Policy & Committee

School of Art & Art History Governance

Name and Mission

We, the members of the University of South Florida School of Art and Art History, recognize the power of images to construct and reflect the shared consciousness of a culture. We therefore see our mission as the study of visual culture, past and present, in order to understand how images can illuminate and expand, or conceal and limit the worlds they represent; and the creation of art that explores actual, lived life and provides alternative visions for that life.

We value the shared affective and intellectual community life within which art is produced and experienced: the internal communities of the School and the University; the collaborative and interdependent communities crossing art media, art practice, theory and history; and our local and regional communities with which we seek interaction. We emphatically embrace social diversity and respect for the individual; we encourage a sense of citizenship and a global and historical self-location.

We seek to provide a challenging learning environment of research, creativity and experimentation; we emphasize engaged, critical thinking. We investigate new media and technologies, as well as traditional approaches. Finally, we recognize that example is the best teacher and strive through our own creative research to embody the values we wish to impart.

The School recognizes the principles of equity of assignment, resources and opportunities for faculty across a multi-campus unit.

Degree Programs

  • Bachelor of Arts, Art History
  • Bachelor of Arts, Studio Art
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts, Studio
  • Master of Arts, Art History
  • Master of Fine Arts, Studio
  • Minor in Art History
  • Minor in Art Studio
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Arts
    • Concentration in Graphic Design
    • Concentration in Illustration

Director

Duties responsible include:

  • The responsibilities listed in the Academic Director Duties document approved by the Directors Council, 10/15/03, and reviewed in spring 2005.
  • The areas listed are: Instruction related activities; University, College, and Unit Governance; Faculty, Staff and Students; Administrative; Development; Marketing; PR; Outreach; Budget and Facilities.
  • The Director will serve as an advocate for faculty, staff and students and work to address the needs and concerns of the School.
  • The Director will seek the advice and consent of the faculty on the hiring of adjuncts, visiting artists and scholars, and staff; and allocation of budget and other resources

Campus Associate Director

Appointed by the Director with faculty consultation. Duties and responsibilities include:

  • Organizational liaison between the Director and faculty, staff and students.
  • Course scheduling.
  • Signatory for the Director as assigned.
  • Special projects as assigned.

Faculty

Voting member composition:

  • Permanent Full-time faculty (tenure-earning, tenured and Instructors only): Whenever possible, faculty voting will take place during faculty meetings, except in the case of meetings held remotely.
  • Non-voting members: Adjunct Faculty, Visiting Artists/Scholars Faculty, Affiliate Faculty, Joint Appointment Faculty and Courtesy Faculty

Functions of Faculty meetings:

  • The function of the faculty meetings is to discuss and decide with the Director all matters pertaining to the purpose and function of the academic unit. These matters may include but are not limited to: curriculum, student financial aid, budget, research, direction and the strategic goals of the unit, student progress, student issues, tenure and promotion (tenured faculty only), hiring of adjuncts, hiring of visiting artists and scholars, scheduling of courses, facilities.
  • Two meetings per semester minimum.
  • Faculty, committee and similar meetings will be offered via online format as well as face-to-face when applicable. No distinction in participation, voting, discussion will be made based on the mode of attendance. Proxies, electronic voting, etc. will be developed with approval of the College Dean and administered by the SAAH Office Manager.

Annual Faculty Evaluations

  • By a deadline agreed upon by the Faculty Advisory Committee and the Director, faculty will complete an approved reporting form describing activities and achievements relevant to respective duties of each employee in the preceding Calendar Year.
  • The Office Manager will make available the student evaluations of instruction to the Advisory Committee and the Director on behalf of each faculty member.
  • By deadline dates agreed upon by the Faculty Advisory Committee and the Director, the Advisory Committee and the Director will separately complete a performance evaluation of each member of the faculty only in the areas of respective assigned duties. Faculty on the Advisory Committee do not evaluate themselves. The Committee and the Director will separately develop narratives explaining the basis of each evaluation.
  • Upon completion of the performance evaluations by the Advisory Committee and the Director, the final scoring and narratives will be provided to the respective faculty.
  • By simple request, all faculty may meet with either/both the Advisory Committee and/or the Director to discuss the Annual Evaluation. As per the Bargaining Agreement, a faculty member may request, in writing, a meeting with an administrator at the next higher level to discuss concerns regarding the evaluation which were not resolved in previous discussions with the evaluator.

Evaluation of St. Petersburg Faculty

  • In addition to the Annual Evaluation by the Faculty Advisory Committee and the Director, “Regional Chancellors or their designee will provide ‘formal written input...prior to a College Dean or Vice President completing the [performance] appraisal.’ (See University of South Florida as “One University Geographically Distributed.”)

Staff

  • Meet regularly with supervisor and relevant faculty coordinators.
  • Annual evaluations as per University guidelines.
  • Supervisors should seek input from relevant users and stakeholders in preparing Annual Evaluations.
  • The School Director is assigned final hiring and supervisory responsibility as per University guidelines.

Committees

  • Defined and determined by faculty vote, including Staff, when relevant.
  • Proposed by Director and acknowledged by faculty and staff.
  • Reasonable balance with teaching and, if relevant, research.
  • Reasonable and inclusive balance by sub-disciplines and campuses.

Faculty Advisory Committee

Member composition: This committee consists of four members of the tenure earning and/or tenured faculty. One member minimum from Art History and one member minimum from Graphic Arts.

  • Chair elected by the committee.
  • Advise the Director on departmental issues including but not limited to: personnel; budgetary allocations, faculty, staff and student issues, departmental goals and mission, student enrollment and recruitment.
  • Collect information for the evaluation of the Director. This is undertaken in cooperation with the College Dean as per Guidelines of the College.

Faculty Senate

The School of Art & Art History will hold elections whenever the Faculty Senate seat for the department is vacant; the result will be forwarded to the Faculty Senate Office.  

Tenure and Promotion Committee and Procedures

Member composition: All faculty who are tenured.

  • Chair is the most senior faculty member present or as elected by the committee. Progress Toward Tenure: Annually the committee will convene in Spring semester and prepare a narrative statement of the progress of tenure-earning faculty. It will also include suggestions that will help the candidate successfully receive tenure.
  • Mid-Point Review: The committee will evaluate the Mid-Point Review materials prepared by the tenure-earning faculty member(s) and write statements for the College T&P Committee.
  • Tenure and Promotion Applications: After review of the T&P packet of application and materials, the committee will discuss, vote, and write a summary to be included in the tenure application document.
  • Eligible voting faculty who will not be present at the meetings may submit vote/ballot to the Office Manager prior to the meetings.
  • Tenured faculty may be asked to mentor a tenure-earning faculty member.
  • Instructors seeking promotion: Faculty will identify a review and recommendation committee that should include instructor(s) at the rank being sought by the Applicant. The committee will vote on the candidate’s application. Separately, the committee and the Director will provide a narrative in support of respective decisions to either promote or not promote the candidate. The results are sent to the Associate Dean of the College.
  • Full Professor Promotion: Committee comprised of all Full Professors in the Unit. If there are not enough Full Professors in the Unit, Full Professors from other units may serve as the Committee.
  • Regional Chancellors will provide a formal review in promotion cases for faculty members on branch campuses “prior to a College Dean completing and forwarding a recommendation to the Provost” (See University of South Florida as “One University Geographically Distributed.”)

Visiting Artists & Scholars/Gallery Committee

Member composition: Faculty as determined at time of new committees for subsequent years. Chair elected by committee.

  • May also include representatives from IRA as well as students.
  • Once the anticipated budget is known, Committee Chair or Staff sends out a call for proposals. Committee makes final decisions and posts results.
  • For selected artists and scholars, the nominating faculty member acts as “host” and assists staff with correspondence, transportation, itinerary, liaison with students and lecture introduction.
  • For exhibitions in the Gallery, the Committee Chair works with staff to notify exhibitors and publish the schedule.

Kennedy Family Residency

  • Faculty voted to alternate the Kennedy appointment every other year between Art History and Art Studio.
  • The respective faculty in each of the two will establish a process for selection of the appointee and inform the Director of the choice.
  • The Director is solely responsible for the appointment process.
  • For the selected appointee, the nominating faculty member acts as “host” and assists staff with correspondence; course determination; formal lecture date; acclimation to the community, University and School; liaison with students.
  • The Director introduces the Kennedy appointee at the formal lecture.
  • Adopted by faculty vote: April 4, 2014

Curriculum Committee

This function is carried out by the Faculty Advisory Committee or by Faculty who propose changes to the curriculum.

Search Committees

  • Member composition: Follow University and College guidelines for committee membership. The core of the committee should be well represented by the Unit and/or area for which the search is designed to fulfill. 
  • Search facilitator selected by the Director from staff.
  • For faculty searches, the committee may seek a formal meeting with all faculty prior to making final assessments and recommendations to the Director and Dean.
  • Staff searches should include at least one staff member and one faculty on the committee.
  • “Regional Chancellors or their designee will serve as a voting member on all search committees for faculty hiring on branch campuses.” (See University of South Florida as “One University Geographically Distributed.”)

Unit Areas

Areas are: Art History, Painting and Drawing, Printmaking, Sculpture and Extended Media (includes Ceramics), Photography, Video/Animation & Digital Arts (VADA), Foundations Studio (Concepts & Practices), and Graphic Arts.

Art History Area Duties

Advisory Committee art history representative (one-year appointment)
M.A. Coordinator

  • correspond with prospective students year-round
  • oversee dissemination of information to prospective students (paper material, etc.)
  • meet with prospective students during academic year
  • oversee program advertisement and recruitment materials
  • conduct annual orientation for new M.A. students
  • advise M.A. students throughout year on their coursework, TA-ships, future studies and professional work- advise M.A. students on thesis committee assignments and questioners for defenses, including all paperwork
  • oversee TA assignments
  • oversee admissions process, including all official correspondence, determination of fellowships and TA-ships
  • organize and coordinate M.A. Candidacy Presentations
  • oversee M.A. program and curriculum, initiate discussion of possible changes, research initiatives
  • no summer assignment other than correspondence with prospective student

Art History Coordinator (one year appointment)

  • create class schedule for fall and spring
  • initiate meetings and set agendas
  • serve as liaison between Director/staff and art historians when decisions need to be made or meetings arranged
  • oversee and delegate tasks for annual art history reception (fall or spring)
  • serve as liaison between academic advisor and faculty when decisions about course substitutions, waiving requirements, etc., come up.

Website Coordinator (liaison to Unit Tech Staff)

  • oversee updating of student and faculty information
  • post events
  • keep lists of graduate symposia, grants, and other opportunities up to date

Liaison to student-run Art History Association
Jury for art history prize at student show (two required in spring)

All-faculty responsibilities:

  • Admissions (spring)
  • M.A. Candidacy presentations (usually once a year)
  • Thesis committees
  • Oral exams
  • Attendance at annual art history reception for grads and faculty (fall or spring)
  • Thesis advising: faculty advisors and advisees inform themselves about Graduate School due dates during final semester; faculty advisor or advisee announces thesis defense on art history website
  • Admissions (spring)
  • M.A. Candidacy presentations (usually once a year)

Area Coordinators

  • Submission of proposed Area teaching schedule to Office.
  • Representative to the Office and the Director on behalf of the Area.
  • Primary liaison with Staff relevant to Area.

Graduate Program Coordinators

  • Appointed by the Director
  • Primary liaison for graduate students; issues and concerns related to the graduate programs.
  • Establish calendar deadlines.
  • Assignment of workspaces (offices and studios).
  • Recruitment and interviews with prospective students.
  • Nominate students for awards.
  • Participate in Orientation.
  • Maintain Procedures and ensure posting on website and University catalog.

Appointment of Graduate Assistants

Studio:

  • First priority - Graduate Students should be assigned to teach solo sections.
  • Second priority – Graduate Students should be assigned to learn to teach. (The assignment of students should be first to faculty who are teaching combined courses when available. Students should be assigned to learn to teach in classes when combination classes are not available. Please note faculty are not guaranteed a graduate student to assist if they are not teaching a combination class. No student should be assigned to two classes to learn to teach. Graduate students may be required to take Instructional Techniques class to be eligible to teach the next semester at the discretion of faculty in area.
  • Third Priority – Assist in area as needed and agreed upon by Area Head and Director. Due to funding cuts the numbers of the assistants available to area are subject to reduction. Faculty should avoid using 1st year Graduate Students as strictly area assistants as they should be preparing the graduate students to become effective solo teachers.”
  • Policy approved by Studio Faculty, Aug 17/18, 2009

Summer Teaching

  • While conforming to University and faculty union policies and advisories regarding Summer Teaching Assignments, and taking into consideration any budget, credit hour productivity and/or graduation targets, the School of Art and Art History faculty have voted to use a rotation plan for making Summer Teaching Assignments whenever possible.
  • That is, faculty who have taught in a preceding summer will be at a lower priority for the subsequent year than those who did not teach the previous summer.
  • The Director of the School will also consider requests in previous years and new faculty appointments in making final assignments.
  • Policy approved by Faculty, July 2013

Emeritus Status

  • As per University Guidelines, the process of a retiring professor attaining “Emeritus” status is launched by a letter from the professor indicating an interest in holding the Emeritus title – OR by a nomination letter from a faculty member in the department.
  • Upon the reception of the letter or nomination, the Director will submit the action to the Tenure-earning and Tenured Faculty for a simple vote and comments.
  • The Director will forward the initial letter/nomination to the Dean accompanied by a letter from the Director, endorsing, or not endorsing, the nomination. The letter should briefly evaluate the candidate’s record as a faculty member.

Office/Workspaces/Classrooms

  • Determined by the Director.
  • Faculty offices and workspaces are, in general, assigned by seniority of faculty
  • Upon available vacancy, the Director contacts Faculty in order of seniority. If senior-most faculty declines to move, next senior-most Faculty member is contacted – and so on, until vacant office is assigned.
  • During one semester or more of leave/sabbatical/research, faculty may need to vacate or share offices at discretion of the Director. Same office made available upon full-time return to faculty.

Amending the Governance Document

The Governance Document may be amended by a simple majority vote of the regular faculty.

Approved January 25, 2021