There are many opportunities for faculty and staff to engage in the governance of the University through service on University committees with each committee having a specific charge and responsibility. Committees report to the designated Vice President responsible for that area. Each spring the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs will distribute a call for service on committees, as membership on most committees is for three years, it is important to note that it may take several attempts before a vacancy from a specific unit occurs.

 

For a list of Faculty Senate Committees please see https://facultysenate.louisiana.edu/committees.

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University Committees
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Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Academic Policy Committee

The Academic Policy Committee is an advisory, policy-formulating, and review body under the direction of the University Provost. The committee is responsible for the systematic development, review, and refinement of academic policies and procedures.
 

Faculty Benefits and Welfare Committee

The Faculty Benefits and Welfare Committee shall study and make recommendations with regard to faculty retirement, insurance, other fringe benefits, safety, health, and other matters relating to faculty welfare.
 

Faculty Grievance Committee

The Faculty Grievance Committee has as its primary purpose the provision of a fair investigation of a faculty grievance for the purpose of ascertaining the facts of the complaint and making a recommendation to the President of the University. Also, the committee shall hold a preliminary hearing when charges have been brought by a University Administrator against a faculty member which might result in dismissal or any other major sanction. The committee shall attempt to effect a mutual settlement and, failing that, shall recommend to the Academic Vice President whether or not sufficient reasons exist for a formal hearing.
 

General Education Committee

The General Education Committee exists to review, develop, and recommend policy regarding general education, to recommend inclusion or exclusion of courses on the list of acceptable general education courses, and to participate constructively in assessment of the general education goals. It provides monthly updates to the Undergraduate Council and prepares an annual report by the end of each spring semester.

Specific functions include: establish, review, and revise General Education courses and learning outcomes, ensure all General Education courses address specified learning outcomes, review General Education assessment results and recommend actions to improve General Education on campus, formulate General Education policy recommendations for review by the Policy Committee and Undergraduate Council

Graduate Council and Graduate Council Standing Committee

The purpose of the Graduate Council is to formulate policies for governing the University's graduate programs. Specifically, the Council establishes criteria relating to admission and retention of students. Must hold graduate faculty appointment.

Honors Convocation Committee

The purpose of the Honors Convocation and Academic Excellence Awards Committee is to plan, organize, and implement an annual program recognizing academic achievements of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty excellence.

Instructional Technology Committee

The Instructional Technology Committee Council is comprised of representatives from various Colleges, Departments, and Organizations throughout the University who are involved in technology-related teaching and learning. The Committee meets monthly to discuss instructional technology initiatives, best practices for using teaching tools, and emerging pedagogical trends in higher education. This group will advise the Provost and Chief Information Officer on defining and managing classroom and laboratory technology standards, prioritizing instructional technology projects/initiatives, and recommending/developing new pedagogies that fully utilize technology to enhance the educational experience and increase learning outcomes for our students. It provides monthly updates to the Undergraduate Council and prepares an annual report by the end of each spring semester.

Library Committee

The Library Committee shall serve as an advisory body to the Director of Libraries especially in regard to the establishment of policy in all matters affecting the usefulness and overall operation of the library.
 

Student Evaluation of Instruction Committee

The purpose of the Student Evaluation of Instruction Committee is to supply effective, efficient, and significant means for the periodic evaluation of instruction by the students at the university. Primarily, the committee is concerned with the review and revision, when necessary, of the evaluation form, but can make recommendations for changes in the mechanism of the student evaluation such as who should review the evaluation, when they should be done, etc. Charge: Review and revise, the evaluation form, in addition the committee should pilot college specific questions and develop initiatives to increase student response rates.

T-Café

Advisory Committee supports the missions of the center by enhancing excellence in teaching and promoting faculty professional growth across all ranks and disciplines. The committee helps shape the strategic vision of the center and annual programming to improve instructional effectiveness, promote faculty excellence, and contribute to a supportive academic culture. 

Undergraduate Appeals Committee

Undergraduate Appeals Committee: The Undergraduate Appeals Committee hears routine appeals for waiver of academic regulations—such as credit overloads, degree requirement exceptions, and suspension appeals—in cases of individual students. It provides monthly updates to the Undergraduate Council and prepares an annual report by the end of each spring semester.

Undergraduate Council

Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Undergraduate Council drafts, reviews, and recommends policies and procedures for Undergraduate Education at UL Lafayette. The Undergraduate Council evaluates academic standards, assesses programs and instruction, supports retention and recruitment efforts, ensures alignment between the University’s mission and compliance with University regulations and its governing bodies, and encourages undergraduate excellence.
 

Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee is responsible for reviewing and coordinating the development and revision of all undergraduate curricula to ensure academic rigor, consistency, and alignment with the University's strategic priorities and accreditation standards and to assess potential duplication and impact across units. The committee works collaboratively with the academic colleges, schools, and departments to evaluate proposals for new courses and programs, as well as revisions and discontinuations. The committee ensures alignment between proposals and the University Catalog. It provides monthly updates to the Undergraduate Council and prepares an annual report by the end of each spring semester.
 

Undergraduate Research Council (La Coeur - Louisiana Council on Excellence & Undergraduate Research)

An advisory council to the Student Research Center. Charge: This mission is to serve as an advisory council to the Vice President for Research, the provost and the President on matters about the development of Undergraduate Research at UL Lafayette.

Undergraduate Student Success and Retention

The Undergraduate Success and Retention Committee examines the undergraduate student experience to improve student retention and graduation rates without compromising the high quality of programs. It works with the Undergraduate Council to support the retention and success of students in all undergraduate programs. The committee also supports and advocates for recruitment efforts to improve overall retention and success. It partners with relevant campus constituencies. This committee also supports current and new initiatives designed to enhance student success. It provides monthly updates to the Undergraduate Council and prepares an annual report by the end of each spring semester.

University Committee on Graduate Student Success and Retention

The mission of the University Committee on Graduate Student Success and Retention shall be to examine the comprehensive graduate student experience at UL Lafayette to improve graduate student retention and graduation rates without compromising the high quality of our graduate programs. It works with the Graduate School and the Graduate Council to support the retention and success of students in both degree and non-degree graduate programs. In doing so, and in partnership with other campus constituencies, it assesses graduate student needs, reasons for stop out and drop out, and barriers to completion; professional development for career success; University services and student affairs support systems for graduate students; and other retention-related topics. Reports to the Dean of the Graduate School. Must hold a graduate faculty appointment to serve. Charge: Improve graduate student retention and graduation rates.

University Grade Appeals Committee

The purpose of the University Grade Appeals Committee is to serve as a screening committee to hear student appeals of final grades as supported in the "Guidelines for Appealing Unfair and/or Capricious Final Grades."  Must hold a faculty position to serve.

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Vice President of Student Success

Americans with Disabilities Act Committee

The University has established an ADA Committee to promote compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and to ensure that individuals with disabilities are afforded equal access to University programs, services, activities, and employment. Reports directly to the Vice President of Student Affairs and the Vice President of Administration and Finance.  Charge: Reviewing potential barriers to equal access to the programs, services, and activities of the university and recommending solutions to leadership administration. Preparing an annual prioritization of projects and reviewing progress made in the prior year on resolving access barriers. When applicable, reviewing cases where accommodations or modifications are likely to result in a fundamental alteration of a course, or impose an undue hardship or financial burden on the institution. Serves as the decisive step in the accommodation appeals process.

Communications Committee

The purpose of the Communications Committee is to serve as a review board for the following campus communications media: Vermilion and L'Acadien. The Committee serves as a recommending body to the University through the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. The specific responsibilities of the Committee include recommendations for appointment and dismissal of Chief Student Administrator and Business Manager of each of the communications media. As a general policy group and review board, the Committee is not directly responsible for operational control of the communications media. Advisors are appointed by the President. 

Housing Appeals Committee

The purpose of the Housing Appeals Committee is to serve as an appeal board to review student requests to be released from the housing agreement.

SGA Child Development Center Advisory Board

The purpose of the Committee is: 1) To serve as consultants and advisors to the staff of the SGA Child Development Center and 2) To make recommendations on overall policies of the Center.

Student Affairs Appeals Court

The Student Affairs Appeals Court has appellant authority over the committees which make recommendations to the Vice President for Student Affairs: University Emergency Response and Preparedness Committee, Communications, Fraternities/Sororities Social Committee, Parking Planning Committee, Parking Appeals Committee, Religious Activities Committee, Student Financial Aid Committee, Student Health Committee, University Organizations Committee, SGA Child Development Center Advisory Board. The court has the power to concur in or reverse the decision of other committees and make determinations which affect all committees which report to the Vice President for Student Affairs. The court may also hear cases concerning administrative policy which affects students and matters not in the authority of any other committee. 

Student Discipline Committee

The Discipline Committee is primarily responsible for administration of student discipline.

Student Health Committee

Following the guidelines that have been developed by the American College Health Association, the Louisiana Department of Health and Human Resources, the Board of Trustees and our Communicable Disease Policy Statement, the Student Health Committee seeks the maintenance of a health environment over the entire campus within the physical facilities as well as among students, faculty, and staff. 

University Emergency Response and Preparedness Committee

The purpose of the University Emergency Response and Preparedness Committee is to meet when a natural disaster is imminent to decide on the best course of action to ensure the safety of the campus and the population. The Committee periodically reviews the procedures for safety and preventative action in case of natural disasters.

University Organizations Committee

The purpose of the University Organizations Committee is to: 1) Serve as the main organization that screens and recommends chartering of student groups to the Vice President for Student Affairs; 2) Serve as a policy-making board and recommends those policies to the Vice President for Student Affairs (ex. policies concerning what information a petitioning group should present, criteria for recommending an organization, etc.); 3) Serve as a liaison between the Religious Activities Committee, the Fraternity/Sorority Committee and the University administration; 4) Keep record of all approved student organizations and review information on each organization periodically; and 5) Has the responsibility of declaring an organization to be inactive or disbanded according to certain criteria. 

 

Vice President for Finance and Administration

Occupational Health and Wellness Committee

Identify and maintain current the position titles requiring specialized training, and assist in monitoring/enforcing compliance of required training. Identify/develop a "group" (Banner/Cornerstone) for all position titles needing specialized training, so these employees receive immediate notification of training requirements upon hire. Charge: Policy/procedure development. Identify training requirements and update according as regulated/mandated. Identify methods of communicating training requirements to incumbents of position titles requiring the specialized training; to include supervisors. Develop a workflow/monitoring process to manage incumbents in position titles. Evaluate accidents/incidents of affected employees

Parking Appeals Committee

The Parking Appeals Committee has the lower appellate authority concerning the "UL Lafayette Traffic Code" violations issued by Parking & Transit and University Police and may make recommendations to the Parking and Planning Committee for revisions to the "UL Lafayette Traffic Code" and in general provide "Due Process" for all violations.

University Campus Safety Committee

The University Campus Safety Committee is chaired by the Environmental Health and Safety Director. Members include representatives from University Police, Human Resources, the Office of Disability Services, a faculty member in Sciences, auxiliary and research departments, and others. The committee is charged with learning about all facets of University safety and security, discussing any challenges that may exist in these areas, and recommending or implementing any necessary action that can make the campus safer and more secure. 

Vehicle Accident Review Committee

The purpose of the Accident Review Committee (ARC) will be to review circumstances surrounding accidents which involve UL Lafayette/State vehicles and to recommend proper action which may be taken against the UL Lafayette/State employee who is involved in such an accident.