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PPM 1-8, Strategic Reinvestment Plan |
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Responsible Office: President |
1.0 PURPOSE
This policy effectuates the Strategic Reinvestment Plan as required by Utah Code § 53B-7-107.
2.0 REFERENCES
2.1 Utah Code § 53B-7-107
3.0 POLICY
3.1 Creation and Implementation. The University will create and implement a Strategic Reinvestment Plan (SRP) under the direction of the President that meets the requirements of Utah Code § 53B-7-107. This includes:
- Identifying areas for reduction and elimination, and areas for reinvestment, including programs, courses, degrees, departments, colleges, or other divisions of the institution, operational efficiencies, and other components of the University’s instruction and administrative functions, including dean positions and other administrative positions.
- Retention of core general education curricula that enables students to acquire critical thinking, problem solving, citizenship, communication, and other durable skills.
3.2 Process. In creating the SRP, the President shall direct University administrators, including vice presidents and deans, to conduct a systematic and data driven review of the University's instruction and administrative functions and address future budget strategies, considering factors including those identified in Utah Code 53B-7-107, metrics and criteria identified by the Utah Board of Higher Education, and institutional data, and gathering information about the criteria and programs from campus stakeholders via creation of a representative committee, surveys, email, or other methods. The SRP shall be provided to the Utah Board of Higher Education and legislative bodies for their approval, as required by law. The President may revise the SRP as new circumstances or insights develop, consistent with the strategies identified herein.
3.3 Unit Modification. Programs, courses, degrees, departments, colleges, divisions, positions, or other components of the University shall be created, eliminated, modified, or reduced as outlined in the SRP.
3.4 Personnel.
3.4.1 In areas that have been identified for elimination, modification, or reduction with the outcome that positions are to be eliminated, the President and vice presidents, in consultation with supervisors, Human Resources, and University Legal Counsel, shall conduct a systematic review of all personnel in impacted areas utilizing factors including unit/program needs based on the assessment conducted during the review process; performance reviews; recorded disciplinary actions; unique employment status such as tenure, rank, licensure, etc.; and years of service. Impacted individuals will have five working days upon notice to provide information regarding concerns, clarifications of data, or other information to the cognizant vice president, which may be considered in the final decision-making.
3.4.2 Personnel whose positions are eliminated shall be provided notice, a general description or statement explaining the basis for the decision, a description of notice or severance to be provided, as described in section 3.4.3, and an opportunity to meet with Human Resources to review resources and options that may be available. Position elimination under the SRP does not constitute termination for cause.
3.4.3 Notice or severance to impacted individuals will be as follows:
3.4.3.1 Tenure and tenure-track faculty will be provided with one additional year of employment, with limited extensions for teach-out purposes;
3.4.3.2 Instructors will be provided one additional semester of employment, with limited extensions for teach-out purposes;
3.4.3.3 Staff, not including hourly, at-will, grant-funded, or executive employees, will be provided three additional months of employment or the option of a lump sum payment equal to three month’s pay in lieu of working for three months.
3.4.4 The President may incentivize voluntary separation from the University.
3.5 Teach-Out. Where academic areas, programs, courses, or other instructional areas have been identified for elimination, modification, or reduction under the SRP, those areas shall create a comprehensive teach-out plan that includes phase-out timelines, student communication protocols, course availability schedules, faculty teaching assignments, academic advising, and alternative completion pathways, which must be recommended by the dean and provost to the President for final approval. The Registrar’s Office will assist in coordinating scheduling of courses and include appropriate and updated information in the academic catalog.
3.6 Coordination of Efforts. All University units and personnel will coordinate efforts to effectuate and act in accordance with the SRP.
3.7 Order of Preference. This policy and the SRP supersede any existing University or Utah Board of Higher Education policy, process, procedure, timeframe/timeline, or standards related to any element covered by this policy or the SRP, including those governing reduction, elimination, modification, or creation of programs, courses, degrees, departments, colleges, divisions, and positions. This policy is only applicable to decisions made under the SRP. Other program modifications and personnel decisions not announced in the SRP must continue to follow normal University policies and processes.
3.8 Sunset. This policy will cease to be in effect as of June 30, 2028.
Revision History
Creation Date: 4-17-25
Amended: