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CHAPTER 1. FACULTY GOVERNANCE

The University of Texas at Austin                  Policy Memorandum 1.503

Office of the President                            September 15, 2010

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, two staff members, and four students. Three student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the Student Government and one from a panel of names submitted by the Graduate Student Assembly. No more than two students may come from any one 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 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. UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC CALENDAR COMMITTEE

Composition. Four members of the General Faculty, two staff members, one graduate student, and two undergraduate students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the appropriate student governing bodies and shall include one representative from Student Government, one from the Senate of College Councils, and one from the Graduate Student Assembly. 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 Registrar shall serve as administrative advisor without vote.

Function. To make recommendations to the Faculty Council and to the President concerning the University academic calendar. The University Academic Calendar Committee will review the Principles for the Development of the Academic Calendar each year. If changes are needed, the committee will submit a recommendation to the Faculty Council in time for consideration at the council's April meeting. If no changes are needed, the committee will confirm in its annual report that it reviewed the principles and recommended no changes.

3. EDUCATIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE

Composition. Nine members of the General Faculty and four students. The four student members shall be selected by the Senate of College Councils and the Graduate Student Assembly. The Senate of College Councils will select three undergraduate students. All undergraduate members must be from different colleges and include at least one lower-division undergraduate and one upper-division undergraduate. The Graduate Student Assembly will select one graduate student, who is or has served as an Assistant Instructor or Teaching Assistant in an undergraduate course at U.T. Austin. 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 Provost, the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, and The Director of Measurement and Evaluation Center, representing the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the Registrar shall serve as administrative advisors without votes. The Chair of the student deans' committee and a representative of the Academic 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.

4. 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; one graduate student; and two undergraduate students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the Student Government and the Graduate Student Assembly, 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 University Operations or a delegate shall be an ex officio member. The Director of U. T. System Office of Facilities Planning and Construction and a representative from the Office of Campus Planning and Facilities Management shall serve as administrative advisors 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.

5. 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. At least one faculty member of the committee shall be a member of a foreign language department. The committee shall elect its own Chair and Vice Chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. The President, through delegation authority to the Executive Vice President and Provost, shall appoint annually as administrative advisors without vote, The Vice Provosts for Undergraduate Studies and for Graduate Studies, one person selected form the academic associate deans of the colleges and schools, 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 Executive Vice President and Provost 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.

6. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LIBRARIES COMMITTEE

Composition. At least eight members of the General Faculty, three staff members, and seven students. Staff members shall be appointed by the President from panels of names submitted by the Staff Council and shall include two research staff representatives. 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 representatives 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 the University of Texas 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 University of Texas Libraries, including the branch libraries. To advise in development of policies and procedures; to advise the librarian, the Faculty Council and the President concerning the direction and growth of the University of Texas Libraries; to advise the President in the event it becomes necessary to appoint a new librarian.

7. PARKING AND TRAFFIC APPEALS 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 and shall include two nominated by the Graduate Student Assembly and eight nominated by 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.

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

8. 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 three students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the Student Government and the Graduate Student Assembly and shall include at least one graduate student. 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, University Operations, Parking and Transportation, 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.

9. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION COMMITTEE

Composition. Four members of the General Faculty, one departmental faculty minority liaison officer (appointed by the President), two University staff members (at least one of whom shall be an academic advisor or graduate coordinator), four students (student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the Student Government and the Graduate Student Assembly and shall include at least one graduate student), Coordinator of the Sanger Learning and Career 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 Vice President for Community and School Relations, the Vice Provost for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Effectiveness, 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.

10. RESEARCH POLICY COMMITTEE

Composition. Nine members of the General Faculty, one school or college administrator (Associate Dean for Research), two research staff members, on undergraduate student, and two graduate students. Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by the Student Senate of College Councils and 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. No more than two faculty members of the committee shall be from a given college or school. At least one of the graduate student members of the committee shall be 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 Vice President for Research and the Vice Provost 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.

11. RESPONSIBILITIES, RIGHTS, AND WELFARE OF GRADUATE STUDENT ACADEMIC EMPLOYEES COMMITTEE

Composition. At least five members of the General Faculty, one staff graduate coordinator, and at least three students who are teaching assistants (at least one), assistant instructors (at least one), or graduate research assistants (at least one). Student members shall be appointed by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by 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 Chair of Graduate Assembly shall appoint one member of the Graduate Assembly for a one-year term as a voting member of the committee. The committee shall elect its own Chair and Vice Chair, who shall be members of the General Faculty. One representative from the Graduate School shall serve as a non-voting administrative advisor.

Function. To advise the Faculty Council and the President on matters pertaining to the responsibilities, rights, and welfare of graduate student academic employees.

12. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

Composition. Five members of the General Faculty, four staff members, and three students. Staff members shall be appointed to two-year rotating terms by the President, from a panel of names submitted by the Staff Council. At least two of the staff member representatives shall not be employed in IT-related areas. One student member shall be appointed to a one-year term by the President in the fall from a panel of names submitted by each of the Student Government and the student senate, and one member shall be appointed to a one-year term by the President from a panel of names submitted by 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 Chief Information Officer shall serve as an ex officio member without vote. A representative from each of the following shall be selected by the president to serve as an administrative advisor without vote; the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), the college and school technology coordinators, financial affairs, department chairs.

Function: To recommend to the President, and to the Chief Information Officer, and to the Faculty Council changes in policies regarding information technology; to consult with and advise the Chief Information Officer about policies and procedures pertaining to information technology at the University.