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Library Department Bylaws

Article I. Name and Purpose.
Section A. Name: Library Department
Section B. Purpose: These bylaws shall effect the governance of the library faculty and academic staff including, but not limited to:

1. Retention, promotion, review, and merit evaluation of library faculty and academic staff.

2. Recruitment and selection of library faculty and academic staff.

Article II. Membership.
Section A. All members of the department, with the rank of instructor or above, or with academic staff appointment, shall have equal voting privileges.
   
Article III. Meetings.
Section A. Meetings will be held at least once each month when school is in regular session. Special meetings may be called as needed, if requested by the chairperson or by at least 25 percent of the department membership.
Section B. In accordance with state statute, all votes shall be public except elections of department officers. To ensure full participation, a majority of members present at any meeting may request that a mail ballot, with signed ballots, be conducted. Such ballot shall be completed by the next regular department meeting. In addition, any department member may request a roll-call vote on any matter decided at the department meeting.
   
Article IV. Officers.
Section A. Election and tenure.
1. Chairperson (see Senate Bylaws, Article VII).
2. Secretary: The duties of the department secretary shall be rotated among the department members on a monthly basis, according to a schedule set at the first department meeting of the fall term.
Section B. Eligibility.
1. Chairperson: All members with the rank of assistant professor or above who have served for at least three full semesters at this University shall be eligible to be elected as department chairperson. (Senate Bylaws, Article VII. B.)
Section C. Vacancy.

1. Chairperson:

1.1 In those cases where a chairperson cannot complete the term to which he or she was elected, the department shall hold another election to complete the term or request the Chancellor to appoint a chairperson for the remainder of the term. (Senate Bylaws, Article VII. F.2.a.)

1.2 In those cases where a chairperson takes a leave, procedures outlined in Senate Bylaws Article VII. F.3. shall be followed.

Section D. Duties.

1. Chairperson:

1.1 Shall preside over department meetings.

1.2 Shall prepare the agenda for departmental meetings and announce their time and place for occurrence.

1.3 Shall exercise leadership in all matters concerning the governance and welfare of the department.

1.4 Shall appoint a deputy if absent to carry out his or her duties (as chairperson) except as stipulated otherwise in the Senate Bylaws, Article VII. F.3.

1.5 Shall serve as ex-officio member of standing governance committees, appoint conveners of initial meetings, and attend meetings at his or her discretion.

1.6 Shall conduct department committee elections.

1.7 In accordance with "Library Department Search & Screen Procedures," supervise the recruitment of new faculty and academic staff.

1.8 Shall conduct orientation for new faculty and academic staff.

1.9 Shall report results of evaluation and review of faculty and academic staff to the Library Director.

Section E. Removal.
1. Chairperson: Senate Bylaws, Article VII. F.1.
   
Article V. Committees.
1. Members shall be elected by mail ballot before the second department meeting of the fall semester each year.  The term of office shall be one year.

2. Each committee shall keep a record of its activities and make it available to the department.

3. Each committee shall give a report of its activities at each monthly department meeting and an annual written report by the committee chair to the Department chair due at the final Department meeting of the spring semester.

4. An alternate shall be elected to all committees except Tenure and Promotion, in addition to regular members. Alternates shall serve on a committee in the event of significant absence of a regular member, at the request of the remaining members of the committee.  Resumption of this regular member's duties shall take place upon the return of the member, except when the committee shall successfully petition the Library Department to postpone this resumption.  At the time that any regular member resumes full participation on a committee, the alternate member will relinquish active committee membership.

5. A department member, with designated administrative responsibilities ranking above that of a department chair, may participate in open committee meetings but will not have a vote in committee decisions in which he/she has post-decision review responsibilities. A department member with said administrative responsibilities will not be a party to closed meetings in which he/she has post-decision review responsibilities, unless invited by the committee to participate

Section A. Standing Committees.

1. Personnel.

1.1 Membership: Five members shall comprise this committee. (Other appropriate department members may be added to this committee for particular recruiting efforts.)

1.2 Duties:

1.2.1 Recruitment: Faculty and academic staff.

a. Shall determine, in consultation with the Library Director, the unclassified personnel needs of the department.

b. Shall conduct recruitment efforts in accordance with "Library Department Search and Screen Procedures".

1.2.2 Policies:

a. Shall decide on leaves of absences for faculty and academic staff.

b. Shall decide on summer school appointments and assignments.

c. Shall decide on matters of personnel relations in cases where the committee's ruling is requested.

d. Shall promote and encourage contributions of original research and publication, and participation in professional activities.

e. Shall review sabbatical requests and award Supplementary Travel Funds.

f. Appeals of decisions of the Personnel Committee may be made to the Library Department as a whole and should be made at the next department meeting.

2. Tenure and Promotion.

2.1 Membership: All tenured members of the department shall comprise this committee.

2.2 Duties:

2.2.1 Shall advise the Chancellor regarding the renewal of probationary faculty and the granting of tenure.

2.2.2 Shall provide advice and counsel to faculty members eligible for and seeking promotion. The chairperson of the committee shall appoint a subcommittee of not more than three members to advise applicants for promotion. The entire department, except the applicant under consideration, shall vote on promotion applications.

2.2.3 Shall conduct appropriate interim reviews of probationary faculty.

2.2.4 A department member with designated administrative responsibilities ranking above that of a department chair, who does not have tenure, either in the Library Department or some other department within the University, must serve a negotiated probationary period, no shorter than one year, before tenure is granted.

2.3 Academic staff promotions: When an academic staff member applies for promotion, the department chairperson shall form an ad hoc committee including two members of the Tenure and Promotion Committee and an academic staff department member (if possible). This ad hoc committee shall advise the applicant for promotion and make a recommendation to the department about the promotion application.  The entire department, except the applicant under consideration, shall vote on the promotion

3. Evaluation.

3.1 Membership. Five members shall comprise this committee.

3.2 Duties:

3.3.1 Conduct evaluations and recommend merit raises for faculty and continuing academic staff in accordance with university regulations.

3.3.2 Conduct evaluations and interim reviews of academic staff and make recommendations to the department for re-hiring, in accordance with university regulations.

3.3.3 Conduct a five-year post-tenure review of each tenured faculty member, in accordance with university regulations.

Article VI. Quorum.
Section A. Two-thirds of the members shall comprise a quorum at departmental meetings during the academic year. Their decisions shall be binding on members.
Section B. The chairperson may declare a quorum of less than two-thirds of the members; however, all decisions made at chairperson-declared-quorums shall be reviewed by the department at its next meeting.
Section C. Two-thirds of the members employed during the summer session shall comprise a quorum at departmental meetings during the summer session.
   
Article VII. Amending Procedures.
Section A. Organization and procedures of the Bylaws:

1. Shall be amended by two-thirds vote of the membership.

2. Proposals shall be presented in writing to the members at least two weeks before enactment.

3. Amendments to proposals:

3.1 Shall be presented in writing to the chairperson.

3.2 Shall be ruled upon the day of their presentation.

3.3 Should amendments to proposals substantively modify the proposal, voting on the proposal shall be postponed for at least one week. The chairperson shall make the amended proposal the first order of business at the next departmental meeting.

Article VIII. Parliamentary Authority: Robert's Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority in all situations not provided for in these bylaws. A majority of the departmental membership shall be able to cut off debate and to call for the vote on the question.
   
Article IX. These bylaws shall become effective upon acceptance by a two-thirds vote of the membership of the department.
   
Article X. Emeritus status: The department may nominate any retiring department faculty member with a distinguished record of service for emeritus status. (See UWL Employee Handbook, Unclassified Policies and Procedures)
   
Article XI. Other committees (ad hoc or permanent) may be formed according to the wishes of the department. Such committees shall be constituted separately from those listed in the bylaws, and their membership and responsibilities shall be clearly defined.
 
Approved by the Library Department, March 1, 2002