As outlined in UW policy (https://secfac.wisc.edu/governance/faculty-legislation/fpp_ch_5/#5.20.), the role of the Executive Committee is to make recommendations about all matters relating to the faculty such as initiating a search, extending an offer, renewing a probationary appointment, promoting to associate or full professor, awarding tenure or indefinite appointment, as well as to develop or modify faculty-related policies and procedures.
The following guidelines concerning the Executive Committee were adopted by the Executive Committee on 09/05/2007 .
I. Membership
By definition in faculty policies and procedures, the School of Pharmacy Executive Committee is composed of:
- Tenured faculty of the school at the rank of associate professor or professor and to whom the school has a continuing commitment of one-half time or more.
- Tenured faculty at the rank of associate professor or professor to whom the school has a continuing commitment of less than one-half time, but for whom the school is the principal sponsor of the appointment.
- Other tenured faculty at the rank of associate professor or professor who have been granted joint executive appointments by action of the school’s Executive Committee.
Tenured faculty who retire and are appointed subsequently to the academic staff as “retired annuitants” retain their membership on the school’s Executive Committee unless they choose not to do so.
II. Advisory Membership
In the eyes of the university, CHS and clinical track faculty are technically academic staff and, as such, may not formally serve as members of the Executive Committee. However, the Executive Committee members believe that the vital and expansive role played by the CHS and clinical faculty in the multiple missions of the school, the perspectives and wisdom provided by their background and expertise, and their concern for and interest in the future of the school argue for ensuring that their voice is heard and their views are considered in school decision-making to the extent permitted by university policy.
In order to inform their decision making and recognize the valuable perspectives of the CHS and clinical faculty, the members of the Executive Committee request the opinion and advice of the CHS and clinical faculty at the rank of associate professor and professor in all personnel and personnel – related policy decisions. These CHS and clinical faculty will be referred to as advisory members of the Executive Committee. CHS and clinical faculty who retire and are appointed subsequently to a continuing academic staff appointment as “rehired annuitants” retain their advisory membership on the school’s Executive Committee unless they choose not to do so. Advice will be sought in the form of participation by the advisory members in discussions, as well as preliminary votes by the advisory members relating to all personnel actions and personnel-related policy decisions. The members intend to take the advice of the advisory members seriously, especially when decisions concerning CHS and clinical faculty are being discussed. The members also strongly encourage the dean to seriously consider the advice of the advisory members in final decision-making.
III. General Functions
- The Executive Committee has the authority to make recommendations to the dean on a wide variety of personnel and personnel-related policy decisions concerning tenured, CHS, and clinical faculty.
- For actions relating to tenure, CHS, or clinical faculty not involving promotion, such as authorization to initiate a search or extend an offer, renewal of a probationary appointment, extension of the probationary period, conferral of emerita/emeritus status, etc., a majority of advisory members must be present to constitute a quorum for the advisory vote and a majority of members must be present to constitute a quorum for the formal vote. A preliminary vote of the advisory members will be conducted by voice vote to provide advice and insight to the members. The advice of the advisory members is especially important to the members for decisions relating to the CHS and clinical faculty. Voting by the members will then be conducted by voice vote unless a request is made for show of hands, roll call, or signed, paper ballots. A majority of members present must vote in favor for a positive recommendation to be made to the dean.
- For promotion to associate professor with the award of tenure (tenure track) , 2/3 of the members must be present to constitute a quorum. Advisory members will be invited and strongly encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion, but a quorum of advisory members is not required. A preliminary vote of the advisory members in attendance will be conducted by signed, paper ballot to provide advice and insight to the members. Voting by the members will then be conducted by signed, paper ballots. 2/3 of the members present must vote in favor for a positive re commendation to be made to the dean.
- For promotion to associate professor with the award of indefinite appointment (CHS/clinical track), the advice of the advisory members is especially important to the members; 2/3 of the advisory members must be present to constitute a quorum for the advisory vote. 2/3 of members must be present to constitute a quorum for the formal vote. A preliminary vote of the advisory members will be conducted by signed, paper ballot to provide advice and insight to the members. Voting by the members will then be conducted by signed, paper ballots. 2/3 of the members present must vote in favor for a positive recommendation to be made to the dean.
- For promotion to full professor (tenure track), 2/3 of the tenured full professor members must be present to constitute a quorum. Advisory members at the rank of full professor will be invited and strongly encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion, but a quorum of full professor advisory members is not required. A preliminary vote of the advisory members in attendance will be conducted by signed, paper ballot to provide advice and insight to the members. Voting by the members will then be conducted by signed, paper ballots. 2/3 of the members present must vote in favor for a positive recommendation to be made to the dean.
- For promotion to full professor (CHS/clinical track), the advice of the advisory members is especially important to the members; 2/3 of the full professor advisory members must be present to constitute a quorum for the advisory vote. 2/3 of full professor members must be present to constitute a quorum for the formal vote. A preliminary vote of the advisory members will be conducted by signed, paper ballot to provide advice and insight to the members. Voting by the members will then be conducted by signed, paper ballots. 2/3 of the members present must vote in favor for a positive recommendation to be made to the dean.
- For actions relating to personnel-related policy development or modification, a majority of advisory members must be present to constitute a quorum for the advisory vote and a majority of members must be present to constitute a quorum for the formal vote. A preliminary vote of the advisory members will be conducted by voice vote to provide advice and insight to the members. Voting by the members will then be conducted by voice vote unless a request is made for show of hands, roll call, or signed, paper ballots. A majority of members present must vote in favor for a positive recommendation to be made to the dean.
- The Executive Committee has the authority to grant departmental voting rights to CHS and clinical faculty.
All tenured and tenure track faculty hold membership in the departmental faculty and, as such, have the right to vote and otherwise participate in the governance of the Department (the school in our case). According to UW Faculty Policies and Procedures, the Executive Committee may extend the right to CHS and clinical faculty to participate as voting members of the departmental (school) faculty. This includes the right to: (a) participate and vote in departmental (school) faculty meetings, (b) participate in the election of appropriate division chairs/vice chairs, (c) participate on all school committees (following guidelines for the Academic Planning Council and the Faculty Activities Review Committee) either by election or appointment by the dean, (d) participate and vote in student appeals to the faculty of disciplinary actions, and (e) follow the same processes as tenured faculty for annual reviews, periodic post-promotion reviews, and salary adjustments. This, again, relates to the vital and expansive role played by the CHS and clinical faculty in the multiple missions of the school, the perspectives and wisdom provided by their background and expertise, and their concern for and interest in the future of the school. The Executive Committee members believe that these features argue for ensuring that the voice of the CHS and clinical faculty is heard and their views are considered in school decision-making to the extent permitted by university policy.
At the first Executive Committee meeting of appropriate academic years, members will discuss and vote on extending membership in the departmental faculty to CHS and clinical track faculty for a 3-year period. A majority of members must be present to constitute a quorum. Voting will be conducted by voice vote unless a request is made for show of hands, roll call, or signed, paper ballots. A majority of members present must vote in favor to constitute a positive recommendation to the dean. Based on the core values of inclusion and respect for the valuable contributions of the CHS and clinical faculty, the Executive Committee intends to convey this right on an on-going basis. - The Executive Committee is responsible for providing for the periodic review of the performance and productivity of every instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor (tenure, CHS, and clinical tracks). (Note: This does not refer to the individuals at all clinical ranks who are involved only with the school’s Experiential Education Program.)
Annual and periodic post-promotion reviews will be carried out by the Faculty Activities Review Committee. The committee will be chaired by the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and composed of the four division chairs, as well as three members/ advisory members of the Executive Committee (one each from the Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, the Social and Administrative Sciences Division, and the Pharmacy Practice Division) who will be elected by the Executive Committee each year.
At the first Executive Committee meeting of each academic year, members will discuss and vote on delegating responsibility for annual and periodic reviews of all professors to the Faculty Activities Review Committee for a 1-year period. A majority of members must be present to constitute a quorum. Voting by the members will be conducted by voice vote unless a request is made for show of hands, roll call, or signed, paper ballots. A majority of members present must vote in favor to constitute a positive recommendation to the dean.
General Method of Operating
As chair of the Executive Committee, the dean sets the agenda for Executive Committee meetings, in consultation with division chairs, Search Committee chairs, Mentoring Committee chairs, the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and others, as appropriate. Agenda items can be submitted by and discussions led by advisory members or members, as appropriate. Paper copies of documents and information supporting items on an Executive Committee agenda will not be distributed on a routine basis. Instead, all documents will be posted on the school’s secure website. Documents are requested to be provided to the dean’s office 7 days prior to the Executive Committee meeting for posting. Members and advisory members of the Executive Committee will be notified when materials are available and are expected to engage in meaningful review prior to the meeting. Modifications to an Executive Committee agenda will be accommodated if the dean feels the requests are reasonable and appropriate.
The dean does not vote on Executive Committee matters, is not counted as an Executive Committee member, and does not count toward the quorum.
Note about voting rules: There are three kinds of votes: voice (or show of hands), roll call, and paper ballots. If the vote is by voice and the outcome unclear, the dean can call for a show of hands. If the vote is by voice or show of hands, only the outcome of the vote is recorded. If a voice or show of hands vote is called for, a member or advisory member can request that the vote be converted to a roll call or paper ballot. If the vote is by roll call, each individual’s vote must be recorded by name. If the vote is by paper ballot, the ballot must include the name of the individual voter along with the vote; no secret (unsigned) ballots are permitted. Votes using paper ballots must be individually recorded, which is usually accomplished by preserving the ballots. The record of a roll call vote or a paper ballot is open to public inspection to the extent required by open records laws.
The dean may determine that an Executive Committee meeting shall be held entirely or partially by electronic or other communications means so long as the electronic or other communications facilities provide for simultaneous aural communication among all members equivalent to those held in one room or area. These electronic meetings of the department or executive committee shall be subject to all rules adopted by the department to govern them, which may include any reasonable limitations on, and requirements for, members’ participation. A person participating in a meeting by such means is deemed to be present at the meeting and votes taken at such a meeting fulfill any requirement that a vote be cast. (FPP 3.04.C)