Policy 2-004: Organization of the University

1. Academic Organization
2. Administrative Organization
3. Faculty Ranks
4. University Faculties and Councils

Purpose and Scope

1. Purpose. [reserved]

2. Scope.

   [reserved]

Definitions

[reserved]

Policy

1. Academic Organization

   1. The academic department is the standard unit of the university. Schools and free-standing divisions are also recognized as academic units of instructions; these units are governed by policies on departments unless otherwise specified. The designation free-standing divisions, department, or school is influenced by the mission of the unit, the relationship of the unit to the parent college, and disciplinary traditions across the country. For purposes of administration, free-standing divisions, departments, and schools are assigned to a college.

   2. A free-standing division is generally the smallest of these units of instruction in terms of FTE of tenure-line faculty. Such divisions may offer undergraduate and graduate degrees. Faculty are appointed to such divisions and may earn tenure in the division. The degree of budget autonomy for a division is decided by the college to which the division belongs. The administrative head of a free-standing division is usually called a division chair; the chair reports to the dean of the college to which the division belongs.

   3. An academic department is the most common unit of instruction. A department generally offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Faculty are appointed to a department and may earn tenure in the department. The administrative head of a department is called a chair; the chair reports to the dean of the college to which the department belongs.

   4. A school is generally a large unit of instruction and should incorporate multiple areas of specialization that are reflected in the degrees offered. A school often includes interdisciplinary cooperative efforts. A school generally offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Faculty are appointed to a school and may earn tenure in the school. The administrative head of a school is usually called a director, but this person's administrative level is equal to that of a department chair. The director reports to the dean of the college to which the school belongs.

   5. A college is usually an administrative organization of related free-standing divisions, departments, and schools. Some colleges have no formal internal academic subdivisions (e.g. Architecture, Law, Social Work). The administrative head of a college is called a dean. Each dean reports to either the senior vice president for Academic Affairs or senior vice president for Health Sciences.

   6. The university, for historical reasons, contains the following two units named schools that function as colleges: The School of Medicine, The David Eccles School of Business. The university libraries shall consist of the Marriott Library and its branches reporting to the vice president for academic affairs, the Eccles Health Science Library reporting to the vice president for health sciences and the S. J. Quinney Law Library in the college of law reporting to the dean of the college of law.

   7. Proposals to create, modify, or delete academic units are considered first by the Graduate Council, then by the Academic Senate, then by the Board of Trustees.

2. Administrative Organization

   1. Administrative offices shall be organized as necessary to represent the several academic units or combinations of these, the general university administration, and other services, agencies and functions of the university.

3. Faculty Ranks

   1. The following ranks in the university educational staff are hereby established: president, vice president, dean, director of libraries, professor, (including distinguished professor and university professor), associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, librarian, associate librarian, and assistant librarian. Career-line, Adjunct, and Visiting ranks may be designated by adding the prefatory word "research," "clinical," "lecturer," "adjunct," or visiting" to the respective academic ranks of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, librarian, associate librarian, or assistant librarian.

4. University Faculties and Councils

   1. The following faculties and councils are hereby established in the University of Utah: the university faculty, the school and college faculties, the Academic Senate, the Graduate Council, the Undergraduate Council, the Council of Academic Deans, and the school or college councils as described in Faculty Regulations.

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      Sections IV- VII are for user information and are not subject to the approval of the Academic Senate or the Board of Trustees. The Institutional Policy Committee, the Policy Owner, or the Policy Officer may update these sections at any time.

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Policies/ Rules, Procedures, Guidelines, Forms and other Related Resources

1. Policies/ Rules. [reserved]

2. Procedures, Guidelines, and Forms. [reserved]

3. Other Related Resources.

References

1. Policy 6-001: Academic Units and Academic Governance – Roles of Faculties, Committees, Councils, and Academic Senate

Contacts

The designated contact officials for this regulation are

1. Policy Owner(s) (primary contact person for questions and advice): Associate Vice President for Faculty and Associate Vice President for Health Sciences

2. Policy Officer(s): Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Senior Vice President for Health Sciences

   See Rule 1-001 for information about the roles and authority of policy owners and policy officers.

History

1. Current version. Revision 8.

   1. Approved by the Academic Senate April 7, 2003 and Board of Trustees June 9, 2003. Editorially revised July 27, 2004 with effective date of July 27, 2004.

   2. Editorial Revisions

      1. Editorially revised September 21, 2022 to move to current regulations template.

      2. Editorially revised December 15, 2022 to remove outdated faculty terms.

2. Renumbering

   1. Renumbered from Policy and Procedures Manual 7-6.