Academic Rights and Responsibilities Panel Syllabus

2023-2024 MEMBERS

NAME EMAIL TERM
Toni Anaya, University Libraries tanaya2@unl.edu August 2024
Kevin Hanrahan, Glenn Korff School of Music khanrahan2@unl.edu August 2024
Ed Harris, Biochemistry eharris5@unl.edu August 2024
Kelsy Burke, Sociology kburke@unl.edu August 2024
Mostafa Mashayekhi, Finance mmashayekhi@unl.edu August 2024
Bradley Shadwick, Physics & Astronomy shadwick@unl.edu August 2024
Hideaki Moriyama, School of Biological Sciences hideaki@unl.edu August 2024
Aaron Nygren, Eastern Northeast Research & Extension Center anygren2@unl.edu August 2024
Jena Asgarpoor, College of Engineering jshafai@unl.edu August 2025
Jenny Nixon, Panhandle Research & Extension Center jnixon@unl.edu August 2024
Anita Breckbill, University Libraries abreckbill1@unl.edu August 2024
Paul Haar, Glenn Korff School of Music phaar2@unl.edu August 2024
Kristen Blankley, College of Law kristen.blankley@unl.edu August 2025
Leslie Delserone, University Libraries ldelserone2@unl.edu August 2025
Christina Falci, Sociology cfalci2@unl.edu August 2025
Hamid Vakilzadian, Electrical and Computer Engineering hvakilzadian@unl.edu August 2025
Mardi Schmeichel, Teaching, Learning & Teacher Education mardi@unl.edu August 2025
Andrew Jewell, University Libraries ajewell2@unl.edu August 2025
David Woodman, School of Biological Sciences, non-tenure track faculty rep dwoodman1@unl.edu August 2025
Stephanie Bondi, Educational Administration, non-tenure track faculty rep sbondi2@unl.edu August 2025
Katie Krause, Nebraska Extension Zone 9 katie.krause@unl.edu August 2025
Amy Timmerman, Nebraska Extension Zone 2 atimmerman2@unl.edu August 2025
Rebecca Buller, School of Global Integrative Studies rbuller2@unl.edu August 2026
David Steffen, School of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences dsteffen1@unl.edu August 2026
Deb Minter, English dminter1@unl.edu August 2026
Nicholas Husbye, Teaching, Learning & Teacher Education nhusbye2@unl.edu August 2026
Lorna Dawes, University Libraries ldawes2@unl.edu August 2026
Jeff Mower, Agronomy & Horticulture jpmower@unl.edu August 2026
Florin Bobaru, Mechanical & Materials Engineering fbobaru2@unl.edu August 2026
Maria Marron, College of Journalism & Mass Communications mmarron2@unl.edu August 2026
Anne Schutte, Psychology aschutte2@unl.edu August 2026
Luwen Zhang, School of Biological Sciences lzhang2@unl.edu August 2026
Greg Somerville, School of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences gsomerville@unl.edu August 2026
Bob Powers, Chemistry rpowers3@unl.edu August 2026
John Bailey, Glenn Korff School of Music jbailey1@unl.edu August 2026
Patrick Jones, History pjones2@unl.edu August 2026

STRUCTURE

The ARRC shall appoint persons to "Special Committees" from a Panel of thirty-six faculty members. Twenty-eight panel members must be tenured faculty members, four must be Extension Educators with equivalent rank of associate or full professor, and four must be non-tenure track faculty other than Extension Educators with equivalent rank of associate or full professor, all of whom hold no administrative appointment (including that of department chair or head).  Panel members may succeed themsleves.

The Academic Assembly shall elect faculty members to the Panel. The Panel members nominated by the Committee on Committees shall be members of the faculty who have specific knowledge of academic rights and responsibilities and who have demonstrated skill, experience, and sensitivity in dealing with issues of faculty rights and responsibilities. The Panel members shall also represent the various academic colleges, divisions, and disciplines over a three year period.

Panel membership shall be continuously monitored and reviewed annually by the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee to determine if changes in the size or make up of the panel need be requested from the Committee on Committees.

TERM OF OFFICE

The term of office of members of the Panel shall be three years beginning with the academic year. Terms shall be staggered with approximately twelve panelists elected each year. Faculty members may serve successive terms as members of the panel. If the ordinary term of office of a panelist should expire while the panelist is serving as a member of a Special Committee or is actively engaged as a member of the Special Resources group, the Panelist shall continue to serve until the Special Committee completes its report on the specific case in which it is involved or until the resource person's task is completed.

FORMATION OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES

(1) Whenever a specific concern has been brought to the attention of the ARRC the Committee shall expeditiously determine the proper disposition of the matter. Whenever a complaint is received by the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee, the Committee shall determine the proper special committee, if any, to which the matter shall be referred.

(2) The ARRC shall identify six members for the five Special Committees and a Special Resource Group early in the fall semester of each academic year. To the extent possible, assignment shall be based on a fair distribution of Panel Members by college, discipline, race, sex, and experience with cases involving academic freedom and tenure, grievance or professional conduct.

(3) Each Special Committee will be assigned a number from 1 to 5. Membership in the numbered Committees will not be announced. Cases will be assigned to the Committees in numerical order as needed. Only when the ARRC convenes a Special Committee and has discussed with it the rules of its procedures will the Special Committee elect its chair and vice-chair. Only after that will its membership be announced and the specific complaint transmitted to it.

(4) The Special Resource Group consisting of the six panel members not assigned to Special Committees shall serve as Special Conciliators; as a resource for complainants who need advice or help in focusing issues or drafting a complaint; or as substitutes (chosen randomly) to serve on the ARRC or Special Committees. At least one member of this group must be an Extension Educator.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Once a Special Committee has been formed, the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee will have no further jurisdiction over the case unless asked in accord with procedures to settle procedural issues. The Special Committee must then follow the rules and procedures appropriate to itself, including the reporting requirements, as specified below. Following a final report on an assigned case, a special committee shall be dissolved.

SPECIAL COMMITTEES

SPECIAL ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND TENURE COMMITTEE

JURISDICTION AND MEMBERSHIP

The Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee shall appoint an Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee in cases coming within the jurisdiction of an Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee under Section 4.14.2 (a) and (b) of the Regents Bylaws. A Special Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee shall consist of six tenured faculty members appointed from the Panel by the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee. (Appointments shall be made in accord with the section titled "Formation of Special Committees" on ARRC page 5 of this syllabus)

RESPONSIBILITIES

(1) A Special Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee shall have powers and be subject to procedural requirements pursuant to section 4.14 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents.

(2) A Special Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee shall study the matter referred to it and make known its findings and recommendations to the Board of Regents, to the President, to the Chancellor, and to the person or persons concerned.

(3) A Special Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee shall present a report and appropriate recommendations to the Faculty Senate President, the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee and to any other person or persons or body that, in its judgment, should be informed of its findings or recommendations. At the conclusion of its work the Special Committee shall present an informational report to the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee and to the Faculty Senate President. The Special Committee is then dissolved.

SPECIAL GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE

JURISDICTION AND MEMBERSHIP

The Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee may appoint a Special Grievance Committee whenever it decides that a complaint does not fall under the provisions of Section 4.14.2 of the Regents Bylaws and decides that the matter cannot be resolved expeditiously through conciliation. A Grievance Committee shall consist of six faculty members appointed from the Panel by the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee. (Appointments shall be made in accord with the section titled "Formation of Special Committees" on ARRC page 5 of this syllabus.)

RESPONSIBILITIES

(1) A Special Grievance Committee shall have powers and be subject to procedural requirements pursuant to section 4.13 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents.

(2) A Special Grievance Committee shall investigate the matter referred to it and make known its findings and recommendations to the person(s) concerned, to the Chancellor and/or other administrators concerned, including appropriate deans, directors, and vice chancellors, and to the President of the Faculty Senate.

(3) At the conclusion of its work the Special Grievance Committee shall present a report to the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee. The Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee shall determine whether the Special Grievance Committee recommendations have been implemented or acted upon by the person(s) and/or administrative unit(s) involved and shall report the status of cases to the President of the Faculty Senate.

SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT COMMITTEE

 JURISDICTION AND MEMBERSHIP

The Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee shall appoint a Special Professional Conduct Committee to deal with certain cases, as indicated in section 4.15 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents. A Special Professional Conduct Committee also may be appointed at the request of a person who faces allegations of professional misconduct.

A Special Professional Conduct Committee shall consist of six faculty members appointed from the Panel by the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee.

RESPONSIBILITIES

(1) A Special Professional Conduct Committee shall have powers and shall follow procedures pursuant to section 4.15 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents.

NOTE: The standards of professional conduct which are applicable are generally described in the following section of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents:

3.4 Conditions of Employment for Professional Staff

3.8 Conflict of Interest

3.9 Political Activities of Employees

3.10 Patent Policy

3.11 Sale of Books and Supplies to students; Copyrights and Royalties

4.1 Academic Responsibility

4.6 Evaluation of Faculty Performance

Other sources for standards of professional conduct applicable in particular cases can be found in the procedures of the committee.

(2) A Special Professional Conduct Committee shall investigate, conclude, advise, and recommend in cases brought, at the request of a member of the professional staff who faces allegations of professional misconduct, in an attempt to answer and rectify allegations of professional misconduct with which he/she has been charged.

(3) A Special Professional Conduct Committee shall study the charge and advise the person filing the charge, the person against whom the charge is filed, and any other appropriate persons or groups, concerning its conclusions and factual findings. It also shall be the duty of the Special Committee to recommend to an appropriate University officer or group whether action should be taken with respect to the charge, and the nature of such action.

(4) At the conclusion of its work, the special Committee shall present an informational report to the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee and to the Faculty Senate President. The Special Committee is then dissolved.