Bylaws of the Department of Communication Studies

The general mission of the Department of Communication Studies (hereafter “Department”) is to promote excellence in research and creative activity, teaching, service to the university and the profession, and outreach to the community.

 The Department is a member of the School of Social Research and Justice Studies (hereafter “School”) that sponsors collaborative research and curricular and co-curricular activities under the mission of the School.

Department bylaws are authorized by section 8 of the bylaws of the College of Liberal Arts (hereafter “College”), and by Section 2.1.2 of the bylaws of the University of Nevada, Reno (hereafter “University”).

The bylaws provide for the organizational and administrative structure as well as personnel policies and procedures for the Department. These bylaws shall be consistent with and subordinate to the College bylaws, the University bylaws, and the Nevada System of Higher Education (hereafter “NSHE”) Code.

The department may adopt supplemental administrative rules and policies as necessary to the department’s mission and administration. Such rules and policies are subordinate to the Department's bylaws and are effective upon receiving a two-thirds majority of the voting faculty.

These bylaws shall be adopted and in full force upon: (1) a secret ballot in which a majority vote from regular faculty approves the bylaws; and (2) approval of the dean of the college.

Any member of the department’s regular faculty may propose amendments to these bylaws. Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Chair of the Department (hereafter “Chair”) and shall be distributed to the regular faculty at least five working days before they are discussed in a faculty meeting. Voting shall be by secret ballot. An amendment shall be in full force upon (1) a secret ballot in which 2/3 of regular faculty casting votes approve and (2) approval of the Dean of the College (hereafter “Dean”).

Any member of the regular faculty may propose that a portion of the bylaws be suspended. Any such proposal shall be submitted in writing to the Chair and distributed to the regular faculty at least five working days before it is discussed in a faculty meeting. Voting shall be by anonymous ballot. A suspension shall be in full force upon: (1) a secret ballot in which 2/3 of regular faculty casting votes approve and (2) the Chair’s prompt confirmation of the results of that ballot.

Should 1/3 of the regular faculty question the interpretation of these bylaws, the department may seek a ruling from the Dean or an appropriate associate dean of the College. Should a majority of the regular faculty disagree with the Dean's ruling, the department may appeal to the Provost of the University (hereafter “Provost”) for a final ruling.

The Department is composed of all regular faculty members with a primary assignment in the department of .50 FTE or more as described in Section 2.3 of the University bylaws or any faculty member whose tenure home is in the Department.

1. Regular Faculty. These faculty members hold state-funded, continuing positions as defined in Section 2.3.3 of the University bylaws and section 10 of the College bylaws. Regular faculty include multiple faculty types: academic faculty, non-tenure-track teaching faculty (hereafter NTT teaching faculty), and Rank I Faculty.

a. Academic Faculty (Tenure-Track Faculty): For the Department, academic faculty will typically be tenure-track/tenured faculty. The tenure-track/tenured faculty is composed of three (3) ranks: Professor (IV), Associate Professor (III), and Assistant Professor (II), in accordance with the University bylaws section 2.3.3 (1)(a).

b. Teaching Faculty (Non-Tenure-Track Faculty): For the Department, NTT teaching faculty will typically not be on the tenure-track. These faculty are hired at rank 0(IV), 0(III), 0(II), and 0(I). For faculty with terminal degrees, the titles of the rank are Teaching Assistant Professor [Rank 0(II)], Teaching Associate Professor [Rank 0 (III)], and Teaching Professor [Rank 0 (IV)]. For faculty who do not have a terminal degree, the titles of rank are Lecturer I [Rank 0(I)], Lecturer II [Rank 0 (II)], Senior Lecturer [Rank 0 (III)], and Principal Lecturer [Rank 0 (IV)].

c. Rank I Faculty: Rank I faculty receive the title of Instructor. This rank is reserved for academic faculty who have been hired for a tenure-track position but have yet to complete the appropriate degree required by the position.

d. Administrative Faculty: Administrative faculty are executive faculty, supervisory faculty, or support faculty as defined by the Board of Regents, Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 2 whose primary duties involve services to students, faculty, or administrators. Administrative faculty grades are defined in section 2.3.2 (b) and 2.3.3 (b) of the University bylaws.

2. Supplementary Faculty. The Department relies on additional faculty types as necessary, including contingent faculty and temporary instructors.

a. Contingent Faculty (zero rank): Members of the contingent faculty hold contracts of up to one year that may be funded from state, research, or other sources.

b. Temporary Instructor: Contracts may be used for special temporary instructor appointments to meet academic or administrative needs. Temporary instructor positions are used for teaching, research, and other professional employment activity to augment regular faculty positions. They are issued only for clearly defined duties that are part-time and/or temporary. Unless otherwise stated, the provisions of these bylaws shall exclude temporary instructors. (University bylaws 2.3.2)

The Director of the School of Social Research and Justice Studies is responsible to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts for advancing the mission of the school. In this capacity, the Director is the reporting authority between department chairs and the Dean. The Director is responsible to the faculty of the School for executing approved faculty actions. The Director advises the Dean in the annual evaluation process (in accordance with CLA Bylaws section 20) through the review of all annual evaluations submitted by the faculty of the School. The Director shall also advise the Dean on the tenure and/or promotion evaluation of the School’s faculty. Should a department chair at the rank of Associate Professor (III) apply for promotion to the rank of Professor (IV), the Director shall assume the responsibilities of the chair for that particular case. Additional duties of the Director include coordinating and facilitating research and grant acquisitions. The Director is also charged with coordinating and developing curriculum and interdisciplinary degree programs within the school. As such, the constituent departments of SSRJS may inform the Director of all processes involving curricular development and new program design before new course and program proposals are presented for approval by the Dean of the College.

The Chair shall be the chief administrative and executive officer of the Department.

1. Responsibilities and Duties. The Chair shall be responsible for the following:
   a. Reporting to the Dean for implementing College policies and procedures;
   b. Reporting to faculty for implementing policies and procedures mandated by Department bylaws;
   c. Serving as advisor to the School director and the Dean, as well as providing liaison between these individuals and the faculty;
   d. Informing faculty of actions taken by the School, the Dean, and the Council of Chairs and Directors;
   e. Informing the School director and Dean of actions taken by department faculty;
   f. Taking a leadership role in serving on the Council of Chairs and Directors;
   g. Advancing the department missions and goals as identified in the Department long-range planning document;
   h. Serving as an ex officio member of all Department committees;
   i. Serving as a liaison and representative for joint appointments;
   j. Providing vision and direction for the department;
   k. Mentoring faculty and staff;
   l. Calling, organizing, and leading meetings with faculty both as needed and as described in section IV.D.1 of these bylaws;
   m. Organizing and maintaining elections as needed; and
   n. Representing the Department as its ceremonial head.

2. Chair Power and Authority. In order to expedite the routine duties involved with day-to-day decision making as Chair, the authority to perform duties including but not limited to the following are granted:
   a. To work with faculty members to ensure their work responsibilities and activities are performed;
   b. To administer department funds and accounts;
   c. To hire, supervise, and evaluate classified staff;
   d. To hire, supervise, and evaluate supplementary faculty in consultation with the Department personnel committee;
   e. To prepare class schedules in consultation with individual instructors;
   f.  To maintain and secure departmental personnel files of regular and supplementary faculty;
   g. To manage and assign department office and classroom space and facilities;
   h. To manage the assignment of departmental administrative responsibilities to individual regular faculty;
   i.  To negotiate any memorandum of understanding agreement with a jointly-appointed faculty member and that faculty member’s other department(s) of appointment;
   j.  To act as the departmental decision authority for action items that circulate through the Workday system;
   k. To act as the departmental decision authority for action items that circulate through the Curriculog system;
   l.  To maintain appropriate email and other communication with faculty, student, and external stakeholders; and
   m.To attend trainings on campus policies and procedures.

3. Limits to the Chair’s Power and Authority. The Chair’s executive authority shall be limited. The Chair’s decisions on issues not specifically noted in section IV.A.2 shall require consultation and recommendations from the regular faculty as provided for in these bylaws. Issues requiring faculty recommendations, sometimes in the form of committee recommendations, include but are not limited to the following:
   a Hiring full, part-time, or jointly-appointed regular faculty;
   b. Annual evaluations and merit;
   c. Reappointment, tenure, and/or promotion of regular faculty including probationary faculty in their third year;
   d. Curriculum, both in terms of courses and academic programs;
   e. Departmental program review; and
   f. Long-term and strategic planning.

4. Appointment and Term of Office. The Chair is selected and appointed by recommendation from the regular faculty of the Department and by final approval of University administration as outlined in these bylaws.
   a. Eligibility: The Chair shall be a regular, tenured member of the faculty. Typically, no faculty member who has served three consecutive terms will be re-appointed as Chair.
   
   b. Appointment: The Department’s nominee for Chair shall be selected following the election procedure described in these bylaws. The faculty member selected by the election procedure will be recommended to the Dean for appointment. The Dean then shares a recommendation with the Provost with the final appointment being at the discretion of the University president.
   
   c. Election procedure: The chair of the current personnel committee shall administer the faculty vote. When an election is in order, the personnel committee chair shall make a call for nominations delivered to all regular faculty, with faculty having at least 10 working days to make a nomination or self-nomination for the position. If a nominee is eligible and agrees to be a candidate, then that person’s name will be placed on the ballot. After the nomination period closes, the ballot is administered. If there is only one candidate, then at least 50% of the faculty must indicate acceptance in order for the person to be recommended to the Dean. If there are two candidates, the person with the majority of votes will be recommended to the Dean. If there are more than two candidates, then a person must receive at least 50% of the faculty vote in order to be recommended. If that does not occur, then a run-off election will be administered with the two people receiving the most votes from the previous election being included on the ballot and the person receiving the majority of the votes being recommended to the Dean. In the event of a tie in any election type with only 2 candidates, both candidates names will be submitted to the Dean who will make the final decision. Regardless of Chair election type, all regular faculty with a primary assignment (0.5 FTE or greater) as well as those whose tenure home is in Communication Studies will be allowed to participate.
   
   d. Term of office: A regular term of office for a Chair of the department will consist of three years. A chair’s term of office will typically start on July 1^st following the confirmation of appointment by the University president.
   
   i. Renewal for second term: Should the Chair be willing to serve for a second consecutive three-year term, that person shall continue by a vote indicating majority approval of the Department regular faculty with a primary assignment (0.5 FTE or greater) and those whose tenure home is in Communication Studies. If the current Chair does not secure at least 50% of the votes from the faculty submitting ballots as part of this approval process, then the department will move to the election procedure as outlined in section IV.A.4.c of these bylaws with the current Chair still eligible to run for the position.
   
   ii. Third term renewal: Should the Chair be willing to serve for a third consecutive three-year term, that person shall continue by a vote indicating 2/3 approval of the Department regular faculty with a primary assignment (0.5 FTE or greater) and whose tenure home is in Communication Studies. If the current Chair does not secure at least 2/3 of the votes from the faculty submitting ballots as part of this approval process, then the Department will move to the election procedure as outlined in section IV.A.4.c of these bylaws with the current Chair still eligible to run for the position.
   
   iii. Additional terms: Unless there are extreme or unusual circumstances, it is expected that a faculty member will not serve more than three consecutive terms as Chair. In the case of such circumstances, and especially when no candidate in the Department can be identified to serve in the Chair position, the personnel committee shall meet with the Dean to determine a path for moving forward. Such possibilities include re-appointing the current Chair, identifying other eligible members of the Department to appoint, or determining if an external search for a new Chair is a possibility.

5. Evaluation, Recourse, and Removal. The Chair will be evaluated regularly; and faculty shall have the right to recourse and/or removal of the Chair as necessary.
   
   a. Evaluation: The personnel committee shall evaluate the Chair annually via a written report to the Dean. In making this evaluation, the personnel committee shall carefully consider portions of the Chair’s annual review report document that are relevant to Chair duties; and shall also solicit and include an inclusive, representative summary of anonymous feedback from all regular faculty.
   
   b. The report may also reflect discussions among the personnel committee, with the Chair not being allowed to be present during those discussions. The personnel committee’s report shall be supplied to the Chair as part of the annual review process; and then submitted to the Dean along with other annual faculty review materials. The Chair shall also submit a written self-evaluation to the Dean annually with those materials.
   
   c. Faculty recourse: In the event any faculty member objects to a decision or action or omission on the part of the Chair, that faculty member may submit the case to the Dean or School Director, providing the faculty member (1) submits to the Chair a copy of any written objection, and (2) notifies the Chair of any interview with the Dean or Director on the issue.
   
   d. Chair removal: The Chair’s removal from office for cause may be recommended to the Dean at any time by majority vote of the regular faculty in the Department. The Department’s recommendation for Chair removal is subject to the approval of the Dean and the University President.

6. Absence or Vacancy. If a Chair is unable to serve or resigns before a term is completed, then the department will act expeditiously but responsibly to ensure that someone is able to enact the duties of the position in accordance with these bylaws.
   
   a. Temporary absence: Should the Chair of the department be temporarily absent, the Chair shall designate another faculty member with signature authority and notify the Dean’s office. If this temporary absence is due to incapacitation of the Chair, then the current personnel committee chair shall temporarily enact signature authority and will notify the Dean’s office. If an absence is temporary but extended, the personnel committee chair will consult with the Dean to determine how Chair duties will be maintained, including the potential of appointing an interim Chair in line with the vacancy procedures provided in these bylaws.
   
   b. Vacancy: Should a vacancy occur before the normal expiration of the Chair’s term of office, the Department faculty shall meet as an advisory committee to make a recommendation to the Dean for an interim Chair. An interim Chair can be appointed by the Dean on an annual basis until a permanent Chair has been selected. A permanent Chair should be selected following the procedures outlined in section IV.A.4.b of these bylaws as expeditiously as possible.

Directors shall serve as leaders who assist with the organization of programs and/or curricula for the department. Directors may receive course releases or other compensation with the approval of the Chair and Dean. The personnel committee will evaluate directors annually as part of the regular evaluation process. As part of that process, the Chair can request that an anonymous online survey be administered to Department faculty to solicit feedback on a specific director’s performance. The personnel committee should include specific feedback related to director roles as part of the service portion of an annual evaluation.

1. Director of Undergraduate Studies. The Director of Undergraduate Studies is appointed by and reports to the Chair and oversees all matters directly related to the undergraduate curriculum of the department. The Director will also serve as the chair of the undergraduate committee, will regularly consult with department undergraduate advisors to determine undergraduate student needs, and will serve as an ex officio member of all committees where the business is relevant to the undergraduate program. Only regular faculty members may be appointed to the position. The position has a 3-year term.
2. Director of Graduate Studies. The Director of Graduate Studies is appointed by and reports to the Chair and oversees all matters directly related to the graduate curriculum of the Department. The director will also serve as the chair of the graduate committee; will regularly consult with members of the graduate committee to enact recruitment efforts, oversee the selection of graduate students for the program, and select students for department-administered assistantships; advise new graduate students until a permanent advisor is selected; and serve as liaison to relevant campus offices and programs related to graduate studies. The Director of Graduate Studies will also serve as an ex officio member of all committees where the business is relevant to the graduate program. Only graduate faculty members may be appointed to the position. The position has a 3-year term.
3. Director of the Communication Core. The Director of the Communication Core reports to the and oversees all matters directly related to the introductory speaking course for the department as well as initiatives related to communication across the curriculum. The Director of the Communication Core will also serve as a member of the undergraduate committee; will train and supervise teaching assistants who teach the introductory public speaking class; and serve as liaison to relevant campus offices and programs related to both public speaking and communication across the curriculum. The Director of the Communication Core will also serve as an ex officio member of all committees where the business is directly relevant to the introductory public speaking course or communication across the curriculum. Only regular faculty members may be appointed to the position.
4. Director of Debate/Forensics. The Director of Debate/Forensics reports to the Chair and oversees all matters directly related to the competitive speaking teams sponsored by the Department as well as initiatives related to debate and forensics. The Director of Debate/Forensics will also serve as an ex officio member of the Griffin-Santini committee; will supervise and administer coaching for department-sponsored competitive speaking teams; handle all financial matters related to debate/forensics, including the maintenance of a budget, reporting on expenses, and seeking funding opportunities; and otherwise ensure the welfare of competitive speaking programs for the department. Only regular faculty members may be appointed to the position.

The department shall have permanent, standing, and temporary committees.

1. Department Council. The Department Council serves as an advisory council to the Chair; as an opportunity for the Department’s directors to coordinate program initiatives; and is responsible for coordinating any external program reviews initiated by the university. The Chair will serve as chair for the council, with the directors listed in section IV.B of these bylaws serving as council members. The Chair may also appoint additional council members each year, especially in order to enhance fair and equitable representation of the larger faculty as part of council membership. The Department Council will have no authority and serves only as an organizing and recommendation body.
   1. Strategic plan: The Department Council should also ensure that the department strategic plan is updated at least once per academic year. This strategic plan should include—but is not limited to—curriculum maintenance and development, hiring goals or priorities, resource acquisitions, extracurricular activities and programs, and general department maintenance. The maintenance of the strategic plan should be done in careful consultation with the full regular faculty.
   2. External program review: The Department Council, in conjunction with the entirety of the regular department faculty, shall assist in program reviews as instructed by the Office of the Provost.
2. Undergraduate Committee. The Undergraduate Committee shall be responsible for reviewing and making recommendations to the regular faculty regarding both (a) the department’s undergraduate degree programs, course offerings, policies, and procedures; and (b) a document, updated annually, that clearly articulates departmental undergraduate teaching expectations. The committee is also charged with assessing the undergraduate program and administering, in consultation with the regular faculty, the department’s undergraduate scholarships and awards. The committee shall be chaired by the Director of Undergraduate Studies; with additional members being the Director of the Communication Core, one of the regular faculty undergraduate advisors as appointed by the committee chair, and a regular faculty member elected to serve a one-year term at the close of the previous Spring semester. The Department Chair also serves as a non-voting, ex officio member who may attend meetings as is necessary.
3. Graduate Committee. The Graduate Committee shall be responsible for reviewing and making recommendations to the graduate faculty regarding both (a) the department’s graduate degree programs, course offerings, policies, and procedures; and (b) maintaining a document, updated annually, that clearly articulates departmental graduate teaching expectations. The committee is also charged with assessing the graduate programs, overseeing the admission of graduate students, and will make recommendations to the graduate director regarding graduate student assistantships. The committee also, in consultation with the Director of the Communication Core or other relevant course directors, makes recommendations regarding the reappointment of teaching assistants. The committee will consist of the Director of Graduate Studies and two graduate faculty members from the department elected in staggered two-year terms. The Department Chair also serves as a non-voting, ex officio member who may attend meetings as is necessary.
4. Personnel Committee. The Department of Communication Studies shall have a standing Personnel Committee that is advisory to the Chair.
   1. Membership: The Personnel Committee shall consist of three tenured members from its regular faculty who shall be elected by a majority vote of regular faculty. If three tenured continuing faculty members are not available or fail to obtain a majority vote of support from the department, the Chair, in consultation with the Dean, shall appoint the necessary regular faculty from other departments in order to constitute a three-member committee of tenured faculty. The Chair also serves as a non-voting, ex officio member of the committee who must not participate in the Chair evaluation process.
      1. The chair of the Personnel Committee shall be chosen from the members of the committee elected by the Department, even in cases where the committee includes members appointed from other departments.
      2. In addition, one Rank 0(III) or Rank 0(IV) faculty member shall be elected to the Personnel Committee to evaluate Rank 0 faculty. Should a Rank 0(III) or Rank 0(IV) faculty member not be available, an elected representative from the current Rank 0 faculty shall be included to consult on Rank 0 faculty cases. In such instances, the Rank 0 faculty member simply acts in an information-providing capacity regarding Rank 0 cases and may not contribute to substantive evaluation or vote on any matters.
   2. Term of service: When a sufficient number of qualified faculty are available, staggered two-year terms shall be adopted. Each elected member shall serve a two-year term. Members may be re-elected. Elections shall occur during the spring semester of each academic year, with service starting at the beginning of the following academic year.
   3. Duties: The Personnel Committee shall perform the following duties:
      1. Review annually the performance of regular faculty in the Department;
      2. Provide the Chair with recommendations for annual evaluations and merit;
      3. Conduct the annual evaluation of the chair (see IV.B.5.a);
      4. Consult with the Chair regarding progress toward tenure for all probationary faculty annually, including third-year reviews for probationary faculty;
      5. Consult on hiring issues of temporary faculty instructors as needed (e.g., spousal hires, courtesy appointments related to grants);
      6. Advise the Chair on other matters as requested for personnel issues not covered by other standing committees.
   4. Procedures: The Personnel Committee must operate in accordance with policies and expectations set forth by the College and University. To ensure consistency and fairness in review, it also must maintain department-level expectations:
      1. In order to maintain consistency across different years of review, the committee will maintain review standards that are made widely available to members of the department.
      2. The committee’s recommendation(s) shall be communicated in writing to the Chair in accordance with University and College guidelines and procedures.
      3. If the Chair disagrees with the Personnel Committee’s recommendations, reasons for the disagreement shall be given to the Personnel Committee.
   5. Conformity with appropriate criteria and procedures: If the Personnel Committee finds in its review of a given case that the Department has not followed established Department criteria or procedures, or that the Department guidelines and rules conflict with those set at the College or University level, the Personnel Committee shall notify the Chair and provide appropriate recommendations.
   6. Confidentiality: Deliberations of the Personnel Committee and personnel files used in committee deliberations shall be confidential. Individual votes of Personnel Committee members will remain anonymous and contributions of individual members to committee discussions will remain confidential, including in how they are presented in all reports. Faculty members can have access to their personnel files by following procedures in NSHE Code 5.6.2(a) and (b).
   7. Vacancy: Should a vacancy occur during the academic year, the Chair, in consultation with the elected members of the Personnel Committee, shall appoint a faculty member to complete service for the academic year. When possible, the appointee shall enhance the diversity of the committee and who it represents in consideration of the larger faculty.
5. Tenure and Promotion Committees for Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty. A tenure and/or promotion committee shall be formed, as needed, to assist the Chair in matters concerning tenure and/or promotion of a faculty member to Associate Professor (Rank III) or Professor (Rank IV) as specified in the Department bylaws.
   1. Membership: A committee shall consist of all faculty in the Department who are at or above the rank to which the specific faculty member is applying for tenure and/or promotion.
      1. In the event that there are fewer than three eligible faculty to serve on a tenure and/or promotion committee, the Chair will, in consultation with other tenure and promotion committee members, recommend to the Dean other regular faculty at or above the appropriate rank from related disciplines, from which the dean shall select one or more faculty member(s) to achieve the required minimum number to serve on the committee.
      2. The formed committee will elect a Department member to serve as chair. The committee chair is responsible to call meetings and submit final reports to the Chair.
   2. Tenure recommendations: Departmental voting rights on tenure recommendations shall be restricted to those regular faculty who are already tenured at the University. In tenure considerations for joint appointments where the appointment is split between the two or more units, the chair(s) or director(s) of the joint-appointment department/program (or a designated representative at the appropriate rank) will serve as a voting member of the tenure committee.
   3. Promotion recommendations: Departmental voting rights on promotion recommendations shall be restricted to those department members who are at the rank in consideration or higher. Only Rank IV faculty may vote on recommendations for promotion to Rank IV, and only Rank III and Rank IV faculty may vote on recommendations for promotion to Rank III. In promotion considerations for joint appointments where the appointment is split between two or more units, the chair or director of the joint-appointment department/program(s) (or a designated representative at the appropriate rank) will serve as a voting member of the promotion committee.
   4. Procedure: The committee shall formally evaluate the application for tenure and promotion, as specified in section 22 of the CLA bylaws, and these bylaws section V.A.3. Votes will be conducted by secret ballot, and the committee chair shall submit the committee recommendation to the Chair. The Chair will submit the committee recommendation along with the Chair’s recommendation to the College. Any committee members who dissent from the overall committee’s final recommendation may provide a letter indicating their concerns to the Chair.
   5. Confidentiality: Deliberations of tenure and/or promotion committees and candidate files and any external evaluations used in committee deliberations shall be confidential. Individual votes of committee members will remain anonymous and contributions of individual members to committee discussions will remain confidential, including in all reports.
6. Regular Lecturer/Non-Tenure-Track Teaching Faculty Promotion Committee. A promotion committee shall be formed, as needed, to assist the Chair in matters concerning the promotion of regular faculty who are lecturers or NTT teaching faculty.
   1. Membership: The committee shall consist of all tenured regular faculty and all Rank 0(III) and Rank 0(IV) faculty.
      1. In the event that there are fewer than three eligible faculty to serve on the regular lecturer/NTT teaching faculty promotion committee, including at least one Rank 0 faculty, the Chair will, in consultation with other committee members, recommend to the Dean other regular faculty at or above rank from related disciples, from which the dean shall select one or more faculty member(s) to achieve the required minimum number to serve on the committee and have Rank 0 representation.
      2. The formed committee will elect one Department member to serves as a Communication Studies department member to serve as chair. The committee chair is responsible to call meetings and submit final reports to the Chair.
   2. Promotion recommendations: For promotion within Rank 0, only faculty of Rank 0(IV) or Rank IV may vote on recommendations for promotion to Rank 0(IV), and only faculty of Rank 0(III), Rank 0(IV), Rank III or Rank IV may vote on recommendations for promotion to Rank 0(III) (see UNR Bylaws 3.1.7). Other Rank 0 promotion decisions will follow procedures indicated in the College bylaws.
   3. Procedure: The committee shall formally evaluate the application for promotion, as specified in section 23 of the CLA bylaws and these bylaws section V.A.4. Votes will be conducted by secret ballot, and the committee chair shall submit the committee recommendation to the Chair. The Chair will submit the committee recommendation along with the Chair’s recommendation to the College. Any member of the committee who dissents from the overall committee evaluation may provide a letter to the Chair expressing any concerns.
   4. Confidentiality: Deliberations of promotion committees and candidate files used in committee deliberations shall be confidential. Individual votes of committee members will remain anonymous and contributions of individual members to committee discussions will remain confidential, including in all reports.
7. Search Committees. All regular faculty may serve on search committees for tenure-track positions. Search committees shall be comprised of at least three members of the regular faculty appointed by the Chair. The Chair also appoints one of these committee members to serve as the search committee chair. The Chair may also choose to serve on a committee, including as search committee chair. For joint appointments, the committee will be comprised of an equal number of regular faculty from each department/program. All search committee members are required to attend diversity training related to searches as part of their service on the committee and follow all guidelines of University Human Resources for conducting equitable searches. Faculty members who are in their terminal year of employment may not serve on search committees.
   1. Initiating searches: The Department shall search for faculty to fill prescribed areas of specialization (a) in accord with its stated missions and long-term planning; and (b) as agreed upon by the Dean. Once a search has been authorized, the Department shall initiate and conduct the search in accordance with approved Department bylaws, College bylaws, University bylaws, affirmative action requirements, and the NSHE Code. For joint appointments, the departments involved shall follow the CLA Guidelines for Joint Appointments.
   2. Search committee responsibilities: Following hiring process requirements of University Human Resources, the search committee shall prepare a written job description listing, advertise the approved position to professional networks, respond to correspondence from applicants, evaluate applications, interview candidates, and arrange on-campus visits of final candidates.
   3. Voting rights for hiring: Two votes shall be recorded for making a hiring recommendation to the Chair.
      
      1. First, the search committee shall make a vote regarding the final candidates. This vote will be advisory to the hiring vote made by regular faculty members. Specifically, the search committee will vote on the acceptability or unacceptability of each of the final candidates and make a final candidate hire recommendation. The search committee shall provide candidate summaries to regular faculty to inform their hiring vote.
      2. Next, a second recommendation of hire will be decided by a majority vote of regular faculty. For tenure-track faculty positions, only tenure-track faculty whose tenure home is the Department or joint appointments with a primary appointment in the Department (0.5 FTE or greater) can vote on the search committee recommendation. Voting on non-tenure track faculty positions is limited to regular faculty (see College bylaws B.1.b). Votes for hiring will be conducted by secret ballot and submitted to the Chair. The Chair will convey the faculty hiring recommendation to the Dean. Any faculty member who disagrees with the decision of the department may file a minority report with the Chair, who shall attach it to the recommendation to the Dean.
   4. Confidentiality: Deliberations involved with the hiring process, including applicant files used in committee deliberations, shall be confidential. Individual votes of committee members as well as the full faculty will remain anonymous; and contributions of individual members to committee or full-faculty discussions regarding the search will remain confidential, including in all reports.
8. Temporary Committees. At the discretion of the Chair, temporary committees may be formed to assist in specific administrative or program objectives not otherwise covered by the standing committees. Members of such committees shall be appointed from among the regular faculty of the department by the Chair. In making appointments, the Chair should especially consider (1) relevant faculty experience and expertise; (2) including a representative mix of faculty ranks; and (3) individual opportunities for breadth of service across the department.

As noted in the College bylaws (Chapter V), a faculty member’s duties shall consist of an assigned combination of scholarly, teaching, service, engagement, and/or professional development as specified in the faculty role statement.

In addition to the responsibilities listed in this section, it is expected that all faculty—and especially regular faculty—contribute to and be active members of the department culture. Such participation includes regularly participating in department events, contributing to discussions about the department’s future, holding office hours, and attending meetings as called by the Department or Chair. It is also expected that faculty pursue professional development as is appropriate and required. Faculty are expected to effectively and ethically perform quality research, teaching, service, and engagement.

1. Scholarly Activity. Scholarly activity, as defined by the Department, includes research, creative work, and/or entrepreneurial activity related to communication studies. Such activity necessarily includes the advancement, integration, and application of knowledge (including via engagement, as described in III.C.3.d of these bylaws). It also includes scholarly work designed to enhance teaching in the discipline (e.g., textbooks, peer-reviewed teaching articles).
   
   a. Scholarly activity will typically take the form of books, articles, artistic works, software, and/or scholarly presentations before one’s peers at academic conferences. Scholarly presentations at professional conferences include paper, performance, exhibition, and poster presentations as well as invited keynote presentations (or their equivalent) that feature scholarship.
   
   b. Scholarly and creative activity also includes the development and presentation of workshops related to the faculty member’s scholarly work; participation on scholarship-oriented panels and forums when directed at peers; seeking and acquiring outside funds in support of scholarly activity (e.g., grants and contracts); and related evidence of professional scholarly development.
   
   c. Peer-reviewed work is considered of prime importance in a faculty member’s scholarly profile given that it involves a rigorous evaluation process by other experts in the field.
   
   d. Entrepreneurial activity refers to the application of sophisticated research and creative methodologies and innovations to the public domain with the goal of developing a market outside the university. A record of entrepreneurial productivity should be recognized as a significant part of a faculty member’s professional achievements; however, such activity is not required of individual faculty members. Entrepreneurial activity must be appropriate to the faculty member’s discipline and approved by the Chair and Dean to be part of the faculty member’s role statement.
   
   
2. Teaching Activity. Teaching activity, as defined by the Department, includes instruction, curricular development, mentoring activities, and teaching-oriented professional development. It can also include teaching engagement with communities or groups outside of the university as well as teaching-oriented conference presentations or university showcases. A faculty member’s specific teaching expectations will often be clarified via the annual role statement.
   
   a. Primary teaching duties include classroom teaching; preparation and development of courses and curriculum; and the advising of undergraduate and graduate students.
   
   b. Teaching duties can also include direction of undergraduate and graduate students in independent study, research, internships and practice; serving on undergraduate and graduate project committees; guest lecturing for other courses; and/or advising a student organization.
   
   c. Teaching activity also involves professional development related to teaching competencies, teaching-oriented service, and teaching beyond the university as it applies to one’s academic areas of expertise.
   
   

3. Service Activity. Service activity primarily involves university and disciplinary service for all faculty members; but service activity can also involve community and engagement service if a faculty member chooses to pursue those areas.
   
   a. University service: Administrative activities such as chairing the department, serving in department director positions (see IV.B in these bylaws); participation on department, college, and university committees, boards, and panels.
   
   b. Disciplinary service: Activities related to professional growth and development including editing and refereeing for professional journals; reviewing research proposals; evaluating external tenure and/or promotion cases; participation in service-oriented professional workshops and attending service-oriented professional conventions. Disciplinary service also includes holding office in professional organizations and service on evaluation and accreditation teams that evaluate communication programs.
   
   c. Community or public service/outreach: Community service activities that are intrinsically related to the professional training and competence of the individual faculty member. These services include public presentations such as speeches, workshops, communication training programs, consulting, committee work, judging speech contests, and related services to community groups including various educational, business, and governmental organizations. 

4. Engagement. Engagement constitutes any activities (whether scholarship, teaching, or service oriented) developed as collaborative interactions that respond to short- and long-term community and/or societal needs. Engagement serves the local, state, nation, and/or the wider world through academically or creatively informed activities that are intentional in their effort to enrich and improve the lives of people. Engagement can be recognized as a significant part of a faculty member’s professional achievements if it is appropriate to the faculty member’s area of specialization and has been approved by the Chair and Dean as part of the faculty member’s role statement; but engagement work is not required of faculty members.

5. Faculty Member Role Statement. A more nuanced account of a faculty member’s professional responsibilities shall be established each year by the individual faculty member with approval of the Chair and in accordance with University and College policies and procedures. Professional responsibilities shall be specified in a written role statement that includes the faculty member’s responsibilities in teaching, scholarly/creative/entrepreneurial activity, and/or service as well as percentages of these activities appropriate to faculty position.

To provide consistency and equity among faculty, voting procedures are in place that protect the rights of both individual faculty members as well as the Department as a whole.

1. General Quorum and Rules for Voting. A quorum of at least 50% of the active regular faculty (those not on approved leave) is needed for votes in full departmental meetings or at least 50% of the committee members present in committee meetings. Any meeting where voting is to occur must be announced to the Department (for full departmental meetings) or to the committee (for committee meetings) at least 10 working days in advance. Voting on departmental officers, hiring, and promotion and tenure decisions shall be by secret ballot and, if held during a Department meeting, requires a majority vote of those present. Abstentions are not counted in the number of votes needed. If a vote is to be held via paper ballot or through an online mechanism outside of a meeting, then the vote shall be announced at least 7 days in advance with faculty being allowed at least 5 working days to participate in the voting process once ballots are available.

2. Elections. Voting in elections for the Chair and for any other departmental positions requiring a vote will be limited to regular faculty with a primary assignment of 0.5 FTE or greater as well as those whose tenure home is in Communication Studies.

3. Long-Range Planning. Any departmental voting on external rules or procedures documents, strategic planning issues, or other long-range planning matters will be limited to regular faculty with a primary assignment of 0.5 FTE or greater as well as those whose tenure home is Communication Studies.

4. Tenure and Promotion. Voting rights related to tenure and promotion decisions are outlined in section IV.C.5.c of this document.

The rules and guidelines listed here shall inform the practices of calling and attending departmental meetings.

1. Department Faculty Meetings. The Chair of the department shall call regular and special meetings of the full faculty as necessary. Meetings must be called at least 10 working days in advance; and, unless a meeting conflicts with classroom teaching, is scheduled outside regular University work hours, or conflicts with a previously-scheduled University work meeting or event, regular faculty are required to attend.
2. Committee Meetings. The chairs of standing, search, or temporary committees shall call meetings as is necessary and/or appropriate. Meetings must be called at least 10 working days in advance; and, unless a meeting conflicts with classroom teaching, is scheduled outside of regular university work hours, or conflicts with a previously-scheduled university work meeting or event, committee members are required to attend.
3. Expectations for Departmental Meetings. For department faculty meetings and meetings of the Undergraduate Committee and Graduate Committee, the following practices should typically be observed:
   1. The chair shall prepare an agenda with supporting materials and distribute to faculty/committee members no later than one working day before the meeting.
   2. Agendas shall include any item offered by a member of the faculty and/or committee member so long as the department/committee chair receives the item at least 3 working days in advance of the meeting.
   3. Faculty/committee members shall share minute taking duties.
   4. The minutes, once certified by the department or committee chair, should be distributed to the faculty or committee by the person taking them within 10 working days of the meeting and also placed into the departmental repository where they shall be available to all members of the Department. The minutes will then be approved at the next meeting of the faculty or committee.
   5. The minutes should never reflect private personnel matters or any information that could violate a student or potential student’s privacy (e.g., details of the discussion surrounding a job search vote, deliberations about graduate school applicants, etc.).

All regular faculty, including the Department Chair, shall be evaluated via annual evaluations/merit evaluations; promotion and/or tenure recommendations that align with a specific faculty member’s personal progress and timeline; and, for tenure-track faculty, annual progress towards tenure and/or promotion evaluations, including required third-year reviews. Evaluation recommendations shall originate with the appropriate department standing committee who submit their recommendations to the Chair who then shall submit recommendations to the Dean.

1. Annual evaluation of faculty. The Department shall annually evaluate all regular faculty. This evaluation shall occur in accordance with procedures outlined in Department bylaws, in conformity with section 3.3.2 of the University bylaws, and, when applicable, in line with any memorandum of understanding for a jointly-appointed faculty member.

a.Faculty rights regarding evaluation criteria: Faculty shall not be evaluated by criteria that are not listed or addressed in Department, College, and/or University bylaws or in the document that shall be made widely available to faculty by the department personnel committee at the beginning of a review year. The criteria listed in the Department document created by the personnel committee should conform to Department, College, and University bylaws and policies limitations and act as a more-detailed explanation of how faculty will be evaluated.

b. Faculty responsibilities regarding the review process: Faculty should make a reasonable attempt to provide all information related to the annual review process following university reporting policies and in a way that is organized, coherent, clear, and complete. The personnel committee reserves the right to evaluate and make professional judgment only based on the annual review materials provided by the annual deadline and is not responsible for missing, incomplete, or incoherent information. The personnel committee also reserves the right to seek supplemental materials from faculty members in order to make a careful assessment and/or to arrive at just and equitable recommendations; and faculty members must respond promptly to such requests.

c. Specific criteria for evaluation: The criteria listed here shall serve as the department standards for the annual review process.

     i. Scholarly Activity: Faculty with research included in their role statement will be evaluated in conjunction with the following standards:

          (a) Primary consideration will be given to publishing peer-reviewed journal articles or book chapters; publishing a peer-reviewed monograph, edited collection of original scholarship, or other scholarly book, including textbooks; presenting a peer-reviewed performance, installation, audio work, video work, or digital media work; or scholarship specific to forensics or debate, when appropriate. Preference for this work will be given to reputable publication venues or to publications appropriate or impactful for a specific intended audience, especially in the case of engaged and/or international scholarship. Funded external grant projects will also be given primary consideration.

          (b) Secondary consideration will be given to the presentation of a competitively selected, completed scholarly work (i.e., paper or performance) at a regional, national, or international conference or festival. Submitted external grant applications and invited research talks (i.e., keynotes, extended reviews) at conferences or other universities will also receive secondary consideration.

          (c) Additional consideration will be given to internal grant applications; planning and completing an engaged scholarly project; publishing reviews, encyclopedia entries, forum essays, or other additional scholarly publications; being featured in media outlets (e.g., being interviewed for news stories, providing a guest column or article, being featured on a talk show, etc.); the ongoing development and maintenance of digital media (e.g., a blog, podcast, etc.); other conference participation (e.g., discussion panels or panel respondent role); winning a research award; projects that expand the scope or inclusivity of the discipline; attending formal workshops, classes, or seminars to extend research skills or expertise; and/or other scholarly accomplishments that are recognized in the discipline.

          (d) In reviewing scholarly and/or creative works, the personnel committee shall adhere to the following guidelines in their evaluation:

               (1) Published works may be either fully published or accepted/in press. Accepted/in-press works must have been fully reviewed, edited, and officially accepted in order to be counted. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to provide documentation, if requested.

               (2) An article or book chapter may be counted only once. If an article is credited during the time that it is in press, it cannot also be credited in a subsequent year.

               (3) A book-length monograph may be counted for three different years. These three years may include one year when the faculty member has made considerable and verifiable progress on the book project (well beyond the proposal stage) and/or one year of the book being in press.

               (4) Edited collections of original essays, methodological primers, textbooks, and other non-monograph scholarly books may also be counted for three years but will likely receive less credit than a book-length monograph.

               (5) A significant deliverable created as part of an engagement project (e.g., a data-driven report created for a community group, a collection of oral histories, a documentary, performance script) may be considered for merit as long as it represents the faculty member’s scholarly expertise and, as is required, has received approval from the Chair and/or Dean. It is highly encouraged that such projects be peer reviewed if possible.

               (6) In specific circumstances, faculty may indicate that they want a particular project to count for the current or following year for the purposes of annual review. This flexibility applies to counting a publication that is fully accepted but is in press during the current review year (instead of considering it during the year of publication); or it could apply to deferring one published work to the following year. The faculty member who wants to defer the scholarly project must clearly indicate this deferral in their annual review documentation materials, both during the year they defer and in the following year when, if listed by the faculty member, it will count for annual review.

     ii. Instruction: Faculty with teaching included in their role statements will be evaluated in conjunction with the following standards:

          (a) Primary consideration will be given to assigned teaching duties. Assigned teaching duties includes regularly-scheduled courses as needed by the department and in accordance with department student learning outcomes and program objectives. Evaluation will be based on evidence of effective teaching as well as efforts to improve teaching, including the development of instructional materials, test refinement, assignment development, assessment of student learning, and/or addressing feedback from student or peer evaluations. Assigned teaching should also align with curricular requirements and departmental teaching expectations as outlined by the Department undergraduate and graduate committees.

          (b) Primary consideration will also be given to non-assigned teaching responsibilities, including directing independent studies, capstones, and/or internships; presenting lectures, leading discussion groups, and/or facilitating learning workshops; and/or significantly contributing to other formal teaching, learning, or mentoring experiences. Faculty who have advising and/or coaching duties assigned as part of their annual role statement will also receive primary consideration for that work. Tenured and tenure-track faculty are also expected to chair and serve on graduate committees within and external to the department.

          (c) Secondary consideration will be given to participation in other mentoring activities including co-curricular programs, advising a student organization, and/or mentoring students for conference presentation, academic publication, performances, or other forms of scholarship. Professional development through participation in workshops, conferences, or institutions on or off campus as well as development to receive certification or specialized skills for particular courses will also be considered.

          (d) Exemplary contributions to teaching, learning, or mentoring should also be recognized. Such work could include the following: a teaching award from the Department, College, University, or a professional organization; high rankings of mentored student work (e.g., student top paper award, high ranking in juried and/or professional competition, student thesis or dissertation award); publishing a teaching-oriented activity and/or article; facilitation of a civic-engagement project related to teaching; a guest teaching lecture or facilitation; applying for a teaching-oriented grant; and/or some other remarkable accomplishment or recognition.

          (e) In line with university expectations, the university-administered student evaluations of teaching must be considered as part of the annual review process. Accordingly, the personnel committee will use the results of the teaching evaluations to determine if there are any serious concerns about classroom teaching indicated or articulated by the students who completed them. If serious concerns are identified, they will use that feedback to make suggestions for improvement to the faculty member. Additionally, faculty can respond to feedback from the student evaluations of teaching as specified in accordance with section V.C.1.a.ii.(a) of these bylaws. Faculty may also request additional methods of evaluation from the Chair.

          (f) In reviewing instructional activity, the personnel committee shall consider the following in their evaluation:

               (1) Each faculty’s instructional role is unique and should be evaluated with consideration the complexities that accompany class size, the topics being taught, rigor, and other relevant considerations.

               (2) Student evaluations of teaching and/or other measures of evaluation of teaching will be considered with the context of the course taught (e.g., response rate of evaluations, courses including new/innovative teaching such as service learning, required courses, etc.). They should also be carefully considered in conjunction with established empirical research that indicates potential biases related to how students evaluate teachers.

               (3) Faculty shall have the opportunity to provide, in writing, any information they believe will help the personnel committee in their evaluation. If a faculty member elects to do so, it should be submitted with other annual evaluation materials by the specified due date.

               (4) Faculty may also, at their discretion, provide copies of instructional materials for the personnel committee to consider. Such materials can include syllabuses, assignments, samples of graded work, or evidence of a community project. These materials should be submitted with other annual review materials by the specified due date; and, when applicable, any identifiers of students (e.g., names on graded assignments) should be removed or redacted prior to submission.

     iii. Service: Faculty with service included in their role statements will be evaluated in conjunction with the following standards:

          (a) Primary consideration will be given to faculty effectively completing a variety of service roles and commitments that benefit their department(s), College/University, profession/discipline(s), and their community(ies). All faculty are expected to contribute through annual departmental service; and, as fits with their individual faculty roles and responsibilities, engage College/University service, professional/disciplinary service, and/or community service as is appropriate and described in the annual role statement

          (b) Additional consideration for evaluation of service also includes general faculty responsibilities such as attending faculty meetings, complying with department and university rules and procedures, and the timely completion of operational tasks such as providing updated office hours, responding to scheduling requests, etc.

          (c) For the purposes of evaluation, service shall be considered according to the following categories:

               (1) Departmental service: Committee assignments, role as committee chair, coordination of a program, department-oriented tasks, etc.

               (2) College/University service: Major and minor committee assignments, role as a committee chair, coordination of programs, etc.

               (3) Professional/Disciplinary service: Offices held in professional organizations, journal editorships, editorial board membership, reviewer for conference paper submissions, membership on committees or assemblies, etc. Also include leadership in forensic/debate organizations.

               (4) Community or public service: Service that is intrinsically related to the professional competence of the individual faculty member (e.g., serving as a member of a community board, making a public presentation at a library or other public venue, coordinating a public dialogue series, training for community members, etc.).

          (d)  In reviewing service activity, the personnel committee shall consider the following in their evaluation:

               (1) The amount of service expected from a given faculty member will necessarily correspond with the percentage allotted to service duties as part of the annual role statement.

               (2) The personnel committee should consider both the time and commitment each service commitment involves when making its evaluation. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to describe the involvement of the service commitment, especially in terms of hours served and any leadership roles performed, tasks completed, or tangible outcomes produced as part of the service.

               (3) Although the personnel committee and Chair should consider the quality of service provided, it is also important that when making such assessments the personnel committee and/or Chair clearly articulate the standards applied along with concrete examples and, when applicable, specific suggestions for improvement or growth as part of the written evaluation.

d. Committee disagreement: In cases where the members of the personnel committee disagree on a particular merit rating for a specific area of evaluation, each member of the committee shall be allowed to prepare a separate rating and rationale to submit to the Chair.

e. Distribution, signatures, and final submission process: Once the personnel committee and Chair have made their evaluations, they shall be communicated in writing to each faculty member being reviewed. Every evaluation shall be signed by the faculty member to indicate that the evaluation has been read. The Chair will then collect and forward them to the Dean.

f. Merit consideration for faculty: The Chair shall, when requested by the Dean, recommend a merit rating to the Dean based on the professional performance of each faculty member across all categories. The Dean decides final merit ratings for each faculty member.

g. Rejoinder to annual evaluation: Faculty members who disagree with their annual evaluations may submit a written rejoinder to the evaluation document stating their objections.

h. Reconsideration and grievance: Formal reconsideration and grievance of annual evaluation and/or merit evaluation are governed by University bylaws 3.2. A faculty member may request reconsideration of the annual evaluation. A University-level process governs formal appeal of annual evaluation.

i. Unsatisfactory reviews: In keeping with NSHE Code (Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 4.5), “Academic or administrative faculty members receiving an overall rating of ‘unsatisfactory’ on their evaluation shall be provided with constructive feedback in the written evaluation for improving their performance. This constructive feedback must include a written plan for improvement, which must be specific and must be provided at the time of the first ‘unsatisfactory’ rating.”

2. Progress toward Tenure/Probationary Period for Tenure-Track Faculty. The Department must review the progress toward tenure of all probationary tenure-track faculty annually and, following college procedures, make a recommendation to the Dean concerning reappointment each spring. This review must include separate assessments of the faculty member in three areas: scholarship, teaching, and service.

a. Third-year review: The third-year review shall assess the faculty member’s cumulative progress toward tenure and may be used to determine reappointment or non-reappointment (CLA Bylaws 21.B). The Chair, in consultation with the personnel committee, will prepare a written third-year review. The Dean and Chair should meet with the faculty member and discuss the third-year review.

b. Maximum probationary period: The maximum probationary period is seven years for tenure-track faculty. Application materials for promotion and tenure must be submitted no later than the beginning of the sixth academic year. If a tenure-track faculty member has not been awarded tenure by the end of the faculty member’s sixth probationary year, the faculty member will be notified that the contract issued for the seventh academic year will be a terminal contract (College bylaws 21.C).

c. Probationary credit: Tenure-track faculty may receive up to a maximum of three years probationary credit for service in a faculty position at other institutions, as per NSHE Code 4.3.3 and CLA Bylaws 21.D. Such credit must be firmly established in writing by the time a faculty member begins the tenure-track appointment in the Department.

d. Extension of the probationary period: A faculty member may request an extension of the probationary period when hired in mid-year or due to extraordinary circumstances. Such requests should be submitted to the Chair who will forward the request with a recommendation to the Dean. The Dean may recommend that the University President approve such a request. The University President may extend the probationary period in accordance with NSHE Code [3.3.1(c) and 3.3.1 (d)]. See College bylaws 21.E.

3. Tenure and Promotion for Academic Faculty. The department procedures for tenure and/or promotion shall be followed in close accordance with the college bylaws and the NSHE Code.

a. Eligibility for tenure consideration: A probationary full-time or part-time member of the academic faculty in Rank II, III, or IV shall be eligible for appointment with tenure at any time during the probationary period of employment. The recommendation for a faculty member to be tenured relies on the application of three standards: scholarship, instruction, and service (set out in section V.A.3.g of these bylaws) as well as the ratings contained in the College bylaws (section 22.D). The burden of demonstrating that these standards have been met lies with the applicant seeking tenure. For two of the standards, scholarly activity and instruction, the faculty member must receive an “excellent” rating in at least one of these standards and no less than a “satisfactory” rating in the other in order to be eligible for tenure.

b. Initial appointment with tenure: An initial appointment may be made with tenure upon recommendation by the Chair and the Dean, following NSHE Code [3.3.1.(b)].

c. Eligibility for promotion consideration: Criteria for promotion are dependent upon a faculty member’s current rank.

     i. A faculty member in Rank I shall be eligible to be considered for promotion to Rank II when the faculty member has attained a doctoral degree in Communication Studies (or a related field) and has demonstrated potential for developing professional achievement in scholarship activity, teaching/performance of assigned duties, and service, all as defined in Chapter IV of these bylaws.

     ii. A faculty member in Rank II shall be eligible to be considered for promotion to Rank III when the faculty member has established a substantial record of achievement in research, creative, and/or entrepreneurial activity; teaching/performance of assigned duties; and service, all articulated in section V.A.3.g of these bylaws. Such promotion recommendation shall be based upon an “excellent” evaluation in teaching or scholarly, creative, and/or entrepreneurial activity, and at least a “satisfactory” evaluation in the other two areas. A recommendation by the department for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor may precede, accompany, or follow a recommendation for tenure.

     iii. A faculty member in Rank III shall be eligible for consideration for promotion to Rank IV when that faculty member has established a sustained record of excellence in teaching/performance of assigned duties; scholarly, creative and entrepreneurial activity; and service to the discipline of Communication Studies. The record shall document publications and/or creative work as defined in 18B of the College bylaws and as judged significant by peers in the field; distinguished professional service; and distinction in teaching and related activities such as graduate student advising. The record should, where relevant, document exceptional administrative achievement as well.

d. Initiating consideration for promotion and/or tenure: The Department initiates the evaluation process for promotion and tenure based on the faculty member’s current status.

     i. For tenure-track faculty, the department normally initiates these processes in accordance with the timeline established in an individual faculty member’s appointment agreement and in consultation with College bylaws and the NSHE Code. The applicant’s written materials shall demonstrate that the applicant has met the minimum standards as set forth in the University bylaws, College bylaws (see CLA Bylaws 22D), and section V.A.3.g of these bylaws.

     ii. For faculty seeking tenure and/or promotion before the end of their expected probationary period (i.e., those faculty seeking “early tenure and promotion”), the faculty member must first consult with the Chair, who will consult with the current Personnel Committee before the Chair then consults with the Dean. If both the Chair and Dean are supportive, then the faculty member may ask the Personnel Committee to initiate the tenure and promotion review process. Those candidates for early tenure and promotion should clearly exceed the expectations listed in section V.A.3.g of this document, including clear evidence that a scholarly record that has received national recognition has been established.

     iii. For tenured faculty, the department typically initiates these processes at the request of an individual faculty member. That faculty member begins by consulting with the Chair, who will consult with the current Personnel Committee before the Chair then consults with the Dean regarding the faculty member’s interest. After receiving that feedback, the faculty member may then request that the department begin the review process. The applicant’s written materials shall demonstrate that the applicant has met the minimum standards as set forth in the university bylaws, the college bylaws (see CLA Bylaws 22D), and section V.A.3.g of these bylaws.

e. Post-tenure review: Per university bylaws (3.3.5), “a rank III faculty member shall be evaluated by the department and/or dean regarding progress toward promotion no later than the end of the sixth full academic year in rank.” To ensure that these evaluations occur, the professor(s) at Rank IV in the department will invite faculty who have been at Rank III for four years or more to submit their curriculum vitas for review each fall. Faculty who have been at Rank III for fewer than four years may also request that the Rank IV professors review their CVs. If there are fewer than three Rank IV professors in the department, then a Rank IV professor from a similar discipline will be secured to help review. The purpose of this process is to allow the faculty member who wishes to be considered for promotion to receive constructive advice. The review committee will discuss how the faculty member might best strengthen their record in teaching, scholarship, and/or service. Should the committee believe that the faculty member’s potential application merits serious consideration they will notify the Chair who will meet with the faculty member to encourage that the faculty member initiate the process for applying for promotion to Rank IV. Because a full review includes other materials such as letters from external reviewers, in no case should the candidate presume that being invited to submit a promotion application ensures that promotion is guaranteed.

f. Process for promotion: The department shall obtain appropriate external evaluations of the faculty member’s achievements according to University bylaws 3.3.5. Ideally five external evaluations, but no fewer than four and no more than six, should be included following the specific requirements of the Office of the Provost for promotional rank. All external evaluation letters received by the College deadline must be forwarded. For joint appointments, the memorandum of understanding related to a particular appointment may indicate additional criteria for seeking external evaluations and should be followed. The letters received, along with the applicant’s materials, shall be reviewed by the tenure and promotion committee in accordance with the university timeline; and then a recommendation issued according to current university and college procedures.

g. Evaluation criteria for promotion: In addition to a pattern of effectiveness in teaching that keeps with the teaching criteria used for annual evaluation (see section V.A.1.c.ii of these bylaws for these teaching criteria); and a pattern of effectiveness in annual professional service, including willingness to work effectively in efforts to improve the programs, personnel, conditions, and activities supporting the mission of the Department and University (see section V.A.1.c.iii of these bylaws for service criteria); those being promoted should exhibit a significant record of scholarship related to the specific promotional rank.

     i. To be eligible for consideration of promotion to Associate Professor (promotion from Rank II to Rank III), a faculty member’s record should, minimally, document a cumulative record should typically document at least 8 peer-reviewed articles in academic journals or equivalent scholarly or creative work since appointment and where the majority of the work is first- or sole-authored. Authored book projects (i.e., monographs), as long as they are peer-reviewed, may count for up to 4 peer-reviewed articles. Artistry, as long as it is nationally or internationally displayed/performed/presented and peer-reviewed, can count for up to 4 peer-reviewed articles. Such artistry may include performances, installations, audio or video recordings, and digital media works, among others.

     ii. To be eligible for consideration of promotion to Professor (promotion from Rank III to Rank IV), a faculty member’s record should, typically, document a cumulative record of a minimum of 8 peer-reviewed articles in academic journals or equivalent scholarly or creative work since the previous successful tenure and/or promotion application at the University and where the majority of the work is first- or sole-authored. Authored book projects (i.e., monographs), as long as they are peer-reviewed, may count for up to 4 peer-reviewed articles. Artistry, as long as it is nationally or internationally displayed/performed/presented and peer-reviewed, can count for up to 4 peer-reviewed articles. Such artistry may include performances, installations, audio or video recordings, and digital media works, among others.

     iii. Additionally, an individual’s overall scholarly record should indicate that the candidate has achieved national or international professional recognition among leaders in the individual's disciplinary area(s) (promotion from Rank III to Rank IV) or is clearly in the process of achieving it (promotion from Rank II to Rank III). In making such an assessment, evaluators should consider the contextual (e.g., interpersonal, organizational, intercultural, rhetoric, etc.) and methodological (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, rhetorical criticism, performance, engaged scholarship approaches, etc.) area(s) where the scholarship is positioned in the discipline and how that impacts overall quality and quantity expectations.

     iv. In evaluating a faculty member’s scholarly record for promotion, the entirety of that individual’s record shall be reviewed. For promotion to Associate Professor, primary consideration will be given to works produced while on the tenure track at the university. For promotion to Professor, primary consideration will be given to works produced since applying for promotion to Associate Professor. Any work that has completed the peer-review process and that has been officially accepted for publication, presentation, or display may be listed as part of the individual’s record. Candidates should be able to produce written evidence that an article, book, or artistic work has been peer reviewed as well as details or documentation about the publishing process if requested.

     v. Criteria that should especially be considered for evaluating national or international professional recognition include the following:

          (a) Primary/Required Criteria

               (1) Creating a scholarly record that clearly establishes a defined research agenda recognizable within the field of communication studies (or related interdisciplinary fields) with the individual as the driving force for the majority of the work that is part of that record; and

               (2) Publishing work in reputable and/or high-impact journals and/or publishing work with highly-reputable book publishers, especially university presses and/or presenting or exhibiting artistic works in highly-regarded forums or outlets.

          (b) Other Highly-Regarded Criteria

               (1) Being invited and publishing in special journal forums, handbooks, and/or sourcebooks;

               (2) Editing book-length collections of essays;

               (3) Authoring introductions for special issues and/or special forums of journals that the faculty member edited or curated;

               (4) Creating a scholarly record that includes other publications such as book chapters, encyclopedia entries, review essays, news/opinion articles, and/or textbooks, among others;

               (5) Producing work in other languages, including translated work and work that expands the discipline into the Global South;

               (6) Providing scholarly expertise to solve community, governmental, or institutional problems, especially work that is community engaged;

               (7) Establishing a strong record of presenting work at academic or artistic conferences;

               (8) Being invited to present or display artistic works in excellent national or international outlets, festivals, or exhibitions;

               (9) Receiving excellent published reviews of completed work (e.g., reviews of performances in journals, book reviews in journals, etc.);

               (10) Producing work that is well-cited; and/or

               (11) Winning awards for scholarly achievements.

          (c) Additional Criteria to be Considered

               (1) Producing work that expands the boundaries of the discipline, including work that offers new or reimagined concepts, theories, or paradigms;

               (2) Producing work that develops innovative or novel methodological approaches;

               (3) Producing work that develops innovative or novel creative approaches; and/or

               (4) Producing work that is interdisciplinary.

          (d) To be promoted and/or tenured, an individual is not required to demonstrate all of the criteria in the “Other Highly-Regarded” or “Additional” categories; rather, it is expected that anyone being promoted and/or tenured has established a strong record of scholarship that includes a reasonable blend of many of these criteria, especially as they are appropriate for the individual’s area(s) of scholarly focus and the rank being pursued.

     vi. College bylaws (18B) state that for entrepreneurial activity to count toward promotion and/or tenure, it must be approved by the Chair and Dean in advance of the review. Such work would be counted in the “Other Highly-Regarded Criteria” for promotion and/or tenure.

     vii. Those who have joint appointments shall also be evaluated based on the criteria for their other unit(s) of appointment. Such evaluation should involve a careful consideration of the percentage/time the faculty member is appointed to each unit; and the evaluation should be conducted in a manner commensurate with the nature/circumstances of their joint appointment. College policies/procedures/guidelines and any written memoranda of understanding should also be followed.

4. Promotion and Reappointment for Non-Tenure-Track Teaching Faculty. NTT teaching faculty may be reappointed annually and are eligible for promotion within rank 0.

a. Evaluation

     i. Acting under the provisions of the NSHE Code and Department, College, and University bylaws, a promotion committee within the department shall evaluate the performance of non-tenure-track regular faculty in the primary area of teaching as well as in professional development and service. Such committees shall make qualitative judgments in reviewing all three of these areas.

          (a) Teaching: A record of effective teaching is assessed using course syllabuses, student evaluations of teaching, visit reports by peers, and other relevant indicators of teaching excellence.

          (b) Professional Development: A record of achievement is assessed in the following areas of professional development: the presentation of lectures, readings, and/or workshops outside the classroom; the development of new areas of teaching and scholarly expertise through classes, seminars, and/or institutes; research presentations or membership on panels at professional meetings; community engaged teaching projects; publication of scholarship, especially teaching activities, in both traditional and non-traditional venues; and other activities that enhance teaching skills and/or areas of expertise.

          (c) Service: A record of service is assessed in the following areas: active participation in Department, College, and/or University service; involvement in professionally-related community service; contributions to disciplinary service at the regional and/or national level; and other professional service activities as relevant and appropriate.

b. Criteria for Promotion

     i. Promotion to Rank 0(II): A faculty member in Rank 0(I) shall be eligible for promotion to Rank 0(II) when the faculty member has attained an appropriate advanced degree in the relevant professional field and has demonstrated potential for developing professional achievement in assigned teaching duties; service; and, where these activities represent a significant part of the faculty member’s role statement, scholarly work.

     ii. Promotion to Rank 0(III): To be eligible for promotion, a faculty member in Rank 0(II) shall have established “a substantial record of achievement in his or her major area of responsibility” (CLA bylaws 23.D.2). The promotion committee shall carry out an internal review of the faculty member’s achievement in teaching, which is the major area of responsibility, and either professional development or service (or both). Service and professional development should be weighted in keeping with the faculty member’s role statement. Public engagement is not required of individual faculty members, but engagement appropriate to a faculty member’s discipline should be counted in a faculty member’s application for promotion. A Rank 0(II) faculty member may ask the Chair to be considered for promotion at any time, typically after the fifth year in rank.

     iii. Promotion to Rank 0(IV): To be eligible for promotion, a faculty member in Rank 0(III) shall have established a “sustained record of excellence in his or her major area of responsibility” since promotion to Rank 0(III) (CLA bylaws 23.D.3). The promotion committee shall carry out an internal review of the faculty member’s achievement in teaching, which is the major area of responsibility; and also review either professional development or service (or both). The Department expects that faculty who aspire to promotion to Rank 0(IV) demonstrate excellence in classroom instruction and exceptional value to the department, either in terms of undergraduate advisement (where applicable) or service. Professional development should be weighted in keeping with the faculty member’s role statement. Public engagement is not required of individual faculty members, but engagement appropriate to a faculty member’s discipline should be counted in a faculty member’s application for promotion. A Rank 0(III) faculty member may ask the Chair to be considered for promotion at any time, typically after the fifth year in rank.

     iv. NTT teaching faculty will receive progress-toward-promotion letters from the Chair annually starting their third year unless they have achieved the maximum rank.

c. Initiation of the Review Process

     i. NTT teaching faculty seeking promotion should begin by consulting with the Chair to both review the process and to review the teaching record.

     ii. Following that consultation, lecturers should submit the formal application and a dossier for departmental review, which should provide a position description, vita, statement of teaching philosophy, and summary of accomplishments. A teaching portfolio should be submitted that provides evidence of exceptional teaching ability. Such documentation of instructional excellence may include, but is not limited to, the following: student or peer evaluations; course materials, such as syllabuses, exams, student papers, etc.; teaching awards or recognition; evidence of scholarship in teaching; participation in faculty development programs or workshops related to instruction; development of new courses, instructional materials, or technological innovations; comments from peer collaborators; comments from student interviews; letters of commendation from students, faculty peers, or external colleagues.

1. Administrative Faculty. Administrative faculty will be evaluated by the chair and/or personnel committee in accordance with NSHE Code, University bylaws, College bylaws, and/or Department bylaws as relevant.

2. Supplementary Faculty. Contingent faculty and temporary instructors will be evaluated by the chair and/or personnel committee in accordance with their hiring agreements.