Faculty Handbook 2019_complete
Author: TAMIU Faculty Senate
Date: 2017-05-09T05:00:00+00:00

TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOK

PREFACE

The Texas A&M International University Faculty Handbook (hereafter Faculty Handbook) is the document wherein all parties may find the policies, procedures, rules and regulations that govern the role of the faculty within the University community, and the relationships of the faculty with other members of the University community and its stakeholders.

The Faculty Handbook serves as a basis for faculty employment contracts, and as such provides each faculty member with the basic rules of employment for Texas A&M International University faculty.

A copy of the Faculty Handbook will be provided to each faculty member. Copies are available on the University’s website, in the Library, as well as in the offices of the Provost / Vice-President of Academic Affairs, of the Deans of each college, and of each department chair’s office. The Secretary of the Faculty Senate, under the supervision of the President of the Faculty Senate, will be responsible for the maintenance of the Faculty Handbook and distribution of revisions.

Archival copies of the Faculty Handbook, reflecting previous versions and changes, are kept in Killam Library. Appendix A to this document lists the substantive changes made from the previous (2010-2018) editions.

Faculty Handbook Revision Process

Any member of the University community may propose to the Faculty Senate additions, deletions, or revisions to the Faculty Handbook. The Faculty Senate will review the Faculty Handbook and by a majority vote of the Senate recommend to the faculty changes to the document.

Each separate addition, deletion, or revision to the Faculty Handbook must be approved by a vote of the faculty within 60 calendar days of having been endorsed by the Faculty Senate. With the exception of issues related directly to changes in faculty self-governance (specifically, Articles II, III, and IV of the Faculty Constitution; see Appendix B), all changes to the Faculty Handbook that have been approved by a vote of the faculty also require the endorsement of the President of the University before they can be implemented.

The Secretary of the Faculty Senate will maintain an official copy of the most recent, approved revision of the Faculty Handbook and will make it available in print and electronic form to the University community.

ABOUT TAMIU

Accreditation

Texas A&M International University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. The teacher education programs are accredited by the Texas Education Agency. The University is affiliated with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. The A. R. Sanchez School of Business is a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and has been awarded accreditation. The Canseco School of Nursing is accredited by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners and the National League for Nursing Accrediting.

Mission Statement

Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), a member of The Texas A&M University System, prepares students for leadership roles in an increasingly complex, culturally diverse state, national, and global society. TAMIU provides a learning environment built on a solid academic foundation in the arts and sciences. The University offers a range of baccalaureate and master’s programs and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in International Business Administration. In addition, the University pursues a progressive agenda for global study and understanding across all disciplines.

Through instruction, faculty and student research, and public service, TAMIU improves the quality of life for citizens of the border region, the state of Texas, and national and international communities.

History

Texas A&M University at Laredo opened its doors as the first upper-level institution in the state of Texas in September 1970. Created primarily to serve regional needs, the school represented a new philosophy of higher education in Texas. Degrees offered included the Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and the Bachelor of Business Administration. By the following year, a program of studies for students interested in bilingual education had been added to the curriculum. This program was designed specifically for incoming juniors majoring in elementary education. By September 1971, the number of students enrolled in the University had increased to 459.

A survey conducted in the Fall of 1972 indicated a substantial demand for graduate work. In response to this demand, authorization was requested and received from the 63rd Legislature to initiate a graduate program at Texas A&M University at Laredo.

Other changes came when the University’s Board of Directors undertook a study to consider changing the name of the University. The committee, consisting of faculty and students, found that 69 percent of the University students favored a new name that would ’permit the development of a separate identity, character and reputation of the institution. ’ In January 1977, the Texas A&M Board of Directors voted to recommend to the legislature that the name of the school be changed to Laredo State University. On September 1, 1977, Texas A&M University at Laredo officially became Laredo State University.

Also during the 1970s, the Institute for International Trade came into existence as a result of talks between the University and the Laredo business community. With such assistance, the Institute quickly became recognized as one of the nation’s leading information exchanges in the field.

The Institute was structured to complement the new Master of Business Administration degree in International Trade. The new degree, besides providing the traditional classroom instruction and library research, was designed to provide first-hand knowledge of many of the international operations associated with international trade such as warehousing, transportation, freight forwarding and customs clearance. The pragmatic curriculum included special courses in customs brokerage, international distribution, foreign freight forwarding, and international trade simulations. Furthermore, the prestige that came with the new Master of Business Administration in International Trade allowed the University to lure students from countries around the world such as Malaysia, Taiwan, Ethiopia, Iran, Nigeria, Liberia, Canada, Ghana, Venezuela, Sierra Leone, and Mexico.

Another dimension of the University, which received considerable attention, was the University’s Reading Clinic. The clinic trained University students to diagnose and correct reading problems of area school children. With a large percentage of the students in the clinic functionally bilingual in both Spanish and English, the clinical studies allowed students to become professionally qualified for careers which required bilingual skills.

With increased curriculum and degree offerings, students were able to obtain Master’s degrees in education, business administration, and international trade for the first time, and the number of students at LSU reached 637 by September 1972; 756 by September 1974; and 852 by January 1975.

One result of the addition of graduate degrees to the University was the expansion of the holdings of the Harold R. Yeary Library, which the University shared with Laredo Community College. By 1978, the University had accumulated one million dollars worth of books and periodicals. Designated an official regional depository of materials by the United States Superintendent of Documents, the Library also boasted 47,335 government documents. In the decade that followed, Harold R. Yeary Library would continue to expand, and by 1990 it had 164,664 books, 309,432 microforms, 5,477 audiovisuals, and was receiving 1,134 periodicals.

At the February 1976 meeting of the University System of South Texas Board of Directors, funds were appropriated for a building site feasibility study on the Laredo State University campus. The action was spurred by the announcement that the University had again reached a record enrollment and was quickly running out of space.

In 1988 talks were initiated with the Texas A&M University System that would eventually lead to a merger of the University System of South Texas with the Texas A&M University System. After more than sixty meetings over a period of eighteen months, the University System of South Texas Board of Directors voted to dissolve the system and clear the way for a merger. Within two weeks the Texas A&M System Board of Regents also voted unanimously for a merger. The Texas Legislature hastily approved a merger of the two systems, and on September 1, 1989, Laredo State University became a part of the Texas A&M University System.

State Senate Bill 6, adopted by the 73rd Legislature, changed the name of the University from Laredo State University to Texas A&M International University in Fall of 1993. It also authorized the University to expand from upper-level to four-year status beginning in the Fall of 1995, and established an initiative to expand the scope of degrees offered to include doctoral degrees. It also uniquely authorized the awarding of joint degrees with colleges and universities in Mexico and Canada.

After several abortive attempts to establish a mechanism by which the faculty might have an active voice in the governance of the institution, the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs reconstituted the Texas A&M International University Faculty Senate in the Fall of 1994 for the purpose of allowing faculty to share in the responsibilities of governance of the University. This new group institutionalized the concept of a Faculty Senate with the creation, approval and adoption of the Faculty Constitution (Appendix B). The University adopted a collegiate structure and now consists of the following Colleges: Arts and Sciences, Education, Nursing and Health Sciences, and the A.R[. Sanchez Jr. School of Business.

In the Fall of 1995, the Texas A&M International University moved to its new home at 5201 University Boulevard, located on 300 acres of land donated by the Radcliffe Killam family, and occupied the first phase of the first university campus of the 21st Century. This $42 million phase included the Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library, Bob Bullock Hall and a second academic building, and a physical plant facility. The $30 million second phase of the campus includes buildings for the Sanchez School of Business and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, a kinesiology/convocation center, and another physical plant building. Phase II became available in the Fall of 1996.

For the Spring 1996 semester there were 2,464 students enrolled in the University’s graduate and undergraduate programs. The number of full-time faculty reached 98.

Governance and Administration

The TAMUS Board of Regents (hereafter the Board)

The Board shall provide the policy direction for the System and its component universities and agencies. The Board shall formulate, update, and publish official policies for the System.

The Board shall exercise the traditional and time-honored role for such boards as their role has evolved in the United States and shall constitution the keystone of the governance structure. (TAMUS Policy 2.011).[1]

President

The President of the University is appointed by the Board of Regents upon the recommendation of the Chancellor, and serves under the direction of the Chancellor.

The duties of the President shall include, but are not limited to, the administration of the total program of the institution under the President's jurisdiction (TAMUS Policy 2.05).[1]

Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs (hereafter the Provost)

The Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs of the University is the Chief Academic Officer and serves under the direction of the President. The duties of the Provost include, but are not limited to, the administration and supervision of all academic programs within the institution.

In the event that the President of the University is unable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the office of the President, those duties and responsibilities will pass to the Provost until such time as the President is ready to resume those duties.

Vice-President for Finance and Administration

The Vice-President for Finance and Administration (VPFA) is the Chief Financial Officer of the University and serves under the direction of the President. The duties of the VPFA will be defined by the President.

Vice-President for Institutional Advancement

The Vice-President for Institutional Advancement (VPIA) is the primary liaison between the University community and various external entities. The duties of the VPIA will be defined by the President.

Vice-President for Student Success

The Vice-President for Student Success (VPSS) is responsible for TAMIU’s recruitment, enrollment and graduation programs. The duties of the VPSS will be defined by the President.

Academic Deans

The University is comprised of several colleges and schools, including; the College of Arts and Sciences, the A. R. Sanchez Jr. School of Business, the College of Education, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library. An Academic Dean serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of each college and school, and serves under the direction of the Provost.

Department Chairs

Colleges may be divided into academic departments[2] and/or schools or divisions under the administrative direction of a faculty member designated as a department or division chair or school director (hereafter equivalent to department chair).

Department Chairs serve under the direction of the Academic Dean of the college to which their department is assigned. Faculty teaching load may be reduced for a faculty member serving as department chair. (TAMUS Policy 12.03 Section 3.3). Normally, department chairs will be given annual, twelve-month contracts.

Other Academic Affairs Administrators

In most matters, the Director of the Library will hold status equivalent to a department chair, except in budgetary matters, wherein the Director's status would be the equivalent of an academic Dean.

General University Governance

University Executive Council

The University Executive Council is composed of the President, the Provost, the Vice-Presidents and other members of the University Community as designated by the President.

Council of Deans

The Council of Deans is chaired by the Provost, and consists of all Academic Deans and any other members of the University Community designated by the Provost or the President.

Student Government Association

The Student Government Association is empowered to act as the representative authority of the Student Body.

Staff Senate

The Staff Senate is empowered to act as the representative authority of the University's administrators and staff.

Faculty Assembly

The University President, or the Provost, or the President of the Faculty Senate may call the faculty of Texas A&M International University into a general meeting; if a general meeting is called, the meeting shall be known as a Faculty Assembly. The faculty shall have authority over all matters pertaining to educational and academic policy.

Faculty Senate

As specified in Article II, Section 1-3 of the Faculty Constitution (Appendix B), the Faculty Senate is empowered to act as the representative and resolving authority of the faculty. The Faculty Senate President will receive release time during the Fall Semester, and the Faculty Senate Secretary will receive release time during the Spring Semester to carry out additional duties as required by their respective positions.

Faculty Senate Committees

At-large Senators may be deemed to represent their colleges for the purpose of committee assignments. Senators from the Canseco School of Nursing, University College, and Killam Library may be assigned committees in the same way as any other Senator, but they are not required to be on any particular committee. Faculty Senate Committees, whose meetings are open to the public, include these nine standing committees. At the beginning of the fall semester, the President of the Senate will ask each senator if they have an interest in serving on a particular committee(s). The President of the Senate will do their best to assign committees based on the responses from this inquiry.

1. The Budget and Finance Committee. The purpose of this committee is to monitor financial matters affecting the faculty, instructional matters, and other matters deemed within the purview of the Senate, and assist in the University budgeting process. Membership in the committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.

2. The Academic Oversight Committee. The purpose of this committee is to evaluate and make recommendations to the Senate pertaining to all matters relating to the faculty that do not fall within the purview of the other Senate Committees. In addition, this committee is to monitor and make recommendations to the Senate regarding campus issues and administrative policies that affect the work environment and/or morale of the faculty. Membership in the committee will be appointment by the President of the Senate, with the Chair the Vice President of the Senate as directed in the Faculty Constitution.

3. University Ethics Committee. The purpose of this committee is to consider issues and proposals related to academic honesty and integrity and ethical practices involving students and faculty and other university employees, and to report to the Senate and make such recommendations as are deemed advisable. Membership in the committee will be by appointment of the President of the Senate, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.

4. The Committee on Creation, Composition, and Responsibilities of Committees. The purpose of this committee is to make recommendations to the Senate concerning the management of University committees and to provide guidance to the colleges with regard to the composition of college and department-level committees. Membership in this committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.

5. The Awards Committee. The purpose of this committee is to oversee the annual University Awards selection procedures (Distinguished University Teacher, Outstanding Teacher, and Distinguished University Scholar). Membership of this committee, which will consist of three or more faculty senators, will be by appointment by the President of the Senate, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.

6. The Faculty Handbook Revision Committee. The purpose of this committee is to receive proposals for Faculty Handbook revision from any member of the University community, to consider those proposals, and to submit draft proposals to the Faculty Senate for consideration, following the process described in the Preface to this handbook. Membership in this committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.

7. The Assessment Committee. The purpose of this committee are to oversee and analyze results from a biannual faculty survey evaluating administrators and to provide assistance as needed to other assessment efforts of the Senate. Membership in the committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.

8. The Technology Advisory Committee. The purpose of this committee is to monitor matters related to the development and implementation of the University-based strategic technology plan. The member appointed from the Faculty Senate will serve as a co-chair of the related University Technology Advisory Committee. Other senators with expertise in Information Technology may also serve as appointed by the Faculty Senate President.

9. The Distance Education and Instructional Technology Committee. The purpose of this committee is to monitor matters related to Distance Education and serve as an interface between the faculty and the Office of Instructional Technology and Distance Educational Services. The President of the Senate will serve as the co-chair of the related Distance Education and Instructional Technology university committee. Other senators with expertise in Distance Education may also serve as appointed by the Faculty Senate President.

University Committees

At the University level, there will be various standing committees as deemed necessary by the administration and faculty to ensure the accomplishment of the mission of the University. Additionally, ad hoc committees may, from time to time, be appointed as needed and as approved by the Faculty Senate. The exact number of these committees will change over time. The control and administration of these committees is the responsibility of the Faculty Senate; by concurrence it is meant that the Senate shall ensure that committee assignments are apportioned equally and that no individual is assigned to an inordinate number of committees. In the interest of clarity and flexibility, the phrase "free-standing academic unit" applies to any academic unit (e.g. the Killam Library) not aligned with one of the colleges and whose head, therefore, reports directly to the Provost. In cases where the appointments are made by department chairs, it is understood that chairs will do this in consultation with their Deans. Standing committees include the following:

1. The University Catalog Committee. Composition will be one faculty representative from each academic college and free-standing academic unit (two from the College of Arts and Sciences), the Director of Admissions, the Director of Financial Aid, the Director of Student Conduct and Community Engagement, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, the Associate Vice President for Administration, and the University Registrar, who will chair the committee. Faculty appointments will be made by deans or heads of academic units, who will submit their choices through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence.

2. The University Curriculum Committee. Composition will be one representative per academic department or division or free-standing academic unit and the University Registrar, faculty appointments will be made by department chairs (or heads of academic units), who will submit their choices through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence. The Associate Provost will chair the committee as an ex-officio member.

3. Technology Advisory Council. Composition will be one representative per college or free-standing academic unit (appointed by the Dean or academic unit head), one member of the Faculty Senate (appointed by the Senate), one representative for the University President, and one representative for each administrative Vice President. The member appointed from the Faculty Senate will serve as chair. Appointments will be submitted through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence. The Associate Vice President for Information Technology/CIO will serve ex-officio. The Technology Advisory Council may generate subcommittees; standing and ad hoc subcommittees must be chaired by a member of the Technology Advisory Council, but they may contain membership from outside the Technology Advisory Council.

4. Distance Education and Instructional Technology Committee. Composition will be one representative per college or free-standing academic unit (appointed by the Dean or academic unit head), one member of the Faculty Senate (appointed by the Senate), the chair of the University Curriculum Committee, the Associate VPAA (or that officer’s designee), two representatives from Student Success (appointed by the VPSS), and one from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (appointed by the Dean). The Director of Instructional Technology and Distance Education will serve ex-officio, and will be co-chair with the member appointed from the Faculty Senate. Appointments will be submitted through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence.

5. University Library Committee. Composition will be one representative per academic department or division or free-standing academic unit, with the Chair appointed by the Provost from the faculty membership; faculty appointments will be made by department chairs (or heads of academic units) who will submit their choices through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence. The Director of the Library or his/her designate will serve as ex-officio member.

6. The University Risk Management Committee. Composition will be one representative per academic department or division or free-standing academic unit and one representative per administrative division, with the Chair appointed by the Provost from the committee membership. Faculty appointments will be made by department chairs (or heads of academic units); administrative appointments will be made by heads of administrative divisions. Appointments will be submitted through the Provost to the Faculty Senate for concurrence.

7. The University Promotion, Tenure and Retention Committee. Membership in this committee will consist of one tenured representative per academic department or division or free-standing academic unit, and two at-large tenured representatives appointed by the Provost. Faculty must have at least two years of experience as faculty at TAMIU to be eligible to serve on this committee. All tenured faculty members serve on their departmental promotion and tenure committees, but none may serve on both college and University promotion and tenure committees. In cases where an academic unit does not have the equivalent of a departmental committee, then tenured faculty members may serve on both their unit's promotion and tenure committee and the University committee. The Faculty Senate Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, assisted by the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees, will solicit a slate of candidates from each academic department, division, and free-standing academic unit, prepare a ballot for election of this committee and supervise the election. Deans, associate deans, department chairs, and heads of academic units may not serve on this committee. Terms will be established for two-year periods. The committee shall be presided over by the Provost, who will hold non-voting status as the presiding officer.

8. The University Grievance Committee Pool. This pool will be comprised of twenty-four tenured faculty from across the university selected by a lottery overseen by the Faculty Senate executive committee to serve a three-year term. A faculty member will be ineligible for lottery selection for the three years following a term of service within the grievance pool. Since the Grievance Pool provides the membership of Grievance Committees as well as a majority of committee members for appeals of promotion or tenure decisions its membership should be established early in the year before individual grievances or appeals emerge. Once the lottery is completed, the pool will consist of twenty-four members, enough to manage four grievances or four appeals without duplication of personnel. Deans, associate deans, department chairs, and heads of academic units may not serve on this committee. When a grievance is filed, each party will select two committee members from the pool, and the Faculty Senate President will select a fifth member from the pool. In the event of the Faculty Senate President's involvement in the grievance, the Vice President will select the fifth member. The resulting five-member committee for each grievance will elect its own Chair from its membership. Once the Grievance Pool has been constituted, it will meet to elect a secretary to manage the receipt of complaints and requests for information and to keep a record of ongoing activity, which will be filed each semester with the Secretary of the Faculty Senate. Since membership on a grievance committee can be a strenuous experience, no member of the Grievance Pool should participate in more than one proceeding in the same academic year. If events require additional members to be added to the pool, a lottery will be held for an appropriate number of additional members at the earliest possible time. The number of members necessary will be determined for each situation by the Grievance Pool members, chaired on this occasion by the Faculty Senate President.

9. Faculty Development Leave Committee. The Faculty Development Leave Committee (FDLC) shall be chaired by the current President of the Faculty Senate and shall consist of one tenured faculty member from each college and free- standing academic unit, with the exception of the College of Arts and Sciences, which shall have two representatives. The Faculty Senate will conduct elections during April, polling faculty from each College to determine its representative. Members elected in April will begin their terms the next school year, beginning in September. Faculty members are not eligible for faculty development leaves during their tenure on the committee.

10. Honor Council. The Honor Council consists of faculty and students who have been elected by their peers or appointed by the Provost and who have undergone training in order to serve as case investigators and/or hearing panelists. The Honor Council serves to provide students with a means by which they may report academic dishonesty, to provide students with a means of appealing charges of academic dishonesty, and to provide the Provost with recommendations regarding general academic sanctions or remedial efforts appropriate to specific cases. This council shall have authority to create processes and operating procedures to implement the Honor System and to enforce the rules described in the Honor Code. Through the Provost's Office, this council shall be the central body responsible for maintaining records and for coordinating communication, prevention, training, remediation, and adjudication efforts for the Honor System. The Honor Council shall consist of 25 members; fifteen students including at least one graduate student (twelve appointed by the VP for Student Success and three by the Provost), and ten faculty members (nine elected by the faculty at large, and one appointed by the Provost). The Faculty Senate will conduct the elections of the faculty representatives. Members must be elected and appointed by September 1 of each academic year. Faculty members serve two-year terms; student members serve one-year terms. The Honor Council will hold general meetings at least twice each semester, and members of the council will serve on 3-5 member hearing panels when selected by the Chair of the Honor Council and the Provost. In case of conflict, refer to Student Handbook.

Committee Assignment Procedure

While both the composition and general standards will be set by the Senate with regard to University committees, only standards will be promulgated to the colleges pertaining to committees at the college and department level. The intent is to provide equality in the area of committee assignments for members of the faculty. In that regard, the following guidelines are established pertaining to committee service by faculty and the functioning of committees at all levels within the University.

1. No person shall chair a committee, when the purpose of that committee is to provide advice or oversight to a department or function that is under the direct control of that person.

2. It is expected that positions on all University committees will be filled by full- time teaching faculty, except as noted in the committee compositions above (for example, the Associate Provost chairs the University Curriculum Committee ex-officio). Other exceptions may be made in cases of necessity (for example, if not enough qualified faculty members are available in a department or unit) or for other compelling reasons. However, as noted above, faculty with administrative appointments (Deans, associate deans, department chairs/division chairs, and heads of academic units) cannot serve on the University Promotion, Tenure and Retention Committee or the University Grievance Pool.

3. No person shall be compelled (Rev. 5-19-00 Item #13) to serve on more than a total of three committees at any given time, regardless of level (i.e. Texas A&M System, University, college or department), without the express consent of both the Provost and the Faculty Senate. This applies to both standing and ad hoc committees.

4. Service as a member of the Faculty Senate and its standing committees constitutes University committee participation.

5. At the end of each academic year, before the final spring meeting of the Faculty Senate, a listing of all committees to convene in the fall, to include membership of each, will be provided by the chair of each department/division or head of each free-standing academic unit to the Provost, who will then provide a copy to the Faculty Senate. This will be accomplished no later than April 30 of each academic year. The Faculty Senate will be responsible for reviewing committee assignments at all levels to ensure compliance with the guidelines established herein.

6. In the event that a faculty members is inadvertently assigned to more than three Committees outside of the Senate, the Chair of the Senate Committee on the Creation, Composition, and Responsibilities of Committees will notify the Provost immediately upon discovery. The Provost and/or the Senate will seek a qualified and available faculty member to replace the faculty member previously identified.

7. Aside from the Grievance Pool, standing University committees with faculty membership will meet only during the nine-month academic calendar.

Graduate Council

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Graduate Council to establish and review the criteria for membership on the Graduate Faculty. Furthermore, the council is to establish the minimum admission standards, the standards for continuation of graduate students, and the residency requirements; to act upon petitions and appeals from the decision of the Dean of the Graduate School; and to consider any other matters relevant to the Office of the Graduate School.

Composition

The Graduate Council shall be composed of the following members:

• The Dean of the Graduate School (Chair);

• One appointed member from each college or school;

• One member elected by each college or school;

• Four at-large members with no more than two from any single college or school;

• University Registrar (ex-officio);

• Graduate Student, appointed by Provost (ex-officio); and

• Faculty Senate President or his or her representative (ex-officio).

Membership

With the exception of the graduate student representative, the representative from the Library, the University Registrar, and the Faculty Senate President, all members of the Graduate Council shall be full members of the Graduate Faculty. Elected or appointed members shall serve a term of two years from the beginning of the Fall Semester following their election or appointment, which shall occur in the spring. Terms for elected or appointed members shall be staggered.

Elections and Appointments

All tenured and tenure-track faculty with a terminal degree are eligible to vote in council elections. College representatives to the council shall be elected by April 21 of the appropriate year of selection. Such representatives may be nominated by all tenured and tenure-track faculty; the election will be conducted at the time and in the manner of the Faculty Senate elections conducted by the Faculty Senate Parliamentarian and Elections Officer. The Deans' and Provost's appointments shall be made by May 1.

Library and Instructional Support

Library Policies

The Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library offers reserve service to faculty members so that students may have access to printed materials for class assignments. Circulation Desk staff can answer questions about reserve policies and assist faculty in putting items on reserve.

Reference librarians are available for pre-scheduled tours and class instruction sessions. Instruction may cover general information about the Library or may cover sources available in a particular discipline or for a specific research project, according to the preferences of the faculty member requesting the session. Any one of the reference librarians can provide further information and assist in scheduling a tour or class. Requests should be made at least one week in advance to allow for schedule changes made necessary by the sessions and to permit the librarians to prepare instructional materials.

Also available is the TexShare card, which gives TAMIU faculty the ability to check out books at approximately 50 other public universities in Texas. Applications for the TexShare card can be filled out at the Circulation Desk.

1 Copies of TAMUS Policy Manual are available in the Offices of the President, Provost, Deans, Human Resources, President of the Faculty Senate, and the Library, and on the World Wide Web at https://law.tamu.edu/faculty-staff/policies-hr/tamu-system-policies-and-regulations.

2 For the purposes of this document the Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library (hereafter the Library) is considered an academic department; where references are made, herein, to departmental requirements those references will apply equally to the Library and its faculty. Likewise, since the Library supports all Colleges but is not an administrative part of any individual College, in cases where a reference is made, herein, to College requirements those references will apply equally to the Library and its faculty.

APPOINTMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF FACULTY

Terms of Appointment

Texas A&M International University, a part of The Texas A&M University System, recognizes that the faculty is the heart of any teaching institution and much care is given to the selection of each faculty member. A serious attempt is made to include a variety of geographic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds and to represent a distribution of undergraduate and graduate colleges and universities. In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order of 11236, Texas A&M International University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Contract Form

The University shall provide all faculty members with an annual statement in writing of the terms of their employment, including special conditions, responsibilities, and any special prerequisites. Such a document should cover such items as rank, salary, tenure provisions, whether the position is full-time or part-time, and the inclusive dates of service. When the document includes a reference to a specific rule of the institution, the rule should be excerpted from its source and affixed to the document. If the document refers to a large part of a lengthy publication (TAMIU Faculty Handbook or TAMUS Policy Manual), a copy of the publication should be placed in several readily accessible locations or be provided to the faculty member. (TAMUS Policy 12.01 Section 6).

Search, Appointment, and Orientation of New Faculty

Search Procedures

The faculty search procedures employed by Texas A&M International University will strive to recruit the most qualified faculty members without discrimination or violation of appropriate equal opportunity policies. Faculty positions will be advertised in recognized national scholarly publications. The University is also committed to the principle that faculty should participate actively in the writing of job descriptions for faculty positions, in the screening of applicants, in the selection and interviewing of finalists, and in the formation of hiring recommendations to be submitted to department chairs and Deans or directors. To ensure maximum faculty participation and to provide the University with the largest pool of qualified applicants, the search process for permanent, full-time tenure-track faculty (excepting Library faculty) should commence and end, whenever possible, within the regular academic year and not carry over into the summer. Search policies are available from the Office of Human Resources.

Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action

Texas A&M International University shall provide equal opportunity for employment to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status, and shall strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunities for faculty and staff employees. This University will not enter knowingly into any contractual agreement for services or supplies with any firm failing to follow fair employment practices. (TAMUS Policy 08.01).

Application for Employment

Applications for teaching positions are normally submitted to the Dean of the college wherein the position exists. Normally applications are accompanied by a complete curriculum vita. Appropriate transcripts are required, and letters of recommendation may be required.

Appointment Procedures

Potential new faculty will be notified by an academic administrator of the University's offer to appoint the faculty member to the faculty. The notification will include all terms and conditions of employment as well as an acceptance deadline.

Orientation

New faculty members will receive an academic orientation from senior faculty and/or academic unit administrators assigned to the academic unit wherein the new faculty has been assigned. Insofar as resources permit, new faculty members (especially faculty members in their first tenure-track appointment) may expect to be assigned to a senior faculty member.

Pre-employment

Employee's Affidavit

Each faculty member is required to sign an Employee's Affidavit prior to the beginning of employment. This affidavit consists of an oath of office, a statement concerning holding more than one office or position, a statement regarding nepotism, and certification of receipt of certain state laws relating to accountability and responsibility for state-owned property, legislative influence, political aid, and use of state-owned automobiles.

Faculty Handbook

During orientation the new faculty member will be given the current version of the TAMIU Faculty Handbook, which is the basis for the employment contract of all faculty. Acceptance of the employment contract is an explicit acceptance of the terms and conditions of employment described in the TAMIU Faculty Handbook.

Personnel Records

Personnel records on employees are maintained in the President's Office, the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Deans of the colleges, and the Office of Human Resources. It is important to keep these records updated when significant changes occur in professional training or qualifications. This is accomplished by notifying the chair of the respective department; the chair will in turn notify the President's Office, the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Dean, and the Office of Human Resources.

Official File

The “official file” for each faculty member is maintained in the Office of the Provost. The Human Resources Office maintains records of all salary data, elections, deductions, etc.

Grievance File

If a faculty member is party to a grievance, the records of that proceeding will become a part of the “official file.”

Major Faculty Responsibilities

While academic preparation, experience, and professional responsibilities form the basis for faculty competence, faculty seeking promotion and tenure must demonstrate achievements in the areas of Teaching, Service, and Scholarship. In addition, there is an expectation that faculty seeking promotion generally impact their department and college in a positive, constructive fashion.

Teaching

Texas A&M International University considers teaching its primary mission. Teaching includes knowledge in the field, quality in teaching, and academic advisement and career counseling. Consistent with its strong commitment to instruction, the University requires that teaching effectiveness count in promotion to all ranks. Each college must maintain a clear and fair process for evaluating teaching effectiveness. Student evaluation, peer review, and self-evaluation are recommended avenues for evaluating teaching performance. Teaching activities encompass classroom instruction as well as those professional development activities aimed at making one a better teacher or enhancing one's expertise in the teaching subject area.

The teaching responsibility for Library faculty is fulfilled through Professional Assignment. Professional Assignment includes acquisition of materials in various forms, organization of those materials for retrieval, aiding patrons in their use, electronic connection to the world, and responsible management of all resources. Texas A&M International University places a high value on the opportunity for students and faculty to engage in independent learning and scholarly research. Consistent with its recognition of the importance of library service, the University requires that effectiveness in Professional Assignment count in promotion to all ranks. Self-evaluation, including position description as the basic criterion, with review by each librarian's supervisor, is the recommended avenue for evaluating performance.

Service

Service encompasses a variety of professionally related activities through which members of the faculty employ their academic expertise for the benefit of the University, the community, and the profession. Texas A&M International University places a strong emphasis on service to the University and its mission. A faculty member provides service to the University through active participation and leadership in college and University committees, councils, special projects, or duties for which the faculty member is held accountable.

As a comprehensive University located on the South Texas-Mexico border, Texas A&M International University has a significant role in multi-cultural and international issues, local and regional business and industrial development, work force development, and community, educational, health, and social development. Community service by TAMIU faculty is recognized in any and all of those areas. For purposes of evaluation, however, activities must relate to one's academic field or discipline or else be clearly approved by the University.

Participation and leadership in professional activities and associations may be considered service when it does not include peer review. Certificates of recognition, letters of appreciation, official minutes, newsletters, products of projects, and other tangible evidence of service rendered may document Service of all types.

Scholarship

Fundamental to any definition of scholarship is the expansion and application of knowledge and understanding about the world in which we live. For an endeavor to be considered scholarship the following criteria must apply:

1. Scholarship involves a product, a more or less tangible result, something that observers can examine. In the case of oral presentations, some material evidence of the event must be provided.

2. Scholarship involves academic peer review of both the quality and quantity of the scholarly products.

3. Scholarship implies an activity that is novel, creative, imaginative, ingenious, or original, yet not accidental. Not necessarily all of these but at least some must apply to the outcome or it is not “scholarly.”

Scholarship at Texas A&M International University consists of three separate yet interconnected elements: Scholarship of Discovery, Scholarship of Integration and Teaching, and Scholarship of Application.

1. The Scholarship of Discovery. The Scholarship of Discovery involves the search for new knowledge and for a richer understanding of the existing knowledge. Creative achievements in the fine arts are considered enterprises of discovery. Productivity may be documented in the form of scholarly books, articles, oral presentations of research, artistic productions, and performances.

2. The Scholarship of Integration and Teaching. The Scholarship of Integration and Teaching emphasizes fitting one's own research, or the research of others, into larger intellectual patterns. It involves making connections across the disciplines, placing the discipline in a larger context, illuminating data or concepts in a revealing way, and evaluating new pedagogical approaches. In addition to the more traditional forums for scholarship, such as academic writing, productivity may take the form of a textbook, multi-media production, writing that makes one's field accessible to a wider audience, cross-curricular innovations, and interdisciplinary instructional achievements.

3. The Scholarship of Application. The Scholarship of Application brings learning and knowledge to bear upon the solution of practical problems. It flows directly from one's professional expertise, encompassing activities that relate directly to the intellectual work of the faculty member. Productivity may take the form of publications and presentations derived from consultation, technical assistance, policy analysis, and program evaluation.

For Library faculty the Scholarship responsibility is fulfilled by Professional Enrichment activities, which include professional development and scholarly activities. Professional development is defined as activity that enhances the professional skills, knowledge, and abilities of the Library faculty member to contribute to the mission of the Library and the University and to the library profession. Productivity may take the form of course work and continuing education activities, documented study and reading with an end product which leads to the improvement of library services, and participation in professional societies as a member and by attendance at professional meetings, documented by reports of findings or new knowledge acquired. Scholarly activities are defined as activities in librarianship or another academic discipline which demonstrate the librarian's research and scholarship in the chosen discipline. Productivity may take the form of professional and scholarly publications (including electronic publications).

Definition of Faculty Status

For the regularly appointed full-time faculty, there are four levels of academic rank: Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. For regularly appointed full-time Library faculty, there are three levels of rank: Assistant Librarian, Associate Librarian, and Full Librarian.

Instructor

An individual entering the academic profession usually holds this rank. In addition to fulfilling faculty responsibilities, faculty holding this rank must meet the following requirements:

1. Academic Preparation: A minimum of a master's degree.

2. Experience: Individuals holding a master's degree are required to supplement their degree by professional or work experience in the field, special certification, license or other certification of proficiency in the field.

3. Teaching: Instructors must demonstrate a basic knowledge of the teaching area, careful classroom preparation, and a willingness to assist students. They must show continuing progress in teaching by expanding knowledge in the teaching specialty and developing effective instructional strategies and techniques. They must also participate in academic advisement and be familiar with University core curriculum, college degree requirements, and other matters related to academic advisement.

4. Service: Instructors must participate at an introductory level of responsibility in service to the college and University through committees and special projects.

5. Scholarship: They must show clear evidence of understanding advancements in scholarship that are related to the teaching specialty.

Assistant Professor

This rank is usually the entry level for a tenure-track position. In addition to fulfilling faculty responsibilities, the following qualifications must be met for consideration of appointment to this rank. The achievement of this academic preparation and experience does not in itself ensure appointment to this rank.

1. Academic Preparation:

a. Holds the earned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree, or

b. Is in the final stages of a doctoral dissertation or terminal degree project.

2. Experience: Part-time teaching experience or related professional/work experience is required.

In addition, to be promoted to Assistant Professor, the faculty member must meet the following requirements:

1. Teaching: Show continuing progress in teaching proficiency by expanding knowledge in the teaching specialty and developing the expertise needed to teach graduate as well as undergraduate courses. Participate in professional development activities aimed at making one a better teacher or at enhancing one's expertise in a teaching subject area. Understand University and college degree requirements and other matters related to academic advisement as well as requirements for graduate study and professional entry into the field. Actively participate in academic advisement and career counseling.

2. Service: Participate in service to the college and University through committees, councils, and special projects. May also participate and lead in professional and community service insofar as the activities relate to the candidate's discipline and/or serves the University's mission.

3. Scholarship: Continue to advance in scholarly or creative activity beyond instructional assignments. Areas of accomplishment are appropriate to the academic discipline.

Associate Professor

This rank represents maturity, experience and leadership in the academic profession. In addition to fulfilling faculty responsibilities, the following qualifications must be met for consideration of appointment to this rank. The achievement of this academic preparation and experience does not in itself ensure appointment to this rank.

1. Academic Preparation: An earned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree.

2. Experience: A minimum of five years experience in full-time faculty employment at an accredited institution of higher education, including at least three years in the rank of Assistant Professor.

In addition, to be promoted to Associate Professor, the faculty member must have a minimum of two full academic years of experience at Texas A&M International University prior to applying for promotion and must meet the following requirements:

1. Teaching: Has a broad knowledge of the discipline and an in-depth knowledge in one or more parts of the field. Has the ability, experience, and expertise to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses. May be involved in experimental, innovative teaching. Knows degree requirements for both undergraduates and graduates and is experienced in academic advisement and career counseling. Serves as a mentor for students desiring advanced degrees and career entry.

2. Service: Has begun to assume a position of leadership in the college and the University by serving on committees or special projects. May also participate and lead in professional and community service insofar as the activities relate to the candidate's discipline and/or serve the University's mission.

3. Scholarship: Has demonstrated competence and productivity in scholarly or creative activities related to the candidate's discipline.

Full Professor

This is the summit of academic rank, representing a position of leadership in the University. Faculty promoted to the rank of Full Professor should model to junior faculty the highest professional, scholarly, and ethical standards of academic life. In addition to fulfilling faculty responsibilities, the following qualifications must be met for consideration of appointment to this rank. The achievement of this academic preparation and experience does not in itself ensure appointment to this rank.

1. Academic Preparation: An earned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree.

2. Experience: A minimum of ten years of full-time faculty employment at an accredited institution of higher education, including at least five years in the rank of Associate Professor.

In addition, to be promoted to Professor, the faculty member must be tenured and have a minimum of three full academic years of faculty employment at Texas A&M International University prior to applying for promotion and meet the following requirements:

1. Teaching: Has demonstrated maturity and skill in teaching, a proven record of teaching excellence, and continued demonstration of interest in improving pedagogical skills. Has assumed leadership in curriculum development and issues related to teaching improvement in the discipline. Is thoroughly familiar with University and college degree requirements and other matters related to academic advisement, career development and opportunities, and placement. Is a teacher and advisor to colleagues.

2. Service: Has assumed a position of leadership and service to the University on committees, councils, and special projects. May also participate and lead in professional and community service insofar as the activities relate to the candidate's teaching or research and/or serve the University's mission.

3. Scholarship: Has recognized achievements in scholarly or creative activities and is capable of advising colleagues in such activities.

Assistant Librarian

This rank is the entry level for a tenure-track position, assigned to individuals who are beginning their Library professional careers. In addition to fulfilling Library faculty responsibilities, Library faculty holding this rank must meet the following requirements:

1. Academic Preparation: An earned master's degree in library science (MLS) from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program (ALA recognizes the MLS as the terminal degree for librarians).

2. Professional Assignment: Demonstrate a basic knowledge of librarianship, professional responsibilities, and a willingness to assist Library patrons.

3. Service: Participate at an introductory level of responsibility in service to the Library and University through committees, councils, and special projects.

4. Professional Enrichment: Participate in professional development activities and demonstrate understanding of current developments in librarianship.

Associate Librarian

This rank represents maturity, experience and leadership in the academic library profession. In addition to fulfilling Library faculty responsibilities, the following qualifications must be met for consideration of appointment to this rank. The achievement of this academic Library preparation and experience does not in itself ensure appointment to this rank. The deciding factor in promotion to Associate Librarian is the evaluation of Professional Assignment.

1. Academic Preparation: An earned master's degree in library science from an ALA-accredited program.

2. Experience: A minimum of five years experience in full-time library professional employment, including at least three years in the rank of Assistant Librarian, and a minimum of two years experience at Texas A&M International University.

In addition, to be promoted to Associate Librarian, the Library faculty member must meet the following requirements:

1. Professional Assignment: The Associate Librarian has a broad knowledge of librarianship and an in-depth knowledge in one or more parts of the field; has the ability, experience and expertise to perform all duties in assignment area and is able to contribute to new services and innovative programs; assists in the training of new librarians and/or other employees; and demonstrates consistently meritorious professional performance.

2. Service: Has begun to assume a position of leadership in the Library and the University by serving on committees or special projects. May also participate and lead in professional community service.

3. Professional Enrichment: Has actively pursued opportunities for professional development in areas related to academic librarianship. May also have produced scholarly publications or engaged in other scholarly activities.

Full Librarian

This is the summit of Library academic rank conferred by the Library and is reserved for individuals whose performance judged over an extended period of time has been considered exemplary. The standard of performance required for promotion to Full Librarian is substantially higher than that required for promotion to Associate Librarian. The deciding factor in promotion decisions is the evaluation of Professional Assignment; however, the other criteria apply. The achievement of this academic Library preparation and experience does not in itself ensure appointment to this rank.

1. Academic Preparation: An earned master's degree in library science from an ALA-accredited program.

2. Experience: A minimum of ten years experience in full-time library professional employment, including at least five years in the rank of Associate Librarian.

In addition, to be promoted to Full Librarian, the Library faculty member must have a minimum of three years of full-time experience at Texas A&M International University and meet the following requirements:

1. Professional Assignment: Has demonstrated maturity and skill in library specialty, a proven record of outstanding performance and continued demonstration of interest in improving Library services. Has assumed leadership in areas related to library specialty, developing and managing new programs and services for the Library and improving existing programs and services. Is familiar with basic issues and developments in all areas of the Library and library profession. Trains and acts as mentor to less-experienced librarians and other employees and is an advisor to colleagues.

2. Service: Has assumed a position of leadership and service to the University on committees, councils, and special projects. May also participate and lead in professional and community service insofar as the activities relate to the candidate's discipline or serve the University's mission.

3. Professional Enrichment: The Full Librarian has established a consistent record of professional development; assists in the professional development of other librarians; and has produced a significant output of scholarly activity.

Others with Faculty Status

From time to time it may become necessary to add members of the faculty whose ranks and positions have not been previously defined. At the time of appointment, these definitions need to be clarified. Typical of ranks and positions not elsewhere defined are the following: Lecturer, Adjunct, Special Appointment, Emeritus, Visiting, Administrators with Faculty Rank, and Fixed-Term Faculty.

1. Lecturer. Lecturers may be either full-time of part-time faculty members. Typically, they will not be appointed to a tenure-track position. Normally they will not possess the academic or professional qualifications necessary to be appointed to the rank of Instructor.

2. Adjunct. Adjunct faculty may be appointed at any rank for which they are qualified, on either a full-time or part-time basis. Normally the appointment is of a temporary or part-time nature, and is made to ensure that classes that could not be offered by otherwise qualified full-time tenure-track faculty may be offered. These appointments are made at the discretion of the various academic Deans, with the guidance and approval of the Provost.

3. Special Appointment Faculty. From time to time the University may appoint a faculty member as a Poet-, Writer-, or Artist-in-Residence. Special Funding faculty, or as some other title not elsewhere defined. Normally these appointments are of a temporary nature (usually one year or less), and they are not normally positions that can be tenured.

4. Emeritus. The Emeritus title is conferred upon individuals who have made significant contributions to the University through long and distinguished service in administration, teaching, research, and/or service while holding positions identified by these titles. As a general rule, over ten years of employment would be considered long service. Emeritus titles are granted by action of the Board of Regents upon nomination by the President and recommendation of the Chancellor. (For more detail see TAMUS Policy 31.08 Section 1 and TAMIU Rule 31.08.01.L1).

5. Visiting. Visiting faculty may be appointed at any rank. They are not eligible for the rights and privileges granted to tenure-track and tenured faculty until they are given a tenure-track appointment. Normally these renewable appointments (at the University's option) are of one-year duration.

6. Administrators with Faculty Rank. Anyone who holds faculty status is expected to participate in the teaching process a minimum of once per year. Failure to participate in the teaching process for a period of more than two years is justification for the Faculty Senate to request that the Provost seek revocation of the faculty status, rights, and privileges of the non-participating party. If faculty status is revoked, the administrator would be entitled to appeal as specified in the sections of the Faculty Handbook describing appeals in the promotion and tenure process.

7. Fixed-Term Faculty. Fixed-term faculty are coequal and have similar roles and responsibilities to tenure-track faculty, but they are hired for fixed, renewable terms and are not eligible for tenure. The essential difference is that fixed-term faculty are expected to specialize in one or more faculty responsibilities (teaching, research, service) and are not required to perform in all areas like tenure-track faculty. Fixed-term faculty are defined in TAMUS Policy 12.07. The policy leaves many details up to the university, including the titles and ranks of fixed-term faculty, their specific responsibilities and how they are evaluated, and their rights and prerogatives compared to tenure-track and tenured faculty. Documents which provide these details for fixed-term faculty in various colleges and departments at TAMIU are appended to this handbook. These documents should include details on how faculty may move between fixed-term and tenure track (if and to the extent that that is permitted). Tenured faculty can only be moved to fixed-term at their own request. Provision must be made for how fixed-term faculty are promoted in rank, and there should be some standard increase in salary (not necessarily the same as for tenure track faculty) for promotions in rank. In general terms, full-time fixed-term faculty have the same voting rights and rights of participation (on committees, etc.) as tenure-track faculty, except that they cannot vote on any matter concerning tenure or serve on any committee that requires tenure. Fixed-term faculty may serve on the Faculty Senate, unless they have over 50% administrative appointment.

ETHICS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Principles of Ethical Conduct

Conflicts of Interest and Outside Employment

Appropriate outside activity for a faculty member which enhances his or her performance of duties in the teaching staff is encouraged as furthering the interest of both the individual and the University. Consulting, professional performance and other appropriate outside activities can contribute to the effectiveness of the faculty member as a teacher and as a productive scholar, and can meet the institution’s obligations of public service. Policies and restrictions regarding external employment are outlined in TAMUS Policy 31.05 and System Regulations 31.05.01, 31.05.02, and 31.05.03.

Faculty carry the prestige of the University with them in all places and at all times, and they have a responsibility to protect and preserve that prestige in all actions and utterances. Exercise of professional integrity by a faculty member includes recognition that the public may judge his or her profession and institution by statements made by the faculty member. Therefore, when speaking or acting as a private person, the faculty member should strive to be accurate, to exercise appropriate restraint, to show respect for the opinion of others, and to avoid creating the impression that he or she speaks or acts for the college or University.

A faculty member desiring to engage in outside activity relevant as described above, whether paid or not, shall, previous to making a firm commitment in this matter, submit a “Plan for Continuing Outside Activity.” Unless advised to the contrary in writing, the faculty member may consider the plan operative. If a faculty member intends to receive credit on the Professional Performance Profile for a continuing activity, he or she must have submitted the appropriate “Plan.” All authorizations terminate on August 31 of each year.

It is presumed that the professor’s presence at assigned classes and at posted office hours is of considerable importance to the University and the students; any serious failure to meet these obligations will adversely affect the performance legitimately expected of a full-time faculty member. As a practical guideline in this matter, however, it is presumed that such additional responsibilities may be approved if the professor’s absence from a regular class meeting during a given semester for the purpose of outside public activity (but for which adequate alternative plans are made) does not exceed the number of times that class is scheduled to meet in a week of that semester. The Provost may make exceptions to this rule.

Faculty members should consider that outside public activity in excess of an average ¼ time load may adversely affect professional performance. Outside employment by or consulting work through a firm or company in which the employee is a principal owner is also governed by this policy.

Use of Property and Equipment

No employee of the University shall use for his or her own personal benefit or pleasure any property of the University, except books from the Library and other such items of well-established usage. Property and equipment of all types, either owned by the University or entrusted to the University by others, are to be used only for official business. Should there be a need to use property or equipment off campus, for official purposes, the off campus property use permit must be completed and approved. Personal telephone calls are not to be charged to official telephones.

Professional Standards

All personnel of Texas A&M International University shall conform in every respect to the laws of the state of Texas relative to their employment. Each employee must understand the Standards of Conduct of State Officers and Employees adopted by the Legislature of Texas (outlined below) and of the specific matters of conduct stated in the General Appropriations Act.

The following rules are cited from the Standards of Conduct of State Officers and Employees (Section 572.051 of the Texas Government Code):

“A state officer or employee should not:

(1) accept or solicit any gift, favor, or service that might reasonably tend to influence the office or employee in the discharge of official duties or that the officer or employee knows or should know is being offered to him with the intent to influence the officer’s or employee’s official conduct;

(2) accept other employment or engage in any business or professional activity that the officer or employee might reasonably expect would require or induce the officer or employee to disclose confidential information acquired by reason of the official position;

(3) accept other employment or compensation that might reasonably be expected to impair the officer’s or employee’s independence of judgment in the performance of the officer’s or employee’s official duties;

(4) make personal investments that could reasonably be expected to create a substantial conflict between the officer’s or employee’s private interest and the public interest; or

(5) intentionally or knowingly solicit, accept, or agree to accept any benefit for having exercised the officer’s or employee’s official powers or performed the officer’s or employee’s official duties in favor of another.”

Professional Ethics

The fundamental responsibilities of faculty members as teachers and scholars include maintenance of competence in their field of specialization and the exhibition of professional competence in the classroom, studio, or laboratory, and in the public arena through activities such as discussions, lectures, consulting, performances, exhibitions, publications and participation in professional organizations and meetings. (TAMUS Policy 12.01 Section 2.1).

Faculty members should be professional in their conduct in the classroom and in their relationships with students. They should maintain respect for the student and for the student’s posture as a learner and should be appropriately available to students for consultation on course work. (TAMUS Policy 12.01 Section 2.5).

Anti-Discrimination / Title IX

TAMIU does not discrimination or permit harassment against any individual on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity in admissions, educational programs, or employment. If you would like to file a complaint relative to Title IX or any civil rights violation, please contact the TAMIU Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity/Title IX Coordinator, 5201 University Boulevard, Killam Library 159B, Laredo, TX 78041, TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857 and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office), U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600. Reports can also be made on our electronic, anonymous reporting site: www.tamiu.edu/reportit. More information is available in TAMUS Policy 8.01 and System Regulation 8.01.01.

Improper Consensual Relationships

The definition of “improper consensual relationship” and information about reporting obligations are available in System Regulation 8.01.01.

Political Activity

Subject to some restrictions, faculty may seek and hold local elective office and non-elective state and federal office so long as it benefits the state of Texas (or is required by state or federal law) and does not conflict with the faculty member’s responsibilities at TAMIU. All employees have the rights of freedom of association and political participation guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions. Employees are allowed time to vote in public elections without losing pay or leave time. The use of official university authority to influence a political campaign is forbidden; use of TAMIU funds and facilities for political activity is extensively restricted. Rights and restrictions concerning political activity are detailed in TAMUS Policy 7.03 and TAMUS Regulation 7.03.01. Faculty wishing to involve themselves in political campaigns are urged to read the policy and the regulation in detail.

External Relations

Communications Channels

Except as explicitly stated elsewhere in this document, communications channels are the lines of authority presented in the Organization Chart (see https://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/vpfinance/documents/ OrganizationalChart050815.pdf).

Publicity for Faculty Activities

Using their standard policies and procedures, the Office of Public Information should disseminate publicity for all University activities. All items will be submitted to media outlets, but their use is not guaranteed.

Grants Policy

Grant policy is disseminated through the offices of the Deans of the colleges.

Use of Institutional Letterhead, Trademarks, Trade Names

Personal use of institutional letterhead, trademarks, and trade names is not allowed. However, faculty members are entitled to use the institutional letterhead, trademarks, and trade names for professional activities. Only official institutional letterhead, trademarks, and trade names are to be used. Faculty and staff of TAMIU are not authorized to design their own. The resolving authority concerning legitimate use of the institutional letterhead, trademarks, and trade names is the Office of the Vice-President for Institutional Advancement.

Fund Raising

Fund raising is encouraged, but it must be coordinated through the Office of the Vice-President for Institutional Advancement.

EVALUATION AND PROMOTION OF FACULTY

Annual Review

By a majority vote of its faculty, and with the approval of the Provost and the Faculty Senate, each college[3] will establish procedures and criteria for evaluating faculty performance and development on a yearly basis. Each college[3] will establish the forms, documents, and other materials to be used in the evaluation process. These materials will be consistent with the five major areas of Academic Preparation, Experience, Teaching, Service, and Scholarship, and they should all further the goals of recognizing and rewarding excellence and of identifying opportunities for professional growth. Documents on procedures, criteria, and forms to be used in the evaluation process will be filed with the Faculty Senate and the Office of the Provost. As a result of the annual evaluation, the non-tenured faculty member should have an understanding of his or her progress toward tenure.

Formal evaluation is the responsibility of department chairs and will be conducted by them. Each year the department chair will provide a written evaluation and hold an evaluative conference with each faculty member of the department prior to the beginning of final exams for the Spring Semester. The criteria for promotion (as listed in the section concerning academic rank) will be used as the basis of evaluation. The written evaluation should identify faculty strengths, recognize areas of excellence, and note opportunities for future professional growth. If a faculty member's performance is “seriously deficient” in some area, the department chair or director will outline corrective measures (e.g. updating or modifying course syllabi or reviewing techniques of presentation or revising scholarly or service activities).

College Evaluation Procedure

The College Evaluation Procedure document must include the following:

1. A provision for the faculty member to receive a written evaluation, to review the evaluation, and to respond to it in writing. This response will be placed in the faculty member's personnel file in the college. The faculty member must receive the written evaluation and have an opportunity to meet with the evaluating chair or director prior to the beginning of final examinations for the Spring Semester.

2. A provision for a review of the evaluation by the Dean of the College (if the Dean was not involved in the initial evaluation procedure) and by the Provost.

3. A provision for the Dean of the College and the initial evaluator(s) to meet with the faculty member if the faculty member or the chair or director deems that further discussion of the evaluation is necessary after the initial evaluation conference.

College Evaluation Criteria

The college's statement of criteria to be used in evaluating faculty performance must:

1. Specify the criteria to be used in evaluating Academic Preparation, Experience, Teaching, Service, and Scholarship.

2. Include a provision for a faculty member to identify, with the chair or Dean's approval, an area of primary academic development or activity for the coming year. This area is to be selected in the light of requirements for promotion, tenure, and professional development and mentioned in the written evaluation.

3. Describe the kinds of evidence to be considered in the evaluation. Indicate, wherever applicable, the priority given to items of evidence within an area.

4. Assure that the criteria and the evidence are consistent with those widely accepted for the development of faculty in the given discipline.

Evaluation of Teaching

In addition to above-listed requirements, college evaluations of teaching performance must be based on a teaching portfolio created by individual faculty members. Teaching portfolios must include student evaluations and may include other documents such as peer review of teaching, a statement of teaching philosophy, grade distributions, course syllabi, examples of graded course work, recommendation letters from students, documentation of teaching development activities (such as conferences or workshops), publications about teaching, and evidence of honors for teaching. Each college will establish clear guidelines for its faculty in regards to the materials to be included in teaching portfolios. Faculty should receive their Deans’ and the Provost’s comments no later than May 15th.

Midpoint Review of Faculty

At the midpoint of the probationary period of a faculty member on the tenure track, the faculty member will receive a more thorough midpoint review addressing progress toward tenure based on established performance expectations. This normally occurs at the end of the third year of a six-year probationary period. The promotion and tenure committee of the department (or school or division or Library) will meet, review the performance record of the faculty member, and make a recommendation to the chair or director. Based on this recommendation and his or her own observations, the chair or director will write a midpoint evaluation report and submit it to the dean and Provost (with a copy to the faculty member), indicating one of the following possibilities:

1. The faculty member's performance is strong in all areas. Areas of particular strength may be enumerated and detailed. Progress toward tenure requires that present performance levels be maintained.

2. The faculty member's performance is strong overall, but includes areas of weakness, which must be enumerated and detailed. Progress toward tenure requires that these weaknesses be addressed. Specific suggestions for improvement should be included as appropriate.

3. The faculty member's performance is not sufficient to indicate any realistic possibility of tenure. The faculty member should be offered a terminal contract.

The exact wording of the midpoint report would be appropriate to the situation, as determined by the chair or director. The three options above indicate the information that must be presented to the faculty member and are not required text.

Should the faculty member at the time of hiring receive, because of experience or seniority, time toward tenure, the formal review will come at the midpoint between beginning work and reaching the sixth year of employment.

These reviews are intended to indicate to the individual the general degree of successful development which the faculty member has attained. In addition, these reviews are intended to strengthen the accomplishments of all non-tenured faculty members and to provide them with a preliminary view of the possible results of a tenure decision.

Post-Tenure Review

Introduction

In the Western academic tradition, universities have fostered excellence in teaching and in research by creating an intellectual environment in which faculty members and students are able to discover new knowledge and reexamine and contest old truths through the free exploration and exchange of ideas. Essential to creating and maintaining this spirit of free inquiry are the protections offered by academic tenure. Faculty members who earn tenure have proven over an extended period of time to both their peers and the University's academic administration that they perform at admirably high levels as both teachers and scholars. By granting faculty members tenure, the University expresses its faith in their ability to continue to teach, conduct research, and serve the University and the community at sufficiently high levels of proficiency. Granting tenure to the best faculty benefits the University by greatly increasing the likelihood of retaining their professional services, a considerable benefit in an often competitive job market. With tenure, faculty members benefit from the protections of academic freedom and job security to exercise their professional expertise in the pursuit and expression of new and occasionally unpopular or simply misunderstood knowledge.

The post-tenure process that follows is intended to promote the continued professional development of tenured faculty by reaffirming their continued excellence in Teaching, Research, and Service, or by providing a process by which tenured faculty who have fallen below acceptable norms of performance in one or more areas are able to receive the benefit of a peer-coordinated plan for returning to their former productivity. A definition of post-tenure review and a list of general criteria may be found in TAMUS Policy 12.06.

Post-Tenure Review

The process for post-tenure review at Texas A&M International University will consist of annual performance reviews by department chairs and Deans of the Teaching, Research, and Service of tenured faculty members. These evaluations will be used to determine eligibility for merit pay increases as well as reaffirming the tenured faculty member’s continued satisfactory performance. Should tenured faculty members receive unsatisfactory performance evaluations, they will pursue a professional development plan as delineated below when and if they meet the conditions also delineated below.

Evaluation Criteria

In each college or school, the faculty, with the approval of the Dean of the College or the Director (in the case of Killam Library) will develop specific criteria for determining the evaluation weight given to Teaching, Scholarship, and Service for tenured faculty pursuing different professional paths. Evaluation of tenured professional librarians will be based on their specific job duties. Thus, those tenured faculty members receiving release time for research and a reduced teaching load would be expected to have a higher percentage of their performance evaluation dedicated to an evaluation of their research than would be the case with a tenured faculty member teaching a full load of classes and having no release time for research. The faculty of each college or school, with the approval of the Dean or Director, will develop a general standard for determining whether a tenured faculty member’s overall performance is deemed seriously deficient. These general standards may be refined, as needed, by the faculty within individual departments and approved by the chair of the department and the Dean or director.

General Evaluation Process

Faculty members will be given a written evaluation of their performance in the previous calendar year before the commencement of final examinations for the Spring Semester. All evaluations should identify documented strengths and weaknesses of the faculty member. The written evaluation will be given to the faculty member by the department or division chair at a conference in which both will discuss the evaluation and the faculty member’s professional plans and expectations for the future year. The intent of this provision is to celebrate continued excellence and also to identify areas in which faculty members may further develop professionally.

Evaluation Process for Faculty with “Serious Deficiencies”

For those faculty members whose annual performance reviews indicate serious deficiencies in one or more areas, as determined by the department or division chair and documented on the evaluation form, the chair must meet with the faculty member within two weeks of the written evaluation to develop written plans for improvement within the next year. Both the evaluation and the written plan for improvement will be submitted to the Dean of the College or the director of the Library. It is the intent of this provision to provide tenured faculty members with immediate identification and means of remedying any professional shortcoming.

In those rare cases in which a faculty member’s deficiencies are deemed egregious, the chair must immediately notify the faculty member in writing during the course of the year and work with the faculty member to remediate those deficiencies as quickly and as reasonably as possible. Should those “egregious deficiencies” not be remedied by the time of annual evaluation, the chair, with the approval of the Dean or director, may require that the faculty member immediately engage in the Professional Development Plan process outlined below. For purposes of this process, “egregious deficiencies” shall be defined as behavior that compromises the learning environment for our students and/or faculty.

Professional Development Plan

If tenured faculty members receive two consecutive annual performance reviews that indicate serious deficiencies in one or more areas, or if on a single evaluation they have been found to have ’egregious deficiencies’ requiring immediate remediation in one or more areas, they must undergo a professional review. When serious and mitigating circumstances exist for faculty members who would otherwise be required to undergo professional review, department or division chairs may request in writing from their Deans or directors approval of an exemption from the professional review process, with final approval of the Provost and notification of the President. The purposes of performance reviews will be to identify and acknowledge patterns of seriously deficient performance, to create plans of action to eliminate these deficiencies, and to monitor the progress of faculty members as they implement their Professional Development Plans.

The professional review process must follow this procedure:

• First, department or division chairs will notify affected faculty in writing that they are subject to professional review. They will also explain in writing the details of the process.

• Second, an ad hoc professional review committee of three faculty members will be created by the Dean with the consultation and agreement of the chair and the affected faculty member. If the Dean, chair, and faculty member cannot come to an agreement on the composition of the committee, then the following guidelines must be followed by the Dean in appointing a committee: two of the members must be selected from the college’s promotion and tenure committee, one selected by the Dean and one selected by the faculty member; and the final member of the committee will be selected by the Faculty Senate President (or by the Faculty Senate Vice-President if the Faculty Senate President has a conflict of interest).

• Third, within one month of being notified of the need for professional review, the faculty member will prepare a dossier to present to the committee. The dossier should contain all documents and supporting material that the faculty member wishes the professional review committee to consider. While it may contain much more, at the very least the dossier will include a current curriculum vitae, a teaching portfolio (with the exception of librarians), a description of recent university and community service, and a description of recent scholarly or creative work.

• Fourth, the chair will add to the dossier any additional material that the chair considers relevant to the development of the Professional Development Plan for the faculty member under review. The faculty member under review may examine these materials and respond in writing prior to their submission to the ad hoc professional review committee; the faculty member may also add additional materials to the dossier at any time during the review process.

• Fifth, within one month of receiving the complete dossier, the ad hoc professional review committee will review it, meet with both the faculty member under review and the department chair, and issue a report. The report must be submitted in writing to the faculty member, the department chair, the Dean or director, and the Provost. The report may reach one of three possible conclusions:

No Deficiencies. The committee reports that it identified no deficiencies of any consequence. The committee’s report negates and supersedes the “unsatisfactory” prior annual review of the faculty member originally submitted by the department chair.

Some Deficiencies. The committee reports that it did identify some deficiencies of consequence but that these deficiencies were not substantial or chronic, much less egregious, and thus no Professional Development Plan is required. The committee report, however, must describe these deficiencies, and it is expected that the faculty member and the chair will work together to ensure that these minor deficiencies do not become serious and do not result in “unsatisfactory” evaluations in the future.

Serious Deficiencies. The committee reports that chronic or substantial deficiencies do indeed exist and must be addressed by a Professional Development Plan. The report must elaborate on the nature of these deficiencies.

• Sixth, within two weeks of receiving the committee’s recommendation, the Provost must accept, reject, or modify the findings of the committee and submit back to the committee, the chair, and the faculty member a written report that announces and justifies his or her ruling.

• Seventh, within two weeks of the Provost’s issuing of a ruling that “serious deficiencies” exist, the ad hoc professional review committee must meet with the faculty member and the department chair to begin working to create a Professional Development Plan to submit to the Dean and the Provost for approval.

The Professional Development Plan describes in detail how the faculty member will remedy the specific deficiencies identified by the ad hoc professional review committee. The written plan must be created with the collaboration of the ad hoc professional review committee, the faculty member, the department chair, and the Dean or director, and it should meet the needs of the faculty member, the department, and the college or school. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to cooperate fully in the development of this plan and to make a good faith effort to implement it. It is the responsibility of the committee, the chair, and the Dean to insure that the plan is designed to be a meaningful and effective means of returning the tenured faculty member to full professional productivity.

Plans must be tailored to the specific circumstances of the faculty members for whom they are developed, but all plans must: (1) describe specifically the deficiencies to be addressed by the plan; (2) identify specific goals that must be met to remedy the deficiencies; (3) describe what the faculty member will do to meet these goals; (4) establish intermediate and final time lines for the completion of the activities necessary to meet the goals of the plan; (5) identify the specific criteria to be used in assessing the faculty member’s annual progress toward meeting the goals of the plan; and (6) identify the resources that the University will devote to the support of the faculty member’s efforts to complete the plan.

In general, Professional Development Plans may allow up to three years for the faculty member to return to full productivity. However, in those cases in which the faculty member’s deficiencies are deemed “egregious,” the plan may require reasonable improvement within as short a time as one year. The faculty member and the chair will meet at the end of each semester to discuss the faculty member’s progress toward fulfilling the Professional Development Plan. At the end of the academic year, the chair will submit a written progress report to the ad hoc professional review committee, to the Dean, and to the Provost. A copy of the chair’s written report must be sent to the faculty member. The chair’s regular annual evaluation of the faculty member in question should draw upon the findings of the progress report.

As soon as the faculty member has completed the Professional Development Plan, or by the deadline established by the plan, the department chair must write a final report to the faculty member, the ad hoc professional review committee, the Dean, and the Provost. Because it is the commitment of the faculty and administrators involved in the process to support faculty members fully in their efforts to return to full productivity and thus benefit not only the faculty member but the entire university, it is expected that in all but a very small minority of cases the final report will be positive. These findings become final upon certification by the Provost.

On those rare occasions when a faculty member has not been successful in completing the Professional Development Plan, the chair will consult with the ad hoc professional review committee, the Dean or the director, and the Provost prior to writing a negative report. If the committee, the chair, the Dean, and the Provost agree that the faculty member’s failure to meet the goals of the plan are minor and likely temporary, then they may grant the faculty member an additional year to remedy the remaining deficiencies. If they deem the faculty member’s failure of such seriousness that they constitute separately good cause for dismissal under all current policies regarding tenure, academic responsibility, and academic freedom, then the Provost may initiate dismissal proceedings. These findings become final upon certification by the Provost.

Appeals

If a faculty member disagrees with the finding of “serious deficiencies” by the ad hoc professional review committee, the faculty member may appeal the decision to the Dean or the director first and then the Provost.

When a faculty member, department chair, and the Dean or director cannot agree on a Professional Development Plan, then the University Promotion, Tenure and Retention Committee will intercede, mediate the dispute, and issue a draft of the plan for the review and approval of the Provost.

If at any stage in the post-tenure review process a faculty member believes that the provisions of the process are being applied unfairly, the faculty member may file a grievance as outlined in GRIEVANCES section of the Faculty Handbook (below).

Voluntary Post-Tenure Review

Faculty members have the right to request that an ad hoc professional review committee review their work and counsel them on their career. To initiate this process, faculty members must make a request in writing to their department chairs.

Tenure and Promotion

Promotion of Faculty

Appointment or promotion to an academic rank is based on past and anticipated success in performance, accomplishments and leadership in the following five areas: Academic Preparation, Experience, Teaching, Service, Scholarship (Discovery, Integration and Teaching, and Application).

As they progress in rank, faculty members are expected to achieve increasing success both by progressively mastering all five areas and by improving in individual areas. The consistently sustained performance of faculty responsibilities is a requisite for all faculty promotions (see Major Faculty Responsibilities). There is an expectation that faculty seeking tenure generally impact their department and college in a positive, constructive fashion.

Requirements for promotion from one faculty rank to another are outlined above under Definition of Faculty Status. Faculty members who believe that they have met the minimum appropriate Education, Experience, Teaching, Service, and Scholarship requirements for promotion to all faculty ranks but Full Professor must send a letter to their Dean by August 1 preceding the academic year in which they intend to apply for promotion. Associate Professors / Librarians wishing to apply for promotion to Full Professor must send their letters to the Provost by August 1. The Dean must certify in writing within two weeks that the appropriate Education and Experience standards have been met. Should the Dean fail to certify that appropriate Education and Experience standards have been met, the faculty member has the right to appeal the case to the Provost, who shall make a final decision and respond to the faculty member in writing within two weeks. The Provost will follow the same procedure for certifying that Associate Professors / Librarians have met the appropriate Education and Experience standards to apply for promotion to Full Professor / Librarian, with the President the person to whom faculty may appeal the Provost’s decision.

Administrators holding faculty appointments who apply for promotion and tenure must meet the same criteria for promotion and tenure as required of other faculty members. Thus, the merits of their applications will be based on their overall work as faculty members, not as administrators.

Tenure

Tenure means the entitlement of faculty members to continue in their academic positions unless dismissed for good cause (TAMUS Policy 12.01 Section 4). The benefits of tenure and basic rules and requirements for tenure are outlined in TAMUS Policy 12.01 Section 4.

To be eligible to apply for tenure, a faculty member must be a full-time employee of Texas A&M International University and must hold the academic rank of Assistant Professor or above. Faculty members who hold joint appointments with other state, federal, or private agencies or with two or more parts of The Texas A&M University System may be entitled to tenured status as faculty members, if they meet the aggregate requirements for tenure and meet the minimum time in rank at Texas A&M International University. Administrative positions per se are not subject to tenure.

Beginning with appointment to the rank of full-time Assistant Professor / Librarian or above, the probationary period for a faculty member will not exceed seven years of full-time service at Texas A&M International University. Up to three years of appropriate full-time service at other institutions may be included as a portion of the probationary period if agreed on in writing at the time of initial employment. Acceptance of credit toward promotion and tenure obligates the faculty member to apply for promotion and tenure on the accelerated schedule agreed to in the letter of employment.

All tenure track faculty members must come under tenure consideration no later than the sixth year of their service at Texas A&M International University. A faculty member who believes his/her Teaching, Scholarship, and Service record merits early tenure may apply during the fifth year of service toward tenure.

For a tenure track faculty member to be considered for tenure, the college Dean must notify the faculty member of his or her eligibility by May 1 of the academic year preceding the year in which the faculty member is eligible for tenure. Should the Dean fail to notify the faculty member of his or her eligibility by May 1, the faculty member should seek written confirmation of eligibility from the Dean. If the Dean does not certify eligibility, for whatever reason, the faculty member has the right to appeal the case to the Provost, who shall respond to the faculty member in writing within two weeks. Once certified as eligible to apply for tenure, the faculty member must send a letter to the Dean by August 1 preceding the beginning of the academic year in which the faculty member desires consideration.

Prior to the beginning of the last year (the seventh year) of the probationary period, the faculty member who has not received notice of a decision granting tenure should make a written request for such a decision from the Provost, and the Provost must respond within 30 days. If the decision is not to award tenure or if the candidate withdraws his or her application, the faculty member is entitled to serve for one additional year following the term or semester in which the notice is received. Faculty members who do not apply for tenure at the required time will have their positions revert immediately to non-tenure-track status.

Promotion and Tenure Deadlines

May 1 - Deans notify prospective applicants for tenure of eligibility

August 1 - Faculty eligible for Full Professor submit a letter of intent to the Provost. All other letters of intent should be submitted to their respective Deans.

September 1 - Documentation (dossier) submitted to department office for all tenure and all promotions except to Professor; applicants for promotion to Professor submit documentation to the Provost.

September 15[4] - Deadline for departmental committee to vote on candidates

October 1 - Department chair’s recommendation to college committee and Dean

October 15 - Deadline for college committee to vote on candidates

November 1 - Dean’s recommendation to University Promotion, Tenure and Retention Committee and Provost

November 15 - Deadline for University Promotion, Tenure and Retention Committee to vote on candidates

December 1 - Provost’s recommendation to President

January 2 - President’s recommendation regarding award of tenure to Board of Regents.

Promotion, Tenure, and Retention Committees

See description of University Promotion, Tenure, and Retention Committee within the Faculty Handbook.

College committees consist of departmentally elected representatives who serve on the college committee primarily as representatives of their departments’ views on the merits of candidates’ qualifications. They are not, however, bound to vote as the majority in their departments voted. Department and college committees should consist of at least five tenured faculty members. If a department does not have a sufficient number of tenured faculty to constitute a committee, then the Provost, in consultation with all tenured and tenure-track faculty of the department and the Dean, must appoint to the committee one or more tenured faculty members from related disciplines. Members appointed from other academic units must not exceed 50% of any college, department, or unit promotion and tenure committee, even if this reduces the number of committee members to fewer than five. All members of promotion and tenure committees are required to vote positively or negatively on each candidate (no abstentions), with the exception of members who have a familial relation to the candidate. In such cases, the committee member cannot participate in either the deliberations or the vote.

Replacement of Faculty on Promotion, Tenure, and Retention Committees

Members of promotion and tenure committees are expected to give first priority to scheduled committee meetings (see dates above) and to attend scheduled meetings unless exceptional circumstances arise. Should such an unavoidable circumstance arise for a department or division committee member, he or she must notify the department chair immediately, and the chair will reschedule the meeting to allow all members to attend and the committee to meet its deadline. The chairs, Deans, and the Provost will announce the specific meeting time for their committees as far in advance as possible. If, for some reason, an inalterable scheduling conflict arises or for another reason an elected representative cannot attend a meeting, the representative must immediately resign his or her committee by notifying the department chair in writing. If the chair determines that sufficient time remains for a nomination and election process and for the new representative to study application materials, then the vacancy must be filled through a departmental election. If the vacancy is for the college committee, then the chair will conduct the election; if for the University committee, the Faculty Senate will conduct it.

If the chair determines that there is not sufficient time for an election, then the Faculty Senate President, in consultation with the department chair, would name an eligible replacement. If no faculty member in the department remains eligible for service, then the Faculty Senate President, in consultation with the department chair, would name an eligible replacement from a related discipline.

Chairs of Promotion, Tenure, and Retention Committees

Department chairs serve as the chair of their department committees; Deans serve as the chairs of their college committees; and the Provost serves as the chair of the University Promotion, Tenure and Retention Committee. In all cases, the role of the chair is to ensure that applicants’ dossiers are available to committee members, to call the meeting, to review the role of the committee, to ensure that the committee considers the merits of each application for promotion and tenure, to conduct secret balloting to determine the committee’s recommendation for each applicant, and to oversee the count and announcement of ballot results. Because the committee’s purpose is to form a recommendation to make to the administrator chairing the committee, the chair is to observe but not participate in the deliberations.

Confidentiality

The recommendation of a promotion and tenure committee regarding an applicant for promotion and tenure is to be determined by secret ballot. Committee members are to keep the deliberations regarding the merits of an application confidential.

At each stage of this process, all previous reviews and recommendations will be forwarded to the next level of review. On tenure issues, the President of the University presents his or her recommendations to the Board of Regents, which makes the final decision. At each level of review, candidates will be informed in writing within one week by the committee chair of recommendations concerning their applications. If there is a negative vote, candidates may withdraw their applications.

Documentation and Presentations in Support of Applications

Candidates for promotion and tenure must submit supporting documentation following the schedule specified above. Dossiers can comprise no more than 25 pages. Ancillary materials will be included under separate cover. Dossiers will include an extended vita with an overview of materials that make reference to the supplementary documents. Examples of supplementary documentation are copies of articles, conference presentations, letters of reference, course syllabi, final examinations, grant proposals, and bulk student evaluations.

Prior to the application for promotion and tenure, candidates shall, together with their department chair, develop a list of 3-5 objective external references from aspirational universities to review the research of the candidate. The department chair shall send a letter inviting the reference to review the CV and research of the candidate and reply with a letter of reference, addressed to the department chair, which will be included in the application dossier. It should not be viewed negatively if less than three letters from external referees are included in the application dossier.

Candidates may request the chair of the presiding committee add supporting materials which could be relevant after the deadline for submission to their dossier. Such materials may include letters from external reviewers, notification of acceptance of a publication of research or the actual article if it appears during the deliberations, a contract for publication, etc. External peer review letters will be added as received by department chairs. No other person may introduce material to the dossier or during discussion that could potentially affect the outcome of deliberations.

The candidates for promotion and tenure shall be allowed to address the promotion and tenure committees or to make presentations at the department, college, or University level for up to five minutes at each level of consideration, and be available to answer any questions or clarify any of the written documentation. The committee at each level may at its discretion extend the time for presentation, provided that all candidates receive equitable consideration.

Final Promotion and Tenure Decisions

The President makes the final decision regarding faculty promotions and will communicate his or her decision in a timely manner after receiving the recommendation of the Provost.

The Board of Regents of The Texas A&M University System makes the final decision regarding applications for tenure. The official decision by the Board of Regents to grant tenure will be conveyed in writing by the President to the individual faculty member as soon as possible after the Regents have voted to confer tenure. In the same manner, a decision of non-reappointment will be provided to the faculty member as soon as the decision has been reached. This communication will be provided by the department chair and may bear also the signature of other appropriate administrators. The formal notification of non-reappointment will be a simple statement to that effect and will not include any of the reasons for that decision.

Procedure for Appeal of Promotion and Tenure Decisions

At the conclusion of the promotion and/or tenure process, a faculty member who is not granted a promotion and/or not granted tenure may file an appeal with the Provost. The intention to appeal must be stated in writing and delivered to the Office of the Provost within twenty calendar days of receiving written notice of the decision not to grant a promotion and/or tenure. Appeals must be based on one or more of the following three claims: that the decision was made in violation of the individual’s academic freedom, that the decision was made for illegal reasons, or that the decision was made without adequate consideration of the individual’s record of professional achievement. For purposes of this section, an illegal reason is defined as a decision based on race, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, religion, creed, color, or disability unrelated to the performance of duties; or made in retaliation for the faculty member’s exercise of protected First Amendment rights.

An appeals committee will consist of a total of seven faculty members: four members of the University Grievance Pool (two selected by the faculty member and two by the Provost) and three Faculty Senators appointed by the Faculty Senate President. No member of the appeals committee can have participated at any level in making the decision being appealed, nor can any member have any other relevant conflict of interest. The committee shall meet within fifteen calendar days of the faculty member’s written notice of appeal and determine if the faculty member has established a prima facie case that the decision was made in violation of the faculty member’s academic freedom, for an illegal reason, or without adequate consideration of the faculty member’s record of professional achievement. If the committee determines that the faculty member has not alleged a prima facie case, the allegations shall be dismissed and the decision not to recommend promotion and/or tenure shall stand. If the committee determines that the allegations do establish a prima facie case, the matter shall be referred for an evidentiary hearing by the same appeals committee. A prima facie case for purposes of this subsection means that the faculty member’s evidence, alone and unrebutted, would establish that a violation as defined above may have occurred.

In any evidentiary hearing, the burden of proving that the decision was made in violation of academic freedom or for an illegal reason or without adequate consideration of the faculty member’s record of professional achievement shall rest with the faculty member. The burden of proof must be met by a preponderance of the evidence, i.e., that which is more convincing, more credible, and of greater weight than contrary evidence. Both the faculty member and the administration have the right of representation at this hearing. The committee shall complete its report to the Provost within fifteen calendar days of the completion of the hearing. If the faculty member appealing the decision names the Provost as a party to the appeal, namely, charging the Provost with having violated his or her academic freedom, with having based the decision on an illegal reason, or with not having adequately considered his or her professional achievements in making the decision, then the committee’s report would go to the President. If the President is a party to the appeal for any of the reasons cited above, then the committee would submit its report to the Chancellor.

3 Wherever the term “college” appears in the Evaluation section of this document, it also applies to the Library and to Schools.

4 Unless circumstances prohibit it, all Promotion and Tenure committees will meet on the Friday afternoon preceding the deadlines stated above.

FACULTY WORKLOAD

Teaching

The full-time teaching assignment for TAMIU is twelve Semester Credit Hour Equivalents (SCH) per semester. A commitment to excellence in Teaching is the first requirement for all faculty at TAMIU. Faculty should be expected to provide evidence of intellectual contributions to their discipline, the University, and the community at a level that ensures that they remain current in their fields. Because of the unique and extensive growth at this moment in the University’s history, expectations for Service are high for all. The administration, in conjunction with the Faculty Senate and faculty, will establish for all faculty a peer review process, including a portfolio, to evaluate and improve Teaching. Classes must be scheduled at times suited to the demonstrated needs of our students. At the same time, chairs are expected to try, insofar as possible, to schedule classes so as to reduce the number of preparations. Expectations, outcomes, and rationale must be clear for any faculty member who teaches fewer than twelve SCH.

Release Time for Research

Tenure-track faculty are eligible for release time in order to establish their research agenda and to demonstrate scholarly productivity during their probationary period. The amount and terms of their release time will be negotiated with the Dean or director of their school or college at the time of their initial appointment. This process is separate from release time for research for tenured faculty.

Tenured faculty are eligible to apply for a two course release time per year to pursue research. Expectations for excellence in Teaching remain the same for faculty awarded release time for research as they do for all faculty. For faculty receiving release time for research, scholarly efforts should continue with the same scope and intensity as during probationary period (see Baseline Expectations below). An application (submitted by filling out a common form) will outline the research plan. Research plans will be renewed every year.

1. A College Research Committee, represented proportionately by all departments and whose members are elected by tenured faculty, will determine the acceptable level of research and review research plans.

2. The College Research Committee will make recommendations to the Dean or Director of its college or school.

3. Recommendations will be forwarded to the Provost, who will make the final decision.

Baseline Expectations for Faculty Awarded Release Time for Research

1. Documentation of scholarly effort each year.

2. Normally, a publication or equivalent in the second year.

3. Normally, faculty should plan to make at least one scholarly presentation or equivalent every year.

If faculty do not meet Baseline Requirements, they must submit a written explanation justifying continuance for release time to the College Research Committee, who will forward their recommendations to the Dean. Recommendations will be forwarded to the Provost, who will make the final decision on whether release time will be awarded in the following year.

Additional Release Time for Intensive Research

Faculty whose scholarly achievements are characterized by consistently high levels of productivity over a sustained period of time are eligible to apply for one additional course release time per academic year, or a total of three courses release time per academic year, to support their research efforts. Faculty receiving three courses release time under the terms of this policy are expected to produce one refereed article per year or to make substantial progress toward completion of a book or the equivalent. Expectations for excellence in Teaching remain the same for all faculty. Faculty members with three courses of release time for research should pursue all appropriate avenues for securing sponsored research through grants. The review process for faculty seeking three courses release time for research is the same as for faculty seeking two courses release time for research, with the following additional requirement: faculty requesting three courses release time for intensive research must submit their application for external review.

Release Time for Non-Research Activities

The statement below is intended to provide greater clarification for TAMIU's Faculty Academic Workload and Reporting Requirements policy (TAMIU Rule 12.03.99.L1 sections 5.1 to 5.3).

“Any reduction in the standard teaching load has to be justified by administrative assignments or a unique and time-consuming feature of a faculty member's assigned courses. The chair, the dean, and the provost must approve in writing all course reductions in advance of the first day of class for a semester. A course reduction for any of these reasons should be equivalent to approximately 135 hours per semester (equivalent to 45 hours of face-to-face time, plus 90 hours for course preparation/grading/student interactions). Course releases may be granted on a case-by-case basis under exceptional circumstances. Possible rationales for non-research related releases include but are not necessarily restricted to the following situations: inordinately large class sizes, excessive number of new course preparations, teaching multiple writing intensive courses, administrative responsibilities, etc. Note that releases are not granted based on a single course but are evaluated based on the entirety of an individual faculty member's load.”

General Considerations

Considerations other than the merit of proposals or the performance of faculty may, from time to time, be a factor in the number of tenured faculty who teach full-time or who have research release time. Such considerations may include changes in college or department missions or programs, college commitments to equitable support for disciplines within the college or for faculty careers, and budgetary considerations. In the event that University resources are insufficient to fund all qualifying applications, the President in consultation with the Provost will determine the amount of release time that will be made in a given year.

Faculty teaching a doctoral seminar will receive one course release time during the semester in which the seminar is delivered, and may receive one course release time in the semester prior to the semester in which the seminar is delivered. Faculty teaching a doctoral seminar are expected to engage in a level of scholarly activity consistent with that of faculty receiving release time for research. Faculty teaching exclusively graduate level courses may receive appropriate release time in recognition of the need for extensive research and course preparation. It is expected that faculty will follow the application and review process for release time and will meet or exceed the Baseline Expectations for research.

Faculty may submit proposals of a more limited scope, requesting a one-course release for one semester. An outcome clearly achievable in a short time should accompany the proposal.

Additional release time may be granted for research projects of exceptional merit that require an extensive commitment of time.

The minimum teaching load for full-time faculty who do not have administrative assignments and who are not on development leave is six semester credit hours or equivalent per semester. Exceptions must be approved by the President upon the recommendation of the chair, Dean, and Provost.

Summer Teaching

Unless specifically stated otherwise, some faculty members are employed for nine months and are thus not guaranteed employment during the summer session. Nonetheless, a significant number of faculty have the opportunity to teach during the summer based on student enrollments, department and/or college needs, and budgetary considerations. When possible, all faculty will be offered the opportunity to teach one session (i.e., class) in the summer. Any additional classes would be offered to faculty based upon rank / seniority within the department.[5]

5 Texas A&M International University offers two sessions each summer. As of September 1996, a “full-time teaching load” is defined as six semester credit hours, or the equivalent, per summer session.

GRADUATE FACULTY

All Graduate Faculty must demonstrate commitment to the academic community, institution, discipline, and students. In addition, they must possess a high level of competence in teaching. At the Full level in particular, the faculty must demonstrate research capability and competence in directing independent investigation. Colleges may propose more stringent local standards for membership: these are subject to ratification by the Graduate Council.

Categories and Requirements for Membership

Full Membership

Full members of the Graduate Faculty must meet all of the following:

• 1. Be tenured or on a tenure track on the Texas A&M International faculty.

• 2. Hold the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Full Professor.

• 3. Have earned a doctorate or other terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline.

• 4. Produce tangible evidence of continued productive scholarship, as normally defined within the discipline concerned.

Those fixed-term faculty who have a research focus they can apply for full time status on a five-year basis subject to a review of the research qualifications of these faculty by the Graduate Council.

Full members of the Graduate Faculty are eligible to:

• 1. Direct doctoral dissertations, masters’ theses, and other graduate research.

• 2. Teach graduate level courses, including doctoral.

• 3. Serve on graduate student committees, including doctoral.

• 4. Sit on the Graduate Council and in that position help set policies for the Graduate School.

• 5. Sit on standing and special committees of the Graduate Council.

• 6. Serve as officers (secretary, etc.) of the Graduate Council.

• 7. Chair standing committees of the Graduate Council.

Appointment to Full membership on the Graduate Faculty is for the duration of the faculty member’s employment at Texas A&M International University, unless the faculty member earns below a score of “3” in research and/or teaching on the annual faculty evaluation summary form (e.g., PPE or applicable college evaluation instrument) for 2 consecutive years, in which case the College Dean will notify the Dean of the Graduate School and the faculty member will need to reapply for Full Membership to the Graduate Faculty. If the faculty member does not meet the requirements to serve as a Full member of the Graduate Faculty, they may apply for Temporary Membership.

External Membership

This category is for persons not on the TAMIU faculty.

External Members of the Graduate Faculty must:

• 1. Hold a terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline.

• 2. Or, if the terminal degree is not held, have demonstrated such a level of distinction in their field as to make the degree irrelevant. In case of such exception, a letter of verification by the person making the nomination should be submitted to such effect.

External members of the Graduate Faculty are eligible to:

• 1. Co-chair masters-level or doctoral student committees, depending on credentials and certification (ineligible to chair such committees).

• 2. Teach masters-level or doctoral courses, depending on credentials and certification.

• 3. Serve on masters-level or doctoral student committees, depending on credentials and certification.

Temporary Membership

This category is for those who teach masters-level courses and are not otherwise involved in the departmental graduate programs.

Temporary members of the Graduate Faculty must:

• 1. Hold a terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline.

Temporary members of the Graduate Faculty are eligible to:

• 1. Teach master's level courses.

• 2. Serve on master's level student committees as a committee member.

Review of the Temporary member's qualifications for possible advancement to a higher membership category shall be made by the chair of the department with the optional assistance of the Full members of the Graduate Faculty in that department. When an advancement appears to be warranted, the department chair shall recommend in writing such advancement to the Dean of the Graduate School and shall include a rationale for the recommendation, including tangible evidence of continued productive scholarship, as normally defined within the discipline concerned. College Deans will make this recommendation where Departmental Chairs do not exist.

Appointment to Temporary membership on the Graduate Faculty is for a term of three academic years and will be subject to re-evaluation at the end of the term. This membership need be approved only by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Procedures for Nomination to the Graduate Faculty

Nominations are received by the Dean of the Graduate School and kept on file. The Dean of the Graduate School will annually report to the Graduate Council the current membership in each category.

The Graduate Council will act to evaluate nominations which have been questioned. The Graduate Council will also hear complaints from faculty who feel they were not treated fairly in matters of graduate appointment.

The responsibility for keeping records of the terms of the various classes of members, and notifying department chairs or college Deans of those faculty members up for periodic review or re-nomination, will be that of the Dean of the Graduate School.

GRIEVANCES

University Ombuds Officer

The university has an Ombuds officer, who is elected by voting faculty for a three-year term. The Ombuds is a designated neutral, neither an employee nor a management advocate. The Ombuds officer is empowered to facilitate the timely and equitable mediation outside of the faculty grievance process. The role of the Ombuds officer is to foster a resolution to issues prior to the initiation of the filing of a formal grievance.

Faculty Complaint, Grievance, and Appeal Procedures

Each faculty member will have free access through proper channels to the offices of immediate and higher supervisors, Human Resources representatives, or other official alternate dispute resolution programs to discuss problems and complaints regarding the employment relationship. (TAMUS Policy 32.01.01). A faculty member of Texas A&M International University has the right under the statutes of Texas to present grievances concerning wages, hours of work, or terms and conditions of work, individually or through a representative, provided such representative does not claim the right to strike or bargain collectively. (TAMUS APRM B.4.5).

Grievances or disputes involving faculty can be categorized by the participants to the disagreement. These categories are:

Faculty – Student

Faculty – Faculty

Faculty – Administrative service or Administration (hereafter Administrator).

It is assumed that attempts at reconciliation and/or mitigation will occur immediately and the grievance or dispute procedures will not be activated. Nevertheless, if the dispute or grievance cannot be resolved, the procedures outlined below will be followed.

The time periods given in the procedure are deliberately brief in order that grievances may be resolved swiftly and in order to preserve the grievant’s right to other remedies within state and federal statutes of limitation. The time limits within the faculty-student procedures are briefest of those described, so that students will be able to return to their studies with as little disruption as possible; however, all three parties in any given step (i.e., the grievant, the person against whom the complaint has been filed, and the mediator / mediating committee) may agree in writing to extend or shorten the deadline. If the health or well-being of one of the parties is involved, the period of time allowed for each step will be accelerated (see below). Whenever a step in the procedure is not accomplished within the given time period (or the time agreed upon by all parties), the matter will proceed immediately to the next step.

Faculty-Student

Disputes over Academic Matters

Faculty members are responsible for determining the curriculum of a course, for developing appropriate methods of evaluating student learning, for evaluating fairly, for upholding academic standards, and for enforcing policies concerning academic honesty. Decisions made by faculty members regarding the quality or honesty of student work – especially decisions about course grades – are, as a matter of routine, accepted as authoritative and cannot be overturned by administrative officers. Students, however, have a right to expect faculty members to have defensible course policies and to implement them in a reasonable, equitable manner. Students who believe that they have grounds for challenging faculty members’ decisions regarding academic issues – excepting those pertaining to matters of academic freedom – may appeal using the procedure outlined below [based on one recommended by the American Association of University Professors in Policy Documents & Reports, 9th edition, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press and AAUP, 2001, pp. 113-14]. It should be noted that in cases of academic dishonesty students may be subject not only to grade sanctions in courses but to disciplinary action (see Student Violations of Academic Integrity under STUDENT SUCCESS below). Faculty members are required to report such serious breaches of academic honesty to their chair, their Dean, the Provost, the Honor Council, and the Vice President for Student Success.

Grade sanctions may be imposed only by faculty members, but suspension or expulsion may be imposed only by the Provost, as specified in the Student Handbook. As with disputes about course grades, students may appeal grade sanctions for academic dishonesty only by following the procedure outlined below. However, if they wish to appeal the Provost’s decision to suspend or to expel them because of academic dishonesty, they must initiate their appeal with the President of the University following the procedure the President has established for such cases.

Except under unusual circumstances, the process outlined below for student appeals of faculty academic decisions should be completed within three academic work weeks (15 working days) after the student’s first meeting with the faculty member to question the faculty member’s decision.

1. The student must first meet with the faculty member and discuss the faculty member’s decision. This meeting should occur as soon as possible after the decision has been made, normally within one week of the student’s being notified of the decision. The faculty member is expected to listen to the student, to provide an explanation for his or her decision, and to be willing to change the grade or decision should the student’s argument be persuasive. To change final course grades, a faculty member must submit a “Grade Change Form” and attach an accompanying memorandum justifying the decision to change the grade. The faculty member’s department chair and Dean must approve the change.

2. If the faculty member refuses to alter his or her decision or grade, the student may then discuss the matter with the faculty member’s department chair or immediate academic supervisor (hereafter, ‘chair’ will be used to mean either the department chair or the immediate academic supervisor). If the chair believes that the student’s claims may have merit, the chair would discuss the matter with the faculty member.

3. If the student is not satisfied with the chair’s assessment of the issue or if the faculty member refuses to alter his or her decision after discussing it with the chair, the student may then request that an ad hoc committee of faculty members review the matter. This committee would consist of three tenured faculty members within the same discipline or department. If in some unusual case the chair determines that a sufficient number of tenured faculty members cannot be selected from the same discipline or department, then the chair may add tenured faculty members from closely related disciplines. From the pool of eligible tenured faculty members designated by the chair, the faculty member, the student, and the chair would each nominate one faculty member to serve on the committee.

4. The ad hoc committee of faculty members would hear from the student, the faculty member, and the chair and examine relevant documents. If the committee concludes that the faculty member’s original decision was justified, then the committee would provide the student with a written statement explaining the reasons for the committee’s decision. The student may request in writing that the committee reconsider its decision and provide reasons for so doing. If the committee refuses to reconsider or if it reaffirms its original recommendation, then the matter is considered settled and the faculty member’s original decision stands. If the committee concludes that the faculty member should alter his or her original decision, the committee would provide the faculty member with a written recommendation explaining the committee’s reasons. If the faculty member disagrees with the committee’s recommendation, he or she must provide the committee with a written explanation for the refusal.

5. If after considering the faculty member’s explanation for refusing to alter his or her decision the ad hoc committee is still persuaded that in the interest of justice to the student the decision should be overturned, then the committee may recommend in writing to the chair that the faculty member’s decision be overturned. The committee may also make this recommendation to the chair if the faculty member fails to alter his or her decision and also fails to respond to the committee’s original recommendation. The faculty member would receive a copy of the recommendation to the chair and would have a final opportunity to alter his or her original decision. If the faculty member does not do so, then the chair, and only the chair, would be empowered by the written recommendation of the committee to override the faculty member’s original decision, and, if pertinent to the case, to alter the student’s course grade. In order to certify that the grade dispute process outlined above has been followed appropriately, the Dean of the college or the school and the Provost will review all decisions by chairs to change grades against the will of a faculty member.

Grievances

Conflicts between faculty members and students that do not relate to faculty decisions regarding such academic issues as course policies and grades will be considered the subject of grievances. The process for resolving grievances between faculty members and students is as follows.

1. Before a grievance is filed, the aggrieved faculty member or student must make a good faith effort to meet with the other party about his or her concerns. If the other party is unwilling to meet, if the aggrieved party has reasonable concerns about his or her physical safety, or if the meeting produces no resolution to the conflict, then the aggrieved party may initiate a grievance by following the steps outlined below.

2. If the grievant is a faculty member, he or she will file a written complaint with the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. If the grievant is a student, he or she will file a written complaint with the faculty member’s department or division chair. In either case, both parties will receive a written acknowledgment of the complaint within five working days.

3. The student and faculty member will meet with the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs (or a designated staff member from Student Affairs) and the faculty member’s chair. Both the faculty member and the student must be present, unless one party waives that right. This meeting will take place within five working days of the acknowledgment of the grievance.

4. If the complaint remains unresolved after meeting with the department chair and the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, then within five working days of the meeting with the chair and the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, both the student and the faculty member will meet with either the Dean of the respective college (or academic administrator to whom the chair reports) if the grievant is a student, or with the Vice President for Student Success if the grievant is a faculty member. Both the faculty member and the student must be present, unless one party waives that right.

5. If the complaint remains unresolved after that meeting, it will then be heard within five working days by an ad hoc committee consisting of the faculty member’s department or division chair, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs (or a designated staff member from Student Affairs), a member of the Student Government Association selected by the President of the Student Government Association, a member of the Faculty Senate selected by the Faculty Senate President, and a person selected by the non-grieving party from his or her peers. The chair of the committee will be the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs (or the Vice President for Student Success’s designate) if the grievant is a faculty member, or the department chair if the grievant is a student. The chair of the committee will ensure that the committee is formed appropriately and meets on schedule. After hearing from both sides in the dispute and examining whatever documentation has been provided by the parties involved, the ad hoc committee will make its recommendation in writing to either the Provost or the Vice President for Student Success, as appropriate. Both parties involved in the complaint should receive the written recommendation within three working days after the committee concludes its deliberations.

6. The Provost or the Vice President for Student Success will notify in writing both parties of his or her final decision to resolve the grievance within three working days of receiving the committee’s recommendation.

7. If the complaint is unresolved to the satisfaction of either party, he or she may appeal in writing to the President within three working days after receipt of the written decision of the Provost or the Vice President for Student Success. Should the President choose to do so, he or she may seek the advice of a University Grievance Committee. In the special case of faculty-student grievances, the President may expand the University Grievance Committee to balance faculty representation with an appropriate number of representatives selected from the Student Government Association or from the professional staff in Student Affairs or some combination of both. The President’s decision is final.

Faculty-Faculty

The grievant will file a written complaint with the next immediate academic superior to both parties as detailed below. A complaint form, indicating the parties involved and the basic nature of the complaint, is available on the Provost’s website.

1. If both faculty members are members of the same department or division, then the complaint would go to the chair. If the faculty members reside in different colleges, then the complaint would immediately go to the Provost.

2. If one of the faculty members is the department or division chair, then the complaint would go to the Dean of the college wherein the department or division resides.

3. If one of the faculty members is the Dean of the college, then the complaint would go to the Provost.

4. If the Provost is one of the parties to the complaint, then a Grievance Committee must be formed to hear the complaint, following the procedure detailed under item 6 below.

5. The original recipient of the complaint will have fifteen working days in which to meet with the parties. If a satisfactory resolution is not found, the grievance may be appealed to the next line of authority, until it has been heard by the Provost. No step may take more than fifteen working days. If the health of one of the parties is at stake, then the period allotted to each step of the process will be no more than five working days.

6. If a complaint cannot be resolved informally, then a Grievance Committee must be formed from the University Grievance Pool. Each party will select two committee members from the pool, and the Faculty Senate President will select the fifth member. Faculty from the same college as either of the parties are not eligible to serve on a Grievance Committee, and faculty members with personal involvement in the grievance or other conflicts of interest should recuse themselves.

If a complaint reaches a Grievance Committee, the committee will hear appropriate evidence and witnesses. Both parties may be represented; however, the committee may define the role of the representatives as appropriate. In addition to the original complaint form, the grievant must provide a written dossier explaining the nature of the grievance and presenting any pertinent evidence, and the party grieved against may also provide a dossier. The contents of these dossiers will be made available to the opposing parties in the grievance as well as their representatives, if any. If either party wishes to add new evidence after the committee has commenced its hearings (but before it has made its recommendations), the committee may allow the additional evidence to be heard if relevant (subject to the stipulations above).

The committee will write its recommendations and submit them to the President. It will advise the parties to the grievance of its recommendation, in writing, within five working days after the hearings are completed. The Faculty Senate will maintain records of the hearing for a period of not less than ten years.

Faculty-Administrator

In the event of a faculty-administrator grievance, a Grievance Committee must be formed immediately following the procedure described under item 6 above. The grievant must complete a complaint form as for a Faculty-Faculty grievance, and in general the procedure follows the procedure described above under Faculty-Faculty grievances once the Grievance Committee has been formed. Note that grievances involving administrators with faculty status, such as Deans and department chairs, are resolved as Faculty-Faculty grievances (above). If for example a faculty member has a complaint against his department or division chair, the complaint goes to the Dean and then the Provost before a Grievance Committee is formed.

HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION

Personal Leaves

Sick Leave

Eligible employees earn sick leave at the rate of eight hours per month or a fraction of a month’s service. Part-time eligible employees earn sick leave in the same proportion as their work is to full-time employment. Sick leave may be accumulated without limit and there is no waiting period before sick leave may be taken.

A continuing employee who reduces employment to less than is necessary to qualify as an eligible employee shall earn no additional sick leave nor use any sick leave while holding the non-qualifying position.

Sick leave may be taken when sickness, injury, or pregnancy and confinement prevent the employee’s performance of duty, or when the employee is needed to care for and assist a member of the employee’s immediate family who is actually ill. For purposes relating to sick leave, immediate family is defined as those individuals related by kinship, adoption, marriage, or foster children who are certified by the Department of Human Services who are living in the same household.

An employee’s use of sick leave for family members not residing in that employee’s household is strictly limited to the time necessary to provide care and assistance to a child or parent of the employee or parent of the employee’s spouse that needs such care and assistance as a direct result of a documented medical condition.

A sick leave pool is available for all eligible employees who have exhausted their sick and vacation leave due to a catastrophic illness or injury. The pool is intended to ease the hardship caused by an illness or injury which would otherwise force the employee to lose income from the state. For purposes of this procedure, a catastrophic illness or injury is a severe condition or combination of conditions affecting the mental or physical health of the employee or the employee’s immediate family which requires the services of a licensed practitioner for a period of time in excess of thirty calendar days.

Military Leave

Leaves of absence are granted for military training and active duty. Military leave is generally unpaid. However, if an employee is a member of the National Guard or Reserves, he or she will be granted paid leave for up to fifteen days each federal fiscal year for military training or duty. Such an employee is also entitled to emergency leave with pay if he or she is a member of a National Guard unit called to emergency active duty by the Governor.

Civic Duty

Jury Duty Leave is authorized as an excused absence for full-time faculty in order to meet the institution’s civic responsibilities. It is the faculty member’s responsibility to notify the respective department chair and the Provost in order to make appropriate arrangements. The faculty member must submit a completed Leave of Absence form and a Jury Duty Certification form to the Office of the Provost to cover the leave of absence. Forms should be forwarded to the Human Resources Office. A faculty member will be granted a leave of absence with pay for jury service. A deduction shall not be made from the salary or wages of any faculty member who is called for jury service, nor shall such faculty members be required to account to the University for any fee or compensation received.

Emergency Leave of Absence

Emergency leave with pay will be granted to eligible employees upon request because of the death of the employee’s spouse, or the employee’s or spouse’s child, parent, brother, sister, grandparent, or grandchild.

Parental Leave of Absence

Employees are entitled to a parental leave of absence, not to exceed twelve weeks, for the birth of a natural child or the adoption of a child under three years of age. This period begins with the date of birth or the first day the adoptive child is formally placed in the home. Employees may elect to use any combination of available vacation leave, compensatory time off, or leave without pay for this period.

Family and Medical Leave

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) provides eligible employees up to twelve weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave each fiscal year for the following family and medical reasons:

• For the care of the employee’s child immediately following birth or placement in his or her home for adoption or foster care;

• For the care of the employee’s spouse, child or parent who has a serious health condition; or

• For a serious health condition that causes the employee to be unable to perform his or her job.

Employees are eligible if they have at least one year of service with the state and have worked 1,250 hours for the state in the twelve calendar months immediately prior to the beginning of the leave.

All eligible paid leave must be taken before using unpaid leave, and advance notice and medical certification is required prior to the commencement of leave. If medically necessary, intermittent or reduced leave may be taken.

Jobs and benefits are protected while on FMLA leave. Upon return from FMLA leave, employees are restored to the original or equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms, unless the employee would not otherwise have been employed at that time.

For the duration of FMLA leave, the state will pay its contribution toward employees’ insurance coverage under the condition coverage would have been provided if the employee had continued working.

Vacation

Details are available from the Office of Human Resources, and they will be provided to a new faculty member during his or her orientation.

If a faculty member is to be absent from normal duties, he or she is expected to prepare a Faculty Leave Request and submit it to his or her department chair or Dean prior to the absence, or as soon thereafter as possible.

Other Human Resources Information

Information regarding benefits, salary schedules, and payroll deductions is available in the Office of Human Resources, and will be provided to new faculty members during their orientation. Faculty members will be notified when changes occur.

NEW FACULTY INFORMATION

Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Texas A&M International University considers the abuse of alcohol and/or illicit drug use by its faculty, staff and students to be unacceptable. The unlawful manufacture, distribution, sale, possession, or use of illicit drugs or alcohol and the abuse of alcohol are strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. Any employee found in violation of this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, and may be required to participate in an appropriate abuse assistance or rehabilitation program.

Bulletin Boards

Bulletin boards are provided at several campus locations. Faculty members may use these bulletin boards for appropriate and approved general communications.

Communicable Diseases

In accordance with federal and state laws and regulations regarding health and safety, measures will be taken to protect the health and safety of students, faculty, employees and visitors to the University.

Emergency Closing

In the event of emergency, appropriate notice will be provided via radio and/or television and/or electronic mail and/or other public broadcast media.

Keys

Keys will be issued to faculty through the various academic administrators. Keys remain the property of the University and will be returned upon request or separation. Keys are not to be duplicated.

Leave of Absence

Information concerning, but not limited to, vacation leave, sick leave, emergency leave, parental leave, family and medical leave, civic duty leave, and military leave is available from the University’s Department of Human Resources.

Mail and Email

Faculty members may expect the University to provide normal mail services to facilitate the accomplishment of the faculty members’ professional responsibilities. It is assumed that mail services provided by the University will be protected by appropriate federal and state law, and the privacy of the faculty member’s mail, both electronic and paper, will be respected by the University.

Purchase Orders / Requisitions

Faculty members may initiate purchase requisitions. Complete purchasing policies and procedures are available through the Purchasing Office.

Telephones

Telephone service is provided to the faculty to permit and facilitate the accomplishment of the faculty members’ professional responsibilities. Abuse of telephones and/or long distance access will not be tolerated. More information regarding faculty use of telephones is provided in TAMUS Policy 33.04 Sections 1 and 2.

University Awards

The annual faculty awards are an attempt on the part of the faculty to recognize outstanding professionalism among its peers. The faculty recognize that exceptional professionalism is measured by different criteria in different disciplines; however, it is the opinion of the faculty that it is extremely important that, regardless of how it is measured, professionalism be recognized. These awards provide a public recognition for quality, as defined by colleagues, peers and fellow professors.

Annually, a circular medallion attached to an appropriate ribbon is presented by the Provost, during the Fall Assembly, to the selected faculty members. The medallion will be appropriate for, and should be worn as a part of, the recipients’ academic regalia. The medallion should be inscribed, “Distinguished University Scholar, [year],” or “Distinguished University Teacher, [year],” and “Outstanding Teacher, [year]”. Special parking and a small stipend may also be included for all award winners. In addition, the Distinguished University Scholar, Distinguished University Teacher and Outstanding Teacher of the Year may be invited to give short lectures during Fall Convocation.

Procedure

At the beginning of each Spring Semester, each college’s promotion and tenure committee will call for nominations for the college’s Distinguished Scholar of the Year, Distinguished Teacher of the Year, and Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Each college’s promotion and tenure committee will decide how the nomination process will work within their purview (whether that be an open nomination process or one in which departments forward nominees to the college’s P&T committee). Only tenured and tenured-track faculty that have been at Texas A&M International University for at least three calendar years will be eligible for the Distinguished Scholar and Teacher of the Year awards. For the Outstanding Teacher instructors, lecturers, and fixed-term professionals must have been employed by Texas A&M International University for at least three years.

Nominees for college Distinguished Scholar of the Year, Distinguished Teacher of the Year, and Outstanding Teacher of the Year will be required to submit a brief (no more than 20 pages) portfolio highlighting their achievements (similar to the promotion/tenure portfolio) for the use of the respective P&T committees in the decision-making process. Nominees for Distinguished Scholar of the Year must include evidence regarding scholarly and creative accomplishments over a period of three calendar years (ending with the year covered in the most recent PPE), and the candidates will be judged on their accomplishments over that three-year period.

College P&T committees will meet no later than February 15 to review nominees’ portfolios and select the college Distinguished Scholar and Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Teacher of the Year award recipients. The College of Arts and Sciences will choose two Scholars and two Teachers of the Year; the A.R. Sanchez School of Business, the College of Education, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University College and Killam Library will each choose one Scholar and one Teacher of the Year. These winners then become the nominees for the Distinguished University Scholar and the Distinguished University Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

Once College / School award recipients have been designated, the chair of each college’s P&T committee will forward their colleagues’ names in a recommendation letter to the chair of the Awards Committee. The Awards Committee will appoint a team of highly qualified faculty (not necessarily senators) who will observe and report on the classroom instruction of all college winners for Distinguished Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Teacher of the Year. The college winners will arrange these observation sessions with the appointed team during the last two weeks of March. The nominee's observation reports will be added to the portfolios prior to Faculty Senate review. The Distinguished Scholar of the Year, Distinguished Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Teacher of the Year portfolios will be made available to members of the Faculty Senate for their information and review during the last two weeks of April.

At the May meeting of the Faculty Senate, the entire Senate will vote for a Distinguished University Scholar of the Year, Distinguished University Teacher of the Year, and Outstanding Teacher of the Year from the nominees for each award. Senators who are in the running for one of the awards and senators who have not read all the portfolios will not participate in the voting. Award recipients, as well as the college winners in all three categories, will be announced at Fall Assembly. Once recognized as Distinguished University Scholar or Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Teacher of the Year, faculty members will not be eligible for consideration for any additional faculty award for three years.

NON-REAPPOINTMENT, DISMISSAL, AND SEPARATION OF FACULTY

Phasing Out of Programs or Financial Exigencies

Notice of Reduction in Force

The phasing out of institutional programs or financial exigencies, which causes a reduction of faculty, may require exceptions to the normal tenure policy. In these cases, the faculty involved in the reduction will be given every advanced notice possible and every effort will be made by the University to place the affected faculty in other available positions in the University’s employment for which they are qualified (TAMUS Policy 12.01, Section 7.2).

Hearings

Faculty members whose reappointments are to be terminated as a result of phasing out of institutional programs or financial exigencies which cause a reduction in faculty will be entitled to a hearing before an appropriate faculty committee. The hearing shall include the following procedures (TAMUS Policy 12.01, Section 7.3.4):

1. The faculty member will be furnished with adequate written statements of the basis for the initial decision to lay off;

2. The faculty member will be provided with a reasonably adequate description of the manner in which the initial decision was made;

3. The faculty member will be provided with adequate disclosure of all information and data upon which the decision-makers have relied; and,

4. The faculty member will be provided with adequate opportunity to respond.

In a hearing the burden of proof rests with the faculty member to establish a preponderance of the evidence that his or her termination was based upon an illegal reason or was arbitrary or unreasonable. Also, any faculty member involved in such a readjustment process has the right to reappointment to his or her previous position if it is re-established within two calendar years (TAMUS Policy 12.01, Section 7.3.5).

Individual’s Value to Program

A person’s value to a department will be the prime consideration in a staff reduction. Tenured faculty will have retention preference over non-tenured faculty unless the termination of the program would result from the loss of the non-tenured member. In the latter situation, if deemed feasible by the department chair involved, a tenured person may be given an opportunity to become competent in an area essential to a program and thus regain priority. In situations where all other factors are equal, decisions will be based on merit, rank, and then length of service.

Non-reappointment

Notice of non-reappointment, or of intention not to reappoint a tenure-track faculty member, shall be given in writing in accord with the following standards:

1. Not later than March 1 of the first academic year of probationary service, if the appointment expires at the end of the academic year; or, if a one-year appointment terminates during a year, at least three months in advance of its termination;

2. Not later than December 15 of the second year of probationary service, if the appointment expires at the end of that academic year; or if an initial two-year appointment terminates during an academic year, at least six months in advance of its termination;

3. At least twelve months before the expiration of a probationary appointment after two or more years in the institution.

Good cause for dismissal of a faculty member with tenure will related directly and substantially to the performance of professional duties, and may include, but shall not be limited to (TAMUS Policy 12.01, Section 4.3):

1. Professional incompetence;

2. Continuing or repeated failure to perform duties or meet responsibilities to the institution or to students or associates;

3. Failure to successfully complete a post-tenure review Professional Development Plan;

4. Moral turpitude adversely affecting the performance of duties or the meeting of responsibilities to the University, or to students or associates;

5. Violation of System policies, System regulations, University or agency rules, or laws substantially related to performance of faculty duties or meeting of responsibilities to the institution, students, or associates;

6. Conviction of a crime substantially related to the fitness of a faculty member to engage in teaching, research, service/outreach, and/or administration;

7. Unprofessional conduct adversely affecting to a material and substantial degree the performance of duties or the meeting of responsibilities to the University, or to students or associates;

8. Falsification of academic credentials;

9. Bona fide financial exigency or the phasing out of institutional programs requiring reduction of faculty (see previous section); bona fide financial exigency means a pressing need to reorder the nature and magnitude of financial obligations in such a way as to restore or preserve the financial stability of any component of The Texas A&M University System; a bona fide financial exigency may exist without the entire component being affected (TAMUS Policy 12.01, Section 8.2.1); or,

10. The reduction or discontinuance of institutional programs based on educational considerations and requiring the termination of faculty members.

A faculty member with tenure shall not be dismissed until she/he has received reasonable notice of the cause for dismissal in writing and only after an opportunity for a hearing, which shall meet the established procedures of due process and in which the University shall bear the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence good cause for dismissal.

A non-tenured faculty member, having a grievance regarding the non-renewal of his or her contract, has the right to have a hearing before a University administrator (TAMU Board of Regents Agenda Item #35, July 28, 2000).[6] The procedure at Texas A&M International University, approved by the President, September 3, 2000, ordains that the grieving faculty member will select a dean, other than that of his or her own college, who will hear the grievance. The outcome of the hearing will be communicated to the faculty member concerned and the Provost, who will in turn present the report together with a recommendation to the President. The President’s decision will be final. In cases in which the faculty member challenges the non-renewal on grounds of discrimination, infringement of academic freedom, or the existence of an illegal reason [e.g., a decision based on race, sex, age, national origin, or made in retaliation for the faculty member’s exercise of protected First Amendment rights], he or she is entitled to the due process procedures as provided under Discharge for Cause, below.

Separation

Resignation

As professional educators and scholars, it is expected that a statement of resignation will be made in writing, and it will be presented to the appropriate college Dean and department chair with adequate notice so as not to inconvenience the student body.

Retirement

Employment of a formerly tenured faculty member after retirement will be on a non-tenured status. Such post-retirement employment does not accrue toward the resumption of tenure status. These positions filled by retired faculty may not exceed a total of ten percent of the FTE positions in a college. Complete retirement conditions, definitions and constraints are detailed in TAMUS Policy 31.07 and are available from the Office of Human Resources.

Failure to Meet Standards

All employees of the University, including faculty, are employed with the expectation that they are able to fulfill the standards of the position for which they were hired or into which they were promoted.

Discharge for Cause – Criteria and Procedure

The procedure for non-renewal of non-tenured faculty at the end of any term contract (other than a one-year-only contract which has not been renewed) shall have the following components.

1. The University is not legally required to give a non-tenured faculty member a reason for a decision not to reappoint for another term or to provide a hearing. Generally, faculty members are entitled to see their personnel files and to obtain a copy of those files at the faculty member’s expense.

2. A decision not to reappoint a non-tenured faculty member may not be made in violation of the academic freedom of the individual or for an illegal reason. If a non-tenured faculty member makes allegations concerning the decision not to reappoint which, if proved, would establish a violation of academic freedom or the existence of an illegal reason (e.g., a decision based on race, sex, age or national origin, or made in retaliation for the faculty member’s exercise of protected First Amendment rights), the faculty member is entitled to the due procedures provided in the following subsections to determine the validity of his or her allegations. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to make the administration aware of his or her allegations, in writing.

3. On request, the faculty member is entitled to a preliminary consideration by a faculty committee of his or her allegations of a violation of academic freedom or the existence of an illegal reason for the decision not to reappoint. If the committee determines that there is adequate evidence to support the faculty member’s allegations, then the faculty member will be entitled to the due process procedure as specified below.

Due Process

Due process, as set forth in this statement, embodies a course of professional proceedings in line with the rules and principles recognized in the academic community. Among these is the right of tenured and non-tenured faculty members, during the term of their contracts, to a fair hearing before a faculty hearing committee.

1. When a reason arises to question the fitness of a faculty member, the appropriate administrative officers will discuss the matter with the faculty member in a personal conference. The matter may be resolved by mutual consent or it may result in a notice of termination. In the event of a notice of termination, the faculty member may request an advisory committee (within five business days), discuss alternatives with the Faculty Ombuds Officer, resign or accept termination, or request a hearing (below).

2. If an advisory committee is requested, the Faculty Senate president (or president’s designee) will appoint a committee of three tenured faculty. The committee will make such inquiry as it deems necessary, offer confidential advice to both the faculty member and administration, and attempt to affect an adjustment or resolution. The proceedings of the advisory committee are not evidentiary and do not comprise a hearing of any kind. The advisory committee must complete all its deliberations and communications with the faculty member and administration within 15 days of the creation of the committee.

3. If the faculty member desires a hearing rather than resigning or accepting termination, he or she should notify the Provost within 30 days of notification of termination.

4. The Provost may initiate a hearing whether or not one is recommended by the advisory committee or requested by the faculty member within 30 days of the notification of termination.

5. If a hearing is initiated, the Faculty Senate president (or designee) will select a panel of eight tenured faculty members, and from this panel the Provost will appoint five faculty members to serve on the hearing committee. The hearing committee shall not overlap the advisory committee (above). The Provost shall notify the faculty member, in writing, within 30 days of the decision to conduct a hearing, that the hearing is to be initiated, and that there is reasonable cause to believe that the charges constitute good cause for dismissal.

6. Both the University and the faculty member have the right to call witnesses and to be represented during the hearing. The faculty hearing committee will review evidence, written and oral statements, and determine its findings. The hearing procedure shall be spelled out, known in advance, and shared with the concerned parties.

7. The findings of the hearing committee and its recommendations will be conveyed in writing to the faculty member, the President, the Provost, and other appropriate administrative officers.

8. The faculty member may appeal the decision to the President. The faculty member should submit a written appeal to the President within 20 days of the forwarding of recommendations to the President. The President will make a final decision within 20 days of the receipt of an appeal. Decisions regarding non-renewal of non-tenure-track faculty members made by the President are final.

9. If the President recommends termination of the faculty member, the recommendation will be forwarded to the Chancellor according to TAMUS Policy.

6 This portion of the text constitutes explanatory text that was added to the State’s directive.

RESEARCH INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

Copyright and Intellectual Property

Issues regarding copyright and ownership of intellectual property created while in the employ of Texas A&M International University are covered in TAMUS Policy 17.01, “Intellectual Property Management and Commercialization.” Particular attention should be paid to section 17.01.02, “Ownership of Intellectual Property and Tangible Research Property (TRP).”

Hazardous Waste

The Texas Hazard Communication Act of 1985, Texas Civil Statutes, Article 5182b requires that Texas A&M International University provide faculty with certain specific information concerning the use and disposal of hazardous materials. For a complete description of the statute and its implications, see TAMUS Policy 34.02 Section 2.

Human Subjects

All research projects conducted by members of the TAMIU community involving human subjects must be approved by the University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) or be exempt from IRB review by federal statute. Both faculty and student researchers must contact the Office of the Provost for the latest information regarding IRB approval and exemption procedures.

The University’s IRB number registered with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is as follows: IRB 00002613. The Federal-Wide number for the Assurance for the Protection of Human Subjects (see DHHS website) is as follows: FWA 00003404.

Inventions, Patents, and Creations

TAMUS policy regarding inventions, patents, and creations is outlined in TAMUS Policy 17.01. The ownership rests with the creator, unless the University commissions the creation.

Scientific Misconduct and Animal Research

TAMUS research policies, restrictions and constraints are outlined in TAMUS Policy 15.01.

Study Leave and Faculty Development Leave

Faculty on leave will be given the same considerations as faculty on campus with regard to salary, tenure, seniority and all other rights and privileges, except as explicitly exempted in the terms of the request for leave and the approval of the leave.

Study Leave

Without Pay.

Upon recommendation and approval of the Dean, Provost and President and submission to the Chancellor for approval by the TAMUS Board of Regents, a leave of absence without pay for travel or study may be granted to a teaching member of the faculty who has been employed for at least three years. A leave will not be granted for longer than twelve months at one time, but an extension for additional time may be granted if conditions warrant and permit it.

With Pay (Faculty Development Leave).

The purpose of this procedure is to meet the objectives of faculty development as outlined in the Texas Education Code, Section 51.102: to provide a program of leaves of absence that would enable faculty members to engage in study, research, writing, and similar projects. In effect, the legislature aims to improve higher education by providing opportunities for professional growth at colleges and universities, thereby increasing the value of the recipient’s sustained contribution. Thus, faculty development leaves are part of a plan of compensation for faculty.

Faculty development leave may be granted to persons employed by Texas A&M International University who are full-time tenured faculty or equivalent. Faculty duties include teaching, research, administration (who have no more than ¼ release time for administration) and/or professional services. Faculty development leave may not be granted to persons in the classified personnel system of the University.

Eligibility is limited to tenured, full-time faculty members:

• With at least seven years of service at this University;

• With at least six years of service since their last development leave; and

• Who have submitted acceptable report(s) from previous leave(s).

The Faculty Development Leave Committee (FDLC) shall be chaired by the current President of the Faculty Senate and shall consist of one tenured faculty member from each college and/or free standing academic unit, with the exception of the College of Arts and Sciences, which shall have two representatives. The Faculty Senate will conduct elections during April, polling faculty from each college to determine its representative. Members elected in April will begin their terms the next school year, beginning in September. Faculty members are not eligible for faculty development leave during their tenure on the committee.

All elections shall be for three-year terms. When vacancies occur, the Faculty Senate shall designate a replacement to fill the unexpired term. The President of the Faculty Senate is responsible for all matters pertaining to the election of FDLC members.

The FDLC will recommend an application deadline to the Provost who, in turn, will notify the faculty. Normally, the application deadline will be no later than November 1 of the Fall Semester preceding the academic year for which the award is sought. For example, if faculty members were seeking leave during the fall and/or spring term of 2009-2010, they would apply in November 2008.

An applicant will submit a completed application for approval to the appropriate department head in accord with the deadline established by the FDLC. Upon receipt of the applications by the academic department, further routing will be as follows: from the department chair to the Dean, and to the Office of the Provost. The department chair must indicate how the faculty member’s classes will be covered (including an estimate of costs). Each administrative officer will have one week to comment and forward the application packet. The Provost will then forward packets to the FDLC for ranking.

The FDLC will return rankings to the Provost, who will review and forward the rankings to the President. The FDLC reserves the right to interview applicants when needed for clarification in ranking applications. Leaves will be considered final upon recommendation by the President, who will cause to be provided written acknowledgment of approval to all applicants and the FDLC.

The FDLC determines and reports the criteria to be used in making its selection recommendations to the Provost. Current criteria are those cited in Chapter 51, Section 51.102 of the Texas Education Code:

“On the application of a faculty member, the governing board of an institution of higher education may grant a faculty development leave of absence for study, research, writing, field observations, or other suitable purpose, to a faculty member if the board determines that the faculty member is eligible by reason of service, that the purpose for which a faculty development leave is sought is one for which a faculty development leave may be granted, and that granting the leave will not place on faculty development leave a greater number of faculty members than that authorized.”

Requests for faculty development leave must be approved or disapproved by the department chair. Impact of the leave on the applicant’s department or program (i.e. describe how the leave will benefit the institution), and other pertinent information, should be addressed in the department chair’s decision.

Faculty members may hold faculty development leaves for one academic year at one-half their regular salary, or for one-half an academic year at their full salary. An academic year is defined as the nine-month period contained in the Fall and Spring semesters; development leaves are not authorized for summer sessions.

Faculty members having signed a legal agreement to serve one full academic year after completion of the leave shall be required to reimburse the University in the amount they receive as salary and fringe benefits if they should fail to fulfill the year of service after the leave. Permanent disability attested to by a medical doctor would constitute reason for exemption, or an equivalent condition as judged by the Provost.

Faculty members on leave will retain their rights and eligibility for benefits to hospitalization, medical insurance, income protection, life insurance, and other such programs (including retirement) in force for full-time faculty members. The University administration shall cause to be deducted from the leave recipient’s salary the cost of such benefits as permitted by law.

Within three months of their return from leave, recipients of faculty development leave must provide a written report of their activities to their respective department chairs, who in turn will route the report to the Dean and the Provost. Recipients will also conduct a forum for discussion with members of their respective colleges. A copy of the written report, and the agenda for the college discussion, will be submitted to the FDLC, who will report their work to the Faculty Senate at the September meeting of the Faculty Senate.

This program is restricted to those departments or academic units that are able to release a faculty member without affecting their academic functions and without hiring a replacement, unless funds are available.

Appropriate funding for faculty development leave is authorized by Title 3, Chapter 51, Section 51.105 of the Texas Education Code:

“a. The governing board may grant to a faculty member a faculty development leave either for one academic year at one-half of his [sic] regular salary or for one-half academic year at his [sic] full salary. Payment of salary to the faculty member on faculty development leave may be made from the funds appropriated by the legislature specifically for that purpose, or from such other funds as might be available to the institution.

b. A faculty member on faculty development leave may accept a grant for study, research, or travel from any institution of higher education or governmental agency. A faculty member on faculty development leave may not accept employment from any other person, corporation, or government, unless the governing board determines that it would be in the public interest to do so and expressly approves the employment.

c. It is not required that faculty members obtain matching funds to be eligible for development leave; however, faculty members who are granted development leave are encouraged to seek additional funding from authorized and appropriate external sources. Applicants must follow guidelines established by the Office of Grant Resources when seeking additional funding.”

The University will supplement the faculty member’s grant or salary paid by the entity sponsoring the development program so that the University compensation will equal half the faculty member’s regular salary for one academic year or his or her full regular salary for half an academic year, subject to availability of funds. In order for the faculty member to remain eligible for state-paid benefits, the department must submit a Memorandum of Employment covering the absence period and attach a copy of the approval of the faculty member’s development leave request to the Office of Human Resources.

As stated in Title 3, Chapter 51, Section 51.106, not more than six percent of the faculty members of any institution of higher education may be on faculty development leave at any one time. Additionally, the actual leaves awarded are dependent upon the availability of funds as well as the extent to which proposed leave requires funding.

STUDENT SUCCESS

Student Handbook

The Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement (SCCE) publishes the Student Handbook. It is available from the Office of the SCCE website at https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml. The Student Conduct Code, and student rights and responsibilities are defined in the Student Handbook.

Sponsorship / Organizations

A complete list of chartered organizations may be found on the Internet at www.tamiu.edu/sole. The Office of Student Orientation, Leadership and Engagement (SOLE) maintains regulations and procedures for the establishment of student organizations.

Student Violations of Academic Integrity (Cheating, Plagiarism)

Students are expected to maintain high ethical standards in their academic work, and faculty members are expected to maintain the fairness and integrity of course grades. Students who are caught claiming credit for work that they did not do – whether the dishonesty consists of cheating on exams, intentionally plagiarizing papers or course projects, or other forms of academic misrepresentation and dishonesty – can expect to receive failing grades in the course in question. Faculty members are required to report such serious breaches of academic honesty to their chair, their Dean, the Provost, and the Office of SCCE and University Registrars.

In addition to grade penalties, students guilty of academic dishonesty may be placed on probation, temporarily suspended, or permanently expelled from the University by the Provost, as specified in the Student Handbook. The Honor Council reviews each case reported to the Provost and makes recommendations. (See the Honor Code in Appendix E.)

Student Leave of Absence and Pregnant/Parenting Students

Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, harassment based on sex, including harassment because of pregnancy or related conditions, is prohibited. A pregnant/parenting student must be granted an absence for as long as the student's physician deems the absence medically necessary. It is a violation of Title IX to ask for documentation relative to the pregnant/parenting student's status beyond what would be required for other medical conditions. Parenting accommodations are available to both parents of a newborn, however, the cause for the reasonable accommodation must be related to the pregnancy or postpartum.

The University advises a pregnant or parenting student to notify their professor once they are aware that accommodations for such will be necessary. It is recommended that the student and professor attempt to work out the reasonable accommodations with each other. The Director of Student Conduct and Community Engagement (Mayra Hernandez, mghernandez@tamiu.edu) can assist the student and professor in working out reasonable accommodations. In the event that a student will need a leave of absence from the University for a substantial period of time, the University encourages the student to consider a Leave of Absence (LOA) as outlined herein. As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides LOA's for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule and the Student LOA Rule.

Students may file complaints of discrimination due to pregnant or parenting status with the TAMIU Title IX Coordinator (Lorissa Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, KL 159B, Laredo, TX, 78041, TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956-326-2857) and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office, U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214-661-9600).

TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES AND RELATED INFORMATION

Academic Freedom

It is essential that each faculty member be free to pursue scholarly inquiry, and to voice and publish individual conclusions concerning the significance of evidence that the faculty member considers relevant. Each faculty member is entitled to full freedom in the classroom in discussing the subject which he or she teaches, but should not introduce controversial matter which has no relation to the classroom subject. Each faculty member is also a citizen of the nation, state and community; and when speaking, writing, or acting as such, must be free from institutional censorship or discipline. (TAMUS Policy 12.01 Section 1, quoted selectively).

TAMUS Policy 12.01 Sections 1 and 2 define academic freedom and outline the basic protections and responsibilities of faculty with regard to academic freedom. Faculty members must recognize that the public will judge their profession and system academic institutions by their statements (TAMUS Policy 12.01 Section 2.2). The controlling principle is that a faculty member’s expression of opinion as a citizen cannot constitute grounds for dismissal unless it clearly demonstrates the faculty member’s unfitness for his or her position, as described in the Non-reappointment section of this Handbook. Extramural utterances rarely bear upon the faculty member’s fitness or job performance. Moreover, a final decision should take into account the faculty member’s entire record as a teacher and scholar.

Faculty Responsibilities

Teaching Faculty

Texas A&M International University is committed to excellence in instruction, a concern for students, and the integrity of the institution. As such, all teaching faculty are expected to:

1. Make known to students in writing the goals and requirements of each course, the nature of the course content and the methods of evaluation to be employed.

2. Meet classes as scheduled.

3. Instruct so as to meet course objectives.

4. Maintain competence in teaching fields.

5. Be professional in conduct, in the classroom, and show respect for the students.

6. Be available to students for consultation on course work during regular published office hours.

7. Serve as academic advisor in accordance with college policy on advisement.

8. Engage in Service activities according to requirements for performance by rank as stated in this Handbook, and applicable college and department policies.

9. Engage in Scholarly activity according to requirements for performance by rank as stated in this Handbook, and applicable college and department policies.

While these responsibilities provide the foundation of good teaching and professionalism, they do not alone qualify one for tenure or promotion. See relevant sections of this Handbook for additional information concerning promotion and tenure.

Library Faculty

All Library faculty are expected to:

1. Adhere to the American Library Association Code of Ethics.

2. Maintain knowledge and competence in their areas of specialization.

3. Be professional in conduct and show respect for patrons.

4. Perform their professional assignments in a manner that supports the Library’s mission within the University.

5. Engage in Service activities according to requirements for performance by rank as stated in this Handbook, and applicable Library policies.

6. Engage in Professional Enrichment activities according to requirements for performance by rank as stated in this Handbook, and applicable Library policies.

Academic Services and Support (Media, Computer, etc.)

A faculty member should reasonably expect support from the University for the successful accomplishment of the faculty member’s Teaching, Scholarship, and Service responsibilities. The faculty member should expect to utilize adequate care to ensure that the support provided by the University is not misused.

Program Evaluation

It is the responsibility of every faculty member to remain current in his or her area of expertise. If in their expert opinion, a program should be added, revised, or dropped, the faculty member has a responsibility to share their opinion with the appropriate curriculum committee or to bring their opinion to the Academic Oversight Committee of the Faculty Senate.

Student Advising

Each full-time faculty member is expected to advise and council a designated group of students concerning academic course requirements, as well as personal matters related to their overall educational experiences. The faculty member’s basic responsibilities are to assist assigned graduate and/or undergraduate advisees in enrolling in appropriate courses as specified by individual degree plans provided by the Office of Admissions and Advisement, and to monitor each student’s total course load with respect to degree of difficulty and the student’s non-academic responsibilities, e.g., full-time work or familial responsibilities.

Student Records (FERPA)

The University accumulates data and keeps records to enable staff and faculty to plan educational opportunities to meet the needs of individual students, to better understand students to counsel them more effectively, and to assist to placement in graduate education or employment programs after graduation. These records should be considered confidential and the privacy of the student protected.

Preliminary (first day) class rolls are distributed as soon as possible after registration. These rolls should be checked by faculty and discrepancies reported to the Office of the Registrar. Corrections are incorporated in the final class roll, which reflects registration as of the official census date (twelfth class day for long semesters, fourth class day for summer sessions). These final class rolls must be signed by the instructor as correct and returned to the Office of the Registrar in a timely manner.

Forms for assigning grades are distributed after the final day for dropping classes. These forms must be completed by faculty and returned to the Office of the Registrar by the specified due date. The Office of the Registrar will not release grades to students until the final reports are prepared and mailed.

These records are required by the state of Texas and may be audited as part of the funding process.

Posting Grades

Faculty are legally prohibited from publicly posting student grades in such a fashion that students can be identified by anyone other than themselves or their designated representatives; however, it is often necessary to disseminate information outside the classroom about student performance. Therefore, when such necessity occurs, instructors may post grades in such a way that the student’s privacy is protected. This means that student names or complete Social Security numbers may not be used. Instructors may use whatever method they devise so long as individual privacy is protected.

Office Hours

Each faculty member is expected to establish, post and maintain a reasonable number of office hours. The determination of the number of office hours will be made in consultation with the faculty member’s department chair. The following constraints should be considered:

1. All faculty members are expected to have office hours.

2. Office hours will be scheduled for the convenience of students.

3. Office hours must be posted outside the faculty member’s office, and recorded with the department chair.

4. All faculty members, regardless of their assignments, are expected to maintain an absolute minimum of three and an absolute maximum of forty office hours per week.

APPENDIX A: Changes to Faculty Handbook Since 2010

(Page numbers below refer to the pagination of the 2011 edition.)

ABOUT TAMIU

• Pg. 8: University Committees: structure of the Technology Advisory Committee was REVISED to add a representative of the University President and reduce the number of other administrative and faculty representatives, and to assign the Faculty Senate representative as chair; a description and structure for the Distance Education and Instructional Technology Committee was ADDED.

APPOINTMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF FACULTY

• Pg. 23: Others with Faculty Status: description and guidelines for Fixed-Term Faculty (TAMUS Policy 12.07) were ADDED.

ETHICS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Pg. 24: Conflicts of Interest and Outside Employment: sentence beginning “Policies and restrictions . . .” was ADDED to the end of the first paragraph.

• Pg. 24: Conflict of Interest and Outside Employment: second paragraph (beginning “Full-time faculty are expected . . .”) and eight bullet points following were DELETED. The deleted materials (inaccurately) duplicated material from TAMUS Policy 31.05, which was referenced in the sentence added above.

• Pg. 26: Professional Ethics: the words “performances, exhibitions” were ADDED to the first sentence to more accurately reflect the language of TAMUS Policy 12.01.

• Pg. 26: Sexual Harassment: the last sentence in the first paragraph (“Sexual harassment, as defined in TAMUS Policy 34.01. Section 2, is a Class A misdemeanor under the Texas Penal Code”) was DELETED, and the current final sentence (beginning “Sexual harassment is treated . . .”) was ADDED to replace it. This reflects a change in TAMUS Policy.

• Pg. 26: Political Activity: the entire section, eleven paragraphs under the subheadings Non-elective State or Federal Office, Positions of Employment with Government Agencies, Public Officials and Political Activities, Use of Official Authority Prohibited, Use of TAMUS Funds or Property, Voting and Political Participation, Political Campaign Events on TAMUS Property, Employees and Candidates and Officeholders, and Political Contributions from Employees, was DELETED. The single paragraph currently under the heading Political Activity was ADDED to replace the deleted materials.

EVALUATION AND PROMOTION OF FACULTY

• Pg. 30: Post-Tenure Review: Introduction: sentence beginning “A definition of post-tenure review ...” was ADDED to the end of the second paragraph.

• Pg. 36: Tenure: the earlier first paragraph of the section was DELETED, and the current first paragraph was ADDED to replace it.

• Pg. 36: Tenure: two sentences from the end of the third paragraph in this section were DELETED (“Tenure is granted only by the affirmative action of the Board of Regents upon recommendation of the President of the University. At the conclusion of the probationary period and the tenure application procedure, the President will notify the faculty member in writing of the decision of the Board of Regents.”) as redundant with TAMUS Policy 12.01.

• Pg. 39: Documentation and Presentations in Support of Applications: number of pages in dossier was increased to 25; paragraph was ADDED permitting external review letters and other materials to be added to the dossier.

FACULTY WORKLOAD

• Pg. 42: General Considerations: sentence reading, ’Faculty teaching a doctoral seminar will receive one course release time in the semester prior to the semester in which the seminar is delivered, and one course release time during the semester is delivered’ was ALTERED to read, “Faculty teaching a doctoral seminar will receive one course release time during the semester in which the seminar is delivered, and may receive one course release time in the semester prior to the semester in which the seminar is delivered.”

GRADUATE FACULTY

• Pg. 43-46: ENTIRE SECTION was rewritten, primarily to eliminate distinction between associate and full membership in the Graduate Faculty, also to incorporate other changes requested by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

GRIEVANCES

• Pg. 50-51: Faculty-Faculty and Faculty-Administrator (Grievances): the entire section was rewritten to conform to University practices.

NEW FACULTY INFORMATION

• Pg. 55: Telephones: sentence beginning “More information regarding . . .” was ADDED to the end of the first paragraph.

• Pg. 55: Telephones: second paragraph previously in this section was DELETED.

NON-REAPPOINTMENT, DISMISSAL, AND SEPARATION OF FACULTY

• Pg. 60-61: Discharge for Cause – Criteria and Procedure: the entire section was rewritten to conform to TAMUS Policy and University practices.

TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES AND RELATED INFORMATION

• Pg. 67: Academic Freedom: first paragraph (beginning “It is essential . . .”) and the first two sentences of the second paragraph (“TAMUS Policy 12.01 . . . (TAMUS Policy 12.01 Section 2.2)”) were ADDED.

• Pg. 67: Academic Freedom: four paragraphs which began this section in the 2010 handbook were DELETED, and the first four sentences in what is now the second paragraph were DELETED, in favor of the material added above. This linked academic freedom to TAMUS Policy 12.01 and removed language which might conflict with that policy.

(All major changes below refer to the pagination of the May 5, 2016 Faculty Handbook)

ETHICS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Pg. 29: Communications Channels: DELETED reference to “Organization Chart (Appendix A)” and ADDED TAMIU URL to the chart location.

EVALUATION AND PROMOTION OF FACULTY

• Pg. 31: Evaluation of Teaching: ADDED the sentence “Faculty should receive their Deans’ and the Provost’s comments no later than May 15th.”

• Pg. 39: Promotion and Tenure Deadlines: August 1 deadline REWRITTEN “Faculty eligible for Full Professor submit a letter of intent to the Provost. All other letters of intent should be submitted to their respective Deans.”

NEW FACULTY INFORMATION

• Pg. 59-60: University Awards: ENTIRE SECTION rewritten to include the title “Distinguished” to the Teacher and Scholar of the Year awards and to add the new “Outstanding Teacher of the Year” award for nontenure-track Faculty.

(All major changes below refer to the pagination of the June 11, 2017 Faculty Handbook)

ABOUT TAMIU

• Pg. 7-8: Faculty Senate Committees: sentence beginning, “Senators from the Canseco...” was ALTERED to include University College.

• Pg. 7-8: Sentence beginning, “Faculty Senate Committees, whose meetings are open to the public...” was ALTERED to nine standing committees.

• Pg. 7-8: “At the beginning of the fall semester...” was ADDED.

• Pg. 7-8: All committee descriptions (except for Academic Oversight) were ALTERED to read, “Membership in the committee will be by appointment by the President of the Senate, with the Chair elected by the committee membership.”

• Pg. 7-8: The Academic Oversight Committee was ALTERED to clarify the purpose and membership of the committee.

• Pg. 7-8: ENTIRE SECTION describing The Committee on Faculty Work Environment and Morale was DELETED.

• Pg. 7-8: Descriptions of purpose and membership were ADDED for The Awards Committee, The Assessment Committee, The Technology Advisory Committee, and The Distance Education and Instructional Technology Committee.

• Pg. 10: University Committees: ENTIRE SECTION describing Committee of Professors was DELETED.

• Pg. 10: The University Grievance Pool: selection description was ALTERED to consist of twenty-four members selected by lottery.

• Pg. 11: “In case of conflict...” was ADDED.

• Pg. 12: Graduate Council: sentence beginning, “It is the responsibility of the Graduate Council..” was ALTERED to read, “It is the responsibility of the Graduate Council to establish and review the criteria for membership on the Graduate Faculty.

• Pg. 12-13: The proper name of the dean and the graduate school were changed throughout to read, “Dean of the Graduate School” and “Graduate School”.

ETHICS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Pg. 28: Illegal Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Related Retaliation: section header was REVISED to read, “Anti-Discrimination/Title IX”. The following paragraph was ALTERED to be in compliance with TAMUS policy.

GRADUATE FACULTY

• Pg. 45: Categories and Requirements for Membership: the sentence beginning, “Full members are appointed to the Graduate Faculty…” was DELETED.

• Pg. 45: “For fixed-term faculty...” was ADDED to clarify fixed-term faculty membership to the committee.

• Pg. 45-47: The proper name of the dean and the graduate school were changed throughout to read, “Dean of the Graduate School” and “Graduate School”.

• Pg. 46: Temporary Membership: the sentence beginning, “Appointment to Temporary membership...”, was ALTERED to read, “Appointment to Temporary membership is for a period of three academic years.”

GRIEVANCES

• Pg. 48: Before the section on Faculty Complaint, Grievance, and Appeal Procedures, a description and purpose of the Faculty Ombuds was ADDED.

NEW FACULTY INFORMATION

• Pg. 58: University Awards: announcement of awards was REVISED to be announced at Fall Assembly.

STUDENT AFFAIRS

• Pg. 68: Student Leave of Absence and Pregnant/Parenting Students: second paragraph was ADDED to be in compliance with TAMUS policy.

APPENDIX B: FACULTY CONSTITUTION TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

• Pg. 80: Article IV, Section 2, subsection b, Members-at-large: number of members REVISED to “five full-time voting faculty members…” to accommodate the university’s growing numbers.

APPENDIX F: COLLEGE DOCUMENTS FOR FIXED TERM FACULTY

• Pg. 122: Professional (Fixed-Term) Faculty, Appointment and Promotion, University College procedures ADDED.

(Page numbers below refer to the pagination of the 2018 edition.)

GENERAL UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE

• Pg. 8: ENTIRE SECTION describing Council of Chairs was DELETED.

• Pg. 11: ENTIRE SECTION describing University Committee on Admission Standards and Exceptions was DELETED.

• Pg. 16: Committee Assignment Procedure number 7 was ALTERED to remove reference to University Committee on Admissions Standards and Exceptions.

APPOINTMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF FACULTY

• Pg. 21: “In addition, there is an expectation that faculty seeking promotion...” was ADDED.

EVALUATION AND PROMOTION OF FACULTY

• Pg. 47: “There is an expectation that faculty seeking tenure...” was ADDED.

• Pg. 49: Reference to Committee of Professors was DELETED.

FACULTY WORKLOAD

• Pg. 55: ENTIRE SECTION describing “Release Time for Non-Research Activities” was ADDED.

GRADUATE FACULTY

• Pgs. 58-60: ENTIRE SECTION was REVISED.

STUDENT AFFAIRS

• Pgs. 87-88: ENTIRE SECTION was REVISED. Section title is now “STUDENT SUCCESS”.

APPENDIX E: TAMIU HONOR CODE

• Pgs. 132-147 ENTIRE SECTION was ALTERED to align with 2018-2019 Student Handbook, Article 10, Academic Conduct Proceedings.

APPENDIX F: COLLEGE DOCUMENTS FOR FIXED TERM FACULTY

• Pg. 166: Professional (Fixed-Term) Faculty, Appointment and Promotion, College of Education procedures ADDED.

APPENDIX B: Faculty Constitution Texas A&M International University

FACULTY CONSTITUTION

Originally Approved on 19 April 1995

PREAMBLE:

The purpose of this constitution is to implement the principle that the Texas A&M International University is a collegium (i.e. association of professionals) in which the responsibility for the educational objectives lies with the faculty. This constitution provides the rules and principles of governance for the Faculty upon its acceptance by the membership of the faculty, except where limitations are imposed upon it by the laws of the United States of American, the state of Texas and the Administrative Policy and Reporting Manual of the Texas A&M System (p. 3-19, May 20, 1991, or the latest edition).

ARTICLE I. Organization of the Faculty

Section 1. Membership

As used herein the term “Faculty” or “The Faculty” or any indication of “membership” in the Faculty is inclusive Faculty.

a. The Faculty consists of the President, the Provost, Deans, all full professors, associate professors, assistant professors, instructors, and librarians and administrators holding faculty status.

b. Voting Members of the Faculty shall be those members of the faculty with tenure or with full-time tenure track appointments, full-time fixed term (12.07) faculty, and faculty with full-time appointments at the rank of instructor.

c. Associate Members of the Faculty shall be those members of the faculty with part-time and/or non-tenure track appointments. An associate member shall have all membership privileges except those of voting and the right to serve in the Faculty Senate; however, an associate faculty member with a full-time appointment may vote as of the beginning of the second consecutive year of full-time service. This faculty member, however, may not vote on issues pertaining to Promotion and Tenure, University-wide issues, or serve on the Faculty Senate. Associate faculty members with full-time appointments should also consult the Faculty Handbook for other limitations on their voting rights.

d. Emeritus Members of the Faculty shall be those members of the faculty with emeritus status; they shall have the same privileges as associate members.

ARTICLE II. Authority of the Faculty

Section 1. Authority of the Faculty (subject to Article II Section 3, below).

The faculty shall have authority over matters pertaining to educational policy. By authority is meant the responsibility for developing rules, establishing and acting upon procedures, and recommending policies relating to all matters of educational concern for the welfare of the University. The following are indicative:

a. Standards for admission, selection and retention of students.

b. Requirements for granting degrees and compliance with the certification requirements in teacher education programs.

c. Curricular requirements and the structure of the University with reference to academic matters.

d. Instructional standards and standards for the evaluation of faculty.

e. Promotion and facilitation of academic and instructional research.

f. Procedure for faculty participation in the selection and retention of chairpersons of Departments/Schools and the Deans.

g. Standards for public information programs dealing with educational matters.

h. Standards for academic freedom and the protection of faculty interests.

i. Standards for students’ affairs, conduct and discipline.

j. Appointment, promotion, tenure and dismissal of faculty members.

k. Standards for faculty affairs, conduct, and discipline.

Section 2. Faculty Resolving Authority

The faculty may express, by formal resolution and/or written petition, their opinion on any other matter pertaining to the policies and administration of the University. The following matters are indicative:

a. Selection, retention, or removal of the President and principal academic officers, as well as the creation or abolition of such offices.

b. Expenditures of funds allocated to instructional and academic or instructionally-related research.

c. Major issues affecting current or projected budget decisions.

d. Programs impacting welfare of the Faculty such as salaries, insurance, leaves of absence, University reorganization and accreditation.

Section 3. Responsibility of the Faculty Senate

a. The Faculty Senate is empowered to act on behalf of the Faculty, subject to:

i. The limitations of this constitution (see Article IV, Section 1), and

ii. Administrative Policy and Reporting Manual of the Texas A&M System (p. 3-19, May 20, 1991, or latest edition.

b. In the event of a conflict between the Faculty and the Faculty Senate, the will of the Faculty shall prevail.

ARTICLE III. Conducting Faculty Business

Section 1. Meetings of Faculty

The President of Texas A&M International University may call a meeting of the Faculty at any time to report on any item that the President deems appropriate. Likewise the Faculty has the right to assemble at any time for the purpose of conducting Faculty business. The meeting may be in the nature of a forum, which the Faculty is encouraged to attend and participate. The meeting also may be in the nature of a hearing which the Faculty is encouraged to attend and, if appropriate, to testify.

Section 2. Special Meetings

Special meetings of the Faculty shall be called as follows:

(a) Upon request of the Faculty Senate, a special meeting of the Faculty shall be called by the Secretary of the Faculty Senate.

(b) A special meeting of the Faculty shall be called upon receipt by the Faculty Senate of a petition signed by ten (10) or more voting members of the Faculty.

Section 3. Notice of Meetings

The Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall notify the Faculty in writing at least two weeks prior to the meeting date. The Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall prepare minutes of all actions taken by the Faculty, and file a copy with the President of Texas A&M International University. Another copy of those minutes shall be filed with the President of the Faculty Senate. The Secretary of the Faculty Senate shall distribute the minutes within two weeks after the end of the Faculty meeting.

Section 4. Approval Process for the Minutes of a Faculty Meeting

To obtain approval, or not, of the minutes of a Faculty meeting, a blank approval form shall be attached to, and distributed with the minutes to all voting Faculty within two weeks after the faculty meeting. The following options shall be on the approval instrument:

(a) Minutes approved as they are.

(b) Minutes approved with the following changes:

(c) Minutes not approved until the following changes are incorporated:

(d) Minutes are not approved.

The faculty shall return the completed approval instrument to the Secretary of the Faculty Senate within one week after receipt of the minutes by the Faculty.

The vote of a quorum of the Faculty, returning the completed approval instrument, shall determine whether the minutes are approved or not. In case of a tie vote, the President of the Faculty Senate shall cast the deciding vote.

Section 5. Faculty Voting Mechanism

The mechanics of Faculty voting shall be as follows

(a) A simple majority of voting members of the Faculty shall constitute a quorum.

(b) A Faculty voting committee, consisting of Faculty Senators, and chaired by the Secretary of the Faculty Senate, shall prepare and mail secret ballots to the voting Faculty. These ballots are to be returned to the Faculty Senate Voting Committee within one week after receipt of the ballot.

(c) Results of the Faculty vote shall be determined by the Faculty Senate Voting Committee, and reported by the Faculty Senate Secretary to the President of the Faculty Senate, who in turn will report the results to the Faculty.

Section 6. Assistance of the Faculty Senate Secretary

In all Faculty business matters in which the Faculty Senate Secretary acts as liaison between the Faculty Senate and the Faculty, the Secretary may request the assistance of any and/or all members of the Faculty Senate as the Secretary deems appropriate.

ARTICLE IV. Faculty Senate

Section 1. Function of the Faculty Senate

a. Legislative Functions.

The Faculty Senate may consider all matters appropriate for faculty action under Article III, Section 1. The Faculty Senate may act or refer such matters with recommendations to the Faculty.

b. Administrative Functions.

The Faculty Senate shall:

1. adopt Faculty Senate bylaws to the Faculty constitution.

2. prepare its own agenda.

3. initiate proposals for its own and Faculty consideration.

4. elect committees whenever necessary for the discharge of its functions.

5. fill vacancies for unexpired terms which occur in any elected faculty office or in any elected committee.

6. continuously study the effects of past and current legislative actions.

c. Consultative Functions.

The Faculty Senate shall be available to act in an advisory or consultative capacity with members of the administration on all matters of university policy.

Section 2. Eligibility for Senate Membership

a. All members other than student members must be voting members of the Faculty.

b. Members-at-large. Five full-time voting faculty members to be elected by the vote of the Faculty. In addition, one full-time instructor or fixed term (12.07) faculty member to be elected by the vote of the fixed-term faculty and full-time instructors.

c. Departments/Schools, within Colleges, Members. One full-time voting faculty member from each department/division within a College to be elected by the voting membership of that department or division. The Library will be considered as a department/school and will be represented by one full-time faculty member.

d. Student Members. One undergraduate student and one graduate student to be elected by their respective constituents. The student members shall be non-voting members.

e. Recall of Senators. If a majority of full-time faculty in a department or division petition in writing to the Faculty Senate President to hold a special election on whether or not to recall its representative in the Faculty Senate, then the President will call for a special election within one week of receipt of the petition. The Secretary of the Senate will announce the special election and conduct it following the procedures used in other Senate elections. Only those department or division faculty eligible to vote in Faculty Senate elections (see Article 1) may vote to retain or recall their Faculty Senator. A majority of those voting will determine the results of the election.

f. Dismissal of Senators: Faculty Senators who miss more than two regularly scheduled monthly meetings of the Senate during the year will be dismissed from the Senate. Senators who have legitimate reasons for missing more than two such meetings may petition the Senate to exempt them from this rule. The President of the Senate will notify the department or division of the dismissal and call for a special election of a new Senator if the dismissal occurs more than two months >before the regular spring elections.

Section 3. Senate Officers

a. Designation and Responsibilities.

1. President. The President calls meetings and presides at meetings. The officer represents the Senate to the public and the administration. The President’s right of discussion is limited. The chair must be temporarily relinquished for the period of the discussion of that point in order for the President to participate in the discussion. The President has the right to vote on all issues. In the event of a tie, the issue fails for lack of a majority.

2. Vice-President. This officer fulfills the President’s responsibilities in the President’s absence, and serves as chair of the Academic Affairs Oversight Committee of the Senate.

3. Secretary. The Secretary prepares the minutes of Senate proceedings and debates; distributes minutes among the faculty; and corresponds with others as required by Senate decisions.

4. Parliamentarian and Elections Officer. The Parliamentarian will advise the President on parliamentary procedures and will supervise all elections, polls, and evaluations sponsored by the Faculty Senate.

b. Term of Office. Senate officers serve for one year and may be re-elected.

c. Method of Election. Senate officers are elected by majority vote of the Senate. A special session of the new Senate will be convened in late April or May for the purpose of electing officers.

Section 4. Election Procedures for Senate Representatives

a. During the first full month of the Spring Semester, the Secretary of the Senate will notify all voting members of the Faculty that nominations for Senate memberships are open for the appropriate categories (see Section 2).

b. Voting members of the Faculty who wish to run for office will inform the Senate Secretary within two weeks of the announcement that nominations are open. Each member desiring to run will also let the Secretary know the membership category, which he/she is seeking to fill.

c. A ballot or ballots will be prepared by the Senate and distributed to the voting faculty as appropriate. That is, each faculty member should receive a ballot for only those offices for which he/she is eligible to vote.

d. A Senate committee will be assigned the task of receiving and tabulating the votes. The election results will then be affirmed by the Senate and announced.

e. In order to insure the secrecy of the ballot, all faculty voting will be held in the Deans' offices. Each Dean's secretary will be provided with the list of faculty who are eligible to participate in voting. A faculty member will be able to sign his/her name and cast his/her ballot.

Section 5. Ex-Officio Member

The President or the President's appointed representative shall be the non-voting ex-officio member.

Section 6. Special Elections

A special election in May be called by the Senate President to fill vacancies in Senate membership when the Senate is notified that a vacancy exists.

Section 7. Term of Office of Elected Representatives

a. The term of office for all elected representatives other than student members is three years.

b. Student members shall serve for one year terms.

c. Senate representatives may be re-elected; the only constraints on terms will be imposed by the will of the representative's constituents.

d. In the year of the first election, five of the members shall serve for one year; five of the members shall serve for two years, and five of the members shall serve for three years. This determination shall be made by lot as the first item of business at the first meeting and shall be presided over by the University President or his appointed representative.

Section 8. Meetings

a. Regular meetings will be held once per month.

b. Special meetings may be called by the President of the Senate at the discretion of the President of the Senate or when requested by any three voting members of the Senate.

Section 9. Quorum

A simple majority of the voting members shall constitute a quorum.

Section 10. Voting Rules

A majority of those voting members present passes a motion. The voting method will be voice vote and/or show of hands unless a secret ballot is requested by a member and approved by majority vote.

Section 11. Outsider Attendance

a. Senate meetings are open to all members of the University community.

b. By majority vote, the Senate may go into closed session to be only by its voting members.

Section 12. Distribution of Minutes

The Secretary shall distribute the minutes to the Faculty within two weeks of a regular meeting. Minutes of special meetings may be distributed along with those of the next regular meeting.

Section 13. Agenda Provisions

a. Items may be placed on the agenda by any Senate member, or as requested by other faculty if adopted by majority vote.

b. Items approved by a majority vote of the Assembly must be placed on the Senate agenda, by at least the next meeting of the Senate.

ARTICLE V. Procedures

Section 1. Amendments

Amendments to the Faculty Constitution must be approved using the same procedure as that used to approve changes to the Faculty Handbook. The Faculty Senate must approve the changes, distribute the proposed changes to all faculty members, present the changes for discussion at a general meeting of the faculty, and hold a general faculty election to approve or reject the changes.

APPENDIX C: Faculty Senate Members

Faculty Senate: 1994-1995

Senate Officers:

Dr. Clifford Dorne, At-Large Representative, President

Dr. Charlotte Torres, School of Nursing, Vice-president

Dr. Stephen Lunce, At-Large Representative, Secretary

Dr. Henry Smith, Accounting & Information Systems, Parliamentarian

Senators:

Dr. Richard Johnson, At-Large Representative

Dr. Nasser Momayezi, Criminal Justice, History, and Political Science

Dr. Jack Hazlerig, English, Fine Arts & Foreign Language

Dr. Todd Russell, Psychology & Sociology

Dr. Barry Carr, Economics & Finance

Dr. Michael Landeck, Management & Marketing

Dr. Cathy Sakta, Curriculum & Instruction

Dr. Roberto Perez, Professional Programs

Dr. Ralph Hausman, Special Populations

Dr. Henry Crowson, Natural Science

Mr. Gary Woods, Library

Mr. Sam Touchet, Student, ex-officio

Faculty Senate: 1995-1996

Senate Officers:

Dr. Stephen Lunce, At-Large Representative, President

Dr. Charlotte Torres, School of Nursing, Vice-President

Dr. Jeffrey Cass, English, Fine Arts & Foreign Language, Secretary

Dr. Henry Smith, Accounting & Information Systems, Parliamentarian

Senators:

Dr. Kurt Jesswein, At-Large Representative

Dr. Richard Johnson, At-Large Representative

Dr. Linda Medearis, At-Large Representative

Dr. Nasser Momayezi, Criminal Justice, History & Political Science

Dr. Todd Russell, Psychology & Sociology

Dr. Barry Carr, Economics & Finance

Dr. Michael Landeck, Management & Marketing

Dr. Cathy Sakta, Curriculum & Instruction

Dr. Roberto Perez, Professional Programs

Dr. Ralph Hausman, Special Populations

Dr. Henry Crowson, Natural Science

Ms. Verla Peterson, Library

Mr. Michael Long, Student, ex-officio

Faculty Senate: 1996-1997

Senate Officers:

Dr. Stephen Lunce, At-Large Representative, President

Dr. Nasser Momayezi, Criminal Justice, History & Political Science, Vice-President

Dr. Jeffrey Cass, English, Fine Arts & Foreign Language, Secretary

Dr. Henry Smith, Accounting & Information Systems, Parliamentarian

Senators:

Dr. Cecilia Garza, At-Large Representative

Dr. Kurt Jesswein, At-Large Representative

Dr. Linda Medearis, At-Large Representative

Dr. Todd Russell, Psychology & Sociology

Dr. Stephanie Smith, Economics & Finance

Dr. James Giermanski, Management & Marketing

Dr. Cathy Sakta, Curriculum & Instruction

Dr. Roberto Perez, Professional Programs

Dr. Ralph Hausman, Special Populations

Dr. Henry Crowson, Natural Science

Dr. Susan Baker, School of Nursing

Ms. Verla Peterson, Library

Mr. Michael Long, Student, ex-officio

Faculty Senate: 1997-1998

Senate Officers:

Dr. Henry Smith, Accounting & Information Systems, President

Dr. Nasser Momayezi, Criminal Justice, History, & Political Science, Vice-president

Dr. Cecilia Garza, At-Large Representative, Secretary

Ms. Verla Peterson, Library, Parliamentarian

Senators:

Dr. Jeffrey Cass, English, Fine Arts & Foreign Language

Dr. Kurt Jesswein, At-Large Representative

Dr. Linda Medearis, At-Large Representative

Dr. Todd Russell, Psychology & Sociology

Dr. Stephanie Smith, Economics & Finance

Dr James Giermanski, Management & Marketing

Dr. Cathy Sakta, Curriculum & Instruction

Dr. Ramon Alaniz, Professional Programs

Dr. Brigido Lopez, Special Populations

Dr. Sanjay Rai, Natural Science

Dr. Susan Baker, School of Nursing

Mr. Arturo Sanchez, Student, ex-officio

Faculty Senate: 1998-1999

Senate Officers:

Dr. Jeffrey D. Cass, President, English, Fine Arts & Foreign Languages

Dr. Cecilia Garza, Vice-President and At-Large Representative, Psychology & Sociology

Dr. Faridoun Farrokh, Secretary, At-Large Representative

Dr. Stephanie Smith, Parliamentarian, Economics and Finance

Senators:

Dr. Michael Yoder, At-Large Representative

Dr. Ray Keck, At-Large Representative, Language, Literature and Arts

Dr. Todd Russell, Psychology and Sociology

Dr. Nasser Momayezi, Social Sciences

Dr. Jacqueline L. Power, Accounting and Information Systems

Dr. James Giermanski, Management and Marketing

Dr. Bambi L. Bailey, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Ramon Alaniz, Professional Programs

Dr. David Herrington, Special Populations

Mr. John Maxstadt, Library

Dr. Sanjay Rai, Natural Sciences

Dr. Susan Baker, School of Nursing

Faculty Senate: 1999-2000

Senate Officers:

Dr. Ramon Alaniz, President, Special Populations

Dr. Michael Landeck, Vice-President, Management and Marketing

Dr. Carol Waters, Secretary, At-Large Representative, Social Sciences

Mr. John Maxstadt, Parliamentarian, Library

Senators:

Dr. Stephanie Smith, At-Large Representative , Economics and Finance

Dr. Michael Yoder, At-Large Representative, Social Sciences

Dr. Jeffrey Cass, Language, Literature and Arts

Dr. Jeffrey Brown, Psychology and Sociology

Dr. Beau Duncan, Social Sciences

Dr. Ray Keck, At-Large Representative, Language, Literature and Arts*

Dr. Jacqueline Power, Accounting and Information Systems

Dr. Antonio Rodriguez, Economics and Finance

Dr. Bambi L. Bailey, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Humberto Gonzalez, Professional Programs

Dr. Terry Shepherd, Special Populations

Dr. Susan Baker, School of Nursing

• Dr. Frances Rhodes, At-Large Representative, Language, Literature and Arts, replaced Dr. Keck in Spring 2000 when Dr. Keck became Provost.

Faculty Senate: 2000-2001

Senate Officers:

Dr. Jeffrey D. Cass, President, Language, Literature and Arts

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Vice-President, Language, Literature and Arts

Dr. Bambi Bailey, Secretary, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Firooz Khosraviyani, Parliamentarian, Natural Sciences

Senators:

Dr. Michael Yoder, At-Large Representative

Dr. Kimberly Folse, Psychology and Sociology

Dr. Mohamed A. Ben-Ruwin, Social Sciences

Dr. Jacqueline Power, Accounting and Information Systems

Dr. Antonio Rodriguez, At-Large Representative, Economics and Finance

Dr. Michael Patrick, Economics and Finance

Dr. Michael Landeck, Management and Marketing

Dr. Humberto Gonzalez, Professional Programs

Dr. Terry L. Shepherd, Special Populations

Ms. Renee J. LaPerriere de Gutierrez, Library

Dr. Doris J. Rosenow, School of Nursing

Dr. Carol Waters, At-Large Representative, Social Sciences

Faculty Senate: 2001-2002

Senate Officers:

Dr. Michael Landeck, President, Management and Marketing

Dr. Kimberly A. Folse, Vice-President, Psychology and Sociology

Dr. Cecilia Garza, Secretary, At-Large Representative, Psychology and Sociology

Dr. Michael S. Yoder, Parliamentarian, At-Large Representative, Social Sciences

Senators:

Dr. Mohammed A. Ben-Ruwin, Social Sciences

Dr. Cathy L. Guerra, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Humberto Gonzalez, Professional Programs

Dr. Robert Haynes, Language, Literature and Arts

Dr. Firooz Khosraviyani, Natural Sciences

Ms. Renee J. LaPerriere de Gutierrez, Library

Dr. Stephen E. Lunce, Accounting and Information Systems

Dr. Van V. Miller, Economics and Finance

Dr. Frances Rhodes, At-Large Representative, Language and Literature

Dr. Doris J. Rosenow, School of Nursing

Dr. Terry L. Shepherd, Special Populations

Dr. Carol Waters, At-Large Representative, Social Sciences

Dr. Richard Wright, Fine and Performing Arts

Mr. Joseph Holland, Student, ex-officio

Faculty Senate: 2002-2003

Senate Officers:

Dr. Kimberly Folse, President, Psychology & Sociology

Dr. Steve Lunce, Vice-President, Accounting & Information Systems

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Secretary, At-Large

Dr. Michael Yoder, Parliamentarian, At-Large

Senators:

Dr. Mohamed A. Ben-Ruwin, Social Sciences

Dr. Sean M. Chadwell, At-Large

Dr. Humberto Gonzalez, Professional Programs

Dr. Cathy Guerra-Sakta, Curriculum & Instruction

Dr. Robert Haynes, Languages & Literature

Dr. Pedro Hurtado, Management & Marketing

Dr. Hamid R. Kusha, At-Large

Ms. Renee LaPerriere de Gutierrez, Killam Library

Dr. Van V. Miller, Economics & Finance

Dr. Fernando Quintana, Natural Sciences

Dr. Doris Rosenow, Canseco School of Nursing

Dr. Terry Shepherd, Special Populations

Dr. Richard Wright, Fine and Performing Arts

Faculty Senate: 2003-2004

Senate Officers:

Dr. Frances G. Rhodes, President, At-Large

Dr. Mohamed Ben-Ruwin, Vice-President, Social Science

Mr. John Maxstadt, Secretary, Killam Library

Dr. Sean Chadwell, Parliamentarian, At-Large

Senators:

Dr. Willie N. Cargill, Accounting, Economics and Finance

Dr. Cathy Guerra, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Robert Haynes, Language and Literature

Dr. Roberto Heredia, Psychology, Sociology, and Social Work

Dr. Juan Homero Hinojosa, Mathematical and Physical Science

Dr. Hamid R. Kusha, Behavioral, Applied Sciences and Criminal Justice

Dr. Michael Landeck, Management, Marketing, and International Business

Dr. C. Neal McReynolds, Biology and Chemistry

Dr. William Newman, Management Information Systems and Decision Science

Dr. Doris Rosenow, Canseco School of Nursing

Dr. Claudio Salinas, Professional Programs

Dr. Terry L. Shepherd, Special Populations

Dr. Richard Wright, Fine and Performing Arts

Dr. Michael Yoder, At-Large

Faculty Senate: 2004-2005

Senate Officers:

Dr. Mohamed A. Ben-Ruwin, President, Social Science

Dr. Sean Chadwell, Vice-President, At-Large

Dr. Terry L. Shepherd, Secretary, Special Populations

Mr. John Maxstadt, Parliamentarian, Killam Library

Senators:

Dr. Willie N. Cargill, Accounting, Economics and Finance

Dr. Friedrich C. Gechter, Fine and Performing Arts

Dr. Roberto Heredia, Psychology, Sociology, and Social Work

Dr. Juan Homero Hinojosa, Mathematical and Physical Science

Dr. Sushma Krishnamurthy, At-Large

Dr. Hamid R. Kusha, Behavioral, Applied Sciences and Criminal Justice

Dr. Michael Landeck, Management, Marketing, and International Business

Dr. C. Neal McReynolds, Biology and Chemistry

Dr. Thomas R. Mitchell, Language and Literature

Dr. William Newman, Management Information Systems and Decision Science

Dr. Lem L. Railsback, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Doris Rosenow, Canseco School of Nursing

Dr. Claudio Salinas, Professional Programs

Faculty Senate: 2005-2006

Senate Officers:

Dr. Terry L. Shepherd, President, Special Populations

Mr. John Maxstadt, Vice-President, Killam Library

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Secretary, At-Large

Dr. Thomas R. Mitchell, Parliamentarian, Language and Literature

Senators:

Dr. Mohamed A. Ben-Ruwin, Social Sciences

Dr. Deborah Blackwell, At-Large

Dr. Randel D. Brown, At-Large

Dr. Willie N. Cargill, Accounting, Economics and Finance

Dr. Friedrich C. Gechter, Fine and Performing Arts

Dr. Roberto Heredia, Psychology, Sociology, and Social Work

Dr. Juan Homero Hinojosa, Mathematical and Physical Science

Dr. Sushma Krishnamurthy, At-Large

Dr. Michael Landeck, Management, Marketing, and International Business

Dr. C. Neal McReynolds, Biology and Chemistry

Dr. Lem L. Railsback, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Doris Rosenow, Canseco School of Nursing

Dr. Claudio Salinas, Professional Programs

Dr. Rolando Sanchez, Management Information Systems and Decision Science

Faculty Senate: 2006-2007

Senate Officers:

Dr. Thomas R. Mitchell, President, Language and Literature

Mr. John Maxstadt, Vice President, Killam Library

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Secretary, At-Large

Dr. Deborah Blackwell, Parliamentarian, At-Large

Senators:

Dr. Randel Brown (At-Large)

Ms. Vivian Garcia (Canseco School of Nursing)

Dr. Friedrich Gechter (Fine and Performing Arts)

Dr. Juan Homero Hinojosa (Mathematical and Physical Sciences)

Dr. Barbara Hong (Professional Programs)

Dr. Jaclyn Jeffrey (Social Sciences)

Dr. Sushma Krishnarnurthy (At-Large)

Dr. Sukho Lee (Teacher Preparation):

Dr. Michael Patrick (International Banking and Finance Studies)

Dr. Lem Railsback (Curriculum & Instruction)

Dr. Rolando Pena-Sanchez (International Business & Tech. Studies)

Dr. Christy Teranishi (Behavioral, Applied Sciences & C.J.)

Dr. Ken Tobin (Biology and Chemistry)

Faculty Senate 2007-2008

Senate Officers:

Dr. Thomas R. Mitchell, President, Language and Literature

Dr. Deborah Blackwell, Vice President, At-Large

Dr. Barbara Hong, Secretary, Professional Programs

Dr. Ken Tobin, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, Biology and Chemistry

Senators:

Dr. Randel Brown, At-Large

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Canseco School of Nursing

Dr. Robert Haynes, At-Large

Dr. Juan Homero Hinojosa, Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Dr. Jaclyn Jeffrey, Social Sciences

Dr. Sukho Lee, Teacher Preparation

Ms. Linda McCreight, Killam Library

Dr. Lem Railsback, Curriculum & Instruction

Dr. Frances Rhodes, At-Large

Dr. Rolando Pena-Sanchez, International Business & Tech. Studies

Dr. Christy Teranishi, Behavioral, Applied Sciences & C.J.

Mr. Brendan Townsend, Fine and Performing Arts

International Banking and Finance Studies (Vacancy to be Filled in Fall 2007)

Faculty Senate 2008-2009

Senate Officers:

Dr. Robert Haynes, President, At-Large

Dr. Juan Homero Hinojosa, Vice President, Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Secretary, Canseco School of Nursing

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, At-Large

Senators:

Dr. Deborah L. Blackwell, Social Sciences

Dr. Randel Brown, At-Large

Dr. Pedro Hurtado, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Sukho Lee, Teacher Preparation

Dr. Kevin Lindberg, At-Large

Ms. Linda J. McCreight, Killam Library

Dr. Thomas Mitchell, Language and Literature

Dr. Rolando Pena-Sanchez, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Lem Londos Railsback, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Gilberto Salinas, Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Kenneth Tobin, Biology and Chemistry

Mr. Brendan Townsend, Fine and Performing Arts

Faculty Senate, 2009-2010

Senate Officers:

Dr. Juan Homero Hinojosa, President, replaced as President by Dr. Bill Riggs in Spring Semester

Dr. Pedro Hurtado, Vice President, replaced as Vice President by Mr. Brendan Townsend in Spring Semester

Dr. Bill Riggs, Secretary, replaced as Secretary by Dr. Marvin Bennett in Spring Semester

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, At-Large

Senators:

Dr. Marvin Bennett, Biology and Chemistry (Secretary in Spring Semester)

Dr. Lynda Brown, Language and Literature

Dr. George Clarke, International Banking and Finance Studies (Spring Semester only)

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Nursing and Health Sciences

Dr. William Gruben, International Banking and Finance Studies, replaced by Dr. George Clarke in Spring Semester

Dr. San Juanita Hachar, Teacher Preparation (replaced by Dr. Miroslava Vargas in Spring Semester)

Dr. Phu Hoang, Professional Programs

Dr. Arturo Limon, Curriculum and Instruction

Mr. John Maxstadt, Killam Library

Dr. James Norris, Social Sciences

Dr. Leonel Prieto, International Business and Technology Studies (Spring Semester only)

Dr. Alfredo Ramirez, At-Large

Dr. Gilberto Salinas, Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Chen-Han Sung, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics

Mr. Brendan Townsend, Fine and Performing Arts (Vice President in Spring Semester)

Dr. Miroslava Vargas, Teacher Preparation (Spring Semester only)

Faculty Senate, 2010-2011

Senate Officers:

Dr. Bill Riggs, President, At-Large

Mr. Brendan Townsend, Vice President, Fine and Performing Arts

Dr. Marvin Bennett, Secretary, Biology and Chemistry

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, At-Large

Senators:

Dr. Lynda Brown, Language and Literature

Dr. George Clarke, International Banking and Finance Studies

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Nursing and Health Sciences

Dr. Phu Hoang, Professional Programs

Dr. John Kilburn, At-Large

Dr. Arturo Limon, Curriculum and Instruction

Mr. John Maxstadt, Killam Library

Dr. Monica Munoz, Behavioral Sciences

Dr. James Norris, Social Sciences

Dr. Leonel Prieto, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Alfredo Ramirez, At-Large

Dr. Chen-Han Sung, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics

Dr. Miroslava Vargas, Teacher Preparation

Faculty Senate, 2011-2012

Senate Officers:

Mr. Brendan Townsend, President, Fine and Performing Arts

Mr. John Maxstadt, Vice President, Killam Library

Dr. Marvin Bennett, Secretary, Biology and Chemistry

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, At-Large

Senators:

Dr. George Clarke, International Banking and Finance Studies

Dr. Stephen Duffy, At-Large

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Nursing and Health Sciences

Dr. Sandra Garrett, Curriculum and Instruction

Dr. Lynn Hemmer, Professional Programs

Dr. John Kilburn, At-Large

Dr. Marcela Moran, Language and Literature

Dr. Monica Munoz, Behavioral Sciences

Dr. James Norris, Social Sciences

Dr. Leonel Prieto, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Alfredo Ramirez, At-Large

Dr. Chen-Han Sung, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics

Dr. Miroslava Vargas, Teacher Preparation

Faculty Senate, 2012-2013

Senate Officers:

Mr. Brendan Townsend, President, Fine and Performing Arts

Dr. Alfredo Ramirez, Vice President, At-Large

Dr. Marvin Bennett, Secretary, At-Large

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, At-Large

Senators:

Dr. George Clarke, International Banking and Finance Studies

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Nursing and Health Sciences

Dr. Hari Mandal, Biology and Chemistry

Mr. John Maxstadt, Killam Library

Dr. Marcela Moran, Language and Literature

Dr. Monica Munoz, Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Qingwen Ni, Engineering Mathematics and Physics

Dr. James Norris, Public Affairs and Social Research

Dr. George Potter, Professional Programs

Dr. Leonel Prieto, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Claudia San Miguel, At-Large

Dr. Miroslava Vargas, Teacher Preparation

Faculty Senate, 2013-2014

Senate Officers:

Dr. Alfredo Ramirez, President, At-Large

Mr. John Maxstadt, Vice President, Killam Library

Dr. Leonel Prieto, Secretary, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, Humanities

Senators:

Dr. Marvin Bennett, At-Large

Dr. George Clarke, International Banking and Finance Studies

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Nursing and Health Sciences

Dr. Hari Mandal, Biology and Chemistry

Dr. Lynne Manganaro, At-Large

Dr. Marcela Moran, At-Large

Dr. Qingwen Ni, Engineering Mathematics and Physics

Dr. James Norris, Public Affairs and Social Research

Dr. George Potter, Professional Programs

Dr. Gilberto Salinas, Psychology and Communication

Mr. Brendan Townsend, Fine and Performing Arts

Dr. Miroslava Vargas, Curriculum and Pedagogy

Faculty Senate, 2014-2015

Senate Officers:

Dr. Alfredo Ramirez, President, At-Large

Mr. John Maxstadt, Vice President, Killam Library

Ms. Kimber Palmer, Secretary, At-Large for Instructors and Fixed Term Faculty

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, Humanities

Senators:

Dr. Marvin Bennett, At-Large

Dr. George Clarke, International Banking and Finance Studies

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Nursing and Health Sciences

Dr. Katie D. Lewis, Curriculum and Pedagogy

Dr. Hari Mandal, Biology and Chemistry

Dr. Lynne Manganaro, At-Large

Dr. Marcela Moran, At-Large

Dr. Qingwen Ni, Engineering Mathematics and Physics

Dr. James Norris, Public Affairs and Social Research

Dr. Leonel Prieto, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Gilberto Salinas, Psychology and Communication

Dr. Ken Tobin, School of Engineering

Mr. Brendan Townsend, Fine and Performing Arts

Dr. Maria D. Viloria, Professional Programs

Faculty Senate, 2015-2016

Senate Officers:

Dr. George Clarke, President, International Banking and Finance Studies

Mr. John Maxstadt, Vice President, Killam Library

Ms. Kimber Palmer, Secretary, At-Large for Instructors and Fixed Term Faculty

Dr. Lynne Manganaro, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, At-Large

Senators:

Dr. Marvin Bennett, At-Large

Mr. David Bogus, Fine and Performing Arts

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Nursing and Health Sciences

Ms. Destine D. Holmgreen, University College

Dr. Katie D. Lewis, Curriculum and Pedagogy

Dr. Hari Mandal, Biology and Chemistry

Dr. Marcela Moran, At-Large

Dr. Qingwen Ni, Mathematics and Physics

Dr. James Norris, Social Sciences

Dr. Leonel Prieto, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Alfredo Ramirez, At-Large

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Humanities

Dr. Gilberto Salinas, Psychology and Communication

Dr. Ken Tobin, School of Engineering

Dr. Maria D. Viloria, Professional Programs

Faculty Senate, 2016-2017

Senate Officers:

Dr. James Norris, President, Social Sciences

Dr. Ken Tobin, Vice President, School of Engineering

Dr. Marvin Bennett, Secretary, At-Large

Dr. Frances Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, Humanities

Senators:

Dr. George Clarke, International Banking and Finance Studies

Ms. Malynda Dalton, Killam Library

Dr. Stuart Davis, Psychology and Communication

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Nursing and Health Sciences

Ms. Destine D. Holmgreen, University College

Dr. Katie D. Lewis, Curriculum and Pedagogy

Dr. David Milovich, Mathematics and Physics

Dr. Marcela Moran, At-Large

Dr. James Moyer, Fine and Performing Arts

Dr. Lola Norris, At-Large

Ms. Kimber Palmer, At-Large for Instructors and Fixed Term Faculty

Dr. Leonel Prieto, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Alfredo Ramirez, At-Large

Dr. Maria D. Viloria, Professional Programs

Dr. Ruby Ynalvez, Biology and Chemistry

Faculty Senate, 2017-2018

Senate Officers:

Dr. Kenneth J. Tobin, President, School of Engineering

Dr. Marvin E. Bennett III, Vice-President, At-Large

Dr. Ruby A. Ynalvez, Secretary, Biology and Chemistry

Dr. Frances G. Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, Humanities

Senators:

Dr. George R. Clarke, International Banking and Finance Studies

Ms. Malynda M. Dalton, Killam Library

Ms. Vivian Garcia, Nursing and Health Sciences

Dr. Puneet S. Gill, At-Large

Dr. Ariadne A. Gonzalez, Psychology and Communication

Ms. Destine D. Holmgreen, University College (Mr. Jose Gutierrez, Jr. representing, Spring 2018)

Dr. Diana Linn, At-Large

Dr. David K. Milovich Jr., Mathematics and Physics

Ms. Marcela Moran, At-Large

Dr. James A. Norris, Social Sciences

Dr. Jason Norris, Curriculum and Pedagogy

Dr. Lola O. Norris, At-Large

Dr. Leonel Prieto, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Philip S. Roberson, Full-time, Fixed-Term Faculty

Dr. Lourdes Viloria, Professional Programs

Dr. Oswaldo A. Zapata, Fine and Performing Arts

Faculty Senate, 2018-2019

Senate Officers:

Dr. Kenneth J. Tobin, President, School of Engineering

Dr. Lola O. Norris, Vice-President, At-Large

Dr. Marvin E. Bennett III, Secretary, At-Large

Dr. Frances G. Rhodes, Parliamentarian and Elections Officer, Humanities

Senators:

Dr. George R. Clarke, International Banking and Finance Studies (Ms. Kimber Palmer representing, Spring 2019)

Ms. Malynda M. Dalton, Killam Library

Dr. Puneet S. Gill, At-Large

Dr. Ariadne A. Gonzalez, Psychology and Communication

Mr. Jose Gutierrez, Jr., University College

Dr. Diana Linn, At-Large

Dr. Jacob Makaya, Mathematics and Physics

Dr. Gilberto Martinez, Jr., Full-time, Fixed-Term Faculty

Dr. Neal McReynolds, Biology and Chemistry

Ms. Marcela Moran, At-Large

Dr. James A. Norris, Social Sciences

Dr. Jason Norris, Curriculum and Pedagogy

Dr. Leonel Prieto, International Business and Technology Studies

Dr. Marivic Torregosa, Nursing and Health Sciences

Dr. Lourdes Viloria, Professional Programs

Dr. Oswaldo A. Zapata, Fine and Performing Arts

APPENDIX D: An Ideal Model for Faculty Workload Equivalency Units

NOTE: This is a recommended ideal situation. As of the adoption of the TAMIU Faculty Handbook, it is not nor does it represent itself as the Official Policy of the University.

FACULTY WORKLOAD MODELS

“Although each institution may establish standards for teaching loads to meet the instructional obligations of the institution and its students, to operate efficiently within the range of resources available to the institution, and to comply with the faculty workload guidelines and standard reports issued by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the following minimum teaching workload standards will apply:” (TAMUS Policy 12.03 Section 3).

1. “A minimum teaching load for undergraduate courses shall be nine semester credit hours of normal classroom teaching; a minimum teaching load for graduate courses shall be six semester credit hours of normal classroom teaching. Participation in the teaching of undergraduate students by senior faculty is strongly encouraged.” (TAMUS Policy 12.03 Section 3.1).

2. “Adjustments to these amounts of normal classroom teaching may be made to account for large class sizes; duplicate sections taught; laboratory, seminar, lecture, clinical, or field-type courses; availability of support services; situations where both graduate and undergraduate work are involved; courses which involve individualized instruction; and overload from previous long semesters.” (TAMUS Policy 12.03 Section 3.2).

3. “The President of each university of the system will prepare, in consultation with the faculty, a faculty workload policy for that institution. The policy shall establish the faculty workload standards, provide guidelines for adjustments of workloads reflecting different kinds of instruction, and provide a schedule for awarding equivalent teaching load credit for the assignment of other academic duties.” (TAMUS Policy 12.03 Section 4.1).

4. On occasion, for the benefit of students, the faculty member’s Department, College or the University, assignments other than classroom/laboratory teaching may replace normal teaching assignments. These replacement assignments are commonly called “releases” or “release time,” referring to a “release from teaching duty.” Not every faculty member will receive, or be entitled to receive release time. The granting of release time is subject to individual negotiations between the faculty member and the Provost and/or the faculty member’s Dean and/or Department Chair. It is not the policy of TAMIU to grant release time to any faculty based upon any equivalencies or equivalence model other than those negotiated on an individual basis. Historically, release time has been granted to some faculty for certain recognizable and definite assignments (i.e. funded research, less-than-full-time administrative appointments); some of these equivalent assignments may be found in this Appendix, “Model for Faculty Workload Equivalency Units.”

The Faculty Senate is aware of all the foregoing policies; it is also aware that no formal equivalency models existed prior to September 1994. Therefore, the Senate moved to investigate workload models from other universities throughout the U.S. The research found that TAMIU’s 12 SCH load was not unique, but that in all other cases substitutable equivalent were defined. Faculty Senate Resolution 95-6, adopted October 1995, sought to define, as specified in TAMUS policy, a set of equivalent for teaching assignments. Faculty Senate Resolution 95-7, adopted February 1996, sought to define an idealized model that might become a ’target’ for implementation at some undefined time in the future when the University’s financial situation would support said implementation. SR 95-7 thus becomes a goal in the strategy of building an outstanding University. The models were distributed to the Faculty at large, who ratified these suggestions.

APPENDIX E: TAMIU Honor Code

ACADEMIC CONDUCT PROCEEDINGS

It is the policy of TAMIU that all faculty, administrators, staff, and students conduct themselves in a manner that does not compromise the values, integrity, reputation, and public trust of this University.

The TAMIU Honor Code provides employees and students general notice of academic misconduct. It is the responsibility of TAMIU faculty, staff, administration, and students to become familiar with the information presented in the TAMIU Honor Code and to observe all provisions and procedures relating to the Code. Ignorance of this Code is not a defense to misconduct violations.

THE TAMIU HONOR COUNCIL

Mission Statement

It is the mission of the TAMIU Honor Council to serve as a centralized system established to respond fairly to academic violations of the TAMIU Honor Code.

Essential Functions of the Honor Council

The Honor Council serves to provide faculty and students with a means by which they may report academic dishonesty, to provide students with a means of appealing charges of academic dishonesty, and to provide the Provost with recommendations regarding general academic sanctions or remedial efforts.

The Honor Council is the authority for the development and implementation of processes and procedures of the Honor Council. Through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement, this Council serves as the initial hearing body for cases involving academic integrity outside the scope of a course offered at TAMIU, and as an appellate body for students charged with violating the Honor Code during a course offered at TAMIU. The Honor Council is also responsible for maintaining records and for coordinating communication, prevention, training, remediation, and adjudication efforts. All proposed revisions to Honor Code will be submitted to Faculty Senate for review and disposition.

Membership of the Honor Council

The Honor Council reports to the Provost. The Honor Council consists of at least 10 full-time faculty members and 15 University students. Five members constitutes a quorum, of which at least two members from each constituency (faculty and students) must be represented. At the first meeting of each year, the Provost will appoint the Chair and the Honor Council student representatives will elect a Vice-Chair. A faculty member will chair the Honor Council with the Director of SCCE serving as co-chair absent voting privileges, and the Vice-Chair shall be a student.

Voting members include:

a) At least ten full-time faculty members (nine elected by the Faculty-at-Large through the Faculty Senate elections process, one appointed by the Provost
b) At least fifteen TAMIU students, including at least one graduate student (twelve appointed by the VP of Student Success and three appointed by the Provost)

c) Members must be elected and appointed by September 1st of each academic year. Faculty serve two-year terms; student members serve one-year terms. Both faculty and student representatives may serve more than one term on the Honor Council.

d) If faculty or student resigns or cannot complete term, a new member will be elected/appointed to finish the initial term.

e) The Honor Council will hold general meetings as needed.

f) General meetings and trainings are considered mandatory. In addition, all members are expected to attend at least one hearing per long-semester. Failure to adhere to mandatory general meetings and trainings will trigger review of membership by the Honor Council.

g) A member may not vote when a case is considered a conflict of interest or may not be fair and impartial due to the nature of the case.

The Honor Council may consult with The TAMUS legal representative through the Office of the Provost as needed. A legal representative from TAMUS will serve on the council in situations where there are obvious legal issues and concerns.

Responsibilities of Honor Council

Members of the Honor Council are expected to attend all general meetings and trainings. Members must also fulfill the following duties:

a) Serve as an educator – inform students, faculty, staff, and administrators about the TAMIU Honor System and its mission and policies; promote academic integrity on campus.

b) Serve as a hearing panel member – hear all information and render decisions on whether a student is responsible for violation. If the student is found responsible for the violation, the Honor Council will issue a proportional and educational sanction. Members must participate in at least one hearing per long semester.

c) Serve as a case investigator – investigate and gather information with reporter(s), witness(es), and alleged violator(s) as coordinated with the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. This duty will include the ability to request information in writing from faculty, witness(es), and alleged violator(s) as is necessary to ensure a fair hearing.

The Role of the Chair and Vice-Chair

The duties of the Chair will be to call regular meetings, conduct meetings, serve as the official liaison with the SCCE, and provide leadership to the Council:

1. The Chair shall be selected from the faculty members of the Honor Council, and the Vice-Chair shall be selected from the student members of the Honor Council.

2. The Chair will present all cases to the Honor Council.

3. The Chair shall call a hearing to order. Should the Chair be unable to meet his/her obligations, the Vice-Chair will perform the duties of the Chair.

4. In the absences of the Chair and Vice-Chair, the Chair will designate a Chair Pro-temp, which must be a faculty Honor Council member.

The Role of the Office of SCCE

In coordination with the Honor Council, the Office of SCCE will confer with the Chair of the Honor Council to assess current academic cases involving students and will serve as the facilitator and investigator of information. The SCCE will:

1. Gather information based on submission of the Sanction Letter, and supporting documents submitted by the faculty member.

2. Provide notification of hearing date and time to student upon receiving notice from the student requesting a hearing by the Honor Council and letter of acknowledgment by SCCE.

3. Administer a Judicial Hold on the student file while the case is adjudicated and sanctions are imposed.

4. Serve the role of record keeper and case manager for all Honor Council meetings and/or hearings.

5. Notify the student of the outcome of the Honor Council meeting.

6. Include the faculty member, department/division Chair, Dean, and Provost as recipients of both the initial letter to the alleged student respondent and the final outcome notification letter.

7. Develop, implement and coordinate Honor Council trainings.

If the student fails to respond to the letter, the student waives his/her right to a hearing by the Honor Council, and the SCCE will retain the case for record. Student appeals of original allegation of academic misconduct must be submitted in writing within ten University business days to the SCCE for Honor Council review.

FACULTY, ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF REPORTING OF HONOR CODE VIOLATIONS

Faculty (meaning any individual listed as the teacher of record for a course at the University, including adjuncts), administrators, and staff share in the responsibility and authority to challenge and make known acts that violate the TAMIU Honor Code.

Responsibilities of Faculty

Faculty are expected to take proactive steps to promote academic integrity including, but not limited to:

1) Adding language to their syllabi that describes prohibited academic behavior and the consequences for misconduct.

2) Having an open discussion about academic integrity with students in their courses early in the semester.

3) Reporting academic misconduct, as required by the TAMIU Faculty Handbook.

4) Enforcing specified grade penalties for cheating or plagiarism, as outlined in their syllabi or as required by their department, college, or the TAMIU Faculty Handbook.

Upon finding a violation of the Honor Code, a faculty member has the responsibility to:

1) Assess the situation and impose an academic sanction on the student.

2) Send a sanction letter to the student’s TAMIU email account, within 10 University business days of the discovery of the alleged violation and arrange for a conference with the student, if at all possible.

3) Copy the Provost, Chair, and Dean of the department, the Office of the Registrar, the Dean of the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (if the student is in Graduate School), and the SCCE on the sanctioning letter (email).

4) Submit copies of coursework, and the source of academic misconduct, to the SCCE through the “Report It” system online within ten University business days of the discovery of the alleged violation.

All breaches of the Honor Code and violations of academic integrity must be reported to the SCCE through the Reporting System (www.tamiu.edu/reportit) within ten University business days of the discovery of the alleged violation.

Responsibility of Academic Administrators and Staff

Academic administrators and staff are expected to take proactive steps to promote academic integrity including, but not limited to:

Academic administrators and staff are expected to provide support to the faculty and the students in enforcing the Honor Code. Specifically, they should encourage faculty to be proactive in informing students about the Honor Code and in teaching students appropriate ways to conduct and acknowledge research. Academic Administrators should also provide strong support to faculty who are appropriately and fairly enforcing the Honor Code. Staff, which includes graduate assistant teaching (GAT), graduate assistant research (GAR) and graduate assistant non-teaching (GANT), must report allegations of academic misconduct to the faculty of record in which the alleged misconduct occurred.

Information shared with the Office of Student Counseling and Disability Services is confidential.

STUDENT REPORTING ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Students must report academic misconduct to the Honor Council through the SCCE or to the faculty of the course in which the alleged violation occurred. Initiating formal procedures is a necessary and obligatory remedy when other methods are inappropriate or have failed (e.g., drawing attention to a suspected violation, peer pressure, etc.).

If a student is alleged to have violated the Honor Code but the class, department, and faculty cannot be identified, charges may be brought by anyone who has knowledge of the violation.

Intentionally false reports of academic misconduct is a violation of the Honor Code, which will be adjudicated by the Honor Council or the SCCE.

Student Reporting Formats

There are three student-reporting formats for Honor Code violations: (1) general reporting, (2) confidential reporting, and (3) anonymous reporting. Each reporting format will initiate some action by the Honor Council and can potentially lead to the initiation of a case. All reports must be made in writing.

1. General Reporting - General reporting constitutes a submission of a report in which the reporting party is willing to fully identify him/herself to all involved in the case. This is the preferred reporting format and will ensure that all facts are obtainable.

2. Confidential Reporting - Confidential reporting constitutes a submission of reports in which the reporting parties are willing to provide their names to faculty and/or the Honor Council, but wish to have their names remain confidential through the proceedings of the case. Confidential reporting allows faculty and/or the Honor Council to contact the reporting party to gather further information when necessary.

3. Anonymous Reporting - Anonymous reporting constitutes a submission of a report in which the reporting party desires to remain anonymous. This report will be considered a tip and handled as such. The reporting party will not be identifiable and cannot be contacted for further information on the case. An anonymous tip is not sufficient ground to initiate a charge; however, the tip can initiate an investigation.

THE SCCE PROCESS

The student will receive a notification via University email or in person informing the student an academic misconduct charge has been brought against him/her. Other forms of communication will be used when necessary or appropriate.

The SCCE will schedule an appointment with respondent to obtain an account of the events. The following will occur:

1. A Student Conduct Administrator will meet with the student to explain the charge.

2. A Student Conduct Administrator will discuss the student’s rights and responsibilities.

3. A Student Conduct Administrator will explain the academic misconduct process.

4. A Student Conduct Administrator will hear any statement that the student may wish to make for case file or Honor Council review.

5. Should the student respondent accept responsibility during the course of the meeting with faculty or Student Conduct Administrator, the respondent waives his/her right to an appeal.

Student Advisor

Recognizing that participating in the student academic misconduct process can be a challenging experience for any student, a student can seek the assistance of an advisor. An advisor must be an administrative official, faculty member, or student of the University unless otherwise allowed by the Honor Council at the Council's discretion. More information on the advisor's role is described below.

The advisor, upon request of the student, may:

1. Advise the student in the preparation of information relevant to the case.

2. Accompany the student to all academic misconduct proceedings.

3. Advise the student in the preparation of an academic appeal.

4. Not speak for the respondent.

Academic Misconduct Process

Students are expected to pay all financial obligations to the University when due. All charges shall be presented to the student respondent in written form via University email. The student respondent will be given ten University business days to request an Honor Council Hearing as of the date of the faculty and/or SCCE notice.

Honor Council appeal hearings shall be conducted by the following procedures:

1. The advisor role:

a. The student respondent has the opportunity to be assisted by an advisor she/he chooses, at his/her own expense.

b. Advisors are not permitted to represent any student at an Honor Council appeal hearing. An advisor may be present and communicate with the student, but shall not address the Honor Council at the appeal hearing. Request for advisor to be present must be done so in writing a minimum of three University business days before the scheduled appeal hearing.

c. Students who are charged in the same fact pattern, or who are not in good standing with the University are not eligible to serve as an advisor at Honor Council appeal hearings.

d. The respondent is responsible for presenting his/her own information. Therefore, a student should select as an advisor a person whose schedule allows attendance at the scheduled date and time for the Honor Council appeal hearing. Appeal hearings will not be delayed due to scheduling conflicts of an advisor.

e. The respondent, the faculty member, and the SCCE (on behalf of Council) may arrange for witnesses to present pertinent information to the Chairperson. Witnesses may provide this information to and answer questions from the Chairperson, SCCE, and student respondent. Character statements shall be accepted in written form only.

2. Relevant records, exhibits, student impact statements and other written statements may be offered as information for consideration at the discretion of the chairperson. The student may appear in person to the Honor Council appeal hearing.

3. The Honor Council may ask additional questions of student respondent in regards to his/her testimony.

4. All procedural questions are subject to the final decision of the Chairperson.

5. After all relevant information has been received, the hearing panel will deliberate in private.

6. The focus of inquiry in Honor Council appeal hearings shall be the determination of whether a violation of the Honor Code has occurred. Determination is by majority vote.

7. In some instances, the Honor Council will serve as the complainant of academic misconduct. In such circumstances, the appeal will be heard by the Provost.

8. There shall be a single record of all Honor Council appeal hearings and deliberation. The record shall be the property of the University.

9. If a respondent does not appear at an Honor Council appeal hearing, the information in support of charges shall be presented, considered, and a decision may be made. Concerns for the safety, well-being, and/or fears of confrontation during the hearing may be made at the discretion of the Chair.

10. The respondent and advisor may attend the entire Honor Council appeal hearing except the private deliberations of the Council. The Chairperson may remove a student or advisor for disruptive behavior.

11. A finding of responsibility may not be based on respondent who chooses not to appear before an Honor Council appeal hearing.

12. The Council will deliberate in private and notify student of the decision within ten University business days.

13. The student may accept or reject the Honor Council’s decision. An appeal must be submitted in writing to the Provost within ten University business days of Honor Council notice of decision.

14. If the student accepts the Honor Council’s decision, the case is closed.

SANCTIONS FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE HONOR CODE

Academic integrity is fundamental to the health and success of the University and the TAMIU community. Academic misconduct constitutes a serious offense. Sanctions for academic misconduct should reflect the importance of this bedrock principle, balancing individual accountability with the educational purpose of the sanction.

A wide range of sanctions can be utilized to redress findings of responsibility for academic misconduct.

Grade Sanctions

Faculty alone are responsible for assigning grade penalties in their courses for violations of the Honor Code.

1. The following are possible sanctions for academic dishonesty within a single course. These are non-binding recommendations. Faculty retain the right to assign grade penalties as deemed appropriate for their course.

a. 1000 or 2000 level course with a first violation, a grade penalty of an “F” or “0” on the assignment or exam, if faculty deems the violation a result of a misunderstanding of the requirements of proper documentation.

b. 1000 or 2000 level course with a first violation, a grade penalty of an “F” in the course, if faculty deems the violation a result of a deliberate attempt to deceive and not a result of misunderstanding of proper documentation.

c. 1000 or 2000 level course with a second violation in the same course, grade penalty of an “F” in the course;
d. 3000 or 4000 or graduate level course with a first violation, grade penalty of an “F” in the course.

2. If the faculty member determines that assigning a grade of “F” to the course is the appropriate penalty and this action is reported to the SCCE prior to the deadline for dropping courses in the stated semester, the student forfeits his/her right to drop the course in question.

General Sanctions

A student may face general sanctions in addition to any grade penalty imposed by a faculty member. The Honor Council may make a request to the Provost that one of the following actions outlined below be taken. The Honor Council request must be made within ten University business days of receiving the faculty member’s report. The Provost will notify the student within ten University business days (except under unusual circumstances) of receiving the request of the Honor Council.

1. Any undergraduate student in any level course who is reported for a second offense will automatically have his/her case reviewed by the Honor Council for possible assessment of additional sanctions, regardless of whether the student appeals the accusation of plagiarism/cheating or not.

2. In all cases in which there are multiple reports against an individual student, the Honor Council will initiate a new complaint/report, for which said student will have the same rights of appeal as in any other reported academic violation.

3. Any graduate student who is reported for a first offense will automatically have his/her case reviewed by the Honor Council for possible assessment of additional sanctions, regardless of whether the student appeals the accusation of plagiarism/cheating or not. In all cases in which there is a report against an individual graduate student, the Honor Council will initiate a new complaint/report, for which said graduate student will have the same rights of appeal as in any other reported academic violation.

4. For a student in a 1000 or 2000 level course with a second violation or a second offense in the same semester, the standard sanction shall be the grade penalty of an “F” in the course and the student may face suspension for one long semester (fall or spring).

5. For a student in a 3000 or 4000 level course with a second violation or a second offense in the same semester, the standard sanction shall be the grade penalty of an “F” in the course and the student will be suspended one academic year (including summer).

6. For a graduate student with a first violation, the standard sanction shall be the grade penalty of an “F” in the course and suspension for one academic year (including summer). Refer to the Graduate Handbook.

7. For a student with violations beyond those stipulated in points 1-6 above, the standard sanction shall be the grade penalty of an “F” in the course and expulsion from the University.

8. The recommendations below are additional potential sanctions that a student found responsible for academic dishonesty may face.

9. Recommendation to the Provost for expulsion of the student from the specific program of study or from the University.

10. Recommendation to the Provost for Honor Code suspension of the student from the specific program of study or from the University.

11. Probation for Academic Dishonesty with a statement of the consequences for additional infractions and a description of the conditions, which must be met to end probationary status.

12. Required completion of an appropriate training or remediation program, whether or not probationary status is imposed.

13. Other sanctions as deemed necessary.

A student who is on “Honor Code Probation” is subject to the following restrictions:

a. Ineligibility to hold an office in any recognized student organization by the University or to hold any elected or appointed position within the University.

b. Ineligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletic activity.

c. Ineligibility to represent the University in any capacity, including representing the University at any official function.

d. Ineligibility to receive a University-administered scholarship or fellowship when the “Honor Code Probation” is in place for longer than one semester.

Additional restrictions or conditions also may be imposed, depending on the timing, nature and severity of the misconduct. Examples are inability to pre-register, to receive an official transcript, or to participate in commencement exercises.

The Honor Council will disclose the student’s academic misconduct outcome to persons who meet the definition of a school official who has a legitimate educational interest in the record and/or who are performing a task that is specific to the sanction imposed.

APPEAL TO HONOR COUNCIL OF ACADEMIC CHARGE

A student who is found responsible for an Honor Code violation, assessed a sanction, and has yet to appeal, has ten University business days from the date of notification of outcome to file an appeal of the findings. The appeal must be stated in writing. The chair will determine if the appeal merits a hearing.

Appeals of Faculty Findings

Faculty alone are responsible for assigning grade penalties in their courses for violations of the Honor Code. A student’s appeal of a faculty member’s charge of academic dishonesty must be based on one of the following reasons:

1. Insufficient or misinterpreted evidence that led to the initial finding of the violation of the Honor Code.

2. Substantial new evidence not available at the time of the original faculty decision. In this case, the Honor Council will consider new information that is sufficient to alter a decision or other relevant facts not known to the person appealing at the time of the original hearing.

Honor Council Findings

The Honor Council will hear the appeal and assess a finding of “responsible” or “not responsible” of academic misconduct. The Honor Council will notify the student, the faculty member, the chair of the department, the dean and the Provost of its findings. If the Honor Council assesses a finding of “responsible”, the student may appeal following the appeal process defined below.

The Honor Council will disclose its determination of the academic appeal to school officials who have an educational interest in the finding or sanction.

Appeal to Provost of Honor Council Decisions

Where Honor Council upholds the faculty member’s original charge, a request for appeal may be made in writing to the Provost. The request must be submitted within ten University business days after notification of the Honor Council’s decision.

There are three grounds for an appeal:

1. Substantial new evidence: the Provost will consider new information that is sufficient to alter a decision or other relevant facts not known to the person appealing at the time of the original hearing.

2. Procedural irregularities: the Provost will determine whether the original hearing was conducted fairly in light of the charges and evidence presented, and in conformity with prescribed procedures giving the accused student a reasonable opportunity to prepare and present rebuttal of allegations.

c) The sanction is not commensurate with the violation: the Provost will determine whether the sanction(s) imposed were appropriate for the violation of the Honor Code, which the student was found to have committed.

After receiving the written request for an appeal, the Provost or a designee may:

1. Deny the request for an appeal and the Honor Council decision will be final.

2. Accept the appeal and ask the Honor Council to reconvene and hear the case again with the new information.

a. If the Provost grants the appeal upon a procedural irregularity, the Provost can reverse the decision.

Appeal of Sanctions other than Separation from the University

If the Provost or a designee finds that there is adequate basis for an appeal:

1. The Provost will hear the case and render a decision.

2. The Provost’s decisions are final.

Appeal of Separation from the University

A student who receives a sanction of expulsion, dismissal, or suspension by the Honor Council has ten University business days upon receiving notification of separation from the University to appeal sanction.

1. The Provost will hear the case and render a decision.

2. The SCCE will notify the student of the decision rendered by the Provost.

3. The decision of the Provost is final.

APPENDIX F: College Documents for Fixed-Term Faculty

College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Non-Tenure Clinical Educator Track

Faculty Appointment, Promotion and Tenure

Title:

All full-time faculty on non-tenure-track status within the Texas A&M International University Canseco School of Nursing will carry the title of Clinical Educator Faculty.

Criteria:

All appointment criteria will adhere to general regulations specified by the TAMUS and by Texas A&M International University and Canseco School of Nursing.

Definition:

1. Non-tenure Clinical Educator Faculty perform professional service whose primary responsibilities are classroom teaching and providing clinical education and supervision of student instruction in a clinical setting. Non-tenure track faculty members are expected to provide appropriate institutional service to meet the program development and other faculty responsibilities associated with the faculty teaching role at the Canseco School of Nursing and to the mission of Texas A&M International University.

2. Non-tenure Clinical Educator Faculty members make substantial contributions in areas of teaching, service, and clinical practice.

3. Non-tenure Clinical Educator Faculty may vote in all Canseco School of Nursing matters based on the Faculty Bylaws with the exception of matters related to tenure and promotion of tenured faculty members.

Appointment:

1. Initial and subsequent contracts will be determined by the Dean of the Canseco School of Nursing in collaboration with the Texas A&M University Provost and President.

2. Appointments may be made at the ranks of Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, and Clinical Professor.

3. Clinical non-tenure appointments shall be for a period of one year for the first two years. Subsequent appointments may be for a period of time up to three academic years. Clinical appointments may be renewed within 12 months prior to expiration of the stated period of time of the contract. Contract renewals and promotions will be based on the quality of the clinical educator faculty contributions within their primary responsibilities.

4. Non-tenure Clinical Educator Faculty may request to move to the tenure track. Approval of the change to the tenure track will be recommended by the Dean of the Canseco School of Nursing and determined by the Provost and President. Time spent in the Non-tenure Clinical Educator Track shall not apply to the tenure probationary period. Clinical educator faculty who move to the tenure track may subsequently request to return to the clinical track, but they may not subsequently request to return to the tenure track.

5. If the request to move from clinical track to the tenure track is approved, the rank held in the clinical educator track shall not be determinative of the tenure track rank.

6. Canseco School of Nursing faculty hired in a tenure-track position may request a move to the clinical educator track. If the request is approved, the faculty member may request to return to a tenure-track position after a period of three years.

7. All time spent in the tenure track is cumulative.

8. If a tenure track faculty member is denied tenure, the faculty member may be appointed to the nontenure clinical educator track upon request and with the approval of the Dean of the Canseco School of Nursing.

Ranks:

Three non-tenure ranks are defined to accommodate the diverse contributions of the Canseco School of Nursing faculty. Clinical educator faculty are expected to aid in the communication of new knowledge in an effective and scholarly way to students, colleagues, and other professional groups, and to facilitate or assist in the generation of new knowledge by their collegial relationship with other TAMIU faculty.

1. Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing: This rank is for those individuals who have completed a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and hold an unrestricted license to practice nursing in the state of Texas. Individuals holding this rank are qualified as independent educators and are responsible for teaching and supervising students in the classroom and clinical setting. They must be recognized by students, colleagues, and/or peers for clinical expertise and teaching abilities. These faculty also carry significant service responsibilities on behalf of the Canseco School of Nursing within the School, University, community and profession.

2. Clinical Associate Professor of Nursing: This rank is for those individuals who have completed a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Ph.D. or other appropriate terminal degree with advanced practice certification and who hold an unrestricted license to practice as an Advanced Practice Nurse in the state of Texas. Promotion to this rank requires excellence and creativity as an independent educator and teaching and supervising students in the classroom and clinical setting as demonstrated by local and/or regional reputation. These faculty also carry significant service responsibilities on behalf of the Canseco School of Nursing, within the School, University, community and profession. These faculty must demonstrate active scholarship of application in the form of grantsmanship and/or research to address issues in the School, community or clinical setting.

3. Clinical Professor of Nursing: This rank is for those individuals who have completed a Ph.D. or other appropriate terminal degree with advanced practice certification and who hold an unrestricted license to practice as an Advanced Practical Nurse in the state of Texas. Promotion to Clinical Professor requires a regional reputation for clinical and teaching excellence and innovation, as well as a record of nationally recognized scholarship of application in the form of grantsmanship, research, and publication to address issues in the School, community, or clinical setting. These faculty also carry significant service responsibilities on behalf of the Canseco School of Nursing within the School, University, community and profession.

Annual Review:

1. All clinical educator faculty shall be reviewed annually following the same process as tenured and tenure-track faculty, including student, peer, self, and Dean evaluation in the four areas of teaching, scholarship, service, and clinical practice.

2. Copies of all evaluations shall be placed in the faculty member’s personnel file and given to the clinical faculty member.

Promotion in Rank:

1. Review of clinical educator faculty for promotion will be independent from the process used for tenure and/or promotion of tenure-track faculty.

2. The Clinical Educator Promotion Committee (CEPC) will be composed of three members elected from the ranks of Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, and Clinical Professor. If there are less than three faculty members in these ranks, tenured nursing faculty may be elected.

3. The Canseco School of Nursing shall maintain written standards which detail expectations for promotion to each rank. The standards must be approved by the Dean and voting members of the Canseco School of Nursing faculty. A copy of these standards shall be made available to all faculty.

4. Clinical educator faculty may request promotion in rank by submitting a letter to the Dean of the School of Nursing. A copy of the letter will go to the CEPC. A minimum of three years in rank is required to request promotion to the next rank. Faculty members who are denied promotion remain in their current rank and may request promotion in subsequent year(s).

5. Candidates for promotion will meet with the Dean of the Canseco School of Nursing to discuss requests for promotion, promotion criteria and process, and both tenure and non-tenure-track options.

Promotion Review Process:

A. Each candidate for promotion will submit a dossier to the CEPC by February 1 of the year requesting promotion. The dossier for promotion in clinical educator rank must include the following:

1. A copy of the letter to the Dean of the Canseco School of Nursing requesting promotion in rank.

2. Current curriculum vita.

3. Copies of the last three Professional Performance Profiles.

4. Copies of the Dean of the Canseco School of Nursing, self, student, and peer teaching and clinical evaluations.

5. Documentation of Nursing Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

6. Letters of documentation from three individuals speaking to the quality of contributions and accomplishments of the faculty member. Letters may address one or more areas. Candidates are responsible for assuring that the areas of teaching, clinical teaching and supervision of students in the clinical area, scholarship of application, service to the Canseco School of Nursing, University, community, and profession, and clinical expertise are documented as outlined by the criteria for promotion. At least one of the letters shall be from outside the Canseco School of Nursing and at least one from outside the University.

B. The CEPC will meet, review the dossier, and forward its recommendation to the Dean of the School of Nursing by March 1.

C. The Dean will review the recommendation and forward the Dean’s recommendation to the Office of the Provost by April 1.

D. The candidate will be notified of recommendations at each step of the process.

E. The Provost will advise the candidate of the final decision on promotion.

Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library

Fixed-Term Professional Track

Title:

All librarians not appointed as tenured or tenure-track faculty (as per the TAMIU Faculty Handbook) will carry the title of Professional Track Faculty. These faculty are appointed under TAMUS Policy 12.07.

Criteria:

All appointment criteria will adhere to general regulations specified by the TAMUS and by Texas A&M International University and Killam Library.

Definition:

Library faculty have three areas of responsibility, as defined in the TAMIU Faculty Handbook: professional assignment, professional enrichment, and service. The responsibilities of professional track librarians will be detailed in their individual position descriptions, under the following guidelines:

1. Professional assignment incorporates the regular professional duties of librarians, including but not limited to providing library services, acquiring and organizing library collections, managing and updating databases and other electronic applications, supervising staff, and library assessment. Professional assignment duties are position-specific and must be described in detail in the position description.

2. Professional enrichment incorporates professional development, applied research, and scholarly and creative activities. Professional track librarians must remain current in the profession and develop new expertise as needed to be successful in performing professional assignment responsibilities. Any additional professional enrichment requirements would be position-specific and described in detail in the position description.

3. Service includes participation in library governance and on library committees and task forces to accomplish collaborative projects in the library. Service on campus committees and participation as faculty in shared institutional governance is optional (professional track librarians have the same voting rights and the same right to serve on committees as other non-tenured faculty).

4. In general, the responsibilities of and expectations for professional track faculty will not exceed those of tenure-track or tenured faculty. Exceptions can be made for faculty whose responsibilities are almost entirely in one area (professional assignment, professional enrichment, or service) to the near-exclusion of the others.

Appointment:

1. Initial and subsequent contracts will be determined by the Director of the Killam Library in collaboration with the Texas A&M International University Provost and President.

2. Appointments may be made at the ranks of Assistant Professional Track Librarian, Associate Professional Track Librarian, and Senior Professional Track Librarian.

3. Initial professional track appointments shall be for a period of three years. Professional track appointments may be renewed at any time prior to the final year of appointment. Renewals will be for a period of five years, beginning in the year after the renewal decision was made. The Library Director will solicit the input of a librarian’s peers in making any decision regarding renewal, and renewals must be approved by the Provost.

4. Professional track librarians may request to move to the tenure track. Approval of the change to the tenure track will be recommended by the Director of the Killam Library and determined by the Provost and President. Time spent in the professional track shall not apply to the tenure probationary period. Professional track librarians who move to the tenure track may subsequently request to return to the professional track, but they may not subsequently request to return to the tenure track.

5. If the request to move from professional track to the tenure track is approved, the rank held in the professional track shall not be determinative of the tenure track rank.

6. Librarians hired in tenure-track positions may request a move to the professional track, to be approved by the Library Director and the majority of the library faculty. If the request is approved, the librarian may request to return to a tenure-track position after a period of three years.

7. All time spent in the tenure track is cumulative.

8. If a tenure track librarian is denied tenure, the librarian may be appointed to the professional track upon request and with the approval of the Director of the Killam Library and the majority of the library faculty.

Ranks:

Three non-tenure ranks are defined to accommodate the diverse contributions of the Killam Library faculty.

1. Assistant Professional Track Librarian: This is the entry level rank for fixed term librarian positions. Assistant Professional Track Librarians must have an earned MLS or equivalent degree from an ALA-accredited program; must demonstrate a basic knowledge of librarianship, professional responsibilities, and a willingness to assist library patrons; must maintain and update professional knowledge and expertise required for assigned responsibilities, and must participate in library governance and collaborative activities.

2. Associate Professional Track Librarian: Librarians in this rank must meet all the criteria for Assistant Professional Track Librarians, and must demonstrate a broad knowledge of librarianship in general and an in-depth knowledge of the parts of the field that apply to his or her professional assignment responsibilities; must assist in the training of new librarians and/or other employees, and demonstrate consistently meritorious professional performance; must pursue opportunities for professional development and contribute innovative programs and procedures to the library; and must be active in library governance. Scholarly and creative activities and service to the university, profession, and community may also be considered toward promotion to the Associate rank.

3. Senior Professional Track Librarian: This is the summit rank conferred on fixed term librarians, ordinarily after their performance has been considered exemplary over a period of many years. Senior Professional Track Librarians must consistently provide leadership in improving library collections and services, in professional development for themselves and for other librarians, in library governance, in university affairs, and in the library profession (at least at the local / regional level).

Annual Review:

1. All professional track librarians shall be reviewed annually following the same process as tenured and tenure-track librarians.

2. Copies of all evaluations shall be placed in the librarian’s personnel file and given to the librarian.

Promotion in Rank:

1. Review of professional track librarians for promotion will be independent from the process used for tenure and/or promotion of tenure-track faculty.

2. The Professional Track Librarian Promotion Committee (PTLPC) will be composed of three members elected from the ranks of Associate Professional Track Librarian and Senior Professional Track Librarian. If there are less than three faculty members in these ranks, tenured library faculty may be elected.

3. Killam Library shall maintain written standards which detail expectations for promotion to each rank. The standards must be approved by the Library Director and voting members of the library faculty. A copy of these standards shall be made available to all faculty.

4. Professional track library faculty may request promotion in rank by submitting a letter to the Library Director. A copy of the letter will go to the PTLPC. A minimum of five years in rank is required to request promotion to the next rank. Faculty members who are denied promotion remain in their current rank and may request promotion in subsequent year(s).

5. Candidates for promotion will meet with the Library Director to discuss requests for promotion, promotion criteria and process, and both tenure and non-tenure-track options.

Promotion Review Process:

A. Each candidate for promotion will submit a dossier to the PTLPC by February 1 of the year requesting promotion. The dossier for promotion in professional track librarian rank must include the following:

1. A copy of the letter to the Library Director requesting promotion in rank.

2. Current curriculum vita.

3. Copies of the last five annual evaluations.

4. A summary of the librarian’s contributions and accomplishments during the time in rank, including supporting documentation as needed.

B. The PTLPC will meet, review the dossier, and forward its recommendation to the Library Director by March 1.

C. The Director will review the recommendation and forward the Director’s recommendation to the Office of the Provost by April 1.

D. The candidate will be notified of recommendations at each step of the process.

E. The Provost will advise the candidate of the final decision on promotion.

College of Education

Instructors and Professional (Fixed-Term) Faculty1

Appointment, Retention, and Promotion

The College of Education (College) recognizes the unique contribution that fixed-term non-tenure track Instructors and Professionals make to the success of students and the enhancement of quality programs. Further, the Texas A&M System “recognizes the merit individuals whose interest, excellence, or discipline does not include research” (Standard Administrative Policy (SAP) 12.07) bring to the institution. The policy “is designed to provide a means to recruit and retain faculty whose excellence in teaching, research or service make them beneficial members of the system academic institution, while providing them with stable, long-term employment” (SAP 12.07).

The guidelines that follow are designed to provide guidance for the recruitment, retention, and promotion of qualified professional faculty within Instructor and Professional ranks. As such, the College recognizes that these individuals possess distinct knowledge, credentials, and proficiencies that augment the expertise of the faculty, as well as the mission of the College and University. The aforementioned faculty make it possible for the College to achieve its mission by contributing in many ways, generally in the areas of teaching and service.

Definition of Faculty Status:

Instructors

For appointment, an Instructor I must hold at least a master's degree, with a minimum of 18 hours in the area that they will offer instruction. They will typically supplement their degree by professional or work experience in the field, and may hold special certification, license or other certification of proficiency in the field. Instructors must demonstrate a basic knowledge of the teaching area, careful classroom preparation, and a willingness to assist students. They must show continuing progress in teaching by expanding knowledge in the teaching specialty and developing effective instructional strategies and techniques. In their initial appointments, Instructors must participate at an introductory level of responsibility in service to the College and/or University through committees and special projects. They must show clear evidence of understanding advancements in scholarship that are related to the teaching specialty.

Following successful completion of their first five years, or any time thereafter, a candidate may apply for advancement to Instructor II. At this point, an Instructor will have confirmed advanced knowledge of the pedagogy in their teaching area through demonstration of careful classroom preparation, and a willingness to assist students. They will have expanded their knowledge in the teaching specialty and developed effective instructional strategies and techniques through the engagement of professional and/or scholarly activities. They will have contributed to the mission of the College and University through committee service and special projects. They must show clear evidence of understanding advancements in scholarship related to their teaching specialty.

At such appropriate time, but no sooner than after five successful years as an Instructor II, a candidate may apply for promotion to Instructor III. A successful candidate will have progressed in their knowledge of their teaching specialty and be able to demonstrate that progress through products from professional activities together with recognition from their peers and their students. They will have demonstrated willingness and a capacity for service to the College and the University. Their teaching, service, and scholarly (if applicable) activities will demonstrate a maturity that comes from extended experience.

Professionals

The Assistant Professional rank is a non-tenure track faculty rank (usually reserved for faculty with a terminal degree in their field) whose primary focus is typically on teaching and service but may also include scholarly pursuits in his or her discipline or in pedagogy. Faculty at this rank have a commitment to teaching, exemplified by a substantial record of teaching and service effectiveness, as well as continuously developing currency in the discipline/pedagogy through identification of advancements in scholarship that are related to their teaching and/or service specialty. The faculty workload typically includes teaching and service, as well as engagement in professional development activities. Scholarly work is not expected unless specifically noted in the letter of appointment2. Assistant Professional faculty demonstrate professional growth across teaching, service, and/or scholarship, consistent with their current letter of appointment.

The Associate Professional rank is a non-tenure track faculty rank whose primary focus is typically on teaching evidenced by expertise in discipline-specific teaching, and noteworthy service responsibilities to the College, University, local communities, and the profession. Evidence of leadership may also be prominent. Associate Professionals are effective professional educators, whose pedagogy and service are recognized by students, peers and others as noteworthy. Associate Professional faculty demonstrate expertise and sustained professional growth across teaching, service, and/or scholarship, consistent with their current letter of appointment. Generally, at least five years of service at the Assistant Professional rank is required for promotion to Associate Professional.

The Senior Professional rank is a non-tenure track faculty rank whose primary focus is on exemplary teaching, service, and/or scholarship, with evidence of leadership, discipline-specific expertise, and/or professional productivity. Senior Professional faculty demonstrate expertise and continued professional growth across teaching, service, and/or scholarship, consistent with their current letter of appointment. Normally, least five years of service at the Associate Professional rank is required for promotion to Senior Professional.

Appointments:

Faculty currently employed at the time of the adoption of these new definitions, even if such adoption falls within an academic year rather than prior to, may petition to be placed into the rank they think is most appropriate to their education and experience, to take effect immediately. If such application is approved, they will receive all benefits, including any financial or professional rewards, commensurate with that rank. However, any advancements in rank or salary will be prospective only as of the date of the new appointment. No Instructor or Professional faculty is required to apply for promotion, and may serve indefinitely at the highest rank they achieve; dismissal from a Professional faculty position shall comport with university and system rules (TAMUS Rule 12.07.5). The rank of new Instructor or Professional faculty hired after the implementation of this policy shall be determined with the application of this policy and by the dean of the College in collaboration with the university provost and president.

Initial appointments are made by the dean of the College with the approval of the provost, and president of the University; rank placement is made considering the candidate’s education, experience and expertise together with the needs of the College. Initial appointments for the first three years are for one year each. Subsequent appointments are generally three to five years, but may not exceed five years. Renewal of appointments are made with the consideration of said faculty member’s fulfillment of the expectations and requirements of their rank and provisions of their appointment contract.

Additionally, the placement, definition and employment expectations or requirements for an individual Instructor or Professional faculty member are subject to and may be defined by contract with the dean of the College and University administration and may provide for additional or different terms and requirements. Following initial appointments, an Instructor or Professional faculty member will negotiate a contract from three to five years with the University outlining their rank, expectations, as well as financial remuneration. It is anticipated that a promotion will carry with it an increase in salary beyond standard merit increase awarded all faculty.

Professional track faculty members may request to move to tenure-track. Approval of the request will be at the recommendation of the dean in collaboration with the provost and determined by the provost and the president. When such a request is determined, time spent in a fixed-term non-tenure track position will not apply toward the tenure probationary year. Fixed-term faculty who are moved to tenure-track may request to return to a fixed-term, non-tenure track position, but if approved, they may not return to a tenure-track position. Faculty in tenure-track positions will follow the College’s and University’s promotion and tenure guidelines and policies.

Annual Review:

According to SAP 12.07, “promotion criteria include excellence in teaching for faculty with teaching responsibilities, or excellence in research or service, as appropriate for other appointments. Overall superior performance and potential for development are also expected as criteria for promotion.”

1. Initial appointments are typically for a one-year term for the first three years with renewable contracts, contingent on satisfactory annual evaluations.

2. All Professional faculty shall be reviewed annually in accordance with the College and University policies for annual faculty evaluations (AFEs). Please see the Faculty Handbook for responsibilities regarding teaching, service, and/or scholarship3. Annual evaluations will include student, self, department chair, and dean’s evaluations in teaching and service, and/or scholarship, consistent with the current letter of appointment.

3. Copies of all evaluations shall be placed in the faculty member’s personnel file. Copies will be provided to the faculty member.

4. Any faculty receiving less than satisfactory evaluations for two consecutive years in teaching, service, and/or scholarly work will be placed on a professional development plan, similar to the plan noted in the Faculty Handbook 4.

Promotion in Rank:

The College will maintain written standards of promotion which delineate expectations for promotion to each Instructor or Professional rank. The written standards will be approved by the College faculty and the Faculty Senate, after which copies will be provided to and available for all faculty.

Instructor or Professional faculty members wishing to apply for promotion shall review the criteria to ensure they meet the qualifications for advancement in rank. Faculty are eligible for promotion at the end of their fifth year, or equivalent, as an Instructor I or II, or Assistant or Associate Professional, with at least two years of experience at TAMIU.

Instructor or Professional faculty interested in promotion will submit a dossier (up to 25 pages) aligned to the promotion process, as applicable to the College and University. The dossier will include the following:

A. A written request to be considered for promotion to the dean by February 1, of the year requesting promotion;

B. A statement delineating the faculty member’s philosophy of teaching, service and scholarly accomplishments, which includes a discussion of the relationship to TAMIU’s and the College’s mission (3 pages maximum)5,

C. A synopsis (3 pages maximum) of sustained quality attainment in the areas of assigned responsibility as applicable within the general headings of:

(i) Teaching6,

(ii) Service/engagement/professional activities, and/or

(iii) Scholarship.

D. A current curriculum vitae (10 pages maximum);

E. AFEs from the last five (5) years;

F. A chart delineating the faculty member’s summative course evaluations;

G. At least two different peer teaching observation assessments and accompanying reflections;

H. Letters from individuals speaking to the quality, contributions, and accomplishments of the faculty member7 as extracted from the dossier; and

I. Supportive sample documentation of exceptional teaching8, excellence in service9, and engagement in professional development activities.

Supportive materials (e.g., copies of articles, conference presentations, letters of reference, letters of recognition, course syllabi, final examinations, grant proposals, and samples of student course evaluations) are to be excluded from the 25-page limit. Supplemental materials should be placed in a second dossier labeled as such.

Promotion Review Process:

Fixed-term faculty considering application for promotion will meet with the department chair and College dean to review and discuss the request for promotion, promotion criteria and process, as well as readiness for promotion in the fall of the academic year they wish to apply for promotion.

A peer-review committee of three faculty at the Instructor or Professional rank that is advanced from the applicant will review the faculty member’s dossier. Should the College have less than three faculty at the Instructor or Professional rank, fixed term faculty from outside the College will be asked to serve in collaboration with the faculty member’s chair and/or dean. The peer-reviewers should be selected based on the similarity of the faculty member’s assignment and responsibilities (i.e., teaching, service, professional development, and scholarly work).

Review of the faculty member’s dossier is to be completed by March 1. The peer-review committee will make a recommendation, along with a rationale for the recommendation, to the dean noting that the faculty member either:

a. meets the qualifications for promotion, or

b. does not meet the qualification for promotion.

The dean will forward the committee’s recommendation, along with the dean’s recommendation, which may differ from the committee’s recommendation, to the provost by April 1.

The faculty member will be notified by the provost regarding the recommendation of promotion.

Faculty denied promotion remain in their current rank and may request promotion in subsequent year(s).

Approved by the TAMIU Faculty Senate on April 5, 2019

1. Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) Faculty Handbook (2018), pp. 24-25, 31-32 describe the fixed-term faculty status.

2. See the TAMIU Faculty Handbook (2018), pp. 23-24 for an applicable definition of scholarship.

3. See the TAMIU Faculty Handbook (2018), pp. 21-24.

4. See the TAMIU Faculty Handbook (2018), pp.  43-46.

5. The purpose of this statement is to provide a context for reviewers of the dossier in regards to the faculty member.

6. Examples of student course evaluations should be included with supplemental materials.

7. For promotion to Instructor II or Associate Professional, two (2) letters from peers are to be included.  For promotion to Instructor III or Senior Professional, three (3) letters are to be included, whereas one letter (1) is from outside the College; one letter (1) from outside TAMIU; and one letter (1) from an individual familiar with your qualifications and abilities.

8. Examples of supportive documents for teaching may include a statement of teaching goals; teaching load information, including level and class size; evaluation of curriculum development, including sample syllabi and course materials; evidence of use of technology and innovative pedagogy to complement instruction; and/or professional development in teaching, including workshops and seminars presented and attended. Examples from students regarding teaching may include student evaluations, articles co-authored with students, Honors and awards to supervise students, and/or community and school based projects guided and produced in connection with courses. Examples from peers regarding teaching may include letters from peers who have observed classes or reviewed course materials, Honors or awards for teaching excellence, extramural funds awarded for instructional innovation, facilities, and/or student support.

9. Examples of supportive documents for service to the University may include service on departmental, College, or University committees; student advising; and/or faculty or staff mentoring. Examples of service to community, regional, national, or international organizations and/or schools may include service on boards, consulting work, letters from professionals, work with EC-12 faculty, organizational leadership on project development, Honors, and/or awards for mentorship.

University College

Professional (Fixed Term) Faculty 1

Appointment and Promotion

University College recognizes the unique contribution that fixed-term non-tenure track professionals make to the success of students and the enhancement of quality programs. Further, the Texas A&M System “recognizes the merit individuals whose interest, excellence, or discipline does not include research” (Standard Administrative Policy (SAP) 12.07) bring to the institution.  As noted, “These individuals provide a specific, professional skill to the system academic institution, faculty, staff and students” (SAP 12.07).

The guidelines that follow are intended to support the development of qualified professional faculty within the Professional fixed-term non-tenure rank.  As such, the College recognizes that these individuals possess distinct knowledge, credentials, and proficiencies that augment the expertise of the faculty, as well as the mission of the College.  Professional faculty make it possible for the College to achieve its mission by contributing in many ways, most significantly in the areas of teaching and service.

Definition of Faculty Status (p. 19):

1. Assistant Professional is a non-tenure track faculty rank whose main focus is on teaching and service, as well as continuing to develop currency in the discipline/pedagogy.  Faculty at this rank have a commitment to teaching, exemplified by a substantial record of teaching and service effectiveness, as well as continuously developing currency in the discipline/pedagogy through identification of advancements in scholarship that are related to their teaching specialty.  The faculty workload includes teaching and service, as well as engagement in professional development activities, which may include scholarly work.2 Assistant Professional faculty demonstrate professional growth across teaching, service, and scholarship.3

2. Associate Professional is a non-tenure track faculty rank whose main focus is on advancing their pedagogy, evidenced by significant teaching, and noteworthy service responsibilities through substantial contributions to the University, local communities, and professional organizations. The scholarship of teaching and learning is more explicit and disseminated. Leadership materializes on many fronts. Associate Professionals are effective teachers, whose work in design of or professional practice, or a combination thereof, is recognized by peers as a significant contribution to teaching, service and/or the department/College.

3. Senior Professional is a non-tenure track faculty rank whose main focus is on leading other faculty in advancing their pedagogy, teaching, and service, while continuing to establish a record of successful recognition and professional productivity.

Professional development is an ongoing activity that cuts across teaching, service, and scholarship activities.  Professional faculty demonstrate leadership activities.

Appointments:

Initial full-time appointments will be at the recommendation of the dean of the College in collaboration with the Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) provost and president. Appointments may be made at the rank of Assistant Professional, Associate Professional, and/or Senior Professional.

Initial appointments are for one year each for the first three years. Subsequent appointments will made for a period of time up to three academic years. Renewals and/or promotions will be based on the quality of the faculty’s contributions within their primary responsibilities.

Fixed-term non-tenure track faculty members may request to move to tenure-track. Approval of the request will be at the recommendation of the dean in collaboration with the provost and determined by the provost and the president. When such a request is determined, time spent in a fixed-term non-tenure track position will not apply toward the tenure probationary year. Faculty who move to tenure-track may request to return to a fixed-term non-tenure track; however, this decision is not reversible.   All time spent in tenure track is cumulative. Faculty in tenure-track positions will follow the College’s and University’s promotion and tenure guidelines and policies.

Appointment letters are renewable up to five years in length.

Ranks:

1. Assistant Professional Track (Fixed-Term, Non-tenure). This rank is for those non-tenured/non-tenure-track faculty who:

a. completed a terminal degree;

b. have an established record of significant sustained success in teaching (4.0 or higher with a challenge index of 3.5 or higher)

c. have an established record of service responsibilities to the department, college, university, and community;

d. engages in professional development activities, which may include scholarly work4; and

e. engages in professional organizations.

2. Associate Professional Track (Fixed-Term, Non-tenure). This rank is for those non-tenured/non-tenure-track faculty who:

a. completed a terminal degree;

b. held the rank of Assistant Professional for a minimum of five years, with at least two years at TAMIU;

c. have a sustained substantial record of teaching effectiveness (4.5 or higher, with a challenge index of 4.0 or higher) to include advanced teaching ability to mentor new or adjunct faculty in teaching and service, as well as mentoring and advising students with their development, including choices relating to academic programs, research projects, and career directions.

d. have a sustained substantial record of active participation in service as a member of the overall University community (e.g., to include organizational committees (e.g., Undergraduate strategic planning committee), search committees, and/or college governance activities, as well as service to the state, region, and/or national professional organizations; and in professional service in the community (e.g., outreach activities to service organizations, civic groups, and/or local educational agencies);

e. provide leadership in the discipline/pedagogy and department/college (e.g., invest in new teaching materials, course segments and/or develops new courses which keep pace with changes in the discipline/pedagogy); and

f. demonstrate scholarship through grantsmanship and/or refereed presentations at regional/national conferences that focus on the Carnegie’s Scholarship of Teaching5; and engage in professional development activities, which may include scholarly work6.

Scholarship activities are expected to contribute to professional issues or program development. Results of research/scholarly work should be disseminated, particularly at peer reviewed regional/national conferences/symposia.

Additionally, effective teachers’ work in pedagogy or professional practice, or a combination thereof, is recognized by peers as a significant contribution to the field.

3. Senior Professional Track (Fixed-Term, Non-tenure. This rank is for those non-tenured/non-tenure-track faculty who completed a terminal degree; held the rank of Associate Professional for a minimum of five years, with at least two years at TAMIU, and a minimum of ten years at an accredited institution; and have a sustained substantial record of:

a. Teaching effectiveness shall be demonstrated on course evaluations (with a 4.5 or higher and a CEI of 4.5 or higher), along with high peer observations. Senior Professional faculty demonstrate forward-thinking, leadership, and innovative teaching ability. Consistent evidence of excellence in teaching and curricular influence (e.g., program development, curriculum development, program supervision, mentoring undergraduate faculty and undergraduate students (e.g., Honors thesis, chairing/co-chairing committees, teaching with technology, study-abroad programs, etc.) is documented. Professional pedagogy/practice, is recognized by peers/colleagues (both internally and externally) as significant contributions to the field.

b. Service effectiveness shall be demonstrated through the pursuit of significant responsibility and impact within the college to influence the discipline/pedagogy, as evidenced through service and engagement in professional activities within the department, the college, the institution, and the profession (e.g., membership on departmental, college, and university committees; leadership in professional organizations, service to professional organizations, planning and delivering workshops and/or other learning opportunities, involvement in creative works, program/curriculum reviewer, membership on journal review boards, etc.).

c. Scholarship shall be demonstrated through evidence of an established record of success in professional productivity, which includes research, scholarly writings (published or not), presentations at professional peer-reviewed national/international conferences and workshops, external grant funding activities, certifications, licensing etc.

Annual Review:

According to SAP 12.07, “Promotion criteria include excellence in teaching for faculty with teaching responsibilities, or excellence in research or service, as appropriate for other appointments. Overall superior performance and potential for development are also expected as criteria for promotion.”

1. Initial appointments are for a one-year term for the first three years with renewable contracts, contingent on satisfactory annual evaluations.

2. All Professional faculty shall be reviewed annually in accordance with the College and University policies for annual faculty evaluations (AFEs). Please see the Faculty Handbook for responsibilities regarding teaching, service, and scholarship7. Annual evaluations will include student, peer, self, and dean’s evaluations in teaching, service, and influences of advancements in scholarship that pertain to the teaching specialty.

3. Copies of all evaluations shall be placed in the faculty member’s personnel file. Copies will be provided to the faculty member.

4. Any faculty receiving less than satisfactory evaluations for two consecutive years in teaching, service, and/or scholarly work will be placed on a professional development plan, similar to the plan noted in the Faculty Handbook8.

Promotion in Rank:

The College will maintain written standards of promotion which delineate expectations for promotion to each rank. The written standards will be approved by the College faculty and the Faculty Senate, after which copies will be provided to and available for all faculty.

Faculty members wishing to apply for promotion shall review the criteria to ensure they meet the qualifications for advancement in rank.  Faculty are eligible for promotion at the end of their fifth year as an Assistant or Associate Professional, with at least two years of experience at TAMIU.

Faculty interested in promotion will submit a dossier (up to 25 pages) aligned to the promotion process, as applicable to the College and University. The dossier will include the following:

The faculty member’s dossier consists of:

A. a written request to be considered for promotion to the dean by February 1, of the year requesting promotion;

B. a statement delineating the faculty member’s philosophy of teaching, service and scholarly accomplishments, which includes a discussion of the relationship to TAMIU’s and College’s mission (3 pages maximum)9;

C. a synopsis (3 pages maximum) of sustained quality attainment in the areas of assigned responsibility as applicable within the general headings of:

(i) teaching10,

(ii) service/engagement/professional activities, and/or

(iii) scholarship;

D. a current curriculum vitae (10 pages maximum) ;

E. previous AFEs from the last five (5) years;

F. A chart delineating the faculty member’s summative course evaluations (attached);

G. At least two different peer teaching observation assessments and accompanying reflections;

H. Letters from individuals speaking to the quality, contributions, and accomplishments of the faculty member11 as extracted from the dossier; and

I. Supportive sample documentation of exceptional teaching12, excellence in service13, and engagement in professional development activities.

Supportive materials (e.g., copies of articles, conference presentations, letters of reference, letters of recognitions, course syllabi, final examinations, grant proposals, and samples of student course evaluations) are to be excluded from the 25-page limit. Supplemental materials should be placed in a second dossier labeled as such.

Promotion Review Process:

Faculty considering promotion will meet with the College dean to review and discuss the request for promotion, promotion criteria and process, and well as readiness for promotion in the fall of the academic year they wish to apply for promotion.

A peer-review committee of three faculty at the Professional rank (i.e., Assistant, Associate, or Senior levels) will review the faculty member’s dossier. Should the College have less than three faculty at the Professional rank, Professional faculty from outside the College will be asked to serve in collaboration with the faculty member’s chair and/or dean.  The peer-reviewers should be selected based on the similarity of the faculty member’s assignment and responsibilities (i.e., teaching, service, professional development, and scholarly work).

Review of the faculty member’s dossier is to be completed by March 1. The peer-review committee will make a recommendation, along with a rationale for the recommendation, to the dean noting that the faculty member either:

a. meets the qualifications for promotion, or
b. does not meet the qualification for promotion.

The dean will forward the committee’s recommendation, along with the dean’s recommendation, which may differ from the committee’s recommendation, to the provost by April 1.

The faculty member will be notified by the provost regarding the recommendation of promotion.

Faculty denied promotion remain in their current rank and may request promotion in subsequent year(s).

1. The Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) Faculty Handbook (2017, June), pp. 24-25 describe the Fixed-term faculty status.

2. See the TAMIU Faculty Handbook (2017, June), p. 19 for an applicable definition of scholarship.

3. Scholarship for professional faculty should focus on Carnegie Institute’s areas of the Scholarship of Teaching and the Scholarship of Integration from Scholarship Reassessed.

4. See the TAMIU Faculty Handbook (2017, June), p. 18 for an applicable definition of scholarship.

5. See Glassic, C., Huber, M. T., & Maeroff, G. I. (1997). Scholarship assessed: Evaluation of the Professoriate. San Francisco: Joessy-Bass; and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (2106). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities of the professoriate (expanded version). San Francisco: Joessy-Bass.

6. See the TAMIU Faculty Handbook (2017, June), p. 18 for an applicable definition of scholarship.

7. See the TAMIU Faculty Handbook (2017, June), pp. 17-18.

8. See the TAMIU Faculty Handbook (2017, June), pp.  33-35.

9. The purpose of this statement is to provide a context for reviewers of the dossier in regards to the faculty member.

10. Examples of student course evaluations should be included with supplemental materials.

11. For promotion to Associate Professional, two (2) letters from peers are to be included. For promotion to Senior Professional, three (3) letters are to be included, whereas one letter (1) is from outside University College; one letter (1) from outside TAMIU; and one letter (1) from an individual familiar with your qualifications and abilities.

12. Examples of supportive documents for teaching may include a statement of teaching goals; teaching load information, including level and class size; evaluation of curriculum development, including sample syllabi and course materials; evidence of use of technology and innovative pedagogy to complement instruction; and/or professional development in teaching, including workshops and seminars presented and attended. Examples from students regarding teaching may include student evaluations, articles co-authored with students, Honors and awards to supervise students, and/or community and school based projects guided and produced in connection with courses. Examples from peers regarding teaching may include letters from peers who have observed classes or reviewed course materials, Honors or awards for teaching excellence, extramural funds awarded for instructional innovation, facilities, and/or student support.

13. Examples of supportive documents for service to the University may include service on departmental, College, or University committees; student advising; and/or faculty or staff mentoring. Examples of service to community, regional, national, or international organizations and/or schools may include service on boards, consulting work, letters from professionals, work with K-12 faculty, organizational leadership on project development, Honors, and/or awards for mentorship.

Table of Contents

TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOK

- PREFACE

- Faculty Handbook Revision Process

- ABOUT TAMIU

- Accreditation
- Mission Statement
- History

- Governance and Administration

- The TAMUS Board of Regents (hereafter the Board)

- President

- Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs (hereafter the Provost)

- Vice-President for Finance and Administration

- Vice-President for Institutional Advancement

- Vice-President for Student Success
- Academic Deans
- Department Chairs
- Other Academic Affairs Administrators

- General University Governance

- University Executive Council
- Council of Deans
- Student Government Association
- Staff Senate
- Faculty Assembly
- Faculty Senate
- Faculty Senate Committees
- University Committees
- Committee Assignment Procedure

- Graduate Council

- Responsibilities
- Composition
- Membership
- Elections and Appointments

- Library and Instructional Support

- Library Policies

APPOINTMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF FACULTY

- Terms of Appointment

- Contract Form

- Search, Appointment, and Orientation of New Faculty

- Search Procedures
- Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action
- Application for Employment
- Appointment Procedures
- Orientation

- Pre-employment

- Employee's Affidavit
- Faculty Handbook
- Personnel Records
- Official File
- Grievance File

- Major Faculty Responsibilities

- Teaching
- Service
- Scholarship

- Definition of Faculty Status

- Instructor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- Full Professor
- Assistant Librarian
- Associate Librarian
- Full Librarian
- Others with Faculty Status

ETHICS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS

- Principles of Ethical Conduct

- Conflicts of Interest and Outside Employment

- Use of Property and Equipment
- Professional Standards
- Professional Ethics
- Anti-Discrimination / Title IX
- Improper Consensual Relationships

- Political Activity

- External Relations

- Communications Channels
- Publicity for Faculty Activities
- Grants Policy

- Use of Institutional Letterhead, Trademarks, Trade Names

- Fund Raising

EVALUATION AND PROMOTION OF FACULTY

- Annual Review

- College Evaluation Procedure
- College Evaluation Criteria
- Evaluation of Teaching
- Midpoint Review of Faculty

- Post-Tenure Review

- Introduction
- Post-Tenure Review
- Evaluation Criteria
- General Evaluation Process

- Evaluation Process for Faculty with “Serious Deficiencies”

- Professional Development Plan
- Appeals
- Voluntary Post-Tenure Review

- Tenure and Promotion

- Promotion of Faculty
- Tenure
- Promotion and Tenure Deadlines
- Promotion, Tenure, and Retention Committees

- Replacement of Faculty on Promotion, Tenure, and Retention Committees

- Chairs of Promotion, Tenure, and Retention Committees

- Confidentiality

- Documentation and Presentations in Support of Applications

- Final Promotion and Tenure Decisions

- Procedure for Appeal of Promotion and Tenure Decisions

FACULTY WORKLOAD

- Teaching

- Release Time for Research

- Baseline Expectations for Faculty Awarded Release Time for Research

- Additional Release Time for Intensive Research

- Release Time for Non-Research Activities
- General Considerations
- Summer Teaching

GRADUATE FACULTY

- Categories and Requirements for Membership

- Procedures for Nomination to the Graduate Faculty

GRIEVANCES

- University Ombuds Officer

- Faculty Complaint, Grievance, and Appeal Procedures

- Faculty-Student
- Faculty-Faculty
- Faculty-Administrator

HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION

- Personal Leaves

- Sick Leave
- Military Leave
- Civic Duty
- Emergency Leave of Absence
- Parental Leave of Absence
- Family and Medical Leave
- Vacation

- Other Human Resources Information

NEW FACULTY INFORMATION

- Alcohol and Drug Abuse
- Bulletin Boards
- Communicable Diseases
- Emergency Closing
- Keys
- Leave of Absence
- Mail and Email
- Purchase Orders / Requisitions
- Telephones

- University Awards

- Procedure

NON-REAPPOINTMENT, DISMISSAL, AND SEPARATION OF FACULTY

- Phasing Out of Programs or Financial Exigencies

- Notice of Reduction in Force
- Hearings
- Individual’s Value to Program

- Non-reappointment

- Separation

- Resignation
- Retirement
- Failure to Meet Standards

- Discharge for Cause – Criteria and Procedure

RESEARCH INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

- Copyright and Intellectual Property
- Hazardous Waste
- Human Subjects
- Inventions, Patents, and Creations
- Scientific Misconduct and Animal Research

- Study Leave and Faculty Development Leave

- Study Leave

STUDENT SUCCESS

- Student Handbook

- Sponsorship / Organizations

- Student Violations of Academic Integrity (Cheating, Plagiarism)

- Student Leave of Absence and Pregnant/Parenting Students

TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES AND RELATED INFORMATION

- Academic Freedom

- Faculty Responsibilities

- Teaching Faculty

- Library Faculty

- Academic Services and Support (Media, Computer, etc.)

- Program Evaluation
- Student Advising
- Student Records (FERPA)
- Posting Grades
- Office Hours

APPENDIX A: Changes to Faculty Handbook Since 2010

APPENDIX B: Faculty Constitution Texas A&M International University

APPENDIX C: Faculty Senate Members

APPENDIX D: An Ideal Model for Faculty Workload Equivalency Units

APPENDIX E: TAMIU Honor Code

APPENDIX F: College Documents for Fixed-Term Faculty

- College of Nursing and Health Sciences
- Sue & Radcliffe Killam Library
- College of Education
- University College