Reference Book

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY

Manual of Operations and Procedures
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

1. Authority of the Manual of Operations and Procedures

   This Manual of Operations and Procedures is the operating procedures for faculty governance of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The Department shall follow the operating rules of the University and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as delineated in the Operations Manual and the Handbook for CLAS Faculty, and shall follow the operations and procedures in this document as a supplement thereto. Once approved by the Department and the College, this Manual becomes effective immediately.
   

2. Faculty Membership and Eligibility to Vote
   
   
   1. Definition of faculty membership
      • All tenure and tenure track faculty are considered members of the departmental faculty.
      • Faculty with zero percent joint appointments and visiting faculty are also considered members of the departmental faculty.
      
      
   2. Voting members of the faculty
      • All tenured and tenure track faculty are eligible to attend departmental meetings and vote.
      • Faculty with zero percent appointments and visiting faculty members may attend the faculty meetings and participate in the discussions and deliberations. They are not eligible to vote.
      
      
   3. Non-voting member of the faculty
      • Faculty with zero percent appointments and visiting faculty members may attend the faculty meetings and participate in the discussions and deliberations. They are not eligible to vote.
   
   
3. Officers and Standing Committees
   
   
   1. The DEO is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Department. The DEO is appointed by the Dean of the College in consultation with the faculty of the Department and with approval of the Provost. The primary administrative duties and responsibilities of the DEO are set by the College. Please refer to Article XI of the College's Manual of Procedure, which describes the chief duties of the DEO. (http://www.clas.uiowa.edu/faculty/handbook/11/xi.shtml) The DEO recommends to the Dean merit salary increases for faculty and P&S staff. The departmental handbook provides the DEO guidance on administrative methods (http://www.physics.uiowa.edu/handbook/).
      
      
   2. Other Officers
      
      Associate Chair:
      
      A full time faculty member appointed by the chair for a term decided on by the chair, not to exceed the term of the chair's appointment. The primary function of the associate chair is to manage routine departmental affairs primarily related to matters of the graduate and undergraduate curriculum. These duties include the following:
      1. Managing and assigning teaching assistants.
      2. Working with the Educational Operations Committee in making teaching assignments.
      3. Functioning as acting chair in chair's absence (including the authority to sign proposals).
      4. Supervise the lecture demonstration and laboratory coordinators.
      5. May appoint subcommittees to deal with problems of undergraduate and graduate education as they arise.
      6. Work with the Educational Operations Committee on matters of mutual concern.
      7. Other duties mutually agreed to with the chair.
      
      Astronomy Coordinator:
      
      One member of the astronomy group will be appointed by the chair to serve as astronomy coordinator. The astronomy coordinator will manage the routine aspects of the Physics and Astronomy Department that are specific to the astronomy program. The astronomy coordinator will advise the Executive Committee on matters related to the astronomy program.
      
      
   3. Standing Committees
      
      Executive Committee:
      
      Membership:
      1. The committee consists of five faculty members and one staff member. The Associate Chair serves as one of the faculty committee members, and the Chair appoints the other four. Appointed faculty members must be approved, as a group, by a majority of the voting faculty. The staff member will be appointed by the DEO.
      2. The four appointed faculty members would be chosen to represent the broad and diverse interests of the department.
      3. The appointed members each serve a two-year term, with the terms staggered, so each year the Chair will appoint and the faculty will approve two members of the committee.
      
      Duties include but are not limited to the following:
      1. At the first meeting of each academic year, the committee will elect a chairperson who will work closely with the department Chair.
      2. The Executive Committee will meet regularly with the Chair to represent the interests of the faculty.
      3. The Executive Committee will advise the DEO on policy matters and other DEO concerns.
      4. The Executive Committee will be responsible for appointing ad-hoc committees to make recommendations on substantive matters or to perform specific tasks.
      5. The Executive Committee will also advise the Chair on financial matters relating to research support and teaching.
      
      Educational Operations Committee:
      
      Membership:
      
      1. The committee will consist of four members elected from the faculty whose primary appointment is in the department.
      2. Elected members will serve two-year terms, with two members elected each year.
      3. A member of the committee is not eligible for reelection to the committee (unless approved by DEO).
      
      Duties:
      1. At the first meeting of each academic year, the committee will elect a chairperson who will work closely with the DEO, Associate Chair, and staff.
      2. The primary duties of the EO Committee are to review educational policy and curriculum issues and, when appropriate, prepare and present proposals for change to the DEO, Associate Chair, and faculty.
      3. The Committee reviews student appeals that are of a substantive nature, and recommends appropriate action to the DEO and Associate Chair.
      4. The EO Committee will solicit from the faculty requests for teaching assignments and recommend to the DEO annual teaching assignments.
      5. The Committee will appoint the qualifying examination committee and, as needed, other ad hoc committees to address issues that fall under the purview of the EO Committee.
      6. The Committee is charged with responding, either directly or through an appointed subcommittee, to CLAS and University solicitations for education-related proposals, such as those for instructional equipment and special TA lines. The Committee is also the body responsible for developing departmental proposals for externally funded graduate student support through, e.g., NSF REU's and GAANN Grants.
      
      Recruiting and Admissions Committee:
      
      Membership:
      
      1. The committee consists of four faculty appointed by the Executive Committee and approved, as a group, by a majority of the voting faculty.
      2. Members will be chosen to represent the broad and diverse interests of the department.
      3. Members serve a two-year term, with the terms staggered; two new members will be appointed each year. Multiple terms are permitted.
      
      Duties:
      1. At the first meeting of each academic year, the committee will elect a chairperson who will work closely with the DEO, Associate Chair, and staff.
      2. The Recruiting and Admissions Committee, in coordination with the DEO, Associate Chair, and staff, will develop and implement strategies for effective recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students. This will include, e.g.,
         • Analysis of TA/RA offers, TA duties, etc., relative to peer institutions
         • Review of GRE mailing list and follow-up letters to targeted students
         • Coordination of graduate and undergraduate scholars days
         • Arrangement for faculty participation in University-sponsored recruiting events, such as Hawkeye Visiting Days
         • Personal contact with applicants
         • Evaluation and selection for scholarships and awards
         • Outreach to regional high schools and colleges
         • Marketing academic programs through brochures, posters, web presence
         • Arrangement of exit interviews for graduating students
      3. The Committee will evaluate graduate applications and coordinate the admissions process. It will work with the DEO, Associate Chair, and staff to evaluate TA needs and plan admissions to cover these needs.
      4. The Committee will coordinate with faculty and staff departmental activities associated with incoming students, including new student orientation, TA training, and the Undergraduate Welcome Week program.
      5. The Committee is also charged with nominating prospective students for Graduate College and Minority Opportunity Fellowships and, as appropriate, appointing mentors.
      6. The Committee may appoint other ad-hoc committees or solicit assistance from other faculty as needed to address issues that fall within its purview.
      
      Other Committee Considerations

      The DEO in consultation with the Executive Committee may appoint other committees as needed.

      Decisions on substantive matters will be made by the faculty; these decisions will be made only after consideration by the appropriate committee of the faculty. Such consideration will normally entail a short written report to the faculty, which when appropriate may include a recommended action. The matter will be decided by a vote of the full faculty. A matter is deemed "substantive" when deemed so by any faculty member.

4. Departmental Meetings
   
   The departmental Manual for Operations and Procedures should at a minimum specify the following:
   
   
   1. Departmental meetings are held in 309 Van Allen Hall on the first Tuesday of every month during the academic year (Sept - Dec and Feb - May).
      
      
   2. Departmental meetings are chaired by the DEO. S/he is responsible for leading discussions and coordinating the distribution of minutes.
      
      
   3. A call for agenda items occurs approximately 1 week prior to the meeting. Faculty are able to submit items to the DEO for discussion.
      
      
   4. Only faculty as defined in II.A. may attend departmental faculty meetings, along with the administrative associate. Eligibility of said faculty to vote on any issues raised at departmental meetings is covered in II.B.
      
      
   5. Special meetings are scheduled by the DEO when needed.
      
      
   6. As much notice as possible is given, depending on the urgency of the meeting, ranging from several weeks to a couple days.
      
      
   7. A quorum is reached when 2/3 of the faculty eligible to vote on an issue are in attendance at a departmental meeting.
      
      
   8. Minutes are kept by the administrative associate.
      
      
   9. Any faculty member may make a motion. Motions made by faculty members must be seconded before they are voted on. Motions brought to the faculty by a recognized departmental committee do not require a second. An item introduced by a faculty member that requires extensive discussion may be declared a "substantive issue;" it will be turned over to an appropriate committee who will make a recommendation at a subsequent meeting.
      
      
   10. Update from DEO meeting, committee reports, and agenda items submitted by faculty.
       
       
   11. A variety of voting procedures are used depending on the circumstances of the topic. Generally a vote is taken by a show of hands. Depending on the subject, the DEO may call for the vote to be taken by secret ballot.
       
       
   12. Normally motions are decided by a simple majority of a quorum of faculty members in attendance. An item requiring a separate vote solicited from all departmental faculty members would be a faculty appointment.
   
   
5. Procedures for Amendment of the Manual for Operations and Procedures
   
   The Manual for Operations and Procedures can be amended at any time. To amend these operations and procedures, a written proposal is submitted to the DEO for discussion at a departmental meeting. A 2/3's majority vote is required to approve the amendment. This vote is taken by a show of hands. Amendments of the Manual are subject to approval by the College.

MECHANISM FOR COURSE AND CURRICULUM REVIEW

Department of Physics and Astronomy

• that the curriculum reflects the current status of the discipline, the composition of the faculty, students' needs, and instructional technology;
• that the departmental major comprises a reasonable proportion of course work taken in residence at this University;
• that courses are sequenced clearly and that reasonable prerequisites are in place for advanced courses; and
• that course experiences vary in size and format in both the lower division and upper division of course numbering.

ADMINISTRATION OF DEPARTMENTAL UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Department of Physics and Astronomy

ADMINISTRATION OF DEPARTMENTAL GRADUATE PROGRAM

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Last updated September 29, 2003. © The University of Iowa 2003. All rights reserved. Contact information. Send questions or comments to the webmaster. The Department of Physics and Astronomy is a part of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.