Submitting a Proposal

Request to Establish, Terminate, or

Change an Academic Program

Overview of Process and Proposal Guidelines

Table of Contents

Understand the Process

Prepare and Submit a Proposal

Establish an Academic Program

Terminate an Academic Program

Change an Academic Program

Understand the Process

1. Review University Policy on Establishing, Restructuring and Terminating Academic Program (policy 02.60.01)

2. Attend an academic program planning session or review overview of the process.

Prepare and Submit a Proposal

3. Complete Request to Establish, Terminate, or Change an Academic Program form

4. Submit proposal that includes the required elements (see proposal guidelines)

1. If the proposal is for an undergraduate program it should be submitted to the Senior Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. 
2. If the proposal is for a graduate program, it should be submitted to the Graduate School.
3. If the proposal is for a professional program, it should be submitted to the Office of the Deputy Provost.

5. Once a proposal is submitted, the academic program may be invited to meet with Undergraduate Studies, the Graduate School, or the Office of the Deputy Provost to review the proposal and discuss any necessary clarifications or revisions. 

6. Representatives from the Provost’s Office will carefully review the proposal and consult with other university offices as appropriate. These offices may include, but are not restricted to: the Libraries, Budget Office, Office of Planning and Policy Analysis, Office of Academic Records, Office of Space Planning, Student Financial Services (Financial Aid), Bursar’s Office, Administrative Computing and Academic Computing.

7. Upon approval by the Provost, the Final Proposal will be transmitted to the President. The President may then recommend that the proposal move forward to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees. The academic unit will be notified when the proposal is scheduled to be presented to the Academic Affairs Committee.

8.     If the Academic Affairs Committee recommends the action, it will be presented to the        full Board of Trustees at its next meeting.

9. Once approved by the Board, an implementation group convened by the Office of the Provost, will discuss systems and implementation issues. The department will be consulted with and informed of changes in Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) codes or any other systems implications.

Submission Deadlines

2009-10

*Friday due to Memorial Day Holiday

The time period between submission of original proposal is to allow the academic program sufficient time to prepare a full proposal and to allow the Office of the Provost sufficient opportunity to review and consider implementation issues.

All proposals should include a 1-2 page Executive Summary (see template), along with a full proposal that addresses the following:

1. Rationale, need or purpose for proposed action
2. Where relevant, relationship of proposed program or changes to other programs in the department, college and University
3. Curriculum
4. Impact on faculty, students and resources (budget, space, equipment, technology, classrooms)
5. Assessment
6. Description of peer and aspirant programs
7. Implementation (when program or change will be in effect; impact on currently enrolled students)

More specific guidelines for each action type follow.

Establish an Academic Program

Full Proposal

1. Rationale, including need for proposed program and how Temple can mount the program with a level of academic quality and excellence consistent with the mission and goals of the college and the University. A brief description of the disciplinary reasons guiding the proposed program (i.e. developments in the field, accreditation standards, employer feedback)

1. How is proposed program consistent with regional and national competitors?
2. What, if any, disciplinary or professional trends influenced this proposal?
3. How will our program compare to the top programs in this discipline?

2. Where relevant, relationship of proposed program to other programs in the department, college and University

3. Curriculum

        Include a semester-by-semester curriculum grid (advising worksheet)

1. Special characteristics of the program, type and level of instruction, new courses to be developed or syllabi of existing courses, sequencing of courses, concentrations or tracks, and other requirements such as comprehensive exams, theses, practica, non-standard grading scales, auditions, portfolio review, etc.
2. Description of how courses will be scheduled to ensure that students will be able to complete the course of study within a reasonable time frame. Time limits for completion may vary but should be no longer than 4 years if the program will be advertised as a four year undergraduate program. Master programs are normally 2 or 3 years and may not exceed 6 years.  Doctoral programs may not exceed 7 years. 
3. List campus(es) where the program will be offered or indicate if program will be delivered at an off-campus, non-Temple location

4. Impact on Faculty and Students

1. Faculty: Discussion of availability of faculty to support the program, including information about the hiring of new staff and faculty and/or reassignments of existing personnel (instructional deployment)
2. Students: Requirements for admission to the program, plans for recruiting students, projection of the availability of qualified students and demand for program and anticipated employment or advanced study opportunities for graduates of the program

5. Impact on Resources

1. Describe any special tuition or fees to be charged.                                                        Note: A separate proposal needs to be submitted to the Tuition and Fee Committee.  Attach documentation and timeline. If tuition and fees changes are required to implement this proposal, tuition and fee approvals must be secured prior to Board approval of the program proposal
2. If graduate program, how will the students be supported?
3. Projected enrollments, student credit hours, and degrees to be granted over each of the first five years, by campus or site.
4. The short- and long-term effects on other University programs, including increased or decreased demand for courses or services, loss or addition of students, student aid, library, or computing resources, etc.
5. An analysis of the impact on space resources, including office, laboratory, and classroom space, must be included.
6. Overview of impact such as
   • Net changes in tuition revenue and resulting instructional and non-instructional personnel and employee benefits per the enrollment based budget model.
   • Indicate if any one-time or ongoing investments will be requested.
   • A summary of financial increases, savings, or reallocations
   • Non-financial requirements or savings in areas such as space, facilities, or equipment

6.  Assessment

What are the program goals (student learning outcomes)? How will student learning be evaluated? What will be considered evidence of student learning and success?

7.  Summary of peer and aspirant programs as well as trends in the discipline or profession

8.  Implementation

a)   When will change take place (fall or spring semester, year)

b)   If applicable, include full description of impact on enrolled students, describing options for transfer to the new program, time limits for completion and other procedures. Note: When a program is restructured, the standard time for completion for currently enrolled students is 5 years from the semester of implementation for the proposed action.

10.  Process for Development of Proposal

1. List any collegial committees that reviewed, endorsed or approved proposal
2. Discuss how proposal relates to visiting team recommendations from most recent periodic program review
3. Describe any implications for accreditation

Terminate an Academic Program

(Note: Follow these guidelines when program is seeking to no longer offer a program in any format.  Proposals to rename programs involve terminating (old name) and establishing (new name) a program and follow the guidelines for a proposal to change a program.

Full Proposal

1. Rationale for terminating the program, and the effects on current students and programs. It should include an analysis of the proposed changes (e.g., purpose, need and relationship to mission) as well as a careful and thorough discussion of the more practical and technical issues (e.g., resources, curriculum, admissions, faculty and transition planning). Where relevant, proposal might discuss:

• Changes in the availability of qualified students and demand.
• Changes in availability s of faculty to support the program
• Recent enrollments history, including current numbers of enrolled students
• Description of changes in the discipline or employment opportunities for graduates of the program.
• Include campus(es) where the program was offered.

2. Where relevant, relationship of terminated program to other programs in the department, school/college and University

3.     Impact on Students

• Provide a phase-out plan with detailed chronology.
• Full description of impact on enrolled students (including students on leave or who have recently stopped out), describing options for, requirements to transfer to the new programs, time limits for completion and other procedures. Include draft copies of correspondence to be sent to students.

4.  Related program changes

• If this termination will also involve renaming, restructuring or closing departments, please provide a description of the changes involved.
• Where relevant, include a listing of all faculty, by seniority, in their current departments and in the proposed structure.

5. Process for Development of Proposal

• List any collegial committees that reviewed, endorsed or approved proposal
• Discuss how proposal relates to visiting team recommendations from most recent periodic program review
• Describe any implications for accreditation

Change an Academic Program

Changes to academic programs include renaming the program, restructuring of requirements and credits for the degree, or changes in array of courses (does not involve a change in the number of credits).

Full Proposal

1. A detailed description of the changes to the program, rationale, and educational objectives. A brief description of the disciplinary reasons guiding the proposed program (i.e. developments in the field, accreditation standards, employer feedback)

2. Curriculum (Include a semester-by-semester curriculum grid)

• Special characteristics of the program, type and level of instruction, new courses to be developed or syllabi of existing courses, sequencing of courses, concentrations or tracks, and other requirements such as comprehensive exams, theses, practica, non-standard grading scales, auditions, portfolio review, etc.
• Description of how courses will be scheduled to ensure that students will be able to complete the course of study within a reasonable time frame. Time limits for completion may vary but should be Time limits for completion may vary but should be no longer than 4 years if the program will be advertised as a four year undergraduate program. Master programs are normally 2 or 3 years and may not exceed 6 years.  Doctoral programs may not exceed 7 years. 
• List campus(es) where the program will be offered or indicate if program will be delivered at an off-campus, non-Temple location

3. Impact on Faculty and Students

• Faculty:  Discussion of availability of faculty to support the program, including information about the hiring of new staff and faculty and/or reassignments of existing personnel (instructional deployment)
• Students: Changes in requirements for admission to the program, plans for recruiting students, projection of the availability of qualified students, demand for revised  program, and anticipated employment or advanced study opportunities for graduates of the program

4. Impact on Resources

• Any changes in special tuition or fees to be charged. If graduate program, how will the students be supported?
• Include campus(es) where the program will be offered.
• The short- and long-term effects on other University programs, including increased or decreased demand for courses or services, loss or addition of students, student aid, Library, or computing resources, etc.
• An analysis of the impact on space resources, including office, laboratory, and classroom space, must be included.
  

5. Assessment

What are the program goals (student learning outcomes)? How will student learning be evaluated?  What will be considered evidence of student learning and success?

6. Implementation

• Provide an implementation plan with detailed chronology.
• Include full description of impact on enrolled students, describing options for, requirements to transfer to the new program, time limits for completion and other procedures.
• Include draft copies of correspondence to be sent to students.

Note: If this restructuring will also involve renaming or restructuring of departments, please provide a description of the changes involved. Also include a listing of all faculty, by seniority, in their current departments and in the proposed structure.

7. Process for Development of Proposal

• List any collegial committees that reviewed, endorsed or approved proposal
• Discuss how proposal relates to visiting team recommendations from most recent periodic program review
• Describe any implications for accreditation