FEC Survey on Faculty Governance

Faculty Governance

1. On a scale from 1 – 10 (with 10 being the highest), how would you rate your sense of satisfaction with each of the three major areas of Faculty Governance:

–The Faculty Meeting

–The Faculty Handbook

–The Faculty Committee Structure

2. Which element of Faculty Governance do you think requires the most immediate attention?

--The Faculty Meeting

--The Faculty Handbook

--The Faculty Committee Structure

Additional Comments:

Faculty Meeting

3. Are there particular aspects or elements of the meetings (or preparation for meetings) that you would like to see addressed or changed (Please see the attached material below from the Faculty Handbook outlining the membership/structure/process of faculty meetings)?

Faculty Handbook

4. Should the FEC report to the faculty whenever changes are made to the Faculty Handbook?

Yes. No. Additional comments:

5. What process should be used to amend the Faculty Handbook?

Faculty Committees

6. What questions/issues regarding faculty committees need to be addressed?

7. Should Dean Weil appoint a taskforce to work with him to evaluate our faculty committee structure? Yes. No. Additional comments.

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From the Faculty Handbook (selections regarding Faculty Governance)

2.2. Academic Organization of the College

2.2.1. Faculty Membership

The faculty of Moravian College consists of "teaching faculty" and "administrative faculty." The "teaching faculty" are all members of the full-time teaching faculty, the president, the dean of the faculty the associate dean for academic affairs, and the dean of continuing and graduate studies. "Administrative faculty" are a limited number of administrators, appointed by the president, who bear a direct relationship to the teaching and learning process. This designation is an acknowledgment that significant teaching and learning occurs outside the classroom.

As of September 2002, the "administrative faculty" consists of the following positions:

Vice president for administration Vice president for institutional advancement Vice president for planning and research Vice president for enrollment Director of admission Director of financial aid Assistant dean of continuing studies Assistant dean for academic advising Assistant dean of music Library director

Librarians Registrar Vice president for student affairs Dean of student life Dean of student development Director of learning services Director of career development Director of counseling Director of student activities and the HUB College chaplain

2.2.3. Faculty Vote

The members of the faculty (both teaching and administrative) vote on all issues concerning the College community comprehensively understood. Only the members of the "teaching faculty" vote on matters relating strictly to their professional responsibilities and interests: for example, pedagogical issues, composition of faculty committees, or tenure/promotion policies. The president and the dean of the faculty determine which issues are community-wide and which issues are pertinent only to the teaching faculty.

2.2.4. Faculty Meetings

Faculty meetings are called by the president and/or the dean of the faculty. The dean of the faculty sets the dates for regular faculty meetings and prepares agendas for them. Items for inclusion on the agenda may be submitted by individual faculty members, administrative staff, and committee chairs.

2.2.5. Secretary of the Faculty

The secretary of the faculty, elected by the faculty, is responsible for the recordingof all official actions and minutes of faculty meetings. Distribution and maintenance of official actions and minutes is undertaken by the Office of Academic Affairs.

2.2.8. Committee Examples

a. The Faculty Executive Council

The Faculty Executive Council (FEC), one of the standing committees of the faculty, is designed to advise the president and serve as a channel of communication between the faculty and the president. The FEC has the following responsibilities:

􀂃 to provide leadership and take initiative in representing the goals of the teaching faculty.

􀂃 to act on their behalf within the established system of College governance to formally present the teaching faculty's concerns to the president.

􀂃 to formulate specific proposals for review and consideration by the president, by the full faculty, and, through the president, by the Board of Trustees as a contribution to decision-making within the College.

The FEC consists of five members elected by the teaching faculty at the next-to-the-last scheduled faculty meeting of the academic year. Three members, one from each of the three divisions of the faculty, must be tenured and serve staggered three-year terms. The remaining two members, at least one of whom must be untenured, are be elected from the faculty at large and serve staggered two-year terms. No two members may be from the same academic department. In the event of a situation in which an elected member of the FEC cannot complete a full term, the council will conduct a special election to fill the vacancy at the next full faculty meeting. No individual may serve on the FEC for more than six years consecutively. Members of the FEC have the prerogative to decline membership on all other committees. The members of the council annually elect their own chair.

The general function of the FEC is to represent the teaching faculty in all matters of concern to the teaching faculty and to advise the president in the development of College policy and planning as it relates to the teaching faculty. Toward this end the council is authorized:

􀂃 To represent the teaching faculty in the event of emergencies or situations in which the full faculty cannot be convened.

􀂃 To consult with members of the teaching faculty for the purpose of the exchange of information and views on matters of concern to them.

􀂃 To consult with other standing committees for the purpose of exchange of information and views of concern to them.

􀂃 To develop specific proposals for direct presentation at full faculty meetings when circumstances make the utilization of other standing committees untimely or inappropriate.

􀂃 To request that committees consider issues of concern to the teaching faculty including consideration of specific proposals developed by the FEC.

􀂃 To consult with the president of the College and/or the PBC for the purpose of providing general support and assistance in planning; and specifically to recommend priorities in the preparation of the annual budget of the College.

The FEC meets with the president and, at the president's discretion, with the vice president for academic affairs when appropriate but at least once each semester. Additional meetings may be scheduled as the president and the FEC deem appropriate. The FEC advises the president or, at the president's discretion, the vice president for academic affairs in setting agendas for full faculty meetings.

For the purpose of identification and discussion of the concerns of the teaching faculty and to help the FEC identify and develop specific policy initiatives concerning the faculty, the FEC, when it is appropriate, consults with members of the teaching faculty. To effect such consultation, meetings of the FEC open to all teaching faculty are held at least once a semester. Additional open meetings of the FEC may be convened when circumstances warrant.

As a representative body of the faculty, the FEC can initiate proposals and express the will of the teaching faculty. Towards that end, members of the faculty may petition the FEC to initiate specific proposals. A petition signed by one-third of the voting members of the teaching faculty obligates the FEC to represent before the appropriate persons or bodies, in accordance with its functions, the position stated in the petition. Actions taken by the FEC in the name of the faculty, however, do not bind any individual faculty member to support these actions or to vote in favor of them at meetings of the faculty.

For the purposes of assuring effective and efficient operations of the committees of the College, including administrative, advisory, and ad hoc committees, the FEC, with the president, can request a committee to provide a formal report on the committee's activities within a time frame specified by the FEC and the president.

Changes in the structure, functions, or by-laws of the FEC can be made by two-thirds vote of the teaching faculty in attendance at a regular faculty meeting.

April 2003 2-9