GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE GFC

The General Faculty Committee (GFC) represents the entire faculty. Members are elected by the various schools, with the number of representatives determined by the size of the school:


Weinberg College elects 6
Medical School Elects 5
McCormick School of Engineering 2
School of Education and Social Policy elects 1
Kellogg School of Management elects 1
Law School elects 1
Music School elects 1
Medill School of Journalism elects 1
School of Communication elects 1

There are also 3 at large members who are elected by the entire faculty. Members are elected for staggered 3 year terms. Membership totals 22 faculty members.

The Chair and Vice Chair, the latter also being the Chair Elect, are elected by the GFC membership. The Chair serves for 1 year.

The GFC meets once a month. Issues are brought up by members, often on behalf of faculty in their constiuency. The University Administration often asks for GFC advice on issues before it. Much of the work is done by subcommittees and issues are often referred to the appropriate subcommittee which then reports back to the full GFC. Subcommittees can contain non GFC faculty as well as GFC members.

The GFC often invites guests to meet with it at its monthly meetings. The GFC Executive Committee, which consists of the subcommittee chairs plus the GFC chair and Vice Chair, meets quarterly with the President and the Provost. Subcommittees meet with the appropriate administration counterparts. There is a yearly half-day meeting between the GFC and the University Board of Trustees.

Historical Point of reference documents:

GFC Charter from 1959
Faculty Senate Minutes from January 30, 1975