Bylaws for the Governance of the
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
(UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School)
PREAMBLE
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical Schoolis dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in the education of health professionals, the conduct of basic and clinical research, the delivery of health care, and the promotion of community health.Within the scope of its resources, the School shall provide service to its constituent communities in these subject areas. The Medical School is an academic unit of UMDNJ which is the state's university of the health sciences. Nothing in these Bylaws shall contravene any provision of the Bylaws for the Governance of UMDNJ or other laws.
DESCRIPTION
The UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School offers a curriculum leading to the M.D. degree. The Medical School maintains two main Campuses with preclinical and clinical instruction on the Piscataway/New Brunswick Campus and in affiliated hospitals, and clinical teaching on the Camden Campus. The faculty is also responsible for graduate programs leading to the Ph.D. degree awarded by the UMDNJ-Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS). The faculty also participates in programs leading to degrees awarded by the UMDNJ-School of Public Health and the UMDNJ-School of Health Related Professions.
ARTICLE I. THE FACULTY AND THE GENERAL FACULTY
Section 1. MEMBERSHIP
1.1 The Faculty of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School shall consist of the President and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs of UMDNJ, the Dean, and all Associate and Assistant Deans of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department Chairs, and all of the following who are of full academic rank: those instructors who have served at least one year in this School, assistant professors, associate professors, and professors. Qualified academic rank faculty who do not qualify for membership as Faculty may appeal to the Rules of Procedure Committee for inclusion.
1.2 The General Faculty of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School shall consist of the Faculty, plus all other persons having faculty appointments of any sort, including qualified academic rank faculty.
Section 2. MEETINGS
2.1 The Dean or a designated alternate of full academic rank shall be the presiding officer at meetings of the Faculty and the General Faculty. The Dean or a designated alternate may vote only in case of a tie.
2.2 The Faculty shall meet at least four times during each academic year. Items may be placed upon the agenda by the Dean or any other member of the Faculty. The agenda should be circulated at least one (1) calendar week in advance of meetings. Extraordinary meetings may be convened by the President or the Dean or upon written request of at least 20 members of the Faculty submitted to the Secretary of the Faculty who shall then schedule the meeting, after consultation with the Dean. A quorum shall consist of 50 members of the Faculty representing at least two-thirds of the departments in the Medical School each of which is represented by two (2) or more members. Meetings of the Faculty at Camden may be convened by the Associate Dean for the Camden Campus or upon the request of the Dean. Faculty meetings shall be governed by the rules contained in "Robert's Rules of Order" in all cases to which these rules are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the Faculty may adopt.
2.3 The General Faculty shall meet at least once each year. Items may be placed on the agenda by the Dean or any other member of the General Faculty. The agenda should be circulated at least one calendar week in advance of meetings. Meetings may be convened by the Dean or the President or upon written request of at least 20 members of the General Faculty submitted to the Secretary of the Faculty who shall then schedule the meeting, after consultation with the Dean. A quorum shall consist of 75 members of the General Faculty representing at least one-half of the departments in the Medical School.
2.4 Resolutions may ordinarily be passed by a majority of those present at meetings of the Faculty or the General Faculty, at which a quorum is present. However, at the discretion of the Dean or designated alternate, or upon request of at least 20 members of the body concerned, resolutions shall be submitted to the entire membership by mail ballot or by electronic mail ballot. In this case a majority vote of those voting shall be required for passage.
Section 3. DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE FACULTY
The Faculty may transmit through the Dean its views on University-wide issues affecting the academic programs at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School to the President and to the Board of Trustees of the University. Ordinarily, communication between the Faculty and the President or Senior Vice Presidents regarding issues of importance to the Faculty or the School shall be through the Dean. However, when appropriate and necessary, faculty members may communicate directly with the President or Senior Vice Presidents with the Dean's prior knowledge. Under the Dean, the President, and the Board of Trustees, the Faculty shall have duties and powers with regard to academic matters, including but not limited to the following:
Design, approval, implementation, evaluation and revision of the curriculum and establishment and promulgation of the academic calendar;
Establishment of requirements for admission; development of criteria and procedures for selection of students; and via a committee of the Faculty, recommendation of students for admission;
Establishment of standards for examinations, grading, academic standing, honors in courses, and attendance;
Establishment of requirements for degrees and certificates;
Recommendations through the Dean and the President to the Board of Trustees of those candidates who have fulfilled the requirements for appropriate degrees.
Establishment of regulations and procedures under which the faculty operates;
Establishment of written criteria and procedures for appointment and promotion to each academic rank for faculty, in accordance with Article III, Section 4 of these Bylaws;
3.8 Review of the actions of the standing committees;
3.9 Encouragement of research, educational, clinical, and community service activities of faculty members and of students;
3.10 Recommendations to the Board of Trustees of amendments to the Bylaws governing UMDNJ and UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School through the Dean and the President;
3.11 For those programs leading to degrees that are conferred jointly with other institutions or with other components of UMDNJ, the duties and powers delineated in 3.1 through 3.5 above shall be held by the faculty of those programs.
3.l2 Award of membership in the Faculty to those faculty who would not otherwise qualify by a simple majority vote of those present at a Faculty meeting. This membership may be conditional, including limited term. Proposed membership may be made only from those recommended by the Dean. The Dean may recommend only those who have been previously recommended by the Rules of Procedure Committee or, in those cases in which the decision of the Rules of Procedure Committee is reversed, by the Executive Council.
Section 4. DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE GENERAL FACULTY
The General Faculty may make recommendations to the Dean, the Executive Council, and the Faculty concerning academic matters including but not limited to the foregoing examples.
Section 5. ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY
In accordance with Article IV, Title E of the Bylaws for the governance of UMDNJ, faculty are entitled to full freedom of discussion, inquiry, teaching and research. Faculty have the responsibility to foster and maintain high standards of professional, academic, and public conduct and morals.
Section 6. TERMINATION OF SERVICE
Termination of service shall be in accord with Article VI of the Bylaws for the governance of UMDNJ.
ARTICLE II. ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION
Section 1. THE DEAN
1.1 The duties and responsibilities of the Dean shall be those set forth in Article II, Title C, Section 2.1 of the Bylaws for the Governance of UMDNJ. The Dean shall be responsible for the effective administration of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. When the office of Dean becomes vacant, a candidate or candidates shall be nominated to the Board of Trustees by the President as set forth in Article II, Title C, Section 2.2 of the Bylaws for the Governance of UMDNJ. The majority of the search committee shall be from a list of individuals provided by election held by the Faculty of the School. The term of this office shall be indefinite, without tenure, at the pleasure of the President.
1.2 There shall be a periodic review of the School and the stewardship of the Dean at least once every five (5) years. The Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs shall appoint a committee to conduct the review and to report its findings and recommendations to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs who will recommend appropriate action to the President and Board of Trustees. The committee shall take steps to ensure that the faculty and other appropriate constituencies have opportunity for input to the committee's review.
Section 2. ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR THE CAMDEN CAMPUS
2.1 After formal consultation with the Executive Council of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and with the approval of the President and the Board of Trustees, and in compliance with the affiliation agreement with Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, the Dean shall appoint an Associate Dean for the Camden Campus as the chief academic officer of the Camden Campus. The term of this office shall be indefinite, without tenure, at the pleasure of the Dean.
2.2 There shall be a periodic review of the Campus at Camden and the stewardship of the Associate Dean at least once every five (5) years. The Dean shall appoint a committee to conduct the review and to report its findings for appropriate action.
Section 3. ASSOCIATE AND ASSISTANT DEANS
After formal consultation with the Executive Council of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and with the approval of the President and the Board of Trustees, the Dean may appoint Associate or Assistant Deans and delegate authority and/or responsibility to them as may be deemed necessary for effective administration. The terms of these offices shall be indefinite, without tenure, at the pleasure of the Dean.
Section 4. SECRETARY OF THE FACULTY
The Dean shall appoint a Secretary of the Faculty for UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School from two or more nominees presented by the Faculty. The Secretary shall have responsibility for the following: records of the Faculty, maintenance of official statements of current Bylaws and rules of procedure, and records of all appointments, elections, reappointments, and reelections of positions to committees. The Secretary shall be responsible for calling meetings of the Faculty. After every meeting of the Faculty, the Secretary shall send copies of the minutes of that meeting to all members of the Faculty. All records of meetings of the Faculty shall be available at any time for inspection by any member of the Faculty or the General Faculty. The term of this office shall be two (2) years.
Section 5. DEPARTMENTS
In order to fulfill the mission and goals of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, departments of the Medical School shall be established or abolished by the Board of Trustees upon recommendation of the Dean with the approval of the President. The Executive Council and Faculty shall advise the Dean regarding such recommendations prior to referral to the President of the University. The results of a mail ballot or electronic mail ballot of the Faculty shall be reported to the Dean and then submitted along with the recommendation of the Dean and the President to the Board of Trustees.
Section 6. DEPARTMENT CHAIRS
6.1 There shall be a Chair for each department appointed by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the Dean and the President in accordance with the procedures given below.
The Dean shall nominate the Chair from two (2) or more acceptable candidates chosen by a Search Committee which shall be composed as follows: one (1) Department Chair appointed by the Dean; two (2) members of the Faculty from departments other than the department concerned elected by the Faculty under supervision of the Nominations and Elections Committee; one (1) shall be from the department concerned (except in the case of newly established departments) and shall be nominated and elected by simple majority vote of the Faculty of the department concerned under the supervision of the Nominations and Elections Committee; and two (2) members appointed by the Dean, of whom either or both may be extramural. No more than two (2) members of the Search Committee may be from the same department. For clinical departments, at least one (1) member of the committee must be from the Camden Campus. The members of the Committee shall elect the Chair of the Search Committee.
6.2 All Department Chairs shall serve at the pleasure of the Dean. The performance of each Chair will be reviewed annually by the Dean.
6.3 A review and evaluation of the Chair's performance and the department shall be made at least once every five (5) years. The Review Committee shall have the same composition and shall be chosen using the same procedure as the Search Committee defined above. The Dean shall appoint the Chair of the Review Committee. The Rules of Procedure Committee shall develop guidelines and procedures for the review in consultation with the Dean. On the request of the Dean or on request of two-thirds of the Faculty members of the department, but not less than four (4) Faculty members above the rank of instructor in that department, review and evaluation of the Chair's performance and the department may be initiated at any time. The Committee shall submit a report to the Dean.
6.4 Under the Dean, each Department Chair shall have general administrative responsibility for, as well as participate in the educational, research, health care and service programs of the department. In addition, the Chair of each clinical department shall serve as Chief of the respective clinical service at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. At the discretion of the Chair and with the approval of the Dean, an alternate or alternates may be designated to fulfill this responsibility.
6.5 The duties and responsibilities of the Chair shall be those set forth in Article II, Title C, Section 4.2 of the Bylaws for the Governance of UMDNJ. It is further the responsibility of the Chair to regularly attend the meetings of the Executive Council. Where appropriate, the Chair shall be responsible for all the departmental activities at affiliated institutions relative to the educational programs.
The Chair shall make recommendations to the Dean regarding appointments, reappointments, promotions, change in faculty status, leaves, dismissals and acceptance of resignations following a review at a meeting(s) of a standing advisory departmental committee. This committee shall be composed of Faculty members of the department including membership from the Faculty on the Camden Campus for the clinical departments. The minimum number of members on the committee shall be either three (3) or 10% of the departmental faculty, whichever is greater. All shall be at the rank of professor or associate professor and at least half of the committee members shall be tenured. The maximum number of members on the committee shall be nine (9). However, if the total number of tenured Faculty in the department constitutes less than one-half of the members of the committee, the maximum number of members on the committee shall be reduced such that one-half of the members shall be tenured. In this case, the total number of members on the committee may be less than 10% of the departmental faculty. At least one-half of the members shall be elected by the departmental Faculty with the remainder appointed by the Chair. The Chair shall not serve on the committee. The Department Chair shall select the chair of the committee from among its members. If fewer than three (3) faculty within the department are qualified to serve on this committee, the members of the committee shall select faculty from appropriate departments within the Medical School to meet the minimum membership of three (3). A quorum shall be at least one-half of the members of the standing advisory departmental committee, plus the chair of the committee or a designated member appointed by the committee chair as the presiding official. Except for actions involving instructors, all actions noted above must be reviewed and voted on by this committee. Upon request of any member of the committee, the voting shall be conducted by secret ballot. In addition, the Chair shall obtain a mail ballot or electronic mail ballot of all Faculty within the department at the rank of professor and associate professor regarding actions of this committee.
The Chair's duties will also include the preparation and submission of an annual report to the Dean regarding instructional activities, research and service accomplishments, performance and progress of faculty and financial management within the department.
6.6 Provisions shall be made in the affiliation agreement with Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center for the selection and term of appointment and periodic review of the Chiefs of Service of the major clinical departments and the appointment of section and division heads. The appointment of each Chief shall be made in consultation with the Associate Dean for the Camden Campus and the Chair of the department of the medical school and must have the approval of the Dean of the Medical School. The Chief of each hospital department shall be a Faculty member of the corresponding department in the Medical School. The Chief of Service should be a Vice-Chair within the academic department.
The Chief of each Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center department shall be responsible to the Chair of the Medical School department for all departmental activities relative to the academic programs including initiation of all faculty appointment and promotion procedures within the department.
Section 7. DIVISIONS AND SECTIONS
Divisions and sections within departments may be established or abolished on the recommendation of the Chair after formal review with the Faculty members of the department and with the approval of the Dean, the President, and the Board of Trustees.
Section 8. DIVISION AND SECTION HEADS
8.1 A division or section head shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the Chair, the Dean and the President, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Chair and the Dean. Within the division or section, the head shall have the same duties and responsibilities as the Chair, making reports to the Chair or Division Head, as appropriate, rather than to the Dean, and with actions subject to approval by the Chair.
8.2 There shall be a periodic review and evaluation of the stewardship of the head of the division or section at least once every five (5) years. The department shall establish written guidelines and procedures for the review. The findings of such review and evaluation shall be reported to the Chair and to the Dean.
ARTICLE III. COMMITTEES
The standing committees named below shall have responsibilities in the areas designated. These committees shall be permanent and each shall formulate its own rules of procedure. Except where otherwise specified, resolutions may be passed by a majority of those present at meetings at which a quorum is met. Policies of any committee are open to review and approval by a majority vote of the Faculty.
Section 1. MEMBERSHIP
All elections and appointments to the standing committees, unless otherwise specified, will become effective on September 1 of each year. Ex-officio members shall serve without departmental designation. Members may not be represented by alternates unless specifically stipulated within the description of the committee. The replacement of any elected member of a standing committee shall be the nominee who, after the appropriate complement of members was elected, received the next highest number of votes for the particular committee at the most recent election used to seat the member of the committee being replaced. If that nominee declines election or is no longer on the General Faculty of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the same process will be repeated using the nominee with the next highest number of votes. If all the original nominees decline election or are no longer on the General Faculty, a special election will be called to elect a replacement using the process currently in place for electing members of standing committees. In the case of committees having the requirement that all members must come from different departments, no nominee may be elected whose qualifications do not conform to the committee membership requirements stated in these Bylaws. A member of a standing committee who is absent for four (4) consecutive meetings or who fails to attend over one-half of the scheduled meetings of the committee within an academic year may be replaced on the recommendation of the committee chair after discussion of the matter with that member and the Dean.
1.2 No person, with the exception of the Dean, shall serve as chair of more than one standing committee at any one time. In the case of committees having the requirement that all members must come from different departments, a faculty member holding joint appointments may serve as the representative of the secondary department with the approval of the Chair of that department.
1.3 Other ad hoc committees may be added by the Dean, the Faculty, the General Faculty, or the various standing committees. None of such committees shall have powers exceeding those of its parent body, and they may be dissolved or reconstituted at any time by the parent body.
Section 2. ACADEMIC STANDING COMMITTEE
2.1 The Academic Standing Committee shall be established to consider matters of academic standing of medical students on both the Piscataway/New Brunswick and Camden Campuses. This Committee shall have the responsibility of monitoring and designating the academic status of all students in the M.D. curriculum of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and of formulating and publishing, on behalf of the Faculty, the Academic Rules and Regulations which provide the guidelines under which the Committee functions, and which describe the requirements for promotion and award of degrees.
2.2 The Academic Standing Committee shall have the responsibility to determine that students have satisfactorily met the requirements of each academic year in the M.D. curriculum; recommend to the Faculty the candidates for the M.D. degree; consider individual requests for exceptions to the existing Academic Rules and Regulations; determine whether students are to be placed on academic warning or academic suspension and the conditions for removal. The Committee may recommend the dismissal of a medical student to the Dean in accordance with the Academic Rules and Regulations.
2.3 The Academic Standing Committee shall consist of 15 Faculty plus the Chair. Nine (9) members shall be elected from the RWJMS-Piscataway/New Brunswick Faculty; three (3) members elected from the Camden Faculty; and three (3) members appointed by the Dean. A minimum of six (6) members shall be from the preclinical departments and six (6) members from the clinical departments. The Dean shall appoint the Chair who will serve without vote except in case of a tie. The term of office of members shall be four (4) years, with staggered terms. The Associate and Assistant Deans for Students for Piscataway/New Brunswick and Camden, the Associate or Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, the Director of the Cognitive Skills Program, the Director of the Special Academic Programs, and the Assistant Registrars shall serve ex-officio without vote.
2.4 Meetings shall be scheduled monthly throughout the academic year with additional meetings called by the Chair when necessary. A quorum shall be nine (9) voting members, plus the Chair or a designated member of the Committee appointed by the Chair as the presiding official.
Section 3. ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
3.1 The Admissions Committee shall have the responsibility within legal boundaries of setting the requirements for admission to the M.D. curriculum of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School subject to review by the Faculty. The Committee shall decide which of the candidates meeting these requirements shall be admitted. An annual report shall be presented to the Faculty at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Faculty.
The Admissions Committee shall consist of at least 24 members, including three (3) medical students from the second-year class, the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs, and the Assistant Dean for Admissions. One-fifth of the faculty members shall be from the RWJMS-Camden Faculty. Half of the faculty members from each Campus shall be elected by the Faculty and half shall be appointed by the Dean. The term of office for faculty members shall be three (3) years, with staggered terms. Medical student members shall be appointed by the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs in consultation with the Assistant Dean for Admissions from nominees selected by second-year students. The term of office for student members shall be one (1) year. The Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs or, if designated by the Associate Dean, the Assistant Dean for Admissions shall serve as Chair.
3.3 Meetings shall be convened by the Chair. A quorum shall be ten (10) members plus the Chair or a designated member of the Committee appointed by the Chair as the presiding official.
Section 4. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS
The Advisory Committee on Appointments and Promotions shall have the responsibility of advising the Dean as to appointments, promotions, faculty renewal leaves or academic awards. The Dean shall obtain the advice of this Committee in these matters. Appointment to or promotion of the faculty to full academic rank above the rank of instructor must be reviewed by this Committee with no delegation of its responsibility. The Committee shall also review and make recommendations for the designations of emeritus faculty. The Committee may review appointments to or promotions of the faculty to the qualified rank of assistant professors. The Committee shall review appointments to or promotions of the faculty to the qualified academic rank of associate professors or professors; however, the Committee may delegate this responsibility as it sees fit, to a subcommittee or to ad hoc committees. The Committee shall establish written guidelines for the award of each academic rank with the approval of a majority of the membership of the Faculty. All matters regarding appointment and promotion of Faculty, tenure, and faculty renewal leaves shall be in accord with Articles IV and V of the Bylaws for the governance of UMDNJ. The Committee may on its own initiative make suggestions as to personnel matters to the Dean.
4.2 The Advisory Committee on Appointments and Promotions shall consist of twelve (12) members. Six (6) shall be elected by the Piscataway/New Brunswick Faculty, one (1) shall be elected by the Camden Faculty and five (5) appointed by the Dean. Of those members from the Piscataway/New Brunswick Faculty, five shall be from clinical departments and five from basic science departments. Of those members from the Camden Faculty, two shall be from clinical departments. The Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and the Associate Dean for the Camden Campus shall serve ex-officio without vote. All members must be professors, and no two (2) members may be from the same department. No more than two (2) members may be a Chair of a department and no more than one (1) member may be a Chief of service on the Camden Campus. The term of office shall be three (3) years, with staggered terms as follows: from the Piscataway/New Brunswick Faculty, two (2) elected members and one (1) appointed member will be replaced each year and an additional appointed member will be replaced every three (3) years; from the Camden faculty, one (1) elected member and one (1) appointed member will be replaced every three (3) years. No member shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. The members shall elect a Chair from among the members. The Chair shall not be a Department Chair.
4.3 Meetings shall be convened by the Dean or by the Chair. A quorum shall be four (4) members, including the Chair or a designated alternate from the members of the Committee.
4.4 All departmental actions presented to the Advisory Committee on Appointments and Promotions must include a report of the results of the deliberations of the advisory standing committee of the department described in Article II, Section 6.5.
Section 5. COMMITTEE OF REVIEW
The Committee of Review shall have the responsibility of counseling and advising any member of the General Faculty who seeks such advice with respect to any problem affecting the individual's status as a member of the Medical School. This Committee shall have advisory powers only. It may report to the Dean, and may, at its discretion, make reports to the Faculty or the General Faculty. The Committee may also on its own initiative make suggestions as to personnel matters to the Executive Council and to the Dean.
5.2 The Committee of Review shall consist of a tenured Faculty member from each department or, in cases of departments with fewer than two (2) tenured faculty members, a senior member of the Faculty from such departments, to be elected by the Faculty members of that department. The term of office shall be three (3) years, with staggered terms. Members cannot serve concurrently on this committee and the Advisory Committee on Appointments and Promotions. The members shall elect a Chair from among themselves.
5.3 Meetings shall be convened by the Dean or by the Chair. A quorum shall be two-thirds of the members, including the Chair or a designated member of the Committee appointed by the Chair as the presiding official.
Section 6. CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE
6.1 The Continuing Medical Education Committee shall have the responsibility of advising the Dean as to Medical School programs for continuing education for graduate physicians. This shall include the regular review of programs in relation to their compliance with institutional policies, relevance to the mission of the School and requirements of the relevant accrediting agencies. An annual written report shall be presented to the Faculty at a regularly scheduled meeting.
6.2 The Continuing Medical Education Committee shall consist of the Associate Dean for Postgraduate Education or a designated alternate who shall serve as Chair; the Chair of each clinical department or a designated alternate; and one (1) representative of the preclinical departments elected by the Chairs of those departments. The Associate Vice President for Continuing Education of UMDNJ or a designated alternate shall serve ex-officio without vote. The term of office of the elected member shall be two (2) years.
The Continuing Medical Education Committee shall meet at least once each quarter. A quorum shall be one-third of the membership, including the Chair or a designated member of the Committee appointed by the Chair as the presiding official.
Section 7. CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
7.1 The Curriculum Committee shall develop, review and make policy recommendations regarding the curriculum for the M.D. degree and shall develop standards for the evaluation of that educational program for UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
7.2 The Curriculum Committee shall have the responsibility of advising the Faculty in the following areas: establishment of requirements for the M.D. degree, educational goals and objectives, content of courses, methodology of teaching, establishment of an academic calendar, and evaluation of courses and the curriculum as a whole. The appropriate constituents shall be consulted regarding proposed changes in the curriculum. Upon the request of three (3) members of the Curriculum Committee, a recommendation of the Committee shall be reported to the Faculty for approval. Acceptance of such recommendations requires ratification by a majority vote of the Executive Council.
7.3 The Curriculum Committee shall consist of members selected as follows: five (5) Faculty members from clinical departments elected by the Faculty with two (2) of these members from the RWJMS-Camden Faculty; five (5) Faculty members from preclinical departments elected by the Faculty; five (5) Faculty members appointed by the Dean with one (1) of these from the RWJMS-Camden Faculty; six (6) students plus six (6) alternate students, with one (1) from each of the first two years and two (2) each from the third and fourth year with one (1) of the third-year students and one (1) of the fourth-year students from RWJMS-Camden; all students shall be elected by their classmates. No more than two faculty members may come from any one department. The Associate and Assistant Deans for Academic Affairs, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the Camden Campus, and a designate of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Alumni Association shall be members ex-officio without vote. The Chair of the Committee shall be appointed by the Dean from the Faculty membership of the committee. The term of office for Faculty members shall be three (3) years with staggered terms. Faculty may serve a maximum of three (3) consecutive terms. Students shall serve one-year terms and may be reelected for a total of four (4) years. Faculty and ex-officio members may not be represented by alternates. A quorum shall be eight (8) faculty members plus the Chair or a designated member of the Committee appointed by the Chair as the presiding official.
7.4 The Curriculum Committee shall meet at least eight (8) times during the academic year. The Dean shall be invited to attend at least one meeting. A review of each individual course must be conducted at least every three (3) years.
7.5 There shall be a standing subcommittee of the Curriculum Committee for each section of curriculum including a subcommittee for the program at Camden charged to plan, schedule and review the curriculum content, calendar, and plans for evaluation of students. All proposed actions and recommendations of the subcommittees must be reviewed and approved by the Curriculum Committee prior to their implementation. These subcommittees for the Piscataway/New Brunswick Campuses shall be composed of course directors, one (1) faculty member from the Curriculum Committee and the Associate or Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. The subcommittee for the Camden Campus shall be composed of the Chiefs of Service for the departments with core clerkships, the course directors of the required clerkships, two (2) students from each of the third and fourth years, one (1) faculty member from the Curriculum Committee and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the Camden Campus. Each subcommittee will select a chair from its membership. Subcommittee chairs shall serve as ex-officio members of the Committee. Subcommittees report to the Curriculum Committee concerns and recommendations related to the undergraduate medical curriculum component for which they are responsible.
7.6 The Student Curriculum Committee shall be a subcommittee of the Curriculum Committee composed of the student members and student alternate members of the Curriculum Committee and the Associate or Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs of the Piscataway/New Brunswick Campus and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for the Camden Campus. The Camden Campus subcommittee shall be composed of students representing equally the third and fourth-year classes from that Campus and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the Camden Campus. These committees are charged to assist the respective course directors in the annual student evaluation of courses and to promote active student participation in such evaluations.
Section 8. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
8.1 The Executive Council shall advise the Dean on matters affecting the operation and policies of the Medical School. Subject to approval by a majority vote of the Faculty, the Executive Council shall act for the Faculty with regard to the duties and powers of the Faculty. However, the right of the Faculty to review and to accept or reject decisions of the Executive Council shall not be abridged. The Executive Council may, upon request or upon its own initiative, express faculty concerns directly to the Dean. If so requested by the Executive Council, the Dean shall take these concerns forward to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, the President and the Board of Trustees.
8.2 The Executive Council shall receive information on the requirements for admission as applied by the Admissions Committee; the guidelines for appointments and promotions as prepared by the Advisory Committee on Appointments and Promotions; the Academic Rules and Regulations as formulated by the Academic Standing Committee; and the policies related to research as presented by the Research Committee. The Executive Council shall also conduct a coordinated periodic review of the effect of Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Group on the academic mission of the School. The Executive Council shall hear appeals of decisions of the Rules of Procedure Committee regarding recommendations of membership in the Faculty and may reverse these decisions by a simple majority vote.
8.3 The Executive Council shall consist of the Dean, the department Chairs, three (3) department Chiefs from the Camden Campus appointed by the Associate Dean for the Camden Campus and approved by the Dean, the Secretary of the Faculty, plus two (2) professors, two (2) associate professors, and two (2) assistant professors elected from among Faculty and two (2) members from the Camden Faculty elected by that Faculty. No two elected members may be from the same department on the same Campus. Their term of office shall be two (2) years, with staggered terms. Elected faculty may serve a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms. The Associate Dean for the Camden Campus, the Associate Deans, and the Secretary of the Faculty shall serve ex-officio without vote. A representative from each affiliated hospital having provision for such representation stipulated in the affiliation agreement shall serve ex-officio without vote. Other individuals may be invited to attend meetings without vote on the approval of the Dean and the Executive Council. Each member of the Executive Council may designate alternates to attend a cumulative total of no more than three (3) meetings during each academic year. The Dean or an alternate appointed by the Dean shall serve as Chair, without vote except in case of a tie.
8.4 The Executive Council shall meet at least once monthly during the academic year. Extraordinary meetings may be convened by the Dean or on written request of at least one-fourth of the members submitted to the Secretary of the Faculty who shall then convene the meetings after consultation with the Dean. A quorum shall be one-half of the voting members, plus the Chair.
9.1 The Graduate Biomedical Sciences Education Committee shall advise the Dean on all those aspects of the operation of the Medical School involving graduate education in the biomedical sciences in order to maintain the liaison between UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical and the GSBS.
9.2 The Graduate Biomedical Sciences Education Committee shall provide information to the Faculty and Dean concerning the conduct of these programs with regard to their objectives and quality, relationship with UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School faculty, and resource requirements from all supporting institutions (Rutgers University, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and GSBS).
9.3 The Graduate Biomedical Sciences Education Committee shall consist of members selected as follows: The Associate Dean, GSBS, Piscataway Campus; the directors of all graduate biomedical science programs including GSBS and coordinated programs or a designated alternate; and two (2) students elected by their peers. The term of office of non-student members shall be indefinite. The term of office of the student members shall be one (1) year. The Associate Dean, GSBS, Piscataway Campus shall serve as Chair.
9.4 The Graduate Biomedical Sciences Education Committee shall meet at least four (4) times a year. Meetings shall be convened by the Chair. A quorum shall be one-half of the membership, including the Chair or a designated member of the Committee appointed by the Chair as the presiding official.
Section 10 GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE
10.1 The Graduate Medical Education Committee shall advise the Dean on all those aspects of the operation of the School pertaining to graduate medical education. This shall include the establishment and maintenance of appropriate liaison with residency directors and with the administrators of other institutions participating in programs sponsored by UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; establishment and implementation of policies and requirements for the working conditions, evaluation, promotion, and dismissal of residents; and the regular review of all residency training programs in relation to their compliance with institutional policies, relevance to the mission of the School and the requirements of the relevant accrediting agencies.
10.2 The Graduate Medical Education Committee shall have the responsibility of evaluating institutional support for graduate medical education as defined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The Committee shall present a written annual report to the Dean.
10.3 The Graduate Medical Education Committee shall consist of members selected as follows: The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the directors of all residency programs, representatives of the administration of each hospital participating in programs sponsored by UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and appointed and peer-elected residents. The term of office of the resident members shall be one (1) year. The Chair shall be elected from among the members.
10.4 The Graduate Medical Education Committee shall meet at least eight (8) times a year. Meetings shall be convened by the Chair. A quorum shall be one-third of the faculty members, including the Chair or a designated member of the Committee appointed by the Chair as the presiding official.
Section 11. HEARING BODY FOR STUDENT RIGHTS
11.1 The Hearing Body for Student Rights shall have the responsibility for hearing allegations of misconduct by students and for ensuring the due process rights of students. The Hearing Body shall make determinations of fact and make recommendations to the Dean for disciplinary action regarding infractions of rules, regulations and standards of the University except for those matters that are under the jurisdiction of the Academic Rules and Regulations, or Misconduct in Science Policy.
11.2 The Hearing Body for Student Rights shall consist of five (5) members and three (3) alternates. Two (2) members shall be elected from the Faculty; two (2) members shall be elected by the students; and one (1) member of the administration shall be appointed by the Dean. There shall be one (1) alternate for each of the above categories, selected in the same manner, who shall serve in the absence of a regular member of that constituency. The members shall elect a Chair from among themselves. The term of office shall be two (2) years with staggered terms.
11.3 Meetings shall be convened by the Chair or on request of the Dean or any member of the Committee. A quorum shall be five (5) members or their alternates, including the Chair or a designated member of the Committee as the presiding official.
11.4 The Hearing Body shall conduct all hearings and all deliberations in accordance with the policies of UMDNJ and UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Section 12. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
12.1 The Nominations and Elections Committee shall have the responsibility of developing a slate of candidates, numbering at least two candidates more than the number of existing vacancies for all faculty elections, in accordance with the Bylaws for the Governance of UMDNJ and of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The slate of candidates must be distributed to the Faculty at least one calendar week prior to a meeting of the Faculty at which additional nominations may be made from the floor. The Committee shall conduct elections for all standing committees.
12.2 The Nominations and Elections Committee shall consist of ten (10) members, of which nine (9) shall be elected by mail ballot or by electronic mail ballot from nominations made at a regular Faculty meeting. The Camden Faculty shall elect two (2) members. The Piscataway/New Brunswick Faculty shall elect seven (7) members as follows: three (3) members shall be chosen from the preclinical departments, three (3) from the clinical departments, and one (1) member from either preclinical or clinical departments. All elected members shall hold full academic rank and be from different departments on any one Campus. The members shall elect a Chair from among themselves. The Secretary of the Faculty shall be a member ex-officio with vote. The term of office shall be three (3) years, with staggered terms. No elected member may serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
12.3 The Committee shall meet at least once in each academic year with meetings convened by the Chair. A quorum shall be two-thirds of the elected membership.
Section 13. RESEARCH COMMITTEE
13.1 The Research Committee shall have the responsibility of encouraging research activities by faculty and students and of advising the Dean on matters of general policy related to research.
13.2 The Research Committee shall consist of fifteen (15) members, including the Associate Dean for Research who shall serve ex-officio without vote. Four (4) Faculty members shall be appointed by the Dean; eight (8) shall be elected by the Piscataway/New Brunswick Faculty from the Faculty at the level of associate or full professor; four (4) of these shall be from different preclinical departments and four (4) of these from different clinical departments; one (1) shall be elected by the Camden Faculty from the faculty at the level of associate or full professor and one (1) shall be appointed by the Associate Dean for the Camden Campus at the level of associate or full professor. The term of office of elected members shall be three (3) years with staggered terms.
13.3 The Chair shall be elected by the voting members of the Committee from among themselves to serve a term of one (1) year. The Committee shall meet at least twice a year and meetings may be convened by the Dean or Chair. A quorum shall be seven (7) members including the Chair or a designated member of the Committee appointed by the Chair as the presiding official.
13.4 To achieve its objectives, the Research Committee shall establish subcommittees as appropriate. The chair of each subcommittee shall be a member of the Research Committee and the members of the subcommittee shall be appointed by the Associate Dean for Research. The subcommittees shall report to the Research Committee through the Associate Dean for Research.
Section 14. RULES OF PROCEDURE COMMITTEE
14.1 The Rules of Procedure Committee shall have the responsibility of insuring that the procedures of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School are in accordance with the Bylaws for the Governance of UMDNJ and these Bylaws. In addition, this Committee shall have the responsibility of framing a formal statement of amendments to the Bylaws as specified in Article IV. The Committee shall define guidelines and procedures for the review of departments and Chairs and may recommend changes or new measures to the Dean and Faculty. The Committee shall receive appeals from those faculty who do not qualify for, but desire, membership as Faculty. By a simple majority vote, the Committee shall select those from among the applicants and recommend them for membership as Faculty members to the Dean who, in turn, may recommend them to the Faculty. A negative decision of the Committee regarding recommendation for membership as Faculty may be appealed by the individual applicant to the Executive Council.
14.2 The Rules of Procedure Committee shall consist of eight (8) members. One (1) shall be appointed by the Dean, one (1) appointed by the Dean upon recommendation by the Associate Dean for the Camden Campus from the Camden Faculty, and five (5) shall be elected by the Faculty. The Secretary of the Faculty shall be a member ex-officio with vote. The members shall elect a Chair from among themselves. The Secretary shall be ineligible for this office. A person may serve as Chair of this committee a maximum of six (6) consecutive years. The term of office shall be three (3) years with staggered terms.
14.3 Meetings shall be convened by the Chair or on request of any member including the Secretary. A quorum shall be four (4) members.
ARTICLE IV. AMENDMENT PROCEDURES
Subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, any portion of these Bylaws may be amended by a resolution approved by two-thirds of the Faculty who return a mail ballot or electronic mail ballot within a time specified on the ballot which shall not be less than two (2) weeks. Any proposal for amendment shall be presented initially to the Faculty by any five members for discussion. With approval of a majority of the Faculty, the proposal shall then be referred to the Rules of Procedure Committee which shall have the responsibility of framing a formal statement for the approval of the Faculty.
ARTICLE V. METHOD OF ADOPTION
These Bylaws shall take effect when approved by two-thirds of the Faculty present and voting at a meeting, then recommended by the President and then approved by the Board of Trustees.
