Global Studies in Arts and Humanities Program
9-1-12, amended 4-10-18, revised 10-4-20
This document outlines the rights, responsibilities, and procedures by which faculty and students participate in the academic governance of Global Studies in the Arts and Humanities. If specifications or omissions place these Bylaws in conflict, in any manner, with College or University policies, as promulgated in their Bylaws, the latter will take precedence.
1. Program Director(s)
1.1. The Program Director(s), who reports to the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, will be a tenured faculty member of MSU, selected in accordance with the Bylaws of the College of Arts and Letters and the University.
1.2. The Program Director(s) is the chief administrator, responsible for the overall operation and management of the GSAH Program. His/her function is to achieve the objectives stated in the mission statement.
1.3. A Co-Directorship may be established by the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters as deemed necessary for supporting and fulfilling of the mission of the GSAH program.
1.3.1. Functions and responsibilities of the Program Director(s) include but are not limited to the following:
1.3.1.1. Provide administrative support to the program.
1.3.1.2. Organize and oversee GSAH Program functions under the advice of the Director(s)’s Advisory Committee, the Curriculum and Outreach Committee, and any ad-hoc committees.
1.3.1.3. Lead long range planning for the GSAH Program and for the pursuit of resources to achieve Program goals.
1.3.1.4. Serve as administrative liaison between the GSAH Program and the colleges, departments, units, and other programs of Michigan State University.
1.3.1.5. Prepare annual budget requests and supervise budget expenditures according to MSU business policies and practices.
1.3.1.6. Contribute to the annual departmental review and promotion review of program faculty with an assignment or appointment in GSAH.
1.3.1.7. Build the GSAH program through recruitment of students, through the cultivation of an environment of intellectual exchange between the Core and Affiliated faculty, and through the development of co-curricular activities for the program participants.
1.3.1.8. Organize regular meetings of the Core GSAH faculty, at least once per semester.
1.3.1.9. Organize regular meetings of the Core and Affiliated GSAH faculty, at least once per year.
1.3.2. Election of a Program Director
1.3.2.1. The Internal Advisory Committee will oversee the election process and shares responsibility with the Dean in the selection of the Director.
1.3.2.2. Nominations or declarations of candidacy for director must be received in writing at least two weeks prior to the election.
1.3.2.3. At a program meeting, director candidates will be given a maximum personal presentation time of 20 minutes, followed by a maximum of 20 minutes for question and answer. Only one candidate at a time shall present and be available for question and answer; other candidates will refrain from being present and wait to be called in for their time with the program.
1.3.2.4. An electronic ballot will be sent to core faculty members by the program’s human resources administrator with a due date of no less than a week after the program meeting in which the candidates presented. The ballots will contain the candidate name or names and include the option to abstain.
1.3.2.5. The election will be determined by majority vote of the core faculty with votes to abstain not being used when calculating the majority.
1.3.2.6. If no one candidate attains a majority vote on the first ballot, a second ballot will be prepared with a due date no earlier than one week, and no later than three weeks, following the first election. The new ballot will contain the two candidates receiving the most votes on the first ballot. In the event of a tie for second place, a second ballot with the three top candidates will be held. The election will be determined by majority vote of the core faculty with votes to abstain not being used when calculating the majority. In the case of a tie on the second or later ballots, further rounds will be held until a candidate has a majority.
1.3.2.7. The outcome of the election will be reported to the program as soon as possible, followed by notification of the outcome to the Dean’s Office.
1.3.3. Review and Reappointment
1.3.3.1. Performance review and reappointment of the Program Director(s) will be conducted in accordance with the Bylaws of Michigan State University at intervals not to exceed five years. The Dean of the College of Arts and Letters will review the performance of the Program Director(s) to determine reappointment. The review will include consultation with the GSAH Program faculty. The Dean will define the proper procedures for the Director(s)’s review.
1.3.3.2. Annual reviews of the Program Director(s) by the Core Faculty in GSAH will be conducted in accordance with the Bylaws of Michigan State University and of the College of Arts and Letters.
2. Membership and Participation
The Global Studies in Arts and Humanities Program consists of Core Faculty, Affiliated Faculty, and Student Members.
2.1. Core Faculty
2.1.1. The members of GSAH Core Faculty will consist of:
2.1.1.1. MSU faculty with formal assignments or academic appointments in GSAH. These faculty members are, as a matter of course, program faculty, and their relations with GSAH are governed by Memos of Understanding with their home departments.
2.1.1.2. Other MSU faculty who maintain a research and/or teaching focus in the field of Global Studies in Arts and Humanities and participate in GSAH activities and have been inducted into the Core Faculty.
2.1.1.3. Librarians with continuing appointments in the MSU Libraries and other specialists with expertise in the field of Global Studies in Arts and Humanities who have been inducted into the Core Faculty.
2.1.2. Core Faculty members with instructional roles in the university are eligible to teach core courses in the GSAH program, designed in alignment with the objectives and parameters of those courses.
2.1.3. Core Faculty have the right to vote in the elections of the Standing Committee members, to participate in reviews of the Director(s), and to participate in the planning and running of the GSAH undergraduate degree program.
2.1.4. Core Faculty members are expected to serve regularly on committees for GSAH and to participate in the business and activities of the program.
2.2. Affiliated Faculty
2.2.1. The Affiliated Faculty consists of persons holding the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, librarian or specialist at MSU who have a professional interest in the objectives of GSAH. Affiliated Faculty members will receive GSAH mailings and notifications.
2.2.2. The Affiliated Faculty does not have voting rights on GSAH governance and administrative issues, but may participate by teaching approved affiliated courses and collaborating on co-curricular activities.
2.3. Core and Affiliated Faculty Application Process
2.3.1. In consultation with the Core Faculty, the Director(s) will solicit application letters from faculty and other eligible members of the MSU community to become Core or Affiliated Faculty of GSAH.
2.3.2. The Advisory Committee will review the applications and vote on the applicants’ eligibility for Core or Affiliated Faculty status, as defined by these Bylaws.
2.3.3. Applicants will be informed by email and by a formal letter of their relationship to the GSAH program.
2.3.4. Eligible applicants who are inducted as Affiliated Faculty may apply for Core Faculty status in subsequent years.
2.4. GSAH Students Members
2.4.1. Any MSU student in good standing who has declared a GSAH major or minor is a GSAH Student Member.
2.4.2. One representative may be elected by and from among the GSAH Student Members to serve on the GSAH Advisory Committee, and one on the Curriculum and Outreach Committee. Student representatives will be granted full voting rights in those committees, except on matters excluded by the University and College Bylaws.
2.4.3. Student representatives will be elected for a one-year term, and no student may serve more than two consecutive terms on a committee.
3. Committees and Procedures
3.1. Standing Committees Overview and Procedures
3.1.1. There will be two Standing Committees within the GSAH program: an Advisory Committee and a Curriculum and Outreach Committee.
3.1.2. Standing Committees serve an advisory role, deliberating upon program-related issues and actions and making recommendations to the Director(s) in support of GSAH program functions and objectives.
3.1.3. GSAH members with Core Faculty status will be eligible to serve on Standing Committees. The Director(s) is an ex-officio member of each committee.
3.1.4. Members of the Standing Committees will be elected by the Core Faculty from among their ranks at the end of each academic year by anonymous vote. A quorum of 50% is necessary for an election to take place.
3.1.5. Each Standing Committee of the GSAH program will meet as required, but not less than once per academic year, to attend to the business specifically relating to the committee’s role.
3.1.6. All Standing Committees will meet together at least once per semester to discuss the program’s development and trajectory and to deliberate upon and make recommendations concerning overlapping matters (e.g. curriculum development, budget issues, and events).
3.1.7. Minutes will be taken at each Standing Committee meeting, amended and approved by the specific committee, and submitted to the Director(s) for circulation to the Core faculty.
3.1.8. The members of each committee will select a Committee Chair, whose responsibilities will be to convene the meetings and run them in a fair and balanced manner.
3.2 Advisory Committee
3.2.1. The Advisory Committee will consist of three eligible Core Faculty members with a range of faculty statuses represented, and, if available, a student representative elected by the GSAH students.
3.2.2. Terms of the Advisory Committee will be staggered, so that in no year after the first will all members be newly elected.
3.2.2.1. In the first year, three new members will be elected, two for two-year terms and one for a one-year term; in subsequent years, all members of the Advisory Committee will be elected for two-year terms.
3.2.2.2. No members will be eligible to serve two consecutive terms on the Advisory Committee.
3.2.2.3. The Advisory Committee will deliberate upon and make recommendations concerning general program-related issues and questions, including but not limited to budget, faculty, program development, and tasks as specified in other sections of the Bylaws.
3..2.2.4. The Advisory Committee will determine when an ad hoc committee is needed and advise the Director(s) in the appointment of that committee.
3.3. Curriculum and Outreach Committee
3.3.1. The Curriculum and Outreach Committee will consist of three eligible Core Faculty members.
3.3.2. Members of the Curriculum and Outreach Committee will serve one-year terms; they will be eligible to serve no more than two consecutive terms.
3.3.3. The Curriculum and Outreach Committee will deliberate upon and make recommendations concerning curriculum development, course scheduling, and general course parameters.
3.3.4. When necessary committee members will review syllabi of Core Courses, and make recommendations for their alignment with the course and program objectives.
3.3.5. When necessary they will also review the suitability of potential Affiliated Courses to fulfill GSAH program objectives.
3.3.6. The Curriculum and Outreach Committee will assess program curriculum and consult with all Core Faculty members on significant curriculum issues.
3.3.7. They will deliberate upon and make recommendations concerning student engagement and activities, co-curricular matters, experiential learning, and student recruitment.
3.3.8. The Curriculum and Outreach Committee will recommend program events, such as guest speakers, film series, exhibitions, performances, and other cultural activities sponsored by the program.
3.3.9. The Curriculum and Outreach Committee will review and approve requests for program funding to support co-sponsored events.
3.4. Ad Hoc Committees
3.4.1. When the need arises, the Advisory Committee and Director(s) will create ad hoc committees. The formation of ad hoc committees shall be kept to a minimum. Whenever possible, a commission shall be referred to a standing committee.
4. Faculty Meetings
4.1. Core Faculty meetings will be held at least once per semester in the Academic Year.
4.2. The Director(s) will endeavor to schedule meetings when a majority of Core Faculty is available; the Director(s) will notify all appropriate faculty members of the time and place of the proposed meetings at least 72 hours prior to the meeting, except in the case of an emergency.
4.3. An agenda for each meeting will be circulated no less than 36 hours before each meeting, along with minutes from the previous meeting and all pertinent materials for discussion. The Director(s) will chair the Core Faculty meetings in a fair and balanced manner.
4.4. Actions requiring a vote may be taken if a quorum of 50% of the GSAH Core Faculty is in attendance. If less than 50% of the program faculty is in attendance, no quorum will be established and actions requiring a vote will be decided by mail or electronic ballot.
4.5. Minutes will be taken by one participant at each meeting, submitted to the Director(s) for preliminary approval, circulated by the Director(s) to the appropriate faculty and students before the next meeting for amendment and approval.
5. Bylaws
5.1 Initial Approval of Bylaws
5.1.1 The GSAH Program Bylaws will become effective upon approval by a majority vote of the Core Faculty and the approval of the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters.
5.2 Interpretation of Bylaws
5.2.1 The Director(s), with the GSAH Advisory Committee, will be the final authority with regard to the interpretation and implementation of these bylaws.
5.3 Amendments or Revisions of Bylaws
5.3.1 Amendments or revisions to the bylaws are a shared responsibility of the Director(s) and program faculty and require shared agreement. If shared agreement is not achieved, then final approval of the changes to the bylaws rests with the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters.
5.3.2 Program faculty may request in writing that the GSAH Advisory Committee initiate procedures to amend or annul any part of these Bylaws. The Advisory Committee will research and discuss the proposed amendment and will forward the request, together with its recommendation, to the Core Faculty at a regular or special meeting so that it can be considered further, and amended if necessary. Following passage of a motion for approval of the request, or its amended version, the amendment will be submitted to the voting faculty. Upon approval by a 2/3 majority of the voting faculty, the amendment becomes a part of the Bylaws, or the section whose annulment was desired, will become void. If, in any manner, these processes are in conflict with College or University policies, as promulgated in their Bylaws, the latter will take precedence.
5.4 Review of Bylaws
5.4.1 In accordance with the provisions of the University Bylaws for Academic Governance, the membership of the GSAH Program will review the Bylaws at regular intervals not to exceed five years. The Advisory Committee will have the responsibility of ensuring that these reviews are carried out and will have the delegated authority conferred by the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters and the Provost to establish the procedures for the review and amendment of these Bylaws.
Finalized, September 1, 2012
Amended (Section 1.3.2), April 10, 2018
Revised (section 3.) October 4, 2020