School of Engineering Bylaws, Bioengineering
Policy
Purpose:
To define the rules and regulate the affairs of the School of Engineering.
Applies to:
Faculty and students within the School of Engineering.
Campus:
Lawrence
Policy Statement:
Preface:
The mission of the Bioengineering Graduate Program is to be a national leader in Bioengineering research, educational activities, and technology transfers. MS and PhD Bioengineering students work together with Bioengineering faculty from a wide variety of technical backgrounds on some of the most perplexing and challenging problems in the field.
1. Educational Policies
Educational policies for the Bioengineering Graduate Program are contained within the Graduate Student Handbook.
2. Affiliated Faculty
A Bioengineering Affiliated Faculty Member is a current faculty member at the University of Kansas (housed on any campus) or in affiliated medical centers and research institutes with regular or special member status within the graduate faculty database (as determined by the Graduate Studies office). Affiliated faculty members agree to be listed as such on the Bioengineering website and agree to work directly with the Bioengineering Graduate Program in recruiting students, mentoring graduate research, teaching and/or contributing to program development. The members of the affiliated faculty body are able to supervise graduate theses and dissertations and participate in thesis/dissertation committees in Bioengineering within the bounds of KU Research and Graduate Studies policies. The Bioengineering Program Director, with consultation of the appropriate track directors and leadership faculty, reviews and approves applications for affiliated faculty status.
2. Leadership
Three key leadership faculty members, appointed by the Bioengineering Research Center (BERC) director, serve the program. Terms of service for these positions are three years and are renewable. These are:
1. The Program Director
The Bioengineering Program Director is responsible for the overall integrity, leadership, and management of the MS and PhD degree programs in Bioengineering. The program director is charged with the development of the program and integration between the campuses. This individual is responsible for all funding allocated to the program and represents the program at chairs meetings. The program director controls appointment of GTAs, oversees affiliated faculty appointments, supervises administrative support staff, assures regular meetings of the standing committees, manages the day-to-day operation of the program, and manages issues related to student integrity and conduct.
2. The Associate Director
The Associate Director works with the Program Director to insure the continued growth and success of the program in areas of instruction, curriculum and professional development. He/she is responsible for the admissions process, recruitment of incoming graduate students, and management of funding offers to new students. The associate director is the chair of the admissions and recruitment committee.
3. The Graduate Studies Director
The Graduate Studies Director works with the Program Director and Associate Director to promote the retention and graduation of Bioengineering graduate students. They collectively work to develop and utilize educational resources to achieve excellence in Bioengineering education. The graduate studies director is responsible for convening qualifying exam committees, leading the Bioengineering colloquium, assisting current students with program advising, and approving the engineering graduate plans of study for all Bioengineering students.
Track Directors
In addition to these leadership positions, each of the academic tracks within the program has a Track Director. Track Directors are current Bioengineering faculty affiliates at the University of Kansas (housed on either campus) who are members of the Graduate Faculty with Dissertation status (i.e. allowed chair graduate student dissertation committees). Track director duties can be shared between co-directors. These duties include management of track prerequisites and curricula, track development, advising of students within the track and recruiting of students for the track.
Selection of Track Directors
• The Bioengineering Program Director will request the Bioengineering Faculty Affiliates to nominate a faculty affiliate(s) from within the track to be placed on the ballot for election as Track Director (self-nominations are accepted). Each nominee must be approved by the Director of the Bioengineering Graduate Program in consultation with the Director of the Bioengineering Research Center.
• Track Directors are elected to their position by a simple majority vote of the leadership committee. A quorum is required for a vote. Elections will take place only if any one of the Track Directors’ term is expired, or in the case of a special election (if a track director resigns from the position).
• The standard term of service for a track director is 3 academic years, beginning in a Fall term. Terms are renewable.
2. Standing Committees
Standing Committees provide a venue for exchange of information between faculty and the leadership of the program, and to communicate information to and from the Dean. These committees may recommend the use of physical resources, budgetary matters, personnel practices, and relationships to other elements of the University and broader community.
Unless stated otherwise, all members of a committee have voting rights within that committee. Standing committees are those that address the ongoing activities of the program. The program director will form ad hoc committees to address needs of a more immediate and temporary nature.
Committee membership will be ongoing, unless a faculty member requests to shift his or her participation to a different committee. For all meetings, a majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum.
The following is a list of Bioengineering Standing Committees:
a. Leadership Committee
The primary charge of the Leadership Committee is to provide general oversight of program curriculum and structure. This committee consists of the program director, associate director, graduate studies director, Bioengineering Research Center director and the track directors for each of the Bioengineering tracks. The program director is chair of this committee. This committee conducts a periodic assessment of the curriculum so as to understand how well the curriculum is meeting program and student needs. The Committee develops and reviews proposals for changes in track course requirements, track prerequisites, and examination (qualifier, comprehensive and defense) policies. Changes in track curriculum and prerequisites can be proposed by a track director to the committee after consultation with their track faculty. A majority vote is required to approve curriculum changes within a track. New courses, changes in the required hours for a degree, and new programs may also require engineering senate approval. The committee also approves new track directors and members of the admissions and recruitment committee. Tracks with co-directors shall be represented by 1 vote and a quorum shall be five committee members. The committee also reviews proposals for new tracks within the program. A new track (including an additional member of the leadership committee as track director) requires a 1 month open comment period for the affiliated faculty body followed by a vote by the leadership committee.
b. Admissions and Recruitment Committee
The Admissions and Recruitment Committee is charged with the recruitment and admission of new graduate students. The associate program director is the chair of this committee. The remaining members of the committee are appointed by the program director, with approval of the leadership committee, from the affiliated faculty.
c. Affiliated Faculty Body
All affiliated faculty are members of the Affiliated Faculty Body. Annual meetings of this body allow for updates on program procedures and discussion of curriculum and other issues.
3. Amendments to the Bioengineering Program Bylaws
These bylaws are subject to change as needed to support the best interests of the program. Any affiliated faculty member may propose an amendment to the bylaws. The program director will circulate proposed amendments to the leadership committee at least one week in advance of any meeting or vote on said amendments. The leadership committee shall approve, modify, or reject any proposed bylaws amendment by a 50% quorum.
Contact:
Bioengineering
1132 Learned hall
1530 West 15th Street
Lawrence, KS 66045
785-864-5258
Approved by:
Engineering Faculty Senate
Approved on:
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Effective on:
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Review Cycle:
Annual (As Needed)
Keywords:
Bylaws, Bioengineering, School of Engineering
Change History:
08/02/2024: Converted PDF Policy Statement to live text Policy Statement.
10/28/2021: Uploaded accessible document.
02/25/2014: Approved by Engineering Faculty Senate.
School/College Policy Categories:
Code of Conduct/By-Laws
