University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Social Justice Program Bylaws
Approved by the Faculty Senate December 15, 2009
These bylaws set forth the policies and procedures by which the members of the
Social Justice minor program will govern the program’s activities and exercise their
rights to participate in its affairs. These bylaws are authorized by the Faculty Constitution
of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. All actions and decisions of the program must
follow pertinent provisions of these bylaws unless these provisions are in conflict with
superior sources of authority listed in Article X of the Constitution.
Article I. Membership
A. Social Justice Minor departments are those departments/programs that, within
the last three years, have had one of their courses taught or approved for
inclusion in the Social Justice curriculum.
B. Social Justice Advocates include all those faculty, academic staff members,
University and community members who have research, teaching and/or
service interests in Social Justice issues. They are eligible for service on ad
hoc groups and represent an extended network of support for the program.
Article II. Composition of Social Justice Steering
Committee and Rights and Responsibilities of Steering
Committee Members
Members of the Social Justice Program Steering Committee will be drawn from the
Social Justice minor departments and programs.
Academic staff members who meet this requirement must have taught at UW Oshkosh
one half-time semester or more for at least five semesters to be accorded voting rights as
specified by university policy.
Members of the Social Justice Program Steering committee will exercise the rights and
discharge the responsibilities detailed in Article VII, Section 4, of the Faculty
Constitution that are applicable to the government of this non-departmental program.
They will nominate the Program Director to a three year term.
Members of the Social Justice Steering Committee can be nominated or can volunteer to
be a member. The Steering Committee will have seven members who will vote in all
matters except those involving personnel decisions. The Director will chair the Steering
Committee and will be a voting member of it. Members on sabbatical may be replaced
during their absence by volunteers from among the Social Justice participating
departments/programs confirmed by the vote of a majority of the Steering Committee
members.
Members will serve three year terms and be eligible for immediate nomination for a
subsequent term if so desired. Initial members will be voted in by the Director and a
majority vote of the current ad-hoc social justice committee. These seven members will
serve staggered terms: two for a 1-year term, two for 2-year terms and three for 3-year
terms. Elections will occur at the end of the Spring semester, each year, and subsequent
members will be confirmed by the vote of a majority of the current Steering Committee
members.
Article III. Social Justice Program Director
A. Selection of the Director: The director of the SJ minor shall be an
instructional academic staff or faculty member nominated by a majority vote
of the Social Justice Steering Committee and appointed by the Dean of the
College Letters and Science in accordance with the rules and procedures set
down in Article VI, Section E of the College of Letters and Science Bylaws,
in reference to non-departmental programs. The Director will serve a three
year term, renewable upon evaluation and election by the Social Justice
Steering Committee and reappointment by the Dean.
B. Duties of the Director: The Director is the Social Justice program’s
principal administrator and representative. (The general responsibilities of
the Director are set forth in Article VIII, Section 5, of the Faculty
Constitution). These include: responsibility for informing program faculty
about all matters of importance, working with the Steering Committee to
develop academic policies, making decisions about curriculum for the
program and implementing these decisions. The director will participate in
meetings of chairs and program directors convened by the College of Letters
and Sciences and the University at large.
C. Vacancies in office: If the office of Director becomes vacant, it shall be
filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by a special nominating
election of the Social Justice minor Program Steering Committee as outlined
Article III, Section A, of this document. When the Director is unavailable
for an extended period of time due to such circumstances as medical leave or
sabbatical, an acting Director will be nominated by the Director, approved
by a majority vote of the Social Justice Steering Committee and appointed
by the Dean of the College of Letters and Sciences.
Article IV. Committees
The Social Justice program will have one standing committee, the Social Justice
Steering Committee. An ad hoc Grievance Committee will be convened as needed.
A. The Steering Committee will assist the Director in the program’s operation.
It will formulate policies and procedures to govern the program’s curriculum
and will review and act on course proposals submitted for inclusion in the
Social Justice curriculum. In addition, it will review the existing curriculum
and propose whatever curricular changes it deems necessary.
B. The Grievance Committee will be convened as necessary to review
complaints in accordance with the procedures of the program, the college, and
the university. The three member Grievance Committee will be composed of
tenured members of the Steering Committee or tenured faculty members who
are currently teaching a course in the Social Justice Program who have
indicated their willingness to serve and are then elected by the Steering
Committee. The Director may not be a member of this committee.
C. Ad Hoc Committees: The Steering Committee or the Director of the Social
Justice program may establish ad hoc committees to achieve specific purposes
beyond the purview of any standing committee. The membership and other
details of committee structure, procedures and functions will be determined by
vote of the Steering Committee when an ad hoc committee is established.
Article V. Meetings
A. Steering Committee Meetings: The Steering Committee will meet a
minimum of twice a semester at a time determined to be most convenient for
all members. The Director will send notice of all Steering Committee
meetings and distribute a preliminary agenda to all Social Justice Program
teaching faculty at least one week in advance and will identify all items of
business requiring action.
Social Justice Advocates not serving on the Steering Committee are welcome
at the meetings but will not vote. Any Advocates of the Social Justice
Program may propose agenda items for the Steering Committee. Items
proposed by three or more members must be placed on the agenda. All
meetings will be open.
B. Special Meetings: Meetings of the Social Justice Program teaching personnel
for special purposes may be called by the director. The agenda of a special
meeting will be restricted to the special business which occasions the meeting.
Notice of the meeting will be distributed at least one working day before the
meeting is to be held if the business is urgent but generally a week’s notice is
sufficient. The Steering Committee will decide whether to invite the SJ
Advocates to attend the meeting.
C. Quorum: A quorum at meetings of the SJ Steering Committee will consist of
a majority of its members. Quorums will not be necessary for standing
committees as these are advisory only.
D. Voting: In order for any decision to pass, a majority vote of the members of
the Social Justice Steering Committee is required.
Article VI. Amendments
Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by any member of the SJ Steering
Committee. Proposed amendments must be distributed at least one week prior to their
consideration at the next regular meeting of the SJ Steering Committee. They may be
voted on by ballots that are distributed not earlier than two weeks after the Steering
Committee has approved a motion to put them to a vote. A majority vote of the members
of the SJ Steering Committee is required.. Amendments adopted by majority vote will
become effective when they have been accepted by the Faculty Senate.
Article VII. Ratification of Bylaws
The bylaws shall be ratified when they have been approved by a majority of the
members of the SJ Steering Committee. These bylaws will become effective upon their
ratification and their acceptance by the Faculty Senate.