By-Laws of the

College and Graduate School

of Arts & Sciences at Boston University

Whereas the administration of Boston University and the faculty of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences recognize the integration of these two academic units, and

Whereas the faculty of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences organizes its internal governance as a common enterprise,

These By-laws are created to define the policies and regulations governing the common administration of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at Boston University.

I. NAME AND AUTHORITY

The College of Arts & Sciences and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences exist formally as distinct academic units within the University under previously approved constitutions and with the authority and responsibilities provided in the Charter, Statutes, and By-laws of Boston University.

The following abbreviations are used throughout this document:

  • “College” refers to the College of Arts & Sciences;
  • “Graduate School” refers to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences;
  • “Faculty” refers to faculty appointed in either the College or the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences; and
  • “Dean” refers to the Dean of Arts & Sciences, who is dean of both the College and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

II. MEMBERSHIP: VOTING AND NONVOTING

A. These By-laws incorporate by reference the University’s definition of “Faculty.” At the time of the 2017 revision to the By-laws, the Faculty of Boston University consists of:

1. Assistant, Associate, and Full Professors;
2. Those with professorial titles modified by “Research,” “Clinical,” and “of the Practice”;
3. Lecturers of all ranks; and
4. Instructors.

B. Voting members of the Arts & Sciences Faculty shall include all Assistant, Associate, and Full Professors and all Associate and Full Professors of the Practice holding appointments in the College. For the purposes of voting membership, an appointment in the College includes a full joint appointment with another college or school of the University.

C. Voting membership in the Arts & Sciences Faculty does not extend to Lecturers, Instructors, and faculty with professorial titles modified by “Research,” “Clinical,” “Visiting,” or “Emeritus.”

III. ORGANIZATION

A. The College and Graduate School shall be organized into the following types of academic units:

1. Academic Departments.
2. Schools.
3. Centers, Institutes, and Programs that offer interdepartmental academic programs leading to degrees.
4. Centers, Institutes, and Programs that support research and academic programs for faculty and students.
5. Divisions that offer graduate degrees.

B. There shall be further classification of the Departments into principal divisions (e.g., Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Mathematical and Computational Sciences).

C. The Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies has those authorities and responsibilities granted to it by the Provost.

IV. FACULTY MEETINGS

A. There shall be regular faculty meetings, at least twice each semester. The time and place of every faculty meeting shall be fixed by the Dean, who shall have the responsibility to set the agenda for each meeting. All members of the Faculty, including non-voting members, may attend faculty meetings; however, when a vote is called for, only voting members of the Faculty may vote.

B. There shall be a written agenda for each faculty meeting; it shall be distributed no later than seventy-two hours in advance to all voting members. The agenda will include items for discussion and automatic consent business. Pursuant to procedures established by the Dean, any voting faculty member may flag an item of automatic consent business for discussion and vote. All automatic consent items will be considered passed at the faculty meeting unless they are flagged for discussion and vote.

C. The Dean may call special faculty meetings whenever, in the Dean’s judgment, such meetings are necessary or useful. The Dean must convene special meetings on petition of at least fifty members of the Faculty, provided that no more than twenty-five of the petitioners belong to any one academic unit. Any special meetings must be called at least twenty-four hours in advance.

D. The size of the quorum at all faculty meetings shall be fifteen percent of the voting membership. The quorum shall be calculated annually by the Secretary of the Faculty prior to the first meeting of the academic year.

E. Except by unanimous consent, with quorum present, an item not on the written agenda may not be put to a binding vote at any meeting, but must be re-presented at the following meeting.

F. The Secretary of the Faculty, defined in Article VII, shall keep minutes of all faculty meetings, copies of which shall be posted for review by all faculty members. The Secretary of the Faculty shall be its parliamentarian, and in this capacity shall, on request, advise the presiding officer on questions of parliamentary rules. Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the governing parliamentary law.

V. THE DEAN OF ARTS & SCIENCES

A. The Dean shall be a voting member of the Faculty and the chief executive officer of the College and the Graduate School.

B. The Dean shall

1. preside at all faculty meetings or, when unable to preside, designate another officer or a faculty member to preside;
2. preside at meetings of the Council of Chairs and Directors or, when unable to preside, designate another officer or a faculty member to preside;
3. be responsible for administrative and committee organization to conduct the essential business and implement the mission of the College and Graduate School;
4. appoint the members of the Committee on Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure, as specified in Article X, and the Committee on Lecturer Promotion, as specified in Article XI;
5. appoint the members of all standing committees, as described in Article XII, or delegate the authority to do so, with the exception of the Committees on the Curriculum;
6. establish committee procedures such as quorum requirements;
7. following appropriate consultation, appoint associate and assistant deans to serve in the College and Graduate School and the chairs or directors of academic units when vacancies occur in these offices; and
8. appoint the chairs of all standing and ad hoc committees of the Faculty.

VI. ASSOCIATE DEANS OF ARTS & SCIENCES

A. In order to conduct the essential business and implement the mission of the College and Graduate School, the Dean will appoint such associate deans as are necessary in the Dean’s judgment. The Dean will delegate responsibility to associate deans to initiate and supervise academic programs, to encourage and support research and scholarship, and to carry out other relevant functions. Titles for associate deans will reflect administrative organization and as such may be adjusted at the Dean’s discretion without affecting the validity of these By-laws.

1. Functional areas in which the Dean may appoint an associate dean who is a member of the voting Faculty include but are not limited to:

a. Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policies;
b. Graduate Academic Programs and Policies;
c. Faculty affairs in the principal divisions (e.g., Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Mathematical and Computational Sciences);

2. Functional areas in which the Dean may appoint an associate dean regardless of membership in the voting Faculty include but are not limited to:

a. Finance and Administration;
b. Student Academic Life; and
c. Strategic Initiatives.

B. Associate deans shall report to the Dean.

VII. THE SECRETARY OF THE FACULTY

A. The Director of Faculty Actions shall serve ex officio as Secretary of the Faculty. If the Director of Faculty Actions is unable to attend a faculty meeting, the Dean will designate a Secretary pro tempore.

B. The Secretary shall

1. keep minutes of all faculty meetings and ensure that they are made available to faculty;
2. act as a parliamentarian at all faculty meetings;
3. keep a record of these By-laws and any amendments thereto; and
4. calculate the size of the voting membership of the Faculty annually prior to the first faculty meeting of the academic year.

VIII. THE COUNCIL OF CHAIRS AND DIRECTORS

A. The Council of Chairs and Directors shall consist of the chairs of academic departments, the directors or deans of academic programs, centers, institutes, divisions, and schools within the College, the associate and assistant deans, and the Dean, who shall preside at all meetings.

B. The Council of Chairs and Directors shall function as an advisory body to the Dean. The Dean may seek the advice of the Council of Chairs and Directors on budget issues, administrative policies and procedures, student recruitment, faculty recruitment and actions, academic standards and conduct, and other matters.

C. The Dean shall meet regularly with the Council of Chairs and Directors. Such meetings shall be called by the Dean.  The Dean may allow other members of the administration or other voting members of the Faculty to attend such meetings as appropriate.

IX. ACADEMIC POLICY COMMITTEE

A. The Academic Policy Committee shall oversee the academic policies of the College and Graduate School. This Committee shall have the authority to review all educational programs and policies at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels, to recommend changes in College and Graduate School programs and policies to the Faculty, and to take action on those matters for which the Faculty has delegated authority to the Committee. The Academic Policy Committee shall meet on a regular schedule. The Dean shall issue an annual charge to the Committee.

B. The Academic Policy Committee shall consist of nine faculty members, the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policies, the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, two undergraduate students, and two graduate students. The undergraduate student members shall be of junior or senior standing. Undergraduate student members shall be appointed by the appropriate dean (e.g., Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policies) for one-year terms, with applications solicited from all eligible undergraduates. Graduate student members shall be appointed by the Associate Dean of the Graduate School for one-year terms, with applications solicited from all eligible graduate students. The faculty members on the Committee shall be elected by the Faculty to three-year terms on nomination by a member of the Faculty via an open call for nominations. At any one time, each of the principal divisions shall be represented on the Committee by no fewer than two faculty members. The Dean may fill temporary vacancies on the committee by appointment.

C. The Dean shall appoint one elected faculty member of the Academic Policy Committee as Chair of the Committee for a one-year term, up to a limit of three consecutive terms. The Chair shall

1. convene meetings of the Committee;
2. set the agenda for such meetings;
3. preside at all such meetings;
4. report to the Faculty periodically on actions taken by the Committee; and
5. act as agent of the Committee in proposing motions to the Faculty.

D. The Academic Policy Committee shall review all proposed amendments to these By-laws and shall present such amendments with its recommendation to the Faculty.

X. COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENT, PROMOTION, AND TENURE

A. The Committee on Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure shall consist of no fewer than thirteen faculty members appointed by the Dean. All members shall be tenured.

B. Members of the Committee shall be appointed for one-year terms, up to a limit of three consecutive terms.

C. The Dean shall annually appoint one of the faculty members of the Committee to serve as its Chair.

D. The Committee shall review all proposals for the award of tenure to, and promotion in rank of, voting members of the Faculty. The Committee shall make written recommendations to the Dean for action to be taken in each case.

XI. COMMITTEE ON LECTURER PROMOTION

A. The Committee on Lecturer Promotion shall consist of no fewer than nine faculty members appointed by the Dean.

B. Members of the Committee shall be appointed for one-year terms, up to a limit of three consecutive terms.

C. The Dean shall annually appoint one of the faculty members of the Committee to serve as its Chair.

D. The Committee shall review all proposals for promotion in rank of full-time Lecturers. The Committee shall make written recommendations to the Dean for action to be taken in each case.

XII. STANDING COMMITTEES

A. The Dean shall create and appoint standing committees to implement policies and programs set forth by the Faculty and by the Academic Policy Committee and to review regularly such policies and programs. The number of faculty members to serve on each committee, their terms of appointment, and the specific charge of each committee shall be determined by the Dean. With the exception of members of the Committees on the Curriculum, who are appointed by their departments, the Dean shall appoint members of the committees (or delegate the authority to do so) for terms ranging from one to three years and will appoint one committee member as chair of each committee. The Standing Committees shall include the following committees.

B. Committees on the Curriculum:

1. The Committees on Curriculum shall represent broad disciplinary divisions within the College and shall consist of one faculty member from each appropriate department, one graduate student, and one undergraduate student of junior or senior standing. Faculty members shall be appointed by their departments and shall serve for staggered three-year terms. Undergraduate student members shall be appointed by the appropriate dean (e.g., Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policies) for one-year terms, with applications solicited from all eligible undergraduates. Graduate student members shall be appointed by the Associate Dean of the Graduate School for one-year terms, with applications solicited from all eligible graduate students. One faculty member of each Committee shall be appointed Chair of that Committee by the Dean for a one-year term.

2. The Committees

a. review and recommend to the Faculty, if appropriate, all new or revised undergraduate courses;
b. review and recommend to the Academic Policy Committee, if appropriate, all proposed new undergraduate programs; and
c. review and recommend to the Academic Policy Committee, if appropriate, all proposed changes in requirements for existing undergraduate programs.

C. Committee on Graduate Academic Affairs

1. The Committee shall consist of nine faculty members, representing the principal divisions, appointed by the Dean to staggered three-year terms, and three graduate students, appointed by the Associate Dean of the Graduate School to one-year terms. The Dean shall appoint one faculty committee member as Chair.

2. The Committee

a. approves changes to the academic policies of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences;
b. reviews and recommends to the Faculty, if appropriate, changes to the curriculum of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, including new or revised courses with the GRS prefix,
c. reviews and recommends to the Academic Policy Committee, if appropriate, new degree programs and changes to the requirements of existing degree programs;
d. advises the Dean and Associate Dean of the Graduate School on matters concerning admissions and financial aid policies that the deans refer to the committee; and
e. hears cases of alleged academic misconduct, as prescribed in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Academic and Professional Conduct Code.

D. Committee on Undergraduate Academic Conduct

1. The committee shall consist of faculty and staff members appointed by the Dean and advanced undergraduate students of not lower than junior-senior standing appointed by the Associate Dean for Student Academic Life.  Faculty and staff members will serve staggered three-year terms and students will be eligible to serve until graduation.  A quorum for proceedings is five members, including no fewer than three faculty, one student, and one staff member.  The Associate Dean for Student Academic Life chairs the Committee but shall cast his or her vote only in order to break a tie vote.

2. In accordance with the University’s Academic Conduct Code, the Committee shall consider evidence pertaining to academic misconduct of undergraduate students, including cases involving plagiarism, misrepresentation, gross deception, and other unethical practices, and recommend appropriate action to the Dean in each case brought before it.

XIII. AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS

A. Any proposal for amendments to these By-laws shall be reviewed, in consultation with the Dean, by the Academic Policy Committee, which shall then submit the amendments to the Faculty with its recommendation. Proposals for amendments to the By-laws shall be made in writing and shall be circulated to the Faculty at least 28 days prior to the faculty meeting at which the amendment is to be debated.

B. A two-thirds vote of the Faculty eligible to vote present at the meeting shall be required for approval of an amendment to these By-laws.

C. A call for a mail ballot or other appropriate form of balloting shall require a majority vote of those present at the meeting. A two-thirds vote of those voting in mail ballot (or other form of balloting) is required for approval of an amendment to these By-laws, provided not less than 15 percent of the voting Faculty submit a ballot. If this participation requirement is not met, the proposed amendments shall be placed on the automatic consent agenda for the next faculty meeting.

XIV. EFFECTIVE DATE

The Dean shall consider amendments to the By-laws to be in effect upon approval by the Faculty.

XV. STATUS OF PRIOR FACULTY LEGISLATION

All policies, rules, procedures, and actions on academic matters taken by the Faculty prior to the adoption of these By-laws shall remain in force unless specifically revoked or altered by the Faculty in accordance with the procedures set forth herein.

These By-laws were voted into effect by the CAS Faculty on April 19, 2017. The previous version of the By-laws can be found here.

A printable version of the CAS By-Laws is available here.