Terms of Reference of Standing Committees

Introduction

A.        Nominations and elections for standing committees of Faculty shall normally occur in time so that they can be completed before the final statutory meeting of Faculty each year. At this meeting a complete roster of all members of committees will be circulated for information.

B.         Incoming committee members shall normally assume office on July 1 of each year.

C.        Committee members who are granted sabbatical leave, or leave of absence, shall not normally serve on committees while on leave, and temporary replacements will be elected.

D.        Chairs of Departments shall not normally serve on Committees during their term.

Approved by Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

20 September 1988

Modified by Faculty

19 September 2006

I.          Academic Development Committee (ADC)

A.        The Academic Development Committee is a standing committee of the Faculty.  The Academic Development Committee acts as the Faculty's planning committee, including both academic and financial planning.  It is also responsible for approving substantial curriculum changes, and may itself make proposals on curriculum development to Faculty.

B.         Composition

1)      The committee shall be composed of 5 elected members of Faculty, one student member, and the Associate Dean ex officio.  It is agreed that neither the Dean nor the Associate Dean shall have voting rights on the Academic Development Committee.

(a)    A representative from the Killam Library (nominated by the Library, with the agreement of Faculty) will serve on the committee in a non-voting capacity.

2)      The committee should elect its own chair. 

3)      The student representative shall be duly registered in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He/she shall be elected by the Dalhousie Arts Society and the election shall be subject to ratification by the Faculty. The Student representative shall hold office at the pleasure of the Dalhousie Arts Society.

4)      The elected members of the committee shall normally serve for 3 years, two being elected each year.

5)      The Chair of the ADC shall also be a member of council of Chair (ex officio).

C.        Planning Functions of the Academic Development Committee

1)      For the purposes of the Collective Agreement between the Dalhousie Faculty Association and the Board of Governors, the Faculty Planning Committee shall be composed of the Academic Development Committee.

2)      The Planning Committee shall meet to discharge such business as is required of it by the Articles of the Collective Agreement.

3)      The Planning Committee shall also meet to discuss certain matters that are predominantly concerned with the finances and the budget of the Faculty, namely, priorities recommended by the Associate Dean in both the alterations and renovations budget, and in the non-space capital budget.

D.        Curriculum Functions of the Academic Development Committee

The curriculum function of the Academic Development Committee is to approve substantive changes in the curriculum while the Associate Dean deals with routine changes.

1)      Routine

Business in this category may be transacted by the Associate Dean without Faculty approval.

(a)    The Associate Dean will strive to ensure that the description of classes and programmes in the Arts and Social Sciences section of the Calendar is accurate;

(b)   The Associate Dean shall receive from the rapporteur of each experimental class information regarding its formation and content; rule as to what requirement or requirements of distribution and concentration and credit the class may be accepted as satisfying; and receive a report from the rapporteur at the end of the class on the subjects treated, the techniques of instruction and the success of the class as an experiment in pedagogy (judged so far as possible on the basis of objective comparisons with more familiar types of classes);

(c)    On receipt of written evidence that arrangements agreeable to the departments/multidisciplinary units concerned have been made, the Associate Dean will ordinarily approve proposals for the cross-listing of classes and half-classes.  The Associate Dean's approval shall be required before newly cross-listed classes or half-classes appear in the Calendar;

(d)   The Associate Dean will examine proposals for new or substantially altered classes and half-classes.  Associate Dean's approval shall be required before such proposals are implemented;

(e)    The Associate Dean will examine proposed changes in the structure of any Honours Programme, and major changes in the structure of any other programme. Associate Dean's approval shall be required before such changes are made; and

(f)     The Associate Dean shall submit a written report to the Chair of the ADC at the end of each term concerning the state of all business conducted since the last report.  He/she shall submit a report to the Secretary of Faculty concerning all business conducted since the last report.  It shall be submitted in sufficient time for it to be circulated with the notices for all statutory meetings.

2)      Substantive

Business in this category shall be initiated either by Faculty or by the Committee with Faculty approval, and any recommendations resulting shall be submitted to Faculty.  Substantive business comprises:

(a)    the examination of new academic programmes;

(b)   the development of new academic programmes;

(c)    the examination or review of any other curricular matters affecting established Faculty policy; and

(d)   the examination or review of programmes of academic units.

E.         Procedures

1)      Meetings shall be called by the chair when necessary;

2)      The Committee shall invite individuals or representatives of interested groups to participate in the discussion; conversely, individuals or representatives of groups may attend meetings when a subject of interest to them will be discussed; and

3)      The Committee shall maintain records of its meetings.

F.         Reporting

1)      The Committee shall submit a written report to the Secretary of the Faculty in sufficient time for it to be circulated with the notices of the statutory meetings of Faculty.  This report shall indicate the current state of all business which has come before it since the last such report.

Approved by Faculty

July 5, 1988

Modified by Faculty

May 12, 1997

II.        Professional Development Committee (PDC)

A.        The Professional Development Committee is a standing committee of the Faculty.  The Professional Development Committee acts as the Faculty's Tenure and Promotion Committee,  the Travel Expenses Advisory Committee, and other duties related to professional development of the Faculty’s member.

As the Tenure and Promotions Committee they shall deal with questions of Promotion and Tenure in accordance with the provisions of the Collective Agreement between the Board of Governors and the Dalhousie Faculty Association.

As the Travel Expenses Advisory Committee they shall be an advisory Committee to the Dean with responsibility for formulating guidelines governing living and travel expenses and the Professional Development Allowance for members of Faculty in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Collective Agreement in force between the Dalhousie Faculty Association and the Board of Governors. The committee shall make representations to the Dean concerning individual applications.

As the Canada Research Chair (CRC) Review Committee they shall evaluate the reappointment applications of CRCs based on the reappointment criteria documented on the CRC website.  The terms for the process of this assessment following in Appendix II.2.

B.         Composition

The Committee shall be composed of six elected tenured members of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences who shall each serve for a term of three years with two members retiring each year. The Dean shall not be a member.  The PDC's primary role is to act as the Faculty's tenure and promotions committee.  It deals also with other questions pertaining to the professional interests of members of Faculty.  These include the approval of travel grants and other matters, such as instructional development and the enhancement of teaching effectiveness, that may be referred to it by Faculty. 

A person cannot simultaneously serve on the committee and also be considered for promotion. 

C.        Nomination and Election Procedures

1)      The Secretary of the Faculty shall invite the submission of potential nominees for the Professional Development Committee no later than March 1st.  The invitation shall list the members of the existing Committee, their terms of office, ranks, and departments/multidisciplinary units.  It shall also outline the criteria for membership on the Committee.  Any submission pursuant to this invitation must include the consent of the potential nominee to being nominated.

2)      The Nominating Committee shall nominate new members to fill the positions of those retiring.  These nominations should be made with a view to maintaining broad representation of the various disciplines in the Faculty as well as a cross-section of the Faculty with respect to seniority.  Nominees should have a clear record of continuous scholarly activity and have a reputation for interest and excellence in teaching.

3)      The nominations of the Nominating Committee shall be circulated at least two weeks prior to the meeting of the Faculty in April or May when election is scheduled.  At this meeting, additional nominations may be made from the floor.  In the absence of such nominations, the election shall be held forthwith.  In the event of such nominations, the election shall be held by ballot with preferential voting.

4)      Those newly elected shall take office on June 1st following election.

5)      The Committee shall elect its own chair, normally from among its continuing members, as soon as possible after the Committee is constituted.  This initial meeting shall be convened by the Secretary of the Faculty.  The new chair shall assume office immediately after election and serve until a successor is elected by the Committee.

D.        Functions and Procedure

1)      On questions of Promotions and Tenure, the committee shall function within the provisions of the appropriate Collective Agreement between the Board of governors and the Dalhousie Faculty Association.

2)      On questions of Tenure, the committee shall take into account the regulations and procedures outlined in Appendix VII.1

3)      On the questions of travel the committee shall act in accordance with 30.33 of the Collective Agreement respectively.

E.         Reporting

The Committee shall report in writing to the Faculty at a meeting scheduled in April or May and at other times as requested by the Faculty or deemed appropriate by the Committee.  All reports must be submitted to the Secretary of Faculty in time to be circulated with the agenda for meetings.

Approved by Faculty

July 5, 1988

Modified by Faculty

May 6, 2008

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – Canada Research Chairs Renewal Process

1. The Dalhousie University CRC Renewal Process requires that the University decide whether the renewal of a CR Chair in the Faculty is deemed to be possible. If a CR Chair is deemed eligible for renewal, the Dean shall initiate the Faculty review process of the CR Chair.

2. The Faculty’s Professional Development Committee is the Faculty’s committee for this purpose of CRC renewal reviews. The PDC will review the scholarly qualities of the CRC, the Chair’s performance and her or his proposed program in light of the University Strategic Research Plan and make a recommendation to the Dean. The Dean will make a recommendation to the Vice-President Academic.  The Vice-President Academic will communicate the final decision of the University to the Dean, who will inform the Department Chair and the Chair holder.

3. The PDC will consider the following documentation:

Ø      the CR Chair’s cover letter;

Ø      the CR Chair’s initial research proposal;

Ø      the CR Chair’s performance report for the period since the initial appointment;

Ø      the CR Chair’s new research proposal;

Ø      a complete CV of CR Chair;

Ø      a letter of recommendation from the CR Chair’s departmental committee (i.e. departmental tenure and promotion committee or equivalent) ;

Ø      a letter of recommendation from the CR Chair’s departmental chair;

Ø      written input from any others in the University who have representations to make;

Ø      four letters of appraisal from external arm’s length referees (at least two of which must be from a list of potential referees provided by the CR Chair); and,

Ø      a complete set of the CR Chair’s publications produced during the CRC period and only those directly pertaining to the CR Chair’s research proposal.

4.  The departmental chair is responsible for securing the letters of appraisal from external referees, following the submission of at least four names of potential referees from the CR Chair and an equal number from others in the department. The department chair is also responsible for inviting written input from those who might be reasonably expected to be in a position to make informed representations.

5. The CR Chair may request to appear before the PDC committee. If the PDC committee anticipates a recommendation not to renew the CR Chair, it shall provide a written statement of the specific reasons with respect to the standards and criteria for renewal and invite the CR Chair to provide additional information in writing within five days and/or to appear before them.

6. The CRC Program requires that the CR Chair’s performance report clearly demonstrate how the CR Chair has achieved the objectives set out in the original nomination, that the CR Chair has upheld the standards of excellence of the program, and what the added value of holding the CR Chair has been. In particular, the CR Chair’s report must provide evidence that addresses the requirements that the University’s recommendation be able to demonstrate clearly that:

For Tier 1 Chairs, the CR Chair:

• continues to distinguish herself or himself as an outstanding, world-class researcher;
• has successfully attracted, and continues to attract, excellent trainees, students and future researchers to the university or affiliated institute; and
• is carrying out a program of research that is producing leading-edge results which are making a significant impact at the international level.

For Tier 2 Chairs, the CR Chair:

• is developing into an outstanding, original and creative researcher of world-class calibre and is poised to become a leader in her or his field;
• has successfully attracted, and will continue to attract, trainees, students and future researchers to the university or affiliated institute; and
• is carrying out a program of research that is producing important results which are making a significant impact in the field.

7. Following an assessment of the scholarly qualities of the Chair, the integration of the Chair holder’s research with the university’s Strategic Research Plan and the Chair holder’s performance in relation to the selection criteria of the CRC program, the departmental committee, the departmental chair, the committee, shall make their respective and separate recommendations to the Dean.

8. Checklist: For Submission to Dean by CR Chair and Departmental Chair

1. Inventory Sheet indicating contents of file
2. Cover letter from candidate
3. Original Research Program Proposal
4. Performance report
5. New Research Program Proposal
6. CV
7. Letter of Recommendation from departmental committee
8. Letter of Recommendation from department chair
9. Written representations from others, if any
10. Four Letters of Appraisal from External Referees
11. Publications

Note:  The original plus 7 copies to be provided for this process.

9. Deadlines:

July 15 – CR Chair must submit to department chair the names of at least four potential external referees to departmental chair.

September 15 – CR Chair must submit Performance Report, Both Research Program Proposals, and CV.   Document on inventory sheet. 

October 15 – Departmental Chair forwards CR Chair’s documentation, her or his letter of recommendation, letter of recommendation from departmental committee; the four required letters of appraisal from external referees, and any written representations from other interested parties to the PDC.

November 15 – PDC submits recommendation to Dean.

November 30 – Dean submits recommendation to Vice President Academic & Provost.

Modified by Faculty

May 6, 2008

III.       Student Affairs Committee (SAC)

IV.       Information Technology Committee

A.                 The Information Technology Committee is a standing committee of the Faculty

B.         Composition

1)      Committee will consist of five elected members and the Associate Dean, ex officio.

2)      The Committee shall elect its own chair.

3)      The elected members will usually serve a three-year term, two being elected each year.

C.     Functions

1)      Liaise with the Senate Computing and Information Technology Planning Committee (SCITPC).

2)      Advise the Associate Dean on teaching and research needs and priorities for the non-space capital budget.

D.           Procedures

            1)  The chair shall call meetings when necessary.

            2)  The Committee shall keep a record of its meetings.

3)  The Committee shall consult from time to time with the Council of Chairs and the Dean

4)  The Committee shall invite individuals or representatives of interested groups to participate in the discussion:  conversely, individuals or representatives of groups  may attend meetings when a subject if interest to them will be discussed.

E.            Reporting

1)      The Committee shall submit a written annual report to the Secretary of the Faculty  in sufficient time for it to be circulated with the notice of the final statutory Faculty Meeting of the spring term.  This report shall indicate the current state of all business, which has come before it since the last report.

Discussed by Faculty

March 25, 1999

V.        Research Development Committee