KCTCS Board of Regents Policies

Policy on Policies

1. Purpose

This policy establishes the principles and methods for creating KCTCS Board of Regents and administrative policies and procedures.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all policies and procedures approved by the Board of Regents, and for administrative policies and procedures approved by the KCTCS administration under the KCTCS President’s authority.

3. Policy

1. General
   Having been established and designated as such through Kentucky’s General Assembly, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board of Regents (Board) is the governing body for KCTCS and its sixteen (16) colleges.  As the governing body, the Board has various duties and responsibilities either explicitly stated in the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) or more broadly assigned through the general obligations of governance for a Higher Education Institution such as KCTCS. 

   To ensure that the Board functions appropriately and efficiently in carrying out its duties, the Board is authorized to set policies addressing its operations and governance. The Board also exercises a delegation of its authority to the KCTCS President to establish administrative policies and procedures for the management and administration of the System and its colleges.  The Board hereby directs that its policies and procedures as well as the KCTCS administrative policies and procedures shall adopt and use the following definitions and steps when enacting, rescinding, or modifying policies and procedures for KCTCS.

2. Definitions.
   The Board adopts the following definitions:
   1. Board Policies:  General authorizations and instructions determined by the Board of Regents and typically delegated to the administration for implementation.
   2. Administrative Policies: Authorizations and instructions determined by KCTCS administration to ensure the consistent and efficient operations in compliance with Board Policies and applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
   3. Procedures:  May be at the Board level or the Administrative level. Procedures contain operational details necessary to implement policy and other responsibilities of the various units and functions of the Board or the System and its colleges.
      
      
3. Principles.
   The Board pronounces and adheres to the following principles:
   1. Board Policies are broad statements supporting the purpose, principles and philosophy of the statutory goals and mission of KCTCS. Policies are intended to communicate systemwide governing principles and do not specify operational details, restate laws or regulations, or respond to particular issues.
   2. Board Policies help KCTCS comply with applicable laws and regulations, enhance the System’s mission, reduce institutional risk, or reflect the Board’s fiduciary responsibilities.
   3. Board Policies may delegate authority to the KCTCS President, who oversees the development of associated guidelines, administrative policies, and operating procedures.
   4. Board Policies will receive careful deliberation and will account for input from student, faculty, and staff constituencies and the General Counsel.

4. Policy and Procedure Review and Amendment

1. Amendments
   Substantive amendments to Board Policies must be considered in a public meeting of the Board and shall be acted upon through a motion to approve or to reject the changes thereto. Minor, ministerial, editorial, administrative, technical, or edits that are otherwise non-substantive may be accomplished without official Board action.  Such edits must be brought to the attention of the Board of Regents Secretary by the Office of General Counsel.  The Board Secretary shall gather such information necessary to appropriately inform the Chair and Vice Chair of the required changes.  The Board Chair or Vice Chair shall, upon the next regularly scheduled Board of Regents meeting, report upon any changes in this non-substantive category to the Executive Committee and thereafter to the full Board of Regents.  The non-substantive change shall not require a motion and vote of the full Board of Regents but shall remain final if no Regents raise an objection.    Upon objection, the Board shall discuss whether the change is non-substantive or substantive and shall thereafter take action appropriate to their decision.  No action, substantive or ministerial, shall be taken without review and approval of the Office of General Counsel. Any member of the Board may request amendment of Board of Regents’ Policies, but no amendment shall pass unless by a majority of votes cast by Regents present, excluding abstentions and recusals.
   
   
2. Review and Revision Schedule
   Every Board and other policy shall have a review and revision date that does not exceed a period longer than two years.  Upon the beginning of each fiscal year, the Office of General Counsel shall provide the officers of the Board of Regents with a list and schedule of review for all Board policies requiring review based on the two-year window.   Any changes in law or federal or state guidance that require a change of policy shall be considered non-substantive in nature and shall be completed as close to the effective date of the law as practicable.
   
   
3. Format
   All Board policies and administrative policies and their associated procedures, if any, shall use the templates, numbering system, and nomenclature appearing on the official template that is maintained with the Office of General Counsel.