June 8, 2021: Updates to the Journal of Record

I recently posted an updated version of the Journal of Record, incorporating all changes approved by the Academic Council and the Provost in the last two years. In case you haven't been glued to the AC minutes, below is an overview of the most broadly relevant policy changes along with a listing of new majors, minors, and graduate degrees. For more details on any of the changes, you can search the JOR for the precise language and the date of AC approval. The Academic Council pages on the GFS website will allow you to go to that date and read the proposal and minutes of the AC discussion.

Course renumbering: course numbers were changed to 4 digits with consistent meanings for each interval of 1000.
Distribution of faculty: language indicating that Professors of the Practice would not normally constitute more than 10% of the faculty in any school was replaced with a statement that the percentage of tenured and tenure track faculty should not go below 75% of the full time faculty. Furthermore, the GFS was tasked with annually reporting to the AC on the distribution of tenure track and non-tenure track faculty by school and overall.
Faculty involvement in academic decision making: adds a statement of the need for faculty input (generally through the relevant Handbook Committee) into non-emergency decisions that would significantly impact faculty teaching, advising, or research.
Committee on Free Expression Resolution: describes the formation and functioning of a committee to resolve issues regarding free expression.
Eligibility for Pre-Tenure Research Leave: clarifies that the leaves are for "untenured, tenure-track faculty during the third or fourth year of their probationary period.”
Accessibility of GFS website: Links that include minutes will be password protected with access limited to members of the university community. (Incoming GFS Bayne and I are working with IT to implement this change.)
Study Abroad- Guiding principles and expectations regarding courses of study while abroad were added. Procedures for assigning course credit in Global Fairfield programs were revised.
Rank and Tenure changes to timeline: Changes were made to increase the independence of letters of evaluation and to provide more direction about the letter from the head of the curriculum area.
Credit/No Credit Option: In order to “encourage intellectual exploration and risk-taking,” this policy allows undergraduates to take a maximum of two courses over their undergraduate career credit/no credit. In order to earn credit, they must earn at least a grade of C in the class. The policy includes more details on eligibility, restrictions, and timing.
Honors Program: the requirements were revised to reduce both the number of credits and the number of team-taught courses required and to fully align the requirements with the Magis Core.