Pre-Approval for New Degree or Certificate or Major Revision to Degree or Certificate
Pre-Approval of New Degrees & Certificates 2024-2025
Applies to:
- New credit degree or certificate
- Revision of 30% or more (based on HECC formula) to existing credit degree or certificate
- Other major restructuring of a degree or certificate, as determined by the Pathway Dean (for example, changing the target job/job family)
Timeline: 2 year process (see visual of decision-making workflow)
| Date | Step | Example |
| October SAC Day Yr 1 | SAC discusses/finalizes plan to propose | October 30, 2024 |
| December Yr 1 |
Deadline to propose plan to Program Dean Program Dean and Pathway Dean review/discuss |
December 2024 |
| January Yr 1 |
Pathway Dean determines one of three options: i. Promising concept, but further exploration/DACUM required ii. Concept is supported by data and has minimal/ no institutional impacts, move forward to Courseleaf iii. Not approved to move forward at this time If category i or ii, AVP review/approval: i. Moves to ACP evaluation and prioritization once AVP approves ii. SAC can submit in Courseleaf once AVP approves The Pathway Dean and AVP must approve any proposal using this form before curriculum proposals can be moved forward in Courseleaf to the Degrees and Certificate Committee |
January 2025 |
| February Yr 1 | ACP Senior Leaders’ evaluation and prioritization of all Pathway-Dean-approved category i | February 2025 |
| March Yr 1 | Pathway Deans work with TLCI Project Manager to schedule a one-hour scope-setting meeting for each approved category i proposal. Meeting will include the TLCI Dean, TLCI Project Manager, and Program Dean. The purpose is to clarify any questions, the project timeline, and the faculty participants in the project team. | March 2025 |
| April Yr 1 | Pathway Deans issue charge letters for approved category i DACUM projects to SAC and Program Dean teams (cc’d to TLCI Dean and TLCI Project Manager) | April 2025 |
| May/June Yr 1 | TLCI Project Manager prepares preliminary data and schedules kick-off meetings | May 2025 |
| Summer Yr 1 | DACUM for all prioritized category i proposals | Summer 2025 |
| October Yr 2 | Deadlines for curriculum submissions in Courseleaf for following year catalog | October 2025 |
| June Yr 2 | Catalog published for following fall | June 2026 |
Roles/Responsibilities:
Pathway Dean
In order to determine if the proposal is in category i, ii, or iii, the pathway dean is responsible for asking/answering the following questions to their satisfaction:
- Is this truly new content, or simply repackaging existing content (for example, creating a new career pathway certificate using entirely existing courses; “swapping” existing content courses for similar content courses; etc.)? If the latter, moving directly to curriculum proposal in Courseleaf is likely appropriate; if the former, is further exploration of the content warranted?
- Does this change/new creation require investment in resources (equipment, faculty lines, space etc.)? If so, have you identified/confirmed that the resources will be available?
- Is this change based on a major shift in the target occupation/job family? If so, is further exploration of the concept’s viability/availability of jobs in the new target occupation/family warranted before approving?
- Is this interdisciplinary, and if so, does it or could it overlap with efforts in other programs and/or pathways? If so, have you discussed the concept with other impacted pathway deans and determined the best way forward?
ACP Senior Leaders
Reviews and evaluates all category i for institutional impacts (resources/investments needed, competition with existing programs, etc.); determines prioritization for moving forward with exploration based on these impacts and TLCI project manager capacity.
AVP
Reviews/approves all Pathway Dean category i & ii.