BYLAWS
COLLEGE OF FINE, PERFORMING & COMMUNICATION ARTS
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY

Next Review Due: 2028-2029

Preamble

Where there may be an inconsistency between these Bylaws and present or future Board of Governors Statutes, Executive Orders, other University policies or regulations that have been duly issued, or any applicable collective bargaining agreement, the latter shall prevail.

ARTICLE I: Faculty Assembly

A. The Faculty Assembly shall consist of the Deans, Department Chairs, and Associate Department Chairs of the College who hold faculty rank and all represented faculty and academic staff in the College.

B. The Faculty Assembly shall be convened at least twice during the academic year at a time set by the Dean with at least two weeks advance notice to members. The Dean shall preside. C. No person shall have the right to vote by proxy or by email upon any question before the Faculty Assembly.

ARTICLE II: Dean of the College

The Dean is the administrative head of the College, the intermediary between the College and the University organization. The Dean or her/his designee is the presiding officer of the Faculty Assembly, and the Chair of the Faculty Council, the Promotion and Tenure Committee, and the Administrative Council. Ad hoc committees formed to advise on educational policy may be appointed by the Dean with the advice and counsel of the Department Chairs and the Faculty Council. Such committees shall be responsible to the Dean.

ARTICLE III: Departments

A. A Department is an administrative unit of the College to which individual members are assigned because of congruent interests and/or for administrative reasons. The College has four departments: the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design, the Department of Communication, the Department of Music, and the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance.

B. The Department Chair is the administrative officer of the Department. They shall inform the Dean concerning Departmental matters and the members of the Department concerning College and University matters of interest to the Department.

C. The Department shall meet at least once each fall and winter term and shall keep records. Upon request of no less than one-third of the members of a Department, the Chair shall call a special meeting of the Department Faculty.

D. Departmental policies and procedures shall be decided by a majority vote. All tenured members of the Department shall possess full franchise in all Department Faculty meetings. Tenured members of the Department may, at their discretion, extend partial or full franchise to any or all non-tenured members of the Department.

E. Tenured members of a Department may extend the privilege of committee membership with vote to designated full-time undergraduate and/or graduate student departmental majors. These voting committee membership privileges are subject to annual review and cannot be applied to matters dealing with promotion and tenure or recommendations for compensation. F. Departmental bylaws shall be consistent with those of the College.

ARTICLE IV: Standing Committees

A. Faculty Council

1. The Faculty Council shall review and assist in formulating educational policies, curricula, programs, and other matters not subject to collective bargaining that are within the responsibilities of the faculty.

2. The Faculty Council shall consist of the Associate Dean and Dean, who serve ex officio, and eight (8) voting members representing the four departments. One voting member from each department must hold tenure and one voting member from each department may be tenured, tenure-track, or any represented full-time faculty. All eight voting members are chosen from faculty who are members of the Faculty Assembly. Department Chairs, Associate Deans, and Directors shall be invited to address issues before the Council at the Council’s discretion.

3. Election of the voting members shall be conducted by secret ballot in the winter semester of each academic year. The Council delegates the responsibility of selecting a replacement voting member to the Department in which a vacancy may occur.

4. Voting members shall hold office for two years, the terms to be staggered so that half of the voting members are chosen each year (i.e., one voting member from each Department would be replaced each academic year). Voting members may serve no more than two consecutive two-year terms.

5. The quorum necessary for the Council to conduct business shall be six voting members present for synchronous conversation. In all matters coming before the Council for vote, a simple majority of the voting members shall be required.

6. No person shall have the right to vote by proxy upon any question before the Faculty Council. Voting can be done in person or electronically (via email or ballot).

7. The Faculty Council along with an elected academic staff member shall function as the College’s designated Budget Advisory Committee.

8. At any time that the Faculty Council disagrees with an action taken by the Dean, Associate Dean, or Director, or the Department Chairs, the Council shall attempt to resolve the differences. The Council shall submit a written report of its recommendations to the Dean. The Dean shall respond to the recommendations in either writing or meeting with the Council. The Dean shall submit the committee report for review and discussion to the Faculty Assembly, if necessary.

9. The Faculty Council may request any College-level committee to appear before it and may make necessary recommendations to the Dean and the Chairs concerning the work of such a committee.

10. The Council shall serve as the body through which departmental, interdepartmental, and individual issues affecting the welfare of the College shall be discussed. Any department or faculty members may present matters to the Council for discussion, and the Council may then make such recommendations to the Dean as it deems proper. All discussions will be confidential.

11. During Spring/Summer Term, the Faculty Council delegates authority to act in its behalf on emergency business to the Administrative Council. Faculty Council from that academic year will be informed of the actions. If faculty council members want to be involved in the discussion or action, they can elect to but are not required to be included. All such actions are to be reported to and voted on by the Council at its first meeting of the succeeding Fall term. If the Council disagrees with action taken by the Administrative Council, Faculty Council may request a meeting with the Dean and other members of Administrative Council to discuss how to resolve the disagreement.

12. The meetings of the Council shall be open to the faculty unless confidential information is being discussed.

B. Promotion and Tenure Committee

1. The Promotion and Tenure Committee shall be responsible, under the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, for evaluating and making recommendations to the Dean concerning all applicants for promotion or promotion and tenure forwarded by the College Departments.

2. The Promotion and Tenure Committee shall consist of six tenured Faculty members and one teaching faculty member of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts elected for two-year terms. Terms shall be staggered so that at least half the members are chosen each year. No elected member of the committee may serve more than two consecutive two-year terms. The teaching faculty member will not participate in discussion of or vote on tenure or tenure-track promotion and tenure decisions.

3. Each Department of the College shall be represented by one tenured faculty member. Three members of the Committee (one being the teaching faculty representative) shall serve as at-large members and shall be elected in rotation from the four College Departments. No more than two tenured members from any Department may serve on the committee at any time.

4. In the winter semester of each academic year, each Department in which a position is open shall nominate two eligible tenured faculty members or an associate or full teaching faculty member to be listed on the ballot in the WSU election system distributed to all represented members of the College faculty.

5. Those holding or acting in the positions of Dean, Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, Department Chair, or Associate Chair shall not be eligible for election to the Committee.

6. Tenured members of the faculty scheduled for sabbatical leave during the academic year shall not be eligible for election to the Committee. If any committee member has a sabbatical or other leave of absence during their two-year term, the department shall elect and/or name a representative to serve out that term or year. In case the alternate has a leave of absence in the same year as the member, the member’s Department shall elect a representative to serve that term or year.

7. No person, while serving as a member of the Committee, shall be considered for promotion by that body.

8. A vacancy occurring on the Committee shall be filled by an elected representative from the department in which the vacancy occurs.

9. One student representative shall be elected to serve on the Committee without voting privileges.

10. A two-thirds affirmative vote of the eligible membership of the committee shall be required for a recommendation of promotion or tenure.

11. The Dean or his or her designee shall Chair the Committee without vote.

C. Faculty Salary Committee

1. The Salary Committee shall, under the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, advise the Dean on matters of selective salary adjustments for represented members of the faculty.

2. The Committee shall consist of one eligible represented member of the faculty elected to represent each Department in the College.

3. Departments shall nominate two eligible members of the represented faculty to be listed on the ballot in the WSU election system distributed to all represented members of the College faculty.

4. Committee members shall serve one-year terms and may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

D. Administrative Council

1. The Administrative Council shall meet at least once a month to deal with issues related to current and future business of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts.

2. The Administrative Council consists of the Dean, who serves as its Chair, the Assistant and Associate Deans, Director of Business Affairs, Director of Communications and Enrollment Management, Academic Administration Manger, Director of Major Gifts, and the Chairs of the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design, the Department of Communication, the Department of Music, and the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, or the designee of the respective Department Chair.

3. The Administrative Council, whenever appropriate, shall confer with the Faculty Council prior to decisions on matters related to the educational policies of the College.

E. Academic Staff Promotion and Employment Security Status Committee

1. The Academic Staff Promotion and Employment Security Status Committee shall, under the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, be responsible for evaluating represented academic staff candidates and making employment security status or promotion recommendations to the Dean.

2. The Committee shall consist of three members of the represented academic staff who hold tenure or employment security status and shall be elected by the members of the represented academic staff.

3. Members of the Committee shall serve one-year terms and may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

4. No person, while serving as a member of the Committee, shall be considered for promotion by that body.

5. The Dean or his or her designee shall chair the Academic Staff Promotion and Employment Security Status Committee without vote.

F. Academic Staff Salary Committee

1. The Academic Staff Salary Committee shall, under the terms of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, advise the Dean on matters of selective salary adjustments for represented members of the academic staff.

2. The Committee shall consist of four members of the represented academic staff. At least three members must hold tenure or employment security status, and the fourth member may be any other eligible member of the academic staff. Committee members shall be elected by the members of the represented academic staff.

3. Members of the Committee shall serve one-year terms and may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

4. The Dean or his or her designee shall chair the Academic Staff Salary Committee with vote.

G. Strategic Initiatives and Impact Committee

1. The Strategic Initiatives and Impact Committee shall address ways to increase the ability for all humans of different voices to be uplifted and celebrated. The Committeee will propose revisions to policy and practice and increase awareness of and sensitivity to these issues at the College level. The focus will be on faculty, staff and students. The Committeee shall assess how different voices are manifested in the college, identify specific ways to enhance the experience of how we celebrate faculty, staff, and students, advise the Dean and the department chairs on issues regarding and initiatives and how they impact the College, and coordinate with the university Office of Inclusive Excellence and its initiatives.

2. The Strategic Initiatives and Impact Committee shall consist of the Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, who serves ex officio, and eight (8) voting members with 2 representatives for each of the four departments. Members can come from faculty, academic staff, or staff. Department Chairs shall be invited to address issues before the Committee at the Committee’s discretion.

3. Election of the voting members shall be conducted by secret ballot in the winter semester of each academic year. The Committee delegates the responsibility of selecting a replacement voting member to the Department in which a vacancy may occur.

4. Voting members shall hold office for two years. Voting members may serve no more than two consecutive two-year terms.

ARTICLE V: Ad Hoc Committees

Any additional committee shall be first established as an Ad Hoc committee, and, if the work of the committee seems to require a standing committee, action shall be taken by the Faculty Council by recommending an amendment to the bylaws establishing such a standing committee.

ARTICLE VI: Elections

A. The Associate Dean shall work with the Academic Administration Manager regarding the elections by using the balloting in the WSU election system for all College elections. They shall report the election results to the College.

B. The holders of all elective College offices, including College representatives to the Academic Senate and Graduate Council, shall be chosen by ballot in the WSU election system.

C. Nominees for elective offices, including College representatives to the Academic Senate and Graduate Council, shall be determined by the College departments.

D. All members of the Faculty Assembly shall be eligible to vote for College representatives to the Academic Senate; all members of the Faculty Assembly holding faculty rank shall be eligible to vote for College representatives to Graduate Council.

E. Vacancies occurring in College representation to the Academic Senate or Graduate Council shall be filled for the remainder of the term of office by the runner-up in the previous election.

ARTICLE VII: Conduct of Meetings

All meetings of the Faculty Assembly, Faculty Council, and Administrative Council shall be conducted consistent with Robert's Rules of Order.

ARTICLE VIII: Vacancy of Position Described in Bylaws

If any College-level position described in the bylaws becomes vacant because a position is eliminated or the job duties are significantly altered, the position, if necessary, shall be filled by a designee of the Dean.

ARTICLE IX: Amendments

Proposed amendments to these bylaws – changes to the meaning of the individual provisions – shall be submitted in writing either 1) by an ad hoc committee of Faculty Council members or 2) by Faculty Assembly. All Faculty Assembly amendment proposals must be submitted to Faculty Council with signatures of at least ten (10) members of the Faculty Assembly representing at least two different Departments. The Faculty Council shall discuss the proposed amendment and then shall transmit the amendment in writing with statements, pro and con, to the members of the Administrative Council. The Chairs, prior to discussion by the Administrative Committee, shall discuss the proposed amendment with their respective Department faculties. The Administrative Council shall then meet and determine the status of the amendment. The time lapse, from the time the amendment is proposed, to the time the Dean reports back to the Faculty Assembly shall not be more than ninety (90) days. A majority vote of those present at the Faculty Assembly meeting shall be necessary for adoption.

ARTICLE X: Review

A. These bylaws shall be reviewed no later than five years after the date of their approval and adoption to ensure they conform to administrative policy, contractual agreements, and College policies and procedures. The review and any proposed changes should be initiated by the Office of the Dean in consultation with the Department Chairs and referred to an Ad Hoc Bylaws Committee drawn from the Faculty Council.

B. The Ad Hoc Bylaws Committee shall report its proposed revisions to the Faculty Council for further consideration and approval.

C. The Dean of the College shall review and approve such periodic bylaws revisions under the terms of this article.

D. Final authority for the approval of College bylaws is delegated by the Board of Governors to the President or his or her designee.

Revision History & Approvals:

Reviewed by Faculty Council: 10/17/2024
Approved by College: 10/17/2024
Reviewed by Provost:10/21/2024
Minor job title and committee name revisions: 03/20/2025
Next Review Due: 2028-2029