Memorandum of Understanding

Between

Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics

and

{Local department and Institution name}

Whereas:

The {local department name} of {institution's name} ({institutional acronym}) has agreed to participate in the Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics (TECP) as a Full Member in order to strengthen the undergraduate program in Physics at {institutional acronym}, and to enhance the cooperation of both faculty and students from {institutional acronym} in education and research,

Therefore:

{institution's name}, represented by {President's name}, President, and the Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics, represented by Dr. Daniel Marble, Chair of the TECP,

Agree:

• {institutional acronym} {department name} agrees to participate in the Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics as a Full Member, with all of the rights and responsibilities thereof. {institutional acronym} {department name} understands that these rights and responsibilities are outlined in the Bylaws governing the Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics, and agrees to meet the requirements contained therein. Similarly the TECP understands the rights associated with Full Membership, and agrees to fulfill its stated obligations to, and respect the independence of, {institutional acronym} {department name}.

• {institutional acronym} {department name} agrees to provide a minimum of one Physics faculty member to participate in the TECP, and to encourage all of the Physics faculty to participate in the TECP. If more than one {institutional acronym} Physics faculty member participates in the TECP, {institutional acronym} {department name} will appoint one of these faculty members as the local coordinator.

• The TECP agrees to provide relevant material it has collected to aid faculty evaluation by the {local department name}.

• The {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) agrees that, in the case of student complaints pertaining to TECP courses, the following "chain of command" shall apply: 1) Course instructor, with {institutional acronym} {department name} facilitating contact with a TECP instructor located outside of {institutional acronym}; 2) Local coordinator; 3) Chair of the TECP; 4) {institutional acronym} {department name} Department Chair; 5) {institutional acronym} Arts & Sciences Dean; and 6) {institutional acronym} Dean of Students.

• {institutional acronym} {department name} agrees to include TECP faculty in an advisory capacity during the interview process for any new Physics faculty, provided that the position announcement includes teaching and/or research responsibilities that interact with the TECP, and providing that such a TTVN based meeting can be arranged. The TECP chair agrees to provide the TECP local coordinator at {institutional acronym} with the views and opinions gathered from TECP faculty of the prospective candidate.

• Faculty members in the TECP and {institutional acronym} {department name} Physics program will vigorously pursue opportunities for collaborative research activities in areas of mutual interest to the two programs. Grant proposals submitted for external funding that include student positions for physics research will state that any qualified student in a TECP institution is eligible for such positions whenever such a statement is necessary.

• TECP and {institutional acronym} faculty and students will disseminate results of their collaboration through co-authored papers for publication and presentation to various audiences.

• The TECP and the {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) will cooperate in placing {institutional acronym} Physics students into summer internship positions, including opportunities known to other programs participating in the TECP.

• Academic advising will remain the responsibility of the {local department name} ({institutional acronym}). Whenever possible, faculty members participating in the TECP will be assigned as advisors to students pursuing a curriculum that includes more than two TECP courses.

• Scholarships and other student support shall remain vested within the {local department name} ({institutional acronym}). The {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) agrees to cooperate with the TECP to pursue establishment of TECP oriented scholarships at {institutional acronym}.

• The {institutional acronym} courses listed on Attachment A will be considered equivalent to the corresponding TECP courses listed on Attachment A.

• The TECP will provide the courses specified in Attachment A as TTVN/Internet courses to {institutional acronym} Physics students. Teaching contact credit, as well as receipt of tuition and fees generated by these courses will be governed by the ancillary agreement provided in Attachment B.

• The {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) agrees to list all TECP courses being offered in a particular semester as part of their departmental course offerings during that semester. The {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) also agrees to list all of the TECP courses as part of their departmental course catalog.

• The TECP agrees that the material developed by participating {institutional acronym} faculty for use in TECP courses is the intellectual property of the {institutional acronym} faculty and {institution's name}, subject to {institutional acronym} faculty intellectual property policy.

• The {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) agrees to use TECP student evaluation of instruction forms for TECP courses. The TECP agrees to share the results of these evaluations with the {institutional acronym} faculty member under evaluation as well as the Head of the {local department name} ({institutional acronym}).

• {institutional acronym} faculty participating in the TECP will attend monthly TECP meetings via TTVN, as well as one live meeting per semester. Expenditures for travel to the live meeting will be provided by the {local department name} ({institutional acronym}).

• To facilitate course planning by the TECP, the {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) will inform the TECP Chair of {institutional acronym}'s academic calendar and Physics course schedule for the following semester within a week of their finalization every semester. The TECP Chair shall make available to the {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) the comprehensive set of academic calendars and course schedules at other TECP member institutions within a week of their availability.

• The {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) agrees to provide the TECP with tracking information on Physics majors who participate in at least one TECP course. This information will include student status (active, withdrawn, graduated, etc.); date graduated, if applicable; current and permanent address, phone number and email address, provided that sharing of such information does not violate any privacy restrictions incumbent on {institutional acronym}. TECP agrees to share student information with the {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) for all students who participate in the TECP program.

• The {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) agrees to provide resources for student contact with TECP instructors and administrators. Such resources include, but are not limited to, long distance telephone, fax, email and TTVN connections.

• The {local department name} ({institutional acronym}) understands that student information, including private information such as social security numbers and grade histories, of those students that participate in TECP courses will be maintained by the TECP program and can be shared amongst TECP faculty and staff members of the TECP at all participating institutions, provided that such sharing does not violate any privacy restrictions incumbent on {institutional acronym}.

• {institutional acronym} {department name} understands that participation in the TECP is governed by the Bylaws of the Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics (see Attachment C) and agrees to abide by these Bylaws in its interactions with the TECP.

• This MOU is considered a living and dynamic agreement, subject to continuous modification and improvement for the mutual benefit of the two entities.

This agreement shall become effective upon the approval and execution by the President of {institution's name}, and by the Chair of the TECP, and will be renewable every five years upon mutual consent of both entities. This agreement may be amended by means of common written consent on the part of the signatories or their designated representatives.

In Affirmation:

Attachment A

Description of course equivalencies

between the

Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics

and the

{institution's name} {department name} Department

Attachment B

Agreement on

Teaching Contact Credit

and

Receipt of Generated Tuition and Fees

for Joint Courses Taught

between the

Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics

and

{institution's name} {department name}

Whereas:

The {local department name} of {institution's name} ({institutional acronym}) has agreed to participate as a Full Member in the Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics (TECP) in order to strengthen the undergraduate program in Physics at {institutional acronym}, and to enhance the cooperation of both faculty and students from {institutional acronym} in education and research,

Therefore:

{institution's name}, represented by {President's name}, President, and the Texas Electronic Coalition for Physics, represented by Dr. Daniel Marble, Chair of the TECP,

Agree:

• TECP courses that are received by {institutional acronym} will be offered at {institutional acronym} if at least one {institutional acronym} student is enrolled in the course. Enrollment at the receiving campus will be considered to be equivalent to enrollment at the broadcasting campus in terms of total student enrollment used to determine whether a class is considered official.

• A {institutional acronym} faculty member assigned to teach a TECP course for broadcast for the forthcoming semester in the published course schedule will teach the course even if no student is enrolled for that course at {institutional acronym} provided the course has a minimum of ten students enrolled at all of the TECP campuses. If there are less than a total of ten students enrolled at all of the TECP campuses, the {institutional acronym} chair will consult with the chair of the TECP prior to determining whether to continue to offer the course as an organized class.

• The instructor of record at the broadcasting institution will be given the appropriate teaching contact credit based on the combined TECP course enrollment at all participating campuses.

• Fees generated for the course at the receiving campus will remain at the receiving campus, to be used by the institution as if the course originated locally. Fees generated for the course at the broadcasting campus will remain at the broadcasting campus, to be used by the institution as if the course originated locally.

• The State supplied portion of the tuition ("Head Count portion") generated for the course at the receiving campus will be transferred to the broadcasting campus, to be used by the broadcasting institution as if the course originated locally. The Head Count portion generated for the course at the broadcasting campus will remain at the broadcasting campus, to be used by the institution as if the course originated locally.

• The TECP campus coordinator for {institutional acronym} will be responsible for notifying the admissions office of {institutional acronym} that a new student has entered the TECP program. They will also be responsible for ensuring that the Texas Common Application form information is disseminated to all participating institutions. The dissemination must be completed no later than the 10th class day in a long semester, or the 2nd class day in a summer session.

• {institutional acronym} agrees that new TECP students will be entered into the local registrar's database prior to the 12th class day in a long semester and the 4th class day in a summer session.

• {institutional acronym} agrees to waive any application fee for non-local TECP students.

This agreement shall become effective upon the approval and execution by the President of {institution's name}, and by the Chair of the TECP, and will be renewable every five years upon mutual consent of both entities. This agreement may be amended by means of common written consent on the part of the signatories or their designated representatives.

In Affirmation: