Curricular Change Process

When do I need to submit a form:

• When the change will show up in the Bulletin (e.g., course description, (discrete) number, title, credits)

• When you drop or add a course and/or program

For New Programs and Courses OR Changes to Existing Programs and Courses

1. Work with your Program and Policy (P&P) representative to create proposal

   1. 1. Refer to OAA’s Curricular Procedures and Policies website for instructions, specifically the User Guides and Quick Reference Guides

      2. Begin process by inputting course and/or programs into PSU’s online curriculum management system. There is a basic user guide document located at the bottom Curricular Forms page.

         1. 1. For new courses and programs, it is important to conduct a cross-university review of existing courses and/or programs for overlap (see Bulletin). For new programs, this review should be expanded to programs at other schools across the state (an important consideration in planning and timelines). Otherwise, the flow through your program, department, P&P, COE and beyond is the same as described for new or modified courses below.

            2. For new programs, this flow chart shows the overall process, and includes important dates. This is very important in obtaining approvals from PSU and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC). See the OAA’s Frequently Asked Questions for more information. 

      3. Develop (modify) syllabus and/or program forms. 

         1. 1. Note COE syllabi requirements (see COE Instructor Handbook, Preparing to Teach). Ensure that your syllabus is an example syllabus without specifics about year, dates, etc. Please convert your final syllabus to a Google document with settings set to allow edits/suggesting.

      4. At the bottom of the online form, include the link to your Google document syllabus.

      5. When you are ready for your course proposal to be reviewed, submit it for review. 

2. Facilitate Stage 1 review process

   1. 1. Once you submit your proposal for review, your Department Chair will be notified that it is ready for Stage 1 approval; however, before they grant Stage 1 approval, your proposal should be reviewed by:

• • • 1. Your program

      2. Department curriculum committee (if applicable), and 

      3. Your Department

2. 1. 2. Remember that program proposals includes budgetary approvals through COE CFO.

      3. Though not mandatory, P&P recommends that you “add a comment” after each of these reviews are complete. Keep it simple and factual as these comments are public. For example, if your program-level review results in several changes and updates, you don’t need to include that information; however, when the program is satisfied, insert a comment like, “reviewed and approved by ___program on mm/dd/yy.”

      4. After approval, your Department Chair can submit “Stage 1” approval, which moves the proposal to Stage 2—Program & Policy.

• • • • NOTE: It is vitally important to ensure that your proposal has been thoroughly reviewed at the program and departmental levels. Most delays in approval result from incomplete or insufficient review at these levels. In the online curriculum tracking system, notes and approvals (or rejections) will be public, so ensuring your proposal is truly ready to move through the system will save everyone time and energy.

3. Stage 2—Program and Policy review

   1. 1. Once “Stage 1” approval has been granted, your proposal will be automatically forwarded to the P&P Chair(s). The committee requires proposals to be received 1 week prior to scheduled meeting days (usually 2nd  and 4th Tuesdays) in order for the committee members to review prior to meeting.

      2. Plan to attend P&P committee meeting. Contact P&P Chair(s) to schedule.

4. Program and Policy committee reviews proposal

   1. 1. Changes and suggestions will be added to the Google doc (for the syllabus) and/or discussed at the meeting (for online form). 

      2. Proposals will be approved pending minor changes; or

      3. Significant changes will be returned to department (“Stage 1”) with detailed instructions for resubmission. 

5. If changes are made and resubmitted to Program and Policy

   1. 1. If proposal is returned, make necessary revisions, and resubmit.

      2. Use the “workflow comments” to address committee comments briefly. You can also submit a follow up email if more detailed comments are warranted.

6. Program and Policy re-reviews proposal

   1. 1. See steps 4 & 5

7. COE Review (Stage 2 cont.)

   1. 1. If/when ready, the P&P Committee will present proposal(s) to the COE for approval. Proposals are packaged as a consent agenda (usually via email).

      2. If there is a question about a proposal, it will be pulled from the consent agenda and addressed separately.

      3. There is a one-week time frame for review of proposals prior to “approval.”

      4. If there are significant concerns from COE faculty, then the proposal might be returned to the initiator for revisions/changes. After changes have been made, the proposal will be reviewed by Program and Policy again. The revised proposal will then be sent to the COE again for approval. 

         1. 1. Approval process for course and program proposals approved by the COE on November 18, 2014:  We will make the proposals (approved by the members of the P&P committee) available to the full COE. As in the past, individuals may address an issue with a particular proposal via email to the P&P chair; P&P will discuss the issue as a committee and re-post the proposal with explanation, separately from the consent agenda. Instead of requiring an actual vote on the consent agenda, the consent will be “conferred” after a one-week vetting period. If no issues have been identified, consent has been given. This does infer that we trust our representatives on the committee to have addressed departmental perspectives and contributed to the shared governance process. 

      5. After COE approval, the P&P Chair(s) will grant “Stage 2” approval, which moves the proposal to the “Dean’s” level.

8. Dean’s Review

   1. 1. Proposals approved by the whole COE will be approved and forwarded to “Dean’s” level 

      2. The Dean’s office will review previous comments and approvals and grant Dean’s approval (or return to sender)

9. Curriculum Coordinator Review

   1. 1. After Dean’s approval, proposals will be sent to the Curriculum Coordinator. 

      2. Proposals are reviewed (questions come back to program contacts and cc’d to P&P chair(s)) and moved back to Stage 1 (or other level, as appropriate).

      3. Program level responsible for addressing questions and edits and resubmitting the proposal.

      4. If approved, they will continue to the Graduate Council (or Undergraduate Curriculum Council, if applicable) for review and approval. 

10. Graduate Council/Undergraduate Curriculum Committee reviews proposal

    1. 1. Grad Council/Undergraduate Curriculum Committee may contact proposer or department with questions, for example, you may be asked to attend meetings (work with your Department Chair)

       2. If you are contacted by the Graduate Council or Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, inform the COE Associate Dean 

       3. Proposals are reviewed (questions come back to program contacts and cc’d to P&P chair(s)) and moved back to Stage 1 (or other level, as appropriate).

       4. Program level responsible for addressing questions and edits and resubmitting the proposal.

       5. If approved, they will continue to the OAA for review and approval.

11. OAA/Faculty Senate reviews proposal

    1. 1. After Graduate Council (or Undergraduate Curriculum Committee) approves proposal, it moves to OAA.

       2. OAA shares with Faculty Senate for review as a consent agenda item (questions come back to program contacts and cc’d to P&P chair(s)) and moved back to Stage 1 (or other level, as appropriate).

       3. May be asked to attend meeting (keep the COE Associate Dean informed)

       4. Once Faculty Senate approves the proposal, OAA grants final approval for courses. Programs continue on to the Provost and Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).

12. Update documentation (as needed)

    1. 1. Program of Study, Curriculum and Assessment Maps, Program Website, Program Handbooks, PSU Bulletin

13. Communicate changes to all interested individuals and departments

    1. 1. Faculty & Staff, Department Chairs, Dean’s Office (Assessment Coordinator, Field Placement Coordinator, Licensure Program Administrator, Associate Dean), SSMC