Indiana University School of Social Work Constitution

1. Purpose
   The purpose of the School Assembly is to provide a forum within which administrators, faculty, staff and students, through direct participation or through representation, can exercise their responsibility for sustaining the School Mission and the general policies and procedures of the School.
2. Authority
   The School Assembly has the authority to work with all stakeholders to (i) define and monitor the School Mission, (ii) identify and resolve topics of concern, (iii) nurture and oversee a sense of community, and (iv) provide an ongoing forum for discussion and action on those issues of mutual concern not under the authority of the Faculty Senate. The School Assembly explicitly engages to Ensure a Diverse and Inclusive Environment, Enhance Teaching and Learning, Strengthen School Infrastructure, and Increase Community and Global Engagement.
3. Membership
   Assembly membership is open to all staff, faculty, and student representatives.
4. Presiding Officer
   The Dean or his/her designee is the chair of the School Assembly.
5. Meetings
   The School Assembly meets no less than once each semester. Each Foundational Structure makes a written report in advance of each School Assembly meeting and the School Assembly votes whether to accept or reject the report. The meeting agenda is set by the Dean or his/her designee. Additional meetings may be called as prescribed in the By-Laws.
6. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees
   The School Assembly has the authority to establish committees it deems necessary to help fulfill its function. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees may be established by majority vote of the School Assembly. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committee membership eligibility and criteria are determined by the School Assembly and based on the need and scope of the committee’s mandate.
7. Foundational Structures
   The School Assembly has authority to establish, abolish, and amend the charge of Foundational Structures. A two-thirds majority vote of the School Assembly is required to establish, abolish, or amend the charge of a Foundational Structure.

1. Purpose
   The purpose of the Faculty Senate is to provide a forum within which the faculty can exercise its traditional responsibility for the development and maintenance of the academic standards of the School. This includes matters directly related to the curriculum, admissions, the conferring of degrees, and faculty selection, retention, promotion and tenure. The Faculty Senate is responsible for overall faculty governance.
2. Authority
   The Faculty Senate has authority, consistent with the areas enumerated in the Indiana University Faculty Handbook, including:
   1. Standards of admission, retention, and graduation of students.
   2. Determination of the curriculum.
   3. Standards and procedures concerning faculty appointments, retention, promotion, and tenure. Final hiring authority rests with the Dean.
   4. Conferral of degrees.
   5. Standards and procedures for governing the Faculty Senate.
   6. Establishment of student standards of conduct.
   7. All educational policies.
   8. Establishment of other advisory groups as needed.
   9. Other matters that specifically relate to academic standards.
3. Membership
   Individuals with full-time faculty or faculty-equivalent appointments are voting members of the Faculty Senate. This includes tenured and tenure- track, non-tenure track, clinical faculty, and visiting instructors with full-time appointments. Only tenured and tenure-track faculty may vote on matters pertaining directly to the promotion and tenure of tenured and tenure-track faculty.
4. Officers
   1. The Officers include the Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary of the Faculty Senate. The presiding officer is the Chair of the Faculty Senate, who is to be elected from among tenured faculty members. Faculty members with 50% administrative appointments or less are eligible.
   2. All officers are elected for a two-year term by the Faculty Senate from among full-time faculty and serve for no more than two consecutive terms.
   3. Duties of the Chair are to:
      1. Preside at all meetings of the Faculty Senate.
      2. Designate and announce the time and place for regular or special meetings of the Faculty Senate.
      3. Develop and promulgate an agenda for all meetings of the Faculty Senate.
   4. Duties of the Secretary are to:
      1. Record, and to provide for the distribution of, minutes of the Faculty Senate meetings.
      2. Conduct all faculty elections including that of the Secretary.
      3. Keep and maintain accurate minutes and archives of the Faculty Senate and associated business.
      4. In the temporary absence of both the Chair and the Vice Chair, preside over Faculty Senate meetings and execute essential duties to maintain Senate operations until the Chair or Vice Chair resumes their role or until a special election is held
      5. Serve as parliamentarian to guide Constitutional procedure.
   5. Duties of the Vice Chair are to:
      1. Serve as the primary liaison to student, staff, and alumni councils, ensuring bidirectional communication and collaborative engagement on issues of shared interest.
      2. Assist in maintaining an open and transparent communication flow between the Faculty Senate and other components of the School to promote a culture of collaboration and shared governance.
      3. In the temporary absence of the Chair, preside over meetings and execute the duties of the Chair.
      4. If the Chair is unable to complete their term, assume the duties of Chair until a special election is held.
5. Meetings
   The Faculty Senate generally meets monthly or as needed. Additional meetings may be called as prescribed in the By-laws.
6. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees

   The Faculty Senate has the authority to establish committees it deems necessary to help fulfill its function. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees may be established by majority vote of the faculty Senate. Membership eligibility and criteria are determined by the Faculty Senate and based on the need and scope of the committee’s mandate.

   Other than the Promotion and Tenure Committee, committees may be established by majority vote of the Faculty Senate.

1. Purpose
   This council is the internal advisory body to the Dean of the Indiana University School of Social Work. It is a key forum through which faculty, staff, students and alumni communicate ideas, evaluate opportunities, consider priorities, and recommend strategies to achieve the mission of the School. This body explores opportunities and challenges with potential to impact the School, as well as other issues involving the interests, operations, and mission of the School of Social Work.
2. Membership
   The Dean’s Advisory Council is made up of the Dean, Associate Deans, Director of Fiscal Affairs, Senior Directors, Campus Directors, Labor Studies Chair, and chair or designee of each the Faculty Senate, Staff Advisory Council, Student Advisory Council (2 representatives), BSW, MSW, and PhD Curriculum Committees, and Alumni Association.
3. Organization
   The Dean’s Advisory Council meets at least once per semester. Agenda and issues for discussion are generated by the members. Additional meetings may be planned at the discretion of the group.
4. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees
   The Dean’s Advisory Council has the authority to establish committees it deems necessary to help fulfill its function. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees may be established by majority vote of the Dean’s Advisory Council. Standing, and Ad-Hoc Committee membership eligibility and criteria are determined by Dean’s Advisory Council and based on the need and scope of the committee’s mandate. A simple majority vote of the Council is sufficient to establish a Committee.

1. Purpose
   The Technology Advisory Council is the primary body to advise the dean on technologies and technology-related matters that impact the School. It is a forum in which members may discuss, review, and make recommendations relevant to technology constructed, implemented, and/or evaluated by the School. It is a forum to discuss current and relevant federal, state, and institutional regulations, policies, and procedures on technology in higher education and their impact on IUSSW. The Council makes recommendations to the dean, faculty, and/or staff on the best uses of technology to maximize efficiencies and to review manual usage. The Council evaluates the School's alignment with Federal, State, and University's technology policies and regulations and makes recommended changes, modifications, or updates to ensure compliance. 
2. Membership
   The Technology Advisory Council is comprised of a minimum of one of the School’s IT staff, the Director or Associate Director of the Office of e-Social Work Education and Practice, a minimum of one course designer, and a minimum of two faculty members with a history of teaching and/or research in distance education or technology-mediated practices.

1. Purpose
   The purpose of the Staff Council is to provide a forum within which support staff may discuss, review and make recommendations relevant to their rights and responsibilities as employees of the School of Social Work. These include, but are not limited to, such matters directly related to School and University staff personnel policies, staff development, technology diversity, equity and inclusion, and the general quality of the work environment at the School.
2. Membership
   The Staff Advisory Council consists of all staff employees of all programs on all campuses whose role and function relate directly to matters of maintenance and support of the School of Social Work. Participation is optional but encouraged.
   Organization
3. The Council determines procedures for its own organization including the method for determining its chair, matters or issues for its agenda, identification of its representative to the Dean’s Advisory Council, and provisions for advising the School administration about issues to be brought before the School Assembly or the Faculty Senate.
4. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees
   The Staff Council has the authority to establish committees it deems necessary to help fulfill its function. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees may be established by majority vote of the Staff Council. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committee membership eligibility and criteria are determined by Staff Council and based on the need and scope of the committee’s mandate. A simple majority vote of the Council is sufficient to establish a Committee.

1. Purpose
   The Council functions to ensure that the Indiana University School of Social Work provides guidance, support, and accountability in alignment with the values of the social work profession and the initiatives led across Indiana University campuses and their communities.
2. Membership
   The Community and Belonging Council is open to all staff, faculty, students and alumni who elect to serve on the Council. The Community and Belonging Council is considered as one of the required service committee opportunities for faculty and staff, on the same level as BSW, MSW, and PhD Program Committees. At least one member of the Community and Belonging Council is required to participate in every search and screen committee.
3. Chair
   The Council elects two Co-chairs from among its members at its first meeting convened by the Co-chairs of the Community and Belonging Committee. One of the two co-chairs must be among those tenured faculty members with less than half-time administrative appointments. The Co-chairs each serve a two-year term.
4. Secretary
   The Council elects a secretary from among its members to record and to provide for the distribution of minutes of the Community and Belonging Council meetings to the full School Assembly.
5. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees
   The Council has the authority to establish committees it deems necessary to help fulfill its function. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees may be established by majority vote of the Community and Belonging Council. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committee membership eligibility and criteria are determined by Community and Belonging Council and based on the need and scope of the committee’s mandate. A simple majority vote of the Council is sufficient to establish a Committee. 

1. Purpose
   The Budgetary Affairs Council is the primary body to advise the dean on fiscal related matters. The Council reviews the budget annually with Dean and Director of Fiscal Affairs. It provides faculty and staff perspectives, advising the Dean on budgetary affairs, especially how allocation/re-allocation of financial resources impact the economic wellbeing of the faculty, staff, academic programs, and strategic priorities. Members of the Council inform Faculty Senate and Staff Council on budgeting procedures, points of potential input into budgetary decisions, and other financial and resource matters affecting the mission of the School.
2. Membership
   The Budgetary Affairs Council is comprised of elected members, including 4 Social Work faculty, 1 Labor Studies faculty, and 2 staff members. Faculty and staff are elected through the School Assembly. One such elected faculty member shall serve as the IUSSW representative on the IUI Faculty Budgetary Affairs Committee and serve in an ex officio capacity on the IUSSW Budgetary Affairs Council.
3. Organization
   The Budgetary Affairs Council meets a minimum of once per semester.
4. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees
   The Budgetary Affairs Committee has the authority to establish committees it deems necessary to help fulfill its function. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees may be established by majority vote of the Budgetary Affairs Committee. Standing and Ad-Hoc Committee membership eligibility and criteria are determined by Budgetary Affairs Committee. and based on the need and scope of the committee’s mandate. A simple majority vote of the Committee is sufficient to establish a Committee.

1. Subject to the provisions and limitations identified in the Constitution, eligible members of the Faculty Senate may be self-nominated or nominate any other eligible member of the Senate to run for the offices of Chair, Vice Chair, or Secretary of the Faculty Senate.
2. No one individual may serve simultaneously as Chair, Vice Chair, and/or Secretary of the Faculty Senate.
3. The incumbent Secretary of the Faculty manages the nomination process and conducts the elections.
4. The Secretary of the Faculty notifies members of the Faculty Senate of the nomination process by the first Monday in March.
5. All nominations must be submitted to the Secretary by the third Monday in March.
6. Election ballots listing all eligible nominated candidates are sent to the members of the Faculty Senate by the fourth Monday in March.
7. Ballots must be returned to the Secretary by the second Monday in April. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for a given office is declared the winner.
8. In the event of a tie, a run-off election is conducted by the Secretary to be completed no later than the second Monday in May.
9. Should circumstances arise that prevent the conduct of fair and impartial elections, the current officers confer and conduct an interim election. Ratification of these decisions or elections must take place at the next Faculty Senate meeting, provided a quorum is present.

1. The IUSSW P&T Committee will consist of 14 members who have been promoted and/or awarded tenure: The Non-Tenure Track Sub-Committee consists of 7 Senior Lecturers, Teaching Professors, Clinical Associate Faculty. The Tenure Track Sub-Committee consists of 7 Social Work and/or Labor Studies faculty.
2. All tenured Social Work and Labor Studies Faculty and all non-tenure track faculty who have been promoted are eligible to be placed on the ballot except for:
   1. Administrators with evaluative functions (Dean, Associate Dean for Academics, Director of Field)
   2. Those already serving out a term on the P&T Committee
   3. Those who plan to retire during the coming academic year
   4. Those approved for a sabbatical in the coming academic year
   5. Those serving as Chair, Vice Chair, or Secretary of Faculty Senate
   6. Those just recently tenured or promoted in the past year
   7. Those going up for Full Professor in the coming academic year
   8. Those who are completing 4 consecutive years of service
3. The election is conducted by the Secretary of the Faculty Senate.
4. Tenure-track faculty (both Social Work & Labor Studies) will vote to fill any open tenure-track positions.  Non-tenure track faculty will vote to fill any open non-tenure track positions.

1. Committees elect one of their members to serve as chair.
2. The election of committee chairs takes place at the first committee meeting of the academic year.
3. The meeting at which the election of the chair takes place is convened, and the election conducted by the most recent chair, or the chair’s designee.
4. The person conducting the election is not eligible to vote unless they are a current member of the committee

1. Definition: The Academic Program Committee is a Standing Committee of Faculty Senate.  The Academic Program Committees include a committee for each degree-offering program of the IU School of Social Work. 
2. Purpose: For its respective degree program, each committee is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the program, developing proposals to modify the program’s curriculum or educational policy, and identifying pertinent issues for consideration by appropriate bodies at the School. 
3. Membership: Each committee is made up of faculty and student representative(s) who elect to serve on the specific committee for each academic year. 
4. Committees: Each Academic Program Committee has the authority to establish sub-committees, ad hoc committees, and task forces it deems necessary to help fulfill its functions.   

1. Purpose: The purpose of the Educational Assessment Committee is to monitor and coordinate the School's assessment processes to ensure the IUSSW stays in compliance with CSWE accreditation standards, maintains a quality curriculum resulting in desired student outcomes, and sustains a positive School climate. Additionally, the Committee communicates assessment outcomes regularly to the faculty and collaborates with the dean, relevant associate deans, program committees, program directors, and/or faculty leads as needed to address implications of assessment results and identify potential program improvements as indicated.
2. Membership: Members include the Chair of the BSW program committee, Senior BSW program director, Chair of the MSW program committee, senior MSW program director, Director of Field Education, Chair of the Distance Education Committee, and the faculty leads for all sub-curricular areas. The Chair of the Committee should intentionally ensure there is representation on the Committee from across the IUSSW campuses.
3. Chair: The Committee is chaired by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

1. Definition: The Student Affairs Committee has faculty representation from all academic programs and all faculty.
2. Purpose: The purpose of the Student Affairs Committee is to coordinate policies for admissions, student recruitment, retention and standards of conduct for all students of the IU School of Social Work.

1. Purpose: Promotion and Tenure is a Standing Committee of Faculty Senate. The purpose of the Promotion and Tenure Committee, as the School's Unit Committee, is to conduct reviews of faculty to provide the basis for advising and recommending to faculty and the Dean on matters of faculty retention, tenure and promotion. The Promotion and Tenure Committee also reviews, as appropriate, School of Social Work policies and procedures dealing with the faculty review process and submits recommendations for revisions to the tenure track and tenured members of the Faculty Senate for approval.
2. Membership: The Promotion and Tenure Committee consists of fourteen faculty members elected by the eligible members of the Faculty Senate. The Dean, Associate Dean(s), Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary of the Faculty Senate, and candidates for promotion and/or tenure are not eligible for election to this committee. All members of this Committee must have served on the faculty of the School of Social Work for at least one year at the time of their election. The term of office is two years. No member serves more than two consecutive terms. Membership includes twelve members from the Social Work faculty and two members from the Labor Studies faculty.

   The IUSSW P&T Committee will consist of 14 members who have been promoted and/or awarded tenure:

   1. Non-Tenure Track Sub-Committee: 7 Senior Lecturers, Teaching Professors, Clinical Associate Faculty
   2. Tenure Track Sub-Committee: 7 Social Work and/or Labor Studies faculty
3. Chair

   The Committee elects its chair from among its members at its first meeting convened by the Chair of the Faculty Senate. The Chair serves a one-year term.

   The Co-Chairs (one tenure track, one non-tenure track) will be responsible for overseeing and organizing the P&T Committee’s work.  The Co-Chairs will work collaboratively in establishing the committee agenda. The Co-Chairs will be selected from within each sub-committee.

1. Purpose: The purpose of the International and Global Engagements Committee is to provide strategic direction and recommendation to strengthen IUSSW's capacity to respond to global education, research, service, and the thriving of international students and faculty within the school. The committee works closely with the Director for International and Global Engagements to ensure the development of IUSSW vision, mission, and goals for global and international education, setting forth a path of action and commitment that responds to the School as well as Indiana University's internationalization strategy and the increasingly dynamic global socio-political, economic, and environmental landscape.

2. Membership: The committee is open to all staff, faculty, and alumni who elect to serve on the committee, and two student representatives.

3. Chair: The Committee elects a chair or two co-chairs from among its members for a minimum of two years. The chair or co-chairs are eligible for reelection for two more terms.

4. Secretary: The committee shall elect a secretary from among its members to record and distribute minutes of its meetings. The secretary shall serve for a minimum of a one-year term and is eligible for additional terms that the committee may deem necessary.

1. Purpose: The Student Awards Committee is a standing committee of the Faculty Senate which recognizes outstanding BSW and MSW students and community partners whose academic excellence, leadership, service, research achievement, commitment to social justice, resilience, and professional practice reflect the core values of the social work profession. Through a fair and consistent review process, the program honors individuals who strengthen the IUSSW community and advance its mission.
2. Membership: Membership is open to all faculty.
3. Chair: The Committee selects a Chair that serves for a one-year term.

The Dean or Chair of the Faculty Senate has the authority to appoint ad hoc committees and taskforces. Other ad hoc groups may be established by majority vote of the School Assembly or the Faculty Senate.