Library Faculty By-Laws

Adopted March 14, 1975, Revised January 11, 1985, Revised May 2, 1986; Revised 6 April 2001

Article I. Membership

1. The University Libraries consist of the University Library (Kingston), the Feinstein College of Continuing Education (Providence Center), and the Pell Marine Science Library (Narragansett Bay Campus).
2. Faculty assigned to the University Libraries shall constitute its faculty.

Article II. Officers

1. The Dean of the University Libraries shall preside at the meeting of the faculty. In case of a tie, the Dean may cast a vote.
2. In the absence of the Dean, the Dean's designee shall preside, or in the designee's absence, the highest ranking faculty member present shall preside.
3. Only full-time or part-time continuing faculty shall hold office.
4. The secretary shall be elected in April by the faculty to serve a term of one year. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of faculty meetings, including the call of meetings, committee reports as adopted, and the record of all business transacted. The Secretary shall publish the agenda and relevant documentation.

Article III. Meetings

1. Attendance of faculty at meetings is expected. One-half of the membership shall constitute a quorum.
2. The faculty shall meet each month (normally the first Friday) during the academic year. Additional meetings may be called by the Dean, or on written request of twenty-five percent (25%) of the faculty.
3. Agenda for the regularly scheduled meetings shall be delivered to the faculty no less than seven days in advance of the meeting. Agenda shall be accompanied by all relevant documentation.

Article IV. Committees

1. Standing Committees

1. Faculty Development Committee: The Faculty Development Committee (FDC) shall be comprised of two faculty members appointed by the Dean and three elected in April by the faculty to serve for one year. The Committee shall encourage the development of teaching and research within the faculty, and investigate matters that affect the faculty's professional development. The Committee shall submit a report of its activities and recommendations at each regular meeting of the faculty.

The chairperson shall be designated by the Dean. A vice-chairperson shall be elected by the Committee to serve in the absence of the chairperson.

2. Curriculum Committee: The Curriculum Committee shall be comprised of one faculty member appointed by the Dean and two faculty members elected in April by the faculty to serve for three year terms. The Committee shall review and approve permanent and temporary courses, and externally offered non-credit seminars, short courses, training programs, etc. (see Article 8.43., 8.44, and Appendix E of the University Manual. The committee shall submit a report of its activities and recommendations at each regular meeting of the faculty.

   The chairperson shall be designated annually by the Dean.

2. Special Committees

1. Special Committees shall consider matters referred to them and shall report to the next regular faculty meeting unless otherwise stipulated in the legislation creating them.

Article V. Elections

1. The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of the Dean, or the Dean's designee and two faculty members elected in February by the faculty. The Committee shall present at least one nominee for each elective position provided for in these By-Laws and in the University Manual, and shall forward their recommendations to the Secretary for inclusion in the agenda of the meeting at which an election is to be held.
2. Nominations may be made from the floor.
3. Elections shall be by secret ballot.

1. Balloting shall be conducted by two tellers, appointed by the presiding officer who shall report the results at the same meeting the election is held.
2. A nominee receiving a majority of votes cast for the position shall be declared elected, and shall serve until the next election for that position.

Article VI. Parliamentary Authority

1. A current edition of Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure governs this organization in all parliamentary situations that are not provided for in the law or in its charter, bylaws, or adopted rules. (Sturgis, Alice. Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, Second Edition. NY: McGraw Hill.)
2. A parliamentarian will be appointed at the April meeting by the Dean.

Article VII. Amendment of By-Laws

1. These By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the faculty by a two-thirds vote of the members present and eligible to vote, providing the faculty has received a thirty-day written notice of the proposed amendment.