The Senate of Michigan Technological University

PROPOSAL 2-75

COURSE CHANGE POLICY

 

Revision of Proposal 6-74, Course Change Policy, adopted by the Senate on March 20, 1974 and rejected by President Smith.

I. PURPOSE OF PROCEDURE

The intent is to make explicit and generally understood the means whereby course changes are accomplished. The rationale is as follows:

  1. The procedures for course changes should be such as to facilitate curricular modification to meet the needs of a rapidly changing body of knowledge.

  2. Course content and relevance are best evaluated by the academic departments originating a course change.

  3. A course may be evaluated after it has been taught.

 

II. TYPES OF CHANGES

Course additions, deletions, and revisions referred to here are those which customarily have been reviewed by the University Curriculum Committee. They exclude minor changes in catalog copy which are accomplished by departments directly. Also excluded are changes in degree programs.

 

III. PROCEDURES

  1. Proposed course changes and additions shall be initiated by appropriate faculty with assistance from their department head. After investigating potential overlap with courses taught within the college and in other departments of the University, the department head shall present the course to the departmental faculty for their review and approval.

  2. Approval by the departmental faculty shall henceforth constitute provisional approval for any course subject to the provisions of paragraphs C through F.

  3. At least one quarter prior to being offered for the first time, a catalog description and content outline of provisionally approved courses shall be transmitted by the offering department to all academic faculty, department heads, deans of schools, and colleges, the registrar, and the Vice-President of Academic Affairs.

  4. In order to prevent unnecessary overlapping of departmental course offerings, other departments or the dean of any school or college may initiate review of a provisionally approved course through the Vice-President of Academic Affairs. The Vice-President of Academic Affairs may also initiate his own independent review. Such a review will automatically cancel provisional approval for not more than one quarter during which time the issue must be settled.

  5. Courses may be offered during any quarter following provisional approval.

  6. Once a year, the Vice-President of Academic Affairs will circulate a list of provisionally approved courses, which have been taught at least once, to all academic faculty, department heads, and deans. Any department or any dean of a school or college may request review of a listed course by the Vice-President of Academic Affairs, the University Curriculum Review Committee, the Graduate Council (if a graduate course is being reviewed) and relevant departments, including the department offering the course and the department requesting review. The review may result in cancellation of the course. Provisionally approved courses for which no review is requested, or which are approved by this review, shall be submitted by the Vice-President of Academic Affairs with appropriate recommendation for approval or disapproval to the President. After approval by the President, they shall be listed in the next edition of the catalog.

 

IV. COMMITTEES

The University Curriculum Review Committee shall be appointed by the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and will serve in an advisory capacity to him. The separate Curriculum Committee for the School of Technology shall operate as a department course review committee. The Graduate Council will continue to review all courses carrying 500 to 600 designation.

The Senate strongly recommends that academic departments form student advisory committees which can provide input on course and curriculum changes to departmental curriculum committees where the major business of course and curriculum change should take place.



Proposal Adopted by Senate: 29 January 1975
Approved by President: 17 June 1975
Amended with Proposal 13-08 to reflect the quarter to semester changes
Became Senate Policy 303.1 and Senate Procedures 303.1.1