Bylaws

Approved by the College of Education & Human Development on May 17, 2023.

These bylaws provide for the organizational and administrative procedures for the conduct of faculty meetings and the composition and conduct of faculty committees of the College of Education & Human Development (CoEHD) at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. The bylaws will be reviewed by the Policies & Procedures Committee every three years, upon the creation of a new department, or upon relevant changes of policies and procedures of Texas A&M University-San Antonio or Texas A&M University System. All bylaws shall be consistent with the Faculty Senate bylaws and any other policies and procedures of Texas A&M University-San Antonio and the Texas A&M University System.

Adoption of College Bylaws

These bylaws will be adopted by approval of a simple majority or more than half of the total of the full- time faculty of the CoEHD, with voting conducted through an anonymous, electronic ballot.

Statement on Shared Governance

As stated in the Texas A&M University-San Antonio Faculty Handbook, the university “maintains a philosophy of shared governance between faculty and administration. The AAUP’s 1966 Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities summarizes the role of the faculty in shared governance.” As stated in the cited AAUP statement, “The structure and procedures for faculty participation should be designed, approved, and established by joint action of the components of the institution. Faculty representatives should be selected by the faculty according to procedures determined by the faculty.”

College Quorum Procedural Bylaws

College Faculty Meetings. The faculty in the CoEHD will meet regularly to conduct the business that needs to be transacted. Meetings will proceed according to the following requirements:

1. At a minimum, one CoEHD meeting will be held at the beginning of the Fall and Spring
2. The faculty will meet at other times that the Dean or Department Chairs may deem
3. In addition, the Dean shall convene a meeting of the faculty upon petition of at least one third of voting faculty members (see H below).
4. The Dean shall convene any meeting of the faculty by giving at least seven days’ notice to the faculty, along with a proposed agenda.
5. The Dean, a Department Chair, or delegated representative is to preside at all meetings of the The Dean, Department Chair, or delegated representative will vote only to break ties.
6. As needed, the meetings may be conducted according to parliamentary procedures such as  Democratic Rules of Order (Francis & Francis, 2008).
7. A quorum will consist of a majority of the full-time faculty members. Full-time faculty members include tenure-track, tenured, lecturers, and professional track faculty. Meetings where voting will occur, attendance will be taken to determine if a quorum is present. Quorum requirements are the same whether the meeting modality is in-person, hybrid, or 100% When meetings are conducted partially or fully online, digital votes will be calculated using a real-time polling mechanism, as well as by traditional means for in-person participants.
8. Voting is to be limited to full-time
9. A majority of full-time faculty present may vote to permit discussion and action on non-agenda items. Non-agenda items may arise from a statement from the floor or as a result of discussion following a previous agenda item, among others.
10. Proposed motions affecting the educational policy of the CoEHD are to be submitted in writing to the Dean at least ten days prior to the meeting at which these motions are to be made, with copies distributed to faculty members at least seven days in advance.
11. Elections or appointments for the CoEHD standing committees, Faculty Senate, and other University committees will be open to all eligible faculty. Voting may occur by voice, written, or electronic means, as needed. When necessary, appointments may be made by the Dean in conversation with their direct supervisor, and all CoEHD faculty will be notified of the
12. Any concerns about conflicts of interest on the parts of committee members may be raised to committee chairs and relevant administrators. Relevant actions to remove or replace members of concern temporarily or permanently may be conducted by the committee chair and/or
13. Faculty Senate positions will be filled following procedures by the Faculty Senate and guided by the Faculty Senate elections standing committee.

College Standing Committees

Committee membership is outlined by each individual Standing Committee below. All committee members will serve a two-year term with staggered service so that no more than 50 percent of the committee rotates off at the same time. New committee members shall be selected each May to begin serving the following August according to the individual committees guidelines outlined below. The Chair of each committee shall be elected during the last meeting of the academic year and no later than the end of May.

Any College Standing Committee meeting where voting will occur, attendance will be taken to determine if a quorum is present. A quorum will consist of a majority of the committee members. Quorum requirements are the same whether the meeting modality is in-person, hybrid, or 100% online. When meetings are conducted partially or fully online, digital votes will be calculated using a real-time polling mechanism, as well as by traditional means for in-person participants.

Promotion and Tenure Committee

Purpose and Function: The Promotion and Tenure (P&T) committee within the CoEHD will be responsible for making recommendations regarding promotion and tenure decisions; providing formative feedback in Pre-Tenure reviews; and providing evaluative feedback for post-tenure reviews for faculty in the College. More-specific guidelines are provided in TAMUS Policy 12.01; A&M-SA Procedure 12.01.99.00.01, Academic Freedom, Responsibility, and Tenure; and A&M-SA Procedure 12.06.99.00.01, Post Tenure Review of Faculty and Teaching Effectiveness.

The P&T committee will meet to review portfolios submitted by faculty under consideration for pre- tenure review; promotion and/or tenure; external hires under consideration for rank and tenure; and post-tenure reviews. The committee will evaluate portfolio documents submitted by the faculty in accordance with College, University, and System guidelines in a consistent, unbiased, and confidential manner in the three areas of teaching, scholarship, and service.

Composition of Committee: To ensure equitable representation, the P&T committee will include five tenured faculty members, including at least one committee member from the candidate’s discipline or a closely related discipline. Committee members will serve a two-year term. The terms of members will be staggered so that no more than 50 percent of the committee will rotate off at the same time.

Tenured and tenure-track faculty in the College will nominate and elect members to the P&T committee. Elections for the following academic year shall be made during the spring semester of each year through an anonymous, electronic ballot. Additionally, up to two alternate committee members will be elected to serve if a committee member has a conflict of interest or is unable to serve for the entire academic year. Committee members must recuse themselves from all discussion and votes that involve (1) the promotion of faculty to a rank that is higher than the member’s current rank (e.g., a committee member is an associate professor and the individual under consideration is applying for professor); (2) the promotion and/or tenure of a faculty with whom there is some conflict of interest.

Members of the P&T committee shall elect one of their members as chair at the end of each academic year.

Curriculum Committee

Purpose and Function: The CoEHD curriculum committee is responsible for any matter relating to the College curriculum and amendments to the curriculum, and it will develop, review, and approve the curriculum to ensure that the degree programs are of high quality and that the requirements are consistent with the College’s mission and with accreditation standards. The committee shall act for the faculty in the CoEHD for matters relating to undergraduate, graduate, and certification programs. Specific duties include consideration of new courses, course changes, program changes, and providing oversight of the quality of undergraduate, graduate, and certification course and program offerings. The committee shall meet a minimum of once during each of the Fall and Spring semesters and as needed at other times.

Composition of the Committee: The College Curriculum Committee shall be composed of one representative from each program in CoEHD. Each program representative shall serve a 2-year term but may be re-elected in their department to serve consecutively. In addition, a representative of the Dean’s office will serve as an ex-officio member to coordinate and support the work of the committee. A Chair will be elected from the returning members at the end of each academic year to lead the following academic year. A Recorder will be selected at the beginning of each academic year to serve for 1 year.

If the committee determines additional clarification is needed for a proposal, the Chair will notify the program and Department Chair to request more information. The program may select a spokesperson to address the committee’s questions. Only Committee members may vote. No proxy votes may be cast. A quorum will consist of 51% of the committee membership, and a quorum must be met in order to proceed with any meeting. In the event of a tie, a second discussion will occur followed by an anonymous vote. In the event of a second tie, the representative for the Dean’s office will vote in order to break the tie. Minutes shall be distributed to the faculty by way of a centralized location and should a program or department question a decision, more specific feedback may be requested in order to resubmit during the next cycle.

The chair and one member of the committee must serve on the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.

Strategic Planning Committee

Purpose and Function: The Strategic Planning Committee is a participatory governance committee that is convened to support College strategy and planning at the highest level. The committee advises on strategy, helps develop planning materials, analyzes data and information to support current plans, and ensures the alignment and integration of planning across the CoEHD. In addition to developing an overall strategic plan, the Committee shall establish college planning parameters; recommend priority lists for new programs and initiatives that emerge through the annual planning and program review process; responds to administration’s recommendations for program growth, reduction and discontinuance; and contributes to the development of the College’s Annual Report by documenting the progress made on the Strategic Plan. The committee shall convene a minimum of two times during the Fall and Spring semesters. At a minimum, the CoEHD strategic plan should be reviewed each year and after any revisions are made to the Texas A&M University-San Antonio strategic plan.

Composition of the Committee: Membership will consist of one representative from the Educator CAFÉ and one from each academic program in the CoEHD. Members shall serve a two-year term with staggered membership. Representatives shall be chosen based on each department’s selection process.

Texas Education Agency Advisory Committee

Purpose and Function: The TEA Advisory Committee is a collaborative group of individuals representing TEA-accredited public schools and/or TEA-recognized private schools, regional education service centers, institutions of higher education, and/or business community interests. This committee is required of all Education Preparation Programs by the Texas Administrative Code (Title 19, Part 7, Chapter 228, Rule

• 228.20). This committee is convened to assist in the design, delivery, evaluation, and major policy decisions of the Educator Preparation Program (EPP). The TEA Advisory Committee shall convene once each Spring semester.

Composition of the Committee: Membership will consist of the Dean or assigned representative from the Dean’s office, a minimum of one representative from the Educator CAFÉ, one faculty member involved in educator preparation from each department, a minimum of one representative from a TEA-accredited public school in the community, and a minimum of one representative from the business community at large. Members shall serve a two-year term. Selection of Educator CAFÉ and department faculty will be chosen based on each department/area’s process. Selection of other members shall be determined by the Dean.

Policies & Procedures Committee

Purpose and Function: The Policies &Procedures committee is charged with reviewing, revising, and developing new draft policies and procedures related to all relevant operations in the CoEHD. The committee will prepare draft documents for submission to the Dean for ratification based on the CoEHD bylaws. The primary goal is to review existing bylaws, guidelines, policies, and procedures for the CoEHD, as well as develop clear and effective drafts for new policies and procedures that can govern operations, as needed.

Composition of the Committee: Membership will consist of 3 representatives from each department in the CoEHD. Members shall serve a two-year term with staggered membership. Representatives shall be chosen based on each department’s selection process.

Faculty Awards Committee

Purpose and Function: The Faculty Awards committee will be responsible for planning and coordinating efforts toward faculty recognition, including the development and revision of procedures for the recognition of faculty members in the CoEHD, identifying innovative opportunities for faculty recognition, coordinating distribution of information related to faculty recognition, and developing communications related to faculty recognition efforts. They will develop and revise procedures for the submission and selection of awards, review and update all CoEHD related materials for the awards, coordinate distribution of information related to the awards, determine awards within approved budget limits, and develop communications for award winners.

Composition of the Committee: Membership will consist of one representative from the Educator CAFÉ and one from each department in the CoEHD. Members shall serve a two-year term with staggered membership. Representatives shall be chosen based on each department’s selection process.

Recruitment & Retention Committee

Purpose and Function: The Recruitment & Retention committee will be responsible for planning and coordinating activities related to new student preview days and new student orientations as determined by Texas A&M University-San Antonio. The committee shall convene at least one time per semester. The committee will ensure adequate College representation is available for each event, review and update all College related materials for the events, coordinate efforts with the appropriate University offices, ensure that information related to applications, program admissions, processes, policies, and practices is accurate, and coordinate efforts with each academic department.

Composition of the Committee: Membership will consist of two representatives from each department in the CoEHD. Members shall serve a two-year term with staggered membership. Representatives shall be chosen based on each department’s selection process.

Graduate Hooding Ceremony

Purpose and Function: The Graduate Hooding committee will be responsible for planning and coordinating activities related to the graduate hooding ceremony. The committee shall convene at least one time per semester. The committee will review and update procedures for the ceremony, coordinate efforts with academic leadership at the College and University levels, prepare and coordinate distribution of materials related to the ceremony, and coordinate efforts with each academic department.

Composition of the Committee: Membership will consist of administrative associates from each department and one faculty member who teaches graduate courses from each department. Faculty members shall serve a two-year term with staggered membership. Faculty representatives shall be chosen based on each department’s selection process.

Other Standing Committees

Other standing committees may be proposed by the faculty, including Department Chairs, to the Dean, to be approved by simple majority vote at the next College faculty meeting. Standing committees may also be formed by the Dean, as deemed necessary, and filled according to the procedures outlined above. The purpose, structure, and function of a standing committee shall be suggested by the faculty proposing the committee and approved by the Dean before being accepted by a simple majority vote of full-time faculty at a CoEHD faculty meeting.

Reporting Procedures for College Faculty Meetings and Standing Committees

A record of all meetings of the CoEHD faculty and standing committees, except in the case of confidential deliberations such as by the P&T committee, will be maintained in the form of written minutes. The minutes will be disseminated to all faculty, staff, and administrators in a timely manner through the CoEHD secured, digital repositories that is accessible to faculty and staff. The chair of each committee will designate or call for volunteers to record the minutes. Approved minutes will be uploaded onto the CoEHD secured, digital repositories in a timely manner.

Ad Hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees serve to carry out specific tasks and are dissolved after a task is completed. Each ad hoc committee will be defined, constituted, and operationalized in the following manner:

The Dean may establish ad hoc committees to facilitate the administration of the CoEHD. The Dean may also appoint such committees and their chairs or may provide for their election by the College faculty in accordance with these bylaws, Texas A&M University-San Antonio procedures, and the Texas A&M University System policies.

By a majority vote at any CoEHD faculty meeting, the faculty may establish ad hoc committees and may define the scope of activity, method of operation, composition, and procedure for selecting members.

Composition of the Committee: Ad Hoc/taskforce committee composition should be representative of departments and expertise required.

Amendments to the College Bylaws

The CoEHD faculty shall have the power to amend its bylaws through the following procedure:

Proposals for changes may come from any member of the full-time faculty eligible to vote, with written support of five other full-time faculty members. Proposals to amend the bylaws shall be submitted to the CoEHD faculty no later than ten days prior to any regularly scheduled faculty meeting or any special meeting called for the purpose of amending. Proposed amendments must be adopted by a two-thirds majority of full-time faculty members present, provided the required quorum of all eligible full-time faculty are present at the time of voting.

Complaint and Appeal Procedure for All Faculty Members

The CoEHD follows informal and formal procedures for handling a complaint as described in Texas A&M- San Antonio Rule 32.01.01.O0.01 Complaint and Appeal Procedure for Faculty Members.

References

Francis, F. & Francis, P. (2008). Democratic Rules of Order: Easy-to-use rules for meetings of any size 9th Edition. Cool Heads Publishing: Merville, B.C., Canada.