We, the Faculty of the University Libraries of the University at Stony Brook, who share with the University Administration, the Committee on the Library of the University Senate and with the administrative officers of the University at Stony Brook Libraries the responsibility for the conduct of the Libraries' activities, desirous of creating a professional environment in which we can work together as peers toward determining library policies and standards that affect the general interest of the University at Stony Brook and its educational programs, do hereby establish these as our bylaws and operating rules, subject to the published policies of the Board of Trustees and the Constitution and Bylaws of the University Senate of the University at Stony Brook.

Article I. The Faculty: Definition

Section 1.The Faculty shall consist of the Director of Libraries, the library administrative officers holding faculty rank, and all tenured and term appointees holding the academic ranks of Librarian, Visiting Librarian, Associate Librarian, Visiting Associate Librarian, Senior Assistant Librarian, Visiting Senior Assistant Librarian, Assistant Librarian, and Visiting Assistant Librarian.

Section 2. Voting Faculty: Voting members of the Faculty are each entitled to one vote. Visiting librarians (i.e., those who are not on a tenure track) may participate fully in discussions at faculty meetings but are ineligible to vote on personnel matters.

Article II. Responsibilities and Powers of the Faculty

Section 1. The Faculty shall participate with the library administrative officers in the conduct of the libraries' programs, in the development of the libraries' collections and in the establishment and implementation of standards for appointing, promoting and recommending continuing appointment for Library Faculty.

Section 2. To discharge these responsibilities the Faculty delegates to specific committees such powers as it will but reserves to itself:

1. The power to approve, by referendum, matters within its responsibility, brought to it by the Director of Libraries, one of the committees or by petition of twenty-five (25) percent of the voting Faculty.
2. b. The power to amend the bylaws in accordance with the procedures outlined in Article VI.

Article III. Faculty Organization

Section 1. Officers of the Faculty: The Chair of the Executive Committee shall be the Presiding Officer.

Section 2. Faculty Meetings

1. Regular meetings shall be held quarterly, usually near the beginning and end of each semester. The date, place, and time shall be announced no less than two weeks prior to the meeting.
2. A written agenda shall be distributed at least two (2) working days before each meeting.
3. There shall be written agendas for all meetings prepared by the Presiding Officer. Any member of the Faculty shall have the right to place items on the agenda of regular meetings by submitting such items in writing to the Chair of the Executive Committee for a period of no less than ten days after the announcement of the date, place, and time of the meeting. The agenda shall provide for discussion of items suggested from the floor.
4. Special meetings may be called by the Director of Libraries, the Presiding Officer, three members of the Executive Committee, or by twenty-five (25) percent of the voting Faculty by petition.
5. Quorum: Fifty (50) percent of the Faculty shall constitute a quorum.
6. Voting: Approval or disapproval of all recommendations is to be by show of hands, roll call, or written ballot or electronic ballot not later than two weeks after the faculty meeting at which recommendations were discussed. All issues will be decided by majority vote of those voting.
7. The Faculty shall be the judge of its own members. It may, by majority vote, declare a seat vacant if it finds that a member of any committee has been chosen in violation of these bylaws or has acted contrary to the best interests of the Library and the University Community.
8. Non-members of the Faculty who wish to attend a faculty meeting must ask permission of the Executive Committee prior to the meeting. The Executive Committee may invite non-members to attend a faculty meeting to address specific agenda items.

Section 3. Standing Committees

1. The following shall be the standing committees of the Faculty:
   1. Executive Committee
   2. Committee on Library Services
   3. Committee on Appointment and Promotion
2. Election of standing committee members shall be arranged each year by the Executive Committee. Voting shall be by secret ballot in the first half of October.
3. All voting faculty are eligible to serve as voting members on the standing committees, with the following exceptions:
   1. the Dean and Director of Libraries is ineligible to serve on any of the standing committees;
   2. Visiting Librarians (those who are not on a tenure track line) are eligible to serve on the Committee on Library Services only;
   3. faculty members serving as officers of the Library's (central) administration and involved in decision-making are not eligible to serve on the Committee on Appointment and Promotion;
   4. no more than one faculty member serving as an officer of the Library's (central) administration may serve on the Executive Committee at any one time.
4. All the standing committees shall consist of five voting faculty members.
5. One tenure track member of the voting faculty without continuing appointment will serve as one of the five members of the Committee on Appointment and Promotion.
6. Interested Faculty members shall have two weeks to place names in nomination after notification of the existence of a vacancy.
7. Candidates receiving the greatest number of votes win.
8. In case of a tie, there will be a runoff election.
9. The term of appointment shall be for two (2) years.
10. Each committee shall elect its chair by majority vote.
11. No member of a standing committee may serve more than two consecutive two-year terms on that committee.
12. No faculty member may serve concurrently on more than two standing committees.
13. Proposal for action by a committee can be made by four mechanisms:
    1. By any member of that committee.
    2. By motion of the Faculty.
    3. By a petition signed by twenty-five (25) percent of the voting faculty.
    4. By the officers of the Faculty.
14. Each standing committee shall meet as often as necessary but at least once a semester.
15. Each standing committee shall submit an annual report to the Library Faculty.
16. In the event of vacancies, an election will be held within three weeks after the vacancy occurs. However, if the unexpired term is less than six months, the Executive Committee shall fill the vacancy by appointment.

Section 4. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall
1. Officially speak on behalf of the Library Faculty.
2. Consider and make recommendations with respect to all aspects of library service which do not fall within the area of responsibility of other standing committees.
3. Coordinate, and in case of doubt, allocate the work to other standing committees.
4. Report to the members of the Faculty at least four times a year.
5. Represent the Faculty in consultation with the Library Administration on general library policies.
6. Represent the Faculty in consultation with the Office of the President of the University at Stony Brook, and with the Office of the Provost concerning appointment of a Director of Libraries and on other matters of concern.
7. Act as a grievance committee.
8. Arrange the election of library faculty to the standing committees of the Library Faculty and to appropriate university bodies.
9. Appoint such Ad Hoc Committees as it judges necessary and fix the term of such committees.

Section 5. Committee on Library Services

The Committee on Library Services shall
1. Consider and make recommendations on ongoing services, programs and activities.
2. Initiate and make recommendations on the development and implementation of new services, programs and activities.
3. Review and make recommendations on proposals from Library Administration and staff on ongoing and new services, programs and activities.
4. Report to the members of the Faculty at least four times a year.
5. One member each elected by the Non-Teaching Professionals and by the Civil Service Employees shall serve on the Committee as members with voice but no vote.

Section 6. Committee on Appointment and Promotion

The Committee on Appointment and Promotion shall

1. Recommend criteria, policies and procedures for initial appointments to the Office of the Provost, the Director of Libraries and the Library Faculty.
2. Review and evaluate qualifications and credentials of candidates for new faculty appointments and make recommendations to the Director of Libraries.
3. Recommend criteria, policies and procedures for renewal of term appointments to the Office of the Provost, the Director of Libraries and the Library Faculty.
4. Review and evaluate qualifications and performance of faculty members under consideration for renewal of term appointments and make recommendations to the Director of Libraries.
5. Recommend criteria, policies and procedures for merit and discretionary increments to the Office of the Provost, the Director of Libraries and the Library Faculty.
6. Review and evaluate qualifications and performance of faculty members and make recommendations for merit and discretionary increments to the Director of Libraries.
7. Recommend criteria, policies and procedures for processing applications for continuing appointment and/or promotion to the Provost, the Director of Libraries, the University Senate Committee on Library Personnel Policy, and the Library Faculty.
8. Review and comment on the qualifications and performance of candidates for promotion and/or continuing appointment and submit a report to the Director of Libraries for inclusion in the candidate's evaluative file.
9. Review and evaluate qualifications and performance of faculty members and make recommendations to the Director of Libraries for salary increases other than "across the board" increments.
10. Report to the members of the faculty at least four times a year.

Section 7. Ad Hoc Committees

1. Ad Hoc Committees shall be appointed in accordance with provisions of Article III, Section 4.b.8, and Section 4.b.9.
2. All library employees may serve on Ad Hoc Committees.

Article IV. Library Representatives to the University Senates, and the University Senate Standing Committees

1. The terms of office shall be determined by the Constitution of the University Senate.
2. The Library elects one senator to serve on both the University and the Arts & Sciences Senates.
3. Nominations and voting for the senator will be managed within the library, and take place to coincide with campus-wide nominations and elections.
4. The name of the successful candidate will be sent to the Secretary of the University Senate.
5. All nominations for the position of senator-at-large on the University Senate and for library representatives on University Senate Committees should be sent directly to the Secretary for placement on the campus-wide ballot in response to the general call for nominations received from the Secretary of the Senate. Library nominees for senator-at-large will be included as part of the College of Arts and Sciences slate on the ballot.
6. The senator(s) and committee representatives shall submit written reports to the Faculty at least once a semester. In addition, representatives may report orally to the Faculty on matters of importance at its quarterly meetings.
7. The representatives shall inform the Executive Committee of the Faculty of impending elections, changes in university governance, and any matter requiring Library Faculty action.

Article V. Amendment of Bylaws

1. Proposals for amendment of these bylaws may be initiated by
   1. a majority of the Officers of the Faculty, or
   2. a majority of the Executive Committee, or
   3. a petition signed by twenty-five (25) percent of the voting Faculty.

   Such proposals shall be submitted in writing to the Chair of the Executive Committee.

2. The Chair of the Executive Committee shall send copies of such proposals to all voting Faculty members and place them on the agenda of the next faculty meeting, provided that the proposals have been distributed at least ten days prior to such meeting.
3. Voting on amendments shall be conducted by mail ballot or electronic ballot within two weeks after their discussion at a meeting.
4. Enactment of amendments requires a two-thirds majority of members voting.

Latest Revision: September 2008 (posted October 2008).
Revision history: June 2006 (posted June 2006); June 2005 (posted October 2005); September 2004 (posted October 2004); July 1997 (posted February 1999); January 1996; September 1989.
Originally adopted in 1972(?).