University Council NIU Constitution and Bylaws of Northern Illinois University

Constitution

Preamble

Article 1: The University Council

Article 2: Membership on the University Council

Article 3: Officers of the University Council

Article 4: Standing Committees of the University Council

Article 5: Meetings of the University Council

Article 6: Faculties, Standing Committees, Councils and Boards of the Faculty and Administration

Article 7: Related Councils

Article 8: Selection of a President

Article 9: Human Rights

Article 10: Amendment Procedures

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Article 6:
Faculties, Standing Committees, Councils and Boards of the Faculty and Administration

6.1 The University

6.1.1 Definitions
The instructional and research core of the university shall consist of five categories of members hereinafter referred to as: 1) tenure track faculty, 2) instructional faculty, 3) clinical faculty, 4) research faculty and 5) limited-term faculty. The definition of each category below serves to inform shared governance rights and responsibilities.

6.1.1.1 Tenure Track Faculty
The tenure track faculty of the university includes the tenure/tenure eligible faculty of the university who have appointments as professor, associate professor, assistant professor, departmental chairpersons and professional librarians other than the dean of the University Libraries. Also included are part-time faculty who hold positions at Northern Illinois University in conjunction with positions at an external affiliate institution as approved by the provost.

6.1.1.2 Instructional Faculty
The instructional faculty of the university includes instructors, adjuncts, lecturers, associate lecturers and assistant lecturers. Also included are faculty with a limited contractual relationship with the university, including part-time and non-compensatory faculty.

6.1.1.3 Clinical Faculty
The clinical faculty of the university includes all persons with appointments as clinical professor, associate clinical professor, assistant clinical professor and clinical instructor. The primary responsibilities of faculty in this category are clinical supervision or clinical instruction, oversight or delivery of professional services to individual patients or clients.

6.1.1.4 Research Faculty
The research faculty of the university includes all persons with appointments as research professor, associate research professor and assistant research professor and includes other appointments that are focused on research, scholarly and technical activities

6.1.2.5 Limited-Term Faculty
Other faculty positions include those that have limited-term appointments, including adjuncts, visiting faculty, post-doctoral fellows and other affiliated faculty. These positions may be engaged in the research, teaching or engagement missions of the university, but with time-limited association with the university and minimal roles and privileges.  

6.1.2 Standing Committees of the University
There shall be standing committees of the University Council as designated in the bylaws. 

6.1.2.1 These committees shall report all actions to the University Council, through the distribution of minutes to the University Council, through annual reports of their activities submitted to the University Council, and through the periodic presentation of action summaries. 

6.1.2.2 Any actions which these committees recognize as involving a substantive change in non-academic policy should be submitted for University Council approval. If action is taken without University Council approval, which the University Council agrees (by majority vote) represents a substantive change in non-academic policy, the committee may be asked to submit the action to the University Council for review. 

6.2 The Colleges

6.2.1 Definition of College Faculty
The college faculty shall consist of those members of the university faculty who hold their appointment within the college. 

6.2.2 Standing Committees of a Degree-Granting College
Each college shall have such standing committees as may be designated in the bylaws to advise the dean on policy, personnel, curricular, budgetary, and other matters as deemed appropriate. These committees shall include a student advisory committee through which students pursuing academic degrees within the college may have input into the college policy-making process. 

6.3 The University Libraries

6.3.1 Definition of Library Faculty
The library faculty shall consist of those members of the University Libraries who hold academic appointments within the University Libraries. 

6.3.2 Standing Committees of the University Libraries
The University Libraries shall have such standing committees as may be designated in the bylaws to advise the director on policy, budgetary, and other matters as deemed appropriate. Some of these committees shall include representation from a student advisory committee. 

6.4 The Graduate School

6.4.1 Definition of Graduate Faculty
The graduate faculty shall consist of those who, on the recommendation of the academic departments and the dean of the appropriate college, have been approved by the Graduate Council and the dean of the Graduate School to be members of the graduate faculty. 

6.4.2 Standing Committees of the Graduate School
The graduate faculty shall participate in the formulation and administration of policies affecting the operation of the programs of the Graduate School through the Graduate Council, provision for which shall be made in the bylaws. Provision shall be made for the participation of graduate student representatives on the Graduate Council. The bylaws of the Graduate Council shall provide for such other standing committees as may be deemed necessary or desirable. Any such other committees shall report regularly on their activities to the Graduate Council. 

6.5 The Council of Deans
The Council of Deans shall consist of the executive vice president and provost as chair, vice provosts, the deans, and such additional academic personnel as the executive vice president and provost and deans shall deem appropriate and necessary to the work of the Council of Deans.

Proposed amendment approved by University Council on 4/3/2019; approved by faculty referendum on 4/19/2019; and approved by the Board of Trustees on 9/12/2019.
Proposed amendments to the NIU Constitution approved by University Council on 04/29/20, approved by faculty referendum on 05/10/20, and approved by the Board of Trustees on 06/18/20
Proposed amendment approved by University Council on 3/31/21; approved by faculty referendum on 4/18/2021; and approved by the Board of Trustees on 6/17/2021.