Compliance to CHE Middle States Commission on Higher Education Page 1 Compliance to CHE Middle States Commission on Higher Education i. Summary ii. Progress letter requirements iii. Completion of the 2008 Faculty Policy Manual iv. Special features of the 2008 FPM v. Adoption and Implementation of the 2008 FPM vi. Addressing issues of promotion and tenure vii. Attachments Summary MSCHE requested the University of the Virgin Islands to provide, as a condition for reaffirmation of accreditation, a progress letter detailing how the University was continuing with its efforts towards development, adoption and implementation of a faculty handbook that addressed among other issues promotion and tenure. Two progress letters were submitted (April 1, 2008 and September 1, 2008) in response to the request from Middle States on the progress made towards achieving Standard 10. The faculty, administration and the Board of Trustees made the task an institutional priority. Several regular meetings and special meetings resulted in the Board passing segments of the Faculty Policy Manual (FPM) at the March, June and November 2008 Board meetings. The action of the Board at the June meeting formalized an interim working policy manual which accepted the completed sections and deferred the uncompleted sections to the 2003 Teaching Faculty Policy Manual. Using the “working 2008 FPM” that was approved by the Board at the June meeting, the process for adoption and implementation started with the approved areas. This allowed for plans and discussions on the key areas pertaining to promotion and tenure and the internal governance of the academic divisions. At the November 1, 2008 Board meeting the final 2008 FPM was passed and at that moment became the legal binding policy of all faculty. The overarching provision of the 2008 FPM is shared governance and decentralized decision-making. Additionally, the 2008 FPM adopted the Teacher-Scholar Model for faculty, and introduced a dual peer review process for retention, promotion and tenure, which is divisionally based and faculty driven. The policies on promotion and tenure provide for a timely appeal process. In addition, a professional development growth plan was introduced for continued professional development of all faculty during their tenure at UVI. Divisional meetings are currently addressing the clarification and translation of policy into action. At this time the University has “a faculty handbook that includes policies related to promotion and tenure (Standard 10).” A mechanism is also in place to ensure the development of bylaws and appendices to the 2008 FPM. In addition a faculty policy manual committee charged with ensuring the integrity of the 2008 FPM in terms of updates and amendments. Compliance to CHE Middle States Commission on Higher Education Page 2 Progress Letter Requirements At the June 26, 2008 session of Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), acted to accept a progress letter submitted by the University of the Virgin Islands and , “..to request a progress letter, due September 1, 2008, documenting the: (1) Completion (2) Adoption, and (3) Implementation of a faculty handbook that includes policies related to promotion and tenure (Standard 10).” The requested progress letter was submitted in by the due date in September as work in progress and pending the action of the UVI Board of Trustees. This is an addendum to the progress letter submitted in September. This letter delineates the progress and final disposition of the charge from MSCHE to address segments of Standard 10. Completion of the 2008 Faculty Policy Manual At the June 2008 Board of Trustees meeting, a working Faculty Policy Manual (FPM) was approved as a stop gap measure for the University. This allowed for the University to begin phasing in the adoption and implementation of key critical areas. At the November 1, 2008 Board meeting a completed 2008 FPM was approved, which superseded all existing policy documents. The University will continue to work on bylaws and appendices to the 2008 FPM. Thus, for the first time since January 2005, there is a functional policy document for all faculty. Special Features of the 2008 with respect to promotion and tenure a. Change from a “teaching faculty policy manual” to a “faculty policy manual” b. Removing tenure ceiling policy c. Performance review as a tool to promote faculty professional development d. Professional development growth plans for all faculty e. The institution of unit-level governance f. Decentralized academic decision making g. Adoption of the teacher scholar model h. Alternative dispute resolution through a university-wide mediation process Compliance to CHE Middle States Commission on Higher Education Page 3 Adoption and Implementation of the 2008 FPM i. May, 2008 Faculty Institute on Divisional Autonomy, leadership and internal structure. ii. June, 2008 Board of Trustees approve a “Working 2008 FPM” iii. August, 2008 Academic Affairs Advance iv. October, Implementation of Internal structure of Division v. November 2008 Board of Trustees approved the final version of the 2008 FPM vi. November, 2008 Academic Affairs Update(s) vii. November – December 2008, Election of faculty members for Retention, Promotion and Tenure Committees viii.January 8 – 11, 2009 Faculty workshops on 2008 FPM Compliance to CHE Middle States Commission on Higher Education Page 4 ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1: The Generic Academic Divisional Structure Attachment 2: Divisional Structure Implemented as a result of the 2008 FPM Attachment 3: The Retention, Promotion and Tenure Decision Matrix Attachment 4: Faculty Policy Manual Committee *Attachment 5: Board of Trustees Resolution on 2008 FPM *Attachment 6: Approved 2008 Faculty Policy Manual * Submitted as separate documents. Compliance to CHE Middle States Commission on Higher Education Page 5 Attachment 1: The Generic Academic Divisional Structure Divisional Structure Dean FACULTY STUDENTS STAFF CHAIRS Compliance to CHE Middle States Commission on Higher Education Page 6 Attachment 2: Divisional Structure Implemented as a result of the 2008 FPM PROVOST DEAN Division of Business DEAN Division of Science & Mathematics DEAN Division of Nursing DEAN Division of Humanities & Social Sciences DEAN Division of Education CHAIR Management Marketing & Decision Sci CHAIR Accounting, Finance & Information Systems CHAIR Graduate & Extended Programs CHAIR Associate of Science In Nursing Program Bachelor of Science In Nursing Program CHAIR Teacher Development CHAIR Graduate Studies CHAIR Social & Behavioral Sciences CHAIR Freshman Studies CHAIR Graduate & Special Studies CHAIR Biological Sciences CHAIR Chemical & Physical Sciences CHAIR Mathematical Sci. CHAIR Computer & Computational Sci. ASN-BSN Completion Program CHAIR Humanities Compliance to CHE Middle States Commission on Higher Education Page 7 Attachment 3: The Retention, Promotion and Tenure Decision Matrix Retention, Promotion and Tenure Review Process Retention, Promotion and Tenure Review Process 2008 Generic Structure 2005 Structure 2008 FPM Retention Promotion Tenure BOT BOT Chair BOT Chair Decision CEO President President Decision Decision/Rec CAO Provost Provost Decision (Dec) Decision/Rec Recommend Acad. Unit Division Division Inform Inform Inform Unit Manager Admin. Chair Dean Dec/Rec Recommend Recommend Acad. Supervisor _____ Program/Area Chair Recommend (Rec) Recommend Recommend Univ. Peer Review FRAC /Contract Committee UPT NA Recommend Recommend Unit Peer Review _____ RPT Recommend Recommend Recommend Faculty Individual Individual Input/Feedback Input/Feedback Input/Feedback Compliance to CHE Middle States Commission on Higher Education Page 8 Attachment 4: Faculty Policy Manual Committee From: David Gould Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 1:33 PM To: Aletha Baumann; Aubrey Washington; Bruce Wray; David Gould; Denis Griffith; Eustace Esdaille; Hosanna Solomon; Lynn Rosenthal; Michelle Peterson; Patricia Todman; Stanley Latesky Cc: Faculty Subject: Committee meeting The first meeting of the Faculty Policy Manual Committee for 2008-2009 is scheduled for Friday, November 21, at 12:00 noon in T-101/EC713. We will elect a chair for 2008-2009, and set the agenda for the rest of the year. Important items are review of recently approved FPM for omissions and errors, completion of appendixes, ensuring consistency of FPM and Faculty By- Laws, establishment of mechanism for continuing revision/updating of FPM. Interested faculty members are invited to attend. David Gould