Amendments to the Handbook.

Seattle Pacific University and the Faculty commit their good faith efforts to the process of achieving agreement on policy issues affecting the Faculty, including but not limited to the provisions of this Handbook.

The Board of Trustees retains the right, in the best interest of the University, and in its fiduciary capacity, to alter the provisions of this Handbook, except that any changes made to Section 7 regarding tenure, shall not apply to faculty who, at the time of the change, are tenured or who have a tenure-track contract, without their individual consent. While preserving the right to institute changes, the President and the Board of Trustees will whenever possible consult the elected representatives of the Faculty, and will consider amendments proposed by the Faculty through its elected representatives, before altering the Handbook. If the Faculty proposes amendments which are not accepted by the Board of Trustees at one of its next two regular meetings, the Faculty should be informed with reasons for the non-acceptance. As part of this mutual process, the President will meet with representatives of elected faculty leadership and the Deans to discuss and clarify proposed changes in the Handbook.

Within the limits of law and the charter of Seattle Pacific University, authority to interpret this Handbook is delegated to the President by the Board of Trustees who hold the final authority, and who agree to consider interpretations provided by the Faculty through its established structure before declaring final interpretation of provisions.