Authority for the governance of the university is vested in the BOV by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The BOV is responsible for generally directing the affairs of the university, and for appointing the president as the chief executive officer of the university. The president, with the approval of the BOV, has exercised his authority to create an administrative system of divisions and areas within the university, including the Division of Academic Affairs, headed by the Provost. The Provost, with the approval of the BOV and the president, has exercised his authority to create a system of administrative areas and colleges within the division. A&P faculty members are generally involved in the governance of the university through this administrative structure. Subject to the BOV's ultimate responsibility for the governance of the university, including its curriculum, instructional faculty members are afforded the right and the responsibility to participate in university governance and to speak out and have input on university policies and procedures.
IV.A. College Governance
Each college of the university shall determine the specific structure and membership of its govern-ance bodies. The college faculty and dean, the appropriate vice provost, and the Provost must approve this structure. The governance structure shall include elected faculty representatives from each academic unit of the college. The govern-ance bodies will have the function of advising the dean and making recommendations to the dean and other appropriate bodies on matters of curriculum, budget and planning, and personnel.
IV.A.1. Curriculum
The responsibilities of college governance bodies in the area of curriculum include:
- Overseeing curricular matters including the approval/deletion/revision of programs and courses within the college; and
- Communicating information, recommendations and decisions to the faculty of the college.
IV.A.2. Budget and Planning
In the areas of budget and planning, the responsibilities of college governance bodies include:
- Advising the dean on matters relating to college organization, budget, facilities and planning;
- Reviewing enrollment trends and budget allocations; advising the dean on the general oversight, direction and priorities of the college;
- Offering recommendations affecting the university beyond the college level;
- Passing any recommendations on to the appropriate university or Faculty Senate committee; and
- Communicating information, recommendations and decisions to the faculty of the college.
IV.A.3. Personnel
The responsibilities of college governance bodies in the area of personnel include:
- Advising the dean on personnel matters at the college level;
- Reviewing allocation and type of faculty and administrative positions;
- Reviewing annual evaluation procedures for consistency among academic units;
- Establishing procedures and participating in evaluation of AUHs (For details, see Academic Affairs Policy #2: Academic Unit Heads);
- Serving as an appeal body for faculty grievances as specified in Faculty Handbook, Section III.L.;
- Promoting communication within the college; and
- Serving as a hearing body on faculty misconduct.
