This policy is under active review for revisions by Faculty Affairs.

 

 

Handbook of Operating Procedures 2-1310

Budget Councils



The University of Texas at Austin

Executive Sponsor: Executive Vice President and Provost
Policy Owner: Associate Vice President - Provost Office
Effective October 21, 2014

 

 

All the full professors in a department conjointly, or all the associate professors conjointly in case there is no full professor, constitute the Budget Council of the department, each member being entitled to one vote, there being no seniority. No person on modified service shall be a member of the Budget Council. The chairperson of the department serves as chairperson of the Budget Council. Responsibility for preparing recommendations for hiring of faculty (including non-tenure-track faculty whenever possible), salary rates, promotion, tenure, renewal of appointment, or non-renewal of appointments rests with the Budget Council (or other departmental governing body) and the department chair.

 

Changes in the Budget Council organization are permitted under the following circumstances:

 

  1. A departmental faculty, Budget Council, or chairperson may develop a plan whereby the authority of the Budget Council is vested in an executive committee or committees of size, composition by academic rank, and mode of selection as specified by the plans. Under an executive committee mode of governance, associate professor and assistant professor members may be consulted and may participate in the discussions, but may not vote formally, on salary matters affecting their own or higher ranks and on matters affecting promotion from or continued appointment in their own rank or higher ranks.

 

  1. A departmental faculty, budget council, chairperson, or the dean may initiate a proposal to extend membership on the Budget Council to one or more of the departmental faculty with the ranks of associate professor or assistant professor, or to one or more members of the faculty of another department or departments. Under an extended Budget Council mode of governance, associate professor and assistant professor or members may be consulted and may participate in the discussions, but may not vote formally, on salary matters affecting their own or higher ranks and on matters affecting promotion from or continued appointment in their own rank or higher ranks.

 

  1. After one or more proposals to be presented to the department faculty under Sections 1 and 2 above have been circulated to all voting members of the department for at least one week, a meeting of the department shall be called during the long session at a time which will ensure full participation of its members. The meeting shall assess the merits of the proposal or proposals and determine whether they are in a form appropriate for submission to ballot. One week after the close of debate on the proposal or proposals, votes on them shall be taken by mail ballot sent to all voting members of the department, including those on leave. A modification shall take effect if approved by a majority vote of the members and by the dean and the president.

 

  1. A dean may determine that operation of a department has deteriorated because of actions taken or not taken by the Budget Council or because of irreconcilable differences within the membership of the Budget Council, and that a change in the Budget Council organization is essential to the effective administration of the department. Under such circumstances he or she may request the approval of the president to establish a temporary budget committee for the department. This action by the dean shall be effective for a period of not more than three years. During the period, reorganization proposals according to Sections 1, 2 and 3 above may be effected.
 

 

  1. During the third or terminal year of operation under any of the foregoing plans and not later than each third year thereafter, the departmental faculty members with tenure shall recommend whether to continue the existing organization, or propose a new organization, or to return to a Budget Council system. This recommendation shall be forwarded by the chairperson of the department for the approval of the dean and the president. If the department faculty members with tenure propose modifications in the existing mode of governance for consideration by the department, this will be done in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.

 

Previously HOP 2.8
Issued 9/1/1981