2.16 Procedures for Revision of the Faculty Handbook

The college [university] and the Faculty-Staff [Faculty] Assembly commit their good faith efforts to the following procedures for revision of the Faculty Handbook in order to achieve agreement on policy issues affecting faculty employment.  That commitment shall not prejudice the responsibility and authority of the Board of Trustees [Regents] to exercise its prerogatives to govern and administer the college [university].

The procedure outlined below is based on three interconnected principles:

1. First, it tries to satisfy the need for an orderly manner of allowing all segments of the institution to contribute, each in a proper capacity, to the formulation or alteration of policy statements.
2. Second, it attempts to make the process of revision effective by introducing into it the principle of self-limitation, which prevents endless debate and allows particular issues to be brought to decisive action.
3. Finally, it recognizes the fact that the approval of policy, however formulated or proposed, is among the powers reserved to the Board of Trustees [Regents].

2.16.1 Scope of this Policy

1. Changes in employment benefits for faculty are covered in Section 2.12.2.3. The complete revision procedure outlined in Section 2.16 governs all other changes in Part II (i.e., Sections 2.0 through 2.16), as well as in any appendices to Part II.
2. An abbreviated revision procedure requiring only the approval of the faculty and the president (but not the Board of Trustees [Regents]) (i.e., Sections 2.16.2 through 2.16.3.e) governs changes to Part IV, "Faculty Procedures," and Part V, "Faculty Governance."
3. Editorial changes to the Faculty Handbook, which are not deemed to be substantive in nature by the Faculty Handbook Committee, are not governed by this revision process.  Editorial changes to the Faculty Handbook are implemented by the Faculty Handbook Committee on an ongoing basis.  These editorial changes will be announced and posted electronically to allow for a 30-day response prior to implementation.
4. Part I and Part III are not covered by this revision process.  Amendments to these parts of the Faculty Handbook occur by administrative update.

2.16.2 Proposed Revisions

Revision proposals governed by the policy can be made by the Faculty Handbook Committee or any person or group (i.e., committee, board, council) connected with the college [university].  Although the manner of making such proposals is a matter of individual style and custom, it is nevertheless recommended that:

1. proposals be made in the form of texts intended as an addition to or a replacement of, in whole or in part, some current sections of the Faculty Handbook;
2. a particular proposal contains no more than one alteration of substance;
3. a brief explanation of the reason(s) for proposing that revision accompanies the proposal; and
4. recognized governing bodies or committees pass such proposed amendments by a simple majority vote of such a body or committee.

2.16.3 Processing of Proposals to Revise the Faculty Handbook

The following procedures are based on the need for common discussion by the faculties of both the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, accomplished at their Joint Faculty Assembly.  Action to approve any revision to Part II is taken by each Assembly separately, subject to the provisions of Section 2.16.5, “Revision of Joint Sections of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University Handbooks.”  Action to approve any revision to Parts IV and V is taken by the Joint Faculty Assembly.  All parties to this revision process should keep in mind the importance of final Board action on proposed revisions to Part II prior to the issuance of contracts for the next year (see Section 2.16.6.a below).

1. Regardless of origin, all proposals will be considered by the Faculty Handbook Committee, which may choose one of the following courses of action:

1. it may receive a particular proposal and transmit it without change or comment to the Joint Faculty Assembly and then the provost, who will notify the president and secure acceptance, rejection, or proposed amendments to the proposals;

2. it may endorse it and transmit both its endorsement and the original proposal to the Joint Faculty Assembly and then the provost, who will notify the president and secure acceptance, rejection, or proposed amendments to the proposals;

3. with the consent of the party submitting the proposal, it may amend the proposal before transmitting it to the Joint Faculty Assembly and then the provost, who will notify the president and secure acceptance, rejection, or proposed amendments to the proposals; or

4. if the party submitting the proposal does not agree to such alterations or amendments, the Faculty Handbook Committee may reject the proposal, sending written notice of its reasons to the one submitting the proposal, with a copy to the chair of the Faculty-Staff [Faculty] Assembly.  The one submitting the proposal retains the right to make a direct request to the leadership of the Assembly in accord with usual Assembly procedures.

2. The Joint Faculty Assembly shall consider the proposed amendment and the separate Assemblies of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University shall either accept or reject the proposal(s), by a simple majority vote of each body.  The Joint Faculty Assembly may modify the proposal and accept the modification or it may return the proposal to the Faculty Handbook Committee for further work or modification.

3. The chair of the Faculty Handbook Committee notifies the provost, who will alert the president of any action taken by the Assembly, sending a copy of the notification to the chair of the Faculty-Staff [Faculty] Assembly.

4. The president may accept, reject, or propose amendments to the proposal(s).

5. Should the president disagree with the proposed amendment, the Faculty Handbook Committee, the president, the provost and the officers of the Joint Faculty Assembly shall meet to discuss the next steps.  These steps may include further study, modification, and/or resubmission of the proposal to the Faculty Handbook Committee and the Joint Faculty Assembly and reconsideration by the president.

6. If in agreement with the proposed amendment to the Faculty Handbook, the president submits it to the Board.  If after serious efforts to reach agreement such agreement is still not possible, the president may report that disagreement to the Board for its guidance in the matter from the perspective of its governance prerogatives.

7. Before definitive action on the proposal(s), the Board of Trustees [Regents] may commission an authorized Board subcommittee to meet with the Faculty Handbook Committee, the president, the provost and the officers of the Joint Faculty Assembly to discuss final adjustments in the revisions.  The adjusted proposal will be sent back to the Assembly for a vote only if those adjustments are deemed significant by the faculty members involved.

8. Finally, the revision process is concluded by the definitive action of the Board (or of a delegated subcommittee).

9. The president or the provost as delegated by the president will write to the chair of the Faculty Handbook Committee to report the Board's decision, sending a copy to the chair of the Faculty-Staff [Faculty] Assembly.

2.16.4 Emergency Procedure

2.16.4.1 Amendments to Part II or Its Appendices

When the Faculty Handbook Committee, the president, and the chair of the Faculty-Staff [Faculty] Assembly agree that in the best interests of the college [university] an immediate modification in Part II is necessary, they may petition, through the president, the provost and the chair of the Board of Trustees/Regents, for a special Board review of a specific change at the next regular or an emergency meeting of the Board.  It shall be fully at the discretion of the Board of Trustees [Regents] to accept or reject such a petition.

2.16.4.2 Amendments to Part IV or Part V

When the Faculty Handbook Committee, the president, the provost and the chair of the Faculty-Staff [Faculty] Assembly agree that in the best interests of the college [university] an immediate modification in Part IV or Part V is necessary, they may call a special meeting of the Joint Faculty Assembly in accord with Assembly procedure for the purpose of voting on the proposed modifications.

2.16.5 Revision of Joint Sections of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University Faculty Handbooks

Amendments to sections of the Faculty Handbook which are the same or substantially the same between the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, and which require separate action within the two institutions, become effective only when the approval process is completed at both institutions.  However, either Board may approve explicitly a change in one Faculty Handbook that is not approved by the other, in accordance with the other procedures of Section 2.16.

2.16.6 General Rules of Implementation

1. Any amendments to the contractual portions of the Faculty Handbook (i.e., Part II or its appendices) that are approved in accord with this policy by the date of the issuance of faculty contracts (see Section 2.2.4) will take effect with the start of the next contract year.  Any grandparenting provision will be specific to a given policy and so noted in specific language.  Amendments to the contractual portions of the Faculty Handbook that are approved after the date of the issuance of faculty contracts may take effect prior to the start of the next contract year upon the mutual consent of the Faculty-Staff [Faculty] Assembly, the president, and the Board.
2. Amendments to all other parts of the Faculty Handbook (i.e., Parts I, III, IV, and V) may become effective at once or at a later time, as determined by those responsible for their approval.
3. All new members of the faculty shall receive a copy of the Faculty Handbook by the time of their initial contract offer.  The copy should contain any changes in the Faculty Handbook already approved for the relevant contract period, but even initial contracts issued earlier will be subject to later amendments to Part II approved in time to be included in the contracts of continuing faculty members for that same contract period.
4. Continuing members of the faculty will receive copies of any approved amendments from the Office of the Provost in a timely manner.
5. The provost shall be responsible for keeping the official record of all revisions to the Faculty Handbook, whether accomplished through this policy or, for appropriate sections (see Section 2.16.1), through administrative update.
6. A copy of the Faculty Handbook with current revisions will be available for inspection during regular hours at the Office of the Provost and in the libraries.