This depends on what changes you are putting forward.
First, your changes will likely have to go through a series of committees within your Faculty/unit. Each faculty has different internal approval processes.
Second, depending on your change, you will need to have your change proposal reviewed by a program support team (PST), either before or after it has received final approval at your faculty. Major changes are encouraged to come to a PST early in the change process. Minor changes that are not likely to result in required rework should come to a PST after it has received final approval by your faculty.
Third, after review by a program support team, your change proposal will move to one or more of the University's governance committees for final approval.
While all of the central administrative offices (University Governance, Office of the Provost, Office of the Registrar and/or FGSR) are happy to assist you through the governance approval process, it does help if you have some understanding of the process. There are some tools to support you:
Familiarize yourself with specific U of A Governance committees. Access terms of reference, minutes, agendas, motions and meeting schedules (to help you plan how long in advance you should begin preparing your changes) online: www.ualberta.ca/governance.
Try out Governance 101 for more information: U of A Governance offers an educational session on governance.
Review the rest of this Calendar Guide. Attend a Calendar Community meeting, held twice a year.
The program support teams are administrative committees where change proponents can have their changes reviewed by numerous faculty and administrative stakeholders to ensure they are ready to go to governance for final approval. Review by one of the program support teams is required.
Program Support Team (Undergraduate and Non-Credit)
Coordinated by the Office of the Provost.
Contact carley.roth@ualberta.ca and suzanne.french@ualberta.ca for more information.
Representatives from the Office of the Registrar are members of this committee (from the Registrar's Executive Group, University Calendar, Exams and Timetabling).
Graduate Program Support Team
Coordinated by Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.
Representatives from the Office of the Registrar are members of this committee (from the Registrar's Executive Group, University Calendar). Proposals that go to GPST are also reviewed by Exams and Timetabling.
Once change proposals have been reviewed by one of the Program Support Teams, they will move on to one or more University Governance committees for final approval.
Committees that changes may go through include:
GFC Programs Committee
GFC Academic Planning Committee
GFC Executive Committee
General Faculties Council (GFC)
For descriptions and full terms of reference for each committee, see the U of A Governance website.