Compliance Status

Louisiana State University and A&M College is in compliance with this principle.

Narrative

Louisiana State University and A&M College (LSU) publishes and disseminates academic policies, regulations and procedures that either have been approved through faculty governance or adopted through administrative means. These policies, regulations, and procedures are made available to students, faculty, and others through online publication of the LSU General Catalog [1] [2], Experience LSU [3], the Division of Continuing Education’s policies Web pages [4] [5], the School of Veterinary Medicine Bulletin [6], and the School of Veterinary Medicine Phase II Student Handbook [7].

Development of Academic Policies and the Role of the Faculty

Academic policies adhere to good educational practices in higher education because, as explained below, they are primarily developed, revised, and approved by faculty and made operational collaboratively with academic offices such as Academic Affairs, the University Registrar, and Continuing Education. Several LSU groups are responsible for development of academic policies.

Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate has several standing committees that address academic policies. Among its other duties, the Admissions, Standards and Honors (ASH) Committee is charged “to formulate, recommend to the Senate, and monitor policies and standards concerning admission requirements of LSU” [8]. The Faculty Senate Course and Curricula Committee (C&C) is charged “to approve or disapprove, after review, proposed additions to, alterations of, and elimination of all courses, curricula, and degree programs submitted by colleges and schools, or referred by the Office of Academic Affairs” [9]. The Faculty Senate General Education Committee is charged “to interpret and clarify the philosophy and goals of general education” on the LSU campus and to judge and make recommendations to the Vice-Provost for Academic Affairs on the effectiveness of the general education requirements [10].

In addition, the Faculty Senate, as a body, can consider and approve academic policies independent of the ASH and C&C committees [11].  Depending on the nature and scope of the policy, approval by the provost and by the chancellor also may be required [1].

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is an advisory panel to the Dean of the Graduate School, and may advise the dean on any subject with which he/she deals. This includes, but is not limited to, reviewing requests for new graduate degree programs or changes in existing degree programs, reviewing requests for concentrations, reviewing the rules and regulations of the Graduate School and/or suggesting revisions thereto [12]. The Graduate Council consists of 16 members of the graduate faculty. The Dean of the Graduate School and the Associate Dean of the Graduate School are ex officio members and attend each meeting. The Graduate Council makes recommendations to the Dean of the Graduate School on issues related to academic policies associated with graduate programs [12].  Each member serves a five-year term, with the terms being staggered so that two members go off and two come on each year at the beginning of the spring semester. Members are appointed by the chancellor from nominations submitted by the Dean of the Graduate School.

School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) Faculty Policy Committee

The Faculty Policy Committee of the School of Veterinary Medicine consists of members of the General Faculty of Veterinary Medicine [13]. The committee represents the general faculty in all matters, including academic policies.  The committee makes recommendations on matters of policy and long-term planning that affect the responsibilities of the general faculty.  The Faculty Policy Committee acts as the committee on committees for the Faculty Standing Committees.  The chair of the Faculty Policy Committee is an ex officio member of all faculty standing and ad hoc committees.  Among others, the following standing committees report to the Faculty Policy Committee of the School of Veterinary Medicine.     

            Courses and Curriculum Committee

            Research Committee

            Scholarships and Awards Committee

            Scholastic Standards Committee

Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education does not have a separate faculty governing body.  LSU academic departments offer courses for credit through the division.  Therefore, regular requirements for enrolling in credit courses (i.e., prerequisites) apply.  The division offers a course only after obtaining approval from the instructor and the chair of the academic department.

Dissemination of Academic Policies

The minutes of meetings in which academic policies have been approved appear online [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]. The policies, once adopted, are easily accessible on the Web for students, faculty, and staff, as described above [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [12].

LSU General Catalog

New undergraduate and graduate students are introduced to the LSU General Catalog during formal orientations [2] [19].  The LSU General Catalog is revised annually to ensure that it is current and accurate.  

School of Veterinary Medicine Bulletin

New SVM students are introduced to the School of Veterinary Medicine Bulletin during orientation [6]. The bulletin is revised annually to ensure that it is current and accurate.  The bulletin is made available to students, faculty, and the SVM community via the Web.  

School of Veterinary Medicine Phase II Student Handbook

Year 4 SVM students are informed about Phase II requirements and regulations via the Phase II Student Handbook [7].  The handbook is revised annually to ensure that the information is current and accurate. The handbook is made available to students, faculty, and the SVM community via the Web.  

Approval Process for Inclusion in the LSU General Catalog

The approval process for including information in the LSU General Catalog provides an additional check that further assures accuracy. Academic policies, approved through faculty governance procedures, are included in the LSU General Catalog when the approval process is completed.  This approval procedure is initiated as indicated in the minutes of the meeting at which the policy was accepted, and is ultimately approved by the provost and, if required, by the chancellor [1].  Similarly, program and course information is approved through faculty governance procedures and submitted for inclusion in the LSU General Catalog on the basis of minutes from the C&C Committee meeting at which the action was taken and after approval by the provost [1]. Information about departments, schools, and administrative offices is approved and submitted by the responsible unit to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) [20].  Only after ensuring that the information has been approved both by the appropriate committee listed above and by the provost does OUR include the information in the LSU General Catalog [21].

Approval Process for Inclusion in the Graduate School Chapter of the LSU General Catalog

The approval process for including information in the LSU Graduate School chapter of the LSU General Catalog provides an additional check for accuracy. Graduate regulations and curricula are included in the chapter, and this information is based on the minutes of the Graduate Council meeting at which the regulation/curriculum change was approved and after any subsequent required approvals by the C&C committee, provost and, if required, the chancellor.  Similarly, program and course information is approved through faculty governance procedures, and submitted for inclusion in the chapter based on the minutes from the C&C Committee meeting at which the action was taken and after approval by the provost.

Narrative information about departments, schools, and administrative offices is approved and submitted by the responsible unit to the Graduate School dean’s office.  Only after ensuring that the information has been approved by the appropriate committees listed above, and after any subsequent required and document approval, does the Graduate School include the information in the chapter. 

Of note is that the 2012-2013 edition of the Graduate Bulletin is the last stand-alone production of this information.  The full Graduate Bulletin was incorporated as a chapter in the LSU General Catalog beginning with the 2013-2014 edition.

Approval Process for Inclusion in Experience LSU

The approval process for including information in Experience LSU is similar to that of the LSU General Catalog in that the Office of Orientation requests that appropriate units update information for which they are responsible.  For example, the “Grades and Academic Policies” section of the publication is reviewed by the Office of the University Registrar [22].

Approval Process for Inclusion in the School of Veterinary Medicine Bulletin

Academic policies are approved through faculty governance procedures, and information is included in the School of Veterinary Medicine Bulletin on the basis of policy decisions approved at the meetings, approval by the dean and, if required, by the provost. Similarly, program and course information is approved through faculty governance and submitted for inclusion in the School of Veterinary Medicine Bulletin on the basis of policy decisions approved at the School of Veterinary Medicine Courses and Curriculum Committee meeting at which the action was taken and subsequent approval of the provost.

Narrative information about departments, schools, and administrative offices is approved and submitted by the responsible unit to the Office of the Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Approval Process for Inclusion in the School of Veterinary Phase II Student Handbook

The School of Veterinary Medicine Phase II Committee, a subcommittee of the school’s Courses and Curriculum Committee, reviews, updates, and publishes the Phase II Student Handbook.  Faculty governance is assured through involvement by the Courses and Curriculum Committee, by the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Clinics Hospital Board, and ultimately by the Phase II Committee.  

Additional information on publication of academic policies is found in the compliance certificate for Federal Requirement 4.3.