C.20 Academic Planning at University of Southern Indiana‌

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The Academic Planning Council and the New Program Development Committee are structured to provide efficient, timely, and rigorous pathways for the proposal, development and implementations of new degree programs at the University of Southern Indiana. The purpose of a continuing long-range plan (Academic Planning Council) is to record the academic development of the University in narrative, graphic, and tabular display. It 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 both 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 or certificates 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’s checklist of criteria to be used in taking action on new degree programs or certificates. 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.

 

  1. Structure for Academic Planning

    The academic plan will be prepared by the Academic Planning Council (hereinafter called "APC"), composed of the provost, the vice president for Finance and Administration, the vice president for Student Affairs, the vice president for Marketing and Communications, the vice president for Strategic Enrollment Management, the associate provost for Academic Affairs, the academic Deans, the director of Library, the Dean, School of Graduate Studies, the registrar, the chair of the Faculty Senate, the chair of the University Curriculum Committee, and the chair of the New Program Development committee. The provost or his/her appointee will serve as chair. The Chief Data Officer is an ex-officio member. In addition, the APC may invite participation in academic planning from other University staff members, consultants, and resource persons.

  2. Function of 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, certificate, 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, certificate, or programs. The APC also reviews changes to curricular programs which include: merging existing degree programs, splitting a degree program into multiple degree programs, eliminating degree programs, changing a programs name, moving a degree program online, or adding a new location for a degree program. The APC does not become involved in particular courses which compose program studies related to a major, minor, certificate or program. This function lies with the University 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 for the University.

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

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

  3. Structure for the New Program Development Committee

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

    1. one appointed faculty representative from each academic college (voting),
    2. one appointed representative from Faculty Senate (voting),
    3. one representative from the Office of the Provost (ex officio),
    4. one representative from Finance and Administration (ex officio)
    5. the chair of the University Curriculum Committee (ex officio)
    6. one representative from the Registrar’s Office (ex officio) and
    7. the Dean, School of Graduate Studies (ex officio).

     

    The faculty representatives from the academic colleges will serve a three-year term. The committee chair will be selected from the faculty representatives and will serve a two-year term. Other constituencies will be invited to participate in NPDC deliberations as needed. These constituencies include, but are not limited to: college deans, academic department representatives, and Institutional Analytics Office representatives.

  4. Implementation of Academic Planning

    Any University academic discipline or college may 1) be invited by the APC to explore data in support of a proposed new degree program, new certificate 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 on 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 initial approval to proceed.

  5. Additional Procedures

     

    1. Initial program submission to NPDC should contain brief summations to items 1-6 in the Checklist of Criteria To Be Used by the Commission in Taking Action on New Degree Programs from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. The initial submission should be no longer than two pages. Initial submission should also include a timeline for final submission to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Consideration of the new program proposal will be made by the NPDC in consultation with academic deans.
    2. Once initial approval is granted by the NPDC, a complete and detailed development of the new program proposal can begin. The aforementioned checklist should serve as the template for proposal submission. All pertinent information must be included in the final program proposal.
    3. After the final program proposal has been completed, it will be submitted through the USI  website for Curriculog™  viewing by all concerned parties.  The University Curriculum Committee (UCC) or the Council of Graduate Program Directors and Chairs as appropriate to the proposed program deliberates on the entire program.  They do not deliberate on individual courses that comprise the curriculum. Items for consideration by the UCC or UGC include, but are not limited to:
      1. total credit hours,
      2. core requirements,
      3. upper-level course requirements,
      4. multidisciplinary issues,
      5. other.
    4. Following approval of the 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 submitted to the APC. If revisions of importance are made to the proposal, it will be returned to the UCC or UGC for reconsideration.
    5. Steps 1 through 4 of this 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 one year from submission date to receive final approval from the APC. If the proposed program fails to meet this deadline, the process must be repeated from Step 1.
    6. Following the review of the proposal, the APC will recommend action to the president for the University.
    7. Action by the president for the University will be:
      1. Notification to the academic unit(s) of APC non-approval, with explanations, or
      2. transmission of the APC action, with recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
    8. Approval of APC recommendations by the president for the University, Board of Trustees, and the Indiana Commission on Higher Education will constitute administrative authorization for preparation of the curriculum and permit the president to notify the academic unit to proceed with development of curriculum details--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. Itemized courses, including catalog descriptions, which constitute the program of studies will be submitted to the proper faculty committees for study. These committees will make recommendations to Faculty Senate for undergraduate programs or the Graduate Council for graduate programs.
    10. Affirmative Faculty Senate (through the University Curriculum Committee) or Graduate Council action on the curriculum and concurrence by the president will constitute permission to the academic unit to begin implementing the new program.
    11. Approved major, minor and certificate programs consistent with the recommendations of the APC and approved by the Board of Trustees and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education will be implemented.
    12. A schematic of the Program Submission Process is illustrated below:

program submission process