Program Approval Workshop
Program Approval
September 4, 2014
Introductions
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Dr. James Hallmark
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Dr. Ken Poenisch
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Program Approval: Distance Education/College of
Education
Ms. Sheri Pappas
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Program Approval
Dr. Irma Harper
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Academic Affairs
Academic Affairs Submission Portal
Introductions
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Ms. Carolyn Krenek
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Ms. Stacy Flores
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Policy Office (agenda item liaison)
Policy Office (agenda item liaison)
System members introduce themselves and the
institutions they represent
Objective
Expedite the processing and review of
academic affairs items by increasing the
awareness of issues that require changes or
edits before going forward to the Board of
Regents or the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board.
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Agenda
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Higher Education Hierarchy
Types of Items
Documents Required in Submission
Document Preparation
Submission Process
Review Workflow and Process
Individual Item
Resources
Higher Education Hierarchy
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Texas State Legislature
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Texas Statutes
Texas Education Code Title 3. Higher Education
contains statutes that dictate how universities will
operate
Higher Education Hierarchy
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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
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Created by the State Legislature to provide
leadership and coordination for the Texas higher
education system.
Power is granted by the State Legislature
The Texas Administrative Code or Coordinating
Board Rules provide guidance and clarification to
state statutes found in the Education code.
Higher Education Hierarchy
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The Texas A&M University System Board of
Regents
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Governing Board of A&M System Institutions
System Policies and Regulations determine
university and agency operations
Types of Items
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Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of
Regents and the THECB
Proposals Requiring Action by the A&M
System Offices and the THECB
Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of
Regents
Proposal/Request
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Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of
Regents and the THECB
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Mission Statements
New Degree Programs
Administrative Changes at the College Level
Core Curriculum
Documents Required in Submission
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Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of
Regents and the THECB
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Briefing and Minute Order
Program Review Outline or Executive Summary
THECB Certification Form
Cover and signature page for Engineering and
Doctoral Degrees and Programs Costing > $2
million dollars over the first 5 years
Proposal
Proposal/Request
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Proposals Requiring Action by the Board of
Regents Only
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Individual Institution
Collective Items
Proposal/Request
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Individual Institution Items
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Academic Appointments
Academic Tenure
Centers and Institutes
Faculty Development Leave
Honorary Degrees
Documents Required in Submission
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Individual Institution
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Briefing and Signed Minute Order
Attachment
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CV
Tenure or FDL List
Proposal/Request
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Collective Items
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Admission Requirements
Emeritus/Emerita
Documents Required in Submission
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Collective
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Cover letter
Attachment
Proposal/Request
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Proposals Requiring Action by the A&M
System Offices and the THECB
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Administrative Changes
Distance Education
Changes to Existing Degrees
Documents Required in
Submission
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Proposals Requiring Action by the A&M
System Offices and the THECB
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Proposal/Request
Certification/Notification Form
Item Preparation
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Agenda Item Documents presented to the
BOR
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Briefing and Minute Order
Item Attachment or Exhibit
Item Preparation
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BOR Documents Format Review
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Policy Office Style Guidelines
http://www.tamus.edu/offices/agendaitems/
Office of Marketing and Communications Written
Style Guidelines
http://www.tamus.edu/offices/marcomm/system/
Item Preparation
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BOR Documents Format Review
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Unique Format for Other Items
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Program Review Outline
Executive Summary
Tenure
FDL
Emeritus/Emerita
Item Preparation
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Review and compare samples of previous Boardapproved submissions
Understand the audience.
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Regents are not usually academicians
Agenda book is hundreds of pages
Keep items simple and to the point
Submissions are received from 11 universities
and seven agencies.
Check tables that contain numbers to assure
totals are correct.
Submission Process
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Institution submits item(s) via email to:
AA-AgendaItems@tamus.edu
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Submit one item per email
Subject Line of email should include:
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Institution name
Brief item identifier
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For example: TSU-Appointment; TAMU-C Center for
Advance Solar Systems; TAMU-FDL; WTAMU-Tenure
Submission Deadlines
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Deadlines are set in accordance with
Board meeting dates
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Agenda Item submission schedule is set by the
Chancellor. See agenda item webpage.
Academic Affairs deadlines are set to provide
time for review to meet Agenda Item submission
schedule. See Academic Affairs webpage.
Submission Deadline Shock
Recognizing
Submission
Deadline Shock
Three Stages
•Fear – Oh Snap!
•Check to see if
deadline has passed
•Withdrawal
•Shock set in–yes,
deadline has passed
•Adjustment - Regroup
•What is plan “B”?
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How to Beat the Shock
•Submit on time
•Narrow the gap (pro-active)
•Articulate the plan
(communicate)
•Prevent deadline shock
Overview of Review Process
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BOR Items
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Academic Affairs reviews item and submits to
Agenda Item/Policy Office
Agenda Item/Policy Office reviews agenda item
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Routes to OGC for legal sufficiency review
Signed final sent to Board Office
Chancellor reviews final agenda items with
Executive Committee prior to BOR meeting
Overview of Review Process
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Non-BOR Items
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Do not necessarily follow submission deadlines
Academic Affairs reviews item
Signed by Dr. Hallmark
Submitted to the THECB
Review Process
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Step 1:
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Step 2:
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Items are copied into electronic folders
Items are entered onto Academic Affairs tracking
log
Are documents in Word format?
Were all required documents submitted?
Are documents signed?
Review Process (cont)
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Step 3:
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Documents presented to BOR are reviewed for
content and formatting
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Briefing and Minute Order
Attachment(s)
Proposal/Request not presented to BOR reviewed
for content
Review Process (cont)
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Step 4:
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Proposals which require THECB submission:
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Items submitted to THECB reviewed for content
only
Step 5:
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Engineering and doctoral degrees reviewed and edited
Distance Education doctoral proposals reviewed and
edited
Academic Affairs forwards item to THECB after BOR
or VCAA approval
Tracking Submissions
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Was item received by Academic Affairs?
Will item be on the BOR Agenda?
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Use Agenda Item Tracking Log located on
Academic Affairs website
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http://www.tamus.edu/offices/academic/approvalprocess/
Tracking Submissions
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Was item approved by BOR?
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Use BOR website following meeting
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http://www.tamus.edu/regents/meetingmaterials/regular/
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List of Approved Agenda Items
List of Approved Consent Agenda Items
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Was item sent to the THECB?
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Use THECB website
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http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/apps/ProgAdminTracking/search.cfm
Brief Overview of AA Website
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Academic Affairs website
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Submission Resources
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THECB Timeline
Agenda Item submission calendar
Academic Affairs tracking log
Submission Guidelines
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http://www.tamus.edu/offices/academic/approvalprocess/
Academic Appointments
Administrative Change
Centers and Institutes
- Degree Programs
- Distance Education
- Faculty
Questions/Comments
Questions
Issues
–The posted mission statement MUST match the
Board-approved mission statement!
Concerns
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Contact Information
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Ken Poenisch
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Irma Harper
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iharper@tamus.edu
979-458-7421
Sheri Pappas
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poenisch@tamus.edu
979-458-6035
Sheri.pappas@tamus.edu
979-458-7401
Academic Appointments
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Academic appointments include:
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Submission Requirements
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Provosts
Vice Presidents
Deans
Board of Visitors
Briefing and Minute Order
Salary Justification Form
Abbreviated CV – All personal info redacted!
Administrative Change
Administrative changes include the creation of new
administrative units, colleges, schools, divisions, and
departments. Also included are changes to existing
administrative units (i.e., name change, consolidation of
existing units, or movement of a program into another unit).
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Submission Requirements
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Briefing and Minute Order
Executive Summary
Administrative Change Request Form
Centers and Institutes
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Center
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Institute
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A large integrative unit, housing intercollegiate or interagency activities
Is administered by a director reporting to a dean or agency director or someone with a title above
dean or agency director
Is focused largely on externally supported research or educational activities that are much broader
than those interests of a given college or administrative unit
Programs, Laboratories, Faculties and Facilities
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A smaller, interdisciplinary, collaborative effort, revolving around a specific research or education
activity, whose participants are involved in more than one academic department or unit
Is administered by a director or agency director or someone holding a lower title
Is focused largely on externally supported research or education activities broader than those
interests of an individual department or administrative unit
Are lesser administrative, educational or research entities, usually residing within an academic
department or unit.
Do not require approval by the Board of Regents.
Degree Programs
Degree program approval includes new bachelor, master, doctoral,
cooperative and joint degrees. It also includes the reclassification
or modification of degrees.
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New Bachelor or Master Degree
Non-Engineering/Does Not Exceed $2 Million
Engineering/Exceeds $2 Million
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New Doctoral Degree
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Reclassify/Modify
Cooperative/Joint Degree
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Non-Engineering Does Not Exceed $2M
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Program Approval:
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Academic Affairs
Board of Regents
THECB (Notification)
Forms:
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Briefing and Minute Order
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Program Review Outline
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New Program Request Form
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Certification Form
Resources:
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Links:
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Sample Request
System Approval Checklist (Excel spreadsheet)
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THECB
THECB Flowchart
Standards for Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs
Distance Education
A distance education degree or certification program is
defined as “…a program in which a student may complete
more than one-half of the semester credit hours required
for the program through any combination of electronic
and off-campus delivery methods.”
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Electronic to Individuals (Internet)
Off Campus (Face-to-Face)
Off Campus Electronic to Groups (2-Way Video)
Distance Education (cont)
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Electronic to Individuals (Internet):
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Off Campus (Face-to-Face)
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Existing Masters/Bachelors: Non-BOR Item
Existing Doctorate: BOR Item
Existing Masters/Bachelors/Doctorate: Non-BOR
Item
Off Campus (Electronic to Groups)
o Existing Masters/Bachelors: Non-BOR Item
o Existing Doctorate: BOR Item
Faculty
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Emeritus/Emerita
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Latin originally meaning “veteran soldier.” Of the former holder of an office,
especially a college professor having retired but allowed to retain their title
as an honor. Emerita-feminine form of the adjective
 General criteria
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Faculty Development Leave (FDL)
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Over 10 years of employment with system member
After official retirement
The Texas Legislature (Subchapter C, Sec. 51.101) has established a
program of Faculty Development Leave “…to improve and further the
higher education available…at the state-supported colleges and
universities…”
 5 W’s (Who, What, When, Where, Why)
 How does FDL benefit the university?
 “Additional” FDL must be identified as such
Faculty (cont)
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Honorary Degree
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An academic degree for which a university has waived the usual
requirements and seeks to recognize and honor the contributions of the
individual. Typically a doctorate is awarded.
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Promotion
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System member may establish a rule
Promotion request sent to AA-AgendaItems@tamus.edu
VCAA reviews requests
VCAA forwards recommendations to Chancellor for
confirmation
Faculty (cont)
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Tenure
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Academic tenure is primarily intended to guarantee the right to academic
freedom
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Name
– Must match bio
Present (highest) Rank/Department
– Professor and Head
– Sociology and Criminal Justice (must match)
Tenure (cont)
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Years Towards Tenure
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Calculation of years
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Typically the current year counts towards tenure
Faculty (cont)
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Tenure
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“Upon Approval by the Board and Faculty Arrival”
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Bio Section
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Name
Institutions
Title