Effective date: _____ Latest
Revised Date _______
INITIAL
CODE OF OPERATIONS
Department
of Nutrition and Dietetics
1. Approved
by the tenured faculty of the unit
Chair, Unit Code Committee: 10-15-2007
2.
Submitted to Department Chairperson 10-18-2007
3. Submitted to Dean 10-20-2007
4. If
changed, reapproved by tenured faculty:
Chair, Unit Code Committee n/a
5. Reviewed/recommended
by
Chair: Garris
Conner Date 11-15-2007
6. Approved
by the
Chair: Mark
Taggart -Faculty Senate Resolution #08-03, January 29, 2008
7. Approved
by
Chancellor: Steve Ballard 2-20-2008 (Effective
date)
Revision of Code: _________ Complete; or
________ Part(s) Effective: __________
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
PREAMBLE
THIS CODE ALLOWS FOR
FACULTY PARTICIPATION IN AND
ESTABLISHES PROCEDURES
FOR THE UNIT’S INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND IS
CONSISTENT WITH ALL
APPLICABLE APPENDICES OF THE
UNIVERSITY FACULTY MANUAL.
In order to establish
governance of the East Carolina University Department of Nutrition and
Dietetics,
the faculty and
administration adopt the following code:
I. Objectives/Mission
The Department of
Nutrition and Dietetics (NUTR) is committed to improving the well-being of
society through teaching which prepares students for competent professional
practice, research/creative activities which address the issues of importance
to individuals, families, and business, and service which enhances the
professions of nutrition and dietetics.
A. Definitions of Voting Faculty Members
In all matters except
for those outlined in Appendices D, L,
and other pertinent appendices of the ECU
Faculty Manual, the voting faculty in NUTR consists of full-time faculty
holding ranks or title of professor, associate professor, assistant professor,
or instructor, with at least 51% teaching and research/creative activity
assignments.
The voting graduate
faculty shall consist of those faculty who have been appointed as graduate
faculty members, associate graduate faculty members, or graduate teaching
faculty members of the ECU Graduate Faculty as defined in Appendix F of the ECU Faculty Manual, and who hold at
least a 51% teaching/research/creative activity appointment in the College of Human
Ecology. Only faculty who hold status as a graduate faculty member may vote on
university-wide graduate issues.
B. Role of the
Chairperson
The chairperson of the department of NUTR, as chief
administrative officer of the unit, is responsible for the department in
accordance with the policies determined by the department, college and
university codes. The selection, term of
office, and evaluation for the chairperson shall conform to ECU Faculty Manual,
Appendix L.
The chairperson is
responsible to the Dean of the
procedures are followed. The chairperson is also responsible for
personnel actions relating to Subject to Personnel Act (SPA) employees assigned
to the department. The chairperson will
utilize university and college resources to carry out the following
duties. Duties of the chairperson
include, but are not limited to, the following:
1.
Develop
and coordinate with program coordinators course schedules and teaching assignments.
2.
Direct
the department strategic plan.
3.
Develop
and administer the department budget.
4.
Provide
update on department financial status at faculty meetings.
5.
Conduct
meetings with faculty and staff to review annual evaluations and progress
toward tenure letters, as appropriate.
6.
Develop
plans and evaluate the use of department facilities and equipment.
7.
Facilitate
faculty and staff development and mentoring programs for tenure track faculty.
8.
Conduct
orientation programs for new faculty and staff.
9.
Provide
support for grant writing, budgets, editorial review and grant administration
for faculty.
10. Coordinate an annual
fundraising and alumni development program.
11. Coordinate an annual
marketing plan for the department programs with updates on a semester
basis.
12. Preside at department
and program faculty meetings. Appoint a
leader for meetings when not able to attend.
13.
Assign advising responsibilities and coordinate with
14. Develop and support a faculty development leave program.
15. Monitor committee performance and membership.
16. Evaluate program coordinator performance using input from faculty and students.
17. Develop and maintain external relationships.
When the chairperson's
position becomes vacant, the procedures outlined in Appendix L of the ECU Faculty Manual will be followed in
finding a replacement.
C. Procedures for Faculty Consideration of the
Annual Budget Request and Annual Report
In the spring of each year, the department chairperson will solicit faculty recommendations for department
budget priorities for the following academic year, and copies of final department budget requests will be made
available to the faculty. At the first faculty meeting in the fall term, the chairperson will report to the faculty on
department budgets, as well as the department annual reports from the preceding year.
D. Role of Program Directors
Program directors for the Dietetics programs (undergraduate and internship), Graduate programs, and Distance Education programs will be appointed by the chairperson and negotiated with the faculty member, including a stipend or release and/or reassigned time. Directors work in coordination with the faculty and chairperson and are responsible to the chairperson. Program directors will be reviewed annually by the chairperson using input from program faculty and students. Duties of the program directors include the following as needed by the program:
1. Facilitate the development and revision of curricula.
2. Market programs and handle requests for information.
3. Coordinate admissions processes.
4. Serve on faculty search committees.
5. Develop and maintain external relationships in conjunction with chairperson.
6. Schedule program faculty meetings.
7. Develop and submit budget requests for program using faculty, staff, and student input.
8. Direct accreditation processes and program evaluations.
III. Unit Committees,
Councils, and Representatives
All committees serve in
an advisory capacity to the unit faculty and to the chairperson. The chairperson shall be an ex-officio member
(without vote) on the committees except for personnel and Appendix L committees
on which the chairperson does not serve.
All standing committees shall hold regularly scheduled meetings. Other meetings may be held upon request of
the committee chair, the department chairperson, or a majority of the
committee. The chair of each committee
shall report regularly at unit meetings and shall file minutes of all meetings,
along with an annual report of the committee’s accomplishments, with the
departmental office at the end of the academic year. The quorum for each committee shall be a
majority of its members.
The department
chairperson and the faculty shall be obligated to take action upon all
applicable committee recommendations.
The chairperson shall inform committee chairs and faculty specifically
involved, as appropriate, of actions taken.
A. Standing Committees
The standing committees
of the unit are: Curriculum, Scholarship, and Code committees. Committee
members shall be elected or appointed in the spring to serve staggered
three-year terms with the election of new members each year. Regular expired vacancies on each committee shall
be filled in the spring through election or appointment as specified in each
committee’s structure. In the event that
a member of a standing committee is unable to complete a term of office, the chair of the committee shall notify
the department chairperson of the need for a replacement.
The senior faculty
committee member shall convene the first meeting of each committee at the
beginning of the academic year. At the
first committee meeting of each academic year a chair and a secretary for each
committee shall be elected, except where otherwise noted. The chair shall be an elected member serving
a second year or third year of membership, if possible. In the absence of the chair of a standing
committee, the member senior in rank, or if there are more than one at the same
rank, then the faculty member with the most years of service, shall preside.
1.
Curriculum
Committee
a. Structure: The curriculum committee shall
consist of all tenured, probationary-term, and full-time fixed-term faculty members
in the department (a committee of the whole).
Faculty will vote for curriculum committee chair.
b. Duties:
Make recommendations to the University Curriculum Committee concerning
the undergraduate curricula within the department:
(1) Recommend proposals for new courses, tracks,
options, and degree programs.
(2) Review and make recommendations on course
offerings and changes in the catalogue which require University-action as
proposed by the department faculty.
(3) Review and recommend guidelines for admission
to programs offered by the department.
(4) Review guidelines for
degree requirements.
(5) Develop and implement a
process for designating and recording curriculum changes linked to learning
outcomes assessment.
2.
Scholarship
Committee
a. Structure: three elected faculty members
from the department. The committee will
meet as frequently as necessary and will report directly to the chair.
b.
Duties:
(1) Determine
with the chair the scholarships and awards available to Department of Nutrition
and Dietetics students and recommend procedures and processes to confirm
eligibility.
(2) Evaluate,
recommend and forward to the chair lists of nominees for such scholarships and
awards.
(3) Perform other
duties delegated by the chair.
3.
Code
Committee
a. Structure: Three faculty members (as defined
in Appendix L) elected from the members who have at least one year of service
at ECU.
b. Duties:
(1) Annual review of the Code, solicit
input from faculty for suggested changes, and recommend revisions to the
faculty as needed.
(2) Conduct a complete review of the Code according to the schedule developed by the University Unit Code Screening Committee.
B. Ad Hoc Committees and Task Forces
Ad hoc committees shall
be established by the chairperson or upon recommendation of a majority of the
faculty. In consultation with the
faculty, the chairperson may appoint or faculty may be elected to ad hoc
committees or task forces by department faculty.
C. Councils
Councils of the unit are:
Chairperson’s Council and Graduate Faculty Council.
1.
Chairperson’s
Council
a. Structure:
The Chairperson’s Council shall consist of the program
coordinators. The department
chairperson
shall serve as chair of the Chairperson’s Council.
b. Duties: Meet at least twice during an academic
semester to develop new initiatives, coordinate program efforts, develop budget
requests, and review progress on strategic goals.
2. Graduate Faculty Council
a. Structure:
The Graduate Faculty Council consists of all members of the graduate
faculty. Voting faculty are defined
in Appendix F in the ECU Faculty Manual. The Graduate Program coordinator shall
serve
as chair of the
Graduate Faculty Council.
b. Duties:
(1) Serve as Graduate Curriculum committee for
department.
(2) Consider all
graduate curriculum proposals.
(3) Approve all graduate program development
requests.
(4) Establish graduate program admissions processes
and criteria.
(5) Develop procedures and approve applications for
graduate faculty membership.
(6) Make
recommendations for graduate program budget requests, marketing, and
evaluation.
D. Representatives
1. Faculty Senators
a.
Faculty
senators and alternates shall be elected by the department faculty following
procedures in the ECU Faculty Manual. The Faculty Senators shall attend all
meetings of the senate and represent the needs and interest of the department
at these meetings. The senators will
report on critical issues from the
b. The term of the
Faculty Senator is 2 years.
2. Joyner Library Representative
a.
The Library Representative shall be elected by the department faculty or
appointed by the
department chairperson and
negotiated with the faculty member.
b. Duties:
(1) Serve
as liaison between the department and Joyner Library in matters pertaining to
the selection and acquisition of books, periodicals and other materials.
(2)
Assume responsibility for the
utilization of library funds according to policies and procedures established
by the department faculty.
3. Faculty
Council Representatives
a.
b. The term of the faculty council representative
is 2 years.
4.
Ad hoc representatives shall be appointed by
the department chairperson and negotiated with the faculty
member.
IV. Faculty Personnel
Actions
All department personnel
actions shall comply with procedures and practices outlined in the ECU Faculty Manual Appendix C and D, and
other university documents approved by the chancellor or provost and vice
chancellor for academic affairs.
A.
Personnel
Committee
1.
Structure: Two tenured faculty members, one probationary
term faculty member, and an alternate tenured and an alternate probationary
term faculty member elected by a majority of the department voting
faculty. In the event there is not
enough tenured faculty to serve on the committee, the department chair and
tenured faculty member will appoint an external tenured faculty member to serve
on the committee.
2. Duties: as described in Appendix C and Appendix D of
the ECU Faculty Manual.
B.
Selection
and Appointment of New Faculty
The procedures and criteria for the selection and appointment
of new faculty members in each department will comply with those listed in the ECU Faculty Manual as outlined in
Appendices C and D.
C.
Teaching
Assignments and Reassigned Time
The department
chairperson will be responsible for making teaching assignments and assignment
of reassigned time in accordance with procedures outlined in the ECU Faculty Manual, Appendix C.
D.
Faculty
Evaluation
1. Annual Performance Evaluation
Faculty members work
under the leadership of the department chairperson to carry out and maintain
excellence in academic programs within departments, provide effective teaching,
develop productive research/creative activities programs, provide service to
the university, profession, and the community, and function in special
assignments as mutually agreed.
All faculty evaluations
shall be conducted according to procedures prescribed by the ECU Faculty Manual, Appendix C. At the beginning of each academic year, each
faculty member will develop, in conjunction with and with the approval of the
department chairperson, a statement of goals in teaching, research/creative activities, service, and other activities, where
appropriate. This statement will include
the relative weight of evaluation in each category of performance. Under special circumstances, faculty members'
loads may include assignments other than teaching, research/creative
activities, and service, and these assignments will be agreed upon with the
chairperson and included as part of the goal statement at the beginning of the
year. Goals will be developed based upon
the needs of the faculty member, the department and school, and should reflect
the relative weights of assignments established under Appendix C.
The faculty member will
be evaluated annually near the end of the spring semester. The annual evaluation will be based upon the
annual report as related to completion of the goals established at the
beginning of the academic year and to teaching, research/creative activities
and service criteria. A guide to these
criteria approved by a majority of the permanently tenured faculty will be
provided in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics faculty handbook which is
available to all faculty and kept in the department
office.
2.
Relative Weights for Annual Faculty Evaluation
The relative weight of
teaching, research/creative activity, and service in the annual faculty
performance evaluation of tenured and probationary faculty (as specified in
Appendix C of the ECU Faculty Manual) shall
be at least 25%, 25%, and 10%, respectively.
Exceptions to this load may be made in writing with mutual agreement of
the faculty member and the chairperson when special opportunities in teaching,
research/creative activities or service arise (i.e., reassigned time from
teaching or research/creative activities grants). Fixed-term faculty will usually have
assignments that vary from the above weights.
However, in no case will service be weighted more than teaching or
research/creative activities.
3.
Criteria
for Salary Raises
All full-time continuing
faculty members shall annually document their accomplishments in teaching,
research, and service and meet with the department chair annually to discuss
these accomplishments. These documents will be considered by the
department chair in making recommendations for merit salary allocation.
Evaluation and determination of annual salary increments will be in accord with
Appendix C of the ECU Faculty Manual.
E. Reappointment,
Tenure and Promotion
1.
Criteria
for Reappointment or Subsequent Appointment
Probationary term
faculty shall be evaluated for reappointment based on a continuing need for the
faculty member’s expertise, the availability of resources, and a level of
performance in teaching, research/creative activities, and service that
indicates the faculty member is making satisfactory progress toward the goal of
receiving a favorable recommendation for the granting of permanent tenure and
where appropriate, promotion.
Fixed-term faculty will be considered for subsequent appointment based on continuing need for the faculty
member’s expertise, the availability of resources, and satisfactory performance in teaching, service and
other duties assigned to the faculty member.
2. Criteria for Tenure
Conferral of tenure shall be based on the faculty member’s demonstrated professional competence, in teaching, research/creative activities and service; a potential for future contribution; and the institution’s needs and resources (ECU Faculty Manual, Appendix D). Within the context of university policy, conferral of permanent tenure shall be based on the following criteria:
a. An appropriate terminal degree as “evaluated by the academic unit and affirmed by the appropriate
administrative officer and the profession concerned” (ECU Faculty Manual ).
b. Demonstrated competence in teaching, research/creative activities and service.
c. A record of satisfactory performance in all
three areas of teaching, research/creative
activities, and
service
will be expected. A strong record of
accomplishment in one of these areas will not be