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SCHOOL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY

Governance Document

Adopted by vote of the Budget Council: August 5, 2024

Expires August 5, 2027


Purpose

This document details the organization, operating procedures, and policies of the School of Human Ecology. All details below are intended to be consistent with University and College of Natural Sciences policies and procedures which take precedence. Additional relevant information can be found at the College of Natural Sciences Faculty Affairs website and in the Faculty Handbook and Chairs Handbooks, available online.


Overview

The School of Human Ecology (SoHE) is situated within the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. It includes two departments and two academic programs:

  • Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
  • Department of Nutritional Sciences
  • Public Health Program
  • Textiles and Apparel Program

The School also includes several specialized laboratories, institutes, projects, and programs.

The organization, operating procedures, and policies of the two departments are governed within those departments, as outlined in their respective governance documents. Governance of the School as explicated here is intended as supplemental to, rather than superseding, departmental governance, which have independent governance with respect to departmental internal leadership; committees; space; faculty recruitment, retention, and annual, mid-probationary, and promotion reviews; faculty merit reviews; and graduate programs and Graduate Studies Committees.

Executive Committee

  • Includes:
    • All tenure-track faculty, and
    • Eligible faculty in clinical-, instruction-, and practice-track appointments (i.e., those with appointments ≥50%, and with two or more academic years of service; see UT Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP), 2-1010, Sec. 3.A.1.b).
  • Voting procedures will be consistent with university guidelines (i.e. for promotion and tenure, voting eligibility is based on rank, see UT HOP, 2-1010, Sec. 3.A.). Affiliated faculty who have 0% appointments do not have voting privileges.
  • The Executive Committee will be chaired by the School Director as a non-voting member.
  • The role of the Executive Committee is to vote on recommendations to the Director, Dean, provost and president.

School leadership consists of:

School Director, Appointed by the Dean of the College of Natural Sciences

A School Leadership Team, appointed by the Director, which includes:

  • School Director
  • Chairs of Departments
  • Directors of Academic Programs
  • Other senior academic leadership (e.g., Chair, Committee on SoHE Undergraduate Education) Academic Coordinator, Advising
  • Senior SoHE Staff (e.g., Assistant Director for Business Affairs; Administrative Manager)

Ad hoc Committees (appointed by Director)

School Director Responsibilities

  • Develops and implements a strategic plan in consultation with the School Leadership Team and Executive Committee (i.e., the faculty). The plan articulates the mission, goals, and strategies of the school, as well as measures of progress and success.
  • Prepares and administers the School’s annual budget in alignment with School, College and University goals, and ensuring effective management of School resources.
  • Allocates School resources, including space and budget.
  • Calls regular School faculty meetings and attends College and University committee meetings as needed.
  • Responsibilities pertaining to Public Health and Textiles and Apparel Programs:
  • Coordinates faculty hiring with the Dean on behalf of the School and academic programs; Leads the process of recruiting, selecting, evaluating and retaining faculty members and staff.
  • Provides faculty salary and faculty teaching workload recommendations to the Dean with input from faculty.
  • Approves teaching assignments based on recommendations by the academic program directors.
  • Conducts faculty annual review, and provides guidance and structure for faculty (3rd year, promotion, and comprehensive periodic reviews) and staff career progression.

Committee on Undergraduate Education

  • The committee purpose is to facilitate communication and coordination between SoHE undergraduate programs on issues including, but not limited to: honors programs, advising, student groups, cross-listing of courses, and curriculum changes. The committee will consist of the Directors of TXA and PBH, the Associate Chairs of Undergraduate Education of HDF and NTR, and the head of advising, and will be chaired by an additional SoHE senior faculty member (instructional or tenured faculty at the rank of associate or full professor) appointed by the SoHE Director, who will serve as non-voting member. This committee reviews and approves proposals from the faculties of TXA and PBH, to be then recommended to the CNS Course and Curriculum Committee for college approval. Voting members of the committee include all members with the exception of the head of advising, who should be included in all proposal discussions and is asked to offer comments and suggestions regarding all proposals. Proposals can be voted on during meetings of the committee or through email communication. Committee members are required to respond/vote on proposals within 48 hours of having received the proposal. Proposals are approved by majority vote.

Committee on Graduate Education

  • Primary liaison for the School of Human Ecology, College, and Graduate School committees.
  • Facilitates communication and potential coordination across graduate programs, and plans School-wide graduate activities.
  • Identifies possibilities for school-wide graduate teaching synergy, cooperation, or joint listing of courses.

Merit Review Committee (Elected)

  • This policy applies to annual reviews for faculty appointed in the Academic Programs of the School (Textiles & Apparel, and Public Health); Department-based faculty reviews will be conducted within Departments, led by the Department Chairs.
  • The SoHE merit review committee is responsible for the annual review of all clinical-, instruction-, and practice-track faculty. Executive Committee members from the programs of Public Health and Textiles & Apparel will vote on merit review committee membership. The committee will be made up of 4 members, 2 from each Academic Program, with 3-year terms; only tenured faculty and faculty with ranks at or above associate level are eligible.
  • For the evaluation of tenured faculty and faculty with ranks at or above associate level in both academic programs, the School Director will appoint a merit review committee of tenured faculty from the School at ranks same as or higher than the faculty being reviewed, including faculty from the departments of Human Development & Family Sciences and Nutritional Sciences.

Meetings

  • Meetings of the Executive Committee will be called by the School Director. Additional School personnel (lecturers, staff, graduate or undergraduate student representatives) may be invited as well. All meetings allow for synchronous, remote engagement and voting by faculty who have been approved to work remotely.

Modification of Faculty Governance Committee Structure or Voting Policy

Modifications of these governance policies, consistent with UT HOP 2-1310, may be made:

  • After circulation to the Executive Committee at least one week in advance;
  • By in-person meeting and majority vote of the Executive Committee as defined in the existing Governance document; and
  • With review by the Dean and recommendation to the provost.

School Procedures and Policies

 Faculty Reviews

  • This policy applies to faculty mid-probationary / third-year reviews, promotions, and comprehensive periodic reviews (CPR). The policy applies to all faculty appointed in the Academic Programs of the School (Textiles & Apparel, and Public Health); Department-based faculty reviews will be conducted within Departments, led by the Department Chairs.
  • The School Director will designate an ad-hoc committee for each faculty to be reviewed, made up of Executive Committee members at ranks above the candidate being reviewed. The composition of ad-hoc committees will be determined based on university guidelines (UT HOP, 2-2150), and reviews will be conducted consistent with CNS guidelines (see CNS Faculty Affairs; Faculty Evaluations).
  • Eligible voting faculty for promotion reviews for professional-track faculty includes all SoHE tenured full professors plus all faculty of higher rank within a promotion candidate’s program, except Department Chairs, who are exempt.

Space Allocation and Assignment

  • For non-departmental space that is allocated by the Dean to the School, the Director will review space assignments and requests annually, and will make space allocation and assignment decisions in consultation with School leadership.

SCHOOL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY

GOVERNANCE DOCUMENT SUPPLEMENT

Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards Committee

One or more faculty members will be appointed to the following responsibilities:

  • Support communication and dissemination to encourage scholarship applications
  • Liaison with the College of Natural Sciences Scholarship committees
  • Confer with School faculty about nominations for student awards (e.g., the CNS Book Award, CNS Dean’s Scholars, Unrestricted Endowment Presidential Scholarship)
  • Work with identified award candidates to prepare relevant application materials
  • No labels

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