School of Nursing

ARTICLE I: PREAMBLE

Guided by the University’s Catholic and Jesuit tradition of cura personalis, caring for the whole person, the GUSON has a proud history of recognized excellence in nursing education and scholarship. GUSON is established to advance the overall mission of Georgetown University by providing student-centered, values-based education, and generating knowledge through research.  GUSON is grounded in a social justice framework and committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.  The school promotes the health and well-being of all individuals and communities through research, scholarship, advocacy, community engagement, and service.  These imperatives are supported through the preparation of holistic, morally reflective clinicians and leaders across nursing roles. 

This foundation informs GUSON’s approach to shared governance.  The GUSON functions within the governance structure of Georgetown University, including the framework of the policies and procedures established by the University Board of Directors, the President of the University, and the Medical Center.  The President and the Board of Directors authorize the creation of the system of governance for the GUSON as specified in this constitution and with the concurrence of the GUSON faculty.[1]

ARTICLE II: ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHOOL

Section 1. The Dean for the School of Nursing

The Dean is the administrative head of the GUSON.  The Dean of the GUSON is recognized as the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)/Chief Nursing Executive (CNE) by academic accreditation bodies.  The Dean’s responsibilities are outlined in the Georgetown University Faculty Handbook.

Section 2. Appointment of the Dean

The Dean shall be appointed by the President of the University, consistent with University policies and procedures, and reports to the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences.

Section 3. Administrative Appointments

Subsection 1. Appointment, Evaluations, and Reappointment of Vice Deans, Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, and Administrative Officers

The GUSON Dean shall have the authority to appoint such vice deans, associate deans, assistant deans, and administrative officers as deemed necessary for the effective administration of the GUSON.  The Dean may delegate duties and responsibilities to other GUSON leadership. The Dean may also convene any ad hoc committees of faculty, staff, and/or students that the Dean deems necessary to the administration of the GUSON.

Subsection 2: Appointment, Evaluations, and Reappointment of Academic Unit Heads (e.g. Divisions, Centers, Programs, Departments)

The GUSON may be organized into academic units, subject to approval as applicable and as required by the University Bylaws (see Article VII, below).  Unless otherwise required by the Faculty Handbook[2], academic unit heads may be appointed by the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences, on the recommendation of the Dean of GUSON and after consultation with the faculty in the academic unit (or a search committee that includes academic unit faculty, among others) and the relevant academic officers.  The terms and conditions of appointment and reappointment are set forth in the academic unit head appointment letter.

The Dean shall meet regularly with the academic and administrative leadership of the School. 

ARTICLE III: EXECUTIVE FACULTY

Section 1. Responsibilities

The Executive Faculty is the academic policy-making body for the GUSON in accordance with University policy. The Executive Faculty serves as an advisory body to the Dean on academic aspects of significant fiscal and administrative matters.

All GUSON academic policy proposals[3] shall be submitted to the Executive Faculty for consideration before implementation. The Dean is responsible for implementing the academic policies approved by the Executive Faculty, unless the Dean determines that there are financial, legal, or other non-academic reasons for deciding not to implement a given policy, or for deciding to implement an academic policy not approved by the Executive Faculty and indicates those reasons in writing. The Executive Faculty, by a two-thirds majority vote, can appeal the Dean’s decision to the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences. The Executive Vice President for Health Sciences’ decision is final.

Section 2. Membership

All faculty members whose appointment in the GUSON is fifty percent (50%) effort or greater, or joint appointment which includes full governance rights, are members of the Executive Faculty and may vote.

Ex-officio, non-voting members include the Executive Vice President of the Medical Center or designee, and a designated tenured Faculty Senate member from the Main Campus.

  1. The Faculty Senate is responsible for designating a Main Campus Faculty Senate member to provide additional perspective to the Executive Faculty;
  2. The Senate designee must be endorsed by the Vice Chair of the Executive Faculty; and
  3. The Main Campus Faculty Senate member serves for a two-year term, renewable one time.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS of EXECUTIVE FACULTY

Section 1. Chair

The Dean of the GUSON is the Chair of the Executive Faculty. The Chair presides over meetings of the Executive Faculty.

Section 2. Vice Chair and Second Vice Chair

The Vice Chair and Second Vice Chair must be members of the Executive Faculty.

The Vice Chair of the Executive Faculty is elected by the Executive Faculty for a two year term.  The Vice Chair may serve no more than two consecutive terms. During the term, the Vice Chair will serve in the place of the Chair of the Executive Faculty should the Chair be temporarily unable to serve or if so delegated by the Chair.

The Second Vice Chair is elected by the Executive Faculty for a two year term. The Second Vice Chair may serve no more than two consecutive terms. During the term, the Second Vice Chair will serve in the place of the Vice Chair of the Executive Faculty should the Vice Chair be temporarily unable to serve.  The Second Vice Chair also serves as the Parliamentarian, and may designate an alternate to substitute if needed.

Section 3. The Secretary

The Executive Assistant to the Dean will serve as the Secretary of the Executive Faculty. Alternatively, another administrator designated by the Dean and approved by the Vice Chair of the Executive Faculty may fulfill the Secretary role. The Secretary will keep an accurate record via minutes of all proceedings and votes of the Executive Faculty, ensure minutes are approved by the Executive Faculty, maintain the permanent records of the proceedings in the office of the Dean, maintain the membership roster of the Executive Faculty, conduct the correspondence of the Executive Faculty, and administer elections as set forth in Section 4.

Section 4:  Election of Vice Chair and Second Vice Chair

The Vice Chair’s and Second Vice Chair’s two-year term will begin on July 1 of even years. Nominations are to be submitted to the Secretary who shall administer the election process. Elections will generally take place no later than the last business day of April prior to the start of the new term.  If the Vice Chair position or Second Vice Chair position is vacated during a term, elections will be conducted as soon as possible to elect an eligible individual to complete the term.

The Chair and Vice Chair will be responsible for developing and maintaining the policies and procedures as approved by the Executive Faculty. These policies and procedures will outline the election parameters and timeline.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular meetings

The Chair will call regular meetings of the Executive Faculty during the academic year but no less than three (3) times. The Dean will submit a Dean’s Report, including a budget update, a minimum of two times per academic year or more often as needed. Committees and task forces will regularly report to the Executive Faculty.

Section 2. Special Meetings

At the request of the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences, or the President of the University, the Chair will call special meetings of the Executive Faculty. The Chair also has independent authority to call special meetings as needed. Additionally, if ten percent (10%) of Executive Faculty would like a special meeting they can call a meeting and set the agenda for that meeting.

Section 3. Notice of Meetings

Written notice of all meetings of the Executive Faculty, specifying time, location and the agenda will ordinarily be given by the Chair at least seven days[4] prior to the date of the meeting.

Section 4. Agenda

The Chair, after consultation with the Vice Chair, will set the agenda for all regular meetings.  Generally, agenda items should be submitted ten days in advance by faculty for inclusion on the agenda of regular meetings.

Section 5. Quorum

Greater than fifty percent of the total number of the voting members of the Executive Faculty, present in person or virtually, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings. 

Section 6.  Attendance at and Participation in Meetings

The Chair, with the concurrence of the Vice-Chair, will determine if a meeting is to be closed, otherwise all meetings will be open to GUSON faculty.  The Chair or the Vice Chair can extend invitations to guests.  Any faculty with an appointment in the GUSON may attend open meetings and participate in discussion. Only members and officers of the Executive Faculty will participate in closed sessions.

Section 7.  Voting

The will of the Executive Faculty will be determined by voting.  Unless otherwise specified in this Constitution, a motion passes with a majority of the votes cast[5]. The Vice Chair, after consultation with the Chair and Secretary, is responsible for determining the method and timing of voting, and may use electronic voting mechanisms to facilitate participation.  The vote will be conducted by secret ballot upon the request of any member of the Executive Faculty.  The record of the vote will indicate whether the vote included only the voting faculty present at a meeting, or occurred over a longer period and included faculty not in attendance.  Proxy voting is not permitted.

Section 8. Conduct of Business

In matters not regulated by this Constitution or by the Executive Faculty’s rules of procedure, Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised will serve as the parliamentary authority.  The Executive Faculty may establish and amend its rules of procedure by majority vote.

ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES

Committees and task forces can be established to advise the Executive Faculty and/or the Dean on academic functions.

Task forces may be created by the Dean or Executive Faculty to advise on issues as needed. 

Standing committees may be created or dissolved by the Executive Faculty by secret ballot. The charge and structure of the standing committee are documented in the records of the Executive Faculty. Written procedures created by a standing committee should be submitted to the Executive Faculty for approval.

Such committee foci may include but are not limited to the following priority areas:

  • Appointment, promotion & tenure
  • Diversity, equity & inclusion
  • Faculty development
  • Governance
  • Mission, values and ethics
  • Program and curriculum development, review and evaluation
  • Research & scholarship
  • Social justice
  • Student affairs

ARTICLE VII: ACADEMIC UNITS

Section 1. Operations

Academic units operate under their internal procedures, which have been approved by both the faculty of the academic unit and the Dean of the GUSON.

Section 2. Establishment and Dissolution

Academic units may be established or dissolved by the Georgetown University Board of Directors, based upon the recommendation of the President, and in conformance with University procedures.

Written proposals for the creation or dissolution of an academic unit will be presented to faculty for consideration at least ten days prior to the meeting. Any vote will follow an opportunity for discussion.

All voting members of the Executive Faculty are eligible to vote for the establishment or dissolution of an academic unit. A vote will be taken by secret ballot and a two-thirds majority vote will determine the recommendation for the establishment or dissolution of that academic unit.  The vote and the minutes from the Executive Faculty discussion, including any dissenting views expressed, will be forwarded to the Dean who will then forward the Executive Faculty vote and related materials for the Dean’s recommendation to the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences. The Executive Vice President for Health Sciences will forward the Executive Faculty vote and related materials, the Dean’s recommendation, and the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences’ recommendation, to the University President.

ARTICLE VIII: RATIFICATION

All faculty members whose appointment as of the date of the vote is at fifty percent or greater in the academic units that will constitute GUSON as of July 1, 2022, are eligible to vote on ratification of this Constitution.  This Constitution must be approved by two-thirds of the votes cast, and submitted through standard University procedures for final approval by the President and Board of Directors of Georgetown University.  This Constitution becomes effective when approved by the Board, and no sooner than July 1, 2022.  Elections of the initial Vice-Chair and Second Vice-Chair will take place as soon as feasible after Board approval, and their initial terms will expire on June 30, 2024.

ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Section 1. Notification

Amendments will be introduced by written notification of the Executive Faculty at least ten calendar days before a meeting.  Action to consider amendments will be taken at the meeting following notification.

Section 2. Amendments

All members of the Executive Faculty are eligible to vote on amendments to this Constitution.  Amendments must be approved by two-thirds of votes cast and submitted through standard University procedures for final approval by the President and Board of Directors of Georgetown University.  Amendments become effective when approved by the Board. 

Approved February 3, 2022

Footnotes

[1] Nothing in this Constitution shall supersede the Georgetown University Faculty Handbook.

[2] Under the Faculty Handbook, Department Chairs are appointed by the President, based on recommendations of the Department faculty (or a search committee including Department faculty) and the relevant academic officers.

[3] For purposes of this Constitution, “academic policy proposals,” include but are not limited to, significant curricular changes and changes in degrees and academic programs offered.

[4] Unless otherwise specified, for purposes of this Constitution, “days” shall mean “calendar days.”

[5] For purposes of this Constitution, abstentions (either by designation on a ballot or by failure to submit a ballot) do not count as “votes” or “votes cast”.