Purpose

University Governance may be carried out through a number of organizations, each of which has its own purpose, charge, and membership providing a medium through which members of the University Community can consider, investigate, and report or act on matters of importance to the institution.

Definitions

The types of bodies through which University Governance can occur include:

A standing committee or council has a permanent place in the structure of the University. It typically deals with matters that are recurring in nature. Its purpose is to provide a medium through which members of the University Community can give focus to recurring, University-wide matters and propose solutions that may be advanced to the President for consideration.

An advisory committee is similar to a standing committee in that it has a permanent place in the structure of the University and typically deals with matters that are recurring in nature. Advisory committees usually do not report to the President but report instead to the administrator(s) charged with the responsibility for the area under consideration.

A senate or association is a university-wide body representing a major constituency with an established constitution and bylaws.

The Institutional Review Board is a body charged with ensuring institutional compliance with federal, state, and local regulations involving research conducted on human subjects by faculty, staff, and students from East Tennessee State University and the Veterans Administration at Mountain Home.

An ad hoc or temporary committee or task force is a body appointed for a particular purpose and will be disbanded as soon as it has accomplished its task. Reporting channels vary with specific assignments

Quorum

A quorum is defined as the presence of a simple majority of the voting members of the committee. A quorum is necessary for a standing committee, advisory committee, or ad hoc committee to conduct business.