Educational, Research and Service Sites

REGULATIONS OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

7.061 Educational, Research and Service Sites.

(1)     Approval of the Board of Trustees and President, or his or her designee, is required before the establishment, reclassification, relocation, and closure of certain educational, research and service programs on sites apart from the main campus that are owned or leased by the University or used by the University jointly with another public entity, including certain sites located abroad or in other states. Such approval is also required for the acquisition of real property (whether by lease or title) comprising any such site.

(2)      The following definitions apply:

(a)     “Main campus” means the primary site of the University’s educational, research, and administrative activities in Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida.

(b)     “Additional campus,” of which there are three types, means a site apart from the main campus, which is University-owned, University-leased, or jointly used by the University with another public institution, and is used by an instructional and administrative unit of the University primarily to conduct upper-division undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as for the conduct of a wide range of administrative and student support services appropriate for the number of full-time equivalent (“FTE”) students served. An additional campus includes any such site with separate regional accreditation that meets or exceeds the thresholds listed below. An additional campus is a site of instructional activities having a relatively permanent commitment by the University for the foreseeable future, not an occasional, time-limited, or transitory activity.

(c)     The three types of additional campuses, and their thresholds are:

1. Type I campus is an additional campus where there has been obtained and there continues to be maintained enrollment of more than 2,000 FTE University students in courses which lead to a college degree. A type I campus typically provides a broad range of instruction for numerous full and partial degree programs, research activity, and an extensive complement of student services. A type I campus requires Board of Trustees approval under this regulation and Board of Governors (“BOG”) approval under BOG regulation 8.009.

2. Type II campus is an additional campus where there has been obtained and there continues to be maintained enrollment of 1,000 to 2,000 FTE University students in courses which lead to a college degree. A type II campus typically provides a moderate range of instruction for full and partial degree programs, limited research activity, and a moderate complement of student services. A type II campus requires Board of Trustees approval under this regulation and BOG approval under BOG regulation 8.009.

3. Type III campus is an additional campus where there has been obtained and there continues to be maintained enrollment of at least 300 but less than 1,000 FTE University students (or such lower threshold of FTE students as the BOG may, within its discretion, establish for its approval in a particular case, involving an operation and site that satisfy all other criteria of a type III campus). A type III campus typically provides a limited range of instruction for full and partial degree programs, limited research activity, and a limited complement of student services. A type III campus requires Board of Trustees approval under this regulation and Board of Governors (“BOG”) approval under BOG regulation 8.009.

(c)     Special purpose center means a site apart from the main campus, which is University-owned, University-leased, or jointly used by the University with another public institution, and is used by the University to provide certain special, clearly defined programs or services, such as research or public service programs or, if at a University-owned site apart from the main campus, non-degree credit instruction. (A site apart from the main campus, leased by the University, used jointly with another public entity by the University, or otherwise not owned by the University, to conduct non-degree credit instruction, is a special purpose site.) A special purpose center is the site of programs having a relatively permanent commitment by the University for the foreseeable future, not an occasional, time-limited, or transitory activity. Cooperative extension sites are not special purpose centers. Special purpose centers do not provide instructional programs or courses leading to a college degree. Special purpose centers require approval by the Board of Trustees under this regulation and BOG approval under BOG regulation 8.009.

(d)     Instructional site means a site apart from the main campus, which is not owned by the University and is used temporarily by an instructional unit of the University to provide a limited range of instructional programs or courses leading to a college degree. Instructional sites require approval by the President under this regulation.

(e)     Special purpose site means a site apart from the main campus, which is not owned by the University and is used by a unit of the University to provide services of an educational or community outreach nature, other than instruction leading to a college degree. Special purpose sites do not provide instructional programs or courses leading to a college degree. Instructional sites require approval by the President under this regulation.

(3)     The following approval processes for establishing, reclassifying, relocating, and closing additional campuses, special purpose centers, instructional sites, or special purpose sites shall apply:

(a)     Additional campuses and special purpose centers.

1. As an initial part of a process that may lead to the acquisition, establishment, reclassification, relocation, or closing of additional campuses or special purpose centers, the President or designee shall consult with the BOG Chancellor or designee to inform system-wide strategic planning.

2. Establishing, reclassifying, relocating, or closing an additional campus or special purpose center, including acquiring the real property (whether for lease or ownership or joint use with another public institution), shall be approved by the Board of Trustees and, subsequently, the BOG. No capital outlay funds shall be requested of the Legislature or expended, except for planning, prior to such approvals being obtained.

3. Proposals for establishing, relocating, and reclassifying additional campuses and special purpose centers shall be submitted to the Board of Trustees and, subsequently, to the BOG as required by BOG regulation 8.009, addressing accountability, a needs assessment, the academic programs, administration, budget and facilities, student services, and monitoring of implementation.

4. In addition to addressing the elements specified in subparagraph 3 above, proposals for establishing international campuses and special purpose centers shall address:

a. The relationship of the international program to the institution’s mission and strategic plan;

b. Any known legal requirements of the host country that must be met to establish and operate an additional campus or special purpose center in that country and the legal jurisdiction that will be applicable to the University’s operations;

c. A risk assessment of the University’s responsibility for the safety of students, faculty, and staff; and

d. How the University will exercise control over the academic program, faculty, and staff, if the programs are not operated exclusively by the University.

5.  Proposals for closing additional campuses and special purpose centers shall be submitted to the Board of Trustees and, subsequently, to the BOG, using the format(s) developed by the BOG Office. The proposal shall include a request for the BOG to initiate a dialogue with the University and legislative leadership regarding the appropriateness of seeking statutory changes, if the additional campus or special purpose center has been established pursuant to law.

(b)    Instructional sites and special purpose sites.

1. The President is authorized to establish and close instructional and special purpose sites consistent with this regulation.

2. If an instructional or special purpose site scheduled for closing has been funded by the Legislature or established pursuant to law, the University shall provide documentation to the BOG justifying the closure, and shall initiate a dialogue with legislative leadership regarding the closure.

(c)     Closing any site covered by this regulation is defined by cessation of the defining programs; disposition of the real estate may or may not be involved.

(4)     The University shall receive approval from its Board of Trustees and the BOG prior to seeking separate accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for an additional campus.

(5)     The University shall annually monitor enrollment at its additional campuses. If enrollments fall below the minimum threshold designated for the additional campus, as defined in paragraph (2)(b) above for three consecutive years, the University shall develop and implement a plan for increasing enrollment, reclassifying the site, or closing the site. An exception shall be made for a type III campus that was approved by the BOG for establishment at an enrollment level below the minimum designated in paragraph (2)(b) above. In that case, if enrollments fall below the BOG-approved minimum for that site for three consecutive years, the University shall develop and implement a plan for increasing enrollment, reclassifying the site, or closing the site.

(6)     A letter of intent and consultation with the BOG is required under BOG regulation 8.004 if the University desires to offer academic credit degree or certificate programs, or substantial parts of a program, at locales apart from the University’s main campus or from any additional University campuses, if the University maintains a continuous physical presence at the locale beyond the length of a single course and the activities conducted at the locale are covered by that BOG regulation.

(7)     Undergraduate, lower level (1000 and 2000 level) courses may be offered only on the main campus except in accordance with BOG regulation 8.009(2).

Authority: BOG Regulations 1.001; 8.004; 8.009.

History: New 3-18-16.