Florida International University: Academic Affairs

2.11 AUTHORIZATION AND MODIFICATION OF CERTIFICATES
2.12 AUTHORIZATION AND MODIFICATION OF COURSES
2.21 MINIMUM FACULTY FOR AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM
2.23 LIMITED ACCESS PROGRAMS
2.31 HONORARY DEGREES
2.41 STUDENT GRIEVANCES
2.43 NON-ACADEMIC SUSPENSION
2.44 ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
2.45 UNIVERSITY JUDICIAL PROCEDURES
2.52 ACADEMIC SCHEDULE
2.53 SCHEDULING CLASSROOMS, TEACHING LABORATORIES, AND CONFERENCE ROOMS
2.56 OBSERVANCE OF RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS
2.59 ACADEMIC SPECIAL EVENTS
2.61 INSTRUCTOR CLASSROOM HOURS AND ABSENCES
2.62 INSTRUCTOR OFFICE HOURS
2.63 COURSE SYLLABI REQUIREMENTS
2.65 SPOUSES AND RELATIVES AS STUDENTS

To define the criteria and process that governs the authorization and modification of certificates.

Any certificate offered under the auspices of the University must have the prior approval of (a) the curriculum committees and faculty bodies of the appropriate Colleges and/or Schools of the University, (b) the University Curriculum Committee of the Faculty Senate, and (c) the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The deletion of an authorized certificate program likewise requires the prior approval of those same committees and offices.

Academic Certificate - awarded by an academic unit to a student at the time of the awarding of his/her Bachelors degree, or upon completion of the appropriate coursework to a student who already possesses a Bachelors degree. An academic certificate is interdisciplinary in nature.

Professional Certificate - awarded by an academic unit to an individual who completes the appropriate coursework in the area of concentration. Two distinctions are made between the Professional Certificate and the Academic Certificate:

The approved process and procedures for requesting authorization for a certificate are given in the Policies and Procedures Manual of the University Curriculum Committee.

To define the criteria and process that govern the initial authorization and modification of an academic course.

Any new academic courses offered under the auspices of the University must have the prior approval of (a) Department Chair and Dean, (b) the curriculum committees and the faculty bodies of the appropriate Colleges and/or Schools of the University, (c) the University Curriculum Committee of the Faculty Senate, and (d) the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Any modification of an approved course - course prefix, course number, credit, prerequisite, title, catalog description, cross listing, or complete deletion must have the prior approval of the committees and office as noted above.

The approved process and procedure for requesting authorization or deletion of an academic course are given in the Policies and Procedures Manual of the University Curriculum Committee.

For each undergraduate curricula area in which a major in a degree program is offered, a faculty member academically qualified in the field must be assigned responsibility for course or program oversight and coordination, as well as for curriculum development and review. At least one full-time faculty member with appropriate credentials, as defined in the policy on "Instructor Qualifications and Documentation," must have primary teaching assignment in the curricular area.

An effective graduate program depends on the scholarly interaction of faculty. The appropriate number of faculty members to adequately support a program varies according to the discipline and the scope of the program. For each graduate degree program, there must be four qualified full-time faculty members whose responsibilities include teaching in the program.

A limited access program utilizes selective admission to limit program enrollment. Limited access status is justified where student demand exceeds available resources, such as faculty, instructional facilities, equipment or specific accrediting requirements. Criteria for selective admissions include indicators of ability, performance, creativity or talent to complete required work within the program. Florida Community College transfer students with Associate in Arts degrees are given equal consideration with FIU students. Admissions to such programs are governed by the Articulation Agreement and the State of Florida Board of Regent rules.

There will be a documented justification for the program to be classified as limited access. This documentation must be submitted to the Board for review and approval at least 6 months prior to the start of the limited access program. The criteria for assigning limited access status to an educational program includes demand by qualified students in excess of available resources (student-faculty ratios, instructional facilities, equipment, or specific accrediting requirements), standards of selectivity, and national or state needs for graduates of the program. Annually, each university will reevaluate the need to continue to classify the program as limited access. The university will report to the Board by October 1 of each year a list of limited access programs, the minimum admissions standards for each program, and a copy of the most recent review demonstrating the need for retention of limited access status. This annual report shall include for each limited access program the following categories, by race and gender: the number of applicants, the number of applicants granted admission, the number of applicants who are granted admission and enroll, the number of applicants denied admission, and the number of applicants neither granted admission nor denied admission. Each category shall be reported by type of student, including the following subcategories: native students (students who started at the university as first-time-in-college students with less than 12 semester hours of credit), community college associate of arts degree transfer students, and other students. Each category and subcategory shall further be reported according to the number of students who meet or exceed the minimum eligibility requirements for admission to the program and the number of students who do not meet or exceed the minimum eligibility requirements for admission to the program. Programs assigned limited access status will be reviewed by the Board in the course of its five-year system-wide program review process.

All criteria shall be approved by the Board and registered with the Articulation Coordinating Committee prior to implementation.

Any criteria used to select students shall not discriminate against community college transfers with Associate in Arts degrees from Florida public community colleges in favor of SUS students who are applying for admission or plan to continue enrollment after the completion of 60 semester credits at the lower division level.

Any criteria used to select students shall be appropriate indicators of academic ability, creativity or talent to perform required work within the program and of the potential for success.

Any criteria used shall be publicized in catalogs, counseling manuals, and other appropriate publications in accordance with FAC 6A-10.23(13), with sufficient time for prospective students to adjust programs to meet criteria.

Where necessary to achieve established equal access enrollment goals, up to ten percent of the students may be admitted to a limited access program with different criteria.

Each university shall advise students who meet the minimum requirements for admission to the upper division of a state university, but are denied admission to limited access programs, of the availability of similar programs at other State University System institutions and the admissions requirements of such programs.

Associate in Arts degree graduates from Florida community colleges and university students who have successfully completed 60 or more credit hours of course work and met the requirements of Section 240.107, Florida Statutes, shall receive priority over out-of-state students for admission to limited access programs, teacher certification programs, or major programs requiring an audition or portfolio.

The Board may declare certain degree programs as limited access programs. In the case of the programs for which prerequisites are required for admission, the prerequisites by themselves will not cause a program to be declared limited access. That is, if all the applicants meeting the prerequisites are admitted to the program, the program is not a limited access program. Associate in Arts graduates from Florida public community colleges and universities who have not completed prerequisite courses for a given major shall be admitted to a university in order to complete those prerequisites, after which program admission can be determined. University degree programs may be declared as limited access programs for the following reasons:

1. The number of students who have met all the requirements for admission to the university and to the program is in excess of the available resources (examples are: space, equipment or other instructional facilities; student-faculty ratios; fiscal or other resource limitations). In the case of such programs, selection for admission shall be competitive. The selection criteria shall be determined by the program, recognizing that the standards applied to the criteria may vary from term to term depending on the number of student spaces available and the quality of the applicant pool. The selection criteria shall be published in the university catalog along with the standards used for admissions decisions at the time the catalog is published.

2. The program is of such a nature (normally in the fine or performing arts) that applicants must demonstrate through an audition or submission of a portfolio that they already have the minimum skills necessary for them to benefit from the program.

3. The program is a teacher certification program covered by the provisions of Section 240.529, Florida Statutes, and a passing score at the 40th percentile or above on a nationally standardized college entrance examination is a prerequisite for admission.

4. The program is one for which the grade point average required for admission is above that required for admission to the university offering the program.

5. When an institution has exceeded its upper-level FTE enrollment limit as assigned by the Legislature by more than five percent, programs which have not normally been designated as limited access programs may need to limit enrollment. If the institution's actual student credit hour productivity exceeds the institution's funded enrollment to this extent, the institution may take corrective actions in subsequent terms such as limiting admission of new students into upper level programs, limiting course loads of enrolled students and/or other measures as may be necessary to stay within funded enrollment levels. Florida community college Associate in Arts graduates and university students who have successfully completed 60 credit hours of course work and met the requirements of Section 240.017, Florida Statutes, shall receive priority for admission to such limited access programs over out-of-state and other transfer students.

To indicate the criteria and process for selecting nominees for honorary degrees awarded by the University.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
President
Florida Board of Regents

Nominations for honorary degrees may be submitted by faculty, students, staff or the Honorary Degree Committee.

Nominations for honorary degrees must be approved by the Honorary Degree Committee, the President, and the Florida Board of Regents Executive Committee.

The qualifications and conditions for recipients of honorary degrees are as follows:

When more than one nominee is selected by the Honorary Degree Committee, all names must be submitted as a group to the President.

a) To allow students to grieve against a faculty member or an administrator when appropriate.

b) It is designed as a university-wide policy to replace the various individual unit policies and the "Student Grievance Procedure" outlined in the Student Handbook. ( April 1, 1992).

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Vice President for Student Affairs

Students have the right to bring grievances against a faculty member or an administrator concerning academic matters. Such matters may include but are not limited to: failure to abide by the stated policies and procedures articulated in a syllabus, unprofessional classroom practice, arbitrary and capricious awarding of grades, failure to respect a student's right to privacy, and discrimination based on age, sex, religion, race, marital status, national origin or disability. (The last category, discrimination, will be handled by the EOP Office, following procedures developed in compliance with the Florida Equity Act). This document outlines the procedures by which student grievances are to be handled.

The Student Government Council has an Advisory Branch to counsel and assist students in grievance procedure decisions. Students may contact the SGC office for more information.

1. The student must exhaust remedies provided by the informal grievance procedure described below.

2. The student may then elect to use the formal grievance procedure described below.

3. Formal grievances may be deemed to be invalid or outside the jurisdiction of the University Student Grievance Committee.

4. When the complaint originates in a classroom setting between an instructor and a student, the complaint must be filed in a timely fashion; i.e., no later than 10 working days into the semester following the semester in which the complaint originated.

5. When the complaint does not originate in a classroom setting, the student must begin the grievance procedure in a timely fashion but no later than 20 working days following the incident.

If a student has a complaint against a faculty member, the student should attempt to resolve the complaint by an informal meeting with the faculty member involved. If the student believes that he or she cannot discuss the complaint with the instructor, the student should submit a written letter of complaint specifying the details of the grievance and the actions he or she is requesting to the chair of the department within which the faculty member is located. The student should file this complaint in as timely a manner as possible, but in no case can the complaint be filed later than the limits prescribed above.

If the student has an unresolved complaint against a chair, as an instructor of record, the student should submit a written letter to the dean of the school/college. The dean and/or the dean's designee should meet with the student within ten working days to discuss and attempt to resolve the complaint. If the student has an unresolved complaint against a dean or director as an instructor of record, the written letter of complaint should be submitted to the office of the Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs. Again, the student should file this complaint in as timely a manner as possible, but in no case can the complaint be filed later than ten working days after the beginning of the semester (the first day of classes) following the semester in which the incident occurred.

Upon receiving a written letter of complaint, the chair of the department or the dean/director or the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs has ten working days to notify the parties involved and to schedule a meeting. The student may be accompanied by a counselor (parent, friend, attorney, faculty member, etc.) if the student so wishes. A counselor may consult with the student, but he or she may not cross-examine those giving testimony or otherwise participate in the meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to resolve the student's complaint informally. The chair (or dean/director or the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs) will keep a written record of the meeting between the parties and within five working days will inform each in writing (by certified mail to the student) of the understanding reached at the meeting. This written record will be kept for a minimum of three years.

If after receiving the written communication of the result of the informal procedure the student is not satisfied, he or she may ask for a formal resolution of his or her complaint by filing a request with the office of the Provost/ Vice President for Academic Affairs for a hearing before the University Student Grievance Committee. A petition for a formal resolution must be filed no later than ten working days from the date of the postmark of the chair's (or dean's/director's or Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs) letter stating the outcome of the informal resolution.

A student may not elect to use the formal grievance procedure until the student has met with the faculty member, the chairperson, or the dean/director of the school/college. The only exception to this is when the student has submitted his/her written complaint for informal resolution and has received no response or action within the ten working days established by this policy.

A student has ten working days following his or her notification of the conclusion of the informal resolution to request a formal resolution. The request for a formal resolution, detailing the specifics of the complaint and attaching all previous correspondence generated during the informal resolution process, must be sent to the office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs (form is available from Provost/Vice President's office). The student must secure the signature of the chair or dean, on the petition for a formal hearing, to certify that the informal process has been completed. Within ten working days from receiving the complaint, the office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs or his or her designee shall submit the complaint to the Chair of the University Student Grievance Committee for review and consideration.

The Chair of the University Student Grievance Committee may request a Committee ruling on the validity of a student grievance or whether the Committee has jurisdiction. The Committee may rule that a formal hearing is unwarranted. Should the committee determine that a hearing is unwarranted, the student will be notified in writing within ten working days of the Committee's decision. The decision of the Committee regarding the validity of the complaint is final.

If a formal hearing is to be held, it will generally be heard at the next meeting of the Committee. The Chair of the University Student Grievance Committee will inform the faculty member or the dean or the director and the student (by certified mail to the student) of the date on which the case will be heard. The student and the faculty member, chair or dean have the right to be physically present and be accompanied by a counselor. Such a counselor may consult with the student or the faculty member but cannot examine or cross-examine those giving testimony or otherwise participate in the hearing. It will be the Chair's decision as to whether or not attendance of either party is mandatory. At the Chair's discretion, either party can present his or her case in writing. All relevant documents should be in the hands of the Committee Chair no later than five working days before the Committee meets to take up the case. Any documents received after this date may be included at the discretion of the Chair of the Committee.

After hearing the case, the Committee will meet and make a recommendation which will be forwarded to the office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. Within ten working days, the office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs will communicate the Committee's recommendation to all parties (by certified mail to the student.)

The University Student Grievance Committee consists of five members: three faculty members, including a non-voting Chair, and two students. Membership for individual hearings throughout the year may rotate among nominated faculty and/or students.

At its first meeting in the Fall Semester, the Faculty Senate shall appoint a pool of at least seven faculty members, to serve on the University Student Grievance Committee for the academic year (including the Summer term). One of these faculty members appointed by the Faculty Senate shall serve as the non-voting Chair of the University Student Grievance Committee. The selection of the Chair will be made by the Chairperson of the Faculty Senate in consultation with the Provost's office. From this faculty pool, three will be contacted for serving on each committee hearing. In the event that these appointed faculty members are not available, the Chair of the Faculty Senate shall appoint faculty members to fill the vacant positions on the Committee.

The President of the Student Government Council (SGC) shall furnish the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs the names of at least seven students who will serve on the University Student Grievance Committee for the academic year (including the Summer term). In the event that these students are not available, the President of SGC shall appoint students to fill the vacant positions on the Committee.

The decisions of the University Student Grievance Committee are based on a majority vote. The Chair of the Committee will vote only in case of a tie.

It will be the responsibility of the Chair of the University Student Grievance Committee to schedule meetings as needed during each semester.

The student(s), faculty member, chair or dean involved in the grievance have the right to challenge the impartiality of any panel member and to request of the Chair that member's exclusion from participation, stating in writing to the Chair the reasons for the request. A challenge may be exercised no more than twice. Upon receiving such a challenge, the Chair is obliged to require that the participating member withdraw. Also, a member of the Committee is obliged to withdraw from participating on the Committee when he or she doubts his or her ability to be impartial and to decide the matter according to the evidence presented. In the event a member of the Committee withdraws, the Chair shall select another member to sit as a replacement.

The hearing will be conducted under the provisions of the Florida Sunshine Law, and a tape recording will be made of all hearings. The Chair will call the hearing to order and identify all those present:

1. The student will present his or her complaint (including the calling of witnesses if necessary) and a statement of action being requested.

2. The faculty member, chair or dean will respond (including the calling of witnesses if necessary).

6. The Committee reviews the case in executive session and makes its recommendations for appropriate action to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.

7. Within five working days, the Chair of the Committee communicates its recommendations to the office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.

8. The Chair will be responsible for keeping records of the Committee's deliberations and complying with all laws regarding the confidentiality of University records.

Within ten working days, the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs or his or her designee communicates the Committee's recommendation to all parties (by certified mail to the student).

Faculty and administrators should comply with all reasonable and legal requests for relevant information that will assist the student in presenting his or her case and the Committee in reaching a recommendation.

If any of the above outlined policies and procedures is violated, any of the parties involved has the right to appeal to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. Any appeal must be made within ten working days from the date the Committee's decision is received by the student, faculty member, chair or dean. The Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs shall evaluate the complaint and render a decision and a course of action on behalf of the student no later than ten working days from the receipt of the complaint. In these matters, the decision of the Provost/Vice President is final.

To provide a process whereby the University can suspend a student for Non-Academic Misconduct, giving the student due process.

A student may be suspended from the University for non-academic reasons when it is determined by the Vice President for Student Affairs that his or her continued presence would pose a threat to the health and/or safety of another member of the University community, provided that the student's due process rights shall be observed.

A student will be suspended for non-academic reasons when he or she has been convicted of possession of any drug under Chapter 893 of the Florida Statutes.

To provide a process where the University can expel or suspend a student for Academic Misconduct and the student can appeal the decision.

Students at Florida International University are expected to adhere to the highest standards of integrity in every aspect of their lives. Honesty in academic matters is part of this obligation.

Academic integrity is the adherence to those special values regarding life and work in an academic community. Any act or omission by a student which violates this concept of academic integrity shall be defined as academic misconduct and shall be subject to the procedures and penalties set forth herein.

Definition of Academic Misconduct: The term "academic misconduct" is academic dishonesty and shall include the following acts and/or omissions:

All matters relating to academic misconduct are referred to the Office of the Provost for Academic Affairs. Acts of academic misconduct may be alleged by faculty, staff or students. Two actions that may be taken are:

Expulsion: Permanent separation of the student from the University, preventing readmission to the institution. This sanction shall be recorded on the student's transcript.

Suspension: Temporary separation of the student from the University for a specific period of time.

To establish procedures for the resolution of matters within the University judicial system.

When an alleged violation of the Student Code of Conduct occurs, it shall be referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs. Referrals may be made by faculty, staff or students.

To outline the Policies and Procedures for developing the schedule for each academic semester.

Only courses fully approved by the University Curriculum Committee, the Faculty Senate, and Vice President for Academic Affairs may be scheduled.

Each department must prepare the schedules of course offerings for future semesters by the published dates. The respective deans, in consultation with the Registrar must approve the course schedules submitted by department.

The department prepares its course schedule by first inputing future term courses electronically to the Registrar. Proofs of the schedule are sent back to Deans for final review and modification.

The dean reviews the schedule within the context of the enrollment management plan, then signs and submits the Course Offerings form to the Registrar by the published date.

Any subsequent schedule changes are made on the Course Offerings form in consultation with the Registrar and approved by the appropriate dean.

The Registrar reviews the Course Offerings form for accuracy and submits a final copy to the department for review, prior to printing and distribution.

To state the policies and procedures governing the scheduling of classrooms, teaching laboratories and conference rooms.

The University Registrar has the overall authority and responsibility for scheduling all courses within existing classrooms. All teaching laboratories and dedicated classrooms are assigned to specific academic units for scheduling, overall supervision, and responsibility for equipment. This does not imply exclusive scheduling control or implicit authority for renovation. Conference rooms assigned to specific administrative/academic units may be scheduled for courses starting at 5:00 PM by the Registrar if needed.

All changes (additions and/or cancellations) in classroom assignments should be routed through the Office of the Registrar.

The Office of Institutional Research allocates to the Deans classrooms to be scheduled during specific time blocks. Deans are responsible for the submission of their initial schedule of classes for each semester by a specified deadline. Specific physical requirements for a class should be indicated at the time course offerings are submitted. All changes must be submitted in writing on the appropriate forms to the Registrar's Office. Prior to the start of registration, the Registrar's Office will assign classrooms to all courses.

For high demand class times, each Academic Dean is given a limit on the number of courses that School/College can offer at peak meeting times. Each Academic Dean must submit a priority list of all the courses of the high demand meeting time so that the total requirement does not exceed their allocation of rooms. If an Academic Dean offers more courses during the high demand meeting times than their assigned limit, then some of the low priority courses may have to be rescheduled on alternate days or times.

The academic departments must submit to the Registrar's Office a list of all their courses with specific room assignments that will meet in their laboratories and/or dedicated classrooms. Also, all Academic Deans must submit to the Registrar's Office a list of all their courses that are being taught in Davie and the Broward Tower with specific room assignments. The Registrar's Office will input this information so that the student's course schedule will indicate where the courses meet. All course cancellations, changes and additions must be done with the appropriate form and must have the Academic Dean's signature. Academic units may not add a course to their schedule after the initial course submission, until they verify with the Registrar's Office that a classroom is available.

PURPOSE
To state the policy on observance of religious holy days in accordance with the minimum requirements of the Board of Regents.

AUTHORITY/SOURCE
Florida Administrative Code 6C-6.0115
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

POLICY
Students who are absent from academic or social activities because of religious observances will not be penalized. A student who desires to be excused from class to observe a religious holy day of his or her religious faith should notify all of his or her instructors at least two weeks in advance.

The student is responsible for any material covered during the excused absence, but will be permitted a reasonable amount of time to make up any work missed. Examinations, major assignments, and university ceremonies will not be scheduled on a major religious holy day. If an examination was administered during the class at which a student is excused for a religious observance, the student should make arrangements with the instructor to be examined at an alternate time or be given a comparable assignment.

PROCEDURE
Major religious holy days are published every semester in the Florida International University class schedule, and in the University Calendar published annually in the Undergraduate and Graduate catalogs.

This policy and related procedures will be included in the Student Handbook, Undergraduate Catalog, Faculty Handbook, and Graduate Catalog.

Students who believe they have been denied educational benefits because of their religious beliefs or practices should seek redress through the "Student Grievance Procedure".

PURPOSE
To define the procedure for informing the University of proposed Academic Special Events

AUTHORITY/SOURCE
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Due Diligence Guide for Special Event Planning, Environmental Health & Safety department

DEFINITIONS
A Special Event is defined by the University as “…a short-term event that is not part of University’s daily/routine operations.”

An Academic Special Event is defined as a short-term event of an academic nature that is not part of the University’s daily/routine operations.

POLICY
Faculty who are planning an Academic Special Event, as specified below, which requires University facilities and personnel, beyond the normal requirements of regularly scheduled class meetings, must ensure that the University is properly and timely notified, in order that the University has sufficient time to effectively prepare for the Special Event.

For the purposes of this policy, Academic Special Events, which must be reported, are specified as follows:

Any Academic Special Event in which the theme, subject matter, participants, attendees, sponsors, or any other associated party might reasonably be determined to be potentially disruptive in any manner; to pose a health or safety hazard to any member of the University Community; or to incur liability for the University.

PROCEDURE
1. Academic Special Events, as specified above must be reported to the dean’s office (or where applicable to the provost’s) 30 days prior to the event.

2. The Office of Academic Affairs must be notified, via submission of the Academic Special Event Notification form, not less than two weeks prior to the Academic Special Event.

3. Any Academic Special Event proposed to be scheduled less than two weeks in advance of the date must be approved by the Provost or designee prior to implementation.

4. The department responsible for providing the venue (such as Facilities Management, or the Graham Center, for the Academic Special Event will follow the procedures and guidelines found in the “Due Diligence Guide to Special Event Planning.”

5. The academic unit hosting the Academic Special Event shall be financially responsible for all services required to ensure the safety and order of that event.

PURPOSE
To establish guidelines for instructor classroom hours and absences.

AUTHORITY/SOURCE
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Academic Deans

POLICY
It is the University's expectation that an instructor conduct every scheduled class for the entire scheduled time.

PROCEDURE
An instructor who anticipates being absent should notify the department chair or academic dean as soon as possible in order that arrangements may be made for the meeting of classes and the performance of other scheduled duties. Where possible, students should be notified in advance of class cancellations.

When a personal or professional obligation (e.g. professional conference, etc.) requires that an instructor miss a class, the instructor should receive the department chairperson's approval in advance.

Instructors must never hire anyone else to teach a course to which they have been assigned.

Instructors should make it normal practice to meet classes for the full scheduled class time.

It is the responsibility of the department chairperson to insure that this policy is observed.

PURPOSE
To insure that course instructors (including faculty, adjuncts and graduate teaching assistants) are available to meet with students outside of class.

POLICY
Each instructor must schedule office hours when they will be available to confer with students. Office hours must be scheduled so that students will have reasonable access to their instructors. It is expected that instructors will be available to students consistent with scheduled contract periods.

PROCEDURE
Instructors must notify students of their office phone number and hours and ensure that schedules of office hours are posted near their office locations and in their departments at the campuses where the course is taught. Instructor office hours must be included in the course syllabus.

Instructors must afford students unable to meet during scheduled office hours the opportunity to schedule special appointments. They should urge communication through email and web based communication systems.

Each academic unit must establish a policy which specifies office hours appropriate to the college/school or department. Each academic unit should make every effort to provide a place for everyone teaching to meet with students (e.g. offices, conference rooms, etc.) It is the responsibility of the department chairpersons to insure that these policies are observed.

PURPOSE
To provide uniform expectations regarding the content of all course syllabi produced at the University

PROCEDURE
1) All instructors of record are required to provide students with a printed or published on line syllabus for any course in which students receive academic credit and for non credit courses required for a degree or academic certificate.

2) Students should receive or have access to the course syllabus no later than the first class meeting for lecture and lab courses, not later than the first day of the semester for on line courses, and not later than the end of the first week of the semester for internships, practicum, independent studies, readings, or any other courses. Exceptions to the time constraints of this policy may be made on a case by case basis by department chairpersons or school directors when instructors are assigned in an untimely manner.

3) Each department or school will maintain a file of current course syllabi either on line or in printed copy throughout the semester, which will be available for public examination.

Instructors retain the right to modify the course syllabus for any
reason throughout the semester provided that:

PURPOSE
To avoid conflicts regarding students who are related to the teacher or a faculty member in the same department.

POLICY
To avoid any potential conflict of interest, faculty are encouraged to avoid instances where their students are family members by directing those students to equivalent courses taught by colleagues. Faculty are to inform their Chairperson/Dean when conflict exists. In those cases where coursework is not available from any other professor, faculty are encouraged to follow the following guidelines in order to ensure objectivity in teaching and grading:

Another faculty member should be responsible for grading class written products when possible; class assignments should be consistent for all students in the class; student tests should be graded by another member of the faculty when possible; faculty member should not be the student advisor nor a member nor chair of the program of studies, thesis or dissertation committee.