The Senate of Michigan Technological University


PROPOSAL 7-78

GENERAL POLICY FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAM PLANNING

BACKGROUND:

Senate Policy 11-71, General Policy for Academic Program Planning, was passed by the Senate on May 26, 1971 for the purpose of providing Senate advice through an Ad Hoc Committee of the Senate, to the President of the University concerning future academic programs which should be included on the State Board of Education AP-1 Program Planning Questionnaire. The Michigan Department of Education recently revised the nature of the AP-1 document. The Department of Education now requires that the institution's Board of Control or Administration make a clear commitment to implement a program before submitting it to the Department. A consequence of this change is that Proposal 11-71 is no longer adequate because it does not provide the full Senate with an opportunity to develop a recommendation on a program before the University makes a commitment to the program.

PROPOSAL:

  1. Senate Policy 11-71, General Policy for Academic Program Planning, is hereby revoked.

  2. The purpose of this policy is to provide the advice of the Senate to the President of the University on which academic programs the Board of Control or Administration should make a clear commitment to implement within three subsequent years by entry on Michigan Department of Education Form HE-4091, Ap-1: Five-Year Project of New Academic Programs (form number subject to change by State Department of Education).

  3. The Administration shall refer proposals for new academic programs, as they become available, 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 University resources of all types?

      A proposal need not include a detailed listing of courses in the curriculum, but it must include enough information to answer the above questions.

  4. The Senate Curricular Policy Committee shall make a recommendation to the Administration on each proposed academic program.

  5. The Senate shall make a recommendation to the Administration on each proposed academic program.

  6. Within one month after the University has submitted an AP-1 five-year projection to the Michigan Department of Education, the Administration shall provide the Senate with a copy of the submission and an explanation of any deviations from Senate recommendations which may have occurred.

  7. Prior to implementation, any program proposed shall be processed in accordance with the procedures of Senate Policy 10-70, Procedures for Developing Significant Changes in the Academic Program.

 

Adopted by Senate : 7 December 1977
Became Senate Policy 108.1