Bylaws

The New Student Engagement Board exists to improve communication and facilitate collaboration between UT Dallas’ administrative offices and academic units to foster a culture of success for all new Comets. NSEB brings together university administrators, faculty, staff and students to share best practices in student engagement, strengthen cross-campus partnerships, discuss solutions to administrative challenges, and ensure that events and programs taking place across campus are both widely shared and not duplicative.

As part of the larger “Orbit: Keeping New Comets on Course” initiative, and in keeping with UT Dallas’ Strategic Plan, these coordinated efforts are designed to strengthen student support networks, bolster academic and co-curricular engagement and increase new students’ sense of belonging on campus.

NSEB supports all new students and new student programming, devoting time and effort to ideas and initiatives that have the potential to benefit new Comets, from the moment they enroll to the end of their first full semester on campus.

NSEB’s primary organizational goals include:

• Improving communication across UT Dallas by bringing together stakeholders from the university’s administrative offices and schools.
• Sharing information about programs, events or opportunities that may increase new students’ involvement and sense of belonging.
• Developing proposals, projects or other initiatives that have the potential to enhance the new student experience.
• Maximizing university resources and preventing duplications of effort or internal competition across campus.

1. Bylaws: The bylaws provide the governance structure and policy guidelines for NSEB’s continued operation. They shall be reviewed every three years to ensure that NSEB not only fulfills its mission but also evolves over time to address the ever-changing needs of new students.
   1. The review of the bylaws shall be undertaken by a Working Group commissioned by the leadership team and composed of NSEB members.
   2. The Bylaws Review Working Group shall submit recommendations and revisions to the Board of Directors for review and comment. In consultation with the Executive Team and the Board of Directors, the Leadership Team shall vote to approve any changes to the Bylaws.
   3. There may be occasions when further review of the Bylaws becomes necessary outside of the three-year requirement. In such instances, the Leadership Team shall solicit revisions, share updates with the Board of Directors for review and comment, and vote to approve any changes to the Bylaws.
2. Meetings: NSEB meetings shall take place five times per year. Special sessions may be called in addition to the five yearly meetings, but these must be approved in advance by the leadership team.
   1. Members of the Board of Directors shall attend each of the five meetings and any special sessions. When necessary, and at the request of the Leadership Team, the Board of Directors may convene closed-door sessions.
   2. Non-Board Members are not required to attend the five annual meetings, but they are highly encouraged to do so or to send representatives from their offices who can report out on agenda items and discussions.
   3. Non-Board Members shall not attend closed-door sessions of the Board of Directors without prior approval from the Leadership Team.
   4. Guests may attend and participate in NSEB meetings, but they shall not attend or participate in closed-door sessions of the Board of Directors without prior approval from the Leadership Team.
3. Membership: In line with its mission, NSEB’s members are drawn from administrative and academic units across campus.
   1. Membership in NSEB is driven by its organizational goals, priorities and needs and thus directly tied to participation in one of its groups. Excepting the executive team and leadership team — whose members are automatically granted NSEB membership — a person must be nominated and approved to serve on one of NSEB’s groups in order to become a member of NSEB. Total membership in NSEB is dictated by the number and size of its groups.
   2. Members shall attend and contribute to all group meetings and discussions and may attend NSEB’s five yearly meetings. Members shall also:
      1. nominate new chairs when vacancies occur in a group.
      2. participate in proposals, projects or other special initiatives undertaken by a group.
      3. serve on no more than two groups at any given time, unless otherwise approved by the leadership team.
      4. serve on or co-chair a Working Group upon request.
   3. Except for Members of the Advisory Groups, who agree to serve one-year terms, Members agree to serve three-year terms. These terms ensure that Members rotate on and off Groups each year.
   4. With a recommendation from the chairs of a group, and approval from the leadership team, one three-year term extension may be offered to members who are nearing the end of their original three-year terms and who wish to continue serving on one of NSEB’s groups. Additional extensions are not permitted. Members who have reached the end of their second term must step down for a minimum of one year to allow others to serve in their places. After one year, members are eligible to rejoin their original groups or join new groups, if invited to do so by the chairs.
   5. Members of the Advisory Groups may request up to two one-year term extensions if they wish to continue serving in their advisory capacity. Members of the Advisory Groups who have served for three consecutive years must step down for a minimum of one year to allow others to serve in their places.
   6. When a vacancy occurs in a Group, the Chairs, in consultation with the Members of their Group, shall inform the Chair of the Leadership Team and nominate a new person to fill the vacancy.
   7. Members who have stepped down from a Group may request inactive membership, which must be approved by their Chairs. Because they are no longer actively serving on a Group, they shall not attend Group meetings, but they may attend NSEB meetings, retain access to online materials, serve on Working Groups, and remain informed about the Group’s agendas, discussions, and important initiatives.
   8. On occasion, the chairs of a group might find it necessary to ask a member to step down from the group if that member is unable to attend group meetings or fulfill the expectations set forth by the group and its chairs. The chairs shall consult the members of their group and inform the leadership team prior to making a final decision. However, the final decision shall be left to the discretion of the chairs.
   9. Members appointed to the Leadership Team agree to serve for three years but do so at the discretion of the Executive Team. If a Member has served on the Leadership Team for three consecutive years, the Executive Team shall be consulted and shall determine whether or not to renew the appointment.
   10. Members of the executive team are not subject to three-year term limits.

1. Organizational Chart: As noted in its organizational chart, NSEB is comprised of a Leadership Team, an Executive Team, a Board of Directors, Groups, and Advisory Groups, with Working Groups organized on an ad hoc basis.
2. Leadership Team: The Leadership Team manages NSEB and is comprised of a Chair and two representatives each from Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. The Leadership Team shall:
   1. Attend all NSEB meetings and convene at least five additional times per year for leadership team meetings.
   2. Ensure that groups and members remain focused on NSEB’s mission and organizational goals.
   3. Facilitate communication among groups and between groups and the executive team.
   4. Oversee all matters related to membership and governance.
   5. Provide leadership for groups and advisory groups.
   6. Vote on matters related to NSEB membership.
   7. Review and vote on all matters related to the creation, modification or discontinuation of groups.
   8. Review and vote on the nomination of new group chairs.
   9. Review plans, proposals and projects developed by members, groups or the board of directors, sharing matters of importance with the executive team.
   10. Consult with the executive team, the faculty advisory group and the student advisory group as needed.
3. Leadership Team Chair: In addition to the Leadership Team responsibilities noted above, the Chair of the Leadership Team shall:
   1. Set the agenda for NSEB meetings and extend invitations to presenters and guests.
   2. Coordinate meetings involving the leadership team, the executive team and the board of directors.
   3. Work with Groups to develop annual goals, strategic plans, proposals, and special projects.
   4. Keep members informed about NSEB discussions, initiatives and important developments.
   5. Have no vote on matters brought before the leadership team, except in cases where a tiebreaker is necessary.
4. Board of Directors: The board of directors is composed of the members of the leadership team as well as the chairs of the groups and advisory groups. The board of directors shall:
   1. Attend all NSEB meetings, discussing issues related to new student engagement and success.
   2. Provide leadership and guidance to groups and their members.
   3. Conduct a review of groups every three years to determine continued relevance and efficacy.
   4. Organize a Bylaws Review Working Group every three years to assess the Bylaws.
   5. Make recommendations to the leadership team about the creation, modification or discontinuation of groups.
   6. Convene Working Groups, when necessary, to accomplish specific tasks and objectives.
5. Executive Team: The Executive Team is composed of representatives from Student Affairs, the Office of Graduate Education, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of Undergraduate Education. The Executive Team shall:
   1. Determine replacements, interim or otherwise, for the members of the leadership team if vacancies occur in those positions, consulting with other upper administrators as needed to ensure appropriate representation.
   2. Review plans, proposals and initiatives developed by the leadership team, the board of directors, or the groups, discussing these with additional campus stakeholders and upper administrators as needed.
   3. Approve budgetary allocations or expenditures, if necessary, to help groups develop and implement their proposed projects.
   4. Review items of importance submitted by the Leadership Team or the Board of Directors.
   5. Meet, upon request, with the Leadership Team or its Chair.
6. Groups: NSEB groups are organized around thematic areas of interest and composed of stakeholders across campus who are invested in new student engagement and success. Beyond their individual missions, goals and objectives, groups provide opportunities for stakeholders to communicate with each other, discuss matters of importance and participate in action-oriented work aimed at increasing student engagement on campus. Groups provide ideal opportunities for campus stakeholders to tackle initiatives that cross administrative and departmental silos.
   1. Groups shall be chaired by one or two NSEB Members who share common interests and objectives and, whenever possible, work in different administrative or academic units. The Chairs and existing Members shall determine the size of the Group, typically five to fifteen NSEB Members. Members of Groups shall represent offices across campus, ideally absent direct reporting lines so as to encourage open communication between Members.
   2. At the beginning of each academic year, Groups will be convened by their Chairs to discuss priorities and objectives and develop clearly defined goals, all of which shall be shared with the Chair of the Leadership Team prior to the first fall semester NSEB meeting. Each spring, the Groups shall provide the Chair of the Leadership Team with a status update concerning their priorities, objectives, and goals prior to the first spring semester NSEB meeting.
   3. Chairs: The chairs of NSEB groups are tasked with overseeing all group functions. Their primary responsibilities shall involve:
      1. Organizing meetings, setting agendas and communicating frequently with members of the group.
      2. Nominating new members or replacing members whose terms have ended or who have stepped down, following the process set forth in section 2.3.
      3. Submitting extension requests for Members who wish to retain their Group membership at the end of their original term, following the process set forth in section 2.3.
      4. Approving and submitting proposals and other documents drafted by members of the group to the leadership team for review.
      5. Forming Working Groups to take on projects or initiatives that require focused effort, exceed the specialties and responsibilities of the group’s members or require input and participation from other members or stakeholders across campus.
      6. Submitting reports that summarize and assess the group’s priorities, objectives and goals during mid-year and end-of-year reporting cycles, as set forth in sections 3.6.2 and 3.6.7.2.
   4. Ideally, only one chair shall step down at any given time to promote continuity within the group. When a vacancy arises among the group’s chairs, the members of the group shall consult, when possible, with the remaining chair and submit nominations to the leadership team for review. The leadership team shall review the nominations and inform the group of its decision.
   5. If a chair wishes to step down and the chair’s three-year NSEB membership term has not yet expired, the chair may step down and rejoin the group as one of its members or join another group if invited to do so.
   6. Members who wish to create and chair a new group shall develop a proposal, including the names of its chairs and members and submit it for review by the leadership team. New groups must not overlap with existing groups in terms of mission, objectives or function. If approved, the new group, under the leadership of its chairs, shall invite members to join, set meetings at appropriate intervals and develop a mission statement and objectives.
   7. Groups may need to be reconstituted or disbanded based on the changing needs of UT Dallas and its students. To reconstitute or disband a Group, the Chairs, in consultation with their Members, shall submit a proposal to the Leadership Team that describes the reason for the change and, if necessary, the proposed alternative. Groups shall not disband without approval from the Leadership Team.
      1. On rare occasions, the leadership team might feel it necessary to ask a group to reconstitute or disband. The leadership team shall first consult with the group’s chairs to determine whether the group is necessary or suited to execute its goals and objectives. If the leadership team determines that the group is no longer effective or cannot perform its functions, it shall consult with the executive team and make final decisions concerning such matters.
      2. To ensure that groups are operating effectively, the chairs shall report out on key performance indicators and outcomes during mid-year and end-of-year reporting cycles. They shall assess the continued value of the group to NSEB’s overarching organizational goals, the overall effectiveness of the group’s meetings and initiatives, and the willingness of members to continue supporting the group’s goals and contributing actively to the group’s meetings and ongoing efforts.
7. Faculty Advisory Group: The Faculty Advisory Group is designed to increase communication among both administrative units and Schools and to serve in an advisory capacity to the larger NSEB, providing input on various projects and initiatives. The Chairs of the Faculty Advisory Group have the same responsibilities and expectations as the Chairs of other Groups, and Members of the Faculty Advisory Group agree to serve one-year terms. With approval from the Leadership Team, terms may be renewed twice if the member wishes to continue serving on the Faculty Advisory Group. In addition to the general guidelines concerning groups, the faculty advisory group shall:
   1. Serve as a conduit between NSEB and the schools, communicating school-specific information to NSEB stakeholders and NSEB-specific information to school and departmental stakeholders.
   2. Meet at least one time per semester, as determined by its chairs and faculty representatives.
   3. Hold special sessions, when necessary, at the request of the Executive Team, the Leadership Team, or the Board of Directors.
   4. Provide a potential pool for Groups and Working Group who need faculty representation or assist Groups and Working Group as they attempt to recruit faculty for various initiatives.
   5. Create Working Group for projects requiring both faculty and administrative involvement.
8. Student Advisory Group: Much like the Faculty Advisory Group, the Student Advisory Group exists to improve communication between the university’s administrative offices and its students and student organizations. The Student Advisory Group shares important NSEB updates with student groups across campus and is consulted by NSEB on matters that require student input, creating additional points of contact between administrators, faculty, and students. The Chairs of the Student Advisory Group have the same responsibilities and expectations as the Chairs of other Groups, and Members of the Student Advisory Group agree to serve one-year terms. The student advisory group shall:
   1. Be chaired by representatives from Student Government or the Graduate Student Assembly, preferably two chairs who represent different student populations.
   2. Serve as a conduit between NSEB and UT Dallas’ students and student organizations, communicating students’ suggestions, needs and concerns to NSEB stakeholders and NSEB-specific information to students and student groups.
   3. Meet at least one time per semester, as determined by its chairs and student representatives.
   4. Hold special sessions, when necessary, at the request of the Executive Team, the Leadership Team, or the Board of Directors.
   5. Provide a potential pool for Groups and Working Groups who need student representation or assist Groups and Working Groups as they attempt to recruit students for various initiatives.
   6. When needed, and with prior approval from the Leadership Team, recommend the creation of a Working Group to accomplish specific objectives.
   7. Draw its membership from different student populations, which might include, but is not limited to, new and returning first-time-in-college students, transfer students, international students, graduate students, nontraditional students or student veterans.
9. Working Groups: Working Groups shall be convened as needed to develop proposals, implement plans, or carry out initiatives, then disband upon completion of their objectives. Because Groups are typically larger, up to 12 people total, they are well-equipped to discuss ideas, share thoughts and concerns, develop plans, and propose various projects and initiatives. However, if a Group decides to move forward with a project, that project shall need to be overseen and implemented by a smaller team of individuals who are most committed to the project and able to work together to see it through to completion.
   1. Working Groups are primarily convened by the Chairs of Groups, in consultation with their Members, to address specific goals and objectives, but they may be convened, on rare occasions, by the Executive Team, the Leadership Team, or the Board of Directors as well. On such occasions, the responsibility for oversight and management shall belong to the conveners.
   2. A Working Group shall generally be composed of five to seven people to ensure that it operates efficiently. These may include NSEB Members as well as other relevant campus stakeholders as determined by the Group and its Chairs.
   3. A Working Group shall be managed by a Chair who is selected by the conveners and responsible for keeping the Working Group organized and on track to accomplish its objectives. When necessary, Working Groups may have Co-Chairs if the project requires greater coordination and accountability. To ensure that Working Groups achieve their desired outcomes, special consideration shall be given to the stakeholders who are invited to join the Working Group as well as those who are kept informed of its work and objectives.
   4. NSEB stakeholders may express an interest in collaborating on projects that falls within the purview of multiple Groups or Teams. In such cases, they may, if desired, form a Working Group with Co-Chairs drawn from each Group or Team. These Working Groups may be overseen by and responsible to multiple Groups or Teams.
   5. Once a Working Group has been convened, those responsible for its oversight and management shall notify the Chair of the Leadership Team, who will inform the Leadership Team and the Board of Directors.
   6. In collaboration with the conveners, Working Groups shall report out regularly, providing status updates at each NSEB meeting to ensure that the Working Group meets its deadlines, assesses its progress, and completes its objectives.

1. Objectives: In addition to improving communication across campus, a group may recognize an administrative process, a business practice or an aspect of the student experience that falls within its members’ areas of expertise and that could be enhanced or otherwise improved. Under such circumstances, the group may investigate the issue, explore alternative practices or possibilities and develop plans to address the matter at hand.
2. Guidelines: If a group decides to move forward with an initiative and has agreed on a preliminary plan of action, the group shall proceed in one of two ways.
   1. If the solution to the problem lies within the authority and scope of the group, its members, and their respective units — and does not impact the larger NSEB or other campus stakeholders — the group shall determine the best course of action and inform the leadership team of its discussions. After doing so, the group shall implement the project according to its preferred plan and timeline. Approval from the leadership team or executive team is not necessary for projects that do not exceed the scope of the group.
   2. There may be times when a group wishes to undertake a project that might impact NSEB and its groups, involve other offices across campus, or require budgetary allocations or other kinds of administrative support. To pursue this type of project, the following steps shall be taken:
      1. The Chairs of the Group shall first consult with the Chair of the Leadership Team about the necessity and feasibility of the project and shall then, in collaboration with their Group, develop a document—a proposal, project brief, or business case—for further review by the Leadership Team.
      2. The leadership team shall review all documentation and determine whether the project adheres to both NSEB’s and the group’s goals and objectives and whether it is developed enough for further review by the executive team.
      3. If the project is not approved, the Chair of the Leadership Team shall communicate that decision to the Chairs of the Group, who shall either set the project aside or revise their plans per the suggestions provided by the Leadership Team. If substantive changes are made to the project’s documentation, the Chairs shall forward the revised documentation to the Chair of the Leadership Team, who shall distribute it to the Leadership Team for a second review.
      4. If the Leadership Team approves the project during initial or later reviews, it shall be forwarded by the Chair of the Leadership Team to the Executive Team for further review. The Executive Team may request further information, as well as revised or additional documentation. In such cases, the Chair of the Leadership Team shall inform the Leadership Team and the Chairs of the Group of the decision and request updated information or materials.
      5. If the executive team approves a project, they shall communicate their decision to the Chair of the Leadership Team, along with additional requests and considerations. The executive team shall involve other campus stakeholders as they deem necessary and shall provide leadership, advice and guidance throughout the development and implementation of the project.
3. Collaborations: On rare occasions, groups may be approached by university stakeholders — administrators, faculty, staff or students — who request the group’s assistance with a project, event, proposal or other initiative. When it comes to external requests from campus stakeholders, the chairs shall consult with their group on all such matters. If the group wishes to collaborate with campus stakeholders, its chairs shall follow the guidelines noted in section 4.2 above.