Webber International University Florida and North Carolina Campuses The Role of Faculty in Academic and Governance Matters Original: 2007 Updated and revised: January12, 2016 Joint Institutional Planning Committee Precedent The role of Faculty is both defined and circumscribed by certain governing documents, the relevant sections of which are quoted below. The President shall be the chief executive officer of Webber International University and shall be responsible for the entire administration of the University, subject to the control of the Board of Trustees. (Bylaws of Webber International University, Inc. [hereinafter, ''the Corporation"], Article VI, Section 2). "The Faculty of WIU are employed to teach and engage in the instructional program of the University" (Faculty Handbook, Section 1). The administration and faculty shall determine specific requirements regarding admissions, promotion and graduation, courses of study, and such other matters as may be submitted by the president of the University to the administration and faculty. The administration and faculty, or its appropriate committee, may suspend or dismiss a student for misconduct, and the President of the University may suspend a student until the administration and faculty has taken action. No degree shall be conferred by the University without the approval of the administration and faculty. (Bylaws of Webber International University, Inc. [hereinafter, ''the Corporation"], Article VII). Dean or Vice President of Academic Affairs The major area of responsibility and authority of the Dean or Vice President of Academic Affairs is to properly maintain the instructional and faculty affairs of the University. He/she is responsible for providing coordinated leadership for the development and evaluation of curricular patterns and teaching methods; the selection, promotion, professional development, tenure, and salary of the faculty; and the development of the services of the University library. In cooperation with the Dean of Student Life he/she works with the constituent academic department to appraise the effectiveness of academic and career counseling and to devise organizational procedures to improve its effectiveness. The Dean or Vice President of Academic Affairs reports directly to the President. Executive Vice President (currently vacant) *Act on behalf of the President when he/she is absent from the University *Supervise the Director of Library Services *Supervise the Director of Adult Education 1
*Supervise Career Services *Coordinate appropriate institutional research and assessment procedures with Office of Institutional research *Other duties as assigned by the President Chief Academic Officer *Responsible for academic coordination of the Graduate School of Business, the General Education Division, and the Business Department *Presides over undergraduate curriculum committee *Presides over faculty meetings *Responsible for selection, promoting, professional development, and salaries of faculty Dean-Graduate School *Oversee curriculum development *Assess Admission Standards on a regular basis *Preside over Graduate Council *Provide academic advising for MBA students *Assess MBA teaching *Assess MBA courses *Develop MBA class schedules *Maintain compliance with all SACS standards and requests relating to the MBA program *Lead MBA faculty development, scholarship, and public service and development of appropriate assessment procedures *Administer MBA budget *Coordinate teaching assignments with Chief Academic Officer and Chair of the Business Division *Coordinate MBA institutional research with the Director of Institutional Research Chair of the Business Division Position reports to the Executive Vice President/ Chief Academic Officer. *Guide faculty in preparation of course syllabi *Oversee annual curriculum review for the department *Assist in preparing class schedules and long-term course rotation *Review new course proposals before submitting them to curriculum committee *Recruit adjunct faculty as needed *Assist in supervision of adjunct faculty *Contribute to the faculty evaluation process *Other duties as assigned by the Chief Academic Officer Chair of General Education Division *Guide faculty in preparation of course syllabi *Oversee annual curriculum review for the department *Assist in preparing class schedules and long-term course rotation *Review new course proposals before submitting them to the curriculum committee *Recruit adjunct faculty as needed 2
*Assist in supervision of adjunct faculty *Contribute to the faculty evaluation process *Other duties as assigned by the Chief Academic Officer The Faculty As a matter of policy, full time Faculty members whose primary responsibility to the University is teaching will comprise the vast majority of The Faculty. No program, major, degree, or minor will be offered without the consent of The Faculty. Except in the direst of situations, no program, major, degree, or minor will be discontinued without the consent of The Faculty. No degree requirement (as examples but not as limitations to included number of credits, residency requirements, etc.) shall be altered without the consent of The Faculty. Faculty Members Subject to the rules and regulations of the University, the laws of the land, good educational practice and common sense, Faculty members are sovereign in their classrooms and are expected and trusted to use their own best judgment in how to teach their courses. Faculty members have unlimited and unfettered access to their Department Chairs, the Chief Academic Officer, the members of each University committee, and the President of the University and are entitled and expected to use this access to bring about any change they deem necessary in the University. Faculty members are empowered and expected to be advocates for their disciplines in all matters curricular. Faculty responsibilities will be exercised through duly established committees. The various institution-wide, joint Committees, updated in 2015, are listed below: Joint Institutional Planning Committee (replaces the former Institutional Leadership Team) Membership includes the University s President & CEO, the NC branch campus president, and the senior campus officers of all key administrative areas, including: academic affairs, student affairs, business affairs, athletics, admissions, institutional advancement/development, and registrar. 3
Admissions / Fresh Start Committee (Undergraduate) This committee is charged with periodically reviewing the appropriateness of general admissions requirements, conditional admissions requirements, honors admission requirements, and Fresh Start admissions requirements. Additionally, this committee is charged with periodically reviewing the effectiveness of the Fresh Start program. This committee makes reports, as appropriate, to the Academic Deans, the Chief Academic Officer and the President & CEO. Graduate Curriculum Committee This committee is charged with reviewing all significant curriculum changes properly forwarded to it by the and approving, disapproving, or remanding back to the originator these changes. This committee makes reports, as appropriate, to the Institutional Leadership Team. International Programs Committees Coordinate program activities with the university community regarding international programs, shall be responsible for making policy recommendations regarding international programs to appropriate committees; and shall be responsible for planning and implement assessment and evaluation of all international travel/study programs. This committee focus is primarily with international travel/study programs. Retention and Recruitment Committee This committee is charged with researching retention and recruitment issues, tracking best practices, recommending appropriate changes, and reporting findings to the Institutional Leadership Committee Technology Committee The Technology Committee is charged with keeping abreast of current and future trends, evaluating technology as it relates to learning and administrative functions, and making budget circumscribed recommendations to the Institutional Leadership Team. The following is a campus specific committee because of the markedly different curricular offerings at each campus. Florida Campus This committee is charged with reviewing all significant curriculum changes properly forwarded to it by the Business or General Education Departments and approving, disapproving, or remanding back to the originator these changes. This committee makes reports, as appropriate, to The Faculty at Babson Park and the Joint Institutional Planning Committee. North Carolina Campus This committee is charged with reviewing all significant curriculum changes properly forwarded to it by the Academic Departments, Program Coordinators, and General Education, and approving, disapproving, or remanding back to the originator these 4
changes. This committee makes reports to The Faculty at Laurinburg, the Campus President, University President, and the Joint Institutional Planning Committee. Note: Other campus-specific committees may be established, from time to time, on a continuing or temporary basis, to respond most effectively to emerging issues and/or opportunities at a specific campus. The Joint Institutional Planning Committee (JIPC) will approve and coordinate any such additional committees. Resolution of the Board of Trustees of Webber International University, Inc. Ratifying the Role of Faculty in Academic and Governing Matters Whereas Webber International University (the University) regards the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as a valuable partner in the University s strive for continuous quality improvement; and Whereas the University is desirous to comply with all SACS requirements, standards, and guidelines; and Whereas SACS off-site Committee for the Reaffirmation of Accreditation found that the role of Faculty in areas of academic and governance needed to be clarified; and Whereas various University documents, including the Bylaws of Webber International University, Inc., define various roles of various individuals; Now, therefore, we resolve and proclaim the attached document entitled Reduction to Writing of the Role of Faculty in Academic and Governance Matters consistent with the Bylaws of Webber International University and within the purview of the Dean or Vice President of Academic Affairs, in consultation with the President of the University, to enact and promulgate. 5
Illustration of Academic Policies and Procedures Housekeeping (changes to course numbers, names, minor modifications to descriptions, etc.) Business Department Undergraduate Business Faculty General Education Department Undergraduate General Education Faculty Undergraduate Faculty Undergraduate Faculty Procedure followed for Housekeeping Changes, Undergraduate Housekeeping (changes to course numbers, names, minor modifications to descriptions, etc.) Graduate Curriculum Committee Procedure followed for Housekeeping Changes, Graduate 6
Minor modifications having minimal impact upon the University (addition or deletion or a course or two, minor changes to course description, etc.) Business Department Undergraduate Business Faculty General Education Department Undergraduate General Education Faculty Entire Faculty Entire Faculty Procedure Followed for Approval of Minor Changes, Undergraduate Minor modifications having minimal impact upon the University (addition or deletion or a course or two, minor changes to course description, etc.) Graduate Curriculum Committee Procedure Followed for Approval of Minor Changes, Graduate 7
Change to an Existing Program (any action not covered in housekeeping or minor changes Business Department Undergraduate Business Faculty General Education Department Undergraduate General Education Faculty Entire Faculty Entire Faculty Procedure Followed for Change of Some Consequence Affecting only One Department, Undergraduate Change to an Existing Program (any action not covered in housekeeping or minor Procedure Followed for Change of Some Consequence, Graduate 8
Major University Wide Change (addition or deletion of a program, etc.) Appropriate Faculty Committee discusses approved Curriculum Committee discusses approved Faculty discusses approved Florida Campus Institutional Leadership Comm. discusses NC Campus Administrative Council discusses /Disapproves New Degree Program Joint Institutional Planning Committee discusses approved Board of Trustees is informed 9