.

I.  Mission, Philosophy and Structure

A. Mission and Philosophy

The philosophy of the College of Nursing emerges from the official statement of philosophy and mission of the University of South Carolina.  The mission of the College of Nursing is to provide quality teaching, research, and service programs to address health needs and interests of South Carolina, the nation, and the international community. The philosophical statement addresses the metaparadigm concepts of nursing, health, person, and environment as well as the core concepts and principles that guide the educational process.

Nursing
Nursing is the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems in collaboration with clients, other health professionals, and/or society (American Nurses Association [ANA], 1980, 1995). Nurses are committed to the care and nurturing of healthy and ill individuals, groups, and local and global communities. Nursing practice encompasses four essential features (ANA,1995):

Nursing is a practice profession and an essential component of the multidisciplinary health-care system.  As such nursing shares with other disciplines the responsibilities for meeting societal health care needs.  Nursing practice incorporates knowledge generated from nursing science and from other disciplines in the health and social sciences.  Professional nursing practice occurs within a wide range of settings and specialties and is tailored to diverse social, economic, and technological conditions and resources.  The professional nurse is responsible and accountable for using clinical reasoning; making complex decisions; recognizing client autonomy; influencing health care through policy development; testing theory through practice; promoting nursing research; upholding current standards of practice; being culturally competent, and adhering to legal and ethical guidelines.  Nursing practice includes both direct and indirect interventions on behalf of clients.  These interventions are aimed at promoting, maintaining and restoring health of individuals, families, and local and global communities.

Health/Illness
Health and illness are interactive experiences, which are coexistent.  Health and illness reflect the quality of the person-environment interaction.  Health and illness are defined and experienced by individuals, families, and local and global communities.  Ultimately the individual assigns to the health/illness experience its unique meaning.  Genetics, education, economics, living environment, work, and personal life-style choices influence health.  Health is a shared responsibility between patient and health care provider.

Person
Persons are complex beings with values, feelings, beliefs, and needs that influence their decisions and behavior; yet share common attributes with other people.  Persons are conceptualized as growing and developing toward increasing complexity and diversity as they continually interact with their environment.   Human responses are manifestations of the interactions between the individual and the environment.

Persons have certain basic rights, which include the right of access to care and participation in decision-making about their own health care.  As health care consumers, persons participate in their health care as individuals, families, and local and global communities to achieve identified health outcomes.  Persons are becoming more knowledgeable about their health and the application of new scientific information through easier technological access to health information; are more understanding of human differences and alternative world views through the emerging of a global community; and are more cognizant of economic, political, social, and historical contexts that influence human responses.

Environment
The many types of environments provide the context and settings in which health care is delivered.  These settings influence the nature of human responses and nursing interventions.  Using this environmental background, nurses facilitate provision of health promotion, risk reduction, and disease prevention strategies for patients, families, and local and global communities through a seamless health care system.

Although persons are part of an integrated, global community, they live and develop as members of diverse cultural and social groups that influence individual values, beliefs, and health practices.  Within communities and societies, there are social and political systems to provide for the protection, education, health, and socialization of its members.   Global communities consist of interacting systems that influence the quality and direction of life of its members.  The environment has permeable boundaries that are constantly changing.  Nurses, cognizant of these changes, use knowledge and technology to (1) develop partnerships with education, service, and research systems and (2) influence sociopolitical entities to improve health care.

Education
Education is an interactive process between learners and teachers, which is influenced in part by varying learning rates, styles, stages of learner development, and learner capacities to synthesize and use knowledge. Education for the profession involves the acquisition of a body of specialized knowledge and skills and the socialization of the learner into the professional role necessary to function in an increasingly technological society. Education also provides the skills necessary to create, adapt, and respond to change based on the dynamic nature of our environment and students.  Professional nursing education anticipates future roles and directions as the scope of nursing practice evolves within a changing society.  The core of quality education is a cadre of expert faculty who are involved in practice, research, and leadership.

The teaching/learning environment ensures the development of professional nursing practice knowledge and skills and emphasizes the process of inquiry as a means for life-long learning.  Faculty recognize that the use of new technology changes the teaching/learning environment and the learner needs to use informatic skills to maximize learning.  Flexible teaching/learning strategies are used to accommodate the varying learning styles of learners.

Faculty facilitate active learning by structuring the learning environment; organizing facts and ideas; promoting a spirit of inquiry; and encouraging autonomy, creativity, and personal development.  Faculty assess student progress and implement activities to achieve program outcomes. Faculty serve as role models in practice, research, and leadership.

Students are responsible for the active pursuit of knowledge, preparation for and participation in learning experiences, involvement in activities and organizations concerned with current issues, generation of new areas of inquiry through critical thinking and problem solving, and continued personal development.  Student outcomes from the educational experiences are expected to be:

References
American Nurses Association. (1980). Nursing: A Social Policy Statement. Kansas City, MO: Author.
American Nurses Association. (1995). Nursing's Social Policy Statement. Washington, DC: Author.
                                                                      Approved by the Curricular Committee on January 11, 2002

B. College Goals

1. Achieve recognition for excellence in undergraduate and graduate programs.

2. Achieve recognition as one of the top 5 Research Programs in the Southeast.

3. Achieve recognition for innovation in practice and leadership development.

4. Promote excellence through collaboration.

5. Enhance College visibility.

Revised 2005

C. Undergraduate Curriculum Conceptual Framework

The undergraduate curriculum framework is based on the College of Nursing philosophy, the nursing metaparadigm and Majory Gordon's Functional interrelationships among people, environment, health and nursing. Specifically, people are conceptualized as growing and developing toward increasing complexity and diversity as they interact with their environment. These individuals, families, groups, and communities are autonomous, culturally diverse, and assign unique meaning to health and illness. As consumers of health services, people participate with health care providers to achieve health outcomes.

While there are many types of environments, personal, social, and institutional, the undergraduate curriculum is focused on the settings and contexts in which health care is delivered. Specifically, the home, rural, community, acute, and extended care and rehabilitation facilities are the primary settings utilized for undergraduate clinical experiences. These settings influence the nature of human responses and nursing interventions.

Health and illness are coexistent processes reflected in human responses arising from person-environment interaction. Health status is conceptualized using Majory Gordon's Human Response Patterns as an organizing framework for the development of clinical reasoning, critical thinking, decision making skills and application of the nursing process. Nursing interventions are aimed at promoting, maintaining and restoring health of individuals, families and communities.

Concepts, theories and research from nursing science and other disciplines provide a theoretical, ethical, legal and collaborative base for the care, counseling and education that is involved in nursing practice. Other dimensions of nursing practice that influence health outcomes are professionalism, leadership, accountability, philosophical beliefs and communication within nursing and among other health care professionals.
                                                                                                                                                      Revised 1999

D.Educational Programs

1. Baccalaureate Philosophy and Objectives

Baccalaureate education in nursing provides the knowledge and skills prerequisite to beginning professional practice in the care, counseling, and education of consumers in a variety of settings. Baccalaureate preparation in nursing builds on a liberal education and provides the foundation for continuing professional development and for graduate study. Baccalaureate nursing education is designed to encourage synthesis of the knowledge and skills needed to promote, maintain, and restore health of individuals, families and communities. Concepts, theories, and research findings from nursing and other disciplines provide the conceptual base for generalist nursing practice. Breadth of knowledge about characteristic human responses permits the generalist to diagnose and treat human responses to actual or potential health problems in diverse settings, age groups, and cultures. The baccalaureate educational process is designed to facilitate the development of leadership behaviors in nursing and with interdisciplinary health teams.

The baccalaureate nursing graduate is prepared to contribute to the development of nursing research by generating research questions, by fostering a climate of critical acceptance of research activities, by facilitating the dissemination of research findings, by applying established findings in practice, and by participating in nursing research as subject, data collector, research assistant, and clinical collaborator.

Socialization into the roles and functions of the professional nurse and of the professional person in society is facilitated by faculty as they demonstrate expertise and commitment in the classroom, clinical area, and community through role modeling and other teaching behaviors. The teaching learning environment promotes the development of critical and creative thinking, problem solving and diagnostic reasoning, professional values, and autonomy and emphasizes the process of inquiry as a means for continued learning. The purposes of the baccalaureate program are to prepare professional nurses who can practice as generalists in the care, counseling, and education of consumers in a variety of settings; provide a base for continued professional and personal development; and provide a foundation for graduate education.

Objectives of the baccalaureate program are derived from AACN’s Essentials of Baccalaureate Education (1998) and the PEW Competencies (1998):

a. Exhibit professional and personal ethical behavior in all activities;

b. Provides evidence based clinically competent care across the continuum of care;

c. Demonstrate cultural awareness, sensitivity, and competency in providing nursing care to individuals, families, and groups within a diverse community;

d. Make clinical judgments using reflection, critical thinking and problem solving skills;

e. Perform health promotion, risk reduction & disease prevention activities for individuals, groups and populations;

f. Use information and health care technologies;

g. Perform the professional roles of provider of care, coordinator of care, member of a profession and life long learner;

h. Work as a member of the interdisciplinary health care team;

i. Assume leadership roles within one’s scope of practice.
                                                                                                          Revised 11/16/01

The focus of graduate education in nursing is the systematic study of the relationships between and among nursing theory, practice, and research. Out of this study, students develop a philosophy of advanced practice and acquire knowledge, skills, ethics, and rules of professional conduct which they apply in care of individuals, families, groups, and communities.

Faculty believe that the teaching-learning environment at the graduate level provides opportunities for critical inquiry, dialogue, creativity, and independent learning commensurate with the expanding scientific-conceptual base of the discipline and experiential base of faculty and students. Differing cognitive styles, professional backgrounds, life experiences, and educational foci necessitate the use of flexible teaching-learning strategies.

Master's education expands upon attitudes, knowledge, and skills introduced in baccalaureate education, and prepares graduates for leadership in specialized advanced practice roles. Master's education involves the scientific investigation of nursing phenomena and expansion of nursing science through the critical examination, clinical testing, and application of theory within the role and context of students' clinical areas of emphasis. Specialization is based on a core of common knowledge and a focal area of theoretical knowledge and clinical practice.  For the master's student, supervised clinical experiences provide opportunity to learn the scope and standards of the specialty area, refine existing practice, initiate and evaluate new practice knowledge, and develop expert skills.  Socialization of master's students to the specialty role is facilitated by interaction with faculty role models and preceptors in professional practice.

Doctoral education in nursing is developing along two major pathways:  (a) the traditional research degree (the PhD) and (b) the practice doctorate (the DNP). The PhD degree is designed to prepare nurses to conduct independent research, generate theories, critically analyze existing theories relevant to the discipline of nursing, and facilitate the use of new knowledge in nursing practice. PhD students require supervised research experience in collaboration with faculty mentors to enable them to develop expertise in research and scholarship.  Through this collaboration, PhD students gain the requisite knowledge to conduct research and test theories that contribute to the improvement of patient care.  Through PhD education, students develop the foundation for continued evolution of their personal programs of nursing research. The DNP degree prepares nurses for an expanded scope of leadership in advanced practice. The focus of the program is on advanced practice, skills of research utilization, program development and evaluation, and the technological, political, and managerial skills needed in nursing leadership roles. 

Objectives of the Master's Program

Specifically, students in the master's program of the college acquire:

a)       knowledge and skills required for advanced nursing practice.

b)       ability to apply theory and research in practice.

c)       leadership skills for advanced nursing practice.

Objectives of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

Specifically, students in the DNP program acquire skills to:

a)       manage health care of individuals and/or communities in complex health care systems.

b)       conduct research utilization studies to innovate practice.

c)       influence health care policy at the local, state, and national levels.

d)       assume leadership roles in health care.

Objectives of the PhD Program

Specifically, students in the doctoral program acquire:

a) knowledge and skills to conduct research which is theory generating and/or theory testing.

b) ability to generate and refine nursing science as the basis for nursing practice, education, and administration.

1999

The College of Nursing offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science, the Doctor of Nursing Practice, and the Master of Science in Nursing degrees which are awarded through the Graduate School.  Also offered are programs leading to master's degrees from the College of Nursing and the Department of Public Administration in the School of Public Health and Post-Master's Certificates of Advanced Practice Nursing and Nursing Administration. The purpose of the PhD program is to prepare professional nurses for research and theory development. The purpose of the DNP program is to prepare nurses for advanced practice leadership. The master's and post-master's programs prepare professional nurses for careers in advanced practice as clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, or other areas of advanced practice.

The DNP degree is designed to prepare nurses as scholars to assume advanced practice and leadership roles. The DNP program spans three to four years of full-time study with three entry points, depending upon prior educational experience.  Doctor of Nursing Practice students are eligible to sit for a national certification examination in an area of specialization after they complete the DNP program.  Depending upon elective sequences selected, students may be able to prepare for additional specialty certification examinations. The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program requires a minimum of 83 credits for a BSN prepared student and can be completed in three years (including two summers) of full-time study. Other entry options are available. Regardless of the option entry, the program must be completed in eight years.

1999

The PhD program offers a foundation of core courses in nursing theory development, research, and statistics. Upon completion of these core courses, students take a candidacy exam. Program options build on core courses and provide for development of individualized programs of study, which include the preparation and defense of the doctoral dissertation. Program requirements are distributed across 28 credit hours of core courses, 18 credit hours of contributing courses, a mentored research experience, and 12 credit hours for dissertation preparation. PhD requirements must be completed within eight years.

The MSN program includes four majors: administration, clinical nursing (with emphases in acute care and women’s health), community mental health and psychiatric nursing, and health nursing (with emphases in community health and primary care). Foundation courses include nursing theory, research methodology, role development, and statistics.  Advanced practice core courses include pharmacology, pathophysiology, and physical assessment.  Full-time and part-time study in the 38 to 45-credit-hour master's programs may be initiated in the fall, spring, or summer academic sessions. Program requirements must be completed within six years.

Certificates of Graduate Study in Advanced Practice Nursing and Nursing Administration are restricted to students who hold master's degrees in nursing.  Interdisciplinary certificates of graduate study are available in Gerontology (24 credit hours), Women’s Studies (18 credit hours), and Alcohol and Drug Studies (18 credit hours).

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program requires 128 credit hours of study in general education and professional nursing. General education and lower division nursing courses provide the prerequisite knowledge base in nursing, humanities, and natural, biological, and behavioral sciences. Upper division courses focus on application of nursing theory and research to the care of individuals, families, groups, and communities in a variety of health care settings.

Many graduate courses and some undergraduate courses are offered through distance technology (live television, video cassette, and/or the Internet). 

The baccalaureate and master's programs are nationally accredited. The baccalaureate program, leading to eligibility for licensure in professional nursing in South Carolina, is approved by the State Board of Nursing for South Carolina. 

                                           Approved by the College of Nursing Faculty: January 22, 1999

E. Faculty Organization (Bylaws)

ARTICLE I
Organization

Name

The name of the organization shall be the Faculty of the College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia.

Purpose

The purpose of the organization is to implement the legislative powers of the faculty which are: "all matters pertaining to the standards of admission, registration, requirements for and the granting of degrees earned in course, the curriculum, instruction, research, extracurricular activities, discipline of students, the educational policies, and standards of the University, and all other matters pertaining to the conduct of faculty affairs, including the discipline of their own members."* "Within the limits established by the Board of Trustees and the policies and rules of the University faculty, the faculty of a college or school or department shall determine the educational policies of that division."**

* 2000 USC Faculty Manual.
** Op. Cit. p. 22.

All faculty of the College of Nursing, Columbia campus, having the rank of professor, associate professor, and assistant professor shall be voting members of the organization.  Clinical faculty, research faculty and full-time instructors may speak to all issues and have the same voting privileges as tenure track faculty on internal College matters, but may not vote on proposals that require action outside the College (typically this involves recommendations from Student Affairs, and Curricula Committees.)  Affiliated faculty and part-time faculty are non-voting members of the organization, but may speak to all issues.

Students may attend faculty meetings and may receive permission to speak; they do not have a vote.

Dues

Dues shall be determined by faculty action at the annual meeting.

Officers

Chair of the Faculty/Presiding Officer
The Chair of the Faculty shall be elected for a three year term and shall hold the rank of tenured associate or full professor.  The Chair of the Faculty shall preside over meetings of the faculty.  The Chair of the Faculty shall appoint a temporary presiding officer when necessary.

Secretary
The faculty shall elect a secretary biennially and an assistant secretary, if desired, who shall keep the official minutes of all meetings of the general faculty, assist in compiling the agenda, and collect and distribute annual committee reports.  The secretary of the faculty will note in the faculty meeting minutes all the decisions that should be recorded in the Faculty Manual or forwarded to the Faculty Senate or Graduate Council.

Treasurer  The faculty shall elect a treasurer biennially who shall be responsible for collecting dues and for distributing funds.

Faculty Meetings

Regular Meetings Meetings of the faculty shall be held at least once a semester during the academic year.

Special Meetings Special meetings may be called by the Dean and Chair of Faculty. When five or more faculty request a special meeting the Dean or the Chair shall call the meeting. At least one week's notice shall be given prior to holding special meetings.

Annual Meeting The annual meeting shall be held in the month prior to Spring commencement and will include but not be limited to election results and annual administrative and standing committee reports.

Agenda The agenda of Faculty meetings, minutes of previous meetings; if appropriate, and all items to be acted upon at the Faculty meeting shall be distributed to the membership a minimum of five working days prior to the meeting.

Quorum A majority of members eligible to vote on the issue shall constitute a quorum at any faculty or committee meeting.

Voting   Faculty voting may occur through secret ballot, by voice vote, or hand count during regular or called faculty meetings, or by Local Area Network (LAN) vote.  Ballots for elections are administered by the Nomination and Bylaws Committee.  Unless requested by the Chair of the Faculty, the Dean, or a vote of the faculty, voting in regular or special elections occurs by voice vote or hand count.

                                                                                                                                           Revision 2005
ARTICLE II
Standing Committees

The standing committees as established by the faculty shall be:

Elected Committees

1. Curricula
2. Educational Resources and Technology
3. Nominations and Bylaws
4. Practice Plan Executive
5. Research & Ethics
6. Special Events
7. Student Affairs
8. Dean's Administrative Council

Non-elected Committees

1. Clinical Faculty Evaluation & Promotions
2. Faculty Search
3. Safety
4. Tenure and Promotion

Committee Membership
Chairs. Standing committees as specified in these bylaws shall have chairs elected by the faculty at-large. Chairs of the other non-elected committees shall be selected by the committee members before the first faculty meeting of the academic year. The term of office for committee chair is two years. Chairs may serve no more than two consecutive terms on one committee without a break in service.

Faculty Members. Voting faculty members of standing elected committees shall be elected by the faculty at large as specified in these bylaws.  Tenure track, clinical faculty, research faculty and instructors may serve on standing committees as specified in these bylaws.  Affiliated faculty and part-time faculty members may serve on College standing committees with full voting privileges in committee meetings.

Research Faculty. Research faculty are eligible to serve on College committees and eligible (but not required) to serve as research committee chair. Research faculty are eligible to serve as members of and chair, honors college theses, masters theses, research utilization projects, and dissertation committees.

Staff Members. Staff members are appointed to committees based on position in the College by College administrator, as designated in the composition of selected committees.  Ex-officio members are appointed to selected committees per need.

Student Members. Student members may serve on College standing committees as provided for in composition of committees and have full voting privileges in the committee meetings. The procedure for selecting student members shall be established by the student organization(s) of the College in consultation with the Nomination and By-Laws Committee. Each student shall have an alternate who has full voting privileges only when the regular student is not present at the meeting.

The following eligibility criteria shall pertain to students of standing committees:

1. Undergraduate students shall be enrolled in the upper division courses and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

2. Registered nurse and graduate students shall be enrolled in at least 6 credits and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

3. A student may not serve on more than two committees concurrently.

If student members are not designated by October 1 of any year, the Chair of each standing committee shall appoint members, in consultation with Student Services, who meet the above criteria.

Ex-Officio Members. Ex-officio members serve on committees by virtue of position rather than election.  The Dean and Chair of the Faculty are ex-officio members of all committees. Ex-officio members of standing committees have voice but no voting privileges.

Term of Office The regular term of office for elected members is two years, beginning in May and terminating September 1 of the designated academic year.  These terms of office on standing committees overlap during the Summer months.  Faculty shall be elected at staggered two-year terms.  Members may serve for two terms; including terms as chair, and then may not be re-elected to the same committee until one year has elapsed.  Students may serve for one year and may be re-elected for a second term.

Elections   Elections shall be conducted by the Nominations and Bylaws Committee during each Spring semester.  The committee shall solicit nominations in March, present a slate of nominees for office to the faculty in April for additional nominations, and conduct the election by mailed ballot two weeks prior to the annual meeting (see Nominations and Bylaws Committee Functions.)

Duties of Standing Committee

In addition to functions defined in these bylaws, all standing committees shall:

Secretarial Support for Committees The Curricula, Student Affairs, Educational Resources and Technology, and Tenure and Promotions Committees may have action items that leave the college for approval and/or follow-up.  A staff member from the Office of Academic Affairs, the Office of Student Services, the Information Resource Center, and the office of the Dean will support the work of the respective committee by their attendance and note taking, if that is the desire of the committee chair.  Chairs of the remaining standing and appointed committees may choose to rotate members to take minutes or elect a faculty secretary.

ELECTED COMMITTEES

Curricular Committee

Purposes
To initiate, review, and submit for faculty approval, proposals for College of Nursing programs and courses.

To represent the faculty of the College of Nursing in matters pertaining to the undergraduate program that are submitted to the Faculty Senate.

To represent the faculty of the College of Nursing in matters pertaining to the graduate programs that are submitted to the Graduate School.

Composition
The composition of the committee should reflect all undergraduate and graduate programs and include some members who teach in more than one program or level.  Membership on the committee is open to all full-time faculty members in both clinical and tenure tracks.

Voting Members, elected at large:
The Chair who is a member of the tenure track faculty
Four tenure-track faculty
Four clinical faculty

One student representative from each of the following educational levels:
     -          Undergraduate
     -          Master’s        
     -          Doctoral

Ex-Officio member:
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Functions
Collaborate with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs on curricula matters.

Initiate proposals for new or revised courses and programs.

Review proposals for new or revised courses and programs submitted by individual faculty, task forces, or other committees or subcommittees, according to established college guidelines.

Periodically review and propose revisions to programs, courses, and curricula, as the need is indicated by periodic review and/or course and program evaluations.

Periodically review and monitor programs, courses, and curricula, through the use of College evaluation materials and other relevant databases.

Inform the Student Affairs Committee of issues related to undergraduate and graduate programs that would impact admission, progression, and graduation policies and procedures.

Make recommendations to the faculty regarding undergraduate and graduate courses, programs, and curricula.  

Educational Resources and Technology Committee

Purpose
To establish policies and procedures for the acquisition, coordination, and use of educational resources and technology.

Composition
The Chair, elected at large; three faculty members, elected from the Faculty at large; the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; the Information Technology Manager, the Director of the Information Resource Center; the Director of the Client Simulated Lab (CSL); one undergraduate and one graduate student representative.

Functions
Designate a member of the Committee as the Library Representative.

Evaluate and recommend acquisitions to the University libraries.

Annually review and recommend to the Information Resource Center acquisition of hardware, software, audio/visual, and clinical laboratory collections.

Periodically review policies of the Information Resource Center and recommend changes to the faculty for action.

Receive and discuss faculty, staff, and student technology and information resources issues and discuss with appropriate college personnel to implement solutions.

Nominations and Bylaws Committee

Purpose
To provide for election of faculty to standing committees, college offices, and Faculty Senate; to propose changes to the bylaws of the faculty organization, and to conduct voting in special circumstances.

Composition
The Chair, elected at large from faculty; one clinical faculty member elected at large; and one tenure-track faculty member elected at large.                                                                                                                                                                                     Functions
Conduct regular and special elections:

-          Develop appropriate slate of nominees for office

-          Conduct elections by mailed ballot

-          Report election results

-          Destroy ballots after election

-          Retain a copy of the teller's report.

Conduct secret ballots or LAN voting when specified by the Dean, Chair of the Faculty, or faculty vote.

Appoint faculty members to fill unexpired, at-large terms until term expiration.

Review bylaws and recommend changes to the faculty.

Collaborate with the Offices of Academic Affairs and Student Services in identification of student members for standing committees.

Practice Plan Executive Committee

Purpose
To provide leadership in the implementation, promotion, and evaluation of the practice mission of the College of Nursing .

Composition
The Chair and two faculty, elected at large from among members of the practice plan; the Dean; Associate Dean for Nursing Practice, Business Manager, Human Resources Coordinator, a representative of College Practice Sites; and the faculty representative to the Educational Trust Board.

Functions
Propose practice plan policy consistent with University, College, and Educational Trust standards to the faculty for action.

Advise and assist the Dean, upon request, in matters relating to practice initiatives of the College.

Assist in increasing the visibility of practice activities of the College.

Make recommendations regarding development and allocation of the College practice resources.

Assess feasibility of requests to use practice clients or sites for research proposals or new clinical initiatives.

Assist in developing collaborative and interdisciplinary practice initiatives.

Provide a faculty representative to the Educational Trust Board.

Recommend students and faculty for selected practice awards.

Research and Ethics Committee

Purpose
To provide leadership in the implementation, promotion, and evaluation of the research mission of the College of Nursing; and to review unfunded and intramurally funded proposals of faculty, staff, and students of the College of Nursing.

Composition
The Chair elected at large; 5 faculty members elected at large (3 of whom must be doctorally prepared and at least 1 member must be clinical track faculty); the Associate Dean for Research, an  ex-officio representative from Alpha Xi Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau’s Research Committee, and one doctoral student member.  One member will be appointed as the Institutional Review Board Liaison (IRBL).  An alternative liaison will be appointed to avoid potential conflicts of interest.

Functions 
Advise and assist the Associate Dean for Research, upon request, in matters relating to the research mission of the College.

Assist in increasing the visibility of the research mission of the College.

Make recommendations regarding development and allocation of the College research resources.

Act as an advisory review group for selected research proposals on faculty request.

Assist in developing collaborative and interdisciplinary research efforts.

Recommend students and faculty for selected research awards.

Implement guidelines as prescribed by the USC Office of Research Compliance and the Institutional Review Board.

Special Events Committee

Purpose
To plan and implement activities that promote faculty and staff camaraderie and well-being.

To assist as needed with College of Nursing special events that promote mission of college.

Composition
The Special Events Committee consists of:  The Chair elected at large; 2 faculty members elected from the Faculty at large, and the Treasurer of the Faculty.

Functions
Submit a budget to the Treasurer at the beginning of the fall semester.

Collaborate with the Treasurer in determining the amount of yearly dues and guidelines for expenditures.

Extend wishes for recovery, congratulations, or sympathy to the faculty and other appropriate individuals.

Plan and implement social functions for the faculty and when appropriate collaborate with the Dean’s Office for special events of the College.

Organize efforts to aid faculty and appropriate others at the College who experience a crisis event.

Designate chairperson of the Special Events Committee.

Guidelines for use of dues:

     -   Flowers, a gift, or a memorial for faculty members who have  been hospitalized or  who have had a death in the immediate family.

     -   Cards of congratulations, wishes for recovery or sympathy for staff, friends, and associates of the College of Nursing .

     -   Social functions and other faculty special events.

Student Affairs Committee

Purpose
To consider polices on admission, progression, and graduation across all programs.  To represent student and faculty interests in considering student awards, petitions, requests, and alleged infractions of the code of student academic responsibility.

Composition
A chair, elected at large from among tenured faculty; four faculty elected at large (two faculty who primarily teach graduate courses, and two faculty primarily who teach undergraduate courses), Associate Dean for Academic Affairs  (ex-officio), four student representatives (one traditional undergraduate, one RN undergraduate student, one Master's, and one Doctoral-level student).

Functions
Formulate and implement policies and procedures for the granting of student academic awards. 

Receive and act on petitions and requests regarding academic requirements, standards, policies, and practices of the College and University.

Conduct hearings in cases of alleged infractions of the code of Student Academic Responsibility, in accordance with guidelines published in the Carolina Community.

Monitor admission, progression, and graduation policies.

Make recommendations to the faculty regarding admission, progression, and graduation policies, and procedures related to students.

Dean’s Administrative Council

Purpose
To provide a mechanism for the leadership among the college Administration and Faculty to facilitate achievement of the mission and goals of the College of Nursing .  The Council receives information from and provides information to the Dean, and engages in dialogue about policies and issues concerning faculty, students, academic programs, research, practice, and the community.

Composition
Council membership consists of the Dean (Chair), Associate Deans for Academic Affairs and Research, Associate Dean for Nursing Practice, Chair of the Faculty, and one tenure-track and one clinical track faculty member elected at large.

Functions
Advise the Dean on matters and policies related to administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
Examine needs of the College and propose allocation of resources.
Share information, ideas, and plans with the Dean of the College.
Coordinate overlapping responsibilities of the members of the Council.
Approve Clinical Faculty Guidelines for Retention and Promotion.
Recommend to the Dean candidates for the Friend of the College of Nursing Award.
Coordinate selection for faculty awards.
Facilitate communication among administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
Revise the College Evaluation Plan and related documents, along with other College documents as appropriate that address overlap in roles of faculty and administration.

NON-ELECTED COMMITTEES

Clinical Faculty Evaluation and Promotions Committee

Purpose
To evaluate academic performance of clinical faculty in areas of teaching, scholarship, and service and make recommendations to the Chair of the Faculty, Graduate Director and Dean.

To collaborate with the Dean, administrative officers and faculty to recruit, develop, and retain clinical faculty needed to accomplish the goals of the College of Nursing .

Composition
The Clinical Faculty Evaluation and Promotions Committee shall be composed of Clinical Faculty who have full-time status of at least five (5) years and who have the rank of Assistant Professor or above.

Functions
To establish, disseminate, and implement specific criteria, policies, and procedures for appointment, evaluation, and promotion of clinical faculty established by the College of Nursing . 

Recommend clinical faculty to the Chair of the Faculty for annual reappointment and for promotion in accordance with the College of Nursing Clinical Faculty criteria.

Recommend clinical faculty to the Graduate Director for Graduate Faculty Term Membership

Screen clinical faculty applicants and make recommendations on appointment and rank to the Chair of the Faculty.

Designate chairperson of the Clinical Faculty Evaluation and Promotions Committee.

Develop and implement procedures for annual evaluation of Clinical Faculty in accordance with College of Nursing Clinical Faculty criteria.

Faculty Search Committee

Purpose
To coordinate the interview and selection process of potential tenure-track faculty.

Composition
Committee membership consists of three (3) tenured faculty.  One member of the committee is designated as the affirmative action advocate who will contact the Human Resources Coordinator and the affirmative action officer for orientation to the task.

Functions
Meets with the Dean annually to discuss vacancies, financial resources, administrative concerns, affirmative action, and confidentiality issues.

Reviews curriculum vita of all applicants to assess teaching and research match with College of Nursing programmatic, teaching and research needs.

Develops interview agenda for candidate, which includes meetings with the search committee, college faculty and administrators, faculty in other disciplines as appropriate, and a formal presentation.

Tabulates faculty and administrator evaluations of visiting candidates and makes a recommendation to the Dean.

Designates Chairperson of committee.

College Safety Committee

Purpose
Review, revise, and maintain CON safety/compliance policies as they relate to students, faculty, and staff.  Policies for protection against Blood Borne Diseases and for actions needed to encourage safety within the CON.

Composition
The CON Human Resources Director, the Assistant Dean for Student Services, Director of the Information Resource Center , two faculty representatives, one representative from College’s practice site, and the USC Occupational Health Nurse (ex-officio) will serve as a Consultant.

Functions
Ensure that each agency with which the CON has a written contract has a policy regarding bloodborne disease exposure and that the policy is available to students.

Review, revise, and recommend to the Dean CON policies and procedures related to student, faculty, and staff safety while in the CON. 

Review the findings of the USC Fire Marshal’s report of his/her inspection of the College of Nursing building and initiate measures as necessary to address safety issues that are identified.

Tenure and Promotions Committee

Purpose
To establish, disseminate, and implement specific College of Nursing criteria, policies, and procedures for appointment, evaluation, promotion, tenure, non-reappointment, and termination of faculty, in accordance with established University policies.

To collaborate with the Dean, administrative officers, and standing committees of the College of Nursing to recruit, develop, and retain faculty needed to accomplish the goals of the College of Nursing .

Composition
The Tenure and Promotions Committee shall be composed of all tenured faculty in the College of Nursing.

Functions
Recommend faculty to the Dean for tenure, promotion, non-reappointment, and termination in accordance with University policies and College of Nursing criteria.

Convey to the Dean and Graduate Director names of tenure-track faculty approved for retention as Graduate Faculty at times of third-year, tenure, and post-tenure reviews.

Screen tenure-track faculty applicants and make recommendations on appointment and rank to the Dean.

Develop and implement procedures for annual evaluation of faculty in accordance with University policies and College of Nursing criteria.

Develop and implement procedures governing the functions of the Tenure and Promotions Committee in accordance with University policies.

Designate chairperson of the Tenure and Promotions Committee.

                                                                                                                             Revisions 2005, 2006
ARTICLE III
Special Committees

Special/Ad Hoc Committees and Task Forces

Special/ad hoc committees or task forces may be appointed by the Dean, Chair of the Faculty, and/or committee chairs or elected by the faculty as necessary. The purpose, duration, and membership of  special/ad hoc committees and task forces will be filed with the secretary of the faculty organization on an annual basis by the chair of the committee. Each special/ad hoc committee shall ask students to serve unless the Dean or the faculty appointing the committee decide that student membership is not feasible or appropriate

The duration of special/ad hoc committees shall usually be one year or less. These committees may be extended by faculty vote at the annual meeting.

The Chair of Faculty or person(s) appointing the special/ad hoc committee will designate a standing committee to which special/ad hoc committees or task forces will provide a report.
 

ARTICLE IV
Amendments

Amendments to the Bylaws With Notice

The Bylaws may be amended at any regular or special faculty meeting by a majority vote of the faculty. The proposed amendments shall be distributed to all faculty members at least one week before the date of the meeting at which they are to be presented.

Without Notice

The Bylaws may be amended at any annual meeting by a three fourths vote of the faculty without previous notice.

Effective Date of Bylaws

Amendments to the Bylaws shall become effective upon their acceptance by the faculty.

Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the faculty in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Bylaws.  The Chair of the Faculty may appoint a Parliamentarian if deemed necessary or desirable.