Wildcat Statue

History Department


History Department

To publish the bylaws of the History Department: approved by Interim Provost & Vice President, Dr. Paul Lang, January 30, 2012.

The Department of History

Northern Michigan University

Bylaws

 

1. MEMBERSHIP

1.1 The membership of the Department of History shall consist of the Department Head, who may be a member of the Department of History or of the Department of Philosophy, and all professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructors who have been appointed to academic rank within the Department of History. With the exception of the Head, all members of the Department must be members of the Bargaining Unit of Northern Michigan University. A member of the Department on leave retains all membership rights during his/her leave, consistent with the Master Agreement. A tenured person on limited or reduced appointment retains all membership rights.

1.2 Members of the Department serving in non-tenured or non-tenure-earning positions shall have all the rights and privileges of tenured or tenure-earning members with the exception of serving on the Executive and Policy Committee and casting votes related to position requests, faculty hiring, tenure and promotion, departmental policy, Bulletin changes, and Bylaws revision.

2. OFFICERS

2.1 DEPARTMENT HEAD

2.1.1 The Head shall serve as the chief administrative officer of the Department and shall officially represent its faculty in its relationships with others. The Head is responsible for representing the interests of the Department and its faculty to the Dean and other administrators, and for informing the Department and its faculty of the concerns and decisions of the administration.

2.1.2 In the event that the Head of the History Department is a member of the Philosophy Department, the Chair of the Committee of the Whole, as defined in Section 3.1. of these Bylaws, shall act as the History Coordinator and shall be responsible for making recommendations to the Head on matters such as scheduling of classes, faculty assignments, curriculum proposals approved by the faculty, recommendations approved by the faculty for new positions, or hiring recommendations approved by the faculty.

2.1.3 The Department’s recommendation for Head shall be arrived at by the following procedure:

2.1.3.1 The Department shall follow procedures outlined in the Master Agreement.

2.1.3.2 Relative to the process of the Department formulating its recommendations, as articulated in the Master Agreement: When a search for a new Department Head has been approved, an ad hoc committee of two members of the History Department and two members of the Philosophy Department shall be convened to serve as a Search Committee. After the Search Committee reports to the departments, using paper ballots in the History Department, a majority vote by each department shall select one or more candidates as the nominee(s) for Department Head and the name(s) shall be forwarded to the Dean.

2.1.3.2.1 If no candidate obtains a majority of each department’s vote, the Search Committee shall reconvene and the process shall repeat.

2.1.3.3 The name(s) of the person(s) recommended by the Departments of History and Philosophy shall be communicated to the Dean by the History Department Faculty Secretary.

2.2 FACULTY SECRETARY

2.2.1 There shall be a Faculty Secretary elected by the Department, whose functions shall include the recording of the minutes of departmental meetings as well as other duties specified in these Bylaws.

2.3 ACADEMIC SENATE REPRESENTATIVE

2.3.1 The Department shall elect its representative to the Academic Senate at a meeting held between April 1 to April 15 every two years. The procedure for election shall be as follows.

2.3.1.1 Nominations shall be taken from the floor. Nominees shall indicate their willingness to serve. Paper ballots shall be distributed and collected by the Faculty Secretary, who immediately shall count the votes and announce the winner. A person receiving a simple majority of the ballots shall be declared elected. The Head may not vote. Should there be no majority, the Department members present shall immediately cast a second ballot indicating a choice between the two candidates with the highest vote totals. The candidate with a simple majority of the votes on the second ballot shall be declared elected. A tie vote shall be decided by a toss of the coin by the Head of the Department.

2.3.1.4 The Faculty Secretary shall communicate the name of the representative to the Secretary of the Academic Senate.

2.4 BARGAINING COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE

2.4.1 The procedure indicated for the election of Academic Senator shall apply for the election of a representative to the A.A.U.P. Bargaining Council.

2.4.2 The faculty representative on the Bargaining Council shall be elected for the duration of the contract negotiation or for a term fixed by the Department.

2.4.3 A Department member may be Academic Senator and representative on the Bargaining Council at the same time.

2.4.4 The Faculty Secretary shall communicate the name of the representative to the Secretary of the Bargaining Unit.

3. STANDING COMMITTEES

3.1 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

3.1.1 The Committee of the Whole shall consist of all members of the History Departent except for the Department Head.

3.1.1.1 The Committee of the Whole is entitled to deliberate and advise on all faculty matters of the Department.

3.1.2 The Chair of the Committee of the Whole shall be elected by the Committee of the Whole at the first meeting of the academic year and serve for one academic year.

3.1.2.1 The Chair of the Committee of the Whole shall lead meetings of the Committee of the Whole and serve as liaison to the Department Head.

3.1.3 Upon the request of the Committee of the Whole or the Chair of the Committee, the Department Head may attend meetings of the Committee as an ex officio member.

3.1.4 All other committees in Section 3 of these Bylaws shall function in an advisory capacity, carrying out those functions assigned or delegated to them and making recommendations to the Department.

3.2 EXECUTIVE AND POLICY COMMITTEE

3.2.1 The committee shall consist of the Department Head, who shall have voice but not vote, and three tenured or tenure-earning members of the Department, elected annually. At the first Department meeting of the academic year, the members shall be elected by the Department, excluding the Department Head. If more than three members are nominated, the Faculty Secretary shall distribute a paper ballot, Department members shall vote for three candidates, and the three candidates with the highest vote totals shall be elected.

3.2.2 The functions of the committee shall be to deliberate such matters as may be referred to it by the Head and the Department, including personnel evaluations and applications for tenure and promotion, and to make recommendations in such matters to the Department.

3.2.3 The committee will meet as often as necessary to fulfill its functions.

3.2.4 In the absence of the Head, the ranking member of the Committee shall serve as the presiding officer of the committee.

3.2.5 All recommendations of the committee are subject to departmental approval.

3.3 CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

3.3.1 The Curriculum Committee shall be composed of three members elected annually by the Department in August-September. They will take office upon election.

3.3.2 The committee is responsible for electing its own presiding officers, one of whom shall facilitate the recommendation of course schedules to the Department Head.

3.3.3 The functions of the Curriculum Committee are as follows.

3.3.3.1 To review the departmental curricula periodically and to assist departmental members making course proposals.

3.3.3.2 To make recommendations regarding curricula for the Department’s consideration.

3.3.3.3 To recommend requirements and academic standards regarding the undergraduate program.

3.3.3.4 To monitor departmental course schedules and forward recommendations to the Department Head. Recommendations shall consider that all members of the Department are expected to teach methods courses appropriate to their training and expertise (for example, HS 350, HS 390, or HS 490) in accordance with departmental needs.

3.3.3.5 To evaluate and make recommendations based on current written departmental policy regarding enrollment maximums.

3.3.3.6 To make recommendations on program priorities to the Department.

3.3.4 All recommendations of the committee are subject to departmental approval.

3.4 COMMITTEE ON MAJORS

3.4.1 The committee shall be composed of up to three members elected annually by the Department at the first Department meeting of the academic year. They shall take office upon election. One member shall be the advisor to Phi Alpha Theta.

3.4.2 The functions of the Committee on Majors are as follows:

3.4.2.1 To identify and assist outstanding undergraduate majors of high academic achievement.

3.4.2.2 To make recommendations regarding departmental scholarships and awards.

3.4.2.3 To develop academic advisement policy and procedures for the Department.

3.4.3 All recommendations of the committee are subject to departmental approval.

3.5 TRIENNIAL COMMITTEE

3.5.1 Pursuant to the Master Agreement, the Department shall form a Triennial Committee, which will follow the procedures in the Master Agreement for the evaluation of the Department Head. The committee shall submit a draft of its report for departmental emendation or approval by a simple majority.

3.6 FACULTY SEARCH COMMITTEE

3.6.1 A Faculty Search Committee shall be constituted when a search has been authorized according to procedures in the Master Agreement.

3.6.2 The Committee shall have three members, at least two of which must be from the History Department. The Chair of the committee shall be selected by the committee membership and must be a member of the History Department.

3.6.3 The Search Committee shall be responsible for evaluating applicants for faculty positions and recommending finalists for campus interviews to the Department, in accordance with university guidelines.

3.7 OTHER COMMITTEES

3.7.1 The Department may establish other committees as needed.

4. MEETINGS

4.1 History Department faculty members shall meet at least once a month during the academic year either as a Department or as a Committee of the Whole.

4.2 The Head may call additional meetings.

4.3 Upon request of three members of the Department, the Head shall convene a meeting of the Department within five days.

4.4 A quorum consisting of at least two-thirds of the faculty members of the Department shall be required for the transaction of business.

5. FACULTY PERSONNEL POLICIES

5.1 Faculty Appointment Process

5.1.1 Upon completion of the search process for new faculty, the Department shall select, by a simple majority, from among finalists the candidate for appointment. The selection process shall be by paper ballot administered by the Faculty Secretary.

5.1.2 Non-tenure-earning faculty must have a Master’s Degree in History or a related field. Exceptions to the Master’s Degree in History require the concurrence of a simple majority of the Department. In this process the department also must identify specific courses that the candidate may teach based on that degree.

5.2 Recommendations to the Department for tenure, promotion, non-reappointment, and termination shall be by the Executive and Policy Committee, which includes the Department Head.

5.2.1 Non-tenure-earning History faculty shall be subject to a performance assessment each semester by a tenured or tenure-earning History faculty member, who shall be assigned by the Executive and Policy Committee. The assigned faculty member will write a report that assesses effectiveness. Each report will be considered by the Executive and Policy Committee, which will forward a recommendation to the Department Head about continuance or discontinuance of employment.

5.3 All recommendations for new appointments, promotions, tenure, non-reappointment, and termination must be approved by the Department in regular or special sessions. Departmental recommendations for new appointments, promotions, and tenure require a simple majority vote. Departmental recommendations for non-reappointment and termination require a two-thirds majority vote.

5.4 Departmental Timetable for Tenure and Promotion Review Process

5.4.1. All relevant materials for application for tenure and/or promotion shall be delivered by the applicant to the Department in compliance with the timetable included in the Master Agreement.

5.4.2 The Department Head shall notify the members of the Department in writing that application materials have been filed by an applicant with the Department and that those materials are available for review in the Department office.

5.4.3 The Executive and Policy Committee and the Department Head shall make their preliminary recommendations regarding the applications for tenure and/or promotion, and provide these preliminary recommendations in writing to the applicant, not later than Oct. 15 of the year of application.

5.4.4 A special session of the Department shall be called to consider the recommendations of the Executive and Policy Committee regarding tenure and/or promotion not later than Nov. 1 of the year of application. Paper ballots shall be distributed and collected by the Faculty Secretary, who immediately shall count the votes and announce the results.

5.5 The three criteria by which faculty members shall be judged are assigned responsibilities, professional development/scholarship, and professionally related service. The assigned responsibilities will be given the most weight in tenure and promotion decisions; faculty shall indicate their secondary area of emphasis as either professional development/scholarship or professionally related service, pursuant to the Master Agreement.

5.5.1 For tenure or promotion, it is not expected that all examples given below for the three judgmental areas need be demonstrated. These Bylaws indicate types of activities that can be cited as evidence for tenure or promotion to the various ranks; the faculty member is encouraged to cite others. The demonstration of effectiveness and/or significant activities is understood to be cumulative since appointment or date of successful application for promotion to the current rank.

5.6 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 

5.6.1 For Tenure

5.6.1.1 An earned doctorate from an accredited institution appropriate to the position. Exceptions may be made because of unusual scholarly and/or professional achievements for faculty expected to teach education or public history courses.

5.6.1.2 Fulfill a satisfactory probationary period of service at NMU as specified in the NMU Master Agreement and the faculty member’s Letter of Appointment.

5.7.1.3 Sustained professional performance of his/her duties as an instructor and faculty member.

5.6.2. For Promotion to Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor

5.6.2.1 An earned doctorate from an accredited institution appropriate to the position. Exceptions may be made because of unusual scholarly and/or professional achievements for faculty expected to teach education or public history courses.

5.7 JUDGMENTAL CRITERIA

5.7.1 The judgmental criteria for the granting of tenure are the same as those for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor.

5.7.2 Assigned Responsibilities

5.7.2.1 For Promotion to Assistant Professor. This must include all items ‘a’ through ‘c’ and must include from the remaining categories at least 1 item.

5.7.2.2 For Promotion to Associate Professor and Professor. This must include all items ‘a’ through ‘e’ and must include from the remaining categories:
To Associate Professor: at least 1 item.
To Professor: at least 2 items.

a. Creates a positive learning environment through student engagement in the learning process and effective use of technology in the classroom.
b. Receives student evaluations and evaluations by peers in classroom visits which evidence teaching effectiveness.
c. Works toward improvement of existing courses or field experiences by modifying course content, enhancing pedagogy, or expanding/improving opportunities for field experiences. Additional dimensions of improvement may be included if evidenced.
d. Substantially revises content and/or pedagogy of one or more courses already taught by applicant.
e. Effectively advises students, who may include alumni, about academic programs, career choices, or other advising issues, which may include writing letters of recommendation.
f. Develops one or more new course offerings. Included in this category are newly developed bulletin courses, special topics courses, and themes within a variable theme course. New course offerings may carry a prefix other than HS.
g. Incorporates new ideas/materials/methods into a course offerings after attending a nonpedagogical conference session, attending a workshop/session about pedagogy, or researching a new pedagogy.
h. Involvement in curriculum development projects at the department, university, regional or national level.
i. Supervises or enhances the professional preparation of students through activities such as classroom observations of student teachers, internships, or other field experiences.
j. Provides educational opportunities, not defined in other criteria in this area, such as student involvement in substantial research activity, which may be offered through a directed study.

5.7.3 Professional Development/Scholarship

5.7.3.1 This must include all items ‘a’ through ‘c’ and must include from the remaining categories:

If this is an area of emphasis:
To Assistant Professor: at least 2 quality achievements.
To Associate Professor: at least 4 quality achievements.
To Professor: at least 6 quality achievements.

If this is not an area of emphasis:
To Assistant Professor: at least 1 quality achievement
To Associate Professor: at least 2 quality achievements.
To Professor: at least 3 quality achievements.

a. Adopts an annual professional development agenda.
b. Attends seminars, professional meetings or other documented knowledge-acquisition activities designed to maintain currency in one’s field.
c. Gives conference presentations at professional meetings.
d. Consults in an area of one’s scholarly expertise.
e. Publishes book reviews in scholarly journals.
f. Presents scholarship through seminars or other activities to students, or to groups outside the university community.
g. Writes or publishes non-peer reviewed scholarship in paper or digital form, such as an encyclopedia entry, a liner review, instructional aid, bibliography, and historical editing. The merit of each such publication will be weighted based on length, scholarly effort to produce it, scholarly contribution, accessibility to the scholarship (based on its intended audience), and/or other appropriate qualifier(s).
h. Submits an application for a grant, fellowship or other award in support of scholarly work.
i. Is awarded a grant, fellowship, sabbatical or other award in support of scholarly work. Fulfillment of obligations under such an award adds to its merit.
j. Publishes scholarly work as a chapter of an edited volume.
k. Publishes peer-reviewed scholarship in a scholarly journal.
l. Publishes an historically edited work by a scholarly journal or press.
m. Produces scholarship not defined in other criteria in this area, the outcome of which may be a manual, monograph, case study, report or other formal written work.
n. Publishes a book-length monograph; book-length historically edited volume; or book-length scholarly anthology, in which the applicant is an editor and includes his/her scholarship in the volume.

5.7.4 Professional Service

5.7.4.1 This must include an item from both ‘a’ and ‘b.’ The additional required item(s) may come from any of the categories; very heavy involvement in one item may substitute for multiple items.

If this is an area of emphasis:
To Assistant Professor: at least 2 items.
To Associate Professor: at least 4 items.
Professor: at least 6 items.

If this is not an area of emphasis:
To Assistant Professor: at least 1 item.
To Associate Professor: at least 2 items.
Professor: at least 3 items.

a. Serves on departmental committees as well as regular service on one non-departmental standing committee of the college or university, or in the academic governance structure.
b. Contributes to the vitality of at least one standing committee or ad hoc committee, of which the applicant is a member. Such contributions may include serving as an officer or staff person or writing significant reports and proposals for those committees. If this is the area of emphasis, such contributions must be made to either a single committee for sustained period of time or to multiple committees.
c. Serves in a mentor capacity with new faculty.
d. Coordinates internships, study abroad programs, teacher preparation field experiences, or other variety of student placement experience.
e. Serves as an advisor of a student organization, student activity project and/or other service to the student body.
f. Meets with prospective students or engages in another student recruitment or orientation event for the department or university.
g. Directs or organizes a workshop, symposium, or seminar related to one’s professional interests.
h. Participates in a program with elementary or secondary schools or teachers.
i. Engages in professionally-related service to the community.
j. Provides active service to a local, regional, national, or international history or educational association.
k. Serves as an editor or reviewer for a professional organization publication or grant application or a university press.
l. Serves as an officer of a local, regional or national professional organization, or performs other noteworthy service for such an organization.

5.8 UNUSUAL SCHOLARLY AND/OR PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT

5.8.1 Early applications for tenure and/or promotion will follow procedures stipulated in the Master Agreement.

5.8.2 The Executive and Policy Committee may consult with specialists inside or outside the department to determine the contribution of any achievement defined in the criteria below and which the applicant claims as an unusual scholarly and/or professional achievement.

5.8.3 Applicants may qualify for early tenure and/or promotion by demonstrating unusual scholarly or professional achievement in any of the following criteria:

a. Publishes a scholarly press a book-length monograph; book-length historically edited volume; or book-length scholarly anthology, in which the applicant is an editor and includes his/her scholarship in the volume.
b. Publication of scholarship, the content of which alters in a substantial way scholarly understanding of an historical problem, argument, interpretation, or other issue associated with historical studies.
c. Serves as an editor for: a regionally or nationally recognized scholarly publication; a monograph series published by a reputable press; or a university press.
d. Receives a teaching award, scholarly achievement award, or professional service award from either the university or another prestigious institution or group.
e. Serves as an officer of a regional or national professional academic organization
f. Attains an unusual scholarly achievement or unusual professional service achievement not otherwise defined in these categories.

6. MISCELLANEOUS

6.1 Department Professional Development Account: Faculty members may apply for monies from the department professional development account, in accordance with the following procedures.

6.1.1 A faculty member must submit to the Executive and Policy Committee a one-page application that includes a precis of the project, how the money will be used, and a budget.

6.1.2 Faculty applications shall be reviewed by the Executive and Policy Committee and the Department Head. The review must include establishing the demonstrable availability of the common departmental professional development funds; the Department Head shall be obliged to provide an accounting of available monies to the Executive and Policy Committee.

6.1.3 The Executive and Policy Committee shall make a recommendation to the Department about the distribution of these funds.

6.1.4 The Department then shall make its recommendation to the Department Head about the distribution of these funds.

6.2. Spring Session, Summer Session, overload, and off-campus courses shall be allocated among term, continuing-contract, and Department members according to programmatic needs as determined in accordance with Master Agreement procedures.

6.2.1 When Spring Session and Summer Session courses become available to tenured or tenure-earning faculty, the Department Head shall provide the Department with a chronological list of dates each member of the Department last taught in Spring or Summer, with the most recent Session first; priority shall be assigned in reverse order of this list. This rotation does not affect the rotation under 6.2.2.

6.2.2 When overload and off-campus courses become available to tenured or tenure-earning faculty, they will be offered to faculty in reverse order of rank and service in the Department. This rotation does not affect the rotation under 6.2.1.

6.2.3 It is understood that programmatic needs take precedence over strict adherence to position in the departmental rotation. Faculty members who do not ordinarily teach certain courses in regular semester offerings on campus may not necessarily take precedence over those who do in teaching summer, on-line, overload, or off-campus courses.

6.2.4 Any faculty member may earn released time credits for extra courses (as defined in the Master Agreement). Released time credits are understood to be counted in the rotation established in 6.2.1.

6.2.5 Directed studies are not a matter of assignment but shall be guided by the Master Agreement. They adhere to program and person and are voluntary. No rotation list shall apply.

6.3 SABBATICAL LEAVE

6.3.1 Recognizing the necessity for every professor in the course of his/her professional career to have an extended period of time away from the classroom on a regular basis, the Department of History has established the following criteria for recommending support for applications for sabbatical leaves. These criteria are predicated upon the understanding that all applicants for sabbatical leaves are expected to conform to the current sabbatical leave policy of the University.

6.3.2 In general the Department of History recognizes as meritorious applications for sabbatical leave that fulfill the general requirements in the Master Agreement, which have as their primary purpose the pursuit of scholarly activities, outlined in the judgmental criteria for promotion, of such a substantial nature as to require the full-time attention of the faculty member.

6.3.3 For utilizing the categories specified on the Sabbatical Leave Application Form, sabbatical leaves (applications) shall be evaluated according to the following criteria:

6.3.3.1 The Department primarily bases its judgment on the recommendation of the Executive and Policy Committee, including the Department Head, on the extent to which the proposal meets the requirements of the Sabbatical Leave Policy contained within the Bylaws of the Department of History. In addition to the above, each proposal must qualify under provisions of the Master Agreement. An indication of approval signifies that the proposal meets the minimum criteria specified above.

6.3.3.2 Each member of the Executive and Policy Committee, including the Department Head, shall assign a score (on a scale of 1 [low] to 10 [high]) for each of the following categories. The score for all categories will be summed by the Executive and Policy Committee for each application. The applications then will be ranked according to score, with higher scores receiving a higher ranking.

a. Length of time since initial hiring or end of last sabbatical, during which the faculty has rendered professional service of high quality to the Department and the University.
b. Intellectual breath and creativity of proposal.
c. Professional qualifications of faculty member.
d. Prior publications or other indications of scholarly ability.
e. Contribution of proposal to new knowledge in the field of study (if applicable).
f. Value of proposal for faculty member’s professional development.
g. Value of proposal to the Department.
h. Value of proposal to the University.
i. Probable chances for successful achievement of proposal’s objectives.
j. Internal consistency between methodology and goals described in proposal.

6.3.4 The Department of History has instituted this procedure for encouraging and supporting applications for sabbatical leaves because it believes that, in the final analysis, the quality of the Department’s curriculum and its value for the students depends upon the excellence of its teaching faculty. The Department enthusiastically supports sabbatical leaves on a regular basis for maintaining a high level of professional competence and enthusiasm among the faculty.

7. AMENDMENTS

7.1 Proposed amendments to these bylaws shall be circulated in writing to all members of the Department at least one week prior to the meeting at which they are to be introduced and discussed.

7.2 A two-thirds majority vote of the Department shall be required or adoption of amendments, which will become effective after approval by the School of Arts and Science Advisory Council, the Dean of Arts and Science, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

8. APPEALS

8.1 Before proceeding to a formal grievance, and in accord with the Master Agreement, any Department member may appeal any decision of the Department, departmental committees, or the Head. Procedures for such an appeal are as follows:

8.1.1 The Department member making the appeal should first file his/her appeal with the Executive and Policy Committee, including the Department Head. Should this appeal be against a decision of this committee, the appeal will immediately be referred to the Department as a whole. In the event of an appeal against a decision of the Head, the appeal will immediately be referred to the Committee of the Whole The Executive and Policy Committee will report its findings to the Department and appellant in writing.

8.1.2 Departmental resolution of all appeals shall be made by the Department as a whole. In the event that the appellant does not receive satisfaction from the Department, he/she may follow the appropriate appellant machinery specified in the Master Agreement. The Department shall deliver a written statement of its position to the appellant.
 


Date Approved:1-30-2012
Last Revision:1-30-2012
Attached form file: History_Bylaws_1-26-12.pdf