Permanent Committees

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."

Automatic Rule and Reinstatement Committee is composed of two undergraduate faculty members, the Dean of The College, the Dean of the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics, the VPSA/Dean of Students, the Associate Provost, the Associate Dean of The College, Associate Dean of the Williams School, the Dean of Student Life, and the University Registrar as a non-voting consultant. It administers regulations concerning undergraduate academic probation and the Automatic Rule which govern an undergraduate student's academic eligibility to continue enrollment at Washington and Lee. The committee also determines whether an undergraduate student who has withdrawn from the University may be reinstated and whether a student who applies to the committee may receive a leave of absence.

Courses and Degrees Committee (C&D) is composed of the Dean of The College and the Dean of the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics, six undergraduate faculty members appointed by the President, and two student representatives appointed by the President upon nomination by the Student Body Executive Committee; the University Registrar serves as the non-voting secretary. The committee is charged with the general supervision and development of policies concerning undergraduate entrance requirements, courses of study, curricular standards, and degrees. More specifically, its functions, subject to review and final action by the undergraduate faculty, are: (a) to make suggestions concerning entrance requirements as they relate to the curriculum of the University; (b) to study and consider the change and improvement of undergraduate curricula and requirements for degrees, and to recommend such changes; (c) to determine questions concerning the introduction, substitution, and evaluation of individual courses of study, and also the policy governing credit for work offered by transfer students from other institutions; (d) to consider methods and standards of instruction including the matter of duplication of courses. The committee meets at 3:30 pm every Tuesday during the academic term.

Faculty Administrators Evaluation Committee (FAEC) creates the instruments used for including faculty in the evaluation process for the provost and academic deans, to oversee the administration of the faculty involvement in the evaluation process, and to report the results to the supervisor.

The Faculty Affairs Committee (FAC) is a faculty-only committee that serves as a forum for matters of interest to the faculty. It identifies concerns of the faculty and conveys these concerns to the faculty and to other appropriate parts of the university. Individual members of the faculty may propose topics for consideration by the committee and may also address the committee directly. The FAC meets at least once per month during the academic year and may convene itself, call special assemblies of the faculty for consideration of university-related issues, communicate directly with the faculty as a whole, and place items on the agenda of faculty meetings. A portion of time will be set aside during each FAC meeting for comments from any member of the faculty. The FAC may also help bring to the floor of any faculty meeting any faculty-initiated policy change proposal relevant to faculty interests.

Faculty Executive Committee (FEC) acts ad interim for the University and Undergraduate Faculty when the faculty cannot meet; it receives student, faculty, and departmental petitions requesting exceptions to University regulations on matters not delegated to other University Committees; it originates recommendations to the university and undergraduate faculties relating to matters not delegated to other University committees; it receives a suggested one- and five-year undergraduate calendar from the Registration and Class Schedules Committee and recommends a calendar to the undergraduate faculty; it acts as the faculty's "committee on committees;" and it advises the President and Deans on matters not delegated to the Advisory Committee. The committee will be the point of contact between the undergraduate faculty and the Dean of Admissions about policy regarding undergraduate admissions and practices. The committee meets at 3:30 pm every Wednesday during the academic term.

The Rector of the Board of Trustees has invited the Faculty to participate in the board sessions and to serve as non-voting participants in all the activities of eight standing committees, namely Campus Life; Capital Projects; Development and External Relations; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Finance; Investment; Law; and Undergraduate Academics and Admissions. The faculty will elect eight representatives, with each serving on two committees for a two-year term. A lapse of one year is required between elected terms. To assure representation by the three divisions, two representatives are elected from the Law School, two are elected from the Williams School, and four are elected from The College. Each of the three units should elect their representatives in the manner they deem appropriate. A "year" is defined as an academic year. Terms will normally begin with the October board meeting. The assignment of who serves on which committee, with the exception of the Law Committee, will be determined by discussions between the Rector and the elected members as to where their interests and expertise can best be used. The representatives will make written reports to the faculty after each board meeting, and a spokesperson selected by the group, will make an oral report at the undergraduate and law faculty meetings.

Faculty Review Committee (FRC) is advisory to the President and shall hear appeals for non-reappointment or failure to promote based on detailed and substantiated allegations of inadequate consideration or improper consideration. The FRC is composed of six members and five alternates, all of whom shall be tenured members of the Faculty. Five members and three alternates shall be elected from and by the undergraduate faculty and one member and two alternates shall be elected from and by the law faculty. Members and alternates of the Advisory Committee and the Faculty Administrators Evaluation Committee are not eligible to serve concurrently on the FRC and for one year subsequent to the completion of their respective terms.

The By-laws define the duties and composition of the committee as follows: "The President's Advisory Committee and the Rector of the Board shall constitute a Committee on Honorary Degrees which shall be chaired by the Provost. The Board, on its own initiative or upon recommendation of the Committee, may from time to time grant such honorary degrees as it deems proper, and must approve honorary degree recipients."