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School of Architecture and Design Bylaws

Policy
Purpose: 

To define the rules and regulate the affairs of the School of Architecture and Design.

Applies to: 

Faculty and students within the School of Architecture and Design.

Campus: 
Lawrence
Table of Contents: 

ARTICLE 1. Introduction
ARTICLE 2. Faculty, Student and Administrative Constituencies
ARTICLE 3. School Assembly
ARTICLE 4. Faculty Evaluation, Promotion and Tenure
ARTICLE 5. Appointment and Review of Deans and Chairs
ARTICLE 6. Procedures
ARTICLE 7. Grievance Procedure

Policy Statement: 

ARTICLE 1. INTRODUCTION

1. The School of Architecture and Design is one of the professional schools of the University of Kansas and is governed by the State Board of Regents which appoints the Chancellor who is the chief executive officer of the University and the president of the faculty.
 
2. The School of Architecture and Design Assembly is responsible for approval of policies for all aspects of the architecture and design curricula, academic standards and degree requirements as outlined in these bylaws. All requirements, academic standards and curricula so developed are subject to all University rules and regulations, which apply to all schools of the University.
 
3. The purpose of the School Bylaws is to provide a governance framework that furthers the mission of the School of Architecture and Design.
 

ARTICLE II. FACULTY, STUDENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONSTITUENCIES

Section 1. Faculty

The faculty of The School of Architecture and Design consists of all persons teaching within the School who have all or a portion of their appointment assigned to The School of Architecture and Design.

Section 2. Students

Students shall consist of all individuals who are admitted to and enrolled in any of the degree programs offered in The School of Architecture and Design.

Section 3. Administration

1. The chief administrative officer of the School of Architecture and Design is the Dean, appointed in accordance with existing University regulations, currently contained in Section II.A of the Handbook for Faculty and Other Unclassified Staff (2010).
 
2. The Dean is responsible for the exercise of those functions vested in him/her by the State of Kansas Board of Regents and the Chancellor of the University. The Dean is responsible for academic leadership and administrative supervision of academic programs within the School. The Dean shall be the responsible officer in carrying out those administrative policies set forth in the Bylaws of the School and all other policies and procedures of the University of Kansas.
 
3. The Dean of the School of Architecture and Design may appoint Assistant/Associate Deans, and administrative assistants. Administrators are selected and serve in accordance with existing University regulations.
 
4. The Dean of the School of Architecture and Design presides over the Administrative Group which includes Assistant/Associate Deans, Chairs of Departments and other staff. Meetings are called by the Dean with the purpose of review of any matter pertinent to the administration of the School.
 
5. The Administrative Group serves as the School’s Differential Tuition Advisory Committee. In addition to the members of the Administrative Group, the Differential Tuition Advisory
Committee includes student representatives from each of the School’s departments and any other individuals appointed by the Dean.
 
6. The responsibilities of the Differential Tuition Advisory Committee include:
 
a. Solicit requests from faculty, staff and students for uses of differential tuition funds.
 
b. Review plans for technology/equipment acquisition and development prepared by the staff of the School.
 
c. Review, evaluate and prioritize such requests and proposals.
 
d. Prepare recommendations for the Dean regarding the prioritized expenditure of differential tuition funds.
 
e. Review the annual expenditure of differential tuition funds.
 
f. Post an updated list of differential tuition expenditures each year on the School’s website.
 

Section 4. Academic Departments, Institutes and Centers

1. The School of Architecture and Design is composed of departments as recognized by the university administration.
 
2. Departmental chairpersons are selected and serve in accordance with existing University regulations, currently contained in Section II.A of the Handbook for Faculty and Other Unclassified Staff (2010).
 
3. Unless specific existing University or School policies and regulations so prohibit, departments shall be empowered to enact their own policies and procedures, as defined in departmental bylaws, and subject to the approval of the School Assembly as specified elsewhere in these bylaws.
 
4. The School, upon majority approval of voting faculty, may establish institutes and centers focusing on specific knowledge areas consistent with the mission of the School. These programs are authorized to initiate research, service, and educational activities based on their areas of emphasis. The directors and other chief administrative officers shall be appointed by the Dean for 3-year terms, with the advice of the School Council. Directors and other chief administrative officers of centers or institutes shall be reviewed by the Dean on an annual basis. Membership in institutes and centers shall include faculty selected by the director, and support staff required to implement research and other program initiatives.
 
5. Funding for the staffing, operation and other support of centers and institutes beyond the basic salary allocation of faculty involved in the center or institute shall be provided through the research, educational or service/outreach activities created by the center or institute unless special funding arrangements are made by the Dean. with the advice of the School Council.
 
6. Publications, communications, events and other products and advertised activities of the centers or institutes shall acknowledge the sponsorship and support of the School of Architecture and Design and the University of Kansas.
 
7. Each center shall file an annual report by a date specified by the Dean. The financial performance and mission accomplishments of these programs will be evaluated by the Dean. and the School Council. Accounting of revenue and expenses for each institute shall be maintained by the school administration and included in the annual report. Institutes and centers may be requested to present summaries of the annual report to the faculty assembly at calendar dates established by the School Council.
 
8. The School, upon majority approval of 60 percent of the voting faculty, may dissolve any institute or center if it is determined that the program is not actively pursuing its program mission or if it is taking actions that are significantly inconsistent with the program or School missions.
 
9. The School and its departments, upon majority approval of the voting faculty, may engage in partnership agreements to sponsor, operate, staff or support centers, institutes and other organizations external to the School and to the University of Kansas, provided that such organizations support the mission of the School.
 

ARTICLE III. THE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY

Section 1. Membership

1. The School Assembly shall be composed of all voting faculty in the School of Architecture and Design in accordance with the School’s Bylaws, and duly elected student representatives as specified by number and qualification and in accordance with the University Senate Code, Article XIX: Student Representation on Committees (2010).

2. A roster of the voting faculty of the Assembly will be made available by the Office of the Dean at the beginning of each fall semester.
 
3. Voting Faculty are defined as Tenured Faculty, Tenure-Track Faculty, Visiting Professors, Teaching Professors, Professors of the Practice, Multi-Term Lecturers, Lecturers who have held a faculty appointment of more than 50% time for more than three consecutive years, and emeritus faculty in the School who, on or before August 1 of each calendar year, shall inform the Secretary of the Assembly that they wish to be enrolled as a member of the Assembly.
 

Section 2. Officers

1. The Dean of the School of Architecture and Design shall be the presiding officer of the School Assembly. The Dean may designate any member of the School Assembly as acting chair when necessary, in his/her absence. The Dean shall have sole authority to make judgements as to rules of order and procedures in conducting the meetings of the Assembly
 
2. There shall be a Secretary of the School Assembly appointed by the Dean from the members of the Dean’s Office.
 
3. The Dean may appoint a Parliamentarian from outside of the voting members of the Assembly. The duty of the Parliamentarian is to advise the Dean as to the rules of order and procedures in conducting the meetings of the Assembly.
 

Section 3. Meetings and Quorum

1. The School Assembly shall meet each semester. All meetings of the School Assembly shall require at least ten days prior notice to the membership. Special meetings of the Assembly may be called by the Dean or by signed petition with signatures of at least 25 percent of the voting members of the Assembly and submission of a proposed agenda. Such meetings shall be convened by the Dean within ten days of the receipt of the call. School Assembly meetings may occur either in person or via electronic media. In the case of an electronic meeting, no new business may be presented and votes may only take place on matters previously identified in the agenda.
 
2. School-wide items may be placed on the agenda of a regular meeting by any voting member of the Assembly. Such agenda items should be in the hands of the secretary of the Assembly by 5:00 p.m. of the Monday of the week prior to the scheduled Assembly meeting. The agenda shall be distributed to all members of the Assembly at least three days prior to each meeting. Discussion items may be presented by any member at any non-electronic Assembly meeting, but action will be deferred until the next regular meeting to permit consideration and recommendation by the Assembly, any of the standing committees, or the departmental faculties.
 
3. Business of the School Assembly may be transacted by voice vote, roll call, or by ballot. Ballots may be secret, mail or electronic. A motion shall be carried with a favorable vote of a majority of the members voting. A written, secret or electronic ballot may be requested and obtained by any member of the School Assembly upon majority vote approval. Any vote occurring electronically must allow for a minimum of 48 hours for voting members to record their vote.
 
4. A declaration of “urgent action” for a new business item coming from the floor will require a vote of two-thirds of the members present at the School Assembly meeting at which a quorum is present. “Urgent action” may be introduced and voted upon at any meeting of the School Assembly waiving provisions stated above requiring delays in voting or a period of 10 days between distribution of the meeting agenda and the meeting. The provisions associated with “urgent action” do not apply to electronic meetings.
 
5. Departmental chairpersons and chairpersons of any standing school committees shall report to the Assembly at each regular meeting of the Assembly regarding the activities of their departments or committees.
 
6. The secretary of the Assembly shall see that minutes are recorded for each meeting and are distributed to all members of the Assembly within 10 days after the meeting. A copy of the agenda and minutes of each meeting shall be kept on file in the Office of the Dean.
 
7. The Presiding Officer of the Assembly and all other members of the Assembly may invite visitors. It is sometimes necessary to have visitors present at certain meetings to provide important input. Such visitors may participate in a discussion of the issues that prompted their invitation, but they do not have the right to vote. Voting shall be restricted to those members listed by the secretary of the Assembly as voting members.
 
8. A motion shall be carried by a vote of a majority of the voting members present, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, or Robert’s Rules of Order. The presiding officer shall vote only to break ties.
 
9. A quorum consisting of more than 50% of the voting members must be physically present for any votes held to be binding. A record of attendance at meetings is usually incorporated into the minutes of the meeting, but the number in attendance may change as people come and go. A quorum call may, therefore, be used to determine the actual number of people present at the time a vote is to be taken. Otherwise, the attendance recorded in the minutes shall be binding. If there is no quorum, then anyone who is eligible to vote may request that the vote be conducted via e- mail. The presiding officer shall determine if the vote will be conducted by e-mail.
 
10. The voting Assembly member is responsible for being aware of the issues being decided. The proxy vote must be submitted in a written manner and explain the reason for the absence. All of those with voting privileges will have one vote. Faculty members who are unable to attend a meeting in which a vote is taken may vote by proxy. They must contact the Presiding Officer prior to the meeting regarding their choice of a proxy vote.
 
11. Faculty on leave retain their full voting rights. This includes those on sabbatical leave or on any other temporary leave. It also includes those who are on leave and are supported by external funds. Faculty members on phased retirement are eligible to vote only during the semester of their KU appointment.
 
12. Roberts Rules of Order (latest edition) will govern the conduct of Assembly meetings. The Dean (or the acting Chair of the Assembly Meeting) shall have full power to render decision upon such rules when so requested by any voting member. A copy of Roberts Rules of Order shall be provided by the School.
 

Section 4. Powers, Duties and Responsibilities of the School Assembly

1. Subject to the provisions of the law and the rules of the Board of Regents and other University regulations, it is established that the specific duties and decision-making prerogatives of the Assembly shall include the following:

  1. Establish rules for the conduct of its business.
  2. Establish committees of its choosing and assign functions and responsibilities to such committees.
  3. Approve or disapprove proposals for changes in the School’s bylaws.
  4. Approve or disapprove proposals for changes in the School’s bylaws.
  5. Consider the addition and removal of degree programs within the School of Architecture and Design.
  6. Consider academic requirements for all degree programs within the School.
  7. Consider academic standards within the School of Architecture and Design. Academic standards that are primary responsibilities of the departments include: Procedures for probation, suspension, reinstatement and other measures related to the maintenance of academic standards; requirements for graduation and its verification; establishment of criteria for recognition of excellence.
  8. Consider criteria for promotion and tenure in accordance with current University policies and regulations. Approval of promotion and tenure criteria is a primary responsibility of each department. Any changes to departmental criteria will be forwarded to the School of Architecture and Design School Assembly for review and recommendation to the School Assembly for vote.
  9. Fulfill duties delegated to the School policy-making bodies by the University of Kansas Senate Code or other University regulations, policies or directives.

Section 5. Privilege

It shall be the privilege of The School of Architecture and Design Assembly to address itself to the faculties, students, and staff, to the Dean, to the Provost, to the Chancellor, and to the Board of Regents on any matter relating to the University and its operation.

Section 6. Standing Committees of the School Assembly

1.The following Committees constitute the standing committees of the School Assembly:

  1. School Faculty Affairs Committee
  2. School Bylaws Committee
  3. School Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee

2. The School Faculty Affairs Committee (SFAC) shall consist of three tenured voting members from each Department elected by each Department’s tenure-line faculty to two-year terms. Tenured faculty elected to serve on the SFAC may not serve on a Departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee or be considered for promotion or tenure during their term of service on the SFAC. Representatives from Architecture shall be elected in odd-numbered years and from Design in even-numbered years. The Chair of the School Faculty Affairs Committee shall have a one-year term and shall be elected by the full School Faculty Affairs Committee.

3. The responsibilities of the School Faculty Affairs Committee include:

  1. Receive and review personal documentation and dossiers submitted by Departmental Committees and /or faculty members being considered for promotion and tenure.
  2. Advise the Dean on all recommendations for advancement in academic rank and the granting of permanent tenure for members of the School faculty. Such recommendations shall be transmitted to the Dean for forwarding to the University Committee on Promotion and Tenure and shall remain otherwise confidential.
  3. Review and award General Research Fund proposals, evaluate sabbatical proposals, evaluate Post-Tenure Review dossiers, and evaluate recommendations for Distinguished Professorships when submitted by the Department Chairs.


4. The School Bylaws Committee shall consist of three tenured voting members from each Department elected by each Department’s voting faculty to two-year terms. They shall also serve on the Department level Bylaws Committee. Representatives from Architecture shall be elected in odd-numbered years and from Design in even-numbered years. The Chair of the School Bylaws Committee shall have a one-year term and shall be elected by the School Bylaws Committee. Other members include:

  1. Two student members, one appointed from each of the Departmental Chairs, shall serve one-year terms on the School Bylaws Committee. Student members hold voting privileges.
  2. Two staff members, elected by the staff of the School at the beginning of the academic year, shall serve one-year terms on the School Bylaws Committee. Staff members hold voting privileges.

5. School Bylaws are to be reviewed at the start of each academic year by the School Bylaws Committee to address any content in the Bylaws that has been rendered inaccurate or outdated or to add items that have been requested by the University or that have been deemed appropriate by vote of the School Assembly. The committee shall undertake a formal and comprehensive review of the Bylaws every 5 years beginning in 2025. The committee shall convene following any formal request made to the Chair of the committee by any voting member of the School Assembly regarding disputes pertaining to the Bylaws and governance. Formal requests are to be made during school assembly as a motion, and shall be preceded with written rationale for the proposed review to be published within the posted agenda prior to school assembly. A two-thirds majority vote supporting the request will dictate the committee’s review. Upon review, the committee shall make recommendations to the School Assembly with supporting rationale and a majority vote within the school assembly shall resolve disputes. The School Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Committee shall consist of two voting faculty members from each Department elected by each Department’s voting faculty, two students from each Department appointed by the Chair of each Department, and one staff member of the School elected by the School’s staff. Initially, each Department must elect two faculty members with one serving a one-year term and the other serving for two years. In subsequent years, each Department must elect a faculty member to serve a two-year term. Staff members will serve two-year terms and student will be appointed to one-year terms. The Chair of the DEIB Committee is elected by the Committee’s membership and shall serve in that capacity for two years and shall also serve as an active member of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee of the Office of the Provost.

6. DEIB Committee seeks to build and advance a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and representation within the School of Architecture and Design. The Committee’s work is based on the belief that the process of design is elevated when differences are respected, ideas are shared, and people are connected. It works with the other members of the School in a collaborative manner that integrates culturally competent protocols and policies in everyday ideas, thinking and practices. The Committee holds a number of responsibilities that help sustain an inclusive, diverse and equitable learning, teaching and working environment for the community of students, staff and faculty. These include:

  1. Overseeing School-wide DEIB strategic initiatives.
  2. Keeping the School’s DEIB statement and related materials and representations current on the School’s website and in any other School media.
  3. Providing coordination with the University’s DEIB mission and activities,
  4. Making recommendations to the Dean and the School Council regrading DEIB protocols and policies.
  5. Organizing and promoting DEIB activities, program, and events within the School.
  6. Coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating the effectiveness of the use of funds to support the School’s DEIB mission and the University’s DEIB initiatives.

ARTICLE IV FACULTY EVALUATION, PROMOTION AND TENURE

Section 1. Faculty Evaluation

1. Consistent with the University of Kansas policy on faculty evaluation, the School is committed to the principles of academic freedom and, within those principles, to the system of tenure and quotes from that policy the following: “Tenure is an important part of academic freedom but does not accord freedom from accountability.” Given this, and consistent with the guidelines in Article VI of the Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations, every faculty member’s performance is subject to annual review to determine whether each faculty member has fulfilled his or her duties.

2. Each Department shall adopt by a vote of the faculty a process of annual evaluation consistent with the provisions of University policies pertaining to faculty evaluation.

3. Each unit shall review its evaluation process at least once every three years and any changes shall be adopted by a faculty vote and approved by the Dean and Provost.

Section 2. Promotion and Tenure

1. Each Department shall adopt, by vote of eligible faculty, written criteria and procedures, consistent with the University standards for promotion and tenure (Article VI of the Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations), for evaluating each faculty member’s teaching, scholarship and service. At least once every three years, each Department shall review and approve these criteria and procedures which shall be submitted for review and approval to the University Committee on Standards and Procedures for Promotion and Tenure.

2. Any time a Department approves criteria and/or procedures for promotion and tenure, they shall be submitted to the School Faculty Affairs Committee for review, recommendation, and to the School Assembly for discussion and approval. No changes in promotion and tenure criteria become effective until reviewed and approved by the Department, the School Faculty Affairs Committee, the School Assembly and the University Committee on Standards and Procedures for Promotion and Tenure.

3. Responsibility for the initial review in the tenure and/or promotion process lies with the Department in which the candidate has his or her primary appointment. The initial review shall be conducted according to the procedures adopted by the department pursuant to Section 5 of Article VI of the Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations.

4. Responsibility for the intermediate review lies with the School Faculty Affairs Committee. The intermediate review shall be conducted pursuant to Section 6 of Article VI of the Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations.

5. 5. Each faculty member being reviewed for promotion and/or tenure is subject only to the criteria approved for the department to which the faculty member is appointed. 

6. No person shall serve simultaneously on more than one committee (Department, School or University) considering promotion and tenure. Neither the Dean nor Department Chairpersons shall serve as members of the Departmental or School Promotion and Tenure Committees.

ARTICLE V. APPOINTMENT AND REVIEW OF DEANS AND CHAIRS

Section 1. Appointment and Review of the Dean

Appointment and review of the Dean of The School of Architecture and Design shall be conducted pursuant to University policy, currently described in Article X of the Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations.

Section 2. Appointment and Review of Department Chairs

Appointment and review of Department Chairs within The School of Architecture and Design shall be conducted pursuant to University policy currently stated in Article X of the Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations. Searches for and reviews of Chairs shall be conducted by Committees appointed by the Dean of the School. These Committees shall include faculty, staff and students drawn from the Department, one representative from each of the other Departments in the School, and at least one appropriate representative from the University at large.

ARTICLE VI. PROCEDURES

Section 1. Amendment

The School of Architecture and Design School Assembly may amend these Bylaws by a two-thirds vote of the members present at a regular or special meeting, provided that the call of the meeting shall have included a copy of the proposed amendment together with such explanatory material as may be proper and shall have been delivered to each member at least seven calendar days before the day of the meeting.

Section 2. Editorial Changes

When as a result of administrative action changes of reference become necessary in these Bylaws, it shall be the duty of The School of Architecture and Design administration to cause the appropriate editorial changes to be made in the Bylaws. Such changes will be reported to the School Assembly at itsnext regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 3. Parliamentary Practice

The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order (latest edition) shall govern the Assembly and its Committees in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or the special rules of these bodies.

ARTICLE VII. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Pursuant to Article XII of the University Senate Code and Articles V and VI of the University Senate Rules and Regulations (USRR), The School of Architecture and Design Assembly establishes the following procedure to hear grievances arising within The School of Architecture and Design. If a subordinate unit has a grievance procedure, grievances arising within the subordinate unit or its sub-units must be heard under the subordinate unit’s grievance procedure unless exceptional circumstances, as determined by the Dean, make it more appropriate for those grievances to be heard at the Dean’s level.

Appeal of a grievance heard at a subordinate level is to the Judicial Board, not to the Provost. This procedure shall not be used to hear disputes assigned to other hearing bodies under USRR Article VI,Section 4.

For disputes involving alleged academic misconduct or alleged violations of student rights, the initial hearing normally will be at the unit level. There is an option to hold an initial hearing at the Judicial Board level if both parties agree, or either party petitions the Judicial Board Chair to have the hearing atthe Judicial Board level and the petition is granted. The petition must state why a fair hearing cannot beobtained at the unit level; the opposing party has an opportunity to respond to the petition (USRR 6.4.3.1).

Except as provided in USRR 6.5.4, no person shall be disciplined for using the grievance procedure or assisting another in using the grievance procedure.

The Dean's Office shall provide a copy of this procedure to anyone who requests it.

Contact: 

Assistant to the Dean
School of Architecture and Design
University of Kansas
1465 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 206
Lawrence, KS  66045
785.864.3114
785.864.5393
pmbaker@ku.edu

Approved by: 
Assembly of the School of Architecture and Design
Approved on: 
Monday, May 16, 2011
Effective on: 
Monday, May 16, 2011
Review Cycle: 
Annual (As Needed)
Keywords: 
bylaws, SAD, architecture, design
Change History: 

08/30/2023: Policy reviewed and updated.
08/23/2023: Converted from PDF to live text page. 
11/02/2021: Uploaded accessible document.
04/21/2020: Attached updated PDF of Bylaws.
08/23/2016: Added Purpose and Applies to statements. Attached updated pdf. of bylaws. Updated Date Last Reviewed. Policy formatting cleanup.
04/24/2015 and 05/01/2015:  Revisions approved by vote of the Assembly of the School of Architecture, Design and Planning.
05/26/2011:  SADP Bylaws added to the KU Policy Library.
05/16/2011:  Bylaws revised to include the department of Design. Revisions approved by the Assembly of the School of Architecture, Design & Planning.

Academic Categories: 
Academic Programs
Grievance & Appeals
Promotion & Tenure
Personnel: Administrators Categories: 
Grievance & Appeals
Performance
Personnel: Faculty/Academic Staff Categories: 
Grievance & Appeals
Performance
Promotion & Tenure
Research and Sponsored Projects Category: 
Research and Sponsored Projects
School/College Policy Categories: 
Code of Conduct/By-Laws
Grievance & Appeals
Promotion & Tenure

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