Faculty Governance

The Bylaws of the Faculty of Medicine (as last amended in April 2010) govern the Faculty of Medicine. The current form of governance was established when the Bylaws were adopted in 1978.

The Faculty Council is the primary governing body. Faculty elect their department representatives for the Council; institutional representatives are selected by the faculty at each affiliated hospital; and at-large representatives are elected by the full-time and part-time faculty. The committee serving as the Council's executive committee, composed of the past Council Chair, current, Council Chair, and Chair-Elect, along with five members of the Council elected by the Council, is the Faculty Council Steering Committee.

The Council meets at least five times each year, with an agenda set by the Steering Committee. The Dean includes the Chair of Faculty Council on her leadership committee, linking the faculty to the medical school's administrative leadership.

The Bylaws describe the governance process and areas of responsibility of the Council in detail. A roster of the membership of the Faculty Council and standing committees is published each summer. Jill Barnholtz-Sloan, PhD, Associate Professor in the Cancer Center, is the 2011-2012 Chair of Faculty Council.

There are eight standing committees of the Faculty of Medicine; each reports at least once per year to the Faculty Council. The committees are as follows:

• Admissions Committee | Committee members
• Bylaws Committee | Committee members
• Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure | Committee members
• Committee on Medical Education | Committee members
• Committee on Students | Committee members
• Lecture Committee | Committee members
• Nominating Committee | Committee members
• Research Committee | Committee members

Ad hoc committees carry out special tasks for the faculty or Dean, as needed, and may be appointed by the Faculty Council, by the Faculty Council and the Dean together, or by the Dean alone. Copies of the official charges to the standing committees are available in the Office of Faculty Affairs.

You may find serving on committees rewarding. Service offers the opportunity to work together with members of the faculty from different disciplines and hospitals. Faculty wishing to be nominated for election to a standing committee should notify their department chair and look out for the emailed announcement each spring soliciting those willing to stand for election. The final selection of names to appear on the slate of candidates is made by the faculty's Nominating Committee.