/Institutions/Cumberland-University/json/2019-2020/University-Policy-local.json

/Institutions/Cumberland-University/json/2019-2020/University-Policy.json

Policy > Committees > Course and Curriculum Changes

Course and Curriculum Changes

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Document Number: ACAD--178

Date Last Updated: 12/7/17

Date Originally Created: 05/02/2012
Revised: 12/7/2017
Revised: 09/02/2019

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General Description
Description: Information about course and curriculum changes relative to Academic Affairs policy.
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I. Policy Statement

All changes that occur in course content, course offerings, programs of study, and other aspects of the academic curriculum (hereafter: “curriculum changes”) at Cumberland University should be initiated and implemented solely for the purpose of providing a superior learning experience for its students. The content of the academic curriculum at Cumberland is the domain of its faculty, and changes will be driven by the faculty and approved by both the faculty and administration. 

Curriculum changes are normally initiated by full-time faculty. These proposals are presented to the responsible school dean that will submit the proposal to the respective school’s faculty body for review. The proposal for a curriculum change must be appropriately documented on the university’s Curriculum Change Forms, which are available from the schools’ administrative assistants or from the chairperson of the University Curriculum Committee (UCC). With a two-third majority vote by the school’s faculty, the curriculum change will be submitted to the UCC for undergraduate proposals and the Graduate Council (GC) for graduate program proposals.

The UCC and GC are parallel academic bodies that review curriculum change proposals.  Any view that the UCC or the GC may have of undergraduate or graduate curriculum proposals will be communicated directly to the school dean and Deans’ Council via the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Communication between the UCC and GC is facilitated by the office of Academic Affairs.

Publication of all changes is the responsibility of the Office of Academic Affairs.

II. Procedure for curriculum changes

1. Undergraduate Curriculum Changes

1.1 School-level consideration. Changes to the undergraduate curriculum should normally be initiated by full-time faculty within the school in which the program to be affected by the proposed change is housed. All proposed curriculum changes must be presented on the “Curriculum Change Form.”  All documentation requested on the form should accompany the proposal when submitted to the school faculty. With the school dean’s support, the curriculum change will be presented to the full-time faculty of the school for review. Decisions of approval and rejection are made based upon a two-third majority vote of the school faculty. 

1.2 Curriculum Committee consideration. Any proposal that is approved by the faculty will be forwarded to the UCC for review. The UCC shall be composed of full-time academic faculty representing each of the schools, with additional at-large members (see by-laws). School minutes documenting the faculty’s approval, and all documentation required on the form (e.g. peer comparisons, learning outcomes, etc.) should accompany the submission to the UCC. After careful consideration of the impact on the University and the benefits to its students, the UCC will approve or reject the proposal with a simple majority vote. The UCC’s review and final decision will be communicated directly to the school dean, proposal initiator, and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

1.3 Deans’ Council consideration. The Deans’ Council represents the third level of review for undergraduate curriculum change proposals. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will present the proposal to the council for review if has been passed by the UCC. Proposal approval or rejection is determined with a simple majority vote of the Deans’ Council. If approved, the proposal will be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs and University Registrar for documentation and publication. Note that at each level of review all other review bodies are notified of the decisions made to facilitate effective communication.

1.3.1 Expedited Review. Under certain instances an expedited curriculum change process may be more appropriate to utilize than the three-level review process. This process is to be utilized only in situations where the proposed curriculum change does not change the nature, scope, mission, or relationship of the entity to the University Mission. Examples for which the use of this process are appropriate include, minor wording revisions of a School’s and/or Program’s Mission, Goals, Learning Outcomes, and/or Objectives, as well as minor wording revisions of course descriptions. This process should not be used for changes in Missions, Goals, Learning Outcomes, Objectives, or Course descriptions that change the content/scope of the entity. Neither should it be used to introduce or delete courses or curriculum and/or to change credit hours for a course or program of study.

By submitting the Expedited Curriculum form to the chair of the UCC committee and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, it is verified that the proposed curriculum change does not change the scope of the entity and has received majority approval by the originating school faculty. If a proposal is deemed a significant change in scope or a conflict to the University Mission, it will be returned to the submitting school for submission through the “regular” curriculum change proposal route of approval (school, UCC, Deans’ Council, and Office of Academic Affairs).

2. Graduate Course and Curriculum Changes

2.1 School-level consideration. Changes in graduate courses and/or curriculum should normally be initiated by graduate faculty that hold full-time faculty status. All proposed changes must be presented on the “Curriculum Change Form.” All documentation as requested on the form should accompany the proposal when submitted to the school faculty. With the school dean’s support the curriculum change will be presented to the full-time faculty of the school for review. All school faculty are consulted on graduate course and curriculum changes in light of their potential impact on the school as a whole. Decisions of approval and rejection are made based upon a two-third majority vote. 

2.2 Graduate Council consideration. Any proposal that is approved by the Faculty will be forwarded to the GC for review. The GC shall be composed of full-time academic faculty with graduate-level teaching responsibilities representing each of the schools, with additional at-large members (see by-laws). School minutes documenting the faculty’s approval, as well as documentation required on the form (e.g. peer comparisons, learning outcomes, etc.) should accompany the submission. After careful consideration of the impact on the university and the benefits to the students, GC will approve or reject the proposal with a simple majority vote. The GC’s review and final decision will be communicated directly to the originating school dean, proposal initiator, and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

2.3 Deans’ Council consideration. The Deans’ Council represents the third level of review for graduate course and curriculum change proposals. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will present the proposal to the council for review if it has been passed by the GC. Proposal approval or rejection is determined with a simple majority vote of the Deans’ Council. If approved, the proposal will be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs and University Registrar for documentation and publication. Note that at each level of review all other review bodies are notified of the decisions made to facilitate effective communication.

2.3.1 Expedited Review. Under certain instances an expedited curriculum change process may be more appropriate to utilize than the three-level review process. This process is to be utilized only in situations where the proposed curriculum change does not change the nature, scope, mission, or relationship of the entity to the university mission. Examples for which the use of this process are appropriate includes, minor wording revisions of a School’s and/or Program’s Mission, Goals, Learning Outcomes, and/or Objectives, as well as minor wording revisions of course descriptions. This process should not be used for changes in Missions, Goals, Learning Outcomes, Objectives, Course descriptions that change the content/scope of the entity. Neither should it be used to introduce or delete courses or curriculum and/or to change credit hours for a course or program of study.

By submitting the Expedited Curriculum form to the chair of the GC committee and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, it is verified that the proposed curriculum change does not change the scope of the entity and has received majority approval within the governing school. If a proposal is deemed a significant change in scope or a conflict to the university mission, it will be returned to the submitting school for submission through the “regular” curriculum change proposal route of approval (school, the UCC, Deans’ Council, and Office of Academic Affairs).