"Each council or committee shall elect its chair annually (from its membership), and that individual shall be a student, staff, faculty member or librarian below the rank of dean. Each committee and council shall elect its chair for the coming year at the last meeting of the current academic year.

No council or committee member shall have a designate serving in his/her place unless approved by the committee and also by the appropriate nominating body.

Council and committee chairs shall make every effort to schedule committee meetings at times when all members can attend. Written notices of scheduled meetings shall be circulated to all committee members, the Faculty Senate, the Staff Council, the Student Government Association, and the appropriate University offices as far in advance of the meeting as possible.

At the first meeting of the year, each council or committee shall be given a statement of its duties, responsibilities, and issues for consideration.

Each council and committee shall submit in writing formal actions such as policy recommendations and decisions. They shall be distributed to the deans, the President of the Faculty Senate, the President of the Staff Council, the President of the Student Government Association, and the appropriate administrative offices.

Each council or standing committee is required to prepare an annual written report at the end of each academic year. This report shall be sent by the committee chair to the Faculty Senate, the Staff Council, the Student Government Association, the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost and other relevant University administrators. This report shall include the following: major activities and recommendations of the committee during the year, an indication of how much faculty input was involved for each, and the outcome.

There should be regular contact between the council or committee chairs and their related University offices in order to communicate recommendations and specific actions under consideration.

Councils or standing committees shall meet at least twice a semester.

Extended or regular absences of a council or committee member shall be communicated by the chair to the appropriate nominating body. The latter and/or the chair will ask such members to resign and communicate that request to appropriate campus offices. Replacement members shall be nominated and appointed in accordance with the usual procedures.

The authority to alter the composition or charge of a council or committee rests with the appointing officer of the University. Any such changes must be preceded by consultation among the members of the committee involved, the appointing official, and the Faculty Governance Committee of the Faculty Senate.

To create a standing committee, a recommendation is brought to the Faculty Governance Committee of the Faculty Senate that includes: the proposed name of the committee and the administrator/s to be involved; the proposed composition of the body; a solid indication of scope - e.g., both a general statement and some examples; and a recommended charge, including the main point/s or purpose of the committee. The Faculty Governance Committee will consult with the appointing officer to discuss the recommendations and formalize the details."

Refer to the "Shared Governance" section (page 33): University of Houston Faculty Handbook
2013 - Revised 24th Edition

See also:
policies & procedures: undergraduate council bylaws: committees
policies & procedures: process overview