ARTICLE I - PREAMBLE
The Library Faculty of Winthrop University affirms its belief in the mission and goals of the University. We will strive to provide the necessary services to advance the goals and work of the faculty, students, and staff at Winthrop efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, we are committed to the highest professional and intellectual standards of library service in the pursuit and attainment of these goals.
We believe that our "supporting role" in the educational process is analogous to a foundation and its building, with the library supporting the educational mission and goals of the University. A community of learners depends upon a teaching library and librarians-- not only to acquire and access particular information, but to learn how to become competent to identify, locate, and evaluate information sources independently. We believe that the words of Samuel Johnson are still relevant after two hundred years, "Knowledge exists in two forms: One is what each individual knows to be true. The second is possessing the wherewithal to search, find and understand knowledge that one does not already enjoy." The Library Faculty strives to teach this second form of knowledge to Winthrop students so that they may become life-long learners.
To successfully carry out this mission the Library Faculty:
The following sections establish the structure and membership of the Library Faculty Assembly and define its functions. This governing instrument provides opportunities for growth and confers a responsibility, individually and collectively, which the Library Faculty acknowledges and accepts. ► top of page
ARTICLE II - NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Faculty Assembly of the Winthrop University Library. ► top of page
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Every member of the Faculty Conference assigned to the Winthrop University Library and the Dean of Library Services shall be a member of the Faculty Assembly. If the eligibility of a person for membership is questioned, the Faculty Assembly of the Winthrop University Library shall be the judge of the eligibility of that person for membership. ► top of page
ARTICLE IV - RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FACULTY ASSEMBLY
Section 1 The Faculty Assembly shall have jurisdiction over its internal affairs, consistent with the Faculty Conference Bylaws, and shall have the right to participate in and make recommendations regarding matters affecting its customary responsibilities in the operation of the Library, including advising the Dean in matters of policy and planning.
Section 2 The Faculty Assembly may create and instruct subordinate committees, standing and select, and shall periodically review their major decisions.
Section 3 The Faculty Assembly shall be the principal legislative body of the Winthrop University Library Faculty. All actions of the Faculty Assembly shall be subject to the consent of the Dean of Library Services. Any disapprovals shall be communicated to the Faculty Assembly, with reasons therefore, within thirty days. ► top of page
ARTICLE V - RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEAN OF LIBRARY SERVICES
Section 1 The Dean of Library Services ranks with the deans and other top administrative officers. The Dean of Library Services is a member of the Executive Staff and the Academic Leadership Council.
Section 2 The Dean of Library Services shall be responsible, in consultation with the library faculty and support staff, for formulating and implementing policy and for planning library development.
Section 3 The Dean of Library Services shall be responsible for selecting, training, organizing, and supervising the Library staff; for preparing the Library budget and supervising Library expenditures; for developing (in collaboration with the Faculty) and implementing the Library's collections; and for providing library services to students, faculty, and staff. ► top of page
ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS
Section 1 The Chair shall be the presiding officer of the Faculty Assembly. The Dean, Associate Dean, Head of Public Services, and Head of Technical Services shall be ineligible to serve as chair.
Section 2 The Vice Chair/Chair-Elect will serve one year as Vice Chair, followed by one year of service as Chair of the Faculty Assembly. The Vice Chair shall be the presiding officer when the Chair is absent or chooses not to preside. The Dean, Associate Dean, Head of Public Services, and Head of Technical Services shall be ineligible to serve as Vice Chair. ► top of page
ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS
Section 1 The Faculty Assembly shall prescribe for itself a suitable schedule of regular meetings. At least two meetings should be held each semester and one during the summer session. The Chair of the Faculty Assembly or the Dean of Library Services may call special meetings.
Section 2 The Chair is responsible for compiling and distributing the meeting agenda one week prior to the meeting. The Chair is responsible for presenting a schedule of the meeting dates.
Section 3 The Vice Chair shall be responsible for the taking of minutes. When presiding as Chair, the Vice Chair shall appoint a secretary for that meeting. If the Vice Chair is absent, the Chair shall appoint someone to take minutes of that meeting. These minutes shall include the major actions and decisions of the Assembly. ► top of page
ARTICLE VIII – LIBRARY PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
Section 1. Membership. The Library Faculty Assembly shall elect a committee of five (5) tenured faculty members, of whom a majority must be tenured Library faculty. The Library representative elected to serve on the Committee on Faculty Personnel shall also serve as a member of the Library Personnel Committee, and shall be counted as one (1) of its five (5) elected members. The term of service on the committee shall be two (2) years, and the terms shall be staggered. The committee shall annually elect its own Chair. The Library representative to the Committee on Faculty Personnel is ineligible to serve as Chair.
All tenured Library faculty, with the following exceptions, are eligible to serve on this committee. Exceptions are:
Only in the event that there is an insufficient number of tenured Library faculty members who are eligible to serve_ may the Library Faculty Assembly elect a sufficient number of tenured faculty from other academic units on campus to fill the requisite positions on the committee.
Section 2 Responsibilities. The Library Personnel Committee shall be responsible for recommendations to the Dean of Library Services concerning promotions in academic rank and the granting of tenure. The Committee’s recommendation regarding each candidate for promotion and tenure, either positive or negative, shall be forwarded in writing to the Dean of Library Services. If there is a dissenting opinion to the overall committee’s recommendation on any candidate for promotion or tenure, a separate report must also be submitted in writing to the Dean. Promotion and tenure decision guidelines follow the procedures as outlined in the Winthrop University Faculty Manual.
The Library Personnel Committee shall be responsible for recommendations regarding procedures and conditions of elections; the staggering of terms of office on appropriate committees, councils, task forces, etc.; and the nomination of at least two (2) qualified persons for each position subject to election by the Library Faculty Assembly, except as elsewhere provided. The Committee shall also be responsible for conducting elections.
The Library Personnel Committee shall be responsible for aligning the Library’s Criteria for Tenure and Promotion with those in the Winthrop University Faculty Roles Document, approved by the Faculty Conference in 2011.
(last revised & approved April 10, 2015)
ARTICLE IX - PRE-TENURE REVIEW COMMITTEE
Section 1 The Dean of Library Services shall appoint a committee of no fewer than four (4) faculty members. The composition of the committee shall be as follows:
A. One tenured library faculty member.
B. The library faculty representative to the Committee on Faculty Personnel.
C. One tenured faculty member from another academic unit. This member shall be chosen from a list of five recommendations submitted by the candidate.
D. One non-tenured library faculty member.
All tenured Library faculty, with the following exceptions, are eligible to serve on the committee.
Exceptions are
A. Dean of Library Services
B. The supervisor of a candidate for pre-tenure review.
Section 2 Time line for Pre-Tenure Review:
A. All faculty members qualifying for pre-tenure review will receive notification from the Dean of Library Services by September 1.
B. The candidate for pre-tenure review will submit all documentation by December 1.
C. This review shall be completed and the results shall be given to the faculty member by March 1.
D. Results of this review shall be discussed with the candidate in a conference with the department chair and the Dean of Library Services.
E. A signed acknowledgment of the conference shall be maintained by the dean.
F. Results of this review need not be included in the tenure portfolio unless the candidate chooses to include the results. ► top of page
ARTICLE X - OTHER COMMITTEES
Section 1 The Faculty Assembly may establish and regulate any committees it deems appropriate.
Section 2 Each committee of the Faculty Assembly, unless otherwise provided, shall select its own chair and secretary and shall report at least once each semester to the Faculty Assembly. Committee recommendations are subject to approval of the Faculty Assembly. All committee meetings shall be open to all members of the Assembly unless the committee specifically votes to meet in executive session. ► top of page
ARTICLE XI - ELECTIONS
Section 1 Elections for Vice Chair and for upcoming committee vacancies will be held at the last meeting of the Spring Semester each year. Early in the semester, the Nominating Committee will meet to draw up a slate of candidates for each position. This list will be circulated to the library faculty at least one week before the election.
Section 2 Other candidates may be added to the ballot by nomination of a Faculty Assembly member; however, nominators must secure the consent of each nominee prior to the meeting.
Section 3 All library faculty, except those on extended leave (annual, sick, or sabbatical), will have the opportunity to vote in Faculty Assembly elections. Library faculty who will be absent may request an absentee ballot from the chair of the Nominating Committee. Any library faculty who is not present at the elections, and who has not voted by absentee ballot, has two working days in which to cast their vote with the chair of the Nominating Committee.
Section 4 The Nominating Committee will count the ballots and inform the Dean of Library Services and the Faculty Assembly of the results of the elections. In case of a tie, the Nominating Committee will use some method of chance to determine who is elected.
Section 5 Terms of office for Chair, Vice Chair/Chair Elect, elected committee members, and appointed committee members shall run from July 1 to June 30.
Section 6 When vacancies occur, the Nominating Committee will be responsible for holding special elections to fill the unexpired terms of officers or elected committee members. ► top of page
ARTICLE XII - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the Faculty Assembly and all committees or other entities created under the authority of these bylaws, in all cases in which they are not inconsistent with the relevant bylaws or special rules of order. All continuing special rules of order shall be made available to all Faculty members of the Library. ► top of page
ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS
These bylaws can be amended at any regular meeting of the Faculty Assembly by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment has been placed on the agenda by vote of the Faculty Assembly of the Library at the previous meeting. ► top of page
ARTICLE XIV - APPROVAL AND REVIEW
Amendments to these bylaws shall become effective upon approval by the Faculty Assembly of the Library and upon review by the Rules Committee of the Faculty Conference of Winthrop University. ► top of page
ARTICLE XV - RATIFICATION
Section 1 These bylaws shall be operative beginning August 15, 1975.
Section 2 All programs, policies, and regulations previously operative in the area of responsibility of these bylaws are replaced by these bylaws.
Revised January 2001
Revised October 2002
Revised April 2015