Status of Issues in Governance 2012-2013

Issue/Charge	Committee	*Status and Link to Policy Text**
Academic Dismissal Policy Blake Memo	CAP	Step 1
Academic Integrity Ad hoc committee report Follow-up charge	CAP	Step 2
Attendance/Absence Policy	CAP	Step 1
Change of Nomenclature from M/S/T to ISTEM Schreiner Memo	CAP	Approved at TCNJ Pending state approval
Course Withdrawal Policy Rifkin Letter Preliminary Recommendation	CAP	Step 2
Designation change from BS to BSES for Engineering Science Request from School of Engineering	CAP	Approved at TCNJ Pending state approval
Off-Campus, Faculty-Led Programs IEPC memo	CAP	Step 1
Repeating Courses	CAP	Step 2
Restructuring Art Curriculum Request from School of Arts and Communications	CAP	Approved at TCNJ Pending state approval
Retaining Student Materials	CAP	Step 1
Student Feedback on Teaching	CAP	Step 2
Undergraduate Scheduling Grid	CAP	Rejected
Academic Speech Memo from Faculty Senate	CFA	Determination by CFA that no new policy is needed
Faculty Behavior	CFA	Step 1
Faculty Reassigned Time Interim Report on Administrative Reassigned Time Report of 2006 Ad Hoc Committee on Department Chair and Program Leaders	CFA	Step 1
Five-Year review of tenured faculty	CFA	Recommended to Provost
Handling applications submitted by SOSA and Sabbatical committee members	CFA	Approved (SOSA) Approved (Sabbatical)
Modified Faculty Duties Norvell memo	CFA	Step 1
Recording Lectures	CFA	Step 1
Review of Reappointment and Promotion Document Memo from Faculty Senate	CFA	Step 1
Academic Calendar	CPP	Step 1
Alcohol and Other Drug Policy	CSCC	Step 1
Student Rights and Freedoms	CSCC	Step 1
Student Travel Policy	CSCC	Step 2
Graduate Comprehensive Exams	GPC	Step 1
Graduate Non-Enrollment Status	GPC	Step 1
Policy Framework	Steering	Step 2
Grade Appeals	CFA, CAP	Step 1
Graduate Polices Memo from GPC	GPC/CAP	Approved
Graduate Student Conduct	GPC/CSCC	Recommended through governance pending approval by Board of Trustees
Use of FSP Courses for Meeting Liberal Learning Domains	CAP	Step 1
Undergraduate Certificate Programs Proposed Student Leadership Program	CAP, CSCC	Step 1
Blended and Compressed Format Courses Memo from Interim Provost	CAP	Step 1
Child Protection Protection of Children Policy Interim	CSCC	Step 1
Student Feedback Form in Special Circumstances	CFA	Step 1
Schedule Grid	CAP/CPP	Step 1
IEPC Role Memo from Interim Provost	Steering	Step 1
CPP Name Change to CSPP (Committee on Strategic Planning and Priorities) Request From CPP	Steering	Approved
Honors Program Admission Standards	CAP	Step 1

Last Updated: March 22, 2013

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.