CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
College Curriculum Committee
The Curriculum Committee primarily reviews faculty and departmental proposals for new courses and changes to majors and minors.
Course offerings and schedules [Beth Small?]
Course change requests
1. To change the title, description, or some other attribute of a course that already exists, download the “Course Change Proposal” form from the Registrar’s website.
2. Submit the form for the Dean’s approval, but it does not need to go to the Curriculum Committee.
3. Once approved, the Dean will forward the form to the Registrar and return a copy to the department. Processing by the Registrar should be almost immediate.
Notes:
* If you are adding or changing GenEd2 attributes, you will need to append a syllabus for the course. The Dean’s office will send it to Albany for approval. (You may teach the altered course once the Dean has approved it, but it will not fulfill the GenEd requirement until it has been processed by Albany. Estimated time: unknown.)
* The department should keep a copy of the form, lest it require tracking down at some later date. If you have not received confirmation (or a request for further information) after “a while,” contact the Dean’s secretary to ask what point the form is at.
New course proposals
1. Download the appropriate form from the Registrar’s website; be sure to append items 1-9 on a separate sheet.
2. If you want GenEd2 attributes for the course, append a sample syllabus.
3. Three copies of the form should be sent to the Dean, who will then forward it to the Curriculum Committee New Course Review Subcommittee. If you are requesting GenEd attributes, it will then be forwarded to Albany. Once the course has been approved by the Dean and sent down to the Registrar, it may be taught without fulfilling the desired GenEd requirement pending response from Albany.
Notes:
*Faculty/chairs should verify if there is any overlap/potential impact on courses in other departments. If so, indicate you have discussed the proposal with the other chair(s) involved.
*For course to be offered fall semester: submit course proposal by Feb. 1
“ spring semester: Sept. 15
“ summer: Jan. 15 [dates diff. in handbk]
*Course numbers:
1. There are no clear guidelines on 200- vs. 300-level courses.
2. Special Topics courses (*94) require only the Dean’s permission. Courses may be offered only twice as 294 or 394; after that, they must be submitted as permanent courses and allocated another number.
3. Numbers cannot be reassigned, even if an existing course is no longer offered. If the department is running out of numbers, it may wish to create subcategories (ex. WLIT, ALIT, etc. rather than LITR).
4. *98 and *99 are independent studies and theses (100-, 200-, or 300-level as appropriate)
* Verify that the proposal indicates the frequency with which the course will be offered.
* Verify that the proposal indicates the estimated amount of time spent on proposed topics.
* The department should keep a copy of the form, lest it require tracking down at some later date. If you have not received confirmation (or a request for further information) after “a while,” contact the Dean’s secretary to ask what point the form is at.
Changes in major or minor
1. The chair should prepare the following: a copy of both the current major/minor and the proposed major/minor (clearly marked), along with a cover letter explaining why the department wishes those changes.
2. Request to change a major/minor is submitted to the Chair of the Curriculum Committee. The department chair or well-versed representative must be present at that Curriculum meeting to address any questions the committee might have.
Notes:
* Once approved by the Curriculum Committee, major changes are forwarded to the College Senate, Provost, and SUNY central.
* Changes in minors are normally reviewed by the Curriculum Committee’s Executive Board, which may bring the question to the committee as a whole if they feel discussion is in order.
* In case of overlap or potential impact on courses in other departments, departments should indicate to the Curriculum Committee they have discussed the proposed changes with the relevant chairs.
* Departments may need to be aware of the impact of major changes on students double-majoring with Education.