Governance Document of The University Of Massachusetts Worcester
Article V: Governing Bodies
A. Executive Council
1. Duties
a. The Executive Council shall advise the Chancellor and Provost on substantive matters pertaining to the governance of UMW and shall be consulted before decisions are reached on such matters.
b. The Executive Council may recommend representatives to serve on multi-campus committees and task forces established by the University President.
c. The Executive Council may advise the Chancellor and Provost on the composition and charge of search committees for senior leadership positions, and may also provide recommendations on the appointment of candidates for senior leadership positions, including interim or acting positions.
d. The Executive Council shall vote (within 120 days of delivery) on all written recommendations forwarded to it by the Faculty Council.
i. If the Executive Council approves the recommendation, it shall be forwarded to the Chancellor for consideration/action consistent with the requirements of Article II.D.3., of the “Board of Trustees Statement on University Governance” (Doc. T73-098, as amended).
ii. If the Executive Council does not approve the recommendation, it shall be returned to the Faculty Council for reconsideration, along with the Executive Council’s specific objections or proposed amendments.
iii. If a reconsidered recommendation is approved by the Executive Council, it shall be forwarded to the Chancellor for consideration/action consistent with the requirements of Article II.D.3., of the “Board of Trustees Statement on University Governance” (Doc. T73-098, as amended).
iv. If a reconsidered recommendation is not approved by the Executive Council within 90 days of delivery, it shall be referred to the Consensus Committee (Article V.C. below).
2. Membership
a. Voting membership in the Executive Council shall consist of the following:
i. Chairs of academic Departments.
ii. Chair and Vice-Chair of the Faculty Council.
iii. Chair of the Educational Policy Committee of the T.H. Chan School of Medicine; Chair of the Curriculum Committee of the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing; Chair of the Graduate Council of the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
iv. Chair of the Student Government Alliance.
v. Deans of the T.H. Chan School of Medicine, Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and such other schools as may be developed.
b. Non-voting membership of the Executive Council shall consist of the following: the Chancellor; Executive Vice Chancellors; Provost; Vice Provosts; Associate Provosts; Senior Associate Deans; Chief Diversity Officer; CEO of UMMHC; President of UMMMC; Directors of Centers, Programs and Institutes and other representatives or administrative officials as may be designated annually by majority vote of the Executive Council.
3. Officers
The Executive Council shall elect annually from among its voting faculty membership the following officers:
a. Chair, who shall preside at all meetings and serve as Chair of the Rules Committee.
b. Vice Chair, who shall preside at any meetings when the Chair is absent.
4. Rules Committee
The Rules Committee of the Executive Council shall be comprised of the following: the Chair and Vice Chair of the Executive Council, the Chair of the Faculty Council, the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, the Deans of each of the Schools and one additional voting member of the Executive Council elected annually by the Executive Council from its voting membership.
Duties shall include the following:
a. Preparation of the agenda of the Executive Council. The Rules Committee shall review all requested agenda items submitted by the President, the Chancellor, the Provost, the Dean of any School, the Chair of the Faculty Council, the Chair of the Student Government Alliance, the Chair of any Standing Committee or any other member of the Executive Council. If the proposed agenda item is within the Executive Council’s stated duties, it shall be placed on the agenda of the meeting date requested or, if that request cannot be accommodated, on the agenda of the earliest next meeting date.
b. Invitation of nonmembers to attend an Executive Council meeting(s) - if such individuals will make substantive contributions to particular deliberations, or that the vital interests of such individuals or groups of individuals may be materially affected by particular deliberations.
c. Resolution of procedural matters, including the appointment of Executive Council members to a Consensus Committee as needed.
d. Preparation of a list of representatives or administrative officials to be considered for non-voting membership on an annual basis.
e. Other duties assigned by the Executive Council or the Chair.
5. Meetings
The schedule of meetings shall be published at the first meeting of the academic year, and any subsequent changes in those dates will require notification at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting.
a. Special meetings may be called at the request of the President, the Chancellor, the Provost, the Dean of any School, any three voting members of the Executive Council, the Chair of the Faculty Council, or, upon petition, by any 20 members of the faculty or by 50 students of any one School.
b. One half of the voting members shall constitute a quorum. Members may attend and vote by teleconference, video conference, or any other technology that allows full participation by the voting member. Representation and/or vote by proxy is not permitted.
c. Recommendations (votes) of the Executive Council shall require a simple majority of those present provided that:
i. A quorum is present.
ii. The agenda and notice of the meeting was distributed to the members at least three days in advance of the meeting and only topics listed on the agenda are acted upon.
6. Bylaws
The Executive Council shall regularly review its bylaws, and at a minimum every five (5) years.
B. Faculty Council
1. Duties
a. Provide advice to the Chancellor, Provost, Deans, and the Executive Council on matters of governance of UMW and other matters of interest affecting the Faculty and faculty life.
b. The Chancellor and Provost may consult with the Faculty Council on the composition and charge of search committees for senior leadership positions.
c. Receive informational reports from and provide input to all campus-wide Standing Committees and the educational committees of each school. Develop recommendations and resolutions regarding matters affecting faculty life.
d. Recommend representatives to serve on UMW committees and, as requested by the Chancellor or Provost, recommend representatives to serve on multi-campus committees and task forces established by the University President.
e. Whenever possible, the Faculty Council shall be advised of substantive changes in administrative policies affecting faculty life prior to the implementation of these policies.
2. Membership
a. Voting membership of the Faculty Council shall consist of:
i. Representatives of the Faculty elected by each School or Department (for Schools with Departments) in a number related to its complement of Faculty-at-large as follows:
1 – 100: 1 representative
101 – 200: 2 representatives
201 – 300: 3 representatives
301 or greater: 4 representatives
Terms for faculty members shall be for three academic years - staggered so that approximately one third will take office each academic year.
ii. Chairs of each school’s faculty Representative Body.
iii. One President of each school’s student Representative Body.
b. Non-voting membership of the Faculty Council shall consist of the following: the Chancellor; Provost; Deans of each of the schools; Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and other representatives or administrative officials as may be designated annually by majority vote of the Faculty Council.
3. Officers
The Faculty Council shall elect biennially from among its voting membership who are Faculty-at-large the following officers:
a. Chair, who shall:
i. Preside at all meetings.
ii. Serve as Chair of the Rules Committee of the Faculty Council.
iii. Serve as a member of the Executive Council and its Rules Committee.
iv. Serve as representative of the UMW faculty to the University Board of Trustees.
b. Vice-Chair, who shall:
i. Preside at all meetings in the absence of the Chair.
ii. Serve as a member of the Rules Committee of the Faculty Council.
iii. Serve as a member of the Executive Council.
iv. Serve as the alternate representative of the UMW faculty to the University Board of Trustees.
c. Secretary (not to exceed two positions), who shall:
i. Serve as a member of the Rules Committee of the Faculty Council.
ii. Review minutes for accuracy.
iii. Ensure the following is completed in a timely manner:
1) Notify all members of forthcoming meetings and distribute and publish the agenda at least three working days in advance of all regularly scheduled meetings.
2) Assure distribution of minutes to the faculty.
d. In selecting the above Officers, the Voting Membership shall give consideration to representation of all Schools and both clinical and basic sciences.
e. The Immediate Past Chair shall serve in an advisory capacity to the current Chair.
4. Rules Committee
The Rules Committee of the Faculty Council shall be comprised of the Chair, the Vice Chair, the Secretary, and one additional voting member of the Faculty Council appointed by the Faculty Council. Its duties include:
a. Preparation of the agenda of the Faculty Council. The Rules Committee shall review all proposed agenda items submitted by the President, the Chancellor, the Provost, the Deans of any School, the Presidents of each School’s student body committee, the Chair of any Standing Committee or any other UMW faculty member. If the proposed agenda item is within the Faculty Council’s stated duties, it shall be placed on the agenda of the meeting date requested or, if that request cannot be accommodated, on the agenda of the earliest next meeting date.
b. Resolution of procedural matters, including the appointment of Faculty Council members to a Consensus Committee as needed (Article V.C. below).
c. Oversight of the election of representatives to the Faculty Council.
d. Preparation of a list of representatives or administrative officials to be considered for non-voting membership on an annual basis.
e. Other duties as assigned by the Faculty Council or the Chair.
5. Meetings
The meetings of the Faculty Council shall be published at the first meeting of the academic year and any subsequent changes in those dates will require notification at least seven days in advance of the meeting.
a. The Chair, or in his/her absence, the Vice Chair, shall call such special meetings as he/she deems necessary or at the request of the President, the Chancellor, the Provost, the Dean of any School, any three members of the Faculty Council, the Chair of the Executive Council, or upon petition, by any 20 members of the faculty or 50 students of any one School.
b. One half of the voting membership shall constitute a quorum. Members may attend and vote by teleconference, video conference, or any other technology that allows full participation by the voting member. Representation and/or vote by proxy is not permitted.
c. Recommendations of the Faculty Council shall require a simple majority vote of those present provided that:
i. A quorum is present.
ii. The agenda and notice of the meeting was distributed to the members at least three days in advance of the meeting and only topics listed on the agenda are acted upon.
6. Bylaws
The Faculty Council shall regularly review its bylaws and at a minimum every 5 years.
C. Consensus Committee
1. Duties
a. A Consensus Committee shall be established when a proposed recommendation from the Faculty Council to the Executive Council is not approved despite submission on two (2) occasions. The Consensus Committee shall review such recommendations in an effort to develop a revised recommendation that might be agreeable to both the Faculty Council and Executive Council.
b. When a Consensus Committee is required to be established, it shall meet within thirty (30) days of the Executive Council’s related action/inaction.
c. If the Consensus Committee agrees to a revised recommendation, it shall be forwarded for ratification – first to the Faculty Council and then to the Executive Council for vote.
i. If the two bodies ratify the revised recommendation, it shall be forwarded to the Chancellor for consideration/action consistent with the requirements of Article II.D.3., of the “Board of Trustees Statement on University Governance” (Doc. T73-098, as amended).
ii. If either Council fails to ratify the revised recommendation, the revised recommendation and a report of each Council’s decision shall be submitted to the Chancellor, with a copy to the Chairs of the Faculty Council and Executive Council. The Chancellor shall provide a written response within 60 calendar days.
d. If the Consensus Committee is unable to reach agreement on a proposed recommendation, the proposed recommendation and a report of each Council’s decision shall be submitted to the Chancellor, with a copy to the Chairs of the Faculty Council and Executive Council. The Chancellor shall provide a written response within 60 calendar days.
e. If either the Consensus Committee fails to reach an agreement or either Council fails to ratify a revised recommendation from the Consensus Committee, a meeting of the faculty may be called for further consideration of the matter consistent with the requirements of Article IV, Section G.3.
2. Membership
a. Voting membership of the Consensus Committee shall consist of the following six (6) individuals: three members of the Executive Council and three members of the Faculty Council as nominated by the Rules Committee of each Council.
b. Non-voting membership shall consist of the Chair of the Student Government Alliance.