Section 7

7.1 COMMITTEE DEFINITIONS AND RULES

General Definitions:

1. Standing Committee - a standing committee is a permanent committee with a defined purpose whose membership includes elected/selected persons and may include ex-officio persons. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDING COMMITTEES MUST BE APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE AND BE LISTED IN THE FACULTY HANDBOOK.

2. Ad hoc Committee - an ad hoc committee is a temporary committee established to perform a given task or activity for a specified period of time. Membership is usually determined by the person or group originating the committee.

3. Ex-officio - ex-officio refers to membership on a committee by virtue of position or office held.

General Rules for Standing Committees:

1. A quorum shall be a simple majority of the voting membership. Official business may not be conducted without a quorum.

2. Ex-officio members of committees shall be voting members unless otherwise stated.

3. Members may send substitutes when personal attendance is not possible. Substitutes may participate in all aspects of the meeting with the exception of voting.

4. If members consistently fail to attend scheduled meetings the chairperson may institute measures to have them replaced.

5. Elected/selected members who wish to resign from a committee should do so in writing to the chairperson.

6. All meetings are open, and non-members are welcome to attend.

7.2 ADMISSIONS

I. Purpose- The primary purpose of the Admissions Committee is to review appeals from students who have been either academically suspended or who do not meet regular admissions standards. Upon review and/or personal interview, the committee determines acceptance or denial of the appeal based on majority vote.

II. Membership- Since the primary purpose of the Admissions Committee is to review student appeals for admission, the committee shall be composed of both faculty and administrative personnel. The faculty is represented by four (4) individuals chosen by the dean of admissions and records and representative of the instructional areas of the college. Additionally, the student body president for the current academic year serves on the committee. Ex-officio members include: the dean of admissions and records (who serves as chair and secretary for the committee), dean of students, dean of arts and sciences, dean of health occupations, and dean of technical education.

III. Length of Membership Term- The length of term for the faculty members is three (3) years, with staggered appointments so that one (1) new member is selected each year. Student representatives serve a one (1) year term and must be selected after the fall semester begins. Members may not serve consecutive terms.

IV. Meetings- All meetings are called by the chairperson and are based on submission of admissions appeals.

7.3 ADN ADMISSIONS/ACADEMIC STANDARDS

I. Purpose- The major purpose of the ADN Admissions/Academic Standards Committee is to participate in the admissions process, including group interviews, to determine class membership. In addition, the committee reviews academic and/or clinical problems and acts on student disciplinary matters to determine re-admission to and dismissal from the ADN program.

II. Membership- There are eight (8) members on this committee. The director of the allied health department is an ex-officio member. Members of this committee are selected by the director of the allied health department: four (4) members are selected from the ADN faculty, one (1) member is selected from the biology department, one (1) member is selected from the social science or behavioral science department, and one (1) member is selected from the faculty at large. One (1) SPC counselor is selected to serve on the committee and is mutually agreed upon by the director of counseling and the director of the allied health department. The committee chairperson may request that the vice president for student affairs appoint a representative from student services to serve in an advisory capacity in cases involving disciplinary action.

III. Length of Membership Term- Indefinite - Reviewed annually.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - the director of the allied health department serves as the chairperson.

V. Meetings- The committee will meet the 3rd Monday of each month (Sept. - April) at noon. Special meetings during the semester will be called by the chairperson for the purpose of selecting the new freshman class.

7.4 ATHLETIC

I. Purpose- The purpose of the Athletic Committee is to review and approve athletic scholarships, recruitment, and admission as proposed by the varsity coaches and athletic director.

II. Membership- There are four (4) faculty members, one (1) student representative and two (2) ex-officio members on the Athletic Committee. The faculty members are appointed by the athletic director. The student representative is selected by the athletic director. The president and athletic director are ex-officio members.

III. Length of Membership Term- The length of term is four (4) years with one faculty member terminating service each year. The student representative serves a one (1) year term and must be selected after the fall semester begins. Members may not serve consecutive terms.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - this office is elected by the membership at the first meeting each fall; Secretary - this office is elected by the membership at the first meeting each fall.

V. Meetings- The Athletic Committee meets at the beginning of each semester. Special meetings may be called at the request of the athletic director or the committee chairperson.

7.5 BUILDING AND GROUNDS

I. Purpose- The Building and Grounds Committee serves as an advisory body, a communications link for the maintenance department regarding the status of campus physical facilities and ensures that South Plains College is in compliance with the Texas Hazard Communication Act and Rules. This includes:

1. Providing a means for communicating to the maintenance department breakdowns, needs, problems, and differences regarding building/grounds maintenance, custodial status or hazardous situations.
2. Assisting with establishment of priorities for maintenance/custodial needs and dealing with hazardous situations campus wide.
3. Assisting with establishment of maintenance and custodial standards and a system of evaluation.

II. Membership- There are thirty-eight (38) members (including one (1) student representative) on this committee, all of which are selected by the vice president for finance and administration.

III. Length of Membership Term- The length of term is indefinite, and is generally adjusted as needed to cover all facilities on campus. The student representative serves a one (1) year term and must be selected after the fall semester begins.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - the director of physical plant shall serve as chairperson.

V. Meetings- The committee generally meets each fall and in the spring to review maintenance requests. The chairperson may call special meetings when needed.

7.6 DISTANCE EDUCATION

I. Purpose- The Distance Education Committee serves as an advisory body to the Continuing and Distance Education and Instructional Technology departments. Its primary purpose is to consider policies, procedures and resources for distance education at South Plains College.

II. Membership- The Distance Education Committee is composed of the Dean of Continuing and Distance Education, associate dean of distance education and instructional support, the Registrar, two (2) faculty that are involved in Interactive Television, two (2) faculty that are involved in web-based courses, and two (2) at large representatives to be chosen by the Dean of Continuing and Distance Education.

III. Length of Membership Term- Faculty and Student Services Representative will serve a three (3) year term. Members may not serve consecutive terms.

IV. Officers- Co-Chairpersons- Dean of Continuing and Distance Education and associate dean of distance education and instructional support; Secretary- designated by the co-chairpersons

V. Meetings- The Distance Education Committee meets once during the fall and spring semesters. The co-chairpersons may call special meetings when needed.

7.7 EVALUATION

I. Purpose- The major responsibility of the Evaluation Committee is to monitor the instructional evaluation process. Important considerations include the evaluation instrument, the timing of the evaluations, and the tabulation of results. Recommendations for modification of evaluation policies or design of the instrument are directed to the vice president for academic affairs. This committee's responsibility for the evaluation process is limited to the instructional evaluation of South Plains College faculty (full-time and part-time) by their students.

II. Membership- The Evaluation Committee is composed of departmental chairpersons, instructional deans, vice president for academic affairs.  One (1) student representative serves on this committee and is selected by the vice president for academic affairs.

III. Length of Membership Term- The length of term is indefinite.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - vice president for academic affairs serves as the chair; Secretary - the vice president for academic affairs will provide secretarial support at committee meetings.

V. Meetings- Regular committee meetings will be at the beginning of each fall and spring semester. Special committee meetings may be called by the chairperson or the vice president for academic affairs.

7.8 INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

I. Purpose- The purpose of the Institutional Effectiveness Committee is to advise, facilitate and monitor the program of institutional effectiveness at South Plains College. This committee is charged with the responsibility to assure the systematic integration of planning and evaluation at all levels; to coordinate the collection, analysis and distribution of data useful for planning and decision-making; to develop and monitor outcome measures of institutional effectiveness; and to facilitate and monitor compliance with SACS accreditation criteria.

II. Membership- The Institutional Effectiveness Committee (IEC) is comprised of 25 appointed members with representation from instructional, student services and administrative support areas of the college. Members are appointed to the Institutional Effectiveness Committee by the President of the College as recommended by the Administrative Council. The student representative is recommended by the Student Government Association and the director of student activities.  The vice president for institutional advancement, the dean of arts and sciences, the dean of health occupations, the dean of technical education, the associate dean of research and reports, director, Plainview Center, and the president of the Faculty Senate are ex-officio members of the committee.

III. Length of Membership Term- All appointed members serve staggered four-year terms. Members may be appointed for consecutive terms.

IV. Officers- Chairperson- The chairperson is appointed by the President of the College for a two-year term. The chairperson may serve consecutive term. The vice chairperson is selected by the membership of the committee for a two-year term.  The vice chairperson works with the chairperson in coordinating committee projects and assignments. The recorder is appointed by the chairperson.

V. Meetings- The Institutional Effectiveness Committee meets at least two times in the fall and two times in the spring. The chairperson may call other meetings as needed.

7.9 LIBRARY

I. Purpose- The Library Committee studies, evaluates, and makes recommendations regarding library services, resources, and policies. This committee serves in an advisory capacity to the director of libraries.

II. Membership- The Library Committee is composed of one (1) faculty representative from each instructional department, one student representative and the director of libraries (ex-officio). Members are selected by the vice president for academic affairs.

III. Length of Membership Term- The length of term is three (3) years and members may not serve consecutive terms. Membership terms are staggered so continuity can be maintained on the committee. The student representative serves a one (1) year term and must be selected after the fall semester begins.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - the chairperson is elected by the committee at the first meeting each academic year. The chairperson may serve more than one (1) term; Secretary - the secretary is selected by the chairperson.

V. Meetings- The Library Committee meets at the beginning of each semester. The chairperson may also schedule special meetings as the need arises. An agenda will be prepared and minutes will be kept of each meeting. Copies will be distributed to committee members and the director of libraries.

7.10 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

I. Purpose- The Professional Development Committee serves as an advisory body, for the purposes of assessing, planning and reviewing professional development activities for the employees of South Plains College.

II. Membership- Members of the committee are dean of arts and sciences, dean of health occupations, dean of technical education, dean of distance and continuing education, director of human resources, associate dean of distance education and instructional support, four (4) faculty, one representative from classified staff, one representative from maintenance/grounds/custodial staff, one representative from professional/non-faculty, and the director of the teaching and learning center.

III. Length of Membership Term- The length of term of faculty members and staff shall be two (2) years with staggered terms for continuity on the committee. Members may not serve consecutive terms.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - is appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs;
Secretary - the chairperson will designate the secretary.

V. Meetings- The committee will meet once during each fall and spring semester. The chairperson may call special meetings when needed.

7.11 RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

I. Purpose- The Recruitment and Retention Committee shall provide direction for the planning and assessment of institutional goals, objectives and strategies that ensure the college of a stable and representative enrollment. As an advisory body, it is responsible for policy development as it pertains to institutional marketing, student recruitment, enrollment management and retention activities of the college. It shall function as an information exchange network to facilitate decision making and the effective coordination of marketing, recruitment and retention activities. It shall report its findings and recommendations to the Executive Council and the President of the College.

II. Membership- The committee includes twenty (20) ex-officio members including the dean of arts and sciences, dean of health occupations, dean of technical education, dean of continuing and distance education,  vice president for student affairs, dean of students, dean of admissions and records, associate dean of student services, director of guidance and counseling, director of financial aid, director of enrollment management, coordinator of multicultural services, associate dean of research and reports, director of development, comptroller, secretary title V/retention, director of Plainview campus, director of instructional technology, nursing success coordinator, and associate dean of college relations. Membership also includes faculty representatives from the following divisions: Arts and Sciences, Technical Education Division, Health Occupations, and Counseling. Two (2) student representatives, one from the Levelland campus and one from the Reese Center, shall be appointed by the committee chair based on recommendations from the committee membership.

III. Length of Membership Term- For ex-officio members, the length of term is indefinite. Faculty members shall serve alternating two-year terms. Student members shall serve one-year terms.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - The director of enrollment management serves as the chairperson; Secretary - The secretary shall be appointed by the chairperson of the committee.

V. Meetings- The committee meets at least once during the fall and spring semesters. Special meetings may be called at other times by the chairperson. Additionally, the chairperson of the committee along with the respective divisional dean and faculty representatives will meet at least once a year with the departmental chairpersons of that division for the purpose of exchanging information on committee activities and decisions, soliciting input, advice and concerns from the departmental chairpersons, and maintaining communication links with program faculty.

7.12 SAFETY AND HEALTH

I. Purpose- The purpose of the Safety and Health Committee shall be to review issues concerning communicable disease, student and employee health, and safety concerns as they relate to South Plains College. The committee shall make health and safety recommendations to the administration regarding policy and procedure that support the educational mission of the college.

II. Membership- The Safety and Health Committee is chaired by the vice president for student affairs and its membership shall consist of the dean of students, dean of student life, associate dean of students, dean of the health occupations division, dean of the technical division, coordinator of student health, director of campus police, director of human resources, director of the physical plant, selected members of the faculty, selected members of the student body, and appropriate consultants as necessary.

III. Length of Membership Term- The length of term is indefinite.

IV. Officers- The vice president for student affairs serves as chairperson.

V. Meetings- The chairperson will call meetings as needed.

7.13 SCHOLARSHIP

I. Purpose- The purpose of the Scholarship Committee is to serve as an objective body that reviews and ranks applicants for college-wide scholarships. The committee also serves in an advisory capacity to evaluate the scholarship selection process at the college and to recommend, as necessary, changes to the policy and procedures that govern the process. The committee also assists in establishing selection criteria for new scholarship programs, as needed.

II. Membership- The committee consists of ten (10) faculty members who are appointed to at-large seats and three (3) ex-officio members. Faculty membership is representational of the instructional organization of the college and the location of programs. Recommendations for faculty membership are submitted by the committee chairperson to the vice president for academic affairs who selects members when required.

III. Length of Membership- Term Members of the Scholarship Committee are appointed to three-year terms on a staggered basis (2-2-1). Members may not serve consecutive terms.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - the chairperson is selected by the vice-president for academic affairs on an annual basis. The chairperson may serve more than one year; Recorder - the recorder is selected by the committee membership at the first meeting each year.

V. Meetings- The committee will meet in August and March. The committee will also meet in April to finalize the selection of scholarship recipients. Special meetings may be called at other times by the chairperson.

7.14 STUDENT ASSISTANCE ADVISORY (SAAC)

I. Purpose- The purpose of this committee is to serve in an advisory capacity for the Student Assistance Center. The committee will consider policies, procedures, and activities as they relate to the operation of the center and the students it serves.

II. Membership- The twenty-two (22) members on the committee include seventeen (17) faculty, four (4) ex-officio members and one (1) student representative. The seventeen (17) faculty members represent each of the instructional departments. The faculty members are recommended by their respective department chairpersons. The four (4) ex-officio members, the director of the teaching and learning center, director of guidance and counseling, associate dean of student services, and coordinator of special services, select the student representative.

III. Length of Membership Term- The faculty members on the Committee serve a three (3) year term and may be recommended to serve successive terms. The student representative serves a one (1) year term and must be selected after the fall semester begins.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - the chairperson is elected annually at the first meeting of the committee.

V. Meetings- The committee will meet prior to the fall and spring semesters. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson when needed.

7.15 SUBSTANCE ABUSE

I. Purpose- The purposes of the Substance Abuse Committee are: (1) to review the college's substance abuse policy and program, (2) to determine the effectiveness and implement changes as they are needed, and (3) to ensure that disciplinary sanctions are consistently enforced.

II. Membership- The Substance Abuse Committee is composed of twelve (12) members (including one (1) student representative) to represent all students and employees selected by the vice president for student affairs.

III. Length of Membership Term- The membership term is indefinite, and it is based primarily on job assignment and responsibilities. The student representative serves a one (1) year term and must be selected after the fall semester begins.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - the vice president for student affairs serves as chairperson; Secretary - the chairperson will provide a secretary to take minutes of the meeting when needed.

V. Meetings- Meetings will be held prior to fall and spring semesters. Special meetings may be called by the vice president for student affairs.

7.16 TECHNOLOGY

I. Purpose- The Technology Committee serves as an advisory body. Its primary purpose is to establish priorities for a technology infrastructure, which will assist SPC in achieving its mission. The committee will issue recommendations to the administration and maintain the South Plains College Technology Plan.

II. Membership- The membership includes: vice president for academic affairs, the associate dean of information technology, the dean of arts and sciences, dean of health occupations, dean of technical education, associate dean of distance education and instructional support, the director of libraries, the chairperson of the business administration department - Levelland, the associate dean of research and reports, and a faculty member. The vice president for finance and administration serves as an ex-officio member.

III. Length of Membership Term-The length of term is indefinite and is adjusted as personnel changes occur on campus.

IV. Officers- Chairperson - the vice president for academic affairs serves as the chairperson; Secretary - the chairperson will designate the secretary.

V. Meetings- The committee will meet during the fall and spring semesters. The chairperson may call special meetings when needed.