3.3 CREATION, CONSOLIDATION, TRANSFER, CLOSURE, ABOLITION, OR SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONAL UNITS
3.3.2 PROCEDURES REGARDING SUCH CHANGES IN AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM OR EDUCATIONAL UNIT
Proposals concerning creation of academic programs, or change to academic programs other than significant reduction or closure, shall follow procedures in SR 3.1.3. Proposals concerning significant reduction to or closure of academic programs shall include the procedures and considerations below.
3.3.2.1 University Senate Review Submission Procedure
3.3.2.1.1 Proposals Initiated by Program/Unit Faculty
Proposals initiated by the faculty of the academic program or educational unit shall follow the procedures established in the University Senate Rules and/or those established by that unit.
3.3.2.1.2 Proposals Initiated by the Department Chair/School Director
Proposals initiated by the Department Chair/School Director will follow the existing procedures established by the respective unit for program or educational unit change and then be referred via the Dean (in keeping with College level procedures) to the Senate Council. The Department Chair/School Director will use the Senate-approved routing form to include evidence of compliance with existing unit procedures for (a) faculty approval of proposals for significant reduction to or closure of an academic program, or for (b) faculty advisement on proposed changes to academic organization.
3.3.2.1.3 Proposals Initiated by the Dean
Proposals initiated by, or forwarded to, the Dean will follow the existing procedures established by that college for academic program or educational unit change, and then be referred via the Dean to the Senate Council. The Dean will use the Senate-approved routing form to include evidence of compliance with existing college procedures for (a) faculty approval of proposals for significant reduction to or closure of an academic program, or for (b) faculty advisement on proposed changes to academic organization.
3.3.2.1.4 Academic Program Proposals Initiated by the Provost, Vice President for Research, or President
Proposals for significant reduction to or closure of an academic program administratively initiated by or through the Provost, Vice President for Research, or President will follow the existing procedures established by the affected college, or by the program faculty, for academic program change, using the Senate-approved form. Proposals administratively initiated by or through the Provost, Vice President for Research or President but concerning the creation of or change to an educational unit shall be processed to the Senate Council and are expected to include the considerations in SR 3.3.2.1.5. The proposal must be submitted to the Senate within 12 months from when the unit faculty was last consulted.
3.3.2.1.5 Administrative Consultation with Faculty on Academic Organization or Infrastructural Issues
A submitted proposal is expected to include a full accounting by the respective dean(s) and Provost of the disposition of faculty, staff and resources (financial and physical), including willingness of donating units to release faculty lines for transfer to a different educational unit, in addition to consultation with the faculty of the unit to which the faculty lines are proposed to be transferred. The department chair and dean ought to address (and the proposal ought to document) the viewpoints and votes of unit faculty and department/college committees. The proposal is expected to include letters of support (or opposition) from senior faculty or administrators, and where helpful supporting letters from outside the University.
3.3.2.1.6 Definition of Significant Reduction of an Academic Program or Educational Unit
For the purposes of SR 3.3.2, the academic decision to temporarily suspend admissions to a Senate-approved academic program for longer than a single year is a ‘significant reduction,’ which must be forwarded to the Senate for approval. An academic decision to suspend admissions to a Senate-approved academic program for not longer than one year may be made by the final decision of the college faculty, pursuant to the established college faculty rules document. Proposals to create a new academic program, or to make changes to an academic program that are not a “significant reduction” to or closure of the program, are processed pursuant to SR 3.1.3. A college faculty may opt to have an issue concerning temporary suspension of admissions to an academic program forwarded to the Senate Council for Senate consideration.
All proposals for changes to academic organization must be processed through the University Senate, pursuant to the procedures in this rule (GR IV.C; GR VII.A). For the purposes of initiating the procedures here under SR 3.3.2.2, the initiator of the proposal concerning significant reduction in infrastructural support for an educational unit or for an academic program has the responsibility for determining that the proposed infrastructural change that impinges on the attainment of educational objectives is a “significant reduction.” In making that determination, the initiator of the proposal should consult with the members of the affected units.
3.3.2.1.7 Definition of an Educational Unit
SR 3.3.2.2 complies with the definition of the Board of Trustees that the educational units of the University are colleges, schools, departments, graduate centers, interdisciplinary instructional programs, and multidisciplinary research centers/institutes (GR VII.C.1-2).
3.3.2.2 University Senate Review Procedures
3.3.2.2.1 Initial Review
The Senate Council will refer the proposal to an appropriate University Senate committee or committees (e.g., the Undergraduate Council, the Graduate Council, the Health Care Colleges Council, the Academic Organization and Structure Committee, the Academic Programs Committee, or an ad hoc committee convened by the University Senate Council). The committee(s) will review the proposal and its effect on faculty, students, and staff. The review shall involve primarily academic considerations such as the following, (not in any order of priority or preference). Other factors may in addition be considered as the respective committee(s) deem appropriate.
- The reference below to “academic programs” in the title to SR 3.3.2.2.1.1 and to “academic infrastructure” in the title to SR 3.3.3.2.2.1.2 means that the considerations in SR 3.3.2.2.1.1 are to be applied by the Senate Academic Programs Committee to proposals concerning academic content or academic status of a program, while considerations in SR 3.3.3.3.1.2 are to be applied by the Senate Academic Organization and Structure Committee to proposals concerning the educational unit structure or academic reporting. [SREC: 12/17/13]
- The lists in SR 3.3.2.2.1.1 and SR 3.3.2.2.1.2 are neither exhaustive of all potentially relevant considerations, nor required to be considered when not pertinent [SREC: 12/17/13].
3.3.2.2.1.1 Academic Program Considerations
- The centrality of each program or course of study to the mission of this institution or to the mission of the college, school, or department within which it is located;
- The academic strength, productivity and quality of the academic program or unit, and of its faculty;
- The importance of the academic program to the state or region in terms of its cultural, historic, political, economic, or other social resources;
- The importance of the program to the state or region in terms of its geologic, geographic, environmental, or other natural resources;
- The relationship of the academic program and the work done therein to some essential program or function performed at this institution;
- The current student demand and projected enrollment in the subject matter taught in the program or unit;
- The current and predicted comparative cost analysis/effectiveness of the program;
- The duplication of work performed in the academic program by work done in other programs or departments at other public institutions of higher education elsewhere within the Commonwealth of Kentucky; and
- The academic policies of the program faculty that are made necessary by, or in response, to requirements of governmental or accrediting bodies (GR IV.C.1).
3.3.2.2.1.2 Academic Infrastructural Considerations
- The current and proposed structural organization of the unit.
- How the structural change involves other units and fits with department, college, and/or university objectives and priorities.
- How this structural change affects the position of the unit relative to state and benchmark institutions, and to SACS/CPE/professional accrediting bodies (GR IV.C.1).
- How the new structure will be evaluated as meeting (or not) the objectives for forming the new structure, including the timing of key events.
- How the new structure will impact plans for student recruitment, enrollment, education, and competitiveness.
- The qualifications of the key unit personnel, and where appropriate the processes for searching for an interim leader or unit chair/director.
- The faculty/staff to be associated with the unit, allocation of DOE for unit activities, tenured/tenure eligibility, joint faculty, voting rights in policy-making, etc.
3.3.2.2.2 Academic Program or Educational Unit Review
Before the respective committee completes its report and recommendations, it shall examine any program or unit review report prepared within the previous 3 years; if no such report exists, the Senate Council will request that the Provost conduct a review of the academic program or educational unit as expeditiously as appropriate (not to exceed 6 months, excluding summer). The committee will also conduct at least one open hearing at which any employee or student affected or concerned about the proposed action may make written submissions or oral presentations. The open session(s) are for the purpose of obtaining information. They are not intended as an adversarial or adjudicatory process.
3.3.2.2.3 Information-sharing with Affected Faculty
The committee/council shall share with the academic program or educational unit and the affected faculty therein any information and documents it may obtain during its review of the proposal. It will endeavor to do so at least ten (10) working days before any meeting (see SR 3.3.2.2.2 above) with the academic program/educational unit and affected faculty. Within the above framework, the committee/council may establish such additional procedures, including time limitations and rules for relevance, as it determines necessary to proceed in an ordered and efficient manner.
3.3.2.2.4 Completion of Review and Recommendations
Upon completing its review, the committee/council may recommend modifications to the proposal, acceptance of the proposal as submitted, or rejection of the proposal.
3.3.2.2.5 Final Steps
The respective committee/council(s) shall forward its (their) recommendations to the University Senate through the Senate Council. The University Senate shall make, as appropriate, either a final academic decision on the proposal, or a recommendation to the Provost.
3.3.2.3 Procedures Following University Senate Review
3.3.2.3.1 Proposals Concerning Changes to Academic Programs
When the University Senate acts pursuant to SR 3.3.2.2.5 to either (a) make the decision to academically approve the closure of a degree program or (b) make the final academic decision for the University on any other proposal concerning an academic program, it shall notify the Provost of its decision. In the case of a University Senate decision to close a degree program, the Provost shall forward the University Senate’s recommendation to the President for transmittal to the Board of Trustees.
3.3.2.3.2 Proposals Concerning Academic Organization
The University Senate shall transmit its recommendation on the proposal concerning the University’s academic organization to the Provost.
(For a proposal to transfer programs leading to a certificate to a different educational unit, if the transfer will move the academic program to a different unit within the same college, the Provost shall either make the final administrative decision or may delegate to the Dean of that college the authority to make the final administrative decision. If the transfer will move the academic program outside of its current college, the Provost will make the final University administrative decision.)
The Provost may submit the recommendation on the proposal forwarded from the University Senate to the President for approval, terminate further consideration of the proposal, or make modifications to the proposal. In the latter case, the Provost, as a University Senate member, must include the University Senate’s recommendation when submitting the modified proposal to the President, the Chair of the University Senate, for consideration. The Senate Council may ask the Provost to explain the rationale for modifications to the proposal that the Provost had made. The President may approve the proposal and recommend it to the Board of Trustees, or refer the proposal to the Provost and/or University Senate for additional considerations, or disapprove and stop the proposal, unless the University Senate expressly requests that the proposal be presented to the Board.
3.3.2.3.3 Time Limits
Final notification to the President of the decisions or recommendations of the University Senate shall be made within a maximum period of 120 days (excluding May 16 through August 15) from the time the recommendation was submitted to the Senate Council. All proposals for creation, consolidation, transfer, closure, or significant reduction of an academic program or educational unit will be reviewed by the President within 60 days (excluding May 16 through August 15) of the submission of this notification to the President.
3.3.2.4 Rules Governing Academic Program or Educational Unit Change
When an academic program or educational unit is to be consolidated, transferred, closed, abolished, or significantly reduced, every effort should be made to phase it out over a period of time, with due notice to the students and with due regard for the contractual rights of faculty whose appointments will be affected.
3.3.2.4.1 Consideration of Affected Students
Students whose access to required course offerings are adversely affected by academic reorganization should be afforded reasonable opportunities to complete their required course work either at this institution or through cooperative arrangements and transfer of credit from other colleges and universities both within and outside Kentucky.
3.3.2.4.2 Consideration of Affected Faculty
Tenured and tenure track faculty, including full time Instructors, on lines in programs that are discontinued or transferred shall be reassigned to teaching, research, extension, clinical, librarian or service activities in related academic programs or educational units or to administrative duties (if they are qualified for the position and where the need exists for such duties), in accordance with Governing Regulation X.B.1.e, and X.B.1.f, and while maintaining or increasing their current salary. Similar consideration shall be accorded lecturers who have accumulated more than seven years continuous full-time service.
3.3.2.4.3 Reestablishment of Eliminated Program or Unit
In no instance shall an eliminated academic program or educational unit be re-established at the University of Kentucky within two years without offering reappointment to all former faculty members whose academic appointments with the University had been affected thereby for reasons of financial exigency.