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Bylaws of the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures

The department membership consists in the university faculty members as defined in FP&P 1.02 who hold probationary appointments, tenure appointments, or joint governance appointments in the department.

II. Executive Committee

1. Membership

   1. Regular members: all tenured faculty with at least .5 FTE in the department, as stated in FP&P 5.20.

   2. Invited members: tenured faculty members from another department, appointed by annual vote of regular members of the Executive Committee with a joint executive appointment, as per FP&P 5.12.A.

   3. The department Chair serves as the chair of the Executive Committee.

2. Charge

   1. Make decisions concerning faculty, academic staff, and university staff on:

      1. appointments;

      2. recruitment;

      3. leaves;

      4. nonretentions;

      5. dismissals;

      6. promotions;

      7. salaries;

      8. curriculum;

      9. other departmental budget matters.

   2. Provide for the annual evaluation of every probationary faculty member beginning with the second year of the initial appointment, per the rules of FPP 7.05.

   3. Ensure that affected probationary faculty members are kept informed of any changes in departmental goals or other circumstances which alter the opportunity for promotion to tenure, per 5.21.E.

   4. May by annual vote delegate to a subcommittee or to the chair the authority to make recommendations with respect to any or all of the following matters, except as noted in FPP 5.22.C:

      1. Salaries;

      2. Faculty recruitment;

      3. Non-faculty personnel actions (excluding appointments of academic staff to indefinite status or the conferral of modified professorial titles to academic staff);

      4. Equipment and supplies.

   5. Annual invitations and invitation renewals:

      1. May recommend to the Dean joint executive appointments to tenured faculty members in another department, granting voting membership in the department and its executive committee.

      2. May recommend to the Dean joint departmental appointments to faculty members and/or academic staff members in another department, granting voting membership in the department, but not in the executive committee.

      3. May invite or renew an invitation to academic staff to vote and participate in departmental meetings as allowed in FPP 5.10.

      4. May invite or renew an invitation to academic staff to participate in annual preference balloting for departmental chair as allowed in FPP 5.10.

      5. May invite or renew an invitation to a number of graduate and/or undergraduate students to participate in department meetings with voting rights as stipulated by the Executive Committee.

   6. Approve the recommended appointments to the department’s standing committees and officers, other than the chair.

3. Meeting Guidelines

   1. These meetings will be run according to the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order in accordance with WI state open meeting laws and any relevant rules from Faculty Policies and Procedures.

   2. Meeting minutes will be recorded by the supporting staff member.

   3. Any member of the committee may submit to the chair in advance any issue or concern he/she wishes to have included on the agenda.

   4. Shall meet at least once every semester.

   5. A quorum consists of more than half of members no on leave.

      
      

III. Department Committee

1. Membership

   1. All tenured and probationary faculty as defined in paragraph I above.

   2. Departmental Academic and University Staff, contingent on the approval of the Executive Committee per paragraph II.B.5.c. of these bylaws.

   3. Graduate and/or undergraduate representatives, contingent on the approval of the Executive Committee per paragraph II.B.5.e. of these bylaws. 

   4. The department Chair serves as the chair of the Department Committee. 

2. Charge

   1. The immediate governance of the department is vested in its departmental faculty, as defined in 5.10, which has jurisdiction over all the interests of the department, including authority to determine all departmental questions that are not vested in the departmental executive committee by 5.20 and 5.21. (i.e., all items not restricted to the EC under FPP 5.20 and 5.21).

   2. Approve or disapprove recommendations from Standing Committees and Officers. 

      1. It is the expectation of the department that all substantive decisions of the Committees or Officers will be presented as proposals for discussion within the Department Committee or Executive Committee, depending on the nature of the proposal.

      2. Smaller, day-to-day decision-making is delegated to the Committees and Officers in accord with the stated charges listed below.

      3. When in doubt, the Committee or Officer should bring the matter before the Department Committee or Executive Committee, after consultation with the Chair.

   3. The Department Committee may choose to take advisory votes on matters vested in the Executive Committee, and the Executive Committee may solicit such an advisory vote to gauge overall support for particular decisions.

   4. May create Ad Hoc Committees and appoint department members to Ad Hoc Committees, as needed.

3. Meeting Guidelines

   1. These meetings will be run according to the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order in accordance with WI state open meeting laws and any relevant rules from Faculty Policies and Procedures.

   2. The chair shall call a meeting at the request of any two members of the department.

   3. Meeting minutes will be recorded by the supporting staff member.

   4. Shall meet at least once every semester.

   5. A quorum consists of more than half of members no on leave.

      
      

IV. Officers

1. Chair

   1. Selection

      1. All members of a department and those members of the Academic Staff who have been invited to participate in the annual preferential balloting, shall be given the opportunity to express their preference for chair each year by secret ballot. The Dean of the College of Letters and Science, using the Department’s preferential vote in an advisory manner, appoints the Chair.

   2. Duties

      1. Execute all duties stipulated in FP&P 5.31.

      2. Execute authority delegated by the Executive Committee on an annual basis, per FP&P 5.22.

      3. Provide leadership to the department through working with the Executive Committee and Department Committee to address programmatic needs of the department (e.g., personnel, physical facility, technology support) and develop and maintain the department’s vision.

      4. Serve as the official channel of communications between the department and other sectors of the university as well as the general public through active engagement in initiatives of the College and broader University.

      5. Ensure that the bylaws remain updated and accurate at all times and that department actions are taken in accordance with the stipulations stated herein.

      6. Serve as Chair of the Budget Committee.

      7. Serve as Chair of the Faculty and Staff Committee.

2. Associate Chair

   1. Selection.

      1. The Associate Chair shall be nominated by the Chair and confirmed by the Executive Committee.

   2. Duties.

      1. Perform the duties of the Chair when the Chair is unable to perform those duties or cannot receive communications on an urgent matter.

      2. Advise the Chair in the performance of the Chair’s duties, in collaboration with the Director of Graduate Studies.

      3. Serve as Chair of the Curriculum Planning Committee.

3. Director of Undergraduate Studies

   1. Selection

      1. The Director of Undergraduate Studies shall be nominated by the Chair and confirmed by the Executive Committee.

   2. Duties

      1. Keep undergraduate concerns at the forefront of departmental planning and interest.

      2. Lead an ongoing discussion of the department’s vision for undergraduates, in the context of that constituency’s changing needs and of the department’s programs in general.

      3. Serve as the first faculty contact for the Undergraduate Advisor, when faculty support is needed in this area (e.g., when consulting with academic deans about undergraduates in ALC majors or when ALC student alumni solicit general letters attesting to their time in the department).

      4. Oversee other activities related to the undergraduate program, such as hiring a social media intern, selecting the members of the undergraduate council, and organizing the annual student symposium.

4. Director of Graduate Studies

   1. Selection.

      1. The Director of Graduate Studies shall be nominated by the Chair and confirmed by the Executive Committee.

   2. Duties.

      1. Perform the duties of the Chair when both the Chair and the Associate chair are unable to perform those duties or cannot receive communications on an urgent matter.

      2. Advise the Chair in the performance of the Chair’s duties, in collaboration with the Associate Chair.

      3. Serve as Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee.

1. Standing Committees

Department members are nominated to committees by the Chair and approved by the Executive Committee.

1. Faculty and Staff Committee

   1. Chaired by the department Chair.

   2. Make decisions concerning delegated personnel matters.

   3. Make recommendations to the Executive Committee and Department Committee on personnel matters.

   4. Attend to personnel matters associated with faculty and staff, including the following:

      1. Identify suitable members of review committees for probationary faculty, post-tenure faculty, Academic Staff and University Staff.

      2. Coordinate merit exercise and annual review of Activity Reports.

      3. Prepare recommendations of contract renewal and promotions of Academic Staff.

      4. Prepare recommendations of award nominations of faculty and staff.

2. Budget Committee

   1. Chaired by the department Chair.

   2. Make decisions concerning delegated budgetary matters.

   3. Make recommendations to the Executive Committee and Department Committee on budgetary matters.

   4. Attend to departmental budget matters, including the following:

      1. Review and analyze budget status report and other data used for the evaluation of the department.

      2. Prepare Short Term Staff requests, the annual budget for Teaching Assistants, and summer program budgets.

   5. Coordinate with appropriate committees or subprograms on UW Foundation accounts associated with the department.

   6. Oversee funding situations of incoming and existing graduate students, in coordination with the Graduate Studies Committee.

   7. Coordinate the TA assignment process, in coordination with the Graduate Studies Committee, based on information gathered from relevant faculty and staff.

3. Curriculum and Planning Committee

   1. Chaired by the Associate Chair.

   2. Make recommendations to the Executive Committee and Department Committee on curricular matters.

   3. Attend to curricular matters that include the following:

      1. Lead ongoing review of the programs’ vision and direction.

      2. Coordinate and oversee assessment and evaluations of courses and programs.

      3. Undertake initial reviews of course revisions and new course proposals.

      4. Coordinate the coming year’s timetable to ensure optimal coverage, to minimize overlap, and to troubleshoot scheduling.

      5. Coordinate the annual Guide revision process.

4. Graduate Studies Committee

   1. Chaired by the Director of Graduate Studies.

   2. Make recommendations to the Executive Committee and Department Committee on graduate programs and graduate student matters.

   3. Support various aspects of the ALC graduate program by assuming duties such as:

      1. Coordinate admission decision-making processes and review recommendations made by each track.

      2. Coordinate the identification of suitable recruiting packages for incomings students.

      3. Oversee funding situations of incoming and existing graduate students, in coordination with the Budget Committee.

      4. Coordinate the TA assignment process, in coordination with the Budget Committee, based on information gathered from relevant faculty and staff.

      5. Prepare the block grant fellowship application and recommend allocation of those resources.

      6. Coordinate department-internal competition of travel support fund.

      7. Prepare recommendations for TA award (and any other graduate student related award) nominations.

      8. Coordinate, in collaboration with the CPC, the annual Guide revision process of each graduate track in consultation with the Graduate Program Coordinator.

      9. Develop and sustain ongoing professional development and intellectual enrichment activities for graduate students.

      10. Serve as the review body for any student facing probation or other academic sanction in one of the tracks.

      11. Coordinate the annual graduate student review process.

5. Events, Communications and Advancement Committee

   1. Chaired by a committee member nominated by the department Chair and approved by the Executive Committee.

   2. Organize and coordinate events (lectures, workshops, conferences or social gatherings) sponsored or co-sponsored by the department.

   3. Coordinate and administer departmental communications with the campus community and broader public (website, newsletter and other modes), in coordination with the chair.

   4. Enhance alumni connections.

   5. Coordinate fund raising initiatives.

6. Council of Full Professors

   1. The chair of the Council of Full Professors is nominated by the department Chair and approved by the Executive Committee.

   2. The membership of the Council of Full Professors consists in all Full Professors who are members of the department.

   3. Contingent on the delegation of authority by the Executive Committee, the full professors of the department are charged with duties associated with the promotion of faculty to the rank of full professor, as specified by FP&P.

V. Ad Hoc Committees

1. The chair of the department may convene an ad-hoc committee as needed, with the consent of the Executive Committee or Department.

   1. The duration of an ad-hoc committees shall be noted in the charge to these committees.

   2. The authority of such committees is limited to making recommendations to the Executive Committee or Department.

VI. Procedure for Alteration of the Governance Structure

1. Review. This governance structure shall be reviewed periodically, at least every five years.

   1. If updates are made to the Faculty Policies and Procedures which contradict anything in these bylaws, a review of the department bylaws will be automatically triggered.

2. Revision. This governance structure permits alteration according to the following procedures. 

   1. Alteration of the departmental governance structure may consist of, for example, the formation of new standing committees or officers, the collapse of existing standing committees into larger entities, the elimination of standing committees, or other changes that alter the stipulated governance described above.

   2. Proposals for alterations may be made by any member of the Department Committee or Executive Committee, including the Chair.

   3. Proposals shall require notice and be discussed at a scheduled meeting of the Department Committee and voted upon at a scheduled meeting of the Executive Committee, with a two-thirds majority required for passage.

   4. This governance document shall then be amended to reflect such changes.

   5. The Chair is tasked with ensuring that this document remains updated and accurate at all times and that department actions are taken in accordance with the stipulations stated herein.