ASCRC Procedures

ASCRC Curriculum Subcommittees

Criteria for Evaluating Curriculum Changes

Purpose: These criteria are intended to expedite the curriculum review process. It is hoped that careful review will be conducted in subcommittees and that ASCRC will review only those course proposals that a subcommittee has identified as presenting particular concerns or about which a member of ASCRC or Graduate Council seeks additional information or discussion.

Adding New Courses: A department proposes a new course when it wishes to revise the curriculum and to reflect new areas of study within the discipline.  Criteria for evaluating a new course are:
 

1. Does the course fit well with the existing curriculum?
2. Does the course represent a net increase in departmental credits?  Does the department explain course deletions, combinations, credit reductions and/or increased teaching resources that accompany the proposal?
3. Does the course have internal coherence and clear focus?
4. Does the course duplicate courses in other departments? If so, have conflicts been resolved?
5. Is the course proposed by a tenured or tenure-track faculty member?  If not, does the department chair or director make the proposal and stipulate that the course will be taught with existing resources at least once every three years?
6. Has the course been taught experimentally? An X95 course taught twice must be reviewed and approved by ASCRC or Graduate Council and the Faculty Senate prior to inclusion in the catalog.
7. Has the course been assigned a number that is not already in use or has not been used for the past 10 years?
8. If the course is UG, has it been assigned a 400 number?
   

Although course content should be appropriate to its proposed level, it is not the role of ASCRC or Graduate Council to judge the instructor's choice of texts, assignments, or grading methods.
 
Change in Course Level: 1) Does the department offer a reasonable justification? 2) Is course content being adjusted to suit the proposed level? 3) If the new level is UG, has it been given a 400 number?

Changes in Program Requirements: These proposals demand the greatest level of scrutiny and must be examined individually in light of each programs unique circumstance. Generally verify if the justification is compelling and academic expectations of students are maintained.

Course Deletion: This is not a matter for ASCRC or GC review unless other programs depend on the course and relevant concerns have not been satisfactorily resolved.

Course Title: This does not normally bear review unless the proposed title is highly ambiguous or clearly fails to capture the essence of the course. Consultation with instructor may be necessary.

Course Number: This does not normally bear review as long as the proposed number is not in use or been used within the past ten years.
Credits: Normally does not bear review unless the proposed number of credits is inconsistent with the amount of material being covered in the course.

Cross-listing: 1) Has both departments and programs approved the cross listing? 2) Does the course contain substantial interdisciplinary content? 3) Does it carry the same title and number in both departments?

Repeatability: Normally a course can only be taken once. Exceptions are allowed for variable topics courses (e.g. seminars, independent studies, theses.) Usually the limit for repeatability is 9-12 credits.

Description: A short and succinct summary of the course is best for catalogue purposes. Some editing may be required in consultation with the instructor.
Prerequisites: Normally does not bear review unless there are so many prerequisites, including hidden prerequisites, that too many students are effectively barred access to the course.