Bylaws of the Department of Accounting

The Bylaws of the Department of Accounting (the Department) are authorized by section 2.1.2 of the University of Nevada, Reno (University) Bylaws and Chapter 3.2 of the College of Business (College) Bylaws. The bylaws are a statement of general policy and are not contractual in nature.

These Bylaws provide for the organizational and administrative structure and policies and procedures for the faculty of the Department. These Bylaws are subordinate to the College Bylaws, the University Bylaws, The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Code, and all laws of the State of Nevada and the United States.

These Bylaws shall be adopted and in full force and effect upon completion of the process specified in the University Bylaws. Amendment of these Bylaws also shall follow the process outlined in the University Bylaws.

For purposes of these Bylaws, the department faculty shall consist of all academic faculty as defined in sections 2.3.2 and 2.3.3 of the University Bylaws and Chapter 2.1 of the College Bylaws. Membership in the Department faculty shall be effective from the date of the initial appointment as determined by the faculty member’s contract of appointment.

2.1.1 Faculty Contracts

All faculty employment contracts shall follow the standards established in paragraph 2.3.4 of the University Bylaws and Section 5.4.2 of the Code.

2.1.2 Responsibilities and Duties of Academic Faculty

The professional responsibilities and duties of a faculty member shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the NSHE Code and Section 3.3.1 of the University Bylaws. All faculty members shall perform their duties in a professional manner designed to further the mission of the Department, the College, and the University. In addition, all faculty will promote diversity and inclusion in fulfilling their professional responsibilities.

The specified professional responsibilities and performance expectations for each faculty member shall be determined annually by the Department Chair in consultation with the faculty member and documented in a role statement (in accordance with the University Administrative Manual Section 2,660: Faculty Workload Policy). The role statement shall be signed by the faculty member and the faculty member’s Department Chair.

If a faculty member fails to prepare a role statement or fails to obtain agreement on a role statement with the Department Chair within two months of the start of any calendar year, the Department Chair in consultation with the Department Personnel Committee and discussion with the faculty member, will establish the role statement for the faculty and evaluate the faculty in accordance with the criteria established in the role statement.

2.1.3 Annual Evaluation of Academic Faculty

All personnel actions and decisions shall conform to the requirements of the NSHE Code, the University Bylaws, the College Bylaws, and the Department Bylaws.

Every academic faculty member shall be evaluated annually in accordance with the process required in Sections 3.3.2 and 3.3.3 of the University Bylaws. The purposes of the annual evaluation shall be to (1) provide guidance to the academic faculty member on the Department’s opinion of his or her performance as an academic faculty member during the preceding year, and (2) provide guidance to the Dean on the award of any merit monies.

2.1.4 Evaluation for Tenure and Promotion

When an academic faculty member applies for either tenure or promotion, an evaluation shall be performed in accordance with the procedures contained in the NSHE Code, the University Bylaws Section 3.3.5 and College Bylaws Chapter 7.

The period of evaluation shall in every case be based upon the performance of the faculty member for all years since appointment as a faculty member of the College. Where appropriate, the evaluation may also consider periods prior to the appointment as a faculty member of the College.

In accordance with University Bylaws Section 3.1.7, when a tenure application is under consideration, a special Department Personnel Committee composed of all tenured faculty of the Department shall evaluate the package and make a recommendation to the Chair. If there is an insufficient number of tenured faculty in the Department, the Chair shall work with the Dean to solicit tenured faculty from other departments in the College to serve on the committee.

In accordance with University Bylaws Section 3.1.7, when a promotion from Associate Professor to Professor is under consideration, a special Department Promotion and Tenure Committee comprised of Professors shall evaluate the promotion package and make a recommendation to the Chair. If there is an insufficient number of Professors in the Department, the Chair shall work with the Dean to solicit Professors from other departments in the College to serve on the committee.

2.1.5 Evaluation of Probationary Faculty

In accordance with Section 7.4 of the College Bylaws, the Promotion and Tenure Committee and Department Chair shall conduct a third-year review of each probationary faculty member. The purpose of such an evaluation shall be to (1) provide guidance to the probationary faculty on their progress towards tenure, and (2) provide guidance to the Dean concerning the annual extension of their contracts.

Department faculty shall have the right to vote on issues as specified in section 3.1.7 of the University Bylaws and Chapter 2.2 of the College Bylaws.

2.3.1 Appointment of Department Chair and Acting Chair

The Department Personnel Committee shall nominate a full-time tenured faculty member (per Chapter 3.3. of the College Bylaws) from among their number to serve as Department Chair. The nomination is subject to approval by the College Dean and is advisory to the President. The Chair’s initial term is three years, and the nomination shall require approval by a majority of the voting members of the Department in a secret ballot. A Chair may be re-elected for an unlimited number of subsequent terms following the same process as used for the initial nomination.

If the Dean does not approve the Department’s nomination, the Dean shall respond to the Department in writing stating the reasons for his or her disapproval. In the event of disapproval by the Dean, the Department may either submit an alternative recommendation for appointment as Chair or appeal to the President for adjudication on its original nomination.

In the event of a vacancy in the position of Chair, the Department Personnel Committee shall convene a meeting of the Department to seek nominations for appointment of a Chair.

If the Department Chair will be absent from the University on official leave, or other approved University absence, for one or more semesters, the Dean, in consultation with the Department Faculty, shall appoint an Acting Chair who shall have all the powers of Department Chair during this period.

2.3.2 Removal of Department Chair

A vote of confidence by secret ballot shall be held upon receipt of written request by fifty percent of the voting members of the Department by the Chair of the Department Personnel Committee. If two-thirds of all voting members vote against the continuation of the Chair, the Dean shall appoint an Acting Chair. The Acting Chair shall serve a term not to exceed one year. During this time the Department shall nominate a new Chair by the process outlined in paragraph 2.3.1 of the Department Bylaws.

2.3.3 Duties of the Chair

The Chair shall serve as administrative officer of the Department and is responsible for the general duties specified in paragraph 3.3.1 of the College Bylaws. He or she shall be an ex-officio member of all Department committees except when he or she is being evaluated as Chair.

The duties of the Department Chair, in his or her role as Department Chair, and in his or her role as an academic faculty member, shall be determined annually by the Dean in consultation with the Department Personnel Committee. The duties shall be documented in the role statement required of all academic faculty by the University’s Administrative Manual Section 2,660: Faculty Workload Policy. The role statement of the Chair shall be signed by the Dean and Department Chair within two months after the start of each calendar year.

The Chair shall be responsible for establishing timely means of communication to (a) inform the Department faculty of the actions of, or information from, the Dean and (b) inform the Dean concerning actions taken by the Department.

2.3.4 Evaluation of the Chair

The Chair shall be evaluated annually by the process set forth in Chapter 3.3.2 of the College Bylaws. The Department Personnel Committee shall solicit feedback from the Department faculty on the performance of the Chair (1) at a meeting of the faculty at which the Chair is not present, or (2) by an email survey of the faculty. The Personnel Committee shall submit a memo to the Dean summarizing the Department’s feedback on the performance of the Chair. The Chair may provide a written response in accordance with College Bylaws section 3.3.2.

The Department shall have two Standing Committees: (1) The Department Personnel Committee and (2) the Department Curriculum Committee.

3.1.1 Department Personnel Committee

No later than fifteen working days after the commencement of each academic year, the Department Chair shall appoint no fewer than three full-time academic faculty to serve as a Department Personnel Committee for the forthcoming academic year. The Chair of the Committee shall be appointed by the Department Chair.

The duties of the Department Personnel Committee shall be to advise the Chair and the Dean on any matters relating to personnel issues. Such matters include, but are not restricted to, matters relating to the establishment of role statements, annual performance evaluations, evaluation of untenured faculty with respect to their progress towards tenure, and evaluation of letters of appointment faculty.

The Department Personnel Committee shall have the power to seek such evidence as is reasonably necessary from any party for the performance of their duties.

3.1.2 Department Curriculum Committee

The Chair shall appoint no fewer than three members of the Department to serve as the Accounting Curriculum Committee and will designate the Chair of the committee.

The duties of the Curriculum Committee shall be to advise the Chair on any matters relating to the curriculum. These duties include, but are not limited to, advice on the approval of any curriculum changes, curriculum assessment, evaluation of proposals, results of independent study courses and any matters relating to the conduct or assessment practices of any Department course.

The Chair may establish ad hoc committees to facilitate the administration of the Department. He or she may appoint such committees and their Chairs, or may provide for the election of the Chair by the Department faculty.

By a majority vote at any Department meeting, the faculty may establish ad hoc committees and may define the sphere of activity, method of operation, composition, and procedure for selecting members.

The Department shall elect members to the four standing College committees: the College Personnel Committee, the College Curriculum Committee, the College Assessment Committee, and the College Bylaws Committee. The election of Department representatives to these committees shall follow the process outlined in the College Bylaws.

The Chair may convene a meeting of the Department faculty at any time during the academic year, on working days when the faculty are on contract, by giving written or electronic notice of not fewer than three calendar days’ notice of the date of the meeting. The Chair shall convene not fewer than two faculty meetings in each academic year. The Chair will provide an agenda for each meeting at least three calendar days prior to the meeting.

A Department meeting shall be convened by the Chair to consider any matter upon a written petition presented to the Chair and signed by at least four members of the Department faculty. The meeting shall be convened no later than fourteen calendar days following receipt of the petition.