The University of Tennessee Faculty Council Charter

The University of Tennessee Faculty Council, hereinafter referred to as the University Faculty Council (UFC), is dedicated to upholding and exercising the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, tenure, and the faculty’s primary responsibility for the university’s curriculum.

I. Objectives and Functions

  1. The mission of the University Faculty Council is to confer with, advise, and communicate with the President of the University of Tennessee system (and his/her staff, as appropriate) on system-wide matters of interest to the faculties (UTC, UTK, UTHSC, and UTM) and the President.
     
  2. The UFC will advise the President on modifications of current system-wide policies and the development of new system-wide policies of concern to the faculties and the President.
     
  3. The UFC also may work with the President to seek input from faculty members with appropriate expertise to participate in UT System task forces.
     
  4. The UFC strives to provide a mechanism to ensure that faculty concerns are raised during planning stages of UT System policies that have an impact on faculty.
     
  5. The UFC will also provide a mechanism for the faculty appointee to the UT Board of Trustees’ Education, Research, and Service Committee to become aware of and receive guidance on faculty issues and perspectives on matters that arise for Board consideration.
     
  6. The UFC shall strive to represent the concerns of all faculties on all University of Tennessee System campuses and will gather and exchange information on behalf of the faculties of the University of Tennessee System.

 

II. Organization

  1. The UFC shall be composed of the Faculty Senate President from each of the UT System campuses. Additionally, each campus shall elect, by a simple majority, one additional full-time tenured faculty member to a three-year staggered term. In addition, the faculty appointee to the Board of Trustees’ Education, Research, and Service Committee shall be a voting ex-officio member.
     
  2. The UFC shall elect, by a simple majority, a chair at the last meeting of the academic year for the following academic year. The chair shall serve for one year with a one year renewable term.
     
  3. The UFC may elect other officers, as necessary, in accordance with its bylaws.
     
  4. The UFC shall record minutes of meetings, and each institutional delegation to the UFC shall make available to its faculty senate and faculty the minutes of UFC meetings, together with any written report of the Council or any necessary exhibits or attachments.

 

III. Operations

  1. The UFC shall adopt its own bylaws. The bylaws shall provide for regular stated meetings of the Council, which may be held at various locations.
     
  2. The UFC will normally meet with the President (and appropriate members of his/her staff, as appropriate) three times each calendar year. Additional meetings may be requested by the UFC or the President, if necessary.
     
  3. Records of the activities of the UFC shall be kept and transmitted to the appropriate successor officers of the UFC.
     
  4. The President will ask campus Chancellors to credit UFC service as part of each member’s annual performance and planning review and also for members’ promotion review.
     
  5. The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Success will provide the UFC with necessary secretarial assistance and other necessary related services and resources.
     
  6. The members of the UFC shall be reimbursed by their Chancellors’ Offices for travel expenses incurred in attending meetings of the UFC.

 

Ratification of the Charter

This Charter has been approved by the President and the campus Faculty Senates. The Charter became effective 1 January 2007.

Ratification of the Charter revisions, September 19, 2018

Revised February 28, 2013
Revised June 19, 2013
Revised June 21, 2018
Revised September 19, 2018