College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Horticulture

2. THE FACULTY

      2.1.   Composition of the Faculty

2.1.1.   The regular faculty of the Department of Horticulture shall be composed of all persons in the department who have been appointed under the rules of tenure, including those with joint appointments, and who hold the rank of Professor, Associate Professor or Assistant Professor, except adjunct and courtesy appointments and such persons as are on a part-time or temporary appointment.

2.1.2.   The fixed-term faculty of the Department of Horticulture shall consist of all persons holding the rank of Professor, Associate Professor or Assistant Professor, but not appointed under the rules of tenure.

2.1.3.   Honorary faculty shall be those persons designated as Visiting Professors or Professors Emeritus.

      2.2.   Voting Members

2.2.1.   The voting members in the election of University councils and committees shall be all regular faculty and full-time fixed-term faculty who have served at least three consecutive years and are engaged in the academic activities of the department on a regular basis.

2.2.2.   The voting members in the election of representatives to college and departmental committees and other departmental matters, excluding reappointment, tenure and promotion, shall be all regular faculty, full-time fixed-term faculty and full-time academic specialists who have served at least three consecutive years and are engaged in the academic activities of the department on a regular basis.

2.2.3.   A faculty member jointly appointed in two or more units may vote only once in a given election. In elections voted upon by two or more units, the faculty member shall vote in that unit which has primary responsibility for initiating personnel action as indicated on the multiple appointment form filed in the Office of the Provost.

2.2.4.   A faculty member may be elected to an academic governance body as a representative of any unit in which the person holds regular faculty status.

2.3.   Modes of Participation

There are four modes of faculty and student participation identified for use in Academic Governance.

2.3.1.   Consultation. A body of faculty and/or students who discuss with and inform the administrator with authority and responsibility for decision. Such a committee is not a deliberative body; there is no vote. Rather, the members express their views to inform an administrator’s decision.

2.3.2.   Advisory. A deliberative body of faculty and/or students recommends policies to an administrator who is authorized to make decisions. The administrator is not bound by the recommendation and accepts responsibility for the decision.

2.3.3.   Shared Responsibility. A deliberative body of faculty and/or students makes recommendations to an administrator authorized to make decisions. If the administrator and deliberative body cannot agree and action must be taken, the recommendations of the administrator and the deliberative body will be submitted in writing to the next higher administrative level for resolution.

2.3.4.   Delegated Authority. A deliberative body of faculty and/or students is authorized to make decisions on specified matters. Such decisions are subject to administrative review, but will be altered only in exceptional circumstances.

2.4.   Faculty Meetings                                                                                          

2.4.1.   Department faculty meetings shall generally be open meetings. Speaking privileges shall be accorded to student representatives on department committees. At the discretion of the Chair and Department Advisory Committee (DAC), all or parts of faculty meetings devoted to particular subjects may be closed to all except the voting members of the Department (as defined in 1.2). Other non-voting members, staff, and students may be admitted to its sessions by invitation of the Department Chairperson and/or DAC. The Department Chairperson will provide the faculty with an agenda of important items to be discussed. 

2.4.2.   Faculty meetings may be called at the pleasure of the Chairperson or by the Department Advisory Committee. Any three voting members may petition to the Chairperson or the Department Advisory Committee for a meeting for the purpose of discussing any items of business or interest to the department. Faculty meetings shall be held at least once monthly unless cancelled by the Chairperson because of extenuating circumstances.

2.4.3.   Department faculty meetings shall be generally open meetings. Speaking privileges shall be accorded student representatives on department committees. At the discretion of the Chair and Department Advisory Committee faculty meetings devoted to particular subjects may be closed to all except the voting members of the Department (as defined in 1.2). Other non-voting members, staff and students may be admitted to its sessions by invitation of the Department Chairperson and/or DAC.                         

2.4.4.   The Chairperson or designee shall generally attend all meetings of a department academic governance body.

2.5.   Conduct of Meetings

2.5.1.   One-third of the voting members shall constitute a quorum.

2.5.2.   Action on department business, which requires a vote, will be decided by a majority of those voting. A secret ballot may be called for by any of the voting members present at the meeting.

2.5.3.   Minutes of faculty meetings shall be recorded by the Department Chairperson's designated staff member.

2.6.   Communications

2.6.1.   To ensure that the faculty is kept fully informed, the Department Chairperson will advise all faculty members, by memoranda, of significant decisions, policy changes, administrative procedures, announcements, and other items of importance. Such items may or may not have been discussed in faculty meetings.

2.7.   Appointment of Joint and Adjunct Professors

2.7.1.   Joint appointments - for faculty members at MSU with appointments in more than one department or unit.

2.7.1.1.     Joint appointments in the Department of Horticulture will only be approved for faculty members who are directly involved in teaching, research, extension, or administration within the Department of Horticulture. Specific responsibilities and duties of the joint appointee will be defined at the time of appointment.

2.7.1.2.     Joint appointments will cease upon completion of the duties specified at the time of appointment. Faculty members with primary appointments in other departments or units who have joint appointments in the Department of Horticulture will be reviewed annually by the Horticulture Chairperson in consultation with other appropriate faculty, based upon performance of the defined responsibilities in the Department of Horticulture. The joint appointment will be renewed or terminated on the basis of the evaluation and will be discussed with the chairperson of the primary department of the jointly appointed faculty member.

2.7.1.3.     All requests for joint appointments in the Department of Horticulture must be submitted in writing to the Horticulture Chairperson, stating reasons for the appointment, qualifications of the individual, and objectives and responsibilities of the proposed appointment.

2.7.1.4.     Joint appointment requests will be reviewed by the Department Advisory Committee and the appropriate faculty groups and approved by a majority of the voting faculty in the department.

2.7.1.5.     The individual may be asked to meet with the Horticulture faculty and/or present a seminar on a relevant subject before the vote on approval of the appointment is taken.

2.7.2.   Adjunct appointments - for persons not currently on the faculty at MSU, but whose expertise or knowledge may be of benefit to the Department of Horticulture.

2.7.2.1.     Adjunct appointment will be approved only for individuals who will directly contribute to the mission and objectives of the department. Specific responsibilities and duties of adjunct appointees will be defined at the time of appointment.

2.7.2.2.     Adjunct appointments are for one year or less, renewable annually, and only for duties specified at the time of appointment. Adjunct faculty will be reviewed annually by the Horticulture Chairperson in consultation with other appropriate faculty based upon performance of defined responsibilities in the Department of Horticulture. Adjunct appointments will be renewed or terminated on the basis of the evaluation.

2.7.2.3.     Requests for adjunct appointments must be presented in writing to the Horticulture Chairperson, stating reasons for the appointment, qualifications of the individual, and objectives and responsibilities of the proposed appointment.

2.7.2.4.     Adjunct appointment requests will be reviewed by the Department Advisory Committee and the appropriate faculty groups and approved by a majority of the voting faculty in the department.

2.7.2.5.     The individual may be asked to meet with the Horticulture faculty and/or present a seminar on a relevant subject before the vote on approval of the appointment is taken.

2.7.2.6.     Visiting Professors may be given an adjunct appointment upon request to the Horticulture Chairperson and fulfillment of other criteria stated above.