2005-2007 edition
Section III: College of Sciences and Technology
I. Role and Mission
The mission of the College of Sciences and Technology is to provide high quality education in science, mathematics and technology; to participate in the discovery, communication and application of knowledge; to integrate teaching scholarly activity and service; and to maintain a diverse college community.
II. Organization
The College of Sciences and Technology is comprised of the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering Technology, Geology, Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy. Each department has a chair who is a member of the faculty serving as the chief representative of the department within the College.
The Dean of the College functions as administrator, planner, leader, and spokesperson for the College, reporting to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Dean is the representative of the faculty and staff of the College to the University administration and other units of the University.
The Associate Dean provides support to the Dean and serves as Dean in the absence of the Dean.
The Dean's Advisory Council (DAC), consisting of all department chairs and program directors in the College, advises the Dean with respect to all matters of common interest to the College, reviews organization and long-range plans, and suggests modifications where appropriate.
The chair of a department is appointed on the joint recommendation of the Dean and the department to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The search process and the role of the Chair Search Committee are detailed in the Department Chair Search and Appointment Procedures of the College.
A department chair generally serves a four-year term. During spring quarter of the first year of the term, the Dean conducts an evaluation of the chair with input from the faculty and staff of the department and meets with the chair to discuss the results of the evaluation. No later than November of the fourth year, the Dean determines whether or not the incumbent is willing to serve another term as chair. In the event the incumbent is willing to serve another term, the Dean asks the faculty to evaluate the chair’s performance and to indicate whether or not he/she should be retained. If the incumbent is not willing to serve another term, or if one-third of the department members favor change, nominations are solicited and an election held until at least a majority of the department supports one candidate. When majority support for one candidate is not attained after reasonable effort on the part of the department, the Dean recommends the appointment of an acting chair and works with the department to continue the search for a chair. When there is a majority within the department, the Dean accepts the judgment of the department unless, in the Dean's estimation, there are compelling reasons not to do so. In such a case the Dean communicates these reasons to the department or its elected representatives and appoints an acting chair.
The department chair provides leadership for the department in planning, curriculum, faculty development, and management of the department’s resources. The chair consults with department faculty and staff concerning matters affecting the department and especially regarding new appointments, curriculum, space, budget, faculty teaching assignments and workloads, course scheduling, and faculty evaluations. The chair normally presides at regular departmental meetings at which these and other important issues are discussed and acted upon. The chair assists faculty in their efforts in effective teaching, scholarship, research, and other creative activities and assists the faculty in reaching professional goals within the context of the goals of the department. In accordance with the College Unit Evaluation Plan, the chair confers annually with all members of the department to identify their academic accomplishments and goals and to identify ways that the chair and/or Dean can be helpful to faculty in professional development. The chair provides information to the Dean for use in personnel and departmental support level decisions. The chair is responsible for responding to the day-to-day business of the department in a timely manner and for representing the department at DAC, and appropriate College and University meetings.
Faculty participation in the governance of the College of Sciences and Technology is conducted by the following councils or committees: The Policy, Planning and Budget Council, the Curriculum Committee, the Personnel Committee, and the Resources Committee. The members of these groups, who represent the faculty of the College, are selected from tenure-track or tenured faculty in the departments.
A. The Policy, Planning and Budget Council
Function
The PPB Council is the policy-making, planning, advisory body for the College of Sciences and Technology. The Dean and any members of the Dean’s Office designated by the Dean are non-voting ex-officio members of the council.
The Council:
a. Reviews the Unit Evaluation Plan, departmental addenda to the UEP, and the college Policies and Procedures document on a regular basis, ensures their consistency with University policies and procedures, and in consultation with the Dean, makes such adjustments as seem advisable.
b. Receives an annual activity report from each of the other college committees.
c. In consultation with the Dean, develops and revises, as seems advisable, a strategic plan and more specific planning initiatives for the college.
d. Advises the Dean on budgetary matters. This includes advice on the allocation of positions and operating funds, but does not include advice on the allocation of equipment funds.
Membership
Each department of the college is eligible to select one member for the council, according to a procedure approved by the Dean. The member shall be a tenure-track or tenured faculty member and shall not be the departmental chair. The term of service is two years, with approximately half of the membership being selected annually. No member shall serve more than four consecutive years. If none of the members selected by departments is from SMATE, then SMATE may select one member.
Four voting members shall constitute a quorum for the council for all business. The council determines its own officers and procedures.
B. The Curriculum Committee
Function
The Curriculum Committee is the curricular governing body of the College of Sciences and Technology. The committee approves all academic courses, programs, and majors within the college and makes recommendations to the Dean on curricular matters. The committee determines its own procedures.
Membership
Each department of the college is eligible to select one member for the committee, according to a procedure approved by the Dean. If none of the members selected by departments is from SMATE, then SMATE may select one member. The term of service is three years, with approximately one-third of the committee’s membership selected annually. No member shall serve more than two consecutive terms. As delegated by the Dean, the Associate Dean is the chair of the committee.
C. The Personnel Committee
Function
The Personnel Committee considers applications forwarded to it by the Dean and makes recommendations to the Dean regarding the six following personnel matters:
1. Professional Leave
2. Tenure and Promotion
3. Professional Performance and Development Review
4. Special Merit
5. Equity/Compression
6. Other Salary Adjustments
The committee recommends changes in policy or procedures to the Policy, Planning, and Budget Council.
Membership
Each department of the college is eligible to select one tenured member for this committee, according to a procedure approved by the Dean. If none of the members selected by departments is from SMATE, then SMATE may select one tenured member, and that member may not be the director. No department chairs are eligible to serve on this committee, nor are faculty who plan to apply for promotion or professional leave during the term of service. The term of service is two years, three members to be named in even numbered years and four members to be named in odd numbered years. No member shall serve more than two consecutive terms. Committee members in the same department as an applicant may not be present during voting on and drafting of the recommendation for that applicant. The committee may, through the office of the Dean, request additional information and/or consultation.
D. The Resources Committee
Function
The committee advises the Dean on the strategic planning issues related to the technical resources of the College of Sciences and Technology. Such matters include scientific instrumentation, equipment, faculty and staff computers, servers, laboratories supported by University level student fees, physical facilities, technical support personnel, relationships with other campus entities including: Scientific and Technical Services, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Huxley College, the Shannon Point Marine Center, and Academic Technology User Services (ATUS).
Membership
Each department of the college is eligible to select one member for the committee, according to a procedure approved by the Dean. The chair of the Computer Science Department, or his/her designee, is always a member of this committee. Department chairs are eligible to serve on this committee. If none of the members selected by departments is from SMATE, then SMATE may select one member. The term of service is two years. No member shall serve more than two consecutive terms, except the chair of the Computer Science Department. The committee will elect its own chair from its members for a term of two years. The committee will appoint the chair of Computer Science and one other committee member as representatives to the Academic Technology Committee (ATC) (with the at-large member having a term of two years). The committee will also appoint from its members liaison members to other university or college committees as needed. The Associate Dean and Assistant to the Dean of CST serve as non-voting members, as does the Director of CST’s Networking and Computer Services.
III. Professional Qualifications, Appointments
Regarding scholarly and professional qualifications, terms and kinds of appointments, and annual evaluation of non-tenured faculty members, see "The Faculty" in the University section of the Handbook.
The Unit Evaluation Plan of the College of Sciences and Technology describes the criteria, procedures, and responsibilities for evaluation procedures. Also refer to the appropriate sections of this Handbook.
A. Annual Faculty Review
The chair schedules an individual conference with each probationary and tenured faculty member at least annually. Conferences may also be scheduled with limited-term faculty at the discretion of the chair. Conferences include discussion of teaching plans and curricular ideas or projects, research and/or creative activity underway and related needs.
Probationary faculty are evaluated annually in the three areas which are considered for tenure by the tenured faculty of the department. The chair prepares a letter of evaluation which summarizes the evaluations of the tenured faculty, includes suggestions for correction of areas of weakness where appropriate, and includes the chair’s recommendation.
C. Limited Term Faculty
For limited term faculty with an annual appointment of less than .500 FTE, the department chair or a designated tenured faculty member shall provide a written evaluation according to the procedures established by the department and the Dean.
Limited term faculty with an annual appointment of .500 FTE or greater, will assemble and provide to the department chair or designated tenured faculty member copies of syllabi, examinations and other relevant course materials, and teaching evaluations if available, as requested by the chair. The chair will carry out the evaluation in consultation with tenured members of the department as appropriate and will prepare a letter of evaluation, addressed to the Dean, which includes a summary of the evaluations of other faculty.
D. Tenure and Promotion
Normally a faculty member gains tenure when the rank of Associate Professor is granted. Tenure is not granted to Lecturers, Instructors, or Research Associates.
Tenure decisions are made annually, in sufficient time to allow adequate opportunity for appeal and to comply with provisions for due notice contained in this Handbook.
Consideration for tenure and/or promotion may be initiated by the individual, the department chair, or the Dean.
E. Professional Performance and Development Review
All tenured faculty are reviewed through a formal process in accordance with this Handbook. Eligibility for general merit salary step increases is based on performance since the last successful professional performance and development review. Performance must be at least "satisfactory" in the area of Teaching Effectiveness and in one of the other two areas, Scholarly/Creative/Artistic Endeavor and Service to the Institution and Profession.
Special Merit is awarded for performance beyond the normal professional growth recognized by general merit awards and is based on evidence since the last Special Merit increase.
F. Equity/Compression/Retention
Equity addresses salary inequities that have resulted from factors other than compression unrelated to the faculty member's performance.
Compression addresses situations where changing market conditions have resulted in more recently hired faculty receiving relatively higher salaries than faculty hired earlier.
Retention addresses the need to increase a salary in order to retain a faculty member, usually resulting from a competing offer. Matters of retention are dealt with by the Dean.