University of Arizona

CALS Governance—Advisory Councils and Committees

Academic Probation and Disqualification

This committee, which includes an administrator from CALS Office of Academic Programs, is only activated when there is a dispute between a student and a department or school. The committee reviews the information available and issues a recommendation to the dean.

Administrative Council

This group includes the HODS, county extension directors, directors of agricultural research centers, Executive Council, and about five other administrative offices. The total is about 45 and it generally meets at an annual retreat. Topics to be discussed are developed by a committee representing the types of people present.

Alumni Council

The CALS Alumni Council is governed by a board of directors consisting of approximately 32 members drawn from a wide spectrum of alumni throughout the United States. The council fosters and promotes interaction among the CALS students, administration, faculty, and alumni. The council's stated mission is to develop, encourage and sponsor programs that will foster fellowship and mutual benefit among all members and thereby promotes the goals of the council and the college. They meet three times per year: Homecoming, spring and a summer retreat. A second alumni board, the Council of Alumni and Friends of the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences, operates independently of the CALS Alumni Council. Gene Sander is the liaison to the Executive Council for the CALS Alumni Council.

Appointed Professionals Council

The council was organized in 2003. CALS APC assists in the process of communicating CALS appointed professionals issues to the dean and other administrators and provides opportunities to enhance the future quality of life and work environment for appointed professionals in CALS. There is also a University of Arizona Appointed Professionals Advisory Council. Sandy Pottinger is the liaison to the Executive Council.

CALS Faculty Council

The Faculty Council is made up of all elected faculty senators—including those elected at large—with CALS appointments. They meet with the dean periodically to provide faculty perspectives on current and upcoming issues and concerns. Topics for discussion include issues that come before the Faculty Senate and the college or any other faculty-related topics that would benefit from group discussion. The Council selects its own chair who also serves on the Dean's Advisory Committee.

County Extension Directors

This group is comprised of the extension director from each of the 15 Arizona counties and a Cooperative Extension employee from the Navajo Nation. Liaison for Executive Council to the County Extension Directors: Jim Christenson.

Curriculum Committee

The Curriculum Committee includes faculty active in teaching and advising, representing a broad range of CALS departments and schools as well as Undergraduate and Graduate Council representatives and graduate and undergraduate student representatives. The committee has the following goals:

• Encourage faculty, departmental, and college-wide academic creativity and innovation. As appropriate, encourage interdisciplinary approaches.

• Encourage program initiatives and outreach education to the citizens of Arizona.

• Ensure academic integrity and quality of programs.

• Bring forth issues of special academic concern and opportunity for faculty consideration that can be addressed by faculty task forces.

• Encourage achievement of diversity goals and allowances for special services as approved by university guidelines. Ensure our students academic fairness and equity.

• Encourage an expedient, timely flow of submissions and information exchange. Provide timely recommendations to the director of academic programs and in turn to the dean.

Dean's Advisory Committee

Committee membership includes the Executive Council and representatives from the department heads, county extension directors, Faculty Council, appointed professionals, Staff Council, Diversity Committee, Alumni Council, and graduate and undergraduate student representatives. The committee provides overall advice and guidance to the dean and Executive Council on budget and strategic planning matters.

Diversity Committee

Vision: To affect positive change in the CALS community by valuing differences and building respect. Mission: We are a representative team of diverse individuals from CALS united in the fearless goal of highlighting the value of diversity, promoting change through education, recognizing accomplishments in diversity and transferring ideas into action.

Executive Council

This five-member group is comprised of the dean and associate deans for academic programs, research, Cooperative Extension, and CALS Administrative Services. The Executive Council meets weekly and on a monthly basis meets with the campus unit heads. Individual members of the Executive Council serve as a liaison to the major CALS governance councils.

Farm Animal Care

This committee is made up of representatives from the departments of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Science and Microbiology and includes both department heads as ex-officio members.

Heads of Departments

This group includes all administrative heads for on-campus units and numbers approximately 14 units. The HODs meet twice a month; one meeting includes the Executive Council. The head HOD is elected by the group and discussion topics vary widely. Meetings often include presentations by representatives of various offices around the university.

Post Tenure Review Committee

The Post Tenure Review Committee is made up of seven elected faculty who serve staggered three-year terms. Three members represent the biological sciences (Animal Sciences; Entomology; Nutritional Sciences; Plant Sciences; Veterinary Science and Microbiology). Two members each are chosen from the natural sciences (Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; Natural Resources and the Environment; Soil, Water and Environmental Science) and social sciences (Agricultural and Resource Economics; Agricultural Education; Family and Consumer Sciences). Each year, under the university guidelines for post-tenure review, the committee conducts an audit of the evaluation process for 20 percent of CALS tenured faculty.

Promotion and Continuing Appointment Committee

According to UHAP guidelines, the committee is made up of faculty with continuing status and primarily includes representatives at full rank. Members are appointed by the dean with consideration for college diversity (geographical location, subject matter, gender, ethnicity, and appointment type) and serve staggered three-year terms. The committee reviews all college requests for promotion and/or continuing status submitted by faculty on the continuing track and submits written recommendations to the dean. Any recommendation of non-retention prior to the mandatory six-year review must also be evaluated by this committee.

Promotion and Tenure Committee

According to UHAP guidelines, the committee is made up of tenured faculty, all of whom are usually at full rank. Members are appointed by the dean with consideration for college diversity (subject matter, gender, and ethnicity) and serve staggered three-year terms. The committee reviews all college requests for promotion and/or tenure (except new hires, which are only reviewed at the departmental level) and provides written recommendations to the dean. Any recommendation of non-retention prior to the mandatory six-year review must also be evaluated by this committee.

Quality Guidance Council

The Quality Guidance Council is chaired by the vice dean and includes representatives from the department heads, county extension directors, Staff Council, a CALS faculty senator, and the chairs of all sub-teams. Established in 1993, the council provides oversight for the quality improvement process within the college and serves as a review board where procedural difficulties arise in developing or implementing the quality process. The council appoints sub-teams as needed to assess specific areas and recommend changes. Currently active sub-teams include the Communications and Web-Site Communication and Management teams. Colin Kaltenbach serves as liaison to the Executive Council.

Sabbatical Leave Committee

This committee is made up of four faculty representing different areas of the college and is chaired by the associate dean for academic programs. According to university policy, the college committee evaluates all requests for sabbatical leave and submits recommendations to the dean.

Staff Council

The Staff Council was organized by members of CALS classified staff with the approval of the dean. Members are appointed by the dean following review of nominations and recommendations by the council. Members serve staggered three-year terms and a representative from the Dean's Office serves as a permanent ex-officio member. An effort is made to reflect diversity within the college. The council's stated mission is to enhance communication between staff and administration regarding the role of classified staff. Members seek to enable staff to improve the quality of their work environment and elevate the morale and spirit of cooperation in CALS. The Council selects its own chair who also serves on the Dean's Advisory Committee. There is also a University of Arizona Staff Advisory Council with university-wide membership and activities.

State FFA Career Development Field Day

This committee is chaired by the head of the Department of Agricultural Education and is made up of representatives from each department which participates in the field day. The committee plans and coordinates activities for the FFA students who visit the campus annually for this event.

Student Scholarships and Awards

The committee is made up of faculty actively involved with students and includes an administrator from CALS Office of Academic Programs as an ex-officio member. The committee reviews applications and determines awards to be made from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences scholarship funds available.

University Awards for Citizens

The committee is chaired by the senior director for development and alumni affairs and includes representatives from research, extension and teaching. The committee evaluates candidates submitted for award programs for alumni and citizens who are actively involved in or who have strongly benefitted the Arizona agricultural community.

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