VSCC is required to follow TBR policies and guidelines by incorporating them into institutional policies and procedures. VSCC recognizes that faculty, staff, and students are essential members of the campus community and contribute to the progress of the College.
The purpose of this policy is to provide for shared governance by establishing effective means whereby students, staff, and faculty can have input into the development of policies and programs relating to student and academic affairs while recognizing that the responsibility and authority for decision-making rest solely with the administration. While recognizing the value of input from the students, staff, and faculty of an institution on issues of common interest, the Tennessee Board of Regents has delegated to the presidents of its institutions the responsibility and authority to make decisions regarding the operation of the institution, subject to TBR policies and procedures and applicable laws.
The vehicles for facilitating input are the Student Government Association, the Staff Council, the Professional Staff Council, the Faculty Council, and the College Standing Committees structure. Each council must adopt by-laws and/or a constitution that is approved by the College President. A representative of the Staff Council, Professional Staff Council, and the Faculty Council are appointed to serve on the President’s Cabinet. The College Standing Committee structure is guided by the College Steering Committee.
Definitions: A policy shall be defined as a required course of action to be followed. A procedure shall be defined as a detailed, step-by-step action needed to complete a requirement or an advisory statement that provides a framework for fulfilling a policy.
The President’s Cabinet is responsible for ensuring that appropriate institutional policies and procedures are developed. The development and approval processes shall be as follows:
- Proposed new institutional policies/procedures or policy/procedure revisions must be recommended by the President’s Cabinet member responsible for the area proposing the policy.
- New policies and significant policy/procedure revisions will be presented to the President’s Cabinet for review, discussion, and approval. Policy/procedure changes that are editorial in nature will not be subject to the full approval process. Editorial changes will require the approval of the appropriate Cabinet member and the President.
- The Cabinet may request input from the college constituent groups prior to making a decision. Comments may be requested from the Faculty Council, Staff Council, Professional Staff Council, the Student Government Association, and or any standing committee of the college when appropriate. All comments received should be addressed by the appropriate Cabinet member and when appropriate presented to President’s Cabinet prior to final approval of the policy/procedures.
- The President’s Cabinet member responsible for the maintenance of the policy/procedure must complete a Policy Transmittal form.
- The President’s Cabinet will by majority vote approve or disapprove policies and procedures.
- The President must formally approve the Policy/Procedure Transmittal form for each policy/procedure and/or policy/procedure revision.
- After formal approval is received, an electronic copy of a new or significantly revised policy/procedure will be forwarded to the appropriate President’s Cabinet member responsible for the policy/procedure. Additionally, the Office of the President will maintain a hard copy of the new or revised policy.
- The Office of the President will provide campus-wide notification via email regarding all new and significantly revised policies.
- Policies and procedures should be reviewed by the Cabinet members giving particular attention to those relevant to the area for which they are responsible to implement.
- Upon approval of a new or revised TBR policy or guideline, the Office of the President will send a notification to the President’s Cabinet. The appropriate President’s Cabinet member(s) will implement a thorough review of the existing College policies affected by the TBR policy or guideline. Appropriate modifications and/or development of new policy/procedure will be made through the processes described previously. Policy revisions will also be made when VSCC policies or actual College practices change.
- When applicable college policies and/or procedures may require approval by the Chancellor or the TBR System Office. In those instances, the President’s office will forward the college policy or procedure to the appropriate person at the system office for approval.
- All existing policies are reviewed by the responsible department once every five years unless revisions are needed prior to the review requirement. The review timeline can be found in the VSCC Campus Share in the policies folder.
- Reviews without revisions will be submitted annually on a review reporting form to the Office of the President. The Office of the President will update the review policy dates on the posted policy without the need for prior cabinet approval.
TBR Source: TBR Meetings, June 20, 1975; September 30, 1983; June 19, 1998; Revised TBR Board meeting September 19 & 20, 2019
VSCC Source: President's Cabinet, July 28, 2008, November 18, 2019, July, 26,2021 President’s Cabinet
