November 6, 1995
(Updated October 31, 2007)
Published by the University Council of Virginia Tech
I. Meetings of the University Council
- in Spectrum and distributed to Council members at the first meeting of the semester. At that time, each chair will be asked to elaborate, if desired, on the information about that commission’ s agenda, and to provide clarification where necessary.
- As each semester begins, the Council secretary will solicit suggestions for issues of general concern appropriate to presentation or group discussion, and will further conduct a poll to determine priority of interest. These topics will then be addressed as time allows following each of the semester’s Council meetings.
- At each subsequent meeting of Council, prior to the approval of each commission’s minutes, the relevant chair shall be free to highlight selectively and to elaborate upon particular issues of concern to that commission; Council chair will periodically remind commission chairs of this option.
- The status of all resolutions will be maintained on a University Council web page, to be developed and maintained by Council secretary, to allow members of the university community to monitor the status of a given proposal through committees, commissions, and Council. Each commission chair will be responsible for providing such information to the University Council web page operator for posting.
II. Policy and Program Review and Approval Process
- The University Commissions formulate new policies or policy revisions and propose new or revised programs, either on their own initiative or by direction of the President, the University Council, or the Board of Visitors.
- In preparing the case for a new policy or program, each Commission shall keep constituencies (and also, as appropriate, other Commissions, the Faculty Senate, the Staff Senate, the Graduate Student Assembly, and the Student Government Association) sufficiently well informed that relevant advice and counsel from outside the Commission proper can be brought to bear at the policy (program) formulation stage. It is the responsibility of individual Commission members, mainly by means of their cross-representational affiliations, to accomplish this.
- Commissions shall prepare policy (program) proposals in standard Resolution form. These Resolutions shall be worded so as to provide, along with any accompanying explanation or annotation, sufficient information and background upon which to base subsequent debate of the issues involved. Policy (Program) Resolutions shall be titled and shall carry the name of the forwarding Commission and the date of Commission approval. Resolutions shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the University Council, who shall place them on the agenda, and send them to all members of the University Council, the editors of the student newspapers, and the Presidents of the Faculty Senate, the Staff Senate, the Graduate Student Assembly, and the Student Government Association. This distribution is to serve as official notification of the proposed policy (program) consideration, not just for individual members, but for all offices and governance bodies represented on University Council.
- The Secretary of University Council shall distribute Commission minutes to all members of the University Council for routine review, noting said minutes on the agenda. When minutes come before Council for acceptance, the Council will verify the Commission decisions regarding which of the items brought to it are policy (program) items; those items in the minutes that Council considers policy (program) items shall be returned to the appropriate Commission for resubmission in the Resolution form.
- On receipt of a Resolution from a Commission, the University Council shall take the following steps in the review process:
- The Secretary shall place the Resolution on the agenda for the next succeeding Council meeting, under New Business, marked “First Reading.” Copies of the Resolution shall be available at the Council meeting for the convenience of all present.
- A Policy (Program) Resolution cannot be placed on the University Council agenda for First Reading at the end of the academic year unless there are at least two meetings at which it can be considered. Otherwise, First Reading must be delayed until the start of a new academic year. The University Council may approve a request for first reading and action on a resolution at its last meeting of the academic year by a vote of three-fourths of the membership present (see c. below).
- Council may discuss but shall take no action on a Resolution at “First Reading,” unless by consent of three-fourths of the members present. Deferral requests may be made at this time.
- At the next succeeding meeting of the University Council, the Resolution shall appear on the agenda under Old Business, with the date of the First Reading indicated as well as its deferral status. Deferral requests may be made at this time. If no deferral is requested, the University Council shall act on the Resolution at that meeting.
- If a request for deferral of the Resolution is made at the time of First or Second Reading, it shall be honored for a time period not exceeding six weeks from the date of the First Reading. However, Council may override a request for deferral by a vote of three-fourths of the membership present. The Resolution, with date of First Reading, will continue to appear on the agenda throughout the period of deferral. Deferral can occur only once for a given Resolution.
- During the deferral period, the Senates and other governance units may forward recommendations relating to the Resolution to the Secretary of the University Council, and those recommendations will be distributed to Council members with the agenda for the next succeeding meeting.
- At the end of six weeks after the date of First Reading, the deferral period ends and the Resolution is placed on the Council agenda under Old Business. Subsequent Council action may be approval, disapproval, referral, amendment, or tabling.
- If the Council refers a resolution to the originating body (or to the Secretary) for editorial changes or to incorporate amendments adopted during Council debate, the edited resolution will be placed on the agenda of the next Council meeting for consideration under Old Business,not subject to deferral.
- If the Council refers a resolution to the originating body for other than editorial changes or to incorporate amendments adopted during Council debate, the resolution will be considered a “new” resolution when it is resubmitted for Council consideration. That is, it will be placed on the agenda marked “First Reading” as in (a) above, and is subject to deferral.
III. University Commissions
University Commissions are established according to the Constitution of the University Council to carry out certain functions and operations of governance. Membership of each Commission is as listed in the following sections.
A. Commission on Administrative and Professional (A/P) Faculty Affairs (CAPFA)
Membership*:
- Associate Provost for Academic Administration
- Assistant Vice President for Personnel
- Associate Director for Field Operations and Administration, Virginia Cooperative Extension
- One academic dean selected by the Council of College Deans
- Two elected A/P representatives from general administration
- Four elected A/P representatives from Extension/public service
- Two elected A/P representatives from academic support areas
- One elected A/P representative from student affairs
- One Faculty Senator elected by the Faculty Senate
- One Staff Senator elected by the Staff Senate
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly elected by the Graduate Student Assembly
- One representative of the Student Government Association elected by the Student Government Association
*The chair will be elected from among the nine elected administrative and professional faculty members of the commission by the commission membership.
B. Commission on Equal Opportunity and Diversity
Membership*:
- Vice President of Multicultural Affairs
- Director of Office for Equal Opportunity
- Assistant Vice President for Human Resources
- Associate Provost for Academic Administration
- Vice President for Student Affairs
- Director, Cranwell International Center
- One academic dean selected by the Council of College Deans (2-year term)
- Three faculty representatives elected by the Faculty Senate, of which at least one must be a senator (3-year term)
- Three staff representatives elected by the Staff Senate, of which at least one must be a senator (3-year term)
- One representative of the administrative/professional faculty elected by CAPFA (3-year term)
- One staff representative from the Commission on Staff Policies and Affairs (1-year term)
- One student representative from the Commission on Student Affairs (1-year term)
- One faculty representative from the Commission on Faculty Affairs (1-year term)
- Eight Faculty or Staff community representatives (3-year terms)
Community representatives shall be chosen by one of two methods. Where there is a single widely representative organization for faculty and staff, this organization would have responsibility for electing a representative. Where there is no appropriate organization (or multiple organizations), then a related office, program, or center serving related interests will be responsible for the nominations and election (or selection) of a community representative. The Office of Multicultural Affairs will be responsible for overseeing the identification of community representatives, including assuring that named organizations, programs or offices use an open process for securing nominations and interested participants if an election is not feasible or reasonable.
- Representatives elected by a university organization with open membership for faculty and staff (one representative each):
Black Caucus
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Staff/Faculty Caucus
Hispanic Faculty/Staff Caucus
- Representatives elected (or selected) by the following university offices or programs (one representative each):
Women’s Center
American Indian Studies Program
ADA Coordinator’s Office
Cranwell International Center
Appalachian Studies Program
- Three faculty, staff, or student at-large members (3-year term for faculty/staff representatives; 1-year term if a student is selected)
The at-large members will be chosen by an application process, open to faculty, staff, and students, and conducted by the commission annually for the available, undesignated slot. The commission will forward at least two nominations (so long as there are at least two) for each vacant position to the president for appointment to the commission. The commission may rank the candidates in order of preference. The at-large positions are designed to allow representation from groups not identified above as well as individuals who would make significant contributions to the work of the commission, regardless of background.
- Two representatives of the Student Government Association: the Chair of the SGA Diversity Committee and one representative elected by the Student Government Association (1-year term)
- One representative of the Graduate Student Assembly elected by the Graduate Student Assembly (1-year term)
- One student representative elected by the Council of International Student Organizations
*The chair will be elected from among the non-ex officio faculty or staff members of the commission
C. Commission on Faculty Affairs
Membership:
- Vice President of the Faculty Senate, Chair
- Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Two academic deans selected by the Council of College Deans
- Eight Faculty Senators elected by the Faculty Senate
- One non-ex officio A/P faculty representative elected by CAPFA from: general administration, academic support, student affairs, Extension/public service
- One Staff Senator elected by the Staff Senate
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly elected by the Graduate Student Assembly
- One representative from the Student Government Association elected by the Student Government Association
D. Commission on Graduate Studies and Policies
Membership*:
- Dean of the Graduate School
- Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs
- One academic dean selected by the Council of College Deans
- Dean of University Libraries
- One representative of the off-campus centers appointed by the Provost
- Two Faculty Senators elected by the Faculty Senate
- One faculty representative from each of the academic colleges elected by the faculty in each of the colleges
- One representative from the Library Faculty Association elected by the Library Faculty Association
- One non-ex officio A/P faculty representative elected by CAPFA from: general administration, academic support, student affairs, Extension/public service
- One tenure-track faculty member from the Northern Virginia Campus appointed by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
- One Staff Senator elected by the Staff Senate
- Chief Justice of the Graduate Honor System
- Four Graduate Students elected by the Graduate Student Assembly (two must be Assembly members and at least three colleges must be represented by the four students)
- One representative from the Student Government Association elected by the Student Government Association
*The chair will be elected from among the non-administrative faculty and staff members of the commission by the commission membership.
E. Commission on Outreach and International Affairs
Membership*:
- Vice Provost for Outreach and International Affairs
- Associate Provost, International Affairs
- Director of Cooperative Extension
- Director of Economic Development
- Director of Outreach Program Development
- One academic dean selected by the Council of College Deans
- Two Faculty Senators elected by the Faculty Senate
- One faculty representative from each of the academic colleges elected by the faculty in each of the colleges
- Three elected representatives of the Cooperative Extension/public service non-ex officio A/P faculty (CAPFA to provide names of elected individuals)
- One member from the area of International Affairs who shall be the chair of the University Council on International Affairs (UCIA) or his/her designee
- One Staff Senator elected by the Staff Senate
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly elected by the Graduate Student Assembly
- One representative from the Student Government Association elected by the Student Government Association
Note: At least 2 faculty members on the Commission on Outreach and International Affairs will have experience in leading study abroad programs.
*The chair will be elected from among the non-administrative faculty and staff members of the commission by the commission membership. (Last updated February 21, 2005)
F. Commission on Research
Membership*:
- Vice President for Research
- One representative from the Office of the Vice Provost for Outreach and International Programs
- Associate Vice President for Research and Interdisciplinary Programs
- One academic dean selected by the Council of College Deans
- One department- or division-level administrative representative appointed by the President
- One representative of research-related interdisciplinary programs, groups or centers appointed by the President
- Two Faculty Senators elected by the Faculty Senate
- One faculty representative from each of the academic colleges elected by the faculty in each of the colleges
- One representative from the Library Faculty Association elected by the Library Faculty Association
- One non-ex officio A/P faculty representative elected by CAPFA from: general administration, academic support, student affairs, Extension/public service
- One Staff Senator elected by the Staff Senate
- One representative of the Graduate Student Assembly elected by the Graduate Student Assembly
- One representative of the Student Government Association elected by the Student Government Association
*The chair will be elected from among the non-administrative faculty and staff members of the commission by the commission membership.
G. Commission on Staff Policies and Affairs
Membership:
- Vice President of the Staff Senate, Chair
- Assistant Vice President for Human Resources
- One academic dean selected by the Council of College Deans
- Nine staff members elected by the Staff Senate
- Three from the Staff Senate
- Three from academic units
- Three from administrative units
- One administrative department head or equivalent appointed by the Executive Vice President
- One academic department head or equivalent appointed by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
- One non-ex officio A/P faculty representative elected by CAPFA from: general administration, academic support, student affairs, Extension/public service
- One Faculty Senator elected by the Faculty Senate
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly elected by the Graduate Student Assembly
- One representative from the Student Government Association elected by the Student Government Association (Last updated November 6, 2006 – BOV approved)
H. Commission on Student Affairs
Membership*:
- Vice President for Student Affairs
- Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate School
- Assistant Vice President(s), Student Affairs
- Assistant Provost and Director of Academic Support Services
- Associate Provost, Undergraduate Education
- Associate Vice President(s), Student Affairs
- Cadet Colonel of the Corps of Cadets
- Chair of the Black Organizations Council
- Chair, Student Budget Board
- Chief Justice, Graduate Honor System
- Chief Justice, Undergraduate Honor System
- Two representatives of the Graduate Student Assembly elected by the Graduate Student Assembly, including one master's and one doctoral candidate
- President, Asian American Student Union
- President, Black Student Alliance
- President, Council of International Student Organizations
- President, Graduate Student Assembly
- President, Interfraternity Council
- President, Latin Association of Student Organizations
- President, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Alliance
- President, National Pan-Hellenic Council
- President, Panhellenic Council
- President, Residence Hall Federation
- President, Student Government Association
- President, Virginia Tech Union
- President, Senior Class
- President, Junior Class
- President, Sophomore Class
- One non-ex officio A/P faculty representative elected by CAPFA from: general administration, academic support, student affairs, Extension/public service
- Two representatives from the Division of Student Affairs appointed by the Provost
- Three representatives from the faculty, elected by the Faculty Senate (one with a focus on graduate education and one with a focus on undergraduate education, and at least two of the three representatives will be senators)
- One Staff Senator elected by the Staff Senate
- Graduate Student representative to the Board of Visitors
- Undergraduate Student representative to the Board of Visitors
- Vice President of Membership, Graduate Student Assembly
- Vice President, Student Government Association
*The chair will be elected from among the non-administrative faculty, staff, graduate student and undergraduate student members of the commission by the commission membership. (Last updated May 2, 2005)
I. Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies
Membership*:
- Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Associate Dean of the Graduate School
- Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies
- The academic deans
- Two Faculty Senators elected by the Faculty Senate
- One faculty representative from each of the undergraduate academic colleges elected by the faculty in each of the colleges
- One representative from the Library Faculty Association elected by the Library Faculty Association
- One non-ex officio A/P faculty representative elected by CAPFA from: general administration, academic support, student affairs, Extension/public service
- One Staff Senator elected by the Staff Senate
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly elected by the Graduate Student Assembly
- Chief Justice of the Undergraduate Honor System
- Chair, Academic Affairs Committee of the Student Government Association
- Three other undergraduate students elected by the Student Government Association (at least three colleges are to be represented by the four undergraduate students)
*The chair will be elected from among the non-administrative faculty and staff members of the commission by the commission membership.
J. Commission on University Support
Membership*:
- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer or designee
- Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
- Vice President for Alumni Relations
- Vice President for Business Affairs
- Vice President for Development and University Relations
- Vice President for Information Technology
- Vice President for Student Affairs or designee
- Assistant Vice President for Facilities
- One academic dean selected by the Council of College Deans
- Five faculty elected by the Faculty Senate including two Senators
- One representative from the Library Faculty Association elected by the Library Faculty Association
- One non-ex officio A/P faculty representative elected from Extension/public service
- Two Staff Senators elected by the Staff Senate
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly elected by the Graduate Student Assembly
- One representative from the Student Government Association elected by the Student Government Association
*The chair will be elected from among the non-administrative faculty and staff members of the commission by the commission membership.
IV. University Advisory Councils
University Advisory Councils are established to carry out certain functions and operations of governance. When so established, the membership shall be as listed in the following section.
A. University Advisory Council on Strategic Budgeting and Planning
Membership:
- Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Co-Chair
- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Co-Chair
- Vice President for Budget and Financial Management
- University Director of Planning
- University Architect
- The following are appointed by the President from among the officers of each group:
- One officer of the Faculty Senate
- One officer from each of the academic college associations *
- One officer of the Library Faculty Association
- One officer of the Staff Senate
- One officer of the Graduate Student Assembly
- One officer of the Student Government Association
- The following are elected from among administrative and professional faculty in their respective areas:
- One non-ex officio A/P faculty representative elected by CAPFA from Extension/public service
- One non-ex officio A/P faculty representative elected by CAPFA from: general administration, academic support, or student affairs
* Faculty in colleges that do not have associations will elect two candidates for the Council and the President will select one of them to serve.
V. University Committees
Each of the University Committees, enumerated below, is appointed by the President of the University, as set forth in the Constitution of the University Council, Article IX.
A. Academic Support
Charge: To systematically review and provide advice on broad policy issues relating to academic support, including but not limited to the university calendar, scheduling and registration, scholarships and financial aid, classroom management, and summer school.
Reports to: Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies
Chairperson: The faculty representative from the Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies
Membership:
- Two Provost area representatives selected by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (three-year term)
- Vice President for Student Affairs or designee
- One Assistant/Associate Dean selected by the Council of College Deans (two-year term)
- The faculty representative from the Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies selected annually by the Commission (this person will also be the committee chairperson)
- One faculty representative from each of the academic colleges nominated by the faculty in each of the colleges (three-year term)
- One faculty senator nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One administrative and professional faculty representative nominated by the Commission on Administrative and Professional Faculty Affairs (three-year term)
- One staff representative nominated by the Staff Senate (three-year term)
- One student representative from the Commission on Student Affairs selected annually by the Commission (one-year term)
B. Athletics
Charge: To review and provide advice on broad policy issues relating to intercollegiate athletics.
- Provide advice to the Athletic Director on such matters as financial aid for student athletes, residential life for student athletes, program balance between revenue and non-revenue sports, recruiting, admissions, NCAA compliance, and general intercollegiate athletic budgetary and operational matters.
- Provide advice to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on matters related to academic progress of athletes, the admission policy for athletes, academic advising of athletes, and relations with academic departments and faculty in general.
- Participate in the search process for the selection of the Athletic Director. The Committee will also participate in periodic evaluations of the Athletic Director in coordination with the University official to whom the Athletic Director reports.
Reports to: Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies.
Chairperson: The President will annually appoint a chair from among its members.
Membership:
- Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
- Vice President for Student Affairs or designee
- Director of Athletics
- Director of Development for Intercollegiate Athletics
- President's appointed faculty representative to the NCAA
- One alumni representative of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association selected by the Vice President for Alumni Relations (three-year term)
- One college dean selected by the Council of College Deans (two-year term)
- One faculty representative from each of the academic colleges nominated by the faculty in each of the colleges (three-year term)
- One representative from the Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies selected annually by the Commission (one-year term)
- One representative selected by the Virginia Tech Athletic Fund Incorporated (three-year term)
- One faculty senator nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One administrative and professional faculty representative nominated by the Commission on Administrative and Professional Faculty Affairs (three-year term)
- One staff representative nominated by the Staff Senate (three-year term)
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly nominated by the Graduate Student Assembly (one-year term)
- One scholarship athlete selected by the Athletic Director (one-year term)
- One representative from the Student Government Association nominated by the Student Government Association (one-year term)
C. Building
Charge: To make recommendations concerning the physical development of the University and the planning and construction of University buildings and physical features.
Reports to: Commission on University Support.
Chairperson: The President will annually appoint a chair from among its members.
Membership:
- A Provost area representative selected by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (three-year term)
- The Vice President for Business Affairs (also representing the Commission on University Support)
- The Assistant Vice President for Facilities
- The Dean of Architecture and Urban Studies
- The University Architect
- One student affairs area representative selected by the Vice President for Student Affairs (three-year term)
- One dean from an academic college selected by the Council of College Deans (two-year term)
- Three faculty representatives nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One administrative and professional faculty representative nominated by the Commission on Administrative and Professional Faculty Affairs (three-year term)
- One staff representative nominated by the Staff Senate (three-year term)
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly nominated by the Graduate Student Assembly (one-year term)
- One representative from the Student Government Association nominated by the Student Government Association (one-year term)
D. Commencement
Charge: To plan and implement the University's Commencement programs.
Reports to: Commission on Faculty Affairs
Chairperson: The President will appoint a chair, usually for the three-year term.
Membership:
- President's Appointment as Chairperson
- The President’s Chief of Staff
- The Associate Vice President for University Relations
- The Commandant of Cadets
- One Physical Plant representative selected by the Assistant Vice President for Facilities (three-year term)
- The Director of Processions (selected by the Chairperson)
- The Director of Ushers (selected by the Chairperson)
- One Graduate School representative selected by the Dean of the Graduate School (three-year term)
- The Commencement Marshal (always the immediate past president of the Faculty Senate) (one-year term)
- One faculty representative from each academic college nominated by the faculty in each of the colleges (three-year term)
- One representative from the Commission on Undergraduate Studies selected annually by the Commission (one-year term)
- One staff representative nominated by the Staff Senate (three-year term)
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly nominated by the Graduate Student Assembly (one-year term)
- The President of Senior Class (one-year term)
- The President of Junior Class (one-year term)
E. Computing and Communications Resources
Charge: To make recommendations for the efficient utilization of the University's computer facilities and to recommend policies that relate to the operation, maintenance, and development of the University's communications network. The Committee's scope of concerns includes all instructional, research, extension, and administrative computing provided through the University's computing facilities, and all existing or proposed devices connected to the computing facilities.
Reports to: Commission on University Support.
Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson: The committee shall initially elect from its members a chairperson and vice-chairperson. The vice-chairperson shall succeed the chairperson in the next year. Each year after the first year, a new vice-chairperson shall be elected who will succeed the present chairperson.
Membership:
- The Vice President for Information Technology (also representing the Commission on University Support)
- The Director of Communications Network Services
- The Associate Vice President for Information Technology
- Nine at-large members of the faculty-A/P faculty-staff (with appropriate expertise) nominated by the Vice President for Information Systems in conjunction with the Presidents of the Faculty and Staff Senates and the chair of the Commission on Administrative and Professional Faculty Affairs (three-year term) (one must be an A/P faculty member and one must be a staff employee)
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly nominated by the Graduate Student Assembly (one-year term)
- One representative from the Student Government Association nominated by the Student Government Association (one-year term)
F. Employee Benefits Committee
Charge: To recommend policies and to advise the University Administration in matters relating to employee benefits.
Reports to: Commission on Staff Policies and Affairs, Commission on Faculty Affairs
Chairperson: The President will appoint a chair annually from among its members.
Membership:
- The Associate Vice President for Human Resources
- The Associate Provost for Academic Administration
- The University Benefits Programs Manager
- One faculty representative from the Commission on Faculty Affairs selected annually by the commission (one-year term)
- Three faculty senators nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One staff representative from the Commission on Staff Policies and Affairs selected annually by the Commission (one-year term)
- Three staff senators nominated by the Staff Senate (three-year term)
- One administrative and professional faculty representative nominated by the Commission on Administrative and Professional Faculty Affairs (three-year term)
G. Energy and Sustainability Committee
Charge: To review and provide advice to the University Administration on broad policy issues relating to the university’s energy supply and use, and resource conservation.
Reports to: Commission on University Support
Chairperson: The President will appoint a chair annually.
Membership:
H. Faculty Honorifics
Charge: To review credentials and achievements of candidates or nominees for University faculty awards or for University nominations for external awards as charged by the Provost or the President (where that responsibility is not vested in other committees), and to make recommendation to the Provost or the President, as appropriate. In addition, the Committee shall review nominations for honorary degrees to be awarded by the University.
Reports to : Commission on Faculty Affairs.
Chairperson: The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or a designee.
Membership:
- The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (also representing the Commission on Faculty Affairs)
- One Alumni Distinguished Professor nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One University Distinguished Professor nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One member of the Academy of Faculty Service nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One member of the Academy of Teaching Excellence nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One recipient of the Alumni Award for Excellence in Extension nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One recipient of the Alumni Award for Research Excellence nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One representative from the Named Professors nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
I. Graduate Curriculum
Charge: To address the issues formerly under the auspices of the Course and Program Criteria Committee.
Reports to: Commission on Graduate Studies and Policies
Chairperson: Vice-chair (chair-elect) of Commission on Graduate Studies and Policies
Membership:
- One Graduate School representative selected by the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate School (three-year term)
- One Enrollment Services representative selected by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs (three-year term)
- The vice-chair of the Commission on Graduate Studies and Policies
- *One faculty representative from each of the academic college graduate curriculum committees selected by the curriculum committees (two-year term)
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly nominated by the Graduate Student Assembly (one-year term)
*Committee chairperson will solicit names in Spring of each academic year.
J. Honor System Review Board
Charge: To review recommended Honor System verdicts and penalties and to make recommendations to the President concerning same, as specified in Honor System Constitution.
Reports to: Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies
Chairperson: Administrative or Faculty Committee Member Appointed by the President
Membership:
- Two Provost area representatives selected by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (three-year term) (one will also represent the Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies)
- Two faculty representatives nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- Appropriate student members as outlined in Constitution of Honor System: Chief Justice, Associate Chief Justice, Six Associate Justices (one-year terms)
K. Intellectual Property
Charge: To make policy recommendations to the Provost dealing with patents, copyrights, and related mechanisms for the protection/exploitation of intellectual properties.
Reports to: Commission on Research.
Chairperson: Associate Vice President for Research
Membership:
- The Vice President for Research (also representing the Commission on Research)
- Associate Vice President for Research and Interdisciplinary Studies
- Assistant Vice President and Controller, Virginia Tech Foundation, Inc.
- The University Legal Counsel (or designee)
- The Executive Vice President of VTIP
- Nine at-large members of the faculty-A/P faculty-staff (with patent and copyright experience) nominated by the Associate Vice President for Research in conjunction with the Presidents of the Faculty and Staff Senates and the chair of the Commission on Administrative and Professional Faculty Affairs (three-year term) (one must be an A/P faculty member and one must be a staff employee)
L. Library
Charge: To disseminate knowledge and make recommendations concerning policies, services, and development of the University's libraries.
Reports to: Commission on Graduate Studies and Policies; Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies; and Commission on Research.
Chairperson: The President will annually appoint a chair from among its members.
Membership:
- The Dean of University Libraries (also representing the Commission on Graduate Studies and Policies)
- One faculty representative from each of the academic colleges nominated by the faculty in each of the colleges (three-year term)
- One faculty senator nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- Library faculty representative on the Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies (concurrent with CUSP term)
- Library faculty representative on the Commission on Research (concurrent with COR term)
- One staff representative nominated by the Staff Senate (three-year term)
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly nominated by the Graduate Student Assembly (one-year term)
- One representative from the Student Government Association nominated by the Student Government Association (one-year term) (Last updated April 18, 2005)
M. Transportation and Parking
Charge: To recommend policies relating to the regulation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic and vehicular parking on the University campus.
Reports to: Commission on University Support.
Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson: The committee shall initially elect from its members a chairperson and vice chairperson. The vice chairperson shall succeed the chairperson in the next year. Each year after the first year, a new vice chairperson shall be elected who will succeed the present chairperson.
Membership:
- The Parking Manager
- The Chief of the Virginia Tech Police Department or designee
- One faculty representative from the Commission on University Support selected annually by the Commission (one-year term)
- The Director of Transportation and Records Management
- Three faculty representatives nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One administrative and professional faculty representative nominated by the Commission on Administrative and Professional Faculty Affairs (three-year term)
- Three staff representatives nominated by the Staff Senate (three-year term)
- One representative from the Graduate Student Assembly nominated by the Graduate Student Assembly (one-year term)
- One representative from the Student Government Association nominated by the Student Government Association (one-year term) (Last updated February 20, 2006)
N. University Curriculum Committee for Liberal Education
Charge: To give leadership to the Curriculum for Liberal Education and to make final curricular recommendations to CUSP concerning the inclusion of courses in the Curriculum for Liberal Education.
Reports to: Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies.
Chairperson: Faculty member of the committee, elected by the committee and having previously served as vice-chair of the committee
Membership:
- The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or a designee.
- One Division of Student Affairs representative selected by the Vice President for Student Affairs (three-year term)
- Two faculty members selected by the Provost (three-year term)
- *One faculty representative selected by each undergraduate college curriculum committee (three-year term)
- Two faculty representatives nominated by the Faculty Senate (three-year term)
- One faculty representative from the Commission on Undergraduate Studies and Policies selected annually by the Commission (one-year term)
- Two representatives from the Student Government Association nominated by the Student Government Association (one-year term)
*Committee chairperson will solicit names in Spring of each academic year.
VI. Operational Committees
Operational Committees are created (or dissolved), appointed, and charged by the University Provost or one of the Vice Presidents or Vice Provosts, not requiring but subject to University Council action, as set forth in the Constitution of the University Council, Article X.
When creating, dissolving or changing the composition or charge of an Operational Committee, the appointing officer shall inform the University Council of the action being taken.
Appointing officers shall report to the Office of the President the names of the chairpersons and members of Operational Committees, and inform that Office when new persons are appointed and old members replaced.
The Office of the President will have available upon request a current list of Operational Committees, noting for each its appointing officer, its charge, its chairperson, and its membership.