BYLAWS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
The purpose of these bylaws is to create a democratic government for the internal
operation of the Mathematics Department.
Article I. Membership
Membership in the department is defined in the Faculty Constitution, Article I, Section 1,
and Article VIII, Section 3.
Article II. Rights and Responsibilities of Members
Section 1. Rights and Responsibilities
Faculty have the rights and responsibilities defined in Article VIII, Section 4, of the Faculty
Constitution.
Section 2. Voting
A majority vote is defined to be more than half of those voting. The decisions of the
majority of eligible voters shall be the decisions of the department. Although Department
Membership is restricted to Faculty under Article VIII, Section 3 of the Faculty
Constitution, Instructional Academic Staff (as defined in ACS 1.1 of the Faculty and
Academic Staff Handbook) have voting rights as stipulated in GOV 6.1 of the Faculty and
Academic Staff Handbook.
Section 3. Department Meetings
A. The sources of parliamentary rules governing the department are described in
Article X of the Faculty Constitution.
B. Department meetings will be held when called by the Chair. In addition, the Chair
will call a department meeting when requested by at least five Members of the
Department. There will be a minimum of two department meetings per semester.
C. Quorum: At least three-fifths of the Department Members must be present at a
meeting that calls for a Departmental decision on any issue.
D. Except where a different vote is required in these bylaws, by the Faculty
Constitution, or by the current parliamentary authority, every Department vote will
be decided in one of the following ways:
i. a simple majority (unless otherwise required) of eligible voters present
at a department meeting, or
ii. a simple majority (unless otherwise required) of eligible voters who
cast ballots in the mathematics department office or other secure
location.
The decision to use (ii) (informally called “voting in the can”) requires a simple
majority vote of eligible voters present at a department meeting.
E. The agenda for the department meetings shall be decided by the Chair and posted
and distributed to all Department personnel at least 2 working days in advance of
the meeting. Agenda items may be submitted by any department personnel for
inclusion on the agenda. The agenda may be modified or amended by action of
the department at a meeting.
Article III. Offices
Section 1. Chair
The responsibilities of the Chair are defined in Article VIII, Section 5, of the Faculty
Constitution.
A. Selection of Chair
The procedure for selection of the Chair is described in Article VIII, Section 6, of
the Faculty Constitution. If the office of Chair becomes vacant, a replacement will
be selected according to the procedure in Article VIII, Section 6, of the Faculty
Constitution.
B. Recall of Chair
The procedure for removal of a Chair is described in Article VIII, Section 6, of the
Faculty Constitution.
Article IV. Committees
Section 1. Tenure/Renewal Committee
The Tenure/Renewal Committee consists of all tenured Members of the Department
except the Chair if the Chair has a separate level of review. The duties of this committee
shall be to make all departmental decisions on renewal/nonrenewal/tenure. Such
decisions require that evaluations be made in the areas of teaching, professional and
scholarly growth, and service.
The committee will make recommendations for renewal/nonrenewal of probationary
Faculty and forward its recommendations to the next level of review. The committee will
make tenure decisions on probationary Faculty and forward its decision to the next level
of review.
Section 2. Promotions Committee
The Promotions Committee consists of all those Department Faculty who are of higher
rank than the person being considered for promotion except the Chair if the Chair has a
separate level of review. The committee will make a recommendation and forward its
recommendation to the next higher level of review.
The Department Chair shall be responsible for providing all appropriate promotion forms
to each individual who qualifies for promotion on the basis of minimum time in rank and
who expresses a desire to be promoted. It shall be the responsibility of the individual
seeking promotion to initiate the promotion procedure and submit a complete file of
evidence to the promotions committee.
Section 3. Executive Committee
A. Membership
The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair of the department and five
other Faculty, who are in at least their third year of service, in the department. The
Chair of the Department shall chair the Executive Committee. The five Faculty
Members shall serve two year terms and will not be eligible to serve consecutive
terms. The terms will be staggered so that no more than three terms end in a
given year. Terms end on the last day of the Spring Semester. When the
provision for staggering is first implemented, two Members shall serve for one year
and the other three shall serve a two year term.
B. Responsibility
The Executive Committee shall advise and assist the Chair in the management of
the department. The Executive Committee shall be the grievance and complaint
committee for the department with the authority to appoint ad hoc grievance
committees. The Executive Committee shall determine an appropriate committee
structure to serve the department and shall act as a committee on committees,
appointing Members to serve one year terms. Nothing in this charge should be
interpreted as applying to Tenure/Renewal Committees or to Promotions
Committees, whose membership is determined by other rules. The Executive
Committee shall make Academic Staff appointments and shall function as the
personnel committee for Academic Staff. The Executive Committee shall keep the
Faculty informed of its actions by submitting reports at department meetings.
C. Selection
The Faculty Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected by Faculty and
Academic Staff eligible to vote in the department. There shall be a primary ballot
which contains the names of all eligible Faculty Members willing to serve. Ballots
shall be cast by voting for at most N Faculty where N is the number of positions to
be filled. The final ballot shall contain the names of the 2N persons receiving the
highest number of votes on the primary ballot. This number, 2N, shall be
increased only when necessitated by ties on the primary ballot. Final ballots shall
be cast by voting for no more than N names listed on the final ballot. Ties on the
final ballot shall be resolved by selecting those who have served less recently.
Further ties will be resolved by selecting those most senior in rank.
Section 4. Curriculum and Administrative Committees
A. Curriculum Committees
The Department Chair, together with the Executive Committee will determine
annually which curriculum committees shall be constituted and shall appoint their
members. Each curriculum committee shall have initial jurisdiction over designated
courses or programs. Each Faculty Member shall be on at least one curriculum
committee.
B. Administrative Committees
The Department Chair, together with the Executive Committee will determine
annually which administrative committees shall be constituted and shall appoint
their members. Administrative committees shall have initial jurisdiction over areas
such as assessment, budget, library, placement, scheduling, student activities and
professional development. Each Faculty Member shall be on at least two
administrative committees.
C. Scheduling
A standing committee of Faculty shall advise the Chair regarding teaching
schedules, courses, times and locations.
D. Charge and Reporting
All curriculum and administrative committees shall be given a specific charge by
the Executive Committee. All curriculum and administrative committees report to
the Department at department meetings.
Article V. Personnel Policies and Procedures
All department personnel procedures shall be conducted in accordance with University
and College policy.
Section 1. Faculty Tenure and Renewal Procedures
Evaluation of all tenure-track Faculty shall be conducted in accordance with the document
on "Faculty Renewal Rules and Procedures," adopted by majority vote of eligible voters.
The departmental policy shall include criteria related to teaching, professional and
scholarly growth, and service.
Section 2. Post-Tenure Review Procedures
Evaluation of all tenured Faculty shall be conducted in accordance with the document on
"Mathematics Department Policy on Post-Tenure Review," adopted by majority vote of
eligible voters. The departmental policy shall include criteria related to teaching,
professional and scholarly growth, and service.
Section 3. Continuing Academic Staff Renewal Procedures
Evaluation of all continuing Instructional Academic Staff shall be conducted in accordance
with the document on "Renewal Procedures for Continuing Instructional Academic Staff,"
adopted by majority vote of eligible voters.
Section 4. Merit
Evaluation of all Department Members shall be conducted in accordance with the
document on "Merit Policy and Procedure" adopted by majority vote of department
Faculty. The departmental policy shall include criteria related to teaching, professional
and scholarly growth, and service.
Article VI. Amendments, Rules, Ratification
Section 1. Amendments
These Bylaws may be amended at any time by a two-thirds majority vote of eligible
Department Members. Suggested amendments must be brought before the department
when there is a written request by at least five (5) Department Members to do so.
Proposed amendments will be discussed at a department meeting, then voted on by
ballot within two weeks following the discussion meeting, with all eligible Department
Members given an opportunity to vote.
Section 2. Rules
The most current edition of STURGIS' STANDARD CODE will determine conduct and
proceedings not determined by statute, UW System or UW Oshkosh rules or by College
of Letters and Science or Mathematics Department Bylaws.
Section 3. Ratification
These Bylaws shall be considered ratified and shall become effective when they have
been approved by a two-thirds majority of the eligible departmental voters and they have
been accepted by the Faculty Senate.
Adopted by department written ballot vote (18-3) 02/27/96.
Reviewed and approved (15-0) 11/9/06.
Amended by department written ballot vote (17-1/16-1-1/16-2/17-1 on 4 amendments) 3/5/08.
Amended by department written ballot vote (19-2/19-2/18-3/19-2/19-2) on 5 amendments) 11/5/14.