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CHAPTER 1. FACULTY GOVERNANCE

The University of Texas at Austin                  Policy Memorandum 1.503
Office of the President                            September 1, 1998

Subject: STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE GENERAL FACULTY -- INSTITUTIONAL POLICY OR GOVERNANCE COMMITTEES

The Handbook of Operating Procedures (see IV of Chapter 1) contains a description of the categories and general membership requirements of of the standing committees of the General Faculty. The details of composition and membership of the standing committees categorized as institutional policy or governance committees are given below.

1. ADMISSIONS AND REGISTRATION COMMITTEE

Composition. Six members of the General Faculty and three students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. The Director of Admissions and the Registrar shall serve as administrative advisors without votes.

Function. To recommend to the Director of Admissions and the Registrar and to the Faculty Council changes in policies regarding admission and registration; to consult with and advise the Director of Admissions and the Registrar about procedures pertaining to their offices.

2. CALENDAR COMMITTEE

Composition. Five members of the General Faculty and two students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee. One of the faculty members and one of the student members shall also be members of the Faculty Council. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. A representative of the Registrar shall serve as administrative advisor without vote.

Function. To make recommendations to the Faculty Council and to the President concerning the calendar.

3. COMMENCEMENT AND ACADEMIC CEREMONIES COMMITTEE

Composition. Four members of the General Faculty and two students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. A representative of the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs, the Director of Physical Plant, the Director of University Bands, and the Executive Director of the Ex-Students' Association shall serve as administrative advisors without votes.

Function. To advise the Faculty Council, the President, and academic deans on policy matters, including selection of speakers, in planning graduation, Honors Day, and other formal academic ceremonies.

4. EDUCATIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE

Composition. Nine members of the General Faculty and three students. The three student members shall include one lower-division undergraduate, one upper-division undergraduate, and one graduate or law student. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the Cabinet of College Councils. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council, one of whom shall be elected by the voting members of the Faculty Council, for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. The Provost and The Director of Measurement and Evaluation Center shall serve as administrative advisors without votes. The chair of the student deans' committee and a representative of the Acdemic Counselors' Association shall serve as consultants without votes..

Function. To study proposals on educational policy and assess their possibilities and alternatives; to present recommendations on such matters to the Faculty Council. The committee shall actively seek advice from students.

5. FACULTY BUILDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Composition. Nine members of the General Faculty, including a representative from the School of Architecture; one member of The University staff; and two students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee, and they shall serve one-year terms and shall be eligible for reappointment. The students may not be from the same college or school. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. The Vice President for Business Affairs, or a delegate, shall be an ex officio member. The Director of the Office of Facilities Planning and Construction shall serve as administrative advisor without vote. The faculty and staff members are appointed for five-year, overlapping terms, one rotating off each year.

Function. To represent the faculty, staff, and students in the planning and programming of buildings. The committee shall have a strong voice in (a) campus master planning, (b) priority of building construction, (c) building location, (d) programming of buildings and (e) reviewing and recommending of final plans. It shall report to the President and periodically to the Faculty Council. During the preparation of the preliminary plans for the erection of a particular building, the President shall appoint a special committee, composed of faculty (and students, when appropriate) who have a direct interest in the proposed building, to serve until the completion thereof, one of whom shall be designated as a voting member of the Faculty Building Advisory Committee for the specified building. Whenever a building is to include library facilities, the Director of General Libraries is to be added as an administrative advisor without vote to the special committee.

6. INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND STUDIES COMMITTEE

Composition. At least five members of the General Faculty and two students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. The President shall appoint annually as administrative advisors without vote one person selected from among the directors of U.T. Austin area studies centers and one person selected from among the assistants to the U.T. Austin administration in the area of international programs and student services related thereto.

Function. To advise the Faculty Council and the Associate Vice President for International Programs on policies and procedures pertinent to the development, implementation, and operation of international programs at The University and pedagogical and research programs involving overseas study and/or work with internationally-oriented agencies.

7. LIBRARY COMMITTEE

Composition. At least eight members of the General Faculty and seven students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee, and shall include two representatitves from Student Government, three from the Cabinet of College Councils, and two from the Graduate Student assembly. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. The Director of General Libraries shall serve as administrative advisor without vote. Heads of other administrative units on campus that include library programs and services shall be invited to provide comment and information as the need arises.

Function. To be well informed concerning the functions of the General Libraries and library functions of other administrative units on campus as may seem appropriate; to assist in developing operational procedures; to assist in developing both personnel and fiscal policies and procedures; to advise the Faculty Council and the President concerning the direction and growth of the Library, including issues and priorities that affect all library programs and services on campus; to advise on the expenditure of funds generated by the student library fee; and to serve in an advisory capacity to the President in the event it becomes necessary to appoint a new Director of General Libraries.

8. PARKING AND TRAFFIC PANEL

Composition. At least eighteen members of the General Faculty, ten members of the University staff, and ten students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty.

Function. To review petitions and appeals arising in connection with parking priorities and enforcement of regulations.

9. PARKING AND TRAFFIC POLICIES COMMITTEE

Composition. At least four members of the General Faculty; four staff members, including two representing units at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus (the staff of the Director of Physical Plant are not eligible to serve); and two students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the Student Government. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. Representatives of the Physical Plant, the Dean of Students, Business Affairs, Parking and Traffic, and The University Police shall serve as administrative advisors without vote.

Function. To establish traffic and parking regulations and to review annually a system of priorities for permits to be issued for parking in reserved areas; to recommend to the President ways and means of meeting parking needs of faculty, staff, and students; to recommend to the Faculty Council any changes in the composition and operation of the Parking and Traffic Appeals Panel.

10. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION COMMITTEE

Composition. Four members of the General Faculty, three students (student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee), Coordinator of the Learning Skills Center, and three members of the administration. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The Associate Vice President for Administration and Legal Affairs, a representative from the Black Alumni Association, and a representative from the Hispanic Alumni Association will serve as ex officio members without votes. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty.

Function. To address the matter of recruitment and retention of minority students and to advise the Faculty Council and the President on constructive solutions to alleviate the problems of recruitment and retention.

11. RESEARCH POLICY COMMITTEE

Composition. Nine members of the General Faculty and two students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. No more than two faculty members of the committee shall be from a given college or school. At least one of the student members of the committee shall be a graduate student enrolled in one of the Ph.D. programs of the Graduate School. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, both of whom shall be members of the General Faculty. Both the Executive Vice President and Provost and the Vice President and Dean of Graduate Studies shall serve as administrative advisors to the committee without vote.

Function. To advise the Faculty Council and the President on matters relating to the research mission of The University and the relationship between the research mission and other components of The University's overall mission; to provide for wider dissemination of information concerning the research mission of The University and how that mission is being discharged.

12. RESPONSIBILITIES, RIGHTS, AND WELFARE OF TEACHING ASSISTANTS AND ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS COMMITTEE

Composition. At least five members of the General Faculty and at least three students who are teaching assistants (at least one) and assistant instructors (at least one). Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student committee. In addition, every year the Chair of the Faculty Council shall appoint two members of the Faculty Council for one-year terms as members of the committee. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty.

Function. To advise the Faculty Council and the President on matters pertaining to the responsibilities, rights, and welfare of teaching assistants and assistant instructors.