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Policy

Adding New courses

Permanent Courses

A proposal for a new permanent course shall first be approved by the department or program, after consultation with other departments or programs where appropriate. The proposal must also be submitted for approval by the following bodies.

Approving Bodies for Curriculum Changes

Approving Body	Undergraduate	Graduate
Department or Program	Required	Required
Division	Required	Required
Council of Academic Deans	Required	Required
University Senate Consent Calendar	Required	Required

Any permanently approved topics course may have modifiers to allow students to register for the course more than once or to focus on specific content (hence, different titles) within a very large body of material.

Temporary Courses

When special course offerings are demanded by circumstances such as changes in staff, the divisional dean may grant temporary approval. The dean may also grant temporary approval to a new course that a department or program wishes to test before seeking permanent approval. Once a course is offered under this temporary provision it, may be offered any number of times during the next four terms. All requests for temporary course approval shall be forwarded, with a recommendation, by the appropriate dean to the Office of the University Registrar. If the temporary course request involves a graduate-level course, the Dean of the Graduate School must also approve it.

University Honors Program Seminars 

University Honors Program seminars are normally taught three but not more than four times in successive years. Exceptions to this policy may be approved by the Director of the University Honors Program.

Revising Existing Courses

A proposal for revisions of an existing course shall first be approved by the department or program, after consultation with other departments or programs where appropriate. These course changes must be submitted to the division for approval. Upon approval by the division, these course changes will appear on the University Senate Consent Calendar and become official at the close of the Senate meeting in which the course change is received. Divisions are responsible for reviewing all Senate consent calendar items prior to the University Senate meeting.

Significant Course Changes 

The following revisions to an existing course are considered significant and warrant approval by university bodies:

• change in student learning outcomes or other significant course content change
• any change in credit hours
• permanently deleting a course (see also the section of this policy titled “Deleting a Course”)

Significant course changes must be submitted for approval by the following bodies.

Approving Bodies for Curriculum Changes

Approving Body	Undergraduate	Graduate
Department or Program	Required	Required
Division	Required	Required
Council of Academic Deans	Required	Required
University Senate Consent Calendar	Required	Required

Additional Course Changes 

These are in addition to the above significant course changes and require approval by only the department or program and the division.

• change in title
• any change in course number unless associated with the section of this policy titled “Significant Course Changes” revisions listed above
• change in semantics of Banner Catalog description
• change in prerequisite, co-requisite or concurrent courses
• cross-listing of courses (approval needed from all cross-listed departments, programs, and divisions)
• change in instructional type
• change in grading mode

Special Course Numbers

Certain course numbers are reserved for a variety of seminars, independent study coursework, special topics, internships, research, thesis, dissertation, and workshops. Consult the  for more information.

Deleting a Course

(Note: any reference to class days in this manual includes final exam week.)

During the fall semester of each academic year, the Office of the University Registrar will electronically notify the appropriate chair or program director and academic dean of courses, (with cross-listing notations) that have not been offered or have had no enrollments for the prior four academic years. No action will be taken on these courses at this point in time. If the courses on this list are not offered the start of the fifth academic year, they will be removed from the . In this fifth academic year, the chair or program director with the approval of the appropriate academic dean may notify the Office of the University Registrar of a decision to retain the course on the list of active University courses for one (1) additional year. The course will remain for an additional sixth year and be deleted during the following year, if not offered or has no enrollment. Failure to supply such notification by stated deadline of the fifth year of a course not being offered will result in the deletion of the course from the General Bulletin list of active University courses. A department or program wishing to offer a course that has been deleted must follow the policy for approval of a new course before the course may be offered again.

Deleting a Minor, Thematic Sequence or Certificate

(Note: any reference to class days in this manual includes final exam week.)

Each academic year during fall semester, the Office of the University Registrar will electronically notify the appropriate chair or program director and academic dean of minors, certificates, and Thematic Sequences that have had no or a low number of students (less than 12 students for undergraduate programs and 7 students for graduate programs) graduating within the academic program during the prior four academic years. No action will be taken on these academic programs at this point in time. If the programs on this list continue to have low or no enrollments by the start of the fifth academic year, they will be removed from the next publication of the General Bulletin. In this fifth academic year, the chair or program director with the approval of the appropriate academic dean may notify the Office of the University Registrar of a decision to retain the minor, certificate, or Thematic Sequence on the list of active University programs for one (1) additional academic year. The program will remain for an additional sixth year and be deleted during the following year, if low or no enrollments. Failure to supply such notification by the stated deadline of the fifth year of a low or not awarded program will result in the deletion of the program from the General Bulletin. A department or program wishing to offer an academic program that has been deleted must follow the procedures for approval of a new academic program before the program may be offered again.

Departments or programs may also elect to propose an elimination of a minor, Thematic Sequence, or certificate, on their own and at any point, following the appropriate department governance procedures.  In this situation, the proposed elimination must be submitted for approval by the following bodies following the process described in “Eliminating or Revising a Degree, Major, Co-Major, Minor or Certificate.”

Adding a New Degree

The proposal for any curriculum or program leading to a new undergraduate or graduate degree, including name changes to the same, shall first be approved by the department or program, after consultation with other departments or programs (where appropriate). The proposal must also be submitted for approval by the following bodies.

Approving Bodies for Curriculum Changes

Approving Body or Person	Undergraduate	Graduate
Department or Program	Required	Required
Division	Required	Required
Council for Undergraduate Curriculum	Required	Not Applicable
Graduate Council	Not Applicable	Required
Council of Academic Deans*	Required	Required
University Senate	Required	Required
President	Required	Required
Board of Trustees	Required	Required
Office of the Provost**	Required	Required

*Only members of COAD with faculty status vote on curricular items.

**At the beginning of the approval process and upon approval by the Board of Trustees, the Office of the Provost, in consultation with the academic division and department or program, coordinates the approval of new degrees with the appropriate external agencies, including the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE), U.S. Department of Education (DOE), and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). State authorization may be needed for online and off-site programs. Graduate degree programs require two sets of approval—the first for the preliminary program development plan and the second for the full proposal.

Adding a New Major

Any new major at the undergraduate or graduate level shall first be approved by the department or program, after consultation with other departments or programs (where appropriate). The proposal must also be submitted for approval by the following bodies.

Approving Bodies for Curriculum Changes

Approving Body or Person	Undergraduate	Graduate
Department or Program	Required	Required
Division	Required	Required
Council for Undergraduate Curriculum	Required	Not Applicable
Graduate Council	Not Applicable	Required
Council of Academic Deans*	Required	Required
University Senate	Required	Required
President	Required	Required
Board of Trustees	Required	Required
Office of the Provost**	Required	Required

*Only members of COAD with faculty status vote on curricular items.

**At the beginning of the approval process and upon approval by University Senate, the Office of the Provost, in consultation with the academic division and department or program, shall coordinate proposals for new undergraduate majors with external agencies, such as the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE), the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). State authorization may be needed for online and off-site majors. Graduate degree programs require two sets of approval—the first for the preliminary program development plan and the second for the full proposal.

Adding a New Co-Major, Minor or Certificate

Any new co-major, new minor, or new certificate at either the undergraduate or graduate level shall first be approved by the department or program, after consultation with other departments or programs (where appropriate). The proposal must also be submitted for approval by the following bodies.

Approving Bodies for Curriculum Changes

Approving Body or Person	Undergraduate	Graduate
Department or Program	Required	Required
Division	Required	Required*
Graduate Council	Not Applicable	Required**
Council of Academic Deans***	Required	Required
University Senate (Consent Calendar)	Required	Required
Office of the Provost****	Required	Required

*Proposals for new co-majors need approval of all academic divisions.

**Only those that require approval by the ODHE Chancellor’s Council on Graduate Studies (CCGS).

***Only members of COAD with faculty status vote on curricular items.

****The Office of the Provost, in consultation with the academic division and department or program shall coordinate approvals for certificates which have the possibility of enrolling students who are not already enrolled in a ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree program with the appropriate external agencies, including the Ohio Departmetn of Higher Education (ODHE), the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Eliminating or Revising a Degree, Major, Co-Major, Minor or Certificate

Any elimination or revision to a degree, major, co-major, minor, certificate, or concentration,  including name changes to the same, at either the undergraduate or graduate level shall first be approved by the department or program, after consultation with other departments or programs (where appropriate).

Revisions requiring approval include:

• Change in name of program
• Curriculum modification, including addition or revision of a concentration with a degree program or major
• Change in delivery mode for 50% or more of the requirements
• Change in sites where program is offered
• Accelerated or flexible delivery
• Enrolling non-matriculated students to enroll (for certificates only)
• Elimination of program

The proposed elimination or revision must also be submitted for approval by the following bodies.

Approving Bodies for Curriculum Changes

Approving Body or Person	Undergraduate	Graduate
Department or Program	Required	Required
Division	Required	Required
Graduate Council	Not Applicable	Required*
Council of Academic Deans**	Required	Required
University Senate (Consent Calendar)	Required	Required
Office of the Provost***	Required	Required

*Only those that require approval by the ODHE Chancellor’s Council on Graduate Studies (CCGS)

**Only members of COAD with faculty status vote on curricular items.

**The Office of the Provost, in consultation with the academic division and department or program shall coordinate appropriate approvals with external agencies, including the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE), U.S. Department of Education (DOE), and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). External approval is required for substantial changes to the curriculum, change in sites where the program is delivered, change in delivery mode, and (in the case of certificates) enrolling students who are not already enrolled in a ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú degree program.  

If a department cannot agree upon the elimination of an academic degree or major by a simple majority vote, the department or academic program (unit) may request that University Senate Executive Committee in consultation with the Provost appoint a process coordinator who will be charged with:

• ensuring that the decision-making process is fair and empowers all constituents;
• ensuring that the process not only allows adequate time to hear and debate all concerns, but also is as efficient as possible;
• acting as a sounding board and mediator, as required, throughout the decision-making process; and
• acting as a liaison between the affected units and University Senate (the process coordinator does not need to be a member of University Senate).

Within the span of one academic semester, the process coordinator will engage in analysis of the proposal, including substantive deliberation and feedback from affected division(s), department(s) or program(s). The analysis should assess benefits and impacts on the University mission, on all constituents, and affected units, and on budget. Where diverse perspectives exist, the process coordinator will ensure that they are included in the impact analysis.  The process coordinator will present findings of the analysis and make recommendations to the University Senate and the Provost.

Once these steps are concluded, the process for approval, elimination or revision of a degree program or major (as appropriate) should be followed.

Resolving Objections to Proposed Changes to the Curriculum

If an objection is raised to a proposed curriculum change, the appropriate deans and department chairs or program directors will usually meet to resolve the matter. If the objection is not resolved in a timely fashion or if an unresolved objection is made to a proposal that has been approved by a division, the proposal will be forwarded to the Council of Academic Deans to resolve the matter. If the objection is not resolved, it will be forwarded to University Senate for action.

Office of the University Registrar Responsibilities

The Office of the University Registrar, in collaboration with the Office of the Provost, shall provide consultation and advising prior to and during the course and curriculum approval process in order to assist the University in utilizing the structure and options of all functional capabilities to the fullest.

The Office of the University Registrar will track the course and curriculum approval process, including approval of new courses, changes to courses, new curriculum, or changes to existing curriculum.

The Office of the University Registrar will provide a permanent repository for all curricular and course approvals.

The Office of the University Registrar is enjoined from recording credit or permitting publication of information for any course or curriculum not duly approved under this policy.

Office of the Provost Responsibilities

The Office of the Provost will conduct an initial review of all new curricula and significant changes to existing curricula to ensure compliance with applicable policies and encourage appropriate consultation with other departments or programs.  It will also report all course and curriculum changes to University Senate.  The University Senate explicitly approves a new major or a new degree.  A new minor, a new certificate, a new course, or a new concentration (and revisions, including name changes to the same) will appear on the Senate consent calendar.  Following final action by University Senate, the Office of the Provost will report all changes in curriculum to the Office of the University Registrar for inclusion in the permanent repository for all curricular and course approvals.  New majors and new degrees will be reported in the e-Report or other suitable communication medium which will reach members of the University community. New degrees require the approval of the Board of Trustees. Upon final approval by the Board of Trustees, the Office of the Provost, in consultation with the academic division and department or program, shall submit proposals for new undergraduate degrees to the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE). The Graduate School reports proposals for new graduate degrees to the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Upon approval from ODHE, new undergraduate and graduate degrees are reported to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) by the Office of Institutional Research in conjunction with the Office of the Provost.

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Related Form(s)

Not applicable.

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Additional Resources and Procedures

Websites

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FAQ

Not applicable.

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Policy Administration

Next Review Date

7/1/2023

Responsible Officer

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Legal Reference

Not Applicable.

Compliance Policy

No

Recent Revision History

Amended July 2018; Amended February 2021; Amended July 2021

Reference ID

• MUPIM 11.1
• OAC 3339-11-01

Reviewers

• University Senate
• Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs