By-Laws

Preamble

• To offer University of Florida students a broad-based, interdisciplinary approach to the study of gender;
• To stimulate individual and collaborative research by UF faculty and students engaged in the study of gender issues;
• To create contexts in which students, teachers, counselors, and administrators, working together, can contribute to the understanding of cultural expectations related to gender issues in multicultural and international contexts.
• To furnish services related to gender issues to the local community as well as to the State of Florida, and to increase national and international collaboration on gender and women’s issues.
• To increase equity and efficiency in the university community.
• To enhance the national and international reputation of the University of Florida.

1. Voting members of the Center shall be faculty holding at least .25 FTE of a tenure track appointment in the Center (hereafter referred to as core faculty), and the Center’s Office Manager.

2. In the case of issues concerning Center business that require a vote, decisions shall be made by a majority of the voting members of the Center who are present, except in the cases of hiring, tenure and promotion. In those cases, the hiring of new faculty shall require a majority vote of the core faculty; for tenure and promotion, the faculty’s vote shall be forwarded to the Dean as a recommendation. In tenure nominations, only those holding tenure are eligible to vote; in  promotion nominations, only those holding rank superior to that of the candidate are eligible to vote.

3. In the case of votes on new appointments, tenure, and promotion, absentee ballots will be accepted, provided the faculty member voting as an absentee has familiarized her/himself with the issues.
4. In cases of joint appointments with tenure in another department, votes regarding hiring, tenure, and promotion are advisory to the hiring, tenuring, and promoting department chair.
5. Women's and Gender Studies Council

   1. The Center’s Women’s and Gender Studies Council (hereafter Council) shall serve as a consulting body on matters submitted to it by the Director and shall work with the Director on issues of development, community relations, resources, and other matters submitted to the Council.

   2. The Council shall consist of representatives of the core faculty and professors emeriti of the Center,  representatives from the affiliate faculty (appointed by the Director), the Center’s development officer, the Women’s Studies bibliographer from Library West, representatives from the Friends of Women’s Studies and the community (appointed by the Director), as well as student representatives (appointed by the Director).

   3.  All Council members shall be considered active members and will receive all relevant information about the Center’s activities.  Faculty and staff terms shall not be specified.  The term for students shall be one year, renewable for up to two years.

1. Meetings. The Center shall be operated with both monthly program meetings of the core faculty and at least two Council meetings per academic year. The Council shall meet annually with the Friends.
2. Duties and Functions of the Director.
   1. Term of Office. The Director’s term of office is determined by the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (hereafter CLAS). The Director normally shall serve a 3-year term, except that the initial appointment of a Director brought from outside the University may be for a period of as many as 5 years. This appointment shall be made following the regular procedures for appointing heads of departments and programs in CLAS. Incumbents are eligible for reappointment to a 3-year term. If the Director desires to be considered for reappointment, procedures for review are set out by CLAS.
   2. The Director shall represent the Center in relation to other departments/programs and the administrative offices of the University. The Director shall attend monthly CLAS chairs/directors meetings and any other meetings designated for chairs and directors. The Director shall represent the Center to other Universities, and/or organizations that have dealings with the Center.
   3. The Director shall set, in a timely fashion, monthly core faculty meetings and at least two Council meetings per academic year, at which s/he will act as presiding officer. It is the responsibility of the Director to consult with and encourage the participation of the Council members. With the assistance of the Office Manager and relevant faculty, the Director shall coordinate official Center events, such as receptions, guest lectures, and symposia.
   4. The Director shall take central responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Center and shall perform the functions necessary to implement all phases of its operation, including space allocation, equipment procurement, secretarial staff, personnel decisions, and the overall functioning of the office.
   5. The Director shall assume responsibility for administering the Center budget.
   6. The Director shall be responsible for scheduling courses and the preparation of the course timetable.
   7. The Director is responsible for appointing committee chairs and the Graduate and Undergraduate Advisors, and for working with these to effect their charges. S/he is an ex-officio member of all standing and ad hoc committees, except that the Director will not participate in review activities involving evaluation of the Director.
   8. The Director shall be responsible for coordinating with chairs of departments which have joint appointments in the Center to ensure that percentage allocation of faculty service, teaching and research time is congruent with the faculty member’s percentage FTE appointment. The Director shall consult with relevant chairs in the cases of promotion and tenure, and is responsible for ensuring that the faculty member’s contributions to the Center are recognized. Tenure and promotion criteria and procedures are set out in Appendix A, “CWSGR Tenure and Promotion Guidelines.”  Third Year review criteria and procedures shall follow the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Third Year Review Guidelines (See attached Appendix B).
3. Graduate and Undergraduate Advisors.
   Graduate Advisor.
   1. The Graduate Advisor is appointed by the Director for the purpose of coordinating advising duties that fall to the Center. This includes working with the Office Manager to ensure timely response to inquiries from students and applicants, communication with the Graduate School on relevant deadlines and announcements, attending college meetings relating to Graduate Advisors, speaking with students or applicants and/or recommending them to the appropriate University personnel for information to help them complete certificates and degrees from the Center.
   2. The Graduate Advisor will coordinate sending information and application materials to prospective students and process applications for admission to the Center’s Master’s Program together with the Office Manager in order to prepare the files for MA admissions review by the Admissions Committee.
      The Undergraduate Advisor.
   3. The Undergraduate Advisor is appointed by the Director for the purpose of coordinating advising duties that fall to the Center. This includes working with the Office Manager to ensure timely response to inquiries from students and applicants, communication with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) on relevant deadlines and announcements, attending college meetings relating to Undergraduate Advisors, advising students regarding their major or minor in Women’s Studies and/or recommending them to the appropriate University personnel for information needed to complete their BA degree.
   4. The Undergraduate Advisor attends the monthly CLAS Undergraduate Coordinator’s meeting, receives appropriate training related to the role of Undergraduate Advisor, and together with the Office Manager coordinates the Grade-A-Gator system.
4. Standing Committees. The standing committees of the Center are the Curriculum Committee, The Admissions and Awards Committee, and the Events and Outreach Committee. Other committees may be formed, as needed, to deal with specific Center needs.
   1. Chairperson. The chairperson of standing committees shall be a member of the core faculty or a member of the Council.
   2. Membership. It shall be the responsibility of the chairperson to select committee members. Members may be selected from the core faculty, the Council, or other appropriate outside members.
   3. Committees shall report and consult with members of the Council at their meetings and attend Center meetings when necessary.
5. Committee Functions and Duties.
1. The Curriculum Committee.
   1. The Curriculum Committee shall oversee curricular matters pertaining to the Center. It is charged with review and recommendation of changes in the major, minor, and graduate requirements, adoption or revision of joined courses, and other modifications of the Center’s curriculum.
   2. The committee shall issue a general call for course proposals for joined or adjunct/GTA courses in the Fall, evaluate these proposals, and make recommendations to the Director regarding their inclusion in the course schedule.
   3. This committee shall oversee the adequacy of the Center’s participation in the general education program of the College.
   4. When possible, or necessary, this committee should include representatives of any minor or graduate teaching fields; if this is not feasible, it will consult with relevant faculty in fields under curricular review.
   5. This committee also is responsible for coordinating the mandated review of adjuncts and GTAs teaching courses for the Center, and for providing faculty evaluators when necessary in cases of tenure and promotion. It will call on faculty members of the Council to perform these evaluations.
   6. This committee will aid the Director in mandated pre- and post-tenure reviews of faculty, and assist in the creation of tenure and promotion files, where appropriate.
2. Merit Pay Increases Committee.
1. An elected committee of Women's Studies faculty and the Director will review merit materials materials submitted by faculty for merit pay increases review. The committee and Director will follow the attached Guidelines for Merit Pay increases accepted by a majority vote of the Center faculty.   (See Appendix C)
3. Admissions and Awards Committee.
1. This committee will be responsible for evaluating graduate admissions, and for reviewing and recommending applications and nominations for those student awards and scholarships controlled by the Center.
2. It will be chaired by the Graduate Advisor and will be composed of the Undergraduate Advisor, and two additional members from the Council.
4. Events and Outreach Committee.
1. This committee shall be chaired by the Director and include up to three faculty members appointed by the Director.  In addition, the Director’s GA and a representative selected by the graduate students shall serve on the committee.
2. The committee shall work with the director in planning and implementing events at the Center, and advise the Director on the use of the Center’s facilities by other groups.
3. The committee shall advise the Director on issues of outreach to the community, including various fundraising efforts.

1. The by-laws can be amended by a majority vote, which can take place at a meeting or by mail ballot.
2. The adoption of this set of by-laws shall be by a majority vote of members of the Core Faculty. In the event that these by-laws are adopted, future amendments to the by-laws will be proposed and adopted by the voting members of the Center with a two-thirds vote.