University Senate - February 20, 2003
Administration - March 22, 2005
Board of Regents - no action required
Academic Unit Governance
The regular faculty, as defined in the Board of Regents policy on Faculty
Tenure, shall hold the primary responsibility for governance in tenure-granting
units. This responsibility shall include governance of the unit in research
policy, curricular policy and degree requirements, and academic personnel
allocation, in consultation with the dean, chair or head of the
department.
It is understood that faculty governance is primarily consultative and this
policy operates with the limits established by the Board of Regents policy
Reservation and Delegation of Authority.
Governance mechanisms that provide for participation by all appropriate
groups in the decision-making processes of the unit shall be established,
subject to the primary responsibility of the regular faculty within the unit
with respect to the matters identified above. It is expected that the regular
faculty would exercise this primary responsibility in consultation with the dean
separate from the ordinary departmental governance structures only rarely, and
as a last resort, if a department is divided over a fundamental issue or unable
to reach a decision about the issue through the use of its normal
processes.
Only members of the tenured faculty may formally participate/vote in
tenure decisions. Only regular faculty members at higher ranks may formally participate/vote in
promotion decisions. (Non-regular faculty in the Medical School who hold full
time appointments involving teaching, research and service at affiliated
hospitals may be permitted to participate in promotion decisions, but not in
tenure decisions.) Recommendation by vote of the regular faculty is required
prior to hiring regular faculty for that unit.
Individuals in all non-tenured/non-tenure-track appointment classes who
regularly fulfill the requirements for regular faculty status are eligible to
apply and compete for through a search process appointment as regular faculty
members as available and posted at the University of Minnesota.
The Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost in consultation
with the deans will ensure that each collegiate unit and department conforms to
these requirements. The Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs, in consultation
with the Council of Academic Professionals and Administrators when professional
and administrative staff are involved, will review and monitor adherence to this
policy, and advise the Senior Vice President and Provost, as
necessary.
