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Handbook of Operating Procedures
Chapter 2 - Faculty and Academics
Previous Publication Date: April 1, 2021
Publication Date: August 29, 2023
Policy Reviewed Date: August 29, 2023
Policy Owner: VP for Academic Affairs


2.01 The Faculty: Role in Educational Policy Formulation


I. POLICY STATEMENT


Including faculty in policy formulation at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is consistent with UTSA’s core value of collaboration. Collaboration entails working with others toward common goals while valuing teamwork, participation, and commitment to public service.


II. RATIONALE


The policy supports the University of Texas System (UT System) Regents’ Rules and Regulations 40101 Faculty Role in Educational Policy, which states that faculty members at institutions in the UT System shall have a major role in the governance of their respective institutions.


III. SCOPE


This policy applies to General Faculty at UTSA.


IV. WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY


http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter2/2.01.html


V. RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS


  1. University of Texas System Policies or the Board of Regents' Rules & Regulation
    1. UT System Board of Regents' Rule 40101, Faculty Role in Educational Policy Formulation

VI. CONTACTS


If you have any questions about HOP 2.01, The Faculty: Role in Educational Policy Formulation, contact the following office:

  1. Academic Affairs
    210-458-4110

VII. DEFINITIONS


  1. Administration: The administration is comprised of the President, all Vice Presidents, Academic Deans, Department Chairs/School Directors, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Audit Executive, and Executive Director for Institutional Compliance and Risk Services. Note: References to Department Chair throughout the Handbook of Operating Procedures also include the School Director title.
  2. The Faculty Senate: The Faculty Senate is an elected legislative and deliberative body whose primary purpose is to represent the UTSA faculty. The Faculty Senate reviews and formulates policy and enacts legislation on all matters pertaining to the professional concerns, duties, standards, ethics, responsibilities, prerequisites, and work conditions of the UTSA faculty, as well as matters relating to academic freedom and equity for the faculty. The Faculty Senate acts to amend or approve changes to the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP).
  3. The General Faculty: Composed of academically qualified personnel as listed in the HOP policy 2.02,   Faculty Appointments and Titles.
  4. The Graduate Council: An operating unit of the Faculty Senate, with representation developed independently of the Senate. The Graduate Council recommends policies and procedures through the Faculty Senate and the University Leadership Council at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The Council cultivates and fosters graduate education of the highest quality at the masters and doctoral levels. It contributes to the development and review of ongoing and new graduate programs, policies, and academic opportunities. It cultivates intellectual leadership and excellence in all aspects of the development and application of significant research, disciplined inquiry, and the pursuit of new knowledge.
  5. Tenure: A status of continuing appointment as a member of the General Faculty at UTSA.
  6. Tenure Titles: Except for the titles Regental professor and Regents’ research scholar, the only titles to be used henceforth in which faculty members may hold tenure are as follows: (a) professor and (b) associate professor.
  7. Tenure-Track Faculty: A faculty position associated with a probationary appointment which can lead to tenure, but which has not yet been granted tenure. Specific tenure-track titles are contained in HOP policy 2.02 , Faculty Appointments and Titles. Examples include assistant professor, instructor, and associate professor hired without tenure.
  8. The University Leadership Council: The University Leadership Council is a broad-based organization with representation by Faculty, Administrative Staff, Professional Staff, Classified Staff, and Students.

VIII. RESPONSIBILITIES


  1. The General Faculty
    1. The General Faculty are expected to participate in university governance through appropriate university bodies and providing input into decisions through those bodies relating to degree requirements, hiring and promotion of faculty, development of teaching and workload policies, and assessment of colleagues in accordance with fair procedures and processes.
  2. The Faculty Senate
    1. The Faculty Senate shall have authority to consider the following:
      1. All matters of academic policy;
      2. Matters relating to the academic curriculum;
      3. Regulations dealing with student activities;
      4. Requirements for admission, scholastic performance, graduation, honors, or degrees;
      5. Approval of all graduate and undergraduate degree programs;
      6. Reports of special and standing committees of the Faculty Senate;
      7. All changes in UTSA’s Handbook of Operating Procedures pertaining to academic and/or faculty matters; and
      8. Other matters pertaining to faculty welfare.
  3. The Graduate Council
    1. Subject to the approval of the Faculty Senate, the Graduate Council shall:
      1. Develop its own rules of procedure;
      2. Provide advice and counsel and shall recommend actions to the Faculty Senate on all matters relating to graduate education at UTSA;
      3. Provide advice and counsel and recommend actions to the Faculty Senate on all matters relating to graduate education at UTSA.
    2. All actions of the Graduate Council, except those that apply policies previously approved, will be reported directly to the full Senate membership through the Executive Committee of the Senate.
  4. The University Leadership Council
    1. The University Leadership Council has the following responsibilities:
      1. Reviews campus administration and operational policies, procedures, and institutional initiatives;
      2. Reviews planning and execution of institutional initiatives and monitors progress; and
      3. Evaluates prioritization of campus initiatives and builds consensus about overall campus needs and resources.

IX. PROCEDURES


  1. The General Faculty, The Faculty Senate, The Graduate Council, and The University Leadership Council have the following procedures:
    1. The General Faculty
      1. The General Faculty of UTSA is composed only of academically qualified personnel as listed in HOP policy 2.02, Faculty Appointments and Titles. A faculty member may be deemed academically qualified through their terminal degree or through an alternative justification process.
      2. A faculty member shall have voting status only on the basis of half-time employment or more at UTSA. Non-tenure- track faculty with a minimum of four semesters of service at UTSA out of the most recent six semesters shall have voting status. In computing a semester of service, two summer terms shall count as one semester. Regardless of semesters of service, non-tenure-track faculty with a 50 percent or greater appointment and with a three-year, rolling contract shall have voting status as part of the General Faculty.
      3. Those faculty members designated above shall retain their voting status while on modified service but not upon full retirement.
      4. Each voting member, of whatever rank, shall be entitled to one vote.
      5. Non-voting members have the privilege of attending meetings with the right to speak but without the right to vote.

      The General Faculty shall meet upon the call of the president of the University or the Faculty Senate. The Chair of the Faculty Senate shall preside over, and the president or his/her designee shall attend, all meetings of the General Faculty.

    2. Faculty Senate
      1. Faculty Senate shall exercise the authority vested in the General Faculty, except in matters specifically reserved to the General Faculty by its own action, and/or requiring ratification by the General Faculty. The chair of Faculty Senate shall preside over meetings.
    3. The Graduate Council
      1. The Graduate Council is an operating unit of the Faculty Senate, with representation developed independently of the Senate. The dean of the Graduate School and the chair of the Graduate Council shall preside over meetings.
    4. The University Leadership Council
      1. The president or the president’s delegate shall preside over meetings of the University Leadership Council.

X. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION


None


XI. FORMS AND TOOLS/ONLINE PROCESSES


None


XII. APPENDIX


None


XIII. Dates Approved/Amended


08-29-2023
04-01-2021
12-15-2020
04-07-2017