The administrative structure of the Communication Science Unit
- The Unit Director
The Unit Director's duties include but are not limited to:
- Overseeing the process of developing, maintaining and altering unit governance policies and procedures.
- Mentoring tenure-track faculty members to ensure adequate progress toward tenure in compliance with Media School and unit policies on reappointment and review of non-tenured faculty.
- Mentoring lecturers to ensure adequate progress towards senior lecturer status in compliance with Media School and unit policies on retention, evaluation, and promotion of NTT faculty.
- Having individual meetings yearly with associate professors.
- Overseeing the tenure and/or promotion process for unit faculty, including writing the chair’s letter.
- Nominating and writing letters of support for unit faculty applications for fellowships and other honors and monetary awards when required.
- Working with faculty to develop appropriate Unit committees and populate those committees.
- Meeting regularly with other unit chairs in the School and with the School Dean, School Associate Dean and directors to develop shared programs of study and research and to ensure that the units are not duplicating efforts.
- Overseeing unit merit review process and making recommendations to the dean for salary raises.
- Handling unit-specific inquiries from upper administration.
B. Committees and Their Responsibilities
1. Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee will meet with the Unit Director as the need arises. The responsibilities of the Advisory Committee are:
- to serve as an independent advisory body to the Unit Director on strategic planning, and other matters of unit administration and faculty governance.
- to facilitate initiatives for improving the unit’s ability to fulfill its research mission.
- to serve as a liaison between the Faculty and the Unit Director for the purpose of communicating and resolving faculty grievances or other matters of faculty concern.
The Advisory Committee consists of three members of the unit faculty at least one of whom is tenured. Members of the Advisory committee are elected from the faculty and will include the tenured faculty member who receives the most votes and the two members of the rest of the faculty with the most votes. The election will be held in the spring semester for the committee that will serve beginning the next fall. The Advisory Committee will elect one of its tenured members to serve as chair. Any faculty member may request a meeting of the advisory committee.
- The Merit Review Committee
The primary responsibility of the Merit Review Committee is to evaluate faculty and make recommendations to the Unit Director on annual merit salary increases according to the procedures outlined in the merit review policy. The annual Unit Director's review will be completed by the Advisory Committee in consultation with the Merit Review Committee.
The Merit Review Committee consists of four members, one from each tenure-track rank and one from any rank, one of whom is appointed by the Unit Director. Members of the committee serve staggered two-year terms. In the first year of the two-year cycle, 2 members are elected. In the second year, 1 new member is elected and 1 is appointed by the Unit Director. New members have the same ranks as the departing members. The committee elects its own chair. The Unit Director is an ex-officio member and attends all meetings.
- Election of Media School Level Committees
Each unit elects two members to serve on the Faculty Advisory Board. These members generally serve staggered 3 year terms. FAB members will be elected when necessary from the members of the unit. The Unit Director will call for nominations from the faculty and conduct a vote amongst them. The highest vote getters who agree to serve will be elected.
Each unit elects one member to serve on the Graduate Committee. Graduate Committee members will be elected, when needed, from the members of the unit faculty. The Unit Director will call for nominations from the faculty and conduct a vote amongst them. The highest vote getter who agrees to serve will be elected. A second Graduate Committee member from each unit is appointed by the Unit Director. Graduate Committee members generally serve staggered 3 year terms. Two members, both appointed by the Unit Director, serve on the Diversity Committee. Members generally serve staggered 3 year terms.
Each unit also elects one member to serve on the Research and Creative Activity Committee. This member serves a 3 year term. The Unit Director will call for nominations from the faculty and conduct a vote amongst them. The highest vote getter who agrees to serve will be elected.
- Other Committees
Other committees may be appointed by the Unit Director or by the faculty to deal with special issues or concerns.
(Adopted 10/14/2017)