About Faculty Council

The Faculty Council serves as the primary governance forum for the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. As the official representative body of the faculty, the council develops and approves policies for the school, and provides a formal channel for faculty consultation with the dean.

Core Responsibilities

The Faculty Council has a broad mandate for oversight in key areas of academic governance. These include but are not limited to:

  • curriculum design and approval
  • student admissions standards
  • monitoring of student academic progress and the award of degrees
  • faculty appointments, promotion and tenure processes
  • grievance and appeal procedures
  • diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
  • allocation and oversight of space and other shared resources
  • conflict of interest policy review and enforcement
  • organizational structure and governance of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Why Get Involved?

Serving on the Faculty Council is a valuable opportunity to:

  • gain deep insight into the inner workings of the medical school
  • engage and collaborate with colleagues across basic science and clinical departments
  • influence decisions that impact our curriculum, faculty trajectories and student success
  • contribute to the continuous evolution of our school’s culture and mission; 
    we welcome all faculty members who are eager to serve

Membership

The council is comprised of elected representatives drawn from each clinical and basic science department. Representation is proportional to departmental faculty size, ensuring broad and equitable inclusion. Currently, 65 faculty members serve as representatives and 30 as alternates, each holding a one-year term of service.

Committees and Meetings

The leadership body of the Faculty Council is the Steering Committee, composed of both clinical and basic science faculty, and refreshed annually.

  • Faculty Council Meetings: Held monthly on the last Wednesday of each month (except July and December) beginning at 5 p.m.
  • Steering Committee Meetings: Convened on the third Wednesday of each month.
  • The Council also oversees a spectrum of standing committees that conduct much of the detailed work and bring recommendations to the full council.

Contact

To contact the Steering Committee, please contact the Faculty Council administrator, Amy Mackey amymacke@buffalo.edu or contact any of the members of the Faculty Council Steering Committee.