated
with this office, the University shall grant the Chair a course reduction of not less than one course per
semester. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half the membership will be replaced to
provide continuity from year to year.
(Note: This wording is based on Congress Resolution 2001-4, which established an
ad hoc General Education Committee, and the Academic Assessment Plan.)
c. Assessment Support Standing Committee
The Congress will appoint an Assessment Support Standing Committee of faculty members representing
each of the units and each of the college faculty governing bodies, the faculty Coordinator of Graduate
Programs, and the Institutional ANALYST Researcher, AND A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE.
The Congress will also appoint a faculty member to serve as Chair of this Committee. The Committee
will
 promote assessment activities,
 review and recommend funding for assessment proposals,
 arrange for assessment training for departments preparing for program review,
 develop annual budget requests for assessment activities
 prepare an annual report to the Congress on campus assessment activities, results and costs,
which will form the basis of periodic reports to accrediting commissions
 periodically review the campus assessment plan and propose revisions as appropriate.
Members shall serve for two-year staggered terms. In recognition of the duties and responsibilities
associated with this office, the University shall grant the Chair a course reduction of not less than one
course per semester. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half the membership shall be
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replaced to provide continuity from year to year. (note:
This wording is largely taken from
the UH Hilo Academic Assessment Plan.)
d. Budget Committee
The Congress will appoint a Budget Standing Committee composed of eight faculty members (one
ONE FACULTY MEMBER FROM EACH DEGREE GRANTING COLLEGE/SCHOOL (EXCEPT
THAT THERE SHALL BE ONE FACULTY MEMBER from each CAS Division/School), one from
the College of Agriculture, one from the College of Hawaiian Languages, one
FACULTY MEMBER from the Office of Student Affairs, and one FACULTY MEMBER from the
Library). , AND A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE. The Congress will also appoint a faculty member
to serve as Chair of this Committee. The Committee shall be charged with
 assuring that all information concerning current budgets, resource allocation, and processes used
to develop future budgets are widely available to all members of the UH Hilo community and
 representing the UH Hilo faculty and participating with UH Hilo administration in the
development of future budgets and resource allocation. Specifically, the Chair of the Committee
and one other faculty Committee member selected by the Committee shall, with the agreement of
the UH Hilo administration, participate in those decision-making processes leading to the
development of budgets and resource allocation priorities.
Members shall serve for two-year staggered terms. In recognition of the duties and responsibilities
associated with this office, the University shall grant the Chair a course reduction of not less than one
course per semester. Terms of office will be overlapped so that each year half the membership shall be
replaced to provide continuity from year to year.
E. ADMISSIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
THE CONGRESS WILL APPOINT A STANDING ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF
AT LEAST ONE FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH COLLEGE THAT AWARDS
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES, THE DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS, THE DEAN OF EACH
COLLEGE THAT GRANTS UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES, ONE STUDENT
REPRESENTATIVE, AND THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS OR HIS/HER
DESIGNEE. THE INSTITUTIONAL ANALYST SHALL BE AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER OF THE
COMMITTEE. THE CONGRESS WILL ALSO APPOINT A FACULTY MEMBER TO SERVE AS
CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE WILL BE CHARGED WITH
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REVIEWING AND RECOMMENDING GENERAL ADMISSION STANDARDS FOR UHHILO UNDERGRADUATES. THESE STANDARDS WILL ADDRESS FIRST-TIME NEW
STUDENTS, TRANSFER STUDENTS, HOME SCHOOLED STUDENTS, DISMISSED
STUDENTS, AND STUDENTS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE DENIED ADMISSION
BUT HAVE EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS AND TALENTS OF INTEREST TO THE
UNIVERSITY. WHILE THE COMMITTEE MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
GENERAL ADMISSION STANDARDS, IT WILL NOT INFRINGE ON THE
PREROGATIVE OF INDIVIDUAL COLLEGES TO 1) ESTABLISH HIGHER ADMISSION
STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS ENROLLING IN ITS COURSES OR PROGRAMS, AND
2) ESTABLISH ADMISSION OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS THAT
WOULD NOT OTHERWISE MEET THE UNIVERSITY'S GENERAL ADMISSION
STANDS.
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MAKING PERIODIC ASSESSMENTS OF ADMISSION STANDARDS IN LIGHT OF
THE MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, FINANCIAL
CONSIDERATIONS, UNIVERITY OF HAWAI`I SYSTEM POLICIES, AND BOARD OF
REGENTS POLICIES.
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MAKING PERIODIC, EVIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENTS OF ADMISSION
OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED FOR STUDENTS THAT DO NOT MEET
THE GENERAL ADMISSION STANDARDS. THESE ASSESSMENTS MUST
ADDRESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SUPPORT SERVICES AND THE IMPACT OF
THE PROGRAM ON OTHER COLLEGES. THESE ASSESSMENTS MUST ALSO
ADDRESS WHETHER THE ADMISSION OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS HAVE
ADMISSION STANDARDS, A FACULTY REVIEW PROCESS, AN ON-GOING
ACADEMIC SUPPORT STRUCTURE TO ASSIST STUDENTS, AND AN EVALUATION
COMPONENT TO MONITOR EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM.
FACULTY MEMBERS SHALL SERVE FOR TWO-YEAR STAGGERED TERMS. IN
RECOGNITION OF THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
OFFICE, THE CHAIR SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A COURSE REDUCTION OF NOT LESS
THAN ONE COURSE PER SEMESTER. TERMS OF OFFICE FOR FACULTY COMMITTEE
MEMBERS WILL BE OVERLAPPED SO THAT EACH YEAR HALF THE MEMBERSHIP
SHALL BE REPLACED TO PROVIDE CONTINUITY FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
6. Support Staff
The University shall provide the Congress with student clerical support of twenty hours per week and
with a separate budget account sufficient to carry out its responsibilities.
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