Curricular Changes Process

Purpose:

This procedure describes the approval process to be used to accomplish all curricular changes at Winona State University (WSU). This procedure allows all stakeholders to review and comment on proposals, providing multiple opportunities for open and transparent discussions about their implications for other constituencies.

Procedure:

A. Overview and Summary of the Process for Accomplishing Curricular Change

All proposals for curricular change recommended by the Faculty Association (FA) require the approval of the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) before being implemented in the Registrar’s office.

1. A proposal originator completes a form in the curriculum management system (Curriculog).

2. The department approves the proposal and the chair forwards it to the academic college dean.

3. The dean approves the proposal and forwards it to the appropriate faculty curriculum committee.

4. Faculty curriculum committees review the proposal, approving it based on published criteria.

5. A2C2 reviews an undergraduate proposal and makes a recommendation to FA Senate.

6. Graduate Council reviews a graduate proposal and makes a recommendation to FA Senate.

7. The FA Senate accepts a recommendation on the proposal and forwards it to the administration.

8. The Dean of Graduate Studies makes a recommendation on a graduate proposal to the CAO.

9. The CAO accepts the FA and Dean of Graduate Studies recommendations on the proposal.

10. The approved proposal is implemented in the Registrar’s office, amending the academic catalog

B. Curricular Change Process

1. Responsibilities of the Proposal’s Originator

A proposal for curricular change originates with a faculty member using a form available in the online curriculum management system (CMS). The current CMS product is Curriculog. Procedure 3-4B, “Curricular Changes, Types of Proposals,” lists the forms available and the committees that review them.

The proposal’s originator shall request support of the proposal from the department and notify all departments or other university units that might be affected by its implementation. Through the CMS, the originator shall request approval of the completed proposal from the department chair.

2. Responsibilities of the Department and Department Chair

The department shall follow its established procedures for the evaluation of proposals. The department chair shall review the proposal in the CMS and approve or disapprove it on behalf of the department. If approved, the chair shall record this decision and recommend its approval from the department’s academic college dean through the CMS.

When necessary, the chair shall arrange for a department representative to attend the appropriate curriculum committee meeting at which the proposal will be considered as indicated in Procedure 3-4B.

3. Responsibilities of the Dean of the College

The department’s academic college dean shall review the proposal, considering resources and inter- and intra- program/college implications. The dean shall approve or disapprove the proposal and record this decision in the CMS in a reasonable length of time, normally within ten (10) academic calendar days after receiving the department’s recommendation. Failure of a dean to act on a proposal within a reasonable length of time will be addressed by the A2C2/GC chair through a meet & confer process.

Proposals approved by the dean will be forwarded to the appropriate curriculum committee for its review through the CMS. If the dean disagreed with the department’s recommendation, the dean shall notify the department chair and the proposal’s originator with the rationale for this decision.

The dean shall notify the university’s Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the department chair, and the proposal’s originator if a proposal involves substantive curricular changes that might require HLC notification or prior approval.

Note: A proposal should be approved through the dean’s step by 9:00 AM at least one week prior to the appropriate curriculum committee meeting at which the proposal will be considered in order for it to be added to that committee’s next agenda.

4. Responsibilities of the Curriculum Committees

Each curriculum committee is responsible for reviewing the forms categorized in Procedure 3-4B. The CMS automatically informs each committee chair of proposals available for review.

The chair of each curriculum committee shall create the agenda listing the proposals to be considered at its next meeting. Approximately one week prior to the meeting, the chair shall notify the committee members and all interested parties of the meeting’s time, place and agenda, including:

• All curriculum committee chairs

• Director of the General Education Program

• All department chairs

• WSU Faculty Association President

• College Deans and the Dean of Graduate Studies

• Vice President for Academic Affairs

• Registrar’s Office

• University Institutional Planning Assessment & Research

Note: A2C2 and Graduate Council shall each decide if and when agendas for the other curriculum committees should be distributed to its membership by the A2C2/GC chair.

Procedure 3-4B indicates when a department representative needs to attend the meeting. When a representative is required, the committee chair shall notify the proposal’s originator. If no required representative is in attendance, the proposal will not be considered at that meeting.

Any department or other university unit that objects to a curriculum proposal must notify the committee chair of its position. It may also send a representative to the meeting to explain the objection. If conflicts between university units are not resolved to the committee’s satisfaction, consideration of the proposal may be postponed until a resolution is reached.

The committee evaluates a proposal using the criteria listed in its form. The committee reviews a notification proposal only to ensure it meets the criteria outlined in Procedure 3-4B. While a committee is reviewing a proposal, its chair can edit it to correct minor errors or provide more information. If a program proposal involves a new or revised course, the committee must act on the course proposal(s) first.

The committee shall vote to approve or disapprove the proposal, and the chair shall record the decision in the CMS. If a proposal was not approved by the committee and it did not require a representative to attend the meeting, the chair shall notify its originator with the rationale for this decision.

The committee shall inform its parent assembly of an approved notification. A notification approved by A2C2 or Graduate Council does not require any additional review; it will be forwarded through the CMS to the Registrar’s office for implementation. If the proposal was not a notification and it was approved, the chair shall report this as the curriculum committee’s recommendation to its parent assembly.

5. Responsibilities of the Academic Affairs and Curriculum Committee (A2C2)

A2C2 shall make available in the CMS the proposal forms for undergraduate courses/programs described in Procedure 3-4B, ensuring they are consistent with all regulations for all curricular change. Each form will include directions regarding specific content required for that particular proposal.

Undergraduate proposals are reviewed by the appropriate A2C2 subcommittee:

• The Course & Program Proposal Subcommittee (CPPS) reviews undergraduate new/revised course and program proposals.

• The Engaged Course Designation Committee (ECDC) reviews course and section proposals for “civic engagement” and “service learning” designations to be recorded in a student’s co-curricular transcript and the university’s catalog.

• The General Education Program Subcommittee (GEPS) reviews undergraduate course proposals for the General Education Program, including new courses, course renewals, retroactive notifications, and non-renewals.

A2C2 shall vote to accept or reject a subcommittee’s recommendation, and the chair shall record the decision in the CMS. If the proposal was approved, the chair shall report this as an A2C2 recommendation to the FA Senate.

6. Responsibilities of the Graduate Council

Graduate Council shall make available in the CMS the proposal forms for graduate courses/programs described in Procedure 3-4B, ensuring they are consistent with all regulations for curricular change. Each form will include directions regarding specific content required for that particular proposal.

Graduate Council reviews proposals for new/revised graduate courses, programs for graduate credit only, graduate course/program notifications, and lower-level courses designated as eligible for graduate credit.

Graduate Council shall vote to approve or disapprove the proposal, and the chair shall record the decision in the CMS. If the proposal was approved, the chair shall report this as a Graduate Council recommendation to the FA Senate.

7. Responsibilities of the WSU Faculty Association (FA) Senate

The FA Senate shall vote to accept or reject a recommendation from A2C2 or Graduate Council, and the FA President shall record the decision in the CMS. If the proposal was approved, the FA President shall present the FA recommendation to the administration in the next Meet and Confer meeting. Proposals approved by the FA Senate will be forwarded to the appropriate administrator through the CMS: graduate proposals will be reviewed by the Dean of Graduate Studies, and undergraduate proposals will be reviewed by the Chief Academic Officer.

8. Responsibilities of the Dean of Graduate Studies (DGS)

If the proposal involves a graduate course or program, the Dean of Graduate Studies shall review it to ensure it complies with all policies for the School of Graduate Studies. The DGS shall take action on the FA recommendation and record this decision in the CMS in a reasonable length of time, normally within ten (10) academic calendar days of receiving the FA recommendation. Proposals approved by the DGS shall be forwarded to the Chief Academic Officer through the CMS.

If the DGS disagreed with the FA recommendation, the DGS shall notify the FA President, the Graduate Council chair, the department chair, and the proposal’s originator with the rationale for this decision within fifteen (15) contract days.

9. Responsibilities of the Chief Academic Officer (CAO)

The Chief Academic Officer shall take action on the FA recommendation and record this decision in the CMS in a reasonable length of time, normally within two weeks of receiving the FA recommendation. Proposals approved by the CAO are forwarded to the Registrar’s office for implementation. If an approved proposal requires HLC approval prior to implementation, the ALO shall notify the A2C2/GC chair, the proposal’s originator, and the department chair.

If the CAO disagreed with the FA recommendation, the CAO shall notify the FA President, the A2C2/GC chair, the department chair, and the proposal’s originator with the rationale for this decision within fifteen (15) academic calendar days.

10. Responsibilities of the Registrar’s Office

The Registrar’s office implements approved proposals in the academic catalog, the Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS), and all other necessary databases and registration systems to reflect the course and/or program changes. The Registrar’s office shall notify the A2C2/GC chair to request clarification of approved proposals as necessary.

The effective date of approved proposals for new or revised programs is typically the first fall semester after the proposal has been approved. The effective date of approved proposals for new or revised courses is typically the first semester after the proposal has been approved.

All approved course and program proposals are subject to policies on curriculum published by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities central offices. Proposals approved through the university’s internal process described in this document that require accreditation and/or approval from an agency outside of the university might not be fully implemented by the Registrar’s office until that agency’s accreditation and/or approval has been received.

Related definitions:

[3-4] A2C2:

See Academic Affairs and Curriculum Committee.

[3-4] A2C2/GC chair:

The chair of either A2C2 or Graduate Council, depending on the undergraduate/graduate context of the proposal being considered.

[3-4] Academic Affairs and Curriculum Committee (A2C2):

A standing committee of the FA Senate; it consists of faculty representing each academic department. A2C2 has three standing subcommittees—the Course & Program Proposal Subcommittee (CPPS), the Engaged Course Designation Committee (ECDC), and the General Education Program Subcommittee (GEPS).

[3-4] Academic Calendar Days:

Weekdays during the fall and spring semesters when the university is open for regular business and faculty members are on duty, excluding holidays. In general, five academic days refers to one week, ten days refers to two weeks, etc.

[3-4] Academic Colleges:

The College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the College of Science and Engineering.

[3-4] Academic Transcript:

The record of a student’s progress towards completing a degree.

[3-4] Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO):

A WSU employee designated by the Chief Academic Officer to compliance issues with regards to HLC accreditation.

[3-4] ALO:

See Accreditation Liaison Officer.

[3-4] Approved Proposal:

A proposal for curricular change that has received all necessary approvals from faculty, administrators, and curriculum committees before being implemented in the Registrar’s office.

[3-4] CAO:

See Chief Academic Officer.

[3-4] Chief Academic Officer (CAO):

The WSU administrator, normally the Vice President for Academic Affairs, vested with the authority to approve curricular changes.

[3-4] CMS:

See curriculum management system.

[3-4] CMS Faculty Administrator:

A faculty member, normally the A2C2 chair, who works with the Academic Affairs office to maintain the CMS.

[3-4] Co-curricular Transcript:

The record activities in which a student has participated beyond taking courses for academic credit. See also academic transcript.

[3-4] Curricular Change:

An addition to, revision of, or deletion from the university’s catalog affecting programs, courses, and sections of courses reflected in a student’s academic and/or co-curricular transcripts.

[3-4] Curriculum Committees:

A2C2, Graduate Council, and their relevant standing subcommittees.

[3-4] Curriculum Management System (CMS):

A software and database package reflecting the approval processes defined in this policy and its accompanying procedures.

[3-4] Department Chair:

Normally the faculty member designated as such in the IFO Master Agreement or recognized as such by the Faculty Association. For the purposes of this policy, when a program is not directly administered by a formal department the “department chair” role shall be occupied by the faculty member serving as the program’s director or coordinator.

[3-4] Editing Privileges:

The ability to correct minor errors, clarify intentions, provide more information, or attach additional documentation to a proposal in the CMS.

[3-4] Emphasis:

A focused component of an academic program’s major, as defined by Minnesota State Board Policy 3.36. A program with multiple emphases may be presented in the academic catalog with one major code or as separate majors. Also referred to at WSU as a “concentration,” “option,” or “track.”

[3-4] Exceptional Situations:

Deviations from the normal approval roles and processes described in this policy and its accompanying procedures.

[3-4] FA:

See Faculty Association.

[3-4] FA Recommendation:

A proposal for curricular change presented to the administration by the Faculty Association. A recommendation accepted by the Chief Academic Officer is an approved proposal.

[3-4] FA Senate:

The governing body of the Faculty Association.

[3-4] Faculty and Faculty Members:

WSU employees represented by the Inter Faculty Organization (IFO) and its local chapter, the WSU Faculty Association.

[3-4] Faculty Association (FA):

The local WSU chapter of the Inter Faculty Organization (IFO).

[3-4] Graduate Council:

A standing committee of FA Senate consisting of faculty representing each academic department with a graduate program.

[3-4] Higher Learning Commission (HLC):

An independent corporation that accredits degree-granting postsecondary educational institutions in the North Central region of the United States.

[3-4] HLC:

See Higher Learning Commission.

[3-4] Major Curriculum Committees:

A2C2 and Graduate Council.

[3-4] Notification:

A proposal for curricular change that does not significantly alter the purpose and/or content of a program or course and has no impact on other WSU departments or programs.

[3-4] Notify:

An action of passing on communication in writing, as opposed to stating something in a meeting, in an informal setting (such as a face-to-face interaction or a phone call), or in a proposal comment.

[3-4] Program:

A course of study leading to a degree, major, minor, or certificate. For the purposes of this policy and its accompanying procedures, any set of courses associated with a unique major code— including a pre-admission or a pre-professional sequence—is considered a distinct program.

[3-4] Proposal:

A form initiating some type of curricular change submitted by a faculty member using the CMS.

[3-4] Substantive Curricular Change:

A revision to the academic catalog that typically requires HLC approval or notification including, but not limited to:

• New degree, diploma, and certificate programs
• Competency-based education programs
• New branch campuses and additional locations
• Initiation and expansion of distance delivery for programs

Authorizing Policy:

• 3-4 Curricular Changes Policy
• 3-4B Curricular Changes, Types of Proposals

History:

Adoption date: 05/15/2019
Implementation date: 07/01/2019