Faculty
Each Faculty at VIU is governed by a “Faculty” which meets once per term (twice annually), plus an annual retreat for planning purposes. Faculty is governed by a set of bylaws and reports to Senate. Membership in Faculty includes the Dean and Associate Dean, all regular, term, and sessional faculty, support staff, and 15 elected student representatives (1 from each program operating at each campus). Attendance at 2 Faculty meetings per year is expected for all regular faculty members. Faculty is the body which ultimately approves the academic direction and mission of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Human Services and is responsible for the approval of program curriculum, Faculty-specific academic policy and procedure, and ongoing review and consultation with the Dean and Department Chairs relative to matters related to budget. The Chair of the Faculty is the Dean, and the authority of the Faculty is delegated to Faculty Council by the Faculty for ongoing management of academic policy.
Health Sciences and Human Services Faculty Bylaws
Faculty Council
Faculty Council is the representative governance council of the Faculty, and consists of the Dean, Vice-Chair of the Faculty, Associate Dean, six faculty members-at-large as elected by faculty members, up to five student members of the Faculty as elected by student members of the Faculty, one support staff representative as elected by support staff, Program Chairs, and the two Faculty Senators (non-voting). Elected faculty members shall serve two-year terms; re-election is permitted to a maximum of two consecutive terms. Elected students shall serve for one-year terms; re-election is permitted to a maximum of four consecutive terms. Elected support staff shall serve one-year terms to a maximum of 2 consecutive terms. All faculty members are welcome at Faculty Council meetings, however voting is restricted to elected members only. The Council shall be chaired by the Chair of the Faculty (Dean) or by the Vice-Chair in his or her absence. The Faculty Council meets a minimum of three times annually. The role of the Council includes:
- Make decisions on behalf of the Faculty and at the next Faculty meeting; such decisions are subject to ratification by the Faculty.
- Report to the Faculty on a routine basis.
- As required, study, prepare briefs, and recommend decisions on diverse matters to Senate, which may include program and course curriculum, educational standards, planning and priority setting, awards and honours, and bylaws, policy, and procedures.
- As sanctioned by the Faculty, the Council may create, instruct, and receive reports from ad hoc committees as necessary.
Health Sciences and Human Services Faculty and Faculty Council meeting schedule