Bylaws
Institute of Cognitive Science Bylaws
- Preamble
- Administrative Structure
- Director
- Associate Director
- Academic Program Director
- Executive Committee
- ICS Members
- ICS-Rostered Faculty
- Tenure Track
- Research Professors
- ICS Fellows
- Other Personnel
- Administrative Staff
- Research Project Staff
- Graduate Research Assistants
- Visiting Scholars
- Instructors
- ICS-Rostered Faculty
- Finances
- Administrative Budgets
- Research Project Budgets
- Research Project Submissions and Administration
- Facilities
- Bylaws
- Adoption Procedure
- Amendment Procedure
I. Preamble
The Institute of Cognitive Science (ICS) was founded in 1968 as the Institute for the Study of Intellectual Behavior. The name was changed in August, 1980. The mission of the Institute is two-fold: (1) to promote interdisciplinary research in cognitive science and (2) to provide training and mentoring in the conduct of interdisciplinary cognitive science research. ICS strengthens interdisciplinary research by providing outstanding research facilities and services to its diverse members, and by providing an intellectual climate that fosters rich scientific conversations, innovative thinking, and by building interdisciplinary partnerships to advance our mission.
In addition to research and training in cognitive science, the Institute disseminates information about research and research findings and engages in outreach efforts to translate and apply research findings, with a particular emphasis on partnering with and supporting Colorado schools and community institutions.
As a unit of the University of Colorado at Ãå±±½ûµØ, the Institute of Cognitive Science is subject to the University of Colorado Board of Regents’ Laws and Policies , the policies of the University, and the ICS Bylaws. Through its Director, the Institute reports to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation and Dean of the Institutes (VCRIO).
II. Administrative Structure
A. Director
As the principal executive officer, the Director is responsible for the overall administration and operation of the Institute. The Director serves as Chair of the Executive Committee, sets the agenda for executive committee meetings, is a nonvoting, ex officio member of standing and ad hoc committees, handles questions of Institute personnel, hears grievances, and allocates administrative support and office space (this latter item in collaboration with the Associate Director). It is also the Director's responsibility, on behalf of the Institute, to foster communication and interaction with the various Ãå±±½ûµØ campus departments and units and to maintain mutually-productive relationships to advance interdisciplinary research and scholarship within the University.
The Director is a Fellow of the Institute as well as a member of an academic department of the University in which he or she holds tenure. Under most circumstances the Director will be rostered in ICS; should a Director be named who is not rostered in ICS, that individual’s position should be temporarily assigned to the Institute for the duration of their term, and tenure would remain in the individual’s home academic department. Appointment of the Institute Director is made by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Institutes, following approval by the Chancellor in accordance with APS 1008. In the event of a vacancy or the need for a new Director, the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Institutes may convene a search committee to offer guidance. The search committee is appointed by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Institutes. The role of the search committee is advisory to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Institutes.
The term of office is four years and is renewable. The Director normally has a teaching load of one course per year. Procedures for considering reappointment of the Director are initiated by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Institutes and include consultation with the ICS Executive Committee, as well as with other University faculty and administrators and outside agencies as appropriate.
In the event of an extended absence of an Institute Director, typically not exceeding 2 months, the incumbent Institute Director will recommend an Acting Director to the Senior Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Institutes. The Dean of the Institutes retains authority to either accept the recommendation provided or designate an alternative Acting Director. The appointment of an Acting Director is temporary and will last until the Institute Director returns.
In the event of an Institute Director vacancy, the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Institutes will designate an Interim Director. The appointment of an Interim Director is temporary and will terminate upon the appointment of a permanent Director.
B. Associate Director
The Associate Director serves as the chief operating/financial officer, and in consultation with the Director, carries out a range of duties, including approving project proposals and indirect cost rates (ICR) splits; supervising financial, clerical, technical, and administrative personnel; overseeing the preparation and supervision of Institute budgets; managing space and facilities; and performing other duties as assigned by the Director or the Executive Committee.
The Associate Director may either be a rostered member of a participating academic department or hold a university staff appointment. He or she is a nonvoting, ex officio member of the Executive Committee. The Associate Director is appointed by the Director with the approval of the Executive Committee.
C. Academic Program Director
The ICS Academic Director oversees the Institute’s training mission, serving as the primary liaison with the Ãå±±½ûµØ Graduate School and affiliated departments. They also coordinate student coursework and activities that support interdisciplinary research training and professional development for ICS students and early-career scholars. The Academic Director also establishes the ICS course schedule and teaching assignments, advises students in courses and degree requirements, and identifies courses in other units that fulfill our degree and certificate requirements. The Academic Director works with the Director, the Executive Committee, and the ICS Fellows to review and update our degree and certificate programs and requirements.
The Academic Director may either be a rostered member of a participating academic department, rostered in ICS, or hold a university staff appointment. The Academic Director is appointed by the Director with the approval of the Executive Committee.
D. Executive Committee
The Executive Committee serves as the policy-making body of the Institute and is chaired by the Director of the Institute. It recommends the reappointment of the ICS Director to the Senior Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Institutes, establishes policies and procedures, advises the Director on the allocation of common funds, supports merit review processes, participates in the recruitment and selection of new ICS faculty, and works with the Director to review ICS Fellows appointments to ensure that voting members are still actively participating in the Institute. Policies and procedures enacted by the Executive Committee include the ICS Bylaws, the , , , and . Significant changes in the policies and procedures will be announced to all ICS Members in a timely way, via email to ICS Members.
The Executive Committee is composed of five members at-large, one graduate student representative, the Institute Director (ex-officio), the Associate Director (ex-officio), and the Directors or a designated representative from each of the Institute’s Research Centers (all ex-officio). The Institute Director and Associate Director are non-voting members of the Executive Committee; all others are voting members. The Director is the Chair of the Executive Committee, sets the agenda for executive committee meetings, and ensures that meeting outcomes and action items are recorded and distributed in a timely fashion to all Executive Committee members. Current Research Centers hosted by the Institute are described on the ICS website.
Four of the at-large members are elected by ICS faculty and fellows for two-year terms. Elections are held electronically, shortly after the first membership meeting of each year. One at-large member is appointed by the Director for a two-year term. The graduate student representative is elected for a one-year term by the current ICS graduate student population. In order to ensure continuity, terms of the at-large representatives on the Executive Committee are staggered so that there are three new appointments in even-numbered years (e.g., 2017-2018), and two in odd-numbered years (e.g., 2018-2019). When the term of an elected member expires or that member resigns, a new member is elected for a two-year term. When the term of an appointed member expires or that member resigns then a new member is appointed by the Director. Previous EC members may run for reappointment to the Executive Committee without limits.
Meetings of the Executive Committee are held several times throughout the year and are scheduled by the ICS Director. Any member of the Institute may submit items for the agenda 2 weeks in advance of the meeting. The agenda is drawn up by the Director and circulated to the Committee approximately 1 week in advance. The ICS Director may invite others to join any particular meeting based on the agenda topics to be discussed. A quorum consists of two-thirds of the members present at the meeting (either in-person or remotely), and a motion carries by a simple majority vote of those present and voting. A written ballot is held at the request of any member.
E. ICS Members
1. ICS-Rostered Faculty
a. Tenure-Track Faculty
Several tenure-track faculty positions are rostered within the Institute of Cognitive Science. ICS tenure track faculty must be actively engaged in interdisciplinary research and training in cognitive science and are expected to routinely submit and support externally-funded research proposals administered by the Institute.
Unless specified otherwise in a MOU, teaching responsibilities are split between ICS and the faculty member’s tenure home department. ICS-rostered faculty who hold leadership positions within ICS may also have reduced teaching loads. In addition, consistent with policies established by the Research & Innovation Office, ICS faculty may be permitted to reduce their teaching obligations to ICS when they are leading significant externally-funded research activities.
Tenure-track faculty hires are made jointly with academic departments, within which their tenure homes reside. Comprehensive review for reappointment, promotion and tenure decisions will proceed according to the Standing Rules of the home academic department in consultation with the Institute. After the Primary Unit Evaluation Committee (PUEC) review, typically with representation from at least one member of the Institute, the dossier is forwarded to the Institute for review.
For the review, the Director will provide a letter of evaluation summarizing the Institute’s input on the faculty member and this letter will be included in an advisory capacity in the official review dossier. The Director’s letter should include input from the Institute’s tenured faculty on the areas of scholarly and creative work; leadership and service; and teaching, as applicable. Institutes do not vote on tenure, only the tenure home’s tenured faculty vote on tenure as part of the primary unit evaluation. If there is disagreement about the outcome of the comprehensive review for reappointment, promotion or tenure, the Department Chair and the Institute Director will discuss the nature of the disagreement. A disagreement between the tenure home and the Institute about the outcome of the review will be adjudicated jointly by the appropriate Dean and the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Institutes.
Subject to the approval of the home department, faculty rostered in the Institute shall also have representation from the Institute on their Personnel Action Committees; specifically, if agreed to by the home department, the ICS Director will appoint one or more persons to the committee. It is the responsibility of that person or persons to solicit input from the Institute Faculty and graduate students regarding the research, service, and teaching of that Faculty member.
b. Research Professor Appointments
The Institute of Cognitive Science may appoint distinguished researchers to the title of Assistant, Associate, or full Research Professor. These appointments may be entirely within the Institute or shared jointly with another campus unit, such as a department or another institute. The University of Colorado establishes the criteria for appointment to these ranks.
The Ãå±±½ûµØ campus criteria for appointment to the rank of Assistant, Associate, or full Research Professor require that the successful candidate demonstrate significant contributions in research judged by their publications, funding history, mentoring of younger scholars, and external and internal letters of evaluation. The campus considers each of these titles to be comparable to the similarly named tenure-track faculty rank.
Research Professor appointments in ICS are initiated by ICS and follow normal CU processes for this position. Once the candidate’s portfolio is assembled, it is approved by the Fellows by a simple majority vote. Fellows additionally approve appointment level (assistant, associate, full) by simple majority vote. Consistent with our practices for tenure track faculty, only those Fellows at the same rank or higher may vote on a recommendation. The vote, portfolio, and a letter from the Director are forwarded to the Research & Innovation Office who approves these appointments.
2. ICS Fellows
ICS Fellows are expected to be leaders within the Institute, actively contributing to the Institute’s interdisciplinary research and training mission. The qualifications for Fellow are (a) tenure track faculty appointment (in either ICS or a participating department or unit), (b) research or teaching professor appointment (in either ICS or a participating department or unit), and (c) research personnel who participate in grant acquisition and management as Principal or Co-Principal Investigators.
Fellows in the Institute have voting rights, and are asked to approve ICS bylaws, hiring, and reappointment decisions (appropriate to their appointment and rank), and other issues requiring membership approval. Fellows may serve on any committee, including the Executive Committee. Nomination to the position of Fellow requires the recommendation of the ICS Director, Associate Director, or a current ICS Fellow and approval by the Executive Committee. The list of ICS Fellows will be reviewed annually. Fellows are appointed for a term of 3 years and are re-appointed by the Executive Committee by majority vote based on continued evidence of scholarly pursuits in cognitive science and active support of Institute programs and policies.
ICS Fellows may be Principal Investigators or Co-Principal Investigators on ICS-administered research grants and contracts. The Indirect Cost Rates (ICR) split for these grants is based on where the Fellow’s position is rostered and any specific MOUs outlining ICR sharing that may be in place. For Fellows whose position is rostered in a participating unit, ICS expects that a modest ICR split with the Institute will be applied.
ICS Fellows rostered in participating units may also request Institute input on their Personnel Action Committees, in which case the Director will explore with the Department Chair or Unit Director the most appropriate means of providing that input.
3. Other Personnel (non-voting)
a. Administrative Staff
The Institute holds a number of general fund staff FTEs. Appointments are made by the Director or their designee. All classified staff members are subject to the Rules and Regulations of the Colorado State Personnel System.
b. Research Project Staff
Research project staff are appointed in accordance with State and University personnel procedures, as funds are available, and are subject to the Rules and Regulations of the Colorado State Personnel System or to the University of Colorado Faculty Handbook as appropriate.
c. Graduate Research Assistants
Graduate Research Assistants are appointed by individual Principal Investigators to their project in accordance with the procedures of the Graduate School.
d. Visiting Scholars
The Institute welcomes visiting scholars from other universities and institutions who wish to spend time with a specific Institute sponsor. Office space and work-related expenditures are arranged by the ICS member or project sponsoring the visiting faculty.
e. Instructors
The Institute has traditionally not employed instructors. However, should this change, the Executive Committee, the Associate Director, and the Director will work with members to establish policies and processes for appropriately including instructors in Institute governance.
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Grievance Procedures
ICS will maintain a written policy for the handling of grievances involving ICS personnel. Through this policy, ICS will resolve grievances in a manner that is expeditious, fair, and consistent with the policies of the Ãå±±½ûµØ Campus. ICS is dedicated to an open, inclusive, and supportive environment for all of its employees. Please see our current grievance policy and our current inclusiveness policy .
III. Finances
A. Administrative Budgets
ICS budgets and allocations are prepared and administered by the Associate Director with the approval of the Director. The Director and Associate Director will meet with the Executive Committee to discuss and prioritize uses for any current ICR funds remaining at fiscal year-end.
B. Research Project Budgets
Budgets for all research project proposals are reviewed by the Associate Director, or delegated to institute accounting staff, prior to submission. Funded budgets are administered by individual project directors. Research projects that are incurring reduced overhead rates lower than the standard CU rate are expected to build in direct cost returns to support ICS grant administration services; please see ICS’s current direct charging policy .
C. Research Project Submission and Administration
Research projects may be submitted to external sponsors through ICS by individuals who are ICS Fellows. Employees who are not ICS Fellows may apply for Ãå±±½ûµØ or external research grants or contracts through ICS with the permission of the ICS Director or Associate Director. An individual who is not currently an employee of Ãå±±½ûµØ may submit a proposal for a research grant or contract through ICS with the permission of the ICS Director or Associate Director, subject to the rules of the Ãå±±½ûµØ. The Director may give permission for such submissions on a case-by-case basis.
Externally- and internally-funded project budgets are administered by individual project directors with the assistance of the ICS administrative staff. Project directors have the responsibility for ensuring that funds are spent appropriately. All offers of employment for positions rostered at ICS must be approved by the Director or the Associate Director as designated by the Director.
IV. Facilities
Office assignments for ICS faculty, staff and students are made annually at the beginning of the academic year by the Associate Director with the approval of the Institute Director. Should space become vacant during the year, its assignment reverts to the Associate Director with the approval of the Institute Director.
All Fellows may use the facilities of the Institute for the purpose of preparing proposals for grants that are to be submitted and administered through ICS. Otherwise, the facilities and resources of the Institute may be used with the approval of the Director by those members who (a) hold a faculty position identified as an ICS position, or whose home department has granted them a (part-time) release for ICS work; (b) are holding a grant or contract that was submitted through ICS and that contains funds for ICS services, or have held such a grant during the previous three years; or (c) petition the Executive Committee for the use of ICS facilities for specific projects.
V. Bylaws
A. Adoption Procedure
Following full consideration by the ICS Members, the Bylaws will become effective after approval by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee and by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Institutes.
B. Amendment Procedure
Amendments to the Bylaws may be submitted by any ICS Members at any time. A two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Committee is required for adoption, as well as approval by the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Institutes.