Bylaws

March 10, 2023

Table of contents

• Article I: The physics and astronomy faculty
• Article II: The tenured faculty
• Article III: The Tenure and Promotion Committee
• Article IV: The Executive Committee
• Article V: Standing committees
• Article VI: Procedures
• Article VII: Amendments

Article I

The physics and astronomy faculty

1) The physics and astronomy faculty shall consist of all members of the Department of Physics and Astronomy holding an academic appointment of one-half time or greater, as an instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor or corresponding faculty (teaching) or faculty (research). The department chairperson and associate or assistant chairperson are voting members of the physics and astronomy faculty. Others holding academic appointments in the department who are not members of the bargaining unit because of administrative duties shall not be voting members of the physics and astronomy faculty, unless they teach in the Department of Physics and Astronomy for 50% or more of normal load averaged over the academic year. However, faculty holding an administrative position not in offices in the reporting line may be extended membership and voting privileges in the physics and astronomy faculty by vote of the existing physics and astronomy faculty of the department. Members who are on leave shall not normally be considered voting members unless they are physically present; however, absent members (including those on leave) may be granted voting privileges on an individual basis by vote of the physics and astronomy faculty as defined above (excluding those on leave).

2) The physics and astronomy faculty shall meet at least twice a semester and keep records. (Those meetings involving discussion of the Ph.D. qualifying examination shall include only members of the tenured and tenure-track faculty.) The chairperson of the department (or his or her designee) shall preside at all physics and astronomy faculty meetings except those meetings involving chairperson selection. Upon request of no fewer than one-third of the members of the physics and astronomy faculty, the chairperson shall call a special meeting.

3) Departmental policies and procedures (with the exception of those matters explicitly indicated in these bylaws) shall be decided by the majority of the votes cast by the voting membership of the physics and astronomy faculty. Upon request of any member, such vote shall be by secret ballot. The result of a secret ballot, including the exact vote count, will be shared at a faculty meeting with those eligible to vote, who shall keep the exact vote count confidential.

Article II

The tenured faculty

1) The tenured faculty shall consist of all tenured members of the physics and astronomy faculty. The tenured department chairperson and tenured associate or assistant chairperson are voting members of the tenured faculty. Tenured members who are on leave shall not normally be considered voting members unless they are physically present; however, absent members (including those on leave) may be granted voting privileges on an individual basis by vote of the tenured faculty as defined above (excluding those on leave).

2) The tenured faculty shall meet at least once a semester and keep records. The chairperson (or his or her designee) shall preside at these meetings, except those meetings involving chairperson selection. Copies of the minutes of the tenured faculty meetings are to be maintained in the chairperson's office and any member of the tenured faculty may, upon request, inspect those minutes dating from the time he or she became a tenured faculty member. Upon request of no fewer than one-third of the members of the tenured faculty, the chairperson shall call a special meeting.

3) For purposes of article II, section 2, a meeting of the Tenure and Promotion Committee shall be considered as a meeting of the tenured faculty.

4) The tenured faculty shall make recommendations to the Dean concerning departmental affairs, including educational policy, reappointments, and contract renewals of tenure-track faculty, faculty (teaching), and faculty (research). It shall also provide guidelines for the chairperson and the Executive Committee for new tenured faculty, tenure-track faculty, faculty (teaching), and faculty (research) appointments. Although such recommendations to the Dean will normally be made through the chairperson, the tenured faculty reserves the right to communicate directly with the Dean if it so chooses.

5) Decisions (except those involving promotion and tenure) shall be made by a majority of the votes cast by those members of the tenured faculty eligible to vote. Upon request of any member, such a vote shall be by secret ballot.

Article III

The Tenure and Promotion Committee

1) The Tenure and Promotion Committee shall consist of all tenured faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy who are not holding administrative positions in offices in the direct reporting line. Included as members of the Tenure and Promotion Committee are those faculty having tenure in the department who have been granted voting privileges in the physics and astronomy faculty on an individual basis.

2) The chairperson of the department shall serve as chairperson of this committee, but without vote. The associate chairperson will also be a non-voting member of this committee.

3) The Tenure and Promotion Committee shall hold discussions and make recommendations concerning tenure and promotion.

4) On tenure recommendation, voting is by secret ballot of the committee, with absentee ballots allowed. The ballot must contain only the options "Yes", "No", and "Deferred". A returned ballot may include an individual anonymous statement of the reasons for the vote. For a positive departmental recommendation, two-thirds or more of the votes cast by the membership of the Tenure and Promotion Committee must be "Yes."

5) On questions involving promotion, no person is allowed to be involved in considerations of promotions to rank higher than his or her own. Thus, tenured professors shall hold meetings and vote on promotion to that rank.

6) On promotion recommendations, voting is by secret ballot of the committee, with absentee ballots allowed. For a positive departmental recommendation, two-thirds or more of the votes cast by the membership of the Tenure and Promotion Committee (excluding those ineligible under III.5) must be "Yes."

Article IV

The Executive Committee

1) The Executive Committee shall consist of six members elected by the physics and astronomy faculty for terms of two years. Terms shall be staggered so that one-half of the members are chosen each year. Consecutive service on this committee is limited to two terms. Each year by secret ballot, distributed electronically or by mail, the members of the physics and astronomy faculty shall elect five nominees for the three available positions from a list of all physics and astronomy faculty members of the academic bargaining unit, excluding the carryover committee members and those who are ineligible by virtue of the consecutive two-term limitation. Candidates tied for the fifth nomination shall be included in subsequent elections. The results of the nominations shall be announced, and by secret ballot, a final election for the three positions shall take place in which the electors will vote for a maximum of three of the nominees previously chosen. A runoff election shall take place in case of a tie for the third position. A vacancy occurring in the committee shall be filled by the person who received the next highest number of votes, or left vacant if less than four months remain in the term for that vacancy.