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Social Sciences Division Bylaws

ARTICLE I.  NAME

These are the bylaws of the Social Sciences Division of the Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

ARTICLE II.  PURPOSE AND SUPERSEDING AUTHORITY

These bylaws are a supplement to the Bylaws of the Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and are intended to provide a framework for the effective and orderly conduct of the business of the Social Sciences Division. In case of conflict, the Library Bylaws and the University of Illinois Statutes will prevail.

ARTICLE III.   SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION

Section 1. THE FACULTY

  1. The faculty of the Social Sciences Division shall consist of all those persons in the following libraries who fulfill the requirements of membership in the Library faculty as defined in Article III, Section 1, of the Library Bylaws: Business and Economics, Communications, Education and Social Science, Global Studies, Library and Information Science.Faculty members shall each have one vote and be eligible for membership on Division committees. Persons appointed to positions as acting head of any library in the Division shall have one vote.

  2. Faculty members shall each have one vote and be eligible for membership on Division committees. Persons appointed to positions as acting head of any library in the Division shall have one vote.

  3. The faculty of the Division may vote to extend membership to other academic staff with the rank of instructor or above.

Section 2. MEETINGS

  1. Frequency: There shall be at least one meeting each month; however, by majority vote, the Divisional faculty may choose to cancel a meeting.

  2. Coordinator: The coordinator of the Division or the coordinator's designee shall preside at all Divisional meetings.

  3. Agenda and Minutes: The coordinator is responsible for the preparation and timely distribution of the agenda. Responsibility for taking minutes shall rotate each meeting among Divisional faculty in alphabetical order. Copies of minutes shall be distributed to all Divisional faculty and to others as determined by the Divisional faculty. A final version of the meeting minutes will be made available on the Division website.

  4. Attendance: Notices of meetings and agendas shall be sent to all faculty in the Division, to a representative from the support staff selected from one of the Division libraries as an ex-officio member, and to the representatives from Area Studies, Technical Services and the Undergraduate Library. It is advisable that at least one representative from each library in the Division be present at all Division meetings. Representatives from other Social Sciences Division staff or from other Divisions or units of the Library may attend at the invitation of the Divisional faculty or the Division coordinator.

  5. Special meetings: Special meetings of the Division may be called at the request of four members of the faculty.

  6. Quorum: A quorum shall consist of four faculty members representing at least three different libraries within the Division.

Section 3. RESPONSIBILITIES

The Divisional faculty shall serve as an advisory body to the Divisional coordinator with regard to the administration of the Division. It shall:

  1. formulate policies and procedures for the orderly running of the Division;

  2. implement Library policies insofar as they affect the Division;

  3. nominate representatives to Library committees;

  4. develop plans for the improvement of collections, operations, and services in Divisional libraries;

  5. facilitate communication among Divisional libraries and with other Divisions and units in the Library.

Section 4. AFFILIATED UNITS

The following campus units have relationships with libraries in the Social Sciences Division but are not members of the Division: Susan Stout Memorial Library in the Department of Psychology, Center for Children's Books, European Union Center, Illinois Fire Services Institute Library.

ARTICLE IV.  ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Section 1. MEMBERSHIP

The Divisional advisory committee shall consist of all faculty members in the Divisional libraries enumerated in Article III, Section 1.

Section 2. MEETINGS

The advisory committee shall meet at the call of the Divisional coordinator or of a majority of the members of the advisory committee, but there shall be at least one meeting called each semester for consideration of Divisional governance, policy, and other business.

Section 3. RESPONSIBILITIES

The advisory committee shall:

  1. provide for the orderly voicing of suggestions for the good of the Division;

  2. recommend procedures and committees that will encourage faculty participation in formulating policy;

  3. conduct an evaluation of the Divisional coordinator at least once every three years and, if necessary, recommend removal of the Divisional coordinator before a term has expired;

  4. advise on the appointment of Divisional committees;

  5. advise on the appointment of faculty in the Division;

  6. make recommendations for promotion and tenure of Divisional faculty to the Library Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee. A subcommittee of all tenured faculty members of the appropriate rank shall serve for purposes of deliberating on recommendations for promotion and tenure. For promotions to full professor, a special subcommittee of three persons consisting of full professors from the Division, or from other Divisions, as necessary, shall make recommendations.

  7. provide feedback on requests for sabbatical, especially with respect to staffing and unit coverage.

ARTICLE V.  GRIEVANCES AND APPEAL 

Section 1. WITHIN A DIVISION LIBRARY

Problems within a Division library should normally be directed to the head of the unit. If not resolved, the problem shall be brought to the attention of the Division coordinator.

Section 2. BETWEEN LIBRARIES IN THE DIVISION

Problems between libraries within the Division shall first be directed to the heads of the units involved. If not resolved, the problem shall be brought to the attention of the Divisional coordinator. If not resolved, the problem shall then be brought to the attention of the faculty at a Divisional meeting.

ARTICLE VI.  AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

Amendments to the bylaws are made by ballot after due notice and discussion. Procedures to be followed are the same as those in Article XI of the Library Bylaws.