Personnel Handbook: University Standing Committees

Policy Statement

The administrators, faculty, staff, and students of Marywood University bring to it a wealth of talent, knowledge, and expertise. The University Standing Committees structure provides an avenue by which this reservoir of human potential is applied to institutional problem solving and planning. Through membership on University Standing Committees, the entire Marywood community participates in the operation of the institution.

A University Standing Committee is established by action of the President of the University, usually with the recommendation of the Policy Committee of the University. Implied with this presidential responsibility are the following:

• The committee structure shall reflect the mission, goals, and objectives of the University.
• The University's commitment to shared governance is a high priority.
• The University Standing Committees structure shall provide an opportunity for a broad spectrum of the Marywood community to have a voice in the operation of the institution.
• Committees shall have specific titles that begin with identifying keywords rather than generic terms. Examples: Student Life Committee, not Committee on Student Life; Rank and Tenure Committee, not University Committee on Rank and Tenure
• Undue proliferation of University Standing Committees should be avoided in order to diminish duplicative effort and unnecessary meetings. Ad hoc committees and task forces should be used to handle specific, short-term issues. When a long-term issue arises, an attempt should be made to find a committee that may handle the issue appropriately within its existing charge. Or, if the charge of an existing University Standing Committee is closely related to a long-term issue, the charge of the committee should be expanded by the President of the University to encompass the issue. Only as a last resort should a new committee be established.

It is expected that each committee will articulate an attendance policy at its first meeting in the academic year.

UNLESS CONTRADICTED BY THE LANGUAGE OF A SPECIFIC COMMITTEE DESCRIPTION, THE FOLLOWING GENERAL RULES APPLY:

Eligibility for membership - Elected and appointed membership is ordinarily limited to Marywood University administrators, faculty, staff, and students.

Terms - The term for an elected or appointed member is three years, with possibility of one additional consecutive term. Eligibility is effective again after a hiatus of one year.

Staggered terms - Elected and appointed terms are staggered in the initial construction of a committee in order to provide for continuity.

Selection of members - Members are described in committee descriptions as elected, appointed, or ex officio. Although not always listed in committee descriptions,

• the President of the University is an ex officio member of all University Standing Committees;
• vice presidents are ex officio members of committees that affect their areas of responsibility;
• academic deans are ex officio members of committees that affect their colleges.

Elections and appointments to committee membership begin in the spring of the year with a completion deadline of the opening day of the fall semester. A list of the committee's membership is sent to the President of the University at any time within that time frame.

Filling vacancies in unexpired terms -A vacancy in an unexpired term of an elected member is filled by the alternate for the position. A vacancy in an unexpired term of an appointed member is filled by a new appointment. A partial term has no bearing on eligibility of the person's own right to election or appointment.

Chair and secretary - Each committee selects its own chair, vice chair, and secretary

The chair is responsible for

• calling, conducting and adjourning meetings,
• placing items of business, notices and motions on the agenda,
• admitting observers and visitors,
• determining the vote on a particular motion,
• seeing that the will of the committee is carried out or communicated,
• seeing to the reporting responsibilities of the committee.

The committee secretary, who is not necessarily a member of the committee, is responsible for

• drafting accurate and concise agendas and minutes,
• preparing other materials for meetings,
• undertaking associated clerical tasks assigned by the chair.

Effective date of membership - Committee membership is effective with the opening of the academic year each fall.

Reports - Every University Standing Committee has reporting responsibilities.

• Each committee shall submit annually, usually at the end of the academic year, a summary report of its activities. The report, which may be submitted in either hard copy or electronic form, is sent to the President of the University, to the reporting authority in the committee description, and to the Secretary of the University.
• Committees are encouraged to keep minutes of meetings. Copies, which may be submitted in either hard copy or electronic form, are sent to the President of the University, to the reporting authority in the committee description, and to the Secretary of the University.

Copies of annual reports and minutes that are sent to the Secretary of the University are filed in the Archives of the institution.

Definitions

University Standing Committee - a council, board, or committee that

• is charged by the President of the University as a permanent working unit;
• reports directly to the President of the University or to a vice president designated by the President of the University;
• can be a Presidential, Academic Affairs, Business Affairs, Student Life, or University Advancement committee.

Presidential Standing Committee - a committee that is charged by the President of the University and must report directly to the President of the University

Academic Affairs Standing Committee - a committee that is charged by the President of the University and must report to the Vice President for Academic Affairs

Business Affairs Standing Committee - a committee that is charged by President of the University and must report to the Vice President for Business Affairs

Student Life Standing Committee - a committee that is charged by the President of the University and must report to the Vice President for Student Life

University Advancement Standing Committee - a committee that is charged by the President of the University and must report to the Vice President for University Advancement

Procedures

Contact the Secretatry of the University with questions about University Standing Committees.