(Adopted by Faculty Conference, 12-9-74 and revised 4-21-75; Amended 11-15-77, 3-21-78, 11-14-78, 8-22-80, 12-08-87, 4-20-88, 8-21-91, 2-28- 92, 9-27-96, 4-25-97, 2-13-98)

Article I - Name

The name of this organization shall be the Faculty Conference of Winthrop University.

Article II - Responsibilities

     Section 1 The Faculty Conference of Winthrop University shall be responsible for: (1) its own organization and procedure as provided in these Bylaws; (2) the Winthrop University academic programs, policies and regulations; and (3) such additional matters as shall be referred to it by the Chief Administrative Officer of the University.

     Section 2 The Faculty Conference shall create and instruct assemblies, councils, and committees, standing and select, and shall periodically review the major decisions of its subordinate bodies.

     Section 3 The Faculty Conference shall be the principal legislative body of the faculty. All actions of the Faculty Conference shall be subject to review by the President of the University. Any disapprovals shall be communicated to the faculty, with reasons therefor, within thirty days. By a two-thirds vote, the Faculty Conference may appeal the disapproval to the Board of Trustees.

Article III - Membership

Membership in the Faculty Conference is extended to every person who holds rank as instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor at Winthrop University, with the following exceptions: lecturers, adjunct faculty and visiting faculty are not members of Faculty Conference. If the eligibility of a person for membership is questioned, the Faculty Conference shall be the judge of the qualifications of that person for membership. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88, 4-25-97.)

Article IV - Officers

     Section 1 The Chair of the Faculty Conference shall be elected biennially by the Faculty Conference, shall be a full-time tenured faculty member, shall be the official representative of the faculty to the Board of Trustees, and shall represent the faculty on ceremonial occasions. Administrative officers and department chairs shall be ineligible to serve as chair. A vacancy in the office shall be filled by election of the Faculty Conference for the unexpired term. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88, 8-21-91.)

     Section 2 The Vice Chair of the Faculty Conference shall be the presiding officer of the Faculty Conference when the Chair is absent or chooses not to preside. The Chair of the Academic Council shall be the Vice Chair of the Faculty Conference. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88.)

     Section 3 The secretary of the Faculty Conference shall be appointed by the Chair of the Faculty Conference. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88.)

     Section 4 The parliamentarian of the faculty shall be appointed by the Chair of the Faculty Conference. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88.)

Article V - Meetings

     Section 1 The Faculty Conference shall prescribe for itself a suitable schedule of regular meetings. At least one meeting shall be held each semester and special meetings shall be held at the call of the President of the University, the Chair of the Faculty Conference, the Rules Committee, or ten percent of the members of the Faculty Conference.

     Section 2 A quorum shall consist of 35 percent of the membership of the Faculty Conference.

     Section 3 All meetings of the Faculty Conference shall be open. However, persons who are not members of the Faculty Conference must gain approval of the Rules Committee prior to any participation in the deliberations of the conference. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 8-22-80.)

Article VI - Academic Council

     Section 1 The Academic Council shall be responsible to the Faculty Conference for appropriate reports and recommendations concerning general education requirements, academic programs, policies, and regulations exclusive of those peculiar to the graduate program.

     The Academic Council shall have authority to act on behalf of the Faculty Conference on recommendations from a college to add, modify, or drop courses, or to change, initiate, or delete curricular requirements or programs peculiar to that college consistent with powers, duties, and responsibilities delegated to the Committee on Undergraduate Instruction. Such actions shall be communicated promptly to the faculty and shall become actions of the faculty unless called into review by the next meeting of the Faculty Conference and subsequently modified or revised. This shall not be construed to limit the right of the faculty to review and act on academic policies at any time. Meetings of the Academic Council and its subordinate committees shall be announced to the faculty in advance, and shall be open to all members of the Faculty Conference. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88.)

     Section 2 The Chair of the Academic Council shall be elected by the voting members of the Academic Council, from the voting members of the Academic Council, and shall have served on the Academic Council at least one year. The registrar shall serve as secretary, without vote. (Amended by Faculty Conference 2-28-92)

     The President of the University, upon the recommendation of the Chief Academic Officer, shall appoint three voting members of the Academic Council each from a different major academic division of the University. The Faculty Conference shall elect three voting members at large. Each major academic division of the University shall elect members according to the following formula: one member for the first 25 full-time-equivalent faculty members or fraction thereof in that division and one additional member for each additional 50 full-time-equivalent faculty members or fraction thereof. Administrative officers shall be ineligible to serve on the Academic Council, either by election or appointment, except as secretary. Department chairs are eligible to serve on Academic Council. (Amended 2-13-98) The term of the chair shall be one year and of the voting faculty members three years. The student body shall elect one voting member who shall serve a one-year term. The terms of the voting members of the Academic Council shall be staggered as determined by regulations adopted by the Faculty Conference. If a member ceases to serve, his/her successor shall be appointed or elected for the unexpired term only. A voting member may not serve in succession more than two complete consecutive terms. No person shall be eligible to serve as a voting member unless he/she has served two years as a student at Winthrop University or two years as a faculty member at Winthrop University immediately preceding his/her service. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88.)

     Section 3 Recommendations from any college which are in the area of responsibility of the Academic Council but are limited to adding, modifying, and dropping courses offered in that college and curricular requirements peculiar to that college shall be submitted to the Committee on Undergraduate Instruction, a subcommittee of the Academic Council. This committee shall review each such recommendation to determine whether it is consistent with University-wide policy and whether it infringes the legitimate interests of any other major academic division. If all members of the committee agree that such recommendation is consistent with University-wide policy and does not infringe the legitimate interests of any other major academic division, the committee shall approve the recommendation. Such approval shall be communicated promptly to the Academic Council and may be modified or reversed by the Academic Council or by the Faculty Conference. In all other cases, the committee shall place the recommendation in the agenda of the Academic Council. At the beginning of each academic year the faculty assembly of each college shall designate one member of the Academic Council to serve on the committee. The Chair of the Academic Council shall designate one member of the committee to serve as its chair. If a member cannot attend a meeting, an alternate with vote designated by the faculty assembly of the appropriate college may attend in his/her place. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 11-14-78, 12-08-87.)

     Section 4 Proposals which are in the area of responsibility of the Academic Council but pertain to the general education distribution requirements of the University shall be submitted to the General Education Committee. This committee reviews and recommends courses for inclusion in the general education program. It monitors content for relevance to the established general education program goals. It monitors assessment of the general education program goals. Members shall be appointed by the President of the University, upon the recommendation of the Chief Academic Officer, for three-year terms which shall be staggered according to Faculty Conference regulations. Membership shall consist of three faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences and one faculty member from each of the other four major academic divisions. Three faculty members, including the chair, shall be concurrently* serving on Academic Council. At least half of the committee members shall be tenured faculty. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88.)

*Note:  the term concurrently was intended to mean at the time of appointment.
            (Amended by Faculty Conference, 9-27-96.)

     Section 6 The Academic Council may meet in joint session with the Graduate Council, a constituent council of the graduate faculty, to discuss matters of mutual concern when called to do so by the chairs of the two councils. When such joint meeting takes place, the Chair of the Academic Council shall preside. The two councils may establish joint committees and councils to pursue matters of mutual concern and may establish rules for joint activities, except that if voting takes place it shall be done separately by council.

Article VII - Committees

     Section 1 Membership on standing committees shall be for staggered three-year terms as determined by regulations established by the Faculty Conference, and vacancies shall be filled by election for the remainder of the unexpired term. (Amended by Faculty Conference 4-25-97).

     Section 2 The Rules Committee shall be responsible for establishing a suitable schedule of regular meetings of the Faculty Conference, for calling special meetings of the Faculty Conference when it deems such meetings appropriate, for recommending the agenda for each regular or special meeting of the Faculty Conference, for inviting guests to meetings of the Faculty Conference, for recommending to the Faculty Conference special rules of order and appropriate changes in the Bylaws of the Faculty Conference, and for reviewing bylaws and amendments to bylaws of constituent assemblies to determine whether they are consistent with these bylaws. The committee shall consist of six members elected by the Faculty Conference. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 11-15-77.)

     Section 3 The Committee on Faculty Personnel shall be responsible for recommendations to the Faculty Conference concerning membership beyond those members indicated in article III in the Faculty Conference; for recommendations regarding procedures and conditions of elections, the staggering of terms of office on appropriate committees and councils and for nominating at least two qualified persons for each office subject to election by the Faculty Conference, except as elsewhere provided; for advice to the President and the Chief Academic Officer concerning promotions in academic rank and the granting of tenure; and for performing the duties of a faculty grievance committee except in the granting of tenure. The committee shall consist of three members elected at large by the Faculty Conference and one member elected by the faculty assembly of each major academic division. While serving on the University Faculty Personnel Committee, a faculty member shall not be eligible for consideration for tenure or promotion. Administrative officers and department chairs shall be ineligible to serve on the University Faculty Personnel Committee. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 8-22-80, 12-08-87, 4-20-88, 2-28-92.)

     Section 4 The Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure shall be responsible for recommendations to the Faculty Conference with respect to policies on academic freedom and tenure and shall serve as a grievance committee in cases involving the granting of tenure. The committee shall serve as a hearing committee for cases arising under the procedures and policy on academic freedom and tenure, and, in accordance therewith, shall report its findings thereon to the President and to the said faculty member. The President shall then re-evaluate the case in light of the committee's findings and make the decision. If the President decides adversely to the faculty member, the said faculty member may appeal such decision to the Board of Trustees. According to Board of Trustee Resolution (11-15-96), in matters of faculty promotion and tenure, while the Winthrop Board of Trustees may choose to receive an appeal on the basis of improper procedure, the Board affirms that substantive judgments reside and end with the President of the University. The Committee also hears appeals in cases of post-tenure review.

     The committee shall consist of nine members elected by the Faculty Conference. Eligibility shall be limited to faculty members with tenure. Administrative officers and department chairs shall be ineligible to serve on the Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88.)

     Section 5 The Committee on Petitions shall be responsible for acting on petitions from individual undergraduate students for variations in the general education requirements and other University-wide academic regulations. The committee shall consist of one member elected by the faculty assembly of each major academic division. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 3-21-78.) Each major academic division may establish its own petitions committee to act on student petitions for variations in departmental and college degree program requirements. (Amended by Faculty Conference 8-21-91).

     Section 6 The Committee on Faculty Concerns shall be responsible for recommending constructive policies and suitable action relating to the concerns of the members of the faculty. It shall meet with the President at least once per semester during each year to engage in exchange about matters of interest to the faculty and to the administration. Examples of concerns would include, but are not limited to, the general University budget, faculty fringe benefits, physical facilities, professional conduct, and faculty responsibilities and privileges. It shall be the responsibility of the Chair of the Committee on Faculty Concerns to mutually arrange with the President of the University the dates and the times of these meetings.

     The membership of this committee shall be determined as follows. The President of the University shall appoint three voting members, each from a different major academic division. The Faculty Conference shall elect three voting members at large. Each major academic division of the University shall elect members according to the following formula: one member for the first 25 full-time-equivalent faculty members or fraction thereof in that division and one additional member for each additional 50 full-time-equivalent faculty members or fraction thereof. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88.)

     The committee shall consist of nine members: two faculty representatives from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, one each from the Colleges of Business Administration, Education, and Visual and Performing Arts and the Library; two student representatives; and the Dean of Library Services (ex-officio). Faculty representatives shall be elected from their respective colleges for three-year terms which shall be staggered according to Faculty Conference regulations and student representatives shall be selected by the President of the Student Government Association. The chair shall be elected by the committee and serve as chair for one year. The committee shall meet at least once each regular semester and shall report annually to the Faculty Conference at the first meeting of the spring semester. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 4-20-88, 8-21-91, 9-27-96.)

     The election shall be conducted by the Rules Committee, with the Personnel Committee acting as a nominating committee. At least two special persons shall be nominated for each vacant position. Not more than one special nontenured member shall be elected from any major academic division. For the purpose of defining eligibility to be elected as a special nontenured member, nontenured shall mean members of the Faculty Conference who have received neither notice of appointment with tenure nor notice that they will not receive tenure. Elections of special nontenured members shall be for three-year terms, subject to the provisions of the next paragraph of this section. Such elections shall be held in the fall between the start of classes and September 15. When any special nontenured member shall receive notice of appointment with tenure or notice that he/she or she will not receive tenure, that person's membership on the Financial Exigency Committee will end with the election of a replacement in the fall following such notice. Replacements will be elected for three-year terms. If a special nontenured member is elected to the Academic Council, he or she is no longer a special nontenured member of the committee and thus is not subject to the provisions of the above.

     The Vice Chair of the Faculty Conference shall convene the committee for the purpose of electing a chair of the committee when, for any reason, the committee has no elected chair. Ordinarily the committee will elect a chair at a called meeting as soon after September 15 as practicable. The chair shall serve until his or her successor is elected the following fall. The Vice Chair of the Faculty Conference shall be eligible for election as chair.

     The committee shall keep itself informed as to the financial position of the University by consulting at least once each semester with the President or designated agent and by other appropriate means. In addition, it shall keep itself informed on financial exigency developments in the academic world generally. If the committee deems that a financial exigency exists or is imminent, it shall communicate this opinion to the administration and to the faculty promptly. At least once each academic year, the committee shall report directly to the Faculty Conference in assembly on matters relating to financial exigency. (Amended by Faculty Conference 4-25-97).

     See also Appendix II: Termination Procedures, Termination Due To Financial Exigency.

     Section 9 The Admissions Advisory Committee shall be responsible to the Faculty Conference for appropriate reports and policy recommendations concerning the recruitment and admission of students. Because recruitment and admissions require long-range planning and are vitally connected to the University’s fiscal condition, the committee shall be responsible for remaining informed about the University’s strategic recruitment and admissions plan through consultation with appropriate administrators and staff. The committee shall report to the Faculty Conference at least once each semester.

     Membership of the committee shall consist of five tenured or tenure-track faculty members - one member elected by the faculty assembly of each major academic division. The Dean of Enrollment Management shall serve as a nonvoting, ex-officio member. The chair of the committee shall be a voting member and elected by the committee’s voting members. The chair shall serve a one-year term. The voting members shall serve three-year terms which shall be staggered as determined by Faculty Conference regulations.

     Section 10 The Committee on Budget Priorities shall be responsible for presenting to the Faculty Conference an annual report on the University’s short-and long-term budget priorities and proposing to the Faculty Conference resolutions on budget priorities for transmittal to the President. The committee shall present its report at the last regularly scheduled fall semester meeting of the Faculty Conference. The report shall include an analysis of the priorities reflected in the expenditures on academic and all other University activities in the most recently ended fiscal year and an assessment of revenue and expenditure patterns over the preceding several years. In addition, the committee shall be responsible for remaining informed of the coming fiscal year’s budget deliberations through inviting reports from administrators and staff as deemed appropriate. The committee shall request that during the spring semester the President provide the committee with a report which addresses the budget recommendations of the faculty as they are reflected in the coming fiscal year’s budget proposal. The committee shall report on this budget at the last regularly scheduled spring semester meeting of the Faculty Conference and make any recommendations deemed necessary for additional faculty resolutions on budget priorities. During the fiscal year, the committee shall make additional reports to the faculty as deemed necessary.

     Membership of the committee shall consist of six tenured faculty members: one elected at large by the Faculty Conference and one member elected by the faculty assembly of each major academic division – and one nonvoting member from the administration who may be appointed by the President. The chair of the committee shall be a voting member, shall be elected by the committee’s voting members, shall serve a one-year term, and shall attend the Board of Trustees’ Finance Committee meetings. The terms of the voting members shall be for three years and staggered as determined by Faculty Conference regulations.

     Section 11 The Faculty Conference shall establish and regulate such additional committees as it deems appropriate.

     Section 12 Each committee of the Faculty Conference, standing or select, unless otherwise provided, shall elect its own chair and secretary; shall meet at the call of the chair or any three members; and shall report on its activities at least once each academic year to the Faculty Conference as scheduled by the Rules Committee. All committee actions may be modified or reversed by the Faculty Conference. All committee meetings shall be open to all members of the Faculty Conference unless the committee specifically votes to meet in executive session. From time to time the Faculty Conference, in consultation with the student government, shall determine rules concerning student representation on committees of the Faculty Conference. (Amended by Faculty Conference 4-25-97).

Article VIII - Constituent Assemblies

     Section 1 The members of the Faculty Conference who have graduate faculty status shall be eligible for membership in a graduate faculty assembly. The Graduate Faculty Assembly shall be responsible for the graduate programs offered by Winthrop University. It shall adopt bylaws for its own governance, which shall be subordinate to and consistent with these bylaws.

     Section 2 Each member of the Faculty Conference who holds appointment to a major academic division of the University shall be a member of the faculty assembly in that division. Each such faculty assembly shall be responsible for the academic program of its division, within limitations prescribed by the Faculty Conference. Each assembly shall adopt bylaws for its own governance which shall be subordinate to and consistent with the Bylaws of the Faculty Conference. The following are recognized as major academic divisions of the University: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the College of Education, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Winthrop University Library. (Amended by Faculty Conference, 11-15-77, 12-08-87, 4-20-88.)

Article IX - Parliamentary Authority

These Bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the Faculty Conference by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment has been placed on the agenda by vote of the Faculty Conference at the previous meeting.

Article XI - Ratification

     Section 1 These bylaws shall be operative beginning August 15, 1975, provided that they are first passed by the Faculty Conference, confirmed by the President, and ratified by the Board of Trustees of Winthrop University.

     Section 2 All programs, policies, and regulations enacted under earlier bylaws shall be valid and operative until changed.

The Graduate Faculty Assembly Bylaws
     (Ratified by Faculty Conference 4-21-75 and 9-27-77; amended 4-12-77, 4-5-79, 4-9-81, 4-20-88, 2-28-92, 2-13-98.)

Article I - Name

The name of this organization shall be the Graduate Faculty Assembly of Winthrop University, hereafter referred to in this document as "Assembly."

Article II - Responsibilities

     Section 1 The Assembly shall be responsible for: (1) its own organization and procedures as provided in these bylaws; (2) the Winthrop University graduate academic programs, policies, and regulations, within limitations prescribed by the Faculty Conference of Winthrop University; and (3) such additional matters as shall be referred to it by the Faculty Conference of Winthrop University or by the appropriate administrative officers of Winthrop University.*

* President; Chief Academic Officer

      Section 2 The Assembly shall create and instruct subordinate councils and committees, standing and select, and shall periodically review the major decisions of its subordinate bodies.

Upon recommendation of the Graduate Council, the Assembly shall establish from time to time the generally recognized criteria for membership in graduate faculties. The academic deans shall nominate for membership in the Assembly those persons who qualify under those criteria and the Chief Academic Officer (of the University) shall be responsible for reviewing appointments for conformity with the established criteria. If the eligibility of a person for membership is questioned, the Assembly shall be the judge of the qualifications of that person for membership. Performance of limited graduate duties on a temporary basis does not in itself constitute eligibility for membership in the Assembly. (Amended 4-09-81.)

Article IV - Officers

     Section 1 The chair of the Assembly shall be elected biennially by the Assembly from among its own membership. A vacancy in the office shall be filled by election of the Assembly for the unexpired term. Deans shall be ineligible to serve as chair.

     Section 2 The Chair of the Graduate Council shall be the presiding officer of the Assembly when the chair is absent or chooses not to preside. (Amended 4-20-88.)

     Section 3 The secretary of the Assembly shall be appointed by the chair.

     Section 4 The parliamentarian of the Assembly shall be appointed by the chair.

Article V - Meetings

The Assembly shall prescribe for itself a suitable schedule of regular meetings. At least one meeting shall be held each semester, and special meetings shall be held at the call of the chair of the Assembly or of the Graduate Council or of ten percent of the members of the Assembly.

Article VI - Graduate Council

     Section 1 The Graduate Council shall be responsible to the Assembly for appropriate reports and recommendations concerning academic programs, policies, and regulations peculiar to the graduate program. It shall have the authority to act on recommendations from a college to add, modify, or drop graduate courses,* or to change graduate curricular requirements peculiar to that college. Such actions, with the exception of decisions on graduate petitions, shall be communicated promptly to the graduate faculty and may be modified or reversed by the Assembly. Meetings of the Graduate Council and its subordinate committees shall be announced to the graduate faculty members in advance and, except when considering graduate petitions, shall be open to all members of the Assembly. (Amended by Graduate Faculty Assembly, 4-12-77, 4-20-88 and ratified by Faculty Conference, 9-27-77.)

     Section 2 The Graduate Council shall be responsible for recommending to the Assembly a suitable schedule of regular meetings, for calling special meetings of the Assembly, for inviting guests to meetings of the Assembly, and for recommending to the Assembly appropriate changes in the organization and procedure of the entities established under the authority of these bylaws.

     Section 3 The Chair of the Graduate Council shall be elected by the voting members of the Graduate Council, from the voting members of the Graduate Council, and shall have served on the Council at least one year. The Chief Academic Officer shall serve as a member, without vote. A representative of the office of graduate studies shall serve as secretary, without vote. A representative selected by the Winthrop Library faculty shall serve as a member, without vote. The President of the University, upon the recommendation of the Chief Academic Officer, shall appoint three voting members of Graduate Council, each from a different major academic division of the University. Each academic division of the University to which five or more members of the Assembly are appointed shall have one voting member, elected by members of the Assembly appointed to that division. Each year the voting members of the Graduate Council shall elect from among their own members the vice chair, who shall preside when the chair is not present. Administrative officers shall not be eligible to serve on the Graduate Council. Department chairs are eligible to serve on Graduate Council. (Amended 2-13-98) The term of the chair shall be one year and the term of voting members three years. (Amended by Graduate Faculty Assembly 2-28-92, 2-13-98.)

     The terms of the voting members of the Graduate Council shall be staggered as determined by regulations adopted by the Assembly. If a member ceases to serve, his or her successor shall be appointed or elected for the unexpired term only. A voting member may not serve more than two complete terms in succession. No faculty member shall be eligible to serve as a voting member unless he/she has served two years as a graduate faculty member at Winthrop University immediately preceding his/her service, except for the chair.

     Two graduate students representing the graduate student body at Winthrop University shall be members of the Graduate Council. One of the student members shall be appointed from one college and the other appointed from another college for their terms of service. The student members shall be appointed by their respective deans for a period of one academic year and shall serve without voting privileges; if a student member should cease to serve before completing a one-year term of office, that student's dean shall appoint a replacement from the same academic unit to serve to the end of the academic year. Appointments shall start from an alphabetical listing of the Colleges (Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, and Visual and Performing Arts). Student members shall be appointed according to the alphabetical listing on a rotating basis. (Amended by Graduate Faculty Assembly 4-05-79, 4-09-81, 4-20-88.)

     Section 5 The Graduate Council may meet in joint session with the Academic Council of the Faculty Conference to discuss matters of mutual concern when called to do so by the chairs of the two councils. When such joint meetings take place, the Chair of the Academic Council shall preside. The two councils may establish joint committees and councils to pursue matters of mutual concern and may establish rules for joint activities, except that if voting takes place it shall be done separately by council.

     Section 6 The Graduate Council shall serve as a graduate petitions committee to hear petitions from graduate students. (Amended by Graduate Faculty Assembly, 4-12-77, and ratified by Faculty Conference, 9-27-77.)

Article VII - Committees

     Section 1 The Assembly shall establish and regulate any committees it deems appropriate.

     Section 2 Each committee of the Assembly, standing or select, unless otherwise provided, shall elect its own chair and secretary, shall meet at the call of the chair or any two members, and shall report at least once each academic year to the Assembly as scheduled by the Graduate Council. Any committee actions may be modified or reversed by the Assembly. All committee meetings shall be open to all members of the Assembly unless the committee specifically votes to meet in executive session. Membership on standing committees shall be for staggered three-year terms as determined by the regulations of the Assembly, and vacancies shall be filled by election for the unexpired term only.

Article VIII - Constituent Committees

The members of the Assembly who are appointed to each major academic division of the University shall be eligible for membership in a graduate faculty committee of that division. Each such committee shall be responsible for the graduate academic programs of its division within limitations prescribed by the Assembly and shall report to the Graduate Council. The following are recognized as major academic divisions of the University: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the College of Education, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Winthrop University Library. (Amended 4-09-81, 4-20-88.)

Article IX - Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the Assembly, the Graduate Council, and all committees created under the authority of these bylaws, in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the relevant bylaws or special rules of order. All continuing special rules of order established by the Assembly shall be printed in the Faculty Manual of Winthrop University.

Article X - Amendments

These bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the Assembly by a two-thirds vote of the members voting, provided that the proposed amendment has been placed on the agenda by vote of the Assembly at the previous meeting.

Article XI - Ratification

     Section 1 These bylaws shall be operative beginning August 15, 1975, provided they are first approved by the Assembly and ratified by the Faculty Conference of Winthrop University.

     Section 2 All programs, policies, and regulations enacted under earlier bylaws shall be valid and operative until changed.

Committees of the Councils

     Committee on Academic Conduct

(established by Academic Council as a committee of the Academic Council, 2-17-75, reported to faculty, 3-17-75; amended by Academic Council 11-22-91.)

     Membership: a nonvoting chair to be appointed by the Chief Academic Officer and five voting members: two faculty (elected by the faculty), two upperclass and/or graduate students (appointed by the President of the Student Government Association (SGA)), and one faculty member appointed by the chair or dean of the college in which a particular case originates. The chair will serve for one year. One faculty member will be elected for two years and one faculty member will be elected for one year. Students will be appointed for one-year terms. Each subsequent year one new faculty member will be elected for a two-year term. The appointed faculty member will serve only for the designated case. The Chief Academic Officer will have such powers to appoint representatives as necessary for the summer interim.

     Jurisdiction: the committee shall have jurisdiction in only two kinds of cases:

1. A case in which a student has accused a faculty member of violating stated
    course grading policies.

2. A case in which a student has reason to believe that an error has been made
    in computing or recording his/her grade for a particular assignment or for the
    course.

The committee will not hear cases in which a student merely feels he or she has received unfair treatment.

zero (for a particular piece of work). The recommendation will be based on a majority decision of the five voting members, and copies of the recommendation will be forwarded to the student(s), chair and academic dean. The committee will submit reports protecting the anonymity of the parties involved to Academic Council, and these reports will be forwarded, upon request, to Faculty Conference and to the student senate.

     Procedure: student and faculty member should try to resolve the problem informally. If no satisfactory solution is reached, either the student, or the faculty member, or both can call the case to the attention of the appropriate chair or to the appropriate dean. The dean will then refer the case to the Committee on Academic Conduct for hearing within ten school days. Referrals to the Committee on Academic Conduct should be made within a two-week period following the discovery of the alleged infraction and will not be accepted after that period except on majority vote of the committee. In all cases, the burden of proof will rest on the accuser.

     Records of all committee hearings and actions will be kept for no more than one year after the committee hears a particular case.

     Committee on Undergraduate Instruction

     This sub-committee of the Academic Council reviews proposed changes in the undergraduate curriculum to ensure that the changes are consistent with university policy and do not contradict interests of any academic division. At the beginning of each academic year, the faculty assembly of each college designates one member of the Academic Council to serve on this committee. The Chair of the Academic Council selects one member of the committee to serve as chair. Membership is for one year.

     Cultural Events Committee

     The Cultural Events Committee considers and approves events which will fulfill the cultural events requirement. This committee is subordinate to Academic Council and reports at least once annually to the General Education Committee. The President of the University, upon the recommendation of the Chief Academic Officer, appoints a chair and five other faculty, and the Cultural Events Coordinator serves as an ex-officio member. Membership on the committee shall be for staggered two-year terms. The President of the Student Government Association appoints two students, each for a one-year term. (Amended by Academic Council 1-31-92, and Faculty Conference 4-25-97).

     General Education Committee

     Honors Committee

     The Honors Committee recommends policies related to the implementation and evaluation of the honors program. The President of the University, upon the recommendation of the Chief Academic Officer, appoints seven faculty (one as chair) for a one-year term. The Chief Academic Officer or designee and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences serve as ex-officio members. The committee reports at least once annually to the Academic Council. (Amended by Academic Council 1-31-92, and Faculty Conference 4-25-97).

     Intensive Writing/Oral Communications Committee

     The intensive writing/oral communications committee monitors the implementation of the intensive writing and oral communication requirements, including the consideration and approval of courses which will fulfill the requirements. This committee is subordinate to the Academic Council and reports at least once annually to the General Education Committee. The President of the University, upon the recommendation of the Chief Academic Officer, appoints a chair and six other faculty to two-year terms.

     Teacher Education Committee

     The Teacher Education Committee (TEC) is an interdisciplinary committee of University and community representatives who assemble to review, analyze, and provide input on all aspects of the teacher education program at Winthrop University. (Established by the Academic and Graduate Councils, 3-10-75, reported to Faculty, 3-17-75.) (Amended by Councils, 2-26-79 and 3-5-79; reported to Faculty, 3-5-79.) (Amended by Councils, 9-22-95; reported to Faculty 2-23-96.)

     Teacher Education Committee (TEC) will have the following responsibilities for the teacher education program:

     Membership: The Teacher Education Committee shall consist of:

Five elected faculty representing five of the programs in the College of      
     Education,
Three elected faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences representing three
     different departments engaged in the Teacher Education Program
Two elected faculty from the College of Visual and Performing Arts engaged in
     the teacher education program
An elected faculty representative of the Library
An undergraduate student enrolled in and admitted to the teacher education
     program
One graduate student enrolled in a graduate degree program in teacher
     education
A representative of the Winthrop Olde English Consortium Board of Governors
A representative from either the South Carolina Education Association(SCEA)
     or the Palmetto State Teacher’s Association (PTSA)
Two representatives from the Professional Development Schools,
Dean of the College of Education,
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences,
Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts,
Chair of the Center for Pedagogy,
The Director of Student Academic Services, and
One representative from the State Parent-Teachers Association.

Faculty. Faculty representatives will be elected by their peers for three-year terms. Methods of election will be determined by their respective units.

Students. The undergraduate student representative will be appointed by the Winthrop University Student Government Association President. The College of Education will provide a list of recommended undergraduate students in teacher education.

Others. After consultation with appropriate representative bodies, the Dean of the College of Education shall appoint all off-campus representatives. Appointments will be for three-year terms.

All committee members, including the chair, will be voting members. Members will be elected or appointed on staggered terms.

The Dean of the College of Education will appoint the Chair of the Teacher Education Committee from the elected faculty representatives.

     Summer Meetings

     The date for the formal commencement of new terms for committee members and faculty officers shall be August 16 of each year. If a committee must meet during the summer and a vacancy occurs in the membership of that committee, it shall be filled by the person elected or appointed to assume that position on August 16 of that year. It shall be the responsibility of the committee to determine the person who has been elected or appointed.

     In order that committees may become organized for the new year, each newly constituted committee is requested to meet prior to the end of classes in the spring of an academic year for the purpose of electing a chair and other committee officers for the new academic year. Other matters to be transacted by the committee before August 16 would be done by a vote of only the previous year's membership, unless one or more vacancies have been filled in accordance with the preceding paragraph.

Special rules of order for Faculty Conference

     Approving Degree Candidates

     The Faculty Conference, having prescribed the criteria for determining eligibility for conferral of degrees, designates the registrar as its agent to determine which degree candidates have met those criteria and designates the committee on petitions to review and act upon appeals from the decision of the registrar submitted by either students or faculty. The tentative graduation list shall be distributed by the registrar to all colleges and departments for their information at least ten days prior to commencement.

     Reports on Board of Trustees Meetings

     The Chair of the Faculty Conference will report on the transactions of the 9-27-77 Board of Trustees at each Faculty Conference meeting and receive comments and questions from the faculty pertaining to this body.

     Notification of Intent to Discuss Passed Item

     Any faculty member who plans to bring to the floor of the faculty meeting for discussion any item passed by the Academic Council or the Committee on Undergraduate Instruction should notify the Chair of the Rules Committee of the intended action at least ten working days preceding the faculty meeting. (Amended by Faculty Conference 2-28-92)

Criteria for membership in graduate faculty assembly

1. Hold highest earned degree in discipline. In some cases, experience and high
    production may substitute for the degree.

2. Two years of full-time teaching or research experience.

3. Recommendation of the department chair, the dean of the appropriate college
    and the Graduate Council.

4. Faculty rank at Winthrop University.

5. Faculty position at Winthrop University must be tenure-track.

Requirements for faculty teaching graduate level courses