Faculty Committees

As a small academic community, members of the faculty participate significantly in the life of the institution.  There are a large number of committees on which faculty members serve. Two important elected faculty committees are the Committee on Faculty Procedures, which is responsible for the agendas for faculty meetings and for various matters concerning faculty procedures, and the Council on Educational Policy, which is concerned with matters of basic academic policy.  Faculty policies and procedures which have been legislated by faculty vote may be found within the Handbook for Instructional Staff found in the Handbooks & Policies section of the Faculty Quick Links. 

The Committee on Faculty Procedures assigns faculty to committees each year.  The full list of current committees and assignments of faculty members may be found on the Committee Membership List [pdf]. 

Committee on Faculty Procedures (COFP)

Committee on Faculty Procedures (COFP) is one of two elected committees of the Faculty, and is made up of six faculty members, representing all divisions, in addition to the President and the Provost.  This committee is the “committee on committees”, and sets the dates and agendas for faculty meetings, determines procedures for how issues are presented and voted upon by the faculty, and appoints faculty members to serve on the other College committees. Email COFP at cofp@swarthmore.edu.

Council on Educational Policy (CEP)

Council on Educational Policy (CEP), is one of two elected committees of the Faculty, and includes six faculty members from each of the divisions. Headed by the Provost, this committee includes the President and occasional student representation, and is concerned with long-range, broad matters of curriculum, curricular change, and introduction of new programs. In prior years, this committee developed the curricular reforms that included restructuring of academic divisions, Primary Distribution Courses for the first two years, and reorganization of the External Examination Program (now known as the Honors Program). More recently, the committee has set procedural guidelines for and reviewed the allocation of new or vacated faculty positions, addressed ways to nurture good teaching, and explored "diversity" in the curriculum. Email CEP at cep@swarthmore.edu.

The Curriculum Committee

The Curriculum Committee deals with immediate questions of the existing curriculum, recommending new concentrations for approval of the faculty and providing oversight for academic issues such as the calendar, registration, etc. Chaired by the Provost, it consists of the Heads of the three divisions, the interdisciplinary representative, the Registrar, and representatives from Student Council. Recently, it recommended new interdisciplinary programs in Latin American Studies and Francophone Studies, which were approved by the faculty. It has also overseen the implementation of the revised Honors Program.