Policy updates for December 2025

Important policy information

Policy primary owners

As part of an ongoing efforts to improve clarity and accountability within the university's policy management process, a Primary Owner for each policy will be identified and listed. The designated Primary Owner will serve as the main point of contact for policy-related inquiries, oversee annual reviews, and coordinate initial interpretation of the policy - consulting the Policy Office when questions are complex or require additional support. Departments that share ownership of a policy will be asked to collaborate and determine which unit will assume the Primary Owner role for each jointly owned policy. The Policy Office will be sending emails to Policy Owners regarding identifying a Primary Owner in the next few months. Once a decision is made, email the Policy Office with the selected Primary Owner so records can be updated accordingly. The Policy Office is available to assist those with questions at [email protected].

Version control

To ensure clear documentation and accurate record keeping, the Policy Office is responsible for creating and managing access permissions for all new policy drafts, policy revision drafts, and associated cover sheets. To initiate a new policy or a policy revision, please contact the Policy Office to request a draft document and cover sheet. Upon request, the Policy Office will provide guidance and standards for drafting new policies and revisions to ensure consistency, clarity, and adherence with recordkeeping requirements. Please do not create copies of policy drafts; instead, use the "Add shortcut to Drive" feature in Google Drive for convenient access. For questions about the policy drafting process, please contact the Policy Office at [email protected].

Approved Policy Revisions

• Periodic Review of Tenured Faculty (Policy 4380): This policy was revised to expand and clarify faculty response opportunities by incorporating recommendations from the Post-Tenure Review Committee, Department/Unit Head, and Dean; to add a new section outlining parameters for faculty responses; and to integrate the response period previously located in Appendix A directly into the main policy text. The revisions also clarify that faculty responses may be used to correct or clarify factual information, will be appended to the review file at each stage, and may not introduce new evidence after submission deadlines, with no adverse inference drawn from choosing to submit or not submit a response. All other procedures, definitions, and timelines remain unchanged, and an omission in the Improvement Plan section has been corrected.

• Misconduct in Research (Policy 5060): This update revises the university's Research Misconduct policy to align with recent changes to NIH regulations (42 CFR 93), a requirement for institutions receiving NIH funding, and addresses the fact that the policy has not been updated since 2012. The revised policy maintains the core principles of the existing policy, significantly strengthens definitions, clarifies roles and responsibilities, and provides a more detailed and aligned process consistent with other institutional policies and stakeholder rights. Ongoing review has informed revisions, particularly around the definition of research misconduct, regulatory alignment, and the qualifications of the Research Integrity Officer and Research Misconduct Committee members.

Approved New Policies

• Tuition, Consolidated Mandatory Fee and Other Fees (Policy 6400): This policy replaces an outdated fee policy to better align with State Board of Education Policy V.R. regarding the establishment of fees. It updates definitions to reflect the State Board's Consolidated Mandatory Fee, clarifies and modernizes the tuition and fee setting process, and separates the Student Activity Fee Advisory Board (Policy 3150) from the university's tuition and student fee policy. The policy also revises the Tuition and Fee Committee structure by removing the Vice President for University Advancement and allowing vice presidents to appoint designees.

Approved Policy Suspensions

• Tuition and Student Fees (Policy 3150): This policy has been suspended to prevent duplication and inconsistencies with the newly established Tuition, Consolidated Mandatory Fee, and Other Fees Policy (Policy 6400), which is administered by the Finance Department. The Student Affairs Fee Advisory Board (SAFAB) is not included in the new policy, as its oversight appropriately remains within the Department of Student Affairs. For questions related to SAFAB, please contact the Department of Student Affairs.

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