By-Laws

ARTICLE I.  GENERAL

• Section 1: Purpose

  • The Faculty shall conduct the government of the DGSOM, subject to the rules and coordinating powers of the Board of Regents and the Academic Senate as may be applicable.
     

• Section 2: Source of Authority

  • The membership, duties, powers and privileges of the Academic Senate are defined by the Standing Orders of the Regents of the University of California.
  • The Los Angeles Division is a Committee of the Academic Senate of the University of California and is subject to the Bylaws of the University Academic Senate.
  • The Faculty of the DGSOM at UCLA is a Committee of the Los Angeles Division and is directly responsible to the Division and subject to its Bylaws. Except as otherwise provided, the governance of the DGSOM is vested in its Faculty which is authorized to organize, to select its own officers and committees, and to adopt rules for the conduct of its business.

ARTICLE II.  MEMBERSHIP

• Membership in the Faculty of the DGSOM is defined by Regent Standing Order 105.1(a) and Division Bylaw 50 (A)(1-4).

ARTICLE III.  DUTIES

• Section 1: Curricula to Fulfill the Requirements of the M.D. Degree
  • ​​​The Faculty of the DGSOM shall authorize and supervise all courses and curricula offered in pursuit of the degree of Doctor of Medicine (Regent Standing Order 105.2b).
  • No change in the curriculum of the DGSOM may be made by any agency, including the FEC, until the proposed change has been submitted to the formal consideration of the Faculty (Academic Senate Protected Bylaw 51; Division Bylaw 10B).
  • The Faculty's control over curriculum does not extend to courses and curricula that lead to other degrees, such as the Ph.D., since review and authorization of these programs remain under the jurisdiction of the Graduate Council of the Los Angeles Division.
     
• Section 2: Admission, Progress, and Promotion of Students Pursuing the M.D. Degree
  • The Faculty of the DGSOM shall set policies for the admission of candidates for the degree of Doctor of Medicine and for completion of the degree, and select students for admission.
  • The Faculty shall determine whether students are making satisfactory progress or shall be required to repeat courses, remediate deficiencies, or be dismissed from the School. This shall be conducted by the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion of Medical Students.
  • The Faculty shall recommend candidates for the M.D. degree to the President of the University through the Academic Senate, based on a list of candidates proposed by the FEC, with consultation from the DGSOM Vice Dean for Education.
     
• Section 3: Educational and Budgetary Resources
  • The Faculty of the DGSOM may form a Committee on Planning and Budget analogous to the Los Angeles Division's Council on Planning and Budget (Division Bylaw 65.3). The Faculty has the authority to investigate and make recommendations concerning the allocation of educational and budgetary resources, academic priorities, and the planning and budgetary process within the DGSOM. These recommendations may be made to the Dean, to the Los Angeles Division, and/or to the Chancellor.
     
• Section 4: Other
  • The powers and duties of the Faculty shall not be construed as limited to those explicitly considered in these Bylaws.

ARTICLE IV.  OFFICERS

• The officers of the Faculty shall consist of a Chair and a Vice-Chair.
• The Vice-Chair, who serves as chair-elect, will be elected every two years by the Faculty and shall serve for six years: the first two years as Vice-Chair, the third and fourth years as Chair, and the fifth and six years as Immediate Past-Chair.
• The Chair shall serve as Chair of the FEC

ARTICLE V.  COMMITTEES

• Section 1: Faculty Executive Committee
  • Membership
     
    • Voting Members:
      • Four Faculty members (Regular, In-Residence, or Clinical X series of the rank of Assistant Professor or higher) who have primary appointments in the Pre-Clinical Sciences (Biological Chemistry, Computational Medicine, Human Genetics, Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics (MIMG), Neurobiology, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Physiology).
      • Three Faculty members (Regular, In-Residence, or Clinical X series of the rank of Assistant Professor or higher) who have primary appointments in the Medical Sciences (Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Medicine, Neurology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences).
      • Three Faculty members (Regular, In-Residence, or Clinical X series at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher) who have primary appointments in the Surgical Clinical Sciences (Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Head & Neck Surgery, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Radiation Oncology, Radiological Sciences, Surgery, Urology).
      • One Faculty member (Regular, In-Residence, or Clinical X series at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher) from the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.
      • Two Faculty members with a full-time appointment in the Health Sciences Clinical series, whose votes are advisory on Academic Senate actions.
      • The Chair of the Faculty (Regular, In-Residence, or Clinical X series).
      • The Vice-Chair of the Faculty (Regular, In-Residence, or Clinical X series).
      • The Immediate Past Chair of the Faculty (Regular, In-Residence, or Clinical X series).
         
    • Other members of the FEC shall serve without vote and consist of:
      • The Dean of the DGSOM, or his/her designee, as an ex officio member.
      • One member of the Volunteer Clinical Faculty.
      • Four Medical Students elected annually by each medical student class.
      • One Graduate Student nominated by the Graduate Student Council. This student shall be enrolled in a Ph.D. granting program in a Department of the DGSOM or in an Interdepartmental Program that includes the DGSOM.
         
  • Term of Office
    • Pre-Clinical Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Surgical Clinical Sciences members shall serve for three years. One or two members from each group will be elected each year.
    • The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science member shall serve three years.
    • The Health Sciences Clinical Faculty members shall serve three years.
    • The Volunteer Clinical Faculty member shall serve two years.
    • The Graduate Student and Medical Students shall each serve up to four years depending upon their reelection by their respective bodies.
       
  • Nominations and Elections
    • Procedures for nominations and elections are outlined in the Divisional Manual.
    • Nominations and elections are to be conducted separately for each of the Faculty groups
    • The Vice-Chair, i.e. chair-elect, shall be elected by the entire Faculty.
    • Communications regarding nominations for FEC positions shall be sent in a timely manner to each eligible Faculty member.
       
  • Meetings
    • The FEC shall hold a regularly scheduled meeting monthly. A meeting notice and agenda shall be circulated to members at least one week in advance of the meeting and also made available to every member of the Faculty.
    • Special meetings may be called by the Chair, or in the Chair's absence, the Vice-Chair, or by any three members of the FEC. A meeting notice and agenda shall be circulated at least one week prior to the meeting.
    • Emergency meetings may be called by the Chair, or in the Chair's absence, the Vice-Chair, or by any three members. The meeting notice and agenda shall be circulated at least 48 hours in advance. An effort shall be made to contact every FEC member.
    • The Chair may cancel a meeting for lack of business.
    • Any Faculty member may attend an FEC meeting and participate in its deliberations without the right to vote. However, all or part of a particular meeting may be declared "closed" by a majority vote of the FEC in order to discuss items of a confidential nature.
    • Approval by two-thirds of the voting members of the FEC is required for final action on any item not included in the agenda. No final action may be taken on any legislative item not announced in the agenda.
       
  • Quorum
    • A quorum shall consist of any nine voting members.
       
  • Duties
    • Consider matters of general concern to the Faculty, and matters delegated to it by the Faculty in the Bylaws or by subsequent action.
    • Consider special problems pertinent to the Faculty in any academic title series, whether members of the University of California Academic Senate or not.
    • Advise and assist the administration regarding budgetary matters including, but not limited to, the distribution and allocation of space and resources necessary to achieve academic goals, departmental mergers, and the establishment or disestablishment of programs or departments.
    • Receive reports from the Standing Committees of the Faculty.
    • In the exercise of its jurisdiction over scholastically disqualified students, may suspend regulations regarding dismissal or specify conditions for such suspension and may permit students who are dismissed under these regulations to return to the University.
    • Appoint the Standing Committees of the Faculty established by these Bylaws.
    • Report to the Faculty at least once a year.
    • Submit substantive questions considered by the FEC to the entire Faculty for mail ballot, on request of five members of the FEC or 50 members of the Faculty. This shall be accomplished within ten calendar days following distribution of the minutes of the last meeting at which the action was considered.
    • Receive petitions from the medical students, on the request in writing of at least 50 students.
       
• Section 2: Source of Authority
  • There shall be seven Standing Committees:
    • The Admissions Policy and Oversight Committee shall develop and review admissions policy and the academic and non-academic requirements for admission, make policy recommendations to the FEC, monitor implementation of policies and admissions outcomes, and oversee the execution and adherence to policies.
    • The Admissions Committee shall be responsible for holistic review of applicants, ranking them, and making decisions regarding admission to the DGSOM.
    • The Committee on Academic Standing, Progress, and Promotion (CASPP) of Medical Students shall monitor the progress and promotion of all medical students toward fulfilling the requirements for graduation, shall address failures to maintain adequate performance, and shall make recommendations for actions.
    • The Medical Education Committee shall formulate and periodically review the mission statement for undergraduate medical education; shall review and recommend revisions of the Medical School curricula, including scheduling of courses; and shall evaluate existing courses and clerkships.
    • The Medical Student Thesis Committee shall, through a thesis program, encourage scholarship and provide an opportunity for students to carry out original research with UCLA faculty members.
    • The Volunteer Clinical Appointments and Promotions Committee shall review dossiers submitted by departments for initial appointment and promotion of volunteer clinical faculty at the level of Associate Professor or above.
    • Governance Subcommittee shall be charged with identifying matters that are subject to shared governance and ensuring representation of FEC in such matters. The committee’s responsibility will include, but not be limited to, reviewing all proposed actions regarding changes to Academic Programs, University Units within DGSOM, and changes to compensation.
       
  • Appointment and Term of Service
    • The Chair and members of standing committees shall be appointed by the FEC.
    • Standing committee members shall serve terms as defined in the bylaws of each standing committee.
    • The FEC Chair and Vice-Chair shall be ex-officio members of all standing committees without vote.
    • The Dean of the DGSOM, or the Dean's designate, shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees without vote.
    • Standing committees may appoint ad hoc committees as necessary. Ad hoc committees shall disband on completion of their charge.
       
  • General Procedures:
    • Standing committees shall submit Bylaws and Guidelines for approval to the FEC. These shall be reviewed every three years and any changes referred to the FEC for approval.
    • Standing committees shall circulate a meeting agenda and the previous meeting minutes to members at least one week prior to a meeting.
    • Standing committees shall submit and present an annual report to the FEC.
    • Standing committees shall present recommendations to the FEC for approval. Recommendations shall be presented in writing to the Chair at least two weeks prior to the meeting so that they may be circulated to the FEC members.
• Section 3: Source of Authority
  • The FEC may appoint ad hoc committees to research, study, and develop recommendations regarding an issue. An ad hoc committee shall consist of as many members as may be appropriate, plus a Chair. All members and the Chair shall serve only as long as the committee is constituted as determined by the FEC.

ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS OF THE FACULTY

• The Faculty at large shall meet at least once annually after a call by the Chair. The notice shall be circulated at least one week prior to the meeting.
• The Faculty may meet at other times with at least two instructional days’ notice:
  • After a call by the Chair.
  • After delivery to the Chair or Vice-Chair of a written request for a meeting signed by at least 25 voting members of the Faculty. The request shall be acted on within 48 hours by scheduling a meeting to take place within five calendar days.
• The Chair of the Faculty shall preside. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall preside. Should the Vice-Chair also be absent, an FEC member designated by the Chair shall preside.
• Voting members shall consist of DGSOM Faculty in any Academic Senate series and full-time Health Sciences Clinical faculty. Other non-Academic Senate faculty members have the right to attend and participate, but shall not vote.
• The agenda shall include the following, in the stated order:
  • Consideration of the preceding Faculty meeting minutes.
  • Announcements by the President of the University of California.
  • Announcements by the Chancellor of the UCLA campus.
  • Announcements by the Dean of the DGSOM.
  • Announcements by the Chair of the Faculty.
  • Report of the FEC.
  • Reports of the standing committees.
  • Unfinished business.
  • New business.
• The order of the agenda may be altered by vote of two-thirds of the voting Faculty present at the meeting.
• Thirty members of the voting Faculty shall constitute a quorum.
• Actions or measures considered must be submitted to a mail or electronic ballot in the following circumstances:
  • Requested by 25% of the voting members present, or 15 members, whichever is smaller
  • Requested in writing by 50 Faculty members within 10 calendar days after distribution of the minutes of the meeting at which the action was taken or the measure considered.
• The latest edition of Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall be used as a guide in proceedings of Faculty meetings when not in conflict with these Bylaws.

ARTICLE VII.  AMENDMENTS

• New Bylaws may be adopted, or these Bylaws may be amended or repealed, at a regular or special meeting of the Faculty by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Faculty voting, provided that a written notice of the proposed change is mailed to each member of the Faculty at least five days of instruction before the meeting at which the action is taken.
• No change in these Bylaws may be made that will be in conflict with the Bylaws, Regulations, or Legislative Rulings of the Academic Senate.

Reviewed and Approved by the DGSOM FEC April 7, 2020.

UCLA Academic Senate approval pending.