SECTION I
GOVERNANCE
1.0
GOVERNANCE
1.2
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS
1.2.1 PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
1.2.2 VICE PRESIDENT AND DEAN FOR ACADEMIC
AFFAIRS
1.2.3 VICE PRESIDENT FOR BUSINESS AND
FINANCE AND TREASURER
1.2.4 VICE PRESIDENT AND
DEAN FOR STUDENT DEVELOPMENT
1.2.5 VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
1.2.6 VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT
MANAGEMENT
1.2.7 VICE PRESIDENT FOR
GRADUATE STUDIES AND COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT
1.2.8 ASSOCIATE VICE
PRESIDENT FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES
1.2.9
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL
EFFECTIVENESS, PLANNING, AND ASSESSMENT
1.2.10 ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
COLLEGE RELATIONS
1.2.11 DEAN OF RELIGIOUS LIFE &
CHAPLAIN OF THE COLLEGE
1.2.12 CABINET
1.3
ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION CHARTS
1.4 ACADEMIC
ORGANIZATION
1.4.1 SCHOOLS
1.4.2 DEANS OF SCHOOLS
1.4.3 COORDINATORS OF ACADEMIC (MAJOR)
PROGRAMS
1.5 GENERAL FACULTY
1.5.1 COMPOSITION
1.5.2 VOTING
1.5.3 FACULTY CHAIR
1.5.3.1 FACULTY CHAIR ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITY
1.5.4 POWERS OF THE
GENERAL FACULTY
1.5.4.1 ACADEMIC PROGRAM
1.5.4.2 OTHER STATED POWERS
1.5.4.3 CONSULTATION
1.5.5 REPORTING
1.5.6 FACULTY MEETINGS
1.5.6.1 ROCEDURES FOR FACULTY MEETINGS
1.6 FACULTY CONFERENCE
1.7 CONSULTATIVE BODIES
1.8 STUDENT GOVERNANCE
COLLEGE
BY-LAWS HAVE BEEN REVISED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. REFERENCES TO THE
BY-LAWS IN THE CURRENT FACULTY HANDBOOK DO NOT REFLECT THESE CHANGES.
This
chapter contains excerpts from and descriptions of materials contained in other
official policy documents of the College, such as the By-Laws of
1.0
GOVERNANCE
1.1
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Articles
I, II, III, IV, VI, VII, IX, X and XI of the By-Laws of
Trustees
are proposed by a Nominating Committee of the Board, elected for three year
terms, attend regular and special meetings of the Board, and serve on its
committees. The principal officers of the Board of Trustees are its President,
Vice President, and Secretary. They and the chairpersons of the trustee
committees constitute an Executive Committee which sets the agenda for the
Board and meets to conduct business between scheduled meetings of the Board.
1.2
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS
1.2.1 President of the College The President of the College is
elected by the Board of Trustees and is “the administrative head of all
educational and business affairs of the College. He/she shall be
responsible for the proper running of the affairs of the College, except where
special duties have been delegated by the Board to agents or committees, all of
which, however, shall be under his/her supervision.." (Art X, Sec 1). He
or she has the authority, with the approval of the Board of Trustees or its Executive
Committee, “to employ and discharge all educational and administrative
personnel and agents and shall sign all contracts of employment on behalf of
the College with regard to such employees or agents." (Art X, Sec 2). He
or she "...shall prepare and submit such reports as the Board or its
Executive Committee may from time to time direct, or as he/she may deem best
for the interests of the College..." (Art X, Sec 3). The President
shall "...shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, and present to the Budget
and Finance Committee prior to March 1 each year, a complete and detailed
budget proposal outlining the College’s operation for the next fiscal
year" (Art X, Sec 6). “The President shall be a member of, and presiding
officer of, the faculty. Subject to the approval of the Executive
Committee and within the limits of the budget, he/she shall appoint such
faculty and administrative personnel as are required for the maintenance of the
policies of the Board. Subordinate administrative personnel may be employed,
or discharged, at the discretion of the President. The President is
responsible for the evaluation of all College officers that report directly to
him/her. " (Art X, Sec 7).
1.2.2 Vice President and Dean for
Academic Affairs The
Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs shall be responsible for
leadership and administration of the College’s academic programs. He/she
shall also provide leadership to the academic support programs of the College,
serve as a member of the College Cabinet, and serve as committee liaison as
appropriate. He/she reports to the President of the College (Art XIII Sec 4).
1.2.3 Vice President for Business and Finance and Treasurer The Vice President for Business and
Finance and Treasurer is selected by the Board of Trustees, on recommendation
of the President. He/she shall "...be responsible for keeping proper
books, records and accounts of all funds relative to the College’s operations,
as well as preparing all financial, business, and state and federal regulatory
reports required by the Board, its Executive Committee, and/or the President
(Art X1 Sec 2) and …be responsible for all College disbursements and fund and
securities accruals...shall countersign all notes, bonds, and other obligations
specific to the College...” (Art XI Sec 3). He/she supervises a number of
support offices. He/she reports to the President of the College.
1.2.4 Vice President and Dean for Student Development The Vice President and Dean for
Student Development is responsible for oversight of staff
and programs for student development. He/she collaborates with students,
faculty, and staff to design and implement programs that support the
educational mission of the College, that will enhance student leadership and
responsibility, and that enhance the quality of campus life. He/she supervises
offices relating to student life, including Residence Life, Associate Vice
President and Dean for Student Development, multicultural programs, prevention
programs, SERVE student activities, the Chaplain’s Office and the Student
Activities Office. He/she reports to the President of the College (Art
XIII Sect 5).
1.2.5 Vice President for Development and External Affairs The Vice President for Development
and External Affairs leads and supervises a comprehensive development program
which seeks to involve alumni and friends in advancing and supporting the
fundraising priorities of the College. He/she supervises and coordinates all
phases of the College's fund-raising and public relations programs. This
includes alumni relations, parents programs, special events, and external
affairs generally. He/she reports to the President of the College.
1.2.6 Vice President for Enrollment Management The Vice President for Enrollment
Management is responsible for the various functions and activities that
comprise Enrollment Services, including supervising and leading the enrollment
management team to accomplish goals related to undergraduate recruitment and
admissions, planning and implementing a comprehensive marketing plan, and
planning, managing and implementing a financial aid enrollment model. He/she
reports to the President of the College.
1.2.7 Vice President for
Graduate Studies and Community Advancement The Vice President for Graduate Studies and Community Advancement
coordinates and supports funding acquisition for the College’s graduate
programs and continuing education initiatives, supervises the Centers of
Lynchburg College, supports various College outreach activities, and assists
the work of Vice President for Development and External Affairs. He/she reports
to the President of the College.
1.2.8 Associate Vice President for Information
Technology and Resources The Associate Vice President for Information
Technology and Resources provides leadership, vision, and management of
services of several technology areas including administrative computing,
networking infrastructure, purchasing and procurement, office software
administrative help desk and support for office application training, student
computing labs, classroom computing, library computer support, internet
purchasing and procurement, student and instructional support. He/she reports
to the President of the College.
1.2.9 Associate Vice President for Institutional
Effectiveness, Planning, and Assessment The Associate Vice President for Institutional
Effectiveness, Planning, and Assessment directs the office of Institutional
Effectiveness and serves as a member of the College's institutional
effectiveness, planning and budgeting, and program review committees; provides
consulting to all assessment efforts, and works to ensure that the
Institutional Effectiveness plans are in compliance with SACS accreditation
requirements. He/she reports to the President of the College.
1.2.10 Associate
Vice President for College Relations
The Associate Vice President for College Relations serves as assistant to the
president and liaison to the Board of Trustees as appropriate, and is the lead
marketer of the College to its many diverse constituencies. The Associate Vice
President works with the Assistant Vice President of Public Relations, and has
oversight responsibilities of the Public Relations office in carrying out the
marketing mandate. Essential duties include coordination of College's internal
and external marketing efforts, including research, promotion, and media to
enhance LC visibility and maximize consistent communication. The
Associate Vice President serves as chair of the campus marketing committee,
administers the College marketing budget, works to enhance the College's web
presence, and produces video projects as requested. He/she reports to the
President of the College.
1.2.11 Dean
of Religious Life & Chaplain of the College The
Dean of Religious Life & Chaplain of the College is responsible for the
Spiritual Life & Chaplain’s Office. He/she serves as the Chaplain of
the College and chief officer for church relations. He/she oversees volunteer
and employee staffs that serve as part of the Cooperative Campus Ministry
group. He/she is also responsible for pastoral, counseling and advising
activities on campus. He/she serves across the institution in a variety
of roles and relates most closely to Enrollment, Development and Student
Development. He/she reports to the President of the College.
1.2.12 Cabinet The officers listed above meet regularly with the President
and with selected other individuals to comprise a College Cabinet to facilitate
the College's administration. The Cabinet advises the President and provides
data and a preliminary agenda for the trustees' meetings.
1.3 ADMINISTRATIVE
ORGANIZATION CHARTS – These are found
on the college web; printed copies are housed in the President’s Office, Human
Resource Office, and the Library.
1.4
ACADEMIC ORGANIZATION
1.4.1
Schools The College's faculty members
are organized into six schools. The six-school academic organizational
structure was approved by the Board of Trustees on May 21, 1999. Programs
within the schools are:
Studio Art, Speech Communication, Journalism, Music, Theatre, Graphic Design
School
of Humanities & Social Sciences
English, French, Spanish, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Religious
Studies, Sociology, International Relations
School of Sciences
Biology, Biomedical Science, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Computer
Science, Mathematics, Applied Physical Science, Psychology
PROFESSIONAL
STUDIES
School of Business & Economics
Accounting, Business Administration,
Economics, Financial Economics, Management, Marketing, M.B.A.
School
of Education & Human Development
Child Development, Counseling,
Curriculum & Instruction, Secondary Education, Special
Education/Psychology, several M.Ed. programs
Athletic Training, Exercise
Physiology, Health & Movement Science, Health Promotion, Sports Management,
Nursing
Certain
other courses and programs not related to a single school are entitled
collectively "General Studies" and are the responsibility of the Associate
Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs. Certain centers with academic
focus have directors and are the responsibility of several schools with a dual
reporting function to the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs and the
Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
1.4.2
Deans of Schools
The School Deans are formally
appointed by the President based on recommendations from the Vice President and
Dean for Academic Affairs and program faculty, and report to the Vice President
and Dean for Academic Affairs. The appointment is normally for three
years and is renewable for an additional three years. The responsibilities of
deans of schools include the following:
1.
Participates in the appointment, review, and support of faculty (full-time and
part-time).
2. Manages the curricula unit, including major and minor programs and
general education, and is an active participant in academic assessment
initiatives.
3. Manages the budget, curriculum planning, recommendations
for faculty development, provides consistency in personnel evaluation and merit
pay recommendations, hears student grievances, and scheduling and staffing of
courses.
4. Exhibits entrepreneurship in creating appropriate partnerships among
academic programs. Monitors effectiveness of academic programs; maintains
positive relations with academic support services.
5. Ensures consistency in evaluation for recommendations for personnel
regarding appointments, reappointments, promotion and tenure.
6. Serves as the direct contact with offices of Development, Enrollment,
Business Office, Registrar, and Vice President and Dean for Student Development
for student recruitment and planning.
7. Articulates vision and mission for various publics.
8. Sets priorities for unit as referenced in College Plan.
1.4.3 Coordinators
of Academic (Major) Programs The role of the Program Coordinator is
primarily one of providing a vision for a curriculum of quality for the
academic major (s). Advice to the School Dean for scheduling for the specific
academic program, and cooperation for the recruitment, hiring and mentoring of
new faculty, are related to that vision. This includes the following
responsibilities:
1. Regular meetings with the School Dean as appropriate for the program.
2. Curriculum development and/or revision within the academic program or
related interdisciplinary programs.
3. Collaboration for scheduling that maximizes service to students.
4. Partnership for academic program assessment and program review, analysis of
data, and application of findings.
5. Advice for the acquisition and maintenance of library, instructional
technology, and other support for student learning.
6. Consultation for determining responsibilities for advising and supervising
program-based student activities/organizations.
7. Maintaining currency in disciplinary trends related to the program.
8. Cooperation among program faculty for seeking external funding when
appropriate.
9. Provision of information about program needs (as identified in the program
review process) for facilitation of preparation of School budget.
10. Advice for selection of student award winners.
11. Updated program information to School Dean for web pages, newsletters, Student
Handbook, Faculty Handbook, and Catalogue copy.
12. Contribution to a repository of graduate school and career information.
13. Involvement with local community groups as appropriate for program.
1.5
GENERAL FACULTY(revised 6/7/2006)
1.5.1
Composition. (Art VIII, Sec 2) The
General Faculty consists of the President of the College; the Vice President
and Dean for Academic Affairs; the Associate Vice President and Dean for
Academic Affairs; the Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs; Deans of
Schools; Professors, Associate Professors, Assistant Professors, and
Instructors; and other persons holding faculty appointments as listed in
Section 3.1.2.
1.5.2
Voting. Voting members of the faculty
include those listed above and any individual who teaches at Lynchburg College
on a regular part-time basis and who previously taught at Lynchburg College on
a full-time basis for at least ten (not necessarily consecutive) academic
years. Time spent on sabbatical shall count toward the ten years. Visiting,
acting, adjunct, and other regular part-time members of the faculty are invited
to attend faculty meetings, but have no vote.
1.5.3 Faculty Chair.
A Faculty Chair will be elected each spring by the general faculty to preside
at faculty meetings. All tenured full-time teaching faculty members are
eligible to be nominated for this position. The Faculty Chair will have a
working knowledge of the Handbook, the College Catalogue, Roberts' Rules of
Order, and familiarity with policy action items that appear on the
agenda. The Faculty Chair has the option of taking a leave of absence
from all standing committees during the time of his or her active term.
The term is for one year.
*To obtain advice from a faculty perspective, the President invites the Faculty
Chair to be a member of his Cabinet, which meets weekly year-round. If a
given Faculty Chair is unable or prefers not to serve on the President's
Cabinet, the President intends to appoint a different faculty member to provide
advice on the cabinet during that Faculty Chair's term. Cabinet service
is not a requirement of the Faculty Chair position. This provision
applies to the current administration and can change at the President's
discretion.
1.5.3.1
Faculty Chair Role and Responsibilities The
most current edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall be used as necessary.
1.5.3.2
The Faculty Chair and the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs will collaborate on the Faculty Meeting
Agenda before it is published and distributed.
1.5.3.3 If necessary, Faculty Committee Chairs shall confer with
the Faculty Chair about procedural issues.
1.5.3.4 Parliamentarian The Faculty Chair will appoint a parliamentarian to
provide advice in responding to points of order and parliamentary inquiries,
and on conducting the meeting according to the rules. The parliamentarian’s role is advisory; the
Faculty Chair is ultimately responsible for ruling on the proper procedure. Normally the parliamentarian addresses the
Faculty Chair rather than the group as a whole. (This language is adapted from
Roberts’ Rules of Order, Newly Revised in Brief, c.2004).
1.5.4
Powers of the General Faculty.
1.5.4.1
Academic Program "The General
Faculty shall be entrusted with the management of the academic program, student
activities including athletics, and the program of student guidance and
counseling." (Art XIII, Sec 2) It determines the curriculum, including
courses, majors, and programs of study; it "...shall prescribe conditions
for the awarding of degrees to those who shall complete the prescribed courses
of study and shall make recommendations to the Board of Trustees for the
awarding of said degrees." (Art XIII, Sec 10) It sets the academic regulations
of the College and establishes standards of performance and evaluation,
consistent with the requirements of accrediting associations, for the academic
program and for the teaching faculty.
1.5.4.2
Other Stated Powers
The applications of all students
for admission to the College shall be passed upon by a committee appointed by
the President of the College to consist of members of the faculty and
administration staff. This committee shall adhere to sound educational
practices in determining the entrance standards and procedures. The
distribution of scholarships not particularly covered by funds in the hands of
the Finance Committee, for the allotment of rooms in the dormitories, for the
uses of the library, laboratories, grounds, buildings, and property held and
designated for school use, and for the conduct of students, classes and
associations of students in all fields of study and for the general welfare,
subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees.
1.5.4.3
Consultation Administrative members
of the General Faculty shall consult mutually with the whole General Faculty or
its appropriate elected representatives regarding any matters important to the
operation of the College. These include, but are not limited to:
1.
Admissions, recruitment, and retention policies.
2. Institutional planning.
3. Budget.
4. Development and public relations.
1.5.5
Reporting The General Faculty shall
report permanent or important rules and regulations it makes to the Board of
Trustees. (Art XIII, Sec 11) As President of the Faculty, the President of the
College presides at faculty meetings and shall report to the Board of Trustees
from time to time on the activities of the faculty. (Art XIII, Sec. 2)
1.5.6
Faculty Meetings Faculty meetings are
held according to the College meeting schedule at 3:00 p.m. on the first Friday
of each month during the regular academic year, unless members are notified to
the contrary. Faculty members are expected to attend and to report to the Vice
President and Dean for Academic Affairs if they are unable to attend. Other
individuals who may attend faculty meetings include certain administrators,
three liaison representatives of the Student Government Association, and
students representing the campus media. Students may have the privilege of
speaking when recognized by the chairperson.
On
the request of any faculty member, with a second, or by action of the
chairperson, a meeting shall go into executive session during which time all
persons other than voting members of the General Faculty shall be excluded from
the meeting. Upon termination of the discussion in executive session, the
excluded individuals will be readmitted. It is the sense of the faculty that
campus meetings, including faculty meetings, shall normally be open, but that
campus media may be restricted from covering portions of meetings relating to
personnel matters, legal matters, the purchase of real estate, and meetings
where contractual obligations prohibit coverage.
1.5.6.1
Current practice (except where
specific sources are cited)
1.
Rules of Procedure A Faculty Chair
will preside at the Faculty meetings. In the absence of the Faculty Chair,
the President shall appoint a substitute to chair the meeting. Normally,
the Faculty Chair, the Secretary, and the Parliamentarian will be seated at the
head table. The rules of procedure for faculty meetings shall be
those of Roberts' Rules of Order, except where a specific rule of the General
Faculty shall supersede the standard rule.
The
faculty shall hold regularly scheduled meetings while the College is in
session, and shall meet at the call of the President, Vice President and Dean
for Academic Affairs, or at the call of a group consisting of at least 25% of
the faculty. The President and the Vice President and Dean for Academic
Affairs shall designate the Secretary of the Faculty, who shall keep a record
of the proceedings at faculty meetings. In the absence of the President,
the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs shall appoint a faculty member
to preside. No action may be taken by the faculty without an affirmative
vote of a majority of a quorum. A quorum shall consist of a majority of
the entire body; such action is not binding on the Board and is subject to
Board approval. (Article XIII, Sec. 11).
2.
Normal Agenda Procedure The normal procedure on a major item of business is
for the faculty committee which reviewed the item to place it on the agenda,
for discussion only, at one faculty meeting. The item is then placed on
the agenda for action at the next meeting.
The
Hill Amendment - modified December 2001-- requires that items for action
concerning policy issues appear on the agenda for discussion one month before
any action can be taken. Waiving the "Hill Amendment" means to
suspend the rules by two-thirds vote so that a matter on the discussion agenda
can be voted upon immediately.
Items
for action that do not concern policy issues are permitted on the agenda
without previous discussion, if the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs
and the committee chair have concurred. A two-thirds vote to delay is
necessary to change an action item to a discussion item.
In
no case may an item requiring faculty approval be acted upon unless the
proposal has been circulated to the faculty in writing at least five days
before the meeting, except when this rule is suspended by a two-thirds vote.
Otherwise, any item of new business is referred to a committee or laid on the
table.
Routine
business items, including, but not limited to, approval of the minutes of the
previous meeting, approval of the agenda, and routine items which the Handbook
suggests require faculty approval, shall appear on the Consent Agenda and shall
be voted on en masse. Any faculty member can request that an item be moved
from the consent agenda to the agenda for formal faculty action.
3.
Approval of Committee Reports Actions
of standing committees reported to a regular faculty meeting shall be accepted
unless an objection is raised in the faculty meeting. If such an objection is
made, the item objected to will be on the agenda for the next regular faculty
meeting for a vote by the faculty.
However,
in reports from the Educational Policies Committee for the addition or deletion
of a course, the change becomes effective only if no objection has been raised
within a 15-day period after the faculty meeting.
4.
Voting Approval of all substantial
questions shall require a vote of not less than a majority of all voting
members of the General Faculty present at any given meeting.
When
there is neither a majority of those present voting in favor nor in opposition
to a motion, the motion is automatically referred back to an appropriate
committee. After one such referral only a simple majority of those present and
voting will be required.
A
faculty member who is unable to attend a given faculty meeting may record a
vote in writing to the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs on any item
which was on the agenda for discussion at a previous meeting, and so long as
the vote applies to the proposal substantially in its original form when there
is a division.
5.
Reports and Minutes
Reports. Committee reports and other
items for the agenda of a faculty meeting must be submitted to the Office of
the Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs no fewer than eight business
days before the meeting.
Minutes.
Minutes of the faculty meetings are distributed to each member of the faculty.
Minutes covering the last 20 years may be consulted in the Dean's and the
President's Offices. The Executive Assistant to the Vice President and
Dean for Academic Affairs acts as secretary for the faculty meetings.
1.6
FACULTY CONFERENCE
The
Faculty Conference of Lynchburg College is a self-constituted body composed of
the full-time teaching faculty of
The
purposes of this Conference are a) to provide a forum for the discussion of,
and formulation of faculty views on, matters of academic and professional concern
and issues related to the general or specific welfare and status of teaching
faculty, and b) to convey to the administrative officers of the General Faculty
the views of the Conference regarding teaching faculty concerns.
The
Conference shall convene at the call of its elected chairperson. (Faculty
Conference Constitution and By-Laws)
1.7
CONSULTATIVE BODIES
This
section notes the existence of a number of boards, councils, and committees
which relate to specific programs and units of the College. These bodies shall
not function in a manner which infringes upon the responsibilities and purposes
of the General Faculty or of Officers of the College, as described in this
Handbook.
Examples
of Consultative Bodies in existence at the time of the adoption of this
Handbook include the following:
1.
2.
3. Teacher
Preparation Council
4. Nursing Advisory Committee
5. Gerontology Advisory Committee
1.8
STUDENT GOVERNANCE
All
materials related to student governance appear in The Hornet.