Preamble

The college of education in a land grant institution carries a special commitment to fulfill educational needs within the local community, the state, the nation, and in the global arena. The College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, established in 1905, is dedicated to excellence in teaching, scholarship, service, and public engagement, and to the principles of academic freedom, democratic governance, and embracing diversity in the formulation and implementation of educational policies.

Written as a supplement to the University of Illinois Statutes (hereafter, Statutes), these bylaws are intended to provide a framework for the effective conduct of College activities. Specifically, the bylaws are written, consistent with the Statutes, to further (I) define the rights and responsibilities of the dean, (II) define members, rights, and responsibilities of the faculty and specialized faculty, (III) guide the appointment/election of committees and other faculty groups, and (IV) establish roles and responsibilities of departments and units within the College.

Mission of the College

Building on more than a century of tradition in preparing new generations of citizens, learners, and workers, the College of Education has the mission:

1. to be an international leader in basic, applied, translational, and policy research relevant to critical issues in education throughout the lifespan;
2. to serve the State of Illinois and the nation through:
   1. the preparation of leaders who will assume positions as faculty at universities, as administrators, and as policy makers;
   2. the preparation of teachers and educators in a variety of settings, based on the latest advances in educational research;
   3. the development of certification and professional development programs; and
   4. engagement with schools, government, institutions of higher education, community agencies, and the private sector.
3. to disseminate knowledge and evidence relevant to educational theory, practices, and policies;
4. to stimulate dialogue about the nature of the educated person and the role of education in democratic society; to advocate for the value of civic pluralism and multicultural awareness; and to foster public interest in our common schools.

The Dean of the College of Education

1. The Dean is the chief executive officer of the College and is responsible for its administration. The Dean is also the agent of the faculty and is responsible for the execution of College policies. The duties of the Dean are specified in the Statutes (Article 3, Section 3) and in these bylaws.
2. As defined by the Statutes, the Dean shall be reappointed annually by the Board of Trustees acting on the recommendation of the Provost, who is the Chancellor’s designee in these matters. The College Executive Committee will advise the Provost in this matter.
3. The Dean shall consult the College Executive Committee concerning the appointment of assistant or associate deans. On the recommendation of the Dean, the Provost, and the Chancellor, the President may appoint assistant or associate deans as required. These members of the Dean’s staff serve at the pleasure of the Dean.
4. Among other responsibilities as defined in the Statutes (Article 3, Section 3d), the Dean shall recommend the appointment, reappointment, non-reappointment, and promotion of members of the academic staff. As described in Section IIIA below, the Dean shall decide on such recommendations in consultation with the College Executive Committee. If the Dean’s recommendation is not approved by the Provost and Chancellor, the Dean may present the recommendation to the President, and if not approved by the President, the Dean with the consent of the Board of Trustees, may present the recommendation in person before the Board of Trustees.
5. To carry out the business of the College, the Dean shall have the right to create, appoint, and dissolve standing and ad hoc committees after consultation with the College Executive Committee
6. The Dean shall meet regularly with department chairs and unit heads (a body referred to as the Committee of Department Executives (CoDE) to expedite the administrative work of the College. The Dean may invite to such meetings other administrators, faculty, and students to discuss specific administrative problems or issues. The Dean shall set the agenda for each meeting and maintain a record of matters discussed.
7. Any powers not delegated to the Dean in the Statutes and these bylaws are reserved to the faculty.
8. The performance of the Dean shall be evaluated every five years. The review process begins with a discussion between the Dean and the Provost. This discussion can be used to raise specific issues that the Dean and/or the Provost would like to explore during the review and will also provide a forum for an overall survey of the process and timelines of the review. The Dean’s Evaluation Committee (DEC) is constituted according to the College bylaws and charged by the Provost, in consultation with the College Executive Committee. The DEC consists of six members selected by the College Executive Committee, all of whom are associate and full tenured professors. The DEC must be constituted such that it contains at least (a) one faculty member from every department, none of whom reports administratively to the Dean, and (b) one member from the College Executive Committee. The chair of the DEC shall be a faculty member whose primary appointment is outside of the College of Education and appointed by the Provost. The DEC is responsible for (a) identifying participants in the review process and for identifying optimal methods for engaging them in this process, (b) determining the methods of gathering information from the participants in the review process, and (c) reporting its findings to the Provost in a written summary. The evaluation process and reporting should follow the guidelines in Provost Communication No. 24.

Tenure System Faculty and Specialized Faculty

Tenure System Faculty

1. As recognized in the Statutes, Article IX, Section 3c, the tenure system faculty consists of those members of the academic staff (a) with the rank or title in the College of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor; (b) who are tenured or receiving probationary credit toward tenure; (c) who receive part or all of their salary from the College; and (d) may include the Dean, the President, the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, directors of schools within the College, and such other members of the University faculty as the Chancellor may assign thereto. Administrative staff are members of the tenure sy stem faculty only if they also hold such faculty appointments.
2. All members of the tenure system faculty as defined in paragraph A.1 shall be entitled to participate in meetings of the faculty by voice and by vote.
3. Retired tenure system faculty members and assistant or associate deans of the college who are not included within the definition of faculty members in paragraph A.1 may speak at meetings, but not vote.
4. All tenure system faculty appointments, reappointments, and non-reappointments shall be governed by the Statutes.
5. The criteria for promotion of tenure system faculty must be consistent with the guidelines in Provost Communication No. 9. All tenure system faculty must be reviewed in their third year of service, under guidelines consistent with Provost Communication No. 13.
6. Powers, rights, and responsibilities
   1. To carry out contractual and professional responsibilities ascribed to the tenure system faculty as specified in the Statutes.
   2. To establish ad hoc committees to conduct the business of the faculty and to assign functions to such committees.
   3. To enjoy professional autonomy and the rights of academic freedom. This means that tenure system faculty members are entitled to full freedom, within the law of inquiry, discourse, teaching, research, and publication. Tenure system faculty members who believe they do not enjoy such freedoms are entitled to the protection of the procedures outlined in the Statutes.

Specialized Faculty

1. Specialized faculty are academics who perform specialized functions with a scope of work that is more specific than tenure system faculty defined in paragraph A.1. Specialized faculty play integral roles in the College, and the College supports the University commitment, described in Provost Communication No. 25, to the academic citizenship, professional growth, and well-being of specialized faculty.
2. The attributes of specialized faculty and guiding principles regarding hiring and employment are defined in Provost Communication No. 25.
3. The criteria for promotion of specialized faculty must be consistent with the guidelines in Provost Communication No. 26 and the department’s policies and procedures. Candidates should be reviewed for promotion after “roughly five or six years” of continuous service (Provost Communication No. 26). Evaluations at the College level must be consistent with the duties and percentage time of effort outlined in the candidate’s appointment letter.
4. Specialized faculty should be reviewed in their third year of service, if they are being considered for appointments beyond that term, under the same procedures for tenure system faculty except that external letters are not required. The criteria for these reviews must be consistent with the duties and percentage time of effort outlined in the candidate’s appointment letter. In third-year review cases where the result of the departmental review is a notice of non-reappointment, all third-year review materials, along with a letter from the department executive explaining the reasons for the decision, will be submitted to the College Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee for review and a separate vote. In cases where the department vote and the College Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee vote differ, the matter will be forwarded to the Dean for a final resolution.
5. The powers, rights, and responsibilities of specialized faculty, including participation in departmental governance, are defined in the bylaws and supporting documents of individual departments. Specialized faculty are eligible for election to any college level committee except the Promotion and Tenure Committee. For the purposes of nomination and voting, the specialized faculty of the College with a terminal degree and a 50% or greater appointment will serve as the specialized faculty electorate. Specialized faculty should also be represented on appointed college level committees.

Faculty

In this document “faculty” shall mean both tenure system faculty and specialized faculty unless otherwise specified.

Officers

1. The Dean of the College of Education shall serve as the chief executive officer of the College and is the agent of the faculty for execution of educational policy.
2. The tenure system and specialized faculty shall elect the secretary of the faculty every two years by electronic ballot in the Spring semester. The secretary of the faculty shall act as election monitor and perform other secretarial duties as officially directed by the faculty. If needed, the secretary shall serve as parliamentarian.

Regular Meetings

1. The Dean shall call at least two faculty meetings each academic year. The agenda for these meetings shall be set by the Dean in consultation with the College Executive Committee. Any item of business specifically requested by the Dean or College Executive Committee shall appear on the agenda. Any member of the tenure system faculty or specialized faculty may request the College Executive Committee to place specific items on the agenda. Omission of such an item from the agenda shall not prevent its introduction from the floor as new business.
2. All members of the tenure system faculty of the College as defined in II.A.1 shall enjoy the privilege of voice and vote. Emeriti faculty, specialized faculty, staff, and students may speak at meetings but not vote.
3. Prior notice shall be given on any issue to be put to the tenure system faculty for a vote at least five working days before the meeting.
4. For meetings of the faculty at which a vote will be called, a simple majority of the voting tenure system faculty must be present, and a vote will carry based upon the majority vote of those present.
5. Voting also may be conducted by electronic ballot. A simple majority of the tenure system faculty must participate in the vote electronically, and a measure will carry based upon the majority vote of those participating. The sole exception is changes to these bylaws, which require a 2/3 majority vote as outlined in Section V.
6. Proceedings of all meetings shall be documented, distributed promptly to all faculty, and formally approved by the College Executive Committee.
7. Proxies will not be permitted; however, individuals may call for an electronic ballot on the main motion(s).

Special Meetings

The Dean shall respond promptly to petitions submitted by faculty members that call for special meetings. Such petitions shall indicate the business to be discussed and shall be signed by at least ten faculty members. A special meeting of the faculty may also be called by the Dean or by the College Executive Committee to deal with matters that may arise between regular meetings and that require urgent action by the tenure system faculty of the College. Notice of the date, time, place, and agenda of the meeting shall be sent to each member of the faculty at least five working days before the meeting, unless circumstances require that a special meeting occur earlier than five days. In such situations, the agenda for the special meeting shall be sent to each member of the faculty as early as reasonably possible.

1. Only items relevant to the petition(s) and/or Dean's or College Executive Committee’s agenda may be considered at a special meeting.
2. Voting may take place as described in Section D.

Committees and Other Faculty Groups

College Executive Committee (CEC)

Membership

The College Executive Committee will consist of seven faculty members, of which no more than three shall be from one department. Each department will elect a tenure system representative with an electorate determined by department bylaws. The remaining College Executive Committee members will be elected at large through a College-wide vote of the faculty in the Spring semester. Two at-large seats shall be held by tenure system faculty and one at-large seat shall be held by specialized faculty. The College Executive Committee represents the voices and concerns of the College of Education faculty in college deliberations. The College Executive Committee is the primary advisory committee to the Dean of the College and shall transact such business as may be delegated to it by the faculty and the Statutes. At the beginning of each academic year, the College Executive Committee shall elect a tenure system faculty moderator who will, with the agreement of the Dean, conduct College Executive Committee meetings, and in consultation with the Dean, prepare its agenda. The Dean is an ex-officio member and chair of the College Executive Committee.

The new members of the Executive Committee of the College of Education and three alternate members to replace members who become ineligible for service shall be elected annually for two twelve-month terms. The terms will be staggered to ensure that experienced members will serve on the College Executive Committee at all times. All voting faculty members shall be eligible for membership on the Committee. Service on the College Executive Committee while on sabbatical or other leave of absence will not be permitted. If possible, the election will be held after the approval of the next year’s sabbaticals. Members who go on leave will be replaced by alternates, starting with the alternate with the highest number of votes, for the period of the leave. Should members go on leave or otherwise become ineligible for service in numbers that exceed available alternates, additional committee members will be elected in a separate election.

1. All department heads and chairs and assistant and associate deans shall be omitted from consideration since (1) they already serve in advisory positions and since (2) their exclusion gives a broader advisory base for staff not in administrative positions. The President, the Chancellor, and the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs also shall be omitted from consideration.
2. Service on the College Executive Committee shall be limited to two consecutive terms, with further service being possible after at least one year’s absence from membership.
3. The ballot for election of the at-large members to membership on the College Executive Committee will include each eligible staff member’s rank, departmental affiliation(s), and the number of consecutive years (if any) he/she has served, to the present date, on the College Executive Committee.
4. The College Executive Committee shall hold regular meetings during the academic year. During the summer months, the College Executive Committee will be available as needed to advise the Dean.

Procedures

1. The Dean shall seek advice from College Executive Committee on all matters of importance to the College, including those related to policy, administration, budget, management, and personnel (except those delegated to the College’s Promotion and Tenure Committee and Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee).
2. The College Executive Committee may invite representatives of departments and units to participate in College Executive Committee meetings when issues warrant.
3. The College Executive Committee must consider an issue or question presented in a petition signed by ten members of the college community (i.e., tenure system faculty, specialized faculty, staff, and students).
4. All College Executive Committee meetings are open except when specific personnel matters are being considered.
5. The agenda and minutes of each College Executive Committee meeting shall be disseminated to the faculty electronically in a timely manner. Actions taken by the Executive Committee with regard to specific personnel decisions will be excluded.

College Grievance Committee

Membership

1. The Grievance Committee shall be elected annually in the Spring semester, and consist of three members of the tenure system faculty and two alternates (elected by the tenure system faculty); one member of the specialized faculty and one alternate (elected by the specialized faculty); and two College-enrolled graduate students and one alternate (elected by the College-enrolled graduate students).
2. Should a member of the College Grievance Committee resign or have a conflict of interest with the potential grievance, he/she will be replaced by an alternate to serve in the adjudication of the specific grievance under consideration. The faculty members who receive the consecutive highest numbers of votes will serve as committee members and alternates. The chair of the College Grievance Committee will be a tenure system faculty member selected by the members of the Grievance Committee.

Procedures

The College Grievance Committee shall hear grievances submitted from faculty and students, when all attempts at informal resolution and/or departmental level procedures are exhausted. The CGC will adhere to the procedures stated in the College’s Grievance Policy and Procedures.

Promotion and Tenure Committee

Membership

The College Promotion and Tenure Committee will consist of seven tenured full professors. Each department will select one representative and the three remaining members will be elected at large through a College-wide vote in the Spring semester. One tenured full professor per College department will be appointed to the committee by each department executive, in consultation with the department’s faculty advisory committee. If no full professor is eligible in the Department, the Department may appoint a full professor from another appropriate Department.  Additionally, three tenure system faculty members will be elected as member-at-large from the College’s tenure system full professors. In the event there are not enough eligible full professors for these three to be from separate departments, an exception may be made to allow two of these from the same department (resulting in three from the same department on the overall committee). Department executives and associate deans are not eligible to serve on the Promotion and Tenure Committee. Members on the Promotion and Tenure Committee will serve staggered terms of two years with no individual serving more than three consecutive terms. The Promotion and Tenure Committee will elect a chair from among its members.

Procedures

1. The College Promotion and Tenure Committee is an advisory committee to the Dean, which reviews and votes on the dossiers of tenure system faculty being considered for promotion and/or tenure each year. Promotion dossiers are prepared at the department level. The Dean will meet with the College Promotion and Tenure Committee as an ex officio member to listen to the conversations regarding promotion cases.
2. Tenure system faculty members who serve on the College Promotion and Tenure Committee cannot vote at multiple levels. Therefore, members of the College Promotion and Tenure Committee will be recused from voting on cases from their home department, so that they may participate at the departmental level in the preparation and evaluation of dossiers. Exception: In cases where the candidate has a joint appointment spanning two or more departments within the College, only the tenure home department will participate at the department level in the preparation and evaluation of dossiers, allowing the other department(s) to maintain participation at the college level.
3. Only the members of the College Promotion and Tenure Committee physically present or participating through synchronous electronic communications for candidate discussions, and being informed by that discussion, are eligible to vote.
4. In third-year review cases where the result of the departmental review is a notice of non-reappointment, all third-year review materials, along with a letter from the department executive explaining the reasons for the decision, will be submitted to the College Promotion and Tenure Committee for review and a separate vote. In cases where the department vote and the College Promotion and Tenure Committee vote differ, the matter will be forwarded to the Dean for a final resolution.

Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee

Membership

The College Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee will consist of seven members, of which no more than two shall be from any one department. Four members will be tenured associate or full professors appointed to the committee by each department executive, in consultation with the department’s faculty advisory committee. Additionally, three specialized faculty members will be elected as members-at-large from the College’s specialized faculty in the Spring semester. For the purposes of nomination and voting, the specialized faculty of the College with a terminal degree and a 50% or greater appointment will serve as a single electorate. Preference in this voting should be given to specialized faculty who have reached the rank of “Full.” Department heads/chairs and associate deans are not eligible to serve on the College Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee. Members on the College Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee will serve staggered terms of two years with no individual serving more than three consecutive terms. The College Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee will elect a chair from among its members.

Procedures

1. Faculty members who serve on the College Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee cannot vote at multiple levels. Therefore, members of the College Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee will be recused from voting on cases from their home department, so that they may participate at the departmental level in the preparation and evaluation of dossiers.
2. Only the members of the College Specialized Faculty Promotion Committee physically present or participating through synchronous electronic communications for candidate discussions, and being informed by that discussion, are eligible to vote.

Standing Committees

The standing committees of the College are classified as advisory committees or working committees.  Advisory committees evaluate existing policies, propose new policies, advise the Dean or other administrative officers, and report their activities to appropriate groups as requested.  Working committees are assigned specific duties or projects which are essential to the governance and administration of the College. Standing committees shall be appointed annually by the Dean, and responsibilities, duties, and outcomes shall be established by the Dean in consultation with the College Executive Committee.

Ad Hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees are committees that may be appointed for a one-year period with the possibility of successive one-year reappointments. Such committees shall be charged with specific responsibilities by the appointing group. Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the Dean or formed by the College Executive Committee, and responsibilities, duties, and outcomes shall be established by the Dean or College Executive Committee.

Departments and Units

Departments

1. Departments are the primary units of education and administration within the College.
2. Each department shall establish a set of bylaws for its internal governance, including procedures for amendment.
3. Each department shall have written policy statements either in its bylaws or separately on the subject of:
   1. mission statement;
   2. criteria and procedures for appointment, promotion, tenure, and periodic salary review of tenure system faculty, specialized faculty, and academic staff;
   3. principles and procedures related to mentoring and professional development for tenure system faculty and specialized faculty;
   4. principles and procedures for determining staff loads;
   5. criteria and procedures used in carrying out the campus-mandated evaluation of the department chair or head;
   6. criteria and procedures used in admitting and reviewing the progress of graduate students;
   7. grievance procedures for tenure system faculty, specialized faculty, students, and staff.
4. Each department shall transmit its written bylaws and policy statements and any subsequent changes to the Dean and the College Executive Committee. Such documents shall be maintained in the Dean’s office.
5. Except as permitted by the Statutes, department and/or unit bylaws and policies will not conflict with College bylaws and policies.

Units

1. On the recommendation of the College faculty or Dean, units may be created by the Board of Trustees to carry out specific programs of instruction, research, and public engagement of a long-standing nature within the College. The creation and administration of such units within the College shall be subject to the Statutes. Such units and their directors shall be reviewed by the College Executive Committee, or by a committee delegated by the College Executive Committee for this purpose, and by the Dean at least every five years.
2. Other subdivisions may also be created by the College to carry out specific programs of instruction, research, and public engagement. Such subdivisions shall be created by the recommendation of the College Executive Committee and the approval of the Dean after discussion at a faculty meeting. Such subdivisions and their directors shall be reviewed by the Dean and the College Executive Committee at least every five years.
3. Units and other subdivisions will have updated mission statements, which are transmitted to the Dean and the College Executive Committee. These will be maintained in the Dean’s office.
4. Units and other subdivisions created by the College may be dissolved by the Dean after consultation with the College Executive Committee.

Amendments

Any person entitled to vote at a faculty meeting may propose an amendment to these bylaws. Proposed amendments shall be distributed at least seven days prior to a faculty meeting, be discussed at the faculty meeting, and voted on by electronic ballot. Any votes on these bylaws are themselves limited to tenure system faculty. Passage shall require a 2/3 majority vote of the voting faculty. The Dean shall initiate a review of the College of Education bylaws at least once every five years.