Advisory (created by the Board)

The By-Laws of the University describe the Advisory Committee as follows: "So that the knowledge and views of the Faculty may be appropriately represented in important decisions facing the University, there shall be an Advisory Committee consisting of the Provost, the academic Deans, and eight tenured Faculty members selected from and by the undergraduate faculty and one Faculty member selected from and by the law faculty. The Committee shall make recommendations to the President concerning cases of undergraduate tenure and promotion summer grant applications; sabbatical applications; honorary degree nominations; other matters of University-wide importance; and the processes by which these decisions should be reached. The Board shall consult with the Committee in considering the selection of a President of the University. The President shall consult with the Committee in considering the selection of a Provost, and the Provost shall consult with the Committee in considering the selection of an academic Dean."

When the Advisory Committee is considering undergraduate promotion and tenure cases, undergraduate sabbatical applications, and undergraduate Lenfest and Summer Research Scholar proposals, it will function as an undergraduate committee. Its membership will include eight tenured undergraduate faculty members, who will be elected by the undergraduate faculty to serve three-year terms and, ex officio, the Provost, the Dean of The College and the Dean of the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics. Advisory Committee members from the same department as a candidate for tenure and/or promotion, or who serve as an external member of the candidate's departmental committee, will participate in consideration of the case at the departmental level, and will not consider the case with the Advisory Committee. Only faculty members in the rank of Full Professor will participate in the consideration of candidates for promotion from Associate to Full Professor; all members will participate in consideration of tenure cases.

When the committee is recommending to the Board of Trustees candidates for honorary degrees and consulting with the president on matters of University-wide importance, it will function as a University committee. Its membership will include the same eight undergraduate faculty; one law faculty member, elected by the law faculty to serve a three-year term; and, ex officio, the Provost, the Dean of The College, the Dean of the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics, and the Dean of the School of Law.

The election of undergraduate members and alternates will be regulated by the Secretary to the Faculty to ensure that A) there will always be at least four active members in the rank of Full Professor with the remainder in the rank of either Associate or Full Professor; and B) there will be no more than one member of any department in the rank of Full Professor. Election is to proceed according to the faculty handbook, with additional stipulations as follows: Staggered three-year terms will be maintained on a cycle of electing two or three members every year. Rank and department must be listed on the election eligibility roster and on all ballot iterations. A lapse of one year is required between elected terms on the committee. Those ineligible because of department and rank overlap with current members, or recent membership on the committee will not be on the ballot. If more than one person from any department at the same rank is among the number of top vote-getters needed for election that year, only the one with the most votes will be declared elected.

The Advisory Committee shall be provided with three (3) alternates, elected as runners-up in the election of active members, for three-year terms. Two (2) tenured alternates shall be elected from and by the Undergraduate Faculty and one (1) tenured Law alternate shall be elected from and by the Law Faculty. Alternates will be determined as runners-up in the election who are at the rank of Professor and whose department is not the same as any of the elected or current members. Alternates may not join the committee mid-year as occasional replacements or as substitutes for members who recuse themselves from certain tenure and promotion cases; they can serve only as replacements in full-year increments, e.g. when active members are on sabbatical or resign. When the Advisory Committee requires a replacement of an Undergraduate Faculty member, one of the elected alternates shall be chosen by coin toss. If two are needed, both shall be selected. When the Advisory Committee requires a replacement of the Law Faculty member, the elected Law alternate shall be chosen. If the supply of alternates in either category should be exhausted for a given year, a special election shall be held to elect additional alternate(s).

Lena Hill, Chair

Ex Officio Members:

Lena Hill, Provost and Professor of English and Africana Studies
Melanie Wilson, Dean of the School of Law
Chawne Kimber, Dean of The College and Professor of Mathematics
Robert Straughan, Dean of The Williams School and Professor of Business Administration

Nine Faculty Members, Eight Undergraduate, One Law - Two or Three Undergraduate Faculty elected annually for three-year term; One Law Faculty for three-year term:

Elizabeth Denne, Professor of Mathematics - 2024-2025 (one year leave replacement for Lisa Greer, Professor of Geology - 2022-2025)
Andrea Lepage, Professor of Art and Art History - 2022-2025
Art Goldsmith, Professor of Economics - 2023-2026
Bill Hamilton, Professor of Biology - 2023-2026
Elliott King, Professor of Art and Art History - 2023-2026
Dayo Abah, Professor of Journalism - 2024-2027
Aliaa Bassiouny, Professor of Accounting and Finance - 2024-2027
Caleb Dance, Associate Professor of Classics - 2024-2027
Josh Fairfield, Professor of Law - 2024-2027

Alternates: Two Undergraduate, One Law:

Elizabeth Denne, Professor of Mathematics - 2023-2026
Molly Michelmore, Professor of History - 2024-2027
Russ Miller, Professor of Law (LS) - 2024-2027