3359-2-02. Organization of instruction

(A) University organization.

(1) The university of Akron is a state university operating under the laws of the state of Ohio. It comprises the following colleges and schools of instruction:

(a) College of applied science and technology.

(b) Buchtel college of arts and sciences.

(c) College of engineering.

(d) "The LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education"

(e) College of business administration.

(f) School of law.

(g) College of polymer science and polymer engineering.

(h) Graduate school.

(i) Wayne college.

(j) Honors college.

(k) College of health professions.

(2) Additional colleges, schools, or departments may be established, altered, or abolished by the board upon recommendation of the president.

(3) From time to time, temporary units of administration or programs may be established, altered, or abolished by the board upon recommendation of the president. The operations of such units and employment of personnel within such units shall be temporary, with primary funding therefore provided from external sources, including without limitation the salaries and benefits of employees in such units, costs of equipment, services and supplies, and other ancillary costs of operation. In addition to funding from external sources, the university may provide such units with "in-kind" support in the form of space or other university resources as recommended by the president and approved by the board.

Such units and employees shall be subject to all applicable state and federal laws and all university rules as set forth in 3359 of the Administrative Code in the same manner as regular university units and employees, including but not limited to applicable provisions of Ohio's ethics laws affecting public employees.

Subject to the prior approval of the president, such units shall be authorized to engage volunteers or others in activities on behalf of the unit and the university of Akron. In addition to the volunteer protection laws of Ohio (sections 2305.38, 2305.381, 5502.30, 2305.234, 2305.23 , and 2305.231 of the Revised Code) the university may also provide insurance coverage against loss or liability that arises or is claimed to have arisen from acts or omissions while acting with the scope of their employment or official responsibilities or while engaged in activities at the request or direction, or for the benefit of the university of Akron or said unit.

(B) University faculty, contract professionals.

(1) The university faculty shall consist of the president of the university, who shall be its presiding officer, the vice presidents, the deans, all persons giving instruction for college credit in the university, librarians, and such members of the administrative staff and contract professionals as may be appointed thereto by the board upon recommendation of the president. Voting power within the academic units shall be defined by the rules and bylaws of those units except when defined by university-wide rules and bylaws.

(2) Contract professionals, designated as either instructional professional staff, or administrative professional staff, are full-time professional personnel of the university to whom the board, on recommendation of the administration, grants recognition and benefits.

(C) College faculties.

(1) Each degree-granting college shall be governed, subject to the rules of the board and the faculty senate, by a faculty consisting of the president of the university, the senior vice president and provost and chief operating officer, its dean, and its full-time distinguished professors, professors, associate professors, assistant professors, instructors, and college lecturers.

(2) The functions of the faculty of a college shall be to prepare and recommend to the faculty senate curricula and courses for the college, changes in departmental or school organization, requirements for admission to and graduation from the college, and candidates for degrees and certificates. The faculty shall encourage the improvement of teaching and scholarship. The faculty shall meet at stated times or upon the call of the president or dean.

(3) Colleges may from time to time retain auxiliary faculty as part-time faculty members with the rank of assistant lecturer, associate lecturer, senior lecturer, or special lecturer. Further, they may also retain auxiliary faculty with the titles of adjunct faculty or visiting faculty.

(D) Graduate faculty.

(1) The graduate faculty shall consist of the president of the university, the senior vice president and provost and chief operating officer, the vice president for research and dean of the graduate school, and the assistant/associate dean of the graduate school, deans of colleges offering graduate programs, the chairs of departments or schools offering graduate programs, distinguished professors, and other faculty members holding graduate faculty status as determined according to the bylaws of the graduate faculty.

(2) The graduate faculty shall meet at regular or special meetings on call of the president or vice president for research and dean of the graduate school or on petition of at least ten members.

(3) The graduate faculty shall encourage and contribute to the advancement of knowledge through instruction and research of highest quality, and foster a spirit of inquiry and a high value on scholarship throughout the university. Among its duties are to: develop curricula leading to appropriate graduate degrees; participate in research, publication, and professional societies; recruit, encourage, and supervise superior students in their graduate education; conduct graduate classes and seminars that stimulate creativity, independent thought, and scholarly attitudes and performance; serve on supporting committees, as needed; supervise student research, and direct theses and dissertations; help develop a graduate library appropriate to a sound graduate program; elect the members of the graduate council (the executive committee of the graduate faculty), and if elected to the council serve in the best interests of the graduate faculty and the graduate school; advise in the selection of the dean of the graduate school.

(E) Departmental\school staff.

The departmental\school staff is composed of all faculty members teaching subjects of instruction allocated to the department\school. The chair/director of the department\school who is appointed by the board upon recommendation of the dean of the college, senior vice president and provost and chief operating officer, and president, and holds office at the discretion of the president, shall be the administrative head of the department\school. The functions of the departmental\school staff shall be to prepare and recommend to the college or department\school curricula for the department\school, any changes in the curricula or courses, requirements for admission, and standards of academic achievement for graduation from the college or department\school; to prepare an annual strategic planning update; and to encourage the improvement of teaching and scholarship within the department\school in accordance with the rules of the board of trustees.

Effective: 11/16/2015
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: 3345.31
Rule Amplifies: 3359.01
Prior Effective Dates: 11/04/77, 11/27/79, 01/30/87, 12/22/89, 07/20/90, 11/16/90, 05/22/91, 09/21/95, 04/28/97, 11/24/01, 09/20/02, 06/25/07, 01/19/09, 07/05/10, 05/22/11, 11/12/11, 02/14/13, 06/27/14, 02/01/15