Bylaws

Department of Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Article I, Relationships to the College and the University

Section 1.

These by laws gain their authority under the Bylaws of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and under the Statutes of Wayne State University. Nothing in these bylaws is intended to be inconsistent with present or future Board of Governors Statutes, or Executive Orders, or other University policies or regulations that have been duly issued or any applicable collective bargaining agreement. Where there may be an inconsistency between these bylaws and present or future Board of Governors Statutes, other University policies or regulations or policies that have been duly issued, or any applicable collective bargaining agreement, the latter shall prevail.

Article II, The Departmental Assembly

Section 1: Membership.

All members of the Department faculty who carry full-time or one-half or more fractional time teaching, research, and/or administrative responsibilities, and who hold appointments as an assistant professor, associate professor, or professor shall be voting members of the Departmental Assembly.

Section 2: Meetings.

The Departmental Assembly shall meet at the call of the Chair at least once per month or at the request of no fewer than one-third of the members, to consider issues relevant to the Department and its members. No meeting of the Departmental Assembly need be held in the Spring or Summer terms.
Quorum for meetings of the Departmental Assembly shall be a majority of its members.
Records shall be kept concerning matters discussed and votes taken at these meetings and these records shall be circulated to members of the Departmental Assembly and student representative(s) before the start of the next meeting. Meeting notes shall be archived in the faculty file cabinet in the Chair's office.
Records of the portion of the meeting dealing with sensitive personnel matters (e.g., hiring, promotion, and tenure, salary) shall be kept separately and shall be circulated only to appropriate members of the Departmental Assembly and concerned administrators.

Section 3: Function.

The Departmental Assembly shall be responsible for determining departmental educational policy at the undergraduate level.

Section 4: Votes.

Departmental policies and procedures shall be decided by a majority vote of the members of the Departmental Assembly.

Article III, The Graduate Faculty

Section 1: Membership.

All members of the Departmental Assembly who have been approved by the Graduate Division of Wayne State University as regular or associate graduate faculty members shall be members of the Graduate Faculty.

Section 2: Functions.

The Graduate Faculty shall have the responsibility for structuring the departmental graduate curriculum subject to the regulations of the College and the Graduate Division.

Article IV, Departmental Chair

Section 1: Eligibility.

Any full-time member of the Departmental Assembly above the rank of Assistant Professor of Anthropology who is a member of the Graduate Faculty shall be eligible for the office of Chair. All other persons who might be considered for appointment to this office must also be above the rank of Assistant Professor and eligible for membership on the Graduate Faculty.

Section 2: Length of Term.

The Chair shall be recommended for a term not to exceed five years.

Section 3: Selection Procedure.

In accordance with the provisions of the WSU-AAUP contract:

When a new Chair is to be appointed, a committee shall be formed to seek and recommend candidates to the Dean. Such a committee shall include (N) faculty members from the Anthropology Department, elected by secret ballot by the members of that department and (N) members appointed by the President or his/her designee. One student member shall be selected by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences student council from among the graduate students and majors in the Department of Anthropology.
The President or his/her designee shall appoint a chairperson of the committee from among the committee members. The President or his/her designee shall establish the procedures for the search. A slate of at least three candidates for chairperson shall be presented to the President or his/her designee. Fewer than three candidates may be presented to the President or his/her designee, if mutually agreeable to the President or his/her designee and the committee.
If the position is not filled by one of the candidates, the committee shall readdress the question. If the position is still not filled after a second slate of candidates is presented, the matter shall be forwarded to the President or his/her designee for whatever action or decision he or she deems appropriate.
Prior to the appointment or reappointment of an Acting Chair, the President or his/her designee shall consult with the selection committee, and/or the departmental Personnel Committee, and/or the Departmental Assembly.
The Selection Committee may petition the President or his/her designee for approval to search for an external Chair.
The Departmental Assembly may make recommendations to the selection committee regarding candidates for chair. In making such recommendations, each eligible member of the Departmental Assembly shall have one vote. An absolute majority vote shall be required for a candidate to receive a recommendation by the Assembly to the selection committee. Where it is known that an individual member of the Departmental Assembly will not, for whatever reason, be a member of the Departmental Assembly beyond the academic year in which the vote is taken, the vote of this member shall be counted and forwarded separately.

Section 4: Chair Review.

In accordance with the provisions of WSU-AAUP contract:

Every four years, or one year prior to the end of the term of a Chair whose appointment is five years or greater, a review committee shall be formed.
At least three-fourths of the committee members shall be tenured or hold employment security status. (N) members of the committee shall be faculty members from the Department of Anthropology.
One student representative shall be selected by the college/school student council from among the departmental majors in Anthropology.
(N) members shall be appointed by the President or his/her designee. The President or his/her designee shall appoint the chairperson of the committee from among the committee members. The President or his/her designee shall establish the procedures for the review.

Section 5: Duties.

The Chair shall preside at all departmental Assembly meetings, and shall have one vote, as specified in Robert's Rule of Order.
The Chair shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of all departmental standing committees, except where otherwise stipulated in these bylaws.
The Chair shall be the official representative of the Department to the administration of the college and university and shall have such other duties as the Dean specifies.
The Chair or designee shall be the official representative of the Department in all outside contacts with schools, colleges, research foundations, and governments, with respect to any matter that concerns the entire Department.
The Chair shall have the power to appoint any committee not included in these bylaws.
The Chair shall make the final teaching assignment to each faculty member.
The Chair shall have the authority to allocate space to members of the faculty and staff.
When formal disciplinary action with respect to a member of the Departmental Assembly is contemplated, the Chair shall consult with the Personnel Committee for their recommendation.

Section 6: Removal of Departmental Chair.

Action leading toward a recommendation to the President or his/her designee for the removal of the Departmental Chair prior to the completion of his/her term of office shall be deemed to have occurred when a petition for such removal has been signed by a minimum of one-third of the members of the Departmental Assembly and has been submitted to that member of the Personnel Committee, other than the Departmental Chair, with the longest service at Wayne State University. The reasons for the petition are part of the written petition.
A special meeting of the Departmental Assembly shall be then called. The member of the Personnel Committee, other than the Departmental Chair, with the longest service at Wayne State University, shall chair this special meeting. The Departmental Chair may at the meeting reply to and discuss the petition and shall, upon concluding, leave the meeting.
Should the Assembly desire to continue proceedings, the next scheduled meeting will be chaired by a chair of a College of Liberal Arts Department selected by the Departmental Assembly. Not less than one week after the first meeting, the senior member of the Personnel Committee other than the Departmental Chair shall call a second special meeting at a time convenient for both the Departmental Assembly and the outside chair as previously selected. Reasons for the petition will again be reviewed with the Departmental Chair present. The Departmental Chair may again reply to and discuss the petition and shall, upon concluding, leave the meeting. Voting on a recommendation to remove the petition shall then take place.
A two-thirds vote, by secret ballot, of the membership of the Departmental Assembly shall be necessary to present the recommendation for removal to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. This presentation shall be made by the Personnel Committee, the Departmental Chair excluded, accompanied by the chair of the meeting at which the voting took place.

Section 7: Interim Chair

The Interim Chair shall be designated by the Chair in consultation with the Personnel Committee and Departmental Assembly, and with the approval of the Dean to fulfill the necessary functions in the absence of the Chair.

Article V, The Standing Committees

Section 1: General

All committees, unless otherwise specified, shall consist of the Department Chair, non-voting, and three members of the Departmental Assembly. From among the members, a committee chair shall be elected by the committee members. With the exception of the Tenure and Promotion Committee, all members of the Departmental Assembly shall be eligible for appointment to all committees.
Departmental Assembly membership shall be sufficient for appointment to a given committee. A student representative may participate as a member of designated committees as stated in Article VI.
All matters within the province of the particular committee shall be referred to that committee for initial consideration. The committee shall administer policies established by the Departmental Assembly. Actions of the Executive Committee, Personnel Committee, Promotion and Tenure Committee, Salary Committee, Budget Committee, Graduate Committee, Undergraduate Committee, and Museum of Anthropology Committee in carrying out the policies of the Departmental Assembly, are final and binding. Actions of all committees, with the exception of the Salary Committee, shall be reported to the Departmental Assembly.
Committee meetings shall be set at times when the members have no other assigned duties. Whenever possible all members shall be consulted about the time of the meeting.
A quorum for meetings of any committee shall be a majority of its members.
Committee assignments shall be presented by the Chair to the Executive Committee for review. Following this review, suggested committee compositions shall be presented to the Departmental Assembly at the beginning of the academic year.

Section 2: The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall assist and advise the Department Chair on all matters relating to present and future teaching, curricular, research, and service missions of the Department. It shall respond to the Chair's requests for advice and assistance, and it has the authority to bring matters to the attention of the Chair for deliberation, action, or referral to other University entities. The Committee may be particularly concerned with, but is not limited to, the following subjects: Departmental procedures, tenured faculty mentoring and development, a three-year grid for course scheduling, programmatic, i.e. event planning, public relations, alumni relations, fundraising and departmental budget and finances, committee assignments, and policy initiatives. Faculty members or staff may approach Committee members with questions, ideas, or problems for the Committee's consideration.
Membership. The Department Chairperson serves ex officio, without a vote. The Personnel Chair, DUS, and DGS serve ex officio, with a vote.

The Committee shall meet every other month alternating with the personnel/salary committee during the academic year, in advance of departmental meetings, except when promotion and tenure cases are being reviewed as committee members will be involved in those decisions. It may choose to meet at other times, as needed. Meeting dates shall be decided by the Committee at its first meeting. Members shall elect their own presiding officer; the office shall rotate each year, and the Committee Chairperson shall preside over Committee meetings. The Department Chairperson may not serve as committee chair. The presiding officer shall designate a secretary (either a committee member or a member of the departmental academic staff) to take minutes for the record. Committee members shall check the minutes for accuracy and cause them to be distributed to the tenured and tenure-track faculty at least two days in advance of the next departmental meeting.
If the Department Chairperson disregards the advice of the Executive Committee, he or she must inform the department of the decision during the next regularly scheduled departmental meeting, with explanation and discussion.

The Executive Committee may create additional permanent or ad hoc sub-committees from within its own numbers, or call on other members of the faculty, to advance its work.

Section 3: Personnel Committee

The Personnel Committee shall consist of at least one untenured and three tenured members; at least two must be full professors.
A sub-set of the Personnel Committee will decide cases of Promotion and Tenure, in accordance with the provisions of the WSU-AAUP contract:

The Personnel Committee shall evaluate the "Promotion and Tenure Factors" delineating as far as possible those factors that shall be considered in the evaluation of potential candidates for promotion or tenure. The statement shall be based upon excellence in teaching and scholarly professional achievement, while consideration shall also be given to non-instructional service to the department, college, university, or the historical profession. All revisions of the "Statement" shall be submitted to the Promotion and Tenure Committee for consideration, modification, and final approval. Major revisions must be approved by the Executive Committee.
The Committee shall evaluate all potential candidates for promotion or tenure and shall make recommendations thereon to the Promotion and Tenure Committee.
Membership. The Departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee shall consist of all tenured members of the Personnel Committee.
Faculty holding administrative positions in offices above the unit and in the reporting line shall not be eligible for committee membership.
Recommendation for Tenure or Promotion. A two-thirds affirmative vote of the eligible membership of the committee shall be required for a recommendation for the granting of tenure or promotion. No member of the committee shall participate in or vote on a promotion recommendation to a rank higher than his/her current rank.
The Department Chair (regardless of rank) shall chair the committee without a vote.
A Committee representative shall be elected from among the bargaining unit members of the Committee who shall serve as a spokesperson for the Committee. When the elected spokesperson does not agree with the recommendation of the Committee with respect to a specific candidate, the voting members of the Committee may elect an alternate representative to serve as a spokesperson for the Committee with respect to that candidate. The recommendation of the Committee for the granting of tenure or promotion, together with a written assessment and supporting documents, shall be forwarded to the Department Chair or equivalent.
The Committee shall evaluate the tenure case of faculty members being considered for an appointment with tenure.

The Committee shall oversee the departmental Mentoring Program for non-tenured faculty members. A non-tenured faculty member may request, at any time and without explanation, that they be assigned a different Mentor.

At the end of each academic year, Mentors shall submit a one-page written report to the Personnel Committee and provide a copy for the Mentee. The reports shall not evaluate the Mentee's suitability for continuance or tenure, but rather shall describe what the Mentor has done in support of the Mentee.

The Personnel Committee shall prepare a written review by the end of each academic year for any bargaining-unit member holding a tenure track term appointment. The Committee shall consult with the member's Mentor in advance of such review. The Committee shall forward all written reviews to the Chair for distribution to the bargaining-unit member and to the Promotion and Tenure Committee for its consideration. Copies shall be placed in the non-tenured member's personnel file located in the Chair's office.
The Committee shall undertake a review of each candidate for advancement toward tenure during his or her third year (hereafter designated the Third-Year Review). The purpose of the Third-Year Review is to assist non-tenured faculty in advancing toward tenure. For administrative purposes, the Review is advisory; it does not bind the Department, or any of its Committees, to any future course of action. Affected department members shall compile a full dossier, analogous to the Tenure Review dossier but without external letters. Third-Year Reviews shall be undertaken before the end of the fall semester of the third year; the Mentor shall assist in this process. The Third-Year Review shall be delivered to the member before the end of classes in the third year, in writing and in conversation with both the Mentor and Mentee. A copy of the Review shall be placed in the non-tenured faculty member's personnel file. The non-tenured faculty member shall be permitted to respond in writing to the Review, and a copy placed in his or her personnel file.
The Committee shall evaluate all sabbatical leave applications.
The Committee shall be responsible for appointing faculty search committees.
The Committee shall periodically evaluate part-time instructors and shall make recommendations thereon to the Chair.

Section 4: The Salary Committee.

In accordance with the provisions of the WSU-AAUP Contract:

Membership. The faculty Salary Committee shall consist of not fewer than three tenured members of the departmental Tenure and Promotion Committee, and such other faculty from the Department (including non-tenured members) as elected by the assembly. A majority of the committee membership shall consist of tenured members. The Department Chair shall chair the salary committee with a vote.
Salary Recommendations. In determining selective salary increases the Committee shall be guided by departmental factors and general University criteria and factors for tenure and promotion of faculty. It shall also consider equity when appropriate.

For persons not holding tenure-track classifications, consideration shall be given to those portions of the departmental factors and general University criteria that apply to their assignments.

Section 5: The Budget Committee.

The Executive Committee shall serve as the Budget Advisory Committee.
The Chairperson shall make available on an annual basis (excluding spring-summer terms) any accounting reports or institutional records that the Executive Committee might require to exercise its budgetary responsibilities.

Section 6: The Graduate Committee.

Eligibility. All regular or associate full-time members of the Graduate Faculty shall be eligible for appointment to this committee.
Membership. This committee shall be composed of three members of the Graduate Faculty of the Department of Anthropology. The committee shall be chaired by the Graduate Director. A student representative duly selected, from the graduate students and majors of the Department, shall be available to the committee for discussion on recommendations regarding general graduate policy. When called upon for advice, the student representative shall have one vote. The student representative may vote only on matters of general graduate policy. The Academic Advisor serves as an ex-officio member of the Graduate Committee, without a vote.
Functions. The Graduate Committee shall administer all policy matters relating to graduate admission and training. The committee shall be responsible for arranging and administering qualifying examinations for graduate students. They shall advise students in regard to the selection of their adviser and committees. They oversee the qualifications of graduate students at each stage of the student's progression through the graduate program. The Graduate Committee shall determine admission to, or dismissal from, the graduate program. The Graduate Committee shall make decisions about student funding, scholarships, and prize nominations, promote and mentor student research development and publications, and provide opportunities for professionalization.

The Committee shall be responsible for maintaining a file of assistantships and fellowships for which graduate students in the Department may be eligible.

The committee shall make recommendations concerning the organization of the curriculum, proposals for new graduate courses, and degree programs., The committee shall also make recommendations concerning the content and subject material to be covered in courses, particularly those courses which have multiple sections each term. The committee shall make recommendations to the Executive Committee on schedule and scheduling patterns.

Section 7: The Undergraduate Committee

Eligibility: All tenured and tenure-track members of the faculty assembly are eligible for membership on the undergraduate committee.
Membership. An appropriate number of tenured and tenure-track faculty shall be elected by the assembly as a whole. The committee shall be chaired by the Undergraduate Director. New faculty members are eligible. The Academic Advisor serves as an ex-officio member of the Graduate Committee, with a vote.
Functions: The Undergraduate Committee shall review and coordinate the department's undergraduate degree program and events and communicate decisions to the Executive Committee. It shall also make decisions with respect to undergraduate courses and course alterations, the creation of new Minors, course General Education qualifications, and awards for undergraduate majors.
The Undergraduate Director is the presiding officer for the Committee and oversees the undergraduate program.

Section 8: Museum of Anthropology Committee

Eligibility. All full-time members of the Graduate Faculty shall be eligible for this committee.
Membership. This committee shall be composed of three members of the Departmental Assembly, elected or appointed annually. The Department Chair will also serve on the committee ex officio. The Committee shall be chaired by the Museum Director if the Director is also a full-time member of the Department Faculty. In the event that the Museum Director is not a full-time member of the Department Faculty, the committee shall be co-chaired by the Museum Director and a full-time member of the Department Faculty.
Functions. This committee shall be responsible for the oversight and approval where necessary of policies, protocols, and outreach initiatives pertaining to the Gordon L. Grosscup Museum of Anthropology. These responsibilities extend to exhibitions and exhibition planning; allocations of space for teaching, research, and museum functions; museum finances and fund-raising; student scholarships, awards, and museum involvement; community outreach efforts; collections security matters; federal compliance issues; and other matters of importance to the well-being and long-term sustainability of the Museum.

Article Vl. Graduate and Undergraduate Directors

Section 1: Graduate Director.

The Graduate Director supervises the administration of all graduate degree programs in consultation with the Graduate Committee and the Department within the overall framework of University and College policy. The Graduate Director authorizes admission to all graduate programs, in consultation with the Graduate Committee. He or she calls and chairs meetings of the Graduate Committee and reports its recommendations to the Department. He or she is responsible for organizing the annual student review of MA and Ph.D. students and of informing students of the results of the faculty discussion of their progress or lack of progress. He or she also supervises the general operations of the Departmental Graduate Office in terms of files, records, correspondence, and reports. The Graduate Director is responsible for ensuring that students in interdisciplinary degree programs e.g. the Social Work and Anthropology Ph.D. or dual degree programs e.g. Anthropology and Urban Sustainability receive appropriate advising and have plans of work in accord with the agreed-upon requirements of the Department of Anthropology. The Graduate Director will take leadership in developing and coordinating plans to enhance the recruitment of graduate students.

Section 2: Undergraduate Director.

The Undergraduate Director Supervises the administration of all undergraduate degree programs in consultation with the Departmental Assembly and within the overall framework of University and College policy. The Undergraduate Director advises undergraduate majors and minors, recommends actions to enhance recruitment of undergraduates, and supervises the general operations of the Departmental Undergraduate Office in terms of files, records, correspondence, and reports.

Article VII. Student Participation

Participation. A student representative or alternate shall be invited to attend all meetings of the Departmental Assembly except when confidential student matters are discussed. In addition to this, the student representative shall be available to participate, where appropriate, in all committees except where specifically excluded by these by-laws.
Eligibility. The student representative shall be a full-time graduate student or major in good academic standing and shall have completed at least 15 hours of credit in the Department of Anthropology.
Selection. The student representative shall be selected by the Department Chair in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. The Chair will seek self-nominations from all eligible graduate students and majors in the Department as part of the selection process.
Function. The student representative to the Departmental Assembly may attend all meetings of the Departmental Assembly, participate in the discussion, and shall advise with respect to student views and opinions. When the student representative is asked to meet with a designated standing committee, he or she shall participate in the discussions of the committee and shall have a vote in the committee in regard to recommendations on matters of procedure and policy. On the request of the Chair of the Departmental Assembly or the standing committee, the student representative shall be excused from such meetings when specific students and personnel matters are under discussion. The student representative is responsible for communicating with other graduate students and majors on matters of concern.

Article VIII. Amendments to these By-laws

Proposed amendments to these by-laws shall be presented at a meeting of the Departmental Assembly.
Copies of any proposed amendment shall then be distributed to all members of the Departmental Assembly for consideration at its next special or scheduled meeting, to be held not less than 15 days after the distribution of the proposed amendment.
A two-thirds majority of the members of the Departmental Assembly shall be required for adoption of an amendment.

Duration

Unless amended in accordance with Article VIII, these bylaws will remain in effect for five years, at which time they shall be reviewed and updated as appropriate by the Departmental Assembly.

Bylaws revision prepared by Marietta L. Baba Dated: March 5, 1997.

Bylaw revisions adopted by Departmental Assembly Dated: May 2, 1997.

Bylaws revised and approved by faculty during Academic Review March 2004

Bylaws reviewed and revised by Faculty Assembly Fall 2004.

Bylaws amended by Faculty Assembly October 7, 2005

Bylaws Revised January 2011

Bylaws revision proposed 9-18-18

Bylaws revisions accepted, 12-18-2020