program approval workshop program approval september 4, 2014

Program Approval Workshop

Program Approval

September 4, 2014

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Introductions

Dr. James Hallmark– Academic Affairs

Dr. Ken Poenisch– Program Approval

Dr. Irma Harper – Program Approval: Distance Education/College of

Education Ms. Sheri Pappas

– Academic Affairs Submission Portal

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Introductions

Ms. Carolyn Krenek– Policy Office (agenda item liaison)

Ms. Stacy Flores– Policy Office (agenda item liaison)

System members introduce themselves and the institutions they represent

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Objective

Expedite the processing and review of academic affairs items by increasing the awareness of issues that require changes or edits before going forward to the Board of Regents or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

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Agenda

Higher Education Hierarchy Types of Items Documents Required in Submission Document Preparation Submission Process Review Workflow and Process Individual Item Resources

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Higher Education Hierarchy

Texas State Legislature– Texas Statutes– Texas Education Code Title 3. Higher Education

contains statutes that dictate how universities will operate

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Higher Education Hierarchy

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board– Created by the State Legislature to provide

leadership and coordination for the Texas higher education system.

– Power is granted by the State Legislature – The Texas Administrative Code or Coordinating

Board Rules provide guidance and clarification to state statutes found in the Education code.

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Higher Education Hierarchy

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents– Governing Board of A&M System Institutions– System Policies and Regulations determine

university and agency operations

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Types of Items

Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of Regents and the THECB

Proposals Requiring Action by the A&M System Offices and the THECB

Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of Regents

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Proposal/Request

Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of Regents and the THECB– Mission Statements– New Degree Programs– Administrative Changes at the College Level– Core Curriculum

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Documents Required in Submission

Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of Regents and the THECB– Briefing and Minute Order– Program Review Outline or Executive Summary– THECB Certification Form – Cover and signature page for Engineering and

Doctoral Degrees and Programs Costing > $2 million dollars over the first 5 years

– Proposal

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Proposal/Request

Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of Regents Only– Individual Institution– Collective Items

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Proposal/Request

Individual Institution Items– Academic Appointments– Academic Tenure– Centers and Institutes– Faculty Development Leave– Honorary Degrees

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Documents Required in Submission

Individual Institution– Briefing and Signed Minute Order– Attachment

CV Tenure or FDL List

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Proposal/Request

Collective Items – Admission Requirements– Emeritus/Emerita

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Documents Required in Submission

Collective – Cover letter– Attachment

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Proposal/Request

Proposals Requiring Action by the A&M System Offices and the THECB – Administrative Changes– Distance Education– Changes to Existing Degrees

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Documents Required in Submission

Proposals Requiring Action by the A&M System Offices and the THECB– Proposal/Request – Certification/Notification Form

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Item Preparation

Agenda Item Documents presented to the BOR – Briefing and Minute Order– Item Attachment or Exhibit

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Item Preparation

BOR Documents Format Review– Policy Office Style Guidelines– http://www.tamus.edu/offices/agendaitems/

– Office of Marketing and Communications Written Style Guidelines

– http://www.tamus.edu/offices/marcomm/system/

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Item Preparation

BOR Documents Format Review– Program Review Outline– Executive Summary

• Unique Format for Other Items– Tenure– FDL– Emeritus/Emerita

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Item Preparation

– Review and compare samples of previous Board-approved submissions

– Understand the audience. Regents are not usually academicians Agenda book is hundreds of pages Keep items simple and to the point

– Submissions are received from 11 universities and seven agencies.

– Check tables that contain numbers to assure totals are correct.

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Submission Process

• Institution submits item(s) via email to:

AA-AgendaItems@tamus.edu

• Submit one item per email • Subject Line of email should include:

• Institution name • Brief item identifier

For example: TSU-Appointment; TAMU-C Center for Advance Solar Systems; TAMU-FDL; WTAMU-Tenure

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Submission Deadlines

Deadlines are set in accordance with Board meeting dates – Agenda Item submission schedule is set by the

Chancellor. See agenda item webpage. – Academic Affairs deadlines are set to provide time

for review to meet Agenda Item submission schedule. See Academic Affairs webpage.

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Submission Deadline Shock

Recognizing Submission

Deadline Shock

How to Beat the Shock•Submit on time•Narrow the gap (pro-active)•Articulate the plan (communicate)•Prevent deadline shock

Three Stages•Fear – Oh Snap!

•Check to see if deadline has passed

•Withdrawal•Shock set in–yes, deadline has passed

•Adjustment - Regroup•What is plan “B”?

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Overview of Review Process

BOR Items– Academic Affairs reviews item and submits to

Agenda Item/Policy Office– Agenda Item/Policy Office reviews agenda item

Routes to OGC for legal sufficiency review– Signed final sent to Board Office– Chancellor reviews final agenda items with

Executive Committee prior to BOR meeting

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Overview of Review Process

Non-BOR Items– Do not necessarily follow submission deadlines– Academic Affairs reviews item – Signed by Dr. Hallmark– Submitted to the THECB

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Review Process

Step 1:– Items are copied into electronic folders – Items are entered onto Academic Affairs tracking

log Step 2:

– Are documents in Word format?– Were all required documents submitted?– Are documents signed?

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Review Process (cont)

Step 3: – Documents presented to BOR are reviewed for

content and formatting Briefing and Minute Order Attachment(s)

– Proposal/Request not presented to BOR reviewed for content

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Review Process (cont)

Step 4: – Proposals which require THECB submission:

Engineering and doctoral degrees reviewed and edited Distance Education doctoral proposals reviewed and

edited– Items submitted to THECB reviewed for content

only Step 5:

– Academic Affairs forwards item to THECB after BOR or VCAA approval

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Tracking Submissions

Was item received by Academic Affairs? Will item be on the BOR Agenda?

– Use Agenda Item Tracking Log located on Academic Affairs website

– http://www.tamus.edu/offices/academic/approvalprocess/

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Tracking Submissions

Was item approved by BOR?– Use BOR website following meeting– http://www.tamus.edu/regents/meetingmaterials/regular/– List of Approved Agenda Items– List of Approved Consent Agenda Items

Was item sent to the THECB?– Use THECB website – http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/apps/ProgAdminTracking/search.cfm

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Brief Overview of AA Website

Academic Affairs website– http://www.tamus.edu/offices/academic/approvalprocess/

Submission Resources– THECB Timeline– Agenda Item submission calendar– Academic Affairs tracking log

Submission Guidelines– Academic Appointments - Degree Programs– Administrative Change - Distance Education– Centers and Institutes - Faculty

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Questions/Comments

Questions

Issues–The posted mission statement MUST match the Board-approved mission statement!

Concerns

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Contact Information

Ken Poenisch– poenisch@tamus.edu– 979-458-6035

Irma Harper– iharper@tamus.edu– 979-458-7421

Sheri Pappas– Sheri.pappas@tamus.edu– 979-458-7401

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Academic Appointments

Academic appointments include:– Provosts– Vice Presidents– Deans – Board of Visitors

Submission Requirements– Briefing and Minute Order– Salary Justification Form– Abbreviated CV – All personal info redacted!

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Administrative Change

Administrative changes include the creation of new administrative units, colleges, schools, divisions, and departments. Also included are changes to existing administrative units (i.e., name change, consolidation of existing units, or movement of a program into another unit).

Submission Requirements– Briefing and Minute Order– Executive Summary– Administrative Change Request Form

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Centers and Institutes

Center– A smaller, interdisciplinary, collaborative effort, revolving around a specific research or education

activity, whose participants are involved in more than one academic department or unit– Is administered by a director or agency director or someone holding a lower title– Is focused largely on externally supported research or education activities broader than those

interests of an individual department or administrative unit

Institute– A large integrative unit, housing intercollegiate or interagency activities– Is administered by a director reporting to a dean or agency director or someone with a title above

dean or agency director– Is focused largely on externally supported research or educational activities that are much broader

than those interests of a given college or administrative unit

Programs, Laboratories, Faculties and Facilities– Are lesser administrative, educational or research entities, usually residing within an academic

department or unit.– Do not require approval by the Board of Regents.

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Degree Programs

Degree program approval includes new bachelor, master, doctoral, cooperative and joint degrees.  It also includes the reclassification or modification of degrees.

New Bachelor or Master Degree Non-Engineering/Does Not Exceed $2 Million

Engineering/Exceeds $2 Million

New Doctoral Degree Reclassify/Modify Cooperative/Joint Degree

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Non-Engineering Does Not Exceed $2M

Program Approval:– Academic Affairs– Board of Regents– THECB (Notification)

Forms:– Briefing and Minute Order– Program Review Outline– New Program Request Form– Certification Form

Resources:– Sample Request– System Approval Checklist (Excel spreadsheet)

Links:– THECB– THECB Flowchart– Standards for Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs

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Distance Education

A distance education degree or certification program is defined as “…a program in which a student may complete more than one-half of the semester credit hours required for the program through any combination of electronic and off-campus delivery methods.”

Electronic to Individuals (Internet) Off Campus (Face-to-Face) Off Campus Electronic to Groups (2-Way Video)

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Distance Education (cont)

Electronic to Individuals (Internet):o Existing Masters/Bachelors: Non-BOR Itemo Existing Doctorate: BOR Item

Off Campus (Face-to-Face)– Existing Masters/Bachelors/Doctorate: Non-BOR

Item Off Campus (Electronic to Groups)

o Existing Masters/Bachelors: Non-BOR Itemo Existing Doctorate: BOR Item

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Faculty

Emeritus/Emerita– Latin originally meaning “veteran soldier.” Of the former holder of an office,

especially a college professor having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honor. Emerita-feminine form of the adjective

General criteria– Over 10 years of employment with system member– After official retirement

Faculty Development Leave (FDL)– The Texas Legislature (Subchapter C, Sec. 51.101) has established a

program of Faculty Development Leave “…to improve and further the higher education available…at the state-supported colleges and universities…”

5 W’s (Who, What, When, Where, Why) How does FDL benefit the university? “Additional” FDL must be identified as such

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Faculty (cont)

Honorary Degree– An academic degree for which a university has waived the usual

requirements and seeks to recognize and honor the contributions of the individual. Typically a doctorate is awarded.

System member may establish a rule

Promotion– Promotion request sent to AA-AgendaItems@tamus.edu– VCAA reviews requests– VCAA forwards recommendations to Chancellor for

confirmation

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Faculty (cont)

Tenure– Academic tenure is primarily intended to guarantee the right to academic

freedom Name

– Must match bio Present (highest) Rank/Department

– Professor and Head– Sociology and Criminal Justice (must match)

Tenure (cont)– Years Towards Tenure

Calculation of years– Typically the current year counts towards tenure

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Faculty (cont)

Tenure– “Upon Approval by the Board and Faculty Arrival”

– Bio Section Name Institutions Title