University of Washington Policy Directory

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*Formerly part of the University Handbook
Faculty Code and Governance

University Faculty

Chapter 13



The University Faculty




Section 13-01   Statutory Provisions Relating to the Faculty

[For the text of statutory provisions relating to the faculty and its powers see RCW 28B.20.020, 28B.20.130(2) and (5), and 28B.20.200; and other statutes in Chapters 28B.10 and 28B.20 RCW.]

Section 13-20   General Policy

A university is a community of scholars contributing individual talents and interests to the transmission and advancement of knowledge. Because of its diversity of interests a university is a complex organization, not quite like any other in its management, which requires the understanding and good faith of people dedicated to a common purpose. A university administration must seek wisely and diligently to advance the common effort, and the strength of a university is greatest when its faculty and administration join for the advancement of common objectives. Much of the faculty-administration relationship has been established through long experience, and has the weight and good sense of academic form and tradition. But the terms of this relationship are essentially those of spirit, mutual respect, and good faith, and thus must be flexible to meet changing needs. Some of the traditions of the University of Washington are given expression in the pages that follow. Yet these and other common understandings have meaning only to the extent that they reflect the integrity and faith of administration and faculty in the day by day accomplishment of their joint effort.

AI, April 16, 1956; S-A 164, May 9, 2023 with Presidential approval.

Section 13-21   Authorization for the Faculty to Share in the Formulation of Rules

[This section was entitled "Delegation of Rule-Making Powers to the Faculty" in 1956, 1964, 1969. See Executive Order No. II, Authorization for the Faculty to Share in the Formulation of Rules.]

Section 13-22   Organization of the Faculty

[See Executive Order No. III, Organization of the Faculty.]

Section 13-23   Legislative Authority of the Faculty

[See Executive Order No. IV, Legislative Authority of the Faculty.]

Section 13-24   Faculty Authority Concerning Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure

[See Executive Order No. V, Faculty Authority Concerning Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure.]

Section 13-31   Organization of the Faculty and the Allocation of Powers and Duties

By authority derived from statutes of the state, from resolutions of the Board of Regents, and from executive orders of the President, the University faculty:

A. Enacts Sections -31 to -99 in each Chapter of the Faculty Code and thereby:

  1. Establishes its own organization as set forth in Chapter 21;

  2. Establishes the Faculty Senate and Senate Executive Committee as its legislative and executive agency operative under the powers and duties set forth in Chapter 22;

  3. Confers upon the chancellors, deans, and faculties of the independently organized campuses, colleges, and schools, and the departments thereof, the powers and duties set forth in Chapter 23, and authorizes the faculty in each of these to effect its own organization and to delegate to committees, councils, or departments such of its powers and duties as it deems appropriate;

  4. Establishes the rules and procedures governing faculty appointment and promotion which are set forth in Chapter 24;

  5. Establishes rules and procedures governing faculty tenure which are set forth in Chapter 25;

  6. Authorizes the Faculty Senate to initiate amendment of the Faculty Code in the manner set forth in Chapter 29.

B. Establishes standing committees of the University faculty, and defines the powers and duties of each as set forth in Part IV of this Faculty Handbook, (now included as the Faculty Councils, Committees, and Representatives Section of the Faculty Code and Governance), and vests in the Faculty Senate authority to establish or abolish standing or other committees of the faculty, and to define or redefine their powers and duties;

C. Establishes the rules which are set forth in Parts V and VI of this Faculty Handbook.*

S-A 20, April 16, 1956; S-A 50, January 22, 1976; S-A 115, June 15, 2007: all with Presidential approval.

*In 1956, with conformity to state statutes and with approval of the Board of Regents and the President, the then Faculty Handbook underwent a major revision, the format of which has been the base for all later sectional revisions and additions. Section 13-31 was the "enacting clause [to] establish all provisions of the new Handbook which are subject to faculty approval," passage of which through Class A legislation (S-A 20) brought the entire revision into being as Volume One, Parts I-IV of the Handbook on April 16, 1956. Section 13-31.C, which referred to Faculty Regulations and University Regulations, was never implemented as the proposed Parts V and VI, but was approximated in Volume Two of the Handbook (Volume Four of the 1972 and later editions.) In 2010, this chapter, along with the Faculty Code, the Senate By-Laws, and the section on Faculty Councils, Committees, and Representatives was retitled the Faculty Code and Governance. Other materials previously part of Volume Two of the University Handbook were Executive Orders and Administrative Orders of the President and were moved to the Presidential Orders resource.


For related information, see:

  • Executive Order No. II, "Authorization for the Faculty to Share in the Formulation of Rules"
  • Executive Order No. III, "Organization of the Faculty"
  • Executive Order No. IV, "Legislative Authority of the Faculty"
  • Executive Order No. V, "Faculty Authority Concerning Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure"