Section 1.02
The President shall be Chair of the Faculty or, in the absence
of the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall
be Chair of the Faculty.
Section 1.03
Administrative officers without Faculty rank may attend all
meetings of the Faculty except executive sessions, but are not
eligible to vote nor hold membership on standing committees
except as hereinafter specified.
Article II: Powers of the
Faculty
Section 2.01
The Faculty shall prescribe, subject to the University Charter
and approval of the Board of Trustees, requirements for graduate
and undergraduate admissions, graduate and undergraduate courses
of instruction, graduate and undergraduate conditions of graduation,
the degrees conferred, and rules and methods of conducting the
educational work of the University.
Section 2.02
The Faculty shall be informed by the President, or other designated
officers of the administration, of important developments affecting
the University, including proposed capital expenditures and annual
budgets.
Section 2.03
The Faculty shall recommend to the Nominations, Trustees, and
Honorary Degree Committee of the Board of Trustees candidates
for honorary degrees and shall designate the recipients of fellowships,
scholarships, prizes and awards.
Section 2.04
Subject to the primary authority of the President, the Faculty
may participate with designated officers of the administration
in matters of student discipline through the committee structure
hereafter defined.
Article III: Meetings
Section 3.01
A publicly stated meeting of the Faculty under the President,
as Chairperson, shall be held monthly during the academic year.
Section 3.02
The President may call additional meetings, including executive
sessions, at his or her discretion and, on the petition of ten
or more members of the Faculty, the President shall call a meeting.
Section 3.03
In the event of the absence of the President, the Vice President
for Academic Affairs shall preside at the meetings of the faculty.
Section 3.04
The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall establish the
date and prepare the principal agenda for each Faculty meeting.
Section 3.05
The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall distribute written
notice of each meeting, whether stated or called, to each Faculty
member, giving the principal agenda of the meeting.
Section 3.06
The Faculty Secretary shall keep records of the proceedings
of meetings of the Faculty.
Section 3.07
Robert’s Rules of Order, as revised, shall be the authority
of the conduct of these meetings. The Parliamentarian
shall advise the presiding officer concerning rules of order.
Article IV: Suffrage
Section 4.01
A majority of the voting members of the Faculty shall constitute
a quorum. The number of faculty constituting a quorum shall
be announced at the first Faculty meeting of each semester.
Neither the President nor the Vice President for Academic Affairs
shall be counted toward a quorum.
Section 4.02
The voting privilege shall be extended to all members of the Faculty
who are in the full-time employ of the University.
Section 4.03
The President has the deciding vote in case of a tie but no
vote otherwise. In the absence of the President,
The Vice President for Academic Affairs, as Chair, has the deciding
vote in case of a tie but no vote otherwise.
Article V: Standing Committees
& Other Elective or Appointed Positions
Section 5.01
Elections to committees shall be held by ballot at the last regular
Faculty meeting of the academic year, except that the Committee
on Nominations shall be constituted at the first regular Faculty
meeting in the second semester.
Section 5.02
Unless otherwise specified, the beginning date of committees is
the start of the next academic year after election of committees.
Section 5.03
Except as otherwise specified and to fill an incomplete term,
Faculty members of committees, whether elective or appointive,
serve for three year terms, and will be eligible for reelection
or reappointment. New committees and initial terms
of committees will be staggered in one, two, and three year
terms.
Section 5.04
Vacancies shall be filled by election or by appointment, and
shall be filled for the remainder of the term of the vacating
faculty member.
Section 5.05
The first officially listed member of each Committee will convene
the Committee and the Committee shall choose its own chairperson
unless otherwise designated.
Section 5.06
Where the Chairperson is not designated or chosen by the Committee,
he or she shall be appointed by the President from members of
the Committee.
Section 5.07
Students shall be invited to serve on committees as specified
hereafter, or upon the invitation of any committee. Student
members shall be permitted to vote on committees.
Section 5.08
Nominations. The Committee on Nominations shall make nominations
for all elective posts at the last regular meeting of the academic
year. Any members of the Faculty qualified to vote
may make additional nominations from the floor.
Section 5.09 Standing Committees:
a. The Committee on Admissions,
Academic Standing, and Financial Aid composed of four
members elected by the Faculty, one representative from the
Advising Center, the Registrar, the Admissions Officer, the
Director of Financial Aid, The Director of the ACT 101 Program,
the Vice President for Enrollment Planning or designee, and
two students. Students appearing before the Committee
shall have the option of excluding the students on the Committee
from hearing their case.
b. The Committee on Assessment
and Evaluation, composed of one Faculty person from each school
of study, one from the professional staff in the Library, one
from the graduate faculty, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs,
the Director of Institutional Research, one alumnus on staff,
one undergraduate student, and one graduate student.
c. The Committee on Athletics,
composed of the Director of Athletics three members elected
by the Faculty, and three students.
d. The Curriculum
Committee, composed of the Vice President for Academic Affairs,
the Registrar, four elected members of the Faculty, one from
each of the schools of study, one from the graduate faculty,
and two students.
e. The Technology Committee,
composed of four members elected by the Faculty, one from each
school of study and one from the library, three members from
the Administration appointed by the President, the Chair of
the Math and Computer Science Department, and two students.
f. The Committee on Educational
Policies, composed of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
(chairperson), two students, and five members elected by the
Faculty, one from each of three schools of study, one at large,
and one from the graduate faculty. This committee shall
meet from time to time with the Educational and Academic Matters
and Student Welfare Committee of the Board of Trustees
g. The Committee on Faculty
By-Laws, composed of three members elected by the Faculty and
one student.
h. The Committee on Honorary
Degrees, composed of two members elected by the Faculty, three
appointed by the President, and two students. This committee
shall meet no later than September 30 to consider Faculty recommendations
for honorary degrees. It shall thereafter meet with a
similar committee of the Board of Trustees for the purpose of
making recommendations to the faculty.
i. The Committee on Honors
and Awards, composed of four members elected by the Faculty,
the Director of the Honors Program, and two students.
j. The Judicial Committee,
composed of three non-administrative members with permanent
tenure elected by the Faculty.
k. The Juridical Review
Committee, composed of three members elected from the Faculty
and four students.
l. The Committee on Lectures
and Recitals, composed of the Head Librarian or
designee, three members elected by the Faculty and two students.
m. The Committee on the
Library, composed of the Head Librarian, four members
elected by the Faculty, one from each of the schools of study,
one from the graduate faculty, and two students.
n. The Committee on Nominations,
composed of three members elected by the Faculty, one from each
of the schools of study, and one student.
o. The Committee on Promotions,
Tenure, and Severance, composed of three members elected by
the Faculty, one from each of the schools of study. Only
members of the Faculty on permanent tenure and of Professor
rank shall be eligible for election. The Chairperson of
the committee shall be the elected Faculty member with seniority
on the committee.
i. An alternate member
shall be elected each year from the school of the retiring member
of the committee to participate in discussions, and voting when
a regular member of the committee is unavailable, for any reasons,
to participate in the discussion and voting on a given application.
The alternate member becomes a full member of the Committee
for three years in succession to the retiring member of the
Committee.
p. The Committee on Religious
Activities, composed of the Chaplain, two members elected by
the Faculty and two students.
q. The Committee on Research
and Publications, composed of three members elected by the Faculty,
and one student.
r. The Committee on Student
Health and Welfare, composed of two administrative officers
responsible for student affairs, five members elected by the
Faculty, one of whom shall serve as chairperson and shall vote
in case of a tie, the Director of Health Services, and six students
chosen from the upper classes. The Committee shall be
empowered to form a subcommittee to investigate, study and evaluate
student attitudes, behavior, health and general welfare.
A University designated physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist
shall be consulted as the need arises.
s. The Faculty Development
Committee composed of one elected from each school, one elected
from the Library, one elected from the graduate faculty, the
Vice President for Academic Affairs, and one student.
t. The Faculty Committee
on Writing composed of six members elected by the Faculty, one
from the Library, the Director of the English Department Composition
Program, one member of the staff in the writing lab, and one
student who has passed the Writing Proficiency Exam.
u. The Committee on Graduate
Studies composed of one elected Faculty member from each graduate
program, two graduate students, Director of the Urban Center,
the Head Librarian, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs.
Section 5.10. Other Elective
positions:
a. The Faculty Nonvoting
Representative to the Board of Trustees whom the Faculty elects
annually, reports Faculty concerns to the Board of Trustees
as necessary, and reports back to the Faculty. The
Faculty Representative must be a tenured full or Associate Professor.
b. Parliamentarian, whom
the Faculty elects annually.
c. Faculty Secretary, whom
the Faculty elects annually.
Section 5.11 Special
Committees:
a. The
President shall have the power to appoint special or ad hoc
committees except as provided by statute to assist him or her
in the performance of his or her duties. The President
may serve as chairperson of any special committee or may appoint
a chairperson.
b. Special or ad hoc committees
may be created upon the request of a majority of those present
and eligible to vote in any Faculty meeting.
Section 5.12
The President shall be ex officio a member of all committees.
Article VI: Departments of
Instruction & Department Chairpersons
Section 6.01
The Chairperson of each department shall be appointed by the President
at the time contracts are issued, based on the recommendations
of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, the Dean of his or
her school, as well as all other faculty in his or her department.
Section 6.02
The Chairperson of each department shall serve a term of four
academic years, and may be reappointed for a second term.
The Chairperson shall not serve more than two consecutive terms.
Section 6.03
Exceptions to 6.02 shall be determined by the President in consultation
with the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, and the Dean of
the Chairperson’s school.
Section 6.04
The performance of each Chairperson shall be reviewed annually
by the Dean of his or her school in consultation with the other
Faculty members in the Chairperson’s Department. The Dean
shall submit a written annual report to the Vice President for
Academic Affairs.
Section 6.05
The Chairperson shall be consulted on, and may make recommendations
concerning appointments and promotions in his or her department.
Section 6.06
The Chairperson shall submit annually a Departmental Strategic
Plan outlining the departmental goals, objectives, and accomplishments
to the President, to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs,
and to the Dean of his or her school.
Section 6.07
The Chairperson shall be subject to the duties and responsibilities
of members of the Faculty in 9.02. Other duties and responsibilities
of Chairpersons shall be specified in the Collective Bargaining
Agreement.
Section 6.08
A department Chairperson may submit his or her resignation prior
to the end of his or her term of service.
Section 6.09
A department Chairperson may be removed by the decision
of the President on the recommendation of the Vice President
for Academic Affairs in consultation with the Dean of his or
her school and members of his or her department.
Article VII: Schools of Study
Section 7.01
Departments of instruction shall be grouped into the following
schools of study: The School of Humanities: The School of Natural
Sciences and Mathematics; The School of Social and Behavioral
Sciences.
Section 7.02
Departments of instruction shall include all undergraduate and
graduate degree programs.
Section 7.03
Each school shall convene at least twice a semester during the
academic year for consideration of and appropriate action on
matters common to the several departments. The Dean of
each school shall call such meetings, preside over them, and
assemble and distribute minutes.
Section 7.04
The President, in consultation with the Vice President for Academic
Affairs and the Departments of study, shall appoint an Academic
Dean as the chief officer for each School.
Section 7.05
The duties and responsibilities of the Deans shall be determined
by the Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation with
the departments of instruction and the approval of the President.
Section 7.06
Each Dean shall serve at the discretion of the Vice President
for Academic Affairs and shall be evaluated on an annual basis
in the last month of the academic year. Evaluations shall
be conducted by the Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation
with the departments of instruction in the Dean’s school.
Article VIII: Officers
of Instruction: Appointment, Promotion and Tenure
Section 8.01
The Committee on Promotions, Tenure, and Severance shall make
recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs who
will make recommendations to the President on all faculty promotions,
admissions to tenure, sabbatical leaves and severances.
Section 8.02
The Committee on Promotion, Tenure, and Severance shall make recommendations
for promotion and tenure as specified in the Promotion and Tenure
Guidelines.
Section 8.03
Members of the Faculty on tenure-track shall be appointed as
full-time Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor,
or Professor.
Section 8.04
Terms of appointment.
a.
Instructors shall be on one-year appointments. Such
appointments may be renewed from year to year.
b.
Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, and Professors shall
be appointed for a term not exceeding three years on their initial
appointment. They may be reappointed.
Section 8.05
Notifications.
a. Non-reappointment
or severance. Notification of non-reappointment
or severance for the following academic year shall be made in
writing by the President or designee by March 1, in the first
year of appointment, by December 15, in the second year of appointment,
and in subsequent years a full twelve months prior to the termination
of service.
b.
Resignations. Resignations of members of the Faculty
shall be submitted within one month after receipt of contract
to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
c. Reappointment.
Notifications of reappointments for the following academic year
shall be in writing by the President or designee and shall be
kept on file.
d. Tenure-track
Schedule. The final decision date by which a faculty member
must make formal application for tenure and the final tenure
decision year shall be specified in a new faculty member’s initial
contract as well as in all subsequent contracts.
Section 8.06
Gaining Tenure.
a.
Procedures for application and evaluation for tenure by non-tenured
members of the Faculty on tenure-track shall be specified in
the Promotion and Tenure Guidelines as approved by the Faculty
and the Board of Trustees.
b. No
member of the Faculty shall be admitted to tenure unless he
or she has made formal application to the Promotions, Tenure,
and Severance Committee as specified in the Promotion and Tenure
Guidelines.
c.
Plan for tenure. All non-tenured members of the
Faculty on tenure-track must be provided a written plan for
gaining tenure by the Vice President for Academic Affairs in
consultation with the Faculty member, the Dean of his or her
school, and his or her department Chair at the time of initial
appointment.
d.
Evaluation. All non-tenured members of the Faculty on
tenure-track must be evaluated annually by the chairperson of
their department, or in the case of chairpersons, by the dean
of their school, by July 1, in accordance with 8.06 c., to determine
progress toward gaining tenure. Such evaluation must be shared
with and signed by the Faculty member with the opportunity to
respond.
e.
Prospect of Tenure. Instructors and Assistant Professors
shall be given written notice of their prospect for tenure by
the Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation with
the department Chair and Dean of the Faculty member’s school
of study not later than four years from the time of their initial
appointment.
Section 8.07
Members of the Faculty may gain tenure through reappointment
or promotion as set forth in a, b, c, d, and e if they have
made formal application to the Promotions, Tenure, and Severance
Committee in accordance with 8.06 b.
a.
Members of the Faculty employed as Instructors or Assistant
Professors, or some combination thereof, for a period of seven
years shall be granted permanent tenure upon appointment to
their eighth year.
b.
Members of the Faculty employed as Instructors or Assistant
Professors but with three or more years of service as a full-time
Faculty member at any other accredited institution of higher
education shall be granted permanent tenure upon appointment
to a fifth year at Lincoln University. Years of
service shall be determined at the time of initial appointment
and stated in the written contract.
c.
Members of the Faculty employed as Instructors or Assistant
Professors shall be granted permanent tenure when promoted to
the rank of Associate Professor or Professor.
d.
Members of the Faculty employed as Associate Professors shall
be granted permanent tenure when promoted to the rank of Professor.
e.
Members of the Faculty employed as Associate Professors or Professors
shall be granted permanent tenure when reappointed after three
years in either rank.
Section 8.08
Initial Appointment with Tenure. Members of the
Faculty may be initially appointed with permanent tenure in
the rank of Associate Professor or Professor by the President,
but no member of the Faculty shall be initially appointed with
tenure without prior review and written recommendation to the
President by the Committee on Promotions, Tenure, and Severance.
Article IX: Duties of Faculty
Section 9.01
Duties of members of the Faculty shall include the performance
of the educational work of the University in a manner appropriate
to his or her profession and according to his or her role at the
University.
Section 9.02
Duties of members of the teaching faculty shall include, among
other duties to be determined by contract and role at the University,
meeting classes as assigned, advising students, maintaining regularly
scheduled office hours, attending Faculty and school meetings,
participating on Faculty committees and attending in proper academic
attire all formal academic occasions scheduled by the University,
unless relieved by special permission of the Vice-President for
Academic Affairs.
Section 9.03
Every member of the Faculty shall at all times pay the strictest
regard to matters of professional ethics.
Section 9.04
Outside Remunerative Activity. Full-time members of the
Faculty shall not engage in remunerative activities outside
the University that interfere with the acceptable performance
of their duties as members of the Faculty. The Faculty
member must file with the Vice President for Academic Affairs,
who will make recommendations to the President, a description
of the nature and extent of the outside activity. Mutual
agreement is expected. If the decision of the President
is adverse, the Faculty member may appeal to the Board of Trustees.
Article X: Severance &
Other Actions
Section 10.01
Adequate Cause. No tenured member of the Faculty shall be
deprived of permanent tenure nor any untenured member of the Faculty
be dismissed prior to the expiration of his or her term of appointment
without adequate cause. Adequate cause shall consist of
departure from commonly accepted standards of professional ethics,
neglect of duty, incompetence, or illegal conduct prejudicial
to the University.
Section 10.02
Procedures Regarding Charges and Complaints against members of
the Faculty.
a. Initiation of Charges
and Complaints. The President may initiate charges against a
member of the faculty. In all other instances complaints
against a member of the Faculty shall be submitted in writing
to the President.
b. Investigation.
Upon receipt of such complaint (in a.), the President shall
cause an investigation to be made of said complaint
c. Statement of Charges.
If the President judges that the complaint states a prima facie
cause of possible termination of tenure or dismissal prior to
termination of appointment, the President shall prepare a written
statement of the charges together with a summary of the evidence
in support thereof, and serve a copy of the same on the accused
Faculty member and inform the Faculty member of his or her right
to a hearing before the Judicial Committee.
d. The Accused=s Right
to Dispute. If the accused disputes the charges or desires a
hearing thereon, he or she shall within fifteen days from the
receipt of the statement of charges serve a written reply thereto
upon the President and request a hearing.
e. Convening the Judicial
Committee. Upon receipt of the reply and request, the
President shall within fifteen days thereafter convene the Judicial
Committee to hear and act upon the charges.
f. Judicial Committee hearing.
The Judicial Committee shall choose its own chairperson and
establish its own rules of procedure, and the Committee shall
set the date of the hearing. The accused and the President
shall both appear before the Committee, and both shall have
the right to present evidence, examine and cross-examine witnesses,
and shall have the right to retain and be represented by counsel.
g. Record of Hearing.
A complete audio taped record of the proceedings shall be kept.
h. Judicial Committee Decision.
After the hearing the Judicial Committee shall render a decision.
Such decision shall be final unless within fifteen days after
the receipt of the same, the President or the accused appeals
to the Board of Trustees.
i. Appeal to Board of Trustees.
If the President or the accused appeals to the Board of Trustees,
the President shall forward the appeal together with the audio
taped record of the proceedings to the Chairperson of the Board
of Trustees for the Board=s action. The decision of the
Board of Trustees shall be final.
j. Disqualification of
Judicial Committee Member. In the event of the disqualification
of a member of the Judicial Committee, the President shall fill
an appointive vacancy, and the Faculty an elective vacancy.
Both the President and the accused may request that a member
of the Judicial Committee be disqualified from the hearing for
cause. The decision of disqualification shall be made
by the other members of the Judicial Committee. A disqualified
member shall be replaced as specified above.
Section 10.03
Complaints Against the President. Complaints against the
President for adequate cause (section 10.01) or for abuse of
power, properly signed and verified, shall be submitted to the
Judicial Committee. The Judicial Committee shall review
the complaint and the available evidence and, if warranted,
file a report to the Board of Trustees.
Article XI: Rights of Members
of the Faculty
Section 11.01
Right of Appeal to President. Any Faculty member who believes
that his or her rights have been violated or ignored by any other
Faculty member, or administrative officer, and who is unable to
obtain satisfactory redress within the Faculty or through his
or her department, shall have the right of appeal directly to
the President.
Section 11.02
Right of Appeal to Board of Trustees. If the President’s
decision does not settle the matter to the Faculty member’s satisfaction,
he or she may present to the President an appeal addressed to
the Board of Trustees, and this appeal, accompanied by the President’s
own statement, shall be transmitted by the President to the Board
of Trustees for appropriate action.
Article XII: Academic Freedom
Section 12.01
Each member of the Faculty is entitled to freedom in the classroom
to discuss his or her subject, except where he or she introduces
material not related to his or her subject or where the material
introduced is contrary to the University Mission or other fundamental
stated aims of the University.
Section 12.02
Each member of the Faculty is entitled to full freedom in research
and in the publication of the results, provided that these activities
do not impede the adequate performance of his or her other academic
duties.
Section 12.03
In speaking and writing, each member of the Faculty is entitled
to the same freedom and is subject to the same responsibility
attached to all other citizens, except that as an educational
officer and a member of a learned profession, he or she shall
be accurate, show appropriate restraint, show respect for the
opinions of others, and shall not misrepresent himself or herself
as a spokesperson of the University.
Article XIII: Leaves of Absence
Section 13.01
All sabbatical leaves shall be decided according to the procedures
and criteria as set forth in the Promotion and Tenure Guidelines.
Section 13.02
Members of the Faculty on permanent tenure, who shall have taught
at Lincoln University on full time appointment for six years,
shall be eligible for a sabbatical year with half salary or a
sabbatical half-year with full salary.
Section 13.03
A Faculty member who is eligible for leave may waive his or
her right to apply without losing his or her priority for such
leave at a later date.
Section 13.04
Members of the Faculty on sabbatical leave may accept part-time
employment. The Faculty member must file with the Vice
President for Academic Affairs, who will make recommendations
to the President, a description of the nature and extent of
the employment. Mutual agreement is expected. If
the decision of the President is adverse, the Faculty member
may appeal to the Board of Trustees.
Section 13.05
All nonsabbatical leaves of absence shall be decided by the
President based on the recommendation of the Vice President
for Academic Affairs after consultation with the Dean of the
Faculty member’s school and with the Chairperson of his or her
department.
Section 13.06
Except in cases of emergency or other unforeseen circumstances,
the request for a leave of absence must be submitted on or before
December 1st if the leave is to begin in the fall term of the
following academic year or on or before April 1st if it is to
begin in the spring term of the following academic year.
Section 13.07
Members of the Faculty may be granted special leaves of absence
without salary for limited periods of study, research and professional
improvement, to render technical or professional service, to
hold a position in another institution appropriate to the use
and extension of the applicant’s expertise, to hold public office,
or to engage in political or community service, or for personal
reasons such as rearing children or caring for an incapacitated
near relative.
Section 13.08
Leaves of absence without salary shall not ordinarily extend
beyond two consecutive years, and shall not be counted toward
the accumulation of years qualifying one for a sabbatical leave.
Section 13.09
Leaves of absence without salary for non-tenured faculty shall
not count as part of the applicant’s probationary contract period.
Section 13.10 Application
for special leave shall be submitted in writing, in due time
to permit the University to make required curricular adjustments,
or to provide for a substitute. The application shall
contain a clear statement of the scope and particulars of the
proposed research project or professional service.
Section 13.11
Leaves requested for reasons of personal or public emergency
shall be negotiated in the light of the exigencies of the case,
except as mandated by law. They shall be without salary
except in cases of personal illness or disability, or as specified
by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Section 13.12
It is assumed that benefit will accrue to the University from
all leaves other than emergency leaves. The interest
of the University in the professional improvement and the scholarly
prestige of members of the Faculty is acknowledged. It
is further assumed, however, that benefit accrues to the University
only if the recipient of leave returns for an extended period
of service. Whether with or without salary, a recipient
of leave who does not return to the University for at least
a full year following the expiration of the leave, shall be
considered in violation of an ethical obligation.
Article XIV: Amendments to
By-Laws
Section 14.01
These By-Laws may be amended, repealed, or otherwise modified
at any meeting of the Faculty by the affirmative action of two-thirds
of the voting faculty present at the meeting, provided that the
affirmative vote numbers more than a majority of the eligible
voters of the faculty, and provided also that notice of the action
to be taken and the text of proposed amendments, portions to be
repealed, or other modifications have been mailed to the voting
members of the Faculty at least ten days before the meeting at
which the proposed changes shall be brought to vote. All
modifications of these By-Laws shall be subject to approval by
the Board of Trustees.
Article XV: Distribution
Section 15.01
A copy of these By-Laws shall be delivered to every member of
the Faculty now in service or hereafter appointed, and every such
person shall be governed by the provisions set forth.
