Function: To act as the primary conduit of information and ideas into and out of the Faculty concerning all-College issues and policies; to oversee faculty governance and faculty participation in all-College governance; and to act as Faculty Observers of the Board of Trustees.

FEC fosters communication within the Faculty, via both reports to the Faculty Meeting and organization of other faculty discussion meetings and forums, about all-College issues and policies.  The chair of the FEC shall sit on the IPPC in order to strengthen communication between the two committees.  FEC, together with IPPC and SGA, is responsible for the proper constitution of all-College committees and subcommittees.

FEC is responsible for coordinating faculty committee work and for furthering democratic representation and committee efficiency.  FEC is responsible for ensuring the proper constitution of faculty committees:  it solicits nominations for, conducts elections for, and makes appointments to faculty and all-College committees; it provides advice and oversight of procedures regarding faculty appointments to search committees for senior administrative positions; and it maintains a list of all faculty members on all committees.  In addition, FEC reviews operating codes of all faculty committees and maintains files of annual committee reports, and FEC is responsible for ensuring that the text of the Faculty Handbook appears and remains precisely as approved by the Faculty.

FEC convenes the Committee of Committees (comprising faculty members of FEC, IPPC, CAPT, CAFR, CEPP, Curriculum Committee, FDC, and any current ad hoc committees whose presence FEC believes would be helpful to the Committee) at least twice a year to assess the interactions among member committees and between them and the administration, and to discuss ongoing issues and any problems in committee operations. FEC is then required to inform the Faculty at large of the issues raised by the Committee of Committees.

Finally, FEC observes the on-campus meetings of the Board of Trustees, at the invitation of the Board, and reports its observations in writing to the Faculty. (In addition, CAPT, CAFR, and the Chair of CEPP meet annually with the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.)

Membership: Five members of the Faculty elected to serve three year terms.  

COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS, PROMOTIONS & TENURE (CAPT) Elected

Function: To represent the Faculty on administrative appointments and reviews and on faculty appointments, promotions, tenure, and to make recommendations on these matters to the appropriate administrative officer. The Administration shall consult CAPT to determine which administrative personnel decisions the committee judges to require faculty representation. Special meetings with the President, the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Personnel, Development, and Diversity may be called at the request of any of these administrative officers or the committee. At least one meeting of the joint trustee-faculty committee is held during each academic year. Revisions to some parts of Part One (Faculty Rights and Responsibilities) of the Faculty Handbook are reviewed by the CAPT for its recommendations prior to a faculty vote.

Membership: Six faculty members with tenure, each from a different department chosen from the ranks of Professor and Associate Professor, none of whom is on the Tenure Review Board, CAFR or the FAB, elected to serve three-year terms. Members of CAPT may not participate in the tenure or promotion cases of candidates in their own departments; replacements for such cases will be selected from recent members of CAPT and the Tenure Review Board (or its predecessor, the CAPT Review Committee). The first eligible faculty member will be chosen from a list beginning with the most recent past members of the named groups (eligible replacements must have reviewed at least one case).

A member who has served a full three-year term is eligible for re-election after being out of office for two years; members who complete an unexpired term or serve an interim term in place of a regularly elected member on leave are immediately eligible for re-election provided the service does not exceed one calendar year.

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATIONAL POLICIES & PLANNING (CEPP) Elected

Function: To recommend to the Faculty and Administration short-and long-range educational plans for the College and thus be instrumental in clarifying, improving and changing major policies and educational procedures; to evaluate Skidmore's present practices and goals. The Chair of CEPP shall sit on the IPPC. The CEPP meets annually, and whenever necessary in the pursuit of its functions, with the appropriate faculty committee and/or the appropriate commitee of the Board of Trustees.

Membership: Six faculty members, two of whom must be tenured, each from a different department, elected to serve three-year terms; the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designated representative; the Dean of Student Affairs or his/her designated representative;  and two students selected by SGA.  CEPP may appoint such subcommittees from among its members or from the College community at large as it deems helpful to facilitate its work.

COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM & RIGHTS (CAFR) Elected

Function: To serve as guardian of the academic freedom and rights of all members of the academic community; to receive inquiries and complaints concerning academic freedom and rights and to consider formal charges of violations of academic freedom and rights from any faculty member, student, administrator, trustee or from the CAPT; to advise and make appropriate recommendations to the President. The Operating Procedures of the CAFR are available from any member of the Committee. The CAFR meets annually, and whenever necessary in the pursuit of its functions, with the appropriate committee of the Board of Trustees.  Revisions to Part One of the Faculty Handbook Articles I - XI, XIV-XVI, and XVIII are reviewed by the CAFR for its recommendations prior to a faculty vote.

Membership: Five members of the Faculty, none of whom is on the CAPT, the Tenure Review Board, the CAS, or the FAB, at least two of whom are untenured at the time of their election and two tenured, each to serve a three-year term and each from a different department; and no more than six students, selected by SGA.

A member who has served a full three-year term is eligible for re-election after being out of office for two years; members who complete an unexpired term or serve an interim term in place of a regularly elected member on leave are immediately eligible for re-election provided their service did not exceed one calendar year.

CURRICULUM COMMITTEE (CC) Elected

Function: To act for the Faculty in reviewing curricular matters including those which implement educational policy concerning all-College requirements; to generate recommendations concerning immediate and long-range curricular matters; to make recommendations to the Faculty concerning other curricular matters brought before it by faculty, students, and the Administration.

Membership: Six faculty members, each from a different department, at least two of whom are tenured, elected to serve three-year terms; the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designated representative; and two students selected by SGA. Non-voting members of the committee are the Registrar, and the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Academic Policy and Advising. 

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (FDC) Elected

Function: To advise the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs on faculty development policies; to initiate ideas for faculty growth and improvement, including programs to support both scholarly and professional activity and the improvement of teaching; to allocate such research funds as the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs shall designate for committee decision; to represent the Faculty on the award of pre-tenure paid research and sabbatical leaves and to make recommendations on such leaves to the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs; and to select the annual Edwin Moseley Faculty Research Lecturer, the recipient of The Ralph A. Ciancio Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Faculty Distinguished Service Award.

Membership: Four faculty members with tenure, one each from the areas of the humanities, the natural sciences, the pre-professional programs, and the social sciences, each member to be elected for a three-year term; and a representative of the Office of the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs, non-voting.

TENURE REVIEW BOARD Elected

Function: To review a negative tenure recommendation at the request of the candidate. In the event that the Tenure Review Board determines that a tenure case requires reconsideration, the three members of the TRB will sit together with the six members of the CAPT, as the Tenure Appeal Committee, to reconsider the case.

Membership: Three tenured faculty members, each elected to serve a three-year term, at least one of whom has previously served on the CAPT.  All members of the Board must have been tenured for at least two years. No two members may be from the same department. Faculty currently serving on the CAPT, CAFR or the FAB are not eligible. No member of the Tenure Review Board may sit for the review of a candidate in his/her department. The FEC will provide replacements for such reviews as needed.

TENURE APPEAL COMMITTEE

Function: To review a negative tenure recommendation at the request of the Tenure Review Board.

Membership: The six members of CAPT plus the three members of the Tenure Review Board. No member of the Tenure Appeal Committee may sit for the review of a candidate in his/her department. The FEC will provide replacements for such reviews as needed.

PERICLEAN HONORS FORUM COUNCIL Elected

Function: The ongoing responsibilities of the Periclean Honors Forum Council include reviewing applications for membership and inducting new members, monitoring the eligibility standards for current members, planning and sponsoring academic and co-curricular events, developing a sufficient number of courses and co-curricular events for inclusion among the "honors" resources, communicating with the wider community of students and faculty regarding Forum opportunities and the achievements of honors (and other) students, and assessing the effectiveness of the Honors Forum in achieving its goals.  Annually the Periclean Honors Forum Council will constitute the Periclean Scholar Award Sub-Committee as follows:  two students, one faculty member chosen from among the Periclean Honors Forum Council members and three faculty members chosen in consultation between the Periclean Honors Forum Council and the Faculty Executive Committee.  The four faculty members of the Periclean Scholar Award Sub-Committee shall elect a Chair from their membership.

Membership: Four faculty, three elected for three-year terms and one who chairs the Council and serves as Director of the Periclean Honors Forum for a four-year term; the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Director of Campus Life; the Director of the First-Year Experience; and three students appointed from members of the Forum.

MASTERS OF ARTS IN LIBERAL STUDIES COMMITTEE (MALS) Elected

Function: To participate in all aspects of the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) Program by determining academic policies and procedures, admitting and dismissing students, approving core seminars, approving degree plans and final project proposals, making recommendations for degrees, and recommending faculty selection; to advise on all matters of administrative policy and to assist in the further direction of the program.

Membership: Four faculty members, each representing one of the four Divisions of Disciplines, elected to serve three-year terms; and one library faculty member, appointed in consultation with the Director of the MALS Program and the College Librarian to serve a three-year term; the Dean of Special Programs, the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee, and the Director and Academic Advisor of the MALS Program.  

ATHLETIC COUNCIL Elected

Function: To provide oversight and support for the athletic, fitness, physical activity, and recreation programs on campus; to advise the Dean of Student Affairs in articulating and espousing the vision for athletics, fitness and recreation at Skidmore, and to recommend policies regarding these programs; to work in conjunction with the President, the Dean of Student Affairs, the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Athletic Director, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and the Advancement to assure productive links between athletic and academic programs; to evaluate the teaching of physical activity instructors and to review the physical activity program; and to assist in other matters relating to athletics, fitness, physical activity, and recreation, as may be brought to the Council's attention by the Athletic Director or by any other member or group of the College community. 

Membership: Three faculty members, each from a different department, elected to serve three-year terms; two students; one selected by SGA and one representative from SAAC; the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee, the Dean of Student Affairs or his/her designee, the National Collegiate Athletic Association Faculty Athletics Representative ex-Officio (voting); the Senior Woman Administrator (non-voting); and the Athletic Director (non-voting).

COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC STANDING (CAS) Appointed

Function: To formulate and administer policy relating to the academic status of students including matters concerning probation, honors, requirements for graduation, acceleration, and leave of absence; to determine the academic status of each student on the basis of the record, reports of instructors, the opinion of the faculty in the major and any other relevant data; and to give any instructions and advice which seem necessary or advisable.

Membership: Three faculty members, at least one tenured and none of whom may be a member of the CAFR, appointed to serve three-year terms; the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Academic Policy and Advising and/or his/her designated representative, The Registrar and/or his or her designated representative, and two students selected by SGA, to be appointed each year to serve a one-year term.  Additional staff may join the meeting at the request of the Chair, the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Academic Policy and Advising, the Registrar, or Off-Campus Study and Exchanges.  This expanded participation in CAS meetings can occur only with the consent of the regular CAS membership.  Those voting on CAS are the three faculty members, the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Academic Policy and Advising or his/her designee, the Registrar or his/her designee, and the two students. 

FACULTY ADVISORY BOARD (FAB) Appointed

Function:  To provide a pool of  faculty peers to staff an Advisory Panel (AP, see below), which is convened in the formal investigation of a discrimination or harassment charge made against a member of the faculty; or to staff a Grievance Panel (GP, see below), which is convened when a member of the Faculty appeals disciplinary sanctions, based upon charges of professional incompetence, neglect of duties, professional misconduct, or personal misconduct or when the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Personnel, Development, and Diversity believes dismissal of a member of the Faculty is warranted, based upon charges of professional incompetence, neglect of duties, professional misconduct, or personal misconduct. 

Membership: Eight members of the faculty, at least six of whom must be tenured and two of whom may be untenured at the time of appointment, serving overlapping three-year terms.  These members will be appointed by the FEC in consultation with the Dean of Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs, and trained by Human Resources in matters of discrimination, harassment, and disciplinary proceedings.  Appointments will be based on an initial willingness-to-serve pool, the vote of the faculty, and, when necessary, the need for appointing a representative FAB.  Members of the FAB may not serve concurrently on the CAFR, the CAPT or the TRB.  The FAB will select its chair from its membership.  

ADVISORY PANEL (AP) Appointed

Function: To provide the Assistant Director for Equal Employment Opportunity and Workforce Diversity (ADEWD) with advice, suggestions, and comments during the formal investigation of a discrimination or harassment charge made against a member of the faculty; to participate, with the guidance of the ADEWD, in interviews of the complainant, and the respondent, and relevant witnesses (or in lieu of participation to review all documents pertaining to the charge, if the complainant or the respondent so requests and both parties agree); to review the ADEWD's final report and to ensure that the views of the AP are represented therein; to uphold the strictest standards of confidentiality both during and after an investigation.  (See further Part Six, Article VII, Sections D, E, and F of Faculty Handbook.)

Membership: Two members of the Faculty Advisory Board (FAB, see above) selected by the ADEWD, and subject to the following restrictions.  A faculty member may not serve on an AP if he or she is from the same department, program, or office as the complainant or the respondent, has a conflict of interest, or is recused by either the complainant or the respondent.  In such instances the ADEWD will select replacements from the FAB.  If there are no eligible faculty remaining on the FAB, the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Chair of FEC will provide replacements from the faculty at large; any such replacements will receive training appropriate to the charge.

If the complainant is a staff member, the AP will be augmented with two members chosen from the Staff Advisory Board (SAB), which is established by the Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration and Director of Human Resources and consists of staff members trained in matters of discrimination and harassment.  The two staff members of the AP are subject to restrictions similar to those of the two faculty members.

GRIEVANCE PANEL (GP) Appointed

Function: To provide a panel of peers to hear appeals brought by members of the Faculty regarding disciplinary sanctions involving professional incompetence, neglect of duties, professional misconduct, or personal misconduct; to consider cases involving dismissal of members of the Faculty, based on charges involving professional incompetence, neglect of duties, professional misconduct, or personal misconduct; and to uphold the strictest standards of confidentiality both during and after an investigation. (see further Part One, Article X, Sections D, E, F and G.)

Membership: The three members of the GP will be selected from the FAB (see above) as follows:  all three must be tenured; the Associte Dean of the Faculty for Personnel, Development, and Diversity will select one panelist; the faculty member will select one panelist; and the FAB will select the third panelist.  A panelist may not come from the same department or program as the faculty member (where "program" is understood as a unit whose members regularly engage with one another); any panelist with a conflict of interest may not serve.  In addition, the faculty member and the Associate Dean of the Faculty for Personnel Development, and Diversity may each make one request that the FAB chair select a replacement.  If there are not sufficient eligible faculty remaining on the FAB to constitute the GP, the Dean of the Faculty/Vice President for Academic Affairs and the chair of FEC will provide replacements from the faculty at large; any such replacements will receive appropriate training.  The GP will select a chair from among its membership.