Procedures

Rules and Procedures

The following Rules and Procedures were revised during the 2004-2005 academic year under the leadership of the Special Projects Sub-Committee. The revised Rules and Procedures were approved unanimously by the full Curriculum Committee on February 2, 2005.

UNION COUNTY COLLEGE
FACULTY CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
RULES AND PROCEDURES

Revised February 2005

I. GENERAL RULES OF THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

A. General Powers of the Committee

1. The general powers of the Curriculum Committee derive from the Board of Trustees- American Association of University Collective Professors Bargaining Agreement (Article XIX) and the Faculty By-Laws (Article X).

2. The Curriculum Committee shall have jurisdiction over all course changes, new course development, program and curriculum changes, new programs and new curricula. It shall report to the Faculty at each of the Faculty’s monthly meetings all program or curriculum changes, additions or deletions, as well as new programs. The minutes of the Curriculum Committee shall be prominently posted on the Curriculum Committee page on the Union County College Faculty Web site for all Faculty members to review.

3. No courses or programs, which could be taught by regular college faculty or offered through academic departments shall be taught or given college credit without prior approval by the Faculty Curriculum Committee.

B. Membership and Terms of Office

1. The Faculty Curriculum Committee shall be composed of one representative from each of the ten academic departments of the College and one representative from the Library.

2. The English/Fine Arts/Modern Languages Department and the Business Department shall elect a second representative each, coming from an academic discipline other than the first representative.

3. The Faculty of Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center School of Nursing and the Faculty of Trinitas School of Nursing shall each be entitled to one voting representative.

4. Voting members of the Curriculum Committee shall serve for a two-year term and may serve one additional consecutive term. Nursing school representatives are not bound by these term limits.

5. The Academic Administration may designate one person to serve as an ex officio member of the Curriculum Committee with voice but no vote.

6. Persons presenting course or program material to the Committee and others having an interest in business before the Committee shall be considered guests. Guests should be encouraged to participate in discussions but shall have no vote. They may also receive documents before the Committee and shall receive a copy of the minutes of the meeting which they attend.

C. Internal Procedures of Committee

1. In accordance with Article IX of the Faculty By-Laws, revised January 2002, the incoming Curriculum Committee shall elect a Chairperson for the next academic year no later than the day of graduation. The outgoing Chairperson is responsible for convening the meeting for the purpose of electing a new Chair with the incoming Committee members. The Chairperson shall serve a one-year term, and no more than two consecutive terms. If a department needs to elect a new member to the Curriculum Committee or reelect a member for a second term, that election shall occur no later than May 14^th of the previous academic year.

2. A quorum for acting on any issue is a majority of the voting members of the Committee.

3. To pass any motion before the Committee shall require a majority of the voting members present voting “yes."

4. Minority reports are permissible on any item of business passed by the Committee.

5. The Curriculum Committee should adopt its Rules and Procedures annually at its second regularly scheduled meeting of the year. (See Article II. A. 2. and 3.) Should the Committee fail to adopt new Procedures, the previous year’s procedures shall remain in effect until all revisions have been completed and approved.

6. At the end of the academic year, the Curriculum Committee shall post on its webpage an annual report to the Faculty summarizing all actions taken by the committee and its subcommittees.

7. There shall be two permanent subcommittees:
a. New Course/New Program
b. Special Projects

D. Obligations with Regard to the Faculty

1. New courses, course revisions, and course deletions approved by the Curriculum Committee shall be reported to the Faculty at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

2. New programs, new options, revisions and deletions of existing programs and options shall require approval by the Faculty at a regularly scheduled meeting.

3. Curriculum Committee reports and motions requiring approval at a regular Faculty Meeting must be sent electronically to the faculty with a written rationale at least five (5) working days before the meeting.

4. At a regular Faculty Meeting, standing committee reports and motions meeting the above conditions provide for amendment by individual faculty members, if submitted in writing to faculty two (2) working days prior to regular Faculty Meeting and if signed by mover and seconder, and may not be amended from the floor without explicit permission of the Chairperson or other representative of the relevant standing committee presenting the report or motion. These rules for amendments may be waived by 2/3 vote of a regular Faculty Meeting, given quorum.

II. ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

A. Responsibilities of the Chairperson

1. At the first meeting of the Committee, the Chairperson shall assure that the two permanent subcommittees are established according to the procedural guidelines. All appointments shall be made with due consideration of the desires of the members of the Committee. In addition, the meeting dates for the full Curriculum Committee and the New Course/New Program Subcommittee will be established and posted on the Curriculum Committee webpage.

2. The Chairperson shall distribute copies of the previous year’s Curriculum Committee Rules and Procedures to all new members and solicit recommendations for changes, to be submitted at the second meeting.

3. By the third meeting, the Chairperson shall distribute copies of the revised procedures, reflecting current contract and by-laws as well as changes made by the Committee, to all members of the Curriculum Committee and to the Faculty Executive Committee.

4. The Chairperson confers with the Faculty Executive Committee to insure completeness of the record file of the Curriculum Committee’s minutes and other appropriate documents.

5. The Chairperson notifies the Vice President for Academic Affairs who will notify the Registrar’s Office and the Office of Institutional Research after approval of a new course, new program, or program change, so that the Union County College catalog and all material will be current.

6. When necessary, the Chairperson should maintain contact with members of the Curriculum Committee during the June through August period to insure dissemination of information concerning curriculum matters.

7. If the Chairperson determines that expeditious action by the Curriculum Committee is necessary during the summer, s/he shall convene the Curriculum Committee. Whenever a department representative is unavailable for such a meeting, the Committee Chairperson shall request of the Department Chairperson that a substitute be appointed for the meeting. If the Department Chairperson cannot be contacted, any available member of the department may be appointed by the Curriculum Committee Chairperson to represent his/her department.

B. Responsibilities of the Secretary

1. The Secretary of the Curriculum Committee shall be a member of the Curriculum Committee who has volunteered for the position or if no one volunteers, designated by the Chairperson on a continuous alphabetically rotating basis by department at the beginning of each Curriculum Committee meeting. The Chairpersons of the standing subcommittees shall be exempt.

2. The secretary for each meeting shall keep the minutes of that meeting and submit a draft of the minutes to the Chairperson within five (5) days of the meeting. The Chairperson will then send the minutes along with the agenda to the full Committee and the Vice President for Academic Affairs within five (5) days of the next meeting. After the minutes are approved, they shall be posted on the Curriculum Committee webpage.

3. The Chairperson may delegate other responsibilities to the designated secretary as the need arises.

C. Responsibilities of the Members of the Committee

1. It is the responsibility of the members to present the views of their departments at Curriculum Committee meetings, and to keep their respective departments informed of the deliberations and decisions of the Curriculum Committee.

2. It is the responsibility of the members to distribute copies of annually revised procedures to the Chairpersons of their respective department for distribution to interested colleagues within their department.

3. Members should attend every meeting. When attendance is not possible, members should insure that a representative of their department is present and should notify the Chairperson that their substitute has their vote.

4. Members should indicate to the Chairperson their desire for assignment to a subcommittee, but should not serve on more than one subcommittee unless special circumstances indicate such a need. Subcommittee appointments should be made at the end of the academic year. Subcommittees should interact and be aware of each other’s activities.

5. At the last meeting of the academic year, the Committee Chairperson will request that a member take responsibility for maintaining the Committee’s Web site for the upcoming academic year.

D. Ex Officio Members

1. a. Vice President of Academic Affairs or his/her designee.

b. Representative from the Faculty Executive Committee

2. Curriculum Committee meetings are open to representatives from the Student Government Association, Counseling and Institutional Research. Representatives may attend by request to the Curriculum Chairperson.

3. The Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) shall inform the Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee of any impending proposals for new, revised, or deleted courses, programs and options. All curricular matters submitted to the N.J. Presidents’ Council, such as Program announcements (PA), and other matters shall be reported to the Chairperson of the Faculty Curriculum Committee prior to submission.

4. After the first meeting in each academic year, the Ex Officio members shall be notified by the Chairperson of all subsequent meetings of the Curriculum Committee. They shall receive copies of all material sent to the regular members of the Committee. As need arises, they may be invited to the meetings of the permanent subcommittees.

III. ORGANIZATION OF THE SUBCOMMITTEES

A. General Provisions

1. The Curriculum Committee shall establish two permanent subcommittees:

(1) New Course/New Program Subcommittee, and

(2) Special Projects Subcommittee.

2. Each member of the Curriculum Committee shall belong to one of these subcommittees. A quorum for each subcommittee shall be three voting members of that subcommittee. The subcommittee Chairpersons shall be designated by the Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee.

3. The Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee may appoint ad hoc subcommittees as needed.

4. The Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee shall be informed and may attend all subcommittee meetings ex officio.

5. All subcommittee minutes must be submitted to the full committee and all recommendations must be approved by the full Curriculum Committee.

B. Subcommittee on New Course/Program

1. The Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee shall submit new course proposals, new program proposals, revisions, additions and deletions to the subcommittee for their review. Documentation should be in the physical possession of the subcommittee members at least five (5) working days prior to the scheduled meeting. The primary purpose of the subcommittee shall be to screen proposals for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with Curriculum, College, and State policies. It may make recommendations to the proposer(s) for additional documentation and revision.

2. The subcommittee shall make certain that general education and diversity requirements are met and that core courses specified in new options are in agreement with stated catalog descriptions.

C. Special Projects Subcommittee

1. At the first Curriculum Committee meeting of the year or as needed throughout the year, the Curriculum Committee, as well as the Chairperson, shall determine and assign whatever special projects need to be conducted. The list of special projects shall be submitted to a full Curriculum Committee meeting. The subcommittee shall give periodic progress reports, orally or in writing, to the full Committee.

IV. NEW COURSE AND NEW PROGRAM PROPOSAL

A. Proposals for all new courses are to be submitted to the Curriculum Committee for approval prior to their being offered.

Proposals for courses using a distance learning modality (Telecourse or on-line) for the first time, should follow the procedures in section V. Proposals for courses that will be delivered in the traditional classroom setting should follow the procedure in Section B below.

B. Format for New Course Proposals

1. Include a memorandum from the department chair stating whether or not the proposal has been reviewed and approved by the department.

2. Catalog Description – In addition to the narrative information, include prerequisites and co-requisites, credit hours, lecture hours, lab hours, and suggested course number.

3. Course Objectives – Specify the particular skills and competencies students are expected to master.

4. Rationale – Provide an explanation of the perceived need for the course.

5. Transferability – Provide a survey of four-year institutions to which a significant number of UCC graduates transfer and show how the course will satisfy degree requirements (as applicable), as well as the General Education status of the course.

6. Resources and Costs – Identify what faculty will need for the course, what is available with existing resources (including library resources), the cost of resources to be obtained (including costs to the libraries), and what the students will require outside of the traditional texts (such as TV/VCR, home computer specifications, tape rental, etc.).

7. Course Outline – Provide a topical or thematic course outline and tentative weekly schedule of student activities.

8. Suggested Criteria for Student Evaluation – Identify how the course grade will be determined (exams, papers, student presentations, etc.).

9. Required/Recommended Texts – List the text for the course.

10. Bibliography – List any resources used for preparation of the course proposal.

C. Format for New Program Proposals (Including Degree and Certificate Programs, and Options to Existing Programs)

1. New program proposals require New Jersey Presidents’ Council action. This process requires the submission of a Program Announcement (PA). Proposers of new programs requiring state approval shall submit to the Curriculum Committee supporting documentation required for a PA as part of their proposal package.

2. Any faculty member wishing to create a new program should first consult with all departments (including the Library and IT) affected by the program, and secure the approval of his/her department and the signature of his/her department Chairperson. They should then work closely with the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) to create a Program Announcement, which will contain the following (forms to be obtained through the VPAA):

a. Basic Information

1) Name of Institution and Date
2) Title of Program and Degree Designation
3)  Classification for Instructional Programs Code (CIP)
4) Campus Site of Proposed Program
5)  Proposed Starting Date
6) Licensure Required
7)  Articulation Agreements/Transferability of Courses
8) Accreditation

b. Descriptive Information

1) Objectives - Briefly summarize the program and indicate its objectives; e.g., the nature and focus of the program, the knowledge and skills students will acquire, any cooperative arrangements with other institutions or agencies in offering the program, etc.

2) Need

a) Provide justification of the need for this program. If the program falls within the liberal arts and sciences and does not specifically prepare students for a career, then provide evidence of student demand and indicate opportunities for students to pursue advanced study (if the degree is not terminal with regard to further education). If the program is career-oriented or professional in nature, then in addition to student demand give evidence of labor market need and results of prospective employer surveys. Report labor market need as appropriate on local, regional, and national bases. Specify job titles and entry-level positions for program graduates, and/or indicate opportunities for graduates to pursue additional studies.

b) Describe the relationship of the program to the institutional master plans and priorities.

c) List similar programs within the state and in neighboring states. Show how this program compares to those currently being offered.

3) Students
Estimate anticipated enrollments from the program's inception until a steady state or optimum enrollment is reached.

4) Program Resources and Costs
Briefly describe the additional resources and costs needed to implement and operate the program during its first five years; e.g., in personnel (the number of full and part-time faculty), in computer and laboratory equipment, in library materials, in advertising, both print and non-print.

5) General Education Course Descriptions
List and describe all required general education courses in the program. In addition, proposers of new Degree programs must clearly show under the four General Education categories (“Communication”, “Social Sciences”, “Mathematics, Science and Technology”, and “Humanities”) the courses offered with accompanying credit appropriate to that category. As well, the diversity course requirement must be met. The distribution of GED courses must be consistent with College policies. Course prerequisites and basic skills requirements must be met, where applicable.

6) Course Descriptions of all Technical (Program Specific) Courses. If new courses are being created, each of them must be submitted to the Curriculum Committee and approved.

7) A Semester-by-Semester Curriculum

D. Procedures for New Course and New Program Proposals

1. Before submitting a course or program proposal, a faculty member should seek ideas from interested colleagues and the administration to ascertain the course or program’s viability. The originator(s) should consult with all departments which are affected by the proposal.

2. Members of the administration should forward proposals through the VPAA, who will forward them to the Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee with his/her recommendations.

3. If a department does not approve a course/program proposal, and the faculty member still desires to submit the course to the Curriculum Committee, the department Chairperson shall forward the proposal along with the department's comments.

4. The originator(s) of a new course or program is to submit, through his or her Department Chairperson, an electronic copy (preferred) or eighteen (18) printed copies of the proposal, including supporting documentation, to the Chairperson of the New Course/New Program Subcommittee by the deadline for submission posted on the Curriculum Committee webpage. The originator is expected to attend the New Course/New Program Subcommittee meeting.

5. In its investigation, this subcommittee will discuss the proposal among its members. Any faculty member proposing a new course or program must present the proposal in person to the subcommittee. The subcommittee may discuss the proposal with appropriate administrators and any other person deemed appropriate before submitting its recommendation to the full Curriculum Committee.

6. If the Subcommittee approves the proposal but requests minor changes, additions, etc., the originator must send confirmation of these changes to the Chair of the Curriculum Committee so that they may be sent to the members of the full Curriculum Committee.

7. After the full Curriculum Committee has completed its work, the Chairperson will notify the originator, department Chairperson and the VPAA that the course/program was either approved or disapproved with reasons for the latter.

8. If approved, the originator must provide the Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee with an electronic copy of the proposal for distribution electronically to the faculty, the VPAA, and the Director of Institutional Research at least five (5) working days before the next faculty meeting for faculty discussion and vote. If the proposal is too large to send electronically, then the originator will provide the Chairperson with fifteen (15) hardcopies of the proposal for distribution to the three campus libraries, the department secretaries, the VPAA, and the Director of Institutional Research.

9. In the case of approved new program proposals, all final PA’s prepared by the College should be submitted to the Curriculum Committee for information and possible discussion prior to their submission to the State. No vote will be taken on these informational items.

V. DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES: NEW COURSE PROPOSALS and CHANGE TO DISTANCE LEARNING FORMAT PROPOSALS

A. All courses that will be offered in a Distance Learning format (Telecourse or Online) must be reviewed by the Academic Technology Committee and approved by the Curriculum Committee. This applies to new courses and existing courses that will be offered in the Distance Learning format for the first time.

The proposal for all Distance Learning Courses should be reviewed by the Academic Technology Committee (ATC) prior to being submitted to the Curriculum Committee. The ATC will only review the proposal as it relates to the technology required to deliver the course. Contact the Chair of the ATC for the specifics of their procedure.

B. Format for Distance Learning Courses: New Course Proposals and Change to Distance Learning Format

1. Include a memorandum from the department chair stating whether or not the proposal has been reviewed and approved by the department.

2. Catalog Description – In addition to the narrative information, include prerequisites and co-requisites, credit hours, lecture hours, lab hours, and suggested course number.

3. Course Objectives – Specify the particular skills and competencies students are expected to master.

4. Rationale – Provide an explanation of the perceived need for the course. Provide an explanation as to why a distance learning format is being proposed (i.e. student enrollment).

7. Course Outline – Provide a topical or thematic course outline and tentative weekly schedule of student activities. Highlight any changes that will result from using the distance learning modality.

8. Suggested Criteria for Student Evaluation – Identify how the course grade will be determined (exams, papers, student presentations, etc.). Explain how/if the evaluation criteria will change with distance learning offerings.

9. Required/Recommended Texts – List the text for the course. Specify the requirements for distance learning modality (e.g. text with CDs for online access).

10. Bibliography – List any resources used for preparation of the course proposal.

11. Technical Issues Appendix – This section will be reviewed by the ATC. Address the technical issues related to administering the course via a distance learning modality. Consult with the Academic Technology Committee for specifics.

C. Procedures for New Course Proposals and Change to Distance Learning Format

1. Before submitting a course proposal, the faculty member should seek ideas from interested colleagues and the administration to ascertain the course’s viability. The originator(s) should consult with all departments which are affected by the proposal.

2. Members of the administration should forward proposals through the VPAA, who will forward them to the Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee with his/her recommendations.

4. The originator(s) of a new course should submit, through his or her Department Chairperson, an electronic copy of the proposal to the Academic Technology Committee (ATC). Ideally, review of the proposal’s technical issues by the ATC should be completed prior to submitting the course proposal to Curriculum since the ATC review is required before Curriculum can approve the proposal, but reviews can be concurrent if necessary.

5. The originator(s) of a new course is to submit, through his or her Department Chairperson, an electronic copy (preferred) or eighteen (18) printed copies of the proposal, including supporting documentation, to the Chairperson of the New Course/New Program Subcommittee by the deadline for submission posted on the Curriculum Committee webpage. The originator is expected to attend the New Course/New Program Subcommittee.

6. In its investigation, this subcommittee will discuss the proposal among its members. Any faculty member proposing a new course must present the proposal in person to the subcommittee. The subcommittee may discuss the proposal with appropriate administrators and any other person deemed appropriate before submitting its recommendation to the full Curriculum Committee.

7. If the Subcommittee approves the proposal but requests minor changes, additions, etc., the originator must send confirmation of these changes to the Chair of the Curriculum Committee so that they may be sent to the members of the full Curriculum Committee.

8. After the full Curriculum Committee has completed its work, the Chairperson will notify the originator, department Chairperson and the VPAA that the course/program was either approved or disapproved with reasons for the latter.

9. If approved, the originator must provide the Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee with an electronic copy of the proposal for distribution electronically to the faculty, the VPAA, and the Director of Institutional Research at least five (5) working days before the next faculty meeting for faculty discussion and vote. If the proposal is too large to send electronically, then the originator will provide the Chairperson with fifteen (15) hardcopies of the proposal for distribution to the three campus libraries, the department secretaries, the VPAA, and the Director of Institutional Research.

VI. SPECIAL POLICY STATEMENT AND PROCEDURES FOR PILOT COURSES, THEME COURSES & LAB HOURS

A. All courses governed by Section VI must still conform to the review requirement listed in Section VII.

B. Pilot Courses

1. All faculty members have the right to develop and offer pilot courses (AAUP Contract Article IX). The Curriculum Committee requests that a faculty member developing a pilot course will:

a. develop the pilot course following the guidelines for new course proposals so as to meet the same requirements of all credit courses offered by the College.

b. secure the permission of the VPAA to run the pilot course, inform his/her department Chairperson, and place a copy of the syllabus is on file in the department secretary’s office.

c. send an electronic copy (preferred) or eighteen (18) printed copies of the pilot course proposal with the VPAA’s written approval to the Chair of the Curriculum Committee for informational purposes and input. The Chair will then distribute the proposal to the full Curriculum Committee; it will be included in the minutes of the Curriculum Committee, and the faculty will be informed.

d. run the pilot course for at least one semester. If the course is to become a regular part of the College curriculum, the originator or another faculty member who has taken on the responsibility of the course must follow the guidelines for new course proposals. In addition, an evaluation of the pilot course must be included in the proposal package. Since a pilot course may only be offered a maximum of three semesters, the originator or another faculty member who has taken on the responsibility for the course is responsible for following the timetable established by the Curriculum Committee.

C. Theme Courses

A theme course is one which provides alternative studies within a single course offering. The general course itself must meet the standard criteria for approval. Once such approval is granted, the individual theme proposal must be made to the full Curriculum Committee at least thirty (30) days prior to advance registration, and is considered a priority item. An electronic copy (preferred) or eighteen (18) printed copies of the proposal must be submitted at that time. The proposal must contain Title, Rationale, Course Description, and Course Outline. If the Curriculum Committee does not object, the course can be offered. If a proper amount of time is not given, then a positive vote from the Curriculum Committee is necessary for approval.

D. Lab-Hour Policy

The basis for relating lab to classroom credit has been tied to education tradition, and hence, varies among colleges and disciplines. In most disciplines the preferred ratio for laboratory to credit hours is three to one. This allows for awarding of one semester credit for two, three, or four laboratory hours per week, two credits for five, six or seven, etc. Other ratios for awarding credit for laboratory type activities may be considered if deviation from the three to one ratio can be justified. This may particularly apply to some clinical settings and to field work. In programs where accrediting agencies or professional associations have established guidelines for awarding college credit for laboratory, studio, clinical or field activities, these may be used as sufficient justification for ratios other than the “norm”.

VII. COURSE AND PROGRAM REVIEW PROCEDURES

A. Course Review

1. Each Academic Department shall maintain in the Department Secretary’s office a complete list of all syllabi taught in the department.

2. All syllabi for courses taught at Union County College shall be updated at least once every four years. It shall be the responsibility of the Chairperson of each academic department to make certain that such updating takes place. Each academic department shall notify the Curriculum Committee which course syllabi have been updated and the Curriculum Committee shall include this in its annual report.

3. A copy of all current course syllabi shall be maintained in the Office of the Academic Vice President. College personnel shall have the right to secure a copy of any course syllabus needed through the Office of the Academic Vice President.

B. Program and Option Review

1. All programs and options shall be reviewed and revised if appropriate at least once every five (5) years by the department primarily responsible for the program and/or option. The Vice President for Academic Affairs is responsible for coordinating the review process for all programs and options with the department Chairpersons.

2. Proposals made for revisions to programs or options, as a result of the review process, shall be brought to the Curriculum Committee for approval

          This committee website was last updated on Saturday, April 28, 2007
        and is maintained by B. Ivan Strom (strom@ucc.edu)