What is University Governance?

Policy Matters

Anytime a commission is proposing a new policy or making significant revisions to existing policy statements, a resolution is needed. Policy matters, which are a primary responsibility of the commissions, should be highlighted and documented in resolution format to be submitted for discussion by University Council.

Significant Actions

Significant actions commissions may consider that do not necessarily fall into the category of "policy actions," may require or benefit from passage of a formal resolution. For example, the approval of a new degree program should be highlighted through a resolution and brought to the attention of University Council for approval.

Commissions may be asked to review proposed procedural guidelines and advise the administrative officers responsible for implementing a particular policy. Generally, such advice is given by commission members without a formal resolution; procedural matters are not generally sent to University Council for approval unless it is embedded in a new policy statement.

Legal or Financial Implications

When resolutions have legal or financial implications for the University, the commission chair or relevant administrator should consult with University Legal Counsel or the Budget Office BEFORE initiating official review and approval through a commission and University Council. When unsure of the implication, consult the Secretary of University Council.

Matters pertaining to tuition or fees are the purview of the Board of Visitors and should not be put forward through the commissions or University Council. Consult the Secretary to University Council with questions.

An effective resolution conveys the issue that led to the proposed action, provides justification for the proposed solution, gives the reader proper background to understand what is being proposed, and makes it clear what people are voting on.
Typical resolutions have several parts:

1. Headings:
   1. First line: a brief descriptive title for the resolution
   2. Second line: name of the originating commission(s)
   3. Third line: a resolution designation number from the commission
      (numbering scheme that identifies the year of consideration and the specific resolution)
   4. It is also helpful to include the following lines in the heading, with dates added as completed:
      Approved by the Commission on ________:         (date)
      Faculty Senate Review or Waiver of Review:        (date)
      Staff Senate Review or Waiver of Review:            (date)
      Graduate Student Assembly Review or Waiver of Review:         (date)
      Student Government Association Review or Waiver of Review:         (date)
      First reading by University Council:         (date)
      Approved by University Council:         (date)
      Approved by the President:         (date)
      Approved by the Board of Visitors:         (date)
      (include only when BOV approval required)
      Effective date               (date; immediately; whatever is appropriate)
2. WHEREAS statements:
   WHEREAS statements describe the problem, context for the policy (if important), those involved in advising the proposal, the general nature of the proposed solution and explanation of how it solves the problem. These statements should follow a rolling logic. In some cases, the statements might be organized in chronological order.
   
   While you should make sure the topic is covered well enough for an uninitiated reader to follow, a resolution should typically be no longer than one page. A simple issue might require one or two WHEREAS statements. A more involved issue might require five or six WHEREAS statements.
3. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED statement:
   This is the action statement, stating EXACTLY what is to be voted upon. If you are revising existing language, it is helpful to include the old version so the reader can compare the two. If the new or revised policy statement is long, then this section might say: "That the attached policy on (subject) be adopted effective (date)." Then attach the complete policy statement clearly identified at the top.
   
   It is VERY important to state exactly how the new or revised policy will go into effect and whether it revises, or replaces an existing policy. For example, policies affecting faculty employment are incorporated in the Faculty Handbook and a reference should be made to a specific section of the Handbook that would be revised. Student-related policies are often appropriate for the University Polices for Student Life or the Student Code of Conduct. Other policies may be issued as President's Policy Memoranda and/or given a policy number and included among general university policies. The Secretary to University Council should be able to advise resolution writers about where new policy will be incorporated and how this should be stated for the resolution. The commission needs to give some thought to this as they are drafting language for new policy statements. Usually, it is not sufficient to simply wave a wand and state that "university documents should be revised accordingly." You need to be specific about what should be revised and exactly what language is being proposed for the revision. The reason for this is obvious once you start the task-- it often brings up issues that need more discussion and resolution if the policy is really going to be implemented.
   
   Include an effective date for the policy (effective immediately? some subsequent term?).

The answer to this question is not always easy, but there are some general rules about which policy items require approval by the Board, based on the state statute which delineates Board responsibilities and on general practice. When there is uncertainty about whether an item needs to go to the Board, consult the Secretary to University Council. Chief among the issues for which the Board is responsible are faculty and university staff employment policies.

The Board considers all matters related to student discipline. Hence items related to student discipline coming from the Commission on Student Affairs (or from other committees and commissions, such as matters related to the Honor System), generally go to the Board for approval prior to implementation of a new policy.

Typically, the Board has chosen not to review matters relating to the curriculum. Exceptions to this are the initiation, major revision to, or discontinuance of a degree authorization (these also require review and approval by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia) and creation or dissolution of a major organizational unit, such as a college or school. Although the Board does not usually review or approve most academic policies, they retain an interest in such matters and are frequently briefed on significant changes or the adoption of new policies after the fact. The Board is required to approve reports and recommendations resulting from the reviews of research centers which were established through legislative action.

The Board, of course, has many fiduciary responsibilities, such as establishing the budget, overseeing internal audit, approving the sale or purchase of property and naming of buildings, approving plans for capital projects, and many other issues that generally are not dealt with by the commissions.