Systemwide Review of Proposed Reviews for APM 015 & 016 | Faculty Conduct & Disciplinary Sanctions

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September 4, 2025

ACADEMIC SENATE
DEANS
DEPARTMENT AND PROGRAM CHAIRS
POLICY-COVERED ACADEMIC APPOINTEES
SENATE FACULTY

Re: Systemwide Review of Proposed Revisions to Academic Personnel Manual (APM) Section 015 – The Faculty Code of Conduct, APM Section 016 – University Policy on Faculty Conduct and the Administration of Discipline, and Systemwide Guidelines for Disciplinary Sanctions and Good Cause Factors re Extensions of Time

Dear Colleagues:

The University invites comments on proposed revisions to the Academic Personnel Manual (APM) as follows:

• APM – 015, The Faculty Code of Conduct
• APM – 016, University Policy on Faculty Conduct and the Administration of Discipline

In addition, the following systemwide guidelines are subject to systemwide review:

• Faculty Respondent Disciplinary Sanction Guidelines for Misconduct Related to Expressive Activity
• Companion Document – Faculty Disciplinary Sanctions Guidelines re Expressive Activity
• Non-Senate Academic Appointee Respondent Corrective Action/Disciplinary Sanction Guidelines for Misconduct Related to Expressive Activity
• Guidelines on Good Cause Factors re Extensions of Time

The proposed policy revisions and guidance documents respond to a request from The Regents to reduce the time that it takes to resolve faculty discipline cases, promoting consistent application of discipline across the system, and remaining fundamentally grounded in joint governance.

Summary of Proposed Key Policy Revisions for Systemwide Review

The proposed policy revisions include the following changes:

• Timelines for Faculty Disciplinary Process: The proposed revisions implement timelines for completion of the initial assessment of allegations of misconduct, the completion of the investigation and submission of the investigation report, the filing of disciplinary charges, and the appointment of a hearing panel.

• Systemwide Network Privilege and Tenure (P&T) Committee: The Systemwide Network P&T Committee will be comprised of members from the campus P&T committees who are available to hear cases if a campus P&T hearing panel is unable to be appointed within 14 calendar days of the administration filing disciplinary charges.
• Single-Investigation Model: Each campus shall develop procedures for a single formal investigation.

Systemwide Calibration Guidelines on Expressive Activities and Guidelines on Good Cause Factors for Extensions of Time

The following guidance documents are also being distributed for systemwide review:

• Faculty Respondent Disciplinary Sanction Guidelines for Misconduct Related to Expressive Activity: These guidelines provide advisory committees and decision makers with benchmarks for recommending and approving disciplinary sanctions based on several factors.
• Companion Document – Faculty Disciplinary Sanctions Guidelines re Expressive Activity: This document provides additional context and guidance, relevant language from the Faculty Code of Conduct (APM – 015) and other policies, links to the campus Time, Place, and Manner (TPM) policies, and describes the interplay of the policies and extramural speech.
• Non-Senate Academic Appointee Respondent Corrective Action/Disciplinary Sanction Guidelines for Misconduct Related to Expressive Activity: This document is intended to provide advisory committees and decision makers with benchmarks for recommending and approving disciplinary sanctions for non-Senate academic appointees, based on several factors.

Guidelines on Good Cause Factors re Extensions of Time: This document provides a framework for good cause assessment to determine if a good cause extension is warranted.

The proposed revisions to these sections of the APM and related guidance documents are posted to the Systemwide Academic Personnel website under the “Systemwide Review” tab. You can also find a link to this message and the UCOP policy page on the APO website at https://academicpersonnel.ucsc.edu/policies-and-guidance/#policy-under-review.

Please facilitate this formal review and comment process by reviewing the proposed revisions and submitting any comments to the Academic Personnel Office at apo@ucsc.edu, no later than Friday, November 7, 2025.

Sincerely,

Grace McClintock
Assistant Vice Provost
Academic Personnel

cc:      

CP/EVC Koch
Chancellor Larive
VPAA Ravelo
Academic Senate Office
Administrative Records
Department and Program Managers
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