Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to clarify expectations for notifying the provost and appropriate personnel working with accreditation when institutional and/or program changes are proposed.

Policy Statement

The provost must be notified whenever a change is being considered so that the provost and other personnel involved with accreditation (e.g., SACSCOC accreditation liaison officer, specialized accreditation contact persons, director of financial assistance, etc.) can review accreditation, state, federal and institutional requirements and ensure compliance. Program changes requiring either notification or approval from SACSCOC include:

1. A program offered at a new level

2. A program changing from clock hours to credit hours, or credit hours to clock hours

3. Direct assessment approaches to competency-based education

4. Some cooperative academic arrangements

5. Adding a method of instructional delivery to an existing program. A method of delivery applies when 50% or more of a program is delivered by that method.

6. New program with at least 25% new content

7. Program closure - the date at which students can no longer start a program (not the date at which instruction ceases). Also includes closure of a delivery method for a program.

8. Program length change - increasing or decreasing a program’s credit hours by 25% or more AND increasing or decreasing a students’ expected time to completion by more than one term

9. Reopening a closed program (can be done within 5 years of a program closure)

10. Offering at least 25% of a program’s instruction at an off-campus instructional site

Programs are defined as a coherent course of study leading to a for-credit credential including a degree, diploma, certificate, or other generally recognized credential. Additional SACSCOC substantive change details are available at: http://sacscoc.org/accrediting-standards/substantive-changes/

For each of the items listed above, the provost will review the proposed change with the appropriate administrator(s) and decide what approvals are needed and the timetable for processing.  The provost is responsible to ensure that all approvals are secured and documented in record archives.

Program directors are further expected to notify the provost any time the program's accreditation status with its specialized accreditor changes, including the imposition of public sanctions by the specialized accreditor. The university's SACSCOC accreditation liaison will relay these changes in accreditation status to SACSCOC and other agencies/entities as appropriate.

Resources

See the following attachment for forms/templates relevant to the program/curriculum change process.

Curriculum Change Form - This is a google doc. Do not download. Under "File" choose “make a copy” and then "rename" to complete.

Responsible Party

Responsibility for this policy lies with the Provost.

Policy Review

This policy is to be reviewed every five years.

Distribution

Faculty/Staff Handbook

Policy linked in the curriculum change form, and in the academic council’s “What to bring to academic council” document.