The Senate of Michigan Technological University


PROPOSAL 1-84

PROCEDURES FOR DEVELOPING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM

BACKGROUND:

This proposal is a revision of Senate proposals 7-70, 10-70, and 7-78 which are repealed by the approval of this policy.

 

PROPOSAL:

To assure that the Senate and the Graduate Council have an opportunity to provide advice to the President of the University on which academic programs the Board of Control and or Administration should make a commitment, the following procedures for developing and implementing significant changes in the Academic Program are proposed:

  1. Purpose of the Procedures

    It is the intent of the procedures described in this proposal that any suggested changes of significance in the academic program of the University shall be considered in detail by members of both the Academic Faculty and the Administration before the University commits itself to implementation of the proposed change. To this end, the procedures described below lead ultimately to a faculty recommendation in the form of a resolution passed by the Senate of the University.

  2. Definition

    Significant changes in the academic program of the University shall include introduction of new degree programs, removal of existing degree programs, and major changes of emphasis in current degree programs, such as the introduction of an option. Significant changes from the original approved program arising from the gradual evolution of a program may be evaluated on an ad hoc basis.

  3. Initiation of Proposed Changes

    A proposed change in the academic program may be initiated by any segment or combination of segments of the academic community of the University.

  4. Proposal Development

    1. Development of a proposal describing the suggested change, including necessary supporting information, shall be carried out by one of the existing colleges or schools of the University. Upon approval of the Dean concerned, the proposal shall be presented to the Academic Faculty and the Administration.

    2. In the case of removal of an existing program, the proposal shall contain information pertinent to a justification of the deletion. Typical information would include student enrollment data, details of faculty and facility requirements of the existing program, and the impact of the deletion on cognate programs, and on the ability of the University to fulfill its mission.

  5. Preliminary Approval

    Upon submission of the Academic Faculty and the Administration, the proposal will receive preliminary consideration according to the following schedules:

    1. Changes in Graduate Program

      1. The proposal is submitted to the Graduate Council for consideration in accordance with its procedures and criteria.

      2. The Graduate Council considers and forwards materials and its recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

      3. After receiving the Graduate Council's recommendation, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will simultaneously consider the program and refer all materials to the Senate Curricular Policy Committee. The Committee shall consider the following questions as guidelines in its deliberations:
        1. Is there a need for this program?
        2. Does the program generally fall within the framework of Michigan Technological University's role statement?
        3. Is there an appropriate division within the University to develop the proposed program?
        4. Has there been appropriate Faculty and student involvement in the development of the program proposal?
        5. Has the Faculty of the appropriate division within the University endorsed the development of the proposed program? (In the case of an academic program to be offered by an existing department, this endorsement would normally involve a vote in favor of the development of the proposed program by a majority of the Faculty members of the department).
        6. Does the program establish any unusual priorities with regard to the University resources of all types?

        A proposal must include a detailed listing of courses in the curriculum, including proposed catalog copy of the program and any courses to be introduced or revised.

        The Senate Curricular Policy Committee may hold hearings, seek additional information, and suggest modifications in the proposal.

        The Senate Curricular Policy Committee shall make a recommendation to the Senate on each proposed academic program. The Senate shall make a recommendation to the Vice President for Academic Affairs on each proposed academic program.

    2. Changes in Undergraduate Programs

      Same as in V-A., with the omission of consideration by the Graduate Council. Schedule begins at step V-A.2 with the school or college submitting the proposal and supporting information directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Curricular Policy Committee.

    3. Timing

      In order to provide adequate time for the Graduate Council and/or the Curricular Policy Committee to conduct their investigations, it is strongly recommended that proposals be submitted a minimum of 3 academic months before any external deadline. This will generally mean that proposals should be submitted early in the spring quarter prior to the fall in which the Program Revision Request is to be submitted to the state.

  6. Final Approval
    1. After state approval of the program proposal, the completed program proposal shall be forwarded to the Senate Curricular Policy Committee for final consideration of any changes made during the state approval process. Graduate programs should also be submitted to the Graduate Council for final approval.

    2. The Senate Curricular Policy Committee shall review the proposal and the supporting information and make a recommendation to the Senate. The Curricular Policy Committee may elicit information from faculty and staff as it deems necessary for its deliberations.

    3. The Senate shall make a recommendation to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the President of the University on the disposition of each program.

  7. Implementation of Approved Course and Curricular Changes
    1. In New Programs

      1. The Administration will report to the Senate on the disposition and implementation of each proposal. Specifics of new courses shall be approved by the University Course Change Committee prior to becoming catalog copy.

      2. The procedures for converting approved proposals into catalog copy are outlined under VII: B.2 and 3.

      3. At any time a Department, School, or College shall be entitled to information from the Committee and Vice President for Academic Affairs on the status of a proposal.

      4. Should nine months elapse after notification (in accordance with Sections V-A.3 or VI-A of this policy) of a proposed significant change in the academic program of the University without a final resolution by the Senate, the provisions of this policy shall not apply. Furthermore, in a situation where there is considerable urgency, the President and the Board retain their obligation to act in the best interests of the University without awaiting the recommendations called for by this policy.

    2. In Existing Programs

      1. Implementation of approved changes in existing academic programs involving
        1. new degree requirements
        2. new course offerings
        3. changes in existing courses

        need not await publication in the University catalog.

      2. Upon implementation of such a change, all members of the academic community -- students, faculty, academic departments, and administration -- shall have at the earliest possible moment the benefit of accurate and readily available information. To this end, each department and the Library shall maintain a special file of such information until it is published in a subsequent catalog. All such changes shall be published in the Lode at least once per quarter, preferably the issue immediately before registration takes place. The responsible department shall, upon request, explain the changes and make helpful interpretive statements.

      3. Current catalog copy and the changes as they occur shall also be stored in appropriate data processing equipment, together with location coding, so that the equipment may be used to print out "changes only" as well as the complete catalog copy as it is at any given time.

      4. Changes such as outlined above should not lengthen the time required for a student to graduate if the student was enrolled at the time of the change.

  8. Enforcement of this Policy

    1. In order to determine if significant changes are occurring in existing programs, the chair of the University Course Change Committee shall provide the chair of the Curricular Policy Committee with its recommendations to the VPAA and the VPAA shall inform the Curricular Policy Committee chair of his/her actions.

    2. The Curricular Policy Committee has the power to initiate investigations if it feels that a significant change is being, or has been implemented without Senate approval.
 

 

Referred Back to Committee for Clarification: 14 December 1983
Died for Lack of Action