Effective date: ___                    Latest Rev. date ___

 

UNIT CODE OF OPERATIONS

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

harriot college of arts and SCIENCES

EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

 

 

Initial Code Approval

           

1. Approved by the tenured faculty of the Unit:

 

Chair, Unit Code Committee:    Margaret Bauer     Date: 12/10/08

 

2. If changed, reapproved by tenured faculty:

 

Chair, Unit Code Committee:    Margaret Bauer     Date: 2/27/09

           

3. Submitted to Dean for advice:    Alan White    Date: 1/06/09 and 3/3/09

 

4. Reviewed/recommended by Faculty Senate Unit Code Screening Committee:

 

Chair:   Andrew Morehead        Date:  3/4/09 and  3/25/09

Chair:  Timm Hackett                  Date:  10/21/09

 

5. Approved by the East Carolina University Faculty Senate:

 

Chair of the Faculty:  Janice Tovey             Date: 3-31-09, Resolution #09-21  

Chair of the Faculty:  Marianna Walker      Date:

 

6.   Approved by East Carolina University Chancellor/or designee:       

initial review 4/30/09  Link to Chancellor’s response with suggested revisions to code.

 
Chancellor:  Steve Ballard           Date: pending

                                                             (Effective Date)

 

 

CODE OF OPERATIONS

 

Department of English
Thomas Harriot College
of Arts & Sciences

East Carolina University

 

Preamble

 

This code allows for Faculty participation in and establishes procedures for the unit’s internal affairs and is consistent with all applicable appendices of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/fsonline/manual/facultymanual.cfm.

 

Section I.        Objectives/Mission

 

The English Department’s mission is to advance scholarship, creative activity, and teaching throughout the diverse areas of English studies—from language, literature, and writing to media, cultural studies, and folklore. This endeavor extends from the University and the academic disciplines to communities outside the University.

 

 

Section II.       Organization/Composition

 

A.        Definitions of Voting Faculty

 

1.   Only persons who meet the definition of “voting faculty member” in the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix L—that is, those who are Permanently Tenured or Probationary Faculty beyond their first year, barring certain exceptions—may vote on the following:

 

·        The appointment of Officers of the Department as defined by C.2. of this section

·        The development of the Department code

·        Unit self-evaluations

 

2.   Only persons who meet the definition of “voting faculty” in the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix D, may vote on making recommendations for appointments, reappointments, promotion, and the conferral of permanent tenure to Faculty.

 

3.   To vote on graduate matters or concerns, one must be a member of the Department’s Graduate Faculty. The Graduate Faculty consists of Faculty members approved by the East Carolina University Graduate School Administrative Board (East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix F).

 

4.   On other matters, except where prohibited by the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, all members of the Department Faculty may vote.

 

5.   In standing committees, ex-officio members have voting privileges unless otherwise stipulated.

 

6.   Where more than one person shares the position of Area Coordinator, Director, or Personnel Committee Chair, only one of those persons may vote at any meeting of a committee of which they are members by virtue of their position as Area Coordinator, Director, or Personnel Committee Chair.

 

B.         Faculty and Areas of Study

 

The Areas of Study of the Department at this writing include: Creative Writing, Film Studies, Linguistics/Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Literature, Multicultural and Transnational Literatures, Rhetoric and Composition, and Technical and Professional Communication. Additional Areas of Study may be established by a majority vote of the Department’s Executive Committee, followed by a two-thirds majority of the Appendix L voting Permanently Tenured/Probationary Faculty, which may overrule the Executive Committee.

 

All Permanently Tenured/Probationary Faculty identify a single Area of Study in which they serve as a “core” member. If a Faculty member is hired into a specific Area of Study, that is her or his core area. Permanently Tenured/Probationary Faculty hired into a field not currently identified as an Area of Study may self-identify into one of the existing Areas, in which case self-identification and a majority vote of the core members of an Area are sufficient for core membership. Should a dispute arise in this self-identification process, the Faculty member may appeal to the Tenure Committee, which will resolve the dispute.

 

Core Faculty of an Area of Study elect, by ballot, their Area Coordinator. Core members of an Area of Study vote on all relevant curricular and representative issues and are eligible to represent an Area of Study on Committees. The elected Area Coordinator of each Area of Study serves on the Executive Committee.

 

All Faculty, including Fixed-Term Faculty, may serve as non-voting contributing members of as many Areas of Study as they choose, pending approval by a majority vote of the core Faculty of those Areas. Where applicable, core members of an Area of Study may elect a contributing member to serve as the Area’s representative on a committee.

 

C.        Administrative Organization

 

1.   Department Chair

 

The administrator of the Department is the Chair. She or he is appointed by the Dean of Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and is subject to periodic evaluation by the Department Faculty. The Chair’s administrative responsibilities, the means of appointment, and the procedures for evaluating her or his effectiveness are described in established university policies.

 

As the Department’s administrator, the Chair

 

·        Assures that all Unit Code procedures and Department policies are followed.

·        Chairs all Department Faculty meetings and Executive Committee meetings.

·        Reviews all Faculty recommendations and forwards them, as necessary or appropriate, to other administrators or units.

·        Requests all increases or changes in Department budget lines.

·        Discusses with Faculty the Department’s annual budget request and annual report. (See Appendix L.)

·        Manages the physical resources of the Department, including equipment, supplies, office space, and classrooms.

·        Maintains the personnel files of Department Faculty.

·        Approves all expenditures of the Department budget and of funds in institutional accounts.

·        Supervises the office staff, through the Department’s Administrative Assistant, including the initiation and approval of all personnel action involving the staff and student workers.

·        Approves all scholarships, fellowships, and teaching assistantships.

·        Approves all necessary student matters, including senior summary forms, professional certifications, course substitutions or exemptions, master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, and various permissions.

·        Appoints, with the approval of the Appendix L voting Faculty, all Department Officers, Directors, and Area Coordinators (see II.C.2. of this Code).

·        Assists the Personnel Committee in establishing appropriate search and screening procedures for new Faculty appointments.

·        Assists with the orientation of new Faculty members.

·        Leads the Faculty in promoting professional growth.

·        Keeps individual Faculty members informed of progress regarding reappointment and tenure in accordance with the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix D.

·        Consults with appropriate committees as required by the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix D.

·        Forwards to the Dean all Tenure, Promotion, and Personnel Committee recommendations for official personnel action and, in accordance with the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix D, indicates in writing to the Dean and to the appropriate committee her or his concurrence or non-concurrence with the recommendations.

·        Conducts the annual evaluation of each Faculty member.

·        Recommends to the Dean all initial Faculty salaries and annual salary increases.

·        Appoints ad hoc committees, as needed.

·        Assumes other duties as appropriate.

 

Where reasonable and appropriate, the Chair may delegate responsibilities to Department Officers or Area Coordinators, Committees, or, in matters pertaining to the Department office, to the staff member who serves as office manager. In matters of Faculty personnel action, annual evaluations, and salary recommendations, however, the Chair may not delegate her or his responsibilities.

 

In all matters, the Chair seeks the advice or vote, as appropriate, of the Faculty, keeps the Faculty informed of developments affecting the Department, and promotes the interests of the Department, its Faculty, and the academic disciplines that it represents.

 

2.   Officers of the Department

 

With the approval of Appendix L voting Faculty members, the Department Chair may establish and appoint such officers and directors as may be appropriate to carry out the mission of the Department. All such appointments will be for specific reappointable terms and will be reviewed near the end of each term.

 

Officers may include an Associate Chair and program Directors, including a Director of Graduate Studies, a Director of Undergraduate Studies, a Director of Composition, and an Associate Director of Composition.

 

Whenever a vacancy occurs in any of the Officers’ positions, the Chair collects names of interested Faculty and nominates a candidate for that office, and the Appendix L voting Faculty members approve or reject that nomination.

 

Officers serve terms of three years each and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The duties of Officers are determined by the Chair in accordance with the provisions of this Code, and the teaching load of each Officer is assigned by the Chair.

 

At the end of the second year of an Officer’s term, the Chair initiates a review of the effectiveness of that Officer. A reasonably detailed description of an Officer’s duties, including teaching assignments during the term of office, will be made available in writing to the Department Faculty when that Officer is evaluated. The results of the Chair’s review of the Officer are made available to the Appendix L voting Faculty members during the Fall semester of the Officer’s third year of service and are taken into consideration in the event that the Chair recommends renewal of that Officer. The Appendix L voting Faculty approves or rejects each of the Chair’s nomination by secret ballot.

 

a.   The Associate Chair

  • Prepares the class schedules for the Department, in coordination with the Chair, the Directors, the Area Coordinators, and the Faculty.
  • Collects and reports class enrollments to the Department.
  • Assumes the responsibilities of the Department Chair, in the absence of the Chair.
  • Assumes additional duties, as assigned by the Department Chair.

 

b.   The Director of Undergraduate Studies

·        Coordinates the advising, recruitment, and retention of English majors and minors.

·        Advises and consults with other Officers and Faculty members on matters relating to undergraduate courses, excluding first-year Composition courses.

·        Prepares the program’s annual report and coordinates assessment of the Department’s undergraduate program(s).

·        Chairs the Undergraduate Committee.

·        Assumes additional duties, as assigned by the Department Chair.

 

c.   The Director of Graduate Studies

·        Coordinates the advising, recruitment, and retention of MA and PhD students.

·        Advises and consults with other Officers and Graduate Faculty members on matters relating to graduate courses.

·        Ensures that MA theses and Comprehensive Assessment Projects (excluding proprietary material) and doctoral dissertations are made available to the Department’s Graduate Faculty.

·        Prepares the program’s annual report and coordinates assessment of the Department’s Graduate programs.

·        Chairs the Graduate Committee.

·        Assumes additional duties, as assigned by the Department Chair.

 

d.   The Director of Composition

·        Develops recommended curricula for and conducts program review of required Composition courses.

·        Supervises Graduate Teaching Assistants who are assigned to teach Composition.

·        Organizes professional development events for Composition teachers.

·        Prepares an annual report of activities related to Composition courses and related activities.

·        Chairs the Composition Committee.

·        Assumes additional duties, as assigned by the Department Chair.

 

e.   The Associate Director of Composition

·        Oversees the operation of the First-Year Writing Studio, including scheduling, training, record-keeping, and development and promotion of Studio services.

·        Assists the Director of Composition.

·        Assumes additional duties, as assigned by the Department Chair.

 

3.   Area Coordinators

 

Area Coordinators are elected, by ballot, by a majority vote of the core Faculty of their Area of Study. Coordinators serve three-year renewable terms and may not serve for more than two consecutive terms. Area Coordinators should not normally serve simultaneously as Department Officers.

 

Area Coordinators:

 

·        Provide input for the Fall, Spring, and Summer class schedules, in coordination with the Chair, Associate Chair, Directors, and other Area Coordinators.

·        Chair regular meetings of their Area Faculty to discuss curriculum issues, including class schedules, curriculum revision, developing major/minor/graduate degrees, concentrations, or tracks.

·        Announce and post agendas for forthcoming Area meetings to the Department and see that the minutes of meetings are posted in the Department’s Public Folders.

·        Present curricular proposals to the Department’s Graduate or Undergraduate Committees, as appropriate, and to the appropriate College and/or University committee.

 

Where appropriate, an Area Coordinator may designate another member of the Area to perform her or his duties for a particular meeting. If an Area Coordinator is unable to serve for an extended period of time, the Area will elect an Interim Coordinator to perform the duties of Area Coordinator until the Area Coordinator is able to resume her or his duties.

 

4.   Editors of Department Publications

 

With the approval of the Executive Committee and, when necessary, the Dean, the Department Chair may appoint editors of certain ECU/Department-supported publications. Such appointments will be for five-year reappointable terms and will be reviewed near the end of each term.

 

Section III.     Standing Committees

 

A.        Executive Committee

 

The Executive Committee consists of the Department Chair (ex officio, non-voting except in the case of a tie), the Associate Chair, the Director of Graduate Studies, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, the Director of Composition, the Chair of the Personnel Committee (ex officio, non-voting), the Chair of the Fixed-Term Faculty Committee, the Area Coordinator of each of the Areas of Study, one graduate student (non-voting) and one undergraduate student (non-voting).  The Executive Committee makes recommendations to the Department Chair and to the Department as a whole. The Executive Committee may appoint subcommittees and ad hoc committees, as needed.

 

In its advisory role, the Executive Committee:

 

·        Recommends changes in Department policies and procedures.

·        Reviews requests to establish new Areas of Study and forwards them to the voting Faculty.

·        Reviews and approves annual reports from Department Officers, Chairs of Standing Committees, and editors of ECU/Department-supported journals.

·        Makes recommendations to the Chair and the Department concerning the nature and number of both new and vacant positions in the Department.

·        Reviews and discusses the Department’s budget, annual budget request, and annual report.

·        Approves by majority vote the Department’s major planning documents, assessment and accreditation documents, and other major reports on Department operations before they are approved by the voting Faculty (as required by the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix L) and submitted to person(s) outside the Department.

·        Develops policies for review, renewal, and selection, when necessary, of editors of certain ECU/Department-supported publications.

·        Reviews, as appropriate, other matters brought to it by the Department Chair or any member of the Faculty.

 

B.         Graduate Committee

 

The Graduate Committee consists of the Director of Graduate Studies (ex officio, non-voting except in the case of a tie), the Department Chair (ex officio, non-voting), the Chair of the Doctoral Program Steering Committee, one member elected from among and by the Faculty of each Area of Study, and one non-voting graduate student representative (elected by the English graduate students). The Director of Graduate Studies is the chair of the committee.

 

The Graduate Committee is responsible for the formulation and review of overall graduate policies, procedures, and programs, including admissions, retention, curricula, graduation requirements, graduate assistantships, and program assessment. It forwards its recommendations, as appropriate, to the Department’s Graduate Faculty, the Director of Graduate Studies, and/or the Department Chair.

 

C.        Doctoral Program Steering Committee

 

The Doctoral Program Steering Committee consists of six members: three Faculty members elected from among and by Graduate Faculty in the core Areas of Study, as represented in the doctoral program curriculum; one Faculty member elected from among and by the Graduate Faculty in the other Areas of Study; the Director of Graduate Studies (ex officio, non-voting except in the case of a tie); and one Doctoral student (non-voting) elected by the Program’s Doctoral students. The committee elects a chair from among its membership and that chair serves on the Graduate Committee.

 

The Doctoral Program Steering Committee is responsible for the formulation and review of doctoral program policies, procedures, and programs, including admissions, retention, curricula, graduation requirements, graduate assistantships, and program assessment. The Doctoral Program Steering Committee (excluding the Doctoral student representative) also serves as the admissions committee for the Doctoral program. It forwards its recommendations, as appropriate, to the Director of Graduate Studies, the Graduate Committee, and/or the Department Chair.

 

D.        Undergraduate Committee

 

The Undergraduate Committee consists of one member elected from among and by the Faculty of each Area of Study, one member elected from among and by the Fixed-Term Faculty, one undergraduate student elected by the undergraduate English majors, and the Director of Undergraduate Studies (ex-officio non-voting, except in the case of a tie). The Director of Undergraduate Studies is the chair of the committee.

 

The Undergraduate Committee is responsible for the formulation and review of overall undergraduate policies, procedures, and programs, including recruitment, retention, curricula, graduation requirements, and program assessment. It forwards its recommendations, as appropriate, to the Department’s Faculty, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and/or the Department Chair.

 

E.         Fixed-Term Faculty Committee

 

The Fixed-Term Faculty Committee consists of five Fixed-Term Faculty members. The Fixed-Term Faculty’s representative on Executive Committee is elected directly by the Fixed-Term Faculty. She or he also serves as the chair of the committee. Four additional members are elected by the Department’s Fixed-Term Faculty. The Chair of the Fixed-Term Faculty Committee must be a Fixed-Term Faculty member of the Department in at least her or his second year of full-time employment at the time of the vote.

 

The Committee is responsible for communicating the needs and the concerns of the Fixed-Term Faculty to the Executive Committee and the Department Chair and for recommending improvements in the conditions of employment for Fixed-Term Faculty.

 

F.         Library Committee

 

The Library Committee consists of three members elected at large from among and by the Department Faculty, at least one of whom must be a Permanently Tenured/Probationary Faculty member. The committee elects a chair from among its Permanently Tenured or Probationary Faculty membership. The chair of the committee serves as the Department’s library representative and reports for the committee to the Department Chair.

 

The Library Committee supervises the expenditure of library funds allocated to the Department in order to improve the holdings and to fill the needs of the various areas of teaching and research within the Department. It also advises the library regarding resources.

 

G.        Student Scholarships and Awards Committee

 

The Student Scholarships and Awards Committee consists of the Department Chair, (ex-officio non-voting, except in the case of a tie), one representative elected from among and by each Area of Study (unless an Area of Study opts not to provide a member in a given year), and a representative elected from among and by the Fixed-Term Faculty. The committee elects a chair from among its members.

 

The Student Scholarships and Awards Committee recommends selection procedures and recipients for Department scholarships and graduation awards.

 

H.        Composition Committee

 

The Composition Committee consists of the Director of Composition (ex-officio non-voting except in the case of a tie); the Associate Director of Composition; the Director of the University Writing Program; one Graduate Teaching Assistant appointed by the Director of Composition in consultation with the Graduate Director; and five Faculty members elected by the Department Faculty, at least two of whom must be Fixed-Term Faculty and at least one of whom must be Permanently Tenured or Probationary Faculty from an Area of Study other than Rhetoric and Composition.

 

The Composition Committee makes recommendations regarding the structure and content of required Composition courses, the design and implementation of programmatic assessments of the Composition program, and the topics and formats of professional development events for Composition instructors. The committee serves as an advisory group to the Director of Composition.

 

I.          Personnel Committee

 

All matters pertaining to the composition and election of the Personnel Committee are subject to the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix D. The Unit Personnel Committee consists of nine persons; two Permanently Tenured Professors, two Permanently Tenured Associate Professors, two Permanently Tenured or Probationary appointment Assistant Professors (at least one of whom must be on probationary appointment), and three at-large members, all elected from among and by the permanently tenured and probationary-term voting faculty of the Department. At least two-thirds of the committee membership must be tenured. Although not permitted by the East Carolina University Faculty Manual to vote in the election of Personnel Committee members, Fixed-Term Faculty may participate in the nomination process.

 

As stated in Appendix D of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, the chair of the Department’s Personnel Committee must be permanently tenured and must be elected annually (at the first meeting in the fall) by and from the committee’s membership.

 

The duties of the Personnel Committee chair are defined in the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix D.

 

Appointments:

The Personnel Committee makes recommendations for all initial Tenure-Track and Fixed-Term appointments and for new appointments of Fixed-Term Faculty at the expiration of a current term based on the criteria in Part IV of this Code and in Appendices C and D of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual.  If the initial appointment of a tenure-track Faculty member is being made at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor, then the appropriate Promotion Committee must make its recommendation of rank, in accordance with Section III.K of this Code and Appendix D of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual.

 

The Personnel Committee appoints search committees in accordance with Appendix D of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual. A search committee will consist of six members. Two are recommended by the Faculty in the Area of Study in which the position is designated. The Personnel Committee appoints three additional members, at least two of whom will be from outside the Area of Study of the search. The sixth member will be a representative of the Personnel Committee, preferably from outside the Area of Study of the search. The Personnel Committee representative is a non-voting member of the search committee.

 

The Personnel Committee may appoint one or more search committees to fill Fixed-Term positions. The membership of such committees will depend upon Departmental need. Each such committee will include at least three voting members, plus a non-voting Personnel Committee representative.

 

J.          Tenure Committee

 

The Tenure Committee is defined in Appendix D of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual. The Committee includes those members who are on leave yet physically present at the time of the vote.

 

The Tenure Committee is responsible for making recommendations regarding the reappointment of probationary-term Faculty members, the granting of permanent tenure, and the conferral of tenure for initial appointments with permanent tenure, and for conducting the Cumulative Review of Permanently Tenured Faculty, in accordance with the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix B.

 

In the English Department, a subcommittee of the Tenure Committee carries out the tasks that can be so delegated as defined by Appendix D of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual. This subcommittee consists of the Permanently Tenured members of the Department’s Personnel Committee and, in the event that no specialist in the candidate’s Area of Study is a tenured member of the Personnel Committee, a tenured representative from her or his Area of Study.

 

K.        Promotion Committees

 

The Promotion Committees are defined in Appendix D of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual. Promotion Committees includes those members who are on leave yet physically present at the time of the vote.

 

Promotion Committees shall be responsible for making recommendations for promotions in rank and for recommending the ranks of initial appointments at the Associate Professor and Professor levels.

 

In the English Department, a subcommittee of the Promotion Committee, made up of the Faculty members at the appropriate rank on the Personnel Committee, carries out the same tasks relevant to promotion that the Tenure Committee’s subcommittee carries out for tenure.

 

L.         Faculty Senators

 

The Faculty Senate determines the number of Senators who will represent the Department. The election of Senators is governed by the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix A: Method of Election of the Faculty Senate.

 

M.        Membership on Standing Committees

 

Committee vacancies are filled by elections held during Spring semester Department or Area meetings, as appropriate. When a vacancy occurs in mid-year, a special election may be held. Members of committees serve staggered terms of three years, with the exception of the Personnel Committee, whose members serve staggered terms of two years. Any elected member of a committee may be re-elected for a second term, but no one may be re-elected for a third consecutive term.

 

N.        Proxy Voting

 

In the event that an elected Area representative serving on a Standing Committee is unable to attend a meeting, he or she may designate a proxy from within his or her Area of Study. No proxies may be sent to the Personnel, Tenure, and Promotion Committees. Where applicable, if the elected representative of the Fixed-Term Faculty is unable to attend a meeting, she or he may also designate a proxy from among Fixed-Term Faculty. Proxies have the same voting privileges as the person they are replacing. A committee member must inform the chair of the committee in writing of his or her proxy prior to the committee’s meeting.

 

Section IV.      Faculty Personnel Actions

 

A.        Selection and Appointment of New Faculty

 

The Personnel Committee is responsible for making recommendations for initial probationary appointments and fixed-term appointments. The Tenure Committee, as described in Section III.J. of this Code, is responsible for making recommendations regarding initial appointments with permanent tenure, reappointments of probationary-term Faculty members, and the granting of permanent tenure (see also the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix C).  The Promotion Committees, as described in Section III.K. of this Code, are responsible for making recommendations for promotions in rank and for recommending the ranks of initial appointments at the Associate Professor and Professor levels (see also the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix D).

 

B.         Teaching Assignments

 

The Department Chair, in consultation with the Associate Chair and Area Coordinators, determines teaching assignments, in accordance with policies developed by Executive Committee. (See also the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Part V.I.H., Appendix C.) The Chair reports annually to the Executive Committee on Faculty assignments within and outside the Department.

 

C.        Faculty Evaluation

 

Each Faculty member in the Department annually receives an evaluation of his or her performance for the year by the Department Chair. This evaluation is based on the Faculty member’s performance in the areas of teaching and advising, research and/or creative activity, service, professional development, and specified other duties. The general criteria for performance evaluations within the Department are those explained in Appendix C of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual.

 

The relative weight assigned to the areas of Faculty performance may vary among Faculty members in the Department but must be determined in accordance with the following guidelines:

 

Tenured Faculty

Teaching /Advising  30-70%

Research/Creative Activity 30-70%

Service 10-30%

Other (if applicable) 0-50%

 

Probationary Appointment Faculty

Teaching /Advising 30-50%

Research/Creative Activity 30-50%

Service 10-20%

Other (if applicable) 0-50%

 

Fixed-Term

Teaching 70-90%

Professional Development 5-25%

Service 5-25%

Other (if applicable) 0-50%

 

In every case, the weighting must add up to 100%. Faculty members who are bought out for non-teaching assignments will have a fourth category, “Other,” which will be evaluated based on those non-teaching assignments. The percentages of the overall evaluations counted as “Other” will be equivalent to the percentage of their contracts bought out from the English Department.

 

It is the responsibility of the Department Chair, following the guidelines listed above, to assign relative weight to the areas of Faculty performance. The Chair assigns relative weight in a reasonable manner that takes into consideration such factors as the nature of the Faculty member’s appointment, her or his academic training and interests, professional standards and expectations in her or his teaching and research field(s), the professional development of the Faculty member (including progress toward tenure and/or promotion), and the goals of the Department and the University.

 

In assigning relative weight to the categories of performance in a Faculty member’s annual evaluation, the Chair shall follow one of two procedures:

 

(1) Under normal circumstances, the Chair makes the determination of relative weight during the annual evaluation. The determination must accord with the guidelines above and must be stated when the Chair makes the evaluation known to the Faculty member prior to sending it to the Dean. If the Faculty member disagrees with the determination, she or he may attach a statement to the evaluation explaining what she or he feels the proper determination should be.

 

(2) In some circumstances, if both the individual Faculty member and the Chair agree, the Chair makes a determination of relative weight prior to or during the Fall semester of the academic year. If this is done, the determination must accord with the guidelines above, and a form stating the assignment of relative weight and including the signature of both the Faculty member and the Chair must be placed in the Faculty member’s personnel file. This assignment of relative weight may be changed later in the year, however, if the change is mutually agreeable to both the Faculty member and the Chair. (See also Appendix C of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual.)

 

D.        Reappointment and Professional Advancement.

 

Reappointment of Probationary Faculty is based on consistent progress toward tenure. The criteria for conferral of permanent tenure are outlined in the Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Criteria for Permanent Tenure and Promotion (Appendix A of this Code) and in Appendix C of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual.)

 

E.         Faculty Raises

 

The Chair will apportion Faculty raises according to the guidelines received from the University Administration. The award of the merit component of the raise pool will be based formulaically on each Faculty member’s annual evaluation cumulative total. If there is no merit salary raise in a given year or years, that year’s or those years’ annual evaluation cumulative totals will also be considered the next time merit salary raises are given. (See also the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix C.)

 

F.         Personnel/Evaluation Files

 

See the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix C.

 

G.        Tenure and Promotion

 

See the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix C and D and the Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Criteria for Permanent Tenure and Promotion in Appendix A of this Code.

 

H.        Cumulative Review of Permanently Tenured Faculty

 

See the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix B.

 

Section V.       Meetings

 

All Department, Area, and Committee meetings are conducted according to the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. The Chair may appoint a Parliamentarian who will monitor the Department’s compliance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised for the year.

 

The Faculty of the Department meets at least two times each semester. Additional meetings may be called by the Chair as needed. Areas of Study will each meet at least once per semester. Additional Area meetings may be called by the appropriate Area Coordinator. Standing Committees, with the exception of the Tenure and Promotion Committees, will meet at least once per semester. The Tenure and Promotion Committees will meet as needed, when called to meet by the Chair of the Personnel Committee. Any Faculty member may attend a meeting of any Area of Study or Standing Committee, except Personnel Committee, and may be granted speaking rights by majority vote of the committee.

 

For Department meetings, absences are automatically excused if the Faculty member informs the Department Chair at least twenty-four hours before the meeting of the Faculty member’s inability to attend. In such cases the Faculty member’s absence will be excused and will not count against the quorum.

 

Section VI.      Evaluation of Unit, Unit Administrator(s),
 and University Administrators

 

A.        Accreditation Reports, Planning Documents, and Unit Assessments

 

Faculty shall be given a minimum of five working days to evaluate those externally mandated documents that require a vote in accord with the provisions of Appendix L of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual and University policies.

 

B.         Program evaluation

 

Program evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Appendix L of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual.

 

C.        Unit Administrator evaluations

 

The Unit Administrator shall be evaluated in accordance with established University policies.

 

D.        University administrator evaluations

 

University administrators shall be evaluated in accordance with established University policies.

 

Section VII.  Unit’s Annual Budget and Report

 

See under duties of the Chair and Executive Committee.

 

Section VIII.  Criteria for Salary Increases

 

At least once a year, the Chair and the Executive Committee discuss priorities, procedures, and criteria for salary increases. The Chair reports the recommendations of the Executive Committee to the Faculty and solicits input from the Faculty at a Department meeting. See also section IV, E above.

 

Section IX.      Other Policies and Documents

 

All Department policies for administrative procedures and Faculty evaluation, committee and Faculty meeting minutes, and reports on Faculty workloads and class enrollments are posted electronically.

 

Section X.       Enabling

 

This code shall go into effect upon approval by a majority of the Department of English Permanently Tenured Faculty, the Faculty Senate and the Chancellor. (See the East Carolina University Faculty Manual, Appendix L.)

 

Section XI.      Amendment of Code

 

This code may be amended by a vote of a two-thirds majority of the permanently tenured Faculty members. The procedure must be conducted in accordance with Appendix L of the East Carolina University Faculty Manual. Fixed-Term and Tenure-Track Faculty may contribute to the deliberation process but may not vote on the final code revision.

 

Amendments must also be approved by the University’s Unit Code Screening Committee, the Faculty Senate, and the Chancellor. The code should be reviewed with each quadrennial evaluation, as required by Appendix L.


APPENDIX A

 

CRITERIA FOR PERMANENT TENURE AND PROMOTION

(adopted by the College of Arts and Sciences at ECU, 1989; revised 1993)

 

I. TEACHING/ADVISING

 

Teaching/Advising—(1) the articulation of the salient aspects of a discipline in a rigorous but accessible manner, whether in or out of the traditional classroom setting; (2) academic advising within the discipline and General College, where unit operating procedures provide such opportunity; and (3) other contributions towards the University’s fundamental mission of transmitting knowledge, including participation in curriculum development

 

Documentation of teaching and advising contributions requires the faculty member’s willingness to participate in unit-approved means of assessment. Expectations regarding these contributions increase as the faculty member’s career progresses.

 

             A.        Criteria for Permanent Tenure:

 

1.         Satisfactory overall results from student and peer evaluations.

2.         Other documentation of teaching effectiveness using instruments and procedures approved by the unit.

3.         Lucid, carefully written course objectives, requirements, formats, procedures, instructional materials, grading policies, and evaluation materials for students.

4.         Active role in unit discussions regarding curriculum and program development.

5.         Active role in the achievement of overall program goals of the unit.

6.         Maintenance of a level of student performance consistent with unit standards.

7.         Active role in advising students regarding course and laboratory work, independent research, program choices, and career planning.

8.         Achievement and maintenance of the level of teaching and advising effectiveness specified by the unit.

 

             B.        Criteria for promotion to Associate Professor:

 

The teaching and advising criteria for promotion to Associate Professor are the same as those for permanent tenure: See I. A., above.

 

C. Criteria for promotion to Professor:

 

The teaching criteria for promotion to Professor include those for promotion to Associate Professor See I. A., above. Additional criteria include, but are not limited to, the

following:

 

             1.         Leadership achievements in curriculum and program development.

             2.         Leadership achievements in the enhancement of teaching effectiveness.

             3.         Leadership achievements in the enhancement of advising effectiveness.

             4.         Advisory role with probationary-term faculty regarding teaching and advising effectiveness.

 

 

II. RESEARCH/CREATIVE PRODUCTIVITY

 

Research— (1) serious inquiry, examination, or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of knowledge, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new knowledge, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws; and (2) the dissemination of such discovery, interpretation, or revision through refereed scholarly publications; or the combination of refereed scholarly publications and publication of monographs by reputable scholarly presses. Applies to most academic disciplines, such as those with learned journals.

 

Creative Activity— the act of bringing into existence ex nihilo, as in composing a poem or play, scoring an opera, or sculpting a statue; or the act of giving a rendition of an art work, such as directing or acting in a play or performing a musical composition. Applies only to select inventive or performing disciplines.

 

The candidate must have consistent achievements of high quality in research/creative productivity before permanent tenure and promotions can be awarded.

 

                  A. Criteria for Permanent Tenure:

 

Research Faculty. The candidate’s publications must reveal a significant and

developing research agenda in the area of specialization. The publications must be of promise, high quality in content and style, and reveal consistent research efforts. They should take the form of articles published in the discipline’s refereed journals; or the combination of refereed scholarly publications and publication of monographs by reputable scholarly presses, university presses, scholarly societies, or other presses held in high regard by the scholarly community. Textbooks shall count as research only if they have a significant impact on one s peers within the discipline. In those disciplines where single-authored articles and books are the norm, whether a publication is single- or multiple-authored shall be an evaluative consideration. Evaluation of the quality and quantity of the candidate’s corpus by specialists at other institutions shall be used in the evaluation.

 

Secondary considerations shall include, where appropriate, such activities as securing grants from agencies in support of the candidate’s research program and publishing

papers in conference proceedings. Papers read at professional meetings, while often important, shall usually warrant less consideration.

 

Creative Activity Faculty. The candidate’s creative or performance record must reveal a significant and developing achievement in the area of specialization. The achievement must be of high quality and reveal consistent efforts. Only those achievements shall count that have gained widespread recognition among one’s professional peers. Evaluation of the quality and quantity of the candidate’s corpus by specialists at other institutions shall be used in the evaluation.

 

            B.        Criteria for promotion to Associate Professor

 

The research/creative activity criteria for promotion to Associate Professor are the same as those for permanent tenure: See II. A., above.

 

            C.        Criteria for promotion to Professor:

 

Research Faculty. The research/publications criteria for promotion to Professor include those for permanent tenure: See II. A., above. In addition:

 

The candidate must have earned national recognition in the discipline or specialization, principally through a number of articles published in the discipline’s refereed journals; or the combination of refereed scholarly publications and publication of monographs by reputable scholarly presses, university presses, scholarly societies, or other presses held in high regard by the scholarly community. In addition to the prima facie evidence of the publications themselves, evidence of such recognition may include references to the candidate’s work in the research publications of peers, favorable reviews published in learned periodicals, or creditable awards bestowed in honor of the candidate’s work. Evaluation of the quality and quantity of the candidate’s corpus by specialists at other institutions shall be used in the evaluation.

 

A candidate whose national recognition as an important scholar in the discipline or specialization is not clearly established through publications shall not be promoted to Professor.

 

Creative Activity Faculty. The creative activity criteria for promotion to Professor include those for permanent tenure: See II. A., above. In addition:

 

The candidate must have earned national recognition primarily through achievement in the discipline or the area of specialization. The candidate’s work must reveal high achievement in professional arenas external to East Carolina University. In addition to the prima facie evidence of the works themselves, evidence of recognition may include favorable reviews published in national media or creditable awards bestowed in honor of the candidate’s work. Evaluation of the quality and quantity of the candidate’s corpus by specialists at other institutions shall be used in the evaluation.

 

A candidate whose national recognition as an important artist or performer is not clearly established shall not be promoted to Professor.

 

 

III. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

 

Service—formal and informal assignments or activities on behalf of the department, College, University, the community at large, and the profession. The highest level of professional service is that which enhances the academic credibility of the University.

 

Expectations regarding service contributions increase as a faculty member’s career progresses. The minimum required for permanent tenure and promotion therefore depends upon rank.

 

A.        Criteria for Permanent Tenure:

 

             Although service is accorded the least weight in the tenure evaluation, it is nevertheless an essential component of the candidate’s professional commitment. An especially strong service record cannot compensate for a record of weak teaching or weak research/creative activity, but a reasonable record of departmental and university service is expected of any faculty member under consideration for tenure. The quality rather than the quantity of service is of primary importance.

 

             It is expected that most of the faculty member’s early service contributions will be internal. During subsequent years, the faculty member should strive to make service contributions to the college and University as a whole and eventually to the community at large and to the profession. Examples of such contributions may include, but would not be limited to, the following;

 

1.         Unit— Department committee participation as specified by unit codes, administrative duties, and special assignments from the Department Chair

 

            2.          College— Participation in college-level committees and assignments.

 

3.         University— Participation in University-level committees and assignments.

 

4.         Community— Participation in regional, national, or international community activities directly related to the faculty member’s profession, such as lectures and presentations, news media interviews, and professional advice to nonprofit agencies.

 

5.         Discipline— Participation in service functions of professional organizations, especially as an officer; writing or editing books or resource manuals that are essentially compilations of previously available materials (whereas books or resource manuals that advance or make a significant contribution to the discipline and that contain a significant amount of original research material shall count as research).

 

            B.         Criteria for promotion to Associate Professor

 

             The criteria for promotion to Associate Professor include those for permanent tenure:

             See Ill. A., above.

 

C.         Criteria for promotion to Professor:

 

The criteria for promotion to Professor are the same as those for permanent tenure: See III. A., above. In addition, the candidate must show evidence of leadership in the various service areas described in III.A., items 1. through 5., above.