College Governance

A6: Other Campus-Wide Committees

d. Professional Interests Committee

Functions:

1. To promote, by working with administrative officers, the professional interests of the faculty in such matters as professional ethics, institutional facilities, salaries, fringe benefits, criteria for promotion and tenure, equitable representation, and other items of faculty welfare.


2. To compare periodically the Hope salary schedule with faculty salary schedules of other institutions of higher education and make recommendations to the administration.


3. To review problems or suggestions of faculty members on matters touching their professional status and to endeavor to resolve such matters (see also B22c, Grievances).


4. To conduct elections for Faculty Trustee nominees and for Faculty Moderator.


5. To assist in the evaluation of academic administrators.


6. To take leadership in promoting professional growth within the faculty.

Note:This Committee has no administrative, legislative or judicial powers.  The PIC chairperson may also call it into special session when a faculty member or administrator requests it to review problems which arise from decisions which affect the status of the faculty as a whole or an individual faculty member.  The purpose of the PIC in this context is to review and recommend, but not to serve as a court or a legislative body.

Membership and Method of Election:

Eight faculty members -- two from each division -- to be elected by the faculty in the spring of the academic year for three-year staggered terms.  A member may be reelected for a second term but is then ineligible for a term before s/he can be considered for further election.  Each division nominates two persons, who are completing a minimum of two years of full-time faculty duties at Hope College.  From these nominations, the faculty elects by ballot one person from each division.  In addition, the Faculty Moderator, elected by the faculty, serves as a nonvoting member of the Professional Interests Committee.  Except for the Faculty Moderator, a faculty member elected to one of the following may not serve concurrently on any of the others: Administrative Affairs Board, Advisory Committee on Financial Resources, President's Advisory Committee, Professional Interests Committee, and Status Committee.