Skip to main navigation Skip to page content
Indiana University Northwest

School of Nursing

Indiana University Northwest School of Nursing

ByLaws of The Local Council of Nursing Faculty

Preamble

We, the faculty members of Indiana University Northwest School of Nursing, in recognition of our common goal to better human conditions through the process of education, and in recognition and appreciation of the rights and responsibilities bestowed upon us by the State of Indiana through the Indiana University Board of Trustees for the accomplishment of this goal, do establish these bylaws for the purpose of creating a system which will aid in the identification, definition, and accomplishment of major specific objectives of this faculty.

Article I Name

The name of this organization shall be the Local Council of Nursing Faculty (LCNF) of the Indiana University Northwest School of Nursing located on the Indiana University Northwest campus.

Article II Purpose

The purpose of the LCNF is to provide an organizational structure through which the faculty can exercise the rights and responsibilities of university faculty governance. LCNF shall:

  1. implement programs and policies, which will promote the educational outcomes of the Indiana University Northwest School of Nursing;
  2. promote professional development of its members;
  3. promote economic and general welfare of its members;/li>
  4. act on issues:
    1. recruitment
    2. admission
    3. progression
    4. graduation
  5. act on reports from campus-specific faculty governance and administrative committees;
  6. nominate faculty and student representatives to LCNF committees;
  7. recommend and vote for representatives to campus-specific faculty governance committees;
  8. evaluate dossiers for promotion/tenure and provide written recommendations that are incorporated into the dossier;
  9. implementation and evaluation of the nursing curricula to assure quality nursing programs;
  10. approve campus-specific policies and procedures;
  11. recommend and vote on campus-specific matters pertaining to the conferral of degrees; and
  12. provide input to the Campus Nursing Dean regarding issues for which faculty have legislative and advisory authorities.

Article III Membership or Members

Section A Membership School of Nursing

All faculty in the School of Nursing shall constitute the membership of LCNF.

In addition, three student volunteers will represent the sophomore, junior, and senior classes of the BSN program

Section B Voting Members

All full-time nursing faculty within the School of Nursing.

Section C Non-Voting Members

Part-time (adjunct appointment at Indiana University Northwest) are non-voting members and student representatives.

Section D Officers

Only full-time faculty members shall be eligible to hold office.

Article IV Officers and Duties

Section A Officers

The Officers shall:

  1. Consist of a President and a Secretary.
  2. Be elected by the voting members of the LCNF for a term of two years.

Section B Duties of the President

  1. Preside at all regular and special meetings of the LCNF.
  2. Appoint a pro-tem secretary in the absence of the elected secretary.

Section C Duties of the Secretary

  1. Ensure that minutes are recorded and edited.
  2. Distribute minutes of the LCNF meetings to all voting members and the appropriate administrative officers of the University.
  3. Distribute the prepared agenda at least five days prior to the LCNF meeting.
  4. File one (1) copy of the minutes in the School of Nursing office, which shall be the permanent record of the LCNF.
  5. Send one (1) copy to the Dean’s secretary for electronic filing.

Article V Meetings

Section A Regular Meetings

There shall be a minimum of five (5) local council meetings per academic year. Faculty are to be notified of meetings at least five working days in advance.

Section B Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the Dean or three or more LCNF members. All full time LCNF members must be notified of these special meetings and their purpose at least five working days in advance. Emergency meetings may be called at the request of the Dean.

Section C Quorum

A simple majority of the voting members, including one officer, shall constitute a quorum for all regular and special meetings.

Article VI Amendments

Section Amendments to Bylaws with prior notice

These Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 majority of the voting members present providing the proposed amendment(s) has been distributed to all voting members five (5) working days prior to the scheduled meeting.

Section B Amendments without prior notice

These Bylaws may be amended without prior notice by a unanimous vote provided a 2/3 majority of the voting members is present and voting.

Article VII LCNF Committee Structure

The LCNF standing committees shall be the:

    1. Bylaws Committee
    2. Curriculum Committee
    3. Nominating Committee
    4. Resources Committee
    5. Evaluation Committee
    6. Recognition and Ceremonies Committee

Section A General Rules

  1. Committees will be selected at the end of the academic year, and will function in an advisory capacity for the forthcoming academic year.
  2. Committees have the responsibility to review pertinent matters and report final action to the LCNF.
  3. A majority of the voting members of each committee shall be necessary to conduct business.
  4. All members of standing committees are voting members of that committee. Students may not join in the deliberation or vote on matters of personal concern involving other students or faculty.
  5. The Dean of the School of Nursing or designee shall be an ex-officio member on every committee except for the Promotion and Tenure Committee.
  6. A chairperson will be elected for each standing committee by the respective committee members, or by the voting members of the LCNF when indicated.

The chairperson shall:

    1. chair meetings or designate an alternate to serve in the absence of the chairperson;
    2. convene the committee as needed during the academic year;
    3. prepare and circulate the agenda for committee meetings;
    4. present reports and/or recommendations for the standing committee to the LCNF;
    5. establish task forces as necessary to carry out the functions and responsibilities of the standing committee; and
  1. Committee reports or recommendations shall be written and distributed to all faculties prior to or at the LCNF meeting when these reports or recommendations appear on the agenda.
  2. Each committee will select a secretary at the first meeting of the year.

The secretary shall:

    1. keep a record of proceedings, recommendations made, pertinent discussions, and final action taken in committee meetings;
    2. report in the minutes the names of the persons at the meetings; and
    3. place a copy of the minutes in the School of Nursing file in a timely fashion.

Section B Standing Committees

  1. Bylaws Committee
    1. Purpose
      The purpose of the LCNF Bylaws Committee shall be to maintain the Bylaws of the LCNF
    2. Functions
      The function of the LCNF Bylaws Committee shall be to
      1. review the Bylaws within the framework of the University Faculty constitution, Bylaws of the University Faculty Council, and Bylaws of the Indiana University Northwest Faculty Organization;
      2. review the Bylaws of the LCNF annually and make recommendation for amendments;
      3. seek recommendations from members of the LCNF for proposed amendments to the Bylaws; and
      4. file a copy of the current Bylaws in the LCNF file in the offices of the School of Nursing dean and forward a copy to the Indiana University Northwest Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
    3. Membership
      The membership of the LCNF Bylaws Committee shall be:
      1. three (3) elected voting faculty of LCNF; and
      2. the chairperson of the committee shall be a faculty member elected by the committee
    4. Meetings
      The committee shall meet once during the academic year, or as needed to complete the work of the committee.
  2. Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
    1. Purpose
      The purpose of the LCNF Undergraduate Curriculum Committee shall be to initiate and promote activities necessary to recommend curricula changes; facilitate communication regarding curricula issues; and assure curricula evaluation.
    2. Functions
      The functions of the LCNF Undergraduate Curriculum Committee shall be to:
      1. recommend approval/disapproval of proposals for addition/deletion of courses and changes in existing majors, mobility options and courses and forward such recommendations to the appropriate body(s);
      2. participate in the evaluation of curricula on the Northwest Campus; and
      3. assure implementation of academic policies of the Indiana University Northwest School of Nursing.
    3. Membership
      The membership of the LCNF Undergraduate Curriculum Committee shall be
      1. all full-time faculty members;
      2. a minimum of three students from the BSN program, one sophomore, one juniors, and one senior; and
      3. the chairperson of the committee shall be a faculty member elected by the LCNF.
    4. Meetings
      The committee shall meet once a month during the academic year, or as needed to complete the work of the committee. The focus of the committee will be the BSN program, including the BA/BS-BSN and RN-BSN mobility options in a method established by the committee.
  3. Nominating Committee
    1. Purpose
      The purpose of the LCNF Nominating Committee shall be to implement the mandates pertaining to elective offices as designated in the Bylaws of the LCNF.
    2. Functions
      The functions of the LCNF Nominating Committee shall be to:
      1. solicit and obtain consent of qualified candidates to run for elected offices;
      2. present a slate to the LCNF one meeting prior to the close of the spring semester;
      3. conduct the election for elected officers of the LCNF as specified in the LCNF Bylaws at the final meeting of the LCNF for the academic year; and
      4. submit to the Secretary of the LCNF a master list of the LCNF standing committee members, terms of office, and areas of representation by September 15 of each academic year.
    3. Membership
      The membership of the LCNF Nominating Committee shall be:
      1. two (2) elected, voting faculty of LCNF; and
      2. the chairperson of the committee shall be selected by the committee
    4. Meetings
      The committee shall meet at least two (2) times per year or as needed to fulfill the functions of the committee
  4. Resources Committee
    1. Purpose
      The purpose of the LCNF Resources Committee shall be to assess and prioritize equipment and educational materials needed for the Nursing Learning Resource Center (NLRC) and submit a prioritized list of requests for purchases to LCNF
    2. Functions
      The functions of the LCNF Resources Committee shall be to:
      1. recommend policies and procedures for the utilization of the NLRC laboratory and/or equipment;
      2. receive and coordinate requests for the faculty for the use of the NLRC;
      3. make budgetary recommendations to the School of Nursing Dean regarding physical and human resources for the NLRC;
      4. receive and prioritize requests for the acquisition of hardware and software; and
      5. make recommendations for acquisitions to the LCNF consideration.
    3. Membership
      The membership of the LCNF Resources Committee shall be:
      1. four (4) elected faculty of LCNF, and the manager of the NLRC;
      2. the chairperson of the committee shall be full time faculty member selected by the committee; and
      3. membership may also include one student representative.
    4. Meetings
      The committee shall meet at least two (2) times per academic year or as needed to fulfill the functions of the committee.
  5. Recognition and Ceremonies Committee
    1. Purpose
      The purpose of the LCNF Recognition and Ceremonies Committee is to plan all activities to recognize special achievements of students, faculty, and staff.
    2. Functions
      The functions of the LCNF Recognition and Ceremonies Committee shall be to:
      1. assure that special achievements of students, faculty and staff are recognized;
      2. assure the achievements are publicized to the School of Nursing, campus and Indiana University Northwest News and Publications Office; and
      3. plan the Pinning and Recognition Ceremony with graduates.
    3. Membership
      The membership of the LCNF Recognition and Ceremonies Committee shall be:
      1. two (2) faculty members
      2. Student members shall be a minimum of three (3) BSN seniors; and
      3. one member will serve as secretary and maintain minutes of all meetings.
    4. Meetings
      The committee shall meet once per semester and as necessary to accomplish the work of the committee.
  6. Evaluation Committee
    1. Purpose
      The purpose of the LCNF Evaluation Committee shall be to provide for an ongoing, systematic evaluation of all components of the academic programs to determine if the mission, philosophy, goals, and outcomes are being achieved.
    2. Functions
      The functions of the LCNF Evaluation Committee shall be to:
      1. work with Unit Assessment Coordinator on evaluation data, synthesis and reports;
      2. examine evaluation processes for congruence with mission, philosophy, goals, and outcomes;
      3. review multiple indicators of outcome measures for their effectiveness in meeting program outcomes;
      4. review student scores on standardized testing; and
      5. make recommendations to LCNF for applying evaluation findings to program(s) development, maintenance, improvement, and revision.
    3. Membership
      The membership of the Evaluation Committee shall be:
      1. the Associate/Assistant Dean shall serve as chairperson; and
      2. unit Assessment Coordinator
      3. all full-time faculty members
    4. Meetings
      The committee shall meet twice during the academic year, and as necessary to accomplish the functions of the committee.

Section C Other Committees

  1. LCNF Task Forces/Ad Hoc Committees
    1. Task forces/ad hoc committees from the LCNF shall be created when a need/problem arises which does not fall within the specific purposes and functions of a standing committee or when a specific one-time task needs to be accomplished. Each task force/ad hoc committee shall be task specific and time limited, each is responsible to and reports to the LCNF.
    2. Task forces/ad hoc committees or subcommittees established by an LCNF standing committee shall be appointed to facilitate the work of that committee or when a specific one-time task needs to be accomplished. Each task force/ad hoc committee or subcommittee is responsible to and reports back to the LCNF standing committee.
    3. Ad Hoc committees include Faculty Affairs and Development committee and Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee.

Section D Ad Hoc Committees

  1. Faculty Affairs and Development Committee
    1. Purpose
      The purpose of the LCNF Faculty Affairs and Development Committee shall be to address faculty needs and concerns and facilitate faculty development based on faculty interests.
    2. Functions
      The functions of the LCNF Faculty Affairs and Development Committee shall be to:
      1. advise faculty of processes available for unresolved faculty concerns;
      2. develop mechanisms to identify common faculty development needs; and
      3. develop and implement policies/procedures in conjunction with coordinators for faculty orientation to the School of Nursing.
    3. Membership
      The membership of the Faculty Affairs and Development committee shall be:
      1. three (3) elected, full time faculty, one who shall serve as chairperson, as determined by the committee.
    4. Meetings
      The committee shall meet as necessary to accomplish the work of the committee
  2. Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee
    1. Purpose
      The purpose of the LCNF Promotion and Tenure Committee shall be to serve as the unit committee for the School of Nursing and to make recommendations to the Dean regarding issues involving promotion and tenure status of Faculty members
    2. Functions
      The Functions of the LCNF Promotion and Tenure Committee shall be to:
      1. review dossiers of candidates seeking promotion (tenure and clinical track) or advancement to tenure status and make recommendations to the Dean and the Indiana University Northwest Promotion and Tenure Committee in accordance with the School of Nursing and the University requirements;
      2. respond to University documents regarding proposed promotion and tenure guidelines;
      3. disseminate information regarding promotion and tenure criteria and proceedings;
      4. provide orientation for faculty regarding promotion and tenure criteria and processes; and
      5. provide for a three year review of individual faculty’s progress toward meeting promotion and tenure criter
    3. Membership
      The membership of the Pormotion and Tenure Committee shall be:
      1. the chairperson, who is a tenured associate or full professor;
      2. two (2) elected faculty members, one (1) of whom is the chairperson, and one (1) other tenured faculty; and
      3. one clinical track faculty member if there is promotion consideration of a clinical track faculty member.
    4. Meetings
      The committee shall as necessary to accomplish the functions of the committee.

Article VIII Elections

Section A Terms of Office

  1. Officers of the LCNF shall be elected by the voting members at the May meeting. The LCNF President and Secretary shall serve two (2) years and until the annual meeting following the election of a successor. LCNF officers may be elected to a second term. Following a second term, a period of one (1) year shall elapse prior to election to the same office.
  2. The following shall be elected by LCNF:
    1. Officers: President, Secretary
    2. Committee chairs: Undergraduate Curriculum
    3. Committee membership: Bylaws, Nominating, Resources, Recognition, and Ceremonies, Faculty Affairs and Development (ad hoc), Promotion and Tenure (ad hoc), and Evaluation.
    4. Indiana University Northwest Faculty Organization representative to Executive Committee, and representative to Indiana University Northwest Promotion and Tenure Committee
  3. The elected chairs of the above named LCNF standing committees shall be elected by the voting members of the LCNF and shall serve a two (2) year term and may be elected to a second term. When a LCNF chairperson resigns or is to be absent for a semester or longer, the position will be filled for the duration of the absence.
  4. When any elected office is vacated, an election shall be conducted to fill the vacancy.

Section B Election Procedure

  1. Members of the LCNF are elected in the spring, as indicated below.
  2. The LCNF officers (President and Secretary), and chairs of standing committees are elected by ballot every two (2) years.
  3. The LCNF President and LCNF Secretary shall be elected in the odd numbered years.
  4. Divisional representatives to Indiana University Northwest Faculty Organization Executive Committee and Promotion and Tenure Committee shall be elected for a term of three (3) years.
  5. The LCNF standing committee members specified by these bylaws shall be elected for two (2) year terms contingent upon eligibility for continued service.
  6. One half (1/2) of the members of all LCNF standing committees shall be elected by ballot annually.

LCNF Bylaws amended

Revised 10/3/2001

Revised 10/18/04

Revised 10/06

Revised 10/07