University Curriculum Committee

3.3.3.22 University Curriculum Committee

AP&P will hear program change proposals only after all concurrent course changes relative to the proposed program change requests have successfully completed the current curriculum approval process (e.g. course changes in the number of credits, course changes in prerequisites, and new course proposals).

1. Purpose:

1. to provide a University-wide forum for the critical reading of and response to new course proposals and all changes to existing course proposals
2. to facilitate the resolution of differences between colleges, departments, and programs where duplication of course content occurs
3. to provide continuity and guidance regarding course proposal format
4. to provide continuity and guidance regarding the amount of detail in course proposals
5. to maintain a standardized form to be used for all course proposals and accompanying transmittal forms

2. Membership:  

1. Two (2) faculty from each college (CEBAH, CAFES, CAS); at least one of these members has graduate faculty status.
2. faculty member with Graduate Faculty status.
3. Provost or designee.
4. Registrar or designee.
5. Up to one (1) student.

3. Term of Office: Three years for faculty, approximately one-third to be appointed each year, one year for students.

4. Duties:

1. to receive and evaluate, according to University Curriculum Committee purposes, all new and revised courses that have been approved by the appropriate college curriculum committee and/or the Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee. The University Curriculum Committee will review courses and make recommendations in relation to their quality and the application of credit. The Committee will also adjudicate and make recommendations in those cases that involve University regulations or cross-college/department/program overlap [FS 06/07 #31
2. to coordinate procedures with all college curriculum committees and/or the Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee.
3. to suggest changes in the format of the course proposal form and transmittal form

5. Procedure:

1. Courses are usually generated and developed by department faculty. Course proposals must be reviewed and approved at the departmental level. Letters of acknowledgment from persons in departments that were consulted where possible curriculum overlap may occur must be forwarded with the proposal. Letters of acknowledgment are required from consulted departments whose course enrollments may be affected due to changes in or additions of course prerequisites in the proposal. The originating department must sign the accompanying transmittal form. If the proposal is either an undergraduate course or a combined undergraduate/graduate proposal, it is then sent to the college curriculum committee or the appropriate committees. In the case of an intercollegiate course, for example, the proposal is sent to the college curriculum committee where the program is housed administratively; whereas in the case of a graduate course, it is sent to the Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee.
2. Courses with designators not housed in a department or college must be approved by the college-level curriculum committee of the faculty member proposing the course. All courses must be proposed by a member of the faculty. After the course is approved by the appropriate college curriculum committee, the proposal will proceed to the University Curriculum Committee for approval.
3. Graduate level courses must be approved or disapproved by the Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee and signed by the Director of Graduate Studies before being submitted to the University Curriculum Committee.
4. Education-abroad courses must also obtain a letter from the Chair of the International Programs Committee.
5. Course proposals approved by the Deans (and both the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee for graduate courses) are forwarded to the University Curriculum Committee (an updated electronic copy). When a course is revised or changed, copies of the old original proposal must also be sent to the University Curriculum Committe A signed transmittal form must accompany all course proposals.
6. Course proposal forms must be submitted at the same time by each of the collaborating units. These proposals must be identical in all respects except for the subject identifier code and the three-digit course number if a common number is not available. They must be reviewed and approved by all the departments, college committees, and college Deans associated with the proposal. Once they have been approved at the college level, they must be forwarded together to the Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee and follow the approval path for graduate courses if the course is to be taught at the graduate level or to the University Curriculum Committee and follow the approval path for undergraduate courses if the course is to be taught at the undergraduate level. A cross-listed course cannot be listed at both undergraduate and graduate levels, the course proposed for cross-listing must:
   1. Be offered by an instructor who is qualified to teach the materials determined by the cross-listing units.
   2. Be regularly offered by the cross-listing units in alternation or
   3. Be regularly taught collaboratively by the units or
7. Any course that is offered on a temporary basis (such as 289, 389, INTS 370) with essentially the same course specifications must be approved through the regular curricular process, before its fourth offerin
8. The University Curriculum Committee Chair will publish in the committee's agenda a list of all courses to be reviewed by the University Curriculum Committee so as to inform the University faculty. Information will be published in accordance with Wisconsin Open Meetings Law requirements.
9. At the request of the University Curriculum Committee Chair, a departmental representative must be at the meeting to represent new and revised course proposals. The representative should be prepared to provide a short verbal explanation/justification of the new or revised course proposal. The representative will serve as a liaison between the University Curriculum Committee and the department in which the proposal originated. The committee may ask the representative to clarify information and provide background material.
10. Guidelines for review and approval of course proposals:
    1. Review for accurate information prompts, such as the year of the first offering, and minor/major requirements.
    2. Check for the inclusion of appropriate prerequisites.
    3. If substantive changes to the course proposal are deemed necessary for the course to be approved by the University Curriculum Committee, the proposal may be sent back to the appropriate college curriculum committee or the Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee.
    4. Adjudicate and make recommendations in those cases of overlap or other conflicts involving University regulations or intercollegiate differences.
    5. Review for adequacy of course outlines and attachments including acknowledgment letters from persons in departments who were consulted where possible curriculum content overlap may occur. In the case of an education abroad course, a letter from the chair of the International Programs Committee must also be reviewed.
11. Guidelines for information dissemination after committee action:
    1. Minutes of all the meetings will be sent to:
       1. the President of the Student Senate
       2. the chair and secretary of the Faculty Senate
       3. all college Deans and the Director of Graduate Studies
       4. all college curriculum committee chairs
       5. all committee members
       6.  
    2. The original course proposal with accompanying transmittal form will be sent to the Dean's Office of the appropriate college, or the Office of Graduate Studies (for graduate courses), for the permanent/official files. Copies, including the transmittal form, will also be sent to the person who submitted the course proposal and one to the Department(s) in which the course will be taught. [FS 12/13 #44]