The Faculty of Arts bylaws describe the mandate and membership of the faculty council, standing committees of the faculty, and governance of academic units and interdisciplinary programs. The bylaws also define the roles of senior officers in the faculty.

In accordance with Article 157 of University Government, Faculty Council establishes policies for the efficient management of Faculty affairs, it being understood that such policies are subject to approval by the Senate in academic matters and approval by designated University authorities in other matters (see The University of Ottawa Act, Section 18(2)).

Mandate of the Faculty Council

• To make recommendations to the Senate concerning:
  • the development or modification of the undergraduate, certificate and diploma programs offered by the Faculty, including interdisciplinary and joint programs;
  • policies and admission requirements of the Faculty’s undergraduate programs;
• To study, comment on and recommend the development or modification of the Faculty’s graduate programs, as well as interdisciplinary programs in which the Faculty is involved, before such proposals are submitted to the Office of the Vice-Dean Research;
• To establish the standing committees of the Faculty designated in By-Law 2, to create any other standing or ad hoc committees as required, and to define their powers, duties and memberships;
• To establish by-laws for its own operation, subject to approval by the University Senate or the Board of Governors;
• To establish rules for the sound management of the Faculty;
• To approve all strategic or other formal plans of the Faculty;
• To establish policies that favour the development of the Faculty.

Mandate of the Executive Committee

Subject to the provisions of Article 160 of the University Government, the terms of reference of the Executive Committee are to:

• advise and help the dean in the management and planning of the Faculty in compliance with the policies approved by the Faculty Council and the University; take all measures necessary to ensure the smooth running of the Faculty;
• prepare, for the Faculty Council, by-laws that it deems useful or necessary for the operation of the Faculty;
• approve the by-laws of the Faculty’s academic units;
• regulate, in the name of the Faculty Council, problems that arise between  meetings and report on these at the next meeting;
• perform other duties that may be assigned to it by Faculty Council from time to time;
• report its decisions to Faculty Council.

Mandate

The Program Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Faculty Council concerning:

• admission requirements of the Faculty’s programs and measures required to limit, if necessary, registration in certain programs;
• the structure, content and learning outcomes of the Faculty’s programs;
• admission requirements, structure, content and learning outcomes of interdisciplinary and joint programs that involve the Faculty of Arts;
• the decolonization and Indigenization of programs;
• the internationalization of programs;
• the development of academic regulations, policies and procedures related to its mandate, and their application and interpretation.

The Program Committee is responsible for:

• receiving and handling undergraduate and graduate program modification and creation requests from the Faculty’s academic units;
• approving program modification requests, as per the parameters established annually by Faculty Council;
• preparing and updating, with the administrators of undergraduate and graduate studies, the Faculty’s course and program offering (known as the “calendar”) in accordance with decisions taken by Faculty Council and Senate;
• to submit to Faculty Council, monthly, the minutes of its meetings;
• establishing subcommittees, as required, to handle particular issues.

Mandate

The Student Experience Committee makes recommendations to the Faculty Council regarding:

• initiatives that enhance the student experience within the Faculty of Arts;
• the development of guidelines and best practices within the Faculty of Arts that promote student success and enhance the student experience;
• the identification and development of opportunities for student mobility, career development, and other initiatives;
• the application and interpretation of academic regulations, policies, and procedures related to its mandate.

The Student Experience Committee is responsible for:

• preparing and updating, with the administrators of undergraduate and graduate studies, the general Faculty Handbooks;
• preparing and updating Faculty guidelines around student experience;
• establishing subcommittees, as required, to handle particular issues related to its mandate;
• Submitting an executive report of its activities to Faculty Council, annually.

Mandate

The Research and Publications Committee promotes research activity in the Faculty of Arts. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Research and Publications Committee:

• establishes, updates and administers research policy for the Faculty of Arts;
• administers support programs for Faculty research;
• presents an annual report on its activities to Faculty Council.

Membership and operation of the Faculty Teaching Personnel Committee (FTPC) are determined by the collective agreement between the University of Ottawa and the APUO. The following stipulations apply to the Faculty of Arts:

• The FTPC is made up of 5 full-time regular professors, members of the APUO. It is presided by the the Dean, who does not have voting privileges.

• The FTPC is made up of 5 full-time regular professors, members of the APUO. It is presided by the the Dean, who does not have voting privileges.