ESC’s New Gradaute Degree Concept paper requirements incorporated INto SUNY Letter of IntenT
The ESC concept paper for a new graduate degree program is prepared in advance of the investment of college resources for preparing a program proposal. The concept paper provides information for the Office of Academic Affairs and governance committees to review the major areas, but does not have full detail, as additional program research and engagement with the faculty and functional offices will be conducted during the proposal development stage.
SUNY requires a similar document called a letter of intent (LOI) for new graduate degree programs, whereby it announces the intention to develop the degree program to other SUNY institutions, gathers feedback and grants authority to move ahead. The items required by the college and by SUNY are similar to those required by the LOI, though audience is a bit different. To eliminate redundant work on new degree program development teams, the ESC concept paper items have been incorporated into the SUNY Letter of Intent structure, eliminating the need for the creation of two separate documents. The college will still vet the concept albeit with the more robust LOI document prior to finalizing and forwarding the letter of intent to SUNY.
SUNY does not require a Letter of Intent for Advanced (graduate) certificate programs and development teams should use the concept paper outline for introducing certificate programs (see p##).
SUNY LOI
The process for initiating a new graduate degree program (master’s or doctoral) begins with the Letter of Intent, which is submitted to System Administration by the proposing campus and made available to sister campuses for a 30 day review & comment period. Following this initial 30-day period, it is subject to formal review by System Administration.
The Letter of Intent should be addressed by the campus president or chief academic officer to the University Provost via the program review email address . The Letter of Intent will be announced in the Academic Programs Update and made available to sister campuses on the System Administration Document Retrieval System. It will also be announced as usual in the Monthly Report of Program Developments issued by the office of Academic Programs & Planning. Sister campuses will have thirty days (from the date of circulation in the Update) to submit a response to the Letter of Intent. Please note that System Administration may not be able to take into account responses received after the conclusion of the thirty-day review period.
Responses from sister campuses (from the president or chief academic officer) regarding the proposed program must be sent to the proposing campus and to the University Provost. Campus responses will be incorporated into System Administration’s reply to the Letter of Intent.
Letter of Intent Format
The Letter of Intent should contain the best projections possible at this preliminary stage, according to the following outline:
A. Program Identity and Abstract
1. Proposed title.
2. Proposed award. Use the authorized abbreviation from Rules of the Board of Regents, Sec. 3.50, at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/rules.htm.
3. Proposed beginning date.
4. Brief description of the proposed program. Include purpose and overall guiding vision/goals of the program, the anticipated major topics/areas for curriculum development (academic content, structure/duration, and number of credits), the major admission requirements (e.g. master’s enrollment requires proof of a bachelor’s degree), the anticipated delivery methods, and a description of any partner(s) and the partner’s roles in the delivery or use of program.
B. Institutional Mission and Planning
1. Explain the relationship of the proposed program to the Board of Trustees-approved mission of the institution. Please document how the development of this program is related to the campus’ ongoing planning processes, including (but not necessarily limited to) its Mission Review Memorandum of Understanding[1], overall campus enrollment planning, and Middle States reaccreditation reviews. If the program constitutes a departure from the campus’ Mission Review MOU or other Board policies, please explain in detail the rationale for such a departure.
2. Identify existing or projected programs of the campus in the same or related disciplines and the expected impact of the proposed program on them.
3. Briefly describe proposed arrangements for required external clinical instruction, agency placement, practice teaching, internships, etc., if any, and how these arrangements would affect other institutions using the same facilities. Attest to the sufficiency of proposed off-campus site placements for projected enrollment.
C. Market: Need and Demand
1. Identify the intended student population and the need for the proposed program within the SUNY system in terms of the availability and capacity of similar programs offered by other SUNY campuses. If there could be a reasonable perception of duplication or redundancy, please provide the rationale for adding this program.
2. Identify similar programs at non-SUNY institutions, public and private, and, where appropriate, the potential impact on them.
3. Identify the potential need for this program in terms of the economy and/or educational needs of the area in which it is to be located, New York State at large and, particularly for doctoral programs, the nation.
4. Estimate student demand expected for this program and explain how the estimate was arrived at.
5. If the program is designed to prepare graduates for immediate employment, estimate employment opportunities and explain how the estimate was arrived at.
D. Enrollment and Fiscal Factors
1. What is the projected enrollment when the program begins?
2. What is the projected enrollment after five years?
3. How were these projections determined?
4. Since this expected enrollment may affect the future campus enrollment composition and totals, estimate the impact of the program on total campus enrollment.
5. Detail costs associated with the program and how existing/anticipated resources will address these costs. Include any anticipated significant technology or facilities implications and anticipated additional resources (faculty, staff) required to offer the program
Additional Information for ESC
Program Development
- The individual (or position) who will serve as the program development lead
- Resources required for development of program proposal
Other items
1. Any off-site or international delivery plans (may have implications for external review and approval processes and notification requirements for Middle States)
2. Any plans for delivery of courses by non-degree awarding organizations (may have implications for external review and approval processes and notification requirements for Middle States)
[1]ESC Note: Mission review MOUs are dated and are superseded by the college’s strategic plan. Use the college’s strategic plan as a point of reference instead of the last SUNY MOU.