Commission for Blacks

The Commission for Blacks (CFB) is a body appointed by the Chancellor to advise on planning, implementation, and evaluation of University programs, policies, and services as they relate to Black students, faculty, and staff of the Knoxville campus. The Commission reports administratively to the Office of the Chancellor.

Responsibilities

- Shall asses on a continuing basis the status of Blacks on the campus
- Shall serve as a channel for improving human relations on the campus
- Shall advise and consult with University officials on the concerns for Blacks
- Shall recommend changes in or additions to existing policies and procedures that are relevant to Black concerns
- Shall make suggestions concerning the coordination of new and existing academic and extracurricular programs related to Blacks
- Shall recommend and encourage research to identify and address the concerns, problems and progress of Blacks in the campus
- Shall aid in communicating the interests of Blacks throughout the University community and encourage Black involvement in all aspects of campus life
- Shall consult in the evaluation, revision, and implementation of an Affirmative Action Plan, and in doing so promoting the hiring and promotion of Blacks.
- Shall advise and consult with all University officials on the needs and status of Blacks; and
- Shall provide information on Commission and University activities related to Blacks to the campus and community

Commission Composition

The Commission shall consist of no fewer that twenty-four members: a proportionate number of faculty members, exempt and non-exempt staff members, four students (two undergraduate and two graduate), and external community members. These shall be distributed among the various colleges, schools and administrative units of the University. The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (or his/her designee), the Executive Director of Human Resources Management, the Director of Equity and Diversity, a representative from the Faculty Senate, the President of the Black Faculty Staff Association, the Chair of the Commission for Women, and a representative from the Exempt Council and the Employee Relations Council serve as ex-officio, non-voting members. Nominations will be forwarded by the Chair of the Commission to the Chancellor, who shall appoint the Commission annually. Service on the Commission is normally for three consecutive years.

Executive Committee

A Chair shall head the Commission. The Chair, along with the Chair-elect and the immediate past chair shall form the Executive Committee. The Chair-elect, recommend to and approved by the Chancellor, shall serve as assistant to the Chair for one year, ascend to the Chair position the following year, and then serve as immediate past chair the ensuing year. The Chair-elect shall be elected annually. At least one month prior to the election of a new Chair-elect, nominations shall be solicited from the Commission members and shall be restricted to present or past members of the Commission who have served for at least two years. Ballots shall be sent to the Commission and tallied at the meeting at which the election is to take place. The Commission’s recommendation to the Chancellor shall be determined by a simple majority vote.

Committees

Volunteers shall be solicited from among the Commission members to serve on the following
Standing Committees:
- Faculty/Staff/Administrators Concerns Committee
o Work with the Chancellor and Provost for Academic Affairs to develop and/or implement methods to improve the current campus environment for African American faculty, staff and administrators and provide a forum to address their concerns.
- Student Concerns Committee
o Identify ways to improve the current campus environment and enhance the scholastic performance of African American students in addition to providing a forum to address their concerns.
- Community Outreach Committee
o Serve as a conduit communicating the common goals and actions between the Commission (campus community) and the Knoxville African American community.
- Awards
o Administer the nomination, selection and awarding of the Hardy Liston, Jr. Symbol of Hope Award and the Gene Mitchell Gray Pioneer Award given at the annual Chancellor’s Honors Banquet.
o Assist with the coordination of the African American Hall of Fame recognition to highlight significant accomplishments of Black faculty, staff, students and administrators.
o Assist with the selection of the Carl Cowan scholarship recipients.
- Black Staff Development Fund
o Assist Human Resources with the nominations, review, and selection of the applicants for support from the Black Staff Development Fund.
o Coordinate Professional Development programs and conferences for the African American community.
- Public Relations
o Publish the newsletter and updates the web page.
o Assist with publicizing events sponsored by the Commission.
- Research Committee
o Responsible for the annual “State of African Americans at the University of Tennessee” report and any additional reports the Commission deems important to address and highlight the concerns and issues of our constituency.
- Additional committees shall be formed as needed,

Graduate Assistant

The Executive Committee shall select a graduate to aid the commission by attending and taking notes at Commission meetings, reaching issues of concern to the Commission, or performing whatever other tasks may be assigned. This graduate assistant shall have a fifty percent appointment, including a fee waiver, and be supported by the Chancellor’s office.

Meetings

Frequency

The Commission shall schedule regular monthly meetings at time to be agreed upon at the beginning of each semester. Additional meetings shall be scheduled as needed. The agenda at these meetings shall be determined by the Commission itself and may include items placed on it at the request of the Chancellor, a member of the faculty, staff, or student body with a concern or grievance, or of any member of the UT community with an issue which might require attention. All meetings shall be open to any member of the UT community. A quorum is constituted by the number of people present.

Rules of Order

The meetings of the Commission shall be conducted to the Roberts Rules of Order.

Budget

The Commission for Blacks, being an advisory body serving the Chancellor, shall be provided with an operating budget through that office to cover such expenses as telephone service, graduate assistant, web maintenance, the newsletter, and other miscellaneous operating expenses.

Approval and Ammendments

These bylaws shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Commissions, taken by a ballot or via email, and may be amended by a similar vote taken at a subsequent regularly scheduled meeting. Both bylaws and amendments shall become effective upon the approval of the Chancellor.

 

 

 

Contact The Commission for Blacks

c/o. Ferlin McGaskey
1840 Melrose Avenue
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996
Phone: (865) 974-0919
Fax: (865) 974-0943
Email: fmcgaske@utk.edu