2.04 Curricular Changes - Policies and Procedures for Effecting
The curriculum of the University of Northern Iowa is a proper concern of
the faculty, the administration, and the students. Although the faculty
has primary responsibility for the curriculum, the responsibility is shared
by the academic administrators who must implement the curriculum, and by
the students for whom it is designed. Some curricular programs involve the
individual instructional departments for the most part; others involve the
departments and the colleges jointly; and still others involve the university
as a whole. To deal appropriately with curricular matters, departmental,
college, and university committees have been created. Each committee has
specific responsibilities, but no committee functions autonomously.
Because of the interdependence of parts of the curriculum, it is necessary
that there be review and coordination at various levels. An effective curriculum,
moreover, must have an internal consistency over a period of time; yet it
must simultaneously be responsive to change. It is necessary, therefore,
that there be both continuity and flexibility of curricular programs. To
these ends, certain procedures have been established for effecting changes
in the curriculum.
The Line of Responsibility
The decision-making power resides at various levels in those bodies responsible
for the determination of policy and the allocation of resources. Usually,
proposed curricular changes are initiated by the departments, but they may
at times be initiated by the colleges or by the general faculty. Normally,
the process of effecting curricular change moves from the level of the department
to the college, to the university as a whole, and finally to the Iowa Board
of Regents. New programs and new courses must have the approval of the appropriate
bodies of both the university and the Board of Regents. Other curricular
changes, including modification of established programs and new courses
designed for established programs, must have the approval of the appropriate
bodies within the university.
Committees and Responsibilities
The process for recommending curricular changes follows:
Department
The Department shall originate all curricular proposals within the appropriate
jurisdiction of the department. Interdisciplinary programs and programs
of broad scope may originate with other organs of the faculty with departmental
consultation and concurrence as appropriate. The Department shall be responsible
for course and program description and justification; course integrity;
explanation of any duplication; impact statement, short- and long-term staff
and financial implications; short and long-term inter-departmental implications.
College
The College receives and examines all proposals from above. The College
shall be responsible for evaluating: a) course and program description and
justification; b) course integrity; c) duplication; d) impact statement,
short- and long-term related to staff and financial implications, and inter-departmental
implications. The College shall hear appeals from faculty members and departments.
University Curriculum Committee
The University Curriculum Committee shall receive copies of all curricular
proposals. The UCC shall study and approve or disapprove all undergraduate
courses and programs, and act on 100-level courses ("g" may be
added by Graduate Council to courses approved by UCC). The UCC shall consider
only in extraordinary circumstances proposals which have not been processed
through department and college curricular bodies. The UCC is responsible
for evaluating University impact and duplication: The UCC shall distribute
Minutes of its proceedings to the Graduate Council, advise the Graduate
Council of course and program decisions which impact upon graduate courses
and programs to a degree which is significantly different from past operations;
seek to reconcile with the Graduate Council through whole bodies or designated
representatives, those differences pertaining to impact concerns; and notify
the University Faculty Senate when the UCC is unable to resolve impact concerns
with the Graduate Council. The UCC will hear appeals from decisions made
by colleges. The UCC shall forward to the Senate for transmittal to the
Board of Regents all approved courses and programs.
Graduate Council
The Graduate Council shall receive copies of all curricular proposals. The
Council shall study and approve or disapprove all graduate courses and programs,
and act on 200-level and 100g-level courses where UCC concurs with such
addition. The Council shall consider only in extraordinary circumstances
proposals which have not been processed through department and college curricular
bodies. The Council is responsible for evaluating University impact and
duplication. The Council shall distribute Minutes of its proceedings to
the UCC; advise the UCC of course and program decisions which impact upon
undergraduate courses and programs to a degree which is significantly different
from past operations; seek to reconcile with UCC, through whole bodies or
designated representatives, those differences pertaining to impact concerns;
and notify the University Faculty Senate when the Graduate Council is unable
to resolve impact concerns with the UCC. The Council shall hear appeals
from decisions made by colleges. The Graduate Council shall forward to the
University Faculty Senate for transmittal to the Board of Regents all approved
courses and programs.
University Faculty Senate
The University Faculty Senate shall delegate to the UCC and the Graduate
Council responsibility for final faculty approval of all curricular proposals
except: a) departmental or college appeals subsequent to appeals at all
appropriate subordinate levels; b) UCC or GraduateCouncil appeals; c) new
degrees or programs which differ from existing degrees or programs to the
extent that the University faculty should be consulted. The University Faculty
Senate shall recommend all approved curricular proposals for transmittal
to the Board of Regents.
Curricular Changes
At all review levels, changes in curricular proposals can be made only with
concurrence of the original recommending body.
Experimental/Temporary Courses
Experimental/temporary courses can be offered under the x59 designation
up to three times, after which the course must either be dropped or, to
be offered again, must be approved as a new course. Since x59 courses are
not a part of the established university curriculum and are not listed in
the catalog, the decision to offer them, after approval by the department,
is an administrative one between the appropriate department head(s) and
college dean(s). Approval and scheduling of x59 courses should be reported
in duplicate on Form 59 to the Chairman of the University Curriculum Committee
and to the Registrar.
Effective Date
Curricular changes become effective at the beginning of the term following
publication in the university catalog or its supplement.
University Faculty Senate Approved, 3/14/77 | 
