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Undergraduate Curriculum Council Bylaws

Approved by UCC: Amended and approved April 14, 2022

Approved by Faculty Senate: Amendments approved April 28, 2022 via email vote


Article I -- Name

The name of this body is the Undergraduate Curriculum Council (UCC). The UCC reports to the Faculty Senate.

Article II -- Purpose

The UCC exercises, at the University level, the faculty's primary responsibility for the fundamental area of undergraduate curricula. The UCC's approval is required for all curricular and program changes that are to appear in the Undergraduate Catalog. The UCC's functions include, but are not limited to:

  • Identification of potential confusion with existing programs, courses, and degrees due to the proposed title of the new program, course, or degree
  • Identification of potential dilution of existing programs, courses, or degrees
  • Prevention of duplication with existing programs, courses, or degrees
  • Detection of possible conflict with accrediting standards applying to existing programs, courses, and degrees
  • Continued clarification of the Undergraduate Catalog

Article III -- Membership, Selection, and Recall

A. Committee Composition

The UCC consists of thirteen (13) voting members:

  • one (1) faculty member from each of the two (2) divisions in the College of Arts and Letters:
    • one (1) faculty member representing Fine Arts/Humanities
    • one (1) faculty member representing Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • one (1) faculty member from the College of Business
  • one (1) faculty member from the College of Education
  • two (2) faculty members from the College of Science and Engineering:
    • one (1) faculty member representing the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Geosciences
    • one (1) faculty member representing the Departments of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Engineering
  • three (3) faculty members from the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences:
    • at least one (1) faculty member representing the College of Health
    • at least one (1) faculty member representing the College of Pharmacy
  • two (2) faculty members from the College of Technology
  • one (1) faculty member from the University Library
  • one (1) student representative from ASISU

In addition, there are at least four (4) ex officio, non-voting members, including the following:

  • one (1) appointed from the Office of the Registrar
  • one (1) appointed from the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
  • one (1) appointed from Central Academic Advising
  • one (1) appointed from College of Technology Student Services
  • additional appointed by colleges as deemed appropriate for additional faculty representation (no more than one faculty ex-officio per college)

Voting faculty members will be elected by the faculty of the appropriate division, college, or school.

B.  Eligibility

To be eligible to serve on the Undergraduate Curriculum Council a person must be a member of the faculty (tenure or non-tenure track, clinical or research faculty) with at least a 0.5 FTE appointment, holding the non-administrative rank (or equivalent rank) of instructor or above, and have had at least one year's academic service at Idaho State University or equivalent service elsewhere.  Department Chairs and Program Directors at less than 50% administrative workload are considered non-administrative appointments and are eligible to serve on UCC.  Administrators at or above the Assistant/Associate/Dean level are not eligible to serve since UCC's Minutes, actions, and recommendations are reviewed by the Council of Deans and/or Associate Deans' Council, and by Academic Affairs.  Faculty may not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms on UCC without a one-term break.

C.  Election/Appointment Process

Faculty members of the UCC are elected by the faculty of the designated units. Should an elected member resign or be unable to serve, a replacement will be elected by the faculty of the appropriate division or college. Elected members should have experience with curricular matters in the designated unit. The student member will be appointed by the Associated Students of Idaho State University (ASISU). Ex-officio members are appointed by their units.

D. Terms of Membership

Faculty members are elected to serve on the UCC for a term of three years, with re-election for one consecutive three-year term allowed. Additional terms are permissible once the faculty member has been off the council for a minimum of one term. Exceptions can be made in the case of mid-term vacancies. Terms of office are based on the academic calendar and are staggered, with approximately one-third of the UCC membership being replaced each year.  The term staggering is permanent, meaning that members filling mid-term vacancies serve for the remainder of that term, and must be reelected or replaced when the term expires.  Election of new members must take place by the end of the spring semester preceding their terms in office. The student representative and ex-officio members serve at the pleasure of those appointing them without restriction on their terms.

E. Recall and Appeal

Faculty members may be subject to recall for excessive absence, failure to carry out assigned duties, or other malfeasance. Recall motions may be introduced by any member of the UCC but must include a specific statement of the reasons for recall. A member may be removed from the UCC by a majority vote of the total voting membership of the UCC, but only after the member has been offered an opportunity to provide a defense before the members of the UCC. A recall may also be initiated by the constituent unit of a UCC member by a petition signed by at least 50 percent of the faculty members within who are eligible to vote. Such a petition is submitted to the Executive Secretary of the UCC who, after ascertaining the validity of the petition, makes the recall motion to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the UCC.

Article IV -- Officers and Meetings

A. Membership of the Executive Committee

The UCC Executive Committee consists of three (3) voting members:

  • The Chair
  • The Vice Chair, and
  • The Executive Secretary

Non-voting members of the Executive Committee include:

  • The immediate Past Chair of UCC
  • The ex-officio representative to UCC from the Office of the Registrar
  • The Recording Secretary
B. Selection of Officers

The UCC elects a Chair, Vice Chair, and Executive Secretary for the next academic year in the Spring Semester from the continuing faculty membership of the UCC (excluding student and ex-officio members). These officers serve as the Executive Committee of the UCC and may be re-elected if eligible. If the office of any Executive Committee member becomes vacant, the UCC elects a new officer from among its members.

Officers are subject to removal before completion of their term. The process of removal from office begins with a motion made by any UCC member specifying the reasons for removal from office. An officer may be removed from office by a majority vote of the total voting membership of the UCC, but only after the officer has been offered an opportunity to provide a defense before the members of the UCC (see Article III). However, if so removed,the faculty member continues as a UCC member for the duration of the seat's term.

C. Duties of the Officers

The Chair presides over meetings of the UCC and the Executive Committee.  The Chair facilitates communication between the Office of the Registrar, Faculty Senate and other Councils, Academic Affairs, academic units across campus, and the Undergraduate Curriculum Council as necessary for the carrying out of Council Business.  The Chair also attends Faculty Senate meetings and is a non-voting ex-officio member of Faculty Senate, serving as a liaison between the Senate and the Council.

The Vice Chair shall serve in the absence of the Chair. The Vice Chair fulfills the duties of the Chair in the absence of the Chair, and normally succeeds the sitting Chair. The Vice Chair also attends GERC meetings as a non-voting ex-officio member.

The Executive Secretary meets with the other members of the Executive Committee as needed, takes and transcribes meeting minutes in the absence of a staff secretary, and maintains other records as requested by the UCC Chair.  The Executive Secretary is also responsible for communications to the UCC or other main communications as designated by the Executive Committee of UCC.  The Executive Secretary assumes the Chair's responsibilities in the absence of the Chair and the Vice Chair.

D. Duties of the Executive Committee

Duties of the Executive Committee are determined by the UCC and include, but are not limited to, such actions as: screening proposals before placement on the Council agenda; screening minor changes in course and other catalog copy, which may include semester changes in course descriptions, course numbers, dropping or adding cross-listings within course descriptions in departments other than the originating department, minimum standards for majors within departments, and correcting minor errors in catalog text. All Executive Committee actions are presented to UCC for discussion and approval.

The Executive Committee meets regularly with the representative from the Registrar's Office along with the recording/staff secretary.

E.  Meetings

The UCC meets in accordance with a calendar governing meetings (historically, meetings have been held on Thursdays, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.). It is the responsibility of the UCC Chair to inform members of the time, location, and agenda of scheduled meetings. Upon request by three or more UCC members, the Chair must schedule an additional UCC meeting within a two week period if needed outside of normal scheduling.

F. Attendance and Substitutes

Members are expected to attend all meetings and to inform the Chair of the UCC when they cannot attend. Voting members who cannot attend may send a substitute with voting proxy from the member's constituency. Excessive absences (more than three) during an academic year may subject a UCC member to recall (see Article III D.)

Article V -- Minutes, Quorum, and Voting

A. Minutes

Minutes are kept for each meeting and submitted to the Faculty Senate and to Academic Affairs for acceptance.  UCC's Minutes will thereafter be made available to the Deans and/or Associate Deans.  Academic Affairs will review Minutes and actionable items and notify the UCC Chair and recording secretary of all feedback and decisions. Minutes will be posted on UCC's website once accepted by Academic Affairs.

B. Quorum

Meetings are conducted only when a quorum (more than one-half of the elected voting UCC membership plus the ASISU appointment) is present.

C. Voting

Motions, unless otherwise provided for in these bylaws, pass by a simple majority of votes cast. Abstentions do not count as votes; tie votes fail, and the Chair may vote on all motions. Voting by proxy is allowed. Voting on motions that have been seconded at a regular meeting may be conducted by mail or email unless at least three (3) voting members request that it be done in person. Voting by proxy is allowed when notification of proxy assignment is made to the Chair or recording secretary prior to the scheduled meeting. A proxy must be given to a faculty member within the member's area of representation who is not already serving on the UCC.

Article VI -- Standing Committees 

The UCC reviews and accepts the Minutes and recommendations of the following standing subcommittees:

  • Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) Committee
  • General Education Requirements Committee (GERC)

UCC forwards accepted subcommittee minutes to Faculty Senate and to Academic Affairs for review and acceptance.  The minutes and recommendations will be made available for review by Deans and/or Associate Deans.  Once Academic Affairs has accepted them, the minutes will be posted on the relevant subcommittees' respective websites.

A record of the members and bylaws of the above committees is maintained and posted on the relevant committee's respective websites. The Council may appoint ad hoc subcommittees as necessary.

Article VII -- Bylaws Amendment Process

Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the current voting membership. No amendment may be introduced and voted upon at the same meeting. Bylaws changes are subject to approval by the Faculty Senate and by the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The UCC will review its bylaws within three years of the date of its last review.

Article VIII -- Business Items

The UCC receives its business items by the following means [from the following sources]:

  • Business referred to the UCC by the Office of Academic Affairs, Colleges, Division, or other academic units
  • Items brought in by a member of the UCC
  • Items referred by the University community

Items or policies not completed in one academic year should be considered old or continuing business to be completed by the UCC in the next academic year.

 

*Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised is the authority in all matters not covered by these bylaws and/or approved operating procedures.