10.2.1 Academic Policy Review and Implementation Procedures

The following is an outline of the basic procedures for reviewing and implementing policies that affect the academic area broadly understood. These procedures do not replace the procedures codified in the Academic Senate Bylaws. For a detailed description of the rules governing Academic Senate procedures, please see the Academic Senate Bylaws posted on the Academic Senate website.

A. Process for Policy Addition, Deletion or Revision from Submitter External to Senate

Any University policy addition, deletion, or revision requiring initial Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus approval will be handled as follows:

1. If necessary, a draft of a new policy, a policy revision, or a request for deletion should be submitted as early as possible to the Office of General Counsel for review and/or revision as to legal form.
2. The Office of General Counsel will (a) return the policy to the Submitter for revision and return to General Counsel for review; or (b) forward the policy to the Academic Senate Executive Committee.
3. A draft of the policy should be submitted as early as possible to the Academic Senate Office for consideration by the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate or the Faculty Caucus Executive Committee. The Academic Senate Office may accept policies that have not been reviewed by the Office of General Counsel.
4. When a new policy or policy revision/request has been forwarded to the Academic Senate Executive Committee or Faculty Caucus Executive Committee, and that policy was not forwarded by the Office of General Counsel, then the Academic Senate Office Administrator will notify the Office of General Counsel. The Office of General Counsel will have access to the material related to this policy via the Academic Senate Executive Committee's or the Faculty Caucus Executive Committee's document sharing site.
5. The Academic Senate Executive Committee or Faculty Caucus Executive Committee will assign the policy to an appropriate internal committee or the Faculty Caucus for review. In unusual circumstances, the Executive Committee may assign the policy to the committee of the whole.
6. Members of the committee assigned to review the policy will contact the Submitter to discuss information relating to offices or individuals who may need to be consulted while reviewing the policy addition/deletion/revision.
7. After the policy has been approved by the internal committee, it will be submitted to the Academic Senate Executive Committee or the Faculty Caucus Executive Committee for placement on an Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus agenda as an Information Item. The Academic Senate Office Administrator will notify the Office of General Counsel when any policy has been forwarded to the Academic Senate Executive Committee or the Faculty Caucus Executive Committee for consideration for inclusion on the Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus agenda. The Office of General Counsel will have access to the material related to this policy via the Academic Senate Executive Committee's or the Faculty Caucus Executive Committee's document sharing site.
8. Once approved by the Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus, a "marked up" version and a clean electronic version of the policy, containing the date the Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus approved the addition, deletion, or revision, will be promptly provided by the Academic Senate Office Administrator to the President and the Office of General Counsel. Note that if a policy is reapproved without any changes, the policy still counts as being revised.
9. The Office of General Counsel will review and, if legal issues exist, will inform the Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus and request further modifications. If there are no legal issues, the Office of General Counsel will inform the President that the policy is ready for discussion by the President's Cabinet and/or for signature.
10. If approved by the President, the President will sign, date, and submit to the Office of General Counsel the "marked up" and clean electronic versions of the policy to be published on the Illinois State University Policy website.
11. The Office of General Counsel will promptly publish the new or revised policy, or in the case of a deletion, will promptly delete the policy.
12. The Office of General Counsel may ask the Academic Senate Office Administrator to proofread the published policy and confirm its accuracy.

B. Academic Senate Policy Review

Review of University policies on the Academic Senate review cycle will be handled as follows:

1. The Academic Senate Executive Committee will maintain a list of policies to be reviewed by the Academic Senate that affect the academic area broadly understood. This list will be made available on the Academic Senate website. This list does not preclude the Academic Senate from reviewing other University policies not included on this list.
2. The Academic Senate Office Administrator will notify the Office of General Counsel when any University policy is included on the Academic Senate Executive Committee's or Faculty Caucus Executive Committee's agenda. The Office of General Counsel will have access to the material related to this policy via the Academic Senate Executive Committee's or the Faculty Caucus Executive Committee's document sharing site.
3. The Academic Senate Executive Committee will assign the review of the policy to one or more internal committees. In unusual circumstances, the Academic Senate Executive Committee may also assign the review of the policy to the committee of the whole.
4. If revisions are being considered, the Academic Senate internal committee will contact the "Initiating Office" noted on the current policy to discuss the proposed changes.
5. After the policy has been approved by the internal committee, it will be submitted to the Academic Senate Executive Committee for placement on an Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus agenda as an Information Item. The Academic Senate Office Administrator will notify the Office of General Counsel when any policy has been forwarded to the Academic Senate Executive Committee or the Faculty Caucus Executive Committee for consideration for inclusion on the Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus agenda. The Office of General Counsel will have access to the material related to this policy via the Academic Senate Executive Committee's or the Faculty Caucus Executive Committee's document sharing site.
6. Once approved by the Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus, a "marked up" version and a clean electronic version of the policy, containing the date the Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus approved the addition, deletion, or revision, will be promptly provided by the Academic Senate Office Administrator to the President and the Office of General Counsel. Note that if a policy is reapproved without any changes, the policy still counts as being revised.
7. The Office of General Counsel will review and if legal issues exist, will inform the Academic Senate or Faculty Caucus and request further modifications. If there are no legal issues, the Office of General Counsel will inform the President that the policy is ready for discussion by the President's Cabinet and/or for signature.
8. If approved by the President, the President will sign, date, and submit to the Office of General Counsel the "marked up" and clean electronic versions of the policy to be published on the Illinois State University Policy website.
9. The Office of General Counsel will promptly publish the new or revised policy, or in the case of a deletion, will promptly delete the policy.
10. The Office of General Counsel may ask the Academic Senate Office Administrator to proofread the published policy and confirm its accuracy.

C. Presidential Approval of Academic Policies with short implementation timeframe

In the case of a legal/audit/compliance issue with a short implementation timeframe, the President or designee may draft a policy to cover the issue to meet the external deadline in a timely manner. The President will promptly inform the Academic Senate Office and the Chair of the Academic Senate in order to expedite the review of the policy before the external deadline. 

If the policy is implemented prior to the completion of review by the Academic Senate due to a short implementation timeframe coupled with an external deadline, the Academic Senate may propose and approve modifications to the policy through regularly established processes for the revision of policies.

Academic Senate Policy Review Cycle Information