Section 6.3 Faculty Handbook Review and Revisions

6.3.2B Major Revisions 

If the provost and/or the Faculty Policies Standing Committee agree that the recommendation constitutes a major revision of the Faculty Handbook than the following procedures shall be followed:

1. Review by the Senate
2. Review by the Provost
3. Faculty Senate Appeal to the President
4. Review and Decision by the President
5. Review and Decision by the Board of Trustees

1. Review by the Senate

The Faculty Policies Standing Committee will review the recommendations and determine whether the recommendations should be brought to the Faculty Senate for consideration. The Faculty Policies Standing Committee shall follow the Faculty Senate Standing Rules when presenting recommendations by a formal motion or resolution to the Faculty Senate. Adoption of the motion/resolution by the Faculty Senate constitutes a recommendation of the Faculty Senate to the provost for revision of the Faculty Handbook.

2. Review by the Provost

The provost will first review all recommendations by the Faculty Senate for revision of the Faculty Handbook. If the provost approves of the recommendations made by the Faculty Senate, then the provost will ensure the revisions do not conflict with existing policies. In addition, the provost will recommend to the president whether the revisions must be approved by the Board of Trustees. The provost will submit his approval of the Faculty Senate recommendations to the president and indicate whether the he or she believes the revisions must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

If the provost does not approve of the recommendations made by the Faculty Senate, then the provost will indicate in writing to the Faculty Senate president, the reasons why he or she does not approve of the proposed revisions. The provost may also make recommendations in his or her written summary to the Faculty Senate president on changes that could be made to the proposed revisions for further consideration by the Faculty Senate.

3. Faculty Senate Appeal to the President

If the provost does not approve of the Faculty Senate recommendations for revision of the handbook and the Faculty Senate and provost are unable to come to an agreement on the revisions, the Faculty Policies Committee, in accordance with Faculty Senate Standing Rules, may bring forth a motion/resolution to the Faculty Senate to appeal the recommendations of the provost to the president.  If the motion/resolution is adopted by the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Senate president will submit the motion/resolution of appeal along with the Faculty Senate recommendations for Handbook revisions to the president for review.

The Faculty Senate president shall provide copies of the motion/resolution of appeal and the Faculty Senate recommendations for Handbook revisions to the provost. The provost shall submit his or her written recommendations on the proposed revisions to the president for review.

4. Review and Decision by the President

The president will review the recommendations of the provost (and the Faculty Senate if an appeal was submitted) for revisions. If the president approves of the recommendations made by the Faculty Senate, then the president will ensure the revisions do not conflict with existing policies. In addition, the president will determine whether the revisions must be approved by the Board of Trustees. If the president approves of the recommendations of the Faculty Senate and determines the proposed revisions require approval by the Board of Trustees, then he or she will submit the recommendations to the board for approval.

If the president determines the proposed revisions do not require board approval, then the president’s positive or negative decision on the recommendations is final and he or she will notify the provost and the Faculty Senate President in writing of his or her decision. The president may indicate in writing to the Faculty Senate president, the reasons why he or she does not approve of the proposed revisions.

If the president approves the Faculty Senate recommendations, the provost shall revise the Handbook in accordance with the Faculty Senate recommendations for revision.

5. Review and Decision by the Board of Trustees

If the president approves of the recommendations of the Faculty Senate and determines the proposed revisions require approval by the Board of Trustees, then he or she will submit the recommendations to the board for approval. If the Board of Trustees approves or amends the recommendations, the provost shall revise the Handbook in accordance with the board’s decision and/or revisions.