Section 5 - Program Proposals

Revised: 04-12-2024

5.0 – Editorial Changes

Editorial changes do not alter program requirements in any way. They impact the wording of a program's introduction and general department or college information. Changes may include office location(s), contact information/staff or faculty changes, media or images displayed on a catalog page, typically taught changes to courses and updated links listed on a catalog page. The requested changes should be clearly explained and submitted through Curriculog Editorial Submission for Catalog.

The following items are not editorial and must be submitted on the correct curriculum revision form. (1) Any change to course description or title must be submitted on a course revision form. (2) Any change to a program that affects graduation requirements must be submitted on a program revision form.

5.0.1 – EDITORIAL CHANGES DEADLINE

For inclusion in the following year’s catalog, proposals must be submitted and approved by the last day of January each year.

5.0.2 – APPROVAL PROCESS FOR EDITORIAL CHANGES

  • Step 1: Originator

  • Step 2: Catalog Implementation

  • Step 3: CatTracks (If typically taught semesters are changing)

5.1 – Nonsubstantive Program Proposals

Nonsubstantive program proposals are those that add, delete, or change elective courses within a program. Substitution of required courses with courses of equal credit value from within the academic department hosting the program are also nonsubstantive (new courses must be through the approval process before they can be substituted). Name changes to a program are nonsubstantive as long as they do not mislead or infringe on the names of existing programs. Program name changes will go to the Faculty Senate as informational. Program changes cannot be retroactive.

Departments offering Departmental Honors will work with the Honors Program to design a list of courses and other requirements for students to receive Departmental Honors. A copy of current requirements for Departmental Honors will be maintained on the Honors Program website.

5.2 – Nonsubstantive Program Proposal Deadlines

Nonsubstantive program proposals must reach the University Curriculum Chair step in Curriculog by the last day of January to be included in the following year’s catalog.

5.2.1 – APPROVAL PROCESS FOR NONSUBSTANTIVE PROGRAM PROPOSALS

  • Step 1: Originator

  • Step 2: Department Chair (or Program Director if applicable)

  • Step 3: Dean of College

  • Step 4: University Curriculum Chair

    1. Additional Conditional Steps

      1. If program name change - Faculty Senate, President’s Council, Board of Trustees, Institutional Effectiveness, NWCCU

      2. If assessment data used - Assessment (Institutional Effectiveness)

  • Step 5: Catalog Implementation

  • Step 6: CatTracks Implementation

5.3 – Substantive Program Proposals

Substantive program proposals include proposals that alter the requirements for an existing major, minor, BIS degree, Institutional Certificate, diploma or endorsement.

Substantive program proposals are those that (a) change the number of hours required in a program, (b) change grade or GPA requirements, (c) add or delete required courses or required support courses, (d) create new concentrations, emphases or majors within a program, or (e) delete a program of study in a specific field or a specific degree offered through an academic department. These changes need to be done on a Program Proposal Substantive Change form.

Changes in degree type, concentrations, emphases and majors are the focus of substantive program changes because they are recorded on students’ transcripts when they graduate. By contrast, tracks, options, specializations, areas, and groups are not recorded on students’ transcripts and are best considered to be advising tools.

The University Council on Teacher Education must review any change to a teaching major or minor leading to secondary undergraduate teacher licensure. Any change to a graduate program needs to be reviewed by the University Graduate Council before coming to the University Curriculum Committee. All substantive program proposals must receive the approval of the University Curriculum Committee and the Faculty Senate.

5.4 – Discontinuance of a Program of Study & Disbanding of Departments

The University Curriculum Committee does not examine proposals for program discontinuance. Administrative decisions to discontinue programs that will require the disbanding of departments, adversely or critically affecting faculty, are made only after an extensive program review that follows the process outlined in PPM 1-14a has been conducted. This policy defines the role of the faculty and the Faculty Senate when a program has been recommended for discontinuance or when modifications have been recommended which would adversely or critically affect a program or academic unit.

Program of Study Discontinuance & Department Disbanding process: Department Chair, Dean of College, Executive Committee of Faculty Senate, Faculty Senate, President's Council, Board of Trustees, Catalog Implementation, CatTracks Implementation.

5.5 – Deadline for Substantive Program Proposals

Substantive program proposals need to be submitted, reviewed, and approved by UCC by the January meeting and Faculty Senate by the February meeting to make changes for the following year’s catalog.

Changes requiring additional approvals (e.g., new concentrations, emphases, or majors) beyond Faculty Senate (e.g., Board of Trustees, etc.) require additional time. It is the originator’s responsibility to submit proposals with sufficient time to complete all approval steps. It is recommended these proposals be approved by UCC at or before the November meeting.

5.5.1 - APPROVAL PROCESS FOR SUBSTANTIVE PROGRAM CHANGES

  • Step 1: Originator

  • Step 2: Department Chair (or Program Director if applicable)

  • Step 3: College Curriculum Committee

    1. Then to CTE Director (if applicable - If you desire this course to be considered for Perkins (Career Technical Education) funding please check this box, (even if you know it is not currently eligible but you are working toward that end). Call CTE @ x3473 if you have questions.)

  • Step 4: Dean of College

    1. Notification goes to Bibliographer

    2. Courses with a teaching designation then also need to be approved by the University Council in Teacher Education

    3. Graduate courses then need to be approved by Graduate Council Step 5: University Curriculum Committee

  • Step 5: Faculty Senate Executive Committee

  • Step 6: Faculty Senate

    1. If program name change: President’s Council, Board of Trustees, Institutional Effectiveness Catalog Finalization

    2. If assessment data used – Assessment

    3. If learning outcomes changed – Office of Institutional Effectiveness

  • Step 7: Catalog Implementation

  • Step 8: CatTracks Implementation

5.6 – Graduate Degree Programs
(must be approved by Graduate Council before being submitted to the University Curriculum Committee)

Graduate Program Guidelines can be found at /graduate- degrees/ Below are considerations before undertaking a proposal for a graduate degree:

  • Demonstrated student and community demand (e.g., expansion of existing curriculum, evidence from enrollment data at another USHE institution, letters of support from local businesses and government entities stating a need for people with this type of degree, etc.). Open-ended survey data are not sufficient. Demand should be sustainable and consistent with average 91¶ÌÊÓƵ enrollment levels.

  • Faculty Sufficiency, including appropriate degree qualifications as outlined in PPM 8-11, 4.2, Minimum Degree Requirements.

  • Budget projections consistent with student demand, faculty requirements and any other resource needs. Evidence of staff sufficiency and university-wide support as well as support from institutions within USHE.

  • The curriculum is consistent with accepted standards (i.e., 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, USHE, and accreditation). Proposals should indicate whether the new degree program(s) will be eligible for external accreditation by one or more accrediting bodies and, if so, whether this would be for the program(s) individually or as part of a larger accreditation.

5.7 – New Program Proposals

All new programs (including concentrations, certificates, emphases, majors and minors) will need to go to the Board of Trustees and, when outside the institution’s mission, to the Regents for approval. Refer to the procedures described in (see ). Programs inclusive of those in R401 will have undergone institutional review, have been approved by President’s Council, and have been vetted by USHE Chief Academic Officers before approval by the institutional Board of Trustees. All new programs must be submitted to Northwest Commission on Colleges and University (NWCCU) for formal recognition. No recruitment to or advertising of new programs is allowed until NWCCU accepts the proposal. All proposals for new programs must complete the appropriate R401 template (see the R401 templates modules in the University Curriculum Committee canvas course).

Complete details for submitting proposals can be found in Utah State Board of Regents Policy R401, Approval of New Programs, Program Additions or Program Changes, available at (click on Utah System of Higher Education at the top of the page and then click on Policies, Section 4 - Academic Affairs). New programs may not be entered into the new catalog until they are approved by the Board of Trustees.

5.7.1 – APPROVAL PROCESS FOR NEW PROGRAMS (including certificates and/or new emphases)

  • Step 1: Originator a. R401 form must be included for new programs and new certificates.

  • Step 2: Department Chair (or Program Director if applicable)

  • Step 3: College Curriculum Committee

    1. Then to CTE Director (if applicable - If you desire this course to be considered for Perkins (Career Technical Education) funding please check this box, (even if you know it is not currently eligible but you are working toward that end). Call CTE @ x3473 if you have questions.)

  • Step 4: Dean of College

    1. Courses with a teaching designation then also need to be approved by the University Council in Teacher Education

    2. Graduate courses then need to be approved by Graduate Council Notification goes to bibliographer once the dean has approved

  • Step 5: University Curriculum Committee

  • Step 6: Faculty Senate Executive Committee

  • Step 7: Faculty Senate a. Bibliographer - if additional library support is needed

  • Step 8: President’s Council

    1. Then to Utah State Board of Education if required

  • Step 9: Board of Trustees

  • Step 10: Institutional Effectiveness

  • Step 11: Catalog Implementation

  • Step 12: NWCCU

    1. Once NWCCU has approved the proposal, the department may begin to advertise the new program

  • Step 13: CatTracks Implementation

  • Step 14: Catalog Finalization

5.8 – Bachelor of Integrated Studies (BIS) Emphasis Approval Process

BIS emphasis programs of study can be developed in two formats. 1) Department predetermined BIS emphasis program of study, which is a fixed program of study as outlined by the department or 2) Contractual emphasis program design which is a BIS emphasis program of study that is co-developed with the relevant department chair and the BIS Program Director. This format does not need to go through Curriculog.

5.8.1 – All new predetermined BIS emphasis proposals must be submitted to Curriculog using the BIS New Emphasis Form, and need to be approved by the Department Chair, Dean, and the BIS Program Director, with deadlines as stated in 5.2 nonsubstantive program proposal deadlines.

5.8.2 – Changes to a predetermined BIS emphasis must be submitted to Curriculog using the BIS Emphasis Change Form, and need to be approved by the Department Chair, Dean, and the BIS Program, with deadlines as stated in 5.2nonsubstantive program proposal deadlines.