4001.1 Policy Statement
This Policy provides guidance with respect to:
- Academic Organizational Changes: The creation, merger or reorganization, discontinuation, and/or naming of campuses, colleges, schools, departments, academic centers and institutes—but not including the Wright State Center for Civics, Culture, and Workforce Development or any other entity specifically created by state legislation;
- Major Curricular Changes: The creation of new degree programs and the discretionary inactivation, reactivation, or termination of programs (except for automatic termination of programs that have been inactivated for five (5) or more years);
- Curricular Content Changes: Modification of academic programs; creation, modification, or deactivation of courses; changes to minors, credentials, microcredentials, and General Education requirements; and all other curricular changes that do not constitute Academic Organizational Changes, Major Curricular Changes, or Administrative Curricular Changes; and
- Administrative Curricular Changes: non-substantive changes that do not affect the content of curricula, namely: mandatory program inactivations; course title changes; classification of instructional programs (CIP) requests; and class scheduling requests (CSR).
4001.2 Responsibilities
The Board of Trustees retains ultimate and overriding authority to approve or reject all proposed curricular changes.
The Provost administers the curricular change process, recommends curricular changes to the Board of Trustees, exercises preliminary curricular change authority (when delegated by the Board), and advises the Board with respect to the approval or rejection of such matters.
The Faculty, through the Faculty Senate (and Faculty Senate Committees) and curriculum committees in the academic units, may recommend curricular changes to the Provost (but not to the Board of Trustees) and provide advice and recommendations on curricular changes.
4001.3 Academic Organizational Changes
Origination.
A proposal for an Academic Organizational Change shall be submitted to the Provost in writing by the Board, President, Provost, Dean, or Faculty Senate.
Notification.
When the Provost receives a proposal for an Academic Organizational Change, the Provost shall promptly notify the Faculty Senate and the academic unit(s) that is or would be affected by it.
Advice, Feedback, and Recommendations.
The Provost shall afford the Faculty Senate and the curriculum committee(s) of the academic unit(s) that would be affected by the proposal forty-five (45) calendar days, concurrently, to review the proposal and provide written advice, feedback, and recommendations to the Provost. The Provost may solicit and accept advice, feedback, and recommendations from other interested parties.
Referral and Approval.
The Provost shall review each proposal, along with the advice, feedback, and recommendations the Provost receives from the Faculty Senate and/or the relevant curriculum committee(s) that are or would be affected by the proposal, and in the Provost’s discretion, from other interested parties. The Provost shall inform the University President of the Provost’s own advice, feedback, and recommendations; and upon concurrence of the President:
- Shall forward to the Board the Provost’s recommendation along with the written advice, feedback and recommendations received from the Faculty Senate and/or the relevant curriculum committee(s) that would be affected by the proposal; and
- May forward to the Board the written advice, feedback, and recommendations the Provost receives from other interested parties.
The Board retains sole discretion to approve, disapprove, modify, or remand each proposed Academic Organizational Change.
4001.4 Major Curricular Changes
A Major Curricular Change is the creation of a new degree program, the creation or modification of an educator preparation licensure program, the creation or modification of a technical certificate program, and the discretionary inactivation, reactivation, or termination of a degree program.
Origination.
Each proposal for a Major Curricular Change shall be submitted to the Provost in writing by:
- The Board, President, or Provost; or
- The dean or college curriculum committee of the academic unit that is or would be responsible for the change; or
- The Faculty Senate. Notification.
Notification.
When the Provost receives a proposal for a Major Curricular Change, the Provost shall promptly notify the Faculty Senate and the academic unit(s) that is or would be responsible for the change.
Advice, Feedback, and Recommendations.
The Provost shall afford the Faculty Senate and the relevant curriculum committee forty-five (45) calendar days, concurrently, to review the proposal and provide written advice, feedback, and recommendations to the Provost.
The Provost may (but is not required to) solicit and accept advice, feedback, and recommendations from other interested parties.
Referral and Approval.
The Provost shall review each proposal, along with the advice, feedback, and recommendations the Provost receives from the Faculty Senate and college curriculum committee (and in the Provost’s discretion, from other interested parties). The Provost:
- Shall forward the proposal to the Board;
- Shall inform the Board of the Provost’s own advice, feedback, and recommendations; and
- Shall forward to the Board the written advice, feedback, and recommendations the Provost receives from the Faculty Senate and relevant curriculum committee(s);
- May forward to the Board the written advice, feedback, and recommendations the Provost receives from other interested parties; and
- May forward to the Board other information or materials the Provost considers relevant.
The Board shall have discretion to approve, disapprove, modify, or remand each proposal.
4001.5 Curricular Content Changes
Curricular Content Changes are curricular changes that are not Academic Organizational Changes, Major Curricular Changes, or Administrative Curricular Changes, and namely include:
- Modification of academic programs;
- Creation, modification, or deactivation of courses;
- Modification of course outcomes;
- Creation, modification, or deactivation of microcredentials and general certificate programs;
- Changes to minors and General Education requirements (i.e., the Wright State Core).
Origination.
Each proposal for a Curricular Content Change shall be submitted to the Provost in writing by:
- The Board, President, or Provost; or
- The dean, chair, curriculum committee of the academic unit that is or would be responsible for the change; or
- The Faculty Senate.
Notification.
When the Provost receives a proposal for a Curricular Content Change, the Provost shall promptly notify the Faculty Senate and the academic unit that is responsible for the change.
Review, Advice, Feedback, and Recommendations.
The Provost shall afford the Faculty Senate and the relevant curriculum committee forty-five (45) calendar days, concurrently, to review the proposal and provide written advice, feedback, and recommendations to the Provost.The Provost may (but is not required to) solicit and accept advice, feedback, and recommendations from other interested parties.
Referral and Approval.
Provost Approval. The Board delegates to the Provost initial authority to approve, disapprove, modify, or remand the following Curricular Content Changes: course-specific changes (changes to course outcomes, prerequisites, etc.), establishment of a new course, modifications to an existing minor or concentration, modification to an existing program (<50%), new combined programs, new general (non-licesnure/technical certificates) certificates and microcredentials, modifications to existing general certificates or microcredentials, and deactivation of a microcredential. The Provost’s decision takes effect immediately and shall be communicated to the Board at its next regular meeting (or at such other times as the Board may direct). The Board retains absolute discretion to override or reverse the Provost’s decision with respect to such matters.
Board Approval. In all other instances, the decision to approve, disapprove, modify, or remand Curricular Content Changes must be made by the Board. The Provost shall review each proposal, along with the advice, feedback, and recommendations the Provost receives from the Faculty Senate and curriculum committee (and in the Provost’s discretion, from other interested parties). The Provost shall inform the University President of the Provost’s own advice, feedback, and recommendations; and upon concurrence of the President:
- Shall forward to the Board the Provost’s recommendation along with the written advice, feedback and recommendations received from the Faculty Senate and/or the relevant curriculum committee(s) that would be affected by the proposal; and
- May forward to the Board the written advice, feedback, and recommendations the Provost receives from other interested parties.
4001.6 Administrative Curricular Changes
Administrative Curricular Changes are non-substantive changes that do not affect the content of curricula, namely: mandatory program inactivations; course title changes; classification of instructional programs (CIP) requests; and class scheduling requests (CSR).
Origination.
Each proposal for an Administrative Curricular Change shall be submitted to the Provost, in writing, by:
- The Board, President, or Provost; or
- The dean, school/department chair, college curriculum committee, or school/department curriculum committee of the academic unit that is or would be responsible for the change; or
- The Faculty Senate.
Notification.
When the Provost receives a proposal for a mandatory program inactivation, the Provost shall notify the Faculty Senate and the academic unit that is affected. The Provost shall notify the relevant department and college about proposals for course title changes. Proposals for CIP and CSR changes only require administrative processing.
Review, Advice, Feedback, and Recommendations.
Notification of administrative changes are for informational purposes only. The Provost may (but is not required to) solicit and accept advice, feedback, and recommendations from other interested parties.
Referral and Approval.
Provost Approval. The Board delegates to the Provost initial authority to approve, disapprove, modify, or remand Administrative Curricular Changes. The Provost’s decision takes effect immediately and shall be communicated to the Board at its next regular meeting (or at such other times as the Board may direct). The Board retains absolute discretion to override or reverse the Provost’s decision with respect to such matters
4001.7 Procedures Authorized
The Provost is responsible for enforcing and administering this Policy on behalf of the Board. The Provost is authorized to establish and enforce procedures and/or forms to assist in and facilitate the discharge of those duties. Such procedures/forms shall be linked from the “Resources” section below, and may be superseded, revoked, or amended in the Board’s discretion.
4001.8 Advice, Feedback, and Recommendations
Pursuant to state law, all advice, feedback, and recommendations solicited by or submitted to the Provost pursuant to this Policy shall be advisory in nature. Such advice, feedback, and recommendations shall be submitted to the Provost in writing to facilitate transmittal (by the Provost) to the Board.
4001.9 Mandatory and Discretionary Inactivation
State law requires the inactivation of any program that fails to award at least five (5) degrees in any rolling three (3) year period, on average ("mandatory inactivation"); all other program inactivations are "discretionary inactivations" for purposes of this Policy. The three (3) year lookback period shall not include either (a.) any period prior to the academic year during which the program awards its first degree, or (b.) any period more than three (3) years prior to the effective date of this Policy. Within thirty (30) days after the last day of Spring Semester (and on other occasions in the Provost's discretion), the Provost shall identify programs that meet the criteria for inactivation, and inactivate each program.
Exceptions from Mandatory Inactivation.
In limited circumstances, state law permits the deferral of the inactivation of a program when the University obtains an exception or waiver from ODHE. The Provost is the only representative of the University who is authorized to apply for an exception of waiver; the Provost shall submit each application to ODHE on their own initiative, or when directed by the Board or President.
The Provost is not required to begin inactivation of a program while an application for an exception or waiver is pending with ODHE, or while an approved exception or waiver is in-force. If the application is withdrawn or disapproved, or if the approved exception of waiver lapses or is terminated, the Provost shall promptly apply the provisions of this Policy concerning inactivation.
4001.10 Program Termination
Termination is the complete and permanent discontinuation of a program. Programs that are inactivated and that are not reactivated within five (5) years are terminated automatically and without further action by the University.
The University will not terminate a program in which student are actively enrolled, but rather, it will apply the procedures for program inactivation (above).
4001.11 Policy Amendments
If the Provost determines that there is a need for other forms of curricular changes that are not addressed by this Policy, or that additional policy guidance is necessary for the effective administration and enforcement of this Policy, then the Provost and General Counsel are authorized to jointly amend this Policy on behalf of the Board to address those concerns. The amendments take effect immediately but are subject to override or reversal by the Board in its discretion. The Provost and General Counsel shall notify the Board of any amendments at its next regular meeting (or at such other time as the Board may direct).