Bylaws

Introduction

In response to the tragic death of George Floyd in the Summer of 2020, which prompted increased awareness of injustice, particularly of institutional racism in all corners of our society, the Council decided to survey its members to solicit frank feedback on how its goals and mission should be updated and what actions it should take in order to address systemic racism and to advance true and deep change in our community. Specifically, the survey collected feedback on the Council’s: (1) goals, identity, and mission; (2) organization and issue areas; and (3) connections to / engagement with Georgia Tech and Atlanta communities. The following are the findings of the anonymous survey designed to inform members as we update goals and mission of the Council:

Goals:

1. Strengthen diversity in both people and curricula.
2. Serve as a hub to identify diversity and inclusion issues in the IAC and bring them to the attention of responsible parties.
3. Improve overall climate in college by enhancing awareness of explicit and unconscious bias.
4. Ensure equitable membership in the council and to encourage active members.
5. Develop measurable outcomes.

Mission:

1. Leading and collaborating with the GT community on issues of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
2. Create a climate of belonging for everyone affiliated with the IAC.
3. Create a forum for innovating new practices and continuing listening sessions and possibly uncomfortable conversations.

In addition to establishing its goals and mission, the Council proposed a more formal governance structure, so that transparency, accountability, and measurable progress mark the work of the Council towards a truly inclusive, just, and supportive community.

A) Composition/Size: The Council shall consist of approximately 27 members, composed as follows:  

13 faculty representatives, with approximately 2 being chosen from each of the 6 Schools in the College. Across the 13, the faculty representatives should represent various faculty ranks and groups as follows:

• 2 Full Professors
• 2 Associate Professors
• 3 Assistant Professors
• 2 Academic Professionals and/or Professors of the Practice
• 2 Lecturers
• 2 Research Faculty/Postdocs

7 staff representatives:

• 1 Staff from each of the 6 Schools
• 1 Staff from the Dean’s Office

1 ROTC representative:

• 1 faculty or staff member to represent the 3 ROTC Units in the IAC

6 student representatives:

• 1 student from each of the 6 schools, including among the 6 student representatives:
  • 3 undergraduate students
  • 3 graduate students

B) Selection of Members. 

During the spring semester each year, the Council’s Governance and Membership Action Group will solicit nominations and self-nominations from among the groups above to fill any vacancies. The Governance and Membership Action Group will review these nominations and recommend new members to fill vacancies to the Dean and the Council Chair (described below) by the end of May, with an eye towards diversity and inclusion in all aspects. Should the Dean and Council Chair endorse the selections of the Membership Action Group, the Dean and Council Chair will issue invitations to the selected members to join the Council beginning with the new academic year (AY) in August.

C) Term of Members/Vacancies. 

Members shall serve a two-year term, renewable for a third year with the approval of the Member, the School Chair of the Member, the Dean, and the Council Chair. After serving a maximum of three years, a member should roll off the Council for a period of at least three years. The Council encourages members to take their knowledge and skills and become an ambassador of DEI efforts in their own Schools after serving as a Council member, and also to assist the Council in an advisory capacity on special efforts as needed.

Any vacancies occurring during a member’s term shall be filled during the regular Membership recruitment period in the spring (described above), with the new member serving their own two-year term beginning when they take office.

During the initial recruitment cycle in Spring 2021, existing Council members will apply for two-year terms, and new council members will apply for a single year term, renewable as outlined above. This is to achieve a staggering of terms going forward

D) Membership Commitments

Membership on the Council includes certain commitments to the Council and its work. Should a member fail to fulfill these commitments, the Council Chair and/or Dean may ask them to step away from their role as a member of the Council prior to the end of their term. The commitments of Council Members are as follows:

• Attend one meeting per month of the full council.
• Serve on at least one action group, and actively engage with that action group over the course of the month to accomplish its goals (members might expect weekly or biweekly engagement either through meetings or e-mail/other electronic interactions totaling approximately 2 hours per week on average).

A) Leadership Positions and Responsibilities

• Chair
  • Serve as the liaison between the College leadership and other DEI units and Councils.
  • Help Action Groups develop goals, and develop and use metrics, when appropriate, to make substantive headway on each of the goals.
  • Develop Council meeting agendas in consultation with IAC leadership and council members and moderate these meetings.
  • Address any Council membership issues, including letting members know if their attendance and action group participation necessitates stepping aside prior to the end of one’s term.
  • Chair meetings of the Council
• Vice Chair
  • Assist in drafting meeting agendas and moderating Council Meetings and meet with action group leaders and Chair regularly.
  • Keep meeting minutes (if not actively moderating).
  • Help coordinate and plan Council events.
• Immediate Past Chair
  • Chair meetings of the Council in the Chair’s absence.
  • Consult with Chair and Vice Chair and serve as a resource for development of Council initiatives, agenda formulation, etc.
  • Assist with Council event planning as needed.

B) Leadership Term/Selection and Succession. 

• The Chair and Vice Chair shall be selected to serve in those roles for a term of one AY. However, each should realize and commit to the following, in order to provide for succession and continuity on the Council:
  • The Vice Chair shall assume the role of Chair in the AY subsequent to serving as Vice Chair.
  • The Chair shall assume the role of Immediate Past Chair in the AY subsequent to serving as Chair.
  • Thus (with the exception of the Council’s inaugural year) the Vice Chair will be the only new officer selected each AY, and the Vice Chair should expect a three-year commitment to the Council, with an extension of that individual’s Council membership for that amount of time if needed.

Members will either nominate other members or self-nominate for their role as incoming Vice Chair. Should more than one nomination be put forward and accepted, the Council shall vote via secret ballot to choose their Vice Chair (as well as Chair in the inaugural year).

The Chair and Vice Chair positions should alternate between faculty and staff members of the Council (i.e. if the inaugural Chair is a staff member, the inaugural Vice Chair/Chair-Elect shall be a faculty member, and this alternation shall carry forward from AY to AY).

C) Leadership Qualifications

• Chair
  • Demonstrated leadership and expertise in the DEI domain (attained either through formal training or experiential knowledge).
  • Demonstrated ability to initiate and instill changes in normative/community culture towards greater transparency and improved climate.
  • After the inaugural year, one year as Vice Chair.
• Vice Chair
  • Active participation on the IAC DEI Council for at least one year
  • Demonstrated leadership and expertise in the DEI domain (attained either through formal training or experiential knowledge).
  • Demonstrated ability to initiate and instill changes in towards greater transparency and improved climate.

The Council shall establish the following standing action groups, with Action Group Leaders appointed by the Chair:

• College Climate
• Communications & Community Engagement
• Curriculum
• Council Governance and Membership
• Recruitment and Retention of Faculty, Staff, and Students

The Council shall also be able to establish ad-hoc action groups to carry out certain tasks and address needs in the College as they emerge. These may be established at the discretion of the Dean, the Chair, or by majority vote of the Council.

Action groups should meet monthly and accomplish the work needed toward achieving their goals.

Each standing action group and active ad-hoc action group should report to the full Council at the monthly Council meeting.

Action groups should link their activities with measurable outcomes when possible

The Dean shall appoint a staff member from the Dean’s office to be designated as the administrative support person for the Council, who can handle scheduling full council meetings, audio/visual support, event reservations, and other higher-level assistance when needed.

The initial Council workgroup (prior to the inaugural year with members selected per the processes above) shall adopt these bylaws by majority vote. Thereafter, the Council may amend these bylaws as needed with review and recommendation by the Council Governance and Membership Action Group, and a 2/3 vote of the Council membership.