Constitution and Bylaws of the School of Natural Resources and Environment

(We have archived the documents as well as the meeting minutes of the forums that aided in our newly ratified Constitution and Bylaws.)

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE 1.
The name of the School is School of Natural Resources and Environment.

ARTICLE 2.
Operation of the School shall be within the policies of the Board of Trustees, the Constitution of the University of Florida, University Rules as set forth in the Florida Administrative Code, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

ARTICLE 3.
The mission of the School of Natural Resources and Environment is to enhance understanding of the interaction of natural systems and society and to develop the intellectual capacity to address the environmental and natural resource issues facing Florida, the nation, and the world.

ARTICLE 4.
The School provides leadership that supports the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary academic programs, research, and outreach/Extension. The School is the programmatic home for interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate degree programs in ecology and environmental science that prepare students to understand and address complex science, policy, management, and socio-economic issues. The School supports research and outreach/Extension that advances solutions to ecological and environmental challenges at the local, state, national, and international level.

ARTICLE 5.
Faculty membership and voting privileges in the School shall be determined according to criteria established in the Bylaws. The Faculty of the School or appropriate committees thereof shall exercise control over the academic affairs of the School, subject to approval by the President, duly constituted curriculum committees, the Graduate Council, the Faculty Senate, and the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE 6.
Students may enter the School, to major in its undergraduate curricula or seek graduate degrees, according to admission requirements established by the Faculty and the University.

ARTICLE 7.
The School may administer Centers, Institutes, or other entities designed to achieve the goals of the School and University.

ARTICLE 8.
Initial approval of this Constitution shall require a majority vote of those present at a duly noticed meeting, or of electronic or mail-in ballots, or other suitable means, from among faculty members, provided that written notice of the proposed Constitution is made available at least 30 days prior to any voting process. Following its initial approval, the Faculty of the School may amend or repeal, by a two-thirds vote, any provisions contained in these Articles of Constitution, provided that written notice of the proposed change is given at least 30 days before a meeting at which a vote is taken.

ARTICLE 9.
The Faculty of the School, by majority vote, is authorized to establish Bylaws for the School consistent with these Articles of the Constitution, and to amend them as needed.


BYLAWS

ARTICLE ONE. PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES.
Section 1.
The goals of the School of Natural Resources and Environment shall be consistent with the mission articulated in the Constitution and shall:
A. link the strengths of University of Florida scholars to stimulate new activities in teaching, research, and outreach/Extension;
B. offer rigorous, science-based, interdisciplinary education to undergraduate majors to prepare them to understand the relationships between natural systems and society;
C. offer graduate education that integrates the natural and social sciences, basic and applied science, and core disciplines and professional fields of study;
D. create opportunities for faculty and students to conduct interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research needed to understand and solve critical environmental and natural resource problems;
E. provide the state of knowledge to users beyond the campus to benefit the human and natural community at the state, national, and international level.

Section 2.
To achieve the goals of the School, the School shall:
A. develop degree programs and offer curricula and degrees;
B. convene a Faculty to do the work of the School;
C. cooperate with other administrative units at the University of Florida and at other universities in interdisciplinary efforts;
D. foster the conduct of scholarly research; and
E. foster the provision of service to entities outside of the University.

Section 3.
The School's curricula shall cut across traditional disciplines and professions to provide students access to broad, coherent programs of study. The School may request that departments offer new courses or that content of existing courses be examined in light of the goals of the School. The School may also hire faculty to teach courses, do research or conduct outreach/Extension activities.

Section 4.
Faculty and student participation in School activities shall be credited to the members' home units as well as to the School.

ARTICLE TWO. ADMINISTRATION.
Section 1.
The administrative officers of the School shall be a Senior Associate Dean/Director, Director of Academic Programs, and Director of Research and Outreach. The Vice President shall be advised on new appointments to these offices by a search and screen committee with participation by the Affiliate Faculty. The advice of the SNRE Faculty Council shall be solicited in choosing the members of the search and screen committee.

ARTICLE THREE. FACULTY MEMBERSHIP.
Section 1.
All members of the University of Florida faculty who hold the academic rank of instructor or above (including equivalent-rank faculty employed in research and/or outreach positions such as Assistant or Associate Scientist and IFAS Extension faculty) in the departments or other organizational units of the University in which they are appointed shall be eligible to be appointed as members of the Affiliate Faculty of the School.

Section 2.
The criterion for acceptance of members into the Affiliate Faculty of the School shall be substantial participation in the work of the School, including:
A. teaching a course that is an important part of the curriculum; or
B. academic advisement of undergraduate or graduate students in the School; or
C. participation in School committees; or
D. administration in the School; or
E. conducting research or outreach/Extension activities under auspices of the School.

Section 3.
Nominations to the Affiliate Faculty of the School shall be presented by the Director of the School to the SNRE Faculty Council for action. The participation of the member in the School shall be approved by the member's immediate supervisor in his or her home administrative unit.

Section 4.
Evidence of engagement in the work of the School by each member of the Faculty may be reviewed by the Director periodically. In the event that a member is found to be inactive, the Director shall, after conferring with the member, recommend to the SNRE Faculty Council that the member's status be revoked until such time as the member resumes activity in the School.

Section 5.
The School may appoint or hire individuals to the Affiliate Faculty in the following specific roles:
A. Part-time Appointments – A faculty member of the University may choose to have some of his or her effort assigned to the School, with concurrence of the administrator(s) of the School and the faculty member’s home unit. In the case of faculty on 9-month (0.75 FTE) appointments, the School may offer an additional 0.25 FTE to work in the programs of the School, or a portion of the 9-month appointment may be assigned to the School at the discretion of the college Dean and the faculty member. Such faculty members appointed part-time to the School will maintain their tenure-track or tenure and professional rank in their home administrative unit. Such faculty assigned part-time to the School will be evaluated jointly by the Director or Director’s representative and the administrator of the faculty member’s home unit.

B. Joint Appointments – Full-time faculty may be hired to conduct work in the School. The School shall not hold tenure for such appointees. Instead, as part of the hiring process, the appointee will be invited to select another department of the University as his or her tenure home. Normally such joint appointments will be allocated as half-time in the School and half-time in the tenure-home unit. Such joint appointees shall be jointly evaluated by the School Director and the administrator of the tenure-home unit.

C. Senior Fellows – Senior individuals from other universities, institutions, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, or the private sector may choose to come to the University in residence, on sabbatical, or to conduct short-term projects in natural resources, ecology, and the environment. They may choose to reside directly in the School (Senior Fellow) or have adjunct status with the School while residing in an academic department (Adjunct Senior Fellow). These Fellows would be temporary appointments with funding from a variety of sources. A Senior Fellow will be a scholar, practitioner, or professional who has made or has the potential to make a unique or original contribution to natural resources, ecology, or the environment.

Section 6.
Nominees to the Graduate Faculty of the School normally will be limited to those Affiliate Faculty of the School who hold Graduate Faculty status in their home academic units. However, the SNRE Faculty Council may review nominees who do not already have Graduate Faculty status in another unit.

Section 7.
The Director shall maintain a roster of the Faculty eligible to vote on matters coming before the School. Emeritus faculty not employed by the University during a current academic year and faculty holding Visiting, Adjunct, and Courtesy appointments shall not have voting privileges in the School.

ARTICLE FOUR. POWERS.
Section 1.
The Affiliate Faculty shall determine the arrangement and content of the curricula, membership of the Graduate Faculty of the School, and shall promulgate academic regulations as they deem necessary. The Affiliate Faculty shall be invited to engage in formal strategic planning activities of the School.

Section 2.
The SNRE Faculty Council shall determine the membership of the Affiliate Faculty.
Section 3. The Director of the School shall administer the academic policies of the Faculty, execute the administrative policies of the University, and coordinate School activities with other units of the University.

ARTICLE FIVE. MEETINGS.
Section 1.
One meeting per year of the Affiliate Faculty of the School shall be called by the Director to report on the state of the School and other matters of interest to the Faculty. Meetings also may be called at the discretion of the Director or the Director’s representative or upon written petition by 10 percent of the Affiliate Faculty members.

Section 2.
The Affiliate Faculty shall be notified by the Director or the Director's representative in writing of the time, place, and proposed agenda of each meeting. Such notification shall be given at least 7 days in advance of the meeting.

Section 3.
A quorum shall consist of the eligible voting faculty members present. No proxies shall be recognized.

Section 4.
All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the parliamentary law as set forth in Robert's Rules of Order.

ARTICLE SIX. ADVISORY COUNCILS.
Section 1.
The School administrator(s) shall be advised by a Faculty Advisory Council. The Faculty Advisory Council shall consist of eleven participating Affiliate Faculty, as follows: three each from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, and College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, one from another college of the University, and one at large. The latter two positions shall be filled by the SNRE Faculty Council. CLAS, COE, and CALS each shall appoint three members elected by and from the Affiliate Faculty in each of their respective colleges. The President of the Undergraduate Student Council and the President of the Graduate Student Council shall be invited to participate in Faculty Advisory Council meetings as non-voting members. The Faculty Advisory Council will advise the School on degree programs and curriculum issues, on research and outreach activities, and on the most appropriate ways for the School to achieve the broader mission of the University in natural resources, ecology, and the environment.

Section 2.
The School Director shall be advised by an External Advisory Council. Membership shall represent a cross-section of natural-resource and environment-related private-sector groups, citizens, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations. The External Advisory Council shall advise School administrators on the strengths, weaknesses, and extramural needs of academic, research, and outreach programs. Members shall be appointed by the Director.

ARTICLE SEVEN. COMMITTEES.
Section 1.
Committees of the Faculty shall be either Standing Committees or Special Committees. The Director or the Director’s representative may serve as an ex-officio member of any committee, without voting privileges unless specifically provided in these Bylaws.

Section 2.
Members of Standing Committees shall be appointed by the Director or Director’s representative. The term of membership shall be 1 year and may be renewed. Standing Committees shall have administrative support from the Director’s office.

Section 3.
The Standing Committees are:
A. Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. The Committee shall engage in a continuing program of assessment of School-wide policies that have direct influence on the quality of academic programs at the undergraduate level. The Committee shall review existing curricula, on its own initiative or in response to recommendations by the Director or Director’s representative, and vote on recommendations to the University for action. The Committee may recommend existing courses to be added to or deleted from the School curricula, and it may recommend that new course subjects or content be offered.

B. Graduate Program Committee. The Graduate Program Committee shall review existing curricula, on its own initiative or in response to recommendations by the Director or Director’s representative, and vote on recommendations to the University for action. The Committee may recommend existing courses to be added to or deleted from the School curricula, and it may recommend that new course subjects or content be offered. The Committee also shall review nominations to the Graduate Faculty of the School and vote on whether to recommend nominees to the Graduate School for action.

C. Operating Committee. The Operating Committee shall consist of School administrators and any Joint Faculty of the School. In addition, Part-time Appointees and Senior Fellows may, at the discretion of the Director, be appointed to the Operating Committee. The Operating Committee shall meet periodically to discuss implementation of the strategies of the School, day-to-day activities and operations, and opportunities and plans for the future. The Operating Committee shall specifically identify items of business to be taken to the Faculty Advisory Council for discussion.

Section 4.
Special Committees may be authorized by the Director or by vote of the Affiliate Faculty for any purpose not provided for in Standing Committees. A Special Committee shall automatically go out of existence after a period of 2 years unless reauthorized by the Director or unless converted into a Standing Committee by a change of these Bylaws.

ARTICLE EIGHT. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS.
Section 1.
Proposed amendments to these Bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the Affiliate Faculty not less than 14 days prior to a duly called faculty meeting.

Section 2.
Proposed amendments to these Bylaws shall be accepted by a majority vote of those Affiliate Faculty present at a duly called faculty meeting.

Last Modified:  April 20, 2004