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Bylaws of the Faculty of the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics

Adopted by the Faculty: April 2, 2025
PRC Approved: March 18, 2025, PPC Approved: March 21, 2025
(Approved by the Board of Visitors: April 25, 2025)

ARTICLE I – Definition of the Faculty

Section 1.

The Faculty of the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics (or the Faculty, CDSP) is defined as consisting of, and is limited to:

  1. the Dean, Associate Deans and Assistant Deans of CDSP.
  2. Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors who hold a full-time appointment to a tenured or tenure-eligible faculty position.
  3. Teaching Assistant Professors, Teaching Associate Professors and Teaching Professors, who hold a full-time, non-tenure eligible position.
  4. Research Assistant Professors, Research Associate Professors and Research Professors, who hold a full-time, non-tenure eligible position.
  5. Faculty of the Practice who hold a full-time, non-tenure-eligible position.
  6. Visiting Assistant, Visiting Associate and Visiting Professors who hold a full-time appointment to a specified-term, non-tenure eligible position.
  7. Adjunct Professors who hold a part-time appointment to a specified-term, non-tenure eligible position.
  8. Postdoctoral research fellows who hold a specified-term, non-tenure eligible position.
  9. Emeritus Professors.

Section 2.

The term "Voting Faculty" is defined as consisting of categories (2) through (5) listed above. Faculty in category (1) are non-voting unless also appointed in category (2).

Section 3.

The Faculty of the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics consists of departments and programs. Faculty members in category (2) are appointed to CDSP departments; faculty in all other categories may be appointed to departments or programs of CDSP.

ARTICLE II – Establishment of Faculty Positions

Section 1.

The need for new faculty positions shall be identified by the Dean, the Associate Deans, or the departments and programs of the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics.

Section 2.

The departments and programs shall provide justification to the Dean for new positions in categories (2) through (7), as defined in Article 1, Section 1, that reflects the curricular and/or the research needs of the School of Computing, Data Science, and Physics.

Section 3.

The Dean establishes faculty positions in categories (2) through (7) and (9), as defined in Article 1, Section 1, as well as Associate and Assistant Dean positions in category (1). Postdoctoral research fellows are established by the faculty or faculty research groups who have secured the funding necessary to support those positions.

ARTICLE III – Appointment of the Faculty to a Position

Section 1.

The Dean issues appointments to faculty positions in categories (2) through (9), with the approval of the Provost and with any other approvals specified in the William & Mary Faculty Handbook.

Section 2.

A tenured or tenure-eligible faculty member in category (2) of Article I, Section 1 above holds an appointment to a full-time, continuing position. Faculty members in this category are expected to hold the appropriate terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D. or the equivalent). All appointments to this category must be made in accordance with all federal and state non-discrimination laws and regulations, and all applicable university hiring policies. Appointments in this category may be made only as a result of a national or international search, unless a waiver is requested by the Dean and approved by the Provost.

Section 3.

A teaching faculty member in category (3) of Article I, Section 1 above holds an appointment to a full-time, non-tenure eligible position whose teaching load is equivalent to three lecture courses per semester. Faculty members in this category should hold the appropriate graduate degree for the position. All appointments to this category must be made in accordance with all federal and state non-discrimination laws and regulations, and all applicable university hiring policies.  Appointments in this category may be made only as a result of a national or international search, unless a waiver is requested by the Dean and approved by the Provost.

Section 4.

A research faculty member in category (4) of Article I, Section 1 above holds a full-time appointment to a non-tenure eligible position with non-teaching responsibilities whose emphasis is on research in a domain or field that aligns with the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics. Faculty members holding an appointment to this category may in some cases be allowed to teach, with the approval of the Dean and the department chair, with the teaching load not to exceed that of faculty in category (2). Faculty members in this category should hold a terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D. or the equivalent). All appointments to this category must be made in accordance with all federal and state non-discrimination laws and regulations, and all applicable university hiring policies. Appointments in this category may only be made as a result of a national or international search, unless a waiver is requested by the Dean and approved by the Provost.

Section 5.

A faculty member of the practice in category (5) of Article I, Section 1 above holds a full-time appointment to a non-tenure eligible position with a mixture of teaching, research, and operations duties that shall be determined by the Dean on a case-by-case basis. Faculty members in this category should hold the appropriate graduate degree for the position. All appointments to this category must be made in accordance with all federal and state non-discrimination laws and regulations, and all applicable university hiring policies. Appointments in this category may only be made as a result of a national or international search, unless a waiver is requested by the Dean and approved by the Provost.

Section 6.

A visiting faculty member in category (6) of Article I, Section 1 above holds a full-time appointment to a specified-term, non-tenure eligible position, which may involve research or teaching responsibilities, or a combination of research and teaching responsibilities. The nature of the duties shall be specified in the contract that is issued by the Dean. Faculty members in this category should hold the graduate degree required for the equivalent faculty in categories (2) through (5). A specified term position terminates on a specified date, not to exceed three years from the inception of the position.

Section 7.

An adjunct professor in category (7) of Article I, Section 1 above holds a part-time, non-tenure eligible appointment. These faculty members may be paid by the course or for specific contracted services on a semester-by-semester basis. Faculty members in this category should hold a terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D. or the equivalent ). All appointments to this category must be made in accordance with all federal and state non-discrimination laws and regulations, and all applicable university hiring policies. Appointments in this category may only be made as a result of an open search, unless a waiver is requested by the Dean and approved by the Provost.

Section 8.

The process for awarding emeritus status shall follow the procedures described in the William & Mary Faculty Handbook.

ARTICLE IV – Meetings of the Faculty

Section 1.

Regular faculty meetings shall be held once per month from September through May, excepting January. Notice of the meeting schedule shall be distributed at the beginning of each semester and agendas shall be provided at least three business days in advance of each meeting.

Section 2.

The Dean shall preside at faculty meetings, except when the Provost or President chooses to preside. If the Dean is unable to attend a faculty meeting, then the Dean may designate a presiding officer.

Section 3.

Special meetings may be called at any time in the calendar year by the President, the Provost, the Dean, or by 30 percent of the Voting Faculty as computed at the start of each academic year. Notice of a special meeting shall be given to all members of the Faculty at least three business days in advance.

Section 4.

Faculty meetings may be held in person, online, or in a hybrid format. Online and in-person voting is allowed; voting by proxy is not.

Section 5.

Persons who are not members of the Faculty of the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics may attend any meeting at the invitation of the President, the Provost, or the Dean of the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics.

Section 6.

Meetings of the Faculty shall be conducted in accordance with the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.

Section 7.

A quorum shall consist of 40 percent of the Voting Faculty as computed at the start of each academic year.

Section 8.

All proposed motions affecting the educational policy or personnel policy of CDSP shall be submitted in writing to the Dean at least ten calendar days prior to the meeting at which these motions are to be made, and copies of such proposed motions shall be sent by the Dean to all members of the Faculty at least one week in advance. This requirement may be waived by unanimous consent of those present at the meeting.

Section 9.

The Secretary (see Article V, Section 2) shall record the minutes of each meeting and make them available online as soon as possible thereafter. Electronic copies shall be provided for the University archives. Opportunity shall be provided at each meeting of the Faculty to correct the minutes of the previous meeting.

ARTICLE V – Officers of the Faculty

Section 1.

The officers of the Faculty include the Dean of the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics, the Associate and Assistant Deans, and a Secretary who shall be appointed by the Dean from categories (2) through (5).

Section 2.

The Dean shall appoint a Secretary for a term of three years. The secretary shall assemble and distribute the agenda for the meetings of the Faculty, record the minutes of the meetings, and expeditiously distribute the minutes electronically. Any faculty member may consult Robert’s Rules of Order or any of the relevant governing documents during a meeting of the Faculty, but the presiding officer decides whether Robert’s Rules are correctly implemented and adjudicates any challenges.

ARTICLE VI – Duties of the Faculty

Section 1.

The Voting Faculty shall have the authorities listed below, subject to any applicable University-wide policies and/or approval process:

  1. to determine the school-specific requirements for all degree programs, concentrations and courses within the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics, without the review or approval of any other school, college or faculty, subject to any applicable University-wide policies and/or approval process.
  2. to certify to the Registrar the names of those students who have fulfilled the requirements for these degrees.
  3. to determine minimum admissions standards to graduate degree programs.
  4. to determine the academic prerequisites for admission of students to courses and to candidacy for degrees offered by the Faculty.
  5. to determine the policy regarding evaluation of credits transferred from other institutions.
  6. to define the criteria for "undergraduate" and "graduate" status of students pursuing degrees or concentrations (major or minor programs of study) under the aegis of the Faculty.
  7. to define the academic standards for continuation in residence, for academic classification, and for status as a student in the University for students pursuing degrees or concentrations under the aegis of the Faculty.
  8. to determine the system of grading to be employed for courses offered by the Faculty.
  9. to determine policy regarding final examinations for courses offered by the Faculty.
  10. to define attendance policies for students enrolled in classes offered by the Faculty.
  11. to make recommendations to the Dean, Provost, or President concerning matters of educational policy, not included in Article VI, Section 1, item 1, affecting the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics and/or the University as a whole.
  12. to advise and make recommendations on appointments, retention, promotion and granting of tenure, to the Dean and the Provost, according to procedures and criteria established by the Faculty, or to delegate these duties to its committees.
  13. to perform such other functions as may come within the province of its duties and responsibilities as defined by the Bylaws of the Board of Visitors.

Section 2.

The voting members of the Faculty will determine any additional policies they deem necessary for the good of the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics, in consultation with the Dean.

Section 3.

The implementation of policies and procedures of the Faculty may be delegated by the Faculty to designated officers, committees or administrators. Committees with such delegated authorities include those described in Article VII.

ARTICLE VII – The Committees of the Faculty

Section 1.

The Dean's Advisory Committee shall:

  1. consist of the Associate and Assistant Deans, the Dean's Executive Assistant & Advisor, the Department Chairs and Program Directors that represent each academic unit within CDSP, the Director of Communications for CDSP.
  2. meet once per month. Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the Dean.
  3. consult with and advise the Dean on strategic planning, advancement, research and academic policy, as well as other matters affecting the general welfare of the academic departments and programs in the School.
  4. consult with and advise the Dean on personnel policy matters, faculty governance and other matters affecting the Faculty.
  5. advise the Dean on the appointment of faculty to all other Committees of the Faculty.
  6. nominate faculty for election to the Committee on Undergraduate Studies (see Article VII, Section 2), the Advisory Committee on Retention, Promotion, and Tenure (see Article VII, Section 4), Faculty Assembly, and to all University committees and committees in other schools that request CDSP representation. In addition, nominations (including self-nominations) from the floor at a regular faculty meeting will precede each election.
  7. shall include any additional members appointed by the Dean from the Faculty or from the Dean's Office.

Section 2.

The Committee on Undergraduate Studies shall:

  1. be chaired by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs.
  2. consist of the Chair, voting faculty members who have been elected by the Faculty, with one member chosen from each CDSP department or program, one undergraduate student appointed by the representative student governing body with the approval of the Dean, as well as an ex officio non-voting member that represents the University Registrar.
  3. meet once per month, with additional meetings called at the discretion of the Associate Dean.
  4. have authority delegated by the Faculty to oversee and regularly review its undergraduate educational policies and procedures, which includes approving course catalog changes for the departments and programs, changing administrative regulations enumerated within the undergraduate course catalog, and approve new degrees offered by existing CDSP departments or programs, subject to any applicable University-wide policies and/or approval process.
  5. review all recommendations and requests for modifications of the undergraduate curriculum, and then seek and obtain the consent of the Faculty on major policy changes.
  6. propose changes in undergraduate educational policy to the Faculty, in conjunction with its recommendations for action, subject to evaluation and potential adoption by the Faculty at its regular meeting.
  7. have authority to approve or reject routine changes to the major- or minor-specific degree requirements of CDSP departments and programs.
  8. have purview on all issues related to the academic status of undergraduate students pursuing CDSP major or minor programs of study, if not handled by a committee external to CDSP.
  9. have authority to rule on student-initiated grade review petitions that escalate from the department chairs or program directors in CDSP.
  10. have authority to call upon any faculty member or group within the Faculty for advice and assistance in the performance of its duties.

Section 3.

The Committee on Graduate Studies shall:

  1. consist of voting faculty members who have been appointed by the Dean as the Directors of Graduate Studies for each department or program.
  2. be chaired by the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies.
  3. carry out established policy with respect to admissions, curricula, graduate student academic status, degree requirements and academic standards in programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Science, Doctor of Philosophy and such other earned post-baccalaureate programs as may fall within the jurisdiction of the Faculty.
  4. have authority delegated by the Faculty to approve course catalog changes for the departments and programs, to make changes to all regulations contained within the CDSP graduate course catalog, and to approve new degrees offered by existing CDSP departments or programs.
  5. seek and obtain the consent of the Faculty on major policy changes affecting graduate studies.

Section 4.

The Advisory Committee on Retention, Promotion and Tenure shall consist of members representing each constituent department in the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics (one member per department). The members shall be elected and serve terms of three years. Members must hold the rank of Professor at the time of appointment. If a department cannot appoint a member at the appropriate rank, then the Dean may appoint an appropriate substitute to represent the department from another CDSP unit. The Committee shall elect its chair (or co-chairs) from among its members annually after the appointment of new members.

Committee members shall participate in the discussion but recuse themselves from voting on any decision affecting a current or former member of their own department.

The Committee shall review recommendations made by departments of the Faculty pertaining to the retention (Interim Review in the William & Mary Faculty Handbook), promotion and/or the tenure of its constituent members. The Committee shall read:

  1. the original dossiers compiled by the departmental committees on retention, promotion, and tenure for each candidate;
  2. the summary statements submitted by the departmental personnel committees; as well as
  3. the recommendation letters of the department chairs.

The Advisory Committee on Retention, Promotion and Tenure shall evaluate the merits of each candidate based on the full set of materials as well as its own deliberation and discussion. The committee will generate a summary report for the Dean summarizing the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, which shall include Committee votes in three categories: research, teaching, and service, as well as an overall vote on the case either recommending or not recommending retention, promotion, and/or tenure.

The Dean may overrule a positive or negative recommendation from the Committee, the candidate’s department, or both, and shall make a superseding decision in cases where there is tie vote on the Advisory Committee on Retention, Promotion and Tenure.

The Advisory Committee on Retention, Promotion and Tenure shall consult with the Dean to review and monitor procedures for the retention, promotion, and tenure of faculty members of the School of Computing, Data Sciences, and Physics. Proposals to change those procedures must be presented at a regular meeting of the Faculty. The Committee shall explain the proposed changes and its recommendations for action. Changes to procedures pertaining to retention, promotion, and tenure adopted by majority vote of the Faculty are subject to approval by the Dean and the University Personnel Policy Committee.

Section 5.

Additional ad hoc committees may be appointed by the Dean, as needed.  These may include, but are not limited to, advisory committees on faculty awards and professorships, interdisciplinary studies, international studies, and committees with jurisdiction on the creation of new departments or programs, or the assimilation of existing William & Mary units into CDSP, or the modification of existing programs within CDSP. In cases where there is a tie vote on these committees, the Dean shall have the authority to make a superseding decision.

ARTICLE VIII – Amendments

Section 1.

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those attending any meeting of the Faculty, provided a copy of the proposed amendment is sent to every member of the Voting Faculty at least one week in advance.

Section 2.

These Bylaws and any amendments shall become effective upon approval by the President and the Board of Visitors.