School of Pharmacy

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Constitution and Bylaws

Constitution

Article I. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Faculty of the School of Pharmacy of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Article II. Purpose

The purposes of the Constitution and Bylaws are to define the membership of the Faculty of the School of Pharmacy, outline its organizational structure and describe its process of governance, in conformity with Faculty Roles and Responsibilities policy defined by the University Council of Virginia Commonwealth University and to those University policies that affect the School and its faculty. The intention of this document is to guarantee all members of the Faculty the right to freely express opinions and to participate in formulating policy necessary to effectively discharge the teaching, scholarship, research, service, and patient care missions of the School.

Article III. Membership

The membership of the Faculty of the School of Pharmacy shall consist of those individuals holding primary faculty appointments in the School of Pharmacy and those other individuals so specified in the Bylaws.

Article IV. Organization

The chief executive officer of the School of Pharmacy shall be the Dean of the School. The School shall be composed of Departments (as described in the Bylaws below) and such other organizational units as deemed necessary (as described in the Bylaws below). The Dean and the Departmental Chairs along with such other persons as described by the Bylaws shall meet regularly as the School’s Executive Committee to conduct business of the School. The officers, required meetings, and Standing Committees of the Faculty of Pharmacy are defined in the Bylaws.

Article V. Amendments

Amendments to this Constitution require an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the voting members present at any regular meeting of the Faculty of the School of Pharmacy, or at a special meeting called for that purpose. The Faculty must receive written notice of a proposed vote to amend this Constitution at least two weeks prior to the meeting.

Article VI. University Governance

The ultimate authority in University governance is vested in the Board of Visitors which, with advice from the faculty, administration, classified employees and students, selects a President to whom it delegates the responsibility for managing the University. A vigorous university develops through the active participation of the faculty in the formal and informal decision-making processes concerned with educational functions and policies at various administrative levels. It is in the interest of the University to provide avenues of communication through which the faculty can provide counsel and advice on other matters of mutual interest.

Every faculty member shares a continuing responsibility for shaping the direction of their department, of their School, and for serving on University-wide councils, committees and offices. Since participation of the faculty in academic matters is vital to the proper governance of the University community, it is incumbent upon the University to provide ample opportunities for faculty participation.

We believe that shared governance aligns the board, administration and faculty in common directions for decision-making regarding institutional direction and should be grounded in commitment to educational quality and results. We value and appreciate the distinct, but mutually-supportive responsibilities distributed among the board, administration, faculty, staff and students of the university. We believe in collaboration that seeks and represents the voice of all constituencies in decisions and matters that impact those constituencies – recognizing that shared governance is neither consensus nor democratic governance.

We value transparency in university and unit decisions such that the various constituencies of the university are aware of how decisions are made and the rationale for those decisions, which will ensure the university remains mission-focused. Groups and individual should have timely and easy access to information about the decisions for which they are responsible and about decisions that impact them. Such transparency also means that decision-making groups and individuals are accountable for the decisions they make and for involving the appropriate constituencies in those decisions.

Bylaws

Article I. Membership

Section 1

The membership of the Faculty of the School of Pharmacy shall consist of all individuals holding appointments to the Pharmacy Faculty, Affiliate Faculty, and Adjunct Faculty. An individual holding a primary appointment (tenured, tenure-eligible, or term) to the School of Pharmacy is a Pharmacy Faculty member and has the right to attend and fully participate in meetings of the Faculty. This includes the right to discuss on the floor and vote on all matters coming before meetings as described in the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Policy Statement and as outlined in Section 2. An individual holding a primary appointment to the faculty of a School or College of the University other than the School of Pharmacy and who have teaching responsibilities for pharmacy students may be a member of the School of Pharmacy Faculty, provided she/he is so designated and approved as such by the Dean of the School of Pharmacy. Affiliate Faculty are qualified individuals who are appointed to serve as preceptors in the School’s practice experience program or in other specialized roles.  Adjunct faculty are qualified individuals hired for limited or special assignments. Affiliate and adjunct faculty shall have a voice, not a vote, at meetings of the Faculty. Other attendees may have a voice with the permission of the Chair.

Section 2

Voting privileges are restricted to those faculty members who hold at least a 0.50 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) primary appointment in the School of Pharmacy. Voting privileges are extended to those faculty who have primary appointments in a School or College other than the School of Pharmacy who coordinate required courses in the professional curriculum of the School of Pharmacy. Voting privileges may be extended to a faculty member whose primary appointment is less than 0.50 FTE providing the Faculty approve a request for voting privileges on an individual basis by a majority vote of the faculty at any meeting of the Faculty.

Section 3

The Faculty Secretary shall maintain a list of voting members of the Faculty of the School of Pharmacy. This list will be available to members in attendance at Faculty meetings.

Article II. Organizational Units of the School

The organization units of the School are the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, the Department of Pharmaceutics, and the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science. The School bylaws effectively serve as governance for all three organizational units.

Article III. Officers

Section 1

The officers of the Faculty of the School of Pharmacy are:

  • Chair, who is the Dean of the School of Pharmacy
  • Vice-Chair, who is elected by the Faculty, shall not hold the title of Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, or Department Chair and shall hold the rank of Associate Professor or Professor.
  • Secretary, who is elected by the Faculty.
  • Parliamentarian, who is elected by the Faculty.

Section 2

Election of the Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Parliamentarian shall be for a three-year term, beginning on July 1 of the election year. This election shall be at the Faculty meeting at the end of the Spring semester.

Section 3

The Chair and Secretary shall perform the duties prescribed for them in the parliamentary authority adopted by this organization as well as any other duties described in these bylaws. The Vice-Chair shall be a voting member of the School’s Executive Committee and shall substitute for the Chair in his/her absence at any meeting of the Faculty. The Parliamentarian offers parliamentary advice to the Chair and the members of the Faculty; she/he should be familiar with the parliamentary authority adopted by this organization.

Article IV. Meetings

Section 1

Regular meetings of the Faculty shall be called at the beginning of the Fall Semester, the beginning of the Spring Semester, and the end of the Spring Semester at such time and place as designated by the Chair.

Section 2

The regular meeting at the beginning of the Fall Semester is known as the Annual Meeting.

Section 3

Special meetings may be called by the Chair, or shall be called upon the request by petition of one-fourth of the members eligible to vote.

Section 4

A simple majority of the voting members present, in person or by teleconference, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the organization. The Secretary shall conduct a count for purposes of establishing a quorum before any vote is taken. The parliamentary authority adopted by this organization shall be “Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised”, which shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws.

Section 5

Absentee votes shall only be accepted at a meeting of the Faculty if: 1) the quorum present at a meeting votes by a majority to accept them, and 2) the nature or meaning of the proposal or motion has not been altered by the members present at the meeting. This determination is made by the Chair, or at his/her discretion, by vote of the membership. The tally of any absentee ballots will not be revealed until the vote of those present has been completed. Proxy voting is not allowed.

The Chair may call for a vote to be conducted by email when it is expected that there would be no or minimal discussion. To initiate the vote the Faculty Secretary will notify the faculty of the email vote and provide background information and ballot as needed. At least 5 working days must transpire between notice to the Faculty and the deadline for receipt of ballots. Ballots will be sent to and counted by the Faculty Secretary. The email voting process may be stopped upon receipt by the Chair before the ballot receipt deadline of a petition signed by at least 5 members of the Faculty requesting that the email vote not be conducted.

Voting for University positions and appointments shall conform to relevant University regulations.

Article V. Committees of the Faculty

Section 1. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the Dean of the School, who shall serve as chair, all Associate/Assistant Deans, all Department Chairs, the Faculty Vice-Chair, the Director of Development, the Director of Fiscal Operations, and any other person designated by the Dean.

The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to:

  • Establish administrative structure and responsibilities for the School.
  • Review all proposed actions arising from administration actions or committees of the School.
  • Review all proposed actions arising from regular or special meetings of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
  • Serve as advisory body to the Dean.
  • Review the performance of the School.
  • Serve to disseminate official University communications to the faculty.

Section 2. Standing Committees of the Faculty

Each year at the Annual Meeting, the Faculty Chair shall identify in writing the Standing Committees for the Faculty of Pharmacy based on current programmatic needs. In order to be able to respond quickly to important programmatic changes, new Standing Committees may be constituted by the Faculty Chair; current Standing Committees may be dissolved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. The Standing Committees of the Faculty may include but are not limited to the following:

  • Academic Performance Committee
  • Admissions Committee
  • Dual Degree Steering Committee
  • Curriculum Committee
  • Continuing Education Committee
  • Diversity Committee
  • Faculty Awards Committee
  • Graduate Affairs Committee
  • Information Technology Advisory Committee
  • Nominating Committee
  • Outcomes and Assessment Committee
  • Professionalism Committee
  • Scholarship and Awards Committee
  • Scientific Administrative Review Committee (SARC) 

The purpose of the School’s standing committees are as follows:

  • Academic Performance Committee: Reviews the academic performance of Doctor of Pharmacy students at the end of each semester and makes recommendations to the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs regarding the status (such as a warning or dismissal) of students who do not meet academic performance standards. The committee also contributes to periodic review of the academic standards.
  • Admissions Committee: Recommends applicants for admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program.  The Committee will determine the formula used to rank applicants and indicate which applicants should be extended offers of admission. According to ACPE standards, the Dean and the Committee must share the final responsibility for enrollment and selection of students.
  • Dual Degree Steering Committee: Makes, interprets and enforces policy and procedures for the combined-degree program. The Committee also assists the chairs of each degree track administer to the degree track, including admission and policy.
  • Continuing Education Committee: Reviews the scope and conduct of CE offerings by the School, provides advice to the Director of Continuing Education, and provides recommendations on CE programs or other ways to improve the CE program of the School.
  • Curriculum Committee: Serves as the Faculty’s representative to assure that the School maintains a high-quality curriculum that is fully compliant with ACPE standards. The Committee conducts yearly review of the curriculum and acts on recommendations for curricular changes that arise from the faculty, administration, or alumni.
  • Diversity Committee: Maintains a School diversity plan and recommends actions to improve diversity.
  • Faculty Awards Committee: Coordinates preparation of faculty and staff nomination packets for VCU awards and other external awards.
  • Graduate Affairs Committee: Participates in important business of graduate education, including formalizing admissions processes, allocating stipends, assessing the curricula, updating the School’s Graduate Program Handbook, and advising the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies to oversee the program and the students and interpret policies and procedures.
  • Information Technology Advisory Committee: Reviews existing implementations of technology throughout the School to assess current and future technology trends in education. The committee will provide its findings and make recommendations to School administration.
  • Nominating Committee: Nominates School Faculty members for elected office and positions.
  • Outcomes and Assessment Committee: Informs the Dean, Executive Committee, and faculty of the effectiveness of the School’s various missions and goals. The committee will evaluate the effectiveness of the professional program through reviews of didactic and experiential courses, teaching, and student achievement. The Committee is charged to formulate an ongoing and longitudinal assessment plan for the School of Pharmacy to manage the collection of assessment data, evaluate assessment data, make recommendations for improving the school's performance, and prepare reports for internal and external audiences.
  • Professionalism Committee: Determines general School policies that relate to professionalism of faculty, students, and staff. This committee also oversees all professionalism hearings and makes recommendations to the Dean regarding sanctions for unprofessional behavior.
  • Scholarship and Awards Committee: Responsible for naming of the student pharmacist scholarships and the awards for the graduating class and facilitating the solicitation of applications.
  • Scientific Administrative Review Committee: Oversees the School review process for the VCU Presidential Research Quest Fund (PRQF) Proposals. The Committee solicits reviewers within VCU, rank orders the proposals based on the reviews, composes NIH style critiques, and distributes the feedback to the PI.

Section 3. Standing Committees Charges and Appointments

All Standing Committees of the School are representative of the faculty as a whole and report to the Faculty Chair and the Faculty. At the Faculty meeting at the end of the Spring semester, the chair of each Standing Committee shall report in writing the accomplishments of the committee during the past year and proposed charges for the coming year. The Faculty Chair shall appoint all members of the Standing Committees unless otherwise specified elsewhere. Members of Standing Committees may be reappointed unless otherwise specified elsewhere. Except in specific cases, the membership of standing committees should be representative of the interests of the School and Departments.  Appointments to Standing Committees are usually for three years unless the appointment is ex officio or otherwise specified elsewhere. Typically, approximately one-third of the three-year memberships will rotate off each year. The Faculty Chair shall appoint the chairs of the Standing Committees; the chairs have no term, but serve at the pleasure of the Faculty Chair. When changes are made to the membership of any of the Standing Committees, the revised membership list shall be published to the faculty.

Section 4. Authority of Standing Committees

Standing Committee membership and voting authority should balance, as appropriate, the interests of the School, the School’s Departments and other stakeholders such as students, alumni and staff.  Each Standing Committee shall establish inclusive quorum and voting policies. Committees shall create policies to determine which actions can be approved by committee vote versus actions recommended to the Faculty. Most routine actions will be approved by committee vote while major changes to key areas such as admissions, assessment, or curriculum will be brought to the faculty for a vote. Any action taken by a committee may be brought to the faculty for a vote upon motion and second at any faculty meeting. These policies are subject to approval by the Faculty Chair and Faculty vote. Committees should report to the Faculty those actions that have been approved.

Section 5. Promotion and Tenure Committees

Faculty participate in the promotion and/or tenure process at multiple levels as described in the School of Pharmacy Promotion and Tenure Policies and Procedures, revised and approved by the Faculty January 7, 2014. Faculty service on peer review committees is determined at the department-level and service on the School Promotion and Tenure Committee and University Appeals Committee is granted upon election by the Faculty.

Article VI. Amendment of Bylaws

These Bylaws may be amended at a meeting of the Faculty of the School of Pharmacy by two-thirds vote of the members present and voting. The Faculty Secretary shall present all proposed amendments in writing to the membership at least two weeks prior to the meeting. The Constitution and Bylaws for Faculty Governance must be reviewed at least every five years by an ad hoc committee convened by the Dean, with recommendations to be considered by the Faculty.

The Dean, in collaboration with those faculty members elected to serve as University Council delegates, are responsible for updating and maintaining the bylaws to the standards set by the University, and will propose amendments as needed. Ultimately, the Dean and Department chairs hold responsibility for ensuring full implementation of the document within all departments and faculty.