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Dear Faculty Relations:ÌýOur unit bylaws are a bit of mess, to put it politely. Any suggestions for rewriting, revising, and—perhaps most importantly—getting everyone on board? —Worried Chair

Dear Worried Chair: The first time I sat down to think about my unit’s bylaws, I was more than a little intimidated. To me, the most daunting issue that arises when updating bylaws is that most units have what I like to call franken-documents. These are bylaws that have been modified here and there over, sometimes, the course of decades.

I think it’s best to start fresh. (Dr. Frankenstein should have been so wise.)

You sound worried that your faculty might not be on board. To be fair, updating bylaws can be a heavy lift. I would get them involved early. Depending on how large your unit is, you could create subcommittees for each section of your bylaws. For example, one subcommittee could handle details that involve faculty (titles, voting, meetings), you could handle administrative roles (chair and associate chair responsibilities and election details), and one subcommittee could lead the standing committee section (What are they? How are they populated?). Finally, if they’re part of your regular bylaws, another subcommittee could work on updating promotion and tenure guidelines for both tenure-track and teaching-track faculty.

In short, ask everyone to participate. When everyone has a role, they’re much more likely to feel invested. Utilizing subcommittees will also make your faculty think of the endeavor as manageable.

Another thing to remember is to set boundaries around potential changes. You want to update your bylaws, but not reinvent the wheel. Trying to do too much could just get you stuck in quicksand. If everyone knows the goals up front, you’re much more likely to enjoy a smooth process.

Need more help? You can make an appointment with the Office of Faculty Affairs. I meet often with chairs who are working on bylaws, and I would be happy to work with you.

Just remember, this is completely doable. You just want to set and communicate your goals up front.

Written by Pat Ferrucci, Professor and Chair in the Department of Journalism, and Faculty Director for Faculty Policies and Procedures, Office of Faculty Affairs

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