STRUCTURE OF THE COMMITTEE

The Diversity and Inclusion Committee consists of 11 members. Elected committee members are drawn from each of the disciplinary domains in the College (Arts and Humanities, Math and Natural Sciences, Social Sciences).  Each domain is represented by one tenure track faculty member, one non-tenure track faculty member, and one at-large faculty member of any rank. The Diversity and Inclusion Fellow (DIFF) is appointed by the Dean to the Committee and acts as Chair, and an Associate Dean from the College Office acts as an ex-officio member.  

1. The term for each elected Committee member is three years. The terms of members from each disciplinary domain are staggered so that one position in the domain becomes open for an election each year. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms. If a member continuously serves for six years, then that member must leave the Committee for at least one year before returning to it.
2. An ex-officio Associate Dean serves on the Committee at the pleasure of the Dean.
3. The election for committee membership takes place at the end of each spring semester.
   
   1. The DIFF and College Office will maintain election and membership records.
4. A quorum is required when the full committee meets, where a quorum is a simple majority of members.
5. Attendance & Participation Policy:
   1. It is the responsibility of Committee members to attend all Committee meetings and participate in Committee business (e.g., subcommittee work, email discussions, etc.).
   2. If a member cannot attend a meeting, that member may not be replaced by a proxy.
   3. Committee members on leave for either a semester or academic year will be temporarily replaced by a runner up from the same election results. If the runner up is unable or unwilling to serve, or there is a tie vote, the member will be replaced by a candidate elected by the Committee for the remainder of the term.
   4. If an elected member cannot serve or steps down, a runner up from the same election results will be selected as a replacement. If the runner up is unable or unwilling to serve, or there is a tie vote, the member will be replaced by a candidate elected by the Committee for the remainder of the term.
      
   5. In consultation with the full Committee or a quorum of the full Committee, the DIFF may remove a non-functioning member of the Committee for substantial lack of participation in Committee business. The removed member may appeal the DIFF’s decision to the Dean.
   6. An affirmative vote requires more than 50% of the quorum.
6. Subcommittees will prepare a written activity report summarizing their work at the end of each semester.
7. Meeting minutes shall be recorded at each Diversity and Inclusion Committee meeting.
8. Future revisions to the bylaws require a two-thirds majority vote of the elected committee.

Each division (Math and Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities) will elect three representatives: one TT, one NTT and one at large.

Faculty in each division will vote for their representatives and Faculty will be given the chance to opt out.

1. The term for each elected Committee member is 3 years. The terms of members from each disciplinary domain are staggered so that one position in the domain becomes open for an election each year. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms. If a member continuously serves for six years, then that member must leave the Committee for at least one year before returning to it.
2. The ex-officio Associate Dean serves on the Committee at the pleasure of the Dean.
3. Election for committee membership takes place during the normal College election cycle.
   1. The DIFF and College Office will maintain election and membership records.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION FACULTY FELLOW

The Diversity Committee is chaired by a Diversity and Inclusion Faculty Fellow (DIFF), who is selected by the Dean and is a voting member. The DIFF will serve a 3-year term, with the option for a one-time renewal and will be trained on best practices in diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education contexts.  The DIFF will also consult professionals on campus for further advice on campus best practices.  The college will assist with professional development costs and a summer stipend to support research and preparation for implementation of fall programs.  The position will account for 50% of the DIFF’s workload. 

The DIFF will report to the Dean and

1.    work to enhance the diversity of College faculty and develop programming that promotes greater inclusiveness in the College and the greater University;
2.    collect, analyze, and share hiring and promotion/tenure data for College faculty in underrepresented groups;
3.    advocate for faculty with diverse backgrounds;
4.    conduct, maintain, and distribute research on diversity and inclusion issues (e.g. implicit bias in hiring, promoting, and retaining faculty from underrepresented groups);
5.    log, archive, and update presentations made to search committees and to Chairs/Directors, and
6.    be the primary liaison for the College regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion issues/initiatives for faculty across the University.