Academic
Appeals Committee
Charge: To serve as a final locus for appeal of decisions regarding
late withdrawal, late add, suspension and dismissal for academic reasons. At
its discretion, the Committee may choose to review other individual cases that
are relevant to the application of University-wide policies. Does not hear grade
appeals or appeals of Honor Committee decisions.
Athletic Council
Charge: To act in an advisory capacity to the Vice President
for Student Affairs in all matters pertaining to intercollegiate and intramural
athletics.
Admissions Committee
Charge: Follow the admissions process in order that the faculty
might better understand it; make recommendations regarding admissions standards
to the Director of Admissions; report admissions recommendations and statistics
to the Faculty Senate on an annual basis.
Effective Teaching Committee
Charge: To develop and help implement procedures which encourage
and reward effective teaching, and to enable faculty to improve their teaching
effectiveness independent of any evaluation procedures, and to implement procedures
or evaluation of effective teaching. Also, to recommend policy to the Senate
and to monitor the use of such policy for the evaluation of teachers and courses,
including the following:
A. Review existing policies concerned with the evaluation process and as appropriate
formulating modifications and additions to these policies and recommending such
changes to the Faculty Senate;
B. Review the evaluation form questionnaire at least once every three years
and recommending appropriate changes or modifications of the questionnaire and/or
procedure to the Faculty Senate; and
C. Inform the Office of Institutional Analysis of policy governing the preparation,
administration, and distribution of the results of the GMU Faculty/Course evaluations
forms and monitoring the process so as to insure proper application of such
policies.
D. Review, in consultation with the Provost's Office, the course evaluation
form currently in use, in order to elimitate its ambiguities and perceived deficiencies
and to provide for the inclusion of localized questions by the local academic
units; and establish a mechanism for regular review of the course evaluation
forms.
Committee
on External Academic Relations
Composition: Six members who are elected for two-year terms.
Three members of the Committee should be senators, two others are elected from
the faculty at-large, and one ex-officio member is the Provost's designee.
At the beginning of each academic year the Committee must meet to select the
representatives to the Virginia Faculty Senate from among its members, excluding
the ex-officio member. At least one of these representatives must be a senator.
In case of vacancies, the Nominations Committee nominates the new members, and
the Committee internally evaluates and possibly
reallocates the assigned responsibilities. The Committee expires August 31,
2002, unless reviewed and approved by the Faculty Senate to continue its operation
as a standing committee.
Charge:
A. Represent GMU faculty at Virginia higher education faculty governance organizations,
including the Faculty Senate of Virginia. The seats allocated to GMU at the
Faculty Senate of Virginia are to be filled by members of CEAR.
B. Report monthly to the GMU faculty senate on the proceedings of the Virginia
Faculty Senate and voice back to this organization issues of relevance to GMU.
C. Gather information on key matters about higher education in state legislation,
state committees, and local venues, and report back to the GMU Senate.
D. Provide forums and avenues for the exchange of ideas with representatives
of SCHEV, state legislators representing Northern Virginia, and community groups
related to higher education in Northern Virginia.
General Education Committee
Composition: The membership of the Committee comprises 14 voting
members:
A. Eight elected from the Faculty Senate ensuring that most academic units are
represented, one at least should be a senator;
B. Four faculty appointed by the Provost;
C. The Associate Provost for General Education; and
D. One student elected by the Student Senate.
Charge:
A. The Committee will work in cooperation with the Associate Provost for General
Education on all matters concerning general education.
B. For all foundation, core, and synthesis general education requirements, the
Committee will approve courses to fulfill these requirements. The Committee
will develop procedures for the measurement of "satisfactory skills in
oral and written
presentations" for the synthesis requirement, and work with the Office
of the Provost to develop procedures for the demonstration of these skills before
a faculty panel.
C. The Committee will approve and monitor, through periodic review, the proficiency
examinations related to the general education requirements, the competency tests,
and any other alternatives proposed to fulfill the requirements.
D. The Committee will maintain a file of all proficiency examinations and will
approve policies related to their administration.
E. The Committee will provide an annual report to the Faculty Senate. The report
shall include:
a) The number of students taking and passing proficiency examinations;
b) Changes in the criteria for general education;
c) The process and timetable of implementation of the general education
requirements.
More frequent reports to the Faculty Senate might take place as adjustments
to the general education program may warrant.
Grievance Committee
In March 1998, the Faculty Senate approved the creation of the Grievance Committee,
replacing the ad hoc University Grievance Committee, effective September
1998. The Charge was amended by a Faculty Senate vote on February 12, 2003 to
enable the Committee to hear grievances from research faculty on matters of
infringements of academic freedom, unfair or inappropriate conditions of employment,
and any other due process issue.
Composition:
Five members. Non-tenured faculty, chairs, and others serving in administrative
capacities are ineligible to serve on this Committee. Members serve staggered
two-year terms.
Charge: To investigate grievances of Instructional, Restricted,
and Research Faculty:
A. which involve faculty matters from more than one local academic unit. Issues
of investigation include alleged infringements of academic freedom, alleged
unfair or inappropriate conditions of employment, and any other due process
issue with the exclusion of retention, promotion and tenure appeals;
B. which are not addressed by, or do not fall within the purview of the grievance
committee of the pertinent local academic unit; and
C. for local academic units that do not have grievance committees established,
or when a grievance committee does not conform to the written procedures of
the local academic unit. Faculty appeals from local academic unit grievance
committees are excluded.
Minority and Diversity Issues Committee
In March 1998, the Faculty Senate created the Minority and Diversity Issues
Committee. This Committee incorporates the revised duties of what were previously
addressed by the ad hoc Minority Affairs Committee and the ad hoc
Diversity Issues Committee. This Committee replaced the two ad hoc
Committees effective September 1998.
Composition: Five members. Tenured and tenure-track faculty
are eligible to serve on this Committee. Members serve staggered two-year terms.
Charge: To work in concert with the Equity Office, Minority
Students Services Office, other pertinent administrators, and campus organizations
in developing and implementing means to ensure nondiscrimination, tolerance,
and protection of the rights of all persons affiliated with the University;
and to facilitate dialogue among those connected with the University and those
in the broader community on matters concerning minority populations and diversity
issues.
Non-Traditional, Interdisciplinary, and Adult
Learning Committee
Charge: To advise and collaborate with the Provost on academic
matters on all campuses related to continuing education programs that involve
multiple academic units, including approval and oversight of certificates, distance
learning courses, summer sessions, contract courses, and the Testing Center.
Salary Equity Study Committee
Charge: To systematically study annually the distribution of
faculty salaries at all ranks as identified in Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of the Faculty
Handbook; to systematically study salaries by gender, by race/ethnic divisions,
and by local academic unit; to examine frequencies of men/women and of members
of different race/ethnic categories within LAUs; and additionally to investigate
the potential for individual equity measures. The committee shall monitor the
establishment and maintenance of a database of faculty compensation including
all categories and ranks of faculty, and shall report its aggregate findings
on salary and on the status of the database annually to the Faculty Senate and
provide specific data to the Equity Office, the Provost, Deans and Directors,
and to other LAU administrators.
Technology Policy Committee
Composition: Seven members, at least two of whom must be senators
and one an ex-officio faculty member designated by the Provost. The composition
should be such that most academic units are represented.
Charge: The Committee will actively advise the Vice-President
of Information Technology and other administrators in investments and in implementation
of computer-based technologies that impact the educational techniques in the
University. The Committee also advises on the development of new computer-based
educational techniques and research capacities within the University. The Committee
will work cooperatively with the central administration to formulate the technology
budget of the University. These actions will ensure that the recommendations
issued by the Committee reflect the position of the faculty concerning allocations
to programs and/or individuals. The Committee will work with the administration
to review and maintain a clear and equitable policy pertaining to intellectual
property rights of the faculty.
Writing Across the Curriculum Committee
Composition: One elected representative from each of the academic
units offering undergraduate degrees, the Director of the WAC Program who is
an ex-officio member with no vote or possibility to chair the Committee.
Charge: To advise and work closely with the University Coordinator
on Writing Across the Curriculum on current and projected activities and events
and to assist departments in the identification and definition of writing-intensive
courses in their curricula. To:
A. Articulate and refine the requirements for the WI designated course designated
to fulfill the WI requirement in every undergraduate degree across the university
with the purpose of establishing homogeneous WI criteria;
B. Assist colleges, schools and institutes in the identification of existing
or new courses that degree programs propose to meet the WI requirement in their
curricula;
C. Review regularly the courses WI-syllabi to determine compliance with the
WI requirement;
D. Suggest ways to meet the WI requirement to faculty teaching the WI designated
courses; and
E. Assist with activities and events related to writing across the curriculum.