Actions Taken by the University Council During the Spring 2022 Semester
From Dr. Jean Morrison, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer
The Boston University Council held six meetings during the spring 2022 semester on January 25, February 22, March 22, April 19, May 10, and June 14. At these meetings, the council voted to approve the following policies, also available on the University Council website:
- Sick Leave Policy for PhD Students
- Revision to Faculty Handbook, Faculty Retirement and Emeritus Status Section – allows the University president or president’s designee to approve incorporating named professorships into emeritus designations.
- Revised Discontinuation Policy for Departments and Programs, and Consequent Faculty Terminations – lays out a detailed procedure for ending a program in the event the discontinuation would sever any faculty members’ primary appointments and/or leave them unable to be reassigned to other areas.
- Boston University Events and Demonstrations Policy
- Revisions to the Boston University Code of Student Responsibilities – updates largely related to free speech and expression.
- Revisions to policies in the Boston University Lifebook:
- Revision to Faculty Handbook Policy on Tenure and Promotion on the Charles River Campus – corrects the name of the family leave policy to be consistent with other areas of the Faculty Handbook.
- Revision to Faculty Handbook, Faculty Retirement and Emeritus Status Section – offers gender-inclusive terms for faculty who are awarded emeritus status to utilize as desired upon receiving the designation.
The council also voted during the spring 2022 semester to approve the following degree and certificate programs:
- Bachelor of Arts in African American and Black Diaspora Studies (CAS)
- Bachelor of Arts in Archaeological & Environmental Sciences (CAS)
- Bachelor of Arts in Science Education – with specialization in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics (CAS)
- MD/PhD in Chemistry (GRS)
- Certificate in Business Analytics – in concert with the MBA program (Questrom)
- Master of Science in Hospitality Administration (SHA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights (CAS)
- Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Physics (CAS)
- Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry – with Chemical Biology specialization (CAS)
- Combined Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Computer Science/Master of Science in Computer Science (CAS/GRS)
- Online Master of Public Health (SPH)
President Brown has concurred with these actions, which officially brings them into effect.
The council additionally affirmed its support for advocacy guidelines, drafted by the Committee on Research and Scholarly Activity, which lay out permitted and prohibited political activities for faculty and staff in their capacity as BU employees.
Finally, the council received the Office of the Provost’s annual report on community and inclusion initiatives, which may be accessed on the University Council website (Kerberos protected).
We are grateful to the members of the University Council for their thoughtful and diligent work throughout the past semester.
Actions Taken by the University Council During the Spring 2022 Semester – 7.19.22