Chapter I: Institutional Organization

1.100 THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Board of Trustees is the governing body of Guilford College. It is the responsibility of the Trustees to determine and periodically review the College's mission and purposes, to establish the general policies necessary to accomplish these goals, and to manage the business and affairs of the College. The responsibility for implementing these policies and for managing the College's business and affairs may be delegated to the Board's standing committees, or the President, and, through the President, to other members of the administration and faculty. The Board of Trustees has the authority to appoint and remove the President of the College and to approve institutional policies bearing on faculty appointment, promotion, tenure, and dismissal, as well as personnel or anti-discrimination policies for other categories of employees. The Board of Trustees determines and sets the President's annual salary. The salary is reviewed annually by the Board, and may be increased at the sole discretion of the Board or its designees. Each year, the President informs the Board of salary and fringe benefit increases for Vice Presidents and Deans.

The Board of Trustees delegates much of its work to twelve standing committees: Academic Affairs; Advancement; Audit; Buildings and Grounds; Enrollment and Financial Aid; Executive; Finance; Investment; Planning; Quaker Life; Student Affairs, and Trusteeship and Governance. The members of the standing and any ad hoc committees (with the exception of the executive committee) shall be members of the board and appointed by the chair of the board, with the concurrence of the board, at the annual or any regular meeting. In making appointments, the chair shall also designate the chair and vice-chair of each committee. The chair is expected to appoint committee officers and members so as to assure rotation, at reasonable intervals, of committee officers and committee members. The chair, with the concurrence of the board, may also designate non-trustee representatives to the committees, which representatives shall serve the committees in an advisory capacity only, and which representatives shall have no deliberation and decision making authority.

Only the Board of Trustees can adopt, amend, or repeal bylaws or the Charter, or review and approve proposed substantive changes in the College's degree programs and other major enterprises consistent with the College's mission, and financial resources.

The Board of Trustees uses the Quaker process of seeking the sense of the meeting in its business meetings.

1.200 ADMINISTRATION

Job descriptions of those positions that report to the President are included in this section. Complete job descriptions of all administrative and staff positions are on file in the Office of Human Resources. The development of administrative job descriptions, except for those defined by the bylaws, and any changes in them, is the responsibility of the President. (See Appendix A, The Organizational Chart.)

[Revisions approved by the President, Vice Presidents, and Deans November, 2002]

1.205 President

The President is the chief executive officer of the College. It is the responsibility of the President to supervise and direct the business and affairs of the College. The President is charged by the Board of Trustees with the general oversight of the instruction, discipline, and physical property of the College and is responsible for reporting to the Board on the general condition and progress of the College. The President plays a leadership role in institutional advancement and represents the College in state and national higher education organizations.

In performing the appointed functions, the President may delegate authority and responsibility to certain administrative officers, and to the faculty of the College who are responsible to the President, either directly or indirectly, for the performance of their assigned functions. The Director of the Friends Center and Coordinator of Campus Ministry, Director of Information Technology and Services (IT&S), Director of Institutional Research, Director of Human Resources and Payroll, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, Vice President for Finance and Administration, Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life, and Vice President for Advancement report to the President.

The President makes the final recommendation to the Board of Trustees on matters concerning appointment, promotion, tenure, and salary of faculty and senior administrators of the College.

The President serves ex-officio on all Board committees and is authorized to call meetings of the Executive Committee.

1.210 Director of Friends Center and Coordinator of Campus Ministry

The Director of Friends Center and Coordinator of Campus Ministry reports directly to the President and works with the Friends Center Steering Committee. The Director is responsible for educational and outreach programs that involve cooperation with local, state, national, and international Friends organizations. The Director oversees programs on and off campus, the Friends Center budget, and fund raising for operations and endowment. The Director also serves as Coordinator of Campus Ministry who facilitates campus religious organizations, provides assistance for emerging ones, and aids community members in the process of spiritual discernment. The Director of Friends Center serves as administrative liaison for the Quaker Life and Heritage Committee of the Board of Trustees.

1.215 Director of Information Technology and Services

The Director of Information Technology and Services (IT&S) reports to the President and supervises the purchasing, installation and maintenance of system-level academic and administrative hardware and software. The Director also supervises telephone services through the Telecommunications Manager. Additional duties include providing support programming for academic and administrative applications and developing the network for campus-wide computer access. The Director also has oversight for campus systems training for faculty, staff and students.

1.220 Director of Institutional Research and Assessment

The Director of Institutional Research reports to the Vice President and Academic Dean and is responsible for preparing reports related to enrollment projections, student retention, financial aid, faculty work loads, costs of instruction, budget models, equity of compensation, comparisons with peer institutions, and Advancement office performance. The Institutional Research Office also assists departments with the development and implementation of assessment plans. The Director is the College's contact person for a variety of off-campus agencies, such as the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS), the Higher Education Panel (HEP) of the American Council on Education (ACE), and the North Carolina Center for Independent Higher Education (NCCIHE) on matters concerning institutional research.

1.225 Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean

Reporting directly to the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean is the chief academic officer of the College. The Academic Dean is the primary educational officer of the College and has overall responsibility for the quality and operation of the academic program. Working with faculty committees and Academic Divisions, the Dean serves in a leadership capacity with respect to faculty personnel policies and their implementation, curriculum, academic budgets, teaching standards, faculty morale, student academic performance, faculty development, and all phases of campus life that bear directly on the academic program of the College. The Academic Dean interviews all candidates for faculty positions and works with academic departments in filling vacancies.

The following individuals report directly to the Academic Dean: the Associate Dean for Academic Advising and Retention, the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration, the Dean of the Center for Continuing Education and Director of the Summer School, the Director of Faculty Development, Director of Study Abroad Programs, the Registrar, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment, and the Academic Division Chairs. The Academic Dean serves as administrative liaison to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.

1.230 Associate Dean for Academic Advising and Retention

The Associate Dean for Academic Advising and Retention reports directly to the Vice President and Academic Dean and is responsible for student grade appeals and other academic petitions, for conducting administrative hearings for violations of the academic honor code, and for enforcing college policy on academic probation, suspension, and dismissal. The Associate Academic Dean conducts advising workshops for faculty, prepares and analyzes student evaluations of faculty advising, assigns advisers to transfer students, and annually updates the Faculty Adviser's Handbook.

The following individuals report directly to the Associate Dean: Director of the Learning Commons, International Student Adviser, Director of the Honors Program, and Director of the First Year Experience.

1.231 Assistant Dean for Academic Administration

Reporting directly to the Vice President and Academic Dean, the Assistant Dean for Academic Administration oversees academic support services by coordinating staff space allocations, staff position and budget requests, staff personnel issues and general performance. The Assistant Dean represents the Vice President and Academic Dean on the budget committee and other administrative committees, as needed, and acts as a liaison between the College's academic program and outside partnerships and linkages. In addition, the Assistant Dean may teach one class per academic year in an appropriate department. Those who report directly to the Assistant Dean include the directors of Hege Library, Study Abroad, Career & Community Learning, Multicultural Education, Interdisciplinary Leadership for Social Change, Initiative on Faith and Practice, Conflict Resolution Center, Correspondence Center Coordinator, and the Art Gallery Director and Curator. The Assistant Dean may also act as a liaison between the Academic Dean's office and initiatives with other institutions.

1.235 Dean for Continuing Education and Director of Summer School

The Dean for Continuing Educationand Director of Summer School reports to the Vice-President and Academic Dean and is responsible for all aspects of adult student programs. The Dean is responsible for all efforts to recruit adult students to attend Guilford College as either credit or non-credit students and for recruiting all students to the Guilford College Summer School. In addition to recruitment efforts the Dean is responsible for adult student program development and for improving adult student retention. The Dean for Continuing Educationand Director of Summer School approves evening class part-time instructors and summer school instructors, and also approves evening and summer school course offerings.

The following individuals report to the Dean for Continuing Educationand Director of Summer School: Associate and Assistant Directors of Continuing Education, Office Manager, Business & Industry Liaison Officer, Coordinator of Professional Development and Training Center.

1.240 Vice President for Finance and Administration

The Vice President for Finance and Administration reports to the President and is responsible for managing the financial assets and liabilities of the College. The Vice Presidentfor Finance and Administration has primary oversight of the financial operations of the College, supervises the Business Office staff, and assists in the carrying out of its work. He or she oversees the collection of monies owed to the College, the preparation and control of the budget, the disbursement of budgeted funds, the insurance program of the College, the insurance of directors and officers, the oversight of special trusts and normal funds, and, with the advice and consent of the Trustee Budget, Audit and Investment Committee, the investment of restricted and unrestricted funds.

The Vice President for Finance and Administration oversees auxiliary services, postal services, and the consolidated mailroom/print shop. He or she supervises the College purchasing function, the Office of Public Safety, and Facilities. The Vice President for Finance and Administration serves as the Assistant Treasurer of the Board of Trustees and is the administrative liaison for the Budget and Planning and Investment Committees of the Board of Trustees.

1.245 Associate Vice President of Operations and Facilities

The Associate Vice President of Operations and Facilities reports to the Vice Presidentfor Finance and Administration and is responsible for the overall supervision and coordination of maintenance, physical plant, landscaping and grounds, custodial services, Public Safety and Security, auxiliary services, and all facilities. The Associate Vice President of Operations and Facilities supervises the use of all facilities by summer conferences on campus. He or she maintains fiscal responsibility and controls expenditures in all areas of supervision, participates in the long-range planning for campus facilities, oversees new construction and renovation projects, maintains close working relationships with outside contractors, and works closely with the Vice Presidentfor Finance and Administrationto ensure the appropriate maintenance and renovation of campus facilities.

The Associate Vice President of Operations and Facilities serves as administrative liaison for the Building and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees.

1.250 Director of Human Resources

The Director of Human Resources reports to thePresident and is responsible for managing a program of human resource administration which includes personnel policies, recruitment and employment, job evaluation and salary administration, benefits management, payroll, personnel records, staff training and development, human resource research and studies, affirmative action in hiring and promotion, and monitoring of the College's compliance with applicable employment-related laws.

1.255 Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life

The Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life reports to the President and supervises the Dean for Campus Life, the Director of Athletics, the Traditional Office of Admission, and the College's financial services program through the Director of Student Financial Services.

Duties include identification and recruitment of qualified traditional applicants, interpretation of College programs and requirements to prospective students and their families, and the processing and monitoring of applications. Within policy guidelines determined by the Admission Committee, the Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life is responsible for the admission of candidates to the college. Special emphasis is given to recruitment of Quaker, minority, honors, and international students.

The Vice President of Enrollment and Campus Life supervises the admission staff and coordinates staff development, assists the Office of Communications and Marketing in the preparation of recruitment publications, conducts research on marketing and student profiles, and makes regular assessments of the effectiveness of College recruitment efforts. The total development of each student outside the classroom is a principal concern of the Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life, who is also responsible for the quality of campus and residential life, the general welfare of the student body, and for supervising programs and services designed to provide a campus and residential environment conducive to academic and personal growth.

The Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life serves as the administrative liaison to the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.

1.260 Dean for Campus Life

The Dean for Campus Life provides leadership for the residential life program, orients Student Campus staff, and leads the coordination of operations of other areas within Campus Life, including Student Activities/Events Planning, First Year Program, Student Health and Counseling, and Judicial Affairs. The central responsibility of the Dean for Campus Life is to direct collaborative efforts toward common goals, particularly as they relate to campus living conditions.

He or she leads the Campus Life staff in policy and program development and assists the Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life with long-range planning, including identification of useful research initiatives.

1.265 Director of Athletics

The Director of Athletics reports to the Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life, works with the Athletics Committee in matters of athletic policy, and is responsible for the intercollegiate athletic program, intramural program, and club sports. The Director of Athletics supervises all coaches and athletic staff, oversees the scheduling of athletic competitions, manages the athletic budget, coordinates the Quaker Club, and ensures that the program of intercollegiate athletics is consistent with the educational mission of the College.

1.270 Vice President for Advancement

The Vice President for Advancement reports directly to the President and has the responsibility for planning and implementing the overall advancement program to include all college fund-raising and friend-raising activities, alumni and family relations programs and college relations; planning, organizing, and directing comprehensive campaigns; participating in the collegial process of institutional planning and priority-setting; and developing productivity guidelines in meeting fund-raising objectives. The Vice President oversees a staff of advancement professionals.

The Vice President for Advancement serves as administrative liaison for the Nominating and Institutional Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees.

1.300 FACULTY

The faculty of the College consists of the President, the Chief Academic Officer, the officers of the administration who also hold faculty rank, the professional librarians, and the teaching faculty classified as follows: Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Instructor, Lecturer, as well as adjunct and visiting faculty.

The faculty shares responsibility with the administration and Board of Trustees for maintaining the academic standards and the general well-being of the College. The faculty establishes policies regarding curriculum, faculty personnel, degree requirements, methods of instruction, and educational issues related to campus life, subject to the authority of the President, and the Board of Trustees.

The faculty participates in the decision-making process through meetings of the faculty; the Academic Dean; departmental chairpersons; committees chaired by faculty; faculty representatives to the Board of Trustees (including representatives to Board of Trustees standing committees), the Budget Committee, Strategic and Long-Range Planning Committee, and other College committees. In the event that the administration or the Board of Trustees disagrees with a decision of the faculty on an academic matter, every opportunity will be afforded the faculty to communicate its views to the administration and the Board of Trustees.


1.305 Faculty Meetings

The faculty normally meets once each month during the academic year, ordinarily on the second Wednesday, the time to be determined by the Clerk's Committee. Special meetings may be called by the Clerk of the Faculty. The President, Academic Dean or any faculty member may request of the Clerk of the Faculty that a meeting be called. The Clerk presides at faculty meetings and, in consultation with the Clerk's Committee, is responsible for the agenda. Items for the agenda (e.g. committee reports and matters calling for a faculty decision) are to be communicated to the Clerk and placed on the agenda. The agenda is duplicated for distribution to the faculty at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the faculty meeting. This does not preclude the faculty meeting, as the final faculty authority, from choosing to make decisions about matters that emerge in the course of the meeting.

Faculty meetings are conducted according to Quaker business procedures. Meetings begin with silence in order to reach beneath individual preferences to a level of openness that will facilitate decision-making for the good of the whole and end in silence to affirm the unity of the whole. The gathering of a sense of the meeting normally involves two stages: a tentative exploration of the issue, raising questions of clarification and criticism, and a convergence toward decision, presenting considered judgments. As the tide builds, members add "I agree" or "I approve of that" in order to assist the Clerk in sensing how far the group has moved toward unity and to avoid repeating the same point just said by another.

In the process of reaching decisions, faculty members have the responsibility to share their concerns with their colleagues, to listen carefully to the views of others, and to be willing to lay aside personal or group interest in order to allow a harmonious sense of the meeting to emerge. It is crucial that objections be raised in a timely, respectful, and direct manner during the meeting. Decisions rest upon a general sense of the meeting. The sense of the meeting is not identical to unanimity, but implies a willingness of the group to go forward with the proposal. If a faculty member does not agree with the sense of the meeting, he or she may (1) "stand aside" and allow the decision to proceed while not actually endorsing the action or policy, (2) ask to be recorded as opposed but allow the group to go forward, or (3) choose to delay the group's decision when the issue is a matter of deep personal conscience. In the latter case, the Clerk will normally ask for further discussion or propose that a committee work with the dissenting member(s) to understand better the roots of the objection and continue discussion of the issue at another faculty meeting. The faculty may move forward despite an individual's objections if the Clerk senses that his or her concerns are not rooted in the best tradition of Friends' practice or do not spring from deep conscience. Once an issue is resolved, the decision is read back to the meeting and recorded in the minutes. For further clarification, see Howard Brinton's Guide to Quaker Practice and Michael Sheeran's Beyond Majority Rule: Voteless Decisions in the Religious Society of Friends.

1.310 Clerk of the Faculty

The Clerk of the Faculty, recommended by the Nominating Committee and approved biennially by the faculty meeting, is its presiding officer who, according to Quaker business procedure, clerks the faculty meeting and presides over Clerk's Committee. (See "Nominating Committee" 1.425). In these capacities, the Clerk functions as a spokesperson for the faculty to the administration and serves on the Budget Committee and Strategic and Long Range Planning Committee. The Clerk also sits with the Board of Trustees. (See "Board of Trustees Faculty Representatives" 1.408) Together with the faculty members serving on Budget, Strategic and Long Range Planning, and the Board of Trustees, the Clerk represents the concerns of the faculty in the governance of the College. The Clerk, working with his or her academic department and the Academic Dean, receives partial released time (one course per semester) from teaching responsibilities during the period of service.

1.315 Recording Clerk

The Recording Clerk, recommended by the Nominating Committee and selected biennially by the faculty meeting, keeps the minutes of the faculty meetings. (See "Nominating Committee" 1.425) These minutes constitute the official record of the actions taken by the faculty. Any subsequent confusion about faculty decisions that cannot be clarified by the minutes must be discussed and acted upon again by the faculty. The official minutes of the faculty are housed in the Friends Historical Collection of the library.

1.400 COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

[The entire committee structure description was updated January – September 2005, approved by the corporate faculty November 17, 2004]

The College Committee structure serves as an important vehicle through which issues are discussed and decisions affecting the College and its various constituencies are made. All committees use Quaker business procedure. (See "Faculty Meetings" Section 1.305.)

TYPES OF COMMITTEES: Standing committees, listed in the Faculty Handbook, meet regularly throughout the academic year; all faculty who serve on standing committees are nominated by the Nominating Committee and approved by the faculty meeting. (For the nomination process, see "Nominating Committee" 1.412.) There are two types of standing committees: (1) major policy committees, including Strategic and Long Range Planning, Faculty Affairs, Clerk's, and Educational Policy Committees, which consider broad, substantive policy issues related to either administrative or academic matters; and (2) associate committees deal with specific administrative or academic issues. For the specific functions of all standing committees, see below. Clerk's Committee in consultation with a committee is responsible for defining it as a major or associate committee.

Ad hoc or subcommittees may also be convened as needed. Faculty representatives on ad hoc search committees for senior administrators (defined as President, Vice President, and those reporting directly to the President) are appointed by the Nominating Committee. In cases where an administrator is conducting a search for an individual to fill a position other than those listed above, that administrator shall invite faculty representatives to serve on the committee. Non-search ad hoc committees work with the Clerk's Committee, as appropriate, to determine a written charge for the committee. The Clerk's Committee decides on an ending date for the ad hoc committee, to be determined by the nature of the work and the starting date, and requests a final report.

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS: Major administrative policy recommendations go to the President for approval; major policy recommendations for which the faculty has primary responsibility go through the Clerk's Committee to the faculty meeting for approval (with the exception of faculty personnel matters). All recommendations of the faculty meeting and the President will be accepted as binding upon the College unless determined otherwise by the Board of Trustees.

Recommendations regarding routine policy coming from College committees shall appear in the Beacon, published weekly during the academic year. Unless challenged within thirty (30) calendar days, excluding holidays and summer recess, by petition of one (1) or more faculty or staff members, the policies will be considered approved and binding upon the College.

However, if by petition to the Clerk's Committee, one or more faculty or staff members challenge a specific decision, the Clerk's Committee will decide whether the issue will be brought to the next meeting or first sent to the appropriate College committee or to a special ad hoc committee before being brought to the faculty. Such challenges shall include a written rationale.

CHANGES IN COMMITTEES: All standing committees of the College shall be approved by the President and the faculty meeting before they become official or before they are laid down. If there is a proposal to change the duties or composition of a committee, that change shall be also approved by the President and the Clerk's Committee. All such changes must be reported in the Beacon, giving the rationale for the change. (See Clerk's Committee 1.404.)

SELECTION OF COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES: Administrative representatives to committees are selected by the President. Student representatives serve one-year terms. Traditional students are selected by the Community Senate. CCE students are selected by the Student Government Association. If more than two students serve on a committee, the additional students are chosen alternately by Community Senate and CCE Student Government Association.

Faculty members serving on all standing committees are recommended by the Nominating Committee and then approved by the faculty meeting, except for the Nominating Committee whose members are recommended by the Clerk's Committee and approved by the faculty meeting. The normal term of service for faculty on committees is three years, with one third of the faculty membership rotating off the committee each year. A faculty member shall serve no more than two consecutive terms (or six years) on one committee. Full-time faculty are normally appointed to one committee per year. Continuing part-time faculty may serve on one committee per year but are not required to serve on any committees. Professional librarians may also be asked to serve on one committee. For specific regulations concerning faculty representation on individual committees, see individual committee descriptions. (For further details about the process of appointing faculty to standing committees, see "Nominating Committee" 1.412.)

If faculty on any committee believe that a faculty member of that committee has been negligent in his or her participation, they will first speak with the individual. If difficulties continue, they then inform the Clerk's Committee of their concern and provide supporting evidence. The Clerk's Committee will consider the merits of the case and meet with the faculty member involved if he or she so desires. If the Clerk's Committee decides that the complaint has merit, it will declare the position vacant and ask the Nominating Committee to recommend a replacement to the faculty meeting for approval. It is acknowledged that the Academic Dean sits on the Clerk's Committee and could take responsibility for the delivery of the message to the faculty member that she or he is being replaced. If the individual believes he or she has been treated unfairly, s(he) may take their concern to the Grievance Committee.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Committees which deal primarily with administrative issues are chaired by an administrator. Some committees address campus life issues and are chaired by students. Committees with responsibility for faculty and academic matters are chaired by a faculty member. The chairs of those committees headed by faculty are selected annually--either at the end of the year preceding their term as chair with new members present or early in the new year--by achieving a sense of the meeting.

All committee chairs are responsible for convening regular meetings of the committee, notifying the Senate President and SGA President of the time and place of meetings, preparing agendas, arranging for minutes to be taken, approved and properly filed (see below), encouraging all members of the committee to attend regularly and to participate fully in the discussions, completing annual reports and, with the exception of the FAC, reporting committee discussions and recommendations in the Beacon (see "Decision-making Process" above).

Committee Files: Files of the committees shall be preserved for posterity. At the end of each academic year, each outgoing chair of a standing committee will prepare two sets of minutes, numbered by meeting, essential documents, and reports for that year's activities. One set of materials, excepting confidential information regarding personnel considerations, will be submitted to the President's Office (administrative committees) or the Vice President and Academic Dean's Office (faculty committees); a second set will be added to a cumulative file for that committee located in the Friends Historical Collection in the library. The files in the library are available for perusal by all members of the College community.

The chairperson will also be required to file an annual report.

1.401 Admission Advisory Group

Members of the Admission Advisory Group make recommendations about admission in cases that seem to merit consideration but cannot be judged according to established guidelines.

After reviewing a student's application for admission, the appropriate admission office ( Early College, Center for Continuing Education (CCE), Traditional) may, at its discretion, solicit recommendations from members of the Admission Advisory Group.

MEMBERSHIP: Associate Academic Dean for Advising and Retention; Director of the First Year Experience; one representative from the Disabilities Services Committee selected by the Director of Disabilities Services; one representative from the traditional student admission staff selected by the Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life; the Early College Liaison; one representative from the CCE admission staff selected by the Dean for Continuing Education and Director of Summer School; one Early College student selected by the Early College Liaison from the Early College Student Court; one CCE student, selected by the Student Government Association; and one traditional student, selected by the Community Senate. A student member participates only in admission decisions that involve applications to the admission office, CCE, Early College, or Traditional, that the student member represents.

1.402 Benefits Committee

The Benefits Committee makes recommendations to the President and -- when necessary -- to the Budget Committee and to the Strategic and Long- Range Planning Committee. The committee has the responsibility for evaluating all policies related to employee benefits and recommending changes when appropriate. The committee is responsible for reviewing the cost of the benefit program and working with the Budget Committee to be sure that appropriate funds are allocated to support it.

MEMBERSHIP: Three faculty members, one of whom chairs the committee; Controller/Director of Budgets; one representative from the Facilities staff, one exempt administrative staff member (chosen by the Staff Association), one non-exempt administrative staff member (chosen by the Staff Association).

1.403 Budget Committee

Within parameters provided by the President and strategic plan, the Budget Committee is charged with formulating a clear, realistic and fair annual budget. The Vice President for Finance and Administration issues budget requests to all College departments in the fall and the Committee reviews them and develops a budget in the fall and winter that will be recommended to the President and, if approved, to the Trustees. The committee is responsible for recommending to the President any changes in the current operating budget during the fiscal year. The committee is responsible for advising the President on multiple year budgets within projected available budgets and major revenue and expense drivers of the budget (e.g., student fees, endowment spending, institutionally funded financial aid, debt service, reserves).

MEMBERSHIP: Three faculty members, one of whom will serve as chair; Vice President for Finance and Administration, as vice-chair; Vice President and Academic Dean; Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life; Vice President for Advancement; Clerk of the Faculty; Clerk of the Staff Meeting or designee; Clerk of Academic/Administrative Staff Support Association or designee; and Treasurers of the Community Senate and CCE/SGA. The Controller/Director of Budgets, Director of Human Resources, and Director of Institutional Research, and others as appropriate, serve as staff to the Budget Committee as needed. Beginning the March prior to assuming the Clerkship in August, the Clerk-elect will serve as an ex-officio member of the Budget Committee in order to provide transition and continuity. The committee will report to the President. The Nominating Committee, in consultation with the President, shall name which of the faculty members of the Budget Committee shall be chair.

1.404 Clerk's Committee

The Clerk's Committee, functioning as the executive committee of the faculty, has the primary responsibility for recommending to the President the allocation of faculty by department, although the final decision is made by the President. Discussion of requests for allocation normally occurs in the spring semester. Guidelines for making departmental requests are available from the Clerk of the Faculty. (See also "Allocation of Faculty Positions" 2.110.)

In the fall semester, Clerk's Committee reviews faculty study leave proposals, and makes recommendations to the Academic Dean. (See also "Faculty Study Leaves" 5.240.)

The Clerk's Committee also supervises, coordinates, and reviews periodically the structure and functions of all committees chaired by faculty. The Clerk's Committee and the faculty meeting recommend to the President the addition and deletion of all College committees which deal with academic and faculty issues. It recommends to the President the number of faculty and student representatives on any new committee which deals with administrative matters. And it recommends to the President any change in the number of faculty and student representatives on any standing committee. (See "College Committee Structure" 1.400.)

The Clerk's Committee assigns to the appropriate committee or committees any academic or faculty issue not already allocated as a regular function of an existing committee when consideration of such an issue has been requested by faculty, administration or students. It adjudicates disagreements arising between two or more committees concerning responsibility for academic or faculty issues. The Clerk's Committee may appoint ad hoc faculty committees for special purposes. (For additional information on ad hoc committees, see "Types of Committees" 1.400.)

The Clerk's Committee has the executive function of assigning faculty to the Nominating Committee. (See "Nominating Committee" 1.412.) It confirms Faculty Development Associates who are appointed by the Faculty Development Committee. The Committee also names an alternate representative to the Board of Trustees if neither the appointed representative nor the Clerk of the Faculty is able to attend.

The Clerk's Committee considers all major changes in policy recommended by other committees prior to their submission to the faculty meeting. It assists the Clerk in planning the agenda for faculty meetings and in expediting the business of the faculty.

The Clerk's Committee works with the Faculty Affairs Committee and Curriculum subcommittee to seek faculty and academic excellence. In conjunction with the Curriculum subcommittee, the Clerk's Committee concerns itself with long-range academic planning. The Clerk's Committee deals with matters of faculty and matters of faculty/student morale. It provides liaison between the faculty and the administration on matters of concern to the faculty meeting. Although it serves the administration as a forum for discussion of such matters, it may neither act nor speak as the official representative of the faculty in this respect.

If a member of the Clerk's Committee or the Clerk is a member of a department under consideration for a faculty position allocation or has another conflict of interest, that person will withdraw from the discussion of all faculty position allocations. The person will neither attend meetings of the Clerk's Committee nor receive meeting minutes until the discussion is completed. If this withdrawal results in one of the five academic divisions (Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social Sciences, or Business and Policy [Accounting, Justice and Policy Studies, Business Management, Sport Studies programs]) not being represented, the Nominating Committee will name a faculty member from a department not under consideration in that division for a faculty position, preferably with previous experience on Clerk's Committee, to replace the excused member for the deliberations of all faculty position allocations. If the Academic Dean is a member of a department requesting a position allocation, he or she will participate in the discussion because he or she has responsibility for oversight over the whole College but may step aside during particular parts of the discussion bearing on his or her department. Student representatives from departments requesting position allocations may remain in the discussions but may choose to step aside during all or some of the discussion.

MEMBERSHIP: Clerk of the Faculty, who presides over the committee; five tenured faculty members representing the five academic divisions of the College; Academic Dean; Recording Clerk; one traditional student and one from CCE. Beginning the March prior to assuming the Clerkship in August, the Clerk-elect will serve as an ex-officio member of the Budget Committee, the Strategic and Long-Range Planning Committee, and Clerk's Committee in order to provide transition and continuity.

1.405 Community Life Committee

The Community Life Committee is a pool of faculty members who are responsible for performing certain tasks that occur sporadically throughout the academic year. Membership: Eight (8) faculty members, one (1) traditional student, and one (1) CCE student. One faculty member shall serve as chairperson.

These tasks consist of the following:

  • Serving as the faculty representatives on Student Academic Honor Code Violation proceedings (three faculty members and one alternate): These faculty members will serve on hearing panels convened by the Academic Dean in cases of alleged academic honor code violations as described in section 3.314 of the Faculty Handbook.

Three students will comprise the rest of this hearing panel, one of whom will act as chair. The Academic Dean will appoint and instruct the chair of this panel. For cases involving an Early College student, the student panel members will be selected by the Early College Principal from the members of the Early College Student Court. For cases involving a traditional student, the student panel members will be selected by the Community Senate Judicial Committee. For cases involving a Center for Continuing Education (CCE) student, the student panel members will be selected by the Student Government Association.

  • Serving as the Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees: (One faculty member, along with the Clerk of the Faculty). These representatives speak for the faculty during the deliberations of the Board and report to the faculty as appropriate. Should these two representatives be unable to attend a meeting, the Clerk's Committee will select an alternate.
  • Serving as the faculty representatives on student disciplinary proceedings (two faculty members and one alternate): The Judicial Board shall have original jurisdiction over all non-academic cases involving students where suspension or dismissal is recommended or possible, given the nature of the alleged violation(s) of regulations in the student handbook. Thus, the board hears all cases where the defendant comes to the hearing already on disciplinary probation.

The Judicial Board shall hear cases where guilt and responsibility are not freely admitted. In such cases the board has as its chief responsibility to establish the truth and assign appropriate sanction(s).

Other members include a traditional student chair; six additional traditional students; one traditional student alternate. The faculty members are chosen from among the faculty on the Community Life Committee by the chairperson of that committee.

Working with The Convocations and Celebrations Committee for convocations and graduation.

  • Working with the Director of Student Financial Services in the awarding of scholarships, grants, loans and work-study assistance. The Committee will also serve as liaison to the Director on policy changes in standards for financial aid, hear appeals and approve exceptions to general policies.

The Director of Student Financial Services also distributes notice of the Charles A. Dana, the Lawrence T. Hoyle, and the Alden Excellence Scholarships. The Committee receives applications supported by faculty, staff, student, and other recommendations, for these scholarships, and awards the scholarships to those students it judges most worthy of them. The Hoyle and Alden Scholarships may be withheld in any year in which no worthy candidate appears and the funds distributed in following years.

Working as a member of Sexual Assault Response Team.

  • Four faculty and four staff members serving on this team would serve in a duty rotation to receive calls and serve as advocates for students who have experienced sexual assault. Members of the team would be drawn from individuals who self-identify as interested and willing to serve. Advocates will be trained in crisis intervention and survivor support (and educated about the options available to survivors through the College judicial system and the local criminal justice system) and would serve on three-year terms with a possible one term extension. The advocates will carry the Sexual Assault Survivor Advocate cell phone or transfer the Sexual Assault Survivor Advocate cell phone number to their personal cell phones for immediate 24 hours response. Most often, advocates will speak to survivors on the phone, but advocates will sometimes find that students ask them to accompany them to the hospital, counseling, or legal services. Advocates will make a determination about what they feel comfortable doing for students and will have support from residence life staff, counseling staff, and other advocates on the team to handle difficult situations (advocates should never feel alone in their endeavors and will always have resources available). Advocates share the duty responsibility according to a schedule that fits their lives; i.e., a week at a time and then off for a few weeks so as to not burden any one advocate too much. If any faculty member believes, at any time, that any case may be a conflict of interest, they can provide the student with another advocate from the response team.

MEMBERSHIP: eight faculty members, one of whom chairs the committee; four staff members; Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life; Director of Student Financial Services; one representative from the CCE staff; and two traditional students.

1.406 Cultural Pluralism Committee

The Cultural Pluralism Committee advises the President, Vice President and Academic Dean and other governance units on matters related to cultural pluralism. Cultural pluralism is defined as a condition of community in which numerous distinct ethnic, religious or cultural groups interact constructively. The committee is guided by the ideal of Guilford College as a true community of seekers, based on the affirmation of academic freedom as essential to the pursuit of truth. In order to help build this community, the committee recognizes academic freedom as the foundation for a community of openness and inclusiveness, and it supports and promotes respect for all persons within a community whose diversity is characterized, but not limited, by race, ethnic origin, gender, socio-economic background, religion, age, sexual orientation, physical ability, students' preparation, country of citizenship, point of view and intellectual perspective. In addition, the committee supports and promotes an appreciation of the value of cultural and intellectual diversity, and it seeks to make the College a place where such diversity functions to enrich the pursuit of wisdom and integrity.

The Cultural Pluralism Committee takes a proactive role in the creation and maintenance of Guilford College as an institution committed to diversity, equity, and anti-racism. As such, the charge to the group is as follows:

  • To establish a working relationship with all constituents of the college in order to disseminate information and foster open communication and respect for all cultures, abilities, and sexual orientations;
  • To assess and interpret the needs of the campus community in terms of cultural pluralism;
  • To recommend programs and activities to the appropriate campus bodies in order to meet those needs and to set goals and targets for the achievement of those ends;
  • To confer with the President and Vice President and Academic Dean on policies and practices, including benchmarking efforts to determine campus-wide effectiveness of cultural pluralism initiatives and on general policies bearing on cultural pluralism for faculty, staff and students;
  • To insure the availability of and participation in diversity and anti-racism training for all campus constituencies; and
  • To serve as an advocacy group that will not attempt to resolve individual grievances, but will make recommendations based on observable patterns of systematic and systemic acts that create an environment hostile to cultural pluralism and anti-racism.

Membership: Two faculty members (one a member of the Anti-Racism Team and both having anti-racism training) serving three-year staggered terms; one administrator (to overlap with one consultant named below) selected by the President or Vice President and Academic Dean and appointed for staggered two-year terms; one non-exempt staff member (having anti-racism training); one traditional student (appointed by the Community Senate or by the Cultural Pluralism Committee) serving a one year term; one CCE student (appointed by the Cultural Pluralism Committee) serving a one year term; the following positions shall be consulted on an as needed basis: the College President, Director of Faculty Development , Director of Women's Studies, Alternative Learning Specialist, ADA Coordinator, Director of International Students Program, Director of Friends Center, Dean for Campus Life, Director of Public Safety, Director of Multicultural Education, Coordinator of Native American Program, Coordinator of Africana Program, Coordinator of GLBTQA Resources and student members as needed for affinity group representation. The membership of each group -- faculty, administration, staff and students -- should, to the extent possible, reflect the diversity of the community. The chairperson is selected annually by the membership of the committee.

  • 2 faculty members (1 being a member of Anti-Racism Team and both having anti-racism training)
  • 1 administrator (to overlap with one of the consultants named below) and
  • 1 non-exempt staff person (having anti-racism training)
  • 1 traditional student
  • 1 CCE student
  • The following shall serve as consultants when needed:
  • The College President
  • Director of Faculty Development
  • Director of Women's Studies
  • Alternative Learning Specialist
  • ADA Coordinator
  • Director of International Students Program
  • Director of Friends Center
  • Dean for Campus Life
  • Director of Public Safety
  • Director of Multicultural Education
  • Coordinator of Native American Program
  • Coordinator of Africana Program
  • Coordinator of GLBTQA Resources
  • Student members as needed for affinity group representation

1.407 Educational Policy Committee

The Educational Policy Committee as a whole studies the broad academic policies of the College. Recommendations for broad policy changes proceed from the Educational Policy Committee as a whole to the Clerk's Committee for discussion prior to their presentation to the faculty meeting for final approval.

The Educational Policy Committee is composed of two subcommittees.

1. One subcommittee (Curriculum Subcommittee), following policies set by the Educational Policy Committee as a whole, examines regulations pertaining to course credit, reviews proposals for additional majors and concentrations and forwards recommendations to Clerk's Committee for consideration by the faculty, approves all changes to requirements for existing majors and concentrations, and recommends changes or exceptions in these areas to the faculty. Whenever the catalog is revised, the catalog editor should confirm that all changes proposed by academic departments and interdisciplinary programs have been approved by the Curriculum Subcommittee.

2. Another subcommittee (Assessment Subcommittee) is responsible for curriculum assessment and provides general supervision of the instructional program of the College. Specifically, this subcommittee, under the direction of the Committee as a whole, regularly reviews the standards and requirements of the academic program to assure its consistency with the goals of the College. Based on these reviews, the Assessment Subcommittee makes recommendations concerning changes in the academic program to the Educational Policy Committee as a whole.

MEMBERSHIP: five faculty members representing the major academic divisions, and five at-large faculty members; including the Interdisciplinary Studies Division Chair or their representative. A tenured faculty member will chair the committee. The Academic Dean; Registrar; one representative from the CCE professional staff; one traditional student, and one student from CCE are also on the committee. Subcommittee representation: Each subcommittee will have broad faculty representation. The Curriculum Subcommittee will also include the Registrar, one representative from the CCE professional staff, one traditional student, and one student from CCE.

1.408 Education Studies Committee

The Education Studies Committee works with the Education Studies Department in developing for prospective teachers a curriculum which meets the liberal arts objectives of the College and the requirements for teacher certification. It fosters dialogue about the nature of education beyond the Education Studies Department. In addition, the committee helps develop collaborative projects with the public schools.

MEMBERSHIP: Two members of the Education Studies Department faculty, one representing primary and one secondary education; one faculty representative from each of the four certification areas (English, Foreign Languages, History/Social Sciences and Physical Education); two at-large faculty representatives; one traditional and one CCE student representative; and three public school teachers. The committee is chaired by a faculty member who is not a member of the Education Studies Department.

Ex-officio members include the Academic Dean, all other members of the Education Studies Department faculty, one representative from The Learning Commons, Director of Study Abroad Programs, and one professional librarian.

1.409 Educational Support Team

The Educational Support Team will provide faculty oversight and advice on key facilities and educational services issues. One or more members of this committee, as needed, will be appointed as a liaison for each of the following facilities or services:

  • Athletics
  • IT&S
  • Art Gallery
  • Library
  • Security & Safety
  • Facilities
  • Outsourced Services
  • Campus Life
  • Admissions
  • The Learning Commons

The liaison(s) will work closely with the director of the facility or service. Faculty members can bring problems with a particular facility or service to the liaison(s), who will convey the problem to the director of the facility. In most cases problems should be settled by the liaison(s) working in conjunction with the director of the service or facility in question.

The committee as a whole will study and approve broad policy changes relating to these facilities or services that will have significant implications for the academic program. The committee as a whole will also work to resolve major problems that the liaison(s) have not been able to resolve. Recommendations for major policy changes related to the academic program will proceed from the committee as a whole to the Clerk's Committee for discussion prior to their presentation to the faculty meeting for final approval.

Membership: 8 - 10 faculty members. The chairperson will be responsible for overseeing the division of labor within the committee and for convening the committee if a major problem arises or a policy change needs to be addressed by the committee as a whole.

1.410 Faculty Affairs Committee

The Faculty Affairs Committee (FAC) serves as a confidential advisory committee to the Vice President and Academic Dean and the President in the promotion, termination, reappointment and granting of tenure to members of the faculty, and in other issues related to faculty personnel. This committee develops and implements a system of faculty evaluation. (See "The Review Process" 2.300.)

The FAC also hears concerns about personnel matters from individual faculty members. This committee formulates and recommends, as necessary, policies for implementing its delegated responsibilities.

[The inserted paragraph approved by the Teachers, Officers and Curriculum Committees of the Guilford College Board of Trustees, January 28, 2000]

When 1) oneself, 2) a member's spouse or committed partner, or 3) a person in the same department as a member of FAC has been nominated for tenure or promotion, or is being evaluated for review, the faculty member will excuse herself or himself from the deliberations having to do with these persons' leaves, evaluations, tenure, or promotion, whichever is relevant. Prior to the discussions of the person to be evaluated, a replacement should be arranged. In all of the above cases, the FAC will ask the Nominating Committee to provide a replacement from the same division as the person stepping aside, preferably someone with previous experience on the FAC.

MEMBERSHIP: Five tenured faculty members representing the major academic divisions of the College, one of whom chairs the committee; and the Academic Dean.

1.411 Faculty Development Committee

The Faculty Development Committee establishes and promotes programs which encourage the intellectual and pedagogical development of the faculty, reviews applications for and makes decisions on Kenan faculty development grants, and determines the allocation of faculty development funds, although final authority for these allocations rests with the Academic Dean. The committee also assists newly appointed faculty in their orientation to Guilford life.

MEMBERSHIP: Director of Faculty Development and three members of the faculty, one of whom chairs the committee. Faculty Development Associates, appointed by the Faculty Development Committee and confirmed by the Clerk's Committee, normally meet with the Faculty Development Committee during their two-year terms as associates.

1.412 Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee recommends to the faculty meeting the faculty representatives for all standing committees, and faculty representative to the Board of Trustees. It nominates individuals to fill the positions of Clerk of the Faculty and Recording Clerk; these two positions are then approved by the faculty meeting.A week in advance of the January Faculty Meeting, Nominating Committee will announce the faculty nominee(s) to serve as the next Clerk of the Faculty. Nominating Committee at the January Faculty Meeting will also accept nominations for Clerk from the corporate faculty. In addition, nominations for Clerk will be accepted by Nominating Committee up to two weeks prior to the February Faculty Meeting to determine availability. If a ballot is necessary, it will be published a week before the February Faculty Meeting. If there are several candidates, Clerk will be approved by ballot. First and second choice will be indicated on the first ballot to make multiple balloting unnecessary. The Clerk of the Faculty for the next two-year term will be approved at the February Faculty Meeting.

Beginning the March prior to assuming the Clerkship in August, the Clerk-elect will serve as an ex-officio member of the Budget Committee, the Strategic and Long-Range Planning Committee, and Clerk's Committee in order to provide transition and continuity. Unless the Clerk-elect currently serves on the Faculty Affairs Committee, s/he may withdraw from current committee assignments for the months of March and April. During the academic year the committee also fills vacancies as they arise and names faculty representatives to ad hoc search committees for the President and those administrators reporting directly to the President. Advisory positions to student organizations do not count for any of the standing committee assignments. (See "Committee Service" 3.420.)

In making its recommendations, the Nominating Committee normally appoints full-time faculty to one standing committee. New faculty normally do not serve on committees the first year. Continuing part-time faculty, professional librarians, and faculty serving in an administrative capacity (department chairs; Associate Dean for Academic Advising and Retention; Assistant Dean for Academic Administration; chair of FYE faculty group; and Directors of Honors, Institutional Research, Intercultural Studies, Music, Study Abroad and Writing Programs) are named to serve on one standing committee. Full-time faculty, with the exception of the Clerk, normally serve on only one major policy committee at a time. The normal term of committee service is three years, and no faculty member shall serve more than two consecutive terms (six years) on a single standing committee.

Early in the spring semester, the Nominating Committee asks faculty for their preferred committee assignments and then submits a tentative list of nominees for the subsequent academic year to the entire faculty. It is customary for the Nominating Committee to review proposed faculty assignments with the Academic Dean, although the Dean has no veto power over committee recommendations. Once the tentative list of nominees has been circulated, there will be an opportunity to express individual concerns at an open meeting of the Nominating Committee. Following the open meeting, a revised list of nominees is prepared for faculty approval. Approval of the final list of nominees is through a sense of the meeting of the faculty meeting.

MEMBERSHIP: four faculty members; one of the tenured members chairs the committee. Candidates for the Nominating Committee are recommended to the faculty by the Clerk's Committee at the March or April faculty meeting; additional nominations may be made from the floor. In presenting candidates for the Nominating Committee, the Clerk's Committee should attempt to formulate a balanced slate based on considerations such as gender, length of service, and academic discipline. The number of candidates may be greater than the number of positions to be filled. When there are two candidates for any single position, the selection will be made by secret ballot.

1.413 Readmission Advisory Group

When asked by the Associate Academic Dean for Advising and Retention (AADAR), members of the Readmission Advisory Group advise the AADAR on readmission decisions for applicants who have been academically suspended or academically dismissed from Guilford.

After reviewing a student's application for readmission and receiving clearance from the Office for Campus Life, the Office of Student Financial Services, the appropriate admission office [Early College, Center for Continuing Education (CCE), Traditional] may, at its discretion, offer the student admission, deny the student admission, or refer the application to the AADAR for her/his recommendation.

However, if an applicant who is applying for readmission is otherwise admissible but had been academically suspended or academically dismissed from the College or has a pending academic honor code charge, the admission office must, after receiving clearance from each of the offices listed above, refer the person's application to the AADAR for her/his approval before the person may be offered readmission. The AADAR may either grant or deny such approval with or without soliciting advice from members of the Readmission Advisory Group. The AADAR and the Readmission Advisory Group may consider information provided by the Dean of Students, and any other appropriate college officials in making their determination. For an application following a medical withdrawal, the AADAR and the Readmission Advisory Group may also consult the Director of Student Health and/or the Director of Counseling Services.

MEMBERSHIP: Director of the First Year Experience; one representative from the Disabilities Services Committee selected by the Director of Disabilities Services; one representative from the traditional student admission staff selected by the Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life; the Early College Liaison; one representative from the CCE admission staff selected by the Dean for Continuing Education and Director of Summer School.

1.414 Strategic and Long Range Planning Committee

The Strategic and Long Range Planning Committee (SLRP) is charged with formulating as needed and reviewing annually a long-range strategic plan for the college which will be referred to the President and, if approved, to the Board of Trustees. This includes long-term educational goals, budgeting priorities, major new or improved facilities, and plans for capital funding improvement. The committee also assesses the external environment in which the College operates. SLRP recommends to the President 1) broad guidelines within which other committees of the College operate; 2) strategies for achieving institutional long-range goals; 3) guidelines for assessing whether the college is attaining its goals; and 4) plans for adjusting goals and strategies as internal and external circumstances demand. In addition, SLRP monitors the congruence of annual budgets with the strategic plan.

Educational goals should be the primary shaping and coordinating perspective by which the SLRP Committee involves the interactions of educational goals, faculty and administrative staffing, facilities planning, budgeting priorities, and fund raising priorities. The SLRP Committee is charged with the task of reviewing long-range plans and goals annually and with providing the institutional memory required to remain focused on the College's goals. It advises the President on the evaluation of institutional effectiveness.

 

MEMBERSHIP: President, who chairs the committee; Vice President and Academic Dean as vice-chair; Vice President for Finance and Administration; Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life; Vice President for Advancement; Clerk of the Faculty; Dean for Continuing Education and Director of Summer School; five faculty members representing the academic divisions; Clerk of the Staff Meeting or designee; Clerk of the Academic/Administrative Staff Support Association or designee; and two students, normally the Presidents of the Community Senate and the Student Government Association (SGA). SLRP can call on administrators and faculty as consultants as needed.