I. Authority of the Manual of Operations and Procedures

This manual of operations and procedures formulates the procedures for faculty governance of the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability (SEES).  The school shall follow the operating rules of the university and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and shall follow the procedures in this document as a supplement thereto. Once approved by the school and the college, this document becomes effective immediately. 

II. Faculty membership and eligibility to vote

A. Definition of faculty membership

The faculty shall consist of instructional-track, tenure-track, and tenured professors appointed within SEES. The faculty also includes faculty outside the school but with courtesy appoints (0% appointments), visiting assistant professors, and adjunct professors.

B. Rights and responsibilities of faculty

Both individually and as a body the faculty is responsible for carrying out the school’s mission in accordance with the policies and procedures of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Graduate College, and the university. Individual faculty members fulfill these responsibilities in accordance with the university’s policy on professional ethics and academic responsibility.

The Department Executive Officer distributes teaching and service assignments to faculty and provides guidance through periodic reviews to ensure that all faculty are participating appropriately and equitably in the teaching, research, and service missions of the school, college, and university.

C. Rule of eligibility for voting

All tenure-track, instructional-track, and tenured professors with greater than 50% appointment in the school are eligible for voting on issues raised at school meetings. Instructional-track faculty are not eligible to vote on promotion and tenure cases for tenure-track faculty. 

Tenure-track at the rank of assistant professor cannot vote on promotion to the rank of associate or professor. 

Tenured associate professors cannot vote on promotion to the rank of professor. 

Eligible voters who are unable to be present at a school meeting when the vote is taken on an agenda item may leave a written absentee vote with the chair of the meeting before the vote is taken. Eligible voters may begin voting on the date that their official appointment begins. 

Table of Contents

Article I - Authority of the Manual of Operations and Procedures

Article II - Faculty membership and eligibility to vote

Article III - Officers and standing committees

Article IV - School meetings

Article V - School policies

Article VI - Procedures for amendment of the Manual of Operations and Procedures

Approved by the school (March 2025)

Approved by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (April 2025) 

III. Officers and standing committees

A. Department Executive Officer (DEO)

The Department Executive Officer (DEO) is appointed by the dean of the college with the advice of the faculty and the approval of the provost. The DEO holds ultimate responsibility for the smooth operation of all facets of the department.  The DEO shall have primary administrative responsibilities for recommending faculty appointments, promotions and salary raises, implementing the department’s curriculum (faculty and TA teaching loads and assignments), evaluating its faculty, procuring and regulating equipment, and managing its budget and office staff. The DEO shall also be responsible for scheduling and conducting school meetings, appointing faculty to standing committees and school offices, establishing ad hoc committees, working with the Foundation on fund-raising efforts, and managing school Foundation funds. The DEO shall represent the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability to the administration of the college and university. The DEO shall have the task of explaining school needs to the collegiate and university administration and communicating collegiate and university policies to the students and faculty in the department. In carrying out these responsibilities, the DEO shall consult with appropriate faculty. 

The DEO will be assisted in the discharge of their duties by:  1) the Director(s) of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), 2) the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), and 3) the Associate DEO (if the position is filled).  The DUS(s) and DGS are appointed by the DEO, serve at the DEO’s pleasure, and will be responsible for recommendations on course and curriculum review and for direction of school undergraduate and graduate programs, respectively.

B. Associate DEO

The Associate DEO is appointed by the DEO after a nomination process and consultation with the faculty. They answer directly to the DEO and work closely with the DEO to support school operations and faculty development.  

C. Acting DEO

Acting DEO — The DEO will recommend, subject to approval by the dean, an individual to whom administrative responsibility will be delegated in the DEO’s absence. If the position of Associate DEO is filled, the role defaults to them. If the Associate DEO is not available, this individual will be selected from the cadre of faculty who have served previously as DEO.

D. Director of Graduate Studies (DGS)

The duties of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) shall be as follows. The DGS will be responsible for recruiting and admitting graduate students; hiring, orientation, and training TAs, and ensuring evaluation of teaching assistants (including graders). The recruiting aspect includes coordinating graduate recruitment events in-house and at conferences. The DGS will lead the Graduate Committee and also represent the school to the Graduate College. In carrying out these responsibilities, the DGS will consult with the DEO and other appropriate faculty, including, but not limited to, members of the Graduate Committee. The DGS shall be appointed by the DEO and serve a renewable three-year term.

E. Directors of Undergraduate Studies (DUS)

Because of the breadth of majors offered in SEES, there are two Directors of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), one for the Earth and Environmental Sciences program and one that covers both the Geographical and Sustainability and the Environmental Policy and Planning programs, and their duties shall be as follows. The DUSs will be responsible for managing and maintaining the department’s undergraduate programs, including recruiting, admissions, enrollments and general outcomes; overseeing and facilitating curricular revisions; and ensuring the overall quality of teaching, learning, and advising. These duties include meeting with prospective undergraduates and parents, as well as communicating with central admissions and advising. In carrying out these responsibilities, the DUSs will consult with the DEO and other appropriate faculty, including, but not limited to, members of the Undergraduate Committee. The DUSs shall be appointed by the DEO and serve a renewable three-year term.

F. Standing committees

The school shall have three standing committees: the Graduate Committee, the Undergraduate Committee, and the Faculty Review committee. All standing committees are required to meet at least once a semester.

The Graduate Committee consists of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), three additional members appointed by the DEO who serve two-year terms, and the Graduate Coordinator. Meetings will occur regularly during the academic year and at least once a semester. Duties include:

  • advising the DGS in all matters related to graduate education
  • screening applications
  • selecting students for admission
  • monitoring student progress
  • handling student petitions
  • oversight of the graduate curriculum.

The Undergraduate Committee consists of the Director(s) of Undergraduate Studies (DUS), three additional members appointed by the DEO who serve two-year terms, the Undergraduate Coordinator, and the SEES Academic Advisor. Meetings will occur regularly during the academic year and at least once a semester. Duties include:

  • advising the DUS in all matters related to undergraduate education
  • addressing curriculum and pedagogy issues
  • evaluating transfer coursework and course substitutions
  • coordinating and monitoring the results of assessment activities
  • reviewing proposals for course revisions or new courses
  • oversight of the undergraduate curriculum.  

Members of the Undergraduate Committee serve as faculty mentors for students who do not have formal research advisors. Faculty mentors assist students with course selection, choosing tracks, career planning, internships, graduate school, and finding research opportunities.

The Faculty Review Committee is chaired by a full professor who is appointed by the DEO. The Chair of the Faculty Review Committee is appointed for a three-year term and is eligible for re-appointment. Two additional members of the committee will also be full professors, two more will be associate professors, and all are appointed by the DEO. The School Administrator is also a member of this committee. Meetings will occur regularly during the academic year and at least once a semester. Duties include:

  • overseeing and performing annual, third-year, tenure, and promotion reviews of tenure-track faculty in cooperation with the faculty mentor for the individual faculty, who will be an official member of the review committee
  • overseeing 5-year post-tenure reviews of tenured faculty
  • appointing a group of faculty to coordinate and perform classroom teaching observations (in consultation with the DEO)
  • working with faculty to help them submit necessary documents in a timely fashion
  • providing all necessary documents to the DEO in a timely manner so that the next stage in the review process (e.g., writing letter, submission of documents to College) can be completed
  • identifying opportunities for internal and external faculty awards and recognition.   

G. Ad Hoc Committees

The DEO shall have the ability to create additional ad hoc committees with approval of the voting faculty. Ad hoc committees are charged to address explicit short-term school goals, such as faculty hiring, program revision, or strategic planning. Members are either appointed to serve by the DEO, or are elected to serve by the faculty, depending on their charge.

H. Ad Hoc Officers

The DEO shall have the ability to appoint members of the faculty to discharge additional service responsibilities, including, but not limited to, advising student organizations, coordinating events and exhibits at national conferences, coordinating outreach, maintaining alumni relations, representing SEES in collegiate and institutional capacities, and so on. These are renewable appointments for two academic years.

IV. School meetings

A. Called meetings

Meetings of the school shall be called by the DEO as needed to conduct school business. There will be at least one meeting per semester. 

Meetings shall be announced via email at least two days beforehand. The announcement will usually contain agenda items; however, agenda items may be added after the initial announcement is distributed. Faculty who wish to have certain items placed on the agenda should communicate this to the DEO as soon as possible before the meeting occurs. 

B. Meeting chair

The DEO or the person designated by the DEO shall be the chair of a school meeting.

The duties of the chair of a school meeting include the following: 

  1. Opening the meeting at the required time and calling the meeting to order; approving minutes from the previous faculty meeting 

  2. Announcing business in the appropriate order 

  1. Stating and putting to a vote any proper motions that are made 

  1. Announcing the results of the votes 

  1. Enforcing the rules of order on all occasions 

  1. Deciding all questions of order 

  1. Adjourning the meeting after all agenda items have been discussed or the meeting time expires

C. Attendance

All faculty members (voting and non-voting) may attend school meetings; however, voting is restricted to eligible faculty members as specified in II.C

D. Voting

Voting is normally done by a show of hands; however, decisions may be made by acclamation, an email ballot, or a secret ballot. Any request made by a voting faculty member for a secret ballot will be honored.

E. Quorum

Although a quorum is not specified, if fewer than 3/4ths of the voting faculty members are present, the chair of a school meeting may rule that there is an insufficient number of faculty members to vote. (See also III.C.)

F. Secretary

The chair of a school meeting may appoint a secretary to record minutes of the meetings.

V. School policies

A. Formalizing policies

In the interest of clarity and transparency, the school may from time to time elect to formalize, in writing, specific policies pertaining to, for example, service loads, course buyouts, teaching loads, or faculty review criteria. 

B. Initiating new/revised policies

New policies, or revisions to existing policies, are initiated by the DEO or by petition, underwritten by at least three voting members, which are to be submitted to the DEO as agenda items for discussion at the next available faculty meeting. 

C. Policy adoption

Adoption of a new or amended policy can be achieved either at a school meeting or by means of an email ballot. In either event, to pass, a motion to amend shall require a majority vote of the entire voting membership of the school including those on leave or not in residence and takes effect immediately upon approval by the college. 

VI. Procedures for amendment of the Manual of Operations and Procedures

A. Consideration of amendments

The School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability shall consider amendments to the Manual of Operations and Procedures proposed by the DEO or in a petition, signed by at least three voting members of the school and submitted to the DEO. The proposed amendment shall state the precise Article, Section, and sentences to be amended. The proposed amendments shall specify the words to be added, deleted or replaced. Moreover, the proposal shall give a complete statement of the wording of the section in the amended form.

B. Proposed amendment notification

A notice of the proposed amendments shall be distributed in written form by the DEO. The proposed amendments shall appear as an agenda item in the announcement of the next school meeting. 

C. Amendment adoption

Adoption of an amendment to the Manual of Operations and Procedures can be achieved either at a school meeting or by means of an email ballot. In either event, to pass, a motion to amend shall require a majority vote of the entire voting membership of the school including those on leave or not in residence. An amendment to the Manual of Operations and Procedures takes effect immediately upon approval by the college.