| The Administrative and Administrative Support Staff Grievance Committees, each comprised of five staff members appointed by the President, review and issue findings and recommendations in the cases of administrative or administrative support staff grievances referred to the committees under the Grievance Procedure. The Grievance Committees hear grievances involving work conditions and relationships within a department and/or the interpretation and application to individuals of general personnel policies and procedures.
ACRA advises the President on developing the college's operating budget. Committee members include the President, the Budget Officers, some of the President's senior staff, Faculty Council, and a staff representative (appointed by Staff Council). Student Representative: S.G.A. President.
The AIDS Education Committee, chaired by the Director of Health Services, develops programs and disseminates information to raise awareness about AIDS among all members of the college community. It includes faculty and administrative, administrative support and service staff, and students.
The Alumnae Association Nominating Committee is a committee which researches and nominates candidates for the AASC board.
The Alumnae Fund Committee is a representative group of 8-12 alumnae from across all classes who, together, provide the volunteer leadership of the annual fundraising efforts to support Smith College. The Committee meets 2-3 times per year.
The Budget Officers group, consisting of the President, Dean of the College, Provost/Dean of the Faculty, Vice-President for Advancement, and the Vice-President for Finance and Administration, considers current and future budget and staffing matters throughout the year.
Ruth J. Simmons, the ninth president of Smith College, established the Campus Climate Working Group (CCWG) in April 1996, to facilitate the work of improving the quality of campus life. As an informal group, its legitimacy derives from the will of the people who dedicate themselves to achieving a more positive campus climate. Sponsorship is provided by: College Council on Community Policy, Office of Institutional Diversity, Office of the President, Office of the Dean of the College.
The Campus Planning Committee is involved in formulating and implementing plans for the campus including facilities, landscape and traffic flow. The Committee's work includes reviewing plans for major building projects, setting standards for campus beautification, and overseeing decisions about changes in external appearance. The Committee is chaired by the President and includes faculty, staff and Student representatives.
The function of the Civil Rights Board is to review discrimination or harassment grievances when the Director of Affirmative Action determines that a complaint warrants further review. It is comprised of five representatives each from the faculty and administrative, administrative support and service staffs, and students
Taken from the Student Handbook p.7:
Once each year, all members will participate in a workshop designed to educate them about the issues associated with discrimination and harassment, academic freedom and freedom of expression and procedures for conducting and investigation of a complaint alleging unlawful discrimination or harassment, academic freedom and freedom of expression and procedures for conducting an investigation of a complaint alleging unlawful discrimination or harassment (including the requirement of confidentiality). The president will draw from the members of the Civil Rights Board when requested by the director of institutional diversity to form a Review Panel to investigate a formal complain under the Formal Complaint Procedures in Section II (p. 5).
The Community Advisory Board was established by president Carol Christ as a forum where members of the Northampton community, including representatives of the local public school system and other municipal officials as well as leaders in the business, non-profit and arts sectors can come together periodically with representatives of the Smith community to discuss issues and projects of mutual interest. The CAB held its initial session in October 2002 and is expected to meet two or three times annually. Its current membership is approximately 35 people and is still evolving.
From the Faculty Code:
(a) The Committee on Athletics shall consist of the Smith College NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative (chair), four additional members of the faculty appointed by the Dean for Academic Development, The Director of Athletics, the Associate Director of Athletics, one athletics coach selected annually by the Athletic Department, and the President and Vice President of the Athletic Association. The Dean of Students, the Director of Health Services, the Chair of the Department of Exercise and Sport Studies, the Student Head of Club Sports and the Student Head of the Captain's Board shall all serve as nonvoting members of the Committee.
(b) The Committee on Athletics shall meet at least once each semester.
(c) The Committee on Athletics shall advise the Director of Athletics on policies, procedures and long-term planning goals, and it shall examine the activities of the Athletic Department with respect to the mission of the College. The Committee shall serve as a means of communication between the Athletic Department and the faculty, staff and student body.
Taken from the Student Handbook p. 45 -- The Committee on Bias Complaints provides timely response to incidents of alleged bias and helps students navigate other college procedures where necessary. It will:
*hear and deal with students' complaints about alleged bias incidents that take place outside the classroom and that do no rise to the level of unlawful discrimination;
*provide evaluation of incidents and, if referral is appropriate, help to negotiate that referral;
*provide a place for complaints that are more complicated to adjudicate than those ordinarily handled by the Judicial Board;
*provide a mechanism for dealing with behavior that may, in the view of officers of the college, require intervention without waiting for the lodging of a complaint.
(a) The Committee on Educational Technology shall consist of the Dean for Academic Development and six members of the faculty, two from each division, elected for staggered terms of three years. Nonvoting members of the Committee shall include the Executive Director of Information Technology Services, the Director of Educational Software and Technology, and the Coordinator of Library Systems. Elected members shall be ineligible for consecutive terms.
(b) The Committee on Educational Technology shall choose its Chair from among the elected faculty members of the Committee.
(c)1 The Committee on Educational Technology shall determine specific hardware and software standards for academic users at the College, and policies for the provision of hardware, software and support services to students and faculty; shall recommend to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty the allocation of the fund for curricular initiatives in educational technology in a manner consistent with the long-range curricular priorities of the College; shall work with the Director of Educational Software and Technology to promote the appropriate use of educational technology in the curriculum and in scholarly research; and shall participate with the Committee on the Library and other appropriate committees and officers of the College in forming policies governing the appropriate use of information technology resources at the College, such as policies regarding privacy, academic integrity, copyright and fair use.
(d) The Committee on Educational Technology shall prepare on a regular basis long-term plans for educational technology at the College. The Committee shall periodically review and assess progress toward the goals set forth in these plans, and it shall, as appropriate, review and assess the individual initiatives contributing to these goals. The Committee shall be informed of the operating, staffing and capital budget requests made by Information Systems for academic and curricular support, and the Committee may make recommendations of these requests to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty.
(e) The Committee on Educational Technology shall communicate regularly with the Committee on Academic Priorities so that the activities of the respective committees may inform and be informed by each other. The Committee on Educational Technology shall also meet periodically with representatives of the student body.
(f) The elected members of the Committee on Educational Technology shall communicate regularly with their respective divisional computing committees and/or other relevant divisional committees concerned with educational technology.
(a) The Committee on Mission and Priorities shall consist of the President (Chair), the Provost and Dean of the Faculty (Vice Chair), the Dean for Academic Development, the Dean of the College, the Chief Financial Officer, one staff member, two students elected by the Student Government Association for staggered terms of two years, and three members of the faculty, one from each division elected for staggered terms of three years. Elected members shall be ineligible to serve for consecutive terms.
(b) The Committee on Mission and Priorities shall, in consonance with the mission of the College, advise the President on long-range planning for the financial, human and physical resources of the College. The Committee shall solicit, generate and review proposals for major new projects and initiatives, assess progress in achieving the goals of current initiatives, and recommend priorities for the allocation and reallocation of resources. The Committee is encouraged to conduct pertinent inquiries and to consult with every part of the Smith community. The Committee shall meet regularly with the Committee on Academic Priorities, the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation and the appropriate committees of the Board of Trustees both to inform the work of those committees and to be informed by them, and it shall periodically report its findings and recommendations to the Smith community at large.
From the Faculty Code:
(a) The Committee on Study Abroad shall consist of the Associate Dean for International Study (Chair), five members of the faculty, each from a different department and two of whom shall have served as directors in one of the Smith College Junior Year Abroad Programs, the Assistant Dean for International Study (ex officio), the Dean for Academic Development who shall serve as liaison between the Committee on Study Abroad and the Committee on Academic Priorities, and the Vice President for Finance and Administration or the Vice President's delegate (nonvoting). The Committee may appoint such subcommittees as it deems necessary.
(b) The Committee on Study Abroad shall set policies regarding the structure, operation and administration of the Smith College Junior Year Abroad programs, and the Committee shall periodically review and assess these programs. The Committee shall review all reports from Program Directors and it shall consider any policy matters concerning the Junior Year Abroad programs brought to its attention by past or present Directors, the Associate Dean for International Study, or others.
The Committee shall solicit and review nominations for future Directors of the Junior Year Abroad programs, and it shall convey its recommendations to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty and the President.
The Committee shall oversee the selection of participants in the Smith College Junior Year Abroad Programs and shall establish one selection subcommittee for each Smith College Junior Year Abroad Program. The members of each subcommittee shall be the Associate Dean for International Study, the appropriate Class Dean, the future Director of the Program in question (or, if the future Director is not available, a former Director of the Program in question), and a recording secretary. Each subcommittee shall meet during the second semester of each year to select the participants in the following year's Junior Year Abroad Program. Each subcommittee shall present to the Committee on Study Abroad for review and vote applications involving new policy decisions.
(c) The Committee on Study Abroad shall set policies regarding the Approved Study Abroad Program. The Committee shall select, review, and evaluate all study abroad programs and foreign institutions from which the College will accept transfer credit, and it shall develop such guidelines for the Approved Study Abroad Program as are necessary for maintaining the academic standards of the College.
The Committee shall oversee the review and approval of student applications for Approved Study Abroad Programs, and shall determine the policies governing student eligibility for these Programs.
From the Faculty Code:
The Committee on Sustainability shall be concerned with the best long-term use of finite natural resources and with the College's impact on the local, regional, and global environment. It shall identify, implement, and evaluate approaches for increasing Smith's commitment to sustainability in all areas of the campus, including (but not limited to) construction, transportation, materials and energy use, waste management, purchasing, investment, and the campus curriculum. It shall seek to maintain a holistic perspective in this work, holding paramount the goal of systemic change and institutional transformation to aid the College in achieving the greatest efficiencies in natural resource use and pollution prevention.
The Curriculum Committee is responsible for keeping the Senate and the campus at large informed of curriculum concerns and changes. The Committee publishes ASPECTS, assists the administration with the college's mandatory fauclty teaching evaluations, and holds forums to discuss timely educational policy issues. The Curriculum Committee serves as a resource for Academic Representatives and Department Liaisons.
The purpose of this committee is to review the menus and options for the dining program. Dining staff work with students to ensure that they offer a variety of appealing and wholesome food and beverage choices to meet the needs of students within food cost budget goals. Additionally, this committee works to establish the best way to evaluate the effectiveness and customer acceptance of menu offerings and service.
The purpose this committee is to develop and improve methods of communication regarding the new dining program to students. The committee works to promote a positive relationship with all student customers by improving communication regarding dining and also solicits comments to improve the food service program.
The Diversity Committee serves as a link and resource for students and organizations interested in promoting diversity; raises issues of diversity among the student body; and promotes awareness and mulitcultural competence in the undergraduate student body by raising issues and creating spaces for dialogue in order to create safer, more accepting college committees.
The Drug-Free Workplace Committee is a standing committee whose purpose is to ensure that the college is in compliance with federal and state legislation concerning the establishment and maintenance of a drug-free workplace, including meeting required reporting standards and educational requirements. It is comprised of representatives of the administrative, administrative support and service staff.
EnA gets students active and involved in the SGA and college committees. EnA organizes and runs the SGA elections as well as appoints students to numerous college committees.
The NAAC are a board of 15 alums who oversee/support/counsel the volunteer activities of the Alumnae Admission Coordinators (AACs) in their regional territories, worldwide. See the paragraph below for a description of the Alumnae Admission Program in general.
Mary Maples Dunn, president emeritus of Smith College, initiated Otelia Cromwell Day in 1989 in an effort to provide the college community with an opportunity for further education and reflection about issues of diversity and racism.
Otelia Cromwell Day is named for the first known African-American to graduate from Smith College. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1874, Otelia Cromwell transferred from Howard University to Smith College in 1898. She graduated from Smith in 1900. After teaching in the Washington, D.C. public schools for a number of years, she resumed her education, receiving an M.A. from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from Yale University. Cromwell soon became professor and chair of the English Language and Literature department at Miner Teachers College in Washington D.C., remaining there until her retirement in 1944. During her academic career, she authored three books and numerous articles. She received an honorary degree from Smith College in 1950. Otelia Cromwell passed away in 1972 at the age of 98.
The purpose of this committee is to have an elected member of each college residence meet twice a semester with representatives from Physical Plant ( may include the Housekeeping Supervisor or Manager of Building Services and some staff); and representatives from Dining Services ( may include the Director of Dining Services or Area Managers and some staff ) to address residential issues that impact students. It is an advisory committee to allow students input in the development and understanding of operational procedures with the two departments, Housekeeping, and Dining Services. The committee members strive to improve communication with staff and students; ensure student participation and review in the policy making as it relates to dining and residence issues and make suggestions for improvements for dining and residence issues.
Tell me more about the ResLife Survey.
Within their first-year, 8-9% of the student body withdraws from Smith. The student survey is geared at looking at what options students would like to see with both housing and dining that could improve the quality of life at Smith and the student culture in houses.
President Carol Christ initiated a campus-wide survey distributed over email to explore the range of options for living arrangements on campus and what students are looking for now. A task force, chaired by Dean Mahoney, was created to handle the responses of the surveys. Five subcommittees have been formed and they will summarize the findings into a recommendation to be given to President Christ at the end of the year.
How are students involved? There are 6 students on the Task Force.
Results are posted online.
The Kathleen Compton Sherrerd '54 and John J. F. Sherrerd Prizes for Distinguished Teaching is to be given annually to Smith faculty members in recognition of their distinguished teaching records and demonstrated enthusiasm and excellence.
The Sick Leave Bank Committee is responsible for reviewing staff applications for benefits from the Sick Leave Bank and for determining the amount of sick leave benefits to be granted. The Committee is composed of six representatives from the administrative support and service staff and one member from Human Resources.
(Taken from the Mandate of the SCCCP)
The Smith College Council on Community Policy is a broadly representative, deliberative group that meets to consider matters that concern the campus community. In its deliberations, and working in concert with others on campus as appropriate, the "College Council" addresses issues of common concern. Its mission concerns the well-being of the community -- its capacity for collegiality and the pursuit of the commonweal while providing an excellent education to women. In its role of overseeing community issues, the council will:
*Evaluate college community policies in response to specific questions raised by members of the community
*Make recommendations to the President for changes in college community policies
*Identify ways to educate the community and provide guidance for dealing with community issues
*Address issues of campus climate, diversity, and the composition of the community
*Serve as a sounding board for students, faculty, and staff who are concerned about matters affecting the college community
*Promote the use of consensus-building as a mechanism for reviewing and resolving issues
*Act as an advisory group to the President and other campus offices and committees
*Communicate its findings and recommendations on a regular basis to the wider community.
The mission of the Smith College Staff Council is to give members of the administrative, administrative support and service staff a focused and direct involvement in the governance of non-academic affairs and in the life of the Smith College community.
The Staff Council will ensure participation of staff in the policy-making process, promote visibility of staff as valuable members of the Smith community, and facilitate a sense of belonging within the community. The Council will examine policies affecting the employment environment and the community and make recommendations to the appropriate committees and administrators. The Council will actively seek to involve all segments of the College’s diverse staff in the College’s decision-making process.
The purpose of the Staff Council is to promote the welfare of the staff and the College, and to enhance the role of staff within the College, the Council will engage in the following activities in order to realize these goals.
•Act in an advisory capacity to the President
•Advocate on behalf of rights and needs of College staff
•Provide a communication network for the exchange of information among staff
•Enhance communication between employees and the College
•Examine personnel policies and other policies affecting the employment environment and make recommendations to appropriate administrators and committees
•Establish standing and ad hoc committees as appropriate to the performance of its functions
•Recommend staff to the President or other appropriate administrator for appointment to College committees.
•Conduct public meetings, forums, surveys, etc., to determine staff needs and opinions and to discuss topics of interest
•Exercise control over the internal operations and maintenance of the Staff Council.
Meets once a year with the Board of Trustees, in addition to five or six committee meetings to discuss Trustee Investments and committee recommendations.
Smith College is committed to conducting its business affairs in a socially responsible manner consistent with its educational mission and commitment to diversity. To this end, we establish this Code of Conduct as a working document to guide vendor and institutional purchasers of apparel. We recognize this Code as a work in progress and anticipate that it will be revised through our active participation in the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) and the Fair Labor Association (FLA).
Smith College recognizes eight cardinal principles as the basis for effective performance under this Code of Conduct:
A. Full Public Disclosure of Factory Addresses.
B. Commitment to fair wages.
C. Independent Monitoring.
D. Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining.
E. Safe Working Conditions.
F. No Forced Labor.
G. No Child Labor.
H. Women's Rights.
Smith College expects affiliated vendors and institutional purchasers to conduct their business in a manner consistent with these principles, and to follow workplace standards that adhere to this Code of Conduct.
(An asterisk (*) indicates that a student is on the committee).
From the Faculty Code:
The Academic Freedom Committee shall meet as necessary, at the request of the Director of Institutional Diversity, to review formal complaints as provided in Part II, Section 2 of the Smith College Civil Rights Policy and Grievance Procedures. The purpose of the review shall be to determine whether the speech or expression complained of is protected under the terms of the Statement on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression.
The Academic Honor Board oversees the achievement of a climate of honor and ethics on campus, largely by means of but not limited to the Academic Honor Code. The Board disseminates information to the community regarding current academic procedures, seeks to educate students on issues of academic honesty and considers cases of suspected academic dishonesty. It also actively engages the community in a dialogue around issues of ethics and integrity. The board has the power to prescribe action in cases of honor code violations by assigning penalties appropriate to the infraction.
From the Faculty Code:
(a) The Administrataive Board shall consist of the Dean of the College (Chair), the Class Deans, the Registrar (or designate), the Director of the Ada Comstock Scholars Program, and three members of the faculty selected so as to ensure representation from the three divisions.
(b) The Board shall administer the academic requirements defined by faculty legislation as they apply to individual students. In general, academic matters affecting the students are referred to this Board for action or recommendation.
(c) The Board shall have the privilege of calling in reports on students.
From the Faculty Code:
(a) The Board of Admission shall consist of the Dean of the College (Chair); the Director of Admission; the Director of the Ada Comstock Scholars Program; the Director of Student Financial Services; one senior student; four faculty members; the Dean of the first-year class; the President, ex officio. The faculty members shall be appointed by the President with the advice of the Faculty Council and, if possible, shall serve for at least three years. The Board may invite Admission staff to attend meetings, as relevant issues and needs are discussed by the members.
(b) It shall be the responsibility of the Dean of the College and the Board to determine admission programs and policies, subject to the approval of the faculty, administration or Trustees as circumstances may require. The Board shall participate in the admission process as appropriate; the Chair of the Board shall report at least once a year to the faculty at large.
CAP is a faculty committee that has control over the curriculum as mandated by the Board of Trustees. It recommends policy to the faculty, such as a new course or requirement. A huge amount of their time is devoted to the hiring of faculty. Dean Mahoney has served student issues and concerns on CAP in the past, but this year we also have the addition of the Curriculum Committee Chair on policy decisions.
1) Potential addition of a quantitative requirement: 20% of students graduate without a math or logic course
2) Reviewing the writing requirement: Is it serving its purpose in educating students how to compose a paper at a college level.
3) Creating more junior/senior interdisciplinary seminars as proposed by the students last year
Regarding diversity:
1) Faculty development seminars: Diversity in American Cultural Experiences
2) Workshops to reshape introductory courses to include diversity issues
3) Provide faculty support and resources in dealing with issues of diversity
How are students involved?
The Chair of the Curriculum Committee sits on the subcommittee for policy discussions.
Student Rep: Curriculum Committee Chair
The Committee on Faculty Compensation and Development shall set policy on granting faculty members aid to scholarship and shall set policy and normally monitor the funding of internal grants for faculty development. The Committee shall advise the administration on policies regarding faculty compensation and aid to scholarship.
1. The Committee on Grievance shall review petitions of grievance presented by a faculty member alleging violation of his or her academic freedom, violations of federal or state laws barring discrimination on grounds of race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin, or irregularities in the application of the procedures of the College pertaining to the individual's employment.
2. The Committee on Grievance may require reconsideration of the application of procedures or of a decision by the body involved in the petition of grievance.
3. The Committee on Grievance shall not substitute its substantive judgment for that of the body whose actions are questioned by the petition of grievance.
The Committee on Honorary Degrees shall consist of three members of the faculty (one member to be appointed each year for a term of three years) and three students (the President of the Senior Class for one year and the President of the Junior Class for two years). It shall make recommendations to the Board of Trustees in regard to the conferring of honorary degrees.
The Committee on International Students, consisting of three or more members of the faculty, one of whom serves on the Board of Admission, shall assist the Board of Admission in the recruitment and admission of all students entering Smith College with international academic credentials; advise the Office of the Dean of the College on academic and social matters pertaining to international students at the College, both graduate and undergraduate; and assist the Assistant to the Dean for International Students when necessary in matters concerning the visa requirements for these students.
Meets once a month to discuss policies related to library collections and services.
From the Faculty Code:
The Committee shall review the Library operating budget, capital budget requests, space, staffing, long-range planning, and other Library matters. The Committee may make recommendations on these matters to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty. It shall consider the way in which the Library's policies and practices can best meet the curricular and scholarly needs of its users. The faculty members of the Committee shall have the responsibility of conveying to the Committee as a whole the faculty's concerns. The Chair of the Committee shall, when appropriate, report to the faculty at regular Faculty Meetings.
From the Faculty Code:
This Committee shall consider all tenure and promotion decisions, whether proposed by the President, by this Committee, by the department, or by the candidate.
From the Faculty Code:
(d) The Faculty Council shall represent the faculty on the Committee on College Planning and Resources. The Faculty Council shall be the regular means of direct communication between the faculty and the Board of Trustees on all matters except questions of tenure and promotion. The Council may invite to meetings with the Board of Trustees members of relevant committees should it regard the presence of such members as necessary to the issues being discussed. The Faculty Council shall be responsible for any review of and recommendations concerning the governance of the College. The Faculty Council shall advise administrative officers on all faculty appointments to extra-curricular duties (e.g., standing appointed committees, task forces, ad hoc committees, and individual appointments to administrative offices).
(e) The Faculty Council shall take an overall institutional view for planning, communicating with the Board of Trustees, and for reviewing and integrating the policy decisions of faculty committees and administrative offices. It shall confer with administrative officers on all matters pertaining to budget, financial aid, governance, general welfare of the College, and general faculty personnel issues. The Faculty Council shall serve as a forum for faculty ideas and concerns. Individual members of the faculty may propose topics for the consideration of this committee.
(f) The Faculty Council shall have the power to review administrative practice, particularly in areas where faculty members do not participate directly. The Faculty Council shall oversee faculty nomination and election procedures.
From the Faculty Code:
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee shall meet at least twice a year to consider all matters concerning the care and use of all live, vertebrate animals involved in teaching, research, research training, experimentation or biological testing or related usage at Smith College; to oversee the College's animal program; to insure compliance with all local, state and federal guidelines, policies and regulations regarding the care and use of live, vertebrate animals.
From the Faculty Code:
a) The Lecture Committee shall consist of five members of the faculty with at least one from each division, elected for staggered terms of three years, and one student, the Chair of the Recreation Council.
(b) The Committee shall elect a faculty member as chair, and shall provide an annual report of its activities to the faculty.
(c) The Committee shall allocate endowed lecture funds and shall more generally serve as a clearinghouse for lectures, symposia, colloquia and films for the College community.
Student Representative: Chair of Rec Council
From the Faculty Code:
The President shall appoint College Marshals and aides. Their duties shall be the general supervision of public academic functions, including the allotment and distribution of tickets where they are required.
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