Faculty Handbook & Constitution - Lee University

_________________LEE UNIVERSITY FACULTY HANDBOOK & CONSTITUTION_________________Historical Profile of Lee UniversityLee University has emerged in recent years as an institution of national standingin many areas that are typically ranked by outside observers. One of the reasons for thisemergence is that Lee stands out in a select group of higher education institutions, that ofChrist-centered, liberal arts colleges and universities. Another reason is that Lee’soriginal core values and goals have remained strong even as it has adapted to thechanging landscape of academic and professional life.Lee University’s recent success belies its humble beginnings almost a centuryago. In 1918, the Church of God of Cleveland, TN began a small Bible institute of twelvestudents and one teacher, the school grew and became Lee College, with a Bible collegeand junior college on its current site, in 1948. Twenty years later, Lee receivedaccreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as a four-year liberalarts college. In 1997 Lee made the transition from college to comprehensive liberal artsuniversity granting graduate degrees.The liberal arts experiment at Lee College came into its own in the mid 1980s witha deliberate move to embrace the broader evangelical Christian community. The shiftbrought an influx of new students and faculty. In the twenty-seven years between 1986and 2014, student enrollment quadrupled from just over 1200 to more than 5000.While Lee remains committed to its denominational affiliation, the institution’sinclusive enrollment policy now attracts students with a variety of religious traditions,academic abilities and ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Lee draws students fromevery state, and the percentage of minorities and internationals is one of the highest inthe Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.The faculty has also grown and diversified to keep pace with the 100undergraduate majors and 15 graduate programs in its five schools: the College of Arts &Sciences, the Helen DeVos College of Education, the School of Music, the School ofNursing and the School of Religion. Faculty members come from around the world andrepresent a wide range of academic, cultural and religious backgrounds.Campus construction programs have added significant acreage and more than 20major buildings to Lee’s landscape over the past twenty-five years. Among these are tennew dormitories, seven classroom buildings, a student union building, a dining hall, andtwo recreation centers.At the turn of the new millennium, Lee University became a higher educationpioneer in incorporating service learning and cross-cultural studies as a regular part ofevery student’s educational experience. Lee has been recognized for its leadership inpreparing students for responsible living and was included in the Honor Roll of Character-Building Colleges by the Templeton Foundation. The Institute of International EducationOpen Doors reports for the past few years have ranked Lee University among the top fivemaster’s degree granting institutions nationwide for its application of global and crossculturalstudies. Lee has also been recognized by the Corporation for National andCommunity Service as one of the top six institutions in the nation for the service efforts ofour students. We have received the Presidential Award in Higher Education CommunityService and been included in that institution’s Honor Roll for the past three years.1 - 3 Introduction