Status of Issues in Governance 2009-2010

 Issue/Charge

Committee        

Status* and Link to Policy Text

Student travel policy

Reactivated from 2004-2005

CSCC

Step 2

Advising Feedback

Continued from 2007-08

CAP

Referred  to Advising and Student Support Planning Council

Student Feedback on Teaching

CAP

Step 1

Review of class schedule grid

Continued  from 2007-8

CAP

Step 3

Five-Year review of tenured faculty

Continued from 2007-08 

CFA

Step 3

Involuntary Withdrawal for Health or Safety Reasons

Review of previously approved policy

CSCC

Step 3

New Course Approval Process

CAP

Step 2

Syllabi

CAP

Step 2

Academic Load (student overload)

CAP

Step 1

Modifications/Clarifications to the Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Document

CFA

Cover memo

Step 3

Types of Majors

CAP

Step 1

Interdisciplinary Standards (for reappointment, tenure, and promotion)

CFA

Step 1

Martin Luther King Day

CPP/CSCC

Step 1:  CSCC Response

Chinese Minor

CAP

Step 1

Business and Society Minor

CAP

Step 1

Counselor Education Program Changes

Proposal

CAP

Step 1

Graduate Certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies

Proposal

CPP

Step 1

Maximum number of transfer credits in Engineering

Request from School of Engineering

CAP

Step 1

Honor Code

CPP

Step 1

Faculty Office Hours

CFA

Step 1

Mid-Semester Grades/Evaluations

CAP

Step 1

  Last Updated: November 16, 2009


 Step #1 -- Identifying and reporting the problem:  When a Standing Committee receives an issue from the Steering Committee, the first responsibility is to clearly articulate and report the problem to the campus community through regular updates to the campus community and the Governance Web Page (www.tcnj.edu/~steering ).  The problem may have been set out clearly in the charge received from the Steering Committee, or it may be necessary for the Standing Committee to frame a problem statement.  The problem statement should indicate the difficulties or uncertainties that need to be addressed through new or revised policy, procedure, or program.  The problem statement should be broadly stated and should include a context such as existing policy or practice.  Problem statements may include solution parameters but should not suggest any actual solutions.  Clearly stated problems will lead to better recommendations.

Step #2 -- Preparing a preliminary recommendation:  Once the campus community has received the problem statement, committees can begin to collect data needed to make a recommendation.  Committees typically receive input through committee membership, formal testimony, and open comment from affected individuals and all stakeholder groups.  Committees must be proactive in inviting stakeholder groups (including Student Government Association, Staff Senate and Faculty Senate) to provide formal testimony prior to developing a preliminary recommendation.  When, in the best judgment of the committee, adequate clarity of the principles contributing to the problem are known, a preliminary recommendation should be drafted and disseminated to the campus community through regular updates and the Governance Web Page.

Step #3 -- Making a Final Recommendation:  Committees must use sound judgment to give the campus adequate time to review the preliminary recommendation before making their final recommendation.  Again, committees are expected to be proactive in receiving feedback on the preliminary recommendation.  If a full calendar year has passed since the formal announcement of the preliminary recommendation, the committee must resubmit a preliminary recommendation to the campus community.  When, in the best judgment of the committee, the campus community has responded to the proposed resolution of the issue, the committee shall send their final recommendation (complete documentation) to the Steering Committee.

Testimony

The presenting of testimony is central to the concept of shared governance.  All stakeholder groups will have an opportunity to provide input into governance issues through direct membership as well as invited testimony.  Individuals appointed or elected to the governance system are expected to take a broad institutional perspective relative to issues being considered.  In contrast, invited testimony will reflect the stakeholder perspective on the issue being considered.  Committees are expected to be proactive in inviting stakeholder groups to provide testimony at both step # 2 and #3 of the process.  Committees need to identify stakeholder groups that are interested in each particular issue and invite their testimony at scheduled Committee meetings or hearings.  Committees should report in their minutes which groups were targeted as stakeholders, how testimony was invited, the form of the testimony (written, oral, etc.), and the substantive content of the testimony.