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Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

UH Hilo Academic Policy Proposal & Modification Process

Chancellor Vote 6 Codify in Manual Faculty Congress 3 Graduate Proposal Recommend Approval/Disapproval IF UNIT-LEVEL:Approve Unit 2 Governance Entities Dean(s) Routing of University-Level Policy Proposals Origin of University-Level Policy Proposals Refer for Revision Referral Approval Proposal Decision maker Recommend- ing body Document Termination point Key IF PROPOSAL AFFECTS MORE THAN ONE UNIT:Recommended Approval / Dissaproval 1. For the purposes of this document, Dean(s) includes Deans, the University Librarian, and the Director of Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikölani, the College of Hawaiian Language. 2. For the purposes of this document, the word "Unit" in the phrase "Unit Governance Entities" includes, but is not limited to, the Colleges, the Library, and the Graduate Council. 3. Representatives of Faculty Congress and Graduate Council are responsible for seeking consultation with appropriate Faculty and Staff members within their respective units on the potential implications of new or amended policies. Faculty Congress will appoint a member as “liaison to Graduate Council” to communicate between the two representative bodies. 4. Referrals for proposal revision from Faculty Congress and Graduate Council are sent to proposal originator. 5. Referrals for proposal revision from the VCAA may be sent to either Faculty Congress or Graduate Council, depending on the scope and potential implications of the proposed policy. 6. There is a time-limit between receiving and voting/deciding on a proposal. For Faculty Congress, the time-limit is two months. For Graduate Council and VCAA this is one month. If time-limit is not met, the proposal shall automatically be advanced to the next recipient without recommendation. Academic Policy Proposal & Modification Process Faculty Member(s), Deans 1 , Faculty Congress Chair, VCAA, Chancellor Proposal Originator Non-Graduate Proposal To Graduate Proposal Routing (Below Left) To Non-Graduate Proposal Routing (Below Left) From Above Non-Graduate Proposal Graduate Proposal Graduate Council VCAA Refer 4 Review, Recom-mendation Vote 6 Refer 4 Yes / No Yes / No Decision 6 Refer 5 Approve Reject Decision 6 Refer 6 Approve Reject System Level? Yes No Forward to UH System Codify in Manual

Notes to the Academic Policy Proposal Flow Chart

This process is intended to govern the proposal and approval of new or modified academic policies.

Academic policy proposals may originate at any level of the campus community.

In all cases they will be submitted to the faculty Congress or to an appropriate unit governance entity.

When the need is apparent, or when directed to do so by decision-making authorities, persons proposing new or amended policies are responsible for seeking consultation with appropriate university staff members, to ensure compliance with law, government and system policies, and other regulations. Proposals may be returned for further consultation at any point in the process.

Certification of consultation must be provided by the consulted staff member or members and forwarded with the proposal.

Footnote references from the flow chart:

  1. For the purposes of this document, Dean(s) includes Deans, the University Librarian, and the Director of Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikōlani, the College of Hawaiian Language.
  2. For the purposes of this document, the word "Unit" in the phrase "Unit Governance Entities" includes, but is not limited to, the Colleges and the Library.
  3. Representatives of Faculty Congress and Graduate Council are responsible for seeking consultation with appropriate Faculty and Staff members within their respective units on the potential implications of new or amended policies. Faculty Congress will appoint a member as “liaison to Graduate Council” to communicate between the two representative bodies.
  4. Referrals for proposal revision from Faculty Congress and Graduate Council are sent to proposal originator.
  5. Referrals for proposal revision from the VCAA may be sent to either Faculty Congress or Graduate Council, depending on the scope and potential implications of the proposed policy.
  6. There is a time-limit between receiving and voting/deciding on a proposal. For Faculty Congress, the time-limit is two months. For Graduate Council and VCAA this is one month. If time-limit is not met, the proposal shall automatically be advanced to the next recipient without recommendation.

Note that the University administration is responsible for:

  • Developing forms and documentation consistent with these procedures;
  • Arranging for a system to track policy proposals as they move through the process, and arranging for training of users;
  • Specifying procedures to notify submitters, reviewers, and other appropriate participants of the progress and final status of proposals, using a combination of web-posting, email, hardcopy distribution, etc., as appropriate;
  • Codifying long-standing policies and procedures and posting them on the academic policies webpage; and
  • Ensuring that other campus shared governance constitutions and by-laws are consistent with these established processes.

Download the Academic Policy Process Flowchart (pdf) (as an image); Flowchart notes (pdf)..