CAMPUS-WIDE COMMITTEES
ctive Date: January 1979
sed Date: August 2000
Page 1 of 2
Campus-wide committees are charged by the Chancellor to convene on an ongoing basis
to advise, consider and make recommendations concerning matters related to the general
operation or policies of UT Health Science Center. Campuswide committees are formed
in compliance with federal, judicial, legislative or state agency requirements; in
compliance with University of Tennessee Board of Trustees or Presidential directive; or,
as deemed necessary by the Chancellor. In all instances campuswide committees are
appointed by the Chancellor. Throughout this policy statement the terms committee and
subcommittee are used in the generic sense; however, specific delineation of terms to be
used in assigning names to committees is set forth below.
Elected bodies such as the Employee Relations Committee, the Faculty Senate and the
Student Government Association or subcommittees of these groups are not covered by
this policy statement. Neither are collegiate, departmental, inner-office or ad hoc
committees covered by this statement.
1.Proposals for creation of new campus-wide committees and subcommittees require the
approval of the Chancellor. Proposals should explain the purpose of the committee;
define composition; identify the frequency of meetings, administrative office responsible
for staffing the committee and the reporting channel(s).
2.Nomenclature.
Council: A primary campus-wide advisory body reporting to the
Chancellor or a vice chancellor and which is charged with a broad scope
of responsibility and usually has multiple subcommittees. Membership is
appointed by the Chancellor.
Committee: (1) A primary campus-wide advisory body reporting to the
Chancellor or a vice chancellor, which usually has a charge singular in
nature and has few or no subcommittees. Membership is appointed by the
Chancellor. (2) A subcommittee of a council. See Subcommittee .
Subcommittee: An advisory group reporting to a primary campus-wide
council or committee. A subcommittee may bear the title of committee if it
reports to a council. Subcommittees have a charge that is singular in
nature and that is related to or a component of the charge to the parent
committee. Members are appointed by the chairperson of the parent
committee. Usually the chairperson of a subcommittee serves as an ex
officio member of the parent committee. Creation of a standing
subcommittee requires approval of the Chancellor. Subcommittees cannot
have formal sub groups.
Board: The term board will be used only when the committee title is
prescribed by an external agency requiring the committee. Committees
named prior to April 1994 which incorporate this term may be
grandfathered.
Ex officio: A person appointed as a committee member by virtue of an
office or position held. Ex officio members have voting privileges unless a
committee's guidelines specify non-voting.
Terms: Terms of appointment for campus-wide committees should be for
three years except for student members who will have one year terms or
unless otherwise stipulated in external guidelines requiring such a
committee. Individuals may be reappointed for one additional term (a
maximum of two consecutive terms) unless otherwise specified in the
committee guidelines. Initial terms will be staggered to evenly distribute
turnover in future years. Terms of appointment should begin in July and
expire in June. Ex officio members will have indefinite terms. Committees
requiring members with specific specialty expertise may have indefinite
terms.
3. All letters of appointment or reappointment to campus-wide committees will be issued
jointly by the individual to whom the committee reports and the Chancellor.
4.Committee Membership. Service on campus-wide committees is an important
responsibility of faculty, staff, and students. Committee members generally represent a
group or an area and should seek input from and relay action taken to the group or area
they represent. Faculty and staff who are requested to serve on committees and who were
not nominated by their unit head are expected to obtain the concurrence of their unit head
prior to accepting appointment. Membership on committees should be rotated to the
extent the committee function allows.
5.Records. All major campus-wide committees will maintain a record of their activities
either by minutes or record of actions taken. Copies should be transmitted to members,
the Reporting Channel Officer and the Chancellor. Minutes also will be submitted by the
committee chair in a timely manner to allow publication in The Record no later than 30
days after the meeting date.
Retention period of committee records will be indefinite. The committee chair or
secretary should retain committee records for one to three years as needed for reference.
Thereafter the records should be forwarded to the Archives Office for permanent
retention.
The Office of the Chancellor will assure maintenance of a database of campus-wide
committees, subcommittees and memberships of both, and publish periodically (at least
annually) updated and revised materials relative to these committees. It is the
responsibility of the council/committee chairperson to assure transmittal to the
Chancellor's Office of pertinent data relating to subcommittee membership.