2. This Operating Paper becomes effective on approval of the faculty of the Philosophy Department.
3. This Operating Paper may be amended or replaced by two-thirds vote of the Committee of the Whole provided a proposed change has been circulated at least two weeks before the meeting at which it is to be taken up.
4. Any vote taken by the Committee of the Whole (as defined in IV below) can be overridden by a majority vote of the Faculty Committee (as defined in IV below), provided that the vote to override is taken in a Faculty Committee meeting scheduled subsequent to the Committee of the Whole meeting in which the original vote was taken.
This nomination and election procedure is intended to be consistent with procedures specified in the College of Arts and Sciences Owner's Manual (January 1994) which describes the procedure as follows: "To initiate the selection of a department head, the Dean and appropriate associate dean meet with the department faculty. After this meeting, a departmental committee . . . solicits names of faculty interested in serving as the department head, surveys faculty sentiments, and presents a written summary of the results to both the Dean and the department faculty. . . . After receiving the departmental committee report and advice of individual faculty, the Dean usually interviews more than one candidate. In all cases, the final decision regarding the department head is made by the Dean, in consultation with the Provost and President." (p. 6).
B. Nomination, selection, and appointment to the Department Head.
1. An ad hoc Search Committee to identify possible nominees for the Department Head with at least three (3) faculty members of the Department shall be selected by secret ballot from a slate of faculty nominees approved by the Committee of the Whole. One graduate student shall be selected by the Graduate Student Organization to serve on the ad hoc Search Committee. The Dean may also appoint a member from outside the Philosophy Department.
2. This Search Committee shall be established in accordance with one of the procedures prescribed below:
a. The Dean may request the Department to elect a Search Committee agreeing in advance to accept the result of the election of the Committee. (Normally this is the procedure that will be followed.)
b. Under extreme and unusual circumstances, the Search Committee may be appointed by the Dean after consultation with individual members of the Department.
C. Responsibilities of the Department Head
1. The Department Head is ex-officio member of every committee specified in V below.
2. The Department Head shall be responsible for the administration of the Department and for implementing policies approved by the Graduate School and the Directors of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies.
3. Under broad policy guidance, the Department Head coordinates teaching and other assignments for both faculty and graduate students and provides encouragement and coordination for the work of the faculty in both teaching and research.
4. The Department Head shall provide annually a written evaluation of each full-time tenure-track faculty member's teaching, research, and service, based on information supplied by each faculty member. This may include a face-to-face meeting with each faculty member.
5. The Department Head shall establish priorities for the purchase of equipment, supplies, contractual services, and space in accordance with agreed upon policies and goals.
6. On matters pertaining to new appointments, promotion, tenure, and salary, the Department Head shall act:
A. On new appointments according to the vote of the Committee of the Whole on recommendation of an ad hoc search committee unless overruled by a majority vote of continuing faculty.
B. On promotions according to the vote of faculty members who are senior in the rank to the candidate; these faculty members shall consult the rest of the Committee of the Whole; they shall be guided by University Promotion and Tenure Guidelines.
C. On tenure according to the vote of the tenured faculty members; these faculty members shall consult the rest of the Committee of the Whole; they shall be guided by University Promotion and Tenure Guidelines.
D. On salaries according to University general policy.
7. The Department Head shall provide for an annual review and evaluation of departmental goals, policies, programs, and operating principles in the light of changing conditions and circumstances, and he/she shall make available in written form reports of current and proposed departmental budgets, as well as any other receipts and expenditures.
8. The Department Head or his/her delegate shall preside at meetings of the Faculty and of the Committee of the Whole.
9. The Department Head may designate a substitute to represent him/her on other committees.
10. Official contracts between Department Faculty and the chief administrative officers of the University shall be made through the Department Head in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Oregon State System of Higher Education and the policies and regulations of the University and the College of Arts and Sciences.
A. The Director of Graduate Studies is appointed by the Department Head with the approval of the Committee of the Whole.
B. The Director of Graduate Studies has the responsibility of administering the graduate program. This includes duties of two general sorts: (i) to oversee the day-to-day operations of the graduate program, including advising, organizing committees for the preparation and grading of comprehensive examinations, administering those examinations, monitoring thesis and dissertation preparation, and assisting students in placement; (ii) with the approval of the Admissions Subcommittee of the Graduate Committee, to make recommendations to the Faculty concerning graduate admissions and scholarship or fellowship awards, when such exist. The Director of Graduate Studies will also help to organize the Graduate Student Organization.
C. He/she shall serve as Chairperson of the Graduate Committee.
2. Director of Undergraduate Studies
A. A Director of Undergraduate Studies may be appointed by the Department Head with the approval of, or the direction of, the Committee of the Whole.
B. The Director of Undergraduate Studies shall be responsible for conducting an advisement program for undergraduates, majors and minors, and for disseminating to undergraduates information pertinent to available courses, requirements, policies, etc. The Undergraduate Director will also help to organize an undergraduate organization, to assist the Department Head with the undergraduate program, and to supervise the honors program.
3. Library Representative
A. The Library Representative is appointed by the Department Head with the consent of the Committee of the Whole.
B. The Library Representative shall be responsible for soliciting from faculty members requests for book purchases, journal subscriptions, computer software and CD-Rom purchases, and other library materials. These recommendations are to be passed on to the appropriate Library staff who are in charge of making purchases pertaining to philosophy.
4. Affirmative Action Liaison
A. The Affirmative Action Liason is appointed by the Department Head, with the approval of the Committee of the Whole.
B. The Affirmative Action Liason serves several functions within the Philosophy Department: (i) with the Director of Graduate Studies, to hold yearly mandatory workshops for graduate teaching fellows concerning sexual harrassment; (ii) to serve as a resource person for, and to monitor the activities of, any departmental search committee; (iii) to be available to students and faculty for discussion of any questions or concerns they might have regarding affirmative action or sexual harrassment.
A. Membership: Subsequent to the approval of this document, anyone holding a full-time tenure-track appointment in the Department shall be a member of the Philosophy Faculty Committee and have full voting rights if he or she is teaching at least one course or has taught at least one course the previous year. No person shall be excluded as a faculty member or be discriminated against with respect to promotion, tenure, or pay on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, color, religion, or natural origin.
A Secretary shall be appointed for the Faculty Committee by the Department Head and shall prepare minutes, copies of which shall be available to the members and be deposited in the Departmental files.
B. Responsibilities: Certain matters of academic policy and faculty appointment fall solely within the purview of the Faculty, and are, therefore, not subject to approval of the Committee of the Whole. Such matters include, but are not limited to: (i) decisions concerning student admission to the program, (ii) academic requirements (such as those for the undergraduate program and for master's and doctoral degrees), and (iii) faculty tenure and promotion. The Faculty Committee shall also decide all Graduate Teaching Fellowship awards. If, upon approval of policy concerning M.A. or Ph.D. requirements, the Faculty Committee proposes substantial revisions to the original formulation, the proposed policy will be returned to the Graduate Committee for discussion and resubmission to the Faculty Committee.
2. Committee of the Whole
A. Membership: The Committee of the Whole shall consist of anyone holding full-time tenure-track appointment in the Department, faculty on the 600-hours program in the terms during which they are teaching, graduate student representation equalling one-fourth of the voting faculty, excluding fractions, and one undergraduate representative. Graduate student respresentatives shall be elected by the graduate student organization. There shall be at least two graduate student representatives and one alternate. The alternate may attend meetings, but may vote only in the absence of one of the regular representatives. The undergraduate student representative shall be elected by the undergraduate student organization, if such is functioning, or if not, shall be appointed by the Department Head. No persons shall be excluded as a member of the Committee of the Whole or be discriminated against on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, color, religion, or natural origin.
A Secretary of the Committee of the Whole shall be appointed by the Department Head and shall prepare minutes, copies of which shall be available to the members and be deposited in the Departmental files.
B. Responsibilities: The Committee of the Whole shall formulate departmental objectives, policies and operating principles, except those specified as under the purview of the Faculty Committee alone. The Committee of the Whole shall adopt its own agenda, which may include, in addition to items specified elsewhere in this document, deliberation on any matter of importance to the Department.
3. Conditions of Business for the Faculty Committee and Committee of the Whole
A. The Undergraduate Student Organization and the Graduate Student Organization shall each present to the Committee of the Whole working papers of their organizations and procedures, and those working papers shall be the basis upon which elected representatives of the Undergraduate Student Organization and the Graduate Student Organization shall be officially recognized by the Committee of the Whole.
B. For both the Faculty Committee and the Committee of the Whole a majority of the members shall constitute a quorum, and action shall be decided by the majority of those present.
C. Meetings of the Committee of the Whole and of the Faculty shall be at the call of the Department Head or one-third of the members. There shall be at least one Committee of the Whole meeting per term, excluding summer term.
1. Graduate Committee
A. Responsibilities: formulation of policy on requirements for the master's and doctoral degrees, subject to the approval of the Faculty Committee; graduate course offerings in coordination with the Undergraduate Committee. An Admissions Subcommittee shall be formed, consisting only of the faculty members on the Graduate Committee. The purpose of this subcommitte is to decide on graduate admissions and to advise the Faculty Committee on Graduate Teaching Fellow appointments.
The Director of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the Department Head, shall compose faculty committees for the preparation and grading of M.A. examinations and Ph.D. preliminary examinations. The Director of Graduate Studies shall also approve M.A. and Ph.D. committees in accordance with University and Department policy. Any decisions concerning academic policy shall be submitted to the Faculty Committee for approval.
B. Members:
(1) (2) Two full-time tenure-track faculty members, when possible from two different ranks, approved by the Committee of the Whole.
(3)(4) Two graduate students elected by the Graduate Student Organization.
(5) Director of Graduate Studies, Chairperson of the Committee.
(6) Department Head.
2. Undergraduate Committee
A. Responsibilities: (i) planning of course offerings in coordination with the Graduate Committee; (ii) requirements for the major; (iii) advising; (iv) planning of honors courses; (v) awarding of honors. (ii) and (v) are subject to approval of the Faculty Committee.
B. Members:
(1) (2) Two full-time tenure-track members of the faculty, when possible from two different ranks, approved by the Committee of the Whole.
(3) One undergraduate student elected by the Undergraduate Student Organization, or, if such is not functioning, appointed by the Department Head.
(4) Director of Undergraduate Studies, Chairperson of the Committee.
(5) Department Head.
3. Colloquium and Special Events Committee
A. Responsibilities: Planning of the colloquium programs and selection of speakers; planning for accommodations and entertainment of visiting speakers.
B. Members:
(1) (2) Two full-time tenure track members of the faculty, when possible from two different ranks, approved by the Committe of the Whole.
(3) One graduate student elected by the Graduate Student Organization.
(4) Department Head.
4. Ad Hoc Search Committee
A. Responsibilities: To search for, to evaluate, and to recommend to the Committee of the Whole candidates for new appointments except for the Search Committee for Department Head in accordance with Section 1.B.(2) of II.
B. Members:
(1) (2) (3) Three full-time tenure-track members of the faculty, with no more than two from any one rank, approved by the Committee of the Whole.
(4) One or more graduate students appointed by the Department Head.
(5) Department Head.
5. Graduate Placement Committee
A. Responsibilities: To aid graduate students in their search for employment.
B. Members:
(1) (2) Two full-time tenure-track members of the faculty approved by the Committee of the Whole.
(3) One graduate student elected by the Graduate Student Organization.
(4) Department Head.
(5) Director of Graduate Studies.
(1) Department statement on professionalism
(2) Policy manual for Graduate Teaching Fellowships
The Responsibility for Professionalism
As used in the policy, the term "supervisor" includes all those in the University of Oregon Philosophy Department, with teaching and/or supervisory responsibilities for students and employees.
The educational mission of the University of Oregon Philosophy Department is best promoted by professionalism in relationships between supervisors and student/supervisees. This professionalism requires mutual trust, moral action, and an atmosphere of respect. It is the responsibility of faculty members to foster and sustain this professionalism and the conditions necessary for it.
Sexual Relations, Power, the Appearance of Consent, and Sexual Harassment
Sexual relations between supervisors and students/supervisees inherently create conflicts of interest because supervisors have professional responsibilities for students/supervisees. Supervisors should be aware of the possibility that an apparently consensual sexual relation with a student/supervisee in fact may be determined (either at the time or at a later date) as non-consensual due to the differences of power present. Further, such a relationship may be determined to be sexual harassment and expose the University of Oregon and/or the supervisor to legal liability. Moreover, such a relationship may affect others adversely and unfairly by the reality or appearance of favoritism and the reality or appearance of sexual relations as a requirement for professional advancement. Those adversely affected by such unprofessional behavior may have a valid complaint of sexual harassment or sexual discrimination against a supervisor. Such complaints may render the University of Oregon and/or the supervisor legally liable. Finally, it is important to note that such sexual relations often produce an environment especially hostile to women because these relations perpetuate the historical disempowerment and sexual objectification of women.
Department Expectations and Recommendations
Given all this, the University of Oregon Philosophy Department strongly discourages any supervisor from engaging in any sexual relation with a student enrolled in his or her classes or subject to his or her supervision. The department expects all supervisors to avoid all such relations. To do otherwise is to violate minimal standards of professional conduct. A supervisor who, in spite of this strong departmental discouragement and expectation, becomes involved in a sexual relation with a student should make appropriate arrangements to ensure that the student is not and will not be subject to grading or other supervision by that supervisor. If the supervisor does not make such arrangements, it is the right of the department chair to do so, and it is the duty of the department chair to do so when supervisor professionalism cannot be maintained in other ways. This document will be distributed to undergraduate majors, graduate students, and faculty in the Department of Philosophy.
Approved by unanimous vote of the Faculty on 10/12/94