Bylaws of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Approved by the faculty of the College of Agricultural,
Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Amended through March 1, 2006

PREAMBLE

The mission of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences shall be to enhance the quality of life for rural and urban people through teaching, research, and outreach programs focused on human activity, food, fiber, and natural resource systems.

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this assembly shall be the Faculty of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

The purpose of these bylaws is to promote the orderly conduct of the business of the College. These bylaws supplement University Statutes. If they conflict with the Statutes, the Statutes shall prevail. In addition, Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall apply to the extent that its provisions are not inconsistent with University Statutes or these bylaws.

ARTICLE III. COLLEGE

Section 1. Faculty.

For purposes of governance, the faculty of the College refers to those who have the right to vote in College elections, to speak and vote in College faculty meetings, and to serve on elected and appointed College committees. The faculty consists of those who are tenured or receiving probationary credit toward tenure in any department in the college; and who have rank or title of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor.

Section 2. Dean.

The dean is the chief executive officer of the college, responsible to the chancellor for its administration, and is the agent of the college faculty for the execution of college educational policy.

Section 3. Associate Deans.

The academic programs shall be administered by the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.

The University of Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station shall be administered by the Associate Dean for Research who shall be appointed annually by the Board of Trustees on recommendation of the dean, the chancellor, and the president.

University of Illinois Extension shall be administered by the Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach who shall be appointed annually by the Board of Trustees on recommendation of the dean, the chancellor, and the president, concurred in by the Secretary of Agriculture.

ARTICLE IV. FACULTY MEETINGS

Section 1. Chair.

The dean of the College shall chair faculty meetings. In the absence of the dean, the vice-chair of the Executive Committee shall serve as chair. In the absence of the vice-chair, the dean shall designate a chair. The dean or designee shall be the official custodian of all minutes and other official records of faculty meetings.

Section 2. Secretary.

The secretary shall record and keep minutes of faculty meetings, which are the official and permanent record of faculty action and debate. In the absence of the secretary, the chair shall designate a secretary pro tem.
The secretary shall also:

1. Keep special reports approved by the faculty;
2. Maintain a current list of faculty of the College;
3. Maintain a file of all current policies and procedures adopted by the faculty;
4. Supervise the distribution of announcements of faculty meetings;
5. Supervise the distribution of minutes of faculty meetings, as approved or amended by the faculty, to each member of the faculty within a reasonable time after each faculty meeting;
6. Supervise the distribution of election ballots, direct the elections, announce election results, maintain files of election results, and make those files available for inspection upon request.

Electronic recordings, in addition to the written minutes, may be employed at the discretion of the secretary or when required by action of the assembly. In the latter case, the recordings shall be kept for three years.
The secretary shall be elected annually by the faculty from its own ranks no later than the last regular meeting of the academic year and shall take office on the first day of the new academic year.

Section 3. Parliamentarian.

By the first day of the academic year, the dean shall designate two or more parliamentarians and announce their names at the first regular meeting of the faculty.

Section 4. Regular Meetings.

1. The dean shall call at least four regular meetings of the faculty during the academic year, and shall announce the dates on or before October 1. The Executive Committee shall have the power to deviate from the announced schedule.
2. The agenda for each meeting shall be prepared by the dean after consulting with the vice-chair of the Executive Committee and the chair of the Faculty Meeting Subcommittee. Any item of business specifically requested by the dean or by the Executive Committee shall appear on the agenda. Any faculty member may request the Executive Committee to place specific items of business on the agenda. Omission of such an item from the agenda shall not prevent its introduction from the floor as new business. Items requiring faculty action that are introduced from the floor as new business shall be held over to the next regular or special meeting.
3. Notice of the date, time, place, and agenda of the meeting shall be sent from the Office of the Dean to each member of the faculty at least five working days before each meeting. Notice will be sent to others only upon request.

Section 5. Special Meetings.

A special meeting of the faculty may be called by the dean or by the vice-chair of the Executive Committee to deal with matters that may arise between regular meetings and that require urgent action by the faculty of the College. Notice of the date, time, place, and agenda of the meeting shall be sent to each member of the faculty at least five working days before the meeting. Only items on the agenda may be considered.

Section 6. Quorum.

Faculty members present for a regular meeting shall constitute the quorum. The quorum for a special meeting shall be fifty faculty members present.

Section 7. Attendance at and Participation in Meetings of the Faculty.

Faculty meetings shall be open to the public but may go into executive session by majority vote of the faculty present.

1. The following non-faculty members may speak but not vote: retired faculty members; those with a nonsalaried or nontenure-track appointment in the College or in any unit of the College having the rank or title of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor, including those with the modifier "clinical," "research," "adjunct," or "visiting"; or assistant or associate deans of the College.
2. A student who is a member of a College committee may speak concerning any aspect of the work of that committee but may not vote.
3. Others may request of the faculty the privilege of the floor to speak on a matter of direct concern in an official capacity.

Section 8. Voting.

A faculty member must be present at a faculty meeting to vote; faculty members may not vote by proxy or absentee ballot. Voting shall be by secret ballot when requested by any faculty member.

Section 9. Order of Business.

When a meeting is adjourned without completing its order of business and without fixing the date, time, and place of continuation, the unfinished business shall proceed at the next regular meeting after reading the minutes of the preceding meeting.

ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Committees.

The College committees shall include:

1. An elected executive council, called the Executive Committee;
2. Elected standing policy committees, including the Advancement Policy Committee, the Extension Policy Committee, the Graduate Educational Policy Committee, the International Activities Policy Committee, the Research Policy Committee, and the Undergraduate Educational Policy Committee;
3. Appointed standing committees, including the Administrator Evaluation Committee, the Courses and Curricula Committee, the Elections Committee, and the Promotion and Tenure Committee;
4. Special committees created by these bylaws, by resolution of the Executive Committee or the faculty, or by action of the dean.

Ex officio committee members shall not have voting privileges.

Section 2. Attendance at and Participation in Meetings of Elected Committees.

Executive Committee and policy committee meetings shall be open to members of the faculty but may close to go into executive session by majority vote of the committee. Faculty members may request of a committee the privilege of the floor to speak on a matter of direct concern in an official capacity.

Section 3. Executive Committee.

1. Duties. The Executive Committee shall:
   (1) Serve as the primary advisory committee to the dean;
   (2) Advise the provost concerning annual reappointment of the dean;
   (3) On its own initiative or when requested by the dean, schedule a faculty meeting and prepare the agenda;
   (4) Advise the dean on budgetary matters;
   (5) Coordinate the work of the standing committees;
   (6) Act as a committee on committees to appoint or nominate members of the faculty for the Administrator Evaluation Committee, the Elections Committee, the Promotion and Tenure Committee, and for other committees at the request of the dean or the faculty;
   (7) Report its activities at the annual meeting of the faculty;
   (8) Designate an ex officio liaison from its membership of each standing policy committee;
   (9) Initiate the statutory five-year evaluation of the dean, in cooperation with the provost; the Executive Committee shall arrange for the selection of the Dean Evaluation Committee, adopt the procedures to be used after consulting with the Dean Evaluation Committee and the provost, and inform the faculty of these procedures; on matters related to evaluation of the dean, the dean shall not be a member of the Executive Committee, and the vice-chair shall preside;
   (10) Act on other business delegated to it by the faculty or the dean.

2. Membership. The Executive Committee shall be composed of a chair and fourteen elected faculty members.
   (1) A faculty member who is an assistant dean or a member of the ACES Administrative Committee is not eligible to serve on the Executive Committee.
   (2) The dean shall be the chair. A vice-chair, elected by and from elected members, shall preside in the dean's absence.
   (3) No more than three of the fourteen elected members may be from any one of the following seven departments:
   (a) Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics;
   (b) Department of Agricultural Engineering;
   (c) Department of Animal Sciences;
   (d) Department of Crop Sciences;
   (e) Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition;
   (f) Department of Human and Community Development;
   (g) Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences.
   (4) Of the fourteen elected members, one shall be elected from each of the seven departments, and seven shall be elected from the College at large.
3. Procedures.
   (1) The chair and the vice-chair shall prepare the agenda for each meeting. The agenda shall be distributed by the Office of the Dean to each member and to each department head or chair, who shall make them available to the faculty of that department. Eight elected members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.
   (2) Faculty members may submit agenda items directly to the chair or vice-chair of the committee for consideration.
   (3) Minutes of each meeting shall be distributed by the Office of the Dean to each member and to each department head or chair, who shall make them available to the faculty of that department.
   (4) The Executive Committee shall establish a Faculty Meeting Subcommittee, a Faculty Grievance Subcommittee, and such other subcommittees as it deems necessary and appropriate.
   (a) The Faculty Meeting Subcommittee of three faculty members and, ex officio, a member of the Executive Committee shall advise the dean concerning the agenda, the schedule, and the plan for programs for faculty meetings.
   (b) The Faculty Grievance Subcommittee of four members of the Executive Committee shall consider formal written grievances of faculty members and advise the dean concerning these grievances within 30 business days of their filing. The dean’s decision is to be communicated in writing to the appellant and to the respondent(s) within 60 business days of the filing of a grievance. The decision may be appealed to the UIUC Faculty Advisory Committee.
   (i) Any member of the faculty may approach the committee for assistance with problems related to faculty duties or issues of concern to the faculty. Formal grievances concerning the actions or policies of the unit or of another individual are to be explicitly stated in writing. If respondent(s) choose to reply, then it must be done in writing within 10 business days after the Subcommittee’s notification that a grievance has been filed. The appellant may then reply to the respondent(s) in writing and within 10 business days. All committee deliberations should be confidential. The appellant has the right to choose and be accompanied by an advisor at any and all stages of the grievance process.
   (ii) Members of the subcommittee shall be elected by and from members of the Executive Committee to serve staggered two-year terms, with no two members from the same department. The chair shall be elected by the subcommittee from second-year members. No member of the subcommittee may participate if the grievance involves that member's department or if a conflict of interest exists. If fewer than four members of the Executive Committee are eligible to serve, then the dean in consultation with the Executive Committee may appoint additional faculty member(s) to the subcommittee.

Section 4. Policy Committees.

1. Duties. There shall be policy committees for advancement, undergraduate education and graduate education, extension, international, and research activities of the College. Each policy committee shall:
   (1) Evaluate existing policies and propose new policies;
   (2) Advise the Director of ACES Global Connect or the associate dean in the respective area of responsibility;
   (3) Report its activities at the annual meeting of the faculty;
   (4) Provide an annual evaluation to the dean of the performance of the Director of ACES Global Connect or the associate dean in the respective area of responsibility.
   (a) The dean shall request the evaluation from each committee.
   (b) Each committee shall meet in executive session with only elected members present when annually evaluating the performance of the Director of ACES Global Connect or the associate dean in the respective area of responsibility. Such annual evaluation need not be conducted when the Director of ACES Global Connect or the associate dean is undergoing an in-depth evaluation as provided for in Article V., Section 5.2, Paragraph a., Sub-paragraph (2).
   (c) Each year, except when an in-depth evaluation is taking place under Article V., Section 5.2, Paragraph a., Sub-paragraph (2), the Graduate Educational Policy Committee and the Undergraduate Educational Policy Committee shall meet jointly to evaluate the performance of the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.
2. Membership. Each policy committee shall be composed of one elected faculty member from each of the seven departments, and, ex officio, the Director of ACES Global Connect or the associate dean in the respective area of responsibility and the Executive Committee liaison.
   (1) A faculty member who is an assistant dean or a member of the ACES Administrative Committee is not eligible to serve on policy committees. A faculty member holding the position of associate dean is not eligible to serve on policy committees, except as the ex officio administrative officer.
   (2) Elected members shall serve for two-year terms, with about half elected each year.
   (3) The Undergraduate Educational Policy Committee shall also include the chair of the Courses and Curricula Committee, as an ex officio member, and two undergraduate students selected by the College Student Council, each student to serve a one-year term.
   (4) The Graduate Educational Policy Committee shall also include the chair of the Courses and Curricula Committee, as an ex officio member, and two graduate students appointed by the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, in consultation with department heads and chairs, each student to serve a one-year term.
   (5) The Director of ACES Global Connect or the associate dean serving on a policy committee shall call a meeting of the committee early in the academic year for the purpose of organization.
   (6) The chair of each committee shall be elected from elected faculty members who served on the committee during the previous academic year.

Section 4.1. Advancement Policy Committee.

This committee shall advise the Associate Dean for Advancement on existing and proposed policy matters related to advancement and alumni activities. It is the duty of this committee to propose policy on:

1. Advancement and alumni activities and projects;
2. Involvement and participation of faculty in advancement and alumni activities;
3. Public relations activities, both internal and external to the College;
4. Recognition of outstanding alumni and donors.

Section 4.2. Extension Policy Committee.

This committee shall advise the Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach on existing and proposed policy matters related to extension and outreach activities. It is the duty of this committee to propose policy on:

1. Allocation of funds;
2. Communication and marketing of extension;
3. Coordination of extension-research activities;
4. Extension roles and activities of administration, state staff, and field staff;
5. Production of extension programs and products.

Section 4.3. Graduate Educational Policy Committee.

This committee shall advise the Associate Dean for Academic Programs on existing and proposed policy matters related to graduate education, including those arising from the Courses and Curricula Committee. It is the duty of this committee to propose policy on:

1. Administration of graduate fellowship programs;
2. Encouragement and recognition of excellence in graduate studies;
3. Graduate education programs of the College;
4. Matters concerning graduate student discipline, grievances, and student-faculty mentor relationships not resolved in the department;
5. Professional development programs for graduate students;
6. Training programs for graduate teaching assistants.

Section 4.4. International Activities Policy Committee.

This committee shall advise the Director of ACES Global Connect on existing and proposed policy matters related to international activities. It is the duty of this committee to propose policy on:

1. Allocation of funds;
2. Cooperation with other units within the university and with other state, national, and international institutions and agencies;
3. Coordination and integration of international activities with established policy and programs in research, education, and extension and outreach;
4. Establishment of priorities for developing and selecting international programs and projects;
5. Nondegree programs for foreign participants.

Section 4.6. Undergraduate Educational Policy Committee.

This committee shall advise the Associate Dean for Academic Programs on existing and proposed policy matters related to undergraduate education, including those arising from the Courses and Curricula Committee. It is the duty of this committee to:

1. Propose policy on:
   (1) Administration of scholarship and other financial aid;
   (2) Admission, readmission, probation, and drop actions;
   (3) Encouragement and recognition of excellence in undergraduate students;
   (4) Honors programs;
   (5) Identification of College scholarship recipients and honor students;
   (6) Matters concerning undergraduate student discipline, grievances, and student-faculty relationships;
   (7) Programs designed to familiarize high school students with College offerings and opportunities for graduates;
   (8) Programs for teaching improvement;
   (9) Undergraduate educational programs of the College.
2. Serve as the standing academic disciplinary committee. Hearing and disciplinary procedures shall be consistent with those formulated and adopted by the Senate Committee on Student Discipline and outlined in the latest edition of the Code on Campus Affairs and Handbook of Policies and Regulations Applying to All Students.

Section 5. Other Standing Committees.

Section 5.1. Courses and Curricula Committee.

1. Duties. This committee shall perform the following functions pertaining to undergraduate and graduate programs:
   (1) Recommend policies on any other matters that are the committee's concern to the Graduate or Undergraduate Educational Policy Committees for consideration;
   (2) Recommend policies relating to the transfer of credits from other institutions;
   (3) Review and act on new course proposals and the revision or deletion of existing courses;
   (4) Review course offerings of the College and make recommendations to the faculty for changes in curricula to improve the quality of the educational program;
   (5) Review policies and procedures for undergraduate student petitions concerning course substitutions and other exceptions to the requirements of various curricula;
   (6) Review proposed new and revised majors and curricula and make recommendations on them to the faculty;
   (7) Present to the faculty each year a report summarizing the activities of the committee.
2. Membership. This committee shall be composed of one faculty member from each department, selected in a manner acceptable to the faculty of that department; two students elected by the College Student Council; and one academic staff member from Academic Programs as an ex officio member. The chair shall be elected by the committee from among faculty members selected by departments and shall be an ex officio member of the Graduate and Undergraduate Educational Policy committees.

Section 5.2. Administrator Evaluation Committee.

1. Duties. This committee shall perform the following functions pertaining to evaluation of administrators:
   (1) Conduct the statutory five-year evaluation of department heads or chairs.
   (2) Conduct an in-depth evaluation at least once every six years of the Director of ACES Global Connect and of the associate deans in the respective areas of academic programs, advancement, extension and outreach, and research.
   (3) Recommend procedures for evaluating and for ensuring the opportunity to participate for all faculty members of the relevant department(s) and others deemed appropriate. These procedures must be approved by the Executive Committee and presented to the faculty.
2. Membership. This committee shall be composed of one faculty member from each department, and shall be appointed by the Executive Committee, about half each year.
   (1) A faculty member who is an assistant dean or a member of the ACES Administrative Committee is not eligible to serve on this committee.
   (2) Committee members shall be selected, so far as practicable, to represent extension, research, and teaching; and all faculty ranks. No committee member shall participate in the evaluation of that member's department head or chair.
   (3) No member of the Executive Committee shall participate in selecting members of the Administrator Evaluation Committee that is scheduled to evaluate that member's department head or chair.
   (4) Names of committee members proposed by the Executive Committee and of administrators being evaluated shall be announced at a regular College faculty meeting. The membership of the committee shall be approved by vote of the faculty at or following a faculty meeting at which nominees are presented to the faculty for discussion.
   (5) Members shall serve staggered two-year terms. If there is no administrator evaluation anticipated for the next academic year, then terms of the members shall be extended one year. The chair shall be appointed by the Executive Committee from members who have served one year. Members may not succeed themselves.

Section 5.3. Elections Committee.

1. Duties. This committee shall perform the following functions pertaining to elections:
   (1) For College elections this committee shall:
   (a) Ensure compliance with the provisions of Article VI of these bylaws;
   (b) Supervise counting of the ballots in College elections;
   (c) Transmit results of elections to the secretary of the faculty and to the Executive Committee;
   (d) Seek improved methods for carrying out elections and recommend them to the Executive Committee.
   (2) The committee shall coordinate other faculty elections when College involvement is required.
2. Membership. This committee shall be composed of four faculty members, three appointed by the Executive Committee and, ex officio, the secretary of the faculty.

Section 5.4. Promotion and Tenure Committee.

1. Duties. This committee shall perform the following functions pertaining to promotion and tenure:
   (1) Review recommendations for promotion and tenure submitted by the executive officers of departments;
   (2) Make recommendations for promotion and tenure to the dean, including evaluations of each recommendation and of departmental compliance with existing policies.
2. Membership. This committee shall be composed of one faculty member from each department, one of whom is a member of the Executive Committee.
   (1) A faculty member who is an assistant dean or a member of the ACES Administrative Committee is not eligible to serve on this committee.
   (2) Members shall be appointed by the Executive Committee for staggered two-year terms. The chair shall be chosen by the Executive Committee.
3. Procedures. The dean shall familiarize the committee with current pertinent university and College policies that the committee must follow. The dean shall also report to the committee the outcome of its recommendations at the College and campus levels.

Section 6. Dean Evaluation Committee

1. Duties. This committee shall conduct the statutory five-year evaluation of the dean, using procedures adopted by the Executive Committee.
2. Membership. The committee shall be composed of
   (1) A chair who shall be (1) a tenured professor with primary appointment in a different college and (2) appointed by the provost with concurrence of the Executive Committee.
   (2) One faculty member from each department and two academic professionals from the college, and may include up to two students currently enrolled in a program within the college.
   (3) Except for the chair, committee members shall be (1) nominated by the Executive Committee, and (2) approved by vote of the faculty at or following a faculty meeting at which nominees are presented to the faculty for discussion. Committee members should be nominated, so far as feasible, to represent extension, research, teaching and all faculty ranks. A member of the academic staff who is an assistant dean or a member of the ACES Administrative Committee is not eligible to serve.

ARTICLE VI. ELECTIONS

Section 1. Rules.

1. Elections for committee membership shall take place during the Spring Semester and shall be announced to the faculty.
2. For College-wide elections, eligible voters and eligible nominees shall be determined in accordance with Article III and the applicable sections of this article.
3. The term of each committee member shall be for two years, beginning on the first day of the academic year following election.
4. An elected member may not serve more than two consecutive terms, partial or full, on the same committee.
5. A faculty member may not serve concurrently on more than one elected College committee.

Section 2. Executive Committee Elections.

The Executive Committee shall have fourteen faculty members, one elected from each department and seven elected from the College at large, with no more than three from any one department.

A faculty member is eligible for nomination to the Executive Committee even if serving on another elected College committee.

Section 2.1. Faculty Members Elected from Within Departments.

1. Elections for the seven faculty members shall be conducted by each department during the Spring Semester of odd years, according to rules and procedures established by that department.

2.  Upon evidence of a vacancy, the unexpired term shall be filled according to rules and procedures established by that department.

Section 2.2. Faculty Members Elected from the College at Large.

1. Elections for the seven faculty members shall be conducted by the staff of the Office of Dean during the Spring Semester of even years and supervised by the secretary of the faculty, according to rules and procedures established by the Elections Committee.
2. A list of eligible nominees, together with a nominating ballot, shall be distributed to the faculty. Each faculty member may nominate up to seven persons, but not more than two from any one department.
3. The final election ballot shall include up to two nominees who received the highest number of nominations from each of the seven departments.
4. The Elections Committee shall ascertain that each person whose name is to appear on the election ballot intends to be on campus for at least the first academic year of the term of office and is willing to serve if elected.
5. Ties shall be broken by the toss of a coin supervised by a member of the Elections Committee.
6. Results of elections shall be available for inspection by any faculty member and shall be kept until those elected have completed their terms of office.
7. Upon evidence of a vacancy from the College at large, the Elections Committee shall fill the vacancy by naming the person who received the next highest number of votes in the most recent election and who is eligible and willing to complete the term of office.

Section 3. Policy Committee Elections.

1. Each policy committee shall have seven faculty members, one elected from each department, with about half elected each year.  Elections shall be conducted during the Spring Semester according to rules and procedures established by each department.
2. Upon evidence of a vacancy, the unexpired term shall be filled according to rules and   procedures established by that department.

ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

These bylaws may be amended by a three-fifths majority of the faculty members voting. A proposed amendment shall be distributed to the faculty, and explained and discussed at a subsequent faculty meeting. The vote shall be taken by mail ballot and supervised by the Elections Committee.