Regulation
TITLE I - GENERAL RULES
Art. 1 - Duties of the Department
The Department of Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), activated with D.R. No. 4812 of 12.12.2012 promotes, coordinates, verifies and disseminates the research activities of its components, without prejudice to the scientific independence of each individual researcher and to the due contribution to educational activities as established in, and in accordance with, the Statute of the University of Palermo and the laws in force. The following scientific sectors are currently represented in the Department:
AGR / 11 General and Applied Entomology
BIO / 01 General Botany
BIO / 02 Systematic Botany
BIO / 03 Environmental and Applied Botany
BIO / 04 Plant Physiology
BIO / 05 Zoology
BIO / 06 Comparative anatomy and cytology
BIO / 08 Anthropology
BIO / 09 Physiology
BIO / 10 Biochemistry
BIO / 11 Molecular Biology
BIO / 13 Applied Biology
BIO / 14 Pharmacology
BIO / 15 Pharmaceutical Biology
BIO / 18 Genetics
BIO / 19 General Microbiology
CHIM / 01 Analytical Chemistry
CHIM / 02 Physical Chemistry
CHIM / 03 General and Inorganic Chemistry
CHIM / 06 Organic Chemistry
CHIM / 08 Medicinal Chemistry
CHIM / 09 Pharmaceutical Technological Application
CHIM / 10 Food Chemistry
CHIM / 12 Chemistry of the Environment and Cultural Heritage
MED / 04 General Pathology
The Department:
1. 1. promotes research activities and the formation of research groups in strategic and innovative areas, promotes and carries out consultancy activities, research based on contracts or agreements with third parties, and non-institutional training;
2. 2. contributes to the management of educational activities, as required by laws and regulations.
Art. 2 - Autonomy of the Department
The Department is given managerial and administrative independence within the limits of the budget assigned by the University budget and according to the procedures set out in the Regulation on Administration and Accounting.
Art. 3 - Composition of the Department
1) The professors and the researchers listed in the D.R. 4812 of 12.12.2012 are member of the Department.
2) The winners of selecting procedures for which the Department has proposed their hiring to the Board of Administrators, as well as the professors who have submitted a request for transfer from another Department according to the procedures for mobility, are also members of the Department.
3) The Department is also composed by the technical-administrative staff assigned to it, by the students enrolled in the Specialization and PhD courses administratively based in the department, by the fellows and scholarship holders, or by contract researchers hired by the Department and whose Tutor is a member of the Department, who participate in the departmental organisms meetings according to the procedures provided for by the university statute and by this regulation.
4) For research or teaching reasons, the Department may also decide to provide access to voluntary researchers in possession of appropriate insurance coverage on their own. The Department regulates access to facilities and services useful for the specific activities of the applicants.
Art. 4 – Decisional organisms and organizational structures of the Department
Are decisional organisms of the Department:
- The Council,
- the Board,
- the Head of Department / Director.
Their attributions are defined in the articles 27, 28, 29 and 30 of the Statute of the University of Palermo.
The Department is divided into Sections, established on the basis of shared scientific and / or educational interests and objectives consistent with the cultural objectives of the Department, according to the modalities and requirements described later in art. 18.
TITLE II - DEPARTMENT ORGANISMS
Art. 5 - Duties of the Council
The Department Council (C.d.D.) is the organism encharged of developing and planning activities of the Department and to choose the relevant implementation criteria.
Therefore, the Department Council:
a) approves the internal regulations which govern the methods for carrying out the duties and the internal organization of the Department , the rules governing the functioning of its organisms and what is deemed necessary for the fulfillment of institutional functions;
b) establishes the general criteria for the coordinated use of the resources and instruments in its possession and for the use of the funds and the spaces allocated;
c) ensures compliance with the guidelines established by the General Director of the University, for the use of technical, administrative and library staff assigned to the Department;
d) approves the three-year research plan and defines the objectives and the areas of activity indicating the availability of structures, services, instrumentation, also ensuring the freedom of research of its members;
e) approves and promotes research and consultancy agreements with public and private subjects, for the use of specific competences and for finding funds useful for carrying out activities related to research and teaching;
f) deliberates on the proposal to constitute or adhere to the Coordinating Structure(s);
g) proposes to the Schools, with its own resolution, the Establishment, activation, modification and deactivation of the Courses referred to in Article 35, paragraph 1, letters a) and d) of the Statute ;
h) confers, as far as allowed by its authority, the teaching assignments or supplementary activities, also by the activation of teaching contracts;
i) promotes, takes care of and reports the activities related to curricular and extra-curricular trainingships;
j) expresses an opinion on the requests of professors aiming at being transfered to the Department, following the opinion of the department of origin;
k) proposes to the Board of Administrators the requests for the recruitment or transfer of temporary and permanent professors and researchers consistently with the research and teaching plans, and takes care of the related proposal and call procedures;
l) submits to the General Director the requests for the assignment of technical-administrative and library staff units in accordance with both teaching and research needs, in relation to study courses, the number of students and the types of activities carried out, the volume of financial resources, the maintenance of premises and equipment;
m) approves financing requests;
n) approves the proposal for a provisional budget to be submitted to the central administration;
o) approves the proposals to be submitted to the Board of Administrators for the purchase of consumer goods, bibliographic material, tools, equipment and furniture, as well as the execution of works and the provision of services that are not, according to the amount, under the responsibility of the Head of Depatment;
p) approves the possible subdivision of the Department in Sections or decides on their deactivation;
q) approves, by consensus of the absolute majority of those entitled to vote, the internal regulations relating to specific organizational aspects, including the regulation governing the operating procedures of the Sections;
r) approves, as far as it is concerned, the proposals for the establishment and / or renewal of the PhD courses;
s) expresses an opinion on requests for leave for study and research purposes of Professors and Researchers belonging to the Department;
t) approves, based on specific requests from individuals or groups of Professors or Researchers belonging to the Department, the requests for the activation of contract researchers, indicating, where requested, the order of priority, and designating, for each activated position, a selection commitee;
u) appoints the selection committee for the assignment of contracts, occasional and professional services, scholarships;
v) confers the assignment of intellectual property service contracts to staff outside the University at the expenses of the Department's budget;
w) proposes to the Board of Administrators the establishment of Interdepartmental Centers among whose proponents there are professors of the Department;
x) decides upon resolutions that have been prepared by the Department Board;
y) exercises any other attribution assigned to it by the Statute and the University Regulations, in compliance with current legislation.
Only Professors and Researchers participate in the voting of the opinions referred to in points j) and k) of the previous paragraph.
The Council, with regard to the aforementioned competences, usually meets at least three times a year; however, it may be convened at the request of at least one third of those entitled and whenever the Director deems it necessary.
The Council, with a resolution passed by an absolute majority of those entitled, can delegate powers of its competence to the Board.
The Department Council, for its activities, can avail itself of the collaboration of Commissions that carry out a proactive and consultative function, and assist the Director, the Board and the Council itself in the exercise of their respective attributions.
The Department Council, on the initiative of the Director, formulates internal rules to regulate the access of the permanent staff, research fellows, doctoral students and internal students to the Department and to the individual laboratories and enforces the relevant safety rules.
Art. 6 - Composition of the Council
The Department Council is composed by:
- The Director, who convenes and presides it;
- Professors, permanent researchers and temporary researchers;
- the administrative manager with the function of secretary and with right to vote;
- a representation of technical-administrative staff equal to 10% of the teaching staff;
- a representation of scholarship holders or research fellowships or multi-year research contracts assigned to the Department in a number equal to 10% of the teaching staff;
- a representation of the students, enrolled in the specialization and research doctorate courses based in the department, equal to 10% of the teaching staff.
The electoral operations for the designation of the representatives of the non-permanent members of the C.d.D. are governed by the specific University regulations.
The representatives of the scholarship holders or research fellowships or research contracts and the representatives of the students enrolled in the specialization and PhD courses last in charge for two years and in any case terminate their duty when they lose their status.
The elected members lose their office when they are absent without justification for three consecutive times or for more than half of the meetings over the course of a year. In the first useful meeting after forfeiture, they will be replaced immediately with the first of the non-elected candidates running for that position.
For representative elections, the active electorate belongs to all scholarship holders, research fellowships or research contractors and to students enrolled in specialization courses and research doctorates. All scholarship holders, research fellowships or multi-year research fellowship holders and students enrolled in specialization and research doctorates who at the date of the call for applications still have at least 12 months of activity in their respective status can be candidate for the available positions (passive electorates). In the absence of non-elected members, the electoral body will immediately be summoned to integrate the body with another representative.
Art. 7 - Convening of the Department Council
The Council is ordinarily convened by the Director by means of a notice containing the order of points (o.d.g) to be discussed, the location and the scheduled time for the meeting. The notice is sent to all members, also by e-mail, at least five days before the date set for the meeting.
Copy of the notice and of the corresponding o.d.g. is deposited at the offices of the Department Secretariat.
In urgent cases, the notice can be sent exclusively via e-mail and brought to the attention of the interested parties with a notice of not less than 24 hours. The urgency must be specified in the notice.
The Director, in relation to urgent occurrences, may submit additional agendas which, however, must be approved by the Council, with an absolute majority of those entitled, at the beginning of the session.
Art. 8 - Conducting the Council meeting.
The meeting opens at the time set in the call notice. The session is considered valid if the legal number of half plus one of the entitled members is present, upon verification of the signatures affixed to the attendance sheet.
For the purpose of verifying the quorum, justified absentees are not counted, provided they do not exceed 1/3 of the members of the Council . The members of the Council have the obligation to communicate in good time the reasons that prevent their participation in the meeting of the Council and only in this case they must be considered justified absences.
In the absence of a quorum, to be verified within thirty minutes of the opening of the session, the Director proceeds to reschedule the meeting.
Only professors and researchers of the Department participate in the voting of the opinions referred to in points j) and k) of the previous art. 9.
For the other topics, for which the vote is usually open, all members of the Council have the right to vote. By request of a member of the Council entitled to vote, the vote can be exercised individually by call. At the request of a member, voting on decisions concerning individuals may be by secret ballot.
Resolutions are adopted by an absolute majority of those present including abstentions whose votes are added to those against the resolution. In the event of a tie, the vote of the Director prevails.
During the session the quorum is presumed. Verification of the quorum may only be requested by those entitled to vote.
Art. 9 - Duties of the Department Board
The Board is the body entrusted with the preparation of proposals and activities to be submitted to the Council and any other preparatory activity specifically requested by the Director or the Council
Therefore the Board:
a) proposes, within the limits established by the University Regulations for the administration, finance and accounting , the purchase of bibliographic material, tools, equipment and furniture, as well as the execution of works or the provision of services;
b) annually prepares the requests for financing and for the assignment of the technical-administrative staff necessary for the operation of the Department;
c) prepares the annual research plan of the Department on the indication of the professors and of the sections in which the Department can be organized;
d) annually prepares a report on the activities carried out by the Department to be attached to the University budget document;
e) prepares the proposal of forecasted annual budget.
Further administrative tasks and activities can be assigned or delegated to the Board by the Council, in compliance with the University Regulations and the laws in force; the delegation is approved by the absolute majority of those entitled to vote in the Council and must specify its duration and purpose.
Art. 10 - Composition of the Board
The Board is composed of:
• the Director, who convenes and presides it;
• the administrative manager with the function of the secretary and the right to vote;
• 6 full professors;
• 6 associate professors;
• 6 assistant professors;
• 4 elected representatives of the technical-administrative staff;
• 3 representatives of research fellows and temporary researchers or contractors;
• 3 representatives of doctoral and specialization students.
The election of the members of the Board is carried out with a ballot limited to each single category of representatives. The electoral operations for the designation of the representatives are governed by the specific University regulations.
Where not already elected in the Board, the Coordinators of the activated sections, the Delegates of the Director and the Vice-Administrative Manager, may take part in the meetings of the Board without voting rights.
The Board remains in office in accordance with the provisions of the University Statute and Regulations and in any case expires at the end of the mandate of the Director. In the event of permanent unavailability (resignation, career advancement or other) of a member of the Board, the first of the unelected candidate in the same category takes over. Otherwise, integrative elections will be held.
Art. 11 - Convening of the Board meetings
With regard to the notice, the resolutions and the opinions of the Board, the same rules apply as those stated in the Articles 7 and 8 of this Regulation.
Art. 12 - Tasks of the Director
The Director represents the Department and exercises the following attributions:
a) convenes and presides the Council and Department Board;
b) ensures the execution of the resolutions of the decisional organisms of the Department;
c) adopts, in cases of urgency, the necessary measures, reporting them for ratification to the competent organisms of the Department in the first suitable meeting;
d) stipulates the contracts and agreements competing to the Department;
e) submits to the Department Council the proposal for a budget forecast prepared by the Board and accompanied by the relative technical report;
f) appoints the Vice-Director among the members of the Board.
g) designates its own delegates at least for the following functions: 1) for Teaching; 2) for Research and Scientific Laboratories; 3) for Libraries.
h) directly orders purchases of goods and services within the financial limits set by the Regulations for Administration and Accounting without the need to submit them for approval by the Council;
i) orders the cancellation of the movable assets from the inventories for "out of order", loss, transfer, theft within the value limits established by the Regulations for Administration and Accounting;
j) authorizes the missions of the individual members of the Department;
k) signs verification provisions, spending commitments, payment orders and other accounting documents provided for by the Regulation for Administration, Finance and Accounting;
l) carries out any other function attributed by virtue of laws, regulations or provisions of higher Bodies.
Art. 13 – Procedure for the election of the Director
The Director of the Department is elected by the Department Council from among the full-time full professors, with the majority of votes in favor of those having the right to vote, in the first and second voting session or with the relative majority of the voters in the subsequent voting session, and is appointed by Rector's decree. In the event of unavailability of full professors and in the event of failure to reach the quorum for two voting sessions, the candidacy for the position of Department Director is extended to associate professors.
The Director remains in office for three academic years and can be re-elected consecutively only once.
Art 14 - Minutes of the Council and the Board
The minutes of the meetings are prepared by the Administrative Manager. The resolutions are made public by filing the minutes with the Administrative Secretariat of the Department. The minutes of each session should normally be approved at the end of the session. The Director and the Administrative Manager take care of keeping the minutes archive.
Art. 15 - Administrative Manager
The Department Administrative Manager, appointed by the University General Manager, in compliance with the programmatic guidelines prepared by the collegiate organisms and under the supervision of the Department Director, provides for the administrative management, assisted by any collaborators, assuming the relative responsibility.
Specifically, the Administrative Manager performs the following functions:
a) ensures that the administrative and accounting activities of the Department are carried out;
b) participates in the meetings of the Board and of the Council of the Department acting as secretary and with the right to vote;
c) manages in accordance with the Director, the savings fund with the procedures referred to in Articles 29 and 70 of the Regulations for the Administration of Finance and Accounting of the University and provides for the assessment of revenue, the undertaking of commitments, the payment of expenditures and the signing of accounting documents required by the Finance Administration Regulation and Accounting;
d) jointly with the Director of the Department, the Administrative Manager is responsible for keeping the archive of official records of the Department and accounting documents.
Art. 16 - Library of the Department
The Library is the structure dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the book heritage, as well as to the bibliographic and documentary support of teaching and research activities of Professors, Scholars and Students. Its operation is governed by a specific internal regulation in compliance with the University regulations on the subject. The internal regulations also govern the possible establishment of Scientific Collections and Legacies made in favor of the Departmental Library.
Art. 17 - Department laboratories
The Department can activate Laboratories, without administrative autonomy, with the aim of providing adequate support for research tasks, carrying out work for third parties and support teaching.
Each Laboratory has the possibility, in relation to its organizational needs and the cultural and scientific characteristics of the work, to define a specific organization and an internal regulation, approved by the Council.
For the purpose of exercising certain specific services on behalf of third parties, each Laboratory, in relation to its own competences, will refer to the specific Department Regulation for third party activity approved by the Council.
The Director, for the purpose of an adequate functioning of the laboratories, entrusts the responsibility of the management to an internal Professor or Researcher, also taking into account the indications provided by any departmental sections.
The use of the laboratories is governed by specific University Regulations and by an internal regulation formulated in compliance with the laws and regulations in force.
TITLE III - SECTIONS
Art. 18 - Procedures for establishing and operating the Sections
For the organization of research and its activities, the Department is divided into sections characterized by homogeneous cultural and organizational aspects and common scientific issues.
The Sections are established on the basis of a motivated proposal of at least twelve members of the Department (permanent professors or temporary researchers), with a resolution passed by the Department Council with an absolute majority of those entitled to vote.
A teacher who is not among the proposers of the section, can exercises his option to be part of the section within three months from its the constitution upon a favorable opinion of the members of the same section. In the event of a missing option or favorable opinion, the question is reported to the Department Council which decides on the matter with a qualified majority of those entitled to vote.
Each teacher can refer to only one section. The position of the Referent (Coordinator) of the Section is envisaged.
Post-doctoral fellows, scholarship holders and doctoral students will follow the same option exerted by their respective referents or tutors.
Sections must be reconfirmed every three years and deactivated if the number of tenured members composing them falls below ten.
The resolution establishing the activation of a section also defines the procedures of operation of the Section and for the appointment of the Contact Person, as well as the preparatory or executive activities, the responsibilities on the premises, laboratories, equipment and services, the obligations relating to the carrying out of research projects assigned to the sections.
Nevertheless, the Department remains the only reference for any relationship with other university structures or third parties.
TITLE IV - SPECIAL and FINAL RULES
Art. 19 - Museum Structures
The "Botanical Garden and Herbarium Mediterraneum" and the Museum of Zoology "Pietro Doderlein" belong to the Department pursuant to art. 3, paragraph 1, letter a), of the University Museum Regulations referred to in D.R. n. 1576 of 09/05/2011. For the purposes of managing the aforementioned museums, reference is made to the aforementioned University Museum System Regulation, as well as to any further provisions approved by the Department Council.
Art. 20 - Approval and amendment of the regulation
This Regulation is approved by the Department Council with an absolute majority of its members. Once approved by the Council, the Regulation is issued with a Rector's Decree. Modifications or additions to the regulation may be approved by following the same procedure used for its approval. The changes that may be made to the Statute of the University of Palermo regarding the provisions of these Regulations will be automatically incorporated and effective. The Regulation enters into force the day after its enactment.
Art. 21 - Inactivation of the Department
The inactivation of the Department is deliberated by the Board of Administrators, also upon proposal of the Council, approved by two thirds of those entitled to vote, or according to what otherwise stated by University Statute and Regulations.
Art. 22 - General and final provisions
For questions not explicitly accounted for in this Regulation, reference is made to the Statute, the applicable Laws and the Regulations of the University of Palermo.