Bachelor of Arts in Law bylaws
Apr. 25, 2024
Table of contents
These are the bylaws for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Law program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) at Wayne State University (WSU). These bylaws were initially approved on Apr. 25, 2024, by the director of the program in consultation with an advisory board. These bylaws were last approved on May 10, 2024, by the dean of CLAS and on May 13, 2024, by the Provost’s Office.
Article I: Description of the program and its relationship to the college and university
Section A
The name of this program is the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Law. The B.A. in Law is an interdisciplinary program combining the strengths of law, political science, philosophy, criminal justice and other disciplines to provide a distinctive undergraduate study in the field of law. Law is recognized as a discipline that seeks to explain the system of rules that a particular society or community recognizes as regulating, governing and incentivizing the actions of its members and may be enforced by the imposition of penalties or other consequences. This program offers undergraduate students at WSU an introduction to law and an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge related to law, such as logical and critical thinking skills, the Socratic Method, reading comprehension and analysis, oral and written communication skills and other hallmarks of “thinking like a lawyer.” This program builds on the distinctive training associated with the Law School combined with the expertise of CLAS to promote informed, well-rounded and civic-minded undergraduates who shall be well-prepared to be leaders of the future in law-adjacent careers. The B.A. in Law program includes the B.A. for majors and any minor in law within CLAS.
Section B
These bylaws exist under the authority of the bylaws of CLAS, the statutes of the Board of Governors and WSU, and the American Association of University Professors American Federation of Teachers (AAUP/AFT)-WSU Agreement. Nothing in these bylaws is intended to be inconsistent with present or future Board of Governor’s statutes, executive orders or other university policies or regulations that have been duly issued or any applicable collective bargaining agreement. In case of inconsistency between these bylaws and the constitution of CLAS, the statutes of the Board of Governors and WSU and the AAUP/AFT-WSU Agreement, the latter documents shall prevail.
Article II: Purpose and objectives
Section A
The main goals of the program shall be:
1) To bring together faculty and students at WSU to share their understanding of the skills and knowledge related to law, in general, and how law is applied in other academic disciplines, especially in the social sciences and humanities.
2) To promote diversity and effective inclusion opportunities for various student groups for acquiring knowledge and skills related to law and legal studies and gaining access to careers in legal studies and law-adjacent fields.
Section B
The B.A. in Law program shall further the inclusion of various populations in the academic setting by means of the following objectives:
1) Promoting undergraduate law programs (majors and minors) for students in the various departments and colleges at WSU.
2) Promoting curriculum addressing legal perspectives in the various departments and colleges at WSU.
3) Encouraging the development of scholarship on issues related to law and legal studies throughout the various departments and colleges at WSU.
4) Creating links between scholars and students involved in law and legal studies throughout the various departments and colleges at WSU.
5) Establishing channels of communication and cooperation between the faculty and students involved in the Law School and CLAS at WSU.
Article III: Program director
Section A
The program director shall act as the CLAS administrator supervising the program and coordinating efforts with the departments in CLAS and the Law School. The program director is appointed by the dean of CLAS for a term determined by the dean, ideally five years with a possible three-year extension and in accordance with procedures provided by the dean and the college. The Advisory Board (see article V) shall develop and provide recommendations to the dean regarding these appointments. In the case of sabbatical, career development chair and other short-term leaves for the director, the Advisory Board shall make a recommendation to the dean regarding the nomination of an acting director to temporarily replace the director.
The Law School dean shall appoint up to two designees, one a faculty member in the Law School (henceforth “law faculty designee”) and the other a member of the dean’s administrative team (henceforth “law administrator”). The director shall collaborate with the Law School dean’s designees to assist with the administration of the B.A. in Law program and act as the Law School administrator for the undergraduate law programs.
Section B
The duties of the program director include:
1) Carrying out the administrative duties required by the program, including supervising any academic or administrative staff assigned to the program by CLAS regarding program-related duties and activities.
2) Co-presiding at all meetings of the Advisory Board (see article V) of the program. The law administrator shall serve as co-chair for the Advisory Board and co-preside the Advisory Board meetings. The director or the law administrator shall provide minutes to board members.
3) Regularly reviewing the policies, procedures and curricula of the undergraduate law programs.
4) Working with faculty and chairs in various departments to ensure appropriate coverage of the program.
5) Holding regular office hours throughout the year, including the summer.
6) Advising students currently in the program and recruiting new students.
7) Developing, maintaining and executing student recruitment strategies and campus events for the program.
8) Developing, coordinating and reporting program assessment.
9) Monitoring and reporting student enrollment.
10) Making program budget decisions.
11) Engaging in outreach to stakeholders and alumni.
12) Fundraising (i.e., maintaining the alumni list and working with Alumni Development in the CLAS Dean’s Office).
13) Promoting the program as described in article II, section B.
Article IV: The faculty of the program
The B.A. in Law program is housed in CLAS and does not currently offer a home for tenure of faculty.
Article V: Advisory Board
Section A
The Advisory Board shall consist of the program director, the law administrator, the law faculty designee, up to six additional faculty and one undergraduate student. The program director and the law administrator shall serve as co-chairs for the Advisory Board.
Section B
One faculty member for the Advisory Board shall be appointed by each of the following departments in CLAS: Criminology and Criminal Justice; Philosophy; and Political Science. One faculty member for the Advisory Board shall be appointed by the Law School (in addition to the law administrator and the law faculty designee). Up to two faculty will be drawn from any other department/school/college at WSU. Academic staff assigned to the B.A. in Law program may serve on the Advisory Board as ex officio members.
Section C
Ideally, each department/school/college described in section B. shall appoint representatives to the Advisory Board, in accordance with the number specified in section B. When this is not possible, a member from another department in CLAS can be appointed, but no CLAS department (excluding the program director) or the Law School (excluding the law administrator and the law faculty designee) can appoint more than two representatives on the Advisory Board at one time.
- At the end of each winter semester, the program director shall contact department/school/college chairs/deans in the various units, either to notify them about self-nominations for the Advisory Board or to inquire about possible interest among their faculty to be part of the Advisory Board.
- Any faculty member who wishes to be on the Advisory Board may indicate this to the program director of the B.A. in Law. The program director and the law administrator. Programs shall approve nominations by the end of the winter semester. The term shall begin the following fall semester.
- The term of the Advisory Board shall be two years for faculty and one year for students. Faculty members may not serve more than two consecutive terms (four years) unless there are no other nominations from their department/school/college.
- The first year the new Advisory Board is instituted, board membership shall be solicited in the fall semester and there will not be a student member.
- The first year the new Advisory Board is instituted, one-half of faculty board members shall have a partial-year term (ending in the following summer), the other half a two-year term, to assure that there is continuity on the board from year to year.
Section D
The Advisory Board shall be responsible for the following:
- Provide consultation in advance of approval for changes to curriculum, including program (majors and minors) requirements and creation, deletion and major revision to courses.
- Organizing events such as brown bags, guest speakers, conferences, student awards ceremonies, etc.
- Providing suggestions for the staffing of courses, if applicable.
- Recommending revisions to the bylaws.
- Generally advising the program director regarding program needs and goals.
Section E
The Advisory Board shall meet at least once during the fall semester and at least once during the winter semester during the academic year at the call of the program director. At least one week of written notice must be given for a meeting, except in case of emergency. Advisory Board members should attend every meeting if possible.
The meetings shall be co-chaired by the program director and the law administrator. In the absence of one of the co-chairs, the attending co-chair shall preside over the meeting.
The program director shall write an agenda and distribute it to Advisory Board members at least four days prior to the meeting. Any Advisory Board member may contact the director to place an item on the agenda. Advisory Board meetings will be announced through e-mail communication.
Minutes shall be kept concerning matters discussed and votes taken at these meetings. Minutes shall be recorded by a volunteer from among the Advisory Board members in attendance at the beginning of each meeting. These minutes shall be typed and provided to the director within one week after the meeting and circulated to all members within two weeks after the meeting. Minutes of a meeting will be approved at the next meeting. Minutes are to be distributed no less than four days before the next scheduled Advisory Board meeting.
Issues submitted to or raised by the Advisory Board shall be decided by a majority vote of a quorum of the board members. A quorum is defined as a simple majority of the board members (one-half plus one). The program director, law administrator and law faculty designee count towards the quorum. There can be a vote by proxy. A board member may leave their written vote with another board member who attends the meeting. The board member who is acting as a proxy must indicate at the time of the ballot the vote of the absent board member. Additionally, board members who attend the discussion and leave before the vote is taken may leave their written vote on the motion with a co-chair. Unless otherwise noted or requested, a verbal vote will be held. A board member can request a vote by secret ballot. Votes on personnel matters will be by secret ballot.
Special meetings of the Advisory Board shall be called at the request of the director or by petition of at least four members of the board.
Article VI: Curriculum, assessment and program evaluation
Section A
At least one Advisory Board meeting every three years shall be dedicated to curriculum review and program assessment.
Section B
Curriculum review and development shall involve the following:
1) The Advisory Board shall review the current curriculum for the major(s) and minor(s) in CLAS and recommend any revisions.
2) The Advisory Board shall consider the successes and failures of program articulation, meaning the logic of coursework for the undergraduate law programs.
3) The Advisory Board shall review, recommend and assist with the development of transfer or articulation agreements with other institutions or programs.
4) If the curriculum includes a senior project or capstone requirement, the Advisory Board shall examine the most current syllabi for pertinent courses and review and make recommendations for the requirements for the senior project or capstone.
5) If the curriculum includes an honors degree track/option, the Advisory Board shall review and make recommendations for the requirements for the honors program.
Section C
The Advisory Board shall be responsible for reviewing, recommending, developing and maintaining tools for program assessment. This information shall be used to inform the curriculum review process.
Section D
The Advisory Board shall participate in the process for Academic Program Review (APR), which occurs every seven years. Board members shall assist with writing the B.A. in Law program’s self-study and action plan as part of APR. Board members shall participate in the site visit meetings for APR.
Article VII: Student participation
Section A
As every program benefits from student input, each year one undergraduate student shall be selected to sit on the Advisory Board.
Section B
The undergraduate Advisory Board member shall be enrolled in a law program. The Advisory Board shall solicit recommendations for the undergraduate Advisory Board representative from faculty and departments/schools/colleges offering curricula in the undergraduate law programs. The Advisory Board shall make the final decision on undergraduate member selection. The undergraduate representative shall serve a term of one year on the Advisory Board, except for the first year of the board’s inception (see article V, section C4). The student representative shall be invited to and expected to attend all Advisory Board meetings.
At the request of the Advisory Board, the student representative may be excused from sections of meetings when specific student and personnel matters are to be discussed. Except for these cases, student representatives have full voting rights.
Article VIII: Amendments
Section A
Proposals to amend these bylaws may be submitted by members of the Advisory Board and faculty teaching courses in the program.
Section B
These bylaws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of a quorum of the Advisory Board.
Section C
Proposed amendments must be submitted by Advisory Board members or program faculty to the program director at least 30 days in advance of the meeting at which the amendment is to be considered. Notice of the proposed amendment must be submitted to each member of the Advisory Board at least 14 days in advance of the meeting to be eligible for vote.
Section D
These bylaws shall be reviewed by the Advisory Board two years after their initial adoption and at least once every five years thereafter.