Bylaws, Indigenous Studies Program

Bylaws

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DOCUMENT TYPE:

Policy

PURPOSE:

To define the rules and regulate the affairs of the Indigenous Studies Program

APPLIES TO:

Faculty and staff within the Indigenous Studies Program

CAMPUS:

Lawrence

POLICY STATEMENT:

I. Purpose

A. Introduction

The Indigenous Studies Program (ISP) offers training across a variety of disciplines related to Indigenous Studies, and (1) prepares graduates for professional careers in institutions that work with Indigenous Nations, organizations, and communities; (2) encourages innovative multidisciplinary research across Indigenous Studies; and (3) seeks opportunities for engagement by students and faculty to enhance the professionalism of careers working with Indigenous Nations, organizations, or communities across state, regional, national, and international contexts. The graduate program in Indigenous Studies provides a comprehensive overview of the discipline, while also offering opportunities to master core skills and knowledges to improve service to Indigenous Nations, organizations, and communities. The program also offers a solid grounding in contemporary issues facing Indigenous Nations and possibilities for research to develop new and innovative understandings and advances in the field. Additionally, the ISP undergraduate minor offers opportunities for students to blend Indigenous studies skills and knowledge development into a variety of other undergraduate programs.

B. Program Statement

Since 1997, the Indigenous Studies Program has offered professional training for academic and practitioner careers, with the understanding that Indigenous Studies is a highly interdisciplinary program that blends Indigenous expertise with a variety of other programs across the university. Fundamentally, this program remains flexible, as it prepares students to be productive employees and leaders across Indigenous Nations, organizations, communities, and related institutions. Additionally, this program prepares students for careers in academia. Considering Indigenous Nations, organizations and communities need expertise in areas beyond what is traditionally understood to be Indigenous Studies (history, anthropology, museum studies, etc.), there is a need to consider the possibilities of blending with expertise and programming across the entire university. Therefore, ISP remains committed to being flexible to interdisciplinarity, responding to the unique needs of each student and the communities they come from.

C. Mission Statement

The KU Indigenous Studies Program:

Supports multidisciplinary research and professional development grounded in Indigenous methodologies, issues, and perspectives.
Equips students with the knowledge and skills to conduct theoretical and applied research and to develop innovative solutions to issues facing Indigenous communities.
Educates students to become innovative and capable scholars, leaders, and mentors who bring Indigenous perspectives to academic settings, government and other public service, and the private sector.
Connects students with Indigenous Nations and communities in our region, the U.S., and the world. In particular, ISP engages with and supports Haskell Indian Nations University students, faculty, and staff through the sharing of academic resources and knowledge.

II. Program Structure and Administration

A. Structure and Functions

1. The Indigenous Studies Program is administered by the Director in consultation with the Indigenous Studies Executive Committee (see II(B)2) and includes faculty and staff in various roles.

2. The Program is bound in its action by university regulations, particularly as expressed in the Handbook for Faculty and Other Unclassified Staff. Reference should be made to these regulations in all cases since the bylaws and other policies and practices of the department are supplementary to the main body of university regulation.

B. Administration

1. Director

a. The Director is the administrative and operating head of Indigenous Studies, the chairperson of the Indigenous Studies Executive Committee, and an ex officio member of any other Indigenous Studies committees or subcommittees. The Director is the official representative of Indigenous Studies with other departments, divisions, programs, and administrators of the University, except in those cases when the Director or the faculty, acting jointly and with the Director's consent, specifically designate another Indigenous Studies faculty member, instructor, or administrative staff to represent the Director.

b. The Director is responsible for the smooth functioning of the Indigenous Studies Program. The Director calls Indigenous Studies Executive Committee meetings, directs and oversees Indigenous Studies programs, initiates and/or carries through curricular and other changes in the program, manages faculty appointed in ISP, appoints and oversees Indigenous Studies staff and lecturers, supervises the Indigenous Studies budget, applies Indigenous Studies and University rules as appropriate, and performs other normal tasks as required by the College and other University administrative units.

c. The Director serves at the pleasure of the Executive Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and reports to the contact Associate Dean for the Program.

d. The Director decides strictly administrative matters without consultation.

e. In those cases in which ISP's position has been clearly reached in consultation with the Indigenous Studies Executive Committee (see II (B)2), the Director acts and speaks for the unit. Consequently, in all matters on which the Director needs to act on behalf of ISP, it is desirable that the Director should ascertain by consultation the will of ISP, and act accordingly. Consultation may take many forms. This statement is in no way to be construed as inhibiting the right of the Director to speak as an individual faculty member when appropriate.

f. The Director’s term in office is determined by the Executive Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences but is usually for a period of three to five years, renewable. The Director is appointed by the Executive Dean, after an appropriate search conducted by a search committee comprising ISP faculty and affiliates. Searches are governed by the university and College regulations and procedures and by such additional procedures as may be adopted.

g. The Director is responsible for updating procedures and enacting changes approved by the Indigenous Studies Executive Committee.

2. Indigenous Studies Executive Committee

a. Given the historically small number of faculty appointed in the program as tenured and tenure-track professors, teaching professors, and multi-term lecturers, the Indigenous Studies Executive Committee (ISEC) is convened to advise the Director and represents the interests of varied stakeholders in the program.

b. The Indigenous Studies Executive Committee advises the Director concerning program affairs including (but not necessarily limited to): development of program policies, oversight of the academic quality of the program, establishment of admissions criteria and standards, and budgetary and curricular concerns that affect the program as a whole. The academic design of the program is established by guidelines set by the ISEC.

c. The ISEC is convened and chaired by the Indigenous Studies Director.

d. The ISEC is composed of all tenured and tenure-track professors, teaching professors, and multi-term lecturers with at least partial FTE appointments in the program. Affiliate faculty may be included in the ISEC as a voting member by a vote from the ISEC.

e. Leadership from student organizations relevant to Indigenous Studies are encouraged to join meetings, but do not have voting privileges. Additionally, when discussing sensitive student or personnel matters, student leaders may need to be excused from such conversations to protect confidential information, particularly when protected by relevant laws (i.e., FERPA, hiring, etc.).

f. In the case that Indigenous leaders with unique expertise (Tribal leaders, highly experienced leaders of Indigenous organizations, language and cultural leaders, etc.) become affiliated with ISP in part-time or affiliate positions (lecturer, adjunct instructor, professor of practice, etc.), these individuals may be invited by the Director after a majority vote from the ISEC to serve in a voting position during the academic year of their involvement.

g. Indigenous leaders with unique expertise should be selected on the basis of:

(1) Their ability to advise students concerning academic courses and programs of study in preparation for entry into a job with Indigenous Nations, organizations, communities, or related institutions.

(2) Their ability to advise students on careers with Indigenous Nations, organizations, communities, or related institutions.

(3) Their ability to tend to ISEC business.

(4) Their experience or expertise working with Indigenous Nations, organizations, communities, or related institutions

(5) Their ability to represent unique forms of expertise found across the variety of disciplines and institutions affiliated with the Indigenous Studies Program.

h. Meetings of the Indigenous Studies Executive Committee

(1) The Indigenous Studies Executive Committee meeting is attended by all members of the ISEC and is open to other affiliated faculty and staff of the program.

(2) The ISEC will meet at least once per semester and, in practice, should meet once a month to attend to regular business.

(3) The Director will provide an agenda for the meeting no later than 48 hours in advance, with all supporting documentation for any matters on the agenda subject to the same deadline. Minutes of the meeting will be taken by administrative staff; copies of the minutes will be distributed to the ISEC following the meeting and kept on file.

(4) Extraordinary ISEC meetings may be called by the Director or the ISEC as necessary according to the guidelines stipulated in II.2.h.(3).

(5) ISEC meetings are held with the purposes of keeping the committee members informed of the status of the Program; to solicit input and advice to assist the Director; and to discuss and vote on Indigenous Studies Program policy changes.

(6) If necessary, the ISEC may meet in closed executive session.

(7) Voting Rights of Members of the ISEC

(a) A quorum at all ISEC meetings shall consist of a majority of the voting members of the body.

(b) If, except for revisions of these Bylaws (see IV.A below) or of the Program Description (see IV.B below), any business before the ISEC requires a formal vote, a majority of the voting membership must be present, and a majority of those voting shall decide the issue.

(c) Except in special circumstances generally recognized in parliamentary practice (Robert's Rules of Order being the standard reference), each member of the ISEC may vote on any motion before the ISEC.

(8) Proxy Votes

(a) If a member of the Executive Committee with voting rights is unable to attend in person in the course of their professional duties, such as attending an out-of-town conference or research leave, provision can be made to vote by proxy.

(b) The absentee shall provide a written statement to the Director that appoints a proxy in attendance at the Executive Committee meeting.

(d) For major issues, such as promotion and tenure recommendations, the appointment of faculty, or the program director, the proxy shall fill out a ballot on behalf of the absentee and deliver to the Director, who will then include the ballot in tabulations of the Committee vote, while otherwise protecting its confidentiality.

(9) Electronic Votes

(a) In cases where a vote is necessary, but in-meeting discussion is not, the Director may propose an electronic vote.

(b) ISEC members will be informed of the vote via email, and must have at least three working days (Monday-Friday) to record their vote.

(c) Voting procedures and tabulation will follow the guidelines listed in II.2.h.(7), except when amending the bylaws or program statement, when the guidelines listed in Section IV (below) will be used.

3. Other Committees

a. Admissions Committee.

(1) Until the ISEC decides otherwise (due to growth in program and need to share duties and responsibilities more widely), the ISEC and Admissions Committee are the same voting body. When the ISEC decides to officially form an Admissions Committee, it will operate as follows:

(2) An Admissions Committee will be established to review applications to the master’s program, meeting as often as necessary to ensure timely response to applicants.

(3) The Admissions Committee will be composed of the Director and at least three Indigenous Studies faculty and affiliates. The members will be appointed by the Director, in consultation with the Executive Committee.

(4) Other KU faculty may, on occasion, be asked to review applications from students whose interests or background are relevant to the faculty member’s expertise.

(5) The Director evaluates all applications for the Certificate program and, if necessary, seeks counsel from ISP faculty and staff.

a. Other committees may be appointed as necessary by the Director, in consultation with the ISEC.

C. Faculty

1. Membership

a. The Indigenous Studies Program includes different member categories.

b. Affiliate members include courtesy faculty and staff employed by the university who teach courses, advise students, and otherwise support the mission of the Indigenous Studies Program. Although these individuals do not have FTE appointments in the program, their efforts are essential to the Indigenous Studies Program’s mission. The appointment of affiliate faculty members is initiated by the Director and program staff in accordance with Human Resource Management policies pertaining to affiliates under “Courtesy Faculty and Staff.”

c. Lecturers may be appointed from within or beyond the university according to program budget and programmatic need, and must be qualified for appointment to the university graduate faculty.

2. Rights, Privileges, and Responsibilities

a. Indigenous Studies Executive Committee meetings are called by the Director as needed, and are the only faculty with voting privileges along with those identified in II.B.2.d.

b. Teaching: Indigenous Studies faculty can conduct directed readings or independent studies with Indigenous Studies students, serve as primary advisors of students seeking a degree or certificate through the Indigenous Studies Program, and teach core courses according to programmatic need.

c. Affiliate members can serve on student committees, teach courses in the program, provide sections of directed readings and independent studies, and provide opportunities in campus Indigenous laboratories for students in the program.

d. The Director will manage the program’s affiliate faculty rolls, assessing new affiliates, the continuation of affiliate status, and recommended discontinuance, in consultation with the Executive Committee, as necessary.

D. Lecturers

1. Provisions of this section pertain to faculty members with the title lecturer, not those appointed as multi-term lecturers.

2. Lecturers are recruited by the Director in accordance with university guidelines for conducting a lecturer pool search.

3. Salaries for lecturers are negotiated by the Director in accordance with College guidance.

E. Policy Making

1. The Indigenous Studies Director, in consultation with the ISEC, sets policy for the Indigenous Studies Program and is responsible for establishing rules for the governance of ISP, providing that such rules do not violate University Senate Rules and Regulations and Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations.

2. The ISEC sets the academic requirements for the program, while adhering to university regulations.

3. Guidelines for administering exceptions to requirements:

a. All requests for exceptions to program requirements, such as credit hour reduction and course substitution requests, are to be initiated by a petition from the student to the ISEC. The petition must be a letter detailing all pertinent factors.

b. Following consideration of the petition by the ISEC, and depending on the nature of any exception granted, the student may be requested to file a second petition with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

III. Student Affairs

A. Status of Students in ISP

Degree-seeking and certificate students in the graduate program are considered to be Students of the Indigenous Studies Program.

B. Advising

1. Students in the Indigenous Studies Program are advised by their M.A. Committee Chair, the Indigenous Studies Director, and the Graduate Coordinator.

2. Students in the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Studies Program are advised by the Indigenous Studies Director and administrative staff.

C. Petitions and Grievances

1. Student Academic Misconduct

a. Cases of academic misconduct by students in the Indigenous Studies Program which result in assessment of sanctions (described in University Senate Rules and Regulations, Article II, Section 7), up to and including receiving an F in the course, shall be handled between the individual instructor and the student, in consultation with the Director as necessary. The result shall be reported to the Program Director. The mediatory power in appeals from these cases, and in involving charges of academic misconduct against an instructor, is vested in the Director. Appeals from mediatory decisions, and recommendations by the Director for sanctions against students more severe than loss of grade, shall be made to the Executive Dean of the College.

2. Grade Appeals

a. A student lodging an appeal under Article II, Section 4 of the University Senate Rules and Regulations should present their appeal in writing, with appropriate documentation attached, to the Director, who will seek advice from the Executive Committee as necessary and rule on it within a reasonable period of time.

IV. Revision of the Bylaws and Program Statement

A. Revisions of these Bylaws may be accomplished by circulation of the proposed amendment(s), in writing, according to the agenda guidelines and deadlines defined above. Revisions will be discussed at a meeting of the ISEC, followed by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting members present, at which two-thirds of the voting membership of the ISEC shall constitute a quorum.

B. Revisions of the Program Statement may be accomplished by circulation of the proposed amendment, in writing, according to the agenda guidelines and deadlines defined above. Revisions will be discussed at a meeting of the ISEC, followed by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting members present, at which two-thirds of the voting membership of the ISEC shall constitute a quorum.

It is a responsibility of the Director to see that the program statement is kept current and is available to members of the university community and the wider public who may be interested in the program.

CONTACT:

Director, Indigenous Studies Program
315 Snow Hall
1460 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, KS 66045
indigenous@ku.edu
785-864-2660

APPROVED BY:

Dean, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

APPROVED ON:

2012-02-27

EFFECTIVE ON: