Bylaws

Owned by George Rhinehart
Last updated: Mar 29, 2021
12 min read

Approved by Full-time Faculty April 3, 2006
Revised March 22, 2021

I. MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT, adopted February, 2005

II.  FACULTY GOVERNANCE

The governance structure of the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition and the bylaws more generally are intended to foster the goals of the department’s Mission and Vision, and to foster a collegial and collaborative atmosphere among the various members of the department. The faculty composition of the department reflects its unique collaborative mission. Formally, the faculty is divided into general categories:

  • Tenure-Track Faculty, with at least 50% appointment in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition
  • Affiliated Graduate Faculty, from relevant areas across SU
  • Teaching Professors 
  • Visiting Faculty, full-time or part-time, term of at least two years
  • Visiting Faculty, full-time or part-time, short term
  • Regular Part-Time Faculty and Adjunct Faculty

A. Tenure-Track Faculty, with at least 50% appointment in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition. Because the scholarly work relating to composition and cultural rhetoric is inherently interdisciplinary, the tenure-track faculty members at times have official joint appointments with other units, such as Women’s and Gender Studies, or more informal affiliations, such as with Native American Studies, LGBT Studies, or English.

  • Responsibilities: Tenure-track faculty are dedicated to the vision and mission of the department and conduct their teaching, research, and service in accordance with the department expectations laid out in this statement as well as college and university expectations.
  • Rights: Tenure-track faculty with at least 50% appointment in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition have voting rights in the department, including on votes regarding hiring, tenure, promotion, and reappointment of faculty. 
  • Review: Tenure-track faculty members are annually reviewed for merit by the Chair; reviews for reappointment, promotion, and tenure are conducted by a department committee whose procedures are specified by the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition. The full-time faculty meets to discuss the recommendations of the committee and to vote. The Chair represents the results of the vote to the College Tenure and Promotion Committee or to the Dean in the case of reappointments.


B. Affiliated Graduate Faculty: These are tenure-track faculty with appointments in other departments or programs who have research expertise in areas related to composition and cultural rhetoric.

  • Responsibilities: Affiliated Faculty contribute to the intellectual vitality and strength of Composition and Cultural Rhetoric at SU, serving on comprehensive examination committees and dissertation committees, and where possible offering related courses in their own departments that are open to CCR students. Affiliated Faculty are invited to help the department recruit new faculty and assess search candidates.
  • Rights: The rights of outside Affiliated Faculty members in participating on CCR qualifying examinations and dissertation committees are described in the following policy documents:

https://thecollege.syr.edu/writing-studies-rhetoric-and-composition/graduate-program/exams/

https://thecollege.syr.edu/writing-studies-rhetoric-and-composition/
graduate-program/faq/

https://thecollege.syr.edu/writing-studies-rhetoric-and-composition/graduate-program/exams-faq-reading-list/


C. Teaching Professors 

  • Responsibilities: Teaching Professors are dedicated to the vision and mission of the department and conduct their teaching and service in accordance with the department expectations laid out in this statement as well as college and university expectations.
  • Teaching Professors with at least 50% appointment in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition have voting rights in the department on curricular issues related to the lower-division, major, and minors.
  • Review: Teaching Professors are annually reviewed for merit by Teaching Professor Evaluation Committee; reviews for promotion are conducted by a department committee whose procedures are specified by the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition. The Chair represents the results of the vote to the Dean.

See Review and Promotion of Teaching Professors (approved September 2020): https://su-jsm.atlassian.net/wiki/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=152273524


D. Regular Part-Time Faculty (also known as Professional Writing Instructors). These are experienced teachers of writing with at least a master’s degree in areas related to writing. They are hired on a competitive basis as needed. 

  • Responsibilities: Part-time faculty teach undergraduate writing courses (typically WRT 105 and WRT 205) as well as WRT 307. They are eligible to serve as writing consultants as part of their load. Those with relevant experience teach special topic lower-division and upper-division courses. Part-time faculty are required to attend the Fall Teaching Conference.
  • Rights: Part-time faculty members are eligible to serve, upon appointment by the Chair, based on expressions of interest, on department standing committees (with the exception of the Graduate Committee). If desired by a full-time tenure-track faculty member under review, the Chair can also appoint a part-time faculty member to a faculty review committee. The Chair appoints a part-time faculty member to represent the part-time constituency on search committees and on relevant department and ad hoc committees. The part-time faculty receive stipends for such committee service. 

Review: Part-time faculty members are often initially appointed for two-year terms. Evaluation procedures are specified in the Standard Summative Evaluation Protocol for PWI’s, found online at 

Annual Evaluation Protocol for Professional Writing Instructors. 

E. Visiting Faculty, two years or longer. Visiting faculty members bring demonstrable research and teaching expertise in writing and cultural rhetoric studies. 

  • Responsibilities: Visiting faculty members teach lower-division and upper-division courses in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition, and graduate courses as relevant, in accordance with the academic needs of the department. They attend meetings of the full-time faculty and can serve on committees as is appropriate.
  • Rights: Visiting Faculty members are invited to attend all department functions. They are invited to regular meetings of the full-time faculty. If the appointment is at least 50% in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition, the Chair and Directors will determine whether they can vote at faculty meetings and which types of voting situations might be suitable.
  • Review: If the visiting appointment is renewable, the Chair will be advised on renewal by the Directors and the faculty, taking into account the contributions to and coherence with the academic mission of the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition. The Dean will be consulted to approve such renewals.


F. Visiting Faculty, short-term appointments. Such visiting faculty members bring demonstrable research and teaching expertise in writing and cultural rhetoric studies.

  • Responsibilities: Short-term visiting faculty members teach lower-division and upper-division courses in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition, and graduate courses as relevant, in accordance with the academic needs of the department. They attend regular meetings of the full-time faculty where suitable and serve on committees as is appropriate.
  • Rights: Short-term visiting faculty members are invited to attend all Writing department and CCR functions. They are invited to regular meetings of the full-time faculty where suitable, and can serve on committees as is appropriate. They do not have voting rights except in special circumstances in which the Directors deem such voting appropriate.

III. DEPARTMENT  ORGANIZATION

Because of its intensive service mission, its dedication to rigor and high quality in its teaching of writing, its responsibility to train and mentor large groups of inexperienced writing teachers, and its dedication to offering rigorous and wide-ranging professional development opportunities for its teachers, the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition is organized to draw on pedagogical, curricular, and organizational strengths of a range of staff and faculty across the ranks.

A. Full-time faculty members (tenure-track, tenured, and teaching professors of all ranks) with at least half-time appointments in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition constitute the primary governing body for matters of curriculum as well as for new initiatives and directions in the department’s activities and involvements.

Tenured faculty members in the department constitute the primary governing body for the hiring and review of graduate (tenure-track) faculty. The directors and staff oversee the everyday functioning of the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition based on the decisions and guidance of the faculty and the standing and ad-hoc committees. These committees are structured with representation from the multiple constituencies of the department. Recommendations from the standing and ad-hoc committees are brought to the full-time faculty for a vote. 

B. Meetings: A majority of the full-time faculty in residence shall constitute a quorum, unless otherwise specified. The faculty will meet at least twice during each semester, at a specified time that full-time faculty members are to keep free should last-minute meetings need to be called. The Chair will distribute the schedule of planned meetings early in the semester and will request agenda items from the full-time faculty members in advance of the meeting. A formal agenda will be available at the meeting. Minutes from each meeting will be available to the faculty before the next meeting. The question of voting by those not in attendance will be governed by policies adopted by the faculty. It is assumed that faculty in residence or on leave will prepare to vote on hiring decisions by participating in campus visits, reading candidate files or materials, etc. See policies for voting on tenure, promotion, or third-year reviews: 

Writing Program Procedures for Promotion and Tenure

IV. Department  Officers:

A. Chair

Function: The Chair is responsible for directing the administration of the departmental affairs in consultation with the faculty, the Directors and staff, and relevant committees. The Chair convenes and presides over meetings of the full-time faculty and the Directors and staff. They serve as the principal contact between the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition and the university administration, manage faculty and staff personnel reviews, supervise teaching assignments and scheduling, appoint department committees in accordance with the Governance Plan guidelines, and appoint the Director of Undergraduate Studies, the Director of Graduate Studies, and committee chairs. The Chair represents the department at meetings of Chairs and speaks for department policy, interest, and issues in contexts involving other Chairs and Directors, officials of the university, the University Senate, faculty meetings of the College, etc. The Chair works with the Assistant Director to present the yearly budget and to manage the fiscal affairs of the department.

Recruitment and Appointment of Chair Procedures

By February 1 at the latest of the year in which a new Chair should be appointed, the current Chair will open up a process for faculty to nominate all interested and willing candidates. Individuals may be self-nominated or nominated by other faculty members in the department. Chair candidates should be tenured members of the faculty. 

All nominated faculty members willing to stand for election as Chair will hold fora with the faculty in the spring semester to discuss their potential ideas/plans for the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition. Two weeks after the Chair fora are complete, voting members of the faculty will hold a Chair election by paper or electronic ballot. The results of the election will be reported by the current Chair to the Dean, and the faculty will request appointment of their elected Chair. If approved by the Dean, the newly elected Chair will start on July 1 of that year. The usual term for Chair will be three years. Any renewals of the term beyond three years will be handled through the process specified in the by-laws about extension or continuance of a current Chair’s term.  


Chair Extension or Continuance of Existing Appointment

In the semester prior to the completion of the current Director/Chair's term, the most senior faculty member in rank (not currently serving in an administrative role as DUGS or Graduate Chair) will undertake the following:

1. Ask the current Chair whether they are willing to serve an additional year/term or intend to step down at the end of their term.

2. If the current Chair has expressed the willingness to serve an additional year/term, the senior faculty member will report this to the faculty eligible to vote in Chair elections.

3. Eligible faculty will then vote yes or no to the proposed additional year/term, sending their votes to the most senior faculty member.

4. If a majority of faculty support the current Chair’s continuation in that position for an additional year/term, the Chair will approach the Dean, reporting that faculty have asked them to serve an additional year. The Chair and the Dean will then attempt to negotiate the year extension. 

5. If a majority of the faculty do not support the current Chair's continuance, the regular Chair selection processes will begin at the start of the following semester.


B. Director of Undergraduate Studies

Function: The Director of Undergraduate Studies oversees the teaching of all undergraduate courses in the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition. They serve as Chair of the Lower Division Committee and support the Major/Minor Committee Chair. They provide curricular and pedagogical leadership; supervise TA training; work with the Assistant Director on professional development activities such as mini seminars and fall and spring conferences; work with the Assistant Director in charge of student complaints on those complaints when they reach a certain level of seriousness; meet with PWIs and TAs whose course evaluations raise questions about their teaching; and work with the Assistant Director on course scheduling and other matters.

Term: The Director of Undergraduate Studies is appointed by the Chair for a three-year term, subject to reappointment. This is a faculty position.


C. Director of Graduate Studies

Function: The Director of Graduate Studies serves as faculty coordinator of the Ph.D. Program in Composition and Cultural Rhetoric; they oversee all activities related to the graduate program, including colloquia and communications with the Graduate School. They assign graduate courses each year in consultation with the Chair. The Director of Graduate Studies chairs the Graduate Committee, which handles admissions and fellowship nominations and approves petitions from students as well as proposals for qualifying examinations. They work with the Graduate Coordinator to administer the CCR budget.

Term: The Director of Graduate Studies is appointed by the department Chair for a three-year term, subject to reappointment. This is a faculty position.


D. Assistant Director for Professional Development

Function: The Assistant Director for Professional Development helps ensure the quality of teaching via a range of functions: (a) through helping plan and implement teacher training and orientation, (b) by developing professional development activities for part-time teaching faculty and the department at large, (c) by implementing a system for evaluating part-time faculty, (d) by helping plan and participate in department assessment, (e) by serving as first contact for all student queries and complaints, (f) by overseeing the internship program for the Writing Major and Minors. They advise the Chair, work as a member of an administrative team on department issues and policy decisions, and serve on the department curriculum committees. They serve on the PWI Hiring Committee and make summer teaching appointments as approved by the Department Chair. They teach a WRT course annually as part of the contract. 

Term: This is an exempt staff position, with no term limit. 

Review: The Director reviews the performance of each exempt professional staff position annually.


E. Assistant Director for Writing Technologies

Function: The Assistant Director for Writing Technologies is responsible for computer and related technology support for the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition. This includes hardware and software support, teacher training, server administration, and budget responsibility. They function as the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition’s designer and are responsible for promotional materials, both electronic and paper-based. They serve as a working liaison with Information Technology Services, Arts and Sciences, and other units; advocate for appropriate pedagogical uses of technology within the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition and for its interests in the University’s technology planning; and manage strategic space and facilities design, allocation, and implementation. 

Term: This is an exempt staff position, with no term limit. 

Review:  The Director reviews the performance of each exempt professional staff position annually.


F.  Writing Center Administrator

Function: The Writing Center Administrator is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Writing Center. This includes scheduling consultants and students; monitoring consultant hours; developing, acquiring, and maintaining materials for the Center; coordinating with faculty in and outside the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition; maintaining records; administering the Center’s budget; monitoring the physical condition of the Center; maintaining the Center’s website; and other public relations functions related to the Writing Center. Under the direction of the Chair, the Writing Center Administrator also selects, trains, supervises, and evaluates professional, graduate, and undergraduate consultants in the Writing Center; they respond to requests from departments, schools, colleges, and central administration for support for students, professional development for faculty and teaching assistants, and development of specific extended course and curricular links. This includes coordinating linked writing courses in learning communities. In addition to these administrative duties, the Writing Center Administrator teaches four sections per year, including WRT 331, the peer writing consultant course, as part of the contract.

Term: This is an exempt staff position, with no term limit. 

Review:  The Director reviews the performance of each exempt professional staff position annually.


G. Academic Coordinator

Function: The Academic Coordinator manages all matters of course administration for the department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition, including teacher assignments, registration, course maintenance, and student records. They are the advisor for all Writing minors. The Academic Coordinator advises the Chair and works as a member of an administrative team on department issues and policy decisions, providing analysis of course enrollment data and grading trends.

Term: This is a non-exempt staff position, with no term limit. 

Review: The Assistant Director conducts an annual review of performance.


V. RATIFICATION AND AMENDMENTS

A. These bylaws must be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the full-time faculty. They will become effective immediately upon ratification.

B. Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the full-time faculty. Amendments are to be presented in writing at a faculty meeting; they are then voted on after discussion at a second faculty meeting. Any member of the full-time faculty may propose amendments to these bylaws. 

C. A simplified form of Robert’s Rules of Order will constitute the parliamentary procedures, as outlined in Robert’s Rules in Plain English, by Doris P. Zimmerman, HarperPerennial, 1997.

D. The bylaws will undergo official review at least every five years. 

Note: These bylaws are based on a model from Women’s Studies, Duke University, with permission of Women’s Studies director Robyn Wiegman. 



Department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition Governance Structure,
Revised April 30, 2007


A) There will be three standing committees, as follows: 

  • Major/Minor Committee
  • Lower Division Committee
  • Graduate Committee

B) Composition of Committees:

  1. The first two standing committees listed above will have at least one or two PWI’s or Teaching Professors as members.
  2. All standing committees listed above will have at least one CCR student.
  3. Full-time faculty will normally rotate off committees after two years.
  4. The Chair will maintain a running list of interested PWI’s and CCR students for each committee and will rotate those appointments each academic year.  


C) Work of the Committees:

  1. Each committee will receive a charge each fall from the Chair, and from the Director of Undergraduate Studies where appropriate.
  2. All committee chairs will meet monthly with the Chair and the Director of Undergraduate Studies, inviting staff as appropriate.
  3. Staff, Teaching Professors, and PWI members will share duties of taking and publishing minutes.

The chair will send out a separate email in August asking for names of interested instructors; they will then use this list to make appointments to the various committees, taking care to rotate appointments when appropriate and to match instructor expertise and department need whenever possible. 

Below is the general composition of committees: 

Major/Minor Committee
FTF Chair 
FTF Member: at least two 
Teaching Staff: at least one 
Academic Coordinator
PWIs: one
CCR student: one


Lower Division Committee
FTF Chair 
FTF Member: at least two  
Teaching Staff: at least one 
PWIs: one 
CCR student: one


Graduate Committee
Graduate Director (Chair)
Graduate Faculty Member: at least one
CCR student: one