CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INFORMATION

  The University of Alabama, the State of Alabama’s oldest public university, is a senior comprehensive doctoral level institution. The University was established by constitutional provision under statutory mandates and authorizations. Its mission is to advance the intellectual and social condition of the people of the State through quality programs of teaching, research, and service.

Activities to Support the Mission

The University of Alabama’s activities emerge from a broad range of research and creative activities, many of which are recognized for their contributions to the economic, technological, and cultural growth of the State. Research and creative activity yields continuing stimulation for the instructional programs offered by the University’s colleges and schools, supported by the Amelia Gorgas Library, a member of the Association of Research Libraries. At the undergraduate level, the University offers a broad range of baccalaureate programs in the arts and humanities, science and technology, pre-professional, and professional fields. A University-wide core curriculum provides a general education component as the keystone of every undergraduate program. Graduate programs, built on these undergraduate foundations, concentrate on the development of original scholarship, research, and creative activity. Professional programs, built on these undergraduate foundations, concentrate on the development of original scholarship, research, and creative activity. Professional programs, including the State’s only public law school, prepare students with high levels of competence and for leadership roles. As one of the major residential campuses in the State, the University enhances the academic and personal growth of its students through its on-campus environment. Recognizing that education is a lifelong endeavor, the University offers an array of educational opportunities for non-traditional students.

The University’s research, creative activities, and instructional programs form a foundation for extensive service activities, establishing a number of partnerships with business, non-profit organizations, and government through applications of new knowledge. These relationships often extend beyond the bounds of the State as the University assists developmental efforts at regional, national, and international levels.

(Approved by the Board of Trustees February 6, 2004)

In 1818, the Congress of the United States donated 46,000 acres of land to the Territory of Alabama for educational purposes. The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama was created in 1821, but it was not until April 18, 1831, that students were admitted to study in the newly erected buildings in Tuscaloosa. Most of the campus was burned by Federal cavalry during the Civil War and the University closed for several years.

The University reopened in 1869. Although the Congress of the United States donated additional lands to support rebuilding the University, progress was slow during the Reconstruction period. Migration to the West and economic recessions restricted the amount of money the state and individuals could provide.

The University and the state shared in the South's new economic prosperity following the Second World War. The University established doctoral programs and special centers for the study of urban problems. Its graduates became faculty members, deans, and educational leaders for many of the new colleges and universities being opened in the region. It established a series of extension centers throughout Alabama, nurturing two of them-Birmingham and Huntsville-into branch campuses, then into separate universities within The University of Alabama System. The University has retained its historic distinction as the Capstone of education in Alabama and as a major center for teaching and research among colleges and universities in the South.
 
 

 
A. Institutional Seal

The Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva, stands within a rope-like band which encloses the words "The University of Alabama". To her left is an open scroll and she holds an olive branch in her left hand. Her right hand rests on a globe. The sun is depicted in the background to her right. In the words of Israel Pickens, governor of the newly formed State of Alabama, this "represents the light of science beaming on this hemisphere so lately emerged from a heathenish wilderness." (See copy on title page.)

B. University Name

The University's official name, The University of Alabama, is protected by copyright and may be used only for official business of the University. Anyone wishing to use the University name, or such popular names as "The Crimson Tide" or "Bama", or the seal, or any materials implying an official endorsement by the University for commercial purposes or for any non-official business, must receive prior permission from the Licensing Department. Use of University stationery for non-university correspondence or consulting work is prohibited, except when such use is permitted by law and is a normal part of the individual's professional academic activities.

C. Colors

The colors crimson and white have been associated with sports activities of the University since the late 1880's when American football began to be played in Tuscaloosa as a collegiate sport. Today, Alabama athletic teams are called The Crimson Tide and the student newspaper is named the Crimson-White.

D. Denny Chimes

This 115-foot bell tower, erected in 1929, stands in the main quadrangle of the campus and houses a complete campanile carillon. The carillon includes a set of 25 bronze bells, the smallest of which is three feet in diameter, and 305 small bells. There is a manual keyboard that can be played by a carillonneur and also an automatic player that strikes every quarter hour and can play musical programs.

E. President's Home

The Home, completed early in 1841, is one of the state's best examples of Greek Revival architecture. It was one of the few buildings saved during the general destruction of the campus at the close of the Civil War. It was last renovated in 1997, through a gift from Jack Warner, and it continues to serve as the official residence of the University President.

F. Gorgas Home

The Gorgas Home was completed in 1829 as a University dining hall. It was built in the "low country raised cottage" style of colonial architecture with bricks laid in Flemish bond. The house served as the Gorgas home from 1873 until 1944 when the State Legislature established it as a state shrine and a permanent memorial to the Gorgas family. It has now been completely restored and is open to the public daily.
 
 

 
A. Board of Trustees

The State constitution places responsibility for the University on the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama. The Board of Trustees is composed of the Governor and the State Superintendent of Education as ex officio members, three members from the congressional district in which the University is located, and two members from each of the remaining congressional districts. Except for the two ex officio members, members are elected by continuing members of the Board, subject to confirmation by the State Senate. Members are elected for six year terms and are eligible for re-election but may not serve more than three consecutive terms. The Board has promulgated by-laws establishing The University of Alabama System with a Chancellor as chief executive officer. The System includes The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and The University of Alabama at Huntsville. Each University within the System is administered by a President who reports to the Board of Trustees through the Chancellor.

B. Office of the Chancellor

The by-laws of the Board of Trustees state that the Chancellor shall exercise such executive powers as are necessary for the governance of the University System and shall be the principal link between the Board's responsibility for policy and each President's responsibility for the individual campus. The Chancellor's responsibilities include: implementation of Board policies; external relationships with state and federal agencies; recommendations to the Board concerning the mission, role, and scope of the University System and the three campuses; coordination of planning; preparation and presentation of legislative requests and operating and capital budgets; and, coordination of University System functions to assure an integrated institution of related and cooperating campuses.

C. Office of the President

The President is the University's chief executive officer. The President, who reports to the Board of Trustees through the Chancellor, is the main representative of the University to the public, and works closely with the Chancellor in dealing with state and federal agencies. It is the President's responsibility to provide educational and administrative leadership to the institution. The President's duties encompass all aspects of educational programs, external relations, personnel management, and financial management.

In carrying out the duties of the office, the President is assisted by the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, who serves as the chief administrative officer, and by vice presidents of the other major functional areas, by deans of the divisions, and by other administrative staff. Persons in the President's Office represent the institution through an active public information program.

D. Provost and Office for Academic Affairs

The Provost, who also serves as the Vice President for Academic Affairs, is the senior vice president and the chief academic officer for the University. The Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs plans, coordinates, directs, and facilitates the University's efforts in fulfilling its comprehensive mission in teaching, research, and service. The major functions of the Office for Academic Affairs include: planning--in cooperation with the vice presidents, deans, department chairpersons, faculty, and staff--the development, operation, and improvement of the academic program, including requirements for operating expenses, equipment, staff, and plant; development, for approval by the President, of budgets for the academic divisions, departments, academic support areas, and special units; coordination of all instructional and degree-granting activities in undergraduate, graduate, and professional disciplines and fields; approval for the President, or in concert with him or her, of appointments, promotions, tenure, sabbaticals, and terms of employment of faculty and staff within all academic units; review and approval of consulting contracts or other outside employment of faculty as well as faculty leaves and faculty exchanges.

The Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs coordinates the research and public service programs of the University. These responsibilities involve planning and promoting research and service activities which complement and contribute to the other activities and missions of the University. The Provost encourages and supports research through liaison with appropriate funding agencies and maintains and expands contacts with individuals and organizations for whom the University can provide appropriate public service.

Staff officers, designated as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs or Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, assist the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs with planning, budgets, personnel matters, interdisciplinary programs, new program development, program evaluation, and supervision of support functions.

E. Office of University Advancement

The Office of University Advancement promotes and develops support for the University of Alabama. Its six divisions - Advancement Services, Alumni Affairs, Communications, Development, Governmental Affairs, and Special Services - report to the Vice President of University Advancement, who is responsible for setting the direction of and coordinating their efforts. The three main functions of the office are constituency relations (including alumni, media, governmental, and public relations), marketing communication, and fundraising. While each of the divisions has primary responsibility for one area, each one?s work reinforces and is reinforced by the others.

Alumni Affairs represents the more than 175,000 living University alumni worldwide, through 113 alumni chapters. The office works to channel the time, energy, and financial resources of alumni and friends into support of the University.

Development, Special Services, and Advancement Services identify and solicit financial support for the University from individuals, foundations, corporations, support groups, and private businesses. In support of this, they provide memoranda of agreement between the University and private donors of restricted gifts of all types, and draft resolutions for the Board of Trustees which recognize endowments and other significant contributions.

Communications helps develop public understanding of the mission of the University and of the changing directions of the institution. The office provides public relations planning, media relations work, and marketing communications development for the University in accordance with need and institutional priorities.

Governmental Relations is the lobbying arm of the University, which works to encourage state and national legislators to value and appropriately fund the contribution which the University makes to the state of Alabama

F. Office for Financial Affairs

The Vice President for Financial Affairs is the primary financial officer of the University and is fiscal advisor to the President. The Vice President supervises and is assisted by a Comptroller/Associate Treasurer, an Assistant Vice President for Human Resources, and an Assistant Vice President for Auxiliary and Support Services, and also supervises the University Department of Public Safety.

G. Office for Student Affairs

The Vice President for Student Affairs provides direction for student services and leadership in the development of programs that complement or supplement classroom experiences and enrich the quality of campus life. The Vice President is assisted by an Associate Vice President and an Assistant Vice President.

The Office of Student Affairs consists of three major areas:

Student Life and Services includes the Office of Student Life, the Office of Student Media and Student Services. The Office of Student Life offers a wide variety of activities to enrich campus life, including the operation of the Ferguson Center, Union Programs, advising and supporting recognized student groups and organizations, and administering the student code of conduct. Student Media provides opportunities for students to apply classroom theory as they acquire practical print and electronic media skills by participating as a staff member on one of the five student publications ([The Crimson White, Corolla, Mars Field Journal, Black Warrior Review, Southern Historian]) and the campus radio station (WVUA). Student Media also seeks to empower high school journalists through the Alabama Scholastic Press Association. Student Services provides assistance and support to students in academic and career matters through the Career Center, International Students and Scholars Services and the National Student Exchange program.

Financial Planning and Administration includes Network Support, the division?s information technology unit, and the division?s Quality Assurance/Benchmarking efforts and coordinates the financial planning and personnel functions for Student Affairs.

Residential Resources provides services that enhance the residential character of the University and build a sense of community among all students. The units in this area are Housing (residence halls/apartments), Student Health Center (in-patient clinic, pharmacy, x-ray and laboratory services, physical medicine and rehabilitation, gynecology, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Health Promotion); University Recreation (Aquatic Sports, Fitness and Wellness Services, Golf Center, Recreational Sports, and Student Recreation Center); and University Food Service, which provides a wide variety of food options for the campus community.

In addition to these three major areas, there are two areas that provide assistance and support to the Division and the University.

Women's Center provides educational programming for students, faculty, and staff. The purpose is to improve the climate for women on campus by increasing awareness of women?s needs, goals and accomplishments. This area?s emphases are programming, support services, policy advocacy, liaisons with other campus organizations and off-campus agencies, and resource and referral services.

External Relations support services to Student Affairs for communicating effectively to internal and external audiences about Student Affairs Services and activities. This area seeks support for Student Affairs initiatives from governmental funding agencies and private donors.

H. Divisions of the University

The term "division" refers to any of the colleges and schools headed by a dean. The divisions have diverse roles, scopes, and organizations.

The chief administrative officer of a division is a dean. The dean with assistance from an appropriate staff, receives and makes recommendations on curriculum, staffing, promotion, tenure, development, space, equipment, and all financial aspects of a division's operation.

I. Departments and Areas
 
In those schools and colleges divided into academic and administrative units, the department or area is both an academic unit and an administrative unit. The chief administrative officer of the department is the departmental chairperson or head. In areas, the chief administrative officer is the area head. The chief administrative officer of a school within a college is the director.

J. Faculty Members

An individual who holds academic rank, either full-time or part-time, and performs a combination of teaching, research, and service functions, normally will have one of the faculty titles described in Chapter Two. However, there are distinguished faculty titles which can be awarded by the Board of Trustees. These titles include: Professor Emeritus; Research Professor; University Professor; and Endowed Chairs and Professorships.
 
 

 
The advice of faculty members concerning administrative leadership and academic programs is sought actively and systematically. Faculty and administrators are partners in the enterprise of education at The University of Alabama. Processes guiding all important decisions which shape the University's educational potential and which allocate its resources are the joint responsibility of faculty and administrators. (Appendix A contains "Policies and Guidelines for Faculty Participation in the Selection and Evaluation of Deans and Departmental Chairpersons and in the Review of Programs." See as well Appendix M, "Principles and Procedures for Discontinuance or Merger of Academic Units.)

The President ensures faculty participation in the selection of vice presidents by appointing faculty members to each search committee.

A. Committees and Task Forces

The University maintains a number of University Standing Committees, and appoints University Task Forces which deal with special matters not in the purview of a standing committee, to assist the administration in reaching decisions and to ensure representation of appropriate segments of the University community. These committees and task forces make recommendations on issues of concern to the University community, as well as working closely with the President and the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs both to oversee the University's planning process, and to help establish University

budgetary priorities and allocations. The importance of their work is recognized by giving them access to all information relevant to their missions and by giving them timely written responses to their recommendations. These committees and task forces make annual written reports, which are filed in the Library and are available upon request.

The chairs and the faculty and staff membership of standing committees and, where appropriate, task forces are selected by the President from the nominees and alternates presented by the Committee on Committees (with the exceptions noted below). Faculty and staff are invited each spring to indicate to the Committee on Committees their preferences about service on University committees. Standing committees are described in memoranda that are distributed annually to every department or school and are available in the Office of the President and the Office for Academic Affairs. Appointments to standing committees are announced in the spring semester, and such committees are expected to begin their work promptly at the beginning of each fall.

The Faculty Senate appoints one person to membership on each appropriate University Standing Committee, and, normally, on each task force appointed by the President or the Provost/Academic Vice President.

The faculty membership of the Committee on Committees constitutes a voting majority of the Committee and is selected by the President from a group of faculty recommended by the Faculty Senate. The Committee on Committees annually elects its chair from its faculty membership.

Where the President chooses not to accept a nomination or recommendation, the President contacts the chair of the Committee on Committees or the President of the Faculty Senate, as appropriate, in order to reach agreement. If agreement cannot be reached, the President requests another nomination or recommendation.

Membership on appropriate standing committees rotates in order to involve different members of the University community in University governance. Normally one-third of a committee's membership rotates off the committee each year, and normally at least one year will intervene before a person can be reappointed to a committee. Members are selected to reflect the diversity of disciplines, race, and gender of the faculty and staff, unless the charge to a committee or task force makes it impractical to do so. A faculty or staff member does not ordinarily serve on more than two University committees or task forces at one time. A term of service for a committee member usually will not exceed three consecutive years.

Divisional, departmental, or area committees assist the institution by making recommendations on aspects of divisional and departmental activities.
 

B. Curriculum Matters

Normally, recommendations about curricular matters are initiated at the program level and are reviewed at appropriate administrative levels. Implementation of recommendations depends on the availability of resources.

The Graduate Council and the Graduate Dean evaluate proposals for new graduate degree programs and recommend whether to seek approval for such programs.

The Honors Council is responsible for establishing criteria and approving courses for inclusion in the University Honors Program. Additional responsibilities include designing and conducting an annual evaluation of the Honors Program and providing an annual report to the Office for Academic Affairs. Members of the Honors Council include the Honors Program Director who acts as Chairperson of the Council, a representative from the Admissions Office, a faculty member appointed by the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs from each undergraduate division, a representative from the Office for Student Affairs, and at least three students who are elected by the Honors Program Student Association from among students enrolled in the Honors Program.

C. Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate consists of faculty members elected from the various divisions. The Senate aids the University in making decisions on issues of policy, development, and operations by:

1. Offering advice and suggestions on matters of general faculty concern; and

2. Providing a channel for communication between the faculty and University officials.

The Faculty Senate's deliberations and recommendations should reflect the opinion of the faculty at large. Service in the Senate is a high honor, carrying with it responsibility to report to one's division about the Senate's activities, to solicit the opinion and advice of divisional colleagues on issues before the Senate, and to represent divisional colleagues in Senate debate and votes. All meetings of the Faculty Senate and of its committees are open to all who wish to attend.

The Faculty Senate appoints one person to membership on each appropriate University Standing Committee, and, normally, on each task force appointed by the President or the Provost/Academic Vice President.

The President of the Faculty Senate can request to meet with the Council of Deans (decided by the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs) or to meet with the Vice Presidents (decided by the President) on specific occasions to discuss issues that are of mutual importance to the Faculty Senate and these groups and with the intent to streamline processes of input on these issues to the Provost/President.

Those matters the Faculty Senate or University Administration deem to be especially important, and are not specific to individual academic divisions, are referred to the faculty for a faculty-wide referendum.

The wording of such referenda will be determined by the Faculty Senate and Provost after consultation with other University officials or committees, as appropriate. Voting will be administered by the Office of Academic Affairs and generally will commence within six weeks following a decision by the Faculty Senate that a referendum is required. The Office of Academic Affairs will print, distribute, receive and count ballots. Faculty will have a minimum of two weeks to submit ballots after they have been distributed. The Office of Academic Affairs should provide a written statement of voting results within two weeks after the deadline for submission of ballots. The voting process normally should be completed within ten weeks following a decision by the Faculty Senate that a referendum is required.

Except as governed by other sections of the Faculty Handbook, for purposes of voting on referenda, "faculty" is defined to include all permanent and temporary full-time faculty with the rank of instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor, or equivalent and whose administrative appointments do not exceed fifty percent of their total appointments. Visiting and emeriti faculty are not included in this definition. The Faculty Senate may elect, by a majority vote of the Senate, to modify the list of faculty eligible to vote on a particular referendum.

Except as governed by other sections of the Faculty Handbook, a question on a referendum will pass if it is approved (1) by a majority of the faculty who vote in the referendum and (2) by a majority of colleges and equivalent academic divisions (determined by a majority of their voting faculty) that participate in the referendum. The Faculty Senate may modify these rules as necessary in cases of referenda asking the faculty to choose between more than two options.

Faculty are entitled to vote only in the division in which they hold their primary appointment. In cases of joint appointment, faculty must choose an academic unit in which to vote.

Matters specific to individual colleges or equivalent academic units and not affecting a broad-cross section of faculty outside of those academic units are not governed by these policies.

The constitution and by-laws of the Faculty Senate appear in Appendix F. 

The University of Alabama operates numerous Centers, Institutes, Programs, Services, Bureaus, Laboratories, Consortia, Offices, and Clinics to provide a variety of services to students, University personnel, and others. These units are listed in the Faculty-Staff Directory. 

 
The University of Alabama is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097; telephone 404-679-4501) to award baccalaureate, master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degrees. Moreover, many individual programs within the University have received additional accreditation from their professional accreditation agencies.