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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
Faculty Affairs and Professional Development

Bylaws of the Faculty Steering Committee

BYLAW ARTICLE I. AUTHORITY OF THE FACULTY

Subject to the Trustees of Indiana University, the laws of Indiana and the United States, the faculty of the School of Medicine have legislative and consultative authority as specified in the Constitution of the Indiana University Faculty, Section 2.4 A: Authority of School Faculties.  (See BOT-03, Constitution of the Indiana University Faculty) 

BYLAW ARTICLE II. AUTHORITY OF THE DEAN

The Dean shall have executive responsibility for the missions of the School of Medicine. His/her appointment, duties, and authority shall be in keeping with the policies of Indiana University, and the laws of Indiana and the United States. The Dean’s duties shall include but not be limited to the following:   

  • Administration of all curricular and degree programs, ensuring ongoing accreditation by the appropriate accreditation bodies 
  • Facilitation of clinical and research programs that advance health in the state of Indiana and beyond, as stated in the IU School of Medicine mission and vision 
  • Appointment of faculty, department chairs, and other academic appointees and administrative leaders to carry out the missions of the school; including making recommendations of faculty for tenure and promotion, consistent with university policy
  • Stewardship and allocation of IU School of Medicine resources
  • Generation of philanthropic support for the priorities of IU School of Medicine, in partnership with the Office of Gift Development and the IU Foundation
  • Development and execution of periodic strategic plans that position IU School of Medicine as a top public medical school 
  • Ensuring the IU School of Medicine core values as articulated in the Honor Code are upheld

The Dean may delegate authority to administer the affairs of the School of Medicine through designees, units and/or committees. The Dean shall serve as an ex officio voting member of the FSC and shall represent the school administration.  The Dean shall also chair the School Executive Committee.  

BYLAW ARTICLE III: OFFICERS OF THE COMMITTEE: DUTIES

Section A. President

The President of the Faculty shall:

  • Be the primary representative of, and spokesperson for, the faculty
  • Chair All-Faculty and Faculty Steering Committee meetings; delegate this authority to another member of the Steering Committee in his/her absence
  • Conduct meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order; appoint a parliamentarian if desired;
  • Represent the School of Medicine faculty through serving as a Unit Representative to the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council (provided he/she is eligible per the IU Indianapolis Constitution for such office)
  • Ensure that the IU School of Medicine provides Unit Representatives to the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council in the number as determined annually by that Council
  • Appoint eligible faculty members to fill any vacancies arising in elected positions to the FSC
  • Appoint at least 3 voting faculty members to the Nominations Committee
  • In consultation with the other FSC officers, establish an agenda for  the semi-annual All-Faculty meetings and monthly Steering Committee meetings
  • Unless a conflict of interest occurs, serve on the IU School of Medicine Faculty Grievance Advisory Committee when that committee is convened
  • Represent the School of Medicine faculty by serving as a representative to the IU School of Medicine Executive Committee

Section B. President-Elect

The President-Elect of the Faculty shall:

  • Attend All-Faculty and Faculty Steering Committee meetings
  • Represent the School of Medicine faculty by serving as a Unit Representative to the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council (provided he/she is eligible by the IU Indianapolis Constitution for such office)
  • Chair the Nominations Committee
  • Unless a conflict of interest occurs, serve on the IU School of Medicine Faculty Grievance Advisory Committee when that committee is convened

Section C. Past President

The Past President of the Faculty shall:

  • Attend All-Faculty and Faculty Steering Committee meetings
  • Participate on the Nominations Committee
  • Unless a conflict of interest occurs, serve on the IU School of Medicine Faculty Grievance Advisory Committee when that committee is convened

Section D. Secretary

The Secretary of the Faculty shall:

  • Attend All-Faculty and Faculty Steering Committee meetings
  • Be responsible for notifying members of the FSC at least one week in advance by circulating the agenda, time and place of each FSC meeting
  • In consultation with the other FSC officers, set the agenda for each semi-annual All-Faculty meetings and monthly Faculty Steering Committee meetings
  • Be responsible for conducting correspondence and keeping minutes for the Faculty Steering Committee meetings, in conjunction with FSC committee’s administrator; Issue minutes of each semi- annual All-Faculty and Faculty Steering Committee meetings
  • Represent the School of Medicine faculty through serving as a Unit Representative to the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council (provided he/she is eligible by the IU Indianapolis Constitution for such office)
  • Be responsible for obtaining nominations for the annual faculty elections and ensure that the election proceeds according to the timeline outlined in the IU School of Medicine Faculty Constitution
  • Validate the election results
  • Confirm the IFC representatives to the FSC for the academic year
  • After election results are in and prior to the start of each academic year, communicate to the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council Staff Coordinator the IU School of Medicine Unit Representatives to the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council and the IU School of Medicine candidates to be included on the slate for the University Faculty Council ballot

Section E. Secretary-Elect

The Secretary-Elect of the Faculty shall:

  • Attend All-Faculty and Faculty Steering Committee meetings
  • Assist the Secretary as needed
  • Represent the School of Medicine faculty through serving as a Unit Representative to the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council (provided he/she is eligible by the IU Indianapolis Constitution for such office)

Section F. Officer Absences and Vacancies

  • The President or Secretary shall delegate authority to another officer or member of the FSC in the event of short-term absences (e.g., illness, travel). 
  • In the case of a vacancy in the office of the President, the officers shall appoint a President pro tem until the next election. 

Section G. Ex Officio Members

  • The IU School of Medicine Executive Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development shall serve as a non-voting, ex officio member of the FSC to act as a resource on matters of school and university policy.
  • IU Health, IU Health Medical Group (community division), Eskenazi Health, and The Roudebush VA Medical center may appoint a non-voting ex officio member to the FSC. The members must be School of Medicine Faculty. They are to facilitate communication between the School of Medicine Faculty and the leaders of the Health Care Entities in which they provide clinical effort.
  • One member from the volunteer faculty ranks shall serve as a non-voting ex officio member of the FSC. This person shall be nominated through the preference sheet and selected by the nominations committee.
  • A representative of the School of Medicine Graduate Division shall serve as a non-voting, ex officio member of the FSC.
  • A librarian representative of the School of Medicine’s Ruth Lilly Medical Library shall serve as a voting, ex officio member of the FSC.

BYLAW ARTICLE IV. ADDITIONAL VOTING MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY STEERING COMMITTEE

Section A. Department representatives

  • A representative from each department will be elected to the FSC by the eligible voting members of that department. Those departments with >100 faculty may elect an additional representative for each additional 100 faculty (i.e. 1-199 faculty = 1 representative; 200-299 = 2 representatives; 300-399 = 3 representatives, etc.)
  • Only faculty with primary appointments in their departments may run for election and vote for their representatives.
  • Department representatives may be full-time or part-time faculty members, as defined in Article V, section A.
  • They are responsible for communicating FSC initiatives to their peers and likewise responsible for bringing the concerns of their peers to the FSC.
  • Department representatives will serve 2-year terms.
  • Members may serve more than one term.
  • The number of faculty in each Department will be determined from the yearly IU School of Medicine census done in October.
  • In the event the Nominations Committee is unable to procure enough willing nominations to fill the slate for Department Representatives, faculty members may run unopposed on the ballot.  

Section B. Representatives from the non-Indianapolis regional campuses

These four faculty members must be eligible voting members at one of the Regional Medical Education Campuses. They will represent their respective campus by region: North (Northwest, South Bend); East (Fort Wayne, Muncie); South (Bloomington, Evansville); West (Terre Haute, West Lafayette). For elections in an odd year, the representatives from the North and West Regions shall be elected. For elections in an even year, the representatives from the South and East regions shall be elected. (Two-Year Term, two people elected per year). Regional Representatives cannot simultaneously serve as a Departmental Representative during the term for which they are elected. During the election period, faculty members appointed on a regional medical education campus will vote for a Regional Representative, but will not also vote for a Departmental Representative. This ensures that all voting faculty members across the state will get one vote for a representative.

Section C. Representatives to the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council

One Faculty Steering Committee member will be elected to represent the IU School of Medicine on the IU Indianapolis Faculty Council (IFC). Unit representatives are elected for two-year terms. Eligibility requirements are set by the IFC.

Section D. Representative to the Indiana University Faculty Council

The faculty member in this role is put forward by the IU School of Medicine President of the Faculty to run for the University Faculty Council. This faculty member would represent the IU School of Medicine; elected members may serve two consecutive two-year terms. If this nominated faculty member does not get elected to the UFC, he/she will not serve on the FSC. Eligibility requirements are set by the UFC.

BYLAW ARTICLE V. ELECTIONS

Voting members of the IU School of Medicine faculty can participate in the faculty election process for the IU School of Medicine each academic year.

Section A. Definition of Part-Time Faculty

For eligibility, faculty members must hold permanent IU faculty appointments (e.g. non-visiting appointments) of .60 FTE or more, or must hold an appointment of .60 FTE or more as of the IU School of Medicine census date with an affiliated institution that is part of the IU School of Medicine Indianapolis campus or Academic Health Center, per the IU School of Medicine Guidelines for the Appointment, Reappointment, and Promotion of Affiliate Faculty Members.

Section B. The Faculty Preference Sheet

The Faculty Preference Sheet is sent to the IU School of Medicine faculty in the fall to allow them to indicate their interest in serving on committees, both standing and ad-hoc. Faculty may also nominate other faculty members for committees or officer positions.

Section C. The Nominations Committee

The Nominations Committee is responsible for producing yearly a slate of candidates in good standing with the school which will be derived from the faculty preference sheet and the active recruitment of qualified nominees. The committee will consist of the President Elect, the immediate-Past President,
and at minimum three voting faculty members appointed by the President of the Faculty. The Executive Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development will serve as an ex-officio member of the committee, and the President-Elect will chair the committee.

Section D. Ballot

Those faculty members selected by the Nominations Committee to be on the ballot will be notified and asked to accept or decline the nomination within 2 weeks. Once acceptance is received, the final ballot is constructed and delivered to the FSC for vetting. After approval from the Faculty Steering Committee, the ballot is sent to voting faculty and remains open for four weeks.

Section E. Elected Members

Election winners are notified after the ballot is closed. Winners are announced each year at the Spring All-Faculty Meeting.

BYLAW ARTICLE VI. STANDING COMMITTEES REPORTING TO THE FSC

  • Dean-appointed committee members
    Acting as the Dean’s designee, the Executive Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development (EAD) consults with committee chairs in the appointment of committee members to ensure that committees are representative of key stakeholder groups. Each spring, committee chairs are asked to review their current rosters; faculty members who express interest in a particular committee via the preference sheet are also considered. New committee members are invited to serve by either the EAD or committee chair, with committee appointments confirmed by the EAD in an annual committee appointment letter.

  • Academic Standards Committee
    The Academic Standards Committee (ASC) of IU School of Medicine is charged by the Curriculum Council Steering Committee (CCSC) with carrying out a systematic process for evaluating the comparability of the educational program across all campuses.  It reports findings to the CCSC and serves as a subcommittee of the CCSC.  The ASC is also responsible, as a non-CCSC activity, for performing level 2 grade appeals for courses and clerkships (see grade appeal policy) and is subject to the same recusal rules as the Student Promotions Committee.
    Eligibility: Tenure or non-tenure track faculty. There are also student representatives to this committee.

  • Admissions Committee
    The goals of the Admissions Committee of the Indiana University School of Medicine are to select those applicants who possess the strong academic abilities and personal characteristics necessary to become caring, compassionate physicians, and to build an entering medical class that reflects the diversity of Indiana.
    Eligibility: Tenure or non-tenure track faculty. There are also student representatives to this committee.

  • Awards Committee
    The Awards Committee is responsible for managing the process of selecting recipients for the school’s two major awards: the Steven C. Beering award for Advancement of Biomedical Science; and the Mark Brothers Award. In addition, the Committee is responsible for identifying significant external awards for which IU School of Medicine faculty will be nominated as viable candidates. This includes major national awards and competitive grant nominations (such as Howard Hughes, Burroughs Wellcome), as well as local honors, including IBJ awards, local organizations, etc. Whenever there is a restriction in the number of candidates that can be nominated per school, the committee will conduct the selection process and recommend a nominee/s.
    Eligibility: Tenure or non-tenure track faculty

  • Biomedical Research Committee
    The Biomedical Research Committee assists the faculty and advises the administration in the provision of a stimulating environment for creative scholarship. The committee recommends methods of enhancing the worth of individual protocols or research programs, encourages innovation, stimulates new investigative endeavors, fosters interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches, and provides counsel on the identification and wide use of institutional resources. The Biomedical Research Committee is charged with the scientific review of research grants that are submitted for the Showalter Trust funding mechanism.
    Eligibility: Tenure or non-tenure track faculty. Members of the committee should have an extramurally funded research program and experience both in writing and submitting external grant proposals.

  • Curriculum Council Steering Committee
    The Curriculum Council Steering Committee is the faculty body that manages the medical curriculum for the Indiana University School of Medicine through oversight of its design, implementation and management of at all campuses. The CCSC sets curricular policy for education and has oversight responsibility for ensuring compliance and comparability. The CCSC reviews data at specified intervals to monitor and evaluate the curriculum as a whole and make informed decisions to enhance, coordinate, and ensure coherence of the educational program. The CCSC will have a member from each regional campus.
    Eligibility: Tenure or non-tenure track faculty. There are also student representatives to this committee.

  • Community Relations Committee
    The Faculty Community Relations Committee recognizes that the faculty, staff and students of the Indiana University School of Medicine are affected by, and have an effect on, their surrounding neighborhoods and the broader Indiana community. The committee promotes the resources and the various educational, research and clinical programs of the School of Medicine, enhancing the health and the quality of life in the community and on the school’s campuses.
    Eligibility: Tenure or non-tenure track faculty

  • Diversity Council
    The mission of the Diversity Council is to support the IU School of Medicine core value of diversity and inclusion which, as articulated in the Honor Code, is reflected in actions that appreciate and value all individuals. The committee provides an advisory role regarding the school’s efforts to create a safe and supportive atmosphere for teaching, learning, caring for patients and conducting research toward advancing the goal of improving the health of all communities. Diversity is defined as perceived human differences in appearance, thinking, and actions; it includes but is not limited to intellectual diversity as well as identities related to race, ethnicity, class, rural/urban/suburban community experiences, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, size, ability, veteran status, national origin, party politics, religion, language, and/or marital status. Inclusion is an approach designed to ensure that the perspectives and experiences of all individuals are valued, heard, and respected. Meetings are voluntary and open to all members of the school community.
    Eligibility:  Tenure or non-tenure track faculty

  • Faculty Development Coordinating Committee
    The mission and purpose of the Faculty Development Coordinating Committee is to inform the strategic plan for faculty development by actively engaging with the Dean’s office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development. This includes evaluation of policies, assistance in reaching a broader group of faculty, and the development of novel programs and/or policies crucial for the maintenance of high levels of faculty vitality at IU School of Medicine.
    Eligibility: Tenure or non-tenure track faculty

  • Lecturers and Clinical Rank Faculty Promotions Committee
    This committee reviews and makes recommendations concerning lecturer and clinical rank faculty dossiers submitted for promotion and/or awarding of a long-term appointment contract. Committee members are expected to familiarize themselves with school and campus tenure and promotion requirements, to be prepared to discuss anywhere from 20 to 60 dossiers that have been submitted, and to serve as the primary or secondary reviewer of a few dossiers assigned by the committee chair. This involves a written review which the member presents to the rest of the committee.
    Eligibility: Tenure and clinical non-tenure track faculty at full professor rank holding the long-term contract

  • Promotion and Tenure Committee
    This committee reviews and votes on research scientist track faculty and tenure track faculty dossiers submitted for tenure and/or promotion; and on progress toward tenure for those faculty members receiving their 3-year and 5year reviews. Committee members are expected to familiarize themselves with school and campus tenure and promotion requirements, to be prepared to discuss anywhere from 20 to 60ndossiers that have been submitted, and to serve as the primary or secondary reviewer of a few dossiers assigned by the committee chair. This involves a written review which the member presents to the rest of the committee.
    Eligibility: Tenured faculty at full professor rank

  • Student Promotions Committee
    This committee reviews the academic progress of medical students and considers individual issues of academic probation, non-progression regarding competency curriculum, or withdrawal/dismissal from the school for failure to maintain academic standards. There are also student representatives to this committee.
    Eligibility: Tenure or non-tenure track faculty

BYLAW ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEE REPORTS

Standing committee reports are submitted to the Secretary of the Faculty annually by the committee chair or designee. Formal presentation of the standing committee reports will be made to the FSC based on a schedule of presentation determined by the Secretary.

Ad-hoc committee reports are submitted to the Faculty Steering Committee for review and approval in April of each academic year.

BYLAW ARTICLE VIII. BUDGETARY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

The Budgetary Advisory Committee of IU School of Medicine shall be an ad hoc committee charged to consult with school administration about the financial health of the school, sources and allocation of funds to support the school’s tripartite mission, and relevant benchmark data when available. Members shall be the President, Secretary, President-elect, Secretary-elect, and two FSC members appointed by the President. Appointed members will serve 2-year terms. The Executive Associate Dean of Finance and Administration will be an ex-officio member. This advisory committee will report to the FSC annually.

BYLAW ARTICLE IX. DEFINITION OF A QUORUM

A quorum will be required for all official votes taken at the FSC meetings. A quorum will be defined as a simple majority of all FSC voting members.

BYLAW ARTICLE X. AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS

Section A. Introduction of Amendments

A resolution to amend the bylaws may be introduced at any regular meeting of the FSC by any voting member, or by written petition of at least 20 members of the voting faculty submitted to the President of the Faculty.

Section B. Adoption

Adoption of an amendment to the bylaws shall require a favorable vote of 2/3 of all voting FSC members. Members will be allowed to cast their vote at the FSC meeting or within 48 hours following the regular FSC meeting, if prior 2-week advance notice of the intention to conduct a vote is given to members of the FSC.

Section C. Clerical Modifications

The President is authorized, after consultation with the Secretary, to make simple clerical modifications to the Bylaws such as corrections to spelling or punctuation, insertion or removal of cross-references, or updating the Bylaws to reflect changes in the names of administrative offices or positions, provided that doing so in no way alters the intent of the text.

 

Adopted Nov. 17, 2016. Amended Jan. 31, 2017; May 25, 2018; April 18, 2019; Dec. 19, 2019; July 1, 2023; Feb. 15, 2024; April 18, 2024; June 21, 2024; Jan. 16, 2025; Sept. 18, 2025