Article VII: Professional Standards Committee
A. Purpose
The Professional Standards Committee is charged with the responsibility of staffing the faculty with the most qualified personnel available, maintaining a high level of teaching by means of recognition of professional accomplishments, and the maintenance of academic standards.
B. Composition
(1) The Professional Standards Committee shall consist of five tenured Academic Faculty members who are full-time employees of the College elected for terms of three years with ex officio members as described above.
(2) The Committee shall deliberately establish a plan for operation, record-keeping, and continuity during annual membership and leadership transitions. The plan should designate which Committee members will be responsible for each of the following roles and functions. The same person may perform more than one task.
a. Chair (Presiding Officer) functions
1. Prepare meeting agendas
2. Preside over Committee meetings
3. Oversee distribution and completion of Committee tasks
4. Serve as conduit of communication between the Committee and other institutional components such as the administration, the Faculty, the Registrar, and other standing committees
b. Chair-Elect functions
1. Prepare to take over the responsibilities of the Committee chair in the following academic year
2. Assist the chair in overseeing Committee functions
3. Preside over meetings in the absence of the chair
4. Other specific functions appropriate to the Committee
c. Secretarial Functions
The Professional Standards Committee secretary will make available the following documents:
1. Agenda of meetings
2. Minutes of meetings
3. Proposals of changes to Policies and Procedures that require Faculty action
4. Other documents specifically relevant to the Committee, such as standard forms
(3) The Committee shall electronically communicate its plan regarding operation, record- keeping, and continuity to the Faculty Liaison Committee and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on or before June 15 (at the close of each academic year).
C. Responsibilities
(1) Acting upon policies adopted by the Faculty and the Board of Trustees, the Committee will make recommendations to the Provost, subject to review by the President and the Board of Trustees, concerning the following:
a. Appointments to the Academic Faculty
b. Appointments with tenure
c. Promotions in rank
d. Terminations of appointment
e. Reappointments
(2) To examine and recommend to the President, Provost, and/or Faculty policy concerning professional standards and ethics, and to give advice when questions arise.
(3) To develop its procedures and present them to the Faculty for approval.
(4) To provide a fair and comprehensive review of Faculty candidates for reappointment, promotion, and tenure that is based solely on the evaluation file.
(5) To employ and maintain confidentiality with respect to the contents of candidates’ dossiers and tenure deliberations of the Committee.
(6) To submit an annual report to the Faculty.