Bylaws

 

 

PREAMBLE

MEMBERSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP REVIEW

• 2.1.1 ESPP Affiliated Members: Any person with an appointment in any College or Department at MSU with an active interest in environmental science or policy is encouraged to apply to be an Affiliated Member of ESPP.
  • 2.1.1.1 Eligible Affiliated members include professors at any rank, fixed-term faculty and instructors, academic specialists, and librarians.
  • 2.1.1.2 Prospective ESPP members may communicate their interest in joining ESPP with the Director, focusing on how their work relates to the ESPP mission; a vitae and short biography for website posting should be provided.
  • 2.1.1.3 The Director has sole discretion to grant ESPP affiliation.
  • 2.1.1.4 The Director has sole discretion to remove inactive faculty from ESPP affiliation, with input from the Faculty Advisory Council (FAC).
  • 2.1.1.5 Affiliated Members may withdraw from affiliation at any time.

 

• 2.1.2 ESPP Core Faculty Members: The Core Faculty shall consist of ESPP Affiliated Members with academic appointments who are actively involved in ESPP-designated research, teaching, and outreach.
  • 2.1.2.1 An Affiliated ESPP member may self-nominate or be nominated by the Director to be designated as a Core Faculty member for a three-year term.
  • 2.1.2.2 The FAC shall screen nominations to the Core Faculty and make recommendations to the Director, who shall approve appointments and send appointment letters to the appropriate departments.
  • 2.1.2.3 Core Faculty members shall have voting privileges in ESSP faculty meetings, deliberations, and elections for which the Director calls a vote.
  • 2.1.2.4 Core Faculty members are encouraged to take part in designing and delivering courses for the ESPP Dual Major (with the approval of their academic department).
  • 2.1.2.5 Core Faculty members are expected to serve on the graduate committees of ESPP students and ensure that students complete the necessary coursework for the Dual Major program.
  • 2.1.2.6 Core Faculty members are expected to participate in ESPP meetings and forums, share their work through guest lectures and programs, and make themselves available for committee work and consultation connected with the program.
  • 2.1.2.7 Core Faculty members shall have priority access to ESPP resources at the discretion of the Director with the advice of the FAC.
  • 2.1.2.8 Core Faculty members are eligible to be considered as ESPP Appointed Faculty.
  • 2.1.2.9 Based on interest or level of engagement, the status of a Core Faculty member may be evaluated and changed to Affiliated Member based on a recommendation by the Director or a vote by the FAC and following consultation with the faculty member whose status is being changed.

• 2.1.3 ESPP Appointed Faculty Members: MSU faculty members may be appointed to ESPP, with ESPP time requirements and responsibilities, in addition to their academic units.
  
  • 2.1.3.1 The term and role of an Appointed Faculty member will be determined by mutual agreement and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and renumerated based on available funding.
  • 2.1.3.2 Affiliated Members and Core Faculty who are interested in becoming an Appointed Faculty Member may contact the ESPP Director and their unit head to discuss the possibility.
  • 2.1.3.3 An MOU that specifies the terms for Appointment Faculty must be established by the faculty member’s primary unit and ESPP, with approval from the Deans of their corresponding colleges.

• 2.2.1 The Director or Associate Director shall conduct an annual review, with input from the FAC as needed, to ensure that ESPP member designations are consistent with activity and that website information is up-to-date and accessible.

• 2.3.1 The ESPP Core Faculty shall meet at least once per academic year. The ESPP office shall notify members of the time, place and agenda of a proposed meeting at least 72 hours in advance.
• 2.3.2 The Director may bring matters to a vote at their discretion and with the advice of the FAC.
• 2.3.3 Each Core Faculty member in attendance shall have a vote on matters brought to a vote at meetings.
• 2.3.4 Actions may be recommended to the Director by a majority vote of the Core Faculty. 

 

ESPP DIRECTOR

• 3.1.1 The ESPP Director is appointed, reappointed, and reviewed by the University in accordance with University and College of Social Science bylaws, policies, and procedures and with engagement and input from the FAC, as invited by the College. The ESPP FAC will monitor the Director selection process.
• 3.1.2 The FAC may request that the Dean review the Director at any time.
• 3.1.3 In the event that the Director is incapacitated, or the Director’s position is vacated, the Associate Director (See 3.3) shall assume the role, duties, and responsibilities of the Director until the Director returns to service or a new Director is appointed, subject to College approval.
• 3.1.4 In the event that the Director is absent from the University, the Associate Director will stand in their place.

• 3.2.1 The Director administers ESPP and is appointed by the University in accordance with College and University bylaws, policies, and procedures and is solely responsible for the overall operation of ESPP and achieving its objectives.
• 3.2.2 The Director shall provide long-range planning for ESPP involving matters of environmental teaching, research, and outreach.
• 3.2.3 The Director shall serve as administrative liaison between ESPP and all units engaged in environmental policy research at Michigan State University.
• 3.2.4 The Director shall prepare annual budget requests to the University and oversees expenditures.
• 3.2.5 The Director shall develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders in the field of environmental science and policy at the local, state, national, and international levels.
• 3.2.6 The Director shall prepare an annual ESPP progress report in consultation with the FAC that summarizes program accomplishments relative to objectives and supports the development of an annual budget.
• 3.2.7 The Director shall provide written annual evaluations of all ESPP Appointed Faculty, and coordinates with academic department chairs regarding raises, reappointment, tenure, and promotion.
• 3.2.8 The Director shall work with the ESPP faculty to recruit and admit outstanding faculty candidates to the program.
• 3.2.9 The Director or their designee shall review the study program for all graduate students pursuing a Dual Major degree and will ensure that at least one ESPP Core Faculty member is a member of graduate guidance committees.
• 3.2.10 The Director shall receive advice from ESPP FAC and ESPP Advisory Committees.
• 3.2.11 The Director or their designee shall be an ex officio member of all ESPP committees.

• 3.3.1 Subject to available budgetary resources and university approval processes, and in consultation with the FAC, the Director may appoint an Associate Director to assist in the ESPP operations and governance.
• 3.3.2 The Associate Director shall undertake tasks and activities at the direction of and on behalf of the Director and acts on the Director’s behalf in their absence.
• 3.3.3 In accordance with the bylaws of Michigan State University, the Associate Director shall be subject to a review by the Director, with input from the FAC, at no less than five-year intervals.

• 3.4.1 The Director may appoint a Graduate Program Director to assist the operation of the graduate program.
• 3.4.2 The Graduate Program Director shall work with the Director and the Graduate Program Council to oversee and operate the graduate programs, serving as the primary contact for information regarding the graduate program and for graduate student concerns.
• 3.4.3 ESPP Graduate Program Director is a voting member of the College of Social Science Graduate Program Directors Council (GPDC) and will coordinate with the Council on program and fellowship applications.
• 3.4.4 The Graduate Program Director’s duties shall include but not be limited to: overseeing and actively promoting the graduate programs; working with primary units on recruiting students, facilitating student-organized symposia, advising students, maintaining student records and tracking progress.
• 3.4.5 In accordance with the bylaws of Michigan State University, the Graduate Program Director shall be subject to a review by the Director, with input from the FAC and GPC at no less than five-year intervals.

 

ESPP GOVERNANCE

• 4.1.1 The ESPP Faculty Advisory Council (FAC) shall consist of five Core Faculty members who advise the Director on program administration and matters of importance to ESPP.
• 4.1.2 Core Faculty members may self-nominate to serve on the FAC by contacting the Director.
• 4.1.3 The Director shall appoint Core Faculty members to serve on the FAC for staggered three-year terms for a maximum of two consecutive terms, after which they will be ineligible for appointment to the FAC for two years.
• 4.1.4 The Director shall designate the Chair of the FAC, to preside over FAC meetings, and serve as the liaison between the Director and FAC.
• 4.1.5 The FAC shall hold scheduled meetings in each of the Fall and Spring semesters. All FAC members are expected to attend both meetings.
• 4.1.6 The Director may schedule other meetings of the FAC as needed.
• 4.1.7 The FAC shall consult with the Director regarding the ESPP annual progress report (3.2.6)
• 4.1.8 The FAC may participate in the appointment and review of the Director and Associate Director at the discretion of the College of Social Science and the University.
• 4.1.9 The FAC shall assist the Director in periodically reviewing, amending, and approving the ESPP program bylaws (6.1).

• 4.2.1 Graduate Program Council (GPC)
  • 4.2.1.1 The ESPP GPC shall consist of five Core Faculty members, including one member of the FAC, for three-year terms and one graduate student for a one-year term.
  • 4.2.1.2 The Director shall appoint members of the GPC on a staggered basis
  • 4.2.1.3 The GPC shall advise the Director on all matters related to ESPP’s graduate programs, such as curriculum development and specialization requirements.
• 4.2.2 Student Leadership Council (SLC)
  
  • 4.2.2.1 The ESPP SLC shall consist of up to five graduate students enrolled in ESPP identified by ESPP members and the Director.
  • 4.2.2.2 The Director shall appoint students who may self-nominate to the SLC for two-year terms.

• 4.3.1 The Director, with the advice of the FAC, may appoint ad hoc committees of ESPP members.

 

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

 

BYLAWS