The University of Pennsylvania Department of Psychology Bylaws
(Adopted October 30, 2002)
Preamble
These Bylaws are supplements to the existing University (see
http://www.upenn.edu/assoc-provost/handbook) and School of Arts and
Sciences (see
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/deans-office/faculty)
policies and procedures. It is recommended that the bylaws be reconsidered
and updated by the faculty every five years. Robert's Rules of Order will
be followed on procedures that are not covered herein or by University or
School policies and procedures.
I. Governance
A. Department Chair
The term of the Department Chair is 5 years. The department chair is
chosen from among the full professors. The selection of a chair is carried
out by a committee appointed by the outgoing chair. Typically the outgoing
Department Chair serves on the selection committee along with other members
of the Department not eligible to be chair (e.g., Emeritus Professors,
Professors soon to be Emeritus, Associate Professors). The selection
committee solicits opinions about who should be the next chair by
distributing a ballot to the members of the Standing Faculty. The ballot
consists of the names of all full-time full professors except the outgoing
chair and Professors who will have left the Department before the end of
the 5-year term. All other Professors' names must appear on the ballot,
regardless of professed willingness to serve as Chair. On these ballots
faculty indicate their degree of opposition or support for each Professor.
Using the same scale, each faculty member also indicates his or her degree
of opposition or support for an effort to seek an outside chair. The
ballots are signed. The selection committee takes the ballots into
account, but there is no fixed formula by which it does so. If preference
for an outside chair is indicated, the committee so informs the Dean. If
the selection committee instead has identified a suitable candidate, the
committee approaches the candidate to determine whether he or she is
willing to begin discussions with the Dean about accepting the chair. Once
a candidate is found who is willing to pursue the issue with the Dean, the
candidate's status is announced to the Department faculty. The selection
process typically takes place at least 6 months prior to the expected time
of appointment.
B. Undergraduate Chair
The department chair nominates the undergraduate chair to the Dean.
The undergraduate chair administers the undergraduate program. By School
rules, the term of the undergraduate chair is 3 years, and is renewable.
C. Graduate Group Chair
The department chair nominates the graduate group chair. A simple
majority of voting graduate group members carries the question of graduate
group chair election. By School rules, the term of the graduate chair is 3
years, and is renewable.
D. Advisory Council
The chair appoints five faculty members to the Advisory Council. The
chair attempts to represent the variety of sub disciplines of Psychology on
the Council, and at least one of the appointees must be an Assistant
Professor. This group meets with the chair several times throughout the
year to discuss matters of importance to the department. The usual term
for an Advisory Council member is two years. The members of the Advisory
Council provide faculty members in their areas with information and they
provide the chair with assistance and advice.
II. Voting Procedures
A. Voting
The voting members of the Psychology Department include all standing
faculty. Members may vote only when they have been present at a
substantial portion of the faculty meetings at which the issue in question
has been discussed. The chair evaluates whether the member has been
present for a "substantial portion." Unless otherwise stipulated, a simple
majority of those present at a meeting at the time of the vote carries
questions, provided there is a quorum. A quorum is defined as one-half of
full-time faculty who are eligible to vote and not on leave. Part-time
standing faculty and faculty on leave are permitted to attend and to vote
during meetings for which they are otherwise eligible, but they are not
considered in the calculation of the quorum. A motion carries if a
majority of those voting vote in favor of the motion. When determining
whether a motion carries, an abstention counts the same as a 'no' vote.
Matters voted on by the faculty may not be brought up again in the same
academic year except on a motion to reconsider, which may be offered only
by someone who voted with the majority.
B. Balloting
Votes on questions of personnel are reported by private ballot.
Votes on questions other than personnel are by a show of hands.
C. Procedures regarding personnel decisions
Voting members of initial faculty appointments includes all standing
faculty who hold ranks equal to or above the rank at which the new faculty
member is to be appointed.
Voting members of the reappointment of assistant professors includes
all tenured standing faculty.
Voting members for promotion or appointment to the rank of Associate
Professor with Tenure are all tenured faculty.
Voting members of promotion or appointment to the rank of full
professor includes all full professors in the standing faculty.
When the Department is considering the appointment to tenured ranks
of someone outside the Department, the candidate's dossier will be
distributed to all standing faculty members regardless of rank, and a
discussion of the candidate's suitability for the position will include all
members of the department. Those not eligible to vote on the candidate are
excused from the meeting before the vote is taken.
D. Procedures for Searches
In the spring semester, the Chair, having consulted with whomever he
or she wishes, formulates a recommendation for searches to be carried out
during the following Academic Year. The chair convenes a meeting of the
standing faculty, at which meeting proposed searches are voted on.
The chair will appoint committees to carry out searches that have
been approved by the Department and the Dean. The committee will include
members of the Standing faculty, but may also include others at the Chair's
discretion. The policy of the School of Arts & Sciences states that any
search for a candidate from outside the University at the level of full
professor should include at least one member from a department other than
Psychology. The search committee recommends to the chair that a reasonable
number of candidates be invited to campus for talks, but it is the chair
who decides how many and which candidates will actually receive
invitations. Once the visits are completed, the search committee develops
a hiring recommendation to be voted on by the Department.
Search committees who are searching for senior candidates will inform
the chair when a candidate has emerged about whom there is sufficient
enthusiasm to warrant the solicitation of outside letters. The chair will
bring the issue to the Department and faculty of all ranks will vote on the
solicitation of letters. The chair seeks permission from the candidate
before soliciting letters.
E. Promotion to Professor
Each year, the chair examines the CVs of all Associate Professors who
have been in rank for 6 years or more. If the chair believes that a
reasonable case can be made for promotion to Professor, the Chair appoints
an ad hoc committee to consider further the possibility of promotion. The
chair should take into consideration in such matters: the opinions of
relevant colleagues, competitive offers, and issues of equity. The chair
will, normally, bring to the professors all and only positive
recommendations from the ad hoc committee.
An Associate Professor may request that the chair appoint such a
committee if he or she believes that a reasonable case for promotion can be
made. Except in exceptional circumstances the chair will, then, appoint
such a committee.
III. Calendar
Reappointment committees are generally expected to have their reports
prepared by November 1. Committees considering promotions to Professor as
generally expected to have their reports ready by December 1. Tenure
committees are usually expected to have their reports ready by the
beginning of the spring semester.