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SCIENTIA is governed directly by an Editor, a Associate Editor, a Web Site Manager, a Associate Web Site Manager, and an Editorial Board; indirectly, it is governed by the dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences and by a Board of Faculty Facilitators consisting of departmental representatives, a Consulting Editor, and the journal founders (Honorary Editors).
The Board of Faculty Facilitators is appointed by the Dean. It is the duty of the Board of Faculty Facilitators to identify, recruit, and recommend names of full-time students for the positions of journal Editor, Associate Editor, Web Site Manager, Associate Web Site Manager, and Editorial Board representative. Recommendations are made to the Dean who subsequently makes the final appointments. Appointments are effective beginning with each academic year and continue for the time period specified in the appointment. The length of service will ordinarily be for one to two years with the possibility for annual renewal. Honorary Editors are an exception and serve for life unless removed by the Dean.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SPECIFIC OFFICES
CHANGING THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNANCE
If at any time the above described structure of governance becomes dysfunctional or the need for change arises, a special meeting of the Board of Faculty Facilitators shall be convened with the Dean or his representative serving as chair. Proposed changes shall be presented and debated according to conventional rules for conducting business meetings. Any motion for change in policies governing SCIENTIA will become effective upon receiving a two-thirds majority of votes cast by the Board of Faculty Facilitators and upon being accepted by the Dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences or upon a date specified in the motion.
DUTIES OF THE EDITOR/ASSOCIATE EDITOR
The editor is responsible for the overall operation of the journal. The editor will:
Solicit and review abstracts
Assign reviewer(s) to abstracts
Solicit and review manuscripts
assign reviewers to
evaluate manuscripts
communicate with student
authors
publicize the journal
and its contents
make an annual report to
the college dean and the Board of Faculty Facilitators
ensure that publications
conform to the specified guidelines of SCIENTIA
act as chair of the
Editorial Board, and
be an advocate for
student research and publication
With the concurrence of the appropriate departmental faculty facilitator and the consulting editor, the editor has authority to remove individual departmental representatives from the Editorial Board. The Associate Editor will serve as the Editor if the current Editor is unable to complete the appointed term.
DUTIES OF WEB SITE MANAGER/ASSOCIATE WEB SITE MANAGER
The Web Site Manager is the journal's expert on computers and, as such, has the responsibility of transferring accepted manuscripts to the Web Site, communicating with contributors or potential contributors on matters related to acceptable electronic methods for transmitting manuscript data, maintaining the security and integrity of the Web Site, and implementing changes to the site that are approved by the Board of Faculty Facilitators and the Dean. The Associate Web Site Manager will serve as the Web Site Manager if the current Web Site Manager is unable to complete the appointed term.THE EDITORIAL BOARD: COMPOSITION AND DUTIES
The Editorial Board is comprised of eleven members appointed annually by the Dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences. The University Honors College and each of ten schools or departments within the College is entitled to have a representative on the Board. In instances where a school or department chooses not to place a representative on the Board, additional representatives may be appointed from participating departments, schools, or from the Honors College.Editorial Board members review, evaluate, and suggest revisions to manuscripts assigned by the Editor. When a manuscript deals with a subject matter beyond the expertise of the board member, the board member may request that the Editor assign one or more additional reviewers from the list of student associates. As a last resort, the board member and/or the Editor may seek advice and opinion of the appropriate faculty facilitator. A Reviewer Evaluation Form is used in evaluating all manuscripts and this form must be returned to the Editor in a timely manner (time set by the Editor).
BOARD OF FACULTY FACILITATORS: COMPOSITION AND DUTIES
The Board of Faculty Facilitators is comprised of two Honorary Editors (journal founders), a Consulting Editor, and Faculty Representatives appointed by the Dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences. The University Honors College and each school or department within the College is entitled to have a faculty representative on the Board.The chief responsibility of Honorary Editors is to assist the Editor in promoting the journal within the MTSU community and on the World Wide Web. The Consulting Editor is a faculty member who is well-published and who has demonstrated a committment to student research. The Consulting Editor serves as an ex-officio member of the Editorial Board and as a counselor, guide, and resource person to the journal Editor.
The role of Faculty Representatives is to serve in an advisory capacity to Editorial Board members, the Web Site manager, and the journal Editor. Faculty Representatives endeavor to identify students who are potential contributors, editors, reviewers, site managers, and encourage their participation; to legislate change in journal policy as needed; to recommend appointments to the Editorial Board; and to generally promote SCIENTIA within the respective department or school that they represent. In carrying out their responsibilities within their respective departments or schools, Faculty Representatives have the prerogative of working alone or of forming, and chairing an intradepartmental committee to assist them. Such committee members, if any, should be reported to the Editor or Web Site manager so that appropriate acknowledgement can be posted on the Web Site (under the menu heading, Key Personnel).
DUTIES OF STUDENT AND FACULTY ASSOCIATES
Students and faculty designated as "associates" play crucial roles in the operation of the journal, although they play no direct role related to journal policy and governance. Students designated as associates may serve as adjuncts to the Editorial Board or as Associate Editors or Web Site Managers. The degree of participation of student associates depends upon the work load of the Editor, Site Manager, and the Editorial Board. Typically, such individuals will participate in significant ways by reviewing papers submitted for publication and/or by serving in place of the Editor or Site Manager.Faculty associates play significant roles by promoting SCIENTIA within individual departments and by supporting the student staff by serving as advisors. Faculty associates will often help the departmental Faculty Facilitator to identify students interested in serving SCIENTIA and will encourage student researchers to contribute to the journal.
DUTIES OF THE DEAN
The Dean of the Colloege of Basic and Applied Sciences has final responsibility for the overall operation of SCIENTIA including, but not limited to, the following:
- Appointment of Faculty Facilitators including the Consulting Editor and
the Honorary Editors.
- Appointment of all student officers including the Editor, Associate Editor,
Site Manager, Associate Site Manager, members of the Editorial Board after
consideration of recommendations received from the Board of Faculty
Facilitators.
- Designation of appropriate work space for the Editor and Site Manager.
- Provision of financial resources sufficient to ensure effective operation of the journal.
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