Handbook of Operating Procedures 2-9980

Undergraduate Curriculum Governance and Management



Effective July 17, 2024
Executive Sponsor: Executive Vice President and Provost
Policy Owner: Office of Academic Affairs

 

  1. Policy Statement

The University of Texas at Austin (University) is committed to a collaborative governance process in the management of Undergraduate Curriculum.
 

  1. Reason for Policy

This policy defines the governance and approval process for changes to the Undergraduate Curriculum.
 

  1. Scope & Audience

This policy is designed to support faculty and administrators who are engaged in Undergraduate Curriculum management.
 

  1. Definitions (specific to this policy)

 

C-3 Committee:

Standing committee of the Faculty Council responsible for university-level faculty review and endorsement of the Undergraduate Curriculum.

Course Inventory:

All officially documented courses and fields of study that are offered by the University, as listed in the General Information Catalog.

Credential:

An official, transcript-recognized attestation by the University to the completion of a defined program of study by a student. In this policy, the term “Credential” refers to minors, certificates, majors, and degrees.

Institutional Approval:

Formal Institutional Approval of a proposed curricular change. The Executive Vice President and Provost (EVPP) grants university-level approval for proposed curricular changes. Institutional Approval is required to move proposals forward for THECB Approval.

Local Approval:

College or school-level approval of a proposed curricular change. For undergraduate curricular changes, Local Approval is provided by the dean of the college or school initiating the change, following faculty review by a curriculum committee and/or a faculty vote within the unit. Local Approval is required for curriculum proposals to move forward for university-level review.

THECB Approval:

Approval of curricular changes by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). THECB determines which curricular changes require this final level of approval.

Undergraduate Curriculum:

The formal academic plans that define the learning experiences of students in the pursuit of an undergraduate Credential at the University. In this policy, the term “Undergraduate Curriculum” is inclusive of the University’s Course Inventory and Credentials.

 

  1. Website (for policy)

https://secure4.compliancebridge.com/utexas/public/getdoc.php?file=2-9980
 

  1. Contacts

CONTACT

DETAILS

WEB

Office of Undergraduate Curriculum Management and Innovation

Phone: 

Website:


 
 
  1. Responsibilities & Procedures
 
  1. Principles of Curriculum Management

 

  1. Primacy of Faculty in Curriculum Development
The faculty has the primary responsibility for curriculum development. Curriculum changes will typically originate at the local level, where faculty in that particular area of expertise are best positioned to propose the philosophy, organizational framework, and student learning outcomes essential to success in a given field of study.

 

  1. Importance of University-Level Review and Endorsement
A university-level faculty review ensures that proposed curriculum changes are reviewed by a broad coalition of faculty members. By engaging perspectives from outside the field of expertise, the university is strengthened in its mission of educational excellence and promotes healthy dialogue about our educational standards and goals.
 
  1. Institutional Responsibility for Impact Assessment
The Undergraduate Curriculum is central to the educational experience of our students and has the potential to significantly impact resource deployment, faculty workloads, academic budgets, and student time-to-degree. For these reasons, the EVPP has the primary responsibility of assessing the impact of curricular changes and weighing these impacts in terms of our broader educational mission and priorities.
 
  1. Review, Endorsement and Approval Process

 

  1. Local-Level Review and Approval

Each college or school will set its own rules for curriculum review, pursuant to relevant university policies. Although specific rules and processes may vary by unit, in all cases, there must be faculty review of proposed curriculum changes within the unit, provided either by a curriculum committee or a faculty vote. A curriculum change proposal must be approved by the dean of the college/school to move forward for university-level review.

For curricular changes that may impact students in other departments and/or schools or colleges, faculty are expected to engage colleagues in the potentially impacted units to address any questions or concerns. In addition, if a new Credential is being proposed, the faculty must inform the Office of Undergraduate Curriculum Management and Innovation to ensure that an impact review is completed. Curriculum proposals for new Credentials cannot advance to university-level review until these impact reviews are complete.

 

  1. University-Level Review and Endorsement

Proposed curriculum changes approved at the local level will undergo a university-level review. Offices within Academic Affairs have been delegated the responsibility of determining the appropriate level of institutional review from the options below based on the type of change, its anticipated impact, and requirements for THECB Approval. 

 

  1. Course Inventory Review: Proposed changes to the Course Inventory, including the creation or deletion of a field of study, will be reviewed administratively by the Office of the Registrar for compliance with university and external policies and procedures for Course Inventory. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for establishing the standards for this administrative review and determining whether additional review by the Office of Undergraduate Curriculum Management and Innovation is necessary given the potential campus impact of the proposed changes. Institutional Approval of Course Inventory changes will be granted by the university registrar, as delegated by the EVPP.

 

  1. Review of New Credentials and Changes to Existing Credentials: An administrative review committee with relevant knowledge and expertise will be formed by the Office of Undergraduate Curriculum Management and Innovation to conduct an administrative and financial review of all proposed curriculum changes, with the exception of Course Inventory changes. Further levels of university-level faculty review will be conducted for proposed curriculum changes as outlined below.

 

  1. Level 1 Review: A Level 1 review will be conducted for proposed changes to existing Credentials that 1) do not have a broad impact for campus; 2) do not involve creating or deleting a Credential or a track, concentration, or option within a major; and 3) do not require The University of Texas System (UT System) or THECB Approval. Level 1 reviews will be conducted by the administrative review committee. If upon review it is determined that a proposal may have broad impact, the administrative review committee may request an additional level of review. Review and endorsement of Level 1 proposals will be provided by the administrative review committee, as delegated by the Faculty Council, and Institutional Approval of these proposals will be provided by the senior vice provost of Academic Affairs, as delegated by the EVPP.
 
  1. Level 2 Review: A Level 2 review will be conducted for (1) changes proposed to existing Credentials that have a broad impact for campus and/or require UT System or THECB Approval; (2) creating new minor or certificate Credentials; (3) deleting Credentials, including those that do not require THECB Approval; and (4) adding or deleting a track, concentration, emphasis, or option within a major. A Level 2 review will consist of both an administrative review conducted by the administrative review committee and a university-level faculty review conducted by the C-3 Committee of Faculty Council, as authorized in the University's Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) 2-1060-PM. The C-3 Committee shall vote to endorse, or not endorse, following its own criteria and, consistent with university policy. Following C-3 review, Faculty Council will review all Level 2 proposed changes and vote to endorse or not endorse them on a no-protest basis. The vote of Faculty Council will be forwarded to the EVPP for a final institutional decision. The C-3 Committee may elect to escalate proposals to a full review by Faculty Council.
 
  1. Level 3 Review: A Level 3 review will be conducted for all new Credential major and degree proposals. In addition to an administrative review by the administrative review committee and a preliminary faculty review by the C-3 Committee, Level 3 proposals must be presented to Faculty Council and voted on at a meeting. Each level will vote to endorse or fail to endorse the proposal based on their own rules. The vote of Faculty Council will be forwarded to the EVPP for a final institutional decision.

 

  1. Institutional Approval

Final Institutional approval is the responsibility of the EVPP, except where otherwise delegated. The EVPP will consider the recommendations of the review committees, student impact, resource demands, and the strategic priorities of the institution before granting Institutional Approval. Should a curricular proposal fail to obtain endorsement at the university-level faculty review, the EVPP will initiate a conversation with the faculty initiating the proposal and the chair of the C-3 Committee and/or the chair of Faculty Council prior to making a final decision. Once approved by the EVPP, the curricular change will be considered final, except in cases where the THECB has designated such proposals as requiring THECB Approval.

 

  1. Forms & Tools

None 
 

  1. Frequently Asked Questions

None
 

  1. Related Information

HOP 2-1060-PM - Standing Committees of the General Faculty - Institutional Policy or Governance Committees
 

  1. History

Origination date: July, 17, 2024
     Next scheduled review date: July 2027