The Council on Educational Policy and Issues is concerned with all matters that influence the quality of education at the University. It deals primarily with issues, policies, and procedures that affect academic quality and environment on a University-wide basis. More information on the CEPI charge can be found here.
Responsibilities of CEPI include:
1. Review existing and proposed academic policies and recommend to the Faculty Senate and Provost modifications that will improve academic quality and environment.
2. Initiate and recommend to the Faculty Senate and Provost new policies that address academic and educational quality and environment.
CEPI is currently Co-chaired by Michelle Canale, Assistant Professor and Director of the College of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice Program - Nurse Anesthesiology Major, and Kristin Buck, Associate Professor in the College of Marine Sciences.
The Council began meeting via videoconferencing platform in Spring 2020, and has continued to do so as has been the majority will of the members.
2020-2021 Recap
During the 2020-2021 academic year, CEPI addressed University policies impacting transgender
students as led by Christiane Rinck and Michael Denton, in coordination with CISOGI,
Office of Multicultural Affairs, and Student Government. These included challenges
with name changes on student IDs and in Canvas, as well as signatures on ID cards
for voting purposes, as well as customization of pronouns in University software systems.
The CEPI also began work on the Ethical Use of Academic Analytics Data at USF, to
include raising faculty awareness of this platform, reviewing training requirements,
and identifying a process of reporting misuse. The University syllabus template was
reviewed, and version control was discussed. The CEPI reviewed the USF Faculty Senate
Resolution on Racial Justice and considered how CEPI might be involved with future
application of the resolutions charge into the University curriculum. Proposed changes
at the State level, including a new law that required that students be permitted to
record class lectures, were reviewed by CEPI. Finally, our year culminated with the
review and recommendation to include a Title IX statement in the syllabus template
which would serve to raise awareness about responsible employees on campus.
2021-2022 Agenda
Due to many competing issues occurring during the 2020-2021 academic year, the CEPI’s
work on University policies impacting transgender students and the ethical use of
Academic Analytics continues during the 2021-2022 academic year. The ODS is hosting
faculty workshops on Academic Analytics to take place on December 10, 2021. We hope
that many faculty will attend! We are also looking forward to hearing about new updates
within Academic Analytics, which will be presented by Terri Chisolm of ODS at our
February Faculty Senate meeting. Most recently, CEPI discussed a recent presentation
by the Provost on the US and Florida Constitutions, SUS Statement on Freedom of Expression,
USF Policy 10-0.50 Academic Freedom and Responsibility, and USF UFF CBA Article 5
– Protection of Academic Freedom and Free Speech. The Provost encourage the USF Community
not to look to a current President or Provost to make a statement about these issues,
but rather to look to the governing documents which provide enduring beacon that may
outlive that of any sitting University leader.
If you have any concerns related to educational policies or issues affecting education in our USF community, please reach out to us.