Bylaws of the College of Education

These Bylaws are authorized by the University of Nevada, Reno Bylaws. These Bylaws are subordinate to the Bylaws and policies of the University and to the Code and policies of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). In the event of a conflict between these Bylaws and the NSHE Code, NSHE policies, University Bylaws, and/or University policies, the latter prevail.

These Bylaws provide for the organizational and administrative structure and personnel, policies, and procedures for the faculty of the College of Education (COE).

After these bylaws are adopted, any procedures for implementing shall be in effect upon approval by the college faculty and the dean.

As per UNR Bylaws 2.1.1, adoption of these Bylaws will be by secret paper or electronic ballot. The Bylaws shall be considered as adopted and in full force and effect upon:(a) review by the Faculty Senate; (b) approval by a majority of the faculty who are eligible to vote; (c) approval by the Dean; and (d) approval by the President of UNR as specified in the UNR Bylaws.

As per UNR Bylaws 2.1.1, proposed amendments to these Bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the college Senate. The Senate will discuss the proposed amendments and make its recommendation to the Dean within 90 days. If the Senate does not approve the proposed amendment, it may be brought to the vote of the faculty by a petition of 25% of the faculty. If approved by a majority of the Senate proposed amendments shall be submitted to the faculty for a vote. Proposed amendments will be disseminated to the faculty in a format that includes original language, revised language, and reason(s) for the recommended revisions, where each listed item may be voted on separately or changes may be voted on as a whole. Faculty will be given a minimum of ten working days’ notice for voting. For passage, the amendment must be approved by 2/3 of the voting faculty.

In the event the Dean of the College does not approve the Bylaws of the College, or any proposed amendment, the Dean shall distribute to the faculty within ten working days a statement in writing setting out the reasons for his or her lack of approval.

The amendment shall be in force upon: (a) approval of the faculty; (b) approval by the Dean; and (c) approval by the President of UNR.

The College Dean or designee will be responsible for maintaining and posting an electronic copy of the approved College Bylaws. The College Bylaws will be reviewed by the College Executive Council and the College Senate as necessary. Any changes will follow the amendment process described in Section 4.

Questions of interpretation of these Bylaws shall be directed to the Dean of the College.

A faculty member may request a Bylaws interpretation from the College Senate by submitting a request in writing to the Senate. The Senate, acting in an advisory capacity to the Dean, will respond in writing to the faculty member, with a concurrent copy to the Dean, after discussing the issue at the next regularly scheduled Senate meeting. The Dean shall interpret the Bylaws.

The College of Education at the University of Nevada, Reno is focused on teaching, learning, collaboration, and inquiry within and beyond educational settings. We provide leadership by:

1. conducting and disseminating quality research to improve professional practice and address contemporary educational issues;
2. offering high quality innovative programs that prepare educators, counselors, administrators, and child and family specialists to serve diverse populations as critical thinkers and leaders in their fields; and
3. providing leadership to the state and nation to improve educational practice and policy.

The College of Education is one administrative unit with two divisions: (a) Teacher Education and Human Development and (b) Professional Specialized Studies. The College also includes centers and service units that address specific missions consistent with the overall mission of the College.

The divisions include seven academic program areas:

Teacher Education and Human Development

• Elementary Education
• Human Development and Family Studies
• Secondary Education

Professional Specialized Studies

• Counseling, Education Psychology, and Information Technology
• Educational Leadership
• Language, Literacy, and Culture
• Special Education

Each academic faculty member will be formally identified with a program area for governance purposes.

The Dean determines the assignment of faculty into programs; the Senate and the Executive Council act in an advisory capacity to the Dean regarding any changes. Academic faculty may be affiliated with more than one program area but may vote in only one program area. Program affiliation of faculty must be posted electronically and accessible to faculty and staff.

Program Coordinators represent each program area on the Executive Council. Program areas operate through consensus whenever possible. If voting is needed, Roberts Rules of Order will be followed.

The Integrated Elementary Teaching Program (IETP) includes faculty from Elementary Education, Human Development and Family Studies, Special Education, and Language, Literacy, and Culture. Because of its interdisciplinary nature that includes programs from both divisions, IETP is placed under the Associate Dean in terms of governance. The program has a steering committee and program coordinator. IETP steering committee membership includes program coordinators or designees from each of the participating program areas, plus two field-based faculty members, and representation from the Advisement Center. IETP is represented in the Executive Council by its program coordinator.

Nevada Teach is a collaboration between the College of Education and the College of Science and allows students to augment degrees in the STEM disciplines. The Nevada Teach co-director, a faculty member in the College of Education, serves on the Executive Council.

Centers and Service Units within the College:
The College has centers and service units: Child and Family Research Center; Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities; Raggio Research Center for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education; College of Education Student Advisement Center; Nell J. Redfield Learning and Resource Center (LRC); and Clinical Experiences, Assessment, and Career Services are each represented on the Executive Council. Two additional service units, Downing Counseling Clinic and E. L. Cord Foundation Center for Learning and Literacy (CLL) do not hold seats on the Executive Council.

NSHE Code 1.4.9 and UNR Bylaws 2.1.3 govern the creation, abolition, transfer, or any substantial alteration in the mission, organization, function, structure, or location of units.

Proposals for organizational changes, in addition to being recommended by the Dean or the University administration, may be initiated by a petition of 40% of faculty through the submission of a formal proposal to the Dean and Executive Council. The Executive Council shall approve an ad hoc committee to study the proposal and recommend action to the Dean. The Dean shall make a recommendation to the President.

The Dean of the COE is the administrative and executive officer and academic leader of the College, and an ex-officio member of all College committees. The Dean is directly responsible to the University President. The Dean makes appointments to associate dean, division directors, and programs coordinators with input from the faculty as is appropriate to the role. These administrative roles may have a renewable term of three years.

The duties of the Dean shall be determined by the President and the Provost.

In the temporary absence of the Dean, the University President or Provost may appoint an Acting Dean.

In the event that a vacancy occurs prior to the expiration of the Dean’s term of office, the President shall appoint an Interim Dean.

The Dean, in making a nomination for an Associate Dean, shall consult with the Executive Council and College Senate. The duties of the Associate Dean shall be determined by the Dean. The Associate Dean, a tenured faculty member, must hold or be qualified for academic faculty status at the associate professor level or above and may not serve as a division director or program coordinator. The Associate Dean chairs the Educator Preparation Coordinating Council.

Each division has a director who is appointed by the Dean from the tenured faculty. Division Directors provide support to the COE Dean in the execution of College policy and for the efficiency and educational effectiveness of their program areas. Detailed duties are outlined in the official job description located in the Dean’s Office.

Each of the programs identified in section 7.2 above has a program coordinator. Program Coordinators provide support to the COE Dean in the execution of College policy and for the efficiency and educational effectiveness of their program areas. Detailed duties are stated in the official job description located in the Dean’s Office.

The faculty shall consist of all persons holding professional positions in the College of Education. All administrative faculty and academic faculty with at least a .5 FTE contract, including faculty on leave, shall be a voting member. As per UNR Bylaws 3.1.7, faculty members appointed between or among colleges shall be eligible to vote in the unit in which the faculty members have their major assignment.

Field Based Faculty (FBF) are practicing professionals in a school district who are assigned to work full-time in the College for a prescribed term and retain their benefits and status their school districts. FBF are evaluated annually in the format prescribed by their school districts. FBF are members of College committees and programs, but do not have voting rights and are not considered for constituting a quorum.within

Adjunct faculty are individuals who are affiliated with the College but are not paid by the College. Adjunct faculty do not have role statements and do not vote in the College.

Emeritus faculty are those faculty who have been approved by the President for emeritus status. Emeritus faculty may continue to serve as members on graduate advisory committees with the approval of the chair of the student’s graduate advisory committee for one year after leaving the university.

The College of Education has standing governance committees. These committees are the College Senate, the College Personnel Committee, the Doctoral Committee, the Educator Preparation Coordinating Council, and the Executive Council. Non-governance committees include the Research and Grants Support Committee, Awards and Recognition Committee, and the Diversity Committee. All committees are advisory to the Dean of the College, meet a minimum of two times per semester, and post minutes within a week of their approval. Committee members are limited to serving three year terms. Neither the Dean nor the Associate Dean may serve as Chair of any committees with the exception of the Associate Dean chairing the Educator Preparation Coordinating Council.

The College Senate oversees committee membership, turnover and term limits, and reviews committee membership at the beginning of each academic year.Program Coordinators shall forward names for committee membership to the College Senate.

Unless otherwise noted, all committee action and deliberations require a quorum consisting of a majority of the committee membership. Proxies will not be used to constitute a quorum. No committee member may vote more than one proxy.

Governance Committees will forward recommendations for governance decisions, along with a rationale, to the Dean, Executive Council, and College Senate. Committees present their recommendation and answer questions that arise in the Executive Council meeting. With the exception of individual personnel recommendations,these recommendations will also be posted electronically. In the event the Dean does not concur with the committee’s recommendation, the Dean will discuss the recommendations with the originating committee. With the exception of individual personnel decisions, the Dean will forward his/her decision and rationale back to the recommending committee.

General descriptions of standing college committees appear below. Annual charges from the Dean will be provided to the committees, and the committees can determine additional charges to be accomplished in a given year. Each committee designates a chair for organizational purposes, but work is shared by all committee members. With the exception of the College Personnel Committee, each standing committee shall post minutes or notes about committee activities electronically for access by all college faculty and staff. All college committees operate through consensus whenever possible. If voting is needed, Roberts Rules of Order will be followed.

The Dean, Executive Council, College Senate, or individual faculty may propose task force groups or ad hoc committees to the Dean to study and recommend specific programs, issues, or needs in the College. These groups, as appointed by the Dean, shall provide recommendations to the Dean, Executive Council, and College Senate for consideration.

College Senate. The College Senate serves in an advisory role to the Dean of the College of Education and makes recommendations upon matters related to programs, policies, and functions of the College and policies and procedures related to the rights and welfare of the faculty. No one program area will dominate the membership. Chairs/Co-chairs have a single vote and vote only in the case of ties. The College Senate will consist of:

• 7 faculty –Each program area will designate one representative
• 3 from center/administrative faculty –any center/administrative faculty member may self-nominate or nominate others. Senate will conduct an election to fill vacant positions.

College Senate meetings are open for observation for any member of the faculty. Meetings will be held every month as necessary at a time designated as mutually agreeable to all representatives. If a meeting does not need to be held due to lack of business, all faculty will be informed. Chair/Co-chairs will be elected by the senate body. Five members will constitute a quorum. Senate Chair/Co-chairs sit on the Executive Council.

College Personnel Committee:

This committee is comprised of a representative from each of the seven academic program areas with an additional member representing college centers. The committee 1) oversees the implementation of the College of Education Bylaws pertaining to annual faculty evaluation, merit, promotion, and tenure; 2) reviews recommendations on annual faculty evaluation and merit 3) reviews and recommends action on applications for promotion and tenure; 4) recommends revisions to the Bylaws that pertain to personnel issues to the Dean for faculty consideration; 5) provides feedback to the dean on third-year reviews for promotion and/or tenure for tenure-track faculty and specifies a plan for improvement; and 6) gathers feedback required for annual evaluations of the Associate Dean, Division Directors, Program Coordinators, and Center Directors as specified in section 16.6 of these Bylaws. The chair of the Personnel Committee is elected annually by the committee from full-time, tenured COE faculty; division and center directors may not serve on this committee.

Doctoral Committee:

This committee is responsible for providing recommendations concerning doctoral programs in the College. The committee evaluates applications to the program and tracks student progress on degree requirements. In addition, the committee is responsible for reviewing proposed curricular changes related to advanced programs. The committee makes recommendations for state-funded Graduate Assistantships awarded in the college. It also provides leadership in defining broad policy for advanced programs in the College. This may include, but is not limited to, such issues as the role of scholarship/research, mentoring graduate students, program/course quality, frequency of course offerings, and performance assessment. The committee is comprised of 1 tenured representative from each doctoral strand. The chair of the Doctoral Committee is elected annually by the committee.

Educator Preparation Coordinating Council (EPCC) is responsible for review and approval of proposed curricular changes in the College. The EPCC is comprised of the Associate Dean, the Director of the Teacher Education and Human Development Division, the Director of the Professional Specialized Studies Division, representatives from each program area, a representative from the Advisement Center, and the Director of the Office of Clinical Experiences and Assessment.

Executive Council (EC) serves as an advisory body to the Dean on budget, policy, program, and other issues impacting the College of Education. The EC shall collaborate with the Dean to strengthen the position of the college within the university, assist and advise the dean in long range planning, in the development of budget priorities, and analysis of potential challenges. Members of the Executive Council are appointed by the dean and include Program Coordinators, center directors, governance committees, classified staff and include one graduate student representative, who may not be present during discussions of personnel matters. A member may represent more than one group (such as a program and a governance committee). The Associate Dean and Division Directors are also members of the EC. Additional members may be added by the Dean as needed for adequate college representation.

The dean or designee will prepare an agenda for each EC meeting. Any member can suggest agenda items. Faculty can request agenda items through a representative or directly to the dean or associate dean. Members will represent their constituent groups and discuss relevant issues with their groups before and after meetings. With the exception of individual personnel matters, which shall not be posted, notes of the meeting are posted on an electronic site for access by faculty and staff.

Awards and Recognition Committee functions to strengthen the position of the college within the university and increase the internal and external visibility of the college and to contribute to positive and productive communication within the college. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to selection of individuals for college awards, and publicizing faculty, staff, and student accomplishments.

Research and Grants Support Committee recommends distribution of college research funds and other incentives to increase grant and research quantity and quality within the college. The committee also recommends the recipient of the college faculty research award.

Diversity Committee:

This committee will promote and support an inclusive and equitable climate in the College of Education for faculty, staff, and students. It identifies areas of need through structured and ongoing inquiries; makes recommendations about policy/practice, as they relate to an equitable and inclusive climate; provide venues that address identified needs; and serve as a resource for students and faculty.

The faculty may hold meetings for discussion or to propose action on any matter concerning programs, policies, functions, or faculty welfare. Meeting of the faculty may be called by:

1. The Dean or a designee,
2. The Associate Dean
3. A petition signed by at least twenty percent of the College faculty, or
4. A vote of the College Senate.

The petition or notice of a meeting of the faculty (as per letters a through d above) will be submitted to the Dean. In the case of a matter deemed urgent by any of the parties noted in 14.1,the meeting shall occur within ten university workdays. General meetings of a non-urgent nature should provide at least one calendar months’ notice. An agenda shall be made available to all members of the College faculty at least three workdays before the meeting.

The Dean, Associate Dean, or a designee shall preside over meetings of the faculty. Robert’s Rules of Order (current version) shall be the guide to the conduct of such meetings when matters require voting.

The responsibilities of individual faculty members shall be defined in accordance with UNR Bylaws 3.3.1.

The specified professional responsibilities, performance expectations and role statement for each faculty member shall be determined annually by the Associate Dean in consultation with the faculty member and approved by the Dean in accordance with the University and College Bylaws.

As per UNR Bylaws 3.3.1, if a faculty member and the college Associate Dean cannot agree upon specified role statements, the matter is subject to grievance procedures as outlined in the UNR Bylaws.

Evaluation of all faculty (see 12.1) shall be conducted annually, according to specified professional responsibilities and performance expectations, role statements, and in accordance with the provisions of the UNR Bylaws. As per UNR Bylaws 3.3.2, all evaluations shall be conducted in accordance with principles of judicious review, here defined as careful and professional assessment of materials presented so as to insure a just and equitable recommendation.

Faculty members shall complete annual role statements (academic faculty) or goal statements (administrative faculty). They will develop revised role/goal statements in consultation with the Associate Dean (or Center Director if reporting to a Center Director) if their duties change during the year.

The Associate Dean or Center Director writes the evaluation of each faculty member after consideration of the role statement (or job description for administrative faculty) and faculty evaluation documents.

Center directors will be evaluated by their designated supervisors

The Associate Dean or Center Director shall forward the completed evaluation documents to the College Personnel Committee. The Personnel Committee shall review the evaluation determinations for fairness and consistency. The Personnel Committee shall review requested reconsiderations of annual evaluations and merit and forward evaluations to the Dean

The Dean shall review the evaluations of all faculty members in accordance with the provisions in the UNR Bylaws; the Dean will make recommendations for merit. According to the University of Nevada, Reno Bylaws 3.3.2, an overall evaluation of excellent or commendable shall be considered “meritorious.”

The Personnel Committee shall collect feedback annually from all faculty for the evaluation of the Associate Dean. Information shall be collected annually from respective faculty for Division Directors, Program Coordinators, and Center Directors. The committee shall prepare an evaluation instrument and solicit responses to it from appropriate college faculty and staff. The committee shall summarize responses received and forward this summary along with its recommendations to the Dean.

The Provost evaluates the Dean annually. The Personnel Committee is responsible for collecting faculty feedback if requested by the Provost.

All personnel decisions and actions shall conform to the NSHE Code; the Bylaws of the University of Nevada, Reno; and the college Bylaws. Criteria for completing the annual evaluation are found in the Procedures Manual for Evaluation of Merit.

Evaluation of tenure-track academic faculty shall include evaluation in the following areas of responsibility, as specified in the faculty role statement and in accord with the UNR workload policies and procedures:

1. Teaching/Performance of Assigned Duties. This standard is defined in Code section 3.4.2. This includes teaching courses, advisement, supervision of student teaching, practica and internships, course development and revision, supervision of fieldwork and independent study, honors theses and undergraduate research projects, participation in performance assessment of students, direction of graduate theses and dissertations, and service on graduate committees within and outside of the program and college. In addition, faculty members may be assigned responsibility for the maintenance and development of academic programs.
2. Research, scholarly creative, and entrepreneurial activity. This standard is defined in Code section 3.4.2. Scholarly and creative activity includes the advancement, integration, and application of knowledge through research and scholarship related to the faculty member’s discipline; such as conducting research and publishing scholarly writing;seeking, acquiring and administering external funding; presenting research at professional conferences; developing project reports.
3. Service. This standard is defined in Code section 3.4.2. University, professional, public service, and other professional activities. This includes but is not limited to program, college, and university committees and assignments, service to public and private schools, volunteer consultative activities related to public and private agencies, leadership and other active roles in appropriate professional associations, serving as editors of professional journals, reviewing journal and book manuscripts and conference and grant proposals, membership on accreditation teams, and community-University activities.

All personnel evaluations involving tenure and promotion shall be made on the basis of the person’s professional performance in meeting the responsibilities specified in the NSHE Code. Criteria and procedures for tenure are defined in the NSHE Code and UNR Bylaws. The Associate Dean shall oversee the process in which faculty review and recommend candidates being considered for tenure and promotion. As the College is one unit, all tenured faculty in the College vote for candidates being considered for tenure. All faculty at Rank III and Rank IV vote on promotion from Rank II to Rank III. For faculty moving from Rank III to Rank IV, only faculty who have already attained the rank shall vote. The Associate Dean will forward the recommendations of the faculty to the Personnel Committee who will then make a recommendation to the Dean. Members of the Personnel Committee shall vote at the Committee level.

Third Year Review

Tenure-track faculty must undergo a careful third-year review and be evaluated on progress toward tenure annually thereafter in accordance with UNR Bylaw 3.4.4(b).. The third-year review will assess the faculty member’s progress toward tenure. The Personnel Committee shall make a recommendation to the Dean on the third-year review. The Dean shall then meet with the faculty member to discuss the third year review. The Dean’s evaluation, which shall include reference to the recommendation of the Personnel Committee, shall be communicated in writing to the faculty member being reviewed and to the provost, as specified in UNR Bylaws 3.4.4 (b).

Procedures and Criteria for promotion. These Bylaws establish fair and equitable procedures consistent with university Bylaws provisions for conducting promotion evaluations. These evaluations shall apply the following criteria:

1. To Assistant Professor (Rank II): A candidate for promotion to Assistant Professor shall have earned an accredited doctoral degree or appropriate terminal degree; shall have demonstrated effective classroom teaching ability; and shall have given evidence of continued professional growth through study, professional activities, and creative work.
2. To Associate Professor (Rank III): A candidate for promotion to Associate Professor shall have a record of substantial accomplishments in the previous rank; shall have given evidence of increasing effectiveness in university teaching activities including classroom instruction and advisement; shall have performed sustained and consistent research or creative activity resulting in national level publication or comparable productivity; shall have a solid record of service to the College, the University, and professionally related and recognized service to the community and the discipline; and shall have demonstrated capacity for a promise of continuing significant intellectual and professional achievement.
3. To Professor Rank (Rank IV): A candidate for promotion to professor shall have a record of substantial and sustained accomplishments in the previous ranks; shall have achieved and maintained high quality in university teaching; shall have attained a national reputation in the special professional field; shall have a record of significant publication or comparable creative activity; shall have made a significant and continuous contribution to the University, to the College, to the community, and to the profession.

Search procedures in the College shall be in accordance with the UNR Bylaws.

When a faculty vacancy occurs,the Dean will inform College Senate and Executive Council for input prior to forming a search committee. The Dean will initiate an external search for faculty only with the permission of the Provost. Recommendations to the Dean for appointment of new faculty shall originate in the search committee concerned, with faculty input. The search committee will collect written feedback from the faculty attending open meetings, which shall be forwarded to the Dean. Faculty should be notified at least one week in advance regarding open meetings. The terms and conditions of employment shall be specified in the contract in accordance with the NSHE Code. The duties and responsibilities of a member of the faculty shall be determined on the basis of specific professional responsibilities and performance objectives and role statements developed pursuant to the UNR Bylaws.

Recruitment of new faculty shall be conducted by the search committee according to the procedures of the University. The final nominees of the search committee are recommended to the Dean. The Dean’s final recommendation will be communicated to the search committee and submitted to the Provost.