I. Authority of the Department Manual of Procedures

This manual of operations and procedures formulates the procedures for faculty governance of the Department of Classics and Religious Studies (CARS). The department shall follow the operating rules of the University and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and it shall follow the procedures in this document as a supplement thereto. Once approved by the department and the college, this document becomes effective immediately. 

II. Faculty membership and eligibility to vote

A. Definition of faculty membership

A regular member of the Department of CARS shall be a tenured or tenure-track faculty member (TTF) or instructional-track faculty member (ITF) at the University of Iowa who either currently has a salaried appointment in the Department of CARS or currently is on paid or unpaid leave from such an appointment in the Department of CARS. Adjuncts, visitors, and faculty holding less than a 49% appointment have certain rights, defined below, but are not considered regular members of the department. 

B. Rights and responsibilities of faculty

Both individually and as a body the faculty is responsible for carrying out the department’s mission in accordance with the policies and procedures of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Graduate College, and the University. Individual faculty members fulfill these responsibilities in accordance with the University’s policy on professional ethics and academic responsibility. 

The department distributes teaching and service assignments to faculty and provides guidance through periodic reviews to ensure that all faculty are participating appropriately and equitably in the teaching, research, and service missions of the department, college, and university. 

C. Rule of eligibility for voting at departmental meetings

The individuals who shall be eligible to vote at departmental meetings are the regular members of the Department of Classics and Religious Studies. Eligible voters who are unable to be present at a departmental meeting when the vote is taken on an agenda item may leave a written absentee vote with the DEO before the vote is taken. 

D. Voting eligibility start date

A regular member may begin voting on the date that the official appointment begins. 

E. Voting matters

All regular members may vote on matters pertaining to the undergraduate curriculum and programs, and the hiring of ITF and VAPs. Only TTF may vote on matters pertaining to the graduate curriculum and its programs, and the hiring of TTF. 

F. Non-voting members

Visiting assistant professors, adjunct professors, faculty holding less than a 49% appointment, the department’s professional advisor, and a single representative appointed annually by the graduate students may attend and participate in department meetings, but they are ineligible to vote. The DEO shall order the meeting agenda so that (if necessary, due to the sensitivity of topics) the graduate student representative may leave first, followed by VAPs and adjuncts and faculty holding less than a 49% appointment and the professional advisor, followed by ITF. 

Table of Contents

Article I - Authority of the Department Manual of Procedures 

Article II - Faculty membership and eligibility to vote

Article III - Department officers and standing committees

Article IV - Tenure of appointments

Article V - Departmental meetings

Article VI - Amendments to the Manual of Operations and Procedures

Approved by the Department of Classics and Religious Studies, June 2026

Approved by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, June 2026 

III. Department officers and standing committees

A. Departmental Executive Officer (DEO)

  1. The DEO is appointed by the dean of the college with the advice of the faculty and the approval of the provost. 

  1. The DEO shall perform the duties prescribed by the Manual of Operations and Procedures and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the department. 

  1. The DEO shall have primary administrative responsibilities for recommending faculty appointments, promotions, and salary raises; implementing the department’s curriculum; monitoring the work of its undergraduate and graduate students; evaluating its faculty; procuring and regulating equipment; and managing its budget and office staff. The DEO shall also be responsible for scheduling and conducting departmental meetings. In carrying out these responsibilities, the DEO shall consult with appropriate faculty. 

  1. The DEO shall be the representative of the Department of CARS to the administration of the college and university. The DEO shall have the task of explaining departmental needs to the collegiate and university administration and communicating collegiate and university policies to the students and faculty in the department. 

  1. The DEO will recommend, subject to approval by the dean, an individual to whom administrative responsibility will be delegated in the DEO’s absence. 

  1. The DEO, in consultation with the faculty and staff, appoints Directors of Undergraduate Studies and Graduate Studies, and Coordinators of the Jewish Studies and Museum Studies Certificates, to three-year terms. Other officers or committees may be established by departmental vote or appointed by the DEO as need arises. 

B. Director of Graduate Studies

The DEO, in consultation with the faculty and staff, appoints a Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) who is in charge of administering all matters related to graduate students, including outreach, admissions, recruitment, orientation, annual reviews of academic progress, program of study approval, the composition of exam and dissertation committees, General catalogue/department website revisions, advising if a primary supervisor has not yet been selected, and direction of the post-baccalaureate certificate in Classics  The DGS shall also serve as program liaison to the CLAS Dean’s office Graduate Affairs Manager and the Dean of the Graduate College and take responsibility for resolving disputes that arise in the graduate program.  In carrying out these responsibilities, the DGS will consult with the DEO and other appropriate faculty.

C. Director of Undergraduate Studies

The DEO, in consultation with the faculty and staff, appoints a Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) who is in charge of managing the department’s undergraduate program, including outreach; recruitment; communications with central admissions, CLAS academic advising, undergraduate honors advising, the Office of Undergraduate Research, and the Pomerantz Career center; and General catalog/department website revisions. The DUS shall also serve as program liaison to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education (CLAS) and take responsibility for resolving disputes that arise in the undergraduate program. In carrying out these responsibilities, the DUS will consult with the DEO and other appropriate faculty.

D. Coordinator of the Jewish Studies Certificate

The DEO, in consultation with the faculty and staff, as well as the Jewish Studies Advisory Board, appoints the Coordinator (or co-Coordinators) of the Jewish Studies Certificate.  The Coordinator is responsible for managing the certificate course schedule, coordinating with the undergraduate advisor(s), recruiting students, and administering all other aspects of the certificate, in consultation with the DEO and the Jewish Studies Advisory Board. 

E. Coordinator of the Museum Studies Certificate

The DEO, in consultation with the faculty and staff, as well as the Museum Studies Advisory Committee, appoints the Coordinator (or co-Coordinators) of the Museum Studies Certificate Program.  The Coordinator is responsible for managing the certificate course schedule, coordinating with the undergraduate advisor(s), recruiting students, and administering all other aspects of the certificate, in consultation with the DEO and the Museum Studies Advisory Council. 

F. The Director of Outreach and Public Engagement

The DEO, in consultation with the faculty and staff, will appoint a Director of Public Engagement to work with the DEO, in partnership with UICA, to raise and secure donations on behalf of CARS, and to engage with the external CARS Advisory Board. The Director also chairs the Events and Public Engagement Committee.

G. Standing Committees

The CARS standing committees serve an important role in both the short and long-term managing of the department.  The DEO appoints members to two-year terms, balancing faculty expertise among the various departmental programs. Faculty appointed at 0% and VAPs may serve as members of standing committees in a non-voting, advisory role with approval of the DEO and vote of the regularly appointed faculty. Each standing committee must communicate its schedule of meetings to the department at the beginning of each semester. Any programmatic changes proposed by standing committees must be approved by vote of the full CARS faculty. 

  1. The Course Scheduling Committee consists of the DEO, DUS, DGS, Certificate Coordinators, and two additional regular faculty members. The Course Scheduling committee will determine the courses and meeting times each semester, taking into account faculty preferences, an appropriate mix of large enrollment and higher-level seminars, as well as the needs of the various degree and certificate programs. 

  1. The Graduate Studies Committee consists of the DEO, DGS, and two additional TTF.  The graduate committee will conduct course and curriculum review and direction for the graduate programs, regularly examining course offerings and program structure; determine graduate admissions, taking into account the recommendations of the Classics graduate faculty and the Religious Studies graduate faculty; plan graduate student orientation and recruitment; attend both annual graduate student review meetings of the Classics and Religious Studies graduate faculty; review annual exit interviews; and oversee alumni relations. 

  1. The Undergraduate Studies Committee consists of the DEO, DUS, the Certificate Coordinators, and two additional regular faculty members. The committee will conduct course and curriculum review and direction for the undergraduate programs, regularly examining course offerings and program structure; oversee recruitment of majors and minors, as well as advertising of undergraduate courses; complete the annual assessment; coordinate with departmental undergraduate organizations; review annual exit interviews; and oversee alumni relations. 

  1. The Events and Public Engagement Committee consists of the Director of Public Engagement and Fundraising, and two additional regular faculty members.  The Events committee will provide strategic planning for public departmental events, including invited speakers, the department colloquium in which faculty and graduate students present, special conferences, and community engagement.  It will coordinate with the director of Eta Sigma Phi, Theta Alpha Kappa, and graduate student fellows on events primarily organized by graduate students.  It will also coordinate updates to the departmental website related to public programming and alumni engagement. 

  1. The Scholarships and Awards Committee consists of the DUS, DGS, and two additional regular faculty members.  The committee nominates and ranks undergraduate and graduate applicants for CLAS and other University awards; and, after a nomination process open to the full faculty, makes decisions on internal departmental awards, including travel scholarships and the awards recognized at the Adler Awards Ceremony. 

H. Ad Hoc Committees

Ad Hoc Committees may be appointed by the DEO to consider departmental business not covered by one of the standing committees. 

I. CLAS Faculty Assembly Representative

The department’s CLAS Faculty Assembly Representative will be elected by vote of regular faculty members. 

IV. Tenure of appointments

The DEO serves at the pleasure of the dean in consultation with the departmental faculty. The other officers are appointed by the DEO, in consultation with departmental faculty, typically for an initial term of three years; these individuals may be retained for additional terms at the discretion of the DEO, in consultation with departmental faculty.  Standing committee members are appointed by the DEO, in consultation with departmental faculty, for a term of two years.

V. Departmental meetings

Procedure

  1. The DEO shall call departmental meetings at least three times a semester to conduct departmental business.  An individual faculty member may also request a meeting of the department. Regular department meetings are scheduled at or before the beginning of each new semester, typically during the first week of the month, but additional meetings may be called, with at least a one-week notice when practical. Faculty are asked to keep the regular time allotted for meetings free, even for weeks where no regular meeting has been scheduled. 

  1. The DEO shall request items for the agenda at least a week prior to the meeting. E-mail notification of the agenda shall be sent to all regular members of the Department of CARS at least three (3) days before the meeting. 

  1. The DEO may invite guests to attend and speak at the meeting on matters of common concern. 

  1. The DEO or the person designated by the DEO shall be the chair of a departmental meeting. The duties of the chair of a departmental meeting include the following: 

    1. Opening the meeting at the required time and calling the meeting to order

    2. Announcing business in the appropriate order 

    3. Stating and putting to a vote any proper motions that are made

    4. Announcing the results of the votes  

  1. A quorum during any semester shall be 2/3 of the number of regular members of the Department of CARS not on leave for that semester. Given a quorum, the passing of a motion made at a departmental meeting and not controlled by other portions of the Manual of Operations and Procedures shall require a 2/3 majority vote of the regular faculty present, which includes any absentee votes received by the DEO before the vote is taken. 

  1. A staff member shall record minutes for each departmental meeting and share them with any regular member of the Department of CARS upon request.  

  1. The usual order of business shall include the review and approval of minutes of previous meetings. 

  1. The voting procedure will be open voting by show of hands only. 

  1. Meetings at which confidential personnel issues are discussed (e.g., meetings of the departmental consulting group for tenure and promotion decisions, meetings of the tenured faculty to discuss probationary faculty reviews) are not “departmental meetings” and are not governed by this section of the departmental manual of operations and procedures. 

VI. Amendments to the Manual of Operations and Procedures

  1. The Department of CARS shall consider amendments to the Manual of Operations and Procedures submitted to the DEO by any regular faculty member. The proposed amendment shall state the precise Article, Section, and Sentences to be amended. The proposed amendments shall specify the words to be added, deleted, or replaced. Moreover, the proposal shall give a complete statement of the wording of the section in the amended form. Members on leave may indicate in writing their support of an amendment and may vote in absentia on the motion in accordance with usual rules of voting. 

  1. A notice of the proposed amendments shall be distributed in written form by the DEO. The proposed amendments shall appear as an agenda item on the written notice of the next departmental meeting. 

  1. Adoption of an amendment to the Manual of Operations and Procedures is achieved at a departmental meeting. Passing a motion to amend shall require a 2/3 majority vote of the entire regular membership of the Department including those on leave or not in residence. An amendment to the Manual of Operations and Procedures takes effect upon approval by the College.