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Administrative Manual

Administrative Memorandum 11 - Academic Visiting Committees

  1. Purpose

    The objective of the policy is to encourage the establishment of a system of Visiting Committees throughout the University which will attract individuals, capable of providing expert advice to the academic units of the University. It is the further purpose of this policy to provide for uniformity of appointment and composition, to ensure participation and involvement, to attract the highest quality individuals to: participate in Visiting Committee activities; support excellence in teaching, scholarship and self-assessment through the infusion of ideas and resources; provide support and assistance to the academic unit through job placement and internships among other things; and promote attention to committee recommendations at the highest levels of the University's administration.

  2. Responsibility

    The Provost through the Division Heads is responsible for administering the Academic Visiting Committee policy described in Article C.

  3. Implementation/Guidelines

    1. Eligible Units
      Academic units within the University eligible to establish Visiting Committees include Divisions, Departments, Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs.

    2. Charges and Functions:
      1. Provost: The Provost through the Division Heads will ensure the committees are supported administratively and are well informed concerning the administration's goals and objectives for the university. Specifically, the Provost's Office will:
        1. Ensure an adequate budget is available for Board of Fellows activities.
        2. Ensure timely and accurate communications between the academic units and academic Visiting Committees.
        3. Aggregate data and publish Board of Fellows Rosters, distributing them to the fellows, appropriate levels at the university, and to the Executive Committee.
        4. Ensure logistical support for the Board of Fellows Fall Meeting including Minutes taken at the meeting.
      2. Executive Committee: The Executive Committee of the Board of Fellows will act in an advisory capacity to the Provost. It is composed of a Chair, Vice Chair (both elected by the Fellows) and the Chair of every Visiting Committee. Specifically, the Executive Committee will:
        1. Assist the Provost to aggregate issues that require communication to the highest levels of the University's administration.
        2. Ensure that the Fellows are fully informed on administration policies and institution level issues.
        3. Assist in the selection of new committee members and conduct orientation, as required.
        4. Confirm the winners of the Fellows Faculty Development prize, and nominate potential recipients of the Board of Fellows medallion (to be confirmed by the Board as a whole).
      3. Visiting Committees will generally assist in promoting the academic and general well being of the academic unit, which it serves. Specifically, a Visiting Committee is expected to:
        1. Act in an advisory capacity to the academic unit about general trends external to the University which may impact the academic unit's operations in some substantive manner.
        2. Serve as a forum for discussing issues related to timely or newly pertinent course content, research, professional development and academic excellence in a forthright and knowledgeable manner.
        3. Provide advice on the modification(s) that the academic unit might make to keep educational and research programs attuned to the needs of the private/public sectors and the profession(s).
        4. Assist in securing external resources of benefit to the academic unit, working within institutional guidelines established to support such activities, including those pertaining to activities for development. These activities should be planned and implemented in such a way that they complement, strengthen and broaden the institution's overall effort in these areas. Priorities for such fund-raising activities must be developed in coordination with and the full knowledge and endorsement of the Provost and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement.

    3. Composition and Organization
      1. Visiting Committees shall be authorized to have up to 9 members. Members carry the title of University Fellow.
      2. The collective of all committee members shall be called the "Board of Fellows."
      3. Membership is not limited to alumni/ae. The academic units are encouraged to nominate academic members of distinction on a selective basis.
      4. When identifying candidates for membership, only individuals whose education, work, and experience relate to the specific interests of the academic unit and its Visiting Committee are to be recruited.
      5. Membership shall be divided into three classes designated by the calendar year with classes divided such that one-third of the membership shall have terms expiring each year. Individuals shall serve for three years, subject to reappointment for no more than six years total service before leaving the committee for at least one year.

    4. Formation/Sustainment
      1. In forming a new Visiting Committee, the appropriate Committee Chair and/or the Division Head shall compile a list of possible candidates. Consultation with serving-fellows for possible nominations is encouraged. This list of candidates shall be reviewed by the President, Provost and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement prior to any contact with the candidate(s). The purpose of this review shall be to determine if any conflict of interest or service may exist and to evaluate the amount of service any one individual may be asked to perform on behalf of the University.
      2. Once candidates have been reviewed internally, these names shall be forwarded to the Executive Committee, which acts as the Nominating Committee. The Executive Committee shall contact candidates(s) to determine his/her interest in serving the University in this capacity.
      3. The President of the University shall sign formal letters of appointment and reappointment. Normally, new members will be brought onto the Board at the fall meeting. The entire membership process is shown in the chart at Appendix 2.
      4. In the event that a Visiting Committee must bring on a new member to fill a vacancy or a new requirement during the course of the school year, the name and nominating data of the new member will be forwarded to the Provost and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement for approval. Once approved, the name will be forwarded to the Executive Committee. When the Executive Committee approves the new member, the Chair of the Board of Fellows will notify them that they have been appointed as an Associate Fellow. They will be formally nominated in the next Nomination Cycle and formally appointed by the President of the University along with the other new members.
      5. The membership roster of each Visiting Committee showing year-groups titles, professional affiliations, preferred mailing addresses and telephone numbers, emails, and spouse's or partner's name shall be provided to the offices of the President, Provost, and Vice President for Institutional Advancement and the Executive Committee on an annual basis by each unit with a Visiting Committee. Updates which may occur during the year should be circulated to the same offices as are noted. The Provost's office shall consolidate these separate committee lists into a Fellows Roster to be distributed to all Fellows annually. Updates can be provided through the use of email.
      6. Each Committee will elect its own chair at the fall meeting.

    5. Meetings
      1. It is recommended that a Visiting Committee meet no less than twice each year with additional meetings if necessary or appropriate.
        1. The Board of Fellows shall meet in the Fall or Spring. The Meeting will bring all of the Fellows together as a Board to facilitate updates on administration policies, institution level issues, and to provide a feedback mechanism for individual committees to the Board as a whole. The entire Board of Fellows will have a dinner meeting at which time the Fellows Faculty Development Prize and the Medallions are awarded.
      2. Meetings shall be jointly scheduled and agendas jointly established by the committee chairperson and the head of the unit which the committee has been established to advise/visit.
      3. Meeting notices and all related materials shall be sent to the President, Provost and Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
      4. Meetings shall normally be held at the University. The length of each meeting is to be established by the unit head in consultation with the committee chairperson.
      5. A representative from the development office will be assigned to each committee to facilitate coordination on all fund raising issues.
      6. The Executive Committee will meet three times a year. These Meetings will be at the call of the Chair or Provost. Meeting notices and all related materials shall be sent to the President, Provost, and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement.

    6. Compensation
      Committee members shall not receive honoraria or other compensation for attending meetings.

    7. Reports
      Reports reflecting the activities of Visiting Committees shall be submitted by the committee chairperson to the President, Provost and Vice President for Institutional Advancement on a regular basis.

    8. Recognition
      Visiting Committees shall be recognized by publication of members' names in appropriate unit publications.

  4. Contact Office

Revised January 2005