UMass Boston

Bylaws & Constitution

Read the Faculty Council Constitution (Approved 9-30-2021)

Faculty Council Bylaws, Revised January 2024 (Downloadable PDF)

UMass Boston Faculty Council Bylaws

Amended and Approved by the Faculty Council on December 4, 2023

PREAMBLE

These Bylaws represent governing and guiding rules by which the Faculty Council and its Committees and Subcommittees shall operate in accordance with the Council Constitution and the following principles:
  • Shared governance and ongoing consultation,
  • Transparent and open communication and decision-making,
  • Effective reporting that keeps faculty aware of the Council’s and Committees’ business,
  • Permanent as opposed to ad hoc structures, and
  • Respect for faculty time and energy.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Adoption and Changing of Bylaws
A. The Council may revise the Bylaws of the Council by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting at a meeting on whose agenda the proposed action has appeared. All votes concerning actions on the Bylaws shall be by written ballot unless those present rule otherwise by a two-thirds (2/3) majority.
B. The Council may move into executive session upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present.
2. Parliamentary Procedures
A. Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall be the parliamentary guide.
3. Elections to the Council
A. Elections to the Council shall take place in the spring semester for newly-elected Council members to take office at the adjournment of the first May Council meeting.

B. The Executive Committee of the Council shall establish an Elections Committee to solicit nominations for all elective positions and to administer member voting. (See Section 24.)

C. Faculty shall be informed of the number and designation of seats to be filled no later than February 10.

D. The Elections Committee shall be responsible for soliciting nominations for all Council elective offices.

E. The nomination period to elect Councilors must be no less than two weeks (excluding periods of faculty non-responsibility, summer and winter breaks).

F. The vote shall be by secret ballot using the medium established by the Elections Committee.

G. The Elections Committee shall present the slate of candidates for a vote by the members.

H. Voting shall occur over a period of no less than two weeks (excluding school vacations).

I. Elections must be completed by April 10.

J. Election results must be announced no later than April 20.

K. In an election for at-large seats in which two vacancies are to be filled for a particular rank and more than four candidates have been nominated, a primary election shall be conducted to select four candidates for the final election of the at-large members of that rank.

L. The winner of the final election for each seat shall be the candidate with the most votes.

M. Ties shall be resolved via a special run-off election.

N. Seats on the Council designated to be held by a specific category of faculty (for example, to be held by a non-tenure track faculty member or a member of a specific College) may only be elected by eligible faculty of said category.

O. Temporary or unexpected vacancies shall be filled at the discretion of the Executive Committee after consultation with the appropriate College Senate, Assembly, or equivalent.

4. Meetings and Agendas

A. Each semester the Council shall convene an open faculty meeting and set the agenda thereof. All ensuing recommendations shall be placed upon the agenda of the next Council meeting.
B. The first regular meeting of the Council shall take place during the month of May. The Council shall then establish a schedule of regular meetings, with its first meeting being called by the Council Executive Committee.
C. Regular meetings of the Council shall be held monthly during the academic year.
D. Additional meetings of the Council may be called by
  1. The Chancellor,
  2. The Council Executive Committee,
  3. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the Councilors petitioning the Council Executive Committee, or
  4. Ten percent (10%) of the full-time faculty petitioning the Council Executive Committee.
E. The agendas of meetings with all appropriate documents including the corrected minutes shall be prepared and distributed by the Council Executive Committee at least six days in advance of any meeting to the following:
  1. All members of the Council,
  2. The Chancellor and all Vice Chancellors,
  3. The Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Education, Vice Provost for Student Equity, Access and Success, Dean of Faculty, and the Vice Provost for Research,
  4. Deans, department chairpersons, or equivalents, and
  5. The president of the Undergraduate Student Government, the president of the Graduate Student Government, the president of the Faculty-Staff Union, and the chairs of College governance bodies.
F. The Chancellor, committee chairpersons, and individual members shall advise the Council Executive Committee in matters they desire to place before the Council in sufficient time that such matters may appear on the agenda six days in advance of the meeting.
G. The question of approving or amending the agenda shall appear as the first item of the new business at the earliest possible meeting. Otherwise, the order of the agenda shall be proposed by the Council Executive Committee.
H. Matters designated as urgent by the Chancellor shall appear as the first item of new business at the earliest possible meeting. Otherwise, the order of the agenda shall be proposed by the Council Executive Committee.
5. Quorum
A. A quorum to conduct Council discussions and business shall consist of a simple majority of Council voting members.
B. A quorum concerning items not appearing on the published agenda shall be a simple majority of the voting members of the Council.
6. Documentation
A. The Council and its Committees shall save three kinds of documents:
  1. Agendas,
  2. Minutes, and
  3. Reports.
B. Lengthy or important reports should be submitted to be accepted for archive and further discussion and action.

C. The Council Executive Committee is responsible for saving reports and linking them to minutes and agendas.
7. Procedures for Council Voting
A. All motions presented for final vote must appear on the agenda of the meeting at which the vote is to be taken unless this provision is waived by a two-third (2/3) vote of the Council.
B. To adopt a motion whose wording appears on the Council agenda, only one passing vote is necessary.
C. A second reading at a subsequent meeting is necessary for all motions whose wording did not appear on the agenda of the meeting at which it received first approval, and for any motion whose wording is substantially amended from that presented in the agenda.
D. At a second reading, any amendment or substitution to a motion must achieve a majority to pass, and such change, if substantive, shall return a motion to its first reading.
E. In exceptional circumstances when time is of the essence, the requirement of a second reading may be waived by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the Council present and voting.
8. Visitors and Floor Privileges
A. Speaking privileges may be extended to non-members of the Council in the following cases:
  • When serving as members of a Council Committee that is presenting a report or other business to the Council or debating a motion,
  • Guests of the Council when recommended by the Council or by the Executive Committee, or
  • Officers of the governing bodies of the Colleges.
9. Vacancies in Council Membership
A. Should a member resign or be declared ineligible, the remainder of the term shall be filled by the Council Executive Committee’s seating of the candidate who received the largest vote in the election of the Councilor vacating the seat.

B. Should there be no candidate who received the next largest vote, the Colleges concerned shall elect a replacement according to its own procedures. Vacant at-large seats shall remain open if there is no second-largest vote recipient until the next election.
C. Should the Chair resign or be declared ineligible, the Associate Chair shall serve as Chair until the next election with a new Associate Chair selected from the membership of the Council. Should the new Associate Chair be selected from the membership of the Council Executive Committee, an election shall then be held for the fifth Council Executive Committee member.
10. Faculty Council Committees

Committees are units of the Council and report thereto. They include Standing Committees, Joint Council-Administration Committees, and Ad Hoc Committees. Committee purposes are established in Section 9 of the Constitution.
A. Responsibilities Committees shall meet at least once each semester, and
  1. Annually elect Committee Chairs or Co-Chairs during their first meeting and report the results to the Executive Committee. Chairs must be voting members of their respective Committees.
  2. Convey requests from administration to the Council Executive Committee in a timely fashion.
  3. Record minutes of each meeting and distribute them to committee members and the Executive Committee in a timely fashion.
  4. Prepare and submit an annual report by August 31, which must include a full account of any action taken on behalf of the Council.
B. Formation and Dissolution
  1. New Standing Committees/Subcommittees and Joint Council-Administration Committees/Subcommittees are established or dissolved by amending these Bylaws.
  2. New Ad Hoc Committees are established via a motion which must include: a. Name, charge, size, and expected duration, b. Whether and how members are elected or appointed, and c. Dates by which the committee is expected to present a progress or final report.
  3. Ad Hoc Committees are dissolved either by
    • A Council vote, or
    • Automatically, on the first August 31 that occurs after the date of submission of their final report, unless the Council votes to renew the Committee.
C. Committee Membership
The Faculty Council Constitution establishes Committee membership in Section 9. Additionally, unless otherwise stated in these Bylaws, Committees
  1. May include ex officio members, all of whom shall be non-voting,
  2. Shall accept a member’s resignation from the Committee provided that the Committee Chair and Council Chair are notified in writing, and
  3. Update their membership via the Council-approved slate of nominees on September 1st. Adjustments to Committee membership shall be proposed by the Executive Committee and approved by the Council.
D. Procedures. Relevant to their charges, Committees may
  1. Submit reports to the Council for consideration. Each report shall contain
    • A summary of the matters considered and conclusions reached,
    • References to prior Council actions when they exist and are relevant,
    • A list of recommendations for Council actions, and
    • A discussion of dissenting opinion if it exists.
  2. Propose seconded motions to the Council upon a recorded vote of Committee members.

11. Council Executive Committee

The Council Executive Committee structure and charge is established in Section 8 of the Constitution. The Executive Committee serves as intermediary between senior administration and the Council at large, executes organizational responsibilities within the Council, and acts as the Committee on Committees.

A. Intermediary Functions

The Executive Committee shall

  1. Review all items of potential new business, decide disposition thereof, and set the Council meeting agenda accordingly;
  2. Receive from the President, Chancellor, Provost, Deans, and Councilors requests for Council advice;
  3. Delegate tasks to Committees; and
  4. Report to the Council the status of new requests, delegated tasks, and pending items of business submitted to the Council Executive Committee.

B. Organizational Responsibilities

The Executive Committee shall

  1. Solicit Council members and Council Committees for assessments of and potential revisions to the Constitution and these Bylaws. Each spring of an even-numbered year, report these comments to the Council and determine whether such revisions are necessary; and
  2. Inform the Colleges of vacancies in Council seats by at least February 15 of each year for regular elections and within two (2) weeks of the creation of a vacancy to be filled.

C. Committee on Committees

Comprised of the Executive Committee and any additional members as selected per the Constitution, the Committee on Committees shall

  1. Solicit relevant bodies for nominees to fill existing or upcoming vacancies on Committees;
  2. Nominate to the Council for each Committee a single slate of voting members before the end of the May meeting. The agreement of each nominee shall be secured before nomination;
  3. Identify those Committees that need staff and student representation. This shall be achieved in consultation with Committees and relevant representative bodies; and
  4. Inform Committees of their student and staff members as selected by the appropriate representative bodies.

12. Academic Affairs Committee

A. This Committee shall develop recommendations concerning matters of educational policy which have a Campus-wide effect, except as otherwise provided. Among its duties it shall:

  1. Examine all proposals for new undergraduate programs or majors of an academic or curricular nature from the several Colleges and programs to ensure adherence to Campus-wide policies with regard to degree-granting. After consideration, the committee shall make its recommendations to the Council;
  2. Review and make recommendations on revisions of the Student Code of Conduct with input from the Discipline and Grievance Committee, Restorative Justice Commission, faculty, and students. Review and recommend policies regarding academic advising and Academic Support Service;
  3. Confer with the Provost’s Office about upcoming calendars and report to the Council; and
  4. Establish a standing committee on Standards and Credits, to create, if possible, consistency and Campus policy, comprised of no fewer than three of the Faculty Council Academic Affairs Committee members and including the Registrar as an ex officio
    member, and a member from each of the established Standards and Credits committees that currently exist in Colleges across the Campus.


B. Composition: The Academic Affairs Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting Members: Refer to Bylaws Section 10C, “Committee Membership.”
  2. Non-Voting Members: One member chosen by the Undergraduate Student Government; one member chosen by the Graduate Student Government; one member chosen from the professional staff; and, ex officio, the Provost, the Registrar, and the Chair of the Restorative Justice Commission.

13. Academic Technology Committee

A. This committee shall

  1. Make recommendations on hardware and software acquisitions intended for Campus-wide academic use;
  2. Propose plans for expansion and improvement of academic computing facilities;
  3. Recommend policies based on curricular considerations for determining distribution of and access to Campus-wide academic computing resources;
  4. Review all requests to acquire academic computing facilities, except those that are funded by external grants to provide dedicated computing facilities for sponsored research;
  5. Advise and consult with the Provost’s Computing Advisory Group and the Computer Use Development Committee and advisory groups convened by the Provost;
  6. Submit an interim report during the academic year, in addition to its annual report; and
  7. Confer with the Center for Innovative Teaching, Office for Faculty Development, and the Information Technology Office on their ongoing projects.

B. Composition: The Academic Technology Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting Members: Refer to Bylaws Section 10C, “Committee Membership.”
  2. Non-Voting Members: One member chosen by the Undergraduate Student Government; one chosen by the Graduate Student Government; one member chosen from the professional staff; and the Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer; and the Provost or designee. 3. By vote of the Committee, other individuals may be invited to participate in the discussions of the Committee.


14. Budget and Long-Range Planning Committee

A. This Committee, while respecting the Master Campus Calendar, shall

  1. Participate in the planning and development of the University, especially in the creation of new units and colleges and consult with appropriate administrative offices thereto;
  2. Review and make policy recommendations concerning the planning, development, and use of all physical facilities of the Boston campus, and monitor and report upon the implementation of such policy;
  3. Review Library planning and purchases, and, when new programs are proposed, review in light of Library holdings;
  4. Make transparent to the entire faculty, including College senates and budget committees, the overarching plans and budgets of the University;
  5. Report to the Council at least once each semester on the Committee’s activities and recommendations, accompanying its report with such recommendations as it deems appropriate;
  6. Review draft budgets and report to the Council before they are formally approved by the administration; and
  7. Review and report to the Council on the administration of funds on the Boston campus.

B. Composition: The Budget and Long-Range Planning Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting members: Voting Members: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership.”
  2. Non-voting members: Ex officio, The Chancellor, the Provost, and the Dean of University Libraries; an Undergraduate Student Government representative, a Graduate Student Government representative, and a Faculty-Staff Union representative.

15. Financial Aid, Admissions and Records Committee

A. This Committee shall review and recommend policies concerning:

  1. Enrollment and re-enrollment of students,
  2. Enrollment goals and student recruitment,
  3. Financial Aid,
  4. Transfer Credit,
  5. Registration, and
  6. Academic records and distribution of grade reports.

B. At the request of the Provost or Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, the Committee may recommend action in individual cases.

C. Composition: The Financial Aid, Admissions, and Records Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting members: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership.”
  2. Non-Voting Members: The Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management or the designee ex officio, one representative chosen by the Undergraduate Student Government, one representative chosen from the Graduate Student Government, and one member from the professional staff.
  3. Committee membership should include a range of faculty such that both undergraduate student and graduate student interests are represented.

16. Graduate Studies Committee

A. This Committee shall

  1. Advise the Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Education and the Dean or Director of the appropriate College or unit on academic matters relating to the administration of graduate programs;
  2. Develop policy recommendations on matters relating to graduate studies within the University, including
    • Policies governing the establishment, modification, and termination of all graduate programs, including cooperative graduate programs with other colleges and universities;
    • Policies governing graduate student admission, financial aid, and graduation;
    • The qualifications required for faculty participation in graduate programs, including the direction of theses and dissertations;
    • If not covered by other grievance procedures, the development of a system designed to resolve such differences as may arise between graduate students and members of the faculty; and
    • At the request of the Provost or of the Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, recommend action in individual cases.
  3. Examine proposals of graduate programs and courses to ensure adherence to University policies and make recommendations to the Council concerning their adoption.

B. Composition: The Graduate Studies Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting members: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership.”
  2. Non-Voting Members: The Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Education ex officio, the Dean of University Libraries as provided in the Constitution, one representative chosen by the Undergraduate Student Government and one from the Graduate Student Government.

17. Library Committee

A. This committee shall

  1. Make recommendations on the general policies of the Library;
  2. Monitor the holdings of the Library to ensure appropriate support for the present academic programs of the University and notify the Council of areas of concern;
  3. When Faculty Council action is required on new academic programs, report to the appropriate Faculty Council Committee on the adequacy of Library holdings for the program;
  4. When appropriate, advise the Dean of University Libraries on matters such as budget, acquisition policy, strategic planning, and administration of the Library.

B. Composition: The Library Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting members: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership.”
  2. Non-voting members: One representative chosen by the Undergraduate Student Government and one chosen by Graduate Student Government; one chosen by the Faculty-Staff Union; ex officio, the Dean of University Libraries, and the Chief or Associate Chief Information Officer.

18. Joint Athletics Committee

A. This Committee shall

  1. Recommend campus policies and procedures on matters related to athletics, and
  2. Report these recommendations to the Faculty Council and the Undergraduate Student Government for discussion and approval.

B. Composition: The Joint Athletics Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting members: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership;” four members of the Student Body, three members of the Professional/Classified Staff, one Alumnus, and one community representative.
  2. Non-voting members: The Vice Chancellor of Athletics and Recreation and Director of Athletics ex officio.
  3. As provided by NCAA-ECAC regulations, the Chairperson of the Committee shall be a member of the Faculty.

C. Term of Office:

  1. Members will be appointed for a two-year term.

19. Joint Discipline and Grievance Committee

A. This committee shall

  1. Review and recommend to the Faculty Council and the Student Senate discipline and grievance policies and procedures regarding academic integrity, discipline, and restorative justice; and
  2. Work with administrative committees to exercise jurisdiction to adjudicate individual cases as specified in any discipline and grievance or restorative justice policies that may be approved by the Faculty Council, the Student Senate, the Administration, and the Board of Trustees.

B. Composition: The Joint Discipline and Grievance Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting members: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership,” with five students chosen by the Undergraduate Student Government and the Graduate Student Government, with the appointment of seats for the two governments based on the proportion of the total number of undergraduate and graduate students on campus. Each of the two associations must have at least one representative. One member shall represent the professional staff.
  2. Non-voting members: ex officio, the Dean of Students and the Associate Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence.

20. Quality of Life Committee

A. This committee shall

  1. Review the quality of the physical facilities and social environment;
  2. Consult with the Provost on issues relating to overall health and well-being of faculty, staff, and students;
  3. Regularly study campus climate on issues of discrimination; and
  4. Advise the Budget and Long-Range Planning Committee of the Council.

B. Composition: The Quality of Life Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting members: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership.” One member from the professional staff; one student member selected by the Undergraduate Student Government; and one student member selected by the Graduate Student Government.
  2. Non-voting members: Ex officio, the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, the Executive Director of the University Health Services, and the Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management.

21. Research Committee

A. This Committee shall develop recommendations concerning support of the research and scholarship agenda of the faculty and university. Among its duties, it shall

  1. Make recommendations to the Council for policy and procedural changes pertinent to research and scholarship;
  2. Participate in the strategic planning of the University that has a direct effect on the ability of the faculty to effectively engage in research and scholarship;
  3. Serve as a liaison between relevant University committees and administrative units (e.g., budget, ORSP, institutional research) and the Faculty Council;
  4. Advocate for University policies and practices that recognize and support a wide range of scholarship and research accomplishments of faculty across all disciplines and the documentation of these accomplishments in an equitable fashion and their inclusion in University metrics;
  5. Identify barriers to research on the campus and make recommendations to Faculty Council about policies and practices that will address these barriers and enhance research activity;
  6. Provide opportunities and a safe space for individual faculty to express their concerns relating to research and scholarship to any member of this committee, with the expectations of complete confidentiality and the careful conveyance of such concerns to the Council;
  7. Advise relevant University committees and administrative units on the implementation of policies and procedural changes, particularly those developed within the Committee; and
  8. Assist the Council and its Executive Committee in filling vacancies in its Subcommittee on Community-Engaged Research.

B. Composition: Membership shall be sought for at least one member representing each of the University's Colleges.

  1. Voting members: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership.”
  2. Non-Voting Members: Ex officio, the Vice-Provost for Research, Associate Vice Provost for Research and the Director of ORSP (Office of Research and Sponsored Programs).

22. Community-Engaged Scholarship Subcommittee

A. The Subcommittee on Community-Engaged Scholarship of the Research Committee shall give voice to the issues and concerns of faculty who are collaborating with community partners in their research, teaching, and service, thereby enhancing the mission of the University. Among its duties, it shall

  1. Request, carefully analyze, and report on institutional data from relevant portions of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) that our undergraduates complete each year, and seek campus access to other potentially useful surveys such as the national Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) Faculty Survey;
  2. Advise the Research Committee, and by extension the Faculty Council, on policies, structures, and practices that will support community-engaged scholars and their research; 3. Provide appropriate input to the periodic review process of the university’s Carnegie Foundation-classification as Community-Engaged.

B. Composition: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership.”

23. General Education Committee

A. This Committee shall

  1. Review proposals for courses and requirements established by the Council for University-wide undergraduate education in the following five areas: Distribution courses, Diversity courses, First-Year and Intermediate Seminars, Quantitative Reasoning courses, and the Writing Proficiency requirement;
  2. Receive recommendations from subcommittees in each of the five areas named in (23A1) on proposals for courses and procedures;
  3. Make recommendations and bring motions for approval of proposals for University-wide General Education policies and procedures to the Council Executive Committee for inclusion in Council meeting agendas;
  4. Review proposals for courses satisfying the senior-level Capstone requirements from the University’s departments and programs;
  5. Assess the implementation of General Education provisions or participate in General Education assessments initiated by other units;
  6. Consult with faculty, departments, Colleges, and administration on General Education policy and procedures; and
  7. Advise the Council Executive Committee on membership of the Committee and its subcommittees.

B. Composition: The General Education Committee shall be composed as follows:

  1. Voting members: Refer to Section 10C. “Committee Membership.“
  2. Seek at least one member from each College offering undergraduate courses participating in General Education.
  3. Chairs of General Education subcommittees and the directors of the Composition and English as a Second Language Programs.
  4. Non-voting members: Ex officio, the Associate Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence, and directors of University offices supporting General Education requirements.

24. Elections Committee

A. This committee shall propose and implement a balloting procedure for the election of Councilors. This shall include the following actions:

  1. Propose and obtain approval from Council for the balloting procedure to be implemented. This shall be accomplished in fall semester. The proposed procedure shall include selection of the voting medium (e.g., paper ballot or choice of software). It must address the resolution of ambiguous votes, invalid votes, and voting eligibility for joint appointments and offer a contingency plan for unexpected obstacles arising in implementation;
  2. Inform members of the number and designation of seats to be filled;
  3. Solicit nominations for all elective positions;
  4. Present the slate of candidates for a vote by the members;
  5. Execute the election via the procedure approved by Council. This committee shall keep confidential all information about voting while the election is in progress;
  6. Announce election results to all faculty and the Council;
  7. Provide a written report to the Council which details the election procedure used, results, and recommendations for future elections.

B. Composition: Refer to Section 10C, “Committee Membership.”