Return to Policies and ProceduresGUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTING CHANGES TO THE GRADUATE COUNCIL
1. Recommendations for new courses and curricula and curriculum changes (e.g., closures, editorial changes, formerly and same as notations, removals, replacements) are normally initiated by departments. Such requests should first be forwarded to the appropriate dean(s) for approval and then to the Graduate Council. Courses offered for undergraduate and graduate credit (dual-level courses) must be approved by both the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the Graduate Council.
2. New graduate courses which bear a specific relationship with undergraduate courses should first be presented to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for review and discussion and then to the Graduate Council. This is for Committee information only, not a Committee action.
3. Courses proposed for workshops and institutes should be submitted to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and/or Graduate Council while these courses are in the planning stage, especially for those not included in degree programs.
4. All recommendations must be submitted to the appropriate committee.
5. New degree programs must be submitted to the Graduate Council before they are submitted to the Board of Regents. Justification for new programs should accompany the proposal (e.g., potential student enrollment, anticipated demand, additional resource requirements, library holding). Proposals involving teacher certification should be approved by the Council on Teacher Education in the College of Education and Human Development before being presented to the Graduate Council.
6. Deans, department heads, and faculty members should appear before the Graduate Council to explain recommendations. Those deans, department heads, and faculty members who oppose the recommendations may also express their opinions. If no representative from the proposing department is present, the proposal may be tabled at the Committee's discretion.
7. For new courses, course changes, and course closures or removals, the appropriate forms must be completed and submitted. Please see Graduate Council Forms.
8. Course descriptions should be complete and in the format used in the Catalog. Explain the course, but attempt to limit course descriptions to 22 words. Show prerequisites, credit hours, whether laboratory sessions are involved and, if applicable, during which semesters the course(s) will be offered.
9. For Directed Study courses, there should be one course number for the undergraduate and the graduate catalog. The course description should specify the subject areas taught, giving each subject area a letter designation (e.g., A, B, C).
10. Other than mere typographical errors, all catalog changes must be considered by the Graduate Council. Such changes would include changes, which may be considered editorial in nature.
11. Actions on proposals, whether for approval, modification, or disapproval, are forwarded to the Academic Vice President for final approval and authorization. Following that action, the appropriate agency incorporates them into the Catalog.
12. The complete and detailed guidelines and procedures for submitting curriculum changes are on file in the offices of deans and department heads. They are also available from the Chairpersons of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and Graduate Council.
13. A memorandum should be sent to the respective chair of the Graduate Council when a major, minor, concentration or degree type is newly added, discontinued or changed. The memorandum should clearly indicate the justification/reasons for the specifically designated action.