- Codified October 22, 1969
- Amended October 11, 1975 and December 15, 1983
- Edited July 1, 1985
- Amended October 24, 1985; September 20, 1990; April 1, 1998; April 19, 2002; April 16, 2003; July 15, 2013; April 1, 2014; and April 14, 2025
- Jurisdiction
- Membership and Meetings
- Permanent Councils
- Communication
- Amendment of Bylaws
- Parliamentary Authority
I. Jurisdiction
The Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences (Dietrich School; Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences; formerly School of Arts and Sciences and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences) of the University of Pittsburgh shall have jurisdiction over curricula and instructional programs, degree requirements, graduate admissions, grading regulations, and other related academic matters pertaining to its constituent units.
II. Membership and Meetings
Persons included.
Faculty
All persons with a primary appointment in the Dietrich School who hold:
- full-time tenure stream academic appointments with the titles Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor;
- full-time appointment stream academic appointments with the titles of Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, Clinical Professor, Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, Research Professor, Teaching Assistant Professor, Teaching Associate Professor, and Teaching Professor;
- part-time faculty who are in the tenure stream
Students
The student members of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Council (Dietrich School Council), Undergraduate Council (UC), Graduate Council (GC), and CGS Council shall be allowed full voting participation in meetings and will participate in voting during their respective Council meetings.
Persons excluded.
Faculty
Adjunct Professors, Visiting Professors, Research Associates, Teaching Associates, Instructors I, Instructors II, Senior Instructors, Lab Instructors I, Lab Instructors II, Senior Lab Instructors, Acting Instructors, Instructors not in the tenure stream, Teaching Fellows and Teaching Assistants are not voting members of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.
Meeting of full faculty.
The Dietrich School shall hold general full faculty meetings in the fall and spring terms at times determined by Dietrich School Council. The Dean shall preside, or in the Dean's absence, the Vice Chair of Dietrich School Council. Additional meetings may be called by the Dean, at the request of any of the permanent Councils, or by petition of 40 members of the Dietrich School presented to the Dean.
Meetings of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and of its Councils are open to included persons noted in Section II, other faculty, staff and students specified in committee membership rosters and invited guests.
Decisions of the full faculty, whether made in meeting or by referendum, shall override decisions of the Councils.
- Quorum. A quorum shall consist of 100 members of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences. If a vote cannot occur due to lack of quorum, a ballot will be distributed to the voting faculty after the meeting has concluded.
- Agenda. The agenda for each full meeting shall be prepared by Dietrich School Council and distributed to the entire faculty 10 days in advance of any meeting. Items may be placed upon the agenda of regular meetings by petition of 40 members of the faculty presented to Dietrich School Council no less than 14 days in advance of such meeting.
III. Permanent Councils
1. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Council (Dietrich School Council). This Council shall consist of:
- the Dean (who shall preside);
- the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs;
- six elected tenure stream faculty members, who shall not be Department Chairs, with two members elected from each division and no more than one member from any one department;
- one representative of each of the Councils of the Department Chairs;
- six full-time voting appointment stream faculty, with two members elected from each division and no more than one member from any department/program;
- two undergraduate students from different departments/programs appointed by the Student Government Board or by the Dean; and
- two graduate students from different departments/programs appointed by the Graduate Student Organization.
The Council shall elect one of its members each year to be Vice Chair, who shall preside at the meetings of Dietrich School Council and of the faculty in the absence of the Dean. The Dean may choose to appoint additional ex officio members (with or without voting privileges) to Dietrich School Council.
The Dietrich School Council shall act for the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences in intervals between meetings of the full faculty. Dietrich School Council actions shall take effect 30 days after publication of the Dietrich School Gazette unless a petition of 40 members of the faculty is received by the Dean in the interim calling for a full Dietrich School faculty meeting to vote on the issue in question. Dietrich School Council may request a report from any of the Councils of initial jurisdiction on any matter, and may overrule such Council. Dietrich School Council shall elect the Faculty Grants Committee and other committees whose work relates to the full School.
2. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Council (UC). This Council shall consist of:
- the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies (who shall preside),
- six elected tenure stream faculty, with two members elected from each division and no more than one member from any one department;
- six full-time appointment stream teaching faculty, with two members elected from each division; and
- five Dietrich School students, with at least one student from each division, appointed by the Student Government Board or by the Associate Dean.
The Dean or Associate Dean may choose to appoint additional ex officio members (with or without voting privileges) to Undergraduate Council.
The Council shall deal with matters of curricula and instructional programs, degree requirements, grading regulations, and other related undergraduate academic matters in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences as the Council of initial jurisdiction. The UC shall report its actions to Dietrich School Council, and may refer any matter to Dietrich School Council for decision. Actions of the UC shall take effect 30 days (excluding regularly scheduled vacations) after publication of the Dietrich School Gazette, unless (a) it is overridden by the Dietrich School Council within 20 days after publication of the Dietrich School Gazette, or (b) a petition of 40 members of the faculty is received by the Dean in the interim calling for a full faculty meeting to vote on the issue in question.
3. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Graduate Council (GC). This Council shall consist of:
- the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies (who shall preside),
- six elected members of the Graduate Faculty, with two members elected from each division and no more than one member from each department, and
- five students elected by the Graduate Student Organization, with at least one student representative from each division and no more than one student from each department.
The Dean or Associate Dean may choose to appoint additional ex officio members (with or without voting privileges) to Graduate Council.
The Council shall deal with matters of curricula and instructional programs, degree requirements, admissions, grading regulations, and other related graduate academic matters in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences as the Council of initial jurisdiction. The GC shall report its activities to Dietrich School Council, and may refer any matter to Dietrich School Council for decision. Actions of the GC shall take effect 30 days (excluding regularly scheduled vacations) after publication of the Dietrich School Gazette, unless (a) it is overridden by Dietrich School Council within 20 days after publication of the Dietrich School Gazette, or (b) a petition of 40 members of the faculty is received by the Dean in the interim calling for a full Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences meeting to vote on the issue in question.
- Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Planning and Budgeting Committee (PBC). This Committee shall consist of:
- the Dean (who shall preside);
- the associate deans;
- the executive directors;
- three faculty members (one from each division) appointed by the Dietrich School Council from among its elected members;
- three tenure stream faculty members elected directly by division;
- three full-time voting appointment stream faculty elected directly by division;
- five elected staff members representing the academic and non-academic units of the school; and
- three graduate student members (one from each division) appointed by the Dietrich School Graduate Student Organization.
Elected PBC members will serve for staggered three-year terms and meet as necessary during the year. The Dean may choose to appoint additional ex officio members (with or without voting privileges) to PBC. The PBC shall work with and advise the Dean regarding Dietrich School budgetary matters and planning within the University’s planning and budget framework.
- College of General Studies Council. This Council shall consist of:
- the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and the College of General Studies (who shall preside);
- two appointed CGS faculty program directors;
- two elected faculty from among the shared CGS/Dietrich faculty positions (with no more than one from each division); and
- two CGS students appointed by CGS Student Government.
The Dean or Associate Dean may choose to appoint additional ex officio members (with or without voting privileges) to CGS Council.
The College of General Studies Council works with the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and the College of General Studies in reviewing matters of curricula and instructional programs, degree and certificate requirements, and assessment and review of academic programs. The College of General Studies Council serves as the council of initial jurisdiction regarding grading regulations, policy decisions, and other academic matters in the College of General Studies. The College of General Studies Council shall report its actions to Dietrich School Council through the Associate Dean and may refer any academic matter to Dietrich School Council for decision.
6. Meetings of Councils. Each Council shall determine the frequency and time of its meetings. A quorum shall be half of the membership of the Council.
7. Nominations and Elections.
Dietrich School Council will prepare a slate of candidates for membership on the Dietrich School Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will consist of nine members, including two tenure stream members and one member of the teaching faculty, from each of the three divisions. Members will serve staggered three-year terms. The slate shall include at least two faculty members for each vacancy on the committee, and each candidate shall have given prior indication of willingness to serve.
The slate of candidates for the Nominating Committee shall be advertised in the Dietrich School Gazette at least 10 days prior to the spring faculty meeting. The election will occur at the spring faculty meeting and the elected candidates shall take office September 1.
The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least two faculty members to stand for election for each vacancy on the Dietrich School Council, Dietrich School-UC, Dietrich School-GC, and Dietrich School-PBC, and obtain the agreement of these candidates. The list of nominees shall be circulated to members of the School no later than one month prior to the spring full faculty meeting via publication in the Gazette. Additional nominations may be made in any division by petition of 20 faculty members in that division, which position must be submitted to the Dean two weeks prior than the date of the spring full faculty meeting.
The election will occur after the spring full faculty meeting. Faculty will vote for candidates in their own division; the candidates in each division with the highest number of votes shall be declared elected and take office September 1.
Terms of service for elected members of Dietrich School Council, UC, and PBC shall be for three years; for the other Councils, terms of service for elected members shall be for two years. In case of vacancies in any Council, that Council shall make interim appointments effective until the next election. Councilors shall not serve consecutive terms but may be reelected after an absence of one year.
When elections to a Dean's Search Committee are necessary, the Nominating Committee shall be convened and shall choose a slate of eight Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences members; from this slate, four members of the Search Committee shall be elected by ballot of the eligible voters. These faculty appointments shall be made with the consent of the committee obtained in a closed meeting.
IV. Communication
- All formal actions of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and its various Councils will be reported in the Gazette. The Gazette will be published following Dietrich School Council and PBC meetings. It will report all actions of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences general meetings. A copy of the Gazette will be distributed to the full faculty and will be available on the Dietrich School website. The Gazette will also be used to announce Dietrich School faculty appointments, promotions, resignations, deaths, etc.
V. Amendment of Bylaws
1. Amendments. Amendments may be proposed by Dietrich School Council, or by petition of 25 members presented to the Dean. To take effect, an amendment must be moved, seconded and debated in a meeting of the full School, and voted on by ballot.
VI. Parliamentary Authority
1. In the absence of any bylaw or standing rule to the contrary, Robert's Rules of Order shall govern transactions of this organization.