History of the Committee on Academic Policies and Procedures

The institution of the Committee on Academic Policy and Procedure (CAPP) was an evolving process over 34 years involving various committee mergers, with the final merger on May 14, 1999, of the Academic Procedures Committee (APC) and the Committee on Academic Policy (CAP). These mergers included assuming the charges of the committees merged.

History of APC

Some time before 1965, an "Assistant and Associate Dean's Committee" (academic offices) was instituted by Ellsworth Gerritz, Dean of Admissions and Records, to "enhance consistency in the implementation of academic policies and procedures." The Committee Chairman was elected annually from among the Academic Assistant and Associate Deans.

Sometime in 1977, Dean Gerritz, Dean of Admissions and Records replaced himself as a member of this committee with the Director of Admissions, Richard Elkins, and Director of Records, Don Foster. The committee was then more commonly called the "Assistant Dean's Committee," since its members were Assistant Deans. Later, in addition to two members from the Admissions and Records Office, the Assistant Dean's Committee grew in size with the inclusion of the Asst. Vice-President of Academic Affairs, the Director of the Center for Student Development, and the Director of New Student Programs.

At the Assistant Dean's Meeting of November 28, 1979, the name was changed to reflect the responsibilities of the committee, to the "Undergraduate Academic Procedures Committee" (UAPC). Later the membership included representatives from the Graduate School and the College of Veterinary Medicine, so at the May 28, 1986 meeting, the word "Undergraduate" was dropped from the name and the committee became the "Academic Procedures Committee" (APC).

On July 8, 1986, at the request of APC members, APC was formally and officially recognized by the Provost as a subcommittee of the Dean's Council (see Provost's records). However, since the Dean's Council was not listed in the Kansas State University Committee Handbook, APC was also not listed in this handbook. Its charge, "to develop procedures for the implementation of academic policies, prepare recommendations to the Academic Affairs Committee for changes in academic policies as needed, and coordinate the implementation of academic procedures so as to assure that they are administered throughout the university with reasonable consistency."

History of CAP

In 1977 the Faculty Senate instituted two additional committees. The "Committee on Admissions and Advance Standing" (FS #3010) with Richard Elkins, Director of Admissions as Chairperson, with its charge, "Passes on questions of admission and advance standings for the separate colleges." "The Committee on Assignment and Scheduling" (FS #3030) with E.M. Gerritz, Dean of Admissions and Records as Chairperson (Don Foster, Director of Records became the Chairperson, beginning with the 1979-80 Academic Year). The charge for the Committee on Assignment and Scheduling, "Provides for the scheduling and coordinating of classes."

On December 8, 1981, these two committees were combined into the "Committee on Admissions and Enrollment" (FS #3010) with Don Foster as permanent Chairperson. Its charge, "Considers all policy matters relating to the admission and advanced standing of undergraduate students, and the assignment and scheduling of undergraduate and graduate students."

On March 2, 1995, the Admissions and Enrollment Committee approved a change in its charge to more correctly reflect its responsibilities, and changed its name to the "Committee on Academic Policy" (CAP). CAP's charge, "Performs studies, provides recommendations, and interpretations regarding undergraduate academic policies; and is responsible for the scheduling of all undergraduate and graduate academic events such as enrollment periods, drop/add periods, class periods, exams not given during regular class periods and final exams." These changes were also approved by Academic Affairs on May 16, 1995, and Faculty Senate on June 8, 1995.

Institution of CAPP

In the fall 1998 semester, a task force of members from APC and CAP developed a plan to merge APC and CAP which included a new committee charge, membership definition, administrative details, and implementation steps. CAP and APC approved this plan February 10, 1999. The Academic Affairs Committee on May 4, 1999 approved this action of merging APC and CAP (Section VI-B of Minutes).

In Provost Coffman's May 14, 1999 letter to the Academic Deans, APC and CAP were disbanded and replaced with the "Joint Committee on Academic Policy and Procedure". Each dean was requested to appoint a member and an alternate to this committee (the word "Joint" was quickly dropped as not being necessary). Membership also included one representative from each: the Office of Educational and Personal Development Programs, Division of Continuing Education, the Office of Admissions, the Registrar's Office, and the Faculty Senate Academic Affairs committee. The charge for CAPP, "Perform studies and prepare recommendations as directed by the Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee. Provide interpretations regarding academic policies. Develop procedures as directed by the Provost to support academic policies, coordinate the implementation of academic procedures, and be responsible for the scheduling of all undergraduate and graduate academic events such as enrollment periods, drop/add periods, class periods, exams not given during regular class periods and final exams."