Committee Bylaws

PURPOSE

Ongoing faculty development and a pursuit for technological innovation are essential components of teaching excellence, and at Snow College, faculty involvement and campus-wide collaboration in these processes are equally important. Therefore, serving as an advisory body to the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC), the TLC Committee is a standing subcommittee of the Faculty Senate, working to assist professional growth and improvement of Snow College faculty by fostering scholarship, dialogues, and innovation of teaching techniques and pedagogy-related technology.
Major responsibilities of the committee will be to administer the UQI budget, review sabbatical applications, organize the Snow College Pedagogy and Practice Conference, and help plan faculty development workshops—including Lunch Bunch meetings, Division/Department Brown Bag discussions, and TLC Faculty Workshops.

1. 
   

   Membership

   The TLC Committee will consist of representation from the following:
   1. Faculty Development Director (Voting Member, Committee Chair)
   2. Two faculty members from each of the teaching divisions (Voting Members)
   3. One Faculty Senate representative (Voting Member)
   4. TLC Director (Voting Member)
   • 2.1: Selection of the Faculty Development Director/TLC Committee Chair
     

     The Faculty Development Director will be selected by a search committee, generally consisting of 3-5 TLC Committee faculty members and a representative from the Academic Affairs Office.
     Faculty serving on the TLC Committee are eligible to apply for the Faculty Development Director position. In such an instance, the committee member will be ineligible to serve on the search committee.
     The Faculty Development Director will receive one course (3 credit) release per semester. The Faculty Development Director will serve a 3-year term.
     In the event that a Faculty Development Director is unable to complete a full term, an interim TLC Committee Chair will be selected by the committee to fulfil the most essential duties of the committee chair (e.g. scheduling TLC Committee meetings, creating an agenda, guiding faculty workshops) until a new director can be selected.
     Because of the committee’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, the Faculty Development Director/TLC Committee Chair position can be shared between two faculty members who would co-chair the committee if: 1) after interviewing applicants, the search committee recommends two co-directors; and 2) the top two candidates concur and are able to plan an effective way to split the director and chair duties. In this situation, the co-directors would split the course release (each receiving one 3-credit course release per academic year) during their 3-year term. As TLC Committee co-chairs, they would each serve as voting members.

   • 2.2: Selection of faculty members
     

     Each division will select (either by dean appointment or, preferably, a division election when possible) two faculty representatives, each for a 3-year term, renewable once.
     Though not required, deans might attempt to stagger the selections when possible. If a committee member is unable to complete his or her term of office, the dean of the division involved shall select a replacement to complete the term.
     Faculty members with qualifications in faculty development and/or technology pedagogy are preferred. Ideally, each division would have one faculty development representative and one technology pedagogy representative; however, these two focus points can be shared equally among each division’s representatives—but technology should be a regular component of faculty development.

   • 2.3: Selection of the Faculty Senate representative
     

     One faculty senator will be appointed by the Senate to serve as an additional voting committee member and official liaison to the Senate.

   • 2.4: Selection of the TLC Director
     

     The TLC Director will be chosen by a search committee with representation from the Academic Affairs Office and Snow College faculty members (ideally consisting of representation from several divisions and preferably 1-2 TLC Committee members).

2. 
   

   Duties of the Faculty Development Director/TLC Committee Chair

   Duties of the Faculty Development Director include:

   • Chair the TLC Committee
   • Schedule monthly meetings during fall and spring semesters (and any others meetings if needed) for the TLC Committee and provide an agenda
   • Record meeting attendees and committee vote tallies, (if necessary, more-detailed meeting minutes can be kept by a designated committee member)
   • Roll call history will sometimes be requested by the Faculty Senate or Advancement and Tenure Committee
   • Spearhead the scheduling of presentations for monthly Lunch Bunch discussions regarding pedagogy, especially related to high-impact practices (HIPs) and technology
   • Plan topics for and participate in monthly division/department brown bag discussions to be led by TLC Committee members and others
   • Work with the TLC Director to set up faculty development workshops and presentations
   • In collaboration with the Academic Affairs Office, run the new faculty workshop each fall semester
   • Administer the UQI budget and Snow Pedagogy Conference budget
   • Create and maintain a Faculty Development Calendar
   • Assist TLC Director and TLC Committee in managing and developing the “Snow Faculty Canvas Orientation” course
   • Mentor faculty to encourage the use of sound pedagogy and HIPs
   • Mentor and assist UQI candidates and sabbatical candidates when appropriate
   • Work with IR Director to analyze trends and patterns in Snow teaching/learning experiences; Teaching and Learning Center Committee By-Laws
   • Keep abreast of AACU HIP practices, NEH practices, USHE trends, various pedagogy journals, leading practices in core course instruction from other states, etc.
   • Set an example of continuous improvement in his/her own instructional program
   • Serve as a resource for faculty who want to improve their teaching and student learning
   • Represent the best interests of the entire college as much as possible, especially on committee votes and decisions
   • Promote appropriate use of educational technologies
   • Be connected to the wider faculty development community.

 

1. Duties of the Committee Members

   Duties of the TLC Committee members include:

   • Attend monthly TLC Committee meetings during fall and spring semesters
   • Regular attendance to committee meetings is expected
   • Roll call history (kept by the chair) is often requested by Faculty Senate or by the Advancement and Tenure Committee
   • When unable to attend, members should communicate with the committee chair; if meeting attendance becomes less regular, a temporary (non-voting) or permanent (by dean appointment or election) division replacement should be selected to attend
   • Review Undergraduate Quality Initiative (UQI) applications and Teaching Triangle proposals to administer the UQI budget
   • Review sabbatical applications and provide a recommendation to the Academic Affairs Office
   • Generate productive ideas for on-campus faculty development:
   • Assist Faculty Development Director in planning monthly Lunch Bunch meetings
   • Plan and lead discussions in monthly Division/Department Brown Bag discussions
   • Assist TLC Director in planning TLC Faculty workshops
   • Help plan (and potentially lead presentations for) the Snow College Pedagogy and Practice Conference
   • Recommend technology and program changes (deletions, additions, and/or modifications) to better serve staff and faculty
   • Be an advocate for faculty development and technology pedagogy within the divisions
   • Serve as a resource for faculty who want to improve their teaching and student learning.

 

1. Voting

   Each voting member of the committee will have one vote on any motion made by a committee member. A motion passed by a simple majority of voting members (not just a majority of committee members present) will stand approved.

 

1. Amendments

   Amendments to these by-laws may be adopted at any TLC Committee meeting. Proposals should be received by the committee chair as a written statement. The proposed changes shall be discussed and voted upon. An affirmative vote resulting in two-thirds of the voting members (not just of committee members present) is required to approve the proposed changes. Approved amendments shall then be presented to the Faculty Senate as information items.

Last updated: 03/16/21
Approved: 03/18/21