3.2 Faculties
3.2.1 Faculty Membership
In all University System of Georgia (USG) institutions, the faculty will consist of the Corps of Instruction and the administrative officers.
3.2.1.1 Corps of Instruction
Full-time professors, associate professors, assistant professors, instructors, lecturers, senior lecturers, principal lecturers, and teaching personnel with such other titles as may be approved by the Board, shall be the Corps of Instruction. Full-time research and extension personnel and duly certified librarians will be included in the Corps of Instruction on the basis of comparable training. Persons holding part-time and adjunct appointments or other honorary titles shall not be considered to be members of the faculty.
3.2.1.2 Administrative Officers
Faculty status of full-time administrative officers will necessarily vary with the size and complexity of the institution. Administrative officers shall be appointed by the President of the institution and shall hold office at the pleasure of the President.
To ensure accountability and effective academic management, the President shall consult with the USG chief academic officer on significant personnel actions involving the institution’s chief academic officer to include appointment, qualifications for the position, and termination.
A faculty member who has academic rank and rights of tenure in the Corps of Instruction and who accepts an appointment to an administrative office, other than President, shall retain the responsibilities and privileges of faculty membership, his or her academic rank, and rights of tenure as an ex officio member of the Corps of Instruction, but shall have no rights of tenure in the administrative office to which he or she has been appointed.
The additional salary, if any, for the administrative position shall be stated in the employment contract and shall not be paid to the faculty member when he or she ceases to hold the administrative position.
3.2.1.3 Other Faculty Members
Research and Comprehensive Universities
In addition to the Corps of Instruction, the faculty will include the President, administrative and academic deans, registrar, librarian, and chief fiscal officer of the institution and other full-time administrative officers as the institution may designate as having ex officio faculty status.
State Universities and State Colleges
In addition to the Corps of Instruction, the faculty will consist of the President of the institution and other full-time administrative officers as the institution may designate as having ex officio faculty status.
3.2.2 Regents’ Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Student Success
The Board of Regents rewards excellence in teaching and student success through a system-wide awards program.
Each institution is invited to annually nominate one teaching faculty member for each of the following awards: Felton Jenkins, Jr., Hall of Fame Faculty Award; Regents’ Award for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning; and Regents’ Award for Excellence in Online Teaching. Additionally, each institution is invited to annually nominate one faculty or staff member for the Regents’ Excellence in Student Success Award and one academic department or program for each of the following awards: the Regents’ Excellence in Teaching Department/Program Award and the Regents’ Department/Program Excellence in Student Success Award. The USG Chief Academic Officer shall publish specific procedures, nomination guidelines, and award criteria.
In addition to the Regents’ Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Student Success, institutions shall develop and implement systematic programs to recognize and reward faculty and staff for excellence in teaching and service to students and professional staff for outstanding job performance and innovation on the job.
3.2.3 Faculty Meetings, Rules, and Regulations
The faculty council, senate, assembly, or other comparable governance body at all USG institutions shall meet and shall appoint a secretary who shall keep a record of the proceedings. All meetings should comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including the Georgia Open Records Act and Georgia Open Meetings Act.
The faculty or the council, senate, assembly, or other comparable faculty governance body at an USG institution, shall, subject to the approval of the President of the institution:
- Make statutes, rules, and regulations for its governance;
- Provide committees as may be required;
- Make statutes, rules, and regulations for students regarding admission, suspension, expulsion, classes, courses of study, the learning environment, and requirements for graduation; and,
- Make regulations necessary or proper for the maintenance of high educational standards.
A copy of each institution’s statutes, rules, and regulations made by the faculty shall be filed with the Chancellor and shall be published, implemented, and disseminated in accordance with SACSCOC regulations. The faculty shall have primary responsibility for those aspects of student life that relate to the educational process, subject to the approval of the President of the institution.
3.2.3.1 University System of Georgia Faculty Council
The University System of Georgia Faculty Council (USGFC) shall provide a faculty voice on academic and educational matters and Board of Regents’ policies related to the profession, including but not limited to tenure and promotion, academic freedom, and post-tenure review. The USGFC shall be mindful and respectful of matters that are more appropriately handled at the institutional level but may make recommendations that have University System level impact or implications.
Membership of the USGFC shall be comprised of one voting representative from each USG institution who is a member of that institution’s faculty and selected by a process determined by the faculty or faculty body of that institution. A copy of each institution’s process to determine its USGFC representative shall be maintained at the institution level and provided to the University System Office upon demand. The organization and governance of the USGFC shall be implemented according to policies and procedures established by the membership of the USGFC in the USGFC by-laws in consultation with and approved by the Chancellor or the Chancellor’s designee.
Nothing in this policy or the USGFC by-laws shall supersede the authority and responsibilities of institutional presidents provided by Board of Regents’ Policy. With respect to matters specific to their institutions, institution presidents remain the official medium of communication between their institutional faculties and the Chancellor.