General Matters

The faculty of the academic programs make proposals for courses. Each credit-bearing course offered shall be reviewed and approved by: 1) the sponsoring program faculty through their established curriculum review process; and 2) the Faculty Senate through its Curriculum Committee.

While deference in judgment to experts and those entrusted with teaching a course is expected, the curriculum (including its component courses) are the responsibility of the faculty of a program. It is the academic program, through its faculty processes, that determines the content and methods of courses offered, subject to the oversight of the Curriculum Committee.

Any proposals or modifications that result in changes to degree requirements will be forwarded to the Faculty Senate; otherwise, the Curriculum Committee's actions shall be recorded in its minutes, which are archived with the IRO and Faculty Senate Secretary. 

New Courses

The faculty of one or more academic programs may propose a new course (i.e., a course which has not been offered or was offered as a “Special Studies” or “Special Topics” course and is now being formalized).

The sponsoring programs(s) through the Program Chair(s) and after consultation of the Dean(s) shall submit a course proposal to the Curriculum Committee of the Faculty Senate, and the Curriculum Committee will then review the proposal.

1. The Curriculum Committee may request additional information in making its review.
2. The Curriculum Committee’s review shall assess the following factors:
   1. demonstrated need for the course; and
   2. compliance with the program’s own internal procedures for course proposals.
3. The Curriculum Committee may not substitute its judgment for those of the sponsoring program’s faculty in areas dependent on professional expertise.
4. The Curriculum Committee may require changes in the description and supporting detail to conform to university policies and procedures and to sound educational practice.
5. The Curriculum Committee may approve or disapprove a proposal, giving rationale for the decision and recommendations.
6. Decisions of the Curriculum Committee may be appealed to the Faculty Senate by the sponsoring program.

Course Modifications

 Course modifications fall into one of two categories: administrative and substantive.

1. Substantive changes include changes that affect program requirements (e.g., number of credits, required/elective status of a course, changes that affect the program curriculum map). Substantive changes shall be presented to and approved by the Curriculum Committee in accordance with procedures for New Courses (see above).
2. Administrative changes are changes that do not fall in the Substantive Change category.
3. Changes such as course sequencing shall be within the purview of the program’s faculty with the approval of the Dean. Such changes shall be made public on the program website (and reflected in the university catalog, as appropriate).