Handbook of Operating Procedures 2-2230 (Interim)

Abandonment or Substantial Reduction of Academic Programs or Positions for Academic Reasons or Financial Exigency



Effective September 1, 2025
Executive Sponsor: Executive Vice President and Provost
Policy Owner: Executive Vice President and Provost

 

 

  1. Policy Statement

The University of Texas at Austin (University) is committed to diligent stewardship of its academic programs and positions and prioritizes fulfilling its responsibilities for managing degree programs and curriculum under Texas law.  The University president has the responsibility for determining when to eliminate occupied academic positions, when to abandon an academic program, or occasions when both may occur. Regents' Rule 31003, Abandonment of Academic Positions or Programs, provides the contours for making these determinations. The president is authorized to consult faculty, students, administrative leadership, and any other stakeholders the president deems appropriate, in making a decision under this Policy. 
 

  1. Reason for Policy

This Policy outlines the procedures to be followed when an academic program is under consideration for abandonment or an academic position is under consideration for elimination based on (1) bona fide academic reasons; or 2) financial exigency.
 

  1. Scope & Audience

This Policy applies to members of the general faculty, the president, and administration.
 

  1. Definitions (specific to this policy)

Academic Programs:

An instructional program leading toward a bachelor's, master's, doctoral, or professional degree.

Bona Fide Academic Reasons:

These are reasons related to the long-term educational mission, priorities, and strategy of the University. The reasons may include things like poor program quality or effectiveness, misalignment with the University’s mission, failure to uphold academic standards or uphold academic freedom, failure to meet student or societal needs, low enrollment and demand, and redundancy with other existing more effective programs. This list of examples is not exhaustive.

Financial Exigency:

A demonstrably bona fide financial crisis that adversely affects the University as a whole and that, after considering other cost-reducing measures, including ways to reduce faculty costs, requires consideration of terminating appointments held by tenured faculty and other faculty members with current academic appointments by contract or written agreement. Financial exigency could arise from declines in enrollment, significant reduction in operating revenue, significant increase in financial obligations, or substantial changes in educational needs, among other reasons.
 

 

  1. Website (for policy)

https://secure4.compliancebridge.com/utexas/public/getdoc.php?file=2-2230

 
  1. Contacts

CONTACT

DETAILS

WEB

Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost

Phone:
512-471-4363

Website:

https://provost.utexas.edu/

 
 
  1. Responsibilities & Procedures
    1. General Policy

 

Regents' Rule 31003, Abandonment of Academic Positions or Programs, provides that academic positions and programs under consideration for elimination should first be subject to an in-depth review through a procedure determined by the president. The procedure used by the president must include the elements set out in Rule 31003 and this Policy. The following are the University procedures implementing the requirements of Regents' Rule 31003.

 

The procedures in various other rules, including but not limited to Regents’ Rule 31008 and Handbook of Operating Procedures 2-2320 and 2-2310 concerning termination of a faculty member are not applicable to faculty terminations under this Policy. Likewise, the notice requirements in other rules, including but not limited to Regents’ Rule 31007 concerning tenured faculty and Regents’ Rule 31002 concerning nontenured faculty are also not applicable to faculty terminations under this Policy.

 

  1. Abandonment or Reduction of Academic Programs or Positions for Academic Reasons

 

Before deciding to abandon or reduce academic positions or programs for academic reasons, the president shall direct an efficient in-depth and judicious review process for the potentially impacted positions and programs. Oversight of this review may be delegated.
 

  1. Committee Formation and Notification to Potentially Impacted Faculty.
To conduct the review, the president, or delegate, shall:
  1. Form a review committee that includes faculty, administrators, and any other persons the president or delegate selects; 
  2. Select a chair of the review committee; and 
  3. Ensure that potentially impacted tenured faculty in the position or program under review, are provided notice of the review and provided an opportunity to provide input to the committee.
 
  1. In-Depth Review and Supporting Rationale.
The president, or delegate, will provide the review parameters including, but not limited to, identifying material considerations or data the review committee must consider and the timeline for the review completion. Upon completion of the review, the review committee chair, should submit to the executive vice president and provost a recommendation, with supporting rationale, regarding whether to abandon any academic programs and positions being reviewed. The recommendation may be in writing or provided orally. The executive vice president and provost shall review the committee recommendation and then provide a recommendation to the president.
  1. Presidential Decision.
The president will consider the underlying recommendations, and supporting rationale, but is not bound by those recommendations in making a determination. If the president determines that any academic program should be abandoned, the president will provide a request for approval with supporting documentation to the UT System executive vice chancellor of academic or medical affairs. Upon approval from the executive vice chancellor, the president will cause the appropriate notice of determination to issue to impacted faculty.
  1. Appellate Review of Decision to Terminate.
The president of an institution shall appoint a hearing committee comprised of faculty members to consider any appeals for reconsideration of termination decisions. Within 30 days from the date of notice of termination, a faculty member shall have the right to appeal to the hearing committee for reconsideration of the termination decision. The appeal for reconsideration shall be in writing and addressed to the president of the institution. A faculty member who appeals to the hearing committee (the appellant) shall be given a reasonably adequate written statement of the basis for the initial decision to reduce academic positions and, upon request of the person, shall be given any written data or information relied upon in arriving at such decision. The hearing committee shall conduct the hearing in accordance with the following conditions and procedures:
  1. The hearing committee shall set the date, time, and place for hearing the appeal for reconsideration. Such hearing shall be held within 30 days of the date of the written request unless the appellant waives such time requirement; however, such hearing shall be held within 90 days from the date of the request. 
  2. The hearing will be closed to the public unless requested to be open by the appellant. 
  3. The appellant may be represented by legal counsel at his or her expense.
  4. The appellant and the institution may offer any written evidence or oral testimony that is material to the issues.
  5. The burden shall be upon the appellant to show by a preponderance of the credible evidence that the decision to terminate the appellant as compared to another individual in the same discipline or teaching specialty was arbitrary and unreasonable based upon the evidence presented.
  6. No other issues shall be heard or considered by the hearing committee.
 
  1. Establishment of Date.
The president will determine the date for abandoning or phasing out an academic program and should take into consideration the time required for anticipated completion by students currently enrolled or for facilitation of their placement in an acceptable alternative program.
  1. Requests for Reassignment.
The administration will notify tenured faculty in the program to be abandoned and ask each faculty member to inform the president or designee, in writing, of the faculty member's request for reassignment to other academic program(s) and to provide details of their qualifications for appointment to such academic program(s).
  1. Employment Alternatives, Non-retention, and Displacement.
The president or designee will meet individually with tenured faculty who respond to discuss possible employment alternatives to termination. If the decision is not to retain, the president or designee will send a written response stating reasons for non-retention. If retention of a tenured faculty member results in displacement of a tenured faculty member in another program, the displaced faculty member is entitled to the above procedures.
  1. Benefit Information.
Any faculty member whose employment is terminated pursuant to this Subsection shall be informed of applicable benefits available upon termination, such as retirement, accrued leave, and opportunity to continue insurance coverage.
  1. Employment Assistance.
U.T. System institutions shall provide appropriate assistance to affected faculty members concerning available alternative employment opportunities.

 

  1. Abandonment or Reduction of Academic Positions or Programs Because of an Institutional Financial Exigency

 

  1. Committee Formation & Committee Recommendations.
When the president determines the existence of a financial exigency that requires the elimination of filled academic positions or programs, the president, or delegate, shall appoint a Review Committee composed of faculty and administrative personnel in accordance with Regents' Rule 31003, Section 3.1. At least one half of the total Review Committee membership shall be faculty members. A majority of the faculty members of the Review Committee shall be tenured.

The president, or delegate, will provide the review parameters including, but not limited to, identifying material considerations or data the review committee must consider and the timeline for the review completion. The review committee will provide recommendations to the president and provost regarding which academic positions and/or academic programs should be eliminated because of the financial exigency.
  1. Assessment of Academic Program.
The committee will review and assess the academic programs of the institution and identify those academic positions that may be eliminated with minimum effect upon the degree programs that should be continued and upon other critical components of the institution’s mission. The review will include, but not be limited to, as relevant:
  1. an examination of the course offerings, degree programs, supporting degree programs, teaching specialties, and semester credit hour production;
  2. an evaluation of the quality, centrality, and funding of research activities; and/or 
  3. an assessment of the productivity, community service, and quality of clinical services (in relation to teaching, health care delivery, and scholarly activity).
 
  1. Review Consideration.
Upon determining that one or more academic positions in a degree program or teaching specialty should be eliminated, the committee will recommend to the president and provost, in writing, the particular position or positions to be terminated after reviewing the academic, research, and clinical qualifications and talents of holders of all academic positions in those degree programs or clinical or academic teaching specialties, the needs of the program and the needs of the school or college they serve, past performance, and the potential for future contributions to the development of the institution. Tenure status of a faculty member shall not be a consideration in the determination of whether a particular position should be eliminated except as permitted in Section C(4) below.
  1. Tenure Preference.
If, in the opinion of the committee, two or more faculty members are equally qualified and capable of performing the same teaching, research, and/or clinical role, the faculty member or members having tenure shall be given preference over nontenured faculty. However, if such faculty members have the same tenure status and equal qualifications, consideration will be given to other documented needs of the institution.
  1. Recommendation.
Upon completion of its review, the committee shall promptly recommend in writing to the president and provost those persons who may be terminated, ranked in order of priority, with the reasons for their selection. The president shall, after consultation with institutional administrative officers as the president may deem appropriate, determine which academic positions are to be terminated because of the financial exigency and shall give the holders of these positions written notice of the decision.
  1. Notification of Vacancies.
Any person terminated due to financial exigency will be notified when a vacancy occurs in the same institution in their field of teaching within the next two academic years following the termination. If such person makes timely application and is qualified for the position to be filled, they shall be offered employment in that position. If the vacancy is in a field of teaching in which two or more persons have been terminated because of financial exigency, all will be notified of the vacancy and of those so notified and making timely application, employment will be offered to the person who is the better qualified for the position to be filled.
  1. Hearing Committee.
The president shall appoint a hearing committee comprised of faculty members to hear any appeals for reconsideration of termination decisions based upon financial exigency. Within 30 days from the date of the notice of termination, a faculty member shall have the right to appeal to the hearing committee for reconsideration of the termination decision. The appeal for reconsideration shall be in writing and addressed to the president. A faculty member who appeals to the hearing committee (the appellant) shall be given a reasonably adequate written statement of the basis for the initial decision to reduce academic positions and, upon request of the person, shall be given all written data or information relied upon in arriving at such decision.
  1. Appeal Procedures. 
The hearing committee shall set the date, time, and place for hearing the appeal for reconsideration. Such hearing shall be held within 30 days of the date of the written request unless the appellant waives such time requirement; however, such hearing shall be held within 90 days from the date of the request. The hearing committee shall conduct the hearing in accordance with the following conditions and procedures.
  1. The hearing will be closed to the public unless requested to be open by the appellant. 
  2. The appellant may be represented by legal counsel at his or her own expense. 
  3. The appellant and the institution may offer any written evidence or oral testimony that is material to the issues.
  4. The burden shall be upon the appellant to show by a preponderance of the credible evidence that:
  1. Financial exigency was not in fact the reason for the initial decision to reduce academic positions; or
  2. The decision to terminate the appellant as compared to another individual in the same discipline or teaching specialty was arbitrary and unreasonable based upon the evidence presented.
  1. No other issues shall be heard or considered by the hearing committee.
  2. The hearing committee shall make written findings of fact and recommendations to the president of the institution as soon as practical following the hearing. The president shall have the final decision to either accept or reject the recommendation of the hearing committee.

 

  1. Forms & Tools

None
 

  1. Frequently Asked Questions

None
 

  1. Related Information

Board of Regents' Rule 31003 - Abandonment of Academic Positions or Programs
 

  1. History

Modified: September 1, 2025 (Interim Policy)
     Next scheduled review date: August 2026

Modified: May 29, 2020
Modified: January 31, 2014
Modified: December 13, 2013


Previously HOP 3.16