As part of the new strategic plan, the University has assembled a steering committee led by Jill Guttormson and Ralph Weber that has been tasked to lead efforts to ensure a 鈥渉ealthy campus鈥�, under the moniker: 鈥溙烀来� 2031: Securing our Future鈥�. This steering committee will be making recommendations that will likely include changes to both graduate and undergraduate school programs. It is unclear how this steering committee鈥檚 efforts will coordinate with or bypass UBGS鈥檚 or UBUS鈥檚 role in shared governance. Concerned senators have reached out to UBUS and UBGS with a request for the committees to review their roles in shared governance as outlined in the Faculty Handbook and to draft a resolution regarding our understanding of the respective committee鈥檚 charges that can be sent to Academic Senate.
Below is a draft of the UBGS counterpart to the resolution that UBUS will discuss.
The University Board of Graduate Studies (UBGS) 鈥渇ormulates plans and policies for all graduate and professional education and serves as a forum to discuss continuous improvement of the graduate and professional programs鈥�. Among the seven responsibilities listed in the Faculty handbook (responsibilities 3 and 4, p 34), the UBGS is charged to:
鈥淢ake recommendations for changes in existing graduate programs, expansion of programs, introduction of new programs, and termination of programs; and for approval of individual students鈥� Interdisciplinary Doctoral Programs鈥� and to 鈥渇orward those decisions to the University Academic Senate for approval and recommendation to the Provost.鈥�
When UBGS recommendations are approved by University Academic Senate, they 鈥渞epresent the official collective stance of the Academic Division鈥�.
To ensure shared governance, it is imperative that UBGS remains included in any process that makes recommendations on the creation or discontinuation of graduate programs (certificate, ADP鈥檚, and/or MS/PhD level programs).
WHEREAS, under Article 4, Section 2.03 of the UAS Statutes, the University Board of Graduate Studies 鈥渇ormulates plans and policies for all graduate and professional education and serves as a forum to discuss continuous improvement of the graduate and professional programs鈥� and 鈥淢akes recommendations for changes in existing graduate programs, expansion of programs, introduction of new programs, and termination of programs; and for approval of individual students鈥� Interdisciplinary Doctoral Programs鈥�
WHEREAS, under Article 4, Section 2.03 of the UAS Statutes, the University Board of Graduate Studies 鈥淔orwards decisions to create a new graduate degree, major, or certificate or to discontinue an existing graduate degree or major to the University Academic Senate for approval and recommendation to the Provost.鈥�
Now therefore:
BE IT RESOLVED, that it is the sense of the University Board of Graduate Studies that it must be given full opportunity to endorse any recommended changes to Graduate academic programs, with all recommendations of the University Board of Graduate Studies being sent to the University Academic Senate for a vote.
Adopted by University Academic Senate on April 15, 2024
