College of Letters and Science Faculty Document No. 728
December 15, 2005

Recommendation of the Honors Program Committee to Change Its Name and Modify Its Charter

Recommendation

That the Faculty of the College of Letters and Science change the name of the L&S Honors Program Committee to the Honors College Advisory Committee; and

That the Faculty of the College of Letters and Science amend the charter of the Honors Program Committee to substitute "Honors College" for "Honors Program" and to substitute "Honors College Advisory Committee" for "Honors Program Committee" as indicated in the document below.

Rationale

The Faculty Senate and the Chancellor recently approved a change in the name of the University Honors Program to the Honors College. To avoid confusion, the name of the advisory committee to the Program/College also should be changed. The addition of "Advisory" to the name of the Committee states more clearly the role of the Committee and ensures that there is no confusion about committee functions if other Honors College committees (e.g., curriculum) are established in the future.

2.07   Honors Program College Advisory Committee, Charter

1. Membership. The Honors Program College Advisory Committee will be constituted as follows:
   
   six faculty members from the College of Letters and Science, three appointed by the Dean of the College of Letters and Science, in consultation with the Director of the Honors Program College, and three elected by the College of Letters and Science Faculty. These members shall serve staggered three-year terms. One elected and one appointed member shall come from each area (Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences) of the College of Letters and Science;
   
   three faculty members from other UWM schools and colleges appointed for staggered three-year terms by the Dean of the College of Letters and Science, in consultation with the Director of the Honors Program College;
   
   members of the Honors Program College faculty designated as Bradley Professors or holding an equivalent position;
   
   four students who are enrolled in the Honors Program College appointed, following consultation with the Director of the Honors Program College, by the Dean of the College of Letters and Science for one-year terms, two beginning in the fall semester and two beginning in the spring semester;
   
   ex officio and without voting rights, the Director and Assistant Director of the Honors Program College.
   
   These provisions will be reviewed by the Honors Program College Advisory Committee every three years.
   
   
2. Chair. Each March the committee elects from its continuing or reappointed voting membership a chair for the following academic year. At its first meeting of the new academic year, the committee may choose to elect a co-chair to serve in the absence of the chair.
   
   
3. Vacancies.
   
   
   1. Vacancies in elected positions on the committee shall be filled by appointment of the eligible individual who received the next highest number of votes in the prior L&S faculty elections. If no member is available to serve, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Dean of the College of Letters and Science. In either case, the appointment shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term.
      
      
   2. Vacancies in appointed positions on the committee shall be filled by appointment of by the Dean of the College of Letters and Science in consultation with the director of the Honors Program College. The appointment shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term.
      
      
   3. If the position of chair becomes vacant, it shall be filled by the elected co-chair, if any, for the remainder of the academic year. If no co-chair has been elected, the committee shall elect a new chair as the first order of business at the meeting at which the vacancy is announced.
      
      
4. Subcommittees. The committee may establish ad hoc or permanent subcommittees to consider special matters within the general functions of the committee. The membership and functions of the subcommittees are expressed in writing and approved by majority vote of the committee. Subcommittees may include as voting members faculty, academic staff, and students not already members of the Honors Program College Advisory Committee, provided that a majority of the voting members of the subcommittee are concurrently voting members of the full committee. Recommendations of a subcommittee must be approved by the full committee before being forwarded to the College of Letters and Science Faculty or Dean for further action.
   
   
5. Functions.
   
   
   1. In consultation with the Director, the committee determines the operations of the Honors Program College, including admissions, graduation requirements, and general curriculum.
      
      
   2. The committee evaluates proposed new faculty and topics for Honors seminars and the schedule of Honors course offerings for each semester.
      
      
   3. The committee evaluates proposals for new Honors courses.
      
      
   4. The committee evaluates formal requests from Honors students concerning individual projects for Honors credit.
      
      
   5. The committee reviews and considers modifications of the overall structure and policies of the Honors Program College and makes appropriate recommendations to the fFaculty of the College of Letters and Science and Dean.
      
      
   6. The committee undertakes every third year a formal review of its structure and functions and records its conclusions in the committee's annual report for that year.
      
      
   7. The committee meets at least once each semester; minutes reflecting all formal actions are recorded at each meeting.
      
      
   8. The committee reports annually to the L&S Faculty.
      
      

Approved: February 11, 1975 (Fac. Doc. No. 176)
Amended: March 31, 1983 (Fac. Doc. No. 313)
Amended: December 1, 1993 (Fac. Doc. No. 396)
Amended: November 5, 1998 (Fac. Doc. No. 496)
Amended: April 7, 2005 (Fac. Doc. No. 702)
Amended: December 15, 2005 (Fac. Doc. No. 728)