Chapter One

General Instructions

A. Sources of Authority

The current curricular procedures of California State University, Hayward were developed and approved by the faculty through the Academic Senate structure in Fall Quarter, 1993. The President endorsed the Senate's action on December 21, 1993.

Academic policies governing curricular proposals derive from the CSUH Academic Senate, Chancellor's Executive Orders, and Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. Appropriate documents and sections will be cited throughout this manual.

B. Formats

Formats (with the exception of those for new majors) have been locally developed, reviewed, and approved. Their purpose is to provide necessary information for reviewers at the department, college, and University level, as well as for administrators and staff who must implement them in the Catalog, Class Schedule, and various campus databases. New majors require approval by the CSU Chancellor's Office and review by the California Postsecondary Education Commission. Their format has been prescribed by the Chancellor's Office. Teaching Credential programs require approval by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing in a separate format from that used for campus approvals.

C. Normal Routing and Levels of Review

(see flow chart)

  1. Proposals to initiate, modify, or discontinue courses and programs (programs are: majors, options, minors, certificate programs, subject matter preparation programs, and credential programs) typically originate in an instructional department or program committee. (The significant exception is the General Education-Breadth program which originates with the campus-wide committee charged with oversight of the G.E. program.) The department or program committee prepares the proposal according to the appropriate format given in this manual and submits it to the college office for review and approval. (Hereafter "department" signifies "department and/or program committee")
     
  2. The college office reviews the proposal and submits it to the faculty review body of that college.
     
  3. If the proposal affects another college, the dean must submit a copy to the dean of that college and the appropriate department(s) for analysis and recommendation. All program modifications must be forwarded to the other deans for their review.
     
  4. If a proposal for a new course, modified course, discontinued course, or program modification is approved by affected departments, college deans, and faculty review bodies, the dean of the originating college submits a copy to the appropriate Associate Vice Presidents, Academic Programs/Graduate Studies and Academic Resources/Administration, for review. After their comments are received, the originating department makes any necessary adjustments and the college dean gives final approval. Course additions, deletions, and modifications are entered in the Course Inventory (the master list of university courses) by the college office. An information copy of the final, approved version is forwarded to the Associate Vice President, Academic Programs/Graduate Studies, for placement in the Catalog and/or class schedule. GS course proposals go to CIC because there is no college curriculum committee. CIC approval is final.
     
  5. If a proposal for a new course, modified course, discontinued course, or program modification is not approved beyond the department (i.e. by the college dean, college faculty review body, other affected departments or colleges), it may be submitted to the Committee on Instruction and Curriculum (CIC) after review by the associate vice presidents.
     
  6. Proposals involving new programs; discontinued programs; the assignment or modification in assignment of a course to the General Education-Breadth and U.S. History, Constitution, and American Ideals requirements; or any of the preceding items which do not receive the necessary approvals must be submitted to the associate vice presidents for review before beginning the Academic Senate process. After their comments are received, the originating department makes any final adjustments and submits 20 copies of the proposal to the college office. The college office adds its endorsement and forwards 15 copies to the Academic Senate Office for placement on the agenda of the CIC. (Courses proposed for the Critical Thinking, Capstone, and Cultural Groups/Women G.E. requirements must first go to a CIC to the appropriate CIC subcommittee. Courses proposed for Humanities or Social Sciences which are outside ALSS must first go to the ALSS curriculum committee and courses proposed for Science which are outside that college must first go to the Science curriculum committee. See Chapter 6 for specifics.)
     
  7. The Committee on Instruction and Curriculum reviews and acts upon the proposals it receives.(The Committee on Academic Planning and Resources must also approve all program discontinuances.) If the request is approved, the proposal will be duplicated (95 copies) by the originating department and submitted to the Academic Senate Office for placement on the agenda of the following meeting of the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate.
     
  8. The Executive Committee places CIC items on the Academic Senate agenda if they are deemed complete and appropriate.
     
  9. The Academic Senate acts on the curricular proposals it receives.
     
  10. Proposals endorsed by the Senate are forwarded to the President for final approval. For all proposals except new majors, credential programs, subject matter preparation programs, and certain options (see Appendix A), the President's approval is final. An information copy is forwarded to the Associate Vice President, Academic Programs/Graduate Studies, for placement in the Catalog. The college office adds, deletes, or modifies courses in the Course Inventory (CI) after notification of Presidential approval.
     
  11. All new majors require review and approval by the Chancellor's Office and review by the California Postsecondary Education Commission before they can be implemented. Certain options (see Appendix A) also require review and approval by the Chancellor's Office. Proposals for program discontinuance must be reviewed by the Chancellor's Office. Proposals to place a new program on the Academic Plan of CSUH must be submitted to the Chancellor's Office for approval by the CSU Board of Trustees. Proposals for new credential programs and subject matter preparation programs must be submitted to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing for approval. Submissions will be handled by the Associate Vice President, Academic Programs/Graduate Studies. The college office is notified after final approval so it can make any necessary Course Inventory adjustments.
     

D. Deadlines

  1. It is necessary to secure approval of all curricular proposals except new courses by such time that it is possible to include them in the next edition of the University Catalog. (A new on-line edition of the Catalog is published yearly in July; paper copies are printed only in even-numbered years.) For this to occur, curricular proposals must have received college approval by July 1 of the preceding year. Those also requiring CIC approval must receive it by the end of the Fall Quarter preceding publication of the new catalog. To be included in the catalog, new programs must have received final approval, Presidential or Chancellor's Office, by February 1.
     
  2. New course proposals which are to be implemented between published catalogs must receive all necessary approvals by the deadline established by the Scheduling Office, before or early in the quarter preceding the quarter of desired implementation. This amount of time is essential for preparation of materials for the Class Schedule.
     
  3. All approved curricular proposals must appear in either the Catalog or Class Schedule to be officially implemented.
     

E. Responsibilities of Originators and Reviewers of Curricular Proposals

  1. Originators (departments or program committees) are responsible for insuring that all information required on the prescribed formats is accurate and complete, that evidence of consultation with other affected departments or committees is provided, that the proper number of copies is provided for each review level, that the request is submitted to the college dean for action, that necessary modifications identified by reviewers are made to the proposal, and that established deadlines are met
     
  2. College deans are responsible for insuring that they review and act upon all curricular proposals received, consult with the faculty review body of their college, consult with the deans and departments of other affected colleges, submit copies to the associate vice presidents for review before approving documents, notify the Associate Vice President, Academic Programs/Graduate Studies about proposals approved at the college level, forward the proper number of copies of documents requiring CIC and/or Academic Senate approval, and meet established deadlines.
     
  3. Associate vice presidents and other reviewing administrative officers are responsible for: a) examining all curricular proposals for technical correctness and evidence of appropriate consultation and b) for working with the Senate staff in finalizing proposals requiring Academic Senate and Presidential action.
     
  4. The Committee on Instruction and Curriculum is responsible for reviewing curricular proposals on the basis of their appropriateness for CSUH; their relationship to existing courses and programs; student and community need; conformity with campus mission, goals, and academic plan; and financial feasibility (including potential impact on other units).
     

F. Academic Planning

Program Reviews of existing curricula, the placement of proposed new programs on the Academic Plan, and the discontinuance of academic programs are governed by special procedures and policies described in Chapter 7, 8 and 9. These proposals require review by the Committee on Academic Planning and Resources (CAPR).

Flow Chart for Curricular Proposals

Flow Chart