Policy Statement - 95-19 Departmentalization Procedures

1.0 Purpose Statement. 
 

This policy provides the process for initiation, consultation, and any appeal relative to the formation of a new department, transfer of a department or part thereof from one  college to another, dissolution of an existing department, or merger of two or more existing departments or parts of such departments. 
 

2.0 Definitions. 

2.1 Department. Except in extraordinary instances, for which special justification shall be required, an academic department shall meet the following criteria:

A. A minimum of six tenure track faculty, three of whom must be tenured. Faculty members with joint appointments qualify as department members. (See 3.1) 
B. The authorization to offer a major in a discipline recognized in American universities of higher standing. 
 

2.2 Throughout this document the words council, dean, and college, shall be understood to be plural whenever more than one college is involved. 

3.0 Application. 

3.1 The status of any department or program in existence on the effective date of this policy shall not be changed solely because it does not meet the definition above. 

3.2 This document does not apply to programs which are not currently recognized by the University as departments. 

4.0 Initiation. 
 

The actions specified in section 1.0 may be initiated by faculty who would be members of (a) new, merged, transferred, or dissolved departments(s); by the college council(s) with jurisdiction over such department(s); or by the college dean(s) with such jurisdiction. 
 

5.0 Preparation of proposal. 
 

Those initiating an action specified in section 1.0 shall provide written notice of intention to the members of the affected department(s) and, with the assistance of appropriate University officers, prepare a study that shall include at least the following elements: 

Reasons for the proposed action; 

Fiscal impact of the proposed action; 

Impact on curriculum and proposed or existing accreditation; 

Where appropriate, the conformance of the proposed action with the definitions in section 2.0 of this policy. 
 

6.0 Consultation process. 

6.1 The faculty members in the department(s) referred to in section 4.0 shall meet to consider the proposed action and shall vote to recommend or oppose the proposed action. If faculty in more than one department are subject to the action referred to in 1.0, the faculty subject to such action shall vote separately in each of the departments. Such vote must be taken within 22 working days from the date that the initiators send a completed proposal to the department with a written request for the department to vote on the matter. A written notice from the department to the initiators will automatically extend the period for an additional 10-working-day period. 

6.2 The initiator(s) of the action referred to in section 4.0, if not member(s) of the affected department (as specified in section 6.1), shall be invited to participate in the deliberations provided for in that section. 

6.3 The faculty recommendation provided for in section 6.1 shall be submitted to the council of any college in which an affected department is or would be located. 

6.4 The initiator(s) of the action referred to in section 4.0 shall be invited to participate in the discussions of the college council. 

6.5 The recommendation of the college council shall be conveyed to the dean of the college within 22 working days after the proposed action is submitted to it. 

6.6 Written notice from the deliberating department or council will automatically extend the time period for an additional 10-day working period. 

6.7 If both the department and the council make the same recommendation and the dean agrees with them, a proposal to form a new department shall be forwarded to the Academic Senate for recommendation. The Senate shall forward its recommendation, with rationale, and the College recommendation to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for review. Recommendations for other changes in departments, as listed in Section 1.0 shall be submitted to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for review. If the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs concurs, the dean shall implement the proposal.

If the dean disagrees with either the department or the council or both, he/she shall consult with the disagreeing parties. Following this consultation where the situation remains the same, the recommendations are forwarded to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. The dean's compelling reasons shall be stated in writing and shall be presented to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs along with any written statements of reasons from the initiators, the department, and the council. The Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs shall review the matter.

If there is disagreement by any party with the recommendation(s), the Provost and Senior Vice President shall within 22 working days refer the matter to the Curriculum and Educational Policies Council via the Academic Senate Chair for its deliberations and recommendations.

7.0 Role of the Curriculum and Educational Policies Council. 

7.1 All parties to the dispute shall have the opportunity to be heard by the Curriculum and Educational Policies Council. 

7.2 The Curriculum and Educational Policies Council shall consider the evidence provided by all parties to the dispute and shall make recommendations about any matters it thinks appropriate. These may include such questions as the effect of the change on the educational program of the University, the procedures followed, and other matters related to the proposed change. 

7.3 The Curriculum and Educational Policies Council may request additional information or materials from the dean, the college council, the department and the initiators. 

7.4 No member of the faculty from a college which has deliberated under the provisions of section 6.0 shall sit in review as a member of the Curriculum and Educational Policies Council. 

7.5 The Curriculum and Educational Policies Council shall within 22 working days, submit its recommendation and justification in writing via the Academic Senate Chair to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

7.6 The Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs shall review the matter and, if he/she is in disagreement with the recommendation of the Curriculum and Educational Policies Council, he/she shall submit compelling reasons in writing for his/her decision to the Academic Senate Chair. 

8.0 Implementation. 

8.1 The Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs shall delay implementation of the decision until all elements of this policy have been followed. 
8.2 Implementation of the final decision must be made effective at the beginning of the subsequent academic year. 
8.3 No action taken under this policy shall allocate or commit any fiscal resources of the University. 




EFFECTIVE: Spring 1996