Section 1. Faculty Membership

A. The faculty of the Department of English is composed of persons holding academic rank in Howard University with designation as English faculty.

B. Faculty Ranks and Appointment

1. The categories of faculty membership include Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Master Teacher, Lecturer, and such qualified ranks as indicated in the Howard University Handbook.

2. Faculty appointment status includes “tenured, career status, probationary (tenure track), temporary, and special contracts” as noted in the Howard University Faculty Handbook.

C. Responsibilities of the Faculty

1. It shall be the responsibility of the Faculty of the Department of English to provide to students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses offered by the Department:

(i) Instruction that incorporates the highest quality of research and knowledge resulting from investigations in the discipline;

(ii.) Conscientious mentoring/advising for completion of academic programs of study.
In carrying out these instructional responsibilities, faculty in the Department of English shall abide by the Howard University Code of Ethics and Conduct, the Howard University Policy Against Sexual Harassment and Gender-Based Discrimination in Education Programs and Activities.

2. Faculty members are expected to participate as fully as possible in the activities of teaching, research, and service that form the categories for evaluation in the University.

3. Faculty members shall inform the Chair when illness or professional activity requires their absence from scheduled classes, and every reasonable effort shall be made by the faculty member, with the assistance of the Chair, to accommodate students enrolled in the affected classes.

D. Faculty Workload

Workload assignments for faculty shall be made in accord with the stated policies of Howard University, in conformity with the Workload Policy ratified by the faculty of the Department of English (January 30, 2003), and with effort made to balance professional development and instructional needs of the Department.

E. Faculty Professional Leave and Responsibilities

Faculty shall be entitled to apply for professional leave of the types indicated in the Faculty Handbook (e.g. sabbatical, leave without compensation, etc.) as well as short-term leave for professional activity with the understanding that an effort will be made to accommodate reasonable requests for such leave as long as instruction is not hindered.

F. Extended Illness

In the event of extended illness, the Chair shall seek to arrange for sustained compensation to the faculty member, while also securing appropriate coverage of the faculty member’s instructional responsibilities.

Section 2. Student Membership

Section 1. Affiliations

The Department of English is a constituent part of the College of Arts and Sciences, governed, therefore, by the charter of Howard University, that states :

“ immediate governance of the several departments, subject to the control of the Trustees, shall be entrusted to their respective faculties (University Charter, Section 6).

Section 2. Prior Authority

It shall be understood that authority prior to these bylaws rests with the policies and regulations enacted by the Board of Trustees, the Howard University Faculty Handbook, and the Bylaws of the College of Arts and Sciences.

All faculty members of the Department of English as designated above shall be entitled to vote on affairs of the Department as presented in Department meetings, the constituent committees of the Department to which they may be elected or appointed, and all special polls or votes scheduled in regard to Department business.

Section 1. Chair

A. Selection of Chair

Designation of the Department Chair shall follow procedures detailed in the Faculty Handbook beginning with consultation by the College Dean with all members of the faculty. Such consultation shall permit confidential appraisal by all members of the faculty of the incumbent chair as well as recommendations of any other faculty member for appointment as chair or for an external search for qualified chair of the Department. While authority for formal appointment of the Chair rests with the College Dean acting as the designee of the President of the University, the Executive Committee of the Department may conduct a preferential poll, provided that such a poll shall solicit the views of all members of the faculty, shall allow for statement of preferences of any member of the Department faculty, whether or not the individuals have declared their candidacy, and shall include the option of recommending an eternal search. The results of the poll shall be reported in writing to the Department faculty and to the Dean.

B. Responsibilities of the Chair

The Chair shall be the chief administrative officer of the Department with the responsibility of determining the instructional schedule, appointing ad hoc committees, preparing the annual budget, guiding the Department in long range planning and staff development, and serving as the chief spokesperson and advocate for the Department in College and University affairs. In discharging these responsibilities for the collective state of the Department, it shall be expected that the Chair will call upon the Executive Committee for advice and will report to the Department at regular intervals. The Chair will also serve as an ex officio member of all Department committees. Moreover, the Chair shall consult at least annually with each member of the Department faculty regarding individual research programs, mentoring obligations, and teaching service in determining workload assignments and to assist in professional development. The Chair shall also provide the first level of appeal when faculty members claim a grievance in regard to their professional obligations and when students register an academic complaint.

C. Designation of Assistant to the Chair

The Chair may designate an Assistant Chair to conduct some portion of the administrative business of the Department. The faculty shall be informed of the appointment and be provided an explanation of the need for the position.

Section 2. Executive Committee

A. Purpose

There shall be an Executive Committee, the purpose of which shall be to represent and act on behalf of the Faculty in intervals between meetings of the Department and to advise the Department Chair on policy and on subjects set forth in Section E below.

B. Composition of Executive Committee and Selection

The Executive Committee shall be composed of two faculty members representing each academic rank and shall be elected by the vote of the faculty as a whole in an annual election conducted by the Elections Committees.

C. Terms of Executive Committee Service

Members of the Executive Committee shall serve one-year terms and shall be eligible for re-election annually.

D. Officers

The Chair of the Department shall preside at meetings of the Executive Committee and one elected member shall serve as secretary to maintain minutes and records.

E. Responsibilities of the Executive Committee

Responsibilities of the Executive Committee shall include: (1)representing the Faculty at intervals between meetings of the Department; (2) advising the Department Chair on matters of staff development and long range planning; (3) consulting with the Chair in creation of class schedules; ( 4) consulting with the Chair in preparation of the annual budget requests; (5) serving as members of personnel search committees; (6) consulting on other matters of Department operations the Chair shall present to the Executive Committee; and (7) conducting preferential polls regarding designation of the Department Chair.

F. Meetings

Regular meetings shall be monthly, at other times by request of the Department Chair, and at the written request of a majority of the elected members.

G. Vote

A majority vote shall constitute Committee action.

H. Polling

The Executive Committee may act without meeting, when polled by the Department Chair. Any action taken shall be by majority vote and shall be reported at the next meeting and be included in the minutes.

I. Minutes

A copy of the minutes recording recommendations to the Chair shall be retained as a permanent record in the Department of English. It shall be the responsibility of the secretary of the Executive Committee to assure that those minutes are available for inspection by all members of the Executive Committee.

J. Confidentiality

Upon agreement of the members of the Executive Committee, discussions shall remain confidential.

Section 3. Standing Committees

The Department of English shall have as standing committees the following:

A. Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure Committee

1. Composition

The Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure Committee shall be constituted of all members of the departmental faculty who have been awarded tenure in these faculty ranks: Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor.

2. Terms of Service

Membership on the Committee shall be permanent while faculty remain in active employment at Howard University.

3. Responsibilities

The Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure Committee holds exclusive authority to make recommendations for appointment of new faculty, promotion of faculty, and award of tenure.

4. Governance

The Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure Committee shall select a chair and secretary from within its membership.

5. Quorum

A quorum of the Committee shall be 50% of the membership, plus one. This quorum shall be required for all recommendations, except that in summer months the Committee may establish a number less than the usual quorum in order to take action. Such an exceptional reduced quorum, however, shall not be employed for votes on promotion, tenure, or appointment to the ranks of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor.

6. Voting

Votes on appointment, promotion, and tenure by the Committee shall be by secret ballot.

7. Minutes and Records

The Secretary of the Committee shall be responsible for preparing regular minutes reporting actions taken by the Committee. In addition, the Committee shall retain all marked ballots used in personnel decisions. These minutes and records shall be kept in a confidential file in the Department of English offices.

8. The content of discussions on personnel actions shall be held in confidence by the members of the Committee and shall not be related in the minutes. Substantive content of discussions shall be reported only in documents required to forward the recommendations of the Committee to the Department Chair and other officials.

B. Elections Committee

1. Membership

The Elections Committee shall consist of eight members, two representing each of the academic ranks of the faculty.

2. Responsibility

The Committee shall conduct elections for membership of all committees designated as elective. In addition, the Committee will conduct any polls required in the process of selecting a Department Chair.

3. Selection

The Department Chair names members of the Elections Committee.

4. Elections Procedures

Elections conducted by the Committee shall be by secret paper ballots with advance notice of at least one week prior to its occurrence. Results shall be reported within one week of the completion of each election.

C. Curriculum Committee

1. Membership

The Curriculum Committee shall consist of eight members, two representing each of the academic ranks of the faculty.

2. Responsibility

The Curriculum Committee is responsible for continuing review of the Department curricula, evaluation and approval of proposals for new courses, and developing recommendations for changes and/or expansion of curricular offerings by the Department. The Committee shall also develop and implement instruments to assess learning outcomes.

3. Selection

The membership of the Curriculum Committee shall be determined annually by election conducted by the Elections Committee.

4. Organization

The elected members shall select a chair from among themselves and designate a secretary to record the minutes.

5. Minutes and Reports

The Curriculum Committee shall report at each meeting of the Department its routine activity. In the case of courses and curricular changes proposed by the Committee reports shall be circulated in writing at least two weeks prior to any call for action by the Department. Minutes of the Committee deliberations shall be retained in the Department office.

D. Writing Committee

1. Membership

The Writing Committee shall be comprised of representatives of faculty with primary or major roles in the writing programs of the Department. Inasmuch as writing underlies all Department instruction, the Committee may also include representation of the undergraduate major and graduate programs.

2. Organization

The Director of the Freshman Writing Program shall serve as Chair of the Committee with additional officers, as needed, chosen by the members of the Committee.

3. Responsibilities

The Writing Committee shall implement the writing programs established by vote of the Department, administer instruments necessary to assess the effectiveness of the programs, develop recommendations to be forwarded to the Curriculum Committee for adaptation or change in the programs, facilitate training workshops for faculty and for graduate students with instructional assignments.

4. Reporting

The Writing Committee shall report to the faculty regularly.

E. Undergraduate Studies Committee

1. Membership

The Undergraduate Studies Committee shall consist of those faculty teaching undergraduate courses in any given semester.

2. Organization

The Committee shall be chaired by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

3. Responsibility

The Committee shall implement undergraduate curricula adopted by vote of the Department, review the need for courses as determined by sampling views of enrolled students, develop recommendations for the Curriculum Committee, establish and maintain an advisory system for students, make recommendations to the Department for admission of majors and minors, and sponsor social events and organizations for the enrichment of the learning of undergraduate students.

F. Graduate Studies Committee

1. Membership

All faculty in the Department of English who receive appointment to the Graduate Faculty in the Graduate School of Howard University shall be members of the Graduate Studies Committee.

2. Organization

The Director of Graduate Studies shall chair the Committee.

3. Responsibility

Members of the Committee are accorded responsibilities and obligations as indicated in the Bylaws of the Graduate School. They are likewise governed by those Bylaws in the conduct of research and graduate instruction and mentoring. In regard to the Graduate Program in English, the Committee shall oversee admissions to the Graduate Program, recommend to the Graduate School student dismissals and readmission, evaluate Graduate Qualifying Examinations, undertake program reviews and self-studies, participate in development of grant proposals related to graduate studies in English, review and revise the curriculum of the Graduate Program, set policies for conduct of the Graduate Program, and make recommendations to the Director and to the Department Chair in regard to the content and operation of the Graduate Program. The Committee shall also develop recommendations for degree requirements and for extending, or curtailing, program offerings. In addition, the Committee shall develop proposals to the Executive Committee for planning.

Section 4. Ad Hoc Committees

There shall be committees appointed as needed to undertake specific projects in the Department or to produce special Department events.

1. Designation

The Department Chair designate ad hoc committees and their membership. The faculty may recommend appointment of ad hoc committees.

2. Duration and Terms of Service

Ad hoc committees shall be established for specific, limited projects. In no case, shall they continue for more than an academic year without evaluation of the need for them to continue. Membership of ad hoc committees shall be for one academic year.

Section 5. Search Committees

Search committees shall be developed following consultation of the Department Chair and the Executive Committee on the personnel needs of the Department.

1. Membership

Membership of search committees shall include specialists in the areas of advertised or declared need and representative faculty serving on the Executive Committee.

2. Designation

The Chair of the Department shall name members of search committees.

3. Reporting

It shall be the responsibility of search committees to provide a continuing report of their activities to the Chair and to the Executive Committee. When search committees are prepared to make recommendations those recommendations shall be forwarded to the Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure Committee and the Department Chair for action.

Section 1. Frequency of Meetings

Meetings of the Department shall be held monthly during the regular academic year.

Section 2. Special Meetings

The Executive Committee by majority vote may request the Chair to convene a special meeting of the Department in which case the agenda shall be published at least two days in advance. In addition, a special meeting may be initiated by petition signed by fifty percent of the faculty, providing that the petition specify the purpose of the special meeting and allow for reasonable notice and participation.

Section 3. Development of Agenda

The agenda shall be published a week in advance of regular Department meetings and, in addition to matters stated by the Chair, may include items proposed by individual faculty members at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled meeting.

Section 4. Quorum to Conduct Business

A quorum of thirty percent of the faculty shall be sufficient to conduct business. If fewer than thirty percent of the faculty are in attendance, the meeting may serve only for reports.

Section 5. Rules of Order

Business shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 6. Secretary of the Faculty and Minutes

At first meeting of the academic year, the faculty shall elect a Secretary whose responsibility shall be to maintain records of the Department meetings during the academic year.
The Secretary of the faculty shall record actions at each meeting of the Department and shall produce a brief summary of discussion. Committees reporting at meetings shall provide the Secretary a written summary. Minutes shall be published and a copy preserved in the Department office.

Section 7. Student Representation

Upon general agreement of the faculty, student representatives may be invited to attend meetings of the Department.

During University vacations or times other than the regular academic semesters, if the Chair intends to be absent, a substitute may be designated to be responsible for routine operations of the Department, providing that approval of the Dean and notification to the faculty occurs in advance of the designation.

Although the Chair may serve in a first level of appeal in the case of a faculty or student grievance, such service shall not replace the procedures otherwise provided by the University for consideration of grievances.

Conduct of such business of the Department as calls to meetings and non confidential memoranda may be by electronic transmission, which shall thereby constitute “publication.” Committee minutes, however, must be produced in hard copy for filing in the Department office, although they may also be distributed electronically. Elections Committee reports of results of elections must be communicated by hard copy.

Amendment of these bylaws shall require recommendation by the Executive Committee to the faculty with notice two weeks prior to a Department meeting where a majority vote will be required for adoption.

These bylaws become effective upon adoption by the Department of English by majority vote in a regularly announced meeting. If it is determined that further approval is required by other governing bodies of Howard University, the document will become effective upon approval by those bodies.