Due to the threat of severe winter weather in the area and the University moving to remote operations, Executive Council’s regular, in-person monthly meeting for January was canceled. However, members considered and approved the following items via email:

-- AOP 12.22 Undergraduate Student Courseload. This policy now incorporates mini-terms and other shortened formats. A guidance document was developed to support students and advisors in determining credit hour allowances through multiple overlapping parts of term. Students can still request an override to these limits if they follow the procedure in the policy.

-- AOP 12.26 Credit for Prior Learning. This policy was revised to incorporate standardized examinations as part of the credit by examination offerings. In the process, other wording changes and adjustments were made. Two notable adjustments specified that the academically qualified faculty in the department (or equivalent) that offers the course will determine what credit for prior learning will be accepted, and the academically qualified faculty from the program of study will determine what credit for prior learning will fulfill degree requirements.

-- OP 80.02 Ethics in Research and Other Scholarly Activities. Modifications were made to this policy in compliance with the Department of Health and Human Services’ final rule (42 CRF Part 93) regarding research misconduct institutional policies.

-- OP 91.123 Animals on Campus. This revision adds rules for service animals in training, transfers approval of therapy animals to general counsel’s office, and consolidates all of the major provisions of OP 56.04 Animals on Campus into a single policy for non-research animals. Added requirement that all employees, including student workers and grad assistants, provide proof of vaccination for service animals as part of the accommodation request process with HRM. For non-employees, added clarification that units may require proof of vaccination as a condition of a service animal being permitted in restricted areas, which includes CVM buildings. OP 56.04 Animals on Campus was rescinded as it is no longer needed on its own.

-- OP 06.04 Public Records Request Procedures. This policy was approved with no changes or recommendations as part of its regular review cycle.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Executive Council is scheduled for Monday, February 23, at 1:30 p.m.