I. Authority of the Manual of Operations and Procedures

This Manual of Operations and Procedures contains the operating procedures for faculty governance in the Department of Computer Science. The Department shall follow the by-laws and operating rules of the University and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and shall follow the rules in this document as a supplement thereto. Once approved by the Department and the College, this Manual of Operations and Procedures become effective immediately. 

II. Faculty responsibility and eligibility to vote

A. Responsibilities

Both individually and as a body the faculty are responsible for carrying out the Department’s mission in accordance with the policies and procedures of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Graduate College, and the University. Individual faculty members fulfill these responsibilities in accordance with the University’s policy on professional ethics and academic responsibility. 

The Department distributes teaching and service assignments to faculty and provides guidance through periodic reviews to ensure that all faculty are participating appropriately and equitably in the teaching, research, and service missions of the Department, College, and University. 

B. Tenured or tenure-track faculty

Tenured or tenure-track faculty holding primary appointments of 50% or more in the Department of Computer Science (or who are currently on paid or unpaid leave from such an appointment) are eligible to vote on all Department business. 

Instructional-track or clinical-track faculty holding primary appointments of 50% or more in the Department of Computer Science (or who are currently on paid or unpaid leave from such an appointment) are eligible to vote on all Department business, with the exception of promotion and tenure decisions for tenured or tenure-track faculty.

Visiting faculty, adjunct faculty, emeritus faculty and tenured, tenure-track, instructional-track or clinical-track faculty who do not meet the criteria above are not eligible to vote. 

C. Eligible voters

Eligible voters who are unable to be present at a departmental meeting when the vote is taken on an agenda item may leave a written absentee vote with the chair of the meeting before the vote is taken. Eligible voters may begin voting on the date that their official appointment begins. 

D. Officers and standing committees

  1. The officers of the Department of Computer Science shall be the Chair of the Department (DEO), the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). 

  1. The duties of the Chair (or DEO, for Department Executive Officer) shall be as follows. The Chair shall have primary administrative responsibilities for recommending faculty appointments, promotions and salary raises, implementing the Department’s curriculum, monitoring the work of its undergraduate and graduate students, evaluating its faculty, procuring and regulating equipment, and managing its budget and office staff. The Chair shall also be responsible for scheduling and conducting departmental meetings, appointing faculty to standing committees and departmental offices, establishing ad hoc committees, working with the Foundation on fund-raising efforts, and managing departmental Foundation funds. The Chair shall represent the Department of Computer Science to the administration of the College and University. The Chair shall have the task of explaining departmental needs to the Collegiate and University administration and communicating Collegiate and University policies to the students and faculty in the Department. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Chair shall consult with appropriate faculty, including, but not limited to, members of the Executive Committee. If the Chair is temporarily unavailable, the Director of Graduate Studies (if available), the Director of Undergraduate Studies (if the Director of Graduate Studies is unavailable), or another faculty member designated by the Chair may assume responsibility for making decisions. 

  1. The duties of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) shall be as follows. The DGS will be responsible for recruiting and admitting graduate students in Computer Science; hiring, orientation, training, assigning TAs to courses, and evaluation of teaching assistants (including graders) and research assistants supported by the Department; and advising Computer Science graduate students (until they select an advisor). The recruiting aspect includes correspondence with potential graduate students. The DGS will chair the Graduate Committee and also represent the Department to the Graduate College. In carrying out these responsibilities, the DGS will consult with the DEO and other appropriate faculty, including, but not limited to, members of the Graduate Committee. Subject to the Dean’s approval, the Director of Graduate Studies will assume administrative responsibility for the Department in the DEO’s absence. The DGS shall be appointed by the DEO and serve a renewable three-year term. 

  1. The duties of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) shall be as follows. The DUS will be responsible for managing and maintaining the Department’s undergraduate programs, including recruiting, admissions, enrollments and general outcomes; overseeing and facilitating curricular revisions; and ensuring the overall quality of teaching, learning, and advising. These duties include meeting with prospective undergraduates and parents, as well as communicating with central admissions and advising. In carrying out these responsibilities, the DUS will consult with the DEO and other appropriate faculty, including, but not limited to, members of the Undergraduate Committee. Subject to the Dean’s approval, the Director of Undergraduate Studies will assume administrative responsibility for the Department in the absence of both the DEO and the DGS. The DUS shall be appointed by the DEO and serve a renewable three-year term. 

  1. Standing Committees 

The Department shall have three standing committees: the Executive Committee, the Graduate Committee, and the Undergraduate Committee. 

  • The Executive Committee consists of the Department Chair and three members elected by the faculty, with no more than two members from any of the four voting groups at election time (professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructional track faculty). Members will serve staggered two-year terms, so that at least one position is open each year. Duties consist of strategic planning, assisting with faculty reviews, and advising the Chair on matters of policy and procedure. 

  • The Graduate Committee consists of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and two additional members appointed by the Chair who serve staggered two-year terms. Duties include advising the DGS in all matters related to graduate education, including screening applications, and selecting students for admission, monitoring student progress, handling student petitions, and oversight of the graduate curriculum. 

  • The Undergraduate Committee consists of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) and two additional members appointed by the Chair who serve staggered two-year terms. Duties include advising the DUS in all matters related to undergraduate education, including curriculum and pedagogy issues, evaluating transfer coursework and course substitutions, and oversight of the undergraduate curriculum. 

E. Ad Hoc committees

The Chair shall have the ability to create additional ad hoc committees with approval of the majority of the voting faculty. Ad hoc committees are charged to address explicit short-term departmental goals, such as faculty hiring, program revision, or strategic planning. Members are either appointed to serve by the Chair, or are elected to serve by the faculty, depending on their charge.

F. Ad Hoc officers

The Chair shall have the ability to appoint members of the faculty to discharge additional service responsibilities, including, but not limited to, coordinating the departmental colloquium series, representing the Department in the Faculty Assembly, advising student organizations, and so on. These are renewable appointments for one academic year. 

Table of Contents

Article I - Authority of the Manual of Operations and Procedures 

Article II - Faculty responsibility and eligibility to vote

Article III - Departmental meetings

Article IV - Departmental policies

Article V - Procedures for Amendment of the Manual of Operations and Procedures 

Approved by Computer Science Faculty on September 2, 2022

Approved by CLAS on November 10, 2022

III. Departmental meetings

A. Called meetings

Meetings of the Department shall be called by the Chair of the Department as needed to conduct departmental business. There will be at least one meeting per semester. 

Meetings shall be announced via email at least two days beforehand. The announcement will usually contain agenda items; however, agenda items may be added after the initial announcement is distributed. Faculty who wish to have certain items placed on the agenda should communicate this to the Chair as soon as possible before the meeting occurs. 

B. Meeting chair

The Chair of the Department or the person designated by the Chair shall be the chair of a departmental meeting. The duties of the chair of a departmental meeting include the following: 

  1. Opening the meeting at the required time and calling the meeting to order; approving minutes from the previous faculty meeting 

  1. Announcing business in the appropriate order 

  1. Stating and putting to a vote any proper motions that are made 

  1. Announcing the results of the votes 

  1. Enforcing the rules of order on all occasions 

  1. Deciding all questions of order 

  1. Adjourning the meeting after all agenda items have been discussed or the meeting time expires 

C. Meeting attendance

All faculty members (voting and non-voting) may attend Department meetings; however, voting is restricted to eligible faculty members as specified in II.B. 

D. Voting

Voting is normally done by a show of hands; however, decisions may be made by acclamation, an email ballot, or a secret ballot. Any request made by a voting faculty member for a secret ballot will be honored. 

E. Quorum

Although a quorum is not specified, if fewer than 3/4ths of the voting faculty members are present, the chair of a Department meeting may rule that there is an insufficient number of faculty members to vote. (See also III.C.) 

F. Secretary

The chair of a Department meeting may appoint a secretary to record minutes of Department meetings. 

IV. Departmental policies

A. Formalizing policies

In the interest of clarity and transparency, the Department may from time to time elect to formalize, in writing, specific policies pertaining to, for example, service loads, course buyouts, teaching loads, or faculty review criteria. 

B. New policies

New policies, or revisions to existing policies, are initiated by petition, underwritten by at least one voting member, which are be submitted to the Chair as agenda items for discussion at the next available faculty meeting. 

C. Policy adoption

Adoption of a new or amended policy can be achieved either at a departmental meeting or by means of an email ballot. In either event, to pass, a motion to amend shall require a majority vote of the entire voting membership of the Department including those on leave or not in residence, and takes effect immediately upon approval by the College. 

V. Procedures for Amendment of the Manual of Operations and Procedures

A. Petition

The Department of Computer Science shall consider amendments to the Manual of Operations and Procedures proposed in a petition, signed by at least three voting members of the Department of Computer Science and submitted to the Chair of the Department. The proposed amendment shall state the precise Article, Section, and Sentences to be amended. The proposed amendments shall specify the words to be added, deleted or replaced. Moreover, the proposal shall give a complete statement of the wording of the section in the amended form. 

B. A notice of the proposed amendments shall be distributed in written form by the Chair of the Department

The proposed amendments shall appear as an agenda item in the announcement of the next departmental meeting.

C. Adoption of an amendment

Adoption of an amendment to the Manual of Operations and Procedures can be achieved either at a departmental meeting or by means of an email ballot. In either event, to pass, a motion to amend shall require a majority vote of the entire voting membership of the Department including those on leave or not in residence. An amendment to the Manual of Operations and Procedures takes effect immediately upon approval by the College.