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UT System Administration Policy Library -- Policy INT161

Approval, Development, Delivery and Maintenance of Mandatory Online Training Courses for System Administration Employees

Responsible Officer: Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services
Sponsoring Office: Office of Employee Services
Effective Date: March 20, 2009
Last Reviewed: March 20, 2009
Next Scheduled Review: March 21, 2011
Errors or changes to: policyoffice@utsystem.edu

Policy Statement
Rationale
Scope
Website Address For This Policy
Related Policies, Requirements Or Standards
Contacts
Definitions
Responsibilities
Procedures

Forms Tools/Online Processes

Appendix

POLICY STATEMENT

The University of Texas System (UT System) Administration requires that its employees receive the training necessary to comply with the requirements of state and federal law and regulations, and with UT System policies. UT System Administration also requires: that any training developed for its employees meet its standards for quality and consistency; that training courses reflect current statutory, regulatory or policy requirements; that the necessity for each course designated as mandatory for all UT System Administration employees is regularly reviewed; and that the methods for delivery of training allow UT System Administration to track compliance with its training mandates. This policy establishes the standards for approving, developing, delivering and maintaining all mandatory online training for UT System Administration employees. This policy applies only to online training courses that are mandatory for all UT System Administration employees. This policy does not apply to courses that are mandatory only for subgroups or selected groups of UT System Administration employees, or to courses available to UT System Administration employees on an elective or voluntary basis.

RATIONALE

A comprehensive and uniform process for approving, developing, delivering, and maintaining mandatory online training for UT System Administration employees will enable UT System Administration to provide training courses that meet its standards for quality; encourage efficient course development; eliminate overlapping, inconsistent and unnecessary courses; prompt regular review of all mandatory courses; and ensure that mandated courses reflect current legal, regulatory and policy standards. A comprehensive and uniform process will also enhance compliance with UT System Administration training mandates, and allow UT System Administration to certify that compliance.

This policy is intended to provide each UT System Administration office with the flexibility and discretion to develop mandatory online training efficiently, and to increase the opportunity to achieve training objectives, while establishing accountability for course approval, development, delivery and maintenance.

SCOPE

All Offices of UT System Administration

WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY

http://www.utsystem.edu/policy/policies/int161.html

RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS

UT System Administration Policies & Standards

Other Statutes, Policies & Standards

The University of Texas System Charter of the Employee Training Committee

CONTACTS

If you have any questions about UT System Administration Policy INT 161, Approval, Development, Delivery and Maintenance of Mandatory Online Training Courses for System Administration Employees, contact the following office(s):

Subject	Office Name	Telephone Number	Email/URL
Human Resources/ Employee Benefits	Office of Employee Services	512-499-4587	esc@utsystem.edu

DEFINITIONS

Associate Vice Chancellor For Employee Benefits And Services
The UT System Administration Executive Officer responsible for review and approval or disapproval of the recommendations of the Employee Training Committee.

Course, Courses
As used in this Policy, any reference to “course” or to “courses” means mandatory online training courses as defined in this policy

Course Management Plan
A blueprint created by the Sponsoring Office and the Course Management Team for developing or for substantially revising a mandatory online training course. The Course Management Plan must include:

A statement of background, including the following elements: a brief description of the statutory, regulatory, or policy requirements, or the practical or operational considerations that have created the need for a new course, or for Substantial Revisions to an existing course; and a brief description of the purposes, goals, and learning objectives of the course;
A statement of course content, course assessment procedures and employee completion requirements, including: a brief, sequential outline of the course’s substantive content; the estimated duration of the course (how long it will take participants to complete the course); a brief description of course assessment procedures for measuring satisfaction of the stated course learning objectives; a brief description of course assessment procedures for participant evaluation of the course; a brief description of employee completion and review requirements (whether an employee must only complete the course once, or, if more than once, the intervals upon which employees must repeat the course).
A schedule for course development, including a chronological listing of the key action steps involved in course development, and the target dates for each;
A budget for course development, including an itemized estimate of course development costs, with estimated dollar amounts for each category of cost and an estimated total cost for course development. Please include an estimated budget for course delivery, including an itemized estimate of course delivery costs, with estimated dollar amounts for each category of cost and an estimated total cost for course delivery.

Course Management Team
The working group of individuals designated by the Sponsoring Office to develop or revise a mandatory online training course. Typically, the Course Management Team will be composed of a representative of the Sponsoring Office, together with representatives of any other System Administration offices involved in implementation or enforcement of the statutes, regulations or policies on which the training is based, and representatives of UT TeleCampus.

Course Review Process
The set of steps through which a Sponsoring Office periodically ensures that its courses meet all statutory, regulatory, or policy requirements and that the courses also address any relevant practical or operational considerations with UT System Administration.

Effective Date
The date on which the OGC certifies approval of course content for legal sufficiency for a given mandatory online course.

Employee Training Committee (ETC)
The working group established at the direction of the Chancellor to provide ongoing oversight to mandatory online training course for UT System Administration employees.

Last Reviewed
The month, day and year on which the Sponsoring Office most recently reviewed a given mandatory online training course.

Mandatory Online Training Courses (Course, Courses)
A brief class or program of study, delivered via the Internet, which all UT System Administration employees are required to complete, and which is designed to communicate statutory, regulatory or policy standards, behaviors or other requirements with which all UT System Administration employees must comply.

Next Scheduled Review
The month, day and year upon which a mandatory online course should again be reviewed by the Sponsoring Office to determine if changes or revisions to the course are necessary. The Next Scheduled Review date must be the first of following three dates:

Within six months of the conclusion of the next regular session of the Texas legislature;
Within 30 months of the course Effective Date;
Within 30 months of the Last Reviewed date.

Office of Employee Services (OES)
The Office of Employee Services of the University of Texas System

Office of General Counsel (OGC)
The Office of General Counsel of the University of Texas System

Policy, this Policy
As used in this Policy, any reference to “policy,” or to “this Policy” means this Policy on Approval, Development, Delivery and Maintenance of mandatory online training courses for System Administration employees.

Sponsoring Office
The office or department within UT System Administration responsible for implementing, or when appropriate, enforcing, the standards, requirements or behaviors defined or described in a given mandatory online course. The Sponsoring Office must comply with this Policy in order to establish a new mandatory online course, or to recommend revision, modification or deletion of an existing course. The Sponsoring Office advocates for any new course, for any course revisions it proposes, or for the deletion of any of its courses it deems no longer necessary. The Sponsoring Office is responsible for reviewing its courses on a regular basis, and for revising them as necessary to ensure that those courses reflect current statutory, regulatory and policy requirements, or for recommending the elimination of courses that it deems no longer necessary.
Any UT System Administration Office or any UT System Institution may confer with the
Sponsoring Office to request a new course, or substantial revisions to an existing course.

Responsible Officer (RO)
The UT System Administration Executive Officer who provides oversight of a UT System Administration Office, or the person designated by an Executive Officer. The RO of an affected UT System Administration Office must take appropriate action to ensure that those UT System Administration employees whom he or she supervises, and who are required to complete the training, do so in keeping with the training schedule established by the Sponsoring Office.

Substantial Revision(s)
The standard for determining whether requested changes to an existing course trigger application of the Course Management Process. “Substantial revisions to an existing course” means changes in the scope or application of the standards set out in the course in question, or changes to the substantive standards, requirements or behaviors with which participants must comply, that have a significant impact on the activities, responsibilities, behaviors, procedures or expectations for all UT System Administration employees as set out in the course.

Changes that broaden or narrow the scope or application of an existing course, or that alter its substantive terms, may constitute a substantial revision if those changes otherwise satisfy standard set out above.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services

Reviews and approves or declines all Course Management Plans for proposed mandatory online training courses, and for proposals to Substantially Revise existing courses, or refers them to the Sponsoring Office for further action
Reviews and approves or declines the budgets for proposed revisions of courses that do not rise to the level of Substantial Revisions
Reviews and approves or declines all requests to delete an existing course
Confers with the appropriate Responsible Officer if a Sponsoring Office has not met its responsibilities for reviewing and maintaining a given course
Confers with the appropriate Responsible Officers, as necessary, to ensure compliance with this policy, including satisfactory course completion by System Administration employees
Reviews the annual report of the ETC for appropriate action

Course Management Team

Creates the Course Management Plan
Executes the Course Management Plan

Employee Training Committee (ETC)

Reviews mandatory online courses required for all System Administration employees, and makes recommendations to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Benefits and Services
Reviews New Course Proposals submitted for all mandatory online training courses, and makes recommendations to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Benefits and Services
Reviews Course Management Plans for all proposed new courses, and for all proposals to Substantially Revise existing mandatory online training courses
Reviews the budget for revisions to any mandatory online training course that do not rise to the level of Substantial Revisions, and makes recommendations to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Benefits and Services
Reviews all proposals to delete a mandatory online training courses, and makes recommendations to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Benefits and Services
Reports to the appropriate Responsible Officer and to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Benefits and Services if a Sponsoring Office has not met its responsibilities for reviewing and maintaining a given mandatory online training course
Provides the Associate Vice Chancellor for Benefits and Services with an annual report summarizing mandatory online training Courses offered during the period covered by the report, and detailing any changes or enhancements made to mandatory online training during that period

Office of Employee Services (OES)

Maintains and, when appropriate, enforces this policy
Maintains and manages the software program used to deliver mandatory online training to System Administration employees, and to track course scheduling, completion and evaluation
Delivers the course to System Administration employees
Tracks course completion
Collects participant evaluation data
Reports to the Responsible Officers of each System Administration office regarding course completion
Reports to the Sponsoring Office participant evaluation

Office of General Counsel (OGC)

Reviews all new courses and all Substantially Revised courses for legal sufficiency
Certifies legal sufficiency of all new courses and all Substantially Revised courses via memorandum
Confers with the Sponsoring Office on an as-needed basis to assist the Sponsoring Office in determining if statutory, regulatory, or policy requirements or practical or operational considerations require one or more reviews in advance of the Minimum Review Requirements set out in this policy
Confers with the Sponsoring Office on an as-needed basis during the Course Review Process, to assist the Sponsoring Office in determining whether statutory, regulatory, or policy requirements or practical or operational considerations require changes or revisions to course content

Responsible Officer

Ensures that the UT System Administration employees whom he or she supervises, and who are required to complete the training, do so in keeping with the training schedule established by the Sponsoring Office
Ensures that the office that he or she supervises meets its Course Review and Maintenance responsibilities for its courses within sixty days of the Next Scheduled Review Date for each course

Sponsoring Office

Identifies the need for a new course, and completes the New Course Proposal and the Course Management Plan
Advocates for approval of its new courses, and for approval of revisions, including Substantial Revisions, to its existing courses, or for deletion of courses it deems no longer necessary
Participates, with the Course Management Team, in the creation of the Course Management Plan for all new courses, and for Substantial Revisions to existing courses
Participates in the execution of the Course Management Plan, once that plan has been approved by the Chancellor
Submits the course, once completed, to OGC for review for legal sufficiency
Announces the implementation of the new course , once the course has been approved for legal sufficiency by OGC
Reports regarding course completion to the appropriate Responsible Officers
Reviews and maintains its courses via the Course Review Process

UT TeleCampus (TeleCampus, UTTC)

Participates as a team member in the course development process
Provides an editable course template, as well as expertise in instructional design, implementation and project management to the Course Management Team
Designs and develops each new or substantially re-designed course to the Sponsoring Office, based on the schedule developed by the Employee Training Committee and TeleCampus

PROCEDURES

Developing a New Mandatory Online Course and Substantially Revising an Existing Mandatory Online Course via the Course Management Approval Process

A Sponsoring Office wishing to propose and develop a new mandatory online training course must complete steps 1-11, below. A Sponsoring Office wishing to make Substantial Revisions to an existing mandatory online course must complete steps 4-11, below.

Step 1: The Sponsoring Office identifies the need for a new course.

Step 2: The Sponsoring Office completes the New Course Proposal, submits it to the Employee Training Committee (ETC) and advocates for course approval.

Step 3: The ETC reviews the New Course Proposal. The ETC may approve the proposal, decline approval, or refer it to the Sponsoring Office for further action.

Step 4: Once the New Course Proposal is approved, or once a Sponsoring Office determines that a course must be substantially revised, the Sponsoring Office and the Course Management Team create a Course Management Plan for the proposed course.

Step 5: The Sponsoring Office submits the Course Management plan to the ETC.

Step 6: The ETC reviews the Course Management plan, using the Evaluation Standards for System Administration Mandatory Online Training (see Forms and Tools/Online Processes, below), and makes a recommendation to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services regarding the proposed course. The ETC may recommend approval, disapproval or that the Course Management plan be referred to the Sponsoring Office for further action.

Step 7: The Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services reviews the ETC’s recommendations, and approves the course for development, declines approval, or refers the request to the ETC for further action.

Step 8: Once the course is approved for development, the Course Management Team executes the Course Management Plan and develops the course.

Step 9: Once the Sponsoring Office and the Course Management Team have developed the course, or completed Substantial Revisions to an existing course, the Sponsoring Office submits the course to the Office of General Counsel (OGC) for review and approval. OGC reviews and approves the course content for legal sufficiency. OGC certifies the approval via memorandum. The date on which the OGC certifies approval of the course is the Effective Date of the course.

Step 10: Once OGC has submitted its memorandum of approval, the Sponsoring Office briefs the Executive Officer Group (EOG).

Step 11: Once the Sponsoring Office has completed the briefing of the Executive Officer Group (EOG), the Sponsoring Office announces the course. The Office of Employee Services delivers the course to System Administration employees.

Step 12: The Office of Employee Services tracks course completion by UT System Administration employees, and collects course evaluation data based on participant evaluation of the course. OES reports regarding course completion to the Responsible Officer for each UT System Administration office, and reports to the Sponsoring Office regarding participant evaluation of the course. The Responsible Officer for each UT System Administration office must take appropriate action to ensure that those UT System Administration employees whom he or she supervises, and who are required to complete the training, do so in keeping with the training schedule established by the Sponsoring Office. The Sponsoring Office maintains the data collected by OES from participant evaluation of the course, and uses those data in conducting regular reviews of its mandatory online courses, as described in the following section of this policy, Reviewing and Revising Mandatory Online Courses. The Sponsoring Office will provide the ETC with regular, summary reports regarding participation evaluation data.

Reviewing and Maintaining Mandatory Online Courses via the Course Review Process:
Each UT System Administration office is responsible for reviewing and maintaining the courses it sponsors.

1. Reviewing Courses:
Frequency of Course Reviews: at a minimum, each Sponsoring Office must review each of its mandatory online courses within six months of the conclusion of each regular session of the Texas legislature, or within 30 months of the course Effective Date, or within 30 months of the Last Reviewed date, whichever occurs first.

In addition, it is the responsibility of the Sponsoring Office, in consultation with the Office of General Counsel (OGC) to determine if statutory, regulatory, or policy requirements or practical or operational considerations require one or more reviews in advance of the Minimum Review Requirements set out above.

Purposes of Course Reviews: In reviewing its mandatory online courses, the Sponsoring Office must determine: whether statutory, regulatory, or policy requirements or practical or operational considerations require changes or revisions to course content; whether, based on the available data, the course is effective in helping participants to achieve the stated learning objectives; and whether, based on participant feedback collected routinely through the process for course delivery, any other improvements or modifications to the course are desirable.

2. Maintaining and Deleting Courses:
Based upon its review of a given course, within sixty days of completion of the review, the Sponsoring Office must determine if the mandatory online training course in question requires revisions and:

Maintaining a Course in its Existing Form:
If the course requires no revision, the Sponsoring Office must notify the ETC that the course remains in effect, and provide the ETC with a new Next Scheduled Review Date.

Making Non-Substantial Revisions to a Course:
If a course requires only changes that do not rise to the level of Substantial Revision, the Sponsoring Office and the Course Management Team will create a budget and timeline for course revisions and submit the budget to the ETC. The ETC will review the budget, and submit a recommendation for approval or disapproval to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services. Once the Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services approves the budget, the Sponsoring Office and the Course Management Team will make the proposed revisions based on the agreed upon timeline, and the Sponsoring Office will provide the ETC with a new Next Scheduled Review Date.

Making Substantial Revisions to a Course:
If the course requires Substantial Revision, the Sponsoring Office must complete Steps 4-11 of the Course Management Approval Process, as set out above.

Deleting a Course:
If the Sponsoring Office determines that an existing mandatory online course should no longer be required, it must notify the ETC, and provide a brief description of the statutory, regulatory or policy changes, or the changes in operational or practical considerations, that have rendered the course unnecessary. The ETC will review the Sponsoring Office’s description, and recommend to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services that the course no longer be required for System Administration employees. Once the Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services has approved the recommendation, the Course Management Team will delete the course from the schedule of mandatory online training courses, and stop delivering it.

Compliance with Course Review and Maintenance Requirements:
The ETC will notify the Responsible Officer and the Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services if the Sponsoring Office has not met its Course Review and Maintenance responsibilities for a given mandatory online training course within sixty days of the Next Scheduled Review Date.

Reporting Requirements for Mandatory Online Training:
The ETC will provide the Associate Vice Chancellor for Employee Benefits and Services with an annual report summarizing mandatory online training courses offered during the period covered by the report, and detailing any changes or enhancements made to mandatory online training during that period.