Not only do committees promote a sense of community and involvement, but they also provide a forum for discussion of relevant issues affecting the quality of instruction, learning, and planning. Some committees serve an advisory capacity, while others make decisions regarding curriculum, personnel, student conduct, grades, and budgets. Participation in campus committee activities not only helps to broaden one's contacts on campus but also promotes collegiality and campus community. Additionally, service to the campus is one of the criteria for promotion and tenure. Committee service is one way of demonstrating a commitment to campus service.
Some committees are limited to full-time, tenured faculty.
Others are open to all. Elected committees are staffed by divisional or campus-wide elections which are held by the end of March each year. All eligible faculty are automatically nominated to serve on elected committees. When the ballots are tabulated each year for the results of the elections for DPC and DCC, the memberships of the DPCs will be determined first and then the memberships of the DCCs. In general, those faculty members who are elected to the DPCs will not also be elected to the DCCs.