Carnegie Mellon University

Comittee Charter

The Committee shall be called the “SCS Administrative Staff Dean’s Advisory Committee”.  It is authorized by the Dean and will serve at the pleasure of the Dean and senior leadership.

Purpose and Scope of Work

The SCS Administrative Staff Dean’s Advisory Committee is created as a standing committee for the purpose of working with and advising the Dean. The Committee shall limit its activities to advising on matters that are of concern to SCS staff. The Committee is formed to give advice and recommendations to the Dean or his or her designated appointee(s). It cannot compel the Dean or senior leadership of the school to act on its recommendations or feedback.

The Committee Shall:

  • Be constituted of members with diverse skills and experiences.
  • Provide the Dean with objective feedback about the organization.
  • Prioritize matters of staff concern which directly impact the climate, culture, and quality of life for staff within the school.
  • Provide input, knowledge and recommendations for specific matters. 

Specific scope of work of the Committee may include the following:

  • Assess the impact of policies, processes, and procedures on culture and climate.
  • Listen to staff concerns, both from the committee and from the SCS administrative staff at large and voice these issues to the Dean and the school leadership.
  • Generate overarching direction for change and recommendations for concrete policy and procedural changes.
  • Facilitate communication and cooperation between the Dean, school leadership, and the SCS administrative staff at large.
  • Provide counsel to the Dean with the purpose of setting priorities for SCS administrative staff.

Membership

Selection:

Committee members will be nominated, including a self-nomination process. The call for nominations should be made by each department. At the conclusion of the nomination process new members are selected by each department.

Special Circumstances:

In the event of  resignation or vacancy, the individual’s department will be charged with choosing a replacement using the department’s chosen method.

Term:

Committee members shall serve a term of 3 years with the ability to be re-nominated and re-elected.

Composition:

The Committee shall consist of no more than 2-3 members from each department within the school.  Positions and vacancies are filled as needed and required, specifically if there are specific areas of expertise required to meet the needs of the Committee.

Organizational Structure

Officers:

The Committee will have a Chair, Vice Chair, and Recording Secretary. These officers shall be the Executive Council for the Committee.

Duties:

  • Specific responsibilities of officers shall be those commonly ascribed to these offices:
  • The Chair shall lead all meetings, and provide moderation of discussion.
  • The Vice Chair shall act on behalf of the Chair if he or she is unable to attend meetings.
  • The Recording Secretary shall record minutes of each meeting, and provide recordings to the Committee within two weeks after a meeting.

Selection:

  • The members of the Executive Council are elected for one-year terms by the membership. 
  • Nominations for Executive Council can be either a self-nomination, or by another Committee member.
  • Nominations should be presented to the Recording Secretary prior to the first meeting of the new calendar year. 
  • Elections will be held at the first meeting of the new year. 
  • Elections will be determined by a simple majority vote. 
  • Executive council members can be re-nominated and re-elected.

Procedural Rules

Meetings:

A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of members. The Committee will meet at least six times per year. Written notice of upcoming meetings will be sent to members at least one week prior to any scheduled meeting.

Minutes:

Minutes of each meeting will be recorded. Minutes shall be stored in an accessible drive to all Committee members within two weeks after a meeting.

Recommendations and Reports:

Committee recommendations and reports shall be submitted in writing and forwarded to the Dean and any other designated representative of the Dean. Documents will include both suggested actions and justifications for suggestions.

Dismissal:

Members who are absent without reasonable cause from four meetings per year will be considered to have resigned their seat. Under the direction of the Executive Council, the Committee will move to fill any vacancy.