Human Resources News

DRAFT REVISED POLICY 

SYS 155, Instructor Educational Development in the UW System

·         The current version of SYS 155, Faculty Development and Renewal – The 1970’s and Beyond, is a “white paper” which guides future actions. The assumptions and guidance in this white paper are outdated and not in a policy format; there is no current policy which guides the education development of instructional staff at UW System institutions. With the establishment of a systemwide office to support and guide professional development, as well as centers for faculty development at individual campuses, the work that is integrated into both system and campus infrastructures is not guided by policy. Institutional accreditation also requires that faculty development exists.

·         Under these revisions, this policy is retitled as SYS 155, Instructor Educational Development in the UW System and re-formatted to align with the current UW System Administrative Policies template. These revisions include:

·         Revising terminology to acknowledge the broadening of the term “faculty” and “educational development” by both academic research and professional organizations.

·         Articulating signature programs at UW System.

·         Defining the roles of UW System Administration (UWSA) and universities for this work, including, but not limited to, the centers for teaching and learning.

·         Articulating the value and benefits of educational development for the UW System, universities, and instructors.

·         Articulating several accreditation standards and expectations related to educational development.

DRAFT REVISED POLICY 

SYS 165, The Academic Calendar

·         This policy defines the academic year and the UW System’s definition of the credit hour to award credit. Proposed revisions to the policy include:

·         In section 6, updated the numbering scheme to align with the current SYS policies template.

·         Added section 6.C, Religious Holidays, to address how institutions should consult with available religious calendars and attempt to minimize conflicts with religious holidays.

·         UW System Administration will provide multiyear information on religious observances so universities can be aware of religious observances at least 5 years in the future.

·         Universities should provide resources to students to inform them of applicable policies and procedures to address accommodations, and should designate an administrator to help students and employees in scheduling these accommodations.

·         UW System Administration will identify training and educational resources to address the importance of religious and cultural observances and various forms of anti-religious bias.

DRAFT RESCINDED POLICY 

SYS 156, Guidelines for Faculty Retraining, Renewal, and Development

·         This policy outlines the guidelines for institutional development and implementation of a comprehensive program of faculty retraining, renewal, and development as called for under SYS 155, Faculty Development and Renewal – The 1970’s and Beyond. The purpose of this program is to increase the flexible and effective use of existing faculty personnel in the UW System.

·         Proposed revisions to SYS 155, retitled as Instructor Educational Development in the UW System, incorporate the key concepts for faculty retraining, renewal, and development currently described in SYS 156, Guidelines for Faculty Retraining, Renewal, and Development. Therefore, a separate policy is no longer required and SYS 156 is proposed for rescission upon the approval of the revised SYS 155.

DRAFT TECHNICALLY AMENDED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Vice President for Finance
and Administration
Technical Amendments

On August 31, 2022, UW System President Jay Rothman announced that the Office of Finance and the Office of Administration and UW-Shared Services would be merged into a single Office of Finance and Administration, with the former Vice President of Finance being re-designated as the Vice President of Finance and Administration.

To reflect this reorganization, forty-four (44) policies and procedures have been proposed for revision to update seventy-five (75) references to the now-outdated Vice President for Administration, Vice President for Finance, and their respective offices to the Vice President for Finance and Administration and the associated office. For twelve (12) references, the policy was updated to refer to the Senior Associate Vice President for Finance. No substantive revisions to these policies are being proposed as part of these technical amendments.

EXPIRING INTERIM POLICY

SYS 300-03.A, Interim: Institutional Use of Deferred Tax Liability Under CARES Act

SYS 300-03.A, Interim: Institutional Use of Deferred Tax Liability Under CARES Act is set to expire on December 31, 2022. This interim procedure will be allowed to expire and not be renewed.