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Faculty Hearing Committee
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The Faculty Hearing Committee is a standing committee of the University Faculty Council. The Chair is elected by the members of the committee and serves as an ex officio member of the Faculty Council. There are five members of the committee, chosen from tenured faculty by the Executive Committee of the Faculty Council in consultation with the Provost. Members serve two-year terms. The Faculty Hearing Committee shall conduct hearings, make findings of fact, and make recommendations to appropriate university officers when a faculty member's employment is or may be suspended or terminated for any reason specified in Paragraph 12C or Paragraph 15 of the Statement of Principles Governing Faculty Relationships . The methods of invoking jurisdiction of the Faculty Hearing Committee, the procedures to be employed by it, and additional regulation of its membership and responsibilities shall be established by resolution of the Faculty Council approved by the President of the University. Such resolution may be amended by subsequent resolution of the Faculty Council, approved by the President of the University. |
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The Committee had no activity to report. The Committee on Faculty Relationships (CFR ) has undertaken two major projects this year. First, in response to concerns expressed over the summer of 1997, the CFR revisited the provisions for creation of the Faculty Hearing Committee (FHC). During the academic year 1996-97, the Faculty Council unanimously approved our proposed Faculty Council resolution and amendments to the Statement of Principles Regarding Faculty Relationships necessary to create and charge the FHC. Implementation was delayed, however, because questions were raised about various procedural aspects of the proposal. The CFR reconsidered these procedural issues and redrafted the FHC proposal. That amendment has met with the approval of the Faculty Council and the Deans and Directors. It awaits approval by the University administration and Trustees. Assuming such approval, the FHC will replace the CFR. Thus, it seems likely that this is the last annual report to be filed by the CFR. Second, the CFR discussed the addition of a mediation component to the University dispute resolution mechanisms and addressed a variety of forms such a component could take. We proposed a Faculty Council resolution on the subject, which was discusses at the March 1998 Faculty Council meeting. We solicited comments and will engage in further discussion of the proposal at the April meeting. It is our hope that next year's FHC will complete work on the mediation proposal. We are pleased to report that the CFR was not required to hold any hearings pursuant to paragraph 13 of the Statement of Principles this year. Finally, the CFR expresses its thanks to Joseph Crooks for his guidance and to Harriet King for her immeasurable contributions to our efforts. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Lewis Top of Page |