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DOCUMENT TYPE:
Procedure
CAMPUS:
Lawrence
PROCEDURE STATEMENT:
Article I. This School Values
- A diverse, collaborative and dynamic student-centered environment;
- Excellence in learning, teaching and mentoring;
- Free expression and conscientious ethical journalism as cornerstones of a democratic society;
- Critical and creative thinking;
- Meaningful research and creative activity; and
- Imaginative outreach and collaboration in this state and in the professions of journalism.
Article II. Organization
Section 1. Officers
1.a. The presiding officer of the School is the dean.
1.b. If the dean is absent, then an associate dean serves as the presiding officer.
1.c. If all three officers are absent, the chair of the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee serves as chair.
1.d. The School secretary will generate and distribute a list of voting members of the Faculty and of the Graduate Faculty at the start of each academic year.
Section 2. Faculty
2.a. The voting membership of the School Faculty consists of persons, regardless of rank, who hold at least a one-half (0.5) FTE appointment that includes teaching responsibilities in the School.
2.b. Appeals of faculty voting eligibility will be decided by a Judicial Committee convened for that purpose.
2.c. The voting membership of the School Graduate Faculty consists of voting faculty members, regardless of rank, who have been appointed to the University’s Graduate Faculty.
Section 3. Student Representation
3.a. The School recognizes the importance of student representation in governance decisions and assigns to students responsibilities that include but are not limited to:
3.a.1. Participating in decisions allocating student technology funds,
3.a.2. Participating in matters concerning curriculum,
3.a.3. Participating in the following standing committees, Curriculum, Graduate, and Technology, as provided in Article III,
3.a.4. Participating on search committees for faculty and the dean.
Article III. Journalism School Committees
(adopted May 9, 2008 by the full faculty)
Section 1
1.a. Principles
1. Committee size: committees should be small enough to operate efficiently but large enough to ensure adequate representation. Each committee should create the opportunity for meaningful, focused service for each faculty member.
2. Length of service: faculty members should expect to serve a three-year term. Some flexibility may be necessary to ensure continuity.
3. Leadership: each committee should have a chair and a vice chair. The chair may invite advisers to consult with the committee as needed.
4. Membership: the appointment of new and replacement committee members is made by the dean in consultation with School managers.
5. Responsibilities: committee responsibilities are stated as charges.
6. Timetable: a term runs from the start of the fall semester through the end of the spring semester.
7. Endorsement: the full faculty should vote by ballot on the committee appointments and charges. The vote on committee appointments should take place at the last faculty meeting of the spring semester. The vote on charges should take place at the first faculty meeting of the fall semester.
Section 2
2.a. Committees Governed by Full-Faculty Oversight
1. Curriculum Committee
- Chair: Vice-chair from the previous year.
- Vice Chair: elected by the committee.
- Members: Two other faculty members, representing a balance to the chair and vice chair.
- Student: Undergraduate student representative appointed by the dean in consultation with School managers.
2. Graduate Committee
- Chair: Associate dean for graduate studies.
- Vice Chair: elected by the committee.
- Members: Three members of the KU graduate faculty.
- Student: Graduate student representative.
3. Technology Committee
- Chair: Vice Chair from previous year.
- Vice Chair: elected by the committee.
- Members: one faculty member.
- Students: News/Info student, appointed by track head, Strategic Communication student, appointed by track head, Lab worker student representative, appointed by Senior IT supervisor.
2.b. Committees Not Governed by Full-Faculty Oversight
1. Promotion and Tenure Committee
- Chair: Vice Chair from previous year.
- Vice Chair: elected by the committee.
- Members: all members of the tenured faculty.
2. Scholarship Committee
- Chair: Vice Chair from previous year.
- Vice Chair: appointed by the dean
- Members: one additional faculty member, appointed by the dean. *Ex-Officio: the School’s scholarship coordinator and coordinator of recruitment and retention.
3. Undergraduate Admissions Committee
- Chair: Associate dean for undergraduate studies.
- Members: Two other faculty members who must be teaching or have taught introductory courses in the School.
- *Ex-Officio: Undergraduate advisers and coordinator of recruitment and retention.
- *Ex-Officio members are non-voting.
4. Ad hoc committees, including a judicial committee, may be appointed as needed.
Section 3
3.a. Standing Charges to Committees
1. Curriculum Committee
- Review proposed undergraduate curriculum changes and recommend action to the faculty.
- Review and act on petitions regarding academic requirements.
- Address any proposed procedure outside the classroom that will affect student learning.
- Submit minutes of regular meetings and a year-end report.
2. Graduate Committee
- Review and admit graduate applicants for both the Lawrence and Edwards campuses.
- Review proposed graduate curriculum changes and recommend action to the graduate and full faculty.
- Review and act on petitions regarding academic requirements for graduate students.
- Address any proposed procedure outside the classroom that will affect graduate student learning.
- Submit minutes of regular meetings and year-end report.
3. Technology Committee
- Plan and set priorities for school-wide technology: purchases, upgrades, rotations, maintenance and training.
- Develop processes for technology requests and needs assessment.
- Plan adequate student access to School labs and to adequately trained lab assistants. Coordinate technology support, working with dean and professional staff.
- Submit minutes of regular meetings and year-end report.
4. Scholarship Committee
- Oversee the application process whereby students learn about available scholarships and how to apply for them.
- Administer the screening process to ensure that students qualify for specific scholarships, meeting criteria such as financial need and donor requirements.
- Maintain a system for ranking applicants for each scholarship and determining student eligibility for multiple scholarships.
- Direct the scholarship coordinator to obtain the amounts available from each fund, to determine the amount of each award and order the scholarships through the Office of Student Financial Aid.
- Submit minutes and a year-end report.
Article IV. Powers
Section 1. Scope
- Subject to and in accordance with the control of the Chancellor and Board of Regents as provided by law, the School’s Faculty and student representatives govern the affairs of the School.
- Those affairs include, but are not limited to:
- Faculty and student rights, privileges and responsibilities
- Admission and transfer requirements
- Resident and non-resident credit
- Graduation requirements
- Promotion and tenure
- Research and scholarly activity
- Cooperation with other schools and departments inside and outside the University.
Section 2. Reporting
- The School secretary collects, compiles, and codifies the Governance procedures and supplies copies to members.
Article V. Procedure
Section 1. Meetings called by the dean
- Meetings of the School Faculty and the School Graduate Faculty occur during periods when classes are in session at times and places specified by the dean.
Section 2. Meetings called by petition
- The School faculty also may assemble during periods classes are in session by filing a petition from at least five voting members with the School secretary.
- The School Graduate Faculty may assemble by filing a petition from at least five members with the chair of the Graduate Committee.
- Meetings called by petition must occur within 10 class session days of the receipt of the petition.
Section 3. Agenda
- An agenda for each meeting, regular or special, will be provided to all members 24 hours before the start of each meeting.
Section 4. Minutes
- Minutes of School Faculty and School Graduate Faculty members will be sent to the voting members after each meeting.
Section 5. Quorum
- One-half of each body’s voting members must be present to constitute a quorum for meetings of the School Faculty and Graduate Faculty.
Section 6 Amendment
- 6a. The voting members may amend the School Governance structure at a regular or special meeting; passage requires two-thirds of those voting, whether present or by proxy. A voting member absent from such a meeting may vote by filing a proxy ballot with the School secretary prior to the start of said meeting. A quorum of voting members of the faculty is required to be present, exclusive of proxy ballots.
- 6b. Notice of such a meeting, including a copy of the proposed amendment together with such explanatory materials as may be proper, must be distributed to each voting member at least 10 days before the day of the meeting.
Section 7. Parliamentary Procedure
- The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Revised govern the School, its faculty and committees, consistent with School operating procedures.
Section 8. Organization and Procedures
- Consistent with the intent of any amendment, the dean is authorized to formulate procedures and to make adjustments considered reasonable and appropriate to put into effect any new or amended structure.
CONTACT:
School of Journalism and Mass Communications
785-864-4755
jschool@ku.edu
RESPONSIBLE UNIT:
School of Journalism and Mass Communications
APPROVAL DATE:
1999-12-10
EFFECTIVE DATE:
1999-12-10
REVIEW CYCLE:
1 year
CHANGE HISTORY:
04/13/2026: Converted from PDF to live text page.
04/09/2026: Updated title of Procedures.
09/30/2025: Updated formatting.
04/02/2025: Migration to TeamDynamix from Drupal.
05/30/2013: Policy added to Policy Library.
05/09/2008: Amended.
09/14/2007: Amended.
05/07/2004: Amended.
12/10/1999: Adopted by the School of Journalsim.
TITLE:
School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Governance Structure and Operating Procedures