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Handbook of Operating Procedures
Chapter 9 - General Provisions
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Previous Publication Date: November 7, 2018
Policy Reviewed Date: April 12, 2023
Policy Owner: President


9.03 Handbook of Operating Procedures Amendment Approval Process


I. POLICY STATEMENT


The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) contains official policies including rules and regulations for the governance of UTSA. The rules and regulations constituting the HOP must not conflict with any rule or regulation in the UT System Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations (Regents’ Rules). Any HOP policy that is in conflict with the Regents’ Rules is null and void and has no effect. Guidance will be taken from the Regents’ Rules until the HOP can be brought into compliance.

The president has appointed the Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Compliance and Risk Services (OICRS), or his/her designee to be the HOP Committee Chair. Institutional Compliance and Risk Services is the university office responsible for the facilitation of policy development and review and to ensure compliance with this policy.

The HOP Committee has authority over the development and review processes of new and existing policy.


II. RATIONALE


This policy establishes the guidance for amending the institution’s HOP including obtaining input from faculty, staff and student governance bodies that may be affected by change in policies and procedures.


III. SCOPE


This policy applies to any significant change to a HOP policy, including the addition, reformatting, modification, or deletion of policies and procedures.


IV. WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY


http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter9/9-3.html


V. RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS


UTSA or UT System Policies or the Board of Regents' Rules & Regulations

  1. UT System Regents' Rule 20201, Presidents
  2. UT System Regents' Rule 10100, Rule on Rules and Regulations
  3. UT System Regents' Rule 40101, Faculty Role in Educational Policy Formation

VI. CONTACTS


If you have any questions about HOP policy 9.03, Handbook of Operating Procedures Amendment Approval Process, contact the following office:

The Office of Institutional Compliance and Risk Services
210-458-4992


VII. DEFINITIONS


Educational policy: Sections of the HOP that pertain to the areas of faculty responsibility as set forth in Regents’ Rule, Series 40000, Rule 40101.

Governance of the institution: Consists of the policies and procedures, except medical procedures or protocols, affecting the way UTSA directs, administers or controls the institution. This includes policies and procedures:

  1. Directing compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, Regents' Rules and Regulations, and UT System policies and policies with System-wide application;
  2. Addressing or affecting the responsibility and/or authority of the various offices and bodies that make up the institution; and
  3. Addressing the relationships between administration, faculty, students, and staff and institutional values and/or goals.

HOP Committee: The committee appointed by the president to review and make recommendations to the president regarding the HOP. Committee membership includes the president or his or her designee, the vice presidents or their respective designees, the Faculty Senate chair, Staff Council chair, Student Government Association president, the policy coordinator, and other individuals as appointed by the president.

Policy coordinator: Facilitates the operation of the HOP Committee and the processes by which new and revised policies are handled.

Policy Owner:: The president, or his or her designee, or vice president, or his or her designee, who is responsible for the programmatic, functional or administrative areas addressed by the policy and procedure .

Full Review Change: A change that results in a full review change in the rule including changes to essential principle(s), scope or application of the HOP policy or procedure is considered full review change. Full review change will be subject to stakeholder review, executive approval, HOP Committee review, and Legal review process. The HOP policy will become effective upon approval by the President. Upon approval, the polucy coordinator will update the HOP website.

Expedited Review Change: Complying with state and federal laws and regulations, Regents’ Rules and Regulations and UT System policies, editorial changes, changes to reflect institutional organizational changes, paragraph and outline numbering, and reference citations are considered expedited change.


VIII. RESPONSIBILITIES


HOP Committee Members

  1. Serves as communication liaison within their constituents for HOP policy related matters
  2. Serves as a representative for their division during the HOP policy review process
  3. Reviews HOP policies with Policy Owner when related issues arise

Policy coordinator

  1. Serves as facilitator of the HOP Committee
  2. Facilitates the process of HOP changes.
  3. Ensures the format, content and clarity of the HOP policies are consistent
  4. Maintains the HOP website and records of HOP Committee and relevant policies
  5. If requested by the President, facilitates the submission of policies to the UT System Vice Chancellor and General Counsel for approval

Policy Owner

  1. Is responsible for conducting periodic review of HOP policies within the scope of his or her responsibility area and taking the appropriate measures to update the policy content as deemed necessary.
  2. Is responsible in providing the training material related to the policy
  3. Serves as the contact person for any policy interpretation and approval
  4. Initiating new policies, amendments to existing policies, and retiring policies when necessary.
  5. Conducting proper communication to University stakeholders regarding relevant policies
  6. Consults, as needed, with UTSA Office of Legal Affairs and UT System Office of General Counsel.

Office of Legal Affairs

  1. Reviews the legal sufficiency of all new HOP policies and changes to existing HOP policies to ensure consistency and compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations, Regents’ Rules and Regulations and UT System policies
  2. If needed, directs specific revisions to resolve any inconsistency or noncompliance with the applicable laws, regulations, Regents’ Rules and Regulations or policies. 
  3. If needed, provides general advice and recommendations regarding the proposed policy
  4. Consults, as needed, with the UT System Office of General Counsel.

Chief Legal Officer

  1. Approves the legal sufficiency of all policies.
  2. Advises the President regarding proposed HOP policies and proposed changes to HOP policies.  Also advises the president regarding policies that might benefit from review and approval by the UT System Vice Chancellor and General Counsel.
  3. Transmits the new or revised policy to the President for approval.

President

  1. Approves a proposed policy, returns the proposed policy to the HOP Committee for further consideration, or requests approval of the proposed policy by the UT System Vice Chancellor and General Counsel.

IX. PROCEDURES


  1. HOP Amendments

    1. The president, or designee, or policy owner will prepare and submit policies to the University’s HOP through the Policy Coordinator. For a full review changes, all policies will be subject to stakeholder review, executive approval, HOP Committtee review, and Legal review process. The HOP policy will become effective upon approval by the President. Upon approval, the policy coordinator will update the HOP website.

    2. Proposed changes to HOP policies that require the University to comply with state and federal laws and regulations, Regents’ Rules and Regulations and UT System policies and editorial changes are eligible for an expedited review process.

    3. The President may determine that a policy should be reviewed by the UT System Vice Chancellor and General Counsel, the submission should include any changes with annotated changes and include a brief background and rationale for the proposed policy.

    4. After the policy is reviewed by UT System and approved by the President, the policy coordinator will update the web online HOP and notify the University Communication to announce the posted policy to UTSA community.


X. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION


None


XI. FORMS AND TOOLS/ONLINE PROCESSES


HOP Policy Submission Form


XII. APPENDIX


None