14.2 SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE
The institution has a policy and procedure to ensure that all substantive changes are reported in accordance with SACSCOC’s policy.
JUDGEMENT
Compliance 
Non-Compliance
Partial Compliance
NARRATIVE
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has a policy entitled Substantive Change Compliance Policy, and an associated document entitled Procedures for Reporting University Substantive Changes, which ensure that all substantive changes at the university are reported in accordance with SACSCOC policy. N.C. A&T’s Substantive Change Compliance Policy was first approved in accordance with the university’s policy approval process on March 10, 2014, and was revised in accordance with the university’s policy approval process, effective March 20, 2015.
N.C. A&T’s Substantive Change Compliance Policy effectuates the requirements of the SACSCOC policy statement entitled Substantive Change for SACSCOC Accredited Institutions (Substantive Change Compliance Policy.pdf). Section 4 of N.C. A&T’s Substantive Change Compliance Policy contains a definition of “substantive change” that is consistent with that given in the SACSCOC policy statement, and lists the types of potential substantive changes. Section 3 of N.C. A&T’s Substantive Change Compliance Policy charges academic deans, the Provost and administrative vice chancellors with responsibility for ensuring that their units adhere to the procedures set forth in the related Procedures for Reporting University Substantive Changes. Section 6 of N.C. A&T’s Substantive Change Compliance Policy summarizes the process for reporting a substantive change to SACSCOC via the N.C. A&T SACSCOC liaison. More details regarding the process for reporting substantive changes are provided in N.C. A&T’s Procedures for Reporting University Substantive Changes.
The university’s Procedures for Reporting University Substantive Changes sets out the process used to identify, manage and report substantive changes to SACSCOC. Pursuant to N.C. A&T’s Substantive Change Compliance Policy, the Vice Provost for Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness serves as the liaison to SACSCOC and has the responsibility to report substantive changes to SACSCOC in a timely manner. In order to ensure that any potential substantive change comes to the attention of the Vice Provost, the Procedures for Reporting University Substantive Changes specify that each academic and administrative unit appoints one administrator to serve as a substantive change liaison for that unit. The substantive change liaisons constitute the University Substantive Change Review Committee.
The substantive change liaisons and senior academic and administrative leaders are trained by the Office of Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness (OSPIE) in SACSCOC policy and the university’s procedures associated with substantive change. Each substantive change liaison, with the assistance of OSPIE, trains faculty and staff in his or her unit on internal and external reporting requirements.
Each semester, the Vice Provost contacts the substantive change liaisons, who determine whether there are proposed changes in their units that would need to be reported as possible substantive changes. When a unit has a proposed change that might be a substantive change, the unit is required to complete a form that is reviewed by the Vice Provost and the University Substantive Change Review Committee. If the Vice Provost and the University Substantive Change Review Committee determine that the proposed change constitutes a substantive change, the Vice Provost coordinates the preparation of the appropriate prospectus or notification, and ensures timely submission to SACSCOC.
Policy Approval
N.C. A&T’s Substantive Change Compliance Policy has been approved through appropriate channels. The approval process for all official policies of N.C. A&T is provided in the Policy on Policies. The approval process differs depending on the type of policy. As defined in the Policy on Policies, “University Policies” are those policies that concern the governance of N.C. A&T or have application to more than one division within the university. “Administrative Policies” are those policies that are required by law or by The University of North Carolina, or that affect matters of operation rather than governance and affect only one division within the university. “Unit Policies” affect only one division within the university. The Substantive Change Compliance Policy has been classified as an Administrative Policy because it is required by SACSCOC.
The approval process for an Administrative Policy (whether a new policy or a revision of an existing policy) is essentially a two-step process. First, the policy must be approved by the Chancellor’s Cabinet for posting as a draft. The draft policy is then posted on the Draft Policies page of the Legal Affairs website for at least two weeks to allow for comment. A notice is sent out through the University Communications listserv to notify the campus community that a draft policy has been posted for comment. In addition, the Provost, the Chair of the Faculty Senate, and the Chair of the Staff Senate are notified of the draft posting so that they can inform deans, department chairs, members of the Faculty Senate, and others in the university community; the Faculty Senate, deans and department chairs then disseminate the information to other faculty. Any comments are collected and sent for review to the person or committee responsible for drafting the policy.
Following the two-week comment period, a final draft of the policy is brought back to the Chancellor’s Cabinet for approval. An Administrative Policy is finally approved once the Chancellor’s Cabinet approves the final draft policy.
After a policy has received final approval pursuant to the Policy on Policies, it is posted on the N.C. A&T Policies website. Once an approved policy has been posted, an announcement is sent through University Communications alerting the university community to the fact. In addition to being published on the website, N.C. A&T’s Substantive Change Compliance Policy and associated procedures are shared with deans, chairs and members of the University Substantive Change Review Committee. Three examples of substantive changes are shared here (Approval of the (a) Union Square Off-Campus Location, (b) BS in Health Services Management, and (c) Discontinuation of the Didactic Program in Dietetics.
Supporting Documentation
1. Substantive Change Compliance Policy
2. Procedures for Reporting University Substantive Changes
3. N.C. A&T Substantive Changes Required Form
5. N.C. A&T Policies Website (Listing with Links)
6. University Communications, including announcement of newly approved policy
7. Examples of Approved Substantive Changes
a. Union Square
b. BS in Health Services Management
c. Discontinuation of the Didactic Program in Dietetics