Administrative & Academic Organization (Handbook 2014-2017)

Chapter II. Administrative & Academic Organization

2.1.  FACULTY STATUS
(Included since 1978; modified 2002, 2006)

Faculty status at Seaver College takes the following forms:

2.1.1.  ADJUNCT

Adjunct appointments are made on a term-to-term basis and carry the designation of adjunct instructor or adjunct professor. No rights of tenure or presumption of continued employment are conferred or implied by the signing of any contract or by a number of consecutive or concurrent contracts. No commitment for continued employment is implied beyond the semester for which the contract is written. Teaching responsibilities usually involve only one course per term and are limited to a maximum of two (2) courses or eight (8) units during a single semester, unless otherwise agreed to by written provision in the contract. If such extra teaching units are agreed to, the extra units shall not be constructed as creating or granting any rights to continued employment or tenure, and the status of the adjunct faculty member shall remain unchanged.

The University reserves the right to cancel a class with insufficient enrollment with no remuneration to the adjunct faculty member. In such cases, as much advance notice as possible will be given.

Divisional chairpersons select adjunct faculty members and prepare contracts, indicating the course to be taught, the number of units, and the salary rate per unit. The contract will be signed by the chairperson, the dean, the provost, and the adjunct faculty member. Pay cannot be authorized until the adjunct faculty member has signed the contract and
returned it to the Dean's Office.

Adjunct faculty members shall not be eligible for University benefits except as specifically provided in the Adjunct Faculty Benefits and Services chapter of this handbook.

2.1.2.  DISTINGUISHED

Occasionally, the University may designate a faculty member who has had a long and distinguished career as distinguished professor. This rank is reserved for the most meritorious. To qualify, one will normally have spent nine years at the rank of professor. In addition to the requirements for professor, candidates for this rank have to be of recognized standing among specialists in their respective field of study.
Review by the Rank, Tenure and Promotion Committee includes evaluation by three external peers of recognized standing in the candidate’s field of specialization. Appointment to distinguished professor is for a period of five years and carries with it a salary increase equivalent to that of a rank promotion. To be reappointed, the candidate must apply for and receive a favorable recommendation from the Rank,
Tenure and Promotion Committee and the dean of the College. Reappointment to Distinguished Professor follows the same procedures as the five-year review (see Section XI of the RTP handbook). Reappointment may be either at the same salary level or at a level increased by the amount of a step advancement. The salary for those not reappointed will be frozen at its current level until the Professor III salary surpasses it.

2.1.3.  EMERITUS
(Approved by University Faculty Council, March 5, 2003; University Education Council, December 17, 2003; modified, 2012)

The policy describing the conditions and process for granting Faculty Emeritus status to retired faculty is found on the Provost's web site at http://www.pepperdine.edu/about/administration/provost/content/facemeritus.pdf.

            2.1.4.  FULL-TIME, TENURE-TRACK

Full-time, tenure-track appointments are so designated on the faculty contract and carry an academic rank of instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor. Appointments will be designated on the contract as tenure or probationary tenure-track. This status requires that, during the nine-month academic year, the holder devotes substantially all working time to teaching, scholarly activity, or other responsibilities assigned by the University. In its evaluation of faculty, the Seaver College Rank, Tenure, and Promotion Committee (RTP) weights these activities as 50% (teaching), 25% (research), and 25% (service). Outside business or professional activities, if any, must have the relevant division chairperson's and dean's approval and are limited to those which relate to the instructor's major academic interests or enrich the instructor's capacity as scholar and teacher, or are of service to the public generally, and do not interfere with the fulfilling of all the responsibilities of a full-time faculty member. A complete handbook of policies and procedures in matters dealing with full-time faculty rank, step advancements, promotions in rank, and tenure may be obtained in the Seaver College Rank, Tenure and Promotion section of this handbook or from the chairperson of the Seaver College Rank, Tenure, and Promotion Committee.

The University Tenure Policy is available in the University Tenure Policy section of the handbook or directly from the web site of the University Provost at http://www.pepperdine.edu/about/administration/provost/content/TenurePolicy.pdf.

2.1.5.  VISITING
(modified 2006)

Visiting appointments are so designated on the faculty contract and carry an academic rank of visiting lecturer, visiting instructor, visiting assistant professor, visiting associate professor, or visiting professor. Visiting appointments are non-tenure track and must be renewed on a year-to-year basis at the discretion of the College. As a general rule, visiting appointments will not extend beyond six annual contracts.

2.1.6.  UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR
(Included 2012)

The title of University Professor is reserved for scholar teachers whose extraordinary professional accomplishments merit special commendation.  The University Tenure Policy is available on the web site of the University Provost at http://www.pepperdine.edu/about/administration/provost/content/univprof.pdf.

2.1.7.  SPECIAL APPOINTMENT

Upon mutual agreement and special circumstances, the College may extend a special appointment to retired full-time faculty members for teaching, research or service purposes. Contracts for such appointments are made on a year-to-year basis.

2.1.8.  NAMED CHAIRS, PROFESSORS, AND FELLOWS (CPF)
(Approved by the Seaver Cabinet, September 15, 1999; included since 2002; revised 2008; modified 2010; revised 2014)

A.  Assumptions:

i. The Challenge to Lead Campaign (1994-1999) made it possible for Seaver College to appoint twelve named chairs, twelve named professors, and five named fellows, for a total of twenty-nine positions.

ii. Named chairs, professorships, and fellowships (CPF) distinguish the donor, the University, and the designated teacher/scholar.

iii. Named chairs and professorships are intended to honor and promote exceptional teaching as well as notable scholarship (defined according to the Boyer model), with specific criteria for appointment determined by the faculty of the College.

iv. Normally, only tenured faculty members hold named chairs and professorships; generally, only pre-tenured faculty members hold named fellowships.

v. Holders of named chairs and professorships support the Christian mission of the University and accept the University’s historic relationship with the Churches of Christ.

vi. Holders of named chairs, professorships, and fellowships are active participants in their own disciplines and national professional organizations.

vii. Holders of named chairs, professorships, and fellowships contribute to the intellectual life of the University community by making periodic, public presentations.

viii.Chair holders will style themselves as follows: “Professor Tom Smith, Blanche E. Seaver Chair of Humanities.” Holders of named professorships will style themselves as, “Dugan Professor of Business Joe Jones,” while holders of named fellowships will style themselves as, “Dr. Don Jackson, Seaver Fellow in Natural Science.”

ix. A named chair, such as the Fletcher-Jones Chair of Great Books, is reserved for an outstanding teacher/scholar who holds the rank of professor. Normally the holder of such a chair will have a reputation that extends beyond the Pepperdine community. To determine whether she or he continues professionally active following appointment, the holder of a named chair is reviewed every five years by the Rank, Tenure, and Promotion Committee. Assuming that the RTP evaluation is positive, the holder of the named chair retains the position until she or he leaves the University or retires.

x. A named professorship is reserved for a distinguished teacher/scholar who holds the rank of associate professor or professor. Normally the holder of such a professorship will have a reputation that extends beyond the Pepperdine community. Unlike a named chair, a named professor is appointed for a term of five years only and cannot succeed herself or himself in the position. A limited term permits the named professorship to circulate within the college.

xi. A named fellowship is normally reserved for pre-tenured assistant professors who offer evidence of becoming outstanding scholars and teachers and seek assistance to complete major research projects. Fellows are appointed for one year, although they are eligible for successive appointments (but no more than two in succession).

xii. Named chairs, professorships, and fellowships will carry with them annual stipends (chairs $6000; professorships $4000; fellowships $2000) derived from endowment funds that will underwrite research, travel, and other professional costs. Holders of these appointments will access these funds through the Vice Provost for Research and Strategic Initiatives. Named chairs and professorships will receive these funds in lieu of money normally allocated to them for professional travel, etc., from the division’s general operating budget. Put differently, named chairs and professorships will not be eligible to draw upon the division’s budget to finance professional travel, research expenses, and the like. However, holders of named fellowships will be eligible for funds from within the division. Of the total stipend, academic divisions will retain $1000 in the case of chairs and $500 in the case of professorships to encourage scholarship among the faculty within the division.

xiii. Assuming suitable candidates, each Seaver division will receive at least one chair position and one professorship.

xiv. Holders of named chairs, professorships and fellowships will receive no reduction in teaching “load” responsibilities, nor will chairs and professors normally be eligible for overload pay or summer teaching appointments (although with permission of the chair and dean, they may accept assignments to International Programs, off-campus programs such as the M.Div., summer research grants/contracts like SURP, or on-campus summer teaching appointments, but not more than twice in five years). In exceptional circumstances, however, named chairs and professors may “buy” a reduced
course load by foregoing their stipend (assuming that the stipend equals the cost of an adjunct replacement).

xv. Holders of named chairs and professorships may not simultaneously hold the rank of “Distinguished Professor.”

B.  Operating Procedures:

i.  Division Personnel Committees

• Chairperson: Division personnel committees will be chaired by division chairpersons. In the event the division chairperson is nominated for a CPF position the division personnel committee will select a chairperson from the division personnel committee membership.

• Committee Members: The faculty in each division will have the autonomy to determine the composition of and faculty representatives on the division personnel committee using the following guidelines.

• Conflict of Interest: Individuals nominated for a CPF position may not be a member of the division personnel committee.

• Diversity: Faculty representation on the personnel committee should adequately reflect the diversity of academic areas found within the division.

• Size: A minimum of three faculty members is required to form the division personnel committee.

• Selection Criteria: The division personnel committees will establish criteria for nomination and selection of the CPF candidates within each division.

• Seaver Personnel Committee / Seaver Research Council: Each division personnel committee will select one member of its committee to serve on the Seaver Personnel Committee / Seaver Research Council.

• Division Specific CPFs: Each division personnel committee may select a single candidate for the division-specific chair position (ten in total) and a single candidate for the division-specific professorship position (seven in total).

• At-Large CPFs: When at-large positions are open, each division personnel committee may nominate a single candidate for each at-large CPF position. For example, in Phase I of the initial implementation (1999/2000) there were three at-large positions open (1 professorship; 2
fellowships). Thus, each division personnel committee could nominate only one individual for the professorship position, but could nominate two individuals for the fellowship positions.

• Previously Assigned CPFs: Since three positions are discipline-specific (Fletcher-Jones, Will Singleton, and Howard A. White) and have already been assigned, they are simultaneously additional and exceptions to this procedure.

 ii.  Nomination/Selection Procedures

• The call for nominations for all open CPF positions will be announced by the Dean of Seaver College at the start of each academic year and no later than September 1. Seaver College faculty may nominate individuals for CPF positions both within and outside their respective academic division. Nominations should be submitted to the chairperson of the division of the
nominated faculty member. All nominations will be submitted no later than September 14.

• Nominations for all open CPF positions will be forwarded to the division personnel committees by September 15. The division personnel committee will invite nominated faculty to prepare an appropriate portfolio (similar to that required for the rank of distinguished professor), which will be submitted to the committee for evaluation by October 1. The division personnel committee will review all submitted materials and forward a single candidate for each position to the Seaver Personnel Committee / Seaver Research Council by October 15.

• The Seaver Personnel Committee / Seaver Research Council will review candidates selected for division-specific CPFs and insure that an equitable set of standards has been used in the selection of all candidates. The Seaver Personnel Committee / Seaver Research Council also will review all candidates for each open at-large CPF position and select a single candidate for the position. The names of the candidates and the appropriate materials will be forwarded to the RTP Committee by November 1.

• After evaluating the credentials of the candidates according to the criteria listed above, the RTP committee will recommend to the Dean of Seaver College appointments for each CPF position.

• Either the Seaver Personnel Committee / Seaver Research Council or RTP Committee may reject the selection of a candidate for division-specific CPFs. If a candidate is rejected for a division-specific CPF, the division personnel committee may submit another candidate to the Seaver Personnel Committee / Seaver Research Council.

• The RTP Committee also may reject the selection of the Seaver Personnel Committee / Seaver Research Council for any at-large CPF positions. If a candidate is rejected for an at-large CPF, the Seaver Personnel Committee / Seaver Research Council may select another candidate from the pool of original nominees.

• The Dean will consult with the RTP Committee regarding its recommendation, expecting to achieve consensus on each appointment. The Dean will forward his or her recommendation, along with the recommendation of RTP, to the provost of the University.

• The provost and the president make final appointment (as in the case of distinguished professors).

iii. The Dean of Seaver College will undertake appropriate review of the CPF program.

iv. Implementation Schedule:

2.2.  FACULTY PERFORMANCE AWARDS & MARKET STIPENDS
(Included since 2012)

 
2.2.1.  FACULTY PERFORMANCE AWARDS
(Approved by Seaver College Cabinet, RTP, and SFA, Spring 2001; amended according to SFA Executive Committee proposal, Spring 2005)

A. Eligibility

At the time of their five-year, post-tenure review, faculty members undergoing the review who hold the rank of Associate Professor III or Professor III are eligible for a performance award.

B. Process

i. FPAs will be determined by the Dean of Seaver College. In making FPA decisions, the Dean of Seaver College shall review the following:

• The applicant's Faculty Data Form;
• The portfolio and supporting materials submitted by the applicant during his or her five-year review;
• The division chairperson's evaluation submitted during the five-year review; and
• The evaluative report prepared by the RTP committee upon completion of the five-year review.

ii. The Dean of Seaver College should assess all applicants in the following areas:

• Teaching effectiveness;
• Scholarly activity;
• Service;
• Support for the mission of the University.

C. Evaluation
(Updated in 2005)

i. Based upon the independent review of the Dean of Seaver College, each applicant will be ranked into one of six categories. Candidates who have not displayed a consistent pattern of support for the mission or who do not support the mission in their submitted materials will be placed into Category VI (see below). Therefore, the following category descriptions focus upon the areas of teaching effectiveness, scholarly activity, and service.

The evaluation process assumes the use of the following descriptors:

Poor     Marginal     Good     Very Good     Outstanding

Category I ($5,000): Faculty member must be Professor III and have minimum rating of 1 "very good" in teaching, 1 "very good", and 1 "outstanding".

Category II ($4,000): Faculty member must be Professor III and have minimum rating of 2 "very good" (in teaching) and 1 "good."

Category III ($3,000): Faculty member must be at least Associate Professor III and have minimum rating of 1 "very good" and 1 "good", with at least "good" in teaching, but with no "marginal" or lower.

Category IV ($2,000): Faculty member must be at least Associate Professor III and have minimum rating of 2 "goods" (1 in teaching), and 1 "marginal".

Category V ($1,000): Faculty member must be at least Associate Professor III and have 1 "good" (in teaching), and no "poor" in any category.

Category VI ($0): Faculty member not meeting Categories I-V will be placed in Category VI.

ii. Once granted, an FPA becomes a permanent addition to a faculty member's base salary. Faculty members are eligible for an FPA at the time of each five year review. Faculty members who leave Pepperdine and subsequently return to the University will not have their FPA reinstated until the time of their eligibility for a five-year review.

iii. Upon completion of the FPA process, the Dean of Seaver College will inform applicants of their rankings. The specific award for any applicant shall remain confidential between applicants, their chairpersons, and the Dean of Seaver College. All submitted material shall be returned to the RTP Committee for distribution, storage, or destruction as dictated by the Seaver College RTP Handbook.

2.2.2.  MARKET STIPENDS
(Included since 2000; edited 2006; 2008; updated 2012)

A. METHOD FOR DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR STIPENDS

i. Salary stipends are to be used for both the recruitment and retention of faculty members.

ii. Faculty members receiving stipends should continue to receive stipends as long as they continue to teach in their discipline or specialty on a full-time basis, subject to the provisions in sections c-f below.

iii. To qualify for a stipend, newly hired faculty members must have the appropriate degree in the discipline or specialty or have a comparable terminal degree along with a demonstrated track record of excellence in the qualifying discipline or specialty (i.e., publications, teaching, and/or professional experience).

iv. Stipends should be awarded by discipline, or specialty within a discipline, in areas where a demonstrated problem in hiring and retention has occurred because of market conditions.

v. The criteria for designating specialties and the recipients within those specialties must be objective and related to market conditions.

B.  METHOD FOR AWARDING STIPENDS TO NEW FACULTY MEMBERS

i. The division chairperson specifies a recruitment/hiring problem, presenting objective data indicating that the market conditions for the discipline justify a stipend.

ii. The chairperson submits a potential candidate providing the necessary information:

• The faculty member to be recruited has an academic specialty or discipline that qualifies for a market stipend.

• The chairperson presents the prospective faculty member's vitae, the proposed classes to be taught, and any other pertinent information.

iii. The Benefits, Salary, and Stipends Committee responds to the chairperson's request by using its established, accessible guidelines to approve and award a stipend. The guidelines should be fair, flexible, and rational.

C.  METHOD FOR COMPUTING STIPEND AMOUNTS

i. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Salary Survey Reports is to be the primary data source for all faculty in the Business Administration Division.  The College and University Personnel Association National Faculty Salary Survey by Discipline and Rank in Private Colleges and Universities (CUPA Survey) is to be the primary data source for all remaining Seaver College faculty. The salary factor for a given discipline and rank (discipline-rank) is defined as the ratio of the average salary for the discipline-rank to the all-discipline average salary for that rank.

ii. Specifically, if A1 denotes the average salary for a given discipline-rank and A denotes the all-discipline rank average for all institutions, then (A1/A) is the numerical value of the salary factor for that discipline-rank. The three-year moving-average salary factor for a discipline-rank is denoted a1. The stipend factor for a given discipline-rank is defined as the three-year-average salary factor (a1) minus 1.05, or a1 – 1.05

iii. The stipend amount for a qualifying discipline-rank is obtained by multiplying the Seaver salary times the stipend factor for the discipline-rank, with the maximum stipend factor to be capped at the following percentages:

• Assistant Professor 15%
-- (New Ph.D., Assistant Professor I: 1st year 22%, 2nd year 18%, 3rd year 15%)
-- (New Assistant Professor II: 1st year 18%, 2nd year 15%)

• Associate Professor 9%
• Professor 11%

iv. In cases where the discipline-rank salary factors exceed the capped percentages, Seaver College may implement market-driven stipends that exceed the caps in order to hire and retain qualifying faculty.

D.  METHOD FOR REVIEWING CURRENT STIPEND RECIPIENTS

The Benefits, Salary, and Stipends Committee will recalculate and adjust stipend amounts for faculty members receiving market stipends each year according to the procedure elaborated in Section c.

E.  METHOD FOR REVIEWING STIPENDS PROCEDURES

i. The Benefits, Salary, and Stipends Committee will review the guidelines for awarding stipends every three years, and the guidelines will be modified if the committee recommends and the faculty approves.

ii. Stipend recipients will have their stipends reevaluated and adjusted to new guidelines.

iii. Each year the Benefits, Salary, and Stipends Committee will send the relevant AACSB or CUPA discipline-rank salary factors to each faculty member receiving a stipend and to all division chairpersons. The committee will provide the AACSB or CUPA data to any faculty member who requests the data.

iv. Faculty members who have been denied an eligible rank promotion, but are otherwise eligible to receive a stipend, will have their salary frozen until their current salary falls to the Seaver base salary for their particular rank. The salary freeze will not begin until the second year after the promotion was denied, which will give the faculty member one more year to secure the promotion. Faculty members may appeal the decision to the Benefits, Salary, and Stipends Committee.

F.  STIPENDS APPEAL POLICY
(Adopted November 2000)

In cases where a faculty member's stipend is reduced due to not being granted a rank promotion for which he or she is eligible, the faculty member may initiate an appeal to have their full stipend reinstated. The following steps outline the procedure by which the appellant can file an appeal and the grounds on which the appeal will be judged.

i. Upon being notified by the RTP Committee that the faculty member has been denied a rank promotion, the chair of the stipends committee will send a letter informing the affected faculty member that:

• His/Her salary will be frozen effective with the contract that follows the upcoming academic year until it returns to the salary level designated by his/her rank. (The reason the freeze does not begin with the contract immediately following is to allow the faculty member an opportunity to apply for promotion in the following year.)

• The faculty member will have his or her stipend reinstated to the full level allowed by the stipends document when the faculty member receives a favorable rank promotion decision.

• He or she may appeal the reduction in stipend by following the described appeal procedure.

ii. If the faculty member decides to appeal this decision, the faculty member then can seek the support of his or her division chair for the appeal.

iii. In March of the grace year, the division chair shall submit to the stipends committee a statement, along with supporting documentation, attesting that the reduction of the affected faculty member's stipend creates a strong possibility that Seaver College may not be able to retain the faculty member at this reduced salary level.

Documentation should include evidence of marketability of the faculty member, which may include, but is not limited to:

• Recent Seaver search and retention history in the faculty member's discipline;
• Market data for discipline;
• National salary information;
• Measures of vacancies in the field;
• Articles from professional journals and popular publications;
• The difficulty of replacing the appellant if he or she is not retained.

iv. The stipends committee will review the chair's statement and documentation. The goal of the committee's review will be to judge whether or not the appellant's denied promotion reflects a reduced marketability.

If the committee decides to support the appeal, the full stipend to which the faculty member is entitled under the stipends document will be reinstated for two years. The two years of reinstatement will include any sabbatical years, but will not include years for which the faculty member is on leave. After two years, the faculty member may reapply for continued reinstatement of the stipend if he or she still has not received an eligible rank promotion by submitting a letter from the division chair and evidence of marketability.

If the appeal is denied, the faculty member may reapply to the stipends committee the following year.

In view of new evidence of the faculty member's marketability, the case may be re-evaluated at any time at the request of the faculty member's division chair and the Dean of Seaver College.

1.  ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

The organizational structure of Seaver College is both traditional and non-traditional. It is traditional in that a single dean, with the support of associate and assistant deans, is charged with providing academic leadership. This leadership is exercised in cooperation with chairpersons of eight divisions. It is non-traditional in that the deans of student affairs, admission and enrollment management, international programs, and alumni and development also report to the Dean of Seaver College.

2.  ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATION

(Updated and modified in 2012)

With the characteristics of a full-service undergraduate school, Seaver College has an organizational chart that implies a complex administrative process. In actuality, however, that process is fairly simple. Central to the operation of the school is the Seaver College Cabinet (SCC), made up of the various deans (nine in 2012), division chairpersons (eight in 2012), president of the Seaver Faculty Association, and the Budget Director of the College. Chaired by the dean of Seaver College, the cabinet meets monthly and reviews, assesses, and decides issues of importance to the College.

Issues associated with the curriculum of the school are considered by the Seaver Academic Council (SAC). Chaired by the associate dean of the College, the SAC reviews proposals for new majors and courses and supervises curriculum assessment during its monthly meetings.

3.  TERMS OF SERVICE

Associate and assistant academic deans for the college, like division chairs, serve for limited periods of time. They are appointed initially to a three-year term of office, which, given positive evaluations by the Seaver College dean, the faculty, and other stakeholders, can be extended for as many as three additional years. No appointment of an academic associate or academic assistant dean shall extend, however, for more than six years. Division chairs are appointed to an initial four-year term, which can be extended up to three additional years. Serving at the pleasure of the University president and provost, the Dean of Seaver College is appointed to a five-year initial term, which, following input from the faculty, students, and College and University administrators, can be extended for additional terms.

4.  SEAVER COLLEGE
(Updated 2012)

2.4.  UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION

Seaver College is one of the five schools of Pepperdine University. The others are the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, the Graziadio School of Business and Management, the Caruso School of Law, and the School of Public Policy. Although each functions somewhat independently under its dean, the five are tied together by the leadership of the University Provost and joint participation of the Deans Council. The Provost is the chief academic officer, has the overall responsibility for the academic activities of the University, and is the principal link between the central administration and the academic areas.

2.5.  UNIVERSITY FACULTY COUNCIL
(Modified in 2012)

Chartered in 2001, the University Faculty Council (UFC) is a 12 member body with elected representatives from all five schools of Pepperdine University. Seaver College has four elected representatives to the UFC. The primary purpose of the UFC is to establish a formal relationship between and among faculties of the five schools of the University and the University administration.

The web site for the UFC is found at https://community.pepperdine.edu/committees/ufc/.

The charter for the UFC is found at https://community.pepperdine.edu/committees/content/ufc-charter-approved.pdf.  The final version of the UFC charter was approved on March 26, 2001 and has been included in the Faculty Handbook since 2010.

2.6.  SEAVER FACULTY ASSOCIATION
(Included in 2012; modified 2014)

The Seaver Faculty Association (SFA) operates independently of the Seaver College Cabinet and the Seaver Academic Council and SAC. The SFA addresses issues of specific concern to the faculty, including professional development, curriculum, administrative issues, and budget matters. The president of SFA and the dean of the college meet regularly and work collaboratively on issues of importance to faculty, administration and students.

The Constitution of the SFA is found here.

The standing committees of the SFA can be found here.

The web site for the SFA is found at https://community.pepperdine.edu/seaver/sfa/.

2.7   SHARED GOVERNANCE
(included in 2014)

A great institution of higher learning is the product of the shared wisdom of multiple constituencies, all dedicated to academic excellence and to the proper and effective functioning of the institution.

Pepperdine University's  philosophy of institutional governance is grounded in the mission of the University, in the biblical mandate to treat others as we wish to be treated, in the very definition of the university as a "collegium" —that is, a society of  colleagues, a fellowship—, and in the ethical expectations expressed in the University Code of Ethics. The Code states that: "We value integrity, honesty, and fairness and strive to integrate these values into our daily practices.... We seek to be people who are honorable, forthright, and upright at all times....We value people; we speak the truth; we have the courage of our convictions."

Thus, transparency, collaboration, a shared sense of responsibility, and the free expression of ideas and concerns are intrinsic to our institutional culture. In brief, while our decision-­making practices are complex and evolving, nonetheless, they are carried out within a particular Pepperdine culture founded on enduring values. That culture is shaped by the Christian faith, which inspires an ethos of care, respect, and the welcoming of vigorous debate. It is  supported by the university's esteemed tradition of, and aspiration to, collegiality, open communication, mutual trust, and shared participation in a common life.

The shared governance document can be found at http://www.pepperdine.edu/about/administration/provost/content/policies/shared_governance.pdf.

2.8.  SEAVER COLLEGE DIVERSITY COUNCIL
(Included in 2012)

Pepperdine University is guided by its foundational Christian mission that inspires in us a profound respect for and love of the diverse cultures where we live, work, and study-both in culturally diverse Southern California and on our many campuses throughout Europe, Asia, and South America.  Diversity is central to our mission and is essential to the health of our institution. A diverse university community of students, faculty, staff and board members enriches the learning experience for all, and prepares us for the multicultural world in which we reside.

The Seaver College Diversity Council focuses on enhancing systems of responsibility, accountability, and recognition aimed at fostering greater diversity at Pepperdine. With help from the Council, Pepperdine has pursued several programs ranging from research studies, workshops, forums, a speaker series, a multicultural theatre project, a social action and justice colloquium, and a high school student-mentoring program.

The charter for the Seaver College Diversity Council is found at www.pepperdine.edu/belonging/councils/seaver.htm.

2.9.  TENURE AND PROMOTION
(Included in 2012)

The policies and procedures governing the tenure and promotion process are provided in this section of the handbook.

2.9.1.  UNIVERSITY TENURE POLICY

The University Tenure Policy is available on the web site of the University Provost at http://www.pepperdine.edu/about/administration/provost/content/TenurePolicy.pdf.

2.9.2.  GUIDE TO THE TENURE REVIEW PROCESS

An overview of the University's tenure review process, including: eligibility, when to apply, and the steps in the review process are provide in this document available on the web site of the University Provost at http://www.pepperdine.edu/about/administration/provost/content/tenureguide.pdf.

2.9.3.  BEST PRACTICES FOR TENURE AND PROMOTION REVIEW

A list of recommendations intended to put applicants' portfolios in the best possible light and to clarify expectations are provide in this document available on the web site of the University Provost at http://www.pepperdine.edu/about/administration/provost/content/tenure_best_pract-rev2009.pdf.

2.9.4.  SEAVER COLLEGE RANK, TENURE AND PROMOTION

The Seaver College Rank, Tenure, and Promotion (RTP) Committee was established to develop procedures and make recommendations to the Seaver College and University Administration concerning initial rank, step advancement, tenure, and promotion of Seaver faculty members. The procedures and policies governing the operation of the Seaver College RTP Committee and the RTP process are detailed in the Seaver College RTP Handbook.  The RTP Handbook is available from the Seaver College RTP web site at https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/about/administration/dean/faculty/rtp/.

The direct URL to the Seaver College RTP Handbook is https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/dean/content/documentsandpolicies/RankTenurePromotionHandbook05-06.pdf.

2.9.5.  ACADEMIC FREEDOM

The Provost's statement on academic freedom, reiterating a portion of the tenure policy, is available on the web site of the University Provost at http://www.pepperdine.edu/about/administration/provost/policies/statement-of-academic-freedom.htm.

2.9.6.  ACCESS TO PERSONNEL RECORDS
(Included since 2012)

Faculty members have a right to inspect, at reasonable intervals and times, personnel records which relate to their performance, including the supervisor's evaluation.

Annual Reviews

The annual review process is both formative and evaluative and is conducted primarily to aid the faculty member in his/her professional development.  Consequently, faculty members should receive a copy of their supervisor's (chairperson's) evaluation at the conclusion of the annual assessment process performed in each academic division at Seaver College.  Faculty members should contact their chairperson to inspect his or her annual review if it is not received by August 1.

Rank, Tenure and Promotion (RTP) & Step Advancement Reviews

Faculty members may inspect, upon request, their personnel records at the conclusion of all RTP review (tenure, pre-tenure, promotions in rank, and five-year evaluations) and step advancement processes.

Grievance

The rules governing the grievance procedure are found in the University Tenure Policy.  Faculty members filing a grievance may inspect, upon request, the supervisor evaluation and confidential internal and external peer reviews in summary or redacted form so as to preserve the anonymity of the author.