Attachment E

Faculty Senate Agenda

September 27, 2001

           

POLICY ON SELF-SUPPORT INSTRUCTION

 

I.       Introduction

 

In addition to the mission of California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) to provide a variety of state supported, undergraduate and graduate programs, the University is also committed to offering a wide range of non-state supported programs to serve students and members of the larger community. To facilitate providing these special programs which are financed through student tuition, fees, contracts, or gifts, the lines of responsibility are set forth in order to enhance their coordination, avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, assure fiscal accountability, and to foster a unified approach to the community. In order to achieve this end, the following policy is established to apply to all members of the University community (colleges, schools, divisions and departments, faculty and staff, centers, institutes, administrative units, the CSUS Foundation, other auxiliaries, the Associated Students, etc.) who desire to offer or who are engaged in presenting self-support programs.

 

II.       Purpose of Self-Support Instruction

 

Such courses (a) must address an area of need such as public service, professional training, personal development, and/or cultural enrichment that clearly falls within the University’s broad educational mission but that may not be adequately fulfilled by its regular courses and established programs; (b) must be self-support (that is, revenues generated by the course must be sufficient to cover all costs incurred by the course, including the costs of services provided by other University units; (c) must be reviewed and approved in accordance with established University procedures; and (d) may be offered either for academic credit or not for credit.

 

III.      University Coordination

 

The primary academic outreach arm of the University is the Office of Regional and Continuing Education (RCE). The Office of Regional & Continuing Education is the University’s primary program center that responds to the community’s and the region’s unmet educational and training needs on a non state support basis.  While other units, such as centers and institutes, also engage in outreach such programs, RCE has responsibility for overall coordination and the development of policies that insure equity for all participants. This responsibility shall be exercised in full consultation with participating units and the Academic Faculty Senate, and subject to the approval of the Provost.

 

IV.     Credit Courses

 

Courses (other than regular University courses) offered for academic credit must be offered by RCE. RCE cooperates with the person or persons teaching the course and campus entities to assure proper and efficient use of campus resources and to assure compliance with established procedures for needs assessment, planning, academic review, registration and record-keeping, fiscal administration, promotion, scheduling of facilities, and evaluation.

 

V.      Non-Credit Courses Awarding CEUs and CEHs

 

All non-credit courses that award Continuing Education Units (CEUs) must be offered or administered by RCE.  However, CEHs (Continuing Education Hours) may be offered by other academic units on behalf and as approved by state regulatory boards for re-licensure needs.  This may be done in association with RCE or independently.

 

VI.     Other Non-Credit Courses

 

Non-credit courses generally are offered by RCE. A CSUS center or institute may offer non-credit workshops or seminars in keeping with its charter and with the approval and oversight of the appropriate College School Dean. Schools Colleges and the Office of Student Affairs under certain circumstances, may also offer non-credit courses.

 

This policy does not apply to certain categories of special instruction offered by University offices and organizations and non-University organizations. As examples: the Office of Student Affairs may offer courses and workshops primarily for students and open to the campus community; the Student Union may offer leisure and recreation courses for students, faculty, and staff; student clubs may offer instruction to their own members in keeping with the purposes of the organization; the Athletic Department may offer non-credit sports camps and clinics; the University’s Human Resources Office may offer staff development programs to employees; professional associations not affiliated with the University may contract for the use of University facilities and services in conjunction with a conference or meeting provided to its own members and not advertised to the public at large. In these and similar cases when the program is directed at a University audience and neither credit nor CEUs are being offered, the requirements of this policy statement do not apply.

 

VII.    Procedures

 

The unit offering a self-support course - that is, RCE or any unit named above - is responsible for all aspects of planning and conducting the course, including needs assessment, academic review, registration and record keeping, fiscal administration, promotion, scheduling of facilities, and evaluation. The office may contract with RCE for the performance of some of these functions, as specified below:

 

a)   Academic Review Course/Program Approval Process

All proposals for courses, seminars, workshops, and other instructional programs must be reviewed in accordance with established departmental course-approval procedures. The procedures require review and approval of course content and faculty qualifications by the appropriate academic department and school college.

 

b)   Registration, Record-keeping, and Evaluation

The office offering a course is responsible for collecting and processing registration, enrollment, and grade information. In addition, every course must be evaluated in accordance with standard procedures employed by RCE or, in the case of courses offered by schools, colleges, centers or institutes, or Student Affairs, comparable evaluation procedures may be used. Units may contract with RCE to provide these services.

 

c)   Fiscal Administration

The office offering a course is responsible for budgeting, fee-setting and collection, and revenue disbursement for the course, in accordance with CSU and CSUS policies. Fee determinations require the approval, where applicable, of the University Student Fee Advisory Committee,  School College Dean, where applicable, and of the Dean of Regional and Continuing Education. All monies must be administered on campus, through accounts established with University Accounting or the CSUS Foundation. The Dean of Regional Education or designee shall be responsible for and have signature authority over all funds relating to RCE-sponsored programs and activities.

 

d)   Promotion

 

The office offering a course is responsible for all promotion of the course, including advertising, marketing, publicity, public relations, and other communication with prospective participants. Centers, institutes, schools colleges, and Student Affairs offices may contract with RCE to provide these services.

 

e)   Scheduling of Facilities

 

The office offering a course is responsible for scheduling facilities for the course, in keeping with University policies and procedures.

 

f)    End-of-year-report

Any center, institute, school  college or Student Affairs office that offers a activity as defined by this policy must submit an annual report of the offering to the Associate Vice President of Research and Graduate Studies (AVPRG) with copy to the Dean of Regional and Continuing Education at the end of the academic year. The AVPRG and RCE Dean will collaborate in the preparation of an annual report of activities to the Provost for dissemination to the campus community.

 

VIII.    Special Instruction Exempted from this Policy

 

This policy does not apply to certain categories of special instruction offered by University offices and organizations and non-University organizations. As examples: the Office of Student Affairs may offer courses and workshops primarily for students and open to the campus community; the Student Union may offer leisure and recreation courses for students, faculty, and staff; student clubs may offer instruction to their own members in keeping with the purposes of the organization; the Athletic Department may offer non-credit sports camps and clinics; the University’s Human Resources Office may offer staff development programs to employees; professional associations not affiliated with the University may contract for the use of University facilities and services in conjunction with a conference or meeting provided to its own members and not advertised to the public at large. In these and similiar cases when the program is directed at a University audience and neither credit nor CEUs are being offered, the requirements of this policy statement do not apply.

 

IX.     VIII.  State Laws, CSU, and CSUS Policies Apply

 

Nothing in this document is intended to be inconsistent with provisions of applicable statutes, CSU, or CSU, Sacramento policies and regulations.

 

X.      IX.  Interpretations of this Policy

 

Interpretations regarding this policy shall be rendered as necessary by the Dean of Regional and Continuing Education, in consultation with the appropriate School College Dean. Appeals will be considered and determined by the Provost.

 

In every instance, whether this policy appears to be applicable or not, consultation with the Office of Regional and Continuing Education is appropriate and often can result in benefits to sponsoring organizations and units.