Faculty Handbook - Fairmont State University

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agenda item shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Administrative
Procedure No. 23.
The review may be conducted in accordance with the five-year schedule issued by
the Higher Education Policy Commission or it may be initiated within the University
by a School or by the administration. When assessing a proposal for a major
reduction in or discontinuance of a program, the following criteria shall be
considered: the program's quality, necessity, viability, cost, demand, uniqueness, and
other relevant criteria.
If a proposal for a major reduction in or discontinuance of a program will lead to
proposed termination of probationary or tenured faculty employment, the affected
faculty and the Faculty Senate shall have an opportunity to review the proposal and
make recommendations (approval, disapproval, or some other action) to the
President of the University. Recommendations must be forwarded to the President
within 30 days following receipt of a proposal prepared in accordance with the
provisions of Administrative Procedure No. 23.
B. Identification of Faculty Whose Employment is to be Terminated
1. Criteria
a. The employment of non-tenured faculty will be terminated before
that of tenured faculty, except where serious distortion would result
in the academic needs of the University.
b. In identifying faculty whose employment will be terminated, the
following shall be taken into account: the academic needs of the
University, length of service, qualifications, performance, rank, and
other relevant criteria.
2. Procedures
a. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs shall notify the
chairperson of a School that a major reduction in or discontinuance
of a program is being proposed and shall direct the chairperson to
apprise the faculty, students, and staff and to request their input.
b. The chairperson shall develop a prioritized list of all faculty within
the affected program utilizing the criteria previously cited and input
from consultation with the faculty in the affected program. The
chairperson shall also submit a written justification for the
termination or retention of all faculty within the affected program.
Concurrently, faculty, students, and staff may submit written reports
to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs stating their
position on this matter.
c. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs shall review the
list of faculty and the justification submitted by the chairperson and
any input from faculty, students, and staff. Then the Provost and Vice
President for Academic Affairs shall prepare a recommendation and
submit it with the chairperson's report and those of the faculty,
students, and staff to the President of the University.
d. At this point an ad hoc Program Committee of five full-time faculty
shall be appointed by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee for
the purpose of making an independent review report of the entire