Domestic Academic Partnership Agreement Process and Timelines

Obtain all necessary preliminary administrative and planning approvals for all programs created through the proposed academic partnership agreement, especially if the agreement creates a new academic program. These approvals are obtained through a combination of school-level, CLU-level, and universitywide processes. Contact the appropriate dean(s) and the Chancellor’s office(s) to learn about these processes and to obtain documentation demonstrating that the proposed academic partnership agreement and associated programs have been formally approved. Do not collect official signatures from partners, deans, or Chancellors on the draft academic partnership agreement while obtaining these initial administrative and planning approvals. Program approvals are the foundation for the academic partnership agreement review process, not a replacement for it.

Note: If the agreement creates an academic program that has not been previously approved, carefully review Academic Program and Organizational Approvals for information on the process before continuing. Academic programs include degrees and stand-alone certificates.

Develop a plan to create and finalize an academic partnership agreement. Contact the Office of Academic Assessment and Accreditation (OAAA) to determine if there is an existing relationship with a potential partner or if a new agreement is needed, and to determine whether an appropriate agreement template exists. You may also discuss whether approval by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) for written arrangement or location-related substantive change requests is necessary. OAAA can share available templates if you do not have a draft academic partnership agreement.

Collaborate with stakeholders to draft the agreement and secure necessary approvals via

email or in writing, but do not sign the draft agreement at this point in the process. As described in Step 1, the originating department or program should follow the guidelines for their local approval processes (i.e., faculty, deans, provost, school, CLU) when creating an academic partnership agreement. However, agreements may require additional specialized administrative approvals from universitywide offices and the inclusion of specific terms and provisions in the draft agreement.

Agreements that include insurance, indemnification, and/or any limitations of liability require review by the University’s Office of Risk Management. Email Heather Finer, Manager of Contracts and Claims, at heathleo@finance.rutgers.edu to discuss. If you are unsure whether risk management review or related provisions are required, please contact Risk Management to confirm whether any potential agreement adjustments are necessary.

If you are proposing an academic partnership agreement related to a sponsored program, contact the Office for Research to coordinate the process with required submissions in RAPSS. OAAA does not manage financial aspects of agreements or specialized reviews required by sponsors.

Send the draft academic partnership agreement to OAAA or alert another office handling the agreement to share the draft with OAAA. If an external agreement partner has initiated the written agreement, send the partner’s document to OAAA in lieu of a completed draft agreement. The OAAA team will review the draft and offer suggestions for complying with various university academic affairs policies, including MSCHE accreditation expectations, before sharing the draft with the Office of General Counsel (OGC) for additional review and guidance. Following review, OAAA will return the draft with suggested edits.

Note: Do not collect signatures on the draft at this point, regardless of the initiating party. Signing an academic partnership agreement before OAAA completes its review may lead to substantial delays and wasted effort if revisions invalidate previously collected signatures.

Review the suggested edits and revise the applicable agreement together with your partnering institution or organization. A collaborative approach to revisions reduces the risk of further delays when executing the academic partnership agreement. Depending upon the complexity of the agreement, several revisions of the agreement may be necessary before all requirements are met and the agreement is ready for signature.

Once all parties have finalized a draft agreement, the originating department or program is responsible for collecting all required signatures except that of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (EVPAA) before sending the signed agreement to OAAA for final signature by the EVPAA. Once the agreement is signed by all Rutgers parties and accepted by the partner, the agreement is finalized.