Proposal for a Fast-Track Grants Curriculum Process
Overview
Given the dynamic and ever changing environment of education, and recognizing the need to be flexible and responsive to identified workforce employment needs, and acknowledging that external (e.g. Department of Labor or National Science Foundation grants) grant support is becoming a significant and substantial element in encouraging and supporting new innovation targeted at increasing student access, opportunity and success in post-secondary education, there is need for an additional curricula ‘fast track’ process which will provide for expedited review and approval of grant-related programs. While many grants allow ample time for the development of new programs, many grants have a much shorter timeframe. Oftentimes, a grant requires the process to be completed within a two to three month period of time from initiation to implementation. When new curriculum is required, the current MCCCD curriculum process typically exceeds this timeframe. In order to be in a position to participate in and compete for various grant opportunities, especially national grants, it is requested that a process for grant-related curriculum be created and adopted by the District Curriculum Committee.
Fast-Track Grant Curricula Approval Process for MCCCD
For the purposes of this process, a grant is defined as an external monetary award given to one or more Maricopa Colleges by the government (local, state, or federal), foundations, nonprofits, or private entities. A requirement of the grant would include the creation of new curriculum, including courses and/or certificates and in some instances, degrees, which will be available only to participants accepted into the grant. Examples of such grants include the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant program, National Science Foundation grants, Department of Labor grants, Lumina Foundation grants, etc.
A fast-track grants curriculum approval process for curricula directly related to grant requirements would allow colleges to create new courses and programs in a more rapid and timely implementation cycle as well as allow for the piloting of new and/or modified curricula/programs. The courses and programs approved through the proposed fast-track grants curriculum process would be available to only those colleges participating in the grant and to a closed student population per the grant requirements. The courses and programs would be in effect for the duration of the grant, completion of students registered in the grant program, and the timeframe required for grant-required data collection. At the conclusion of these requirements, the courses and programs would no longer be available; they would automatically be placed in a deleted status. If one of more of the colleges wants to offer the courses and/or programs to the general student population, the colleges would follow the standard curriculum process, including following the Early Alert process if applicable, to process the curricula.
The Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost currently reviews and approves all written grant proposals/applications prior to their submission; therefore, all curricula submitted through the proposed fast-track grants process would be sent directly to CCTA for an expedited analysis and approval, following current curriculum standards, with final approval granted by the Governing Board. Colleges would be notified of approval through an electronic form, allowing the colleges to submit the formal approval to HLC and/or DOE as necessary. Colleges using the fast-track grants curriculum process can simultaneously process the curricula through the regular MCCCD curriculum process.
Course Process: For grants requiring new courses to be written, the fast-track grants curriculum process would utilize a process similar to the one for IND170 courses. To differentiate between traditional IND170s and courses created specifically for grants, courses will be identified as IND18x (a number in the 180’s series with a suffix if necessary). The separate IND number series will allow the courses to be clearly identified as closed courses with a specific end date determined by the length of the grant. If requested by the primary college, the courses could be displayed on the CCTA website with the specific course description, competencies, and outline. This would allow transparency of course outcomes to better serve students in the transfer process, plus provide a historical repository of the courses for future use.
· Colleges will submit the IND180-series course proposals through ACRES, using a form similar to the IND170 course form.
· The IND180-series course form will identify the primary college and the sister colleges participating in the grant, the name of the grant, a brief description of the grant, the student audience (requirements for qualification and acceptance into the grant), and the timeframe of the grant as well as the appropriate Instructional Council.
· If permanent courses will be processed simultaneously with the IND180-series course(s), this would be noted as well.
· CCTA will conduct an expedited analysis of the course(s) and contact the primary college with any questions or modifications. Once analysis is completed, the course(s) would be submitted to the Governing Board for approval.
· If approval is granted, an electronic informational notification from CCTA will be sent to DCC, the College Curriculum Offices, and the appropriate Instructional Council(s), identifying the grant, the colleges participating, the new course(s) and course end term(s).
· IND180-series courses will be available through the end of the grant or until the course is processed through the full MCCCD curriculum process (if processed simultaneously or during the time the IND180 course is in place). If the grant is extended, the primary college may request an extension from the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost.
· Courses processed through the fast-track process can only be offered by the colleges participating in the grant to students who qualify for and are accepted into the grant.
Program Process: For grants requiring a new program to be created, whether utilizing existing courses in the MCCCD coursebank, new courses (including IND180-series) or a combination of both, the fast-track grants curriculum process would allow colleges to submit the program requirements directly to the CCTA office using the following process:
· Colleges will submit a New Grants Program Proposal through ACRES, using a form similar to the New Occupational Program (NOP) proposal. The proposal will identify the name of the grant, the primary college and sister colleges participating in the grant, a brief description of the grant, and the end term (determined by the grant’s length) as well as the appropriate Instructional Council and all other required elements on the current NOP proposal. If the proposed program will be going through the MCCCD New Program Process simultaneously, this would also be noted on the grants program proposal.
· Once the New Grants Program Proposal is submitted in ACRES, the primary college will send an email notification to CCTA and the College Curriculum Offices. The email will include the name of the grant, the primary college and sister colleges participating in the grant, a brief description of the grant, student audience, and length of grant. In addition, the email will include the proposed/requested program description.
· Upon receipt of the proposal, CCTA will conduct an expedited analysis and contact the primary college with any questions or modifications. Once analysis is completed, the proposed program would be submitted to the Governing Board for approval.
· After Governing Board approval, an electronic informational notification from CCTA will be sent to DCC, the College Curriculum Offices, and the appropriate Instructional Council(s), identifying the grant, the colleges participating, the program and end term.
· Colleges would continue to follow HLC and DOE approval processes as required when using the fast-track grants curriculum process.
· Proposed programs approved during this fast-track process will be limited to only those colleges participating in the grant and would be closed programs—only students who qualify for and are accepted into the grant would be allowed to complete the programs.
· If the grant is extended, the primary college may request an extension from the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost.
Process for Retaining Curriculum after Grant Concludes: Following the completion of the grant requirements, if one or more of the MCCCD colleges (whether participating in the grant or not) wish to retain the course(s) and/or program(s), the curricula would move through the standard process for additional review and approval, including following the Early Alert process, when applicable. Accompanying data would be supplied to demonstrate success that would support approval for its continuation and sharing with other colleges as deemed appropriate.