VOTING IN DEPARTMENTAL MEETINGS

The Policy on Rank and Tenure describes voting procedures and eligibility in cases of tenure and promotion, and the Protocol for Chair Selection describes such procedures for selection of chairs. For all other situations, departments will follow the policy below unless they have developed a different policy which has been approved by their college dean and disseminated to their department members:

Eligibility to Vote: In departmental meetings (excluding rank and tenure, annual/triannual evaluation, hiring, and chair selection, all of which are covered by other policies) all full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty members may vote. Tenured/tenure-track faculty members who are serving as administrators (assistant/associate deans, assistant/associate vice-presidents, and program directors) may also vote. Full-time non tenure-track members who have completed at least two full academic years of continuous service may vote. Eligible faculty members who are on leave of absence or on sabbatical leave may vote if they wish to and if it is practical for them to do so, but they are under no obligation to participate in departmental governance while they are on leave. Faculty members who are not sufficiently prepared to make an informed judgment on an issue should not vote; individual faculty members must judge their preparation for themselves. deans and the vice president do not vote in departmental meetings.

Proxies in general departmental voting: In general departmental matters, faculty members who are otherwise eligible to vote may leave specific written proxies with the chair. General proxies, verbal proxies or proxies left with other faculty members are not acceptable.

Proxies in questions of hiring and annual/triannual evaluation. Proxies are acceptable in votes on hiring. In cases of annual and triannual evaluations faculty members may not leave proxies. Faculty members who are not present at these discussions may communicate their views to the chair, either verbally or in writing. The chairs may, if they wish, take these communications into account when the chairs formulate their own recommendations.

VPAA 8/1/05

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