Standing Committees - University of Houston
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College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

About

Standing Committees

The University of Houston is a collegial enterprise that uses the principles and practices of shared governance to operate. The Standing Committees of the College provide a venue for faculty to administer the curriculum of the College and advise the Dean on the affairs of the College.

Each committee performs the duties assigned and such other duties as normally devolve upon the academic committee bearing its title. Each committee will submit a brief report to the Dean at the end of the Spring semester which will be made available to the faculty. Terms of office of all committees commence on September 1 of the year in which the member is elected. Each committee annually selects a chair from its elected members.

Information on the Standing Committees is contained in the NSM College Bylaws.

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The Committee on College Government consists of one tenured faculty member from each department, one promotion eligible non-tenure track faculty member at the associate or full rank from any department in the College who has been in continuous full-time employment at the University of Houston for a minimum of three years, and the Dean or an Associate Dean designated by the Dean. Either of the latter will serve in a non-voting ex officio capacity. The non- tenure track committee member may vote on all matters where the subject is in a professional domain in which they have responsibilities except for items specifically listed in the College Bylaws. They may not hear tenure or tenure track faculty grievance. The committee has the following duties:

  • Consider and make recommendations to the faculty regarding both departmental and College government.
  • Conduct elections for the College.
  • Designate faculty members to fill faculty vacancies on Standing Committees.
  • Conduct polls of departments for nominations for the chair.
  • Review departmental bylaws.
  • Review and recommend on non-trivial grievances of faculty members, including all non-voting faculty.
  • Establish and review the policy for administering and criteria for awarding Faculty Development Leaves.
  • Advise the Dean regarding voting eligibility for any motion or action item not otherwise specified herein.
  • Review the College bylaws every 10 years.

Faculty Development Leave Program

Members 2024–2025

The Committee on Graduate Studies consists of one tenured or tenure-track faculty member from each department, one graduate student member, and the Dean or an Associate Dean designated by the Dean. Either of the latter will serve in a non-voting ex officio capacity. The Graduate Studies Committee may have one at-large research faculty member that holds the rank of research associate professor or above, who has been in continuous full-time employment at the University of Houston for a minimum of three years. This committee is chaired by the Dean or an Associate Dean designated by the Dean and will:

  • Consider and make recommendations regarding all changes of graduate curriculum or degree requirements,
  • Determine the procedures by which graduate curricula within the College are developed and evaluated.
  • Advise the Dean regarding graduate programs.
  • Review and recommend on non-trivial grievances of graduate students.
  • Determine the procedures by which standards for student admissions, grading and candidacy for graduate study are set.
  • Recommend nominees for vacant positions on the Graduate and Professional Studies Council to the Dean.

Members 2024–2025

The Committee on Undergraduate Studies consists of one tenured, tenure-track or instructional faculty member from each department in the College, one undergraduate student member, and the Dean or an Associate Dean designated by the Dean. Either of the latter will serve in a non-voting ex officio capacity. The instructional faculty committee members may vote on all matters where the subject is in a professional domain in which they have responsibilities. This committee will be chaired by the Dean or an Associate Dean designated by the Dean and will:

  • Consider and make recommendations regarding all changes of undergraduate curriculum or degree requirements.
  • Determine the procedures by which undergraduate curricula within the college are developed and evaluated.
  • Deal with general questions of policy concerning the training of teachers in the College.
  • Review and recommend on non-trivial grievances of undergraduate students.
  • Determine the procedures by which standards for student admissions and grading for undergraduate study are set.
  • Recommend nominees for vacant positions on the Undergraduate Council to the Dean.

Members 2024–2025

The Promotion and Tenure Committee consists of one tenured faculty member holding the rank of professor from each department in the College, and two at-large representatives from the College’s promotion-eligible research faculty holding the rank of Research Professor who have been in continuous full time employment at the University of Houston for a minimum of three years. The non-tenure track faculty representatives will not participate in matters involving tenure-track and tenured faculty. This committee will:

  • Advise the Dean concerning promotion of, awarding of tenure to, post-tenure review of, and termination of tenured and tenure-track faculty members.
  • Advise the Dean concerning review of, promotion of, and termination of research faculty.
  • Determine performance criteria used to perform the two tasks listed above.
  • Advise the Dean concerning the planning, budget and administration of the College.
  • Advise the Dean concerning the awarding of Faculty Development Leaves.

Faculty Development Leave Program

Members 2024–2025

The Instructional and Clinical Faculty Promotion Committee consists of one promotion-eligible non-tenure-track faculty member holding the rank of Instructional or Clinical Professor from each Department in the College. They will be elected from the promotion-eligible instructional and/or clinical faculty ranks who have been in continuous full-time employment at the University of Houston for a minimum of three years and who hold an appointment in the College that is more than half time may vote for the following positions on the College Standing Committees. If any department does not have any instructional or clinical professors, then said department may nominate a candidate holding the rank of tenured Professor. In addition, this committee shall have four at-large tenured faculty from different departments holding the rank of professor. This committee will:

  • Advise the Dean concerning questions that arise relating to the review, promotion and termination of Instructional and Clinical Faculty.
  • Determine performance criteria used to perform that task.

Members 2024–2025

The Policy Committee consists of one tenured faculty member from each department in the College. The Dean or an Associate Dean designated by the Dean will serve in a non-voting ex officio capacity. One promotion-eligible non-tenure-track faculty member from any department who has been in continuous full-time employment at the University of Houston for a minimum of three years will also serve on this committee. The non-tenure-track committee member may vote on all matters where the subject is in a professional domain in which they have responsibilities. This committee will:

  • Advise the Dean concerning the planning, budget and administration of the College.
  • Advise and review College policies and procedures, except as otherwise specified above.
  • Perform biannual reviews of the College Business Office, NSM IT, NSM Facilities, and Associate Deans.

Members 2024–2025