Membership: One tenured faculty member elected from each college to serve two-year terms followed by a one-year term as an alternate. One tenured and two untenured faculty members (instructor track or tenure track) elected at large to serve a one-year term. Alternates serve in case adjudication proceedings involve a conflict of interest or a challenge to a regular committee member. Only faculty members teaching at least six hours and are regular faculty are eligible. In the event that all members of the Faculty Welfare Committee from a given college are excluded from consideration of an issue, the chairperson of the Faculty Welfare Committee shall notify the Faculty Senate. Upon this notice, the Faculty Senate will supervise the election of an ad hoc member from that College in an election conducted by that College. This person will represent the College for only the specific issue. *Updated to reflect academic college restructure effective July 1, 2022.
Function: Provide a forum in which matters involving all concerns of faculty members can be considered. Primary function is to maintain and foster a high level of faculty morale by providing an agency for receipt and evaluation of suggestions and for recommendation of implementation of those deemed meritorious. In cases involving disagreements and considerations set forth above, including dismissal, this committee will appoint from its body an ad hoc grievance committee of at least three members to attempt informal reconciliation of differences and to report its conclusions and recommendations to the Faculty Welfare Committee. No member of the ad hoc grievance committee can sit in adjudication proceedings involving matters in which the grievance group has initial interest. The Faculty Welfare Committee will serve as an adjudication body in cases involving academic controversy, including, but not limited to, such matters as salary, rehiring, promotion, tenure, teaching assignments, professional ethics, performance, and alleged violations of academic freedom. Committee will urge resolution of differences between contending parties prior to implementation of grievance procedure; committee action can be requested by faculty or administration. Faculty Welfare Committee functions as an appellate agency under the relevant provisions of Arkansas Tech University's "Regulations on Academic Freedom and Tenure." Its conclusions and recommendations will be forwarded in writing to the President of Arkansas Tech University, following procedures described in the "Regulations on Academic Freedom and Tenure."
For membership, click here then open the current Standing Committees Membership document.