Faculty Bylaws

ARTICLE I. Name and Objectives

The name of this organization is the University of Georgia Libraries Faculty. The purposes are:

  1. To facilitate communication among the Libraries Faculty
  2. To encourage professional development
  3. To contribute to the formulation and implementation of Libraries policies
  4. To discuss local and national issues pertinent to the Libraries
  5. To facilitate interchanges between the Libraries Faculty and other faculty organizations
  6. To participate in the election of the representatives to the University Council.

ARTICLE II. Membership

Membership shall be comprised of all contract and part-time personnel serving in Faculty positions (including retiree/rehires) within the University of Georgia Libraries.

ARTICLE III. Faculty Advisory Board

The Faculty Advisory Board serves as the executive committee of the Libraries Faculty.

Section 1. Membership

The Faculty Advisory Board membership consists of the following:

  1. Chair
  2. Vice Chair / Chair-Elect
  3. Secretary
  4. Any University Council representatives who are members of the Libraries Faculty
  5. The Chairs of the Libraries Faculty Committees on: 
    1. Faculty Organization and Governance, hereafter referred to as FOG
    2. Nominations and Elections, hereafter referred to as CNE
    3. Professional Development and Research, hereafter referred to as PDRC
    4. Promotion.
  6. Two at-large members
  7. The University Librarian and Associate Provost, ex-officio

Section 2. Duties 

  1. Duties of all Faculty Advisory Board members
    1. Advisory 
      1. To solicit input from the Libraries Faculty to be discussed at Faculty Advisory Board and Libraries’ Faculty meetings
      2. To respond to matters of interest and concern raised by members of the Libraries Faculty
      3. To provide input and advice to the University Librarian and Associate Provost.
    2. Administrative (Faculty Advisory Board members may agree to assign these responsibilities to individuals within the group)
      1. To set and distribute the agenda for Faculty Advisory Board and Libraries Faculty meetings
      2. To record and distribute minutes of Faculty Advisory Board meetings and archive them in a location accessible to all Libraries Faculty members
      3. To announce meetings of the Libraries Faculty
      4. To record minutes of Libraries Faculty meetings; distribute them to the Libraries Faculty for approval; and archive the approved minutes in a location accessible to all Libraries Faculty members
      5. To draft procedural and policy documents issuing from Faculty Advisory Board or Libraries Faculty meetings.
  2. Duties of the Chair 
    1. To preside over meetings of the Faculty Advisory Board and the Libraries Faculty
  3. Duties of the Vice-Chair / Chair-Elect
    1. To serve in all capacities of the Chair in the absence of the Chair
    2. To serve as Parliamentarian by advising the Chair on correct parliamentary procedure for Faculty Advisory Board and Libraries Faculty meetings.
  4. Duties of the Secretary
    1. To announce meetings of and distribute the agenda for meetings of the Faculty Advisory Board and Libraries Faculty.
    2. To maintain the roll of active members of the Faculty Advisory Board; and record the names of those attending Libraries Faculty meetings.
    3. To record and distribute minutes of Faculty Advisory Board meetings and archive them in a location accessible to all Libraries Faculty members.
    4. To record minutes of Libraries Faculty meetings; distribute them to the Libraries Faculty for approval; and archive the approved minutes in a location accessible to all Libraries Faculty members.
  5. Duties of the University Council representatives
    1. To attend meetings of the University Council
    2. To represent the interests of the Libraries Faculty to the University Council
    3. To report University Council business to the Libraries Faculty and non-library constituents.
  6. Duties of the Chairs of the Libraries Faculty Standing Committees
    1. To coordinate the work of their respective committees
    2. To raise committee concerns and questions with the Faculty Advisory Board
    3. To present an annual report documenting their committee's activities during the previous fiscal year at the first Libraries Faculty meeting of the new fiscal year
    4. To archive annual reports, procedural documents and other records in a location accessible to all Libraries Faculty.

ARTICLE IV. Scheduling and Conduct of Meetings

Section 1. Faculty Advisory Board Meetings

  1. Faculty Advisory Board meetings shall be scheduled as the members decide. Meetings shall be announced to the Libraries’ faculty at least five working days in advance. At a minimum, the Faculty Advisory Board must meet in time to set the agenda and give the required notice of Libraries Faculty meetings.
  2. Individual members of the Libraries Faculty may propose a Faculty Advisory Board meeting agenda item to any member of the Faculty Advisory Board. It is the responsibility of the Faculty Advisory Board to respond to the requester as to how the proposed agenda item will be handled. Should the faculty member request anonymity the request will be honored.
  3. Meetings will be conducted according to the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised.
  4. A quorum shall consist of one-half of Faculty Advisory Board Members.

Section 2. Libraries Faculty Meetings

  1. Business meetings of the Libraries Faculty will be held at least once each calendar quarter on dates fixed by the Faculty Advisory Board. Ten working days' notice will be given to the membership stating date, time, place of the meeting and agenda.
  2. Topical meetings may be held in conjunction with business meetings or called on other dates at the Faculty Advisory Board’s discretion. Topical meetings refer to general, open discussions on topics of professional or organizational interest. Ten working days' notice will be given to the Libraries Faculty stating date, time, place of the meeting, and agenda.
  3. Special or additional meetings may be called by petition of the Libraries Faculty if signed by one-fourth of the Libraries Faculty, providing the petition indicates the purpose of the meeting. A minimum of five working days' notice will be given to the membership stating date, time, place of meeting and agenda.
  4. Individual members of the Libraries Faculty may propose a Libraries Faculty meeting agenda item to any member of the Faculty Advisory Board. It is the responsibility of the Faculty Advisory Board to respond to the requester as to how the proposed agenda item will be handled. Should the faculty member request anonymity the request will be honored.
  5. Meetings will be conducted according to the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised.
  6. A quorum shall consist of those Libraries Faculty members present.

ARTICLE V. Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees  

  1. Standing Committee Charges
    1. FOG shall be responsible for ensuring that the University of Georgia Libraries Faculty Bylaws accurately reflect the structure and operation of the Libraries Faculty. To this end, FOG shall conduct an annual review of the Bylaws for possible changes in intent and wording and receive and consider suggestions for changes in the Bylaws from the Faculty Advisory Board, any of the other standing committees, or any member of the Libraries Faculty. Changes will be recommended to the Faculty Advisory Board for appropriate action.
    2. CNE shall carry out all aspects of all elections for the Libraries Faculty, including elections and appointments to committees, elections of documents and processes, elections of University Council representatives, and special elections, following procedures developed for this purpose. The Committee is responsible for maintaining a public, up-to-date listing of all Committee members, standing or ad hoc.
    3. PDRC shall foster the professional growth of the Libraries Faculty through developing and promoting continuing education activities; encouraging and facilitating participation in local, state, regional and national organizations; and promoting research interests and activities of the Libraries Faculty.
    4. The Committee on Promotion shall review the professional competence and contributions of librarians/archivists being considered for promotion and recommend action regarding promotion to the University Librarian. The Committee is also responsible for recommending appropriate ranks for newly appointed librarians/archivists.
  2. Standing Committee Composition
    1. The Committee on Promotion shall be composed of seven elected members, two from each rank of Librarian/Archivist II through IV, and one at-large member from any Librarian/Archivist II through IV rank.
    2. For the Libraries Faculty Standing Committees other than the Committee on Promotion, each committee shall have a minimum of four members and a maximum of seven members (including the chair).
    3. If a current standing committee as formed is not able, or lacks the expertise to complete a project, additional members shall be added to serve on designated projects as necessary.
  3. Changes to Standing Committee Procedures
    1. Changes of language, wording, and grammar require the consent of the Faculty Advisory Board only.
    2. Changes of procedure require the consent of the Faculty Advisory Board to be presented at the next faculty meeting by the chair of the relevant standing committee.
    3. After the change is discussed at the faculty meeting, a motion is needed to either approve via voice vote or via ballot vote. A voice vote is suitable for procedural changes affecting primarily the committee members, such as the addition of clarifying language. A ballot vote may be needed when the procedural change will affect the Libraries Faculty, such as a change in committee membership from volunteer to elected members. The attendees at the faculty meeting will determine which method of voting should be required.

Section 2. Ad hoc Committees

The Faculty Advisory Board may create and charge ad hoc committees as needed. Membership of these ad hoc committees may be determined on an appointed, volunteer or elected basis.

ARTICLE VI. Nominations and Elections

Section 1. Conduct of Elections

  1. All elections and calls for volunteers shall be conducted by the CNE according to procedures developed for this purpose.
  2. Elections are held in the following order
    1. University Council representative election
      1. The election for University Council representative occurs during the first semester of the year in which the term of the representative will expire.
    2. Spring Elections and Committee on Promotion Election
    3. Call for Libraries Faculty Standing Committee volunteers
  3. All terms of office begin on July 1 following the election.

Section 2. Restrictions on Service

  1. In order to have a diverse Libraries faculty leadership, no Libraries Faculty member can serve in more than one elected position simultaneously. For example, the Vice Chair / Chair-Elect cannot also be elected to the Promotions Committee, the Chair of the Committee on Professional Development and Research cannot also be elected as a University Council Representative.
  2. There is no restriction on the number of volunteer offices in which a Libraries faculty member may serve simultaneously. Individuals holding an elected position may simultaneously hold volunteer positions.
  3. There is no restriction on the number of times an individual may serve in an elected or volunteer office throughout his or her tenure as a Libraries Faculty member.

Section 3. University Council Representative Election

  1. Any member of the Libraries Faculty who meets membership criteria established by the University Council is eligible for election to the University Council as part of the larger group of contract faculty who report to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.
  2. University Council representatives are elected for staggered three-year terms.

Section 4. Spring Election and Committee on Promotion Election

  1. Spring Election Offices to be Filled
    1. Faculty Advisory Board Vice Chair / Chair-Elect
    2. Chairs of the Libraries Faculty Standing Committees on FOG, CNE and PDRC
    3. Faculty Advisory Board at-large member
  2. Spring Election Terms of Office
    1. The Vice Chair / Chair-Elect is elected to a two-year term. The first year is served as Vice Chair / Chair-Elect and the second as Chair.
    2. Chairs of the Libraries Faculty Committees for FOG, CNE and PDRC are elected to one-year terms.
    3. At-large members are elected for staggered two-year terms.
  3. Committee on Promotion Election
    1. All members of the Committee on Promotion are elected. Any Libraries’ Faculty member with a rank of Librarian/Archivist II or higher who has been on the University of Georgia Libraries’ Faculty at least two years as of July 1 following the election is eligible to serve on the Committee.
    2. Committee members serve two-year terms, staggered so that approximately half the committee membership is replaced each year.
    3. Following the election, the committee members select a chair or co-chairs from among their number. The chair also serves on the Faculty Advisory Board. In the event that co-chairs are selected, either may represent the Committee on Promotion at Faculty Advisory Board meetings, exercising one vote between them.

Section 5. Libraries Faculty Standing Committee Volunteer Selection

  1. Following the spring election, the CNE will call for volunteers for the Libraries Faculty Standing Committees other than the Committee on Promotion.
  2. Libraries Faculty Standing Committee volunteers serve staggered two-year terms.
  3. If a volunteer is subsequently elected as Chair of the committee during the course of his/her two-year term, this service is included as part of the two-year term.

Section 6. Midterm Vacancies

  1. In the event that the Chair is unable to take office or complete a full term, the Vice Chair / Chair-Elect will assume the role of Chair and a vacancy election for Vice Chair / Chair-Elect will be conducted by the CNE.
  2. In the event that a Vice Chair / Chair-Elect is unable to take office or complete a full term, a vacancy election for the position will be conducted by the CNE.
  3. In the event that a University Council representative, a Chair of a Libraries Faculty Standing Committee, or an at-large member of the Faculty Advisory Board is unable to take office or complete a full term, a vacancy election for the position will be conducted by the CNE.
  4. In the event that a member of the Committee on Promotion is unable to take office or serve through completion of the annual dossier review, a vacancy election for the position will be conducted by the CNE. In the event that a member of the Committee on Promotion, with the exception of the Chair of the Committee on Promotion, is unable to complete a full term following completion of the annual dossier review, a majority of the Committee will determine whether it is necessary to fill the vacant position before the next election cycle. If a replacement is determined to be necessary, the CNE will conduct a vacancy election.
  5. In the event that a volunteer member of a Libraries Faculty Standing Committee is unable to take office or complete a full term, the Chair of the committee affected by the vacancy will determine whether it is necessary to fill the vacant position before the next election cycle. If a replacement is determined to be necessary, the CNE will put out a call for a volunteer to complete the term.

ARTICLE VII. Amendments

  1. The University of Georgia Libraries Faculty may adopt new Bylaws by a two-thirds affirmative vote by those participating in a ballot election.
  2. The Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds affirmative vote by those participating in a ballot election.

SOURCE: Libraries Faculty, Revised October 1992, Amended July 1993, October 1994, April 1998, March 2005, September 2008, February 2010, February 2016, May 2017, November 2021, April 2024.