September Policy Action Summary
Please find attached the September Policy Action Summary. It details policy work completed between August 14, 2021 and September 10, 2021. This includes:
· one (1) new administrative policy
· four (4) revised system administrative policies
Additional details and a listing of policies in the final revision stages can be found in the attached memo.
SYS 138, Award of Credit by Prior Learning Assessment
This policy is effective as of August 18, 2021.
Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions
· This is a new policy and represents the elevation of a section of SYS 135 to a separate policy, set of procedures, and guidance. The policy outlines the definitions, evaluation and documentation practices for PLA.
· As the prior learning assessment practices have grown across the UW System universities, it became necessary to establish some policy, procedures, and guidelines across UW universities to ensure fidelity and consistency to the current PLA work. A stand along policy will promote a cohesive approach for this work to the benefit of all students across the System. As common understandings and evidence-based practices of PLA have emerged nationally, we saw an opportunity to create an updated policy to support this work across the system. A system wide policy will increase fairness, establish common standards and approaches to evaluate and ensure quality in the PLA process. The policy recognizes the various ways that students come to us and that is amore equitable approach to admission, student engagement, and student success.
· The desired outcome is to create a cohesive pathway for students to engage in PLA and to have that work securely documented on a transcripts and understood in terms of transfer or completion of an academic program. The special focus on this work is on students who have some credit but no degree, returning adult students, and possibly students in the prison education work. Also, as we look at transitioning work training experiences into credit so that those in the workforce are able to earn portable credentials toward a degree or badge or certificate.
Affected Areas on Campuses
· This policy would be applicable to all courses at all universities. Admission, advising, transfer coordinators, and registrars would be involved in this work as well as faculty members.
Additional Communication
· No additional communication is planned at this time.
SYS 2, Development, Revision, and Approval of Academic and Student Affairs Policies
This policy is effective as of August 31, 2021.
Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions
· The policy on the development and approval of Academic and Student Affairs policies and procedures promotes currency, consistency, and accessibility in policies, procedures, and guidelines.
· In Section 1: Policy Purpose, added verbiage to reflect the goals of timeliness, consistency, and accessibility.
· In Section 3: Scope, clarified that this policy does not apply to Regent Policy Documents.
· In Section 4: Background, added reference to creating a standard format for Academic and Student Affairs Policies and establishing the parameters for their development and approval.
· In Section 5: Definitions, added definitions for:
· UW System Administrative Policies
· UW System Academic and Student Affairs Procedures
· UW System Academic and Student Affairs Guidelines
· In Section 5: Definitions, added the System Senior Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer to membership of the OASAPC.
· In Section 6: Policy Statement, added language from SYS 1 regarding policy format. Added informational overview of the review process for Academic and Student Affairs Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines.
· Throughout the policy, replaced “ASAPC” with “OASAPC“
Affected Areas on Campuses
· This policy applies to all UW institutions.
Campus Implementation
· Campuses must adhere to the provisions of this policy.
Additional Communication
· No additional communication is planned at this time.
SYS 110, Criteria and Approval of Wisconsin Technical College System Liberal Arts and Pre-professional Transfer Programs
This policy is effective as of August 31, 2021
Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions
· The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance and principles for the establishment, review and approval of Wisconsin Technical College System Collegiate Transfer programs.
· This policy was revised to format the content in the most recent policy template.
· Throughout the policy, replaced the term “Collegiate Transfer Program” with “Liberal Arts Transfer Program.”
· Throughout the policy, replaced the term “Pre-Professional collegiate Transfer Program” with “Pre-Professional Transfer Program.”
· In Section 6, paragraph 2, clarified that “WTCS students should have junior level standing at the UW university.”
· In Section 6, paragraph 5, added reference to SYS 115.
Affected Areas on Campuses
· This policy applies to areas on campus that process transfers from the Wisconsin Technical College System Liberal Arts and Pre-Professional Transfer Programs.
Campus Implementation
· Campuses must adhere to the provisions of this policy.
Additional Communication
· No additional communication is planned at this time.
SYS 165, The Academic Calendar
This policy is effective as of August 18, 2021
Summary of Policy and Policy Revisions
· The rationale for these revisions is to make clear the UW System adoption of the federal credit hour definition as a guiding principle for our institutions.
· As a result of the recent Regent policy update and rescission of the Board academic calendar policy, it became necessary to review and update the System academic calendar policy. A review of the current system academic calendar resulted in the decision to eliminate material in the policy that is not related to the academic calendar. After consultation with System Legal and UW System Human Recourses and the creation of a policy analysis crosswalk with other system policies, several components of the policy were recommended for elimination.
· Revisions aligned the policy with the new System policy format.
· Removed provisions about faculty workload, period of appointment for faculty, overload payments, and compensation for faculty.
· Added federal credit hour definition for award of credit.
Affected Areas on Campuses
· The academic calendar policy will affect all students, faculty, staff. Although the content is not new related to the academic calendar, the federal definition of credit hour will influence the work of registrars. Note that this definition has not changed but needed to be solidified in policy.
Campus Implementation
· The policy changes will not require any changes in practice and thus the impact is low. If a campus has not adopted the federal credit hour policy, they will need to document the definition in official materials.
· Seeing that this is a federal compliance requirement already, the impact should be low.
Additional Communication
· No additional communication is planned at this time.
Policy Effective Dates Reminders
There are a number of previously approved policies that have upcoming effective dates in the next two months. Please review the list of policies below and visit the links to familiarize yourself with the content that will be coming into effect. If you have questions about implementation leading up to the effective date, please contact the policy owner for more information and clarification.
The following policies will be effective on Monday, November 1, 2021: