COLLEGE CODE

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

This document describes the organization and administrative methods of the College of Applied Human Sciences (AHS). This Code for AHS operation is used to conduct business necessary to fulfill the AHS mission. The Applied Human Sciences College shall operate under this Code. This Code shall be consistent with the provisions of the University Code relating to collegiate matters. It shall conflict with neither the University Code nor with department/school codes. The University Code and the codes of the departments/schools in Applied Human Sciences will take precedence over this College Code (c.2.4.1).

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II. AHS Mission Statement

The mission of the College of Applied Human Sciences is to promote the well being of people, and the environment in which they live, through education, research, and community service in the areas of individual and family development, education, human services, nutrition, wellness, design, and the application of technology.

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III. AHS Administrative Organization

A. Academic Departments

The College includes six departments and two schools as follows:

  • Construction Management, Department of
  • Design and Merchandising, Department of
  • Education, School of
  • Health and Exercise Science, Department of
  • Food Science and Human Nutrition, Department of
  • Human Development and Family Studies, Department of
  • Occupational Therapy, Department of
  • Social Work, School of

The administrative officer of each department/school is a head or director, whose duties and responsibilities pertaining to teaching, research, and service are outlined in the Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Staff Manual (i.e., University Code).

Department/School Codes

Each department/school shall formulate its own code consistent with the provisions of the Code for the College and the Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Staff Manual. After the departmental/school codes have been approved by a majority of the eligible faculty members of each department/school, a copy and any subsequent changes shall be provided to the Dean of the College and the Provost/Academic Vice President and, upon their acceptances (as specified in C.2.4.3), the departments/schools shall begin to operate in accordance with the procedures of its code. Copies of the departmental/school code shall be provided to each faculty member of the department/school.

(C.2.4.2.1). The unit’s code should be reviewed in the year prior to the end of each term of the unit head.

B. Office of the Dean

The Dean is responsible for the general administration of the College of Applied Human Sciences (hereafter referred to as the College) and for fostering and nurturing the growth of academic excellence within the College. The Dean is the principal administrative and academic officer whose duties and responsibilities are outlined in the University Code and pertain to teaching, research, and service.

The College administration is also comprised of a number of Associate Dean(s), and/or Assistant Dean(s), and/or Assistants to the Dean, with responsibilities assigned by the Dean.

If any of these administrative positions are vacated, they will be filled using Equal Opportunity guidelines.

The Dean, working in conjunction with the Executive Council, establishes the administrative structure of the Dean's Office. Executive Council officers include all Associate and Assistant Deans, as well as the Assistant to the Dean, Finance. Duties will be negotiated with and identified by the Dean. The Dean specifies one of the Executive Council officers to represent the Dean in his/her absence and on other occasions as required.

C. College Administrative Cabinet Membership

The Administrative Cabinet, which serves in an advisory capacity to the Dean, shall consist of the following individuals:

  • Dean
  • Department Heads and School Directors
  • Associate Dean(s) and/or Assistant Dean(s)
  • Director of Development
  • Assistant to the Dean - Finance
  • Assistant to the Dean – IT

Duties include:

  • To advise the Dean regarding the formulation of policies in such areas as (but not limited to) budget allocations, College annual goals, administrative policies, strategic planning, and other matters for which the Dean invites consultation.
  • To advise the Dean regarding methods of policy implementation.
  • To inform the Dean of matters of concern within the departments/schools that are impacted by College or University policies or actions.
  • To facilitate communication to the faculty, staff, and students concerning College and University activities.

Meetings

At least one meeting of the Cabinet shall be held each month from September through May.

D. Other Major Organizational Units

Institutes, centers, programs, etc., must be approved by the department head/school director and the Dean and be consistent with policies in the Manual (B.2.6 and C.2.3.5).

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IV. Meetings of the College General Faculty and Staff

At least one College meeting of all general faculty and staff shall be held each semester; the time, place, and agenda of which shall be at the discretion of the Dean's Advisory Committee and the Dean. The faculty shall be notified in writing at least one week prior to each meeting. If a meeting is cancelled or postponed, each department/school will be notified.

The Dean shall call a special meeting upon petition of ten percent or more of the eligible faculty members (see Section VI).

For each meeting when a vote will be taken:

  • The Dean's Office shall distribute the agenda for each meeting two weeks in advance of each meeting.
  • The latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised will serve as the guide for all procedural and parliamentary matters unless otherwise specified herein.
  • Those faculty members present at a meeting called in accordance with the AHS Code shall constitute a quorum.
  • Items may be added to the agenda before a deadline set by the Dean's Faculty Advisory Committee or by majority vote at a meeting.

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V. College Committees

Unless otherwise noted below, each standing committee will be composed of a representative selected by each department/school in the College and a representative(s) of the College Office designated by the Dean.

The standing committees of the College are:

  • Commencement Committee
  • Curriculum Committee
  • Dean’s Diversity Advisory Committee
  • Dean’s Faculty Advisory Committee
  • Faculty/Staff Awards Committee
  • Graduate Coordinators Committee
  • Intern Coordinators Committee
  • Key Advisors Committee
  • Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee
  • Research Committee
  • Dean’s Student Leadership Council/Student Charges for Technology Advisory Committee
  • Student Scholarship and Awards Committee
  • Unit Secretaries

Ad hoc committees may be established at the discretion of, and members appointed by, the Dean. The Dean will typically consult with the Administrative Cabinet and/or the Dean's Faculty Advisory Committee when establishing ad hoc committees and selecting their membership.

Such committees shall be formed to fulfill a specific charge in a given period, and all deliberations and suggested actions shall be forwarded to the Dean for appropriate action.

Terms of Service

Unless otherwise specified in the AHS Code, the terms of service for all members selected to serve on the standing committees of the College shall be three years, with the terms of one-third of the members expiring each year. Eligible members, except where specifically noted, include those with regular or special appointments of 50% time or greater. Sequencing of membership shall be monitored by the Dean's Program Assistant. Terms of service for newly-elected members of all standing committees are to begin September 1 (following elections) by the College or department/school electorate. It is suggested that members not serve on more than one College standing committee at one time. Vacancies for un-expired terms of the College's standing committees shall be filled through appointments by the department/school represented by the person vacating the committee membership. Faculty members may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms on any particular committee.

Committee Member Selection Procedures

  • By May 1, the Dean's Office shall inform each department head and school director of the committee vacancies which need to be filled for the next year. Each department/school will then select its representatives, as required, and notify the Dean's Office of the results by September 1.
  • Unless otherwise specified by the AHS Code, membership of College standing committees shall be limited to the eligible faculty.
  • Committee chairpersons shall be elected annually by the committee members unless otherwise specified.
  • Students shall be elected to College committees through the Dean’s Student Leadership Council.

Records and Annual Reports

  • Records (e.g., curriculum change requests) of each meeting must be kept on file by the chair.
  • An annual report shall be forwarded by each committee's chairperson to the Dean of the College by June 30.

Quorum

A quorum for all committees shall consist of a simple majority of voting members.

Meetings

The Committee chair shall call a meeting at least once per year. Committee members or the Dean may request additional meetings.

STANDING COMMITTEES

Commencement Committee

Membership

Membership shall consist of at least five regular, special appointment or internship coordinators with broad representation from within the College. Each member will serve a three-year term. The College's representative to the University Commencement Committee, together with the (an) Associate Dean, (appointed by the Dean), will serve as co-chairs.

Duties include:

The Committee shall identify a commencement speaker. The Dean's Office will extend the formal invitation. The Committee will plan the order of ceremonies and conduct commencement training for marshals.

Meetings

Meetings shall be held as necessary to plan and implement the College's commencement ceremonies. An Administrative Assistant from the Dean's Office shall attend all meetings and implement administrative details, as needed.

Curriculum Committee

Membership

Voting membership shall consist of one faculty representative from each department/school of the College. An Associate Dean of the College, assigned by the Dean, shall be an ex officio, non-voting member. The College representative to the University Curriculum Committee shall serve as the chair of the College Curriculum Committee.

Duties include:

  • Receiving or initiating recommendations pertaining to curricula.
  • Evaluating all proposals for new undergraduate and graduate courses and programs.
  • After such consideration and approval, these items will be forwarded to the Dean, then to the University Curriculum Committee and to the Committee on Scholarship, Research and Graduate Education, as appropriate.
  • Developing and implementing necessary administrative procedures for informing departments/schools within the College, and other interested colleges, concerning courses under consideration.

Meetings

An Administrative Assistant from the Dean's Office is responsible for the administration of related curriculum forms and paperwork.

Dean’s Diversity Advisory Committee

Membership

Comprised of students, staff and faculty of diverse backgrounds in the College of Applied Human Sciences, there shall be at least one representative per academic unit. The Dean serves as chair of this committee.

Duties include:

  • To discuss various issues/concerns related to diversity
  • To assist in developing recommendations to insure a more inclusive environment.
  • To help identify and develop resources to enhance individuals’ understanding of diversity.
  • To suggest professional development opportunities for AHS students, faculty and staff in order to increase sensitivity to diversity issues.

Meetings

The Dean will convene at least one meeting per semester.

Dean's Faculty Advisory Committee (FAC)

Membership

Membership shall consist of one tenure-track/tenured faculty member from each department/school (none of whom shall be a department head or school director). The majority of the committee shall be tenured. The Dean serves as chair of the committee.

Duties include:

  • To make recommendations to the Dean regarding personnel policies and procedures.
  • To consider and make recommendations on matters requested by the Dean and/or the faculty; to initiate discussion on matters of interest to the departments/schools in the College.
  • To provide faculty input and feedback to the Dean on matters of concern to committee members or members of the departments/schools in the College.
  • To recommend to the College electorate amendments to the Code. (Any member of the College may make proposals to amend the Code through their academic unit’s representative.) Process is defined in a separate section entitled “Amendment Procedure” at the end of this document. FAC will review any proposal for clarity of the proposed amendment itself and for the associated rationale. If further clarification is needed, the proposal shall be returned (to the individual who made the original request) for further action prior to its being forwarded to the College electorate.
  • To periodically review practices and procedures of the College’s standing committees to assure compliance with the Code.

Meetings

Meetings shall be held at least once each semester, or as necessary.

Faculty/Staff Awards Committee

Membership

The Associate Dean for Academic Programs will serve as chair of this committee and will request participation from recent faculty/staff recipients (1-3 years) attempting to provide representation from each unit in the college.

Duties include:

To recommend award recipients to the Dean from nominations provided by each department/school for the following AHS awards:

  • Outstanding Teacher Award
  • Outstanding Advisory Award
  • Superior Faculty Service Award
  • Superior Staff Service Award
  • Tenure Track Faculty Teaching Excellence Award
  • Outstanding Senior Award
  • Friends of the College (1 internal and 1 external)

Meetings

The committee meets as needed during the year.

Graduate Coordinators Committee

Membership

Membership shall consist of all unit graduate program coordinators. An Associate Dean (appointed by the Dean) will serve as chair of this committee.

Duties include:

  • To identify issues relevant to recruitment of graduate students and to suggest/implement strategies for recruitment of a strong applicant pool.
  • To share resources developed to enhance advisement of graduate students.
  • To share information about funding opportunities for graduate students.
  • To serve as a conduit for information related to graduate school policies and procedure as well as to enhance the overall graduate program experience.

Meetings

At least one meeting per year will be convened by an AHS Associate Dean (appointed by the Dean).

Intern Coordinators Committee

Membership

Membership shall consist of all internship coordinators in AHS. An Associate Dean (appointed by the Dean) will serve as chair of this committee.

Responsibilities:

  • To suggest strategies to enhance field placement activities throughout the College.
  • To share information, resources and ideas relevant to fieldwork activities.
  • To ensure that units understand various liability issues related to fieldwork activities.

Meetings

At least one meeting per year will be convened by an Associate Dean (appointed by the Dean).

Key Advisors Committee

Membership

Membership shall consist of the undergraduate key advisors of each department/school and the AHS Open Option Advisor. An Associate Dean (appointed by the Dean) will serve as chair of this committee.

Duties include:

The Committee shall act as an information resource to faculty advisors throughout the College and shall assist in the development/implementation of various strategies to enhance the retention and academic success of students in Applied Human Sciences.

Meetings

The Associate Dean, who serves as the College's Key Advisor, shall convene one meeting per semester.

Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee

Membership

Membership shall consist of one tenured faculty at the full professor level, and shall be comprised of the chairperson of each unit’s Promotion and Tenure Committee. The Dean will serve as chair of this committee.

Duties include:

Committee will review and advise the Dean on all promotion and tenure dossiers. Meetings The Committee will meet with the Dean one to two times in late fall term to review promotion and tenure files.

Research Committee

Membership

Membership shall consist of one faculty representative from each department/school. An Associate Dean (appointed by the Dean) shall chair the committee, as a non-voting member.

Duties include:

  • To recommend award recipients to the Dean from nominations provided by each department/school for the following AHS awards:
    • Scholarly Excellence Award
    • Tenure Track Faculty Scholarly Excellence Award
  • To promote interdisciplinary research activity within the College.
  • To assist in promoting, encouraging, and supporting the research interests of individual faculty members, including the review of issues related to Animal Care Use and Human Research compliance.
  • To develop criteria for awarding funds designated by the College to support faculty research.
  • To recommend to the Dean the awarding of Agricultural Experiment Station funds available within the College to support faculty research.

Dean’s Student Leadership Council

Membership

Each department/school with undergraduate majors will be represented by three voting representatives to the Council. The program of Family and Consumer Sciences shall also have one voting representative. These members shall be selected by application that is to be reviewed by a committee of several current Council members and the faculty advisor. College senators are automatically members of the Council. Any person attending five consecutive meetings or belonging to a student organization within the College of Applied Human Sciences shall have voting privileges. The Dean shall appoint a liaison/advisor from his/her office to serve in a non-voting capacity.

Duties include:

The Council will represent students in the College by reviewing ASCSU Senate propositions and proposals giving College senators direction on how to vote. The Council will be available to assist the College as student representatives. The Council will promote and participate in leadership development activities. Council members will audition and select the student speaker for graduation ceremonies and will serve on the College Awards Committee. The Council will also act as the Student Charges for Technology Advisory Committee.

Meetings

The Council will meet once a week during the regular semester.

Student Scholarship and Awards Committee

Membership

Membership shall consist of one faculty member from each department/school of the College. An Associate Dean (appointed by the Dean) and a member of the AHS advancement staff, responsible for administering scholarships, shall be ex officio, non-voting members. The Associate Dean for Academic Programs will chair the committee.

Duties include:

  • To establish policies regarding student eligibility for honor awards and scholarships for those open to majors from more than one department/school.
  • To help publicize available scholarships and awards early each year.
  • To review applications and select recipients of scholarships and honor awards for those that cut across department/school bounds.
  • To attend/participate in the College awards ceremony.

Student Charges for Technology Advisory Committee

The Dean’s Leadership Council will serve as the Student Charges for Technology Advisory Committee.

Duties include:

  • To monitor the utilization of the students’ charges for technology fees paid each semester.
  • To make recommendations to the College IT staff around computer lab utilization, equipment, hours, software and other issues that may arise.
  • To serve as a forum for discussion of major equipment purchases planned by the College and to evaluate the need to raise or lower fees as appropriate.

Meetings

Meetings will be held at least once per fall and spring semesters with additional meetings called as necessary.

Unit Secretaries

Membership

Membership shall consist of at least one State Classified representative from each department/school in the College at the level of senior administrative assistant or program assistant. The Program Assistant in the Dean’s Office shall be the Dean’s designated representative and chair.

Duties include:

  • To enhance and strengthen communication between the units and the Dean’s Office.
  • To discuss information related to new or newly revised College and/or University policies and procedures to facilitate understanding at the departmental level.

Meetings

Regular meetings shall be held one to two times per semester, with special meetings called as needed.

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VI. Faculty Council and University Committees

The College representatives to the University Faculty Council and to its standing committees shall be elected according to the Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Staff Manual.

Each at-large College representative shall consult with and report to the College faculty and the Dean's Office, as appropriate.

Definition of Electors

Faculty eligible to vote and serve on Faculty Council are defined in the Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Staff Manual (C.2.1.4).

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VII. Advancement and Tenure

Promotion and Tenure

The major purpose of promotion and tenure decisions is the strengthening and encouragement of faculty excellence. The University policies and procedures for promotion and tenure are stated in the current Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Staff Manual, Sections E.9 - E.14. The statements in this document are consistent with the policies and procedures of the University. They enumerate and discuss promotion and tenure policies and procedures in the College of Applied Human Sciences and establish guidelines for implementation.

College Promotion and Tenure Guidelines

Faculty members being considered for promotion and/or tenure will typically be engaged in instruction, research and scholarly activities, and service. Criteria for promotion and tenure relate to performance in these areas. To be considered for promotion or tenure, a faculty member must meet the minimum criteria as stated in the Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Staff Manual, Sections E.9 and E.10.

Promotion in academic rank is awarded on the basis of attainment of levels of achievement appropriate to the advanced rank. Satisfactory performance at one rank is not a sufficient basis for promotion; such performance must be accompanied by growth of the individual to the performance level of the higher rank.

The level of achievement required for tenure is, in most cases, equal to or higher than that required for promotion to Associate Professor. In particular, the individual should display expertise in areas compatible with current or anticipated programs in the department/school.

Recommendations for tenure at the rank of Assistant Professor should be unusual and are to be based on reasonable expectations that the faculty member involved will eventually meet the qualifications for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. Such a recommendation must document the existence of this factor and explain why a promotion recommendation is not also in order at the same time.

Criteria For and Documentation of Recommendations

University standards for promotion and tenure are based on a candidate's record of activities in teaching, research, and service. Promotion to Associate Professor normally requires the demonstration of excellence in either teaching or research along with documentation of adequacy in the remaining two. Advancement to Professor normally requires demonstrated excellence in two activities and adequacy in the third.

Detailed information and supporting materials are needed by the College administration for the purpose of review. The responsibility for the preparation of such information and documentation lies primarily with the candidate. The candidate's department/school will prepare a recommendation that discusses the extent to which the candidate meets the relevant criteria and standards specified by the department/school. The recommendation should report the departmental/school vote, including specification of the numbers of those voting for and against and those abstaining. Any minority opinions concerning the recommendation must be discussed. Any agreements to award previous institutional experience(s) must be detailed in writing and approved by the Dean and Department Head/Director.

Guidelines on the desired documentation in each of the areas of instruction, research (scholarship), and service can be found in departmental/school codes.

Extension

Extension education is another major function of the College. Evaluation of persons with Extension appointments must be based upon the initiative and leadership displayed in the conduct of Extension programs and research, effectiveness and skill as educators, and communication of technical information to appropriate clientele. Activities, such as conducting workshops and seminars, organizing or participating in short courses and other outreach activities should also be included. An assessment of the quality and effectiveness of these efforts by clients should be provided.

Persons holding full-time Extension appointments will be evaluated by the appropriate Extension administrator and Department Head/Director. People on part-time appointments will be evaluated on the basis of the mix of duties in Extension and on their joint academic and research activities. Tenure will be approved by academic faculty within the unit.

Evaluation of AHS Administrative Personnel

Assessment of the Dean's performance is conducted by the Provost. Persons desiring to contribute to that assessment should contact the Provost directly.

The Dean is responsible for annual evaluations of unit heads/directors and administrative officers of the Dean's Office.

Administrative Officers of the College

To assess the performance of administrative officers, the Dean shall annually solicit written evaluation from peers and faculty where appropriate. The Dean will summarize this information in a written document that will be reviewed with the respective person. The Dean shall make decisions for renewal, replacement, or abolishment on an annual basis.

Department Heads/School Directors

To assess the performance of department heads and school directors, the Dean shall annually solicit written evaluations from all faculty of the respective departments/schools. The Dean will summarize this information in a written document that will be reviewed with the head/director. For reasons of failure to conduct departmental/school progress/programs, the Dean may remove a head/director from office at any time. This measure requires consultation with the respective departmental/school faculty or the elected departmental/school advisory committee representing the faculty. For interim or short-term appointed heads/directors, the Dean shall make (renewal or replacement) decisions, on an annual basis.

For heads/directors serving a five-year term, the Dean shall conduct a review of the head's/director’s suitability for continuance in the fifth year of term. Continuance shall require the positive approval of all parties: the Dean, the head/director, and a simple majority of academic faculty on regular appointment in the respective department/school. The departmental/school faculty, the Provost, and the President shall be notified in writing of the continuance decision.

Annual Evaluation

Faculty Member Responsibilities

Each faculty member shall receive an evaluation at least once per year. The evaluation is conducted by the department head/school director and shall be organized to address four major categories of faculty activity.

These include:

  • Teaching/Advising
  • Research/Scholarly Activity
  • Service
  • Administrative Assignments, if appropriate

The faculty member shall provide the department head/director appropriate documentation of his/her annual activity as determined by departmental/school code. The following information shall be used for constructing a departmental/school annual report:

  • A Professional Activity Report (PAR) as designed by each department/school. This document summarizes the faculty member’s accomplishments in the four major categories.
  • A statement of prospective goals for individual improvement or development in the upcoming year.
  • An updated Curriculum Vitae.
  • A completed and signed "Consultation and Extramural Employment" form.

Departmental/School Committee Responsibilities in Evaluation

Departments/schools shall utilize a process to solicit evaluative information for persons who will eventually be considered for promotion and/or tenure. This process shall involve either the departmental/school tenured faculty or a representative committee, as specified in departmental/school code. The evaluation by the review body should be done periodically, as defined by departmental/school codes and in accordance with Section E.11 of the Manual, but at least three years in advance of promotion and/or tenure consideration for persons on a six-year consideration track.

The following guidelines apply to the process:

  • The head/director may share all evaluation documents with the review body.
  • The review committee may solicit opinion from constituents in a position to be knowledgeable about the faculty member's performance.
  • The review committee shall prepare a summary, indicating strengths and weaknesses, to be shared with the faculty member. This summary will be included in the evaluation document finalized between the head/director and faculty member and forwarded to the Dean.

Head/Director Responsibilities

Using documentation provided by the faculty member and review committee, where appropriate, the department head/director shall prepare an evaluation summary and review it with the faculty member. This evaluation summary must contain the following elements:

  • Strengths and accomplishments in teaching, advising, research, and service.
  • Comments on progress made on the faculty member's goals from the previous year, including progress on areas noted as needing improvement.
  • Identification of items needing improvement in any of the above areas.
  • Specific performance concerns related to future tenure and/or promotion considerations.
  • The document must be signed by the faculty member and department head/director.
  • Final copy distribution of the signed evaluation includes: the faculty member, the departmental/school file, and the Dean's Office (original).

Relationship of Evaluation to Advancement and Salary Exercises

To receive an annual evaluation, faculty must assume responsibility to complete their documentation and submit it to the department head/director by a deadline established by the department/school. Faculty not completing this responsibility will not be eligible for a salary increase or promotion and tenure consideration.

A tenure-track faculty member has the right to be informed about progress and deficiencies on an annual basis. The individual deserves an opportunity to make corrective measures to their performance profile over a multi-year period. In the event that a department head/director is negligent in providing this documentation, the faculty member may petition the Dean in writing to intervene for the purpose of obtaining a complete evaluation.

Comprehensive Reviews of Faculty

Comprehensive reviews of both tenure track (E.11.1) and tenured faculty (E.11.2.1 and E.11.2.2) will be done in accordance with the Manual.

Support for Junior Faculty

Departments/schools shall establish a formal means of supporting and assisting junior faculty at the ranks of Instructor and Assistant Professor. The objectives are to help the faculty member develop excellence in all areas of their position description and to help the individual learn about institutional requirements/procedures of the promotion and tenure process.

Self Evaluation of AHS College Operations

The Dean shall gather ongoing feedback about college operations from the Dean's faculty advisory committee, the college administrative cabinet, the diversity advisory committee, the Dean’s Student Leadership Council, and the Dean's external advisory council. This feedback shall be shared with appropriate persons in the College to bring about ongoing improvement of College operations.

Faculty and Staff Grievance Procedures

The College of AHS believes that the best approach to grievances is prevention through communication. Faculty and staff should deal directly with their department head/director to achieve satisfactory resolution of issues through appropriate communication. In the event that there is communication difficulty between the head/director and faculty or staff member, the department/school may provide an advisory body of faculty and/or staff for the purpose of attempting to arbitrate the concern through local communication, as defined in departmental/school codes. In the event that these measures do not satisfactorily resolve faculty issues, faculty and departments/schools are referred to Section K of the Manual (for general grievance procedures established at Colorado State University) for specifics about the process and time limitation relevant to the grievance process.

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VIII. Sabbatical Leave: Criteria, policies and guidelines

While sabbatical leaves should not be construed as a mandatory right of any faculty member in the College of Applied Human Sciences, such leaves can be considered as a legitimate expectation, providing that the faculty member satisfies the criteria described in this document. Sabbatical leaves are intended to benefit the faculty member's department/school, the College and the University by increasing the skill level, experience level and/or scholarship of the participating faculty member.

Although limitations of resources within the College and University may restrict the actual number of leaves that can be granted in any given year, faculty members are encouraged to consider applying for leave when eligible, and to use such leaves as a means of maintaining and/or enhancing their professional competence.

Faculty submitting applications for sabbatical leave must comply with the guidelines and policies outlined in Section F.3.4 of the University's Academic Faculty & Administrative Professional Manual.

Criteria - Department/School Level Recommendation

All academic units in the College of Applied Human Sciences are to prepare, publish and distribute to their respective faculty a description of criteria to be used in recommending sabbatical leave. These criteria should include (but need not be limited to) the following: (Note - these are not in ranked order of importance).

  1. The value of the sabbatical leave plan for the professional development of the individual;
  2. The value of the sabbatical leave plan for the department/school, College and University;
  3. The quality and significance of the proposed sabbatical leave activities;
  4. The feasibility of the proposed projects/activities (e.g., time frame is realistic, and necessary resources are available);
  5. The extent to which completion of the proposed activities/projects can be measured/documented;
  6. The Department Head/School Director will give priority to faculty members on the basis of length of employment at the University on a regular, continuous appointment, number of previous sabbaticals;
  7. If a unit is submitting more than one proposal, these must be rank ordered at the unit-level prior to being forwarded to the Dean.

Guidelines and Policies Outlined in the University's Academic Faculty & Administrative Professional Manual

Criteria - Dean's Recommendation

  1. The value of the leave to the Department/School and College of Applied Human Sciences;
  2. The Department's/School's ability to arrange feasible staffing alternatives if the leave is granted;
  3. The extent to which sabbatical leaves are equitably distributed among departments/schools;
  4. When all of the above are equal, the Dean will give priority to faculty members on the basis of length of employment at the University on a regular, continuous appointment, and number of previous sabbaticals.

Sabbatical Report

Upon completion of the sabbatical leave, the faculty member shall submit a final sabbatical report to the department head/school director who will forward it to the Dean of the College of Applied Human Sciences. In turn, the Dean's Office will forward the report to the Provost/Academic Vice President for review and submission to the State Board of Agriculture. The report shall include a summary of the faculty member's activities while on sabbatical and the benefits derived by the faculty member from the sabbatical activity. Such reports need not include specific details of the research performed by the faculty member. Final sabbatical reports must be submitted to the office of the institution's chief academic officer within three months of the completion of the leave. Sabbatical reports are considered public record and shall be available for inspection upon request.

Section F.3.4 (SABBATICAL LEAVE) of the University's Academic Faculty & Administrative Professional Manual for additional detail.

Refer to Appendix A of this Code for guidelines regarding preparation of sabbatical application and report.

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IX. Resolving Conflicts

At Colorado State University, there are defined processes to deal with various types of concerns.

Resources for Resolving Conflicts

Resources for Resolving Conflicts
Conflict Resource
Academic Integrity General Catalog
Appeals of Grading Decisions General Catalog
Appeals of Academic and Disciplinary Decisions Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual, Section I
Disciplinary Action for Tenured Faculty Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual, Section E
Conflict Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional, Section D
Administration of Student Discipline Student Rights and Responsibilities Brochure
Discipline Appeals and Procedure Graduate and Professional Bulletin
Graduate School Grievance Procedure Handbook on Graduate Study
Student Records Graduate and Professional Bulletin
Student Employee Grievance Office of Vice President for Student Affairs
Faculty/Staff Grievance Procedures, Review Process, and Mediation Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual, Section K
Traffic or Parking Appeal Parking Regulations Brochure
Tuition Classification Graduate and Professional Bulletin
Personal Abuse Policy General Catalog
Nondiscrimination Policy

Graduate and Professional Bulletin

Grievance Procedure for the Resolution of Complaints of Unlawful Discrimination CSU’s Office of Equal Opportunity
Sexual Harassment Policy Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual, Appendix 1
Misconduct in Science Sponsored Programs Manual, Section XIII

If a member of the College of Applied Human Sciences community (student, staff member, faculty member) has a serious concern about the actions of a student, staff member or faculty member, and this concern is not covered by these policies or processes, s/he should follow this procedure.

A. Discussion and/or Mediation

  1. First, the person with the concern should discuss the issue with the other person if at all possible.
  2. If no resolution results from that conversation, the individual may raise the concern with that person’s immediate supervisor (department head, director, dean or an appropriate designee) to seek assistance in addressing the issue. In those instances when the supervisor can, and so chooses, s/he will attempt to mediate the complaint, gathering information from all involved individuals.

B. Formal Complaint and Decision

In the event that the concern cannot be resolved through communication and mediation, the individual may take more formal action.

  1. The individual with the concern shall submit a written statement explaining the issue to the supervisor (or designee) of the person who is the focus of the concern. As much documentation as possible should accompany this statement.
  2. The supervisor will gather additional, relevant information from all individuals involved, and s/he shall make a decision as to the course of action which must be recorded and shared with all involved individuals within ten working days of the filing of the written statement and documentation. If circumstances prohibit this timeline, the supervisor and person with the concern may negotiate an extension, with intervention by the next highest supervisor only as needed. This extension agreement should be recorded and signed by both parties.

C. Appeal of Decision

If there is still a serious concern by anyone affected by the supervisor’s decision, individuals may appeal to the next higher level in the administrative chain, doing so within ten working days. If circumstances prohibit this timeline, the supervisor and person with the concern may negotiate an extension, with intervention by the next highest supervisor only as needed. This extension agreement should be recorded and signed by both parties.

  1. The individual with the concern will submit a written statement of concern to the supervisor at the next higher level, including all past written documentation relevant to the issue. This written statement should be copied to the supervisor who had previously dealt with the concern and whose decision is now being appealed.
  2. The supervisor at the next higher level will gather additional, relevant information from all individuals involved, and s/he shall make a decision as to the course of action which must be recorded and shared with all involved individuals within ten working days of the filing of the written statement and documentation. If circumstances prohibit this timeline, the supervisor and person with the concern may negotiate an extension, with intervention by the next highest supervisor only as needed. This extension agreement should be recorded and signed by both parties.

Each additional appeal should follow the procedures outlined in Appeal of Decision. The final step of the appeals process will be at the vice presidential level where decisions will be made by the provost or his/her designee.

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X. Amendment Procedure

Any member of the College community may propose to amend the AHS Code through their academic unit’s representative to the Dean’s Faculty Advisory Committee.

Items such as program names changes (which are approved through the curriculum review process), references to sections of the Manual (which are approved through faculty council), and policy changes by other entities outside of AHS will be updated as needed and do not require a vote of the faculty.

Proposed amendments will be presented to the College membership via e-mail two weeks prior to the All-College Meeting, where they will be discussed.

The AHS Code may be amended by a 2/3 majority vote of the voting members of the eligible electorate (as defined below). Electronic ballots containing the proposed amendments and their rationale shall be distributed to eligible voters within three working days following the All-College Meeting where the proposed amendments were discussed. Faculty will have the option of returning the ballots electronically or to print and return.

Ballots must be returned by the stated deadline (but not later than six working days after distribution) in order to be counted.

In parallel with the University’s Code (c.2.4.2) the eligible electorate is defined as those faculty who meet the following criteria:

  • In residence at the University or on sabbatical leave;
  • Completion of at least one year of service at the University as regular, regular part time, or transitional appointee with the rank above that of instructor or equivalent;
  • Administratively responsible to a unit head/director within Applied Human Sciences.

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Appendix A

The purpose of this appendix is to provide information for faculty planning to submit requests for sabbatical leave. Note that these are intended to be suggestions and do not include policy decisions.

Sabbatical Leave Applications and Reports

University Guidelines Regarding Sabbatical Leaves

The University's policy and guidelines regarding sabbatical leave are outlined in Section F of the Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Staff Manual. You should carefully review these guidelines before preparing your sabbatical leave application. Click here to view a copy of Section F of the Manual.

College Guidelines Regarding Sabbatical Leaves

The College guidelines regarding sabbatical leaves are found in the Applied Human Sciences Code. You may access the latest version through the College’s electronic “public folder.”

Forms for Requesting Sabbatical Leave

Sabbatical leave requests are to be submitted using the University's application form. This form is available from your Department/School Office, or it can be printed/copied from the University's web pages: http://www.provost.colostate.edu/print/7sabform.html

A signed Memorandum of Understanding is to accompany the application. The Memorandum of Understanding form is also available from the Department/School Office, or it can be printed/copied from the University's web pages: http://www.provost.colostate.edu/print/7sabmou.html

Approval Process Regarding Sabbatical Leaves

There are four levels of approval (Department Head/School Director, Dean, Provost, State Board of Agriculture). Deadlines for each step of the approval process may shift somewhat each year. Be sure to confirm due dates with your Unit Head/School Director. (NOTE: Recently, applications have been due to the Dean on Sept. 15th and due to the Provost on October 1). Please note that in some units, the Head/Director will forward all requests but will put them in “rank order” of priority before forwarding to the Dean. This is important in that there are limited numbers of sabbaticals being approved each year at the University level. Note that there are times a Unit Head/Director may find it necessary – when balancing unit needs with the faculty member’s interests – to decline approval. The Unit Head’s/Director’s decisions should be made using both Departmental/School and College guidelines, as set forth in Unit Codes. In like vein, given the limited number of sabbaticals, the Dean may need to place proposals in rank order prior to their being sent to the Provost’s office or decline approval if a particular application does not meet criteria set forth in the College Code. Finally, it must be recognized that neither Central Administration nor the State Board of Agriculture will necessarily approve all proposals sent to them. Reasons for denial may be linked to such factors as the nature of the proposal or institutional financial restrictions.

Confer with Unit Head/Director Prior to Preparing Sabbatical Leave Application

One important criterion for evaluating and approving sabbatical leave requests is the extent to which the proposed leave activities support the department’s/director’s needs and priorities. For this reason, it is important for faculty to discuss with unit head/director approximately six months prior to filing the application – how his/her proposed sabbatical leave activities will help the department/school address identified needs and priorities in addition to providing professional development opportunities for the faculty member.

Another reason for talking with the unit head/director and department colleagues prior to submitting a sabbatical leave request is to work out a collaborative plan for covering assignments in the areas of teaching, advising, and service. Such a plan must be included in the sabbatical leave request.

Availability of Sample Applications

Before writing your own request, you may wish to review copies of other faculty members’ sabbatical leave applications. A number of very good applications are available for your review (the faculty members involved have given their permission to share with others). Contact the Dean’s Office for access to these copies.

Goals and Measurable Outcomes

Your plan should clearly identify goals that go above and beyond what would normally be expected were you to remain on campus with your normal workload distribution. (For example, if you normally have a 30% research load and your sabbatical will be totally focused on research, one would expect your goals to reflect that increased percentage of time being spent in that arena.) Goals should be stated clearly and concisely. These are not to be changed, awarded without prior approval of the Dean and the Provost, after a sabbatical has been awarded.

Further, you should clearly identify measurable outcomes of your sabbatical efforts. The clarity of these outcomes, together with the likelihood that they can be accomplished during the sabbatical period, will be used as criteria during the approval process. Progress in reaching these measurable outcomes will later become the basis for writing your sabbatical report.

Sabbatical Report

Within a month after the completion of a sabbatical leave, a faculty member is to submit:

  1. a final sabbatical report to the unit head/director and
  2. a one-paragraph abstract of that report, which will be forwarded to the State Board of Agriculture

The sabbatical report should be at least 3-5 pages in length, and should be "congruent" with the sabbatical application in that all proposed goals and objectives in the application must be addressed in the report. The report should include a concrete summary of the faculty member's activities while on sabbatical and the benefits derived by the faculty member from the sabbatical activity. If there are written (or other) products developed during the sabbatical, these should be forwarded with the report.

Copies of “good” sabbatical leave reports are available should you feel that a "model" would be helpful. (Faculty who wrote these reports have given us permission to use them.) Contact your unit head/director to access copies.

Once the faculty member submits the sabbatical report to the Unit Head/Director and it is reviewed at that level, the unit head/director then forwards the report to the Dean, who in turn will forward it to the Provost/Academic Vice President for review. Finally, the one-paragraph abstract will be submitted to the State Board of Agriculture. Please understand that any individual in this process may suggest refinement to you.

Note that sabbatical reports are considered public record and are available for inspection upon request.

Sabbatical Leaves, Annual Performance Evaluations, and Workload Distributions

The sabbatical leave plan and the final report will serve as important documents in conducting annual performance evaluations covering the period of the leave. In most instances, the workload distribution for faculty who have been awarded a sabbatical leave is such that there is (typically) a significant increase in percentage of time dedicated to scholarly research, and a decrease in the amount of time devoted to teaching/advising and service. The sabbatical leave plan and the final report can be used to document productivity in the area of scholarly work or other arenas that were a focus of a given faculty member’s sabbatical effort.

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