New Program Development

ACADEMIC PLANNING COUNCIL

NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

(Faculty Senate Recommended Revision - April 26, 2013)

The Academic Planning Council and the New Program Development Committee are structured to provide efficient, timely, and rigorous pathways for the proposal, development, and implementation of new degree programs at the  University of Southern Indiana. The purpose of a continuing long-range plan is to record the academic development of the University in narrative, graphic, and tabular display. The Academic Planning Calendar is a schedule projecting the expansion and growth of the University's curricula and detailing the commitment of University resources - academic, financial, and physical - to current and future growth.

This plan includes the projection of recommended new programs and the introduction of revised major or minor curricula. In support of new curricular programs, majors, or minors, the New Program Development Committee will provide guidance in the development and preparation of the plan that aligns to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education checklist of criteria used in taking action on new degree programs. The plan will provide for changes in authorization or implementation necessitated by modified University academic and fiscal conditions, as well as altered justification of degree programs tentatively approved.

A. Structure for Academic Planning

The academic plan will be prepared by the Academic Planning Council (hereinafter called "APC"), composed of the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, the vice president for Business Affairs, the vice president for Student Affairs, the vice president for Government and University Relations, the assistant provost for Undergraduate Studies, the academic Deans, the director of Library Services, the director of Graduate Studies and Sponsored Research, the registrar, the chair of the Faculty Senate, and the chair of the Curriculum Committee. The provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, or his or her appointee, will serve as the chair. The director of Institutional Research and Assessment is an ex-officio member. In addition, the APC may invite participation in academic planning from other University staff members, consultants, and resource persons.

B.  Function of the Academic Planning Council

The APC will require each academic unit to submit such information as the APC may request. The APC is authorized to review and recommend new majors, minors, or program requests.

The major function of the APC is to recommend to the president for the University the feasibility of initiating new majors, minors, or programs. The APC does not become involved in particular courses which compose program studies related to a major, minor, or program. This function lies with the Curriculum Committee for undergraduate programs or the Graduate Council for graduate programs and should be submitted to them only after proper authorization has been given by the president of the University.

At least annually, the APC will review preceding Academic Planning Calendars and programs and prepare new plans as appropriate.

The APC will comment and make appropriate recommendations to the president of the University. Dates for meetings are to be set by the chair of the APC.

C.  Structure of the New Program Development Committee

The proposed constituency of the New Program Development Committee (hereinafter called "NPDC") is as follows:

a)  one appointed faculty representative from each academic college (voting),

b)  one representative from the Office of the Provost (ex-officio),

c)  the Registrar (ex-officio), and

d)  the director of Graduate Studies (ex-officio).

Other constituencies will be invited to participate in NPDC deliberations as needed. These constituencies include, but are not limited to: college deans, finance and administration representatives, and Office of Planning, Research, and Assessment representatives.

D.  Implementation of Academic Planning

Any University academic discipline or college may:

1. be invited by the APC to develop data in support of a proposed new degree program or new curriculum, or

2. petition the APC for permission to prepare data. Invitations will be forwarded from the APC via the provost through the appropriate dean to the academic discipline committee.

The dean and a majority of the faculty members of the petitioning discipline unit will sign the request which will be reviewed and analyzed by the APC.

The academic college curriculum committee or planning committee will develop detailed data for support of a new program only after the NPDC has given tentative initial approval to proceed.

E.  Additional Procedures

1)  Initial program submission to NPDC should contain brief summations to items 1-6 listed below.  Final report submitted to the Indiana Commission on Higher Education (ICHE) must follow the Checklist of Criteria To Be Used by the Commission on Taking Action on New Degree Programs format.

1.   Program Description
2.   Rationale for the Program
3.   Cost of and Support for the Program
4.   Similar and Related Programs
5.   Quality and Other Aspects of the Program
6.   Projected Headcount and FTE Enrollments and Degrees Conferred

This initial submission should be no longer than two pages and include a timeline for final program submission to the ICHE. Consideration of all new program proposals will be made by the NPDC in consultation with the academic deans.

2)  Once initial approval is granted by the NPDC, a complete and detailed new program proposal may be developed. The aforementioned checklist should serve as the template for all proposal submissions. All pertinent information must be included in the final new program proposal.

3)  Once final program proposal  has been completed, it is then submitted to the University Curriculum Committee (UCC) or University Graduate Council (UGC) as appropriate to the proposed program for their review. The proposal will be posted on the University of Southern Indiana NPDC website for viewing by all concerned parties. The UCC/UGC will deliberate on the program as a whole, not on individual courses that comprise the curriculum. Items for consideration by the UCC or UGC include, but are not limited to:

a) total credit hours,

b) core requirements,

c) upper-level course requirements,

d) multidisciplinary issues, and

e) other.

4)  Following approval of the new program proposal granted by the UCC or UGC, the proposal will be returned to the NPDC for final review. If no substantive changes are made to the proposal by the NPDC, a recommendation will be crafted for submission to the President. If revisions of importance are made to the proposal, it shall be returned to the UCC or UGC for reconsideration.

5)  The steps 1-5 of the proposed program submission process should not exceed 12 months in duration. Once a program is initially submitted to the NPDC, the proposed program will have 12 months to receive final approval from the APC. If the proposed program fails to meet the 12 month deadline, the process must be repeated from the beginning.

6)  Report of the APC recommends action to the president of the University.

7)  Action by the president of the University includes:

a)  notification to the academic unit(s) of APC non-approval, with explanation, or

b)  transmission of the APC action, with recommendation to the University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees.

8)  Approval of APC recommendations made by the president of the University, Board of Trustees, and the ICHE will constitute administrative authorization for preparation of curriculum and permit the president to notify the academic unit to proceed with development of curriculum details (i.e., sequence of courses, petitions for new courses, etc.) in accordance with the University of Southern Indiana faculty constitutional guidelines established for the approval of University curricula.

9) Submission of itemized courses, including catalog descriptions which constitute the program of studies, to the proper faculty committee for study. These committees will make recommendations to the Faculty Senate for undergraduate programs, or the Graduate Council for graduate programs.

10)  Affirmative Faculty Senate or Graduate Council action on the curriculum and concurrence by the president of the University constitutes permission to the academic unit to begin implementing the new program.

11) Implementation of approved major and minor programs consistent with the recommendations of the APC and approved by the University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees and the ICHE.

12)  Program Submission Process below:

Step 1
Initial Program Submission to New Program Development Committee

Step 2
Complete Development of Proposal

Step 3
Submit to Curriculum Committee / Graduate Council for review of new program curriculum

Step 4
Final review and recommendation by New Program Development Committee
     ↓
Submission to Academic Planning Council for approval
     ↓
Submission to President's Office
     ↓
Submission to Board of Trustees
     ↓
Submission to the Indiana Commission on Higher Education