Main Content

Faculty Handbook – Faculty Advisory Committee Structure

(Revised by Faculty Senate 1991, 2000, 2005)

Purpose

The welfare of faculty members and the quality of University programs as they are affected by promotion and tenure are a major concern to the faculty and administration of Texas Christian University. Because both faculty and administration have an interest in assuring that equitable and reasonable judgments are rendered in these matters, Faculty Advisory Committees are created at the department, college and University levels.

Each committee shall advise the appropriate administrator on the fairness of their individual recommendations concerning promotion and tenure. While the Advisory Committee does not relieve any administrator of their fundamental responsibility for those recommendations, it is the conviction of administration and faculty that the interests of the University and the morale of the faculty are best supported if duly constituted faculty committees are consulted about such recommendations and if structures exist by which these committees of the faculty may consult with the appropriate administrator on any private or confidential matter related to promotion and tenure.

Committee members shall hold in confidence all information they examine or discuss. Any violation of this trust by a member shall be grounds for their removal from the committee by the appropriate administrative officer, after consultation with other members of the committee.

 Name

The committees established are the Department Advisory Committee (where the department is a separate budget unit), the College/School Advisory Committee, and the University Advisory Committee. These committees advise and meet with the departmental chair, the dean of the college/school, and the chief academic officer.

 Functions and Procedures

In the interest of efficiency and equity, each year, sometime prior to the commencement of regular work, an orientation to the purpose and procedures of the Advisory Committee shall be conducted by the appropriate administrator.

At the time when recommendations concerning tenure and promotion are to be considered, the administrator shall present in writing to their advisory committee a list of proposed recommendations along with the proper documentation to support these recommendations.

The advisory committee shall then meet separately from the administrator to consider the recommendations with regard to individual faculty rights; to quality and needs of programs; and to equity in the department, college, or University. Unless invited for the specific purpose of answering questions about the written evidence, the administrator shall not be present at the deliberations of the advisory committee. The Faculty Appointment, Reappointment, and Promotion Policy, as well as the official statements of criteria developed by the several departments or other administrative units, shall serve as a guide for recommendations on promotion and tenure.

When the advisory committee has completed its deliberations, it shall meet with the administrator to discuss the proposed recommendations. The committee shall then advise the administrator whether or not the evidence provided, in its judgment, supports the recommendations.

In each case and at every level the judgment of the advisory committee shall be in writing, but shall not include the specific vote count, which shall remain confidential. The administrator’s final recommendation shall include the judgment of the appropriate advisory committee. If a majority of the committee disagrees with an administrator’s recommendation, the committee may file with the next appropriate administrator a report stating its reasons for dissent.

A department chair shall discuss their proposed action concerning promotion and/or tenure with the faculty member before forwarding or declining to forward such recommendation to the dean. If the dean declines to endorse and forward a chair’s recommendation concerning promotion and/or tenure, the dean shall discuss the reasons for the denial with the chair and the candidate before submitting the college recommendation to the chief academic officer. If the chief academic officer declines to endorse and forward a dean’s recommendation concerning promotion and/or tenure, the chief academic officer shall discuss the reasons for the denial with the dean, the chair, and the candidate before submitting the University recommendations to the Chancellor. All recommendations and documentation shall become part of the candidate’s personnel file and as such, are accessible to the candidate.

If a department chair chooses to appeal the dean’s decision not to endorse and forward a departmental recommendation, the chair’s recommendation will be forwarded to the chief academic officer together with a statement of the dean’s reasons for denial.

If the dean chooses to appeal a decision of the chief academic officer not to endorse and forward a college/school recommendation, the dean’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Chancellor together with a statement of the chief academic officer’s reasons for denial.

If the chair does not submit a recommendation and the Department Advisory Committee files a dissenting report, the dean, if he or she supports the committee, shall allow the chair the privilege of consultation and appeal before forwarding the college recommendations to the chief academic officer.

If the dean does not endorse and forward a favorable recommendation and the College/School Advisory Committee files a dissenting report, the chief academic officer, if in support of the committee, shall give the dean the privilege of consultation and appeal before forwarding the University recommendations to the Chancellor.

An administrator may, at their discretion, refer a reappointment to their advisory committee. In such a case, the same procedures shall be followed as are followed for tenure and promotion.

 Structure

No faculty member shall serve on more than one advisory committee although the Provost has the power to make exceptions as deemed necessary. Members of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee may not serve on the University or College Advisory Committee, and ordinarily will not serve on the Department Advisory Committee.

 A. Department Advisory Committee

Given the wide differences in departmental size, it is not feasible to describe here the precise composition of a departmental advisory committee. The number of members for each departmental advisory committee shall be determined by the dean of the appropriate school or college. The process of selection shall involve both election by full-time faculty within the department and appointment by the chairman of the department. The number of elected members and of appointed members shall be equal if the total membership is an even number; if the total membership is an odd number, the number of elected members shall exceed the number of appointed members by one. The department chairman is not eligible to serve on the departmental advisory committee. Insofar as possible, junior faculty with limited experience will serve only under unusual circumstances. The term of service of committee members shall be determined by the separate departments. The committee shall elect a committee chair at a meeting held before the end of the spring semester; that chair shall serve for the ensuing year.

B. College/School Advisory Committee

    1. Each College/School Advisory Committee shall consist of four faculty members. Two shall be elected by the faculty of the college (school). Two shall be appointed by the dean. When possible no department shall be represented by more than one member of the committee. Any school or college may apply to both the Provost and the Faculty Senate proposing an alternate structure for the college or school’s advisory structure. The grounds for proposing an alternate structure may include but are not limited to, (i) a structure that is more fully representative of the school or college, and (ii) a response to a situation wherein the number of full-time faculty is insufficient to conform with the prescribed structure. In any situation where the college or school advisory committee consists of an odd number of faculty, the elected representatives shall be in the majority. If both the Provost and the Faculty Senate approve the change, the school or college will continue operating under this revised structure, as articulated, until such time as they might seek further action.
    2. To be eligible to serve on a College/School Advisory Committee, a faculty member must have tenure. A faculty member who devotes one-half or more of their time to administrative duties is not eligible, nor are departmental chairs.
    3. All full-time faculty members shall have voting rights.
    4. Nominations and election
      • a. The procedure for filling all Advisory Committee vacancies shall involve two stages: a nominating ballot and an election ballot. Both ballots shall be conducted by email.
      • b. Nominating ballot
        • 1. A nominating ballot shall be prepared for the college/school. Each nominating ballot shall contain the names of all persons in the college/school or division eligible for the office to be filled. Voters may indicate three choices for each vacancy.
        • 2. The candidates for college/school committees receiving the four highest number of votes shall be placed in order by lot on the election ballot.
        • 3. Before placing a nominee’s name on the final ballot the chairman of the College/School Advisory Committee shall confirm the nominee’s willingness to serve if elected. If the nominee declines, their name shall be replaced by the next highest nominee on the ballot who consents to serve.
      • c. Election ballot
        • 1. The election ballots for the committee shall be distributed to all full-time faculty members according to college/school or division. Voters may indicate one choice for the vacancy. The candidate or candidates receiving plurality will be declared elected.
        • 2. Nominations and elections shall be supervised by the college/school or division. Voters may indicate one choice for the vacancy the committee shall designate first and second alternates in conformity with the results of the election. The first alternate shall serve if the person elected is unable to at any time before the next regular election. The second alternate shall serve if both the principal and the first alternate are unable to serve.
      • d. All ties in any balloting shall be broken by lot.
    5. The term of service shall be three years so staggered that the terms of no more than two members expire in the same year.
    6. Any member who has served a full term shall not be eligible for appointment or reelection for three years.
    7. The annual election of the Advisory Committee shall be held no later than three weeks before the close of the academic year in the spring semester. The dean shall announce their appointees within one week after the results are tabulated. The committee shall elect a chair for the ensuing year at a meeting to be held before the end of the spring semester.

 C. University Advisory Committee

  1. The University Advisory Committee shall consist of eight faculty members. Four shall be elected by the Faculty Senate from among the total tenured University faculty. Four shall be appointed by the chief academic officer after consultation with the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. The elected members and appointed members shall represent the schools and colleges as follows: AddRan College of Liberal Arts, two members representing each of the major divisions of the College; and one member representing the Neeley School of Business, the Bob Schieffer College of Communication, College of Education, College of Fine Arts, Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences, and the College of Science & Engineering respectively.
  2. To be eligible to serve on the University Advisory Committee, a faculty member must have tenure. A faculty member who devotes one-half or more of their time to administrative duties is not eligible, nor are departmental chairs.
  3. The term of service shall be three years so staggered that the terms of no more than three members expire in the same year.
  4. Any member who has served a full term shall not be eligible for appointment or reelection for three years.
  5. The Faculty Senate and the chief academic officer shall announce their selections no later than six weeks before the close of the academic year in the spring semester. The committee shall elect a chair for the ensuing year at a meeting held before the end of the spring semester.

Information on this page was transferred from the 2022 Faculty and Staff Handbook and then reviewed and approved by a special committee of the Faculty Senate in July 2023.