July
2005
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA,
MORRIS
CONSTITUTION
The
University of Minnesota, Morris is a liberal arts campus of the University of
Minnesota, subject to the control of the Board of Regents. General policies of the University,
including those implemented through the University Senate, apply to the
University of Minnesota, Morris, except those that by the nature of the
separate location of the campus are not applicable. The educational concerns and responsibilities of the campus
are delegated to the chancellor and the Morris Campus Assembly.
Section
1. President of the University
The
president of the University as its chief executive officer has general
administrative authority over University affairs. The Office of the President provides a coordinating and
review function for the interpretation and applicability of policies and
procedures on the Morris campus.
The president may suspend action taken by the Morris Campus Assembly and
ask for a reconsideration of such action.
If the president and the Morris Campus Assembly do not reach agreement
on the action, it may be appealed to the Board of Regents by either party.
Section
2. Senior Administrative Officer
of the Morris Campus
The
senior administrative officer, hereafter referred to as the chancellor, is the
chief representative and executive officer of the Morris campus. The chancellor is appointed by the
Board of Regents upon the recommendation of the president of the
University. The chancellor's administrative
authority over campus affairs includes:
Introducing and testing educational ideas and
proposals;
Formulating policy;
Stimulating and conducting discussion leading to
the improvement of the educational program;
Reviewing policies, procedures, and programs of
individual campus units and of the campus as a whole;
Developing a comprehensive plan for the campus.
The
term of office for the chancellor and vice chancellors is seven years. Near the
end of their terms, or earlier if deemed appropriate, the president will
initiate a review of the chancellor, and the chancellor will initiate a review
of the vice chancellors. The
reviews shall include the possibility of reappointment.
The
chancellor will maintain continuous and frequent interaction with the outside
community to facilitate maximum understanding of the interests, goals, and
needs of both the campus and the larger community.
Section
3. Budget
The
chancellor, as chief executive officer of the campus, is responsible for the
expenditure of funds and has final authority to make budgetary recommendations
to the president of the University.
However, in view of the need to give proper consideration to educational
policies and objectives, the chancellor will consult with appropriate persons
about budget matters that affect the campus as a whole.
Section
4. Selection of Administrative
Officers
In
the appointment of principal administrative officers whose duties materially
affect the educational program, the chancellor makes recommendations to the
president of the University after consultation with members of the campus
community. In addition, the
reorganization of administrative offices is carried out in consultation with
the campus community.
Section
5. Faculty Tenure
Current
University of Minnesota tenure policies included in the University of
Minnesota, "Regulations Concerning Faculty Tenure" shall be followed.
Section
1. Organization
The
division is the basic academic unit of the campus and consists of its
professors, associate professors, assistant professors (including research
associates), instructors (including research fellows), academic professional
staff, part-time faculty, and other persons the division may designate.
Section
2. Division Chairs
A. Duties and Responsibilities: The chair is the official
representative and administrative officer of the division who is responsible
for the formulation of divisional policies and the execution of University and
campus policies as they concern the division. (See also, By-laws, Article IV.) Other responsibilities of the chair include the following:
Call and preside over division meetings.
Responsible for the organization and quality of the
work of the division.
Report on teaching and research of division
faculty.
Prepare the budget.
Approve expenditure of divisional funds in
consultation with members of the division.
Introduce proposals and stimulate and conduct
discussions directed toward the improvement of the educational program. Consult with members of the division,
and when appropriate, other individuals and groups on all matters of common
concern.
B. Appointment
In the appointment of a division chair, the
chancellor presents a nomination to the president, after consultation with the
faculty and others as specified in the by-laws. The appointment of a division chair is for five years with
eligibility for reappointment.
Near the end of the five-year term or earlier if deemed appropriate, the
chancellor will initiate a review of the division chair. The review includes consultation with
appropriate members of the campus community including the Consultative
Committee.
Section
3. Meetings
Each
division holds at least one meeting each semester. Special meetings may be called by the division chair. At the request of three or more
members, the division chair shall call a meeting of the division within seven
days. Agendas of regular and special meetings of the division are prepared by
the chair, and normally, are distributed in advance to members and to the
Office of the Chancellor.
Division
members advise the division chair on matters of common concern, such as,
faculty positions, curriculum, budget, special programs, and policies of the
division.
Section
4. Division Grievance Committees
Organization
and Powers
Each
division shall appoint a grievance officer who will assist in the informal
resolution of grievances within the unit and who will provide information about
formal grievance procedures. The
chancellor shall appoint a grievance officer to assist in the informal
resolution of grievances and provide information about formal grievance
procedures for those who are not members of a faculty division.
Article III. The University of Minnesota,
Morris Campus Assembly
Section
1. Organization and Membership
The
Morris Campus Assembly includes the faculty, academic staff personnel, elected
student members, civil service personnel holding the title of associate vice
chancellor for physical plant and master planning, registrar, or director, and
elected civil service/staff* members. For purposes of this constitution,
faculty, academic staff, students, and civil service/staff personnel are
defined as follows:
A. Faculty: Faculty eligible for membership include professors,
associate professors, assistant professors (including research associates),
instructors (including research fellows), academic staff, and part-time faculty
or academic staff holding at least one-third equivalent of a full-time position
for the academic year.
B. Students: Students eligible for election to membership must have
credits in residence and be enrolled for eight or more credits during the
semester when the election for student assembly members takes place. Student members of the assembly must
carry at least eight credits during each semester of their term.
C. Civil Service/staff: Members of the campus community holding
at least a nine-month full time civil service/staff appointment are eligible
for election to membership in the assembly. By virtue of their appointments, persons holding the title
of associate vice chancellor for physical plant and master planning, registrar,
or director are members of the assembly.
D. All voting members of committees who have
business on the assembly floor are eligible to participate in the discussion of
that business and to vote on it.
Section
2. Election of Student and Civil
Service/Staff Members of the Assembly
A. One student member is elected at large by
the student body for each one hundred students or major fraction thereof
enrolled fall semester of the same academic year.
B. One civil service/staff member is elected at
large by the civil service/staff for each fifty civil service/staff or major
fraction thereof employed fall semester of the same academic year.
C. Elections take place during the spring
semester for the following academic year.
Section
3. Officers
A. The chancellor of the campus is the chair of
the Morris Campus Assembly.
B. A vice chair is elected by the assembly and
shall be a voting member of the assembly.
The vice chair presides in the absence of the chancellor, or when the
chancellor takes the floor.
C. A secretary is elected by the assembly and
is a voting member of the assembly.
1. The secretary is responsible for the
minutes of all meetings of the assembly.
The minutes are subject to additions and corrections by assembly members
only.
2. Within four weeks following each
meeting of the assembly, the secretary distributes the minutes to each member
of the assembly, to the Office of the Chancellor, to the Morris Campus Student
Association, and to the clerk of the University Senate. Minutes are available to the entire
campus community.
D. A parliamentarian is
elected by the assembly. The
parliamentarian is a voting member of the
assembly and advises the chair on the propriety of actions according to
the rules of procedure
adopted by the assembly. Where there is no explicit rule of procedure or
where interpretation is in
doubt, Robert's Rules of Order governs.
E. The vice chair, secretary, and
parliamentarian are elected at a spring semester assembly meeting held after
the student and civil service/staff elections. Persons elected serve for the ensuing academic year and are
eligible for re-election. Vacancies
are filled by special elections.
Section
4. Meetings
A. The assembly meets at least twice each
semester of the academic year.
B. Special meetings of the assembly may be
called by the chancellor or the Executive Committee. On request of ten percent of the members of the assembly,
the Executive Committee shall call the assembly into session within seven days.
C. Agendas of regular and special meetings of
the assembly are prepared by the Executive Committee and normally will be
distributed to all members of the assembly at least seven days prior to a
meeting. All members of the campus
community may submit business to the Executive Committee for its consideration
as agenda items. Copies of the
agenda are made available to the entire campus community.
D. Meetings of the assembly are open to all
members of the campus community, unless an executive session is declared.
Section
5. Executive Session
The
assembly may by majority vote declare an executive session. Attendance is restricted to assembly members
and voting members of committees with business on the agenda for the meeting.
Section
6. Quorum
A
quorum shall normally consist of a simple majority of the membership of the
assembly. A current membership
list shall be compiled at the beginning of each academic semester. If a member cannot attend an assembly
meeting, and if advance notification of the absence is given, the member shall
not be counted as part of the quorum for that meeting.
Section
7. Powers
The
assembly, as the policy-making and legislative body, exercises general
legislative authority and responsibility in all educational matters concerning
the Morris campus delegated to it by the University Senate and the Board of
Regents. The powers and
responsibilities generally include the following:
A. To establish appropriate policies,
procedures, and regulations governing the educational aspects of the campus
program. Areas included are
curriculum, library, honors, functions, admissions, graduation, teacher
education, residential life, athletics, student activities, awards, financial
aid, student behavior, and campus events, but not including the recommendation
of students for graduation or graduation with honors---a power reserved for the
faculty.
B. To establish and review the actions of
assembly, adjunct, special, and ad hoc committees of the assembly.
C. To review the actions of the Executive
Committee.
D. To receive and discuss reports from the
chancellor and other administrative officers of the campus, or to request
reports on matters affecting the campus.
E. To discuss and act upon any measure or
question appropriate to the legislative body of the campus.
F. To delegate any of the above powers.
Section
1. Organization
The
Executive Committee consists of eight members, including the chancellor as
chair, the vice chair, and the secretary of the assembly. In addition, two faculty assembly
members (including academic staff), two student assembly members, and one civil
service/staff assembly member shall be elected by the assembly to the Executive
Committee. A quorum consists of a
majority of the members of the committee.
Committee members are elected at a spring semester assembly meeting and
serve for one year with the possibility of re-election. (See also, By-laws, Article III,
Section 1.)
Section
2. Powers
The
Executive Committee has the following powers and responsibilities:
A. To recommend membership and designate chairs
of all assembly and adjunct committees, unless otherwise provided, during the
spring semester for the ensuing academic year.
B. To prepare agendas and determine dates for
meetings of the assembly.
C. To receive and coordinate reports and
recommendations for action by the assembly.
D. To request reports and information for the
assembly.
E. To apprise appropriate committees or the
assembly of any matter the Executive Committee considers appropriate.
F. To offer to the president of the
University, the services of the campus community for purposes of consultation
in the selection of a chancellor for the campus.
G. To carry out other functions delegated to it
by the assembly.
Section
1. Organization
A. There is a Campus Consultative Committee consisting
of four faculty members (including academic staff); four students; four civil
service members; and two ex officio non-voting members, the UMM faculty and
student representatives to the Senate Consultative Committee. The chancellor and vice chancellors,
division chairs, associate vice chancellor for physical plant and master
planning, registrar, and directors are not eligible for membership. (See also, By-laws, Article III,
Section 2.)
B. The Campus Consultative Committee consists
of three subcommittees: the
Faculty Consultative Subcommittee, the Student Consultative Subcommittee, and
the Civil Service/Staff Consultative Subcommittee. Each subcommittee elects its own chair.
C. Except in E and F below, elected members of
the Consultative Committee do not represent constituencies but act in the best
interests of the entire community of the University of Minnesota, Morris.
D. The Campus Consultative Committee elects its
own chair.
E. The Campus Consultative Committee may
determine that particular matters of business can be handled best by the
constituent-represented subcommittees or by individual members of the
committee.
F. An individual has the right to choose
the subcommittee or the individuals on the committee to whom the individual's
business will be submitted.
G. The terms of office for faculty (including
academic staff) and civil service/staff members are for two years with a
maximum of three consecutive terms.
The term of office for student members is one year. Elections are held in the spring in
accordance with the by-laws.
Interim vacancies are filled by special elections.
Section
2. Powers
The
Campus Consultative Committee has the following powers and responsibilities:
A. To discuss with appropriate members of the
campus community special problems related to instruction, research, personnel,
service functions, student affairs, and finances.
B. To facilitate communication among the
faculty (including academic staff), students, civil service/staff personnel,
the chancellor, other campus administrators, and the Senate Consultative
Committee.
Section
1. Organization
The
Campus Grievance Committee consists of nine members. Three members of the Campus Grievance Committee shall be
University Delegates, who are faculty members or academic staff members from
outside the campus. The University
delegates are appointed by the Senate Committee on Committees. Six members of the Campus Grievance
Committee shall be College Delegates.
The six College Delegates are representatives of the following units of
the campus: two faculty, two
students, one academic staff member, and one civil service member. Both sexes
will be represented.
Faculty,
academic staff, and civil service members plus one alternate person for each of
these units are elected by their constituent bodies during spring semester and
serve for two years with the possibility of re-election for a maximum of three
consecutive terms. Student members
and an alternate person are elected by students voting in the spring election
and serve for one year with the possibility of re-election.
Members
elected to the committee assume their duties at the start of the academic year
following their election.
The
chair of the Campus Grievance Committee is named by the University Grievance
Officer from among the University Delegates.
Section
2. Powers
The
Campus Grievance Committee shall hear, through hearing panels of three members
designated by the chair, grievance cases arising within the campus that are
referred to it by the University Grievance Officer. The composition of the hearing panel will reflect the
University status (faculty, academic staff, student, civil service) of the
parties.
Section
1. Organization
The
Administrative Committee consists of the chancellor, the vice chancellors, the
division chairs, and such other members whom the chancellor wishes to appoint.
Section
2. Responsibilities
The
Administrative Committee advises the chancellor on matters affecting the
administration of the campus.
Section
1. Organization
The
campus assembly may establish committees to assist in the discharge of its
responsibilities.
Section
2. Membership
The
membership on all assembly and adjunct committees is recommended by the
Executive Committee in accordance with the provisions of this constitution and
its by-laws. The Executive
Committee fills interim vacancies by appointment.
Section
3. Meetings
A. A committee chair calls meetings as often as
required to discharge the responsibilities of the committee. A special meeting is called if
requested by two or more committee members.
B. Committees submit a written report of their
actions to the Executive Committee at least once during the academic year.
C. Minutes of all committee meetings are filed
in the Office of the Chancellor.
Copies are also sent to the Morris Campus Student Association.
D. A quorum consists of a simple majority of
the voting membership of each assembly committee.
The
assembly or the chancellor may establish ad hoc committees to undertake special
charges which do not fall within the purview of the assembly and adjunct
committees of the assembly. Ad hoc
committees normally observe the same operational procedures as specified for
other committees.
A
permanent file of the minutes of all meetings of divisions, campus committees,
and the assembly is maintained in the Office of the Chancellor. The file is
normally accessible to all members of the assembly.
The
assembly may amend this constitution by a two-thirds majority vote of its
membership. It may enact or amend
its by-laws by majority vote of the membership of the assembly. An amendment to the constitution and to
the by-laws must be presented at a previous meeting of the assembly and
distributed to all assembly members at least two weeks prior to the vote on its
adoption.
Constitution
approved by campus assembly, December 5, 1984.
Revised,
November 9, 1992
Revised,
November 1993.
Edited
for Semesters spring 1999.
Revised,
July 2005.
*
The phrase civil service/staff should be interpreted to mean a number of the
civil service or of those bargaining units for whom committee service is not
precluded by terms of contract.