Part II. East Carolina University Organization and Shared Governance | Faculty Manual

Part II, Section I: University Organization and Vision, Mission Statement, and Strategic Directions of ECU

Last updated:
February 27, 2012

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contents</h2>   <ol style="list-style-type:upper-roman" class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="#item1">The Organization of the University of North Carolina</a></li>   <li><a href="#item2">Vision, Mission Statement, and Strategic Directions of East Carolina University</a></li> </ol>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-grey-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-grey-background-color has-background m-4"/>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="item1">I. The Organization of the University of North Carolina</h3>   <p>In North Carolina, all the public educational institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees are part of The University of North Carolina. East Carolina University is one of seventeen constituent institutions of the multi-campus state university.</p>   <p>The University of North Carolina, chartered by the NC General Assembly in 1789, was the first public university in the United States to open its doors and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century. The first class was admitted in Chapel Hill in 1795. For the next 136 years, the only campus of The University of North Carolina was at Chapel Hill.</p>   <p>In 1877, the NC General Assembly began sponsoring additional institutions of higher education, diverse in origin and purpose. Five were historically black institutions, and another was founded to educate American Indians. Several were created to prepare teachers for the public schools. Others had a technological emphasis. One is a training school for performing artists.</p>   <p>In 1931, the NC General Assembly redefined The University of North Carolina to include three state-supported institutions: the campus at Chapel Hill (now the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), North Carolina State College (now North Carolina State University at Raleigh), and Woman's College (now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro). The new multi-campus University operated with one board of trustees and one president. By 1969, three additional campuses had joined the University through legislative action: the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.</p>   <p>In 1971, the General Assembly passed legislation bringing into The University of North Carolina the state's ten remaining public senior institutions, each of which had until then been legally separate: Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central University, The North Carolina School of the Arts, Pembroke State University (now the University of North Carolina at Pembroke), Western Carolina University, and Winston-Salem State University. This action created the original sixteen-campus University. (In 1985, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, a residential high school for gifted students, was declared an affiliated school of The University; in July 2007 NCSSM by legislative action became a constituent institution of the <a href="https://www.northcarolina.edu/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a>, making it the seventeenth campus of the University of North Carolina.)</p>   <p>The <a href="https://www.northcarolina.edu/leadership-and-governance/board-of-governors/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina Board of Governors</a> is the policy-making body legally charged with the general determination, control, supervision, management, and governance of all affairs of the constituent institutions. It elects the president, who administers The University. The thirty-two voting members of the board of governors are elected by the General Assembly for four-year terms. Former board chairs and board members who are former governors of North Carolina may continue to serve for limited periods as emeritus nonvoting members. The president of The UNC Association of Student Governments, or that student's designee, is also a nonvoting member.</p>   <p>Each of the seventeen constituent institutions is headed by a chancellor, who is chosen by the board of governors on the president's nomination and is responsible to the president. Each institution has a board of trustees, consisting of eight members elected by the board of governors, four appointed by the governor, and the president of the student body, who serves ex-officio. (The NC School of the Arts has two additional ex-officio members.) Each board of trustees holds extensive powers over academic and other operations of its institution on delegation from the board of governors.</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="https://www.northcarolina.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina General Administration</a></li>   <li><a href="https://www.northcarolina.edu/leadership-and-governance/board-of-governors/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Board of Governors for the University of North Carolina </a></li>   <li><a href="https://www.northcarolina.edu/institutions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Constituent Institutions of the University of North Carolina</a></li> </ul>   <p>(FS Resolution #12-04, January 2012)</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="item2">II. Vision, Mission Statement, and Strategic Directions of East Carolina University</h3>   <p>The effective formulation of East Carolina University’s vision and mission demands the broadest possible exchange of information and opinion among the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, Administration, and the Faculty. Each should have a voice in the determination of ECU’s vision and mission. Therefore, because of their educational, research, service, clinical, and other functions, the faculty should participate in the creation of ECU’s vision, mission, and other strategic planning documents.</p>   <p>(FS Resolution #11-101, December 2011)</p>

Part II, Section II: Faculty Constitution and By-Laws

Last updated:
November 2, 2023

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contents</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="#faculty-constitution">Faculty Constitution</a></h3>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="#article1">Article I. The General Faculty</a></li>   <li><a href="#article2">Article II. Organization of the Faculty Senate</a></li>   <li><a href="#article3">Article III. Functions of the Faculty Senate</a></li>   <li><a href="#article4">Article IV. Officers of the Faculty and Faculty Senate</a></li>   <li><a href="#article5">Article V. Duties of the Officers of the Faculty Senate</a></li>   <li><a href="#article6">Article VI. Meetings of the Faculty Senate</a></li>   <li><a href="#article7">Article VII. Amendments</a></li>   <li><a href="#article8">Article VIII. Adoption and Changing of By-Laws of the Faculty Constitution</a></li> </ul>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="#bylaws">By-laws of the Faculty Constitution</a></h3>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="#article9">Article IX. Operation of the Faculty Senate</a></li>   <li><a href="#article10">Article X. Committees of the Faculty Senate</a></li>   <li><a href="#article11">Article XI. The Graduate Council</a></li>   <li><a href="#article12">Article XII. The Faculty Assembly</a></li> </ul>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-grey-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-grey-background-color has-background m-4" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="faculty-constitution">Faculty Constitution of East Carolina University</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Preamble</h3>   <p>The principle of shared governance, as understood by the University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors, makes the faculty of East Carolina University responsible to advise the Chancellor on academic policy, institutional governance, and any other matters pertaining to the institutions that are of interest and concern to the faculty (<em>The Code of the Board of Governors of University of North Carolina, Section 502 D(2)</em>).</p>   <p>This Constitution establishes procedures whereby this responsibility shall be discharged, and it defines the functions of the following governing bodies: the General Faculty, and the Faculty Senate. The General Faculty shall be the general electorate for the Faculty Senate, and the Faculty Senate shall be a legislative and advisory body representing the General Faculty.</p>   <p>The electoral units (see: Article III) shall establish governance structures in accordance with this Constitution. In adopting these structures, the electoral units shall recognize the right of the faculty to elect their own representatives.</p>   <p>Nothing in these articles shall limit the authority or obligations of Chancellor as specified in the UNC Code.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article1">Article I. The General Faculty</h3>   <p>Section 1. The General Faculty shall consist of all persons holding appointment to the rank or title of professor, associate professor, assistant professor or instructor inclusive of all modifiers; artists-in-residence and writers-in-residence; and emeritus faculty. The General Faculty shall have as its presiding officer the Chair of the Faculty, who shall be responsible for calling its meetings and for keeping a record of its proceedings.</p>   <p>Section 2. The voting membership of the General Faculty shall consist of all permanent employees of East Carolina University holding appointment to a tenured or probationary-term rank or a fixed-term title.</p>   <p>Section 3. The legislative powers of the General Faculty are vested in the Faculty Senate, whose powers are defined and members elected according to the provisions of Articles II and III.</p>   <p>Section 4. The Code of the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina, Section 502.D(2) gives the Chancellor the responsibility for ensuring that East Carolina University has a faculty council or senate to “advise the chancellor on any matters pertaining to the institution that are of interest and concern to the faculty.” East Carolina University has elected to establish a Faculty Senate to advise the Chancellor in these matters.</p>   <p>Section 5. The General Faculty shall be empowered to perform the following functions: request and hear reports from and make recommendations to the Chancellor, the Faculty Senate or any member of the administration; discuss any matter relating to the welfare of East Carolina University or of the members thereof; amend this Constitution in accordance with the provisions in Article VII.</p>   <p>Section 6. The General Faculty shall meet at the pleasure of the Chancellor or the Faculty Senate of East Carolina University or upon petition to the Chancellor by at least fifteen percent of the General Faculty. A quorum is conclusively presumed at any meeting of the General Faculty called with at least ten days written notice. Otherwise, the presence of 125 voting members is necessary for a quorum.</p>   <p>Section 7. The academic units shall be organized into code units according to procedures recommended by the Faculty Senate and approved by the Chancellor. Except for the academic libraries, each code unit shall be responsible for at least one degree program.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article2">Article II. Organization of the Faculty Senate</h3>   <p>Section 1. The membership of the Faculty Senate shall consist of elected representatives and ex-officio members.</p>   <p>Section 2. The electoral units for the Faculty Senate shall be the academic code units. Each electoral unit shall be represented in the Faculty Senate in proportion to its share of the voting membership of the General Faculty, with at least one Senator but not to exceed fifteen percent of the elected Senators. All voting members of the General Faculty in at least their second year of appointment to the electoral unit that they will represent are eligible for election to the Faculty Senate.</p>   <p>Section 3. The number of elected faculty senators shall not exceed 63 nor be fewer than 57. Prior to the election each academic year, the ratio of faculty members to elected faculty senators will be determined by the Faculty Officers in accordance with the <a href="https://facultysenate.ecu.edu/manual/faculty-senate-apportionment-guidelines/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Faculty Senate Apportionment Guidelines</a>. The Apportionment Guidelines will be reviewed by the Faculty Governance Committee every five years. Apportionment shall be based upon the number of voting members of the General Faculty appointed to each electoral unit at the start of the spring semester. In the event that an electoral unit must reduce its existing number of faculty senators, it shall do so by following democratic procedures.</p>   <p>Section 4. Each electoral unit shall elect alternate representatives as it deems necessary but not fewer that its allotment of Faculty Senators. Alternates shall be available to represent the electoral unit in place of an elected Senator at the Senator’s request. In such a situation, the alternate shall notify the Secretary of the Faculty.</p>   <p>Section 5. The faculty of each electoral unit shall establish procedures for the election of its Faculty Senate delegation (elected Senators and Alternates). All voting shall be by secret ballot. Each unit’s election procedures, and any revisions of such procedures, must be approved by the Faculty Senate.</p>   <p>Section 6. All voting members of the General Faculty are eligible to vote for faculty senators. Elections shall be held no later than the end of March each year with members-elect to take office on the day following the last regular meeting of the Faculty Senate in the spring semester.</p>   <p>Section 7. Senators and alternates shall serve two-year terms. Senators may be re-elected twice. After a lapse of one year following the expiration of this third term, they will again be eligible for election. Alternate representatives are not subject to term limits.</p>   <p>Section 8. In the event that a Faculty Senator is unable to complete a full term, that Senator’s electoral unit shall elect a replacement to serve the remainder of the original term.</p>   <p>Section 9. The seat of an elected senator who fails to attend more than three consecutively held meetings of the Faculty Senate shall be declared vacated by the Chair of the Faculty. If a senator is awarded a research or medical leave and an alternate senator attends in their place, the three consecutive meeting rule will not be invoked. (Faculty Senate Resolution #9-06).</p>   <p>Section 10. The ex-officio members of the Faculty Senate with vote shall include the following representatives of the East Carolina University administration: Chancellor; Provost, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, and one academic dean selected annually by the Provost. The immediate past Chair of the Faculty and the elected Delegates of East Carolina University’s Faculty Assembly shall also be ex-officio members. Ex-officio members of the Faculty Senate with vote shall have a vote in all Senate matters except the election of officers and committee members. Ex-officio members of the Faculty Senate without vote shall include a representative selected by the Staff Senate.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article3">Article III. Functions of the Faculty Senate</h3>   <p>Section 1. The elected members of the Faculty Senate and the various committees on which the faculty serve are the primary fora for the essential joint effort of the faculty and administration in the government of East Carolina University. The Chancellor and the Chair of the Faculty shall facilitate communication which will enable continuing and effective faculty participation in the Faculty Senate. The membership of the Faculty Senate shall consist of elected representatives and ex-officio members.</p>   <p>Section 2. The deliberative and advisory function of the General Faculty are realized in the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate shall ratify, amend, or remand all recommendations on academic policy or faculty welfare from standing or special committee of the Faculty Senate, or initiate consideration of any matters pertaining to academic policy or institutional governance, with particular emphasis upon matters of curriculum degree requirements, instructional standards, and grading criteria.</p>   <p>Section 3. The Faculty Senate shall be authorized to set up such committees as are necessary for the performance of its duties. The Faculty Senate may, at its own discretion, seek the advice and counsel of any member of the General Faculty.</p>   <p>Section 4. In exercising its function the Faculty Senate shall establish reasonable procedures to further Faculty Senate business.</p>   <p>Section 5. All action items passed by the Faculty Senate shall be forwarded to the Chancellor. The Chancellor shall notify the Chair of the Faculty in writing when action items from the Faculty Senate cannot be approved within thirty calendar days of receipt.</p>   <p>Section 6. The General Faculty shall be empowered to make recommendations to the Chancellor to amend or rescind any actions approved by the Faculty Senate. Any such actions shall require an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of those faculty present and voting at a duly called meeting of the General Faculty.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article4">Article IV. Officers of the Faculty and Faculty Senate</h3>   <p>Section 1. The Faculty Officers shall consist of the following: the Chair of the Faculty, the Vice Chair of the Faculty, and the Secretary of the Faculty. Other positions may be established as they become advisable or necessary.</p>   <p>Section 2. All full-time faculty members in at least their sixth year of appointment are eligible to serve as Chair or Vice Chair of the Faculty. All full-time faculty members in at least their second year of appointment are eligible to serve as Secretary of the Faculty. In the event that a Faculty Officer is also a faculty senator, the electoral unit having elected the Senator is invited to elect a replacement. Faculty Officers who are not elected members of the Faculty Senate will not have a vote or count toward a quorum. The term of Faculty Officers shall be one year with the privilege of reelection.</p>   <p>Section 3. At the second regular meeting of the spring semester the elected members of the Faculty Senate shall nominate and elect a nominating committee to consist of five members. The nominating committee shall be elected from the ranks of the elected members of the Faculty Senate by a majority of those present and voting. Voting for members of the nominating committee shall be by secret ballot.</p>   <p>Section 4. The nominating committee shall submit to the Faculty Senate Office Administrator a slate of candidates for each office of the Faculty Senate at least two weeks prior to scheduled elections. Election of officers shall take place during an organizational meeting to be held on a Tuesday following the last regular meeting of the spring semester. Further nominations put forward by elected Senators or their designated alternates will be accepted from the floor. Voting for all officers shall be by secret ballot. Officers shall be elected by a majority of the elected Senators present and voting and shall assume their duties on July 1 following election.</p>   <p>Section 5. Before the first regular meeting of the Faculty Senate, the Chair will appoint the Parliamentarian of the Faculty. The Parliamentarian shall advise the Chair and the faculty on the parliamentary matters according to the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised and the Faculty Constitution and its By-Laws. The Parliamentarian need not be a member of the Faculty Senate.</p>   <p>Section 6. If the office of the Chair of the Faculty shall become vacant, the position shall be assumed by the Vice Chair of the Faculty. If other offices shall become vacant, they shall be filled by a special election conducted by the Faculty Senate.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article5">Article V. Duties of the Officers of the Faculty Senate</h3>   <p>Section 1. The Chair of the Faculty shall preside at all meetings. They are empowered to call special meetings as hereinafter provided. The Chair is an ex-officio member of all academic committees of the Faculty Senate, and represents the faculty on administrative committees. The Chair may delegate to the Vice Chair or an appointed representative their seat on any of the academic or various administrative committees. The Chair shall appoint persons to fill unexpired terms of committees.</p>   <p>Section 2. The Chair of the Faculty supervises the Faculty Senate Office Administrator and, with their assistance, plans the Fall Faculty Convocation. The Chair is responsible for conveying greetings of the Faculty at commencement exercises and representing the Faculty at university functions and Board of Trustees meetings. For the length of their term as Chair, the Chair of the Faculty serves as a Delegate to the Faculty Assembly (but not exceeding six consecutive years), with duties as a delegate described in the Bylaws of the Faculty Assembly of the University of North Carolina, and referenced in the ECU Faculty Manual.</p>   <p>Section 3. The Vice Chair of the Faculty shall perform all of the duties of the Chair in the absence or incapacity of the Chair. The Vice Chair of the Faculty shall serve, at the request of the Chair of the Faculty, as the Chair's representative on Faculty Senate Committees. The Vice Chair of the Faculty shall succeed to the office of Chair of the Faculty in the event that the office should become vacant during the term of the incumbent.</p>   <p>Section 4. The Secretary of the Faculty, with the assistance of the Faculty Senate Office Administrator, shall keep accurate minutes of all regular and special meetings, ensure distribution of copies of the minutes to all members of the General Faculty, keep an accurate list of membership of the Faculty Senate, keep an accurate record of attendance, inform the Faculty Senate Office Administrator when a seat becomes vacant, serve, at the request of the Chair of the Faculty, as the Chair's representative on Faculty Senate committees, and perform such other appropriate duties as directed by the Faculty Senate.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article6">Article VI. Meetings of the Faculty Senate</h3>   <p>Section 1. Four regular meetings of the Faculty Senate will be held each fall and spring semester according to a schedule prepared by the Agenda Committee and approved by the Senate in the Fall Semester of the preceding year. The organizational meeting of the Faculty Senate will be held on a Tuesday following the last regular meeting of the spring semester.</p>   <p>Section 2. Upon written petition of fifteen members of the Faculty Senate, the Chair shall call a special session of the Faculty Senate within four workdays. In an exceptional situation in which the regular procedures for scheduling a meeting of the Faculty Senate are clearly inadequate and would occasion undue delay, the Chair of the Faculty shall be empowered to call a special session of the Faculty Senate. A notice stating the purpose of the special session shall be distributed to the members of the Faculty Senate and the General Faculty twenty-four hours prior to the meeting.</p>   <p>Section 3. A quorum shall consist of three-fifths of the elected faculty members of the Faculty Senate. Each elected member of the Faculty Senate shall have one vote. Unless otherwise indicated, the ex-officio members shall have one vote each. Voting by the Faculty Senate shall ordinarily be by voice vote. All matters shall be decided by a majority vote of those Senators present and voting except as stated in this constitution.</p>   <p>Section 4. The General Faculty shall be informed of the time, place, and agenda of all regular and special meetings. Meetings of the Faculty Senate shall be open to all members of the general public in accordance with the North Carolina Open Meetings Law.</p>   <p>Section 5. Upon the unanimous consent of the Faculty Officers, regular or special meetings of the Faculty Senate may be held via a teleconference or videoconference, provided that all Senators are able to be recognized, engage in discussion, receive pending motions, and participate in votes. The procedures for electronic meetings must be communicated to Senators as part of the agenda prior to the meeting date. Participation in a meeting by teleconference or videoconference shall constitute presence for purposes of voting and the determination of a quorum.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article7">Article VII. Amendments</h3>   <p>Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution must be recommended by the General Faculty and approved by the Chancellor.</p>   <p>Section 2. Any proposed amendment to the Faculty Constitution shall be presented first at a regular meeting of the Faculty Senate for discussion, amendment, or substitution. At the next regular meeting of the Faculty Senate said proposed amendment will be voted upon for submission to the General Faculty.</p>   <p>Section 3. Amendments to the Faculty Constitution that have been recommended by the Faculty Senate shall be reviewed by the General Faculty. The General Faculty’s recommendation of an amendment shall require a two-thirds affirmative vote of those present and voting at a meeting of the General Faculty.</p>   <p>Section 4. Amendments to this Constitution that have been recommended by the General Faculty shall be forwarded to the Chancellor for review. Amendments become effective with the Chancellor’s approval.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article8">Article VIII. Adoption and Changing of By-Laws of the Faculty Constitution</h3>   <p>Section 1. The Faculty Senate shall establish by-laws necessary to execute the business of the Faculty Senate. A motion to amend the by-laws shall be presented first at a regular meeting of the Faculty Senate for discussion only. At the next regular meeting of the Faculty Senate the motion to amend the by-laws will be acted upon, requiring a vote of two thirds of those elected senators present and voting for approval. After approval, the Faculty Senate shall forward the amendment to the Chancellor for review and approval.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-grey-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-grey-background-color has-background m-4" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="bylaws">By-laws of the Faculty Constitution</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article9">Article IX. Operation of the Faculty Senate</h3>   <p>Section 1. The Faculty Senate shall be free to establish its own agenda. The agenda for meetings of the Faculty Senate shall be prepared by the Agenda Committee and disseminated to each member of the faculty at least one week prior to the meeting.</p>   <p>Section 2. All matters of academic policy brought before the Agenda Committee by action of the general faculty, any senator, or any standing or special committee shall be placed on the agenda not later than the time of the second regular meeting of the Faculty Senate after receipt of the recommendation.</p>   <p>Section 3. The following order of business shall be observed in meetings of the Faculty Senate unless Senators vote to change the procedures as provided in this constitution: (I) call to order, (II) approval of the minutes, (III) special order of the day, (IV) unfinished business, (V) report of Graduate Council, (VI) reports of committees, (VII) new business.</p>   <p>Section 4. Matters to be brought before the Faculty Senate shall be considered in the order set forth by the Agenda Committee unless modified by a two-thirds vote of faculty senators present and voting at any meeting of the Faculty Senate.</p>   <p>Section 5. To facilitate the efficient flow of business, seats shall be assigned as follows: Faculty Senators or their alternates shall be assigned seats in alphabetical order by electoral units. Ex-officio members shall be assigned seats on one row. Faculty members visiting the Senate shall seat themselves in the back of the meeting room, behind the seats assigned to Senate members.</p>   <p>Section 6. Only elected and ex-officio members (including alternates, representing their electoral units) may answer the roll call, vote, or occupy seats assigned to senators. Visitors may not participate in Senate discussions and business except by advance invitation of the Senate Agenda Committee or the Chair of the Faculty. Such an invitation will be announced to the Senators prior to the meeting.</p>   <p>Section 7. The minutes of the Faculty Senate shall be the responsibility of the Faculty Senate Committee on Minutes comprised of the Chair of the Faculty, Vice Chair of the Faculty, and Secretary of the Faculty with the assistance of the Faculty Senate Office Administrator. Minutes shall become official on approval by the Faculty Senate Committee on Minutes. The Faculty Senate Office Administrator will post the official minutes on the Faculty Senate website. Any corrections to the minutes by the Senate shall be made a part of the official minutes of the subsequent meeting. Incorporation into the official minutes of verbatim remarks shall be allowed or disallowed at the discretion of the Faculty Senate Committee on Minutes. The Chair of the Faculty may request that verbatim remarks be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Faculty.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article10">Article X. Committees of the Faculty Senate</h3>   <p>Section 1. The standing committees of the Faculty Senate shall consist of Academic Committees, Faculty Senate Committees, and the Appellate Committee. The charge of each standing committee is available electronically on the Faculty Senate web site. The establishment and dissolution of standing committees is the responsibility of the Committee on Committees.</p>   <p>Section 2. Unless otherwise specified in a committee’s charge, all faculty members in at least their second consecutive year of full-time employment at East Carolina University are eligible to serve on Faculty Senate standing committees. A majority of the voting members of each Committee must be faculty members, and a variety of ranks and titles should be represented on each roster. The Chancellor and the Chair of the Faculty or their representatives serve as ex-officio members of all committees (Faculty Senate Resolution #20-27). Student members are nominated by the Student Government Association for appointment by the Chancellor. Members of committees serve in accordance with their ability, training, and experience rather than as representatives of their electoral unit.</p>   <p>Section 3. Members of Academic and Appellate Committees are elected to staggered three-year terms, which extend to the beginning of the fall semester. Service on an academic or administrative committee is limited to election to two consecutive three-year terms with ineligibility for election to the same committee for at least one year. Faculty members are not eligible to serve as an elected regular member on more than one Academic Committee at a time.</p>   <p>Section 4. The Chair of the Faculty may declare an elected member's seat vacant upon the occurrence of three consecutive absences of that member. The Chair of the Faculty will appoint faculty members to fill vacancies of any Faculty Senate or Academic Committee that may occur during the academic year.</p>   <p>Section 5. The election of members to Academic Committees shall be as follows:</p>   <ol class="wp-block-list"> <li>Volunteers are solicited for committee service by the Committee on Committees with the assistance of the Faculty Senate Office Administrator.</li>   <li>After reviewing the list of volunteers, the Committee on Committees presents to the Faculty Senate a slate of one or more nominees for each vacancy. Nominations may also be made from the floor of the Faculty Senate by any elected Senator (or their alternate). Election of Academic Committee members will take place at the Faculty Senate Organizational Meeting. Election will be by majority of elected Senators present and voting.</li>   <li>The process above shall also be used in the election of faculty members to university Administrative Committees in cases where the committee charge specifies election by the Faculty Senate.</li> </ol>   <p>Section 6. Appellate Committee members must be permanently tenured, or probationary (tenure-track) voting faculty holding no administrative title (<em>ECU Faculty Manual Part IX, Section I - Tenure and Promotion Policies and Procedures</em>). The process for election of faculty to the Appellate Committee, which serves as a pool for populating hearing panels (see ECU Faculty Manual Part XII, Faculty Grievance Policies and Procedures) will be as follows:</p>   <ol class="wp-block-list"> <li>Each year in January, the Committee on Committees will solicit volunteers to serve on the Appellate Committee. Responses are due in the Faculty Senate office in February.</li>   <li>The Committee on Committees will review all responses and present to the Faculty Senate a slate of one or more nominees as there are vacancies to fill. Nominations may also be made from the Faculty Senate floor. Appellate Committee members will be elected at the spring Faculty Senate Organizational meeting. Election will be by a majority of elected Senators present and voting. This by-law may be suspended in accordance with procedures specified in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.</li>   <li>A total of 30 tenured and probationary faculty will comprise the Appellate Committee, all serving three-year terms that are staggered with 10 members elected annually. All faculty ranks must be represented, with no fewer than 10 members from the rank of Professor, no fewer than 10 members from the rank of Associate Professor, and no more than five members from the rank of Assistant Professor. Individual faculty members are eligible to serve two consecutive three-year terms, which may extend to the beginning of the fall semester in the final year of a term. Faculty will be ineligible to serve again for one academic year after conclusion of a second consecutive term.</li>   <li>When vacancies occur in the Appellate Committee between annual elections, the Faculty Senate will elect additional faculty members to the committee through nominations initiated by the Committee on Committees.</li>   <li>Faculty who have been involved as either a grievant or respondent in an appellate hearing cannot serve on the Appellate Committee for the period of one three-year term from the date of the final decision on that appeal.</li>   <li>An Appellate Committee member who becomes a grievant or respondent while serving will be replaced by the usual procedure for vacancies between annual elections.</li>   <li>Members of the Faculty Governance Committee cannot be elected concurrently to the Appellate Committee.</li> </ol>   <p>Section 7. Regular members of the Agenda Committee and Committee on Committees must be elected Faculty Senators. Members are elected to one-year terms from among nominations made by elected Senators from the floor during the spring organizational meeting of the Faculty Senate. Service on the Agenda Committee and Committee on Committees is limited to six consecutive years with ineligibility for election to the same committee for at least one year.</p>   <p>Section 8. Officers of each committee are elected from among the regular members for a term of one year. Previous service as a committee officer shall not prejudice a member's election to any committee office. Under normal circumstances each committee shall have a chairperson, a vice chairperson, and a secretary. Interim elections may be held to fill an office that has become vacant or to replace an officer that two-thirds of the full committee membership deems is not fulfilling the obligations of the office.</p>   <p>Section 9. Faculty Senate and Academic Committees meet on a standard schedule, set and revised by the Committee on Committees. All committees and subcommittees, unless prohibited explicitly by the committee's charge, University policies, or state statutes, shall hold their regular and special meetings in open session in accordance with the North Carolina Open Meetings Law. The committee chairperson is responsible for informing the Senate office of the time and place of such meetings so they may be placed on the Senate calendar and publicized in order that interested faculty may attend.</p>   <p>Section 10. Each committee shall operate according to the latest version of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised. Minutes of each committee are on file in the Faculty Senate office and available electronically on the Faculty Senate web site and shall be sent to members of the committee and Chair of the Faculty. A file on each committee's activities and records shall be maintained in the Faculty Senate office.</p>   <p>Section 11. The agenda for committee meetings is set by the committee chair and shall be disseminated to committee members in advance of the meeting. In carrying out the duties specified in their charges, committees should consult with appropriate administrators and are encouraged to invite persons with relevant expertise to attend committee meetings.</p>   <p>Section 12. The officers of each committee shall prepare and submit to the Faculty Senate Office in May of each year an Annual Report outlining the committee’s activities for that academic year. Copies of the committees' annual reports will be kept on file in the University Archives and Faculty Senate office, and made available electronically on the Faculty Senate web site. Upon request, copies of committees' annual reports shall be made available by the Faculty Senate office. Copies of the Annual Reports are also provided in committee organizational material at the start of the Fall semester.</p>   <p>Section 13. The Chair of the Faculty shall each year compile the Annual Report of the Faculty Senate. This report shall contain, among other things, a summary of Senate and Senate committees' activities for the immediate past year. The Report will be distributed to the Chancellor, academic Vice Chancellors and made available on the Faculty Senate web site. Copies of the report will also be kept on file in the University Archives and the Faculty Senate office. In addition, copies of the Annual Report of the Faculty Senate will be distributed to the members of the Faculty Senate not later than the first regular Faculty Senate meeting of the next academic year.</p>   <p>Section 14. Special committees may be established by the Senate at the discretion of the Chair of the Faculty in consultation with the Faculty Officers. Members of special committees may be appointed by the Chair of the Faculty or elected by the Faculty Senate. At least one senator shall be on each special committee. The chair of a special committee may be appointed by the Chair of the Faculty or elected by committee members.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article11">Article XI. The Graduate Council</h3>   <p>Section 1. The Chair of the Faculty or their designee shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Graduate Council. The duties and responsibilities of the Graduate Council are described in the ECU Faculty Manual under Graduate School Governance. The Chair of the Graduate Council provides a monthly report to the Faculty Senate for information, comment, and advice.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="article12">Article XII. The Faculty Assembly</h3>   <p>Section 1. Faculty Assembly delegates and alternates shall be elected as follows:</p>   <ol style="list-style-type:upper-alpha" class="wp-block-list"> <li>The Faculty Assembly nomination form will be distributed in November to all faculty by the Committee on Committees with assistance of the Faculty Senate Office Administrator. The completed nomination forms are due in the Faculty Senate office in December.</li>   <li>The Committee on Committees will review the nominations and present to the Faculty Senate a slate of one or more nominees for each vacancy. Additional nominations may be made from the Faculty Senate floor. Faculty Assembly representatives will be elected by the Faculty Senate at its January regular meeting. Election will be by majority present and voting. One Faculty Assembly Delegate will be the Chair of the Faculty, holding a term for each year they are elected to serve as Chair of the Faculty. As per the Bylaws of the Faculty Assembly, no delegate may serve on the Faculty Assembly for more than six consecutive years.</li> </ol>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-grey-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-grey-background-color has-background m-4" />   <p>Approved:</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>FS Resolution #05-18 (Appendix A) September 2005, Chancellor</li>   <li>FS Resolution #05-19 (By-Laws) April 2005, Chancellor</li> </ul>   <p>Amended:</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>FS Resolution #09-06, September 2009</li>   <li>FS Resolution #12-79, April 2012</li>   <li>FS Resolution #14-88, December 2014</li>   <li>FS Resolution #19-76, June 2021</li>   <li>FS Resolution #20-27, April 2020</li>   <li>FS Resolution #23-53, November 2023</li> </ul>

Part II, Section III: Academic Policy, Administrative Policy, and Vetting of Administrative PRRs in Matters Relating to Faculty

Last updated:
December 14, 2017

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contents</h2>   <ol style="list-style-type:upper-roman" class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="#academic">Academic Policy</a></li>   <li><a href="#administrative">Administrative Policy</a></li>   <li><a href="#vetting">Vetting of Administrative PRRs in Matters Relating to Faculty Revised 12-17</a></li> </ol>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="academic">I. Academic Policy</h2>   <p>The faculty organization of East Carolina University comprises the general faculty. As provided in <a href="https://www.northcarolina.edu/apps/policy/doc.php?type=pdf&id=57" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Section 502D of The Code of UNC (pdf)</a>, the BOG requires the Chancellor to ensure that there exists in the institution a faculty council or senate, a majority of whose members are elected by and from the members of the faculty. The Faculty Senate is the legislative and advisory body which represents the general faculty and provides the means by which faculty are enabled to fulfill their function with respect to faculty welfare and academic and educational policies exclusive of graduate programs. The Faculty Senate acts upon reports and recommendations of its standing academic committees (and ad-hoc committees). Please refer to the ECU Faculty Manual, Faculty Constitution and By-Laws of East Carolina University for the detailed list of responsibilities and activities of the Faculty Senate. Graduate faculty governance and organizational matters are also outlined in the ECU Faculty Manual.<br>According to <a href="https://policy.ecu.edu/011501/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ECU Regulation 01.15.01</a> regarding recommendations for new PRRs or Changes to Existing PRRs, the Faculty Senate, the Graduate Council, Staff Senate, Student Government Association, any standing or ad hoc committee of East Carolina University or any administrative or academic officer, including Executive Officers, may recommend new PRRs or changes to existing PRRs. Any member of the University Community may forward recommendations for new or revised PRRs to any of the above entities/individuals. At East Carolina University, the general faculty are the general electorate and the Faculty Senate is the legislative and advisory body representing the general faculty. The Chancellor and the Chair of the Faculty facilitate communication that enables continuing and effective faculty participation in all aspects of the University community. The Chancellor is a member of all faculties and other academic bodies of the institution and shall have the right to preside over the deliberations of any legislative bodies of the faculties of the institution.<br>Academic policies pertaining to faculty shall be housed in the Faculty Manual, in particular matters relating to tenure and promotion, curriculum, degree requirements, instructional standards and grading, and faculty welfare. In the spirit of shared governance, before the Chancellor either adopts with revisions a regulation or recommends to the Board of Trustees a proposed policy that differs from a recommendation of the Faculty Senate regarding matters of tenure and promotion, curriculum, degree requirements, instruction standards, and grading, the Chancellor will seek additional advice from the Faculty Senate to be provided within a period the Chancellor establishes in the best interest of the University. (FS Resolution #12-67, April 2012)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="administrative">II. Administrative Policy</h2>   <p>Administrative policy, as distinct from academic policy, is determined by the chancellor in consultation with other administrative officers. Administrative committees are appointed by the chancellor (or the Chancellor’s designee) and report to the chancellor or to their designee. These committees, councils, and boards are not responsible to the Faculty Senate because of their jurisdictions and functions; however, the chair of the faculty (or an appointed representative) serves as an ex-officio member on most of the administrative committees. <a href="https://info.ecu.edu/admincommittees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Complete list of current standing University administrative committees</a>. (FS Resolution #12-06, January 2012)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="vetting">III. Vetting of Administrative Policies, Rules, and Regulations (PRRs) in matters relating to Faculty</h2>   <p>The following outlines the internal Faculty Senate process for obtaining Formal Faculty Advice on Administrative Policies, Rules, and Regulations (PRRs).</p>   <p>Based on the <a href="https://policy.ecu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">East Carolina University Policy Manual</a>, the official repository of all approved PRRs at East Carolina University, and the regulation that governs Formatting, Adopting, and Publishing Policies, Regulations, and Rules, the following process has been established for the solicitation and provision of faculty advice on matters involving faculty in the areas of academic policies, faculty welfare, and university governance.</p>   <p>When the need for an administrative PRR is determined the appropriate delegated authority forwards the proposed PRR to the Chair of the Faculty. The Chair of the Faculty reviews and consults with Faculty Officers to determine whether the proposed PRR pertains to faculty and requires faculty review and vetting by Faculty Senate. If it is determined by the Faculty Officers that the proposed PRR does not pertain to faculty, the Chair provides written notification to the University Policy Committee (UPC). If a proposed PRR requires faculty review, the Chair of the Faculty asks the appropriate university academic/appellate committee to review and provide recommendations to the Chair and Faculty Senate as a means of formal faculty advice. During the faculty review, the appropriate Vice Chancellor will determine whether an interim PRR shall be posted online. If the committee determines that no formal faculty advice is required, the committee provides written notification to the Chair of the Faculty who reports to the UPC.</p>   <p>Those PRRs considered by Faculty Officers not to pertain to faculty, and those for which a Senate committee determines no formal advice is required, will be reported as announcements that provide the full Senate an opportunity to reconsider whether formal advice is needed.</p>   <p>When a committee determines that revisions are necessary to a proposed PRR, recommendations are forwarded to the Chair of the Faculty and Faculty Senate as formal faculty advice. The Chair of the Faculty forwards the committee recommendations to the delegated authority responsible for the proposed PRR to facilitate discussion and agreement.</p>   <p>If edits are made to a proposed PRR during faculty review or after Faculty Senate action, a new proposed PRR will be forwarded to the Chair of the Faculty who consults with the Faculty Officers to determine if the edits necessitate further faculty review and Faculty Senate action. If the Officers determine that further review is not necessary, the Chair provides written notification to the UPC. If additional review is necessary, the Chair asks the appropriate committee to review and provide recommendations to the Chair and Faculty Senate as additional formal faculty advice.</p>   <p>The Faculty Senate votes on university committee recommendations as formal faculty advice. If formal advice on a proposed PRR is approved by the Faculty Senate, it will be submitted to the Chancellor following the normal established approval/review process. The Chancellor will act according to the established process and notify the Chair of the Faculty that the faculty’s formal advice has been received.</p>   <p>Formal faculty advice on PRRs will be documented following the same recordkeeping process as all other Faculty Senate actions and resolutions. A history of the Faculty Senate recommendation/formal advice will be maintained in the Faculty Senate office in the same manner as all other Senate actions and resolutions and maintained as feedback to the PRR policy when published in the University Policy Manual. (FS Resolution #12-66, April 2012; FS Resolution #17-74, November 2017)</p>

Part II, Section IV: Graduate School Organization

Last updated:
June 9, 2024

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contents</h2>   <ol style="list-style-type:upper-roman" class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="#gradfaculty">The Graduate Faculty</a> <ol style="list-style-type:upper-alpha" class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="#gradfaculty-a">Functions and Jurisdictions</a></li>   <li><a href="#gradfaculty-b">Meetings</a></li>   <li><a href="#gradfaculty-c">Canvass</a></li>   <li><a href="#gradfaculty-d">Privileges</a></li>   <li><a href="#gradfaculty-e">Implementation</a></li>   <li><a href="#gradfaculty-f">Membership</a></li>   <li><a href="#gradfaculty-g">Removal of Graduate Faculty Members Prior to Expiration of Their Terms</a></li> </ol> </li>   <li><a href="#directors">Directors and Coordinators of Graduate Programs, the Graduate Council, the Graduate Council Executive Committee, and the Graduate Curriculum Committee</a> <ol style="list-style-type:upper-alpha" class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="#directors-a">Directors and Coordinators of Graduate Programs</a></li>   <li><a href="#directors-b">Graduate Council</a></li>   <li><a href="#directors-c">Graduate Council Executive Committee</a></li>   <li><a href="#directors-d">Graduate Curriculum Committee</a></li> </ol> </li>   <li><a href="#dean">The Dean of the Graduate School - Functions and Jurisdiction</a></li>   <li><a href="#modifications">Modifications to the Graduate School Organization</a> <ol style="list-style-type:upper-alpha" class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="#modifications-a">Graduate Council</a></li>   <li><a href="#modifications-b">Graduate Faculty</a></li> </ol> </li> </ol>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="gradfaculty">I. The Graduate Faculty</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="gradfaculty-a">A. Functions and Jurisdictions</h3>   <p>The graduate faculty exercises the authority within the university for development of general policies and procedures for all graduate courses and programs. The graduate faculty may recommend modifications to this document, “Graduate School Organization”, directly or through the concurrent approval of the Graduate Council using the procedure in Part IV of this document.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="gradfaculty-b">B. Meetings</h3>   <p>The graduate faculty may meet in plenary session. Meetings may be called by the Graduate Council, or upon petition of 15% or more of the graduate faculty to the Dean. Notice of a plenary session with time, place, and agenda will be distributed to members of the graduate faculty at least a full week prior to the meeting.</p>   <p>One-half or more of the graduate faculty will constitute a quorum for purposes of transacting such business as appears on the printed agenda. A simple majority of those graduate faculty members in attendance will govern unless decision to the contrary is made prior to a ballot. When a quorum is not present at a called meeting, agenda items will be referred to the Graduate Council for action.<br>A plenary session will be conducted according to the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order. Minutes will be kept and distributed to all members of the university faculty not later than ten days following the session.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="gradfaculty-c">C. Canvass</h3>   <p>Business and opinion polls may be conducted through canvass when approved by the Graduate Council. This canvass may be conducted either electronically or using paper ballots. If paper methodology is used, ballots or other materials will be addressed to each graduate faculty member and sent through campus mail or delivered by messengers. To transact business through a canvass, at least one-half of the total graduate faculty must vote. A simple majority will govern unless the Graduate Council establishes a different criterion when it approved a canvass. When a less than one-half of the total graduate faculty vote in a canvass, business items with the result of the canvas, will be referred to the Graduate Council for action.</p>   <p>When the graduate faculty is canvassed in this manner, each ballot will provide space in which each member can indicate their preference for a plenary session dealing with the issue to be decided. If 15 percent or more of the graduate faculty indicates preference for a session, the canvass will be nullified, and a plenary session will be called.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="gradfaculty-d">D. Voting Privileges</h3>   <p>Only Graduate Teaching Faculty, Associate Graduate Faculty, and Graduate Faculty members may vote on university-wide graduate issues.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="gradfaculty-e">E. Implementation</h3>   <p>Each code unit with a graduate program will develop a procedure for obtaining faculty input to the process of nominating graduate faculty and report this procedure to the Graduate Council. In addition, each code unit with a graduate program will examine the educational objectives of their graduate degrees, which were prepared for the SACS accreditation and articulate the types of research, creative activity, or other activities that are appropriate for graduate faculty in their discipline. Each code unit will then submit its articulation to the Graduate Council for approval. Once the articulation is approved, it will be used to evaluate nominations for the graduate and associate graduate faculty from the submitting code unit.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="gradfaculty-f">F. Membership</h3>   <p>The following paragraphs address the general qualifications for membership, rights, privileges and responsibilities; method of appointment; and method of reappointment of each category of membership on the graduate faculty; and the methods of implementing these policies.<br>There are four types of membership in the graduate faculty. They are (1) graduate faculty member, (2) associate graduate faculty member, (3) graduate teaching faculty member, and (4) ex-officio graduate faculty member.</p>   <p>Graduate Faculty Members. Qualifications for graduate faculty members include:</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>The highest earned degree in the field.</li>   <li>Demonstrated evidence of success in research/creative activity.</li>   <li>Demonstrated evidence of successful graduate teaching.</li>   <li>Demonstrated evidence of successful supervision of research or creative activity, if applicable.</li> </ul>   <p>In some instances, extensive professional experience, high productivity, or successful competition for research/creative activity support may substitute for the highest degree.</p>   <p>Graduate faculty members are eligible to serve on the Graduate Curriculum Committee, may serve as a Graduate Program Coordinator, may teach graduate classes, and may be a member of doctoral or master's committees. Graduate faculty members with a terminal degree in an appropriate field of study may chair a master’s thesis committee or doctoral dissertation committee. Graduate faculty members not possessing a terminal degree may co-chair a master’s thesis committee when the other co-chair has associate graduate faculty status or higher and possesses a terminal degree in an appropriate field of study. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Dean of the Graduate School prior to the formation of the committee. Code units may define additional criteria for eligibility to serve in doctoral programs. (FS Resolution #15-18)</p>   <p>Appointment to the graduate faculty occurs as the result of the following procedure. Upon recommendation of the graduate faculty of the code unit (the procedure for which has been outlined as described under Implementation, below), the appropriate unit administrator forwards a nomination to the dean of the college or professional school, as appropriate, and then to the Dean of the Graduate School. Each nomination should state the type of appointment and contain evidence that the nominee has satisfied the criteria for the type of membership sought in a manner consistent with the code unit's interpretation of those criteria. The Dean of the Graduate School will review the recommendation of the academic unit to determine that it is consistent with the unit’s criteria and appointment procedures. If the dean concurs, they will notify the academic unit and the faculty member of their appointment. If the dean does not approve the unit’s recommendation the application will automatically be referred to the Graduate Council. A two-thirds majority of the Graduate Council will be required to overturn the administrative decision.</p>   <p>Appointment to the graduate faculty is for five years. At the end of the term, the appointment will be reviewed within the unit in the manner outlined for initial appointments, except that the focus will be on the activity during the five years immediately preceding the evaluation. If it is the opinion of the code unit graduate faculty that the appointment should be renewed, the appropriate unit administrator forwards a nomination to the dean of the college or professional school, as appropriate, and then to the Dean of the Graduate School who will review the application. To be reappointed, it is not necessary for an individual to have participated in all phases of graduate education. Individuals appointed to major administrative assignments (department chairs or above) who are members or associate members of the graduate faculty at the time of their appointment are exempt from the re-nomination process until five years after the expiration of the administrative appointment. Individuals with other administrative appointments may be considered for a waiver by Graduate Council upon nomination by their code units. Retired and emeritus faculty who are members or associate members of the graduate faculty at the time of their retirement may be considered for reappointment for five-year renewable terms in the manner outlined in this paragraph. (FS Resolution #16-07, February 2016)</p>   <p>For faculty on probationary appointments, the term on the graduate faculty is coterminous with the length of that appointment or four years, whichever is longer. Tenure track faculty will be re-nominated for the graduate faculty as part of the contract renewal process immediately prior to the expiration of the term on the graduate faculty. The appropriate dean or chair will provide information on the faculty member's accomplishments during the period to the appropriate graduate faculty in the unit and the nomination process will proceed as outlined above.</p>   <p>Associate Graduate Faculty Members.<br>Qualifications for associate graduate faculty members include:</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Highest earned degree in the field.</li>   <li>Demonstrated evidence of success or the potential for success in research/creative activity.</li>   <li>Demonstrated evidence of successful graduate teaching or the potential of such success.</li>   <li>Demonstrated evidence of successful supervision of research or creative activity or the potential of such success, if applicable. In some instances, extensive professional experience, high productivity, or successful competition for research/creative activity support may substitute for the highest degree.</li> </ul>   <p>Associate graduate faculty members may serve as Graduate Program Coordinators, may teach graduate classes, and may be a member of doctoral or master's committees. Associate graduate faculty members with a terminal degree in an appropriate field of study may chair a master’s thesis committee or doctoral dissertation committee. Associate graduate faculty members not possessing a terminal degree may co-chair a master’s thesis committee when the other co-chair has associate graduate faculty status or higher and possesses a terminal degree in an appropriate field of study. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Dean of the Graduate School prior to the formation of the committee. Code units may define additional criteria for eligibility to serve in doctoral programs. Code units must define criteria for associate graduate faculty members to chair doctoral committees in their unit codes of operation. All procedures for appointment and reappointment as well as terms of office for the associate graduate faculty will be the same as those for the graduate faculty members. (FS Resolution #15-18)</p>   <p>Graduate Teaching Faculty Members.<br>Qualifications for graduate teaching faculty members include:</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Highest earned degree in the field.</li>   <li>Professional certifications or licensure as specified by the code unit.</li>   <li>Demonstrated evidence of success or the potential for success graduate teaching.</li>   <li>Evidence of professional growth, e.g., completion of continuing education, participation in relevant seminars, or other professional activity. In some instances, especially for clinical faculty, extensive professional experience, high productivity, or successful competition for research/creative activity support may substitute for the highest degree.</li> </ul>   <p>Graduate teaching faculty members may teach masters or doctoral classes as appropriate for their background, certification, and experience and may be the fourth member of a thesis or dissertation committee upon certification of appropriate experience or expertise by the unit administrator.</p>   <p>All tenure-track faculty members who hold the appropriate terminal degree for the discipline in which they hold their appointments are deemed to be members of the graduate teaching faculty upon their initial appointments. Code units are responsible for notifying the dean of the college or professional school, as appropriate, and the Dean of the Graduate School of these individuals and requesting an appointment to the graduate teaching faculty. As part of their first evaluation for contract renewal of a probationary appointment, if the code unit wishes the person to become a member or associate member of the graduate faculty, it would use the information gathered in the process of contract renewal to provide the nominations as outlined above. If the code unit wishes the person to remain a member of the graduate teaching faculty, it renews the appointment by notifying the dean of the college or professional school, as appropriate, the Dean of the Graduate School, and the individual involved. If the code unit wishes to remove the person from responsibilities for graduate teaching, it notifies the person, the dean of the college or professional school if appropriate, and the Dean of the Graduate School.</p>   <p>Other appointments to the graduate teaching faculty are made by the appropriate code unit administrator, the graduate faculty of the code unit, and the Dean of the Graduate School, in accordance with procedures approved by the graduate faculty of the code unit. These appointments are valid for the terms of the individuals' contracts.</p>   <p>Ex-officio Members.<br>Administrators with responsibilities for graduate programs who do not hold other appointments to the graduate faculty will be appointed to an ex-officio membership commensurate with background and experience and will hold that appointment for the duration of their administrative appointment.</p>   <p>Thesis and Dissertation Committee Requirements.<br>All master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation committees must have a minimum of three ECU faculty members, including the student’s mentor, with graduate faculty or associate graduate faculty status. Programs may require larger committees, if desired. The inclusion of external members is a best practice in many disciplines and is encouraged.</p>   <p>External Thesis and Dissertation Committee Members.<br>Individuals external to ECU with demonstrated expertise in the area of study in a thesis or dissertation may serve on, but not chair a thesis or dissertation committee. The external member should have a terminal degree in an appropriate discipline or extensive professional experience. This appointment must be approved by the faculty Graduate Program Director or Coordinator and the unit graduate faculty members serving on the thesis or dissertation committee. The Graduate Program Director will maintain a record of external members’ credentials (academic CV or resume) in case they are needed for external review.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="gradfaculty-g">G. Removal of Graduate Faculty Members Prior to Expiration of Their Terms</h3>   <p>If a graduate faculty member is found to be deficient in carrying out expected roles and responsibilities based on guidelines present in the Unit Code, every effort should be made to remediate the problems identified through normal faculty evaluative procedures. If a faculty member continues to demonstrate serious deficiencies, and/or fails to perform their duties professionally or ethically as a graduate faculty member, the unit head or one-half of the members of the graduate faculty at the same graduate faculty status or higher of the original nominating code unit may initiate a process to recommend removal of a faculty member from the graduate faculty prior to the end of the appointment period. Any such recommendation shall include the reasons for the recommendation in writing from the Graduate Program Director or Coordinator of the original nominating code unit. A two-thirds majority of the members of the graduate faculty at the same graduate faculty status or higher of the original nominating code unit must vote to confirm the recommendation. The recommendation shall be shared with the faculty member in question who has ten working days in which to respond in writing to those making the recommendation. Should a two-thirds majority of the members of the graduate faculty at the same graduate faculty status or higher of the original code unit wish to proceed, both their recommendation and the response of the faculty member shall be forwarded to the Unit head who will review this recommendation and response in consultation with the faculty member’s College Dean and Graduate Program Director or Coordinator. If the Unit Head and College Dean concur that the faculty member should no longer be a member of the graduate faculty, the Unit head makes this recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School is then authorized to remove the individual from the graduate faculty. If the Unit Head and/or College Dean do not concur with the recommendation of the unit graduate faculty, the non-concurring recommendations of the graduate faculty and administrator(s), and the response of the faculty member, shall be forwarded to the Dean of the Graduate School for final decision. The removed faculty member shall have the right to appeal through general grievance procedures detailed in Part XII of the Faculty Manual.</p>   <p>Before a faculty member is removed the Graduate Program Director must confirm to the Dean of the Graduate School that students under supervision of the removed faculty member have been assigned to appropriate graduate faculty members in a manner specific to the program/department. If at some point in the future the removed faculty member chooses to apply to return to graduate faculty status, documentation regarding the removal of graduate faculty status will be included for consideration along with the request. (Faculty Senate Resolution #16-29, April 2016)</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="directors">II. Directors and Coordinators of Graduate Programs, the Graduate Council, the Graduate Council Executive Committee, and the Graduate Curriculum Committee</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="directors-a">A. Directors and Coordinators of Graduate Programs</h3>   <p>Each Graduate Program and Graduate Certificate will have a designated Graduate Program Director or Coordinator who must be a Graduate or Associate Graduate Faculty member, approved by the unit chair and college dean and qualified to lead development and review of the program’s curriculum. In some professionally oriented disciplines, Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators whose job is to manage a graduate program may be approved by the Graduate School without Graduate or Associate Graduate Faculty status. In such cases, a Graduate or Associate Graduate Faculty member must also be designated to provide academic oversight and lead curriculum development of the graduate program. Meetings of Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators will be held at least twice per regular academic term and chaired by the Dean of the Graduate School or designee. These meetings will provide a forum where Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators may provide input to the Graduate School, the Graduate Council and the Graduate Curriculum Committee on any matters related to policies, practices, implementation, and administration of graduate education.<br>(FS Resolution #18-51, September 2018)</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="directors-b">B. Graduate Council</h3>   <p>The Graduate Council is comprised of 20 directors or coordinators of graduate programs elected to represent their respective colleges, the Brody School of Medicine and Integrated Coastal Programs; 4 Graduate Faculty (who are not program Directors) elected by the Faculty Senate (each from a different college, the Brody School of Medicine, or Integrated Coastal Programs); plus 3 at-large-appointments by the Dean of the Graduate School. In addition, there will be 5 ex-officio members with a vote, including the Chair of the Graduate Curriculum Committee (GCC), Chair of the Faculty or designee, a representative of the faculty senate, a representative of the Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and the President of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) or designee. The Dean of the Graduate School will be an ex-officio member without a vote. Graduate councilor allocations will be reviewed every three years starting at the beginning of the fall 2015 semester and allocated 50% in proportion to the number of graduate faculty and 50% in proportion to the graduate SCH production in their respective colleges.</p>   <p>Faculty Senate and college representatives are elected to fill expired or vacated terms according to procedures defined by the Senate and each college, at a time appropriate for each unit. All Graduate Council members are elected to serve three-year staggered terms for continuity. Regular terms begin with first Graduate Council meeting in the fall semester. The seat of an elected Graduate Council member who fails to attend more than three consecutively held meetings of the Graduate Council shall be declared vacated by the Chair of the Graduate Council. The Chair of the Graduate Council will contact the unit and request a replacement. The Graduate Council will annually elect a Council Chair and Vice-Chair as well as four persons to serve on the Graduate Council Executive Committee from the elected members of the Graduate Council during its April organizational meeting. (FS Resolution #15-18)</p>   <p>The Graduate Council will be responsible for consideration, debate, and voting on all graduate academic policies, and upon recommendation of the GCC, graduate curriculum and degree programs. Any member of the graduate faculty may recommend agenda items concerning graduate academic policy to the Graduate Council Executive Committee for inclusion on the Graduate Council agenda. New graduate degree programs, new certificates, new concentrations, degree title changes, and moving or discontinuing programs are also submitted to the Educational Policies and Planning Committee (EPPC) for review.</p>   <p>The Graduate Council will make recommendations to the Dean of the Graduate School, who may concur or not. The Dean will forward these recommendations to the Provost and then the Chancellor for final decision. The Chair of the Graduate Council will communicate recommendations to the Faculty Senate for information, comment, and advice.</p>   <p>The Chair of the Graduate Council will convene meetings of the Graduate Council, report at each Faculty Senate meeting on graduate matters, and seek Faculty Senate input. Graduate Council meeting agendas will be distributed electronically to all graduate faculty.</p>   <p>The Vice-Chair will assume the duties of the Chair if the Chair is unable to fulfill their duties.</p>   <p>The Graduate Council will</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Approve the membership of the Graduate Curriculum Committee;</li>   <li>Approve Graduate Curriculum Committees (GCC) recommendations;</li>   <li>Participate in the review of all existing graduate programs;</li>   <li>Review all unit appeals of negative decisions made by the Dean of the Graduate School regarding graduate faculty appointments;</li>   <li>Review and develop Graduate School policy including requirements for admission, retention of students, permissible course loads, transfer credit, grading, thesis and dissertation requirements and examinations, and standards for graduate faculty appointment;</li>   <li>Make recommendations relating to graduate education to the Dean, Provost, and the Chancellor;</li>   <li>Report its actions to the coordinators of graduate programs, graduate faculty, and Faculty Senate.</li> </ul>   <p>A simple majority of the elected members of the Graduate Council will constitute a quorum.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="directors-c">C. Graduate Council Executive Committee</h3>   <p>The Graduate Council Executive Committee (GCEC) is comprised of the Graduate School Dean, the Graduate Council Chair, Vice-Chair, the Graduate Curriculum Committee Chair, and 4 members elected by and from the Graduate Council. The GCEC will meet at least once a month.<br>The GCEC will</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Review and approve all admissions by exception, requests for exceptions to transfer credit policy, and requests for exceptions to the time to degree requirements;</li>   <li>Set the Graduate Council agenda;</li>   <li>Prepare draft policies for consideration by the Graduate Council;</li>   <li>Review the Graduate Council meeting minutes for presentation to the Graduate Council.</li>   <li>Exercise delegated authority from the Graduate Council to consider and make decisions regarding urgent business matters of the Graduate Council during summer months when the full Graduate Council is not in session, with a full written report of any such actions provided to the Graduate Counsel at its first meeting of the Fall term. (FS Resolution #15-18)</li> </ul>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="directors-d">D. Graduate Curriculum Committee</h3>   <p>The Graduate Curriculum Committee (GCC) will consist of one graduate or associate graduate faculty member (tenure preferred) from each college and the Brody School of Medicine. Members will be nominated by their respective deans through a process established by the school or college. Where possible members will have experience in both masters and doctoral programs. There will be two ex-<br>officio members with vote including the president of the GPSS or designee and the Director of Academic Planning and Accreditation. The Graduate Council will review the credentials of the nominees and approve members to serve on the GCC. Members will serve staggered three-year terms. The Chair and Vice Chair of the GCC will be elected to serve a one-year term by and from the membership of the GCC. (FS Resolution #18-51, September 2018)</p>   <p>The GCC will review, consider and make recommendations to the Graduate Council on:</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Proposals for new graduate programs, certificates, concentrations, degree title changes, and moving or discontinuing graduate programs, certificates or concentrations.</li>   <li>Proposals for new and revised graduate courses;</li>   <li>Degree-related graduate catalog changes;</li>   <li>Requests to delete, bank, and unbank graduate courses;</li>   <li>Other graduate curriculum related matters;</li>   <li>Changes to its charge;</li>   <li>Other duties as assigned by the Graduate Council.<br>The GCC will determine its own methods and procedures to fulfill its charge.</li> </ul>   <p>All recommendations of the GCC will be reported to the Graduate Council. Recommendations on new programs, new certificates, new concentrations, degree title changes, and moving or discontinuing programs will be reviewed by both the Graduate Council and the EPPC who then reports to the Faculty Senate. Both negative and positive recommendations will be reported to the Graduate Council and forwarded to the Provost and Chancellor.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="dean">III. The Dean of the Graduate School - Functions and Jurisdiction</h2>   <p>The Dean is the chief executive officer of the Graduate School and chairs plenary sessions<br>of the graduate faculty. The Dean (or designee) will chair meetings of the graduate program coordinators. They will be available to advise and assist schools and departments in the planning and development of their graduate programs. They will be specifically responsible for coordinating with the general administration of the university all new graduate program proposals advanced by schools and departments.</p>   <p>The Dean will be responsible for the implementation and execution of policies, rules, regulations, and procedures established by the graduate faculty and the Graduate Council. The Dean is expected to articulate both the current status and the short-term and long-term concerns and objectives of graduate education at the university and to offer timely and appropriate recommendations for its improvement and greater efficiency in meeting the needs of its constituents.</p>   <p>The Dean will be responsible for the operation of the Graduate School office including the preparation of its annual budget, spending of funds, utilization of allocated office space, assignments of responsibilities to staff, and the establishment of office procedures for effective implementation of all administrative tasks performed by the Graduate School office.</p>   <p>The Dean will develop procedures for consultation with other units of the university and extramural academic, professional, governmental, and community groups.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="modifications">IV. Modifications to the Graduate School Organization</h2>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="modifications-a">A. Graduate Council</h3>   <p>The Graduate Council may recommend revisions to this document. The Graduate Council will make recommendations to the Dean of the Graduate School, who may concur or not. The Dean will forward these recommendations to the Provost and then the Chancellor for final decision. The Chair of the Graduate Council will communicate recommendations to the Faculty Senate for information, comment, and advice.</p>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="modifications-b">B. Graduate Faculty</h3>   <p>The graduate faculty may recommend revisions to this document, “Graduate School Organization,” through a majority vote in plenary session where a quorum is established, through canvass conducted according to Part I.C of this document or through the concurrent approval of the Graduate Council. Recommendations of the graduate faculty will be reviewed by the Dean of the Graduate School and Provost and forwarded to the Chancellor for final decision. The Chair of the Graduate Council will communicate graduate faculty recommendations to the Faculty Senate for information, comment, and advice.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <p>Approved by the Faculty Senate: January 24, 2012 (Resolution #12-03)<br>Accepted by the Chancellor: April 3, 2012 (with approved statement)<br>Final Document Approved by the Chancellor: May 23, 2013</p>   <p>Revisions:<br>FS Resolution #15-18, March 2015<br>FS Resolution #16-07, February 2016<br>FS Resolution #16-29, April 2016<br>FS Resolution #18-51, September 2018<br>FS Resolution #21-17, April 2021<br>FS Resolution #21-63, January 2022<br>FS Resolution #22-01, February 2022<br>FS Resolution #23-33, June 2024</p>

Part II, Section V: Faculty Involvement in Selection and Evaluation of Administrators

Last updated:
August 1, 2024

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contents</h2>   <ol style="list-style-type:upper-roman" class="wp-block-list"> <li><a href="#appointment">Appointment and Review of Administrative Officers at East Carolina University</a></li>   <li><a href="#implementation">Implementation Guidelines – Appointment and Review of Administrative Officers at East Carolina University</a></li>   <li><a href="#annualeval">Annual Evaluation of University Administrators</a></li> </ol>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <p>The faculty involvement in selection and evaluation of administrators are regulated by the following policies and guidelines:</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="appointment">I. Appointment and Review of Administrative Officers at East Carolina University</h2>   <p><a href="https://policy.ecu.edu/011516/">Appointment and Review of Administrative Officers</a>, Board of Trustee Policy 01.15.16, November 2007, updated August 2024.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="implementation">II. Implementation Guidelines – Appointment and Review of Administrative Officers at East Carolina University</h2>   <p><a href="https://facultysenate.ecu.edu/manual/wp-content/pv-uploads/sites/707/part2BOTGuidelines2024.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Implementation Guidelines (pdf)</a> - Appointment and Review of Administrative Officers at East Carolina University, Board of Trustee Policy, Spring 2009, updated August 2024.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="annualeval">III. Annual Evaluation of University Administrators</h2>   <p>Faculty shall evaluate administrators annually, employing an instrument approved by the Faculty Senate and the Chancellor. The results of such evaluations shall be made available to the administrator and the administrator's supervisor.</p>   <p>(FS Resolution #11-45, March 2011)</p>

Part II: Part II. East Carolina University Organization and Shared Governance