University Standing Committees

Academic Council

Purpose & Function

The Policy Development, Approval and Dissemination Policy provides that three University Standing Committees, Academic Council, Employee Benefits Committee and the Policy Committee of the University, are authorized to recommend to the President of the University proposals to establish a new University policy or revise an existing University policy concerning their designated area of responsibility. This mandate is outlined in the December 14, 2018 revision to The Policy Development, Approval and Dissemination Policy.

In this capacity, the Academic Council is responsible to act upon:

  • courses of action affecting curriculum policies;
  • personnel policies only affecting faculty members; and
  • policies whose impact is limited to only Academic Affairs.

Furthermore, the Policy Development, Approval and Dissemination Policy, requires that the Office of the Secretary of the University and General Counsel serve to provide administrative support and direction to the Academic Council and the Employee Benefits Committee for the development and dissemination of these policies.

The Academic Council serves to provide:

  • a forum for communication, mutual support and coordination among academic deans and others who are directly responsible to the Provost;
  • a means for the Provost to relate information from the President of the University or the President’s Cabinet to the members;
  • a means for Faculty Senate to maintain formal communication with the Provost, academic deans, and others who are directly responsible to the Provost.

Decisions are made, recommendations formulated, and counsel given.

Membership

Provost (Chair)
Associate Provost
Associate Provost for Global Education
Assistant Provost for Student Success
Assistant to the Provost for Research and Sponsored Programs
Deans
Executive Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion, Title IX Coordinator
Director of the Center for Transformational Teaching and Learning
Director of Professional Continuing Education
Director of Honors Program
University Librarian
Director of Core Curriculum
Coordinator of Global and Multicultural Education
President of the Faculty Senate
Registrar

Term

All members are ex officio.

Meetings

Meetings are held at the call of the Provost.

Documentation Requirements for this University Standing Committee:

As provided in the University Standing Committee Policy, the Chair(s) of this University Standing Committee, in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of the University and General Counsel, must provide the following documentation at the end of each Academic Year: 

Annual Report:            ☒Yes   ☐ No

Minutes of Meetings:   ☒Yes   ☐No

Reports To

Provost

    10/28/02 - Revision approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs
    06/30/07 - Membership reduced by one, Dean of School of Continuing Education
    03/01/08 - The title Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs changed to Vice President for Enrollment Management
    05/06/08 - Title change to Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
    05/06/08 - Title changes to Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs for Technology and Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs for Research and Community Collaboration
    07/01/09 - Membership reduced by one, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs for Technology
    09/01/09 - Membership changed from "Academic Deans of all Colleges" to "Academic Deans" in order to include the Dean of the School of Architecture
    01/06/11 - Title changed to Assistant Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs
    07/01/11 - Title changed to Vice President for Academic Affairs
    07/01/12 - Membership revision approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to include the Director of Library Services and the Director of Assessment
    07/01/13 - Membership revision approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to remove the position of the Director of Assessment
    08/01/14 - Membership revision to remove the position of Vice President for Enrollment Management
    09/10/14 - Membership revision approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to include the position of the Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies
    03/13/15 - Membership revision approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to include the position of the President of the Faculty Senate; purpose and function revision approved to include Faculty Senate communication
    04/08/15 - Purpose and function revision approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to include removal of consideration of advancement for part-time faculty.
    07/01/17 – Membership and Description revisions were necessary due to recommendations by the SRA Report: Final 29 November 2016 and the Academic Re-structuring
    07/01/18 - Titles updated to reflect current organizational chart: Assistant Provost (Associate Vice President for Planning & Institutional Effectiveness), Director of Institutional Equity & Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator (Director of Diversity).
    10/16/19 – The following titles were changed to reflect the current Organization Chart of the University:  Associate Provost to Assistant Provost, Assistant Vice President for Student Success to Director of the Office of Student Success Services. The following positions were deleted in furtherance of the Academic Restructuring:  Director of Library Services and Support Specialist English Language Learners.  These changes were approved by the President of the University as recommended by the Academic Council. 
    12/01/20 - The following title was changed from Director of Continuing Education to Director of Professional Continuing Education and two membership positions were added:  Director of Library Services and Director of Core Curriculum.  These changes were approved by the President of the University on 12/1/2020 as recommended by the Academic Council at their 10/24/2020 meeting.
    12/03/20 - TItle change from Director of the Office of Student Success Services to Assistant Provost for Student Success.
    06/16/21 - The following titles were changed to reflect the New Organization Structure outlined in the President’s Memo dated May 26,2021, and as requested by the Provost’s Office: Assistant Provost to Associate Provost; Academic Deans to Deans; Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion and Title IX Coordinator to Executive Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion, Title IX Coordinator; Director of Library Services to University Librarian; and add the position of Coordinator of Global and Multicultural Education.  Added the Documentation Requirements Section.
    08/24/21 – The Provost approved the update of the wording in the Purpose and Function Section to correspond with the wording regarding the responsibilities of this University Standing Committee found in the Policy Development, Approval, and Dissemination Policy revision of 12/14/18.
    09/30/21 - The following change was made to reflect the New Organization Structure outlined in the President’s Memo dated May 26, 2021, and as approved by the Provost: added the position of the Associate Provost for Global Education in the Membership and Selection section.