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Faculty decision-making is to be guided by the university's mission and goals, and the governance system outlined below is designed to implement these goals. Faculty participation in the decision-making process of the university is through the Faculty Assembly, the Faculty Executive, and the faculty committees. The faculty has non-voting representation on the standing committees of the Board of Trustees. Representatives to the Board committees are assigned by the Faculty Executive. The president of the faculty or designate meets with the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board and addresses the Board at regular meetings.

2.1 UNIVERSITY-WIDE GOVERNANCE

Whitworth’s mission is to provide its diverse student body an education of the mind and heart, equipping its graduates to honor God, follow Christ, and serve humanity. Grounded in the Reformed and Evangelical traditions through its covenant relationship with the Presbyterian Church, Whitworth embraces a variety of Christian perspectives among its faculty and staff. This community of Christian scholars is committed to pursuing the challenging task of integrating faith perspectives into all aspects of life and learning. Whitworth aspires to be a community shaped by intellectual curiosity, faith development, civil debate, thorough discussion, and a call to love one’s neighbor.

The following governance structures seek to implement the mission of Whitworth through formal relationship among the faculty, administration, staff, and students.

Operating within the constitution and by-laws of the university, which define the responsibilities and authority of the Board of Trustees, the Board committees, and the president, the President's Cabinet constitutes the highest internal level of decision-making authority. Decision-making within the four divisions of the university is regulated by policies and manuals approved by the Cabinet and the Board, such as this Faculty Handbook, and all such processes are reported to the Cabinet through the respective vice presidents. Decisions which have broad financial implications, campus-wide impact, and/or relate to or affect the academic and biblical integrity of the university as expressed in the mission and goals statement, require the endorsement of the Cabinet. The Cabinet may form committees and task forces to address such broad issues and concerns; such committees and task forces report to the Cabinet.

2.2 ACADEMIC AFFAIRS GOVERNANCE

Decision-making within the academic affairs division of the university takes place through the following structure:

2.2.1 The Department Chairs Group
2.2.2 The Faculty Assembly
2.2.3 The Faculty Executive
2.2.3.1 The Faculty President
2.2.3.2 The Faculty Vice President
2.2.3.3 The Faculty Secretary
2.2.4 Major Standing Committees
2.2.4.1 General Education and Curriculum Committee
2.2.4.2 Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee
2.2.4.3 Faculty Economic Welfare Committee
2.2.4.4 Faculty Research and Development Committee
2.2.4.5 Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee
2.2.4.6 Faculty Review Committee
2.2.5 Other Faculty Assembly Committees
2.2.5.1 Nominating Committee
2.2.5.2 Faculty Affairs Committee
2.2.5.3 Library and Information Resources Committee
2.2.5.4 Student Life Committee
2.2.5.5 Graduate Committee
2.2.5.6 Speakers and Artists Program Committee
2.2.5.7 Social Committee
2.2.6 Academic Departments
2.2.6.1 School Of Education
2.2.6.2 School of Global Commerce and Management
2.2.6.3 Intercollegiate College of Nursing
2.2.7 Department Chairperson
2.2.8 Faculty Athletic Representative

Generally a faculty member shall serve on no more than two standing committees simultaneously and shall not chair more than one committee or task force.

The faculty president is a member ex-officio of all faculty committees with the exception of the Faculty Promotion and Tenure, Faculty Review and Faculty Affairs Committees. The president of the university is an ex-officio member of all faculty committees with the exception of the Faculty Executive and the Faculty Economic Welfare, Faculty Promotion and Tenure, Faculty Review, and Faculty Affairs Committees. The dean of faculty is an ex officio member of all faculty committees with the exception of the Faculty Executive, the Faculty Economic Welfare Committee, and the Faculty Affairs Committee.

The dean of faculty may be invited to meet with the Faculty Executive or any faculty committee on a non-voting basis.

2.2.1 THE DEPARTMENT CHAIRS GROUP (DCG)

The Department Chairs Group upholds the university’s educational goals through oversight of all academic disciplines, while facilitating and promoting collaboration across departmental lines. It is chaired by the faculty vice president and the associate dean of faculty development and scholarship. It is responsible for the academic administration of the curriculum, including academic calendars and schedules, administrative policy and procedures, and curriculum. The Faculty Assembly, the Faculty Executive, and the dean of faculty may assign further responsibilities to this group. The department chairs group may assign certain duties, such as the review and approval of course descriptions, to a sub-committee of the group.

Duties of Department Chairs Group (DCG):

• Oversee the curriculum, academic policies and procedures.
• Approve changes to majors and minors. New majors and new programs will be forwarded to the Faculty Assembly for approval.
• Approve proposed new courses and revisions in course descriptions, in response to recommendations from the Course Approval Subcommittee.
• Approve general education requirements and forward them to Faculty Assembly for action.
• Oversee and approve academic calendars and schedules.
• Initiate departmental reviews.
• Serve as an advisory group to the registrar.
• Propose changes to the Faculty Handbook.
• Oversee and receive reports from the Teacher Education Committee (TEC).
• Oversee graduate programs and the Graduate Committee.

Membership of DCG includes chairs of all academic departments and programs, designated directors, the dean of faculty, the associate dean of faculty development
& scholarship, the associate dean of instruction, the chair of the Graduate Committee, the registrar, plus three student representatives (appointed by ASWC).

2.2.2 THE FACULTY ASSEMBLY

The Faculty Assembly meets to deliberate and decide major policy issues. Reports from committees or administrators may be presented in writing to the Faculty Assembly by way of the Faculty Executive.

Duties of the Faculty Assembly:

• Make major policy decisions regarding university curriculum, resulting in changes in the university catalog.
• Receive reports from its standing committees and task forces. Committees will report action items to faculty president for inclusion on the action agenda.
• Approve action items that come to the floor.
• Approve all Handbook changes that come to the floor.
• Approve changes to general education requirements.
• Formulate the sense of the faculty in issues such as faculty economic welfare, faculty staffing policies and procedures, promotion and tenure, and other university concerns, and present them to the administration and the Board of Trustees, as well as to committees.
• Conduct elections to faculty standing committees, and to elect the president, vice president, and secretary of the faculty.
• Determine who, other than regular faculty, will be granted voice and/or vote in the Faculty Assembly, and regularly to review such decisions.
• Appoint task forces to attend to faculty business.

The decisions of the Faculty Assembly resulting in changes in the university catalog and the Faculty Handbook require the ratification of the Cabinet and the president, and when stipulated by the constitution and by-laws of the university or held necessary by the president, are submitted for final approval to the Board of Trustees. All faculty members are required to attend Faculty Assembly.

2.2.2.1 MEMBERSHIP

All those defined as regular faculty in Section 1.1.1 are voting members of the Faculty Assembly. Emeriti faculty, as defined in Section 1.1.5, are voting members of the Faculty Assembly. Administrative faculty as defined in Section 1.1.3 have voice and vote in Faculty Assembly.

The dean of the chapel shall have the right to vote in Faculty Assembly, if that person's academic qualifications would make him or her eligible to teach at Whitworth, and if his or her contract requires teaching a minimum of six credits per year.

At the beginning of each academic year, the faculty president publishes a list, in consultation with the dean of faculty, of all Faculty Assembly voting members.

The following persons are regularly invited to the meetings of the Faculty Assembly as guests and as such have voice but not vote. They are informed by the faculty secretary of forthcoming meetings:

• Two trustees named by the chairperson of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board.
• Two representatives of the Intercollegiate University of Nursing.
• Administrative and student life personnel who are committee members.

2.2.2.2 QUORUM

Sixty percent of the currently contracted faculty entitled to voting membership, as determined by the faculty president at the beginning of the academic year, shall make a quorum for a faculty meeting.

2.2.2.3 MEETINGS

Meetings of the Faculty Assembly are held monthly with specific dates announced at the beginning of each long term by the faculty president. The president of the faculty presides; in his or her absence, he or she appoints the vice president or another member of the Faculty Executive to function as president pro tempore. The minutes are recorded by the faculty secretary and distributed to all assembly members. The Faculty Executive establishes the agenda and distributes a written meeting announcement with the agenda prior to each meeting.

Special Faculty Assembly meetings called for the purpose of voting on action items must be announced by the faculty president in writing to the members forty-eight hours prior to the meeting. Such meetings may be convened by the Faculty Executive at its initiative, or at the written request of at least ten regular faculty members. At such special assembly meetings, only those items announced in the written notice will be the order of the day.

The Faculty Assembly normally votes by open ballot. The Assembly will vote by secret ballot at the discretion of the faculty president, of Faculty Executive, or by request of a faculty member to the faculty president.

2.2.2.4 TASK FORCES

The Faculty Executive and the Faculty Assembly may constitute and appoint task forces for particular assigned tasks; the faculty president ordinarily appoints their members. All Faculty Assembly standing committees (except Faculty Promotion and Tenure and Faculty Review) and appointed task forces and committees report regularly to the Faculty Assembly.

2.2.2.5 REPORTS

Committees and task forces will take minutes on their meetings and send a copy of all minutes to the faculty president and the faculty secretary.

2.2.3 THE FACULTY EXECUTIVE

The Faculty Executive is comprised of the faculty president, vice president, secretary, and the chairs of the following major standing committees: Faculty Research and Development Committee; General Education and Curriculum Committee; Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee; and the Faculty Economic Welfare Committee.

Duties of the Faculty Executive:

• Monitor the governance process, insuring that business is assigned to the appropriate committee.
• Prepare the agenda for the Faculty Assembly.
• Approve the academic meeting schedule for each term.
• Handle other business referred by the Faculty Assembly or the administration of the university.
• Meet as necessary with the dean of faculty to coordinate the academic governance processes of the university.
• Provide advice and counsel to the dean of faculty.
• Appoint a faculty social committee to two-year terms, to consist of no fewer than two members, whose responsibility will be to plan faculty and faculty-staff social events, faculty-staff teas, and faculty luncheon programs.
• Form task forces and appoint ad hoc committees and faculty representatives on all-university committees as needed.

2.2.3.1 THE FACULTY PRESIDENT

The president of the faculty is elected by the Faculty Assembly for a two-year term and may not be reelected to consecutive terms.

Duties of the faculty president:

• Chair all meetings of the Faculty Assembly and Faculty Executive.
• Prepare the agenda of the Faculty Executive.
• Represent the faculty at the meetings of the Board of Trustees, Executive Committee of the Board, Academic Affairs Committee of the Board, and when invited, on the Cabinet.
• Ensure the functioning of the General Education and Curriculum Committee, the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee, the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee, the Faculty Research and Development Committee, the Faculty Affairs Committee, the Faculty Economic Welfare Committee, and the Faculty Nominating Committee.
• Appoint and monitor the task forces of the Faculty Assembly.
• Consult with the dean of faculty in the planning of faculty retreats, new faculty orientation, and other university events involving the faculty.
• Address the Board of Trustees at regular meetings.

2.2.3.2 THE FACULTY VICE PRESIDENT

The vice president of the faculty is nominated by the Nominating Committee for election at the next to last spring term meeting of the Faculty Assembly and is elected to serve for a two-year term and may not be reelected to consecutive terms.

Duties of the faculty vice president:

• Review and update Faculty Handbook.
• Co-chair meetings of the Department Chairs Group with the associate dean of faculty development & scholarship, and cooperate with the dean of faculty and the registrar to formulate the agenda.
• Fulfill the duties of the president when the president is unable to fulfill his or her duties.

2.2.3.3 THE FACULTY SECRETARY

The faculty secretary is elected by the Faculty Assembly for a two-year term and may not be reelected to consecutive terms.

Duties of the faculty secretary:

• Assist the faculty president in administrative tasks.
• Keep records and minutes of all formal deliberations of the Faculty Assembly and Faculty Executive.
• Coordinate all official communications to the faculty about Faculty Assembly business.
• Correspond on behalf of the Faculty Assembly and the Faculty Executive.
• Supervise the appropriate filing, in the office of the dean of faculty, of the minutes of all committees and task forces that report to the Faculty Assembly.
• Ensure a proper historical record of faculty activities is kept for the archives.

2.2.4 MAJOR STANDING COMMITTEES

The Faculty Assembly elects the chairs of each major standing committee for a two-year term. The chairs of these committees serve on the Faculty Executive. The Nominating Committee shall submit nominations for any vacancies. In addition, each major standing committee elects from its faculty membership a vice-chair and a secretary. Each major standing committee, ordinarily, elects the members of its standing sub-committees. The committee may establish other sub-committees and task forces to carry out its business, and the chairperson ordinarily appoints their members. Each committee establishes rules of procedure for its internal functioning.

The Major Standing Committees:

• The General Education and Curriculum Committee [GECCo]
• The Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee [TLAC]
• The Faculty Economic Welfare Committee [FEW]
• The Faculty Research and Development Committee [FR&D] • The Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee [FPTC]
• The Faculty Review Committee [FRC]

All recommended changes in curricular matters or other questions of policy approved by a major standing committee will be reported directly to all faculty prior to the assembly at which they are intended to be approved. These proposed changes in writing would consist of a rationale and explanation, the nature of the proposed change, plus a summary of the arguments for and against. These proposals will be sent out at least seven working days before the assembly, thus allowing interested parties to respond to the committee leadership and work through difficulties before the issue reaches the assembly floor. In addition, to ensure that faculty are aware of upcoming issues in committee meetings, GECCo and TLAC agendas will be published in advance and minutes of each major standing committee will be distributed via email or other electronic distribution.

The actions of each of the major standing committees are components of the academic decision-making process of the university and are reported to the Faculty Assembly either as reports for acceptance (where no further action is required) or as resolutions or recommendations for Faculty Assembly debate and vote. The minutes of GECCo and TLAC, of the Department Chairs Group, and of the Faculty Assembly, constitute the official record of the academic decision-making process; they must be approved by a majority vote of the quorum of their respective memberships at an officially convened meeting. The formal record of these minutes is maintained in the office of the dean of faculty. All action items of FEW and FR&D must come to the Faculty Assembly for approval, thereby constituting the official record within the Faculty Assembly minutes.

Except for the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee, and the Faculty Review Committee, the chair of a major standing committee is nominated from the whole faculty by the Nominating Committee and elected by the Faculty Assembly for a two year term. Chairs may not be re-elected to consecutive terms. Each of the four chairs serves on the Faculty Executive. From its faculty membership, each major standing committee elects a vice-chair, and a secretary. It also elects the members of its standing committees ensuring appropriate rotation to provide continuity in these committees. It may establish other committees and task forces to carry out its business, and the chairperson ordinarily appoints their members. Each major standing committee establishes rules of procedure for its internal functioning.

The Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Faculty Review Committee elect their own chairs annually.

The Faculty Executive and the Faculty Assembly may constitute and appoint task forces and committees for particular assigned tasks; the faculty president ordinarily appoints their members.

The Faculty Assembly elects the membership of the Faculty Assembly standing committees (Nominating, Faculty Promotion and Tenure, Faculty Research and Development, Faculty Economic Welfare, Faculty Affairs, Faculty Review) as well as the faculty president, vice president, secretary, and the chairpersons of the major standing committees.

Elections to faculty offices and to the Faculty Executive are normally for two years; committee memberships are normally for three years. The Faculty Assembly may appoint non-faculty members to its committees.

2.2.4.1 GENERAL EDUCATION AND CURRICULUM COMMITTEE (GECCo)

The General Education and Curriculum Committee will inform and assist the faculty in the development of programs and courses that express Whitworth’s identity as a liberal arts university.

Duties of the General Education and Curriculum Committee:

• Evaluate general education and curricular requirements and make proposals to Department Chairs Group.
• Ensure that the education of all students includes experiences which develop breadth and integration of knowledge.
• Oversee the Core program. Core team leaders will communicate with the chair.
• Receive reports of the Faculty Athletic Representative.
• Oversee General Education classes.
• Oversee visiting speakers and artists and related programs. Speakers and Artists Committee will communicate with this committee. Its members may be drawn from outside the committee.
• Co-ordinate the subcommittee on courses that meet the multi-cultural requirement, which will report to the General Education and Curriculum Committee.
• The Off-Campus Programs subcommittee will report to this committee. It has oversight of study tours. Its members may be drawn from outside the committee.

Voting membership: General Education and Curriculum Committee is comprised of eight faculty (including a Core team representative), one designated representative from Student Life and one from ASWC. Ex-officio, non-voting members include the director of off-campus programs and the registrar.

Each year three faculty are elected in spring, and one member is appointed by Faculty Executive. Alternate years one of the three elected will be the chair, chosen in a separate, earlier ballot. All serve two-year terms. The committee will choose a vice chair and secretary from among its members.

2.2.4.2 TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE (TLAC)

The Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee will cultivate and seek to advance faculty understanding of how faith, worldviews, and modes of inquiry influence classroom teaching, learning, and assessment. The Committee will oversee and assist all academic departmental programs in determining and monitoring whether student learning goals and objectives are being met. The Academic Affairs office may assist in this process.

Duties of Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee:

• Promote faculty discussion of faith-learning integration and the influence of worldviews.
• Enhance faculty understanding of student learning and learning outcomes.
• Enhance faculty understanding of assessment and assessment techniques.
• Promote discussion of innovations in pedagogy and share information on new approaches to curriculum development and the use of technology.
• Expand faculty repertoires of teaching techniques both within the traditional classroom setting and beyond.
• Conduct regular reviews of the assessment strategies of all academic departmental programs in order to determine whether their stated learning outcomes are being adequately assessed and met. These reviews of academic departmental programs by the committee will include the following four review criteria:
1. The existence of a satisfactory outcome assessment plan for each program;
2. Clearly stipulated end-of-program outcomes that are measurable;
3. A regular cycle of data collection using adequate measures;
4. Evidence that collected data is being used to improve program outcomes, assessment methods, and curricular offerings. TLAC will review each program on a rotating basis, with each program of study being subject to review at least every 4 years.

TLAC will provide feedback identifying areas of strength and areas for improvement in the departmental assessment process.

Voting membership: Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee includes eight faculty, one designated representative from Student Life and one from ASWC. Ex-officio, non-voting members include a representative chosen by the dean of faculty, the associate dean of instruction, the director of the Center for Faith and Learning.

Each year three faculty are elected in spring, and one member is appointed by Faculty Executive. Alternate years one of the three elected will be the chair, chosen in a separate, earlier ballot. All serve two-year terms. The committee will choose a vice chair and secretary from among its members.

2.2.4.3 THE FACULTY ECONOMIC WELFARE COMMITTEE (FEW)

The Faculty Economic Welfare Committee advocates and cultivates the economic well-being of faculty as a whole.

The Faculty Economic Welfare Committee is a Faculty Assembly standing committee which consists of three members and a chair elected by the faculty to three-year terms, based upon a slate submitted by the Nominating Committee. Terms of office will be so arranged that never more than one new member will be elected in the same year. No member may serve more than six consecutive years.

Duties of the Faculty Economic Welfare Committee:

• Determine the sentiments of the faculty as a whole in matters relating to the economic well-being of its members.
• Conduct a continuing study of the salary trends at Whitworth University as compared to various appropriate categories of institutions of higher learning.
• Carry out investigations concerning the internal structure of the faculty salary schedule, fringe benefits, insurance plans, or any other matters of possible economic concern, with recommendations to the faculty.
• Report annually to the faculty concerning its findings on faculty economic welfare, with subsequent reporting of faculty actions or resolutions to the Cabinet and to the president, and when appropriate to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board (See 4.1.1).
• Work with the administration in the development of an equitable and workable salary schedule, including the regular review and improvement of that schedule, making this schedule available to all new and continuing faculty.
• Make confidential examinations of the records of the university concerning faculty salaries, particularly in instances where errors in the administration of the salary schedule may have been made, with subsequent clarification, which may include a correction of such errors, or a change in the salary schedule, or the initiation of a faculty grievance process through the Faculty Affairs Committee.
• Review the compensation and benefits policies and procedures of the university, as described in the faculty benefits handbook, preparing proposed changes and improvements for approval by the Faculty Assembly, and presenting such Faculty Assembly actions to the administration for negotiation and action.

Customarily the chair of this committee, or another faculty member designated by the Faculty Executive, is the faculty delegate to the Finance or Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.

2.2.4.3.1

The Faculty Economic Welfare Committee will recommend a faculty representative to serve on the Retirement Investment Committee. FEW’s recommendation will be considered by the Faculty Executive, who will then forward the recommendation to the Whitworth University President, who will make the final appointment to the committee. This representative will serve a term of 3 years on the Retirement Investment Committee.

2.2.4.4 THE FACULTY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (FR&D)

The Faculty Research and Development Committee fosters the intellectual and scholarly growth of faculty and cultivates the intellectual ethos of the university. The Faculty Research and Development Committee is a faculty standing committee which consists of three members and a chair elected by the faculty, based upon a slate submitted by the Nominating Committee.

Membership on the committee is for three-year terms. Terms of office will be arranged so that never more than one member will be elected in the same year.

It is the responsibility of this committee to foster the academic and scholarly development of the faculty. This committee reviews proposals for sabbaticals from regular, full-time faculty, and makes recommendations to the administration. The committee solicits faculty research proposals from regular faculty and recommends the disbursement of budgeted research funds to the administration. The committee plans and carries out faculty development days, in consultation with the associate dean of faculty development & scholarship. The committee advises the dean of faculty on matters concerning the scholarly research and development of faculty. The Faculty Assembly, Faculty Executive, and dean of faculty may assign other responsibilities to this committee. The committee reports on its actions to the Faculty Assembly.

2.2.4.5 THE FACULTY PROMOTION AND TENURE COMMITTEE (FPTC)

The Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee evaluates and recommends faculty for promotion and tenure in order to acknowledge and encourage faculty achievement and to ensure standards of excellence. Although the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee does not report to the Faculty Assembly or to the Faculty Executive, it is placed at this point in recognition of its importance to faculty self-governance.

Duties of Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee:

• Conduct the evaluations of faculty in their pre-tenure review, faculty requesting promotion in rank, and faculty eligible for tenure.
• Prepare recommendations to the administration regarding these decisions.
• Implement the evaluation procedures defined elsewhere in this Handbook.

The dean of faculty calls the first meeting in May of each year, at which time a chairperson and secretary are selected by vote of the committee. At the May meeting the dean of faculty presents the list of eligible faculty for pre-tenure review, tenure, and promotion to the committee. Responsibilities are assigned to individual committee members (7.6). Beginning at that first meeting, the committee initiates the evaluation procedure for all eligible faculty. The committee proposes revisions in the evaluation procedures defined in this Handbook to the Faculty Assembly. The committee reconvenes in September to begin the evaluation procedure for all eligible faculty.

The work of this committee is confidential. The committee’s records are maintained by the Academic Affairs office. In consultation with the Human Resources Office, the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee will have access to the university attorney or to an attorney of their choice in matters not clearly addressed by the Handbook or with legal issues.

Voting membership: The Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee consists of six tenured faculty members of whom at least three hold the rank of full professor, plus the dean of faculty as an ex-officio member. The committee’s composition shall include at least one elected male and one elected female member at all times. Its members are elected by the Faculty Assembly to three-year terms in elections held in the spring, for which the Nominating Committee prepares a slate of candidates. A member of this committee seeking promotion during his or her term of office will be replaced during the year in which the evaluation takes place; the selection of a one-year replacement will be handled by the Nominating Committee in the procedure described in 2.2.5.1. The election procedure will guarantee that there is rotation of membership so that normally two members will be elected each year.

2.2.4.6 FACULTY REVIEW COMMITTEE (FRC)

The Faculty Review Committee evaluates Track II and III colleagues in order to acknowledge and encourage faculty achievement and to ensure standards of excellence. Though different from the other Faculty Assembly standing committees in that it does not report to the Faculty Assembly or to the Faculty Executive, it is placed at this point in recognition of its importance to faculty self-governance.

The Faculty Review Committee is a Faculty Assembly standing committee which consists of four members. At least two members must be tenured faculty members. The other two members are either tenured faculty or Track II or III colleagues with at least seven years teaching experience at Whitworth University. The committee’s composition shall include at least one elected male and one elected female member at all times. Its members are elected by the Faculty Assembly to three-year terms in elections held in the spring, for which the Nominating Committee prepares a slate of candidates. A member of this committee up for review during his or her term of office will be replaced during the year in which the evaluation takes place; the selection of a one-year replacement will be handled by the Nominating Committee in the procedure described in 2.2.5.1. The election procedure will guarantee that there is rotation of membership.

The dean of faculty calls the first meeting in May of each year, at which time a chairperson and secretary are selected by vote of the committee. The dean of faculty presents the list of eligible faculty for fourth year review to the committee at the May meeting. Responsibilities are assigned to individual committee members. It is the task of this committee to conduct the evaluation of Track II and III faculty in their review every fourth year (7.7).

The work of this committee is confidential. The committee’s records are maintained by the Academic Affairs office.

2.2.5 OTHER FACULTY ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES

Each other Faculty Assembly standing committee elects its own chairperson for a one-year term of office. The chair prepares the agenda for the committee, announces and convenes the meetings, maintains the minutes and records of the committee's business or appoints a secretary to do so, coordinates the committee's business with the Faculty Executive and the administration, when appropriate, and reports on behalf of the committee to the Faculty Assembly. The chair may appoint a chair pro tempore when he or she must be absent from a committee meeting. The chair's term of office concludes at the beginning of the first meeting of the committee in the fall term, unless specified otherwise.

Other Faculty Assembly Committees:

Nominating Committee
Faculty Affairs Committee
Library and Information Resources Committee
Student Life Committee
Graduate Committee
Speakers and Artists Program Committee
Social Committee

2.2.5.1 THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The Nominating Committee prepares ballots for the Faculty Assembly elections with an eye to equitable sharing of governance duties.

Duties of Nominating Committee:

• Prepare ballots for faculty offices (president, vice-president, secretary, and the major standing committee chairs).
• Prepare ballots for the Faculty Assembly’s election of faculty standing committees.
• Prepare ballots for other committees/task forces when requested by Faculty Executive.
• May advise the Faculty Executive with regard to involving all faculty in appropriate governance functions.
• Prepare and count ballots. The following Faculty Assembly committees are elected by the Faculty Assembly, based upon nominations prepared by the Nominating Committee:
• General Education and Curriculum – eight members for two-year terms including the chair in alternate years.
• Teaching, Learning and Assessment – eight members for two-year terms including the chair in alternate years.
• Faculty Economic Welfare – four members for three-year terms.
• Faculty Research and Development – four members for three-year terms.
• Faculty Promotion and Tenure – six members for three-year terms.
• Faculty Review – four members for three-year terms.
• Nominating – three members for three-year terms.
• Faculty Affairs – three members for three-year terms.

2.2.5.1.1 ELECTIONS

Ballots for Faculty Assembly elections of committee members are prepared by the Nominating Committee. All elections are by written ballot, unless this procedure is waived by a vote of the assembly. In order for an election to take place, a quorum of the Faculty Assembly membership must be present. A simple majority of the quorum present elects. If a member of a standing committee with no more than six months of his or her term remaining needs to be replaced, the Faculty Executive may appoint a faculty member to fill the vacancy. Such an appointment shall be made in consultation with the Nominating Committee.

Faculty elections proceed in the following manner:

The Nominating Committee prepares ballots for all elections of faculty officers and members of faculty standing committees. At the next to last Faculty Assembly of the academic year, the faculty elects the faculty president, vice president and/or the faculty secretary. The president is elected each odd-numbered year for a two-year term, and the secretary and vice president are elected each even-numbered year for a two-year term. At this meeting, the faculty also elects the members of the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee, the members of the Faculty Economic Welfare Committee, and the chairs of the other major standing committees (GECCo, TLAC, FR&D, and FRC).

To provide continuity for the Faculty Executive, the two-year terms of the chairs of GECCo and TLAC will be staggered so that they are elected in alternate years, and the three-year terms of the chairs of FR&D and FEW will be arranged so that both are not replaced in the same year.

Before the last Faculty Assembly meeting of the academic year, the Faculty Executive announces all rotations of membership of major standing committees, and these committees, in their composition for the coming academic year, convene in order to elect their vice-chairpersons and secretaries.

At the last Faculty Assembly meeting of the academic year, the faculty elects all the other committees and positions for which it is responsible. The faculty president announces the composition of the Faculty Executive for the next academic year, based upon elections of the committee chairpersons and the vice president.

2.2.5.2 THE FACULTY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

The Faculty Affairs Committee (FAC) is a faculty standing committee that consists of three tenured members, elected annually in the spring for three-year terms. Elections are so arranged that one new member is elected each year. No member shall serve more than three consecutive years. Committee members shall not come from the same department. The FAC’s composition shall include at least one male and one female member at all times.

2.2.5.2.1 ACTIVATION

The Faculty Affairs Committee is activated by the Faculty Executive acting on its own initiative or at the request of a faculty member or the administration. While the Faculty Executive’s role in this process is not to pre-adjudicate any issue before activating the Faculty Affairs Committee, the Faculty Executive shall only activate the FAC after first determining that the issue raised is substantial, is properly considered by the FAC pursuant to the provisions of this Handbook, and warrants activating the Faculty Affairs Committee. If the request to activate the Faculty Affairs Committee comes from a tenured faculty member who has been given notice of termination, the request must be granted automatically. The Faculty Executive must meet in executive session to activate the Faculty Affairs Committee.

Faculty members who request the Faculty Affairs Committee shall supply the faculty president with a written statement of appeal or grievance that sets forth the faculty member’s reasons for requesting activation of the Faculty Affairs Committee.

2.2.5.2.2 DUTIES

It is the responsibility of the Faculty Affairs Committee to receive, review, assess, and recommend the resolution of appeals or grievances submitted in writing by any member or group of members of the faculty. The Faculty Affairs Committee does not make policy. The FAC does, however, make recommendations to the Faculty Executive and the administration regarding appeals of evaluation or termination decisions and propose solutions, seek to build consensus, and, in grievance cases brought before it, encourage Biblical reconciliation.

2.2.5.2.3 DEFINITIONS AND RESOLUTION OF AMBIGUITIES

Here and throughout the Handbook, the following definitions apply to actions involving activation of the Faculty Affairs Committee:

2.2.5.2.3.1 “Appeal” refers to a request for review of a negative evaluation decision (regarding promotion, tenure, pre-tenure, or quadrennial review) or a termination decision. Appeals are to be distinguished from requests for reconsideration made to the same body (FPTC or FRC) or individual(s) (the Dean of Faculty and/or President) that originally rendered the decision.

2.2.5.2.3.2 “Grievance” refers to a request for review of a matter not involving evaluation or termination decisions or any other decision for which an appeal (as defined above) would be the appropriate vehicle for recourse. “Grievance” refers to a formal claim of, and request for redress for, a breach, misinterpretation, or misapplication of policy or procedure, or an infringement of the rights of a party as set forth in this Handbook. As a formal action, grievance is made under Section 11.5 and is to be distinguished from a complaint, which is addressed more informally among the parties concerned, possibly with the involvement of an ombudsperson, as described in Sections 11.2 through 11.4.

2.2.5.2.3.3 Any ambiguity as to whether a particular complaint, grievance, reconsideration, or appeal procedure applies to a given situation shall be resolved by the Dean of Faculty in consultation with Faculty Executive, or by the Dean alone if Faculty Executive is a party to the issue. If the Dean is party to the issue, the ambiguity shall be resolved by Faculty Executive.

2.2.5.2.4 PROCESS

Faculty Affairs Committee procedures specific to particular categories of appeal or to grievances are set forth in Section 7.7 (for appeals of evaluation decisions), Section 10.4.4 and 10.6.4 (for appeals of termination decisions), and Section 11.5 (for grievance actions).

In its process, the Faculty Affairs Committee will strive for openness in its communication and avoid unnecessary use of confidentiality. However, it generally will not reveal to the appellant or grievant or to other parties documents written or testimony provided on condition or expectation of confidentiality without the author's or speaker’s explicit consent.

2.2.5.2.5 LEGAL CONSULTATION

When legal consultation is imperative, including on matters not clearly addressed by the Handbook, Faculty Affairs Committee has access to an attorney of its choice . In considering termination decisions the Faculty Affairs Committee should refrain from consulting the college attorney to avoid a potential conflict of interest.

2.2.5.2.6 REPORTING AND RECOMMENDATION

• The Faculty Affairs Committee shall write a report of its review and assessment and submit it to the Faculty Executive. This report shall include a recommendation on specific action steps to resolve a dispute. The report may elaborate on the rationale for the committee’s recommendation at its discretion. The Faculty Executive may request clarification, additional work, or dialogue prior to accepting a final report from the Faculty Affairs Committee.

• The Faculty Executive will distribute the final report and recommendation to key parties which must include the appellant or grievant and the Dean of Faculty. The Faculty Affairs Committee may recommend to Faculty Executive or to the appropriate administrator such changes in policy or practice as might prevent similar problems from occurring in the future. The deliberations and records of the Faculty Affairs Committee are confidential.

This committee, at its discretion at any point, may present to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees any matter that would require the informing and/or action of that committee or the Board of Trustees. The Faculty Executive and the administration shall be informed of all matters being taken to the Board.

2.2.5.2.7 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Faculty Affairs Committee members must recuse themselves when a case before the Faculty Affairs Committee involves a department colleague, relative, or close friend, or otherwise presents a conflict of interest in the opinion of the individual FAC member or of a majority of the FAC. The Faculty President, in consultation with Faculty Executive, will select a replacement for the recused Faculty Affairs Committee member to serve on that particular case.

Any time the Faculty Affairs Committee is activated, the Faculty Executive Committee should ensure there are no conflicts of interest present among Faculty Affairs Committee members or among Faculty Executive Committee members participating in the decision whether to activate.

2.2.5.3 LIBRARY AND INFORMATION RESOURCES COMMITTEE (LIRC)

Duties of LIRC:

• To advise the library director and the dean of faculty on any matters relating to the operation of the library and to the provision of information media in all formats, including print and electronic, in support of the university’s academic programs.
• To advocate for the needs and perspectives of teaching faculty and students with the library staff.
• To advocate for the library with the university administration and with the faculty at large.
• To report as needed to the Faculty Assembly or other faculty committees.

Membership: LIRC shall consist of five faculty members elected or appointed from among the library liaisons, which have been selected by departments and programs, plus one student representative appointed by ASWC. LIRC should include a diverse membership that is representative of departments or disciplines within the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and professional programs. The library director is not a voting member. A meeting of all library liaisons shall be called near the beginning of each academic year to elect members to LIRC. Terms are for one year but renewable indefinitely.

2.2.5.4 STUDENT LIFE COMMITTEE

The Student Life Committee addresses issues of interface between the faculty and Student Life and may serve as a hearing body for student appeals. The committee consists of two members appointed by Faculty Executive plus the vice president for student life and other representatives from the student life division and the student body. Term of appointment is two years.

2.2.5.5 GRADUATE COMMITTEE

The Graduate Committee addresses issues of concern to the university graduate programs and their relationship to the undergraduate programs. The committee reports to the Department Chairs Group. Membership includes the directors of the graduate programs (Graduate Studies in Education, Masters in Teaching, Masters in International Management) and three other members appointed by Faculty Executive, including at least one who regularly teaches in a graduate program and one who does not. Terms for the appointed positions are two years.

2.2.5.6 SPEAKERS AND ARTISTS PROGRAM COMMITTEE

The Speakers and Artists Program Committee oversees the educational program that brings visiting speakers and programs to campus. It reports to the General Education and Curriculum Committee. The three-member committee is appointed by the faculty president. Term of appointment is two years.

2.2.5.7 FACULTY SOCIAL COMMITTEE

The Faculty Social Committee plans and conducts social events for faculty to get better acquainted. The committee comprises two members appointed by Faculty Executive plus the dean of faculty. Term of appointment is two years.

2.2.5.8 INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD

The Institutional Review Board safeguards the rights and welfare of all human research subjects pursuant to Title 45 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 46. The college requires all research involving human subjects that meets the federal definition of research to submit an application to the IRB for review prior to recruiting subjects or beginning research. Written approval from the IRB is required before recruiting subjects or beginning the research project. This approval must be renewed annually for on-going projects. Additionally, the IRB must be notified if any substantive changes are made to the research protocol or if any adverse events occur as a result of the research.

Duties of the IRB:

• Reviews faculty, staff and student applications for research with human subjects.
• Approves, approves pending changes or does not approve research projects. As per federal guidelines, IRB disapproval of a research project may not be overridden.
• Provides education for faculty, staff and students about human subjects research policies and procedures that appear in the Appendix.
• Reports directly to the Dean of Faculty.
• Informs the Faculty Research and Development Committee each semester of approved and unapproved research proposals categorized by academic discipline and identifies any trends in campus research practices.

Membership of the IRB:
• IRB membership will include two categories of members

o Category one: At large members, as required by federal government guidelines:

 At least one physical/natural scientist.
 At least one faculty member not a scientist (non-physical/natural scientist.)
 At least one colleague knowledgeable about special research populations i.e. children, mentally ill, prisoners, etc. Normally this is a colleague from Education.
 At least one community member not directly connected to the institution.
 At least one colleague knowledgeable of federal regulations. The Director of Sponsored Programs will fill this assignment.

o Category two: Departmental users:

 Each academic department that submitted at least eight expedited or full board proposals in the previous academic year involving human subjects shall provide a committee member if their department is not already represented by the above configuration in category one. These departments may rotate department membership each year if they wish, provided they staff the committee with qualified people. However such rotation must result in one person serving for the entire academic year.

• Members will be appointed by the Dean of Faculty, in consultation with the Faculty Executive Committee. Members shall serve staggered three year terms.
• Faculty members must be regular faculty. Adjuncts and lecturers may not serve on this committee.
• The chair will be a faculty member elected by the committee with the approval of the Dean of Faculty.

2.2.6 ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS

An academic department consists of all regular faculty, lecturers, and adjunct faculty appointed to it by the administration. Regular faculty members have voice and vote in all departmental meetings; lecturers and adjunct faculty are invited to departmental meetings and have voice but no vote. Regular faculty members may be members of more than one department by virtue of their appointments.

The academic department is responsible for (1) curriculum review and development within the discipline, subject to the necessary approvals through the governance system, and (2) the coordination of all academic concerns such as scheduling, faculty assignments, budgeting, etc., within the department. The department routes its decisions through the relevant committees or the Department Chairs Group as appropriate.

The academic department relates its discipline to the liberal arts goals of the university and the other disciplines which are taught within the university. It develops an academic community for the students who select a major or minor program within its discipline. Each department is represented by its chair in the Department Chairs Group.

2.2.6.1 THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

The School of Education consists of the department of Graduate Studies in Education and the department of Teacher Education. Also included in the school is the Center for Gifted Education and Teacher Enrichment. The two academic departments function as do other academic departments on campus, and the chairs of these departments function as do other department chairs. The dean of the School of Education oversees the operation of the school and reports to the dean of faculty.

2.2.6.2 THE SCHOOL OF GLOBAL COMMERCE AND MANAGEMENT

The School of Global Commerce and Management consists of the departments of Economics and Business, Organizational Management, and the Masters in International Management. The three academic departments function as do other academic departments on campus, and the chairs of these departments function as do other department chairs. The dean of the School of Global Commerce and Management oversees the operation of the school and reports to the dean of faculty.

2.2.6.3 INTERCOLLEGIATE COLLEGE OF NURSING

The faculty of the Intercollegiate College of Nursing (ICN) constitute the nursing faculty for Whitworth University. These ICN faculty members are employees of Washington State University. As such, all matters of appointment, salary and employee benefits, evaluation, rank and tenure are handled by WSU. The ICN faculty participate in Whitworth University faculty governance at two points. Their representatives have voice and vote in academic and curricular matters.

• The dean, or an associate dean, of the ICN serves as a member of the department chairs group.

• Two ICN faculty members are appointed by the dean of the ICN to the Whitworth Faculty Assembly. Typically one of these is the person who serves as co-advisor for Whitworth pre-nursing students.

2.2.7 THE DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSON

The department chairperson is appointed by the dean of faculty, in consultation with the faculty in the department. Recognizing that no single pattern is appropriate for all departments, flexibility in terms of length of service will be permitted. At the same time, with the exception of the School of Education and the School of Global Commerce and Management, a three-year appointment is the norm, and although appointments are renewable, rotation among department colleagues is encouraged.

2.2.7.1 DUTIES

The department chairperson shall exercise leadership in the following ways:

• prepare and oversee the departmental budget;
• prepare day and evening course schedules for the coming year and beyond;
• call and lead departmental meetings;
• attend the Department Chairs Group and report on its action to the departmental meeting;
• oversee the departmental curriculum, initiating quality review procedures and strategies to improve the departmental program(s);
• review proposals for new courses and recommend those qualified to the Department Chairs Group through the registrar; present proposals regarding majors, minors, tracks, areas of concentration, or other curricular programs, to the General Education and Curriculum Committee for approval;
• assist new faculty members in their orientation to the university, to the department, and their roles on the Whitworth faculty; work with the individuals so as to provide the best opportunities for success; conduct the first and second year evaluations, and provide written reports to the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Faculty Review Committee for all formal evaluations of department members;
• actively encourage good performance by departmental personnel and deal with situations of unsatisfactory performance; recommend reappointment/ nonreappointment of all nontenured departmental personnel to the dean of faculty;
• typically serve as primary seeker for search committees seeking teaching and other staff for the department;
• hire day and evening adjunct faculty and lecturers in coordination with the appropriate academic administrator;
• review independent study proposals and coordinate the supervision of these and other field studies;
• supervise support personnel and work/study student(s);
• share coordination of the formal, periodic departmental review process with the academic affairs office;
• coordinate library ordering or delegate this function to another faculty member;
• oversee maintenance of equipment and inventories assigned to the department;
• read the names of departmental majors and those with related areas of concentration at the graduation ceremony;
• be attentive to departmental faculty loads and the timing of leaves of absence and sabbatical leaves so as to maintain a reasonable and workable balance among departmental members and a balance between university needs and individual strengths;
• submit an annual written report to the dean of faculty by the middle of June;
• meet annually with the dean of faculty to evaluate the department's performance and contribution to the university, and to develop a plan for improvement and assistance, if necessary;
• direct the departmental self-study.

The department chairperson may, with the approval of the dean of faculty, delegate various of these duties to other members of the department. The department may develop a collegial form of decision making in which all of these duties are apportioned among its members. The chair is responsible for all formal reporting, to the Department Chairs Group, and to the dean of faculty.

Department chairs should examine the department chairs handbook authored by the associate dean of faculty development & scholarship, which provides further guidance on how to carry out their tasks and duties.

2.2.7.2 COMPENSATION

Department chairpersons do not receive an additional stipend for the above-listed responsibilities. Instead, compensation normally is in the form of reduced teaching and committee loads. The extent of the load reduction will vary depending on the number of departmental faculty, the complexity of departmental affairs, and the instructional needs of the department. The appropriate reduction will be determined by the dean of faculty in consultation with the individual department chairperson. A stipend will be added to the salary of the chair each year after the annual report has been submitted to the dean of faculty. The stipend amount will be reviewed by the Faculty Economic Welfare Committee.

2.2.7.3 EVALUATION

The dean of faculty will work with each department chair to assure that he/she is doing effective work and that the department has adequate resources. Whenever a department chair is being evaluated for promotion or tenure, the dean of faculty shall file a letter with the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee regarding the quality and quantity of the individual's work as a chairperson.

2.2.8 FACULTY ATHLETIC REPRESENTATIVE (FAR)

The FAR shall:

• be appointed by the president of the university to represent the university in the development of sound educational policies for athletics, and shall report to the president;
• be a regular member of the faculty, but not directly aligned with the athletic department of the university;
• have this assignment included on his or her contract;
• have a budget in Academic Affairs to cover travel and telephone.

The FAR shall:

• be charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all student athletes are eligible in accordance with both conference and national rules and regulations prior to their representing the university in any manner;
• help any new athletic director (AD) or coach, as well as any new registrar or president, to become familiar with both conference and national rules and regulations;
• represent the faculty as a whole and serve as a liaison with all committees of the university that relate to athletics;
• chair or be an ex-officio member of the university's athletic committee;
• participate in search and screening activities for athletic personnel;
• work closely with the AD in all athletic policy matters.

The FAR shall:

• be the university's voting representative at national, district, and conference meetings;
• function as a university liaison with other outside publics regarding athletics.

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