CFA Operating Guidelines

CAA Committee on Faculty Affairs
Leadership Structure and Operating Guidelines
November 2021

The Committee on Faculty Affairs (CFA) operates under the auspices of the Council on Academic Affairs (CAA) to inform and advise the CAA on all aspects of the provost’s responsibilities in hiring, managing, promoting, evaluating, and supporting faculty on their campuses. The formation of this committee recognizes the importance of supporting faculty affairs professionals (including faculty development) as they seek to achieve institutional goals in research, education, and engagement.

Responsibilities

The CFA provides input and advice to the CAA on relevant faculty affairs issues such as: analysis and recommendations for the professoriate of the future including the role of term faculty; tenure; diversity, equity, and inclusion; dual-career positions; post-tenure review; faculty workload and accountability; and sensitive matters related to performance management and conduct. The CFA provides regular reports to the CAA Executive Committee on their ongoing and planned activities, including analysis of current issues and trends, and effective practices and policies.

The CFA provides a forum for faculty affairs professionals to discuss issues, highlight effective practices, and support a faculty affairs community of practice. To achieve these goals, the CFA will engage with national practitioners and communities of faculty affairs professionals.

Membership¹

The CFA consists of at least NINE (9) members with the title of Assistant, Associate, or Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs or similarly-titled positions with responsibility for faculty-related issues reporting directly to the provost of a member institution. Members will normally serve for a period of three years, with the possibility of renewal. Terms are staggered with one-third of the committee members rotating off each year unless renewed.

Initial terms will end in 2022, 2023, and 2024. The CAA Liaison to CFA and APLU’s Chief Academic Offer are ex-officio members.

Officers

CFA is served by three officers: Chair, Chair-Elect, and Past Chair. The Committee selects a Chair–Elect at the annual CFA Business Meeting held in conjunction with the APLU Annual Meeting. Officers serve for a period of one year with the Chair–Elect automatically becoming Chair at the end of the annual CFA Business Meeting. The outgoing Chair will automatically become Past-Chair. Officers may be re-elected without any restrictions.

The officers are responsible for conducting the business of CFA, provide leadership, strategies and programming for achieving their goals; and reporting to the CAA.

Elections

Each year, the entire committee will elect the members of the incoming class and the new Chair-Elect. A slate of candidates for these positions will be presented to the committee at the CFA Annual Business Meeting which is held in conjunction with the APLU Annual Meeting. The slate of candidates will be determined by the Nominating Committee which consists of the officers and the APLU staff liaison.

Meetings

The CFA:

(a) Meets regularly throughout the year in order to carry out its business and plan for activities.

(b) Holds a Business Meeting each year at the APLU Annual Meeting and a Summer Meeting/Retreat.

(c) May assist the CAA in organizing a topical session at the APLU Annual Meeting.

(d) May organize virtual meetings around timely topics as appropriate.

Meetings will be open to faculty affairs professionals who may not be members of the CFA.

Activities

The CFA may engage in community-building and information sharing activities through its standing fora and beyond. In addition to its meetings, CFA may host a listserv, and develop resource guides to inform their community of practice.

¹Although the CFA will engage with the broad faculty affairs community, membership of the CFA is limited to the NINE members as described here.

Last updated 11/03/2021

A PDF file of the ACFA guidelines can be found here.