Lecturer Advisory Committee

Bylaws

The Lecturer Advisory Committee (LAC) is one of the Faculty Committees within the Arts & Sciences (A&S), created to support Lecturers on the Arts & Sciences faculty in their relations with the University.
 
FUNCTIONS
 
(1) The LAC serves as a standing forum in which lecturers who are members of the A&S faculty
(as defined at https://fas.columbia.edu/about-faculty-arts-and-sciences/faculty- 2 committees/policy-and-planning-committee#tab1 ) can share and discuss their welfare and experiences, and to which lecturers may turn for peer advising and assistance
(2) The LAC represents lecturers' interests, articulates their concerns, and makes corresponding suggestions, in conversations with university administrators, other committees of faculty governance, the University Senate, and department/program chairs.
(3) In conjunction with administrative offices, the LAC organizes events and provides web resources for lecturers so as to share information and experiences concerning all aspects of life at Columbia.
(4) The LAC recommends amendments to these bylaws to the Policy and Planning Committee (PPC) and the Executive Committee of the Arts & Sciences.
 
PROCEDURES
 
(1) The LAC will create its own procedures to consult widely among the community of lecturers in the Arts and Sciences at Columbia.
(2) The LAC will meet on the schedule that it deems necessary for its work, but at least twice per semester.
(3) The LAC or its officers will meet at least once per semester with the Policy and Planning Committee to report on lecturers’ concerns and any other issues the LAC or the PPC wants to discuss.
(4) The LAC or its officers will meet at least once per semester with the Executive Vice President for Arts & Sciences to report on lecturers’ concerns and any other issues the LAC or the Executive Vice President want to discuss.
(5) The LAC or its officers will be available to meet with the committee of the department chairs to discuss lecturers’ concerns, at the invitation of that committee.
 
MEMBERSHIP, ELECTION, AND OFFICERS
 
(1) The LAC will consist of thirteen members: seven from the humanities (among whom at least two will be language lecturers), two from social sciences, two from the natural sciences, and two from professional schools (ideally including one from the American Language Program and one from another program). Members must have passed their second-year review.
(2) LAC members can be nominated by themselves or by other A&S faculty.
(3) LAC members will be elected by electronic vote of all full-time lecturer-rank A&S faculty as defined in the A&S bylaws. The election of the first LAC will be conducted as soon as possible by the relevant A&S administrative office after the A&S Executive Committee’s approval of these bylaws. Subsequent elections will be conducted in May of each year.
(4) LAC members will serve terms of three years, counted from September 1 of a given year to August 31 of the following year. They can serve more than one term, but not consecutively. To the extent feasible, terms will be staggered. In order to achieve this, the first group of members will draw by lot terms of one, two, and three years. Those terms will not be deemed to have started until September 1, 2019.
(5) At its first meeting the Committee will elect a chair and vice chair from among its members. Each shall serve a one year non-renewable term. Thereafter, the LAC will elect a vice chair at the beginning of the spring semester each year. The vice chair must be a member whose term extends for at least one year after serving as vice chair. The vice chair shall become the chair for the following year. In the event of a vacancy in either position, the members of the LAC shall elect a replacement from among the members to complete the remaining term. The replacement chair shall not be eligible to serve as chair in the following year.
(6) The LAC will keep minutes of its meetings, which will be accessible to its members.