1. Introduction
2. Department Mission
3. Faculty
4. Organization of Department Services & Staff
5. Overview of Departmental Administration & Decision-Making
6. Department Administration
7. Department Committees
8. Faculty Meetings
9. Policy on Faculty Duties & Responsibilities
10. Course Offerings & Teaching Schedules
11. Allocation of Department Resources
12. Leaves & Absences
13. Grievance Procedures

I. Introduction

The departmental policies and procedures described here supplement the Rules of the University Faculty and such other university regulations to which the department is subject.

This Pattern of Administration is subject to continuing revision. It must be reviewed and either revised or reaffirmed on appointment or reappointment of the department chair. However, revisions may be made at any time subject to approval by the college office and the Office of Academic Affairs.

II. Department Mission

The Department of Physics is dedicated to the discovery and transmission of scientific knowledge. It strives for research, teaching and service competitive with the best physics departments in the country.

Excellence in research involves advancing the state of the art of knowledge in each of the areas represented in the department. It requires continuously evaluating and updating the areas where we concentrate our research efforts to insure that they are at the forefront of their respective fields. It necessitates hiring, and then promoting, only outstanding new faculty to preserve and enhance the Department's and College's strength in research.

Excellence in teaching involves (1) providing learning systems for Physics undergraduate service courses that fully engage all our students, (2) introducing innovation to improve learning in courses designed primarily for our majors, (3) continuous updating of our upper level undergraduate and graduate courses to provide stimulating and exciting learning opportunities for these students, (4) helping to develop excellent research and workplace skills for all our students through mentoring their work on research and dissertations, and (5) regularly evaluating teaching quality, both by peers and students, to improve our education product to the highest possible level.

Excellence in service involves (1) serving responsibly on committees within the Physics Department, CMPS, and the University, (2) serving on professional committees at state, national, and international levels, (3) providing professional service in editorial and reviewing activities and evaluating colleagues at other universities involved in the promotion and tenure process, and (4) sharing the fruits of our educational and research endeavors with the community beyond the University.

III. Faculty

For the purpose of this document, a faculty member is any person on regular contract at The Ohio State University with an academic rank of Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor having at least a one- percent appointment in the Physics Department. Also included are persons with regular contracts for at least one-half time service in physics at these academic ranks at an OSU regional campus, and persons who meet the above criteria but are away from their regular campus on professional leave or visits. A voting faculty member is a faculty member with rank above the level of instructor.

A complete discussion of faculty appointments and relevant criteria can be found in the separate document entitled "Appointments, Promotion and Tenure and Salary Review Criteria and Procedures for the Department of Physics."

IV. Organization of Department Services & Staff

The Department provides a host of administrative, clerical, and technical support services to the faculty and students who perform the missions of teaching, research and service. These include:

1. Technical Support. The Department Staff provides direct technical support to faculty, staff, and students in the conduct of research. These services include the Machine Shop, the Low Temperature Shop, the Electronics Shop, the Student Shop, the Computer Shop, the Material Preparation Shop, and the Cryogenic Support Shop. These shops provide service to the entire Department, regardless of research area. The services are currently provided free of charge to Department customers, with the exception of the Machine Shop, which charges a modest fee to support equipment modernization and the purchase of expendables. Additionally, the areas of High Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics Experiment are currently supported by technicians who provide dedicated technical support to these disciplines.
2. Teaching Support. Academic program and instructional aid specialists provide expertise in the conduct of service and physics major courses. These include the administration of the large introductory courses, the design, construction, and maintenance of lecture hall physics demonstrations, and the operation of lower division and upper division laboratories.
3. Administrative, Clerical, and Facilities Support. The department provides a broad list of services that assure safe, efficient, and productive day-to-day operation. These include full time human resources and payroll actions; purchasing of supplies, services and equipment; fiscal accounting; secretarial/administrative support; and the maintenance and operation of the buildings that house the Department. Faculty in research groups "share" the services of an office associate who is tasked with providing day-to-day secretarial support, including travel scheduling, typing, and other routine office duties. The Chair, Vice Chairs, and Administrative Manager typically have dedicated administrative and secretarial support.
4. The department provides for appropriate training for staff members.

V. Overview of Departmental Administration & Decision-Making

Policy and program decisions are made in a number of ways: by the department faculty as a whole, by standing or special committees of the department, or by the chair. The staff is consulted as appropriate. The nature and importance of any individual matter determines how it is addressed. Department governance proceeds on the general principle that the more important the matter to be decided, the more widespread the agreement on a decision needs to be. Open discussions, both formal and informal, constitute the primary means of reaching consensus on decisions of central importance.

VI. Department Administration

CHAIR

There shall be a Chair of the Department who shall be administrative head. The duties of the Chair are defined in the rules of the University Faculty (Rule3335-3-35). With respect to this Pattern of Departmental Administration, the Chair shall:

1. Provide a schedule of all regular faculty meetings to all faculty members before the start of each quarter. Additional meetings may be called or convened by the Chair at his discretion or at the request of at least five (5) faculty members. Except in cases of extreme urgency, such meetings will be announced to the faculty at least one week in advance. [A quorum, consisting of at least fifty percent of the faculty eligible to vote (excluding those teaching or absent from OSU on official leave or business), is required in order for a vote to be taken.
2. Arrange to maintain minutes of all faculty meetings and maintain records of other actions covered by this Pattern of Administration.
3. Consult with the faculty on all important policy matters. The Chair will generally solicit the advice of the Professional Activities/Budget Committee, (PA/BC), the Personnel Resources Committee (PRC), the Vice-Chairs, or other relevant faculty committees before submitting an issue for consensus at a meeting of the faculty. There shall be a presumption favoring majority rule by the eligible faculty on all matters covered by the pattern of administration.

The Chair may designate one or more faculty members as Vice-Chairs of the Department. Presently there are three such positions. Typically, the areas of responsibility for each of the Vice-Chairs are as follows.

1. Vice-Chair for Administration (VCA)
   1. Supervisory responsibility for all introductory courses.
   2. General oversight responsibility for Graduate Teaching Associates, including training, performance evaluation, complaints, and problem-solving.
   3. Responsible for determining GTA staffing needs and for making GTA assignments.
   4. Responsible for the Summer 693 "Early Start" program for GTAs to be.
   5. Oversight responsibility for Lecturers and GTAs in all the introductory courses, and for pursuing student-expressed concerns regarding GTAs teaching performance.
   6. Interviews and screens Lecturer position applicants. Works with branch campus administrative personnel to fill their Lecturer needs, and with the MAPS and ENG colleges to staff the Preface program. Participates in the administration of the Young Scholars Program.
   7. General oversight of scheduling and coordinating of weekly laboratory TA training sessions for each of the introductory courses.
   8. Responsible for handling student academic misconduct allegations.
   9. Supervisory responsibility for the course managers of the introductory courses.
   10. General oversight of Tutor Room activities (free tutoring).
   11. Responsible for approving grade changes by GTAs and Lecturers.
   12. Prepares (6+ months in advance) each quarter's master course offering schedule (courses, days, times, # sections, but no instructor names) for the University Registrar and Printing Office.
   13. Monitors section enrollments after registration begins and fine tunes number and size of sections (with the University Registrar's Office).
   14. Prepares (immediately prior to the start of each quarter) specific teaching assignments (who will teach each section of each course, when and where?), and notifies faculty, Lecturers, and GTAs of these details. Each Spring prepares next year's projected faculty teaching assignments (courses).
   15. Coordinates, advises candidates and actively participates in the preparation of promotion and tenure dossiers. Writes the teaching evaluation section of the dossiers.
   16. Administers the SRA (Special Research Assignment), FPL (Faculty Professional Leave) and Parental Leave programs.
   17. Administers funding programs for visiting scholars' proposals.
   18. Assists in the preparation of various department reports and documents. Collects and analyzes data on department activities (teaching and committee requests, publications, presentations, honors, etc.).
   19. Works with Chair on special assignments.
   20. Serves as Acting Chair when needed.
   21. Serves as ex officio member and Chair of the Services Course Committee.
   22. Oversees the administration of the Departments Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) and peer review teaching evaluations.
   23. The Vice-Chair for Administration and the Vice-Chair for Undergraduate Studies coordinate on teaching assignments for all physics courses at the 200 level and above, as well as for the first-year physics honors course. They work together to evaluate staffing needs for these courses.
   24. The Vice-Chair for Administration and the Vice-Chair for Graduate Studies coordinate on GTA administration, including teaching assignments, performance review, and grievances. In addition, they coordinate on as faculty teaching assignments for graduate courses.
   25. The VCA is responsible for maintaining web pages associated with service courses.
        
       
2. Vice-Chair for Graduate Studies (VCGS)
   1. Oversight responsibility for graduate student recruiting, admissions, and annual reviews.
   2. Chairs Graduate Studies Committee.
   3. Department liaison to Graduate School.
   4. Responsible for maintaining graduate student records.
   5. Handles graduate student requests and problems.
   6. Responsible for the 795 seminar.
   7. Ex-officio member of the Graduate Exam Committee.
   8. Works with Chair on special assignments.
   9. Serves as Acting Chair when needed.
   10. The Vice-Chair for Administration and the Vice-Chair for Graduate Studies coordinate on GTA administration, including teaching assignments, performance review, and grievances. In addition, they coordinate on as faculty teaching assignments for graduate courses.
   11. The Administrative Manager and Vice-Chair for Graduate Studies coordinate the pay and fee/tuition waivers for all GTAs and GRAs. The Graduate Studies Office in concert with the Graduate School is responsible for notifying students who are not eligible for fee/tuition waivers. The Graduate Studies Office in concert with Department Payroll is responsible for notifying students who are not eligible to be paid.
   12. The VCGS is responsible for maintaining departmental web pages associated with the graduate program.
   
    
   
3. Vice Chair for Undergraduate Studies (VCUS)
   1. Organizes and coordinates advising of undergraduate majors and engineering physics majors. Chairs Undergraduate Studies Committee consisting of these advisors.
   2. Coordinates undergraduate recruitment activities.
   3. Handles special student requests and problems. Assists with placement of undergraduates in faculty research projects and labs.
   4. Provides letters of recommendation for undergraduate majors. Prepares nomination packages for university and national awards such as the Goldwater and NSF.
   5. Assesses instructional equipment needs and processes requests for instructional apparatus.
   6. Department liaison with the curriculum committees of the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the University.
   7. Department liaison with College of Engineering. Member of the Engineering College Committee on Academic Affairs. Member of the Engineering College Honors Committee.
   8. Provides general oversight for the undergraduate curriculum. Initiates changes in the curriculum. Updates the Undergraduate Handbook when necessary.
   9. Responsible for maintaining undergraduate student records.
   10. Responsible for the 295 seminar.
   11. Formulates annual instructional needs budget.
   12. Supervises instructional staff members for the first-year honors course and for all courses at or above the 200 level.
   13. Works with chair on special assignments.
   14. Serves as Acting Chair when needed.
   15. Selects students for Physics Department awards.
   16. Prepares nomination packages for faculty for the University Distinguished Teaching Award.
   17. The Vice-Chair for Administration and the Vice-Chair for Undergraduate Studies coordinate on teaching assignments for all physics courses at the 200 level and above, as well as for the first-year physics honors course.
   18. The VCUS is responsible for maintaining the web pages associated with the undergraduate major program.
   
    
   
4. Administrative Manager
    
   There shall be an Administrative Manager to oversee the non-academic operation of the Department. This is a University Senior Administrative and Professional position, funded by Department resources. The Administrative Manager reports to the Chair, but provides customer service to all department personnel. The Administrative Manager is the supervisor of record for all classified civil service personnel, except the Chair's Administrative Assistant. Additionally, the Manager is the first line supervisor for all administrative and professional staff members, except those with an additional mid-level supervisor, typically those individuals in the larger shops. The Administrative Manager performs the following duties:
    
   
   1. Performs first and second level supervision of Department Classified Civil Service (CCS) and Administrative and Professional (A&P) personnel as indicated above. Writes annual work evaluations on all first level employees; endorses second level employee evaluations. With faculty input, performs all hiring tasks for first level employees. Assists in the hiring process for all others. If required, implements disciplinary actions, including dismissal. Liaison between Department, College and University Office of Human Resources for CCS and A&P employee actions. With faculty input and Chair guidance, determines salary levels for CCS and A&P employees.
   2. Oversees facility planning, operations, and maintenance. Ex officio member of the Shops and Safety Committee and the Space Committee. Works with the Chair and the Space Committee to assign office and laboratory space. Along with the Building Coordinator, plans for building improvements/modifications, determines maintenance requirements, follows through with University and contractor-provided trades personnel.
   3. Oversees payroll, purchasing, and accounting operations. Approves all ARMS HR actions regarding position control, hiring, salary assignment, and work assignment. Approves all requisitions and purchase orders for University-funded acquisition of equipment, supplies, and services. Approves all fund transfers. Works with fiscal officer to track Department financial position.
   4. Oversees research funding operations. Analyzes and approves all PA 005 forms for outside-sponsored research. Oversees Department cost-sharing obligations.
   5. Ex-officio member of Department Budget Committee. Ex-officio member of Public Relations Committee.
   6. Liaison between Department, College, and University non-academic offices, such as Physical Facilities, Office of Human Resources, Business and Administration, etc.
   7. Performs any/all duties as assigned by the Chair for the efficient, productive, and safe operation of the Department.
   8. Arranges for the training and upgrading of staff proficiency.
   9. Is responsible for maintaining overall personnel and shop-related web pages.

VII. Departmental Committees

The Department shall have a Budget Committee, a Personnel Resources Committee (PRC), a Graduate Studies Committee (GSC), a Public Relations and Development Committee, a Graduate Examinations Committee. a Space Committee, a Computer Committee, an Undergraduate Studies Committee, a Shops Committee, a Service Course Committee, a Colloquium Committee, and any such other committees that the Chair deems necessary for the continued well-being of the Department. All committees are advisory to the Chair of the Department and/or, through the Chair, to the department faculty. All committee members and chairs shall be appointed by the Department Chair for one year terms commencing in the summer quarter.
 

1. The Budget Committee
    
   The Budget Committee shall have at least six members including the Department Manager as an ex-officio member. Members shall be appointed for two-year terms with two or three members being replaced each year. The faculty will be asked to supply nominations to this committee to the Chair. The composition of the committee should be representative.
    
   The Budget Committee will advise the Chair of the department on budgetary and professional activity matters, such as proposals for equipment funds, development of resource allocation policies and such other matters as the Chair brings before it.
    
   
2. The Personnel Resources Committee (PRC)
    
   The PRC shall have at least seven members appointed for two-year terms with three or four members being replaced each year. The faculty will be asked to supply nominations to this committee to the Chair. The composition of the committee should be representative.
    
   The PRC shall advise the faculty and the Chair of the department on matters of new faculty hiring. It may be asked to prepare long-range hiring plans that will satisfy the needs for departmental growth and replacement of faculty vacancies. Special hiring opportunities that may present themselves to various research groups will be considered by the PRC, which will evaluate the request and make a recommendation to the faculty and to the Chair of the Department. The PRC shall be charged with keeping the "Appointments, Promotion and Tenure and Salary Review Criteria and Procedures for the Department of Physics " document current. The PRC will evaluate faculty requests for Department visitor funds, SRAs, and other requests brought by the Chair, and will prepare nominations for University Distinguished Scholar and Distinguished University Professor Awards.
    
   
3. The Graduate Studies Committee (GSC)
    
   The GSC shall have ten members including the VCGS as chair. Six members will be physics graduate faculty and three will be physics graduate students chosen by the Chair of the Department. Appointment will be for two years. The graduate student members shall not participate in the annual review of graduate students in spring quarter, nor in the review of faculty for graduate faculty status.
    
   The committee's responsibilities shall include, but need not be limited to, those outlined in Section 2-4 of the Graduate School Handbook. The GSC will recruit and select prospective graduate students, recommend the award of fellowships and graduate associateships, conduct an annual review of all graduate students, and carry out whatever other charges may be requested by the Chair or the VCGS. The GSC reviews all grievances and petitions from graduate students, and it is responsible for all aspects of the graduate curriculum and for all other issues pertaining to graduate study in physics.
    
   
4. The Colloquium Committee
    
   The Colloquium Committee shall consist of at least four members of the faculty. The committee is responsible for arranging the weekly physics colloquium, including soliciting names of speakers, arranging travel and entertainment, and providing advertising within the department and the university. This committee also is responsible for the arrangements for the annual Alpheus Smith Lecture.
    
   
5. The Public Relations and Development Committee (PRDC)
    
   The PRDC shall consist of at least seven members including at least five faculty members, the Department Manager (ex-officio) and one graduate student. Appointment shall be for one year. The Committee has oversight responsibility for the annual Physics Magazine, the Departmental Graduate brochure (together with the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies), the news items on the departmental website, and any other matters of public relations and development that may be requested by the Chair of the Department.
    
   The committee is charged with insuring that faculty, staff and students are nominated FOR International, National, State, University (with the exception of university distinguished scholar, distinguished university professor, and university distinguished teaching awards), and College awards, prizes and other recognitions which improve the stature of the faculty, staff, students and department. Student awards are facilitated by the Vice Chair for Undergraduate Students, and the Vice Chair for Graduate Students. The committee makes recommendations to the chair concerning the physics department distinguished alumni award and other awards and prizes as requested by the chair. The Staff awards are facilitated by the Department Manager.
    
   The MAPS Directors of Development and of Communications provide valuable information to the committee and may serve as ex-officio members at the pleasure of the Chair.
    
   
6. The Graduate Examinations Committee (GEC)
    
   The GEC shall consist of nine members from the faculty including the VCGS as ex-officio member. Appointment shall be for one year, except that the chair shall be appointed for 2-3 years. This committee is charged with preparing and grading the Qualifying Examination.
    
   
7. The Space Committee
    
   The Space Committee shall normally consist of at least four members from the faculty appointed for one year with the Department Manager as an ex-officio member. This committee shall consider space requests from the faculty and advise the Chair of the Department on matters involving space allocation and planning, in the context of the Space Allocation Procedures delineated in Section XII. The committee will have central responsibility in planning and overseeing any new facilities projects.
    
   
8. The Computer Committee
    
   The Computer Committee shall consist of at least four faculty members appointed for one-year terms, a graduate student, and the director of the Department Computer Facility as an ex-officio member. The committee shall develop policy for the use of the Facility, arbitrate in questions of use and priority, and advise the Chair in all matters pertaining to the use of Department and University computer services.
    
   
9. The Undergraduate Studies Committee
    
   The Undergraduate Studies Committee shall consist of eight faculty members plus the VCUS who shall serve as chair. The appointments are normally for at least two years. The committee members serve as advisors for the Department's undergraduate majors. The committee oversees the undergraduate major program, including the undergraduate curriculum and all other issues pertaining to undergraduate physics majors.
    
   
10. The Shops and Safety Committee
     
    The Shops and Safety Committee shall consist of six faculty members plus the Department Administrative Manager and the Building Coordinator (the latter two being ex officio). The committee shall oversee the operation of the shops and their services, and shall advise the Chair on these matters, including personnel evaluations and suggestions for improvement. Additionally, the committee shall oversee the Department Safety Program, with technical and administrative support from the Building Coordinator. The committee will review the safety program annually, or more frequently if required.
     
    
11. The Service Course Committee
     
    The Service Course Committee shall have up to ten members including the VCA, the P11X course manager, and the P13X course manager as ex-officio members. The VCA will chair the committee. This committee is responsible for all aspects of all 100-level courses, with the exception of the 13x honors sequence.

VIII. Faculty Meetings

As noted in Section VI, The Chair shall provide a schedule of all regular faculty meetings to all faculty members before the start of each quarter. Additional meetings may be called or convened by the Chair at his discretion or at the request of at least five (5) faculty members. Except in cases of extreme urgency, such meetings will be announced to the faculty at least one week in advance. A quorum, consisting of at least fifty percent of the faculty eligible to vote (excluding those teaching or absent from OSU on official leave or business), is required in order for a vote to be taken. Votes on personnel matters shall be by secret ballot, and a two-thirds majority of those present shall be required for passage. Votes on other matters shall require a simple majority approval. "The Appointments, Promotion and Tenure and Salary Review Criteria and Procedures for the Department of Physics" document discusses faculty meetings required for appointments, promotion, and tenure.

IX. Policy on Faculty Duties & Responsibilities

The following is a statement of the current operating procedures that have allowed the Department of Physics to develop into a successful department. The formal teaching responsibility is an important part of the total teaching effort and of the expected activities for all faculty in the department.

The faculty of the Department of Physics teach students in a variety of modes: (1) formal instruction of undergraduates and graduate students in lectures and laboratory courses; (2) extensive individual instruction, primarily of graduate students, under standard course numbers for research; (3) a vigorous program of research seminars in all research areas by external and internal scientists; and, in some research areas, (4) the teaching and supervision of postdoctoral-level scientists and (5) the involvement of undergraduates in research. This inseparable program of teaching and research in research universities is the primary way in which fundamental new knowledge is generated in this country.

The normal expectation is that each faculty member will teach three formal courses per year. In addition each faculty member has non-formal teaching responsibilities together with the research and service expectations described below. It is expected that faculty will teach all types of courses: large-enrollment freshman and sophomore courses and smaller-enrollment advanced undergraduate and graduate courses. These policies are the norm for physics departments at universities with major graduate programs. All faculty are expected to participate in advising graduate students. Currently the advising of undergraduate students is a responsibility of the Vice-Chair for Undergraduate Studies, together with the members of the Undergraduate Studies Committee. Faculty are expected to participate in undergraduate and graduate curriculum development, which can be sufficiently complex so as to substitute for the teaching of a formal course.

Recognizing that research is the basic component of physics graduate programs, all faculty are expected to establish and to maintain vigorous research programs involving graduate students. Whenever possible these programs should involve undergraduate students. In some cases postdoctoral-level scientists may be involved. In addition to the formal course load, faculty members will normally supervise the continuing education of graduate students doing thesis research. Since physics research is primarily funded from external sources, all faculty are expected to seek such funding to support their research programs. Completed research projects should generally result in publications in major professional journals. Necessarily an active research component means that faculty are expected to review papers for professional journals and research proposals for funding agencies.

The tenured faculty are expected to perform significant service, examples of which are (I) examination committees both inside and outside the Department, (ii) advisory and evaluation committees for this University and for other universities, government agencies and professional societies, (iii) outreach and affirmative-action groups, (iv) department, college and university governance bodies.

The Chair, in consultation with the Vice-Chairs and the separate faculty members, is responsible for assuring that assigned responsibilities are equitably distributed. For example, a faculty member with substantially above-average research activity (which involves greatly enhanced informal teaching) might be assigned a lighter formal teaching responsibility. Ordinarily, no faculty member will teach fewer than two or more six formal courses in a year.

The above policy does not constitute a contractual obligation. Fluctuations in demands and resources in the Department and the individual circumstances of faculty members may warrant temporary deviations from the policy.

X. Course Offerings & Teaching Schedules

While consideration will be given to the teaching specialties and preferences of faculty, the primary consideration in scheduling classes is to provide for the needs of students: both the department's own students and those from other departments who need specific courses to meet their degree requirements. Every effort will be made to assure the regular availability of required courses and the sensible timing of high demand offerings so that all students have a fair chance at fitting such courses into their schedules.

It is the chair's responsibility to assure that the schedule of course offerings each quarter makes the most effective use of the department's instructional resources.

Faculty Rule 3335-7-16 establishes a standard that an elective course below the 300 level should have an enrollment of at least twelve and an elective course at the 300 level or above should have an enrollment of at least eight for the course to be taught.

Annually the patterns of enrollment in all a unit's course offerings, especially its elective offerings, will be reviewed. Offerings that may represent a less than optimal use of instructional resources should be identified. Courses with enrollments that are frequently below minimum should be discontinued or at least not offered again until there is reason to expect adequate enrollment. Faculty who teach such courses, or whose courses are canceled because of low enrollment, should be assigned other courses.

Faculty may not cancel courses on their own. The chair is responsible for determining whether a scheduled course is to be cancelled.

Each Spring quarter each member of the Physics faculty is asked to list their teaching preferences quarter by quarter for the upcoming academic year. The Vice Chair for Administration then matches the requests, as best possible, to the course demands for the upcoming quarters. Before the end of the Spring quarter faculty receive preliminary teaching assignments for the upcoming year. This is a dynamic process and for some the actual course(s) taught may differ from the preliminary assignments due to unanticipated opportunities in teaching and/or research.

The courses offered by the Department are scheduled to meet the demands of both undergraduate and graduate students. Introductory courses are typically scheduled with multiple sections to match anticipated enrollment. In setting the class meeting times care is taken to avoid time conflicts with other courses that may be required of students the same quarter.

There exist several mechanisms to add a course to the Department's course offerings. Courses that are to be taught typically once every few years can be added to the schedule using existing P294, 780.20, and/or 880.20 course numbers. Courses that are to be permanent additions to the Department's course catalog are usually developed in consultation with the appropriate course committee (e.g. Undergraduate Studies Committee) and must meet the University's approval procedure for adding new courses.

XI. Allocation of Department Resources

1. It is the responsibility of the Chair to provide appropriate offices and/or research and teaching space for faculty, staff, and graduate students.
2. Space is assigned or reassigned by the Chair or his/her designee, in consultation with the Space Committee if desirable.
3. A Departmental goal is to insure that all space is actively utilized. Thus under utilized space may be reassigned, and space that is being utilized may even have to be exchanged with other space in order to optimize the total space usage.
4. Space must only be used for the purposes for which it is allocated. When that usage changes, the assignment of that space will be reconsidered by the space committee. Only in this way can the Department's space be allocated to its most relevant usage.
5. Departmental space must never be used for long term storage of apparatus or personal effects.
6. When assignments or reassignments of space are contemplated, the faculty or other persons who will be affected by the proposed changes will be consulted prior to the final decision.
7. When decisions are made which involve instructional space, they should be made in consultation with the Vice-Chairs and such faculty members as may have specific interests in the matter.
8. Where possible, office and lab space will be assigned to emeritus faculty based on their needs and reported level of professional activity.

XII. Leaves & Absences

Many faculty members voluntarily take on a variety of professional activities that fall outside the department's policy on faculty duties and responsibilities. [Travel to conferences, workshops, and in some cases extended stays at facilities vital to the research mission of the department can and do lead to a redistribution of the various components of the faculty members total workload.] These activities often benefit the department or University and, to the extent possible, should be taken into account in considering a faculty member's total workload.

However, fairness to other faculty and the department's need to meet its programmatic obligations may become issues when a faculty member seeks relief from departmental obligations in order to devote considerable time to personal professional interests that may not contribute to departmental goals. The chair may decline to approve such requests when approval is not judged to be in the best interests of the department.

During on-duty quarters faculty members are expected to be available for interaction with students, service assignments, and other responsibilities even if they have no formal course assignment that quarter. On-duty faculty members should not be away from campus for extended periods of time unless on an approved Special Research Assignment (SRA).

Faculty Rule 3335-5-08 requires that absence from campus for more than ten days (not necessarily ten contiguous days) during a quarter be approved by chair, dean, and provost.

XIII. Grievance Procedures

The Vice-Chair for Administration handles all grievances associated with 100 level courses, excepting the first year honors course.

The Department follows the grade grievance policy as outlined in the rules of the University Faculty (rule 3335-7-23). In addition, for the introductory courses (P111, 112, 113, 131,132, and 133) a "request for regrade" form is available to handle individual student complaints concerning the grading of midterms and quizzes. Here the student submits the regrade form to the recitation instructor who then passes it on to the person who did the actual grading. Regrade forms must be submitted to the recitation instructor within a two week time period starting from when the exam was returned to the student. If after this process the student still disputes the grading then the course manager and/or the Vice Chair for Administration will meet with the student to try to resolve the disagreement.

The Vice-Chair for Undergraduate Studies handles all grievances by undergraduate physics majors and grievances arising in all undergraduate physics courses at the 200 level and above, as well as the first-year honors course.

Graduate student grievances are addressed to the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies for initial consideration. They may be referred to the Graduate Studies Committee for further consideration.

Faculty grievances should be brought to the Department Manager, the appropriate Vice Chair, or in some matters, including salary and resource allocations, directly to the Chair.