BSC Faculty Handbook

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(adopted in 1966 and amended in 1990). Furthermore, the College seeks to realize these
principles by establishing guidelines, organizing bodies, and implementing procedures that
safeguard and promote the role of the Faculty in managing the academic program of the College.
The College and its Faculty are not bound, however, by the above-named statements or the
interpretations of them reflected in policies and procedures by the AAUP and other external
organizations.
The College affirms that the role of the Faculty in the institution is of particular significance. The
"Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities," jointly approved or adopted by the
American Council on Education, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and
Colleges, and the American Association of University Professors, speaks to this role.
Birmingham-Southern follows the philosophy and practices of this Statement. The Statement
calls for “an agency . . . for the presentation of the views of the whole Faculty.” At Birmingham-
Southern, this role is officially designated to the Faculty Advisory Committee of the College.
Informally, the elected committees often meet together to discuss issues of concern to the
corporate Faculty. The elected committees then communicate their views to the administration
and to the Faculty at official faculty meetings or by e-mail. Representatives of the four elected
committees act formally to represent the Faculty when there is consideration of, or cause for,
program discontinuance or when a financial exigency may be imminent or has been found to
exist. The procedures for establishing a Faculty Review Committee are set forth in
section
II.E.2. Academic Areas and Departments
The Faculty is organized into three interdisciplinary Academic Areas: The Wightman Area,
including the departments of Biology, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion, Art and Art History,
and Urban Environmental Studies; the Lupton Area, including the departments of Chemistry and
Physics, Music, Education, History, and Political Science, Economics, and Sociology; and the
Wadsworth Area, including the departments of English, Mathematics, Business, Modern Foreign
Languages, Theatre, and Media and Film Studies.
Each Academic Area is supervised by an Area Chair.
Area Chairs
a. Appointments and Terms:
Area Chairs are nominated by the Faculty in their respective Areas and are appointed by the
President upon the recommendation of the Provost, in consultation with the Faculty Advisory
Committee. Area Chairs typically serve four-year terms and may serve only a single consecutive
term as Area Chair. In order to serve the College as an Area Chair, a faculty member will have
served previously as the Chair of an Academic Department or have other comparable
administrative experience.