Effective: October 21, 2016

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 – Curriculum Change Procedure

(1) The official process for curriculum (new or updated) will be the electronic curriculum process called Curriculog. The submission process begins at the program or department level.. The FSCC only considers proposals launched using Curriculog. Specific guidelines are provided on the proposals for each type of curriculum change (See Appendix A for specific procedures).

History: 

Responsibility: Faculty Senate; Authority: Provost/VP for Academic & Student Life; Reviewed/Endorsed by Provost’s Council 08/09/2016: Cabinet/UPAC;
Review/Effective Date: 10/21/2016; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President
Reformatted and Assigned new Policy Number - Previous Policy CWUP 5-50-040, June 2025
Procedure CWUR 2-50-040 attached as Appendix A, June 2025

Appendix A - Curriculum Change

(1) Initiation of General Education Requirement Changes.

A. Individuals proposing general education curriculum, will submit a completed general education rationale proposal through Curriculog to the general education committee (process will go through normal approvals). After the general education committee acts on the proposal and, if approved, the chair of the general education committee completes a program change proposal and submits it through Curriculog to the FSCC chair.

B. If a proposed addition is a new course or an existing course with changes, the initial approval for the individual course first rests with the faculty senate curriculum committee. After the course has been approved, the originating department attaches the general education rationale proposal and description of the proposed change to the general education committee. After the general education committee acts on the proposal and, if approved, the chair of the general education committee submits a general education program change proposal and submits it through Curriculog it to the FSCC chair.

C. The FSCC lists the general education program change in the curriculum summary log. The academic community has two weeks to respond to the curriculum summary log. Following the two weeks, the FSCC acts on the proposal, the chair adds a memo documenting curriculum committee action, and he/she sends it to the general education committee chair to be placed on the faculty senate agenda for action. The faculty senate chair then submits the faculty senate action to the provost.

(2) Timeline.

A. Provided that proposals do not require clarification and revision, they should proceed through the process without delay in one quarter or less. Extended time may be needed for proposals which must be reviewed by school of education executive committee, the general education committee, antiracism, diversity, and inclusivity committee, graduate council, the faculty senate, and the Board of Trustees (BOT). The originator has the responsibility to track the progress of the curriculum movement through Curriculog. Curriculum proposals should not remain in any campus office more than 15 calendar days.

B. Proposals should follow the catalog deadlines posted by the FSCC for the next academic year.

(3) Review Process.
The process must include checks for (a) consistency of course/program with department goals, (b) academic integrity, (c) clarity of student learning outcomes and assessment plans and (d) availability of sufficient funds. New degree programs are forwarded to the office of undergraduate studies for review of completeness according to NWCCU requirements. If additional information is required, the proposal will be returned to the dean. If the proposal is complete and ready to submit, the department will launch the new program through Curriculog and will follow appropriate approval steps. All curriculum proposals are forwarded to the office of the registrar. The proposals are checked for availability of course number, clarity and accuracy of course description, title, credits, cross listings, and arithmetic. If errors have been identified the proposals are returned to the originator to make corrections or additions. When appropriate, the office of the registrar send the proposal to school of education executive committee and/or to the graduate office. Upon approval by the graduate office and/or school of education executive committee, the proposal is sent to the associate provost’s office. The office of undergraduate studies prepares a curriculum summary log and/or an agenda for review by the FSCC. Once reviewed, the log/agenda is distributed electronically to the academic community before action by the FSCC and/or the faculty senate. New degree program proposals are reviewed by the board of trustees. Rejected proposals will be returned to the originator with an explanation.

(4) Creation of new prefixes.
A new prefix must be approved by the FSCC and the faculty senate before any course using that prefix can be used.

(5) Any member of the academic community can request a hold on FSCC action by submitting a completed hold petition form.

A. The hold petition form requires a justification for the hold, a list of the affected department(s), and written, dated proof of notification of the affected department(s) and dean(s). The form must be submitted to the academic planning office by the Monday prior to the next FSCC meeting.

B. The party originating the hold must notify the affected department(s) of the justification for the hold. A memo of resolution must be submitted to the FSCC within two weeks after the hold has been recorded. If a resolution has not taken place, a representative for the department(s) involved will appear before the FSCC for a decision at the next scheduled FSCC meeting.

(6) Curriculum summary logs/agendas, which are compiled in the office of undergraduate studies, will be used to notify the academic community.

(7) Items appearing on the curriculum summary log (except those requiring approval by the faculty senate) will be approved automatically on the proposed approval date unless a completed hold petition has been received according to Appendix A(5). The proposed approval date, assigned in the office of undergraduate studies, is the date of the FSCC meeting immediately following the day the committee first reviews the log (notification date on the log). The time between the notification date and the proposed approval date will be at least two weeks. If concerns are raised, approval may be delayed while the curriculum committee contacts the originator of the proposal and concerned departments.

(8) Emergency Approval Process.

A. A curriculum proposal received during the summer that has been reviewed by the appropriate steps in Curriculog (e.g., school of education executive committee, graduate studies, international studies, etc.) AND has an explanation of the need for an emergency approval, will be considered by the FSCC. If the FSCC chair determines that emergency review is appropriate, the members of the FSCC will receive an email notification from the faculty senate office and the Curriculog proposal. Available committee members will review the proposal and return a vote to approve or disapprove to the faculty senate office. A minimum of three votes must be received. If the proposal is approved notification will be sent to the department and the office of the registrar.

B. Emergency approvals are temporary and will expire at the conclusion of the academic year.

(9) Implementation. Curriculum changes will be implemented by registrar services as follows:

A. New programs will be implemented upon approval by the BOT and NWCCU.

B. Changes to existing programs, and general education requirements will be implemented in the fall quarter following publication in the official electronic catalog.

C. Changes to the general education program will be implemented in the fall quarter following publication in the official electronic catalog. Courses added to the program may be used by students regardless of the student’s program year, as long as the student takes the course after it is added to the general education program. Courses moved between general education components will be applied to the student’s academic requirements report based on student’s program year.

D. Individual course changes will be implemented upon approval. Once registration has begun, course changes involving prefix, number, title, credit, pre-requisites, and/or grade options will be activated the subsequent quarter unless a later period is specified.

E. New courses will be implemented upon approval by the FSCC.

F. New specializations, minors, certificates, and prefixes will be implemented upon approval by the faculty senate.

G. Curriculum policy changes shall not be applied retroactively.

H. Changes to curriculum policy and procedures shall take effect the following catalog year. The faculty senate may grant exceptions to this policy when the faculty senate determines that immediate implementation of a policy change is warranted.