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 Volume One, "Statutes," RCW 28B.20.020, 28B.20.130(2)(5), and 28B.20.200.]

Section 13-20. General Policy

A university is a community of scholars contributing, each according to his own 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.

Carl Allendoerfer
Alfred Harsch
William S. Hopkins
Brents Stirling
E. Roscoe Wilcox, on behalf of the faculty

Henry Schmitz President,on behalf of the administration

[Undated: About April 16, 1956]

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 and 1969.]

By virtue of the authority vested in him by the Board of Regents under its resolution of May 19, 1956 (Section 12-11) and in conformity with the statutes of the state (see Section 13-01), the President authorizes the faculty to share with him and the academic deans responsibility for the formulation of rules for the immediate government of the University under such resolutions and executive orders as the Board of Regents and the President from time to time may adopt or issue.

Executive Order (unnumbered) of the President, May 31, 1956

Section 13-22. Organization of the Faculty

By virtue of the authority granted him or her by the Board of Regents under its resolution of May 19, 1956 (Section 12-11), and in conformity with the statutes of the state (Section 13-01), the President recommends that the faculty of the University:

A. determine, with the approval of the President, its own organization and constitution, and

B. adopt its own by-laws and rules of procedure, for the purpose of exercising the powers and performing the duties delegated to it or vested in it by statute.

Executive Order (unnumbered) of the President, May 31, 1956; revised January 30, 2004.

Section 13-23. Legislative Authority of the Faculty

A. Subject to the provisions of paragraphs B and C of this Section, the President authorizes the University faculty to formulate regulations for the immediate government of the University and to share responsibility with him or her, the Chancellors at the Bothell and Tacoma campuses, and the academic deans in such matters as:

1. educational policy and general welfare;
2. policy for the regulation of student conduct and activities;
3. scholastic policy, including requirements for admission, graduation, and honors;
4. approval of candidates for degrees;
5. criteria for faculty tenure, appointment, and promotion;
6. recommendations concerning campus and University budgets;
7. formulation of procedures to carry out the policies and regulation thus established.

B. Each action of the faculty under the provisions of paragraph A of this Section shall be:

1. in accord with the applicable statutory provisions (see Volume I, "Statutes," RCW 28B.20.200) and with the Regents' resolution of May 19, 1956 (Section 12-11), and
2. subject to such rules as the Board of Regents may prescribe, and
3. subject to such executive orders as the President within his authority may issue.

C. A faculty action under the provisions of paragraph A of this Section shall become effective upon its approval by the President, and, when taken by the faculty at the Bothell or Tacoma campus, the prior approval of the Chancellor of the campus, except, the approval of new undergraduate degrees, majors, minors, and certificate programs, regardless of campus of origin, will first be referred by the President to the Faculty Senate for coordinated review by all three campuses. Graduate degree proposals and graduate certificate proposals, regardless of campus of origin, are already reviewed by the Graduate School before being referred for Presidential and Board of Regents approval.

D. In order that the Board of Regents may be aware of policies and actions proposed by the faculty, the President will communicate to the Board all recommendations of the faculty which concern the welfare of the University.

E. Except in cases of emergency, policy decisions which affect matters listed in paragraph A of this Section that are campus-specific to UW, Seattle, and to the University as a whole will not be made by the President without consultation with appropriate officers of the faculty organization established under the provisions of Section 13-22.

F. Except in cases of emergency, policy decisions on matters listed in paragraph A of this Section that are campus-specific to UW, Bothell and UW, Tacoma will not be made by the campus Chancellor without consultation with elected representatives of the campus faculty organization.

Executive Order (unnumbered) of the President, May 31, 1956; revised January 30, 2004.

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

By authority of the Board of Regents under its resolution of May 19, 1956 (Section 12-11), and in conformity with applicable statutes (Volume I, "Statutes," RCW 28B.10.528 and RCW 28B.20.200) the President authorizes the faculty of each campus, college or school, (as listed in Section 23-11) except the graduate faculty (Section 23-42.B), to participate in recommendations concerning (1) new appointments to its faculty, (2) promotions and merit increases of its faculty members, and (3) the granting of tenure to its faculty. Under rules established jointly by the President and the University faculty:

1. For the University of Washington, Seattle, the appropriate college or school faculty shall make the initial recommendations for such decisions. In departmentalized colleges and schools, recommendations shall originate in the departments. In a department-level unit constituted by the dean of a school or college for the administration of an interdisciplinary program, or by the Provost if the program involves two or more schools or colleges, special means may be used to provide recommendations from the faculty on new appointments, promotions and merit salary increases, and the granting of tenure.

2. The campuses of the University of Washington, Bothell (UWB), and the University of Washington, Tacoma (UWT) are designed and operated similarly to a departmentalized collegiate unit at the University of Washington, Seattle, with programs equivalent to departments (See Section 23-11 and 23-22, the Regents of the University of Washington have created colleges or schools within the campuses of the University, and departments within campuses and colleges. If the Regents create colleges or schools within the campuses of the University of Washington, Bothell, or the University of Washington, Tacoma, headed by a dean, then for those UWB or UWT colleges and schools the words colleges and schools and dean in the Faculty Code shall have the same meaning as they do at the University of Washington, Seattle. In such cases, prior to forwarding any recommendation on to the University President or Provost, a dean at UWB or UWT shall forward the recommendation first to the chancellor of the campus, who shall be advised, as appropriate, by a campus-elected faculty body as provided in Section 23-45.

Executive Order (unnumbered) of the President, May 31, 1956; revised October 1, 1982; revised January 30, 2004.

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 (Part II of this Handbook) 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, 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.