Approved Policy Revisions
Background Investigations (7005) – Revised 08/25/2020. Policy revised changing the definition for a Motor Vehicle Record Check to a Driver’s License Record Check bringing it into alignment with the State definition used by the Idaho Transportation Department. Under Section 4.1.3.b. – updated language that a DLR check is required when transporting passengers or property (e.g. hazardous materials) under the control of the University.
Changes in Final Grades (3180) – Revised 05/2020. Policy revised under Section 3.2.a changing the language for assigning grades of Incomplete to cover both traditional and accelerated courses by stating a student’s work must be satisfactory when either 80% of the course or 80% of the coursework has been completed. Other revisions include general language clean-up and the addition of language under Section 3.2.c to reflect current processes stating a student will be administratively dropped from a course in which the student has received a previous grade of Incomplete.
Faculty-Initiated Withdrawal (4190) – Revised 04/2020. Policy updated to reflect current processes. Course requirements (prerequisites and co-requisites, class standing, etc.) are now system enforced and based on curriculum. Faculty are no longer required to drop students for those reasons.
Research Faculty Policy and Procedures (5010) – Revised 04/2020. Policy revised to establish responsibility at the college/school level to provide a minimum of 10% of a research faculty member’s annual salary on an on-going basis and a minimum of 50% of accrued annual vacation hours for faculty supported by smaller grants ineligible for vacation funding.
Allocation and Distribution of Recovered F&A Costs (6100) – Revised 04/2020. Policy revised under Section 4.1.1 adding language that requires funding for a research faculty member’s base salary and vacation to be funded at the college/school level as described in University Policy 5010 (Research Faculty Policy and Procedures). The policy revision also includes general language updating throughout including updated
Administrative Withdrawals (4185) – Revised 03/2020. Policy rewritten to update and provide additional clarification on the process for requesting and approving/denying a request for administrative withdrawal. New policy language requires the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management to approve or deny a request for administrative withdrawal within five (5) University business days; removes the requirement to notify a student via certified letter; extends the student’s time period to correct a deficiency from 10 days to 15 University business days; and removes the “hold” language throughout policy. “Holds” are governed by other University policies and processes.
University Contracts (6030) – Revised 03/2020. Policy revised allowing the use of approved electronic signature tools such as DocuSign for University contracts. In addition, the policy language was re-arranged to improve clarity; general language revisions were made to help shorten and clarify the policy; and procedural requirements were removed and will be located on the Office of General Counsel’s (OGC’s) website.
Purchasing (6130) – Revised 03/2020. Policy revised under Section 3.3 – Waiver of Competitive Bidding (Sole Source), adding example criteria to justify requests to waive the competitive bidding process; added Section 3.4.2B – Cooperative Purchasing specifying use of contracts issued by cooperative purchasing programs established by any association that offers its goods or services as a result of competitive solicitation processes is allowed with approval by Purchasing; and under Section 3.4.4 – Situational Acquisitions, added subsections l. and m. These subsections bring the policy into compliance with Department of Purchasing policy directive and IDAPA 042.10.a.vi.
Faculty Leave for Birth/Adoption and Teaching Workload Release Plan (7265) – Revised 03/2020. Added Section 4.7 clarifying that the use of a workload release, or the use of administrative leave under the policy, will not interrupt the service eligibility requirement for sabbatical leave.
University Vehicles (9040) – Revised 03/2020. Policy revised under Section 4.3 – Authorized Driver Qualifications, adding a DLR/MVR check requirement for anyone to become an Authorized Driver, including individuals using a vehicle from the University motor pool; under Section 4.5 – Driver Training and Vehicle Requirements, added language requiring employees, students, and volunteers to complete any required training needed to become an Authorized Driver; under Section 4.5.1 – Multi-Passenger (8 or more) Vans, added language prohibiting the use of fifteen (15)-passenger vans due to safety reasons; revised the Policy Statement to better reflect the policy’s intent; and reorganized the policy language and deleted procedural information.
New Policies Approved
Telecommuting (7600) – Approved 08/26/2020. New policy developed to provide guidelines for requesting, approving and maintaining a telecommuting arrangement during normal working conditions for classified and professional staff. This policy does not apply during emergency situations such as closures due to inclement weather or a public health emergency in which the University remains open for business but requires employees to temporarily work from home.
Lost and Found Property (12160) – Approved 08/25/2020. New policy developed to ensure consistency in the processing, storing, and dispositioning of Lost and Found Property. This policy will provide the framework for how long items will be held by a collection site and Central Lost and Found before final disposition or disposal.
Recording Learning Activities (1140) – Approved 08/24/2020. New policy developed to outline when the recording of learning activities such as a lecture, discussion, laboratory, field study, or other activity facilitated by an instructor while teaching a course is permissible and to ensure faculty, students, and other instructors understand their rights and responsibilities when learning activities are recorded.
Non-Compensatory Payments to Students and Interns (6360) – Approved 08/18/2020. New policy developed to define parameters around what types of non-compensatory payments can be made to students or interns and how those payments should be processed.
Chargeback Policy (6370) – Approved 07/01/2020. New policy created to define and establish chargebacks and the process for developing, requesting, reviewing, and approving chargebacks. This policy will help ensure users of internal goods and services pay only their appropriate share of actual chargeback costs. Chargebacks will occur when a department or unit provides a product or service to an internal department or unit on a per-use basis at an established billing rate. Chargebacks and billing rates must be reviewed by the Chargeback Committee as established and defined in the policy. The policy does not apply to revenue charged by auxiliary units or Recharge Centers under the Office of Sponsored Programs.
Student Survey of Faculty Instruction Comment Redaction Policy (4690) – Approved 05/2020. New policy developed to provide a process for faculty to request redaction of comments in student course evaluations that do not relate to the instructor’s effectiveness, that harass, threaten, defame, libel, or that are discriminatory in referring to protected characteristics of the instructor and violate the following University policies: University Policy 1060 (Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment); University Policy 1070 (Equal Opportunity Statement); and University Policy 2020 (Student Code of Conduct).
Approved Policy Deletions
- Payment Card Acceptance (6120) – Deleted 01/2020. The content of this policy is now covered in the new Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Policy – PCI-DSS (6340) and in the Cash Handling policy (6010).
- Classified Employee Problem Solving Procedure (7440) – Deleted 10/2019. Policy approved for deletion with the approval of University Policy 7560 (Problem-Solving Procedure) covering both classified and non-classified/professional staff.
- Threat Assessment (12030) – Deleted 10/2019. Policy approved for deletion. This policy was combined with University Policy 12050 (Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment).
- Records Committee (1010) – Deleted 09/2019. Policy approved for deletion. There is no longer a Records Committee. Albertsons Library maintains University archives. The University Archivist will help ensure University policies referencing record retention or archiving are updated.
- Public Relations and Alcohol Expenses (6250) and Meals and Refreshments Local Funds (6260) – Deleted 09/2019. These policies were combined into University Policy 6240 (Meals and Refreshments).
- Scheduling Use of BSU Grounds (9060) – Deleted 09/2019. Policy no longer represented a contemporary process for scheduling use of Boise State grounds. Revisions were made to University Policy 1100 (Use of University Space) in July of 2016 reflecting the current process for reserving public areas on campus.