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College of Engineering bylaws

December 2023

1. Functions

  • The Faculty of the College of Engineering shall conduct the government of the College of Engineering.
  • Members of the Faculty of the College of Engineering constitute a committee of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate (Senate Bylaw 60) and may delegate authority to committees or committee officers.

2. Membership

The following[1] are ex officio members of the Faculty of the College:

  • The President of the University
  • The Chancellor at Berkeley
  • The Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
  • The Dean of the College

Other members of this Faculty[2]:

  • Deans of the Colleges of Chemistry, Environmental Design, Letters and Science, Natural Resources, the Walter A. Haas School of Business and the School of Public Health.
  • All members of the Division who are members of departments assigned to the College of Engineering.
  • Chairs of the Departments of Chemistry, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Earth & Planetary Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics.
  • One representative nominated by each other department giving courses prescribed in the curricula of the College of Engineering.
  • Such other members of the Senate as the Dean of the College may nominate because of their contribution in teaching or research to the field of

3. Officers

  1. Chair
    The Chair of the Faculty shall serve for a term of two years beginning with the first day of instruction in the Fall Semester. The Chair presides at meetings of the College of Engineering faculty and serves as Grand Marshal at Commencement ceremonies conducted by the College of Engineering.
  2. Secretary
    The Faculty of the College of Engineering shall elect a Secretary to serve for a term of two years beginning with the first day of instruction in the Fall Semester. After serving two years as Secretary, the Secretary will automatically succeed to the office of Chair of the Faculty unless the Secretary is unwilling or unable to serve, in which case the Faculty of the College of Engineering shall elect a Chair. The Secretary will conduct electronic ballots following Academic Senate Bylaw 95. The Secretary is authorized to refer any or all questions, including petitions of students, received for presentation to the Faculty, directly to the Dean of the College of Engineering.

4. Meetings

  • Regular meetings of the Faculty shall be held at least twice a year: once in the Fall Semester and once in the Spring Semester. The Chair and the Secretary arrange the schedule of regular meetings.
  • The call to a Regular Meeting must be sent to all members of the Faculty at least seven calendar days prior to the meeting.
  • The Faculty may meet at such times as it may determine, or at the call of the Chair or the Secretary, in an Emergency Meeting.
  • The call to an Emergency Meeting must be communicated to all members of the Faculty at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.
    1. Order of Business
      The Order of Business shall be as follows:

        • Announcements of the Faculty Chair
        • Minutes
        • Notice of Votes by the College Faculty Conducted Electronically
        • Special Orders – Consent Calendar
        • Reports of Standing Committees
        • Reports of Ad Hoc Committees
        • Reports of Interdisciplinary Committees
        • Unfinished Business
        • New Business
        • Report of the Dean

      By Robert’s Rules of Order, the regular Order of Business may be suspended at any meeting of the faculty by a two-thirds majority of the voting members, a quorum being present.

  • Quorum: Fifteen (15) voting members shall constitute a quorum.
  • Voting Requirements
    • Enactment, amendment, or repeal of the By-Laws requires a two-thirds vote of:
      • Those present and voting in faculty meetings, or
      • Those submitting votes when a vote is held by electronic
    • Modification of Regulations requires approval of a majority of those voting.
    • All other business requires a majority of the votes
    • Abstentions will not count in the calculation of the two-thirds vote required for approval of By-Laws or the majority necessary to pass Regulations, or modification of either.
  • Electronic Ballots
    • At least seven calendar days before the deadline for completion of voting, the Secretary of the Faculty shall provide to each voter instructions for voting electronically, accompanied by all relevant material, such as background information, a brief summary of arguments pro and con, and a deadline for submission of electronic votes.
    • The Secretary shall utilize a system that verifies each voter’s identity and maintains security.
    • The Secretary shall give the tally of the votes and certify the results, including invalid ballots.
  • Prior Notice
    • Meeting notices and materials, including the full text of any proposed modification to the Bylaws that is to be acted on at a meeting of the Faculty, will be provided in electronic or paper form at least seven calendar days prior to a regular meeting or 48 hours prior to an emergency meeting.

 

5. Committees

  1. Appointment and Term
    • The Chair of the Faculty shall appoint committees of the Faculty not otherwise provided for.
    • The Dean of the College of Engineering shall nominate to the Faculty each year the members of the Standing Committees of the Faculty.
    • Committee members are appointed each year to serve for an academic term, beginning with the first day of instruction of the Fall semester, unless otherwise specified.
    • Committee membership may include up to one-third representation by non- Academic Senate members provided the committee’s responsibilities do not preclude such appointment by Academic Senate By-Laws and Regulations.
  2. List of Standing Committees, Membership and Duties

Council on Inclusive Excellence

Membership

  • Associate Dean, Inclusive Excellence, Chair
  • Executive Associate Dean (ex officio)
  • Faculty Equity Advisors from each department in the College of Engineering
  • Equity and Inclusion Staff Directors
  • Designate(s) from CoE Equity and Inclusion undergraduate student committees, as appointed by the respective undergraduate student committee(s).
  • Two CoE graduate students selected upon application solicitations and review by Engineering Student Services.

Charge

In order for the College of Engineering at Berkeley to effectively pursue its mission of educating leaders, creating knowledge, and serving society, it is essential that the faculty and student body reflect the diversity of society at large in California and that all members of our College community are welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.

The charge of the Council is to consult, formulate, implement, and assess plans to achieve the College of Engineering’s Inclusive Excellence goals of eliminating the barriers to full participation by traditionally underrepresented groups and to actively encourage the broadest participation possible of all groups in partnership with the Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence and the entire College community (faculty, staff, and students at both the College and Departmental levels).

The responsibilities of the Council include: strategic planning; active participation in faculty recruitment; active participation in graduate student recruitment; admissions and advancement; undergraduate recruitment and support; ensuring a climate of equity and inclusion; effectively coordinating with and being responsive to our CoE student Equity and Inclusion committees, partnering as appropriate to support joint initiatives.

Engineering Ethics & Social Responsibility

Membership

  • Executive Associate Dean (ex officio)
  • A Senate Representative from each department in the College of Engineering

Charge

In order for the College of Engineering at Berkeley to effectively pursue its mission of educating leaders, creating knowledge, and serving society, it is essential that students are made aware of engineering ethics and social responsibility as they practice in engineering profession.

The College of Engineering Committee on Engineering Ethics and Social Responsibility is charged with working with the Dean of the College of Engineering and the entire College community (faculty, staff, and students at both the College and Departmental levels) to ensure that the college provides an appropriate level of education in engineering ethics and social responsibilities to all of our students.

The responsibilities of the Committee include strategic planning to incorporate engineering ethics and social responsibilities in undergraduate and graduate curricula and planning of events on engineering ethics and social responsibilities.

Committee on Graduate Study

Membership

  • A Senate Representative from each department in the College of Engineering
  • Two graduate student members
  • The Executive Associate Dean (ex officio)
  • Engineering faculty member(s) of the Graduate Council (ex officio).

Charge

This committee shall review proposed graduate programs and curricular changes, review new graduate engineering courses and modifications to existing courses, and advise the Dean on graduate programs. Proposed changes must be approved by a vote of the full faculty of the relevant academic program (academic department for changes affecting only one department, College of Engineering for changes affecting most or all departments).

Committee on Undergraduate Admissions

Membership

  • Academic Senate faculty members from each department and each undergraduate academic program in the College of
  • Director of Advising and Policy, Engineering Student Services
  • Director of Student Programs, Engineering Student Services or designee
  • Associate Dean for Students (Chair)
  • Two undergraduate students, at least one being a transfer
  • Engineering Student Services liaison(s) to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (OUA)
  • Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence (ex officio)

Charge

The charge of the committee is to propose College of Engineering freshman admissions policies and practices to the Admissions, Enrollment, and Preparatory Education Committee (AEPE) of the Berkeley Division to direct college admissions procedures and activities; and to identify student needs for transition-to-college initiatives.

Committee on Undergraduate Study

Membership

  • A Senate Representative from each department in the College of Engineering
  • Chair of the Engineering Science Committee
  • Associate Dean for Students (ex officio)
  • Director of Advising and Policy, Engineering Student Services (ex officio)
  • Two undergraduate students

Charge

This committee shall review proposed undergraduate curriculum and curriculum changes for the faculty of the College of Engineering; serve as the final authority on petitions from students for variances in degree requirements within the authority and jurisdiction of the College of Engineering; certify the meeting of undergraduate degree requirements; and review undergraduate engineering courses and modifications in existing undergraduate engineering courses.

College of Engineering Faculty vote on all proposed changes to:

  • curriculum
  • course work
  • major requirements
  • unit change
  • new courses

The Executive Associate Dean concurs on educational policy changes and all new courses and changes to existing courses must subsequently approved by the Academic Senate’s Committee on Courses of Instruction.

6. Recommendations to the Academic Senate

The Faculty shall not make recommendations to the Academic Senate as to the amendment or repeal of Senate legislation, or as to new legislation in the Senate, unless written notice of the proposed recommendation shall have been sent to each member of the Faculty at least five days previous to the meeting at which the amendment is to be moved.

7. Amendment of bylaws

The foregoing Bylaws may be added to, amended, or repealed at any regular or special meeting by a two-thirds vote of all voting members present, provided that written notice of amendment shall have been sent to each member of the Faculty at least five days previous to the meeting at which the amendment is to be moved. No amendment shall be made that is inconsistent with legislation of the Academic Senate (Berkeley Division Bylaw 160).

[1] Excerpt from Bylaw 64, Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate

[2] Excerpt from Bylaw 76, Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate