Policy and Planning Committee

History

In 2008-09 and 2009-10 the Faculty of Arts and Sciences undertook a review of faculty governance, spearheaded by the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (ECFAS) and carried out by the Academic Review Committee (ARC). In spring 2010 the recommendations of the ARC review were shared with the entire Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Fruitful consultations between ECFAS, ARC, Department Chairs, Administration, and Faculty informed the entire process.

A subsequent vote of the whole faculty was held to amend the Stated Rules of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and thereby implement one of the recommendations of the review: to replace the form of faculty governance exercised by ECFAS with a new faculty committee to be called the Policy and Planning Committee. The proposed amendment to the Stated Rules passed in April 2010. The current Stated Rules can be found here. The names of past members of the PPC are found at the bottom of the "Members" tab.

PPC HISTORICAL MEMBERSHIP 

In its inaugural year, in 2010, the Policy and Planning Committee (PPC) membership was established in September and the election from the nominated slate yielded three members (rather than six), one from each division. For continuity and in recognition of the important work by ECFAS, three inaugural members of the PPC (one from each division) were chosen by and from the 2009-10 ECFAS membership. As per the Stated Rules three PPC members were chosen by and from the Chairs. The complete PPC rosters are given below.

DOCUMENTS

Copies of reports can be accessed here.

FACULTY MEETINGS

Visit the Faculty Governance page to view meeting minutes

Upcoming Faculty Meetings:

• September 27, 2023 (12:00-01:30)
• October 18, 2023 (12:00-01:30)
• November 15, 2023 (12:00-01:30)
• December 13, 2023 (12:00-01:30)
• January 31, 2024 (12:00-01:30)
• February 21, 2024 (12:00-01:30)
• March 27, 2024 (12:00-01:30)
• April 17, 2024 (12:00-01:30)
• May 08, 2024 (12:00-01:30)

ECFAS Archival Documents

ECFAS Historical Membership 1991-2010

ECFAS-Academic Freedom Statement

ECFAS-Academic Freedom Statement 2007

ECFAS-Speech Policy

Report on the Work of ECFAS

Faculty Forum Minutes

Minutes of 11/12/08 Faculty Forum meeting

Minutes of 03/11/08 Faculty Forum meeting

Minutes of 12/03/07 Faculty Forum meeting

Arts & Sciences Faculty Meeting Minutes

Minutes of 05/06/2010 meeting

Minutes of 02/11/10 meeting

Minutes of 04/23/09 meeting

Minutes of 12/02/08 meeting

Minutes of 05/05/08 meeting

Minutes of 02/19/08 meeting

Minutes of 11/13/07 meeting

Minutes of 05/08/07 meeting

Minutes of 02/27/07 meeting

Minutes of 10/16/06 meeting

Minutes of 05/08/06 meeting

Minutes of 10/27/05 meeting

Minutes of 04/21/05 meeting

Minutes of 02/16/05 meeting

Minutes of 10/28/04 meeting

Minutes of 04/22/04 meeting

Minutes of 02/18/04 meeting

Minutes of 10/08/03 meeting

Minutes of 04/30/03 meeting

Minutes of 02/12/03 meeting

Minutes of 10/15/02 meeting

Minutes of 4/30/02 meeting

Minutes of 2/13/02 meeting

Minutes of 10/29/01 meeting

Minutes of 04/25/01 meeting

Minutes of 02/14/01 meeting

Minutes of 09/28/00 meeting

Minutes of 04/24/00 meeting

Minutes of 02/15/00 meeting

Minutes of 11/10/99 meeting

Minutes of 04/28/99 meeting

Stated Rules

Stated Rules of the Faculty of the Arts and Sciences

as amended, 29 April 2024

I. Membership (University Statutes, Articles 58c, 291, 34)
  
 A. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences shall consist of the President, the Provost, the Executive Vice President for the Arts and Sciences, the Deans of the Faculties within Arts and Sciences, officers of instruction appointed to the departments of Arts and Sciences with professorial grades, and such officers of administration and of instruction as may be assigned thereto by the Trustees on the nomination of the Faculty.  The School of the Arts and the School of Professional Studies are considered departments according to the Statutes.
  
 B. The Executive Vice President for the Arts and Sciences (“Executive Vice President”) shall maintain a record of all such officers of administration and instruction as may be assigned to membership in the Faculty by the Trustees on the nomination of the Faculty.
  
 C. Right to vote: The Faculty may invite other officers of instruction and administration in the University to take part in its deliberations and serve on its committees in accordance with Article 34 of the University Statutes, but only officers of instruction and administration who are members of the Faculty shall have the right to vote. 

II. Powers (University Statutes, Article 293) 
  
 A. Subject to the reserve powers of the Trustees and the provisions of the Statutes, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences shall have power and it shall be its duty:
  
 1. to oversee the correlation and scheduling of courses offered by the faculties within Arts and Sciences;
  
 2. to address all questions involving more than one faculty within Arts and Sciences;
  
 3. to discuss and advise on issues affecting the Arts and Sciences relating to academic planning, budget, housing and facilities, and appointments and tenure;
  
 4. to make all such regulations for its own proceedings, and for the better government of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, as shall not contravene the charter of the Corporation, the Statutes, or any resolution of the Trustees or University Senate.
  
 B. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to impair the powers of the Faculties of Columbia College, General Studies, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The Arts, and Professional Studies, which constitute the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and of their several deans. 

III. Officers (University Statutes, Articles 292,54, and 37)
  
 A. The Executive Vice President shall be the executive officer of the Faculty. 
  
 B. The Executive Vice President may be assisted by no more than three divisional deans, one for each division of the Faculty. Each divisional dean shall be a member of the division of the Faculty that he or she shall oversee. Divisional deans shall be appointed by the Executive Vice President with the advice of the Policy and Planning Committee and of the chairs, and shall serve terms of three years, except that the term of no divisional dean shall extend beyond the term of the Executive Vice President who appointed her or him without the express consent of the then-current Executive Vice President. No person may serve as a divisional dean for more than six consecutive years.
  
 C. The Executive Vice President shall meet at least once each semester with the chairs of the Departments of the Faculty.
  
 D. The Executive Vice President shall meet at least once each semester with the Junior Faculty Advisory Board.
  
 E. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Executive Vice President, the Dean of Columbia College and Vice President for Undergraduate Education, and the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Vice President for Graduate Education.
  
 F. The Faculty shall annually elect a Secretary, who shall perform the usual duties of a recording officer.

IV. Meetings (University Statutes, Articles 38 and 39) 
  
 A. The Faculty shall meet at least once each semester. Additional meetings may be called by the Executive Vice President, by the Policy and Planning Committee, or by a petition of 25 members of the Faculty at any time upon one week's notice.
  
 B. In its proceedings the Faculty shall be governed by the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.
  
 C. For ordinary business 50 members shall constitute a quorum.
  
 D. The following rules and procedures shall govern discussion and voting by the Faculty, in addition to those contained in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.
 1. A question shall appear on the agenda of the Faculty if and only if the Stated Rules require it; or any of the following request that it be put on the agenda: the Executive Vice President; the Executive Committee; at least four members of the Policy and Planning Committee; at least 40 members of the Faculty who sign a petition to this effect. A petition from members of the Faculty must be delivered to the Executive Vice President at least 168 hours before the scheduled start of the meeting at which the question is to be discussed. The Policy and Planning Committee should usually place a question on the agenda whenever it thinks that the University needs faculty input to produce a better policy or decision.
  
 2. Following parliamentary procedure, members of the Faculty may make motions from the floor during a Faculty meeting. These motions may be debated. However, no vote on a substantive motion may be taken until it has been advertised to the Faculty as a whole. Amendments do not need to be advertised to the Faculty as a whole, but they must be in order according to Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.
  
 3. Generally, an item to be voted on should appear on the agenda of and be discussed at the meeting immediately preceding the meeting at which it is voted on. However, there may be exceptions to this practice. The Policy and Planning Committee may in its discretion advertise to the Faculty that a question will be voted on in the first meeting at which it is discussed. If this advertising has occurred, a member of the Faculty may move the previous question during the discussion of this question. If the previous question is not moved or fails of adoption, the Policy and Planning Committee may advertise a vote on the question in the next meeting of the Faculty.
  
 4. Generally, voting will follow the procedures in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised. However electronic voting shall be used on the request of either the Policy and Planning Committee or of at least 40 members of the Faculty who deliver a petition to the Executive Vice President before the scheduled start of the meeting at which the question is to be voted on. The Policy and Planning Committee sets the time and form of the electronic vote. Electronic voting cannot begin on a question until after it has been discussed at one or more faculty meetings. Electronic voting is confidential. The motion passes if and only if the number of affirmative votes cast is greater than the number of negative votes cast, and the total number of votes cast (including abstentions) is at least 50.
  
 The Policy and Planning Committee should use electronic voting for matters of the highest importance. It is recommended that electronic voting be used for major changes in the governance of Arts and Sciences, serious and long-lasting policies that affect a large number of faculty members, and matters of similar gravity and importance. 

E. After approval by the Policy and Planning Committee, minutes shall be available in a permanent location. The Secretary shall submit the approved minutes to the President of the University.

V. Policy and Planning Committee

A. There shall be a Policy and Planning Committee
  
B. Duties and powers. The Policy and Planning Committee shall be a full participant in the process by which priorities are set and resources are allocated among the Departments and Schools comprising Arts and Sciences, meeting typically once per week during the academic term with the Executive Vice President, deans, divisional deans, and other administrators. In addition, the Policy and Planning Committee’s responsibilities include working with the Executive Vice President and the Deans to constitute, dissolve, and appoint members of standing committees, to evaluate reports on the work of these committees, to call and set agendas for Faculty Meetings, and to report to the faculty. 
  
In the event of a vacancy in the office of Executive Vice President, the Policy and Planning Committee shall request of the President that it (the Policy and Planning Committee) select a majority of members of any search committee, in accordance with tradition. The Policy and Planning Committee shall work with the President, endeavoring through consultation to resolve any differences in viewpoint, all to the desired end that a common endorsement of the ultimate nominee may result.
  
C. Support and compensation. The Policy and Planning Committee shall receive administrative support from the Office of the Executive Vice President and its members shall be granted appropriate leave credit. Members may receive additional leave credit for their third year of service.
D. Membership. The Policy and Planning Committee shall consist of nine tenured faculty members and one senior lecturer faculty member. The senior lecturer, who may be from any division among the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, and six of the tenured faculty (two from each division, and from different departments) are elected by the entire Faculty of Arts and Sciences from a nominated slate (referred to below as the “regular faculty members”). Three of the tenured faculty members (one from each division) are chosen by and from the chairs. Terms are three years for regular faculty and one year renewable up to three years for members chosen by the chairs. Each member shall serve for his or her term and until his or her successor is qualified.
  
Regular faculty members: Elections for regular faculty members shall be held in May of each year. The term of each regular faculty member elected shall begin on September 1 following his or her election. Whenever a regular faculty member leaves the committee, having completed his or her term or not, he or she shall be replaced by a new member from the same division elected by the Faculty at the normal election time in May. However, if a regular faculty member leaves the committee before May 1 in any year, the Policy and Planning Committee shall select an interim member, from the same division or among the senior lecturers, to serve until the term of the elected member commences. Members chosen by the chairs: The term of a member chosen by the chairs shall begin on September 1 following his or her selection. If a vacancy occurs among the members chosen by the Chairs, the Chairs shall select a replacement from the same division. The replacement member shall serve until the first August 31 following his or her selection.
  
 E. The Policy and Planning Committee chair and vice chair. The Committee shall have a chair chosen from the pool of tenured regular faculty members. A vice chair shall be elected by a vote of PPC members at the beginning of the spring semester each year, and shall serve until the first August 31 following his or her election. A vice chair must be qualified to serve as chair in the year following his or her election. The vice chair shall become the chair for the following year. The chair shall serve a one-year nonrenewable term, beginning on September 1 and ending on August 31. In the event of a vacancy in either position, the Policy and Planning Committee shall select a replacement to complete the remaining term. The replacement chair shall not be eligible to serve as chair in the following year.
  
 F. The Policy and Planning Committee nominating committee. A seven-person nominating committee consisting of the Executive Vice President and six members chosen by and from the chairs shall put forward a slate of candidates for the Policy and Planning Committee. The slate shall include at least two candidates for every open position for an annual election to take place in May. All members of the nominating committee may vote for any number of potential candidates. A nominee must receive five of the seven votes to be placed on the ballot. Candidates may be added to the nominating committee's slate upon presentation of a petition signed by twenty members of the Faculty. 

VI. Other Committees

The following may be standing committees in the Arts and Sciences advisory to the Executive Vice President: 

A. The Promotion and Tenure Committee shall consist of at least twelve tenured full professors, at least four each from the divisions of the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, and the Executive Vice President or his or her designee. The Promotion and Tenure Committee shall be responsible for reviews for the purpose of promotion and tenure. To that end it shall be the duty of this committee to evaluate departmental recommendations for promotion of faculty and research staff in the following tracks: professorial rank, professor of professional practice, lecturer in discipline, and research staff.

B. The Standing Committee on Language Lecturers shall review language lecturers in accordance with the Arts and Sciences Guidelines for Review of Full-time Lecturers in Languages as well as proposals for pedagogical course relief and leave. Ordinarily, the Standing Committee on Language Lecturers consists of three tenured faculty members and three senior lecturers, except that an additional tenured faculty member is appointed if needed to maintain compliance with section VI-G of these Stated Rules and Article 34 of the University Statutes. The Policy and Planning Committee shall appoint the members of the Standing Committee on Language Lecturers.

C. The Academic Review Committee shall oversee the periodic review of all departments, centers, and institutes in the Arts and Sciences, with the principal functions of the review to assess program quality and effectiveness, to foster planning and improvement, and to provide guidance for administrative decisions. The Academic Review Committee shall consist of at least sixteen members. At least five members shall be tenured faculty members in each of the three divisions of the Faculty (humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences), and one member shall be either a tenured professor or a full Professor of Practice in the School of the Arts. The Executive Vice President shall appoint the members in consultation with the Deans, the Policy and Planning Committee, and the Executive Committee.  In addition, the Executive Vice President, the Associate Vice President for Academic Planning, and the Dean for Academic Planning and Governance serve as members ex officio. A Divisional Dean shall administer the Academic Review Committee on behalf of the Executive Vice President.

D. The Steering Committee on Curricular Governance (SCCG) mandate shall be to: identify and prioritize needs for curricular renewal and enhancement; work with school-level curricular planning bodies to develop integrated approaches to curricular issues; bring significant curricular and instruction-related proposals to the faculty for input and, where appropriate, voting; ensure that resource considerations inform curricular and instructional planning; advocate for an inclusive climate for instructors and students; facilitate communication and coordination between curricular entities; ensure efficient and timely reporting to the faculty about the activities of curricular bodies.  The SCCG shall report once a semester to PPC and issue annual reports to the faculty about its activities and future agendas. The SCCG shall be chaired by a tenured faculty member, jointly appointed by the Dean of the Faculty and EVPAS, the Dean of the College, the Dean of the Graduate School, and the Dean of General Studies in consultation with the Policy and Planning Committee. It shall be staffed with nine faculty members: the faculty chair, a faculty member at the lecturer rank, a PPC delegate, three tenured faculty members (one from each division), a faculty representative from Committee on Instruction, a faculty representative from GSAS Executive Committee, faculty chair of Committee on Equity and Diversity (or a faculty DEI advocate). Appointments shall be made by joint agreement of the PPC and the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, with the participation of the Dean of General Studies. The SCCG shall also have the following five administrative members: Dean of the Faculty and EVPAS, Dean of the College, Dean of General Studies, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the Dean of Academic Planning and Governance (non-voting). All members have full voting rights, unless noted otherwise.

E. The Junior Faculty Advisory Board, a committee elected by the untenured faculty of professorial rank in Arts and Sciences, shall advise the Executive Vice President, other members of Arts and Sciences, and the University about issues relating to the interests of untenured faculty. The Junior Faculty Advisory Board shall consist of at least two elected members each from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities divisions, as well as an elected Chair who will ordinarily come from the ranks of recently tenured members of the Faculty.

F. Lecturers Advisory Committee (LAC)

The Lecturers Advisory Committee (LAC) shall provide a standing forum in which lecturers who are members of the A&S faculty can share and discuss their welfare and experiences; represent their interests in conversations with university administrators, other committees of faculty governance, the University Senate, and department/program chairs; offer recommendations to the Arts and Sciences on policies pertaining to lecturers; and organize events and provide web resources for lecturers so as to share information and experiences concerning all aspects of professional life at Columbia.

G. Special committees shall be appointed by the Executive Vice President in consultation with the Policy and Planning Committee or by the Policy and Planning Committee in consultation with the Executive Vice President.

H. At all times, a majority of members of each standing and special committee shall be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, in accordance with Article 34 of the University Statutes.

VII. Amendments:
  
Amendments to these rules may be proposed at any regular meeting of the Faculty, but may not be voted upon before the next following regular meeting. Prior to this second meeting, notice of the proposed amendment must be sent to all members of the Faculty. To be adopted, 2/3 of the Faculty who vote (including abstentions) must vote in favor of the amendment, and a majority of members of the Faculty (>50%) must vote. Electronic voting is required, and must be confidential.

Resolution on Lecturers in Discipline

WHEREAS, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences believes that full-time lecturers in discipline who have successfully passed the second year review should be members of the Faculty for as long as they hold a full-time appointment; and
  
 WHEREAS, Article 291 of the University Statutes provides that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences may nominate officers of instruction who hold appointments without professorial grades to be members of the Faculty;
  
 NOW THEREFORE be it resolved by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences:
  
 1. That the Faculty of Arts and Sciences hereby nominates full-time lecturers in discipline assigned to Departments in the Arts and Sciences who have successfully passed the second year review to be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for as long as they hold a full-time appointment.
  
 2. That the Executive Vice President of Arts and Sciences is hereby authorized to inform the Provost of this Resolution and request that such lecturers in discipline be considered members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for as long as they hold a full-time appointment.