Chemistry Department Bylaws - Northern Michigan University

Bylaws, Department of Chemistry, Northern Michigan University
 

Article I           Membership

1.1  The Department shall consist of those members of the Bargaining Unit with letters of appointment in the Chemistry Department. The Department Head is excluded from being a voting member of the Department.

1.2  Other individuals may attend Department meetings upon invitation by the Department Head or a majority vote of the Department.
 

Article II         Officers

2.1  Department Head. The Department Head is the administrative Head of the Department as defined by the Agreement and is convener and chair of all Department meetings. The Department Head is appointed as specified by the Agreement. Departmental recommendations concerning selection of a new Department Head will be formulated by a Personnel and Evaluation Committee (see Article VII, 7.1.4). Recommendations of the Committee must be approved by two-thirds of the voting membership of the Department.

2.2  Recorder. The Department will select a recorder at the beginning of each meeting. The duties of the recorder will be to record minutes of the Department meetings, to distribute copies of these minutes at least one day prior to subsequent Department meetings, and provide a copy of the approved minutes to the Department secretary.

2.3  Academic Senate Representative. The Department representative to the Senate shall be chosen in the Winter Semester in time for the annual organizational meeting of the Senate. Senators will be chosen by majority vote and will serve a term of two academic years. The faculty member chosen shall, if possible, have at least three years’ experience at Northern. Vacancies created by mid-term resignations will be filled by majority vote. The elected replacement will serve only for the remaining term of the resigning member.

2.4  Bargaining Council Representative. The departmental representative to the NMU-AAUP Association Faculty Council will be elected as necessary by those members of the Department who are members of the bargaining unit. Election will be by a majority of the departmental AAUP members.

Article III          Meetings

3.1  Department meetings can be called at the discretion of the Department Head, provided at least two week days prior notice is given (in writing). Meetings may also be called by petition of at least one-third of the voting membership.

3.2  At least two-thirds of the Department members must be present at a Department meeting. Department meetings must be held at a time when all Department members are free of class commitments or committee meetings. When the Department Head will be absent, the Department Head will appoint a temporary chair for that meeting.

3.3  A meeting will be held during the week prior to the beginning of each Fall Semester.

Article IV        Professional Duties

4.1  Full-time faculty members shall normally be assigned to a twenty-four (24) credit-hour teaching load (or its equivalent) during the regular academic year (Fall and Winter Semesters).  In most instances, twelve (12) hours is the normal credit hour load for each regular semester. Granting load credit should follow Department guidelines:

4.2  Before the end of the winter semester the Department will meet to review and establish written guidelines for assigning load credit as per the Master Agreement (found in Article VI). These guidelines will be used to assign load credit the following academic year. If the Department Head and the Department cannot mutually agree upon such guidelines before the end of the winter semester, the current guidelines will remain in effect for the following year. A 2/3 majority of the Department must agree upon these guidelines.

4.3  The responsibility for preparation of the teaching schedule is the Department Head’s. Course teaching assignments will be made by the Department Head, after consultation with the Department at a Department meeting. Course assignments should take into account the area of expertise of each faculty member. Some latitude in teaching load arising from teaching assignments is allowable; however, the normal credit load for the academic year should not exceed 24.

4.4  When 24 credits or more are taught by adjuncts and as overloads in one year, the Department should consider hiring an additional faculty member in accordance with bylaw 7.2

4.5  Summer employment.

4.5.1  Recommendations for course offerings shall be made by the Department Head in consultation with the Department, taking into account probable enrollment, course demand and other necessary factors.

4.5.2  In the case of contested assignments, the Department Head should consult with the Department which will make a recommendation based on a majority vote.

Article V          Professional Development Fund Dispersal

5.1  The Department Head will distribute professional development funds in accordance with the Master Agreement. Individual funds not allocated within the time specified shall revert to the Department’s Carry Over Professional Development account as specified in the Master Agreement.

5.2  Recommendations by the Department regarding allocation of funds from the Department’s Carry Over Professional Development account shall be by a 2/3 majority.

5.3  Upon completion of any project requiring Department account funds, the faculty member shall submit a brief report to the Department and otherwise as stipulated in the Master Agreement.

Article VI        Leaves of Absence

6.1  Applications for sabbatical leaves shall be submitted to the Department Head by the date specified in the Agreement. Types of sabbaticals are specified in the Agreement.

6.2  Following the deadline, the Department Head shall forward all applications for sabbatical leave to members of the Department who have not made an application for sabbatical. The Department (less any members applying for sabbatical) and Department Head shall then meet to discuss the merits of each application and provide a ranking if more than one suitable application is submitted. Recommendations and rankings shall be based solely on the merits of the application.

Article VII       Personnel Policies

7.1  Personnel Committees shall be appointed by the Department Head with the advice and consent of the Department. A faculty member may not serve on a Personnel Committee that will recommend the faculty member's own promotion or tenure or that would involve a conflict of interest as described in NMU’s “Employment of Relatives and Cohabitants policy” https://nmu.edu/policies/1365. Neither shall a faculty member participate in departmental votes concerning such Personnel Committee recommendations.

7.1.1.  The Committee to consider annual evaluations shall consist of four full-time faculty members. Full-time tenured, tenure-track and continuing contract members of the faculty shall rotate through this committee (one on, one off per year), with the committee member serving their fourth year as chair of the committee. The committee's statement should provide an indication as to how the person being evaluated is progressing toward a future decision on tenure, promotion, and/or continuing status.

7.1.2.  Committees to consider tenure, promotion, and/or continuing contract status shall be composed of three full-time tenured and continuing contract faculty members. If possible, members of these committees should have at least the same rank as the applicant, and if possible, the chair should have at least the rank to which the applicant aspires. The chair of this committee shall present a written recommendation, signed by each member of the committee, to the Department for approval by a majority vote.

7.1.3.  Appointment Committees shall consist of three full-time faculty members chosen from tenured, tenure-track and continuing contract faculty, along with the Department Head, ex officio. The Department Head shall be the chair of these committees and shall present a recommendation to the Department for approval by a 2/3 majority vote of full-time faculty members. Faculty members with a conflict of interest shall recuse themselves from the vote, per “Employment of Relatives and Cohabitants policy” (https://nmu.edu/policies/1365. In addition, term faculty who have applied for a position or whose employment could be significantly impacted by any new hire should not be involved in the search nor vote on the recommendation. The Department Head in consultation with the appointment committee will determine which term faculty may be affected. The Department Head will notify affected term faculty.

7.1.4.  The Department will operate as a committee of the whole in the selection or evaluation of the Department Head. In a search for a Department Head the Department may select a subcommittee for the initial screening of applicants. Acceptable candidates for Department Head must receive a 2/3 majority vote of tenured, tenure-track and continuing contract faculty members. Faculty with a conflict of interest shall recuse themselves from the vote.  The voting faculty will then rank all acceptable candidates.

7.2  Appointment. When the majority of the full-time tenured, tenure-track and continuing contract faculty members of the Department agree, by a vote during a Department meeting, that an additional full-time position or part-time faculty appointment is necessary, the Department will make a recommendation to the Department Head that a staffing request be initiated. This recommendation will include qualifications and area of expertise.

7.2.1.  When a position has been approved by the Dean, the Department Head shall appoint a Personnel Committee (sec. 7.1.3). The Department shall develop a list of criteria for the ranking of candidates for the position consistent with the Dean's criteria. The Department Head shall advertise the vacancy and collect applications. As applications are completed they shall be submitted to the Personnel Committee. The Committee shall rank these according to the agreed upon criteria. Normally, the three highest priority applicants shall be invited to the Marquette Campus for the purpose of being interviewed.

7.2.1.1.  Part-time lab instructors. When a part-time faculty appointment is needed to teach laboratory sections the Department Head should circulate the CV and/or transcripts of potential candidates. In order to be recommended to the Department Head the candidate must receive approval by a majority of the Department and by the instructor with overall responsibility for the course. The vote may be by e-mail. If a part time instructor for a laboratory course receives favorable student ratings and a favorable recommendation from the faculty member with overall responsibility for the course, then the Department may, by majority vote, place the person on a list of approved instructors for that course. This list will serve as a continuing recommendation to the Department Head. Any person may be removed from this list by a majority vote of the Department.

7.2.1.2.  Part-time Lecture or Discussion Instructors. When a part-time faculty appointment is needed for lecture or discussion sections a personnel committee should be formed to review the qualifications of the candidates and make a recommendation to the Department Head.

7.3  Evaluation. Each full-time faculty member shall be evaluated in accordance with the Master Agreement. The faculty member being evaluated must submit materials that are supportive of current professional activities and a written self- assessment of these activities.

7.3.1.  Student ratings which are cited in support of the annual evaluation shall employ a departmentally approved form. Student ratings constitute an important source of evidence of teaching ability and rapport, and a summary should normally be submitted as evidence in support of teaching effectiveness.

7.3.2.  One or more of the following options may be used by a faculty member for colleague evaluation.

a.)  A letter of evaluation written by a colleague regarding the faculty member’s teaching effectiveness.

b.)  A report of classroom visitations, prepared by a colleague.

c.)  A teaching portfolio assembled by the faculty member could be submitted to a colleague who would use it to prepare a report on the faculty member’s teaching effectiveness.

d.)  Any additional form approved by the evaluation committee.

7.3.3.  Evaluations shall show evidence of the quality of the faculty member’s performance in three areas; assigned professional responsibilities, scholarship and/or professional development, and professional service to the student body, the university and the community. Section 7.4 shows examples of common types of contributions to the three judgmental areas. The faculty member shall indicate in their annual evaluation any points earned during the evaluation period toward future promotion, tenure, and/or continuing contract status as well as a cumulative total of all such points (see Section 7.4.2.2.).

7.4  Promotion and Tenure/Continuing Contract Status.

7.4.1.  Judgmental Criteria.

7.4.1.1.  Teaching and assigned duties. The criteria include professional responsibilities in teaching, academic advising, and other assigned responsibilities such as instrument maintenance as assigned by the Department Head or stipulated in the letter of appointment.

7.4.1.2.  Scholarship and/or Professional Development

Scholarship involves one or more of the four (4) forms of scholarship: the scholarship of discovery; the scholarship of integration; the scholarship of application; the scholarship of teaching.

a.)  The scholarship of discovery involves original production or testing of a theory, principle, or knowledge. Examples include a traditional experiment, quantitative and/or qualitative study, or research proposal.

b.)  The scholarship of integration involves using knowledge found within and across disciplines to create an original understanding or insight that reveals larger intellectual patterns.  Examples include a textbook or review article.

c.)  The scholarship of application involves bringing knowledge to bear in addressing a significant issue or problem by using existing research or creative activities to influence current or future conditions. Examples include providing expert testimony, consulting, or a professional presentation such as a workshop.

d.)  The scholarship of teaching involves proposing and empirically testing a pedagogical procedure that transforms or improves teaching practices. Examples include a systematic comparison of learning environments, or a comprehensive assessment of teaching methodologies.

Any of the activities listed in section 7.4.2.2 B, categories I and II, would qualify as one of the forms of scholarship

Professional development includes activities intended to maintain currency in one's discipline or developing new professionally related expertise. Examples of professional development are: attending professional conferences or workshops, obtaining additional training related to one's field, or other appropriate professional activities confirmed by the departmental evaluation committee.

7.4.1.3.  Peer Review. Common types of peer review in Chemistry include, but are not limited to any of the Items listed in section 7.4.2.2, categories I and II.

7.4.1.4.  Service. Activities in this area include service on Department, College and University wide committees, service to the student body, service to professional organizations and professionally related community service.

7.4.2.  Levels of Achievement for Promotion.

7.4.2.1.  Promotion to Assistant Professor. Promotion to this rank requires the doctoral degree in Chemistry or Biochemistry. In the area of Assigned Professional Responsibilities, duties must include some lecture courses and there must be evidence of favorable student ratings and colleague evaluations and effective classroom technique. The candidate must show satisfactory participation in advising activities.  In the area of Service at least 10 points must have been earned in categories IV - VI (section 7.4.2.2 C). In the area of Scholarship and/or Professional Development the candidate must submit a plan for future research.

7.4.2.2.  Promotion to Associate Professor.

A.)  In the Area of Assigned Professional Responsibilities there must be evidence of favorable student ratings and colleague evaluations and evidence of effective course design and appropriate content as indicated by syllabi, assignments and tests. The faculty member should demonstrate reflection in their teaching which includes utilization of student and colleague feedback.

B.)  In the area of Scholarship and/or Professional Development the level of achievement will depend on the relative emphasis of the faculty member. When emphasis is placed on Scholarship and/or Professional Development, the faculty member must achieve 30 points from the categories I-III with a minimum of 10 points from categories I and/or II. When emphasis is placed on service, the faculty member must achieve a minimum of 20 points from any of the categories I-III with at least 1 point from category I or II.

Category I

Category II

Category III

Others as recommended by the evaluation committee and approved by 2/3 vote of the Department.

*If the faculty member is a Co-PI on a grant, then their contribution to the writing of the proposal must be documented. Points will be awarded accordingly.

C.)  In the area of Service the level of achievement will depend on the relative emphasis of the faculty member. When emphasis is placed on Service, the faculty member must achieve 30 points from categories IV - VI with a minimumof 10 points from categories IV and V. When emphasis is placed on Scholarship and/or Professional Development, the faculty member must achieve a minimum of 20points from categoriesIV - VI. Service as chair or member of a committee or similar activities are awarded the appropriate point(s) for each year of service.

Category IV

Category V

Category VI

Others as recommended by the evaluation committee and approved by a 2/3 vote of the Department.

When determining points earned for scholarship/professional development and for service, no activity may have points counted in more than one place. For instance the review of a grant proposal could count as service or as professional development, but the same review cannot be counted in both places. If two reviews were done, the faculty member could count one as service and one as professional development or both in the same category. As another example, if a faculty member submits a grant proposal that was funded, then that proposal should be counted as a funded proposal but not again as a submitted proposal.

7.4.2.3        Promotion to Professor

A.)  In the Area of Assigned Professional Responsibilities there must be evidence of favorable student ratings and colleague evaluations and evidence of effective planning as indicated by syllabi, assignments and tests. The faculty member should demonstrate reflection in their teaching, which includes utilization of student and colleague feedback.

B.)  In the area of Scholarship and/or Professional Development the level of achievement will depend on the relative emphasis of the faculty member. When emphasis is placed on Scholarship and/or Professional Development, the faculty member must achieve 30 points from the categories I - III (section 7.4.2.2) with a minimum of 10 points from categories I and/or II with at least one accomplishment from Category I. When emphasis is placed on service, the faculty member must achieve a minimum of 20 points from any of the categories I- III with at least 1 point from category I or II.

C.)  In the area of Service the level of achievement will depend on the relative emphasis of the faculty member. When emphasis is placed on Service, the faculty member must achieve 30 points from categories IV-VI (section 7.4.2.2) with a minimum of 10 points from category IV. When emphasis is placed on Scholarship and/or Professional Development, the faculty member must achieve a minimum of 20 points from categories IV - VI.

7.4.3         Levels of Achievement for Continuing Contract Status and Tenure

7.4.3.1      Continuing Contract Status.

A.)  In the Area of Assigned Professional Responsibilities there must be evidence of favorable student ratings and colleague evaluations.  There should be evidence of effective course design when appropriate, depending on the duties assigned by the Department Head.  The faculty member should demonstrate reflection in their teaching, which includes utilization of student and colleague feedback.

B.)  Service and Scholarship/Professional Development.  The faculty member must achieve at least 10 points from any of the categories I-VI (section 7.4.2.2). At least 6 of the points should come from categories V and VI.  All points may come from categories V or VI, as only departmental service is required of faculty on a term appointment. Other activities, such as University service or professional development (categories I-IV) may be counted toward continuing contract status but are not required.

7.4.3.2      Tenure.  The criteria for tenure are the same as those for promotion to associate professor (section 7.4.2.2).  

Article VIII     Committees

The Chemistry Department shall have the committees listed below. Unless specified otherwise, all committee members will be elected at  the beginning of the fall semester for a term of one academic year.

8.1  Curriculum. This committee shall make recommendations concerning any changes in the curriculum.  Its recommendations are subject to approval by the Department before further action and/or implementation. This committee will also evaluate CUP proposals, requests for course equivalencies and will consider written requests by students for waivers of requirements/course substitutions.

8.2  Scholarly and Educational Resources. This committee will maintain a list of current instrumentation and equipment in the Department which is used for teaching and scholarship. They will also update a list of requested new and replacement equipment and present it to the Department for approval. This committee will serve as the liaison to the library for the review of chemistry holdings. This committee will prepare the “scholarly resources assessment” (SRA), which assesses the resources (personnel, equipment, space, support staff, etc.) required to effectively perform the type of scholarly activity expected in the Department of Chemistry.

8.3  Safety. This committee is responsible for fostering safe conditions in all departmental laboratories. It provides periodic safety checks for the labs, makes recommendations for safety procedures and the purchase of safety equipment, and evaluates departmental compliance with federal, state, and city safety requirements. The stockroom manager will be an ex officio member of this committee.

8.4  Outcomes Assessment. This committee will be responsible for reviewing the previous year’s assessment report and the outcomes assessment plan, and for making recommendations to the Department on possible revisions to the plan.  The committee will collect data and present it to the Department Head for inclusion in the annual report.

Article IX        Amendments and Revisions to the Bylaws.

A proposed change in the bylaws may be made via a written ballot approved by two- thirds of the members of the Department. A final vote on any change must be made not later than three weeks following the date when the final written proposal of the change is distributed to all Department members. Absentee ballots will be allowed. A proposed change in the bylaws requires not only departmental approval but also approval by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

SUBMITTAL FORM FOR APPROVAL OF DEPARTMENTAL BYLAWS

This form serves as the tracking document for the review of bylaw amendments. It must always note action taken by the department, the Bylaw Review Committee or Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at each appropriate step of the process. It should also note if "no action is taken" (by the department, for example, were it to choose not to take action on a further change suggested by the Bylaw Review Committee.

Department of Chemistry               December 12, 2022

(Department submitting proposal) (Date approved by department)
 

This proposal

◽ includes changes in specifications of standards for tenure and/or promotion

x does not include changes in specifications of standards for tenure and/or promotion

Names of peer institutions:
UW Stevens Point, University of North Alabama, Lake Superior State University, Saginaw Valley State University

Department Contact Faculty Member: Don Marquardt  (name underlined)

Members of Bylaw Review Committee:

1. Representative of Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs: Leslie Warren 

2. AAUP Contract Officer or delegate: Gabe Logan 

 3. Representative of the appropriate CAC: Hsin-Ling Hsieh

4. Department representative: Don Marquardt 

Date Reviewing Body Description of Action Taken

Approval:

Bylaw Review Committee: Gabe Logan           Date: 2.20.23             

Provost & VPAA:  Dale Kapla                           Date: 2-21-23