6.4
Advisory Opinion on the Role of a Counselor who is not a Member of the Department

[Approved by Academic Council May 17, 2000]

The Guidelines of the Academic Council state that “Candidates may, if they wish, request a tenured member of the faculty, usually of their own department (who may well be the chair), to assist them in presenting their cases to the department.” Pursuant to the counselor’s responsibility to ensure that a candidate’s “rights and interests are duly observed in the department and in the presentation of their cases to the Advisory Committee,” the Advisory Committee recommends that a counselor who is not a member of the candidate’s department may participate in meetings of the department concerning the candidate but may not vote. The department may hold a final meeting or session for a concluding discussion and vote without the counselor being present.

The counselor must be provided with the same materials that department members are reviewing. Like all other participants who have access to confidential materials, the counselor must respect the confidentiality of the dossier and the department’s and the Advisory Committee’s procedures and discussions.