Faculty Governance Structure and Meeting Information

SSU Faculty Governance Organization Chart

SSU Faculty Governance Organization

Academic Senate

Academic Senate Membership & Meeting Dates (Thursdays 3:00 - 5:00 PM)

Academic Senate Standing Committees and Subcommittees:

Academic Planning, Assessment, and Resources Committee (APARC)
Education Policies Committee (EPC)
Faculty Standards and Affairs Committee (FSAC)
Student Affairs Committee (SAC)
Academic Senate Diversity Subcommittee (SDS)

Executive Committee of the Academic Senate (ExCom)

ExCom Membership & Meeting Dates (Thursdays 3:00 - 5:00 PM)

Subcommittees of the Executive Committee:

Structure and Functions Subcommittee

Structure and Functions Subcommittee (S&F)

S&F Charge:

S&F Membership and Meeting Dates

Academic Planning, Assessment, and Resources Committee (APARC)

APARC Charge:

The Academic Planning, Assessment, and Resources Committee (APARC) serves as the faculty’s primary planning, budget, and assessment committee for academic programs and related curricula. The Academic Planning, Assessment and Resources Committee shall establish subcommittees as necessary to carry out its charge.

APARC Membership & Meeting Dates (Tuesdays 3:00 - 5:00 PM)

APARC Subcommittees:

Academic Technology and Instructional Spaces (ATISS)
University Program Review Subcommittee (UPRS)

Academic Technology and Instructional Spaces Subcommittee (ATISS)

ATISS Charge:

The Academic Technology and Instructional Spaces Subcommittee is the faculty’s primary vehicle for planning for and evaluating the use of instructional spaces and technologies. The committee is to:

Assess the ongoing and planned needs of different academic and other constituencies on campus with regard to instructional technology and spaces. Consult with Facilities and Information Technology to evaluate the functioning of new or newly upgraded instructional technologies and spaces.
Act as a central point of communication and coordination among faculty, Academic Affairs, Facilities, and Information Technology to respond to needs and academic planning issues with regard to instructional technologies and spaces.
Identify and prioritize implementation of best-practices in pedagogy and educational technology. This includes a process for vetting requests for the addition or discontinuance of various standards and platforms. It also includes coordination with Academic Affairs, as appropriate, to establish appropriate training and faculty development programs directly related to the use of specific instructional technologies and spaces.
Establish and maintain a system for prioritizing and implementing technological and related classroom upgrades.
Provide faculty representation on the campus Accessible Technology Initiative Steering Committee (at least two members).
Provide an annual report at the start of each Spring semester to APARC regarding the current state of teaching spaces and educational technology as well as recommendations for keeping up to date.

ATISS Membership & Meeting Dates ()

University Program Review Subcommittee (UPRS)

UPRS Charge:

The University Program Review Subcommittee shall review all Program Reviews. It shall examine the Departmental Self Study document, the External Reviewer’s report, the School Curriculum Committee’s report and the Dean’s report, if separate. The Program Review Subcommittee shall meet with the Department faculty and, if necessary, the School Curriculum Committee or Dean for any clarification. The Program Review Subcommittee shall identify issues and prepare a list of actionable items for the Department, School Curriculum Committee, and Dean. The Provost shall review all reports and feedback and, in consultation with the Program Review Subcommittee and the Department and Dean, prepare a Memorandum of Understanding to address identified issues and develop action plans in accordance with any applicable accreditation standards and requirements. The Program Review Subcommittee shall provide an annual report to APARC that extrapolates general themes from its examination of all Program Reviews.

UPRS Membership & Meeting Dates ()

Educational Policies Committee (EPC)

EPC Charge:

The Educational Policies Committee shall have primary responsibility over the curriculum and academic standards of the University. Functions shall include but not be limited to: (1) review and recommendation concerning all program initiation, modification and termination; long range goals of the University, establishment of priorities for resources allocations and evaluation of current programs; (2) review and act upon all student petitions pertaining to academic standards, and (3) review and recommendation of policies regarding University academic standards including grading policy, discipline, student academic dishonesty, student diversity and educational opportunity.

The Educational Policies Committee shall establish such subcommittees as necessary to carry out its charge.

EPC Membership & Meeting Dates ()

GE Information and Miscellaneous Materials:

GE Workshops Flyer | EPC second reading of internship policy materials - SSU access only | Handouts from AAC&U conference

EPC Subcommittees:

General Education Subcommittee (GE)
Graduate Studies Subcommittee (GSS)
Overlay Subcommittee* (OL)
University Standards Subcommittee

General Education Subcommittee (GE)

GE Charge:

Develop and modify the General Education curriculum of the University in accordance with Title V and applicable Executive Orders after consultation with the School G. E. committees;
Coordinate the curriculum of G.E. courses through consultation with faculty engaged in teaching G.E. courses;
Develop and analyze procedures for evaluation of G.E. program in consultation with School G.E. committees;
Design policies in consultation with Admissions office staff concerning the evaluation of G.E. equivalencies and substitutions in the transcripts of transfer students;
Update and simplify G.E. catalog copy;
Report in writing all decisions pertaining to the G.E. program to the Educational Policies Committee. The Chair of the G.E. Subcommittee shall make periodic oral reports to the EPC and send minutes of subcommittee meetings to the Chair of EPC and;
Submit recommendations for proposals for significant changes in the G.E. curriculum, i.e., changes in the total number of units, the distribution of units among the Schools and Departments, or involving unresolved disputes between departments, to the EPC for consideration and action. Other changes agreed upon by the G.E. subcommittee and the G.E. committees of the School (s) involved may be decided by subcommittee, subject to challenge by the EPC or the Academic Senate.

GE Membership & Meeting Dates ()

Overlay Subcommittee

OL Charge:

Develop and modify the Overlay curriculum of the University in accordance with the Seawolf Studies graduation requirements based on consultation with EPC, School curriculum committees, the campus community, faculty engaged in teaching Overlay courses, and relevant subject matter experts.
Establish and revise the content criteria used to determine the placement of courses within specific Overlays based on consultation with EPC, School curriculum committees, the campus community, faculty engaged in teaching Overlay courses, and relevant subject matter experts.
Develop and oversee processes for applying the content criteria to determine the placement of specific courses within Overlays.
Update and oversee processes for streamlining the approval and use of WIC courses to meet the GWAR and related SSU policies as deemed appropriate by EPC.
Update and simplify Overlay Catalog Copy in consultation with Academic Programs.
Design policies and processes in consultation with Admissions and Records staff concerning the evaluation of Overlay equivalencies and substitutions in the transcripts of transfer students.
Develop and analyze procedures for evaluation and assessment of the Overlay portion of the Seawolf Studies graduation requirements program in consultation with EPC and Academic Programs.
Submit recommendations for the establishment of Overlay content criteria, for the placement of courses within specific Overlays, and for other Overlay changes and processes to EPC for consideration and action. EPC may determine that certain changes may be decided by the Overlay Subcommittee, subject to challenge by EPC.
Report in writing all recommendations and decisions pertaining to the Overlay program to EPC. The Overlay Subcommittee Chair shall make periodic oral reports to EPC and ensure that all subcommittee minutes are provided to the EPC Chair. The report should include an analysis of their workload and possibility for condensing with the GE Subcommittee into a “Graduation Requirements Subcommittee.”

Overlay Membership & Meeting Dates ()

Graduate Studies Subcommittee (GSS)

GSS Charge:

The Graduate Studies Subcommittee shall develop policy recommendations on all aspects of graduate studies at the University, make recommendations to the Educational Policies Committee on proposed new graduate degree programs, consider and prepare written comments on the periodic academic reviews of graduate programs that are required by Trustee policy, monitor the quality of graduate programs, and serve as a consultative body to the Dean of Academic Programs/Graduate Studies. The Chair of the Graduate Studies subcommittee will make periodic reports to the EPC and send minutes of the subcommittee meetings to the Chair of EPC.

Each Department with a Graduate program will be represented on the Committee by its Graduate Coordinator and there will be one representative from the Library. The Special Major Advisor and the Dean of Academic Programs/Graduate Studies will also be members of the Committee.

GSS Membership & Meeting Dates ()

University Standards Subcommittee

University Standards Subcommittee Charge:

The University Standards subcommittee shall consider all matters pertaining to academic standards in the University. It will review and act upon student petitions of academic regulations and recommend policy regarding academic standards to the Academic Senate.

University Standards Subcommittee Membership & Meeting Dates ()

Faculty Standards & Affairs Committee (FSAC)

FSAC Charge:

The Faculty Standards and Affairs Committee shall have primary responsibility for the development and implementation of policy concerning the practices and procedures used in faculty personnel matters, such as appointment, retention, tenure, promotion, sabbatical, and other leaves, grievance disputes, and disciplinary actions, and the protection of academic freedom in the broadest sense.

The Faculty Standards and Affairs Committee shall have at least one permanent subcommittee, the University Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Subcommittee, and such other subcommittees as necessary to carry out its charge.

FSAC Membership & Meeting Dates ()

FSAC Subcommittees:

Academic Freedom Subcommittee (AFS)
Teaching & Learning Subcommittee (TLS)
University Reappointment, Tenure & Promotion Subcommittee (URTP)
Faculty Subcommittee on Scholarly Activities (FSSA)

Academic Freedom Subcommittee (AFS)

AFS Charge:

As a subcommittee of the Faculty Standards and Affairs Committee (FSAC), the charge of the Academic Freedom Subcommittee (AFS) is to both proactively monitor and examine/respond to confidential complaints about issues of academic freedom at the University, using the Faculty Handbook and SSU policy on academic freedom. The additional charges of AFS are to:

Raise awareness, provide education, and develop programs or forums related to academic freedom for the benefit of the SSU community; and
Periodically review the portions of the Faculty Handbook relevant to academic freedom and, in particular, the "Statement of Professional Responsibility," the "Faculty Bill of Rights," and other university policies and procedures related to academic freedom, and make any recommendations for change to FSAC; and
Maintain an SSU policy on academic freedom, making recommendation for changes to this policy to FSAC; and
Implement relevant parts of the SSU policy on academic freedom, including hearing confidential complaints related to issues of academic freedom.

AFS Membership & Meeting Dates (Wednesdays 12:00 - 1:00 PM, not all AFS meetings are open)

University Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion Subcommittee (URTP)

See SSU Policy Library for more information about this subcommittee.

URTP Membership & Meeting Dates ()

Teaching & Learning Subcommittee (TLS)

TLS Charge:

The Teaching and Learning Subcommittee (TLS) is a subcommittee of the Faculty Standards and Affairs Committee (FSAC). As stated in the University mission, SSU is committed to “effective teaching… and ongoing professional development.” To this end, TLS has primary responsibility within the faculty governance structure for addressing the individual faculty member’s professional development and career growth as an educator and mentor. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Promote a campus environment supportive of professional development in regards to Teaching and Learning pedagogical support.
Provide feedback to agencies of the university on the development of programs in support of faculty needs pertaining to teaching and learning in higher education, and university service.
Review applications and give recommendations to the appropriate administrators for faculty submitting proposals for awards such as: (a) Educational Experience Enhancement award and (b) Excellence in Teaching award.
Organize and promote an annual teaching showcase or other events to support excellent teaching and enhance faculty understanding of pedagogy.
Advise the Provost on budgetary and hiring decisions that impact faculty professional development, especially as regards teaching and learning.
Collaborate with the Center for Teaching and Educational Technology, the Center for Community Engagement, and the Associate Vice President for Faculty Success by cosponsoring professional development opportunities on teaching and university service, promoting recruitment at the school and department level, and providing data from annual faculty surveys.

TLS Membership & Meeting Dates ()

Faculty Subcommittee on Scholarly Activities (FSSA)

FSSA Charge:

The primary role of the Scholarly Activities subcommittee is to support faculty research, scholarship, and creative activities (or RSCA) by reviewing internal grant programs, developing policies related to faculty participation in RSCA, and contributing to efforts that recognize and make visible faculty RSCA. It is the final review body for all campus grant programs requiring faculty evaluation. As such, it serves as a liaison between various units of the campus and the administration.

This subcommittee shall:

Support the faculty by informing them of the activities of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP);
Establish review procedures for campus-wide grant review processes (e.g., the Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Program [RSCAP] mini-grants and fellowships);
Facilitate communication among the administration, the Chief Research Officer, and the faculty by responding to requests for priority recommendations on items that require a broadly based faculty consensus;
Assist and provide feedback, as requested, to faculty preparing proposals for awards that will be reviewed by FSSA (e.g., RSCAP mini-grants and fellowships);
Develop policy statements regarding faculty participation in RSCA to be forwarded to the FSAC for consideration; and
Hold closed sessions solely for the purpose of deliberations regarding the relative merits of faculty
proposals/nominations under consideration by the university for external nominations (e.g., NEH summer stipend proposals), for internal funding opportunities (e.g., RSCAP awards), and for university wide recognition of RSCA (e.g., Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Award); and
Support the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) in holding university wide events that promote faculty RSCA (e.g., Faculty and Graduate Student Scholarship Symposium).

The Chair of the subcommittee on Scholarly Activities shall report, as requested, to the Faculty Standards and Affairs Committee (FSAC) on activities of the subcommittee.

FSSA Membership & Meeting Dates ()

Student Affairs Committee (SAC)

SAC Charge:

The Student Affairs Committee shall have primary responsibility for the development and review of policy regarding student affairs at the university, including recruitment, academic advising, student rights and responsibilities, scholarships, relations with alumni, and the quality of student life. In addition, the Student Affairs Committee shall propose policies and programs that promote faculty-student interaction. The Student Affairs Committee shall establish subcommittees as necessary to carry out its charge.

SAC Membership & Meeting Dates ()

SAC Subcommittees:

Academic Advising Subcommittee (AAS)
Scholarship Subcommittee
Dispute Resolution Board (DRB)

Academic Advising Subcommittee (AAS)

AAS Charge

1. Regularly review the policies, systems, and delivery of academic advising by faculty and professional advisors, highlighting strengths, identifying opportunities, and making recommendations to improve the overall effectiveness of faculty advising at SSU.

2. Advocate for effective academic advising to support student learning, development, and success, including advising that is inclusive, respectful, current, accurate, private, safe, convenient, and accessible.

3. Advocate for university-wide efforts to understand and address barriers to student success, retention, persistence, and on-time graduation; especially advising-related barriers that impact educational equity and that disproportionately affect low- to middle-income students from historically underserved and under-resourced communities, students of color, and first-generation college students.

4. Provide a forum for consultation and feedback on academic advising-related issues and initiatives among faculty and professional advisors, the various advising constituencies, and stakeholders.

AAS Membership & Meeting Dates (Tuesdays 1:00 - 2:00 PM)

University Scholarship Subcommittee (Scholarship) - a joint faculty governance and university administration committee

Scholarship Charge:

To read, evaluate, and rank scholarship applications and recommend awards to the President; to develop and recommend to the Senate all policy and procedures for scholarship awards; and to present a detailed report to the Academic Senate at the beginning of the Fall Semester (the conclusion of current award cycle).

Scholarship Membership & Meeting Dates ()

Dispute Resolution Board

DRB Charge:

The Dispute Resolution Board is charged with adjudicating Grade Appeals, Student Grievances and Cheating and Plagiarism cases. The Dispute Resolution Board may make recommendations to the Student Affairs Committee of the Senate for changes to existing policy or procedures or the creation of new policy or procedures pertinent to their charge. The Dispute Resolution Board will submit a summary report of its activities at the end of each academic year to the Chair of the Academic Senate, the President, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, the Chair of the Student Affairs committee and the President of the Associated Students. There is a special page for all policy, forms, and advice regarding the Dispute Resolution Board.

DRB Membership & Meeting Dates (, confidential)

Academic Senate Diversity Subcommittee (SDS)

SDS Charge:

SDS Membership & Meeting Dates (Fridays 1:00 - 3:00 PM)

The meeting time and day for committees remain the same each academic year.

If you would like to attend an open faculty governance meeting, requests can be made to through this quick form. If you have any questions about the request process, options, or form, please email the Academic Senate Office. Agendas and other public documentation are available in the public Faculty Governance Open Meetings Agendas - Current Year folder.

*Future Academic Year Faculty Governance Projected Meeting Dates through Spring 2028 given the current methodology established by Structure and Functions and in the Senate By-Laws.