SECTION 1. Policy Statement
UT Martin has defined processes to enact departmental, divisional, and campus policies and procedures. When possible, policies and procedures at UT Martin refer to job titles rather than individuals by name.
SECTION 2. Reason for the Policy
This policy describes how procedures are enacted at UT Martin.
SECTION 3. Scope and Application
This policy applies to campus-wide, division-wide, and departmental procedures. UT Martin does not intend for its policies or procedures to change a system-wide policy but may add campus- specific restrictions or distinctions.
SECTION 4. Procedures
Departmental and Divisional Procedures
DEVELOPED: Divisions and departments establish work procedures for their own area; departments do not make university policy. Divisional and departmental procedures should follow laws, division procedures, and university-wide procedures.
APPROVED: Division and department heads have the authority to determine internal procedures for daily operations at UT Martin under their scope of authority. The title of the person who approved the procedure and the most recent revision date should be maintained in the procedure.
COMMUNICATED: If there are formal, written procedures, the procedures should be easy for employees and stakeholders to locate.
MAINTAINED: Additionally, procedures should have a mechanism to keep them up to date.
Campus-wide policies and procedures, excluding faculty and student handbooks
DEVELOPED: Direct reports to the Chancellor can propose new policies or procedures or amendments to existing policies and procedures.
APPROVED: The Chancellor’s Cabinet approves all policies established at UT Martin except for Student and Academic Handbooks.
COMMUNICATED: When approved by the Chancellor’s Cabinet, UT’s official policy website houses the policies and procedures, except for student and academic policies. An email is sent to the campus notifying them of an update to the campus-wide policy or procedure.
Academic Policies:
https://www.utm.edu/offices-and-services/academic-affairs/procedures-and-documents.php
Student Policies:
https://www.utm.edu/offices-and-services/division-of-student-affairs/
MAINTAINED: Policy Tech provides a mechanism to prompt review every three years. When a policy is up for review, the campus policy coordinator will work with the responsible areas to see if a revision is needed. The revisions, accompanied by a list of policies that have been reviewed with no revision requested, are presented to the UT Martin Compliance Committee for discussion and then to the Chancellor’s Cabinet for approval. Upon approval, the review dates are updated. The appropriate Vice Chancellor monitors student and academic policies to ensure they are up to date.
Faculty and student handbooks
Faculty and Student Handbooks have unique approval processes.
Student handbook: www.utm.edu/studenthandbook
The student handbook is edited by Student Affairs. Significant policy changes are reviewed by student government and approved by the Chancellor’s Cabinet. Procedural or departmental updates are edited by Student Affairs.
A link to the academic handbook is available on this site www.utm.edu/facultyhandbook. The academic handbook documents how policies are added or amended, approved, communicated, and maintained.
SECTION 5. Definitions
University Policy or University Policies: the written University position or set expectation on a particular subject. University Policies may include Related Procedures and Guidance Documents based on the nature and complexity of the subject.
Related Procedure(s): the specific written actions, processes and/or practices required by the University to implement, enforce, administer, and ensure compliance with a particular University Policy. Related Procedures may exist independent of or be embedded within a University Policy but all independent Related Procedures must include a direct reference to a University Policy.
SECTION 6. Penalties/Disciplinary Action for Non-Compliance
Any Policy Document or Campus procedure or guidance document that does not comply with, or which otherwise conflicts with, this policy shall be superseded by the respective University Policy or Related Procedure. In certain situations, failure to comply with this policy may result in inconsistencies and errant expectations that may lead to disciplinary actions.
SECTION 7. Responsible Official & Additional Contacts
Subject Matter | Office Name | Telephone Number | Email/Web Address |
Policy on Policy Information at UT Martin | Special Assistant to VC Chancellor of Finance and Administration | (731) 881-1428 |
SECTION 8. Policy History
This draft is the first.
SECTION 9. Related Policies/Guidance Documents
UT Policy on Policies