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A.S.C.R.C. & Council Criteria

Purpose

These criteria are intended to expedite the curriculum review process in the interest of saving time and cost. It is hoped that careful review will be conducted in subcommittees and that the full Committee of Council will review only those course proposals that a subcommittee has red-flagged or that a member may have additional information and concerns about.

New Course Proposal: In some cases departments may have valid reasons for adding a new course without first offering it experimentally. In such cases it may not be possible for departments to submit a full and complete syllabus for review.

Criteria for evaluating new courses include: 1) Does the course fit well with the existing curriculum? 2) Does it appear to have internal coherence and clear focus? 3) Does it duplicate courses in other departments? If so, have conflicts been resolved? 4) Has the course been assigned a number that is not already in use or has not been used for the past 10 years? 5) If the course is UG, has it been assigned a 400 number?

Although course content should be appropriate to its proposed level, it is generally not the role of ASCRC or GC to second-guess 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?

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.

Repeatability:

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.

Office of the Provost
Vice President of
Academic Affairs