C.2. Faculty Councils and Committees

There are eight general councils and committees of the faculty:

(1) The Council on Reviews (COR) consisting of the Promotions Committee and the Reappointments Committee

(2) The Faculty Council

(3) The Educational Affairs Committee (EAC)

(4) The Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI)

(5) The Strategy Committee

(6) The Resources Committee

(7) The Appeals Council

(8) The Physical Education and Athletics Committee on Reappointment

These bodies advise the administration and faculty on policy and act for the faculty in specified areas.

Any council may establish standing or ad hoc committees, in addition to those designated below, which may include persons who are not members of the parent body. All such committees will report to the faculty through the parent group. Any positions on such committees are filled through appointment by the Committee on Committees. The president is a member, ex officio, of all councils and committees.

No member of the faculty may serve simultaneously on more than one of the following committees: the Council on Reviews, the Faculty Council, the Educational Affairs Committee, the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Strategy Committee, the Resources Committee, and the Appeals Council. Faculty members who will be on leave during the year in which a term is scheduled to begin are ineligible for election. A faculty member elected or appointed to a two- or three-year term on any of these committees who is on leave before the expiration of the term will serve the remaining year(s) of the term after returning from leave. A faculty member serving on any of these committees will normally not be eligible for election or appointment to any other committees.

Faculty members serving on the Council on Reviews, Faculty Council, Educational Affairs Committee, Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Strategy Committee, or Resources Committee will earn one year of exemption, immediately following, from elected or appointed service on these committees for each year served. Time spent on leave does not count towards this exemption period. The exemption period will be automatically applied unless the faculty member requests to remain eligible for such service in the year(s) following their committee service. Members of the faculty will not be obligated to serve for more than a total of twelve (12) years on any combination of these committees or former versions of them, including the Committee on Reappointment, Teaching Resources Committee, and the Educational Council.

Deans and other senior administrators will only serve on committees as designated in their administrative capacity, not as an elected or appointed faculty member. If a faculty member who has been elected or appointed to one of these councils or committees is subsequently appointed as a Dean or other senior administrator, then a special election or appointment will be made to fill the vacancy.

Faculty who are scheduled to serve as department chair, program director, or similar administrative role in the coming academic year can request to not appear on committee ballots. If a faculty member is appointed as a chair or program director while still serving on an elected committee, they may request to step down from the committee, leading to a replacement being elected. This does not count as committee amnesty, as chairs and directors are still eligible to serve on non-elected committees.

Any faculty member may request to be exempted from the ballots for elected committees and from selection for standing appointed committees, on an annual basis, for a period of time not to exceed four years in a career. Normally no more than two of these four years may be consecutive.

To be exempt from committee service during the following year, faculty members must normally notify the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty (VPAA/DoF) by November 1.

If more than 12 percent of the full-time faculty request exemptions for a given year, then the requests will be honored on the basis of seniority, as determined by date of first appointment to the faculty.

Elections for all elected faculty councils and committees will take place online. Balloting for all committees will be conducted online and coordinated by the VPAA/DoF. The VPAA/DoF will determine those members of the faculty, including faculty on leave, who are eligible to vote in the elections.

The online polls for each election will remain open for a minimum of two working days, defined as days on which classes are scheduled, weekdays during the period between Winter Term and the spring semester, or weekdays during the examination period.

The order of committee elections is as follows: Promotions Committee, Reappointments Committee, Faculty Council, Educational Affairs Committee, Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Strategy Committee, Resources Committee, and Appeals Council. The schedule for elections in each academic year shall be determined by the VPAA/DoF in consultation with the Faculty Council. When there are open seats in need of appointment on a committee, the Faculty Council, in its role as Committee on Committees, will appoint new members immediately after the conclusion of balloting for that committee.

1.A. The Promotions Committee of the Council on Reviews

a. Function

The Promotions Committee advises the president on each case in which a faculty member is under review for promotion to tenure or to full professor, or is facing dismissal.

The vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the faculty (VPAA/DoF) sits with the Promotions Committee. It is expected that during the course of a review for tenure, the president and provost will become familiar with the scholarship and teaching record of the candidate. All decisions and recommendations by both the committee, the president and the provost will be made and justified in accordance with the provisions and procedures specified in the Rules of Appointment and Tenure in the Faculty section of this handbook.

The committee as part of the Council on Reviews will hold an annual open meeting to explain its procedures and to respond to questions and concerns from the faculty.

b. Election

i. The committee will consist of three tenured full professors from the full-time teaching faculty elected by the faculty. No more than two members of the committee may be from one division and no more than one from a department. Each year a member of the faculty will be elected to a three-year term.

ii. No faculty member may serve concurrently as a dean or other administrative officer and as a member of the Promotions Committee.

iii. Promotions Committee members will be given reduced teaching loads, as determined by the VPAA/DoF.

iv. The preliminary ballot will list all tenured full professors, with the exception of current members of the Council on Reviews, Faculty Council, Educational Affairs Committee, Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Strategy Committee, Resources Committee, and Appeals Council, those who will be on leave during the following year, and those made ineligible or whose obligation is waived because of stipulations set forth above. On the preliminary ballot, faculty members may vote for up to five candidates.

Following the preliminary ballot, a second ballot will be distributed, listing the five candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the preliminary ballot. Faculty members may vote for up to two candidates on this ballot. After the second round of voting, a final ballot will be distributed, listing the two candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the second ballot. Faculty members may vote for one candidate on this ballot. The candidate with the greatest number of votes will be declared elected.

For any second or third vacancy on the Promotions Committee, the election procedure as described above will be repeated, revising the preliminary ballot to account for the mandated balance adjustments following earlier elections. The second ballot in each case will list the names of five candidates who remain eligible for election to the Promotions Committee. If the vacancies are of different lengths, the longest vacancy will be decided by the first round of election, and shorter vacancies by subsequent rounds of election.

In the event of a tie vote on the preliminary ballot of any election, the names of candidates who received the five highest vote totals will be included on the second ballot. On the second ballot of any election, in the event of a tie among three or more candidates for first place, a runoff ballot will be issued, listing the names of the tied candidates. Faculty members may vote for one candidate on the runoff ballot. The names of the two candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the runoff ballot will appear on the final ballot. On the second ballot of any election, in the event of a tie among two or more candidates for second place, a runoff ballot will be issued, listing the names of the tied candidates. Faculty members may vote for one candidate on the runoff ballot. The name of the candidate who received the greatest number of votes on the runoff ballot will appear on the final ballot, along with the name of the candidate who received the greatest number of votes on the second ballot.

1.B. The Reappointments Committee of the Council on Reviews

a. Function

The Reappointments Committee advises the provost in all reappointment decisions. This committee also conducts ten-year reviews. The VPAA/DoF sits with the Reappointments Committee. All decisions and recommendations by both the committee and the provost shall be made and justified in accordance with the provisions and procedures specified in the Rules of Appointment and Tenure in the Faculty Handbook chapter of this handbook.

The committee as part of the Council on Reviews will hold an annual open meeting to explain its procedures and to respond to questions and concerns from the faculty.

b. Election

ii. No faculty member may serve concurrently as a dean or other administrative officer and as a member of the Reappointments Committee.

iii. Reappointments Committee members will be given reduced teaching loads, as determined by the VPAA/DoF.

iv. The preliminary ballot will list all tenured full professors, with the exception of current members of the Council on Reviews, Faculty Council, Educational Affairs Committee, Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Strategy Committee, Resources Committee, Appeals Council, those who will be on leave during the following year, and those made ineligible or whose obligation is waived because of stipulations set forth above. On the preliminary ballot, faculty members may vote for up to five candidates.

For any second or third vacancy on the Reappointments Committee, the election procedure as described above will be repeated, revising the preliminary ballot to account for the mandated balance adjustments following earlier elections. The second ballot in each case will list the names of five candidates who remain eligible for election to the Reappointments Committee. If the vacancies are of different lengths, the longest vacancy will be decided by the first round of election, and shorter vacancies by subsequent rounds of election.

2. The Faculty Council

a. Function

Faculty Council is the executive committee of the faculty. In this capacity it (1) coordinates faculty business; (2) represents the College faculty when working with the administration and/or Board of Trustees on all matters related to the College faculty; (3) acts as the Committee on Committees; and (4) in conjunction with other elected faculty committees, works with the administration and/or Board of Trustees on matters of shared interest related to the College, the Schools, and the Institute. In fulfilling these roles, Faculty Council will:

i. Set the agenda for faculty meetings (plenary, by divisions, or in small groups), in consultation with the faculty moderator and the vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the faculty (VPAA/DoF);

ii. Act on matters that members of the faculty, administration, or Board of Trustees submit to it and/or to the faculty moderator. Actions may include but are not limited to: (1) providing information on, or interpretations of, matters submitted to it; (2) referring questions to other committees for further consideration or action; (3) convening meetings with other elected or appointed committees; (4) referring matters to the full faculty (with a recommendation for further action and the text of motions, when a vote is in order); (5) issuing its own decision on matters submitted to it when allowable according to the rules of the faculty;

iii. Meet with the VPAA/DoF and the faculty moderator once a month to discuss plenary session agendas, and meet separately with the president or the VPAA/DoF at least once a month to work on business before the faculty or under consideration by the faculty or administration. It may, through its chair, request additional meetings with the president, the VPAA/DoF, or other administrators to address matters under consideration;

iv. As representatives of the College faculty, advise the president, provost, and VPAA/DoF on all administrative appointments (including faculty appointments to ad hoc committees established by the administration), and, in a timely manner, on plans for administrative restructuring, especially as they concern the academic interests of the College. When necessary, discussions regarding appointments and restructuring may be confidential. The faculty’s expectation, however, is that discussion of these matters will be full and frank and that the president will respond to issues raised by the Council with due attention;

v. Act, as Conference Committee (either as a whole or through at least three of its members) with the College Board of Overseers twice a year to discuss matters of mutual concern;

vi. Act as the Conference Committee (either as a whole or through at least three of its members) with representatives of the Board of Trustees as necessary to discuss matters of collective interest to the College, the Schools, and the Institute, and to assess the process of shared governance;

vii. Serve as the president’s, provost’s and Board chair’s first point of contact with the College faculty on matters requiring a timely response. Faculty Council may refer questions to other committees, as it deems appropriate. At the request of the president, provost, chair of the Board, VPAA/DoF, or the chair of Faculty Council, discussions of matters raised in these meetings may be held in confidence, with the expectation that in due course they will receive full and open discussion as any resultant decision-making process unfolds;

viii. Keep permanent records of all Council proceedings. It will, upon the request of any member, take a Council vote on matters before it;

ix. Report to the faculty at its earliest plenary session subsequent to Council meetings;

x. Meet with Staff Council and elected faculty committees (either separately or in come combination) at least once a year regarding important matters before the Councils or committees and maintain open lines of communication with all committees; and

xi. Act, in consultation with the VPAA/DoF, as a Committee on Committees. In this capacity, Faculty Council will appoint faculty members to, and provide oversight for, all standing committees. The Council may also appoint ad hoc committees to consider and make recommendations regarding matters outside the scope of existing standing committees or to supplement the work of standing committees when necessary. It may recommend to the faculty the reconstruction or abolition of committees. In this function, the Council’s actions are subject to ratification by the faculty.

b. Composition

i. The council will consist of four tenured faculty members, two pre-tenure (i.e., nontenured regular appointment) faculty members, and one special appointment faculty member. Tenured and pre-tenure faculty must have completed two years of full-time faculty status at Middlebury before his or her elected term begins. Special appointment faculty members are eligible for election if and only if they have contracts extending for at least one year beyond the date of election, and have been a faculty member at the College for at least seven years. Full-time members of the department of physical education are eligible for election to Faculty Council in the pre-tenure category after two years of full-time service. Faculty members currently under tenure review are not eligible for election. A member of the Faculty Council may not simultaneously serve on the Council on Reviews, the Educational Affairs Committee, the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Strategy Committee, the Resources Committee, or the Appeals Council. No more than two members of the Faculty Council may be from one division, and no more than one member may be from one department.

ii. The members of the Faculty Council will elect one of its tenured members to serve as chair. The chair will run meetings, set Council meeting agendas (in consultation with the faculty moderator, the president, or the VPAA/DoF as appropriate), write reports for the Council, report to the faculty at plenary sessions, and coordinate work with the chairs of other committees.

iii. Term of Election: Normally, members of the faculty will serve for three-year terms. A pre-tenure Faculty Council member who receives tenure during his or her term will complete the term as a tenured member, and the resulting vacancy in the pre-tenure ranks will be filled by election, as specified below. Changes in the faculty status of special appointment members (e.g., to pre-tenure or tenured status) will be treated in parallel fashion. If changes in faculty status are such that the Faculty Council is no longer composed of four tenured members, two pre-tenure members, and one special appointment member, then the VPAA/DoF, in consultation with the Faculty Council, will decide which of its members will be excused from Faculty Council prior to the conclusion of his or her term.

c. Election

For elections for Faculty Council, a preliminary ballot will include separate lists of all eligible members of the faculty in those membership categories (tenured, pre-tenure, and special appointment) for which positions are to be filled, except for members of Council on Reviews, Educational Affairs Committee, Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Strategy Committee, Resources Committee, Appeals Council, those who will be on leave during the following year, and those made ineligible or whose obligation is waived because of stipulations set forth above. On the preliminary ballot, faculty members may vote for up to five tenured candidates, up to five pre-tenure candidates, and up to five special appointment candidates. Following the preliminary ballot, a second ballot will be distributed, listing separately the names of the five tenured candidates, the five pre-tenure candidates, and the five special appointment candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the preliminary ballot. Faculty members may vote for up to two candidates in each category. After the second round of voting, a final ballot will be distributed, separately listing the two candidates in each category who received the greatest number of votes on the second ballot. Faculty members may vote for one candidate in each category. The candidate with the greatest number of votes will be declared elected.

For any second, third or fourth tenured vacancy and/or any second pre-tenure vacancy on the Faculty Council, the election procedure as described above will be repeated, revising the preliminary ballot and separate lists of tenured and pre-tenure faculty. The second ballot in each case will list the names of five candidates who remain eligible for election to the Faculty Council. If the vacancies are of different lengths, the longest vacancy will be decided by the first round of election, and shorter vacancies by subsequent rounds of election.

3. Educational Affairs Committee (EAC)

a. Function

The Educational Affairs Committee has two functions of equal importance: (1) to oversee the general direction of the College curriculum and (2) to make recommendations on staffing and the allocation of teaching resources. The EAC considers proposals for new majors, standalone minors*, and programs, changes in degree requirements and the College academic calendar, and other matters of general educational policy, and refers the proposals it approves to the full faculty for further action. The Committee considers proposals for new and restored positions on the faculty and for replacement staffing for faculty on leave, and recommends the proposals it approves to the provost or the provost’s designate. The committee's purpose is to provide guidance and direction to the manner in which resources are allocated to carry out Middlebury's educational mission as a liberal arts college.

*A standalone minor is defined as any minor for which there is no corresponding major.

b. Composition

i. The EAC will be composed of seven members: five elected, full-time, tenured members of the faculty; and two academic administrators appointed by the provost, one of whom will chair the committee. The faculty members of the EAC will elect one of their members to serve as a co-chair, alongside the administrative co-chair. When voting is necessary, only the elected faculty members shall vote, except in the case of a tie, when the chair will cast a deciding vote.

ii. The faculty co-chair will run meetings, set meeting agendas (in consultation with the administrative co-chair and other EAC members), report to the faculty at plenary sessions, and coordinate work with other committee chairs as needed. The administrative co-chair will coordinate the staffing proposal review process, convey EAC staffing recommendations to the provost, and communicate outcomes resulting from deliberations of the EAC. The faculty and administrative co-chairs together will write reports for the EAC.

iii. In carrying out its functions, the EAC will create, as it deems necessary, ad hoc committees to obtain information and recommendations about particular issues. The composition of such ad hoc committees will be at the discretion of the EAC, except that ad hoc committees on matters of general educational policy or academic regulations will always include at least one student member.

iv. The Student Government Association will be responsible for the appointment of four student representatives to serve as members of a Student Educational Affairs Committee (SEAC). The SEAC will invite one faculty member of the EAC to serve in an advisory capacity. The EAC will meet with the SEAC at least once a month to discuss matters of general educational policy. The EAC will consult with the SEAC prior to presenting proposals that require approval of the full faculty, such as proposals for new majors, standalone minors, and programs, changes in degree requirements and the College academic calendar, and other matters of general educational policy. The SEAC may initiate proposals for consideration by the EAC. The members of the SEAC are permitted to attend monthly faculty meetings, with the right to speak during consideration of curricular measures presented by the Educational Affairs Committee.

c. Election

i. The five elected members of the Educational Affairs Committee will be elected at large by all voting members of the faculty. No more than two members of the committee may be from one division, and no more than one from a department. The elected members will serve three-year terms. Faculty members elected to the EAC normally will not, during their term of office, serve on any other committee or serve as chair of a department or division.

ii. The preliminary ballot will list all tenured members of the full-time teaching faculty, with the exception of the members of the Council on Reviews, Faculty Council, Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Strategy Committee, Resources Committee, Appeals Council, those who will be on leave during the following year, and those made ineligible or whose obligation is waived because of stipulations set forth above. On the preliminary ballot, faculty members may vote for up to five candidates.

Following the preliminary ballot, a second ballot will be distributed listing the five candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the preliminary ballot. Faculty members may vote for up to two candidates on this ballot. After the second round of voting, a final ballot will be distributed listing the two candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the second ballot. Faculty members may vote for one candidate on this ballot. The candidate with the greatest number of votes will be declared elected.

For any second or third vacancy on the EAC, the election procedure as described above will be repeated, revising the preliminary ballot to account for the mandated balance adjustments following earlier elections. The second ballot in each case will list the names of five candidates who remain eligible for election to the EAC. If the vacancies are of different lengths, the longest vacancy will be decided by the first round of election, and shorter vacancies by subsequent rounds of election.

For any fourth or fifth vacancy on the EAC, a new preliminary ballot will be issued, and the election procedures as described above will be followed.

d. Procedures

i. Educational Policy

(a) All proposals affecting general educational policy will be recommended to the faculty through the Educational Affairs Committee.

(b) The EAC will make recommendations regarding general educational policy at one plenary session, and such recommendations will be discussed in divisions or in small group meetings prior to the next plenary session.

ii. Programs and Majors

(a) The Educational Affairs Committee will recommend for approval by a vote of the faculty any new program, standalone minor, or major or the elimination of any existing program, standalone minor, or major.

(b) Proposals for new programs, standalone minors, and majors to be introduced in the following year's catalog should be submitted, with divisional approval, to the EAC no later than November 15. All proposals for new programs and majors recommended by the EAC will be presented to the full faculty for a vote.

iii. Academic Regulations

(a) Proposals for changes in academic regulations included in the catalog and the College Handbook will be referred to the Educational Affairs Committee.

(b) The EAC may either consider these proposals itself, refer them to an ad hoc committee, or refer them to the Curriculum Committee. Recommendations regarding changes in academic regulations may be brought directly to the faculty for a vote by an ad hoc committee or by the Curriculum Committee.

e. Standing Committees

The various standing committees will keep the Educational Affairs Committee informed of their activities through minutes of all their meetings. In a given year the EAC may also decide to concentrate its attention on the issues arising before a particular standing committee: at the EAC's request, one of its members may be named to sit on such a committee and to serve as a liaison between the two groups. The standing committees include:

i. Curriculum Committee

(a) Composition: the dean of curriculum, who is chair, four faculty members from different divisions, and two student members, elected by the Student Government Association.

(b) Function: To approve or reject requests for additions, deletions, or alterations of courses that have been recommended by the appropriate divisions/departments; to act upon proposed changes in requirements for existing programs, majors, and minors; to exercise general oversight of the distribution requirement and the cultures and civilizations requirement; to exercise general oversight of the first-year seminar program; to undertake responsibility for the administration of an effective and well-balanced winter term program; to approve, in consultation with the dean of the College or designee, proposals from students for Independent Scholar status. The divisions may propose to the Curriculum Committee that certain courses be given divisional designations rather than departmental letters. Such proposals require prior consent of the instructor's department and the division in which the course is to be offered.

(1) Proposals for the addition of courses to the curriculum must be presented to the Curriculum Committee for approval. Proposed courses for the fall and spring terms should be submitted to the Curriculum Committee by the deadline listed in the Chairs' Calendar.

(2) Proposals for changes in requirements for existing programs, majors, and minors should be submitted to the Curriculum Committee.

(3) Disposition of proposals in categories (1) and (2) may take one of the following forms:

Changes approved unanimously by the committee become a part of the curriculum except those involving financial commitments or teaching staff.

All proposals other than those passed unanimously may, at the discretion of any member of the Curriculum Committee, be brought by the committee to the EAC for action; if approved, they become part of the curriculum except those involving financial commitments or teaching staff.

The Curriculum Committee will consult the EAC before acting on proposals which involve questions of financial commitments or teaching staff.

All approved changes will be reported to the faculty.

ii. Administration Committee

This committee is responsible for reviewing petitions from students for exceptions to certain academic policies and from faculty members for grade changes. Policies overseen by the Administration Committee include but are not limited to the following:

course drops after the deadline for exceptional personal circumstances;
reduced course load for exceptional personal circumstances;
invocation of Pass/D/Fail status after the deadline for exceptional personal circumstances;
requests for readmission after academic failure or conduct-related suspension;
reinstatement for the purpose of credit transfer toward the Middlebury degree;
exceptions allowing retaking of courses for which credit was earned;
waivers of residence requirements for first-year Winter Term or senior year for non-medical reasons;
grade change requests from faculty members.

The Office of the Registrar may forward to the Administration Committee unusual or unprecedented petitions that fall within the office’s scope of responsibility for which the Registrar requests a Committee decision.

The Administration Committee is composed of two co-chairs, generally a dean from the Dean of Students Office and a returning faculty member; three faculty members from across the academic divisions; and the registrar and associate registrar. Only the members of the faculty and dean serve as voting members.

Middlebury’s academic policies embody the expectations that students are enrolled at Middlebury to pursue their academic degree; that they must adhere responsibly to the policies that support this goal; and that if factors arise that interfere with this goal, they will address them responsibly and/or seek help from Middlebury or external resources in a timely fashion. When evaluating petitions requesting exceptions to these policies, the Committee generally considers the following:

the goals of the relevant policies;
the responsibilities of students and of the institution;
the principles of fairness to the petitioner and of fairness to all other affected parties;
the individual circumstances of the petitioner.

Petitions may be approved, tabled, or denied. Petitions are tabled when the Committee identifies additional information needed for the evaluation; upon its receipt, the Committee resumes consideration. In cases of denial, petitioners who wish to provide relevant new or clarifying information may resubmit their petition to the Administration Committee for reconsideration.

Procedures for submitting a petition may be found on the Administration Committee website.

iii. Athletic Policy Committee

The committee has the responsibility to formulate and recommend to the faculty policy concerning intercollegiate athletics for Middlebury College undergraduates, in accordance with the rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), and the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), in which Middlebury maintains membership. The committee acts as an executive committee. Its decisions are subject to review at the following faculty meeting through approval of the minutes of its meeting. As an executive committee, the committee has the following responsibilities: (a) approving all athletic schedules within the limits established by the faculty; (b) approving the number of classes missed for a particular event; (c) making exceptions to established faculty athletic policy; and (d) obtaining financial authorization from the administration prior to taking executive action or recommending action by the faculty. One of the faculty members of the committee will serve as the College's NCAA faculty representative. The chair of the Athletic Policy Committee, who will be a tenured member of the faculty, will also serve as a member of the Physical Education and Athletics Committee on Reappointment (PEACOR).

iv. Preprofessional Committees

To prepare committee recommendations; to assist students in their applications to medical, dental, engineering, and other professional schools.

v. Education Studies Committee

To work with the director of education studies in an advisory capacity. The committee consists of the director of education studies and two faculty members.

vi. Off-Campus Study

To review, appraise, and approve or disapprove all student applications for a leave of absence to study off campus. The committee will be composed of two members of the faculty, one of whom is from the foreign language division, the director of off-campus study, and two senior students who have participated in off-campus programs.

vii. Center for Careers and Internships Advisory Committee

To work with the director of the Center for Careers and Internships in an advisory capacity. The committee consists of the director, two faculty members, and students.

viii. Honorary Degree Committee

Two faculty members will be appointed to serve on the trustee committee that recommends to the president candidates for honorary degrees and Commencement speakers.

4. Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CDEI)

a. Function

The Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is the primary faculty governance body addressing institutional and social diversity in the broadest sense, serving as an independent advocacy group, advisory body, and faculty network for exchange and support of ideas and policies. The committee consults and meets, at least once per academic year, with different entities such as the Senior Leadership Group, the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Strategy and Resources Committees, the Alliance for an Inclusive Middlebury, the Admissions Office, the Educational Affairs Committee and its subcommittees (in particular, the Curriculum Committee and Administration Committee). Its activities take two forms: reaching out to the relevant parts of the College to address issues raised among the faculty, and being a resource for various parts of the College to consult for a faculty perspective on diversity. It works to strengthen Middlebury’s commitment to the ideals, practices, and policies with which we collectively seek equity and inclusion across the institution by working with and through other institutional governance structures to provide recommendations that support students, staff and faculty work toward these goals. The committee's areas of attention may include but are not limited to the following:

1) Faculty Leadership

The CDEI represents faculty perspectives on diversity policies and practices, and serves as the institutional connection between the administration and the faculty on issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity. It advocates for opportunities for all faculty members to learn more strategies to address these issues in their teaching, promote a culture of inclusivity, and enhance our potential for institutional transformation. The CDEI meets with the Provost at least once each semester, and with other members of the Senior Leadership Group as necessary. The CDEI also works with the Student Government Association and other relevant student groups (such as the Black Student Union, Women of Color, and Distinguished Men of Color) to ensure open and productive communication between students and faculty around issues pertaining to diversity at Middlebury.

2) Policy Brokerage

The CDEI compiles and expresses faculty concerns and suggestions for transforming Middlebury’s status quo. It serves both as a sounding board for the administration to workshop its ideas for policy changes, and as a loudspeaker for faculty ideas. This brokerage function is particularly important for junior faculty with concerns and good ideas, who may be cautious about asserting themselves while working their way toward tenure.

3) Communication and Reporting

The CDEI occasionally reports on its activities at faculty meetings, in addition to setting an agenda of targets and goals at the beginning of each academic year. It also responds to faculty questions and initiatives relating to issues of racism, diversity, and inclusion as these emerge from these meetings and the other mechanisms of faculty governance. At the end of each academic year, the CDEI will submit a brief report to the faculty on its deliberations and actions, and identify issues for consideration the following year. This report will be included in the minutes of the last plenary session of the faculty.

4) Outreach

The CDEI annually engages the College faculty in a discussion of issues of race, diversity, and inclusion, especially as they relate to the College, and solicit faculty input regarding them. Pragmatically, this may take the form of an annual Summit on Diversity and Inclusion. The committee may also sponsor reading groups or lectures on topics related to issues in higher education that warrant consideration by the faculty. It can also keep records, numbers, and data about diversity issues in a centralized and public space, open to all faculty. This resource will solidify our institutional memory and support curricular and institutional innovations.

b. Composition

The CDEI will consist of six faculty members, with the Chief Diversity Officer serving as an ex officio member and attending its meetings at the committee’s invitation. The committee should reflect the diversity that Middlebury seeks to achieve. No more than two CDEI members shall be junior faculty. Faculty Council will be responsible for inviting and appointing some members of this committee, with the expectation that the procedure would maintain the CDEI’s autonomy in relation to rest of the College’s administration and governance structure. It will meet at least once per month, and more often as necessary.

Membership on the CDEI is open to all tenured faculty members, all pre-tenure faculty members on regular appointment, and all faculty members on special appointment who have contracts extending for at least one year beyond the date of the start of the term to which they would be elected or appointed. A member of the CDEI must have completed two years of full-time faculty status at Middlebury before their term begins. A member of the CDEI may not simultaneously serve on the Council on Reviews, Faculty Council, Educational Affairs Committee, Strategy Committee, Resources Committee, or Appeals Council. No more than two members of the CDEI may be from one division and no more than one member may be from one department. The departmental affiliation of the Chief Diversity Officer will not figure into the distribution of members.

The term for members of the CDEI is three years. Two of the positions will be elected by the faculty. The remaining four positions will be appointed by the Faculty Council in its role as the Committee on Committees. Faculty Council should consider ways to ensure that the CDEI membership includes interest in, expertise about, and community support on diversity issues. It could, for example, require that one of the Faculty Council-appointed positions be from an academic department that directly addresses diversity issues. It could create a student nomination process for another of these positions.

Elections and appointments will normally be for three-year terms. Positions that become vacant due to leaves, retirements, or for other reasons will be filled in the same way that the departing member was first selected for the committee: vacancies in elected positions will be filled by election, and vacancies in appointed positions will be filled by appointment.

The CDEI will elect one of its own tenured members as chair. The chair will run meetings, set meeting agendas, write reports, report to the faculty at plenary meetings, and coordinate work with other committee chairs as needed.

c. Election

For election for the CDEI, a preliminary ballot will include a list of all eligible tenured members, all eligible pre-tenured faculty members on regular appointment, and all eligible faculty members on special appointment who have contracts extending for at least one year beyond the date of start of the term to which they would be elected Faculty members already serving on Council on Reviews, Faculty Council, Educational Affairs Committee, Strategy Committee, Resources Committee, those who will be on leave during the following year, and those made ineligible or whose obligation is waived because of stipulations set forth above are ineligible for election. On the preliminary ballot, faculty members may vote for up to five candidates. Following the preliminary ballot, a second ballot will be distributed, listing the names of the five candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the preliminary ballot. Faculty members may vote for up to two candidates on the second ballot. After the second round of voting, a final ballot will be distributed, listing the two candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the second ballot. Faculty members may vote for one candidate on the final ballot. The candidate with the greatest number of votes will be declared elected.

If there is a second vacancy on the CDEI to be filled by election in a given year, the election procedure as described above will be repeated. If the vacancies are of different lengths, the longest vacancy will be decided by the first round of election, and shorter vacancyby subsequent rounds of election.

d. Procedures

In carrying out its functions, the CDEI may create ad hoc committees comprised of other faculty (and, as necessary, staff members and students) as needed. The procedures for seeking approval of CDEI initiatives will be dictated by the nature of the initiative, but will follow existing channels for review as appropriate, including but not limited to the SGA, Community Council, Faculty Council, Educational Affairs Committee, and full faculty vote.

5. The Strategy Committee

a. Function

The Strategy Committee represents the College faculty in long-range strategic planning with the administration and the Board of Trustees. Though the committee is concerned primarily with the College, it will also represent the faculty in shared-governance discussions on matters of common interest to the College, the Schools, and the Institute. The committee is also charged with engaging the faculty, administration, and trustees on developments in higher education (both nationally and globally), as they might affect Middlebury College. In fulfilling this charge, the Strategy Committee will:

1. Work closely with the provost to develop and monitor long-range strategic planning especially as it relates to the integrity of Middlebury College and possible collaborations among it, the Schools, and the Institute.

2. Meet each fall and spring term, and at other times as necessary, with the Resources Committee to review Middlebury’s finances as they relate to current and long-range priorities involving the College’s mission. The Strategy Committee will meet with the provost once each fall and spring term, and at other times as necessary.

3. Consult with other elected or appointed faculty committees regarding issues that may be of special significance for their work on long-term strategic planning.

4. Meet with Faculty Council, and any other committees the Council invites, to collaborate on issues requiring broad discussion among leaders of the faculty.

5. Annually engage the College faculty in a discussion of issues of long-term strategy, especially as they relate to the College, and solicit faculty input regarding them. The committee may also sponsor reading groups or lectures on topics related to issues in higher education that warrant consideration by the faculty.

6. Meet regularly, as representatives of the College’s faculty, with the Strategy Committee of the Board of Trustees to review Middlebury’s long-range planning, especially as it relates to the academic mission of Middlebury College and its collaborations with the Institute and the Schools. When appropriate and by agreement with the administration and members of the Board’s Strategy Committee, these discussions may be held in confidence, with the expectation that in due course they will receive full and open discussion as any resultant decision-making procedure unfolds.

7. Contribute to the development of strategic plans initiated by the administration or the Board of Trustees. The committee will work with any ad hoc planning committee appointed by the administration or the Board, either through the appointment of one or more members of the Strategy Committee to the ad hoc planning committee, or through active consultation with the ad hoc planning committee.

8. At the end of each academic year submit a brief report to the faculty on its deliberations and actions, and identify issues for consideration the following year. This report will be included in the minutes of the last plenary session of the faculty.

b. Composition

i. The Strategy Committee will consist of four faculty members. Membership on the Strategy Committee is open to all tenured faculty members, all pre-tenured faculty members on regular appointment, and all faculty members on special appointment who have contracts extending for at least one year beyond the date of start of the term to which they would be elected or appointed. A member of the Strategy Committee must have completed two years of full-time faculty status at Middlebury before his or her term begins. A member of the Strategy Committee may not simultaneously serve on the Council on Reviews, the Faculty Council, the Educational Affairs Committee, the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Resources Committee, or the Appeals Council. No more than two members of the Strategy Committee may be from one division and no more than one member may be from one department.

ii.. Two of the positions will be elected by the faculty. The remaining two positions will be appointed by the Faculty Council in its role as the Committee on Committees.

iii. Elections and appointments will normally be for three-year terms. Positions that become vacant due to leaves, retirements, or for other reasons will be filled in the same way that the departing member was first selected for the committee: vacancies in elected positions will be filled by election, and vacancies in appointed positions will be filled by appointment.

iv. The Strategy Committee will elect one of its own members as chair. The chair will run meetings, set meeting agendas, write reports, report to the faculty at plenary meetings, and coordinate work with other committee chairs as needed.

c. Election

For election for the Strategy Committee, a preliminary ballot will include a list of all eligible tenured members, all eligible pre-tenured faculty members on regular appointment, and all eligible faculty members on special appointment who have contracts extending for at least one year beyond the date of start of the term to which they would be elected. Faculty members already serving on Council on Reviews, Faculty Council, Educational Affairs Committee, Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Resources Committee, those who will be on leave during the following year, and those made ineligible or whose obligation is waived because of stipulations set forth above are ineligible for election. On the preliminary ballot, faculty members may vote for up to five candidates. Following the preliminary ballot, a second ballot will be distributed, listing the names of the five candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the preliminary ballot. Faculty members may vote for up to two candidates on the second ballot. After the second round of voting, a final ballot will be distributed, listing the two candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the second ballot. Faculty members may vote for one candidate on the final ballot. The candidate with the greatest number of votes will be declared elected.

If there is a second vacancy on the Strategy Committee to be filled by election in a given year, the election procedure as described above will be repeated. If the vacancies are of different lengths, the longest vacancy will be decided by the first round of election, and shorter vacancy by subsequent rounds of election.

6. The Resources Committee

a. Function

The Resources Committee represents the College faculty in shared-governance discussions with the administration and Board of Trustees regarding Middlebury’s financial sustainability, especially as it relates to the College. In addition to its concern with matters directly related to the faculty, the Committee will also consider other financial matters that affect the integrity of Middlebury’s academic program and, for example, the College’s commitments to supporting students with financial need and insuring the diversity of the community. In carrying out this role, it will:

1. Work closely with the provost and chief financial officer during planning for and implementation of the College’s annual budget, requiring from them full access to financial data related to development of the budget. The members of the Resources Committee will respect confidentiality with regard to those aspects of the budget for which it is necessary. The Resources Committee will meet with the provost and chief financial officer once each fall and spring term, and at other times as necessary.

2. Meet each fall and spring term, and at other times as necessary, with the Strategy Committee to review Middlebury’s finances as they relate to current and long-range priorities involving the College’s mission.

3. Meet with Faculty Council, and any other committees the Council invites, to collaborate on issues requiring broad discussion among leaders of the faculty.

4. Meet annually, and at other times as necessary, with the Resources Committee of the Board of Trustees to discuss Middlebury’s finances and long-range priorities, especially as they relate to the College, and on other issues of mutual concern as necessary.

5. Represent the College faculty in annual reviews and evaluations of (1) the College’s comprehensive fee, and (2) policies and funding related to financial aid—in collaboration with other committees and groups concerned with these numbers.

6. Meet annually with the College faculty to report on and discuss Middlebury’s finances and long-range priorities, especially as they relate to the College.

7. Report to the faculty at least twice each year, providing information on faculty salaries and benefits.

8. Consult with, or respond to, other elected or appointed faculty committees as necessary with regard to financial matters that may come before them.

9. At the end of each academic year, submit a brief summary report to the faculty on its deliberations and actions, and identify issues for consideration for the following year. This report will be included in the minutes of the last plenary session.

b. Composition

i. The Resources Committee will consist of four faculty members. Membership on the Resources Committee is open to all tenured faculty members, all pre-tenured faculty members on regular appointment, and faculty members on special appointment who have contracts extending for at least one year beyond the date of start of the term to which they would be elected or appointed, and have been a faculty member at the College for at least seven years. A member of the Resources Committee must have completed two years of full-time faculty status at Middlebury before his or her term begins. A member of the Resources Committee may not simultaneously serve on the Council of Reviews, the Faculty Council, the Educational Affairs Committee, the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Strategy Committee, or the Appeals Council. No more than two members of the Resources Committee may be from one division, and no more than one member may be from one department.

ii. Two of the positions will be elected by the faculty. The remaining two positions will be appointed by the Faculty Council in its role as the Committee on Committees.

iv. The Resources Committee will elect one of its own members as chair. The chair will run meetings, set meeting agendas, write reports, report to the faculty at plenary meetings, and coordinate work with other committee chairs as needed.

c. Election

For election for the Resources Committee, a preliminary ballot will include a list of all eligible tenured members, all pre-tenured faculty members on regular appointment, and all eligible faculty members on special appointment who have contracts extending for at least one year beyond the date of start of the term to which they would be elected. Faculty members already serving on Council on Reviews, Faculty Council, Educational Affairs Committee, Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Strategy Committee, those who will be on leave during the following year, and those made ineligible or whose obligation is waived because of stipulations set forth above are ineligible for election. On the preliminary ballot, faculty members may vote for up to five candidates. Following the preliminary ballot, a second ballot will be distributed, listing the names of the five candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the preliminary ballot. Faculty members may vote for up to two candidates on the second ballot. After the second round of voting, a final ballot will be distributed, listing the two candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the second ballot. Faculty members may vote for one candidate on the final ballot. The candidate with the greatest number of votes will be declared elected.

If there is a second vacancy on the Resources Committee to be filled by election in a given year, the election procedure as described above will be repeated. If the vacancies are of different lengths, the longest vacancy will be decided by the first round of election, and shorter vacancy by subsequent rounds of election.

7. The Appeals Council and Appeal Committees

a. Function

The Appeals Council will form an Appeal Committee to hear the case of any faculty member who believes that his or her non-reappointment is based on grounds involving procedural errors that may have influenced the Promotions Committee or the Reappointments Committee, the president and/or provost, or violations of academic freedom, as outlined in the Rules of Appointment and Tenure, Appeal Procedures, in the Faculty Handbook section of this handbook.

b. Election of Appeals Council

The faculty will elect five tenured faculty to serve as an Appeals Council. The Appeals Council will select a secretary. All tenured members of the faculty, except the members of the Council on Reviews, the Faculty Council, the Educational Affairs Committee, the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Strategy Committee, and the Resources Committee, administrative officers, and those scheduled for leave in the year in which the elected term would begin are eligible for election to the Appeals Council. No two members of the Appeals Council may be from the same department.

Each year members of the faculty will be elected to three-year terms to fill vacant positions on the Appeals Council. A preliminary qualifying ballot will list all tenured members of the faculty, except the members of the Council on Reviews, the Faculty Council, the Educational Affairs Committee, the Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Strategy Committee, the Resources Committee, those who will be on leave during the year in which a term is scheduled to begin, and those made ineligible or whose obligation is waived because of stipulations set forth above are ineligible for election. On the preliminary ballot, faculty members may vote for as many candidates as they like.

The candidate who receives the greatest number of votes on the preliminary ballot will be declared elected, provided that he or she obtains the support of 50% or more of the voters who cast ballots. For any further vacancy, the eligible candidate who receives the next greatest number of votes on the preliminary ballot will be declared elected, provided that he or she obtains the support of 50% or more of the voters who cast ballots. If the vacancies are of different lengths, the longest vacancy will be filled by the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes, and shorter vacancies by eligible candidates who receive the next greatest number of votes.

For any vacancy, if no eligible candidate obtains support from 50% or more of the voters who participated in the preliminary ballot, a second ballot will be distributed listing the two eligible candidates who received the greatest number of votes on the preliminary ballot. Faculty members may vote for one candidate on this ballot. The candidate with the greatest number of votes will be declared elected.

In the event of a tie vote on the preliminary ballot of any election, the names of candidates who received the two highest vote totals will be included on the second ballot. If no candidate on the second ballot receives more than 50% of the votes cast, the names of the two candidates who received the greatest number of votes will appear on a final ballot.

c. Formation of an Appeal Committee

When an appeal is to be heard, the Appeals Council will form an Appeal Committee, choosing its chair and two other members by rotation from the Appeals Council. In no case will a member of an Appeal Committee be a member of the appellant's department. In the event of an appeal resulting from a negative Physical Education and Athletics Committee on Reappointment (PEACOR) review, an additional member will be selected at random from the pool of eligible senior associates in athletics to serve on the Appeal Committee alongside two regular members of the Appeals Council. The selected senior associate in athletics should have no shared coaching responsibilities with the appellant. The Appeals Council will hear and act upon any request (whether by a panel member or by the appellant) that any member be disqualified from serving on an Appeal Committee; such request must be submitted to the Appeals Council within one week after the appellant has been notified of the Appeal Committee's membership.

8. Physical Education and Athletics Committee on Reappointment

The Physical Education and Athletics Committee on Reappointment (PEACOR) will be composed of the director of athletics, the senior woman administrator, a senior department member elected by the members of the department of physical education, the chair of the Faculty Athletic Policy Committee, and the dean of the College. This committee will conduct major reviews of faculty in the department of physical education in accordance with the provisions for "Review and Reappointment in the Department of Physical Education" included in the rules of reappointment and tenure.