Curriculum Change and Academic Policies

The Role of the Faculty

The faculty assumes primary policy-making responsibility for curriculum matters including graduation requirements; general education requirements for undergraduates; the establishment of new degree programs (including online programs); developing, evaluating, and modifying existing and proposed courses and programs; the establishment of, or making substantive changes to, majors; the elimination or consolidation of degree programs; the establishment of individual new courses; setting minimal general degree requirements for the university; setting additional minimal admission standards for individual schools, colleges, departments, or programs; establishing standards for the granting of academic credit; establishing grading systems; developing grade appeal policies for the university; and setting academic policies concerning withdrawals, probation, suspension, retention, and repetition of courses. These responsibilities are outlined in Article II, Section 3 of the Faculty Constitution (May 11, 2007).

All curricular changes begin with the departmental faculty. Following review and approval by the departmental faculty and departmental chair, a curriculum or academic policy proposal is submitted to the dean of the college or school for review and approval before it is considered by the curriculum approval bodies of the university.

The university has three curricular and policy-making bodies. The Academic Standards and Curriculum Committee, comprised of representatives from each academic department and the provost (ex officio), reviews proposals that address undergraduate programs. The Graduate Council, comprised of representatives from each academic department that offers graduate programs, and ex officio academic administrators (provost and the graduate dean), reviews proposals from graduate programs. The Professional Education Council, comprised of representatives from each program that offers a teacher certification program and academic administrators (including the provost), reviews and approves all proposals that involve teacher certification programs before they are presented to either the Academic Standards and Curriculum Committee or the Graduate Council. These bodies make recommendations to the provost and, if approved, the proposal goes to the next level of review/approval or action is taken to implement the proposal.

Proposals that can be approved at the campus level include new courses, changes in existing courses and programs, and academic program policy changes. Forms are provided for the submission of changes to courses and policy changes. Following approval of the departmental faculty, department chair, and dean, the proposal is reviewed/approved by the appropriate curricular and policy-making body. After the provost approves course changes and policy changes, the proposals are implemented unless the policy changes must be approved by the Board of Trustees. Policies relating to Satisfactory Academic Progress, Academic Integrity, etc., must be approved by the Board of Trustees. Approved curricular and policy changes are included in the next published version of the catalog.

After proposals that involve the development of degree programs or alternate delivery of degree programs have been approved by the appropriate campus bodies, they must be reviewed and approved by the University of North Carolina General Administration and the Board of Governors. Guidelines for developing programs are described in the Academic Program Development Procedures Manual in UNC Policy Manual, Chapter 400.1.1, and are posted on the UNCGA’s website under Academic Planning. The process for developing programs involves the completion of an Intent to Plan proposal and an Authorization to Establish proposal. The Intent to Plan proposal is posted on GA’s website. Following approval by the provost and chancellor, the Authorization to Establish proposal is submitted to UNCGA for review and approval by the Board of Governors.