The University Senate of Michigan Technological University
Proposal 34-21
Departmental Charter for Chemical Engineering
CHARTER
Department of Chemical Engineering, Michigan Technological University
Mission Statement
The Department of Chemical Engineering will provide the State of Michigan, the nation
and the world with world-class undergraduate and graduate education in support of
workforce needs; research leading to the creation of knowledge and economic opportunities;
outreach that fosters education and careers in engineering and applied science; and
technical leadership and support to industry and government for the betterment of
the society.
1. Voting and Governance
1.a. Voting Members
Voting members are defined as all faculty and staff. Faculty are tenured, tenure-track
(TT), and non-tenure-track (NTT) instructional personnel (Assistant/Associate/Full
Professors, Instructors, Lecturers, and Professors of Practice), in the Chemical Engineering
Department. Staff are the regular and permanent, professional, technical, and clerical
members of the department. The department chair is a full voting member on all issues
except chair evaluation and reappointment. Faculty who transfer into administrative
positions within the university would be eligible to vote if they remain active in
the department as evidenced by at least two of the three activities: (i) teaching
CM courses, (ii) supervising CM graduate research, and/or (iii) serving on departmental
committee(s). At least 50% of the voting members must participate in a departmental
meeting to conduct a binding vote. In the event of a tie after voting, the department
chair will decide the proposal’s outcome. Research faculty members with official appointments
and Emeritus/Emerita faculty are welcome to participate in faculty meetings and discussions
but may not vote. Post-doctoral researchers, adjunct faculty, and visiting scholars
are not included in department governance. The issues will be voted on as below:
Administrative & Governance – all voting members
Academic, Assessment, Curriculum – all faculty (tenured, TT, NTT)
Chair Search and Evaluation – All voting members
Faculty Search - all faculty (tenured, TT, NTT)
1.b. Amendment of the Charter
Any voting member of the department may propose amendments to the charter. Proposed
amendments will be circulated to the voting members at least ten days before the meeting
at which they will be discussed and voted. The department can approve amendments by
a 2/3 majority of the voting members.
1.c. Updating Charter to Assure Compliance
An ad hoc charter committee will be formed at a minimum of every five years, to review
the university-approved charter. This review will determine whether amendments are
needed to update the charter and ensure compliance with university policies. Any necessary
amendments will be proposed by the charter committee for a vote in accordance with
section 1.b.
1.d. Conflict with University Policies
In any event in which these precepts are in conflict with University policies and
procedures, the University policies and procedures shall take precedence.
1.e. Operating Procedures Appendix
An Operating Procedures Appendix will be provided as a separate document, and is not
considered a part of the university-approved charter. It does not require external
approval, and may be modified by a simple majority vote of the voting members of the
department.
2. Duties and Responsibilities of the Department Chair
2.a. Unit Constituency and Governance
The unit constituency consists of the voting members as defined in Section 1.a. The
department chair has the primary responsibility for operating the department in an
efficient manner and is responsible for guidance in faculty development and promotion.
This includes day-to-day operations and policy implementation. The department chair
should demonstrate leadership and represent the faculty to the administration. The
chair should also maintain departmental relationships with alumni and industry, and
will take an active role in fund-raising. Except where explicitly stated otherwise
in this document, votes made by the department and decisions made by committees are
advisory to the department chair. In the event that any of the committees described
in this charter do not perform their functions, the department chair may temporarily
execute those functions until a new committee is reconstituted.
2.b. Selection of Chair
The chair will be selected in accordance with the policies set forth in University
Senate Policies and Procedures 805.1.1 Search Procedures for Department Chairs and
School Deans [1]. All department chair searches will be open to both external and
internal candidates. The voting membership for chair selections is as defined in Section
1.a, with the faculty votes and the staff votes reported separately. The Search Committee
will solicit input and recommendation from representatives of the undergraduate and
graduate students.
2.c. Evaluation of Chair
Evaluation of the chair will be carried out by an Evaluation Committee according to
the schedule and procedures laid out in Policy 506.1.1. Evaluation Procedure for Department
Chairs and School Deans [2]. The Evaluation Committee will consist of the three faculty
members on the executive committee (minus the department chair), plus an external
member as specified in Policy 506.1.1. The Evaluation Committee will solicit input
to its report and recommendation from representatives of the undergraduate and graduate
students.
2.d Evaluation of Teaching
The chair will ensure that teaching is evaluated in accordance with Board of Trustees
policy, as described in the Faculty Handbook [3]. Teaching evaluation will consist
of student evaluations (50% maximum); evaluations by self, peers, or colleagues as
approved by the faculty.
2.e Compensation and Workload
Salaries, wages, and distribution of merit pay are the responsibility of the chair.
Each year, the chair will present to the faculty the process and criteria to be used
to determine salary raises. The chair, in consultation with the executive committee,
determines workload, including teaching and committee assignments and other university
and departmental responsibilities.
3. Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment Procedures and Guidelines
3.a. Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment (TPR) Committee
The departmental TPR committee will be selected and organized as described in the
Operating Procedures Appendix.
3.b. Promotion and Tenure Procedures:
Promotion and Tenure procedures are specified in the Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty
Handbook, Appendix I. Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment Procedures [6]. Each academic
year, the department chair will request that:
1. All non‐tenured tenure-track faculty update their Digital Measures information.
The Faculty Activity Report (FAR) will be generated electronically using the data
in the digital measures and used by the Tenure, Promotion and Reappointment (TPR)
Committee.
2. Any tenured faculty wishing to be considered for promotion update their Digital
Measures.
3. All promotion/tenure candidates submit a list of five professional and academic
references with their qualifications specified by University policy
After reviewing the paperwork, the TPR committee meets with all untenured tenure‐track
faculty members individually to review their progress toward tenure. The TPR committee
then prepares a written report on each case to the department chair.
For tenure and/or promotion cases, a list of at least four references is prepared
by the TPR committee. This list will include at least two references from the list
of five references provided by the candidate, and two from a separate list prepared
by the TPR committee. The references on both the candidate’s list and the committee’s
list are then contacted to ask their willingness to serve as a referee. Dossiers are
sent to those that agree, following university and college procedures[6]. The committee
will contact additional persons from the reference list until at least two references
from the candidate’s list and two from the committee’s list agree to provide letters
of reference. All of the letters received will be included in the candidate’s application
package, even if more than four letters are received. After the letters are received,
the TPR committee will follow the procedures outlined in the Faculty Handbook.
3.c. Reappointment to current rank:
It is imperative that the faculty member be on a trajectory toward tenure and be advised
of the member’s situation annually by both the TPR committee and the department chair.
3.d. Promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor with Tenure:
The underlying criterion for this category is “Sufficient promise of long term performance”
and “significant progress toward becoming nationally known by his/her peers”. This
requires a blend of performance in teaching, research, and service.
3.d.1. Research: The research activity should be such that it can be reasonably extrapolated to continual
research throughout the faculty member’s career, as evidenced by: a) Research funding
; b) Publications in refereed journals and conference proceedings; c) Research presentations
at national and international conferences; d) Successful guidance of M.S. and Ph.D.
candidates towards achieving their degrees; and e) Mentorship of undergraduate/Enterprise
researchers.
3.d.2. Teaching: A successful candidate will demonstrate teaching activity that, as a minimum, can
be ranked as effective and competent, based on the department’s teaching evaluation
policy.
3.d.3. Service: A successful candidate will demonstrate professional service within and outside
the university. Involvement in state, regional, national, and international groups,
demonstrating that the individual is held in high regard by his or her peers, will
be considered.
3.e. Promotion from Associate to Full Professor:
The underlying criterion includes sufficient evidence of scholarly achievements and
professional recognition. This requires continuing effective and competent performance
in teaching, research, and service. There should be a continuing output of publications,
with a significant number of journal publications and a well-funded research program
supporting graduate students. In addition, a successful candidate will have national
or international recognition evidenced by leadership and service in professional society
activities, conferences, journals, etc. Exceptional achievements such as research
awards, teaching awards, and patents will receive significant weight.
3.f. New Hires
3.f.1. Non-Tenure-Track Faculty
Appointment of non-tenure-track faculty is defined in Senate Policy 701.2 [7]. The
executive committee, or a committee designated by the executive committee, will serve
as the search committee for these positions. Positions that are initially supported
by funding sources other than the General Fund or departmental funds, will not automatically
become the responsibility of the Chemical Engineering department if their original
funding source runs out.
3.f.2. Tenure -Track Faculty
The decision to hire a new faculty member, as defined in Senate Policy 701.1 [8],
will be initiated by the department chair in consultation with the executive committee
and the Dean of the College of Engineering. Following the necessary approvals, an
ad hoc search committee will be elected by the faculty. The search committee, in consultation
with the department chair, will perform the search. The search will begin with advertising
of the open position in appropriate national and regional publications. The applications
will be reviewed by the search committee, and the top candidates will be invited for
campus interviews. The search committee will solicit feedback from all those involved
in the interview visit, and conduct a faculty vote to make hiring recommendations
to the department chair. The department chair will obtain final approval from the
university administration to make an offer and will perform the necessary negotiations
with the candidate.
4. Non-academic Professional Staff
Staff includes the regular and permanent, professional, technical, and clerical members.
Staff also will participate in the evaluation of the chair. Professional staff will
elect one representative to serve as a member of the executive committee as specified
in Section 8.a.1. Research faculty members with official appointments are welcome
to participate and discuss in faculty meetings but may not vote. Post-doctoral researchers
and visiting scholars, and student employees are not included in any department governance.
5. Sabbatical Leave Recommendations
A faculty member wishing to take a sabbatical must apply for the sabbatical in compliance
with the procedures described in Appendix E of the Michigan Tech Faculty Handbook
[4]. Departmental approval for sabbatical leave must be obtained from the department
chair.
6. Professor Emeritus/Emerita Recommendations
Retired faculty members (Tenured and non-TT) are eligible to be considered for the
rank of 'Professor Emeritus/Emerita'. All active faculty (Tenured and TT-track/non-TT)
may participate in the selection and evaluation. The retired faculty must be nominated
(and seconded) by the ChE faculty. A discussion and secret ballot vote of all faculty
(including the Chair) is conducted. If supported by a majority of the faculty, the
Chair would forward the nomination to the Dean’s Office for final consideration (Faculty
Handbook section 1.5.4).
7. Grievance Procedure
All grievances will be filed with the dean who will forward copies to the chair and
members of the executive committee. The chair and executive committee, excluding any
who may be subjects of the grievance, shall select three faculty members to serve
as an ad hoc grievance committee. This committee will then act in accordance with
the current Faculty Grievance Policy and Procedures as adopted by the senate, as described
in the Faculty Handbook, Appendix C [5].
8. Other Policies and Practices
8.a. Committees and Coordinators
Governance of the Department of Chemical Engineering is the responsibility of the
department chair, in consultation with the executive committee and the faculty and
staff. Standing committees and ad hoc committees will be defined in the Operating
Procedures Appendix
8.a.1. Executive Committee
The executive committee consists of three faculty members and a staff member, who
act in an advisory capacity to the department chair. The faculty and staff members
will be elected through voting as defined in Section 1.a. Each spring, the department
chair will call an election for the executive committee for the next academic year,
with the new executive committee going into effect at the beginning of the fall semester.
The previous executive committee will serve through the summer if necessary. Only
those faculty members willing and able to serve on the executive committee will have
their names on the ballot. In the event of ties, run-off elections will be held as
needed. The newly elected executive committee shall elect one of the three faculty
members as chair at its first meeting. The executive committee chair must be tenured
and will serve as acting department chair in the short-term absence of the department
chair. In the event that a member leaves the committee, a replacement will be elected
by the appropriate constituency, within two weeks of the start of the vacancy. The
executive committee considers all matters (including financial) pertaining to the
department and will advise the department chair on fund-raising initiatives. This
committee (minus the department chair) will be responsible for initiating the evaluation
of the department chair and for maintaining the questionnaire used in that evaluation.
References
[1] University Senate Procedures 805.1.1, “Search Procedures for Department Chairs
and School Deans”, https://www.admin.mtu.edu/usenate/policies/p805-1-1.htm
[2] University Senate Policy 506.1.1, “Evaluation Procedures for Department Chairs
and School Deans”, https://www.admin.mtu.edu/usenate/policies/p506-1-1.htm
[3] Teaching Evaluation Policy, Michigan Tech Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Handbook,
http//www.mtu.edu/faculty-handbook/faculty/chapter3/s3-2/3213/index.htm
[4] Appendix E. Sabbatical Leave Procedures, Michigan Tech Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty
Handbook, https://www.mtu.edu/faculty-handbook/faculty/appendices/e/
[5] Appendix C. Grievance Procedures, Michigan tech Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty Handbook,
https://www.mtu.edu/faculty-handbook/faculty/appendices/c/
[6] Appendix I. Michigan tech Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment Procedures, https://www.mtu.edu/faculty-handbook/faculty/appendices/i/
[7] University Senate Policy 701.2, “Non Tenure-Track Faculty Appointments”, https://www.admin.mtu.edu/usenate/policies/p701-2.htm
[8] University Senate Policy 701.1, “Faculty Academic Appointments”, https://www.admin.mtu.edu/usenate/policies/p701-1.htm
Appendix – Operating Procedures
In consultation with the executive committee, the Chair shall appoint faculty to serve
on the various committees. Each faculty member is expected to be an active participant
on one or more standing committees, or an equivalent assignment. Except for the executive
committee, the department chair is not eligible for membership on any standing committee,
except in an ex officio role. Preferences, work load, balancing of academic ranks,
and the needs of the department will be considered by the executive committee, which
will forward committee assignments to the faculty and staff before the start of the
next academic year. Objections to committee assignments may be submitted in writing
to the executive committee, which shall have final authority to resolve such disputes.
Normally, the department as a whole will review the membership and major responsibilities
of each standing committee at the annual Department Retreat to be held in August.
For each standing committee, the executive committee shall designate the member who
will call the first meeting of the committee. At that meeting the committee will elect
its own chair. Except for the executive committee, in the event that a committee member
cannot fulfill the duties of office, the department chair may appoint a replacement
committee member to fulfill the remainder of the term of office of that committee
member.
Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment (TPR) Committee and CM Representative to the
College of Engineering TPR Committee
The CM TPR committee makes recommendations to the department on issues related to
promotion, tenure, and re-appointment. This committee will consist of three tenured
faculty members in the department. If possible, the chair of the committee should
be a full professor. The TPR committee, in consultation with the department chair,
will review annually the activities and accomplishments of untenured faculty. The
TPR committee will provide written feedback to all faculty members who are reviewed,
indicating any actions that need to be taken by the faculty member in order to obtain
a favorable recommendation from the TPR committee at the time of reappointment, promotion,
and/or tenure.
A tenured faculty member who is not a member of the department TPR committee will
be selected by the department chair as the departmental representative on the college
of engineering TPR committee. This selection will be carried out as part of the committee
assignment process.
Computer Committee
The computer committee will conduct continuing reviews of the department's computing
needs and will make appropriate recommendations on computing issues to the department
chair. This committee will consist of two faculty members and a staff representative.
The computer committee may also elect to have student representation.
Curriculum Committee
This committee reviews and makes recommendations on courses, curricula, and academic
specialty programs affecting the department. The curriculum committee considers all
matters related to the undergraduate requirements including review of curriculum content
with respect to accreditation requirements, prerequisite/corequisite requirements,
new courses/options, and all other matters which affect the curriculum. Policy related
to these issues is also addressed by this committee. It is recommended that the curriculum
committee will meet jointly with the assessment committee twice annually, in the fall
and spring semesters. This committee will consist of at least two faculty members,
and the undergraduate academic advisor.
Graduate Committee
The graduate committee reviews and ensures graduate program quality and makes recommendations
to the faculty on policy related to graduate students and graduate programs. This
committee recruits and tracks applications to the department’s graduate programs and
is responsible for graduate admissions and assessment. It rates applicants for departmental
fellowships and assistantships and makes recommendations to the department chair.
This committee is responsible for coordinating fall graduate student orientation.
It also is responsible for administering the doctoral qualifying examinations and
making recommendations to the departmental graduate faculty on passage or failure
of students on the qualifying exams. This committee will consist of three graduate
faculty members.
Safety Committee
This committee is responsible for reviewing and auditing the safety program in the
department and making recommendations to the faculty on safety policies. Specific
safety-related duties include the following:
- Reviewing and updating the department’s safety and waste disposal manuals annually;
- Supervising the annual laboratory safety inspections of both teaching and research laboratories;
- Recommending to the department chair remediation actions for any hazards that might exist or arise in the department. The committee may recommend to the department chair that any facility be shut or locked until a hazard is corrected.
- Recommending, offering, and maintaining records of safety training for all affected employees of the department.
Under the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act (MiOSHA) the department is required to have a Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP). The department's safety manual serves as the CHP and defines the position of Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO). The CHO is appointed by the Department Chair upon recommendation by the Safety Committee. The committee shares with affected employees and students responsibility to ensure that the CHP is working.
Assessment
The undergraduate assessment committee will serve as stewards of the department’s
assessment program. The committee is responsible for gathering assessment data, supervising
any assessment exams or surveys, reporting on assessment results to the department,
and suggesting changes in the department’s assessment tools. The undergraduate assessment
committee will work closely with the curriculum committee; it is recommended that
these committees meet jointly twice annually, in the fall and spring semesters. The
undergraduate assessment committee is responsible for assessment issues related to
accreditation, including collecting assessment materials in preparation for site visits
of assessing organization(s) and coordinating the preparation of the department's
assessment report. This committee will consist of three faculty members, and the undergraduate
academic advisor may serve in an advisory capacity.
Ad Hoc Committees
It will be necessary at times to create/appoint ad hoc committees to perform relatively
short-term tasks. Ad hoc committees normally should not be in existence for more than
one year. These committees may consist of both faculty and staff members, depending
on the function of the committee. Ad hoc committees will be created by the department
chair, who may not be a voting member of the committee. The department chair or his/her
representative may convene the first meeting of the committee and present the committee
with its charge.
The CM grievance committee is a special ad hoc committee whose composition and function
is described in Section 7: Grievance Procedure.
8.c. Coordinators
Coordinator positions are created to assist the chair in specific duties as the need
arises. These positions are created by the executive committee working with the department
chair. Faculty members filling coordinator positions serve at the pleasure of the
department chair.
November 2, 2020