Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost

2.1. Introduction

Iowa State University of Science and Technology is a public land-grant institution serving the people of Iowa, the nation, and the world through its interrelated programs of instruction, research, extension, and professional service. With an institutional emphasis upon areas related to science and technology, the university carries out its traditional mission of discovering, developing, disseminating, and preserving knowledge.

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Vietnam Era Veteran. Any person who has inquiries concerning this may contact the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity.

2.2. History

Iowa State University, then known as the Iowa Agricultural College, formally opened on March 17, 1869. Initially Iowa State offered courses in agriculture, mechanics (which later developed into engineering), military science, and the liberal arts and sciences. Soon, courses in home economics, veterinary medicine and pedagogy were added. Iowa State was coeducational from its beginning. In 1897, the name was changed to Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. In 1959, the institution became a university and took its present title of Iowa State University of Science and Technology.

Iowa State traces its origin to an historic act of federal legislation. The Morrill Act of 1862, which provided federal lands to endow land-grant universities, introduced a new era in higher education. Iowa was the first state to accept the terms of the Morrill Act and Iowa State was founded to serve the entire community by developing practical as well as classical knowledge, and to deliver that knowledge more effectively (e.g., through the extension system) to a broader population. Iowa State is also where the Cooperative Extension Service and the Agriculture Experiment Station system, two key programs in the land-grant outreach mission, trace their roots.

2.3. Administrative Structure

Iowa State University of Science and Technology is one of five institutions governed by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, http://www2.state.ia.us/regents/index.html. The other institutions are the University of Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa, the Iowa School for the Deaf, and the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School. The Board of Regents consists of nine members appointed by the Governor with the approval of the Senate. The term of office is six years, with the terms of three members expiring on May 1 of each odd-numbered year. The Board of Regents Office is located in Urbandale, Iowa.

Iowa State University of Science and Technology is the official name of the university. Iowa State University (ISU) is the more commonly used name except where the official name may be required on certain documents. The university is not incorporated, and when a statement of the nature of the university is required, it should be described as "an agency of the State of Iowa."

The president is the principal administrative officer of the university and is directly responsible to the Board of Regents for the operation of the university. The president is responsible for the administration of university affairs. The president issues diplomas conferring degrees upon the recommendation of the Faculty Senate acting on behalf of the General Faculty and by authority of the Board of Regents. The president is directly responsible for recommending the appointment of administrative officers who carry university-wide responsibility.

The provost is the chief academic officer. The provost coordinates and administers the academic, outreach, and research programs and the personnel policies of the university.

The vice president for business and finance manages the fiscal operation of the university. The vice president for business and finance is also responsible for the general supervision of business operations of all university activities.

The vice president for student affairs coordinates all non-academic student services.

2.4. The Faculty

2.4.1. The General Faculty

The General Faculty is the legislative body of the university. It consists of all tenured and tenure-eligible and non-tenure-eligible faculty members as well as all major administrative officers of the university who carry faculty appointments. The General Faculty is responsible for educational policies and procedures of the university, including the following:

• admission requirements
• graduation requirements
• curriculum and course revisions
• new degree programs
• grading procedures
• candidate recommendations for diplomas, degrees, and certificates to be conferred by the president

Major changes in educational programs and policies approved by the General Faculty must be presented by the president to the Board of Regents for final approval.

The General Faculty is responsible to, and is chaired by, the university president. While the Faculty Senate was created by the General Faculty to conduct its business, meetings of the General Faculty may be held as needed at the call of the president. If the General Faculty dissolves the Faculty Senate, meetings of the General Faculty would then be held at the end of each semester and as needed at the call of the president. The documents of the General Faculty, including minutes of its meetings and reports of major committees, are on file in the University Archives, ISU Library, http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/arch/index.html.

2.4.2. The Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate was established by the General Faculty to act as its representative body and to conduct the business of the General Faculty.

The Constitution of the Iowa State University Faculty Senate, as approved by the Board of Regents, and the Bylaws of the Faculty Senate are maintained on the Faculty Senate web site. Also listed are the Faculty Senate Councils and Committees and their current membership, http://www.facsen.iastate.edu/. In addition, the official documents of the Faculty Senate, including minutes of its meetings, agendas, calendars, agenda documents, etc., and all corresponding documents of Faculty Senate councils and committees are on file in the Faculty Senate Office.

2.4.3. The Graduate College

The Graduate College oversees all the programs of post-baccalaureate study offered by the university. Most of the graduate programs are research oriented and lead to a masters degree (with thesis) and to the doctor of philosophy degree. In certain fields that involve advanced study directed more specifically to vocational or professional objectives, a professional masters degree or a masters degree without thesis is available, http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/.

2.4.4. The Graduate Faculty

The Graduate Faculty in each of the graduate programs does the following:

• handles admission and classification of graduate students
• establishes requirements for advanced degrees
• has charge of instruction and research at the graduate level
• teaches graduate courses
• serves on program of study committees
• directs work of masters and doctoral students

All graduate courses offered for major or minor credit are taught by graduate faculty members or graduate lecturers.

The Graduate College Handbook http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/degree/graduatecollegehandbook.html is a resource for further information.

2.4.4.1. Directors of Graduate Education (DOGE).

Directors of graduate education are the graduate program coordinators of graduate majors and interdepartmental programs. DOGEs may be department chairs or other members of the graduate faculty. Periodic meetings of the DOGEs are scheduled during the academic year for announcements and exchange of information about graduate education and research. Recruitment of graduate students, sources of support, and academic policies are also reviewed at DOGE meetings.

2.5. The Department

The department is the basic administrative unit within the university. It includes all staff members engaged in teaching, research, and extension activities related to that particular academic discipline. Although most departments are administered within a single college, a few departments, by nature of the diversity of their programs, are located in more than one college and are responsible to more than one dean. All members of the faculty are affiliated with at least one academic department. All tenured faculty hold tenure in a department.

2.6. Governance Documents

Governance documents for various bodies of faculty have been developed by representative members of the faculty. Faculty members are affected by and should be familiar with the governance documents of the Faculty Senate, their college, and their department.

2.6.1. Constitution of the Faculty Senate

The Constitution of the Iowa State University Faculty Senate http://www.facsen.iastate.edu/documents/constitution/ describes the purpose, functions, organization, membership, and other elements of this representative body of the General Faculty. Changes to the constitution must be approved by the General Faculty. The operation of the Faculty Senate is prescribed in the Bylaws of the Iowa State University Faculty Senate, http://www.facsen.iastate.edu/documents/bylaws.

2.6.2. College Governance Documents

The governance document of each college describes its mission, governance domains, governance structure, and other policies and procedures. College governance documents are reviewed by the Faculty Senate Committee on Governance Structure and Documents.

2.6.3. Department Governance Documents

The governance document of each department includes information specific to the department that parallels the type of information in the college document.

The budget of each academic department is to be made available for inspection by the faculty of that department. It should include the department's budgetary resources and expenditures by categories, as well as funds received and expended in the preceding year and projected for the current year. The faculty of each department will decide the manner and detail in which the budgets of academic departments are prepared for disclosure and distribution. Approved by the Faculty Senate on 2/10/98.

2.7. Policy for Academic Reorganizations

Faculty Senate approved this policy on January 13, 2004, and university administration approved this policy on January 23, 2004.

2.7.1. Policy for Reorganization of Academic Units

The reorganization of academic units (departments or colleges) is an academic activity that is part of university governance shared by faculty and administration. Reorganizations are carried out via a three-step process involving discussion, planning, and review.

2.7.2. Discussion

Reorganization begins with discussion of a problem or opportunity whose solution may include restructuring one or more units of the University. This discussion leads to a decision to formally explore the possibility of reorganization by developing a reorganization plan.

2.7.2.1. Decision to Begin Planning

The decision to begin planning is made with no prior assumption that reorganization will be the inevitable outcome. The decision to begin planning is made by the administrator (Dean, Provost, or President) of the unit involved in response to what he or she feels are compelling reasons. This decision is not to be made lightly, as planning requires time, effort, and resources.

2.7.2.2. Formalizing the Decision to Begin Planning

The decision to begin planning will include a determination of which units are involved, what is the opportunity/ problem that is to be dealt with, and an estimation of the time frame for decision-making. It may or may not include a previously developed proposal for reorganization. When the decision is made to begin planning, faculty in all involved units and the Faculty Senate are to be notified.

2.7.2.3. Faculty Senate Role

The faculty and/or administrators involved may seek input from the Faculty Senate in structuring the process to be followed. The Faculty Senate will monitor the planning process.

2.7.3. Planning

The goal of planning is the generation of a reorganization plan to resolve a problem or develop an opportunity. This proposed reorganization plan will include a recommendation about whether or not to reorganize. In the spirit of shared governance, substantial effort shall be made to include members of all affected units in the planning process.

2.7.3.1. Content of the Plan

The plan will contain an academic plan that describes both the reorganization being proposed and an implementation plan that explains how the proposed reorganization will be implemented and what resources will be needed.

2.7.3.2. Time Frame for Implementation of the Plan

The reorganization plan will also include a description of the time frame for implementing the reorganization.

2.7.4. Review

Reorganization plans must be reviewed and approved before being put into action.

2.7.4.1. Review by Faculty

The proposed reorganization plan will be reviewed by the faculty in the affected units and by the department chairs and/or deans of these units. The faculty review of the plan will conclude with a vote on whether to recommend that the plan be adopted.

2.7.4.2. Review by Provost

After the vote by the involved faculty and the review by the administrators, the plan will be reviewed by the Provost, whether the faculty vote is favorable or not. The Provost will take one of three actions.

• Return Plan to Units
  The Provost may send the plan back to the affected units for further review and/or revision.
• Reject Plan
  The Provost may reject the plan and terminate the process, leaving the existing unit(s) in place.
• Submit Plan to Faculty Senate
  The Provost may submit the plan to the Faculty Senate for a review with a recommendation that it be approved.

2.7.4.3. Review by Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate will review the plan as submitted by the Provost. The Senate's review may include discussions with the faculty and/or administrators in the unit(s) and/or with the Provost. The Senate may request further information and/or clarification from the Provost about the plan and about his or her recommendation. After completing it's its review, the Senate will take one of two actions.

• Return to Provost
  It may return the proposal to the Provost with a recommendation that he/she consider revisions or reconsider rejecting the proposal.
• Submit to President
  The Senate may submit the plan to the President with a recommendation that it be approved.

The Senate will complete its review and take action following the normal Senate time frame of two meetings after receiving the plan.

2.7.4.4. Review by President

After reviewing the recommendations of the Provost and the Faculty Senate, the President will take one of three actions.

• Return Plan for Further Discussion
  The President may return the plan for further discussion or revision.
• Dismiss the Plan
  The President may dismiss the plan and terminate the process. This will leave the existing unit(s) in place.
• Submit Plan to Board of Regents
  The President may submit the plan to the Board of Regents with a recommendation that it be approved. Final approval of the proposed reorganization rests with the Board of Regents.

2.7.5. Implementation and Follow-up Review

After receiving Regents approval, the plan will be implemented in a timely manner. The Provost and/or appropriate dean(s) will conduct follow-up reviews of units that have undergone reorganization.

Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, 1550 Beardshear Hall, Ames, Iowa 50011-2021
Phone 515-294-9591, Fax: 515-294-8844