1.1.5.1 Selection and Replacement of Committee Members
Committee members from the faculty are selected in the following ways: election by the faculty, appointment, substitution by the Nominating Committee, or election by a department. Staff positions on committees are filled by staff elections or appointments. Student members of committees are chosen by the student association (ASWWU). Appointments are made by the President or any Vice President as authorized by the handbook. In addition, members of the administration, faculty, staff, or student body may become members of committees by virtue of an office they hold.
All committee members chosen by the faculty are elected by ballot from slates submitted by the Nominating Committee. Provision is made for write-in names on the ballots (see 3.2.7 Nominating Committee). Committee members appointed by the Nominating Committee are referred to the faculty for approval.
The Nominating Committee, the President, and the faculty attempt to distribute committee loads evenly among the faculty. Faculty members who are full-time employees of the University with at least half-time faculty appointments are expected to carry their fair share of committee assignments but are encouraged to limit their involvement to five or six hours per week. However, faculty members should carefully consider how they can best use their talents in service to the University. When time spent in committee interferes seriously with quality teaching, research, or other activities in which faculty members can make a greater contribution, they should exercise their best judgment in keeping their committee responsibilities to a reasonable limit.
Except in cases of presidential appointees, when a faculty or staff vacancy occurs for more than one quarter, the chair of the committee notifies the Nominating Committee. If the Nominating Committee determines that the vacancy should be filled, it then appoints a replacement from among the members-elect. If there is no member-elect able to serve in this manner or if the Nominating Committee determines this procedure to be inadvisable because of a significant change in balance, the committee may recommend candidates to the Nominating Committee. The replacement then is made by election or appointment as determined by the Governance Handbook (see 3.2.7 Nominating Committee). If the vacancy is for one quarter or less, the substitution is made by the Nominating Committee following the same procedures except that it is not referred to the faculty for approval.
If a student vacancy arises, the chair of the committee informs ASWWU, which is responsible to see that a replacement is made.