School-Wide Standing Committees

Faculty Handbook August 2005 SCHOOL-WIDE STANDING COMMITTEES

Academic Council

The GSEP Academic Council reviews proposals pertaining to changes in program requirements, academic policies, and admissions standards. The committee makes recommendations to the Dean and to the University Academic Council.

The committee is composed of Associate Deans and program directors appointed by the Dean, and two elected full-time faculty members, one from education and one from psychology who serve one-year terms. The chairperson is elected annually by the committee and serves as the faculty representative to the University Academic Council.

Ex officio non-voting members include the Dean, additional program directors, GSEP directors and managers, as well as Academic Computing and Library representatives.

Appeals Committee

The Appeals Committee reviews procedural aspects of extraordinary cases in which a student believes that he or she has been treated in an unfair or unethical manner. Routine matters, including student requests for exceptions to policy, are handled administratively by the Associate Deans. Appeals Committee members serve on the University Appeals Committee for faculty matters.

The Appeals Committee is composed of four tenured faculty members, two from the Education Division and two from the Psychology Division, who are elected for two year terms. The election of Committee members is staggered so that two new members, one from Education and one from Psychology, are elected annually. The chairperson of the Committee is elected annually by the members of the committee.

To assist with the nondiscrimination policy and the student appeal process, each division has appointed an ombudsperson. The ombudsperson seeks to provide a mechanism whereby academic disputes may be resolved in an efficient and timely manner. In addition, the ombudsperson is available for consultation on methods for avoiding disputes before they arise. Any faculty member or student may arrange for a conference with the ombudsperson.

Faculty Handbook Review Committee

The Faculty Handbook Review Committee reviews and suggests modifications to the Faculty Handbook. The Committee is composed of five faculty members who are elected annually by the faculty. The chairperson is elected annually at the first meeting of the Committee.

Rank, Tenure, and Promotion Committee

GSEP's Rank, Tenure, and Promotion (RTP) Committee ensures faculty involvement in matters related to faculty rank, step, promotion, and the policies and procedures of the School's Rank, Tenure, and Promotion Manual and the Tenure Policy of the University. The Committee's primary responsibility is to review and make recommendations to the administration regarding candidates for promotion and tenure. Other duties include notifying faculty of eligibility for advancement, promotion, tenure, and review; making recommendations to administration regarding the initial placements of new faculty; conducting five-year reviews; and making recommendations regarding the updating and revision of the Rank, Tenure, and Promotion Manual as needed.

The RTP Committee is composed of five faculty members. Three members are tenured, and at least two of the tenured faculty are full professors. The other two members are non-tenured, tenure-track. Two are faculty members of the Education Division and two are members of the Psychology Division.

Committee members are elected for two year terms at the end of the academic year on a rotational basis so that each year two or three members will be serving their second year and two or three new members will join the committee. Election to the RTP Committee is by anonymous ballot and by a majority, not a plurality vote. The members of the RTP Committee will meet and elect the Chairperson at the first meeting of the newly elected Committee (see Section III.B.1.a.).

Faculty members who are eligible for tenure, promotion or five-year review may not serve on the RTP Committee during the year in which their case is being considered, except in special circumstances. In those exceptional cases where faculty members are eligible for tenure, promotion, or five-year review and must also serve on the Committee, they must excuse themselves from the deliberation and voting of their case.

Research Committee

The Research Committee reviews proposals for sabbatical leave. The Committee is composed of six elected tenured or non-tenured, tenure-track faculty members, three from the Education Division and three from the Psychology Division, who serve two-year terms. Three new members are elected annually. The chairperson is elected annually by the Committee and serves as the GSEP faculty representative to the University Research Council.

Teaching Committee

The Teaching Committee was established to advance the function of teaching at GSEP. The domain of the Committee includes formulating and presenting recommendations regarding faculty development, support and improvement of the instructional practices of both full-time and adjunct faculty; incorporating values, ethics, diversity and spirituality into the curriculum; developing guidelines and standards for teaching; providing input for the University Faculty Retreat; and evaluating and revising of the GSEP instructor feedback form.

The Committee is composed of four full-time faculty members, two from the Education Division and two from the Psychology Division, who are elected by the faculty for two-year terms. To provide continuity, one faculty member from each Division is elected annually. The chairperson of the Committee is elected annually at the first meeting of the Committee.