Faculty Bylaws

The Faculty of Genetics and Genomics of Texas A&M University is an interdisciplinary faculty composed of members from various academic departments in several colleges and school and the Texas A&M Health Science Center.

The principal function of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics is the administration of the graduate programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Genetics and Genomics, in conformance with the rules of the Graduate and Professional School at Texas A&M University – College Station. The organization also promotes and facilitates communication among geneticists and fosters the development of genetics and genomics at Texas A&M University. The Faculty of Genetics and Genomics arranges for the periodic assembly of geneticists and provides a forum for them and others interested in genetics and genomics. The organizational and operational characteristics of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics are intended to be broad enough to permit consideration of all academic aspects of genetics and genomics and all other matters affecting the position and progress of the discipline at Texas A&M University. The Faculty of Genetics participates in the direction and teaching of the undergraduate program in genetics.

Admission to membership in the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics shall be determined by the Executive Committee after nomination by the Head of the faculty member’s administrative department and the receipt of a positive recommendation by the Committee on Membership of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics.

Only members of the Graduate Faculty of Texas A&M University – College Station with significant academic or service activities in genetics and genomics are eligible to be Members of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics. Active involvement in academic, service, and recruiting activities of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics, as described below, is required to maintain membership.

The activities of each faculty member will be reviewed on a rotating, three-year cycle to maintain active status. Each faculty member is expected to support and help sustain the academic genetics and genomics community on campus, as indicated below. To remain in good standing, each faculty member must satisfy at least one of the criteria from EACH of the Academic, Service, and Recruiting Activities. Faculty are expected to attend Genetics Faculty Meetings.

A. Academic Activities

Teach a graduate lecture, seminar, laboratory genetics or genomics course, or other related graduate courses with a clearly defined and substantive genetics or genomics component;

Serve as the chair or member of a graduate committee of a genetics student or students

Function as the supervisor for GENE 685 students involved in specialized studies, research in genetics, or performing a genetics rotation

B. Service Activities

Hosting of a Faculty of Genetics and Genomics mini-symposium or seminar speaker;

Active participation in Genetics and Genomics Faculty standing or ad hoc committees
or serving on a College/University committee as a Genetics and Genomics Faculty
representative.

PI/Co-PI for a Grant/Award that supports Genetics and Genomics Program Activities,
for example, a training, conference, or REU grant.

Regular participation in the weekly Genetics & Genomics Seminars (G2 Seminars)

Participation in GGSA student-led activities (symposiums, retreats, etc.)

C. Recruiting Activities

Participate in at least one of the recruiting weekend events, such as the Welcome Dinner,
Interviews, Lunch Function, Research Symposia, and Social Event.

Participate in independent recruiting activities such as handing out Genetics and
Genomics Program recruiting materials to potential student recruits at conferences or
seminar presentations at other academic institutions.

Members of the Graduate Faculty of Genetics are eligible to:
a) Chair the advisory committee of a Genetics graduate student
b) Teach graduate GENE courses
c) Serve on the TAMU Faculty of Genetics Executive Committee
d) Vote on matters requiring a vote of the Faculty of Genetics
e) Serve on standing or ad hoc committees of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics

Prior to the Spring Faculty meeting, openings for college-specific or at-large positions on the Executive Committee will be announced to the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics in a call for nominations.

After a two-week window for nominations, an electronic ballot will be taken. Each Member shall vote for no more candidates than the number of positions to be filled. Those persons receiving the most votes will be declared elected. Elected members shall assume their duties on September 30 following their election.

If the open Executive Committee position is a college-designated representative, then the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics in that college will vote for that representative. All members of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics will vote for at-large positions. New Executive Committee members will be announced at the Spring Faculty meeting.

The Executive Committee shall consist of nine Members of the Faculty of Genetics in addition to the Chair of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics.

The Executive Committee shall include one representative elected from each of the
Colleges/Schools of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that participate in the Faculty of Genetics and four additional members-at-large.

Members of the Executive Committee shall serve for three years; three members will be elected each year. Their service on the Executive Committee will begin September 30 of the year elected.

The Chair of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics will lead the Executive Committee and shall be elected for a four-year term from among members of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics that currently serve on the Executive Committee. Nominations for Chair will be made by the Executive Committee. The previous Chair will serve as the past chair on the Executive Committee for one year during leadership transitions. The Chair of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics can be re-elected for one additional four-year term.

The Executive Committee shall fill any vacancies in its membership or offices between the annual elections by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

If the Chair of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics becomes vacant before the end of a regular term, the Executive Committee shall appoint an interim by majority vote until an election can be called for a permanent replacement. The election for a replacement should occur within two months of the vacancy using the procedure in (4).

The Principal Investigators representing the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics on any
programmatic training grants that support genetics and genomics training programs that include graduate students and chairs of standing committees, if not already an Executive Committee member, will be invited to attend meetings of the Executive Committee as non-voting participants.

The President and Vice-President of the GGSA will be invited to attend meetings of the
Executive Committee as non-voting participants. They will be excused from the meeting
during any discussions of sensitive matters such as those around personnel.

The principal functions of the Executive Committee shall be to:

A. Determine and implement Faculty and Graduate Student Operating Procedures for the good of the faculty members and students in the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics and represent the interests of the faculty generally to various University authorities and
leaders of other agencies

B. Coordinate and update the graduate curriculum in genetics and genomics. Requests
for new courses and course cross-listings will be reviewed and decided upon by the
Executive Committee.
C. Establish the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics Standing Committees and ad hoc
committees as needed. Develop the budget for graduate-level functions in Genetics and Genomics.
D. Conduct all other business deemed necessary for the proper functioning of the Faculty

1. Chair
   The chair is the chief officer and representative of the Executive Committee and the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics. The chair’s primary responsibility is the execution of those administrative functions that are delegated to the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics. The chair shall:
   A. Chair the Executive Committee meetings of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics.
   B. Provide leadership in short- and long-term planning for the program and represent the faculty group in College and University meetings, as appropriate.
   D. Work closely with the University Administration to secure support for students in the discipline.
   C. Approve degree programs, thesis and dissertation proposals, and theses and
   dissertations of genetics graduate students for the Genetics Faculty. The past-chair and chair of the mentoring committee will be the backup approvers for these actions.
   D. Approve expenditures on behalf of the Genetics and Genomics Program.
2. Past-Chair: The Past-Chair shall serve as chief officer of the Faculty of Genetics and
   Genomics in the absence of the Chair or when designated by the Chair.

1. The Spring meeting of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics shall be held during the first two weeks of May each year.
2. Special meetings of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics may be held at the Chair’s call or by written application to the Executive Committee by five members of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics.
3. A regular meeting of the Executive Committee shall be held each month during the Fall and Spring semesters. Other meetings of the Executive Committee may be held as frequently and for such purposes as are deemed desirable by the Executive Committee. The minutes of each Executive Committee meeting shall be posted on the GENE website for all members of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics within 10 days after approval by the Executive Committee.
4. At the Executive Committee and Faculty of Genetics and Genomics meetings, Robert’s Rules of Order shall be followed in matters of parliamentary procedure.
5. A quorum for Executive Committee meetings shall consist of five members of the Committee. Twenty-five percent of the Members shall constitute a quorum for meetings ofthe Faculty of Genetics and Genomics.
6. Voting can also occur outside the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics meetings by email ballots.
7. Items requiring a faculty vote will pass by a simple majority vote of responding faculty (25% minimum must respond to satisfy the quorum requirement).
8. Changes to the bylaws will pass by a 2/3 majority vote of responding faculty (25% minimum must respond to satisfy the quorum requirement).

The members of each standing committee shall be appointed in June of each year and shall serve from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. Committee chairs are typically drawn from members of the Executive Committee.

1. Membership Committee
   The membership committee shall consist of at least three members. It will screen
   applications for membership in the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics and make a
   recommendation to the Executive Committee as to the acceptability of each applicant. Membership shall be conferred by approval of the Executive Committee. The Committee on Membership shall also review the active status of all members on a three-year basis.
2. Graduate Admissions Committee
   The Graduate Admissions Committee shall consist of at least 12 members and be balanced in terms of college/school affiliation. It shall serve as an advisory committee to the Executive Committee by screening and evaluating the applications of prospective students for acceptance into the Genetics and Genomics program. The committee shall facilitate the processing of files of acceptable candidates through Faculty review and the Graduate and Professional School notification.
3. Outreach Committee
   The Outreach Committee shall consist of at least three faculty members and three members of GGSA, in addition to the program coordinator. It shall be responsible for developing outreach materials and representing the program in events and visits to other institutions.
4. Mentoring Committee
   The Mentoring Committee shall consist of at least three members. It will be responsible for developing the new student orientation program, advising and counseling students in the selection of rotations, selecting their academic course work, managing their first year experiences, selecting a research laboratory, and continuing advising to ensure satisfactory academic progress and career development. The Mentoring Committee will review the annual report of activities from each graduate student and provide additional mentoring as needed. If student academic progress is identified as being unsatisfactory, the Mentoring Committee will notify the student, the thesis committee, and the executive committee, who will take appropriate action.
5. Faculty and Student Awards Committee
   The Faculty and Student Awards Committee shall consist of at least three members and include two additional student representatives as nominated by the GGSA. It shall be responsible for the nomination of faculty and students for local and national awards, and the judging of any local student competitions and awards.
6. Seminar Committee
   The Seminar Committee shall consist of at least 3 members and will also include at least three student members as nominated by the GGSA. It shall coordinate speaker invitations and arrangements for the presentation of seminars and symposia on genetics topics.

Proposed amendments to the Bylaws shall be submitted to the Members of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics for approval or disapproval following either (1) approval of a motion to do so by a majority vote of the Executive Committee or (2) a written petition to the Executive Committee by a minimum of five Members of the Faculty of Genetics and Genomics. Approval by two-thirds or more of the responding Members voting in an email ballot is required to adopt amendments (25% minimum must respond to satisfy the quorum requirement).

Adopted: May 27, 1982
Revised: October 1984
March 1985
August 1986
December 1989
April 1994
September 1998
May 2006
July 2009
October 2015