Dear Deans:
As the academic year gets into full gear and the Faculty Council begins considering academic program revisions, we would like to remind you that the UT Austin Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) specifically designates the faculty as having authority to consider all matters of educational policy. Except for those matters that are delegated to the Graduate Assembly, the Faculty Council is charged with establishing and overseeing the procedures necessary for enlisting the aid of the faculty in developing educational policies for the entire University. To meet our obligation, we have a request of you.
On March 22, 2010, the Faculty Council endorsed the following minimal standards for college and school governance procedures to follow in developing educational policy:
-
Colleges and schools should have at least one annual meeting.
-
College/school curriculum committees should either be elected by the faculty or, if appointed by a chair or a dean, its recommended curriculum changes should be circulated to the full college faculty for approval, protest, or no protest.
-
The college/school faculty should be made aware of and vote on these procedures.
We thank you for responding to our past requests for your faculty governance procedures.
This information is now posted on the Web with a convenient link on the Faculty Council's website. The link, which can be found under the "Faculty Council" tab, is called EDUCATIONAL POLICY FORMULATION GOVERNANCE.
We respectfully request that your college or school review these posted procedures and either confirm that they are still current or provide us with any updates: fc@austin.utexas.edu.
We look forward to working with you in the upcoming semester on your school or college’s academic program revisions.
Sincerely,
Anthony L. Brown
Chair, Faculty Council 2020-21
charlottecanning@utexas.edu
Alan W. Friedman, Secretary
General Faculty and Faculty Council
friedman@austin.utexas.edu
Sent on behalf of the Faculty Council Executive Committee