Bylaws, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders

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DOCUMENT TYPE:

Procedure

PURPOSE:

To define the rules and regulate the affairs of the Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders Department.

APPLIES TO:

Faculty and Staff within the Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders Department.

CAMPUS:

Lawrence, Medical Center, Kansas City

PROCEDURE STATEMENT:

These Bylaws describe the basic structure of the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders, hereafter the Department, and outline its normal operating procedures and relationships to other agencies of the University.

The Department is an academic unit within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.  The Department is responsible for the B.A. and B.G.S. degrees in Speech-Language-Hearing. Graduate degrees (the M.A. degree in Speech-Language Pathology, the Clinical Doctorate of Speech-Language Pathology, the Audiology Doctorate, and the Ph.D. degrees in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology) are offered in conjunction with the Department of Hearing and Speech in the College of Allied Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center.  Each graduate degree is administratively housed on one campus and thus typically follows the campus policies and procedures of the administrative home. Specifically, the MA SLP, PhD SLP, and PhD AUD are housed on the Lawrence campus, whereas the SLPD and AuD are administratively housed on the KUMC campus. These graduate degree programs are coordinated through the Executive Committee (hereafter IEC) of the Intercampus Program in Communicative Disorders (hereafter the IPCD). Refer to IEC bylaws for further details of this arrangement.

The Department maintains the Schiefelbusch Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic on the Lawrence campus and provides for diagnostic and remedial service for speech, language and hearing problems.  The nature of clinical training in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology requires a close liaison between the clinic and the academic program.  The Department faculty maintains research programs with various speech, language and hearing laboratories.

FACULTY

A. Faculty: All resdient faculty who have an appointment of 50% effort or greater in the Department participate in matters of the Department.

B. Duties and Responsibilities: All faculty are required to carry out the responsibilities of teaching/advising, research, and service as outlined in the Handbook for faculty and other Unclassified Staff and Departmental guidelines. The graduate degree programs administered through the Intercampus Executive Committee require additional responsibilities for the faculty, e.g., various Intercampus committees Faculty are also subject to certain reviews and processes:

1. Faculty Evaluation: The Department articulates its criteria and procedures for faculty annual evaluation in the unit’s Faculty Evaluation Plan formally located in the Policy Library.
2. Progress Toward Tenure Review: The progress toward tenure review is a formal review conducted approximately midway through the probationary period for tenure-track faculty. The documents for this review are available from the Provost Office website.
3. Promotion and Tenure: The Department articulates its criteria and procedures for promotion and tenure in the unit’s Promotion and Tenure Policy formally located in the Policy Library.
4. Post-tenure Review: The Department articulates its criteria and procedures for post-tenure review in the unit’s Post-Tenure Review Policy formally located in the Policy Library.

STUDENT REPRESENTATION

Students shall have representation in Department meetings and policy making committees. For departmental meetings, this will entail representation by one undergraduate student and one graduate student. For smaller committees, a single student representative is appropriate with preference given to the most directly relevant student group (e.g., for an undergraduate curriculum committee, preference would be given to an undergraduate student representative).  Student groups will be asked to nominate, typically at the start of the fall semester, appropriate representatives to the Chair, who will appoint an appropriate student to the committee. Each student representative has one vote in general matters of the Department.  The student representatives will not have voting privileges with regard to any decision involving personnel matters, such as the election of the Department Chairperson, hiring of new faculty, and promotion and tenure recommendations. Additional student input may be sought in personnel decisions, but the students involved will not have voting privileges. Likewise, student representatives will not have voting privileges or be eligible to participate in discussions of confidential matters involving other identified students (e.g., nomination of students for awards or scholarships). This stipulation is not relevant to topics involving de-identified students or student data (e.g., aggregate student learning outcomes).

DEPARTMENT OFFICERS

Department Chairperson

A. Designation

1. The Department Chairperson shall be elected to serve an initial five-year term. The Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations and College procedures will be followed when selecting a chairperson.
2. When the position of the Department Chairperson is vacant, the dean is invited to the unit to initiate the search. A search committee consisting of Department faculty and student representative(s) will be formed.  The search committee will serve as a screening committee and will make recommendations to the faculty as a whole.  The search committee will be selected by the faculty acting as the whole. The search committee will designate a committee chairperson to coordinate committee efforts and report committee conclusions to the dean.
3. To be designated Department Chairperson a candidate must be approved by a majority vote of the Department faculty.

B. Duties: Duties of the chair include the following:

1. Provides oversight and leadership for all unit activities. 
2. Administers the undergraduate and graduate academic programs of the unit.
3. Reviews and modifies the long-range planning for the unit. 
4. Oversees all internal budgetary, administrative, and personnel matters. 
5. Supervises and reviews the unit’s faculty and professional, academic, and University support staff.
6. Seeks enhancement of all unit resources by actively seeking external funding.
7. Develops and enhances research and educational relationships between the unit and other units across the College and University, as well as with agencies outside the University, governmental, public, or private.
8. Develops long-term planning for future leadership by cultivating/mentoring future faculty members.   
9. Executes College and University policy in the unit effectively.
10. Represents the unit and reports to CLAS, and represents the unit to other University entities.
11. Requests letters from external referees for promotion and tenure.
12. Responsible for assigning faculty and staff to office space.
13. Presides over the meetings of the Department faculty, determines the agenda for those meetings, sets the time and place of meetings, and delegates business to individual faculty members and to committees of faculty members.
14. Serves as the principal representative of the Department to the Chairperson of the Department of Hearing and Speech located at the Kansas University Medical Center.
15. Serves as co-director of the Intercampus Program in Communicative Disorders.

C. Reappointment

After completing the initial appointment, and in accordance with University policy, an incumbent chair will undergo formal review by the College Committee on Evaluation of Chairs and Directors (CECD). This formal review utilizes University procedures for chairperson review includes an assessment utilizing feedback from faculty, staff, students, and other University personnel. CECD provides a summary and recommendation to the dean in the reappointment of the chairperson. It is ultimately the dean’s decision, in consultation with the chair.  A Chairperson’s second term may be 3- to 5-years in length. Typically a Chairperson should serve no more than two consecutive terms. However, the faculty may recommend to the Dean that a Chairperson be allowed to serve additional consecutive terms if it is in the best interest of the department. Additional details are available at the Chairperson/Director Selection and Appointment Policy.

Director of Schiefelbusch Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic

A. Designation

1. Clinic Director shall be elected to serve an initial five-year term.
2. The Clinic Director shall be a faculty member (tenured/tenure-track or clinical faculty) of the Department.
3. When the position of Clinic Director is vacant, the Chair initiates the search process by forming a search committee consisting of Department faculty and student representative(s). The search committee will serve as a screening committee and will make recommendations to the faculty as a whole. The Chair will designate a search committee chairperson to coordinate committee efforts and report committee efforts to the department as a whole.
4. To be designated Clinic Director a candidate must be approved by a majority vote of the Department faculty. Once approved, the Clinic Director will be appointed by the Chair.

B. Duties

1. The principal duty of the Director is to monitor and guide the general development and direction of the clinical services, clinical training, and research mission of the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic.
2. The following duties are included:

• Represent the Clinic within and outside the University a.  This includes maintaining a productive liaison with the Department Chairperson, Deans of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Education, and appropriate Vice-Chancellors regarding all aspects of the Clinic.  Maintaining and expanding working relationships with other professionals in the community; maintaining and expanding avenues of public information about services available in the Clinic.
• Maintain a coordinated program among speech, language, and hearing services of the Clinic.
• Maintain a liaison with the Clinical Committee of the Intercampus Executive Committee.
• Aid in the preparation of applications for accreditation of clinical and training services and the annual reports associated with the accreditation.
• Oversee with the Department Chairperson Clinic functions (including budget, free structure, processing clients, special client needs, etc.) to insure maximum efficiency.
• Report annually to the Department Chairperson clinic achievements from the past year and goals for the coming year.
• Presides over meetings of the Clinic faculty, determines agenda, and delegates business to individual clinical faculty members of committees.  Collaboration will include planning, organization of content, and related teaching and supervisory responsibilities.

3. Preside over meetings of the Clinic faculty, determine agenda, and delegate business to individual clinical faculty members of committees.  Collaborate with the faculty member designated by the Department Chairperson to teach SPLH 671.  Collaboration will include planning, organization of content, and related teaching and supervisory responsibilities.

C. Reappointment

After completing the initial appointment, an incumbent Clinic Director will undergo formal review by the Department. This formal review will be conducted by a Department committee appointed by the Chair and include an assessment utilizing feedback from faculty and students. The committee provides a summary and recommendation to the department as a whole. Reappointment will be by majority vote. A Clinic Director’s second term may be 3- to 5-years in length. Typically a Clinic Director should serve no more than two consecutive terms. However, the faculty may recommend to the Chair that a Clinic Director be allowed to serve additional consecutive terms if it is in the best interest of the department and the clinic.

Director of Graduate Studies

A. Designation

1. As previously noted, the department’s graduate programs are offered in conjunction with the Hearing and Speech Department at KUMC via the Intercampus Program in Communicative Disorders (IPCD). Thus, the committee structure to support collaborative administration of these programs is outlined in the Bylaws, Intercampus Program in Communicative Disorders (IPCD) | Policy Library). However, four of the graduate programs (i.e., MA SLP, PhD SLP, PhD AUD, PhD Child Language) are administratively housed on the Lawrence campus, requiring that Lawrence faculty member(s) be designated as Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to liaise with College and University offices and facilitate administrative function of those programs.
2. The DGS provides oversight of the graduate programs that are administratively housed on the Lawrence campus (i.e., MA SLP, PhD SLP, PhD AUD). This is in partnership with intercampus faculty and committees as described in the IPCD Bylaws.
3. DGS duties can be split between the DGS and the Chairperson such that each person coordinates a specific graduate program (i.e., MA SLP Coordinator, PhD Coordinator).
4. The DGS will be involved in the Curriculum Committee identified in the IPCD Bylaws by serving as the designated chair or coordinator of the relevant degree program(s) (i.e., MA SLP and/or PhD SLP/AUD). That role can be shared with a faculty member from KUMC as needed to facilitate intercampus collaboration.

B. Duties

1. The DGS is responsible for oversight of all matters related to the Department’s graduate programs administratively housed in Lawrence. He/she facilitates and monitors the day-to-day activities of his/her designated graduate program and acts as a liaison between the Department and the College Office of Graduate Affairs and the Office of Graduate Studies.
2. The DGS is responsible for:

• coordinating curriculum committee actions as described in the IPCD Bylaws for the designated graduate program (MA SLP and/or PhD SLP/AUD/Child Language); 
• coordinating advising & assessment of graduate students 
• overseeing the graduate curriculum, including updating program handbooks, websites and Canvas communities; 
• implementing the assessment plan for the graduate programs; 
• applying for College or University funding on behalf of the department; 
• coordinating the evaluation and nomination of Department graduate student candidates for College or University or Lawrence Department honors or awards; and, 
• attending meetings pertaining to graduate studies at KU.  
• They coordinate and support faculty and staff involved in graduate advising

Director of Undergraduate Studies

A. Duties

1. The DUS is responsible for oversight of all matters related to the Department’s undergraduate programs. He/she facilitates and monitors the day-to-day activities of the undergraduate programs and acts as a liaison between the Department and the Office of Student Academic Success and the Office of Undergraduate Studies. He/she coordinates and supports faculty and staff involved in undergraduate advising.
2. The DUS is responsible for (in conjunction with appropriate committees and staff):

• coordinating recruitment and advising of undergraduate majors and minors;
• liaising with the Department’s College advising specialist to facilitate advising for majors and minors;
• coordinating the evaluation and nomination of Department undergraduate student candidates for College or University or Department honors or awards;
• overseeing the undergraduate curriculum, including updating of courses, approving new courses, and updating program handbooks, websites, and blackboard communities;
• implementing the Assessment Plan for the undergraduate degree programs;
• coordinating departmental participation in the broader mission of undergraduate studies (e.g., contributing courses to general education and CORE requirements, participating in multi-department certificate programs);
• facilitating co-curricular activities (e.g., service learning, research, global awareness, study abroad, internships) for undergraduate students by appointing (in consultation with the chairperson) and overseeing faculty undergraduate advisors to lead each of these programs; and,
• attending meetings pertaining to undergraduate studies at KU.

Associate Chair

A. Designation

1. The Associate Chair shall be a faculty member (tenured/tenure-track or clinical faculty) of the Department.
2. The Associate Chair role may be fulfilled by a faculty member also serving as Director of Schiefelbusch Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, Director of Graduate Studies, or Speech-Language Pathology Program Director.

B. Duties

1. Serving as the principal deputy of the Chairperson.
2. Assisting the Chairperson in the effective leadership and management of the department.
3. Taking the place of the Chairperson when the Chairperson is unavailable or otherwise unable to perform the duties of the Chairperson, both for internal matters and when representing the department to outside units
4. Other responsibilities as the directed by the Chairperson.

Speech-Language Pathology Program Director(SLPPD) 

A. Designation 

1. The SLPPD must have a full-time appointment and hold a graduate degree with a major emphasis in speech-language pathology, in audiology, or in speech, language, and hearing science. 
2. The Chair or Associate Chair typically serves as Program Director. 

B. Duties & Rationale 

1. In compliance with the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA), the Department must appoint a Program Director to liaise with CAA and the University to monitor and ensure program compliance with accreditation policies, procedures and standards. Program Director approves graduate applications for certification and licensure, submits CAA annual reports and surveys & oversees the reaccreditation process.  
2. Program Director works with Degree Program Directors (DUS, DGS-MA, DGS-PhD) to carry out the IPCD Strategic Plan, Institutional and Program goals.  

Policies Common to Department Officers

A. Designation  

1. Each department officer (except the Chair) is supervised by the Chairperson. 
2. The DGS, DUS, Associate Chair, and SLPPD are appointed by the Chairperson, in consultation with IPCD co-Director from KUMC, and serves a term that corresponds in length to that of the Chairperson’s. An incoming or re-appointed chair, in consultation with the incumbent, may choose to re-appoint the incumbent for less than a full term to facilitate leadership transition.  

B. Reappointment 

1. The DUS, DGS, Associate Chair, and SLPPD can be re-appointed by the Chairperson. 

C. Resignation 

1. Resignation of a department officer from their duties shall be communicated to the Department faculty as soon as possible so that a new individual can be selected in a timely manner, preferably a semester in advance. 

D. Recall 

1. Any department officer may be terminated by the Chair (or the Dean in the case of the Chair) due to inability to carry out administrative functions. 
2. The Department faculty has the right to recall any of the offices listed above by a two-thirds vote of the faculty.  The faculty shall make known to the individual the reasons for recall.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

The Department articulates its grievance procedures in the unit’s Grievance Policy formally located in the Policy Library.

RULES OF PROCEDURE

The Department normally acts as a committee of the whole in its meetings. A quorum, defined as two-thirds of the Department's regular faculty, is required for purposes of taking binding actions.

Each full-time and part-time faculty member in the Department has voting privileges. Student representatives have voting privileges as described in the section "Student Representation.”

Amendments to these bylaws may be presented at any Department meeting. After a 30-day period, a vote of eligible members will be taken.  A two-thirds majority vote, based on paragraph one above, is required for passage of amendments.

CONTACT:

Speech-Language-Hearing Department
University of Kansas
3001 Dole Center
1000 Sunnyside Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66045-7555

Department Chairperson:
785-864-0630

APPROVED BY:

SPLH Faculty

APPROVED ON:

2015-01-21 

EFFECTIVE ON:

2015-01-21 

REVIEW CYCLE:

Annual (As Needed)

CHANGE HISTORY:

05/15/2025: Updated policy.
04/07/2025: Migration to TeamDynamix from Drupal.
12/20/2024: Updated broken links; updated link accessibility. 
06/01/2023: Updated policy and added definitions. Formatting.
12/02/2022: Amended; Added Associate Chair section to policy.
06/02/2017: Fixed broken link.
01/25/2015: Amended.
01/22/2009: Amended.
12/12/2008: Amended.
10/18/2006: Amended.
02/03/2000: Amended.
10/02/1985: Amended.
12/03/1980: Amended.
10/1979: Amended.
05/03/1978: Adopted.