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(Approved by the Faculty, May 6, 2021)
(Approved by the Board of Trustees, May 14, 2021)
(Amended by the Faculty, May 7, 2024)
The Faculty of Worcester Polytechnic Institute consists of all those individuals who hold tenured, tenure-track, or full time nontenure-track faculty appointments. Tenured and tenure-track faculty members are the President, the Provost, and those individuals holding full-time appointments with the following exact titles and ranks: Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Professor of Teaching, Associate Professor of Teaching, and Assistant Professor of Teaching. Full-time nontenure-track faculty members are those individuals holding full-time appointments with the following exact titles and ranks: Teaching Professor, Associate Teaching Professor, Assistant Teaching Professor, Senior Instructor, Instructor, Professor of Practice, Research Professor, Associate Research Professor, and Assistant Research Professor. Any faculty member who also holds the administrative title of President, Provost, Associate or Vice Provost, Dean, or Associate Dean is also a member of the Administration.
(Approved by the Faculty, May 6, 2021)
(Approved by the Board of Trustees, May 14, 2021)
The governance of the Faculty is carried out under the provisions of this Constitution, under the Bylaws adopted pursuant thereto, and consistent with the procedures and policies contained throughout this Faculty Handbook.
Governance of the Faculty, including voting at faculty meetings and membership on committees as described in this Faculty Handbook, is the responsibility given specifically to all full-time faculty members who are tenured, are on the tenure-track, or hold non-temporary secured nontenure-track teaching appointments that are made with provisions for a long-term institutional commitment from WPI.
Secured nontenure-track teaching appointments are those that establish conditions of employment (including for contract renewals) that guarantee that faculty members can act without reprisals in all that they do for the university and its governance. Such appointments are guaranteed by the provisions and protections described in Chapter Two: Academic Appointments, Section 1.b.i, Section 4.a, and Section 4.b of the Faculty Handbook, and approved by those faculty members responsible for the governance of the Faculty.
The Faculty accepts duties and responsibilities and derives its authority in accordance with the Bylaws of WPI under the direction of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees, in turn, delegates the areas of responsibility and authority to the Faculty through the President of WPI. In accordance with accepted practices at institutions of higher learning in the United States, areas of duty, responsibility, authority, and academic freedom are understood as follows.
The duties of the Faculty shall include, but not be limited to, the establishment of admission requirements, academic standards, curricula, courses of study, and the regulations pertaining thereto, as well as the certification of candidates for degrees and recommendation to the Board of Trustees for award of degrees.
The Faculty has a responsibility for initiating, considering, and making recommendations on questions of educational policy and problems arising therefrom. A question is one of educational policy to the extent that it bears upon conditions facilitating instruction, study, research, publication, and other scholarly or cultural activities of faculty members and students.
The Faculty, subject to approval of the Board of Trustees, defines the recognized titles of academic rank at WPI, and the criteria of eligibility thereto, and has such authority over the academic policies and programs as may be delegated to it by the President and the Board of Trustees.
(Amended by the Faculty, May 6, 2021)
(Approved by the Board of Trustees, May 14, 2021)
Academic freedom is essential to both teaching and research. Freedom in research is fundamental to the advancement of truth. Freedom in teaching is fundamental to the protection of the rights of the teacher and of the students.
A. Faculty members are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results, subject to the adequate performance of other academic duties; but research for pecuniary return should be in accordance with established WPI policy.
B. Faculty members are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects and evaluating their students, but they should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to their subjects.
C. College and university faculty members are citizens, members of learned professions, and officers of an educational institution. When they speak or write as citizens, they should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but their special position in the community imposes special obligations. As persons of learning and as educational officers, they should remember that the public may judge their profession and institution by their utterances. Hence, they should at all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should make every effort to indicate that they are not institutional spokespersons.
D. All members of the WPI Faculty, whether they are tenured, are on the tenure track during their probationary period, or hold secured or short-term nontenure-track appointments, have academic freedom as defined in this Constitution. As members of the WPI Faculty, they are guaranteed non-retaliation with respect to appointment decisions and other conditions of employment for exercising the full range of academic freedom in all their contributions to the University including participation in its governance. Their right to express their views without reprisal is secured by access to all procedures described in this Faculty Handbook.
(Approved by the WPI Faculty, January 28, 2021)
(Approved by the Board of Trustees, May 14, 2021)
WPI's mission requires a Faculty that conducts both research and teaching at the highest levels.
Consistent with this mission, the University is committed to maintaining an appropriate balance of faculty members who combine both research and teaching, and faculty members who primarily serve the educational mission as teachers and experts in pedagogy, course design, and course delivery.
These appropriate balances are and will be based on WPI's teaching and research mission, its priorities and aspirations, and its institutional resources and strategy.
The University is committed to maintaining a Faculty of sufficient size and balance to allow faculty members the time required to develop professionally and to carry out their responsibilities at the highest level. WPI meets this commitment by ensuring that the number of faculty members at WPI increase in their proper balance at a rate that is commensurate with the University's growth and strategic needs.
The University should periodically revisit these commitments and relevant quantitative goals (described in Chapter Two: Academic Appointments, Section 2) through campus-wide discussions that either affirm their soundness or develop an understanding and a consensus concerning changes in mission, priorities, resources, or strategy that would require them to change.
Early each fall, the Provost will provide a report to the Committee on Governance detailing the numbers of faculty in each category (described in Chapter Two: Academic Appointments, Section 1) across the institution and within each department, division, and school. In collaboration with the Provost, the Committee on Governance will disseminate a final report to the Faculty and present the results for open discussion at a faculty meeting during the same year.
The Faculty holds scheduled monthly meetings throughout the academic year. The Faculty also holds special meetings as the occasion may arise. Special meetings of the Faculty are called by the Secretary of the Faculty or upon petition of ten or more members of the Faculty.
The officers of the Faculty are the Secretary of the Faculty and the Chair of the Committee on Governance. The Secretary of the Faculty normally presides at faculty meetings; in the Secretary's absence, the Chair of the Committee on Governance serves in that capacity.
In those areas where the role of the Faculty is dominant, the Faculty by majority vote may recommend action to administrative officials. Such recommendations may include the solicitation of action by the President or the Board of Trustees.
Committees of the Faculty are established by Bylaws of the Faculty and are responsible to the Faculty. Standing Committees are charged with broad issues of continuing faculty concern, and, once created, maintain their existence until expressly abolished by the Faculty.
Ad hoc Committees may be established by the Faculty to serve specific purposes and to exist for a designated period of time. Upon completion of its charge or upon the termination of its specified term of existence, an ad hoc Committee is required to report to the Faculty, whereupon it ceases to exist unless its term of existence is extended for a designated time and purpose by action of the Faculty.
The introduction of new WPI policy or changes in existing policy which are the concern of the Faculty are studied by appropriate Committees for the formulation of recommendations for Faculty consideration and action.
In those areas where the role of the Faculty is advisory, the appropriate Committee may consult with and advise the appropriate members of the WPI community on matters related to the Committee's charge without prior notification to the Faculty. The Committee will, however, keep the Faculty advised of the general nature of such communications.
An amendment to this Constitution may be proposed by any voting member of the Faculty by submitting the proposed amendment in writing to the Secretary of the Faculty fourteen days prior to a regularly scheduled faculty meeting. Following discussion at this meeting, the amendment may be voted on at the next regularly scheduled faculty meeting. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of those voting is required for adoption.
An amendment will become effective upon endorsement by the Board of Trustees by whatever procedure or agency it chooses to employ.
The rules of order for all faculty meetings are Robert's Rules of Order (latest edition), except as amended by the Faculty, as described below. The primary standing rules for faculty meetings are enumerated as follows.
Participation in meetings of the Faculty is limited to members of the Faculty, student members of faculty committees, and members of the Administration. Attendance is open, except when the Faculty votes to go into executive session. Voting privileges are restricted to all full-time faculty members who are tenured, are on the tenure-track, or hold non-temporary secured nontenure-track teaching appointments that are made with provisions for a long-term institutional commitment from WPI (as described in Chapter Two: Academic Appointments, Section 1.b.i, Section 4.a, and Section 4.b of the Faculty Handbook) and to such other members of the WPI community as may be designated by a two-thirds majority vote of the entire Faculty. Twenty-five percent of the faculty membership constitutes a quorum.
The agenda for each scheduled monthly faculty meeting will include opportunities for business and reports from standing committees as regular items, as well as special reports when appropriate, and should be distributed to the Faculty at least one week in advance of the meeting.
All motions presented by the standing committees of the Faculty must appear in final form in the notice of the meeting distributed by the Secretary of the Faculty at least one week prior to the meeting. Motions specifically exempted from this requirement are approval of degree candidates and the waiving of degree requirements for individual students. (Adopted March 6, 1984.)
A. Motions that change either the University-wide undergraduate or graduate degree requirements must be distributed to the Faculty in final form a minimum of 14 days prior to their introduction for discussion at a faculty meeting.
B. Motions that represent major changes in academic policy or academic operations that are, or are intended to be, published in the current version of the undergraduate catalog, graduate catalog, or Faculty Handbook must be distributed to the Faculty in final form a minimum of 14 days prior to their introduction for discussion at a faculty meeting. In cases of dispute on whether an item represents a major change, the Secretary of the Faculty will decide.
(Approved by the Faculty, October 7, 2010)
A. At each faculty meeting, a consent agenda will be presented for onsideration by voting members in attendance and for their approval by general consent. The consent agenda will consist of the minutes of the previous meeting and any other items that the Secretary of the Faculty, in consultation with the appropriate Committee Chairs, believes will generate no substantive discussion at the faculty meeting. The items identified for inclusion on the consent agenda will be designated in the materials that are distributed one week before each faculty meeting.
B. At each faculty meeting, the consent agenda will be presented for approval before any other business is transacted. When it is presented, the Presiding Officer will ask if any faculty member wishes to extract any items from the consent agenda. Any faculty member who is present can extract an item by simply requesting to do so. The request will not need a second and no vote will be required to grant it. Any faculty member who intends to ask that an item be extracted from the consent agenda should make every attempt to inform the Secretary of the Faculty as far in advance as possible, although such advance notice is not strictly required. The extracted items will be placed on the regular agenda under the proper categories (normally the appropriate Committee Reports) for bringing such items to the Faculty. The items that remain on the consent agenda will then be put to a vote by general consent.
C. Items that require two-week's notice will not be included on the consent agenda. These are motions that change University-wide degree requirements or represent major changes in academic policy or academic operations that will be published in the undergraduate catalog, the graduate catalog, or the Faculty Handbook. To preserve the tradition of formally voting to approve the undergraduate and graduate student graduation lists, these lists will also not be placed on the consent agenda.
Any regularly scheduled faculty meeting shall adjourn within 90 minutes of its scheduled starting time.
These rules governing faculty meetings may be set aside for the duration of the meeting in special circumstances by a two-thirds vote of the Faculty present at any legally constituted faculty meeting.
The following rules govern the organization and operation of all standing and ad hoc Committees of the Faculty, with any exceptions noted elsewhere in this Faculty Handbook.
Beyond the establishment and fundamental responsibilities already described in Section Five of the WPI Faculty Constitution, the general duties of faculty committees are as follows.
Committees report regularly to the Faculty, informing, advising, or recommending actions according to their several charges.
The introduction of new WPI policy or changes in existing policy which are the concern of the Faculty are studied by appropriate Committees for the formulation of recommendations for Faculty consideration and action.
Committees are responsible for their own agendas, except that they will be responsive to such duties as may be delegated to them by the Faculty or requested by Members of the Administration. Items deserving of Faculty consideration may be brought to the attention of any Committee by any member of the WPI community.
Committees should review their roles, responsibilities, and membership described in Bylaw Three at least once every three years to either affirm that the charge and membership need no changes or to propose modifications based on evolving needs and circumstances. Committees that identify such modifications work with the Committee on Governance to bring proposed modifications approved by both committees to the Faculty for its consideration.
In addition to the oral and written reports of committees to the Faculty, standing committees submit written annual reports of their academic-year activities to the Secretary of the Faculty by no later than June 30 of the current year.
(Amended by the Faculty, May 7, 2024)
Committees of the Faculty, whether standing or ad hoc, may consist of members of the Faculty, members of the Administration, and WPI students. Faculty members of committees are elected by the Faculty or appointed by the President or Provost or a committee of the Faculty charged with this responsibility. In any case, the majority of faculty members on any committee must be elected by the Faculty. All full-time faculty members (including Department Heads) who are tenured, are on the tenure track, or hold non-temporary secured nontenure-track teaching appointments that are made with provisions for a long-term institutional commitment from WPI who are not members of the Administration are eligible to be elected. Faculty members who are also members of the Administration are ineligible to be elected. If the membership of a committee is to include members of the Administration, such members are either explicitly identified as ex officio or may be appointed when the appointed member is explicitly identified as a representative of the Administration or of an Administrative Division or Office, according to the appropriate procedure described in this Faculty Handbook. Student members of faculty committees are selected annually by the students, with the students determining the procedures.
The terms of Standing Committees begin on July 1.
Each Committee is responsible for its own organization, and annually elects a Chair and a Secretary from among the elected faculty members for the year beginning July 1. This election will normally take place before the end of D-term. Newly elected members participate in electing the new officers. Outgoing members do not participate in electing the new officers. Committee chairs may succeed themselves except where expressly forbidden in the Bylaws.
Ex officio, appointed, and student members have voting privileges on all faculty committees, although they do not serve as committee chairs.
WPI faculty members who accept election or appointment to a committee are expected and obligated to participate in the work of that committee. Committee members are expected to vote on committee business in accordance with their concepts of the best interests of WPI.
It is the responsibility of each committee Chair to give advance notice of committee meetings and to attempt to resolve scheduling conflicts. It is the responsibility of each committee Secretary to note attendance in preparing the minutes of a committee meeting and to forward them to the Faculty and to the office of the Faculty Governance Office on a regular basis. If a problem arises, the Committee on Governance will consult with the committee chair on how the matter will be resolved within the committee.
The Secretary of the Faculty may attend and participate in all meetings of standing and ad hoc Committees, excluding deliberations on specific individuals by the Committee on Tenure and Academic Freedom, Joint Tenure Committees, the Committee on Appointments and Promotions, and Joint Promotion Committees.
The President and the Provost are invited to attend and participate in all meetings of standing and ad hoc Committees, excluding deliberations of the Committee on Tenure and Academic Freedom, Joint Tenure Committees, the Committee on Appointments and Promotions, Joint Promotion Committees, and the Faculty Review Committee on specific individuals regarding tenure, promotion, or matters of academic freedom prior to a Committee recommendation. They will receive published minutes of all other committee meetings.
At their discretion, Committees may invite the participation of non-members whose interest and special knowledge may contribute to their activities.
Faculty committees should receive sufficient administrative and clerical support to permit them to carry out their functions in a satisfactory manner.
The rules of order for all committee formation and procedures may be set aside in special circumstances by a two-thirds vote of the Faculty present at any legally constituted faculty meeting.
The roles and responsibilities, membership, and election (and appointment) procedures of the Standing Committees (and Standing sub-Committees) of the Faculty are the following described in this section.
Roles and Responsibilities:
COG is responsible for the formulation of recommendations to the Faculty on changes and additions to the Faculty Rules and Bylaws, and to the faculty committee structure. On behalf of the Faculty, COG coordinates its efforts and those of all other faculty governance committees, as appropriate, in the formulation of recommendations to the Faculty on changes to all parts of the Faculty Handbook. COG is also responsible for the resolution of questions of jurisdiction of the faculty governance committees relative to each other.
COG is responsible for offering nominations and for conducting the election of faculty members to standing and ad hoc Committees (as described in Bylaw Four, Section II, except for the election of its own membership and that of the Committee on Tenure and Academic Freedom and the Committee on Appointments and Promotions. COG conducts the election by the Faculty for of the Secretary of the Faculty (as described in Bylaw Seven, Section II). COG has the jurisdiction to fill vacancies that may occur during the year in committees that come under its electoral jurisdiction according to Bylaw Four, Section VI.
COG conducts critical reviews of all proposals from the Administration to create, merge, realign or eliminate academic programs, academic departments, or major academic or research facilities, which may include referring it to other committees for consideration. Upon receipt of all relevant information, the COG will frame a recommendation to the Administration and present it to the Faculty for its approval. (See Bylaw Ten)
COG, in collaboration with the Provost, each year disseminates a final report (described in Section Three) detailing the numbers of Faculty in each category across the institution and within each department, division, and school to the Faculty and presents the results for open discussion at a faculty meeting each year.
COG also receives from members of the WPI community requests for consideration of matters that do not appear to lie within the jurisdiction of existing Faculty Governance and the responsibilities of the Student Government, the Campus Judicial System, or the Administration. The committee acts by attempting to resolve the issues itself, by referral to an appropriate person or group, or by creation of an ad hoc committee.
The Chair of COG serves as one of the faculty representatives to the Board of Trustees.
Membership:
COG consists of four elected tenured and tenure-track faculty members, two elected secured nontenure-track faculty members, one faculty member appointed annually by the President in collaboration with COG to balance committee representation, and, ex officio, the Provost and the Secretary of the Faculty. Membership on this Committee is limited to no more than two faculty members from any one academic department. The full term for elected members is three years. The committee will select its Chair from its elected tenured members. A member may not serve as Committee Chair in more than two successive years.
Election Procedures:
(Amended by the Faculty, February 17, 2022)
The election of COG members is conducted by the Secretary of the Faculty according to Bylaw Four, Section III.
Vacancies that occur during the academic year are filled for the unexpired term by the next highest vote getter in the previous COG election who is willing to serve.
Roles and Responsibilities:
CITP is a permanent subcommittee of COG that shall have purview over all Information Technology policies, procedures, and practices that affect WPI's academic and research missions. The committee works with representatives from the Information Technology Services (ITS) division and other departments, as needed, on all matters related to computing at WPI.
It will be the responsibility of the faculty members of the CITP to update the appropriate faculty committees, including COG, CAP, and CTAF, on any new or modified policies proposed in their work. The Committee may propose new technology-related policies for consideration by COG. With COG's approval, any such proposal will be forwarded to the Faculty for its consideration.
The members selected by COG, CAP, and CTAF serve as the three faculty members appointed to IT's Academic Computing Policy Committee and Working Group. The elected Chair of CITP also serves on the IT Governance Committee.
Membership and Appointment Procedures:
(Approved by the Faculty, December 18, 2015)
The five-person CITP includes three faculty members: one selected by COG; one selected by CAP; and one selected by CTAF. In addition, the sub-committee will include a member appointed by the Provost from the Division of Academic Affairs, and, ex officio, the Chief Information Officer. The members selected by COG, CAP, and CTAF serve staggered three-year terms. The Provost's appointment to CITP is made each year, with consideration given to the advantages of having members serve longer than one year. The sub-committee elects its Chair from among the three faculty members selected by COG, CAP, and CTAF. (Because CITP is not a standing committee of the Faculty, Bylaw Four, Section I prohibiting committee members from succeeding themselves do not apply.)
Although the faculty members appointed to CITP need not be members of the standing committees that select them, each individual should have a sound appreciation for the issues with which those committees and other standing committees deal on a regular basis. In addition, each should have the technical background required to provide constructive input when dealing with the issues that the CITP will likely confront.
Roles and Responsibilities:
(Amended by the Faculty, March 13, 2024)
CTAF is given the authority and responsibility for overseeing tenure recommendations to the Provost. The committee is in charge of the process by which tenure recommendations to the Provost are reached for each tenure-track probationary faculty member. In the case of Assistant Professors, each recommendation is either for tenure with promotion to Associate Professor or against tenure. In the case of Assistant Professors of Teaching, each recommendation is either for tenure with promotion to Associate Professor of Teaching or against tenure. In the cases of Associate Professors, Associate Professors of Teaching, Professors, and Professors of Teaching, each recommendation is for or against tenure with no consideration given to or recommendation made concerning promotion.
CTAF is also concerned with questions relating to academic freedom, and the committee is charged with the responsibility of reviewing problems involving the academic freedom of all faculty members - whether they are tenured, non-tenured, full-time, or part-time. In cases where faculty members allege that their academic freedom has been violated, the Committee on Tenure and Academic Freedom shall follow the process described in Chapter Five: Faculty Grievance Procedures, Section 1.
Membership:
CTAF consists of nine faculty members having tenure. There will not be more than one committee member from any one academic department. The term of office for this Committee is four years. No member may serve successive terms. Department Heads, Deans, and the Provost are not eligible to serve on CTAF.
The Chair of CTAF shall be the member who has served the longest among the members in their current terms. In the case of ties in length of current service, CTAF will select the Chair from among those tied. The Chair shall rule on all matters of procedure and shall be responsible for interpreting all faculty rules regarding tenure. The Chair's rulings are subject to review by the Faculty only. The Secretary of CTAF shall be the member aside from the Chair who. has served the longest among the members in their current terms. In the case of ties in length of current service, CTAF will select the Secretary from among those tied.
Election Procedures:
Nominations and elections for CTAF are conducted by the Secretary of the Faculty according to Bylaw Four, Section IV. Vacancies to unexpired terms will be filled by the same nominating and election procedure as for full terms.
(Amended by the Faculty, January 19, 2017)
(Amended by the Faculty, April 16, 2020)
Roles and Responsibilities:
COAP is concerned with criteria for academic appointments and promotions. In collaboration with COG, COAP makes recommendations to the Faculty for changes in criteria for promotion from Associate Professor to full Professor, criteria for promotion from Associate Professor of Teaching to full Professor of Teaching, and for changes in criteria for appointment and promotion of secured non-tenure track faculty members.
COAP makes recommendations to the Provost on academic promotions from Associate Professor to full Professor, from Associate Professor of Teaching to full Professor of Teaching, from Assistant Teaching Professor to Associate Teaching Professor, from Associate Teaching Professor to full Teaching Professor, from Assistant Research Professor to Associate Research Professor, and from Associate Research Professor to full Research Professor.
COAP makes recommendations to the Provost on initial appointments of Associate and (full) Professors, Associate and (full) Professors of Teaching, secured Associate and (full) Teaching Professors, and Associate and (full) Research Professors. COAP also makes recommendations to the Provost on initial appointments and reappointments of Professors of Practice.
COAP represents the Faculty to the President and Provost on appointment, reappointment, and performance evaluation of academic Department Heads.
Membership:
COAP consists of seven elected tenured faculty members holding the rank and title of (full) Professor, with no more than one representative from any one academic department. The term of office for this committee is three years, and no member may serve successive terms. Department Heads, Deans, and the Provost are not eligible to serve on COAP.
Election Procedures:
Nominations and elections for COAP are conducted by the Secretary of the Faculty according to Bylaw Four, Section V. Vacancies in unexpired terms will be filled by the same nominating and election procedure as for full terms.
Roles and Responsibilities:
CAP is responsible for making policy recommendations regarding the direction and goals of undergraduate education at WPI. To do this, the Committee reviews the admission and financial aid policies, reviews the degree requirements, and judges the quality of the academic program as related to WPI goals.
Membership and Election Procedures:
CAP consists of six elected faculty members, two undergraduate students, and a representative of the Provost's Office appointed by the Provost. The Provost's appointee serves one-year renewable terms. The election of faculty members to the Committee is conducted by COG following the procedures described in Bylaw Four, Section 1 and Bylaw Four, Section 2 for electing faculty members to standing committees.
Roles and Responsibilities:
(Amended by the Faculty, April 13, 2017)
The UOAC shall function as a permanent subcommittee of CAP. It shall report to CAP and forward recommendations for faculty action to CAP for its consideration and possible recommendation to the Faculty.
The UOAC is responsible for: a. proposing policy with regard to WPI's undergraduate learning outcomes; b. identifying and facilitating procedures for assessing those outcomes; c. coordinating outcomes assessment activities on campus; d. communicating assessment results; and e. formulating academic policy recommendations based on its assessment activities.
The Committee is not responsible for the assessment of departmental majors or programs, but for the identification and assessment of learning outcomes that arise from the undergraduate curriculum broadly defined, including assessment of the first year program.
Membership and Election Procedures:
UOAC consists of the following members: four faculty members elected for staggered, three-year terms; a member appointed annually by the Committee on Academic Policy (CAP) from among the Faculty; one undergraduate student appointed by the Student Government Association; a representative of the Provost's Office appointed annually by the Provost; the Director of the Morgan Teaching and Learning Center (ex-officio); and the Director of Institutional Research (ex-officio).
One of the four elected faculty members shall be elected from the Faculty at-large. The other three shall be elected by the entire Faculty but shall be chosen from among the following groupings: one chosen from the School of Engineering; one chosen from the departments in the School of Arts and Sciences excluding the Humanities and Arts Dept. and the Social Science and Policy Studies Dept.; and one chosen from either the Business School, the Global School, the Social Science and Policy Studies department, or the Humanities and Arts department. The election of faculty members to the Committee is conducted by COG following the procedures (described in Bylaw Four, Section 1 and Bylaw Four, Section 2](chapter-1.html#bylaw-4-section-2)) for electing faculty members to standing committees.
Roles and Responsibilities:
CAO is responsible for monitoring procedures for administering existing undergraduate academic, admission, and financial aid policies. Recommendations in regard to courses, projects, and programs are made to the Faculty by this Committee. Petitions for exceptions to the established academic rules are received and acted upon. The Committee brings to the Faculty for action the names of students approved as eligible for baccalaureate degrees.
Membership and Election Procedures:
CAO consists of six elected faculty members, two undergraduate students, a representative of the Provost's Office appointed by the Provost, and, ex officio, the Registrar. The Provost's appointee serves one-year renewable terms. The election of faculty members to the Committee is conducted by COG following the procedures (described in in Bylaw Four, Section 1 and Bylaw Four, Section 2) for electing faculty members to standing committees.
(Amended by the Faculty, May 10, 2016)
Roles and Responsibilities:
CGSR is concerned with all graduate programs and graduate certificate programs of the University, and reviews and recommends changes in WPI policies on goals, student recruitment, admissions, academic standards, teaching and research assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships. It also makes recommendations to the Faculty and Administration on new graduate programs and changes in programs and courses. The Committee acts on admission of graduate students to degree candidacy, dismissal for failure to meet academic standards, and student petitions on academic matters. It brings to the Faculty for action the names of students who it has determined are eligible for post-baccalaureate degrees. The Committee reviews and recommends changes in policy on the funding, promotion, and conduct of research at WPI.
Membership and Election Procedures:
CGSR consists of six elected faculty members, one graduate student, and two ex officio members: Vice Provost for Research; and Dean of Graduate Studies. The election of faculty members to the Committee is conducted by COG following the procedures (described in Bylaw Four, Section 1 and Bylaw Four, Section 2) for electing faculty members to standing committees.
Roles and Responsibilities:
CASL is responsible for the continuing development of the student advisory and counseling programs. It reviews the effectiveness of the programs, evaluates current practices in the areas of student environment, residential advising systems, and extracurricular activities as they affect the academic performance of the student body, and recommends changes as appropriate.
Membership and Election Procedures:
CASL consists of six elected faculty members, two undergraduate students, one graduate student, a representative of the Provost's Office appointed annually by the Provost, and, ex officio, the Assistant Dean of Student Success, and the Dean of Students. The election of faculty members to the Committee is conducted by COG following the procedures (described in Bylaw Four, Section 1 and Bylaw Four, Section 2) for electing faculty members to standing committees.
Roles and Responsibilities:
FAP informs the Faculty on administrative and financial matters that affect the Institute. FAP ascertains the interests and views of the Faculty concerning such matters, deliberates with appropriate access to institutional data, and works with the Administration to make recommendations that serve the best interests of the Institute.
Membership and Election Procedures:
(Amended by the Faculty, April 14, 2016)
(Amended by the Faculty, February 17, 2022)
FAP consists of eight members in total: five elected faculty members (serving staggered three-year terms), the Chief Financial Officer, one additional administrative representative member designated annually by the President, and one additional faculty member appointed by COG (for a one-year term, renewable for up to three consecutive years, in order to diversify the skills or perspectives needed by the committee, given the prospective composition of the committee that year). The Chair of FAP must be a tenured member of the Faculty. The election of faculty members to the Committee is conducted by COG following the procedures (described in Bylaw Four, Section 1 and Bylaw Four, Section 2) for electing faculty members to standing committees.
(Amended by the Faculty, October 14, 2016)
(Amended by the Faculty, May 7, 2024)
Roles and Responsibilities:
The Fringe Benefits Committee (FBC) is a permanent subcommittee of the Committee on Financial and Administrative Policy (FAP) that is responsible for reviewing and proposing changes to the WPI fringe benefits offerings with special attention paid to the evaluation and recommendation of health care plans and health insurance providers, tuition benefits, disability plans, and retirement policies.
Recommendations from the FBC are passed to FAP. In those instances when FAP does not accept FBC's recommendations, the two committees should meet in an attempt to resolve their differences.
Membership and Appointment Procedures:
The FBC consists of a Chair to be selected for one-year renewable terms from FAP from among its faculty members, two faculty members appointed by the Committee on Governance (COG), and two faculty members appointed by FAP. Both COG and FAP will coordinate their appointments to balance representation on FBC. Faculty members of the FBC (other than the Chair) will serve three-year staggered terms. Current COG or FAP members appointed to the FBC who have not completed three years of service on FBC when their COG or FAP terms expire will continue on FBC to complete their FBC terms.
Although formally the FBC is constituted as above, operationally it invites five members of the WPI staff to join its deliberations and to vote on matters related to benefits that are of equal concern to the WPI Faculty and staff. The five members of the WPI staff are chosen by the Staff Council with input from WPI Talent and Inclusion. These staff members are comprised of one Vice-Chair chosen by the Staff Council from among its members to serve a one-year (renewable) term (up to a maximum of two years) and four staff members to serve three-year staggered (renewable) terms. The staff members are chosen to proportionally represent exempt and non-exempt employees and to promote a representative selection of eligible staff members across university divisions.
Either the V.P. of Talent and Inclusion or the Director of Benefits and Wellness serves as the liaison between the FBC and the Division of Talent and Inclusion. The liaison provides information requested by the FBC to conduct its deliberations in an informed manner. Neither the V.P. of Talent and Inclusion nor the Director of Benefits and Wellness should serve as one of the five invited voting WPI staff members.
(Amended by the Faculty, May 9, 2017)
(Amended by the Faculty, March 13, 2024)
Roles and Responsibilities:
The FRC reviews three types of cases: 1) faculty grievances not related to academic freedom violations; 2) allegations of faculty misconduct; and 3) grade appeals.
For faculty grievances not related to academic freedom violations (see Chapter Five: Faculty Grievance Procedures, Section 2) for the details of the faculty grievance process not related to academic freedom violations), subcommittees consisting of three elected and two appointed members of FRC have the power to review and to require reconsideration of:
A. The Provost's decision not to renew a probationary, tenure-track appointment;
B. Decisions not to renew or to terminate appointments of secured nontenure-track faculty members on 3-year or 5 (or more)-year contracts;
C. Negative decisions on tenure; and
D. Negative decisions on promotions of tenured, tenure-track, and nontenure-track faculty members;
where the action, decision, or recommendation is alleged by an aggrieved faculty member to result from:
improper procedure; or
discrimination based on race, sex, age, color, national origin, religion, genetic identity, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or any other protected status.
For allegations of faculty misconduct, the fact finding committee includes members of the FRC as described in the appropriate conduct policy (Sexual Misconduct Policy; Policy on Research Conduct; or Policy on Faculty Conduct). Selection of the fact finding committee is conducted so as to ensure members are unbiased and have the appropriate expertise and diversity as necessary for a particular case.
For grade appeals, reviews are conducted (according to the procedures described in Chapter Six: Policies Regarding Academics and Academic Programs, Section III.b) by ad hoc committees consisting of three members of the FRC, which are presided over by the Chair of the FRC.
The exercise of the functions of the FRC, as well as its internal organization and procedures (including, if appropriate, the appointment of subcommittees) shall be governed, insofar as the matter is not prescribed by this policy or by the Faculty Constitution and Bylaws, by rules adopted by the Faculty Review Committee itself.
Membership:
The Faculty Review Committee consists of nine tenured faculty members: six elected by the Faculty and three appointed by the President. The Chair of the FRC is chosen by the committee from its elected members.
Diversity on the FRC is highly valued. Toward that end, there shall be no more than one person from any one Department in the group of six elected members, and following each annual faculty election, one member of the FRC shall be appointed by the President to a three-year term. These appointments should be made to ensure proper diversity among the FRC members. No elected or appointed member may serve consecutive terms.
Members of CTAF, members of COAP, and faculty members with administrative appointments of 50 percent time or more are ineligible to serve on the FRC.
When any matters regarding faculty grievances, allegations of faculty misconduct, or grade appeals are pending before the FRC at the time when the term of office of its members would expire, the subcommittee (or investigating committee) shall continue as then constituted for the sole purpose of disposing of such pending matters in its jurisdiction, notwithstanding the creation of a new FRC in the regular manner at the same time.
Election and Appointment Procedures:
Each year, the Faculty elects two members to three-year terms. The election of faculty members to the Committee is conducted by COG following the procedures (described in Bylaw Four, Section 1 and Bylaw Four, Section 2](chapter-1.html#bylaw-4-section-2)) for electing faculty members to standing committees. A vacancy in the membership of the FRC shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by that person receiving the next highest number of votes in the most recent election, if the person leaving the Committee was an elected member, or by appointment by the President if the person was an appointed member.
The term of office for all standing committee elected positions, except as otherwise indicated, is three years, with individual members' terms staggered to provide for continuity. The terms of standing committee members begin on July 1.
A faculty member may be elected to no more than two standing Committees concurrently. Elected members of standing Committees cannot succeed themselves unless they have served no more than one year on the Committee. (Service on ad hoc or administrative committees is not included in these restrictions.)
Faculty members of committees will be elected as at-large members.
COG is responsible for offering nominations and for conducting the election of faculty members to standing and ad hoc Committees, except for the election of its own membership and that of the Committee on Tenure and Academic Freedom and the Committee on Appointments and Promotions.
Each spring, after the COG, CTAF, and COAP elections are concluded, COG will provide a ballot to fill the vacancies on each of the other standing Committees, after ascertaining the willingness of each nominee to serve. The ballot will also include names of those nominated by petition signed by five faculty members. Ballots will be distributed to each voting faculty member and returned to the Committee. The election procedure should be completed by the end of D-Term.
The Instant Run-Off Voting (IRV) method, as described in the Appendix to these Bylaws, will be used in the conduct of all final elections to standing committees of the Faculty.
The election of COG members is conducted by the Secretary of the Faculty, and should be concluded by the end of C-term. Membership on this Committee is limited to no more than two faculty members from any one academic department. The election procedure is as follows.
The Secretary of the Faculty prepares separate nominating ballots as needed: one listing eligible tenured and tenure-track faculty members by department; and one listing eligible secured nontenure-track faculty members by department. Faculty members may select up to ten names from each list.
The final election ballot will consist of the names of the faculty members receiving the largest number of nominations, who are also eligible and willing to serve. The number of names on the final election ballot for tenured and tenure-track members will be six or twice the number of vacancies to be filled, whichever is larger, and will contain no more than two names from any one academic department. The number of names on the final election ballot for secured nontenure-track members will be three or twice the number of vacancies to be filled, whichever is larger, and will contain no more than two names from any one academic department. These ballots are distributed with voting instructions to all voting faculty members. (If the highest vote getters from both the tenured and tenure-track faculty election and the nontenure-track faculty election are from the same academic department as a continuing member of COG, then to promote diversity on the committee, the winner is the nontenure-track faculty member when the continuing member is tenured or tenure-track, and the winner is the tenured or tenure-track faculty member when the continuing member is nontenure-track.)
Nominations and elections for CTAF are conducted by the Secretary of the Faculty, and should be concluded by the end of C-term. CTAF consists of nine faculty members having tenure. There will not be more than one committee member from any one academic department. The term of office for this Committee is four years. The election procedure is as follows.
The Secretary prepares a nominating ballot listing eligible faculty members by department and distributes it to all voting members of the Faculty, with instructions to nominate up to one person from each department. The members of each academic department who receive the largest number of nominations in their departments and are willing to serve if elected are then placed on an election ballot to be distributed to all voting members of the Faculty. In the normal pattern, the number to be elected annually will be two, two, two, and three in successive years.
Nominations and elections for COAP are conducted by the Secretary of the Faculty, and should be concluded by the end of C-term. COAP consists of seven elected tenured faculty members holding the rank and title of (full) Professor, with no more than one representative from any one academic department. The election procedure is as follows.
The Secretary prepares a nominating ballot listing eligible faculty members by department and distributes it to all voting members of the Faculty, with instructions to nominate up to one person from each department. The members of each academic department who receive the largest number of nominations and are willing to serve if elected are then placed on an election ballot to be distributed to all voting members of the Faculty. In the normal pattern, the number to be elected annually will rotate from three to two to two in successive years.
If a faculty member on a Standing or ad hoc Committee will be absent from the campus for more than ten weeks (exclusive of the summer period), a replacement will be appointed to serve until succeeded by a member elected to fill the remainder of the unexpired term. Faculty members who anticipate being absent from WPI for more than ten weeks should notify the Committee on Governance at the earliest opportunity.
COG has the jurisdiction to fill vacancies that may occur during the year in committees that come under its electoral jurisdiction. Such appointments normally will be only until the next annual election.
Special Cases:
When the vacancy is an elected position on COG, the vacancy is to be filled for the unexpired term by the next highest vote getter in the previous COG election who is willing to serve.
When the vacancy is in the membership of the FRC, it shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by that person receiving the next highest number of votes in the most recent FRC election, if the person leaving the Committee was an elected member, or by appointment by the President if the person was an appointed member.
On an annual basis, the Provost will appoint, with COG review and concurrence on a case-by-case basis, the following faculty committee and faculty sub-committee members:
Each appointment of a representative of the Academic Administration by the Provost will be consistent with the allocation of responsibilities within the Provost's Office at the time; there is no limit to the number of re-appointments that one representative may receive to a given committee.
The Provost will also appoint an appropriate representative of the Division of Academic Affairs on the Committee on Information Technology Policy (CITP), with consideration given to the advantages of having members serve longer than one year.
The President will appoint, consistent with the stipulations indicated, the following faculty committee members:
an appropriate faculty member on the Committee on Governance (COG), with the appointment made annually in collaboration with COG to balance the committee's membership;
an appropriate administrative representative on the Committee on Financial and Administrative Policy (FAP), with the appointment made annually;
three appropriate tenured faculty members on the Faculty Review Committee (FRC), each for staggered three-year terms, with the appointments made to ensure proper diversity among the FRC members and with no appointed member eligible to serve consecutive terms.
Roles and Responsibilities:
The Educational Development Council (EDC) is an appointed committee whose responsibilities include:
Membership:
Membership of the EDC includes the Director of the Morgan Teaching and Learning Center, a faculty member appointed by the Committee on Academic Policy, a faculty member appointed by the Committee on Governance, a faculty member appointed by the Provost, and an undergraduate student appointed by the Student Government Association.
Faculty members serve for staggered three-year terms.
(Approved by the Faculty, January 18, 2018)
Roles and Responsibilities:
The role of the Research Development Council (RDC) is to serve as an advisory board to the Vice Provost for Research (VPR). RDC provides advice and assistance to the VPR on the development of research, research planning, and research policy. The specific roles and responsibilities of the RDC are:
Strategic planning to maximize research productivity of the Faculty and staff and to support highly innovative, transformative research
To make recommendations regarding internal review of pre-proposals for limited submission opportunities
To make recommendations regarding internal research funding programs
To review and recommend updates to the indirect cost return (ICR) reinvestment model as needed
To develop yearly RDC budget recommendation, including, but not limited to support of:
To coordinate research infrastructure requests in support of new faculty recruitment across all disciplines with Department Heads, Deans and the Provost
To make recommendations regarding research infrastructure
Membership:
The Research Development Council consists of the Vice Provost for Research and the following eight faculty members with a record of significant scholarly research contributions:
Faculty members serve staggered three-year terms. Any member can be reappointed after a minimum of one year between terms.
The Vice Provost for Research staff will provide the RDC with administrative and staff support.
(Amended by the Faculty, March 22, 2012)
The Secretary of the Faculty must have tenure and is the highest elected representative of the Faculty.
The Secretary of the Faculty coordinates faculty committee activities, is an ex officio member of the Committee on Governance, and may attend and participate in all meetings of standing and ad hoc Committees, excluding deliberations on specific individuals by the Committee on Tenure and Academic Freedom, Joint Tenure Committees, the Committee on Appointments and Promotions, and Joint Promotion Committees.
The Secretary of the Faculty, working with the Faculty Governance Executive Assistant, maintains the office that:
Prepares and distributes the schedule of faculty meetings for the academic year;
Prepares the agenda for each faculty meeting;
Notifies the Faculty of faculty meeting times and locations;
Assembles and distributes supporting documentation for the faculty meeting agenda for the purpose of promoting informed discussion of the issues to be voted upon;
Publishes and distributes minutes of the faculty meetings;
Prepares annual reports showing membership of faculty committees, including terms of office and committee officers;
Conducts the annual election of the Committee on Governance, the Committee on Tenure and Academic Freedom, and the Committee on Appointments and Promotions;
Ascertains that a permanent record of faculty meeting minutes and pertinent addenda are maintained for the archives of Worcester Polytechnic Institute and performs other such duties as may be directed by the Faculty;
Informs appropriate individuals and groups of faculty decisions;
Monitors progress of the implementation of faculty decisions; and
Solicits periodic reports from administrative officers for faculty committees.
The Secretary of the Faculty is invited to attend meetings of the five "open" Board committees as an observer, but not as a voting member of any committee of the Board unless also appointed as one of the two faculty committee members. In addition, the Secretary of the Faculty will be seated with the members of the Board at meetings of the Corporation and may participate fully in discussions and deliberations, with the exception of not having a formal vote.
The Secretary of the Faculty must be a tenured faculty member. The Secretary of the Faculty is elected for a term of three years, and may not serve successive terms. The election of the Secretary of the Faculty, when held, will precede all other committee elections. The election procedure is as follows.
COG will conduct the election by preparing a nominating ballot listing all eligible faculty members by department and distributing it to all voting faculty members, with instructions to select up to five names from the list. The two faculty members receiving the largest number of nominations who are willing to serve are then placed on a final election ballot distributed to all voting faculty members. The same procedure will be used for an unexpired term vacancy.
The Secretary of the Faculty should receive sufficient administrative and clerical support to permit them to carry out their functions in a satisfactory manner.
(Approved by the Faculty, March 22, 2012)
In order to strengthen shared governance and foster good communication among the WPI Faculty, Administration, and Board of Trustees, the Trustees will appoint two tenured or tenure-track members of the Faculty to each of five Board committees: Academic Planning, Student Affairs, Budget and Finance, Facilities and Campus Infrastructure, and Marketing. The Board of Trustees' Committee on Nominations and Governance will make the appointments from slates of nominees prepared by the faculty Committee on Governance (COG). COG will prepare slates containing at least two names for each open position. In preparing the slates, COG will give preference to members of the Faculty with prior or current experience serving on faculty governance committees.
Terms of service for faculty members of Board committees will be for three years, except that to ensure staggered terms, replacement appointments for unexpired terms, would be for fewer than three years. No member of the Faculty shall serve on more than one Board committee concurrently, but those completing a term on one Board committee can be considered for future service on another. Faculty members of Board committees will have voting privileges, and are considered full, participating members of the committee, not simply observers. It is expected that members of the Faculty serving on Board committees will report regularly to, and seek input from, the corresponding faculty governance committees, including the COG.
Faculty members wishing to be considered for service on a Board committee should submit a brief statement of interest to COG, giving basic information about their appointment at WPI, relevant experience, and reasons for interest in serving on a Board committee.
The Secretary of the Faculty will be seated with the members of the Board at meetings of the Corporation and may participate fully in discussions and deliberations, with the exception of not having a formal vote, as this is a responsibility unique to Trustees and cannot be delegated. In addition, the Secretary of the Faculty is invited to attend meetings of the five "open"-Board committees as an observer, but not as a voting member of any committee unless also appointed as one of the two faculty committee members.
A new Bylaw or an amendment to an existing Bylaw may be proposed by any voting member of the Faculty by submitting the proposed Bylaw or amended Bylaw in writing to the Secretary of the Faculty fourteen days prior to a regularly scheduled faculty meeting. The Secretary will include the proposed Bylaw on the agenda of the meeting. Following discussion at this meeting, the proposed Bylaw may be voted on at the next regularly scheduled faculty meeting. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of those voting is required for adoption. Bylaws may be amended, deleted, or superseded by the adoption of subsequent Bylaws.
Should the Administration propose creating, merging, realigning or eliminating an academic program, academic department, or major academic or research facility, that proposal shall be conveyed to the Committee on Governance when it has been advanced to the stage of serious consideration, but before any commitments to action have been made. The Committee shall conduct a critical review of the proposal, which may include referring it to other committees for consideration. Upon receipt of all relevant information, the Committee on Governance will frame a recommendation to the Administration and present it to the Faculty for its approval.
(Approved by the Faculty, December 16, 1999)
Ballots in the Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) method are cast and votes are counted as follows:
In each election, regardless of the number of vacancies to be filled, each voter must rank the candidates consecutively (i.e., 1, 2, 3, etc.) in order of highest to lowest preference, but need not assign rankings to all the candidates.
To fill each vacancy, votes are first assigned to the candidate who on each ballot is the most highly preferred from among those candidates still remaining. If in this manner no candidate receives a majority of votes from the ballots that have not yet been temporarily set aside, then the candidate with the fewest votes is temporarily eliminated, and the votes for that candidate are reassigned to the candidate who on each of those ballots is the most highly preferred from among those candidates still remaining. This process of candidate elimination and ballot reassignment is repeated until one candidate receives a majority of votes from the ballots that have not yet been temporarily set aside.
At any point in the vote counting process for each vacancy, if none of the candidates remaining in the election have been ranked on a given ballot to be assigned or reassigned, then that ballot is temporarily set aside (for that vacancy, only).
If at any stage of candidate elimination and ballot reassignment, two or more candidates are tied with the fewest votes, then the candidate among those tied who received the fewest number of highest preference votes is temporarily eliminated.
If the repeated process of candidate elimination and vote reassignment leads to a tie between the only two remaining candidates, then the winner is the candidate who received the greater number of highest preference votes.
If more than one vacancy is to be filled for the same type of office, then for each vacancy in succession, those candidates already elected will first be eliminated, all other eligible candidates will be included (including those candidates who had been temporarily eliminated in determining the candidate(s) already elected), and all ballots (including those ballots that had been temporarily set aside in determining the candidate(s) already elected) are to be recounted as described in Section 2 above.
If more than one vacancy is to be filled and the eligibility of candidates on the ballot is limited by other governing factors (such as restrictions on the number of committee members permitted from the same department) after the first vacancy is filled, then all remaining candidates no longer eligible due to those limitations shall be eliminated before the votes for any subsequent vacancies are tallied.