English Department policy is established by majority vote at departmental meetings. Departmental meetings are held approximately once a month during the academic year, with departmental meeting defined as a meeting at which all instructional- track faculty, tenure-track faculty, tenured faculty, and qualified 0% appointments in English are eligible to attend. 

Meetings will be chaired by the Departmental Executive Officer (DEO) or by the committee chair responsible for a dedicated meeting. In the absence of the DEO, the Associate Chair for Faculty Programs will chair. 

Items are placed on the agenda for department meetings by the DEO, the Executive Committee, or the vote of the department faculty. The DEO is responsible for notifying faculty of the agenda before the meeting. 

Meetings are closed to all but English Department faculty and invited guests. 

One Association of Graduate Students in English (AGSE) representative attends departmental meetings as a guest. 

A quorum shall consist of one more than one-half of English Department instructional-track faculty, tenure-track faculty, and tenured faculty with budgeted appointments teaching during the semester when the meeting is held.

The Associate Chair for Faculty Programs is responsible for taking minutes at departmental meetings and distributing them to faculty. 

Robert's Rules of Order will guide departmental proceedings during the meeting on request of a faculty member or at the discretion of the DEO. 

Unless otherwise mandated by college and university policy (as in the case of Departmental Consulting Group (DCG) votes on tenure and promotion), votes will be determined by a show of hands. Secret ballots may be used on request of a faculty member or at the discretion of the DEO. Proxy votes may be delivered and counted unless otherwise precluded. 

The English DEO is responsible for administering the affairs of the department in keeping with its mission statement and strategic planning documents, and with the requirements of the college and the university. Specific responsibilities of the DEO include, but are not limited to, actions detailed in the DEO Calendar. The DEO is appointed by the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on the advice and recommendation of the English Department faculty, and with the approval of the provost. In the DEO’s absence, the Associate Chair for Faculty Programs will serve as Acting DEO.

Other officers include the Associate Chair for Faculty Programs, the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies (DGS), the Director of the MA and U2G Programs, the Director of General Education Literature, the Director of the MFA in Nonfiction Writing Program, the Director for Undergraduate Studies (DUS), the Director of the English and Creative Writing Major, the Director of the English Honors Program, and the Director of Faculty Exchanges. These officers are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the DEO.

Associate Chair for Faculty Programs

The Associate Chair for Faculty Programs advises the DEO on faculty matters and is responsible for implementing procedures for the recruitment, orientation, retention, advancement, evaluation, and recognition of excellence of English Department faculty.

Specific responsibilities include: 

• Orienting new faculty members.
• Mentoring instructional-track and tenure-track faculty on matters including their respective processes, professional productivity, teaching and service, grant writing, and publication.
• Overseeing instructional-track and tenure-track faculty reviews.
• Co-chairing all tenure and promotion reviews, serving as chair of meetings of the DCG, and writing the DCG reports.
• Overseeing and participating in tenured faculty reviews. Serving on the departmental Salary Review Subcommittee. Serving on the Curriculum Committee.
• Nominating faculty for honors and awards.
• Organizing departmental events in recognition of faculty publications and milestones. 

Director of Graduate Studies (Associate Chair for Graduate Programs)

The Associate Chair for Graduate Programs is responsible for ensuring that the graduate curriculum reflects the current status of the discipline, the composition of the faculty, students' needs, and instructional technology.

Other responsibilities include:

• Overseeing the Graduate Steering Committee and graduate admissions and finance.
• Coordinating or supervising the formation of plans of PhD study and receiving petitions for exceptions to requirements.
• Serving as primary advisor for new students who have not yet chosen an advisor.
• Reviewing and developing the form and content of print and electronic materials relating to the graduate programs (University Catalog copy, departmental website, recruitment materials, departmental handbook for graduate students, training materials for departmental TAs) and ensuring that all graduate students are aware of the content of these materials.
• Sharing with Director of Graduate Admissions responsibility for graduate recruitment.
• Developing and implementing policies and procedures for evaluating student performance, monitoring progress toward the degree, and renewing financial aid.
• Coordinating departmental nominations of students for departmental and university awards.
• Handling graduate student problems and complaints.
• Leading the faculty as a whole or a departmental committee in overseeing and revising the graduate curriculum, course offerings, and degree requirements. 

Director of the MA and U2G program in English Literary Studies

The Director of the MA in English Literary Studies oversees and coordinates the requirements and examination for the MA degree and advises and oversees the students in the U2G program.

Director of General Education in Literature

The Director of the General Education in Literature Program is responsible for the shaping of its curriculum, the appointment, training, and supervision of its teaching assistants, and for administering the program. The director is appointed by the DEO, usually for a three-year term, and reports to the DEO.

Other responsibilities include:

• Implementing policies on General Education requirements, including decisions (and communications with the Registrar's Office and students) on transfer courses, course substitutions, and waivers of General Education Literature (GEL) requirements for good academic reason.
• Ascertaining the need for and requesting from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences funding for staffing the GEL Program.
• Directing summer activities related to the continuing hiring process, teacher training and new teacher orientation.
• Maintaining communication with other academic departments offering General Education courses and with offices throughout the university that serve the General Education Program.
• Coordinating departmental evaluation of GEL teaching assistants and nominating GEL teaching assistants for departmental and university awards.
• Handling undergraduate student problems and complaints related to GEL courses and advising on cases of student academic misconduct (plagiarism, cheating) brought by faculty.

The General Education Program is administered by the director and the Orientation/Teaching Committee (Director plus six Program Associates). 

Director of the MFA in Nonfiction Writing (NWP)

The Director of the Nonfiction Writing Program is responsible for ensuring that the MFA in Nonfiction Writing curriculum reflects the current status of the discipline, the composition of the faculty, students' needs, and instructional technology. The director is appointed by the DEO, usually for a three-year term. The director sits on the Graduate Steering Committee and reports to the DGS on matters regarding graduate affairs and policy and to the DEO on matters regarding personnel and program development.

Other responsibilities include:

• Coordinating or supervising the formation of plans of MFA in Nonfiction Writing study and receiving petitions for exceptions to requirements.
• Serving as primary advisor for students in the program.
• Reviewing and developing the form and content of print and electronic materials relating to the Nonfiction Writing Program.
• Developing and implementing policies and procedures for evaluating student performance, monitoring progress toward the degree, and awarding and renewing financial aid.
• Handling MFA in Nonfiction Writing graduate student problems and complaints related to their own studies.

Director for Undergraduate Studies

The Director for Undergraduate Studies is responsible for overseeing the organization, integrity, identity, and culture of the English undergraduate program. This position reports to the DEO.

The director’s responsibilities include:

• Conducting the outcomes assessment of the majors and conducting climate surveys as appropriate.
• Developing or revising printed materials (including, for example, recruitment literature); developing or revising webpages for undergraduate majors in the department; and maintaining electronic communication with undergraduate majors as appropriate.
• Serving as the department's primary contact person for prospective students and collaborating and consulting with the Director of the English and Creative Writing Major and the department’s undergraduate Academic Advisors on all relevant undergraduate matters, including curriculum, advising, and recruitment.
• Implementing policies on English majors requirements, including decisions (and communications with the Registrar's Office and students) regarding transfer courses, course substitutions, and waivers of requirements for good academic reason.
• Maintaining communication with other academic departments and with offices throughout the university that serve undergraduate students.
• Handling undergraduate student problems and complaints and advising on cases of student academic misconduct (for example, plagiarism, cheating) brought by faculty, except for those courses required specifically for the English and Creative Writing Major.
• Leading the faculty as a whole or a departmental committee in reviewing and developing the curriculum for the English major, particular course sequences, and program requirements.
• Serve as the Faculty Advisor in alternating years for the undergraduate English Society, consulting with and maintaining clear lines of communication and collaboration.

Director of the English and Creative Writing Major

The Director of the English and Creative Writing Major is responsible for overseeing the organization, integrity, identity, and culture of the English and Creative Writing major curriculum and programs. This position reports to the DEO.

The responsibilities of the Director of the English and Creative Writing Major include:

• Orientation and onboarding of ENGL:2020 Foundations of Creative Writing TAs. Supervision of ENGL:2020 TAs in collaboration with the course director or faculty mentors.
• Hiring, orientation, and onboarding of Provost Visiting Writers (PVW). Supervision of PVW courses and activities with the PVW faculty mentors.
• Advising the Curriculum Committee about curricular needs of the major.
• Collaborating and coordinating with other units that contribute to the English and Creative Writing major curriculum.
• Leading the faculty as a whole or a departmental committee in reviewing and developing the curriculum for the English and Creative Writing major, particular course sequences, and program requirements. 

Director of the English Honors Program

The Director of the Honors Program is responsible for ensuring that English majors who wish to pursue honors are offered a challenging program of coursework that reflects the faculty's cutting-edge research and creative work and the students' need for high quality instruction and one- on-one support.

Other responsibilities include:

• Developing and maintaining the English Honors Program website, electronic forms, and promotional materials that describe program opportunities and requirements.
• Publicizing program opportunities and requirements to students and faculty through email, the Honors listserv, and informational meetings as appropriate.
• Developing the honors curriculum and collaborating with the English undergraduate Academic Advising staff regarding the administration of the special permission code system for honors coursework.
• Sitting on the Awards and Scholarships Committee.
• Aiding students with applications for national awards and fellowships and graduate school applications.
• Contributing to organizing the department’s honors award ceremony.
• Providing honors advising for current and prospective honors students.
• Supervising the evaluation of senior capstone projects.
• Working with the University Honors Program in collaboration with the English undergraduate Academic Advising staff.

Director of Faculty Exchanges

Serves as a liaison to the Université Paul Valéry (Montpellier 3) Department of Anglophone Studies in coordinating the faculty exchange with that institution. Reports to the DEO. Advises the DEO and Curriculum Director regarding details of visiting faculty appointments and course offerings. Manages waiting list for faculty hosting students in Greece, Ireland, and Japan. 

Service on English Department standing committees is crucial to the operation and the culture of the department. Our sense of community is largely informed by committee service and the democratic values of the department can only be maintained by honoring our longstanding practice of basing significant policy decisions upon and initiating change through committee action.

Note: Terms of service on English Department standing committees vary, with three-year terms being typical. Committees are appointed by the DEO in consultation with the Associate Chairs, the Executive Committee, and Program Directors. The numerical composition of the following committees may vary due to the changing charges and reporting responsibilities of each committee during a particular year. Faculty will generally be expected to serve on as many as three appointed committees. The general expectation is that the service of untenured faculty will be limited to one "major" committee assignment a year. The determination of whether a particular committee assignment will count as a "major" assignment will be made each year in response to the charges and responsibilities of each committee for that year. Service on Executive Committee will be counted as a major committee assignment. 

Executive Committee

Advisory committee to the DEO. Not an appointed committee. 

Six elected faculty, at least one of whom is to be an untenured assistant professor. Terms of tenured faculty and associate and full professors of instruction are 3 years, and terms of lecturers and tenure-track faculty are 1 year. Ideally, faculty terms are staggered so that at least two positions are to be filled each year. If an elected member is unable to complete their term or is on leave, the position will be filled until the next annual election or member’s return to active duty by the faculty member with the next highest number of votes in the most recent election. Ex Officio: includes at the discretion of the DEO the Associate Chairs and one AGSE representative. Meets weekly to monthly, as needed.

The Salary Review Subcommittee of Executive Committee is composed of the DEO, the Associate Chair for Faculty Programs, and the two most senior tenured elected members. Seniority on Executive Committee is determined by faculty rank and time served on the Department of English faculty. Accordingly, the senior member of Executive Committee will be the faculty member of highest rank who has served for the longest time on the English faculty.

During the final semester of each term of office of the English DEO, the elected members of Executive Committee will become the Chair Search Committee, responsible for administering the search for and departmental recommendation of the new English Department Chair. This search committee will be chaired by the senior member of Executive Committee. The results of this internal search are considered an advisory recommendation to the dean, per section IV.A above.

In the absence of the DEO, the Associate Chair for Faculty Programs may convene and chair its meetings. 

Curriculum Committee

The Chair of the Curriculum Committee is appointed by the DEO for a three-year term and advises and assists the DEO concerning the processes and appointments necessary to ensure that the English Department offers undergraduate and graduate courses essential to its teaching mission.

Other responsibilities include:

• Advising the chair on and assisting with administration of adjunct and visiting appointments, summer teaching, and courses taught by faculty foreign exchange visitors.
• Ensuring the accuracy of the department course information that appears in the General Catalog, MyUI, and the department website.
• Deleting seldom-taught courses from the curriculum.
• Seeing that the department is collaborating effectively with other units in use of teaching resources.

Responsibilities of the Curriculum Committee include ensuring a balanced and comprehensive offering of courses necessary to the teaching mission of the English Department. Members are the DEO, the Associate Chair for Faculty Programs, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and a member of the English undergraduate Academic Advising staff. Consulting members are the Director of Graduate Studies, the English Honors Program Director, the Director of Nonfiction Writing Program, and the Director of the English and Creative Writing Major.

The four-member Curriculum Committee guides curricular planning each year. It meets two or three times in the fall semester during the period of curriculum planning for the next academic year and as needed in the spring semester.

English and Creative Writing Advisory Committee

The English and Creative Writing Advisory Committee is chaired by the English and Creative Writing Director and meets once a semester.

Members include the ENGL:2020 course supervisor or faculty mentor, the PVW faculty mentor, and at the discretion of the Director, representatives from the units that contribute to the major (e.g., CW, NWP, IWP, TRNS, THTR, CINE). The English and Writers' Workshop DEOs are Ex Officio. Responsibilities include ensuring that ENGL/CW majors have a range and progression of useful and effective creative writing courses; ensuring that ENGL/CW courses are properly numbered at the 2000, 3000, and 4000 levels so that students and faculty have a clear idea of how requirements and expectations differ from level to level; coordinating ENGL/CW course offerings from the various units that contribute to the ENGL/CW major so as to avoid, as much as possible, redundancy of course offerings and unproductive competition between units for enrollment; and, conducting course observations of PVW and ENGL:2020 instructors. Meets once a semester.

Undergraduate Steering Committee

Directors of undergraduate majors, plus appointed faculty, usually including the English Honors Program Director, the Undergraduate Recruitment Committee Chair, and the Undergraduate Awards and Scholarships Chair. The Undergraduate Steering Committee advises the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Programs on requirements for the majors, advising arrangements, and matters of curriculum. Meets twice a semester.

Graduate Steering Committee

Associate Chair for Graduate Programs chairs. The Graduate Steering Committee, which advises the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, consists of the Director of the MFA Nonfiction Program; the Directors of Graduate Admissions and Finances; the Placement Director; and the Director of the MA Exam committee, plus one AGSE representative. In the spring semester, faculty members of this committee evaluate student applications for departmental dissertation fellowships and year-long humanities fellowships. Meets two or three times a semester. 

MA Exam Committee

Director of MA chairs, plus one or two members. The MA Exam Committee reviews the portfolio of those few students seeking an MA degree in English. Meets once or twice in the Spring semester.

Graduate Admissions Committee

Director plus appointed faculty. Chooses the entering graduate class. Director shares responsibility with DGS for graduate recruitment.

Heaviest work comes early in the spring semester.

NWP Advisory Committee

Director of NWP chairs, committee members include core NWP MFA faculty. Consulting committee for program development, curriculum, and event planning.

NWP Admissions

Faculty chair, with 3-4 faculty committee members who teach in the MFA Nonfiction Program or are appointed to the committee during the committee assignment process. The committee determines who will be admitted to the program.