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Governance matters

For further information, contact the governance office at govern@ku.edu.

A+?

Shortly before the end of last semester, governance took action on academic policies, including whether to allow units to award an "A+" grade, whether to allow for resident credit independent study courses offered for academic credit by academic units through KU Continuing Education, and proposals to streamline the deliberative process of governance.

The actions illustrate "notice and comment" process for governance action and the importance of participation in the process.

Governance received a number of comments concerning the "A+" grade option. The majority opposed the proposal, which was voted down by the University Senate.

The proposal to treat independent study courses as residency courses was initially considered last spring, but was tabled after concerns were raised about ensuring their academic quality. The proposals were modified to incorporate provisions to clarify the responsibility of the academic unit to approve courses and instructors and was ultimately approved.

The modifications addressed concerns about quality.

Finally, the proposal to streamline the governance process responded to practical difficulties with the current time line for approving amendments to the University and Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations. Here too, governance received several comments, expressing concern that the comment period contemplated by the proposals was too short. Discussion of that issue eventually led to the approval of a compromise proposal that would shorten the overall time frame for governance action without shortening the period during which comments may be submitted.

The next step in the process for the proposals approved by governance is a period during which members of the university community may petition for reconsideration by governance. Members of the community should have received e-mail notification of the governance action and opportunity for petition shortly before semester break (which does not count toward the petition period), and a reminder will be sent shortly after the start of the semester. If no petition is received by governance, the proposals will be forwarded to the Chancellor for his review and approval.

TOPONYMS

Chancellor E.H. Lindley spent two years fussing with Gov. Jonathan M. Davis and the Board of Administration over matters large and small. After his defeat by Republican Ben S. Paulen in November 1924, Davis fired Lindley, but Paulen reinstated him as soon as he took office in mid-January 1925. Lindley retired in 1939 and died soon after; the mineral resources building was named for him when it opened in 1943. For more, visit www.buildings.ku.edu.