University Student-Faculty Judiciaries
(Amended Bylaws for Academic Governance - Section 6)
The University Student-Faculty and Graduate Judiciaries are established under the Bylaws of Academic Governance, the Student Rights and Responsibilities (SRR), and the Graduate Student Rights and Responsibilities. These boards hear academic and behavioral cases and ensure due process for all involved parties.
University Academic Grievance Hearing Board
University Academic Integrity Hearing Board
University Academic Appeals Hearing Board
Administrative Advisory Committees
Michigan State University convenes several administrative advisory committees to support institutional operations, academic engagement, infrastructure planning, and inclusive practices. These committees help shape university-wide polices and practices.
The purpose of the Campus Infrastructure Planning Work Group (CIPWG) is to review and advise the Executive Vice President for Administration (EVPA) and the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost) regarding the compliance of campus-wide and project-specific planning, design and construction efforts with the current version of the Facilities and Land Use Plan, including the planning principles, recommendations, and University Zoning Ordinance contained therein.
Stewardship of the Campus Natural Areas is overseen by the Campus Natural Areas Classroom, Curriculum and Conservation Committee, CNA3C. This advisory group consists of faculty and staff representing an array of disciplines and expertise in natural science and resource management. The CNA3C is responsible for establishing policies and guidelines to preserve Campus Natural Areas for future generations. This includes protecting native biodiversity, sustainable management of resources within the natural areas, and balancing activities proposed for specific natural areas with conservation objectives.
Three hundred members of the faculty are expected to participate in the baccalaureate degree ceremonies. The Commencement Committee, using the distribution of Academic Senate members as a guide, prepares and distributes college, department and school quotas to meet the required number. Deans, chairpersons, and directors are responsible for meeting these quotas. Each college establishes its own expectations for faculty participation in the decentralized baccalaureate ceremonies at the end of Spring semester.
Libraries, Computing, and Technology (LCT) supports a variety of Communities for Advising, Facilitating, and Enabling (CAFEs) the work of people and their organizational units and programs at MSU through uses of information technologies. Expanding and replacing the former CCSAC (Communications and Computer Systems Advisory Committee) advisory subcommittees, CAFEs will address the growing desire for effective cross-University communications and community that the CCSAC committees were not as effective in addressing.
The CAFEs undertake activities and provide communication mechanisms that help people with common interests share ideas, challenges, solutions, tools, and strategic directions. CAFEs may provide a context for joint planning. LCT will engage with CAFEs for consultation. A key product of community communication is advisory content that helps LCT direct its efforts and investments in information technologies, systems, and services.
The CAFEs, being communities rather than committees, welcome participation by anyone, and tend to have an informal structure (each CAFE will establish its own operating approach). They are led by volunteer faculty and professional staff, and supported by LCT managers, staff and other resources.
Please click on the link to view all current CAFEs:
The Faculty Committee on Honorary Degrees is in the continuing process of developing a list of outstanding nominees to receive honorary degrees. The award of an honorary degree is a chance to bring attention to deserving individuals. The committee typically meets near the beginning of fall and spring semesters to review nominations and make recommendations to the President's office.
The Out-of-State Fees Committee consists of the Vice Provost of Enrollment and Academic Strategic Planning (Chairperson); Vice President of Student Affairs; Associate Vice President and University Controller; Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and Dean of the Graduate School; Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of Undergraduate Studies; one undergraduate student representing ASMSU; one graduate student representing COGS and the University Registrar or their designee, ex officio. Ex officio members are non-voting.
The Academic Specialist Advisory Committee (ASAC) provides the governance structure for the academic specialist community. ASAC consists of elected and appointed individuals from the Academic Specialist community.
Board of Trustees Established Committees
The MSU Board of Trustees formally establishes these committees. Their areas of focus range from campus transportation and safety, public art, educational priorities, and gender equity
All University Traffic and Transportation Committee Report - PDF and Word
The All-University Traffic & Transportation Committee, hereinafter referred to as “AUTTC,” is advisory to the Chief of Police and Executive Director of the Department of Police and Public Safety on matters pertaining to motorized and non-motorized transportation for the MSU community.
The committee membership includes the following representation: faculty representatives, students residing both on and off-campus, graduate students on and off campus, students living in university apartments, collective bargaining groups, Office of Sustainability, MSU Bikes, University Ombudsperson, Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (Logistics, Transportation, Planning/Design/Construction), Auxiliary Enterprises, Student Life & Engagement, Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, Department of Police & Public Safety, and CATA.
Please submit any questions or concerns arising from the reports so that they may be considered by the appropriate governance body: Submit an Item
The Public Art on Campus Committee (PAOCC) was established in 1999 by a Board of Trustees resolution to advance the presence of public art on campus. The committee advises the Provost and the Executive Vice President for Administrative Services regarding the acquisition, placement, and maintenance of art on the MSU campus.
The BOT authorization resolves that MSU will dedicate one-half of one percent of the cost of new buildings and major renovations to public art, up to a maximum budget of $250,000. Any remaining funds (the difference between the budgeted amount and the amount required for purchase and installation) are put into a common campus art fund to support additional art acquisitions or programs and to maintain the collection. All pieces are intended to meet the goal of providing high quality public art that enriches the learning environment, stimulates lively discussion, and evokes aesthetic appreciation of the MSU Campus.
The Women’s Advisory Committee for Support Staff (WACSS) is a Board established organization that advises the Executive Vice President for Administrative Services about issues that primarily affect women support staff. The committee shares perspective and works on initiatives and recommendations surrounding health and safety, MSU benefits, diversity and inclusion, support staff engagement, education, training, and more. This is a great professional development opportunity that provides one with broad exposure and knowledge of university activities and ample networking opportunities.
Institutional Review Boards and/or Committees
These boards and committees oversee research ethics, safety compliance, and institutional standards. These groups ensure compliance with ethical standards, federal and state regulations, and institutional polices across a wide range of research disciplines and operational areas.
The Social Science / Behavioral / Education Institutional Review Board (SIRB) is one of two IRB committees at Michigan State University. Applications reviewed by the SIRB generally encompass social, behavioral, and educational research and are considered medically non-invasive.
The Social Science / Behavioral / Education Institutional Review Board (SIRB) is one of two IRB committees at Michigan State University. Applications reviewed by the SIRB generally encompass social, behavioral, and educational research and are considered medically non-invasive.
The Chemical Hygiene Subcommittee (CHS) shares in responsibility for oversight of the MSU Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP). The Chemical Safety Officer of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) will serve as the Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO). The CHO, along with EHS, can assign areas of responsibility to units, Principal Investigators, laboratory supervisors and other individuals as necessary, to implement and carry out the provisions of the CHP.
The Oversight Committee is unique in that it is a legislative creation (Public Act 120) by resolution of the Board of Trustees, whose sole purpose is to receive and address grievances by persons against the Police Officers or the Police Department and may make recommendations to the Police Chief that disciplinary measures be taken by the Department against any Police Officer who is found responsible for misconduct in office.
The Oversight Committee is an impartial body through which any citizen can make a complaint about the actions of an MSU Police Officer. The Committee will review the investigation of complaints received to ensure that responsible procedures have been followed and actions are taken in a timely manner, when warranted.
The IACUC reviews, approves & oversees all MSU programs involving the care & use of all live animal activities to ensure compliance with standards & regulatory requirements.
By law, MSU faculty, staff, and students must abide by the IACUC protocol review, project approvals, and post-approval monitoring to ensure standards of care and management.
Environmental, Health and Safety is responsible for implementing the University’s radiation safety program as defined by the Radiation Safety Committee, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Broad Scope license, and applicable state and federal regulations.
The University Advisory Committee on the Naming of Buildings and Facilities shall advise the President on the appropriateness of proposed names or changes in names for buildings and facilities at Michigan State University. Facilities shall include designated areas of the campus, major spaces within buildings, streets and any other physical facilities of the University.
The MSU Institutional Biosafety Committee acts as the institutional review body for all research activities involving the use of recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules as required and outlined in the National Institutes of Health Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines). The primary charge of the IBC was to review the research proposals using the NIH Guidelines as a minimum standard. The purpose of the NIH Guidelines and the IBC review process was to provide researchers with guidance for conducting these studies in a manner that minimized exposure risk for research personnel and the environment at large. As a part of this review, the committee must determine if the Principal Investigator has set the appropriate biosafety level (BSL), evaluate the category of review, methods to be used in the research projects, training records for personnel involved, and other aspects of the project.
Ad Hoc Committees to the University Council
Ad Hoc Committees or Subcommittees exist at the discretion of the parent Standing Committees (Bylaw 4.2.2.6.). The Ad Hoc committees investigate specific issues and provide informed recommendations. These committees operate under limited timeframes and scopes as defined by the parent Standing Committee and are guided by the Bylaws for Academic Governance.
Ad-Hoc Committee on Free Speech and Hate Speech Committee Report - PDF and Word
At the November 28, 2023, University Council (UC) meeting, a UC member made a PowerPoint presentation on the status of free speech at MSU. The slides are attached to this report. The presentation described three instances that suggested the University Council might want to assess the status of free speech on campus (see report for additional information). During the subsequent UC discussion, the motion was amended to expand the ad-hoc committee’s scope to include hate speech, and the amended motion was approved, thereby establishing the University Council Ad-Hoc Committee on Free Speech and Hate Speech.
Please submit any questions or concerns arising from the reports so that they may be considered by the appropriate governance body:
Ad Hoc Committee on Digital Learning Platforms Report - PDF and Word
On February 20, 2024, the University Council held a meeting where the council voted to “authorize an ad hoc committee to address the usage of complementary digital learning platforms on MSU’s campus” and referred the issue back to UCUE. On March 5th, 2024, the Steering Committee approved UCUE’s recommendations on “the composition, method of selecting members, functions, and procedures” of the ad hoc committee.
Please submit any questions or concerns arising from the reports so that they may be considered by the appropriate governance body:
Ad Hoc Committees to the Faculty Senate
Ad Hoc Committees or Subcommittees exist at the discretion of the parent Standing Committees (Bylaw 4.2.2.6.). The Ad Hoc committees investigate specific issues and provide informed recommendations. These committees operate under limited timeframes and scopes as defined by the parent Standing Committee and are guided by the Bylaws for Academic Governance.
Ad Hoc Committee created by Faculty Senate resolution November 2024
Chair:
John Aerni-Flessner (Residential College in the Arts and Humanities) AerniFL1@msu.edu
Faculty Members:
Dave Ewoldsen (Communications) ewoldsen@msu.edu
Rebecca Anthony (Engineering) ranthony@msu.edu
Victor Rodriguez-Pereira (College of Arts and Letters) rodri783@msu.edu
Kathleen Fitzpatrick (College of Arts and Letters) kfitz@msu.edu
Riyad Shahjahan (Education) shahja95@msu.edu
Michael Williams (Human Medicine) will3434@msu.edu
Megan Halpern (Lyman Briggs) mhalpern@msu.edu
Lissy Goralnik (College of Agriculture and Natural Resources) goralnik@msu.edu
Jeff Conroy-Krutz (College of Social Sciences) conroyk6@msu.edu
Shahnaz Masani (Lyman Briggs and College of Natural Sciences) masanish@msu.edu
Office Representation:
Kay Connelly (Vice President for Research and Innovation) conne166@msu.edu / vprappts@msu.edu (Sydney)
Marilyn Amey (Faculty and Academic Staff Development) amey@msu.edu
Liz Ivkovich (Senior Director of Advancement, Cultural Arts) (LGI@msu.edu)