Committee on Educational Technology - UTDPP1028

Policy Statement

The Committee on Educational Technology is a Concurrent Committee of the Academic Senate charged to analyze, support, and provide advice and recommendations regarding educational hardware, software, and other educational technology employed for instructional purposes while incorporating principles of universal design. The Committee will advise the Responsible University Official on all aspects of the use and operation of such hardware and software and, if necessary, the selection of any successor hardware and software. It will also assist in long term planning and in designing and implementing programs for faculty instruction in the use of such hardware and software.

The Committee will also advise the President through the Academic Senate on strategy and policy regarding university hardware and software to support instruction. The Committee will communicate with the Committee on Distance Learning, the Committee on Effective Teaching, and the Campus Accessibility Committee and with them, advise the Chief Academic Officer on academic and faculty issues that pertain to the maintenance, use, and improvement of this hardware and software as well as issues regarding universal design.

By November 1, the Chair of the Committee will provide the Speaker of the Faculty with a copy of the agenda established by the Committee for its work during the academic year.

Annually, but no later than August 31, the Chair of the Committee will provide the Speaker of the Faculty with a written report for the Academic Senate of the Committee’s activities for the prior academic year.

The Committee is composed of eight members appointed from the membership of the General Faculty, (as defined in UTDPP1088), pursuant to the applicable procedures outlined in UTDPP1088, supra. The criteria for appointment shall be that they will be faculty who use WebCT and will represent a broad spectrum of disciplinary content and levels of instruction. Ideally, one member would be from each of the schools in the University. Ideally, one additional member is a graduate student representative nominated by the President of the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA), and a second additional member is an undergraduate student representative of student government, nominated by the President of the Student Government.

Up to twenty additional members, ex-officio, may be appointed upon nomination of the Responsible University Official from the Office of Information Technology, the Registrar, Audit and Compliance, and Educational Technology Services. The Assistant Provost of Educational Technology Services serves as the Responsible University Official.

The terms for appointed faculty members shall be staggered so that no more than one-half of the terms expire in any one year. Of the initial seven Committee members appointed from the membership of the General Faculty, four shall be appointed to one-year terms and four shall be appointed for two-year terms. Thereafter, unless specified otherwise in this charge, Committee members are appointed to two-year terms, and the Chair and Vice Chair are appointed annually. Members may be reappointed by the President for additional terms upon nomination of the Academic Council. If for any reason a Committee member resigns, the President, upon nomination of the Academic Council, shall appoint another individual to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.