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Effective: May 29, 2024
Policy Review Date: YEAR
Policy Executive: Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
Responsible Office/Unit: Faculty Senate
Policy Statement:
Applicability:
Content:
Policy
Appendix A – Jurisdiction for Curriculum Matters
(1) Faculty
The teaching faculty collectively is the major force governing the curriculum of the university.
(2) Academic Departments
Departments have the responsibility to develop specific courses and programs and to initiate course/program changes.
(3) Faculty Senate
The faculty senate acts on recommendations made by the faculty senate curriculum committee (FSCC) for:
A. All curriculum policies, including revisions to, CWUP 5-50, and policy recommendations from university committees and offices concerned with the curriculum (e.g., General Education Committee, School of Education, Graduate Council, Career Services, Office of the Registrar, Deans’, associate Office of the Provost).
B. New majors, minors, certificates, specializations, and master’s degrees.
C. Majors which exceed upper credit limits or changes to existing programs that extend the number of credits required beyond the upper credit limits previously approved by the Faculty Senate. However, changes to existing majors that decrease or do not change the number of required credits do not require Faculty Senate approval. Bachelor of Arts approved for 75 credits. Bachelor of Science approved for 110 credits.
D. Final approval for general education changes.
(4) FSCC reports and makes recommendations to the faculty senate concerning the following:
A. The FSCC has supervisory authority to review and make recommendations on all curricular and program proposals presented to it for academic integrity, intellectual quality, clarity of course descriptions, inclusion of student learning outcomes and assessment plan.
B. The committee screens curriculum proposals to assure their compliance with CWU Policies.
C. The FSCC screens department/program catalog information to ensure its clarity, accuracy, and compliance with CWU Policies.
D. The FSCC is responsible for keeping CWUP 5-50 up to date. Revisions are approved by the Faculty Senate and the University Policy Advisory Council (UPAC).
(5) General Education Committee - (See CWU 501-13).
The General Education Committee reports to the faculty senate and makes recommendations to the Faculty Senate on general education requirements.
(6) Director of the School of Education
The Director of the School of Education approves all teacher education proposals.
(7) Graduate Council
The Graduate Council reviews all program proposals and revisions for graduate study and the Dean for Graduate Studies reviews all course proposals or changes which are numbered 500 and above.
(8) Board of Trustees
The Board approves all proposals for new major degrees, graduate degrees, and degree types after they have completed internal review.
(9) Governance
Whenever questions of curriculum policy arise from curriculum proposals, the FSCC should be consulted. Whenever questions or concerns of an administrative nature arise, the Office of the Provost should be consulted.
History:
Responsibility: Faculty Senate; Authority: Provost/ Executive VP for Academic Affairs; Reviewed/Endorsed by Provost’s Council 08/09/2016; 02/07/2018; 06/05/2018; 06/20/2023; 03/26/24: Cabinet/UPAC; Review/Effective Date: 10/21/2016; 02/07/2018; 06/13/2018; 04/17/2019; 11/04/2020; 06/14/2023; 08/02/2023; 05/29/2024; Approved by: A. James Wohlpart, President
Reformatted and Assigned new Policy Number - Previous Policy CWUP 5-50-020, September 2024
Procedure CWUR 2-50-020 attached as Appendix A, June 2025
Appendix A - Jurisdiction for Curriculum Matters
(1) Changes to the general education requirements and the general education program follow the same process as any curriculum change. Final approval requires a majority vote of the faculty senate.
(2) Provost/Vice President for Academic and Student Life presents new minors, specializations, and certificates as informational items to the board of trustees.
(3) Interdisciplinary programs may initiate course/program changes in collaboration with the appropriate departments. The dean or designee, and if applicable, the college curriculum committee reviews curriculum proposals before they are submitted to the FSCC for review and, if applicable, final approval by the faculty senate.