Article 4: Committees - Faculty Governance

§ 4-1. Organizational Principles

(a) Standing committees of the faculty are organized as nearly as practicable in accordance with the following principles:

1) unless otherwise specified in this Article, a committee consists of no more than seven members;

2) unless otherwise specified in this Article, members serve for staggered terms of three years;

3) no person may serve more than two consecutive terms on one elective committee, except when the first term fills an interim vacancy pursuant to § 4-3(d) for less than two years, in which case a third consecutive term is allowed;

4) elective committees select their own chairs, and appointing officers designate the chairs of committees they appoint;

5) necessary aid and assistance is provided to expedite the work of the committees of the faculty;

6) service on all standing committees begins on July 1 following election or appointment and ends on June 30 of the appropriate year;

7) standing committees report to the Faculty Council on their activities at least once each academic year unless the chair of the faculty authorizes the postponement of a committee’s annual report.

(b) When University-wide committees with faculty representation, other than those established under this Article, are created, the officer appointing the committee informs the secretary of the faculty of the committee’s charge, membership, and duration. When a committee is created by faculty action, its functions are specifically stated in the motion or resolution. When a committee is created by administrative action, its functions are specifically stated in a written communication to the faculty.

(c) Before any new special or standing committee is created, consideration is given to the question whether one of the existing committees could effectively undertake the assignment.

(d) It is the duty of all members to attend committee meetings, save for good cause. If any elected or appointed member is absent for two successive meetings without cause, the secretary of the faculty, upon referral by the committee’s chair and acting with the advice and consent of the Faculty Executive Committee, may declare the seat vacant. In the case of elected committees, the vacancy is filled as provided in § 4-3(d). In the case of appointed committees, the secretary notifies the appointing officer.

§ 4-2. The Nominating Committee

(a) The Nominating Committee consists of the chair of each of the standing committees established by this Article, or the chair’s designee, and four members of the voting faculty appointed by the chair of the faculty. Service is for one year. The chair and secretary of the faculty serve as ex officio, non-voting members. The secretary of the faculty acts as convenor of the committee and serves as its secretary.

(b) Except as otherwise provided, the committee nominates members of the voting faculty for all positions established by or pursuant to this Article that are to be filled by election. It also makes recommendations for positions that are to be filled by appointment.

§ 4-3. Procedure for Electing Standing Committees

(a) Each spring the secretary of the faculty establishes a schedule for conducting elections for the elective standing committees. At least 60 days before the date set for distribution of ballots, the secretary of the faculty announces the opening of the nomination period to all members of the voting faculty. The announcement invites voting faculty members to express interest in being nominated and to recommend other members of the voting faculty to be nominated. Recommendations must be in writing, and no person may be recommended without his or her consent. In addition, the Nominating Committee identifies and recruits faculty members who are willing to stand for election. The Nominating Committee provides the secretary of the faculty with at least two nominees for each vacancy on each elective committee established by this Article.

(b) The secretary of the faculty distributes ballots to the voting faculty, receives completed ballots, and tabulates the votes.

(c) The secretary of the faculty declares the election of the nominees who receive the highest number of votes for each position. In the event of a tie, the secretary determines election by lot.

(d) Interim vacancies are filled by the secretary from the list of those voted on in the two most recent elections in the order of the highest number of votes received unless all such persons decline appointment or are ineligible, or there is an insufficient number, in which case the vacancy is filled by appointment of the chair of the faculty for the remainder of the unexpired term.

§ 4-4. Procedure for Selecting Appointed Committees

The Nominating Committee acts in an advisory capacity to the chancellor, the chair of the faculty, and other appointing officers, as those appointing officers deem appropriate, in the appointment of standing and special committees.

§ 4-5. Advisory Committee

(a) The Advisory Committee consists of nine elected members, the chair of the faculty, the secretary of the faculty, and the chair of the Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure. Beginning July 1, 2025, the immediate past-chair of the faculty serves a one-year term as a non-voting ex officio member.

(b) The committee is advisory to the chancellor in any matter deemed important by the chancellor or the committee, and particularly with respect to:

trustee policies and procedures;
academic policies and programs;
appointment of vice chancellors, deans, and other senior
administrators;
recommendations for corrective action pursuant to a report of the Faculty Hearing Committee or Faculty Grievance Committee; and
appointment and renewal of appointment of the faculty marshal and appointment and review of the faculty athletics representative. [Added April 24, 2004, to reflect adoption of §§ 3-3 and 3-4; Amended November 6, 2009.]

(d) No faculty member may serve simultaneously as an elected member of the Advisory Committee and the Faculty Executive Committee; the Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure; the Faculty Hearings Committee; or the Faculty Grievance Committee.

(e) The secretary of the faculty serves as secretary of the committee.

(f) The committee holds regular meetings once each month, at such time and place as fixed by the committee and the chancellor. The presiding officer is the chancellor, or, in the chancellor’s absence, the chair of the Advisory Committee. Special meetings may be called by the chancellor or the chair of the Advisory Committee. Notice of a special meeting called by the chair is given to the chancellor. Whoever calls the special meeting presides.

[Amended December 9, 2022]

§ 4-5.1. Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure

(a) The Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure is composed of twelve members of the faculty holding permanent tenure at the rank of professor. Four members hold primary appointments within the College of Arts and Sciences, four hold primary appointments in the School of Medicine, and four hold primary appointments within professional schools other than the School of Medicine. Members are elected by the voting faculty at large for three-year terms. Terms are staggered so that at least one term from each of the three constituencies expires each year. Elected members of the Advisory Committee, the Faculty Executive Committee, the Faculty Hearings Committee, and the Faculty Grievance Committee are not eligible to serve on the committee.

(b) The committee is advisory to the provost in any faculty personnel matter deemed important by the provost or the committee, and particularly with respect to:

appointments, reappointments, and promotions that have the effect of conferring permanent tenure;
promotions to a higher rank of persons holding permanent tenure at the rank of associate professor or assistant professor;
appointments to distinguished professorships that are not restricted by the terms of the endowment to a particular school or department.
Review of school and departmental statements of criteria for appointment, promotion, and tenure

§ 4-6. Educational Policy Committee

(a) The Educational Policy Committee is composed of nine members elected by the faculty for staggered three-year terms, one undergraduate student appointed by the chair of the faculty for a one-year term on recommendation of the president of the Student Body, and one graduate or professional student appointed by the chair of the faculty for a one-year term on recommendation of the president of the Graduate and Professional Student Federation. The university registrar is an ex officio non-voting member.

(b) The committee is concerned with those matters of educational policy and its implementation as to which the Faculty Council possesses legislative powers by delegation from the General Faculty under Article II of the Code. The committee’s function is advisory to the Faculty Council, and it exercises its advisory function by:

routinely taking on reference from the Faculty Council any matter lying within its range of concern that has been formally presented to the Council for study or for action, and on which the Council desires to have substantial committee study prior to undertaking formal consideration;
from time to time taking on reference from the Faculty Council any specific proposal that has come through the normal administrative channels for approval by the Council (such as adding or dropping academic programs) and on which the Council desires further review and advice prior to taking final action;
acting as a council of advice for the university registrar in administering faculty regulations concerning student records and transcripts, registration, class and examination schedules, grading systems, grade reports, academic deficiencies, probation, and readmission;
setting general policy on the kind of catalogs to be issued, their content, and their design; and
originating studies of particular matters lying within its range of concern by requesting authority from the Faculty Council to make such studies, conducting the studies if authorized, and reporting the results of the studies to the Council.

(c) In considering any matter referred to it and prior to its report to the Faculty Council, the committee provides reasonable opportunity for comment upon the matter by members of the faculty and of the student body.

§ 4-7. Faculty Athletics Committee

(a) The Faculty Athletics Committee consists of twelve members elected by the voting faculty. The faculty athletics representative, if not otherwise an elected member of the Faculty Athletics Committee, is an ex officio member of the committee. [Amended February 19, 2016.]

(b) The committee informs and represents the faculty and advises the chancellor on any aspect of athletics, including, but not limited to, the academic and broader university experience for varsity student athletes and the general conduct and operation of the University’s athletic program. [Amended February 19, 2016.]

§ 4-8. Faculty Grievance Committee

(a) The Faculty Grievance Committee consists of twelve elected members, and is structured to represent faculty of all ranks. Three of the members are elected at the time they hold the rank of professor or librarian, three at the time they hold the rank of associate professor or associate librarian, three at the time they hold the rank of assistant professor or assistant librarian or general librarian, and three at the time they hold a fixed-term appointment. A member’s promotion in rank during a term of office does not terminate his or her membership. One professor or librarian, one associate professor or associate librarian, one assistant professor or assistant librarian or general librarian, and one person holding a fixed-term appointment are elected each year. [Amended February 19, 2016.]

(b) The committee is authorized to hear and advise with respect to the adjustment of grievances of all persons designated as members of the Faculty by the Trustee Policies and Regulations Governing Academic Tenure [PDF] and those librarians who are members of the General Faculty. The power of the committee is solely to hear representations by the persons directly involved in grievances, to facilitate voluntary adjustment by the parties, and to advise adjustment by the administration when appropriate. Advice for adjustment in favor of an aggrieved faculty member may be given to the chancellor only after the dean, department chair, or other administrative official most directly empowered to adjust it has been given similar advice and has not acted upon it within a reasonable time. [Amended February 11, 2005, to delete references to mediation.]

(c) As to members of the General Faculty, grievances within the committee’s jurisdiction include matters directly related to a faculty member’s employment status and institutional relationships within the University, except for those within the jurisdiction of the Faculty Hearings Committee or arising from the termination of an administrative appointment.

(d) As to graduate students or others who have teaching duties, grievances within the committee’s jurisdiction include only those which meet all four of the following conditions: (1) they arose in connection with the grievant’s teaching duties, (2) they raise a question of academic freedom, (3) the dean or chair with immediate responsibility for the grievant has no authority to fashion an appropriate remedy, and (4) there is no other appropriate grievance procedure.

(e) No grievance may be considered except on the basis of a prior written statement of its nature by the aggrieved faculty member nor until determination is made that an unsuccessful attempt has been made by the faculty member to resolve it with the administrative official most directly concerned.

(f) The committee may act as a whole or, by designation of the chair, in panels of two or more, for the consideration of particular grievances. It may promulgate rules of procedure for its operations. When promulgated, these rules constitute the exclusive formal procedures for the adjustment of faculty grievances herein described. No formal appeal procedure is provided.

§ 4-9. Faculty Hearings Committee

(a) The Faculty Hearings Committee is composed of nine faculty members elected by the voting faculty. Members must hold permanent tenure when elected.

(b) The committee performs functions assigned to it in the Trustee Policies and Regulations Governing Academic Tenure [PDF ]. For each hearing, the committee’s chair assigns members to a panel in conformance with the provisions of that document.

§ 4-10. Financial Exigency and Program Change Committee

(a) The Financial Exigency and Program Change Committee consists of twelve elected members, six from the Division of Academic Affairs and six from the Division of Health Affairs, each of whom must hold a tenured or probationary term appointment when elected. The chair may be re-elected by the committee to successive one-year terms as chair.

(b) The committee discharges the functions provided in § 6 of the Trustee Policies and Regulations Governing Academic Tenure [PDF], in accordance with the following procedures:

In considering the chancellor’s preliminary statement (Trustee Policies, § 6.c), the committee requests advice in the form of a written report from the chair and faculty of each department which in the judgment of the committee might be directly affected by the adoption of any option potentially involving terminations of faculty employment which is described in the chancellor’s statement. The committee may request advice on any matter deemed by the committee to be relevant to the problem presented by the chancellor’s statement, but in any event requires response directly to the following points:
1. in the case of financial exigency, whether other options than any affecting the particular department would better serve the interests of the University, and how, if any option directly affecting a particular department were to be implemented, a sound and balanced educational program might be maintained by the department without any, or a minimum of, terminations of faculty employment; and
2. in the case of program change, whether on balance it is justified, and how, if it is to be effected, this may be accomplished without any, or a minimum of, terminations of faculty employment.
In considering the chancellor’s proposal for specific action (Trustee Policies, § 6.f), the committee requests advice in the form of a written report from the faculty and chair of each department identified in the proposal as a unit to be directly affected by the proposed action. The committee may request advice on any matter deemed by the committee to be relevant to its consideration of the proposed action, but in any event requires advice as to the propriety and efficacy of the criteria proposed by the chancellor for determining individual faculty members for termination.
In requesting advice at either stage, the committee specifies a time for submission of written reports which allows not less than seven days between receipt of such reports and the time for submission of the committee’s report to the chancellor.
For the purposes of this section, the terms “termination,” “financial exigency,” and “program change” have the meanings given them by § 6.a of the Trustee Policies and Regulations Governing Academic Tenure; the word “department” is used to include departments, schools, and any other unit of the University which initiates appointments and other personnel actions affecting faculty members; and the word “chair” is used to include the chief administrative officer of each such unit.

§ 4-11. Honorary Degrees and Special Awards Committee

(a) The Honorary Degrees and Special Awards Committee consists of six members elected by the voting faculty. The secretary of the faculty is a member of the committee ex officio.

(b) The committee considers nominations from the faculty for (1) Honorary Degrees, awarded at Commencement each May; (2) Distinguished Alumnus and Alumna Awards, presented each University Day, 12 October; (3) the Thomas Jefferson Award; (4) the O. Max Gardner Award; and (5) other awards referred to the committee by the chancellor or the chair of the faculty. Nominees for Honorary Degrees and Distinguished Alumnus and Alumna Awards are recommended for approval to the Faculty Council and the Board of Trustees. The chancellor presents the nominee for the Gardner Award to the Board of Governors.

§ 4-12. Faculty Assembly Delegation

(a) The delegation of the General Faculty to the Faculty Assembly of The University of North Carolina is composed of four members elected by the voting faculty and the chair of the faculty or the chair’s designee. The chair of the faculty designates the chair of the delegation. The Committee on University Government may amend the provisions of this paragraph with respect to the number of members of the delegation when required by a change in the number of members of the Faculty Assembly apportioned to the University. Such amendments are reported promptly to the secretary of the faculty and by him or her to the General Faculty.

(b) The delegation represents the faculty of the University at the Faculty Assembly of The University of North Carolina and reports to the Faculty Council on matters of interest relating to the Faculty Assembly and actions taken by that body. [Entire § 4-12 recodified February 19, 2016.]

§ 4-13. Buildings and Grounds Committee

(a) The Building and Grounds Committee is appointed by the chancellor.

(b) The committee advises the chancellor on plans for the long-range physical development of the campus, the siting and exterior design of new and renovated buildings, major landscaping changes, the selection of architects, the location of monuments and memorials, and such other matters as the chancellor may refer to it.

§ 4-14. Committee on Fixed-Term Faculty

(a) The Committee on Fixed-Term Faculty consists of nine members of the voting faculty appointed by the chair of the faculty. Seven of the members are fixed-term, and two are tenured. [Amended April 12, 2019.]

(b) The committee addresses concerns and makes policy recommendations on matters specific to fixed-term faculty members, including, but not limited to, working conditions, status, and professional advancement.

§ 4-15. Faculty Welfare Committee

(a) The Faculty Welfare Committee is appointed by the chair of the faculty.

(b) The committee monitors and works toward the improvement of faculty working conditions, including salaries and benefits.

§ 4-16. Faculty Committee on Research

(a) The Faculty Committee on Research consists of nine members appointed by the chancellor.

(b) The committee advises the chancellor, other officers of administration, and the Faculty Council on matters of University policy and its implementation that have significant impact upon research.

§ 4-17. Scholarships, Awards, and Student Aid Committee

(a) The Scholarships, Awards, and Student Aid Committee is appointed by the chancellor.

(b) The committee establishes policy for scholarship and student aid funds, monitors the operations of the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid, and advises the chancellor on matters regarding scholarships and other forms of student aid.

§ 4-18. Committee on Community and Diversity

(a) The Committee on Community and Diversity consists of five faculty members and two students appointed by the chair of the faculty.

(b) The committee is responsible for fostering community and promoting pluralism in the University by encouraging social interaction, mutual acceptance, and respect among various groups on campus. The committee is especially attentive to matters generated by discrimination on the basis of age, race, gender, disability, religion, socioeconomic status, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.

§ 4-19. Faculty Committee on University Government

(a) The Faculty Committee on University Government consists of seven members appointed by the chancellor. The secretary of the faculty serves as an ex officio member.

(b) The committee is concerned with the continuing development, adaptation, and interpretation of The Faculty Code of University Government. Subject to the powers of the University’s Board of Governors and president, and of the Board of Trustees and the chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Code represents legislation enacted by the faculty regarding forms of internal organization and procedures at this institution which are deemed necessary for its fair and effective operation.

(c) The committee periodically reviews the existing Code and solicits suggestions for its improvement. Based on its review, the committee recommends appropriate amendments to the Code for consideration and vote of the General Faculty. As provided under Article I of the Code, the committee considers and reports on other proposals to amend the Code and also periodically makes appropriate adjustments of the elective representatives in the Faculty Council. The committee considers and reports on special questions of University governance which are referred to it by the chancellor or members of the faculty. The committee is especially concerned with maintaining internal forms and procedures of academic administration which reflect principles of democracy and equity, vision and adaptability, and quality and responsibility, toward achieving the intellectual aims of the University.

§ 4-20. Agenda Committee

The Agenda Committee consists of the chair of the faculty, the secretary of the faculty, and five elected members of the Faculty Council appointed by the chair of the faculty for renewable one-year terms. The committee develops the agenda for meetings of the Faculty Council and the General Faculty.

§ 4-21. [Reserved]

§ 4-22. Status of Women Committee

(a) The Status of Women Committee is appointed by the chair of the faculty.

(b) The committee addresses ongoing concerns of women faculty members, identifies obstacles to achievement and maintenance of equality in the representation and status of women on the faculty, and proposes steps for overcoming those obstacles.

§ 4-23. [Reserved]1

§ 4-24. Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Admissions

(a) The Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Admissions consists of the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences or the dean’s designee as chair, the associate dean for academic advising in the College of Arts and Sciences, two other academic deans from outside the College of Arts and Sciences, and seven faculty members engaged in undergraduate instruction, all appointed by the chancellor. At least five of these faculty members hold primary appointments in the College of Arts and Sciences. The university registrar, the director of undergraduate admissions, and the vice chancellor for student affairs are ex officio, non-voting members of the committee.

(b) The committee serves in an advisory capacity to the director of undergraduate admissions. In particular, it addresses the design and application of admissions policy, recommends guidelines for special talent and exceptional admissions, and monitors and responds to the national college admissions environment.

(c) The committee meets at least once each semester or more on call of the chair. The chair calls a meeting whenever requested by the director of undergraduate admissions.

§ 4-25. University Committee on Copyright

(a) The University Committee on Copyright is appointed by the chancellor. It consists of (i) faculty members, (ii) one or more graduate students, serving one-year renewable terms, and (iii) members from campus units, such as the campus libraries and the Office of Technology Commercialization, that are involved in intellectual property matters. The Director of the University of North Carolina Press, or the Director’s designee, is an ex officio member. Faculty members constitute a majority of the members of the committee.

(b) The committee represents to the chancellor and the University community the concerns of faculty and other users and creators of scholarly information. The committee’s functions include:

monitoring trends in such areas as institutional or consortial copyright use policies, changes in copyright ownership models, and guidelines for fair use of information in all formats;
identifying areas in which policy development is needed and recommending to the chancellor new or revised institutional policies and guidelines;
cooperating with the administration to propose and monitor the application of University policies and guidelines regarding ownership and use of copyrighted or licensed scholarly works; and
assisting in identifying educational needs of the faculty and others related to compliance with copyright policies and guidelines, and advising on appropriate ways to address those needs.

§ 4-26. Faculty Information Technology Advisory Committee

(a) The Faculty Information Technology Advisory Committee is appointed by the chair of the faculty. It consists of (i) faculty members, and (ii) one or more students serving one-year renewable terms. Faculty members constitute a majority of the members of the committee.

(b) The committee represents to the chancellor and the University community the concerns of faculty and others with regard to information technology. The committee’s functions include:

considering issues pertaining to the use of information technology in teaching and learning, research, and other professional activities in the University; and
advising University officers and offices of administration on faculty needs and interests relating to information technology.

NOTES

1. This section, concerning the Committee on Instructional Personnel, was repealed effective July 1, 2005, by Res. 2005-2, adopted February 11, 2005. The former text read as follows:

Committee on Instructional Personnel. (a) The Committee on Instructional Personnel consists of the deans of all the undergraduate, graduate, and professional colleges and schools (except those in the Division of Health Affairs) and the chairs of the divisions of the College of Arts and Sciences. The committee may add such consultants and delegate such authority to sub-committees as it deems necessary. The provost serves as chair of the committee.

(b) The committee reviews the recommendations of the chairs of the respective departments and of the deans of all the undergraduate, graduate, and professional colleges and schools (except those in the Division of Health Affairs) with respect to additions, promotions, and advancements in personnel and with respect to courses of instruction. It reviews, improves, and implements the educational and research program of the University. The arrangement of the University calendar comes within its purview, and such other matters as the chancellor from time to time refers to it.