ACT - Apparel and Communication Technologies

ARTICLE I: ROLE OF DEPARTMENT

1.0 The Communications, Education and Training Department serves three functions: instruction, professional service, and research. The department offers instruction for programs within the University which focus on education, training and communication concepts and processes.

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ARTICLE II: VOTING MEMBERS OF DEPARTMENT

2.0 Faculty who have CET as their home department and who have 25% or more of their full-time academic year assignment and salary from the Communications, Education and Training Department are considered voting members. Academic staff who receive 50% or more of their academic and salary from the Communications, Education and Training Department are also considered voting members. An exception may be granted if two-thirds of the department members vote to do so.

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ARTICLE III: DEPARTMENT MEETINGS

3.0 There will be regularly scheduled meetings of the department. These meetings will be held during the academic year at a time and place agreed upon by the voting members.
3.1 All departmental matters, other than personnel and policies, must be approved by a simple majority of the voting members. Decisions relating to policy and personnel must be approved by a two-thirds majority.
3.2 All departmental meetings must meet the requirements outlined in the Wisconsin Open Meeting Law.
3.3 Special meetings can be called by a simple majority of eligible voting members or at the discretion of the department chairperson.

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ARTICLE IV: SELECTION OF DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSON

4.0 When a vacancy exists, the voting members of the Communications, Education & Training Department will recommend to the dean of the College of Technology, Engineering & Management their choice for department chairperson.
4.1 The recommendations for the chairperson will be determined by written ballot of the voting members of the Communications, Education & Training Department. The ballot will be such that the voter signs his/her name and the ballot is retained on file by the dean of CTEM. A department member on leave of absence, who has submitted a written statement of intent to return the following year, may cast a ballot if the majority of the remaining members concur. A qualified voter who is absent from the campus may submit a vote in writing, prior to the election, to the dean. If time permits, the same process is used for the second ballot.
4.1.1 If no person receives a majority of the ballots cast, the chairperson to be recommended will be elected by a majority of the ballots cast in a second balloting between the two candidates with the highest number of votes. In case of a tie vote on ballot two, the issue will be resolved by the dean of CTEM.
4.1.2 The term of the department chairperson will be three years and he/she may serve unlimited consecutive terms.
4.1.3 The department may recommend removal of the department chairperson by a two-thirds majority of all voting members.

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ARTICLE V: DEPARTMENT COMMITTEES

5.0 Personnel Committee
At the first department meeting of the academic year, the personnel committee for the year will be established. The committee will be composed of all tenured faculty members of the department. The committee will elect a chair and a vice-chair. The chair or the vice-chair will be the department representative on the all-college personnel committee.
A member will not serve on the college personnel committee if the agenda includes items where he/she is involved.
5.1 Standing Committees
5.2 Ad hoc Committees
Ad hoc committees appointed by the department chairperson will be utilized to prepare policy statements and recommendations on areas of concern. All policies must be submitted to the voting staff for approval or modification. Where possible, each committee will have representation from each academic rank in the department. Each committee should have a chair who is responsible for convening committee meetings. The committee chair should be elected by the members serving on the committee.

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ARTICLE VI: GUIDELINES FOR PERSONNEL DECISIONS

6.0 Recruiting
The department chair, with input from program directors and faculty, is responsible for developing a position description for all department openings. Academic staff and faculty decisions will be based on the needs of the department.
6.1 Hiring
The department chairperson, or the chairperson of the search and screen committee, will receive all applications for departmental positions. If the position is a faculty position, the department chairperson will assure that a search and screen committee is appointed and will approve of search and screen committee members and the committee chair. The search and screen committee will prioritize all qualified applicants and recommend to the department chair the most qualified candidate. The department will have the opportunity to approve of the candidate if possible. Academic staff and other staff with position descriptions will be developed by the department chair in accord with the needs of the department and with appropriate input from department members. Based on recommendations from the faculty, the department chair will select the most qualified staff member.
6.1.1 All department members will have access to applicant files and opportunity for input. Job candidates should meet and talk to as many departmental members as are available. A prioritized list of candidates will be made by the elected screening committee and the department chairperson. The prioritized list/s will be made known to department members before the recommendation is forwarded to the dean by the department chairperson and personnel committee.
6.2 Performance Evaluation
All evaluations will be based on current job descriptions and completed as specified within university, college and department policy. The department chairperson will initiate and supervise all performance evaluation processes within the constraints and guidelines of the University evaluation system. Supervisory evaluation, self- evaluation, peer evaluation and student evaluation should be considered in the final performance evaluation. Evaluation instruments and procedures will be approved by department members.
6.3 Promotion
Within the department, all tenured faculty who are not candidates for promotion will constitute the promotion committee. The committee will make recommendations using its mutually agreed upon procedures.
6.4 Renewal and Tenure of Probationary Department Members
Recommendations for contract renewal are based on performance evaluation and/or programmatic needs. The decision making process is initiated by the department chairperson and completed by the personnel committee. After the committee has made a decision, the department member will be informed in writing by the department chair. In those cases where renewal would assure tenure, the personnel committee will bring a recommendation to the tenured faculty of the department, who will approve or deny the recommendation. Provisions of U.W.S. 3.00 will be followed.

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ARTICLE VII: STAFF ASSIGNMENTS

7.0 Specific teaching assignments should be made on the basis of ability, willingness to teach a course and department and student needs. To aid in this respect:
7.0.1 All staff members should be notified concerning development of the next semester's schedule prior to the development of a final schedule.
7.0.2 Each staff member should notify the department chairperson of preferences in terms of hours and days. Staff members should assume that they are available for assignments Monday through Friday as outlined by University Policy. Only appropriate professional and family reasons should be given for avoiding certain days and hours for work scheduling.
7.0.3 Individual schedules should be arranged so that non-prime class hours and evening class assignments are rotated among the department staff. Exceptions must be agreed upon by the instructor.
7.1 Staff members who teach an extension class, as part of load, may have an adjustment made in the total number of semester hours assigned to compensate if time of travel and other inconveniences are encountered.
7.2 Guidelines for summer school assignments:
7.2.1 Summer school assignments as dictated by allocations should be distributed to those staff members desirous of summer school employment, if such assignment falls within the realm of the staff members expertise.
7.2.2 Staff members will have input in selecting the duration of the summer school assignment.
7.2.3 When possible, and allocations for staff permit, full-time assignments should be on a rotational basis for those staff members desirous of such assignments.
7.2.4 Department members nearing retirement shall inform the department chair in writing of their retirement date. The chair will have the discretion of seeking additional summer school assignments to help increase the individual’s salary base.
7.2.5 Opportunities for staff members to conduct off-campus workshops are left to the discretion of the department chairperson and staff members willing to accept such assignments. Such workshops will be announced and posted so that any qualified staff member may make application for such assignment.
7.2.6 Participation in self-initiated workshops or institutes at institutions other than UW-Stout will have no bearing on the rotation of full- time or fractional assignments of a staff member for summer school.
7.3 Resolution of Intradepartment Conflict
In the event of conflict between department members or between a department member and the department chairperson, an attempt should be made to resolve the conflict at the department level before proceeding to the school-level positive action committee. Any department member involved in a conflict may ask the personnel committee to examine the conflict and offer suggestions for resolution. If the department chairperson or one of the regular personnel committee members is involved in the conflict, the elected alternate should sit in his/her place.

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ARTICLE VIII: INDIVIDUAL STAFF INVOLVEMENTS

8.0 Staff members are encouraged to become involved in teaching, research and service activities as described by University policy.

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ARTICLE IX: DEPARTMENT BUDGET

9.0 While budget preparation and expenditures are the responsibility of the department chairperson, it is the duty of staff members to assist in the process. As soon as the total budget amount available to the department is known to the department chairperson, the information should be made available to all members of the department.
9.1 Up to date reports of expenditures should then be made every month
during the year to the department staff so that appropriate adjustments can
be made, if necessary, based upon department staff input and agreement.
9.2 Prior to the expending of funds for major items each member should be asked to submit items they propose for purchase. Department staff should then review these requests and arrange them into priority order. The chairperson's decisions should be based upon this input from all department staff members.
9.3 Funds allotted to the department for travel should be made available to all staff assigned to the department. These funds should be allotted in the same ratio as the member's time is assigned to the department.

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ARTICLE X: ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION

10.0 Department Goals
It shall be the policy of the Communications, Education and Training Department to develop long-range goals. Members of the department will review and, if needed, modify these goals on an annual basis. These goals will align with the values and goals of the College of Technology, Engineering and Management.
10.0.1 Short-range goals and objectives will be developed and reviewed annually with an adoption target date consistent with the performance review process.
10.0.2 Adopted goals and objectives will be forwarded to the dean for information purposes.
10.1 Academic functions:
10.1.1 Members of the department are expected to participate in generating new courses and revising courses where appropriate.
10.1.2 Staff members have academic freedom in determining methodologies appropriate to their courses, but are expected to meet the objectives of the courses as stated in the approved curriculum.

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ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

11.0 These Policies and Procedures may be amended whenever a two-thirds majority of all voting members vote to do so. It is suggested that revision of these Policies and Procedures be an ongoing process. It is further suggested that, as a minimum, a review should be made by January of each year.
11.1 All department members must have received prior written notice of the proposed changes not less than one week before the meeting is held to vote on the changes.
Amendment to Bylaws of the CET Department

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ARTICLE XII: SUBMISSION OF GRADES

12.1 Grades will be submitted to the department chairperson at the end of each grading period (Semester I, Semester II, and Summer Session) by the due date listed on the grade roster (which usually allows three working days after the last day of class). Include the original and one copy with your submission. The department chairperson will act as the contact person for the Registration and Records Office. In case of an emergency or need to deviate from this procedure, contact the department chairperson personally with your plans.
Grade rosters will be checked against the class schedule for that particular grade period.
The department secretary will send out a notice each grading period as a reminder for department staff.
12.2 A grade of IP will be submitted by the department chairperson by default if no grades are received on the due date, to allow grades to be processed by the registration and records office.

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ARTICLE XIII: ELECTION of FACULTY SENATE REPRESENTATIVE

13.1 The election of the faculty senate representative will be held in the fall of the year for the term beginning the next academic year. All faculty members are eligible to serve and all faculty members are eligible to vote.
The term will be for three years.
If there is only one candidate, elections may be held at the department meeting.
In the case of a contested election, ballots will be distributed, and returned to the CET department secretary within five days. The CET department secretary will count the ballots. The candidate with highest number of votes will be elected. In the case of a tie, a coin-flip shall decide the winning candidate.
The CET department secretary will submit the name of the elected representative to the Faculty Senate office. (Article 13 Passed 11-2-98)

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