A School (or a College without Schools) is an administrative subdivision of the Institute organized for the purpose of giving instruction and carrying on research in one of the well-organized branches of study and investigation. It will typically have both members of the Academic Faculty and Research Faculty as defined in the Handbook. For the purposes of this section, the Faculty of such an Instructional Unit is defined as those individuals who devote 0.38 or more full-time equivalent (FTE) to that Unit. They may make such rules and divisions of responsibility as they deem appropriate to their missions. In general, educational matters will be the purview of the Academic Faculty of the unit.

An Academic Head of an Instructional Unit (e.g. Chair or Dean) holds office at the pleasure of the President. The Academic Head is appointed by the President with notification to the Board of Regents. In appointing an Academic Head, the President shall consider the recommendation of the Provost and of the Dean of the College of which the School is a subdivision if applicable. The Dean or Provost shall make such recommendation only after extensive consultation with the Instructional Unit’s Faculty.

The Faculty of each Instructional Unit shall:

  • Hold a meeting at least once during each academic semester;
  • Subject to the limitations of Regents’ policies and the Institute’s policies, make rules and regulations for its government, establish such committees as may be required, and make other policies necessary for the maintenance of high educational standards in the Instructional Unit;
  • Establish an elected Faculty Advisory Committee.  This Committee shall be composed of full-time members of the Instructional Unit, elected by written vote of the Unit’s Faculty. The Chair of the Committee shall be elected by the Committee from among its members.  This Committee shall advise the Academic Head of the Instructional Unit on all matters concerning the welfare of the Unit;
  • Subject to the direction of the Academic Faculty, be responsible for the program of studies offered by the Instructional Unit;
  • Recommend such changes and modifications in its curriculum as it may deem desirable;
  • Have the power to establish prerequisites for courses which it offers.