Section 1: Introduction, Organization, and Principles
1.7 University Administration
1.7.1 Mission and Strategic Plan
The Mission, vision, strategic plan, and values of the institution can be found on the university website.
1.7.2 President
The president is the chief administrative officer of the university with broadly delegated responsibilities for all facets of campus management and operations. The president serves at the pleasure of the University of Memphis Board of Trustees and reports directly to the Board. The president is assisted and advised by the President’s Council of key administrators, the Faculty Senate, and the Staff Senate.
1.7.3 Provost
The provost is the chief academic officer of the university. Reporting to the president, he or she has comprehensive responsibility for developing and implementing academic policies and priorities, and has responsibility for ensuring that the university’s teaching, research, and service missions are successfully implemented. He or she works closely with the deans and directors of the academic units to ensure that the university recruits and retains high quality faculty who, in turn, offer optimal student experiences. Specific information regarding the academic programs offered are contained in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs which can be found on the university website.
1.7.4 Faculty Governance
The responsibilities of the faculty in the governance of the university are generally discharged in two basic ways: (1) through the work of the Faculty Senate (regarding the general policies of the campus as a whole), and (2) through the work of faculty and faculty committees within departments, colleges, and the university. Faculty members should be active participants in deliberations and decisions on all policy and procedure committees. Faculty members have the right to contribute to campus and university discourse that is at the heart of the shared governance of the campus and the university. When contributing to campus and university discourse, at any level within the university or the community at large, faculty members have the freedom to raise and to address, without fear of institutional discipline or restraint or other adverse employment action, any issue related to professional duties; the functioning of academic units, the campus, or the university; and department, college, campus, or university actions, positions, or policies.
1.7.4.1 The Faculty Senate
The Faculty Senate is composed of elected faculty members from academic units or departments. The Faculty Senate is governed by The Constitution of the University of Memphis Faculty Senate established in the Articles of Authority which can be found on the university website. The Senate's Constitution defines its purpose as follows:
- serve as the primary vehicle of faculty participation in the establishment of university
policies.
- evaluate and make recommendations on policy in academic and closely related areas
that touch on academic matters.
- evaluate and make recommendations on graduation and general education curriculum requirements.
- evaluate and make recommendations on university-wide minimum criteria for faculty
appointment, promotion, and tenure.
- evaluate and make recommendations on policies associated with conditions of employment.
- evaluate and make recommendations on policies for the academic use and operation of
various academic support functions including the University Library and Computer Services,
the University calendar and other functions that directly affect academic matters.
- make recommendations on issues related to academic matters that are not specifically
academic in nature.
- have responsibility for the maintenance of academic freedom and responsibility at
the University.
- be the forum for the formulation of faculty opinion.
- review and approve the Faculty Handbook of The University of Memphis.
- The Faculty Senate has no management or administrative functions either in itself
or through its committees, since such functions are expressly reserved to the president,
as delegated by the Board of Trustees. The administrative officers of university have
a responsibility to consult with the Faculty Senate on any policies, practices, and
decisions which directly or indirectly affect faculty.
1.7.4.2 Standing Committees of the University
Shared governance at the university level is also accomplished through the work of faculty on the University Standing Committees. Membership of all university standing committees should reflect the diversity of the University community. The Faculty Senate retains the responsibility for appointing faculty members to the University Standing Committees listed in Appendix A.
Unless otherwise noted, the committee composition and procedures for each committee can be obtained from the offices of the designated officials. When new University Standing Committees are formed that relate to university policy, procedures, or other matters of legitimate interest to faculty, the university official shall consult with the Faculty Senate to ensure that an appropriate portion of the total number of faculty member appointments are made by the Faculty Senate. The number of Faculty Senate appointed faculty members, terms, and term limits for those appointments must be approved by both the university official and the Faculty Senate when the committee is formed
| < 1.6 Board of Trustees | 1.8 Academic Unit Administration > |
| << Handbook TOC | Section 2 >> |