Curriculum Committee, Guidelines, & Procedures

The CLASS Curriculum Committee (CCC) reviews and approves proposals to add, delete, or change courses in the college curriculum; reviews and approves new or changes to existing academic programs; reviews periodic academic unit/program reviews; and advises the CLASS Dean's office on student petitions. For General Education/ECCE courses, the Committee makes recommendations to the General Education Council or University Requirements Council (whichever is relevant). It also offers advice and guidance to faculty and academic units in all matters relevant to the college curriculum.

The Committee's responsibilities and purview are specified in the CLASS By-Laws and its work is informed by the UIS Levels of Governance Chart, UIS Campus Senate resolutions on educational policy, the University of Illinois Statutes, and the longstanding academic traditions of faculty determination of curricula and degree requirements. In all deliberations and decisions, the Committee seeks to respect faculty academic freedom rights within the context of curricular norms within the college and requirements of campus and university policy.

The Committee consists of four CLASS faculty (having at least one year of service at UIS) elected at-large to staggered three-year terms. The CLASS Dean (or designee) is a non-voting ex officio member. The Committee annually elects a chair from among its members at its first meeting. Committee meeting minutes are available upon request from the CLASS Dean's office.

Contact: please contact the Curriculum Committee chair or the CLASS Dean's office with questions.

Deadlines

The Curriculum Committee accepts submissions at any time during the academic year. To expedite review, submit ALL required materials by:

  • September 15 for Fall semester review by the CCC.
  • February 15 for Spring semester review by the CCC.

Submission

To create the necessary documentation trail, please submit required materials by email to the CLASS Dean's office which will forward materials to the attention of the Curriculum Committee chair. Please submit ALL required materials in a single email.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

New Course Proposals

When proposing a NEW course, faculty are encouraged to consult with the Curriculum Committee chair, other Committee members, and if relevant the General Education Council or University Requirements Council. The Office of Undergraduate Education maintains the procedures and forms for proposing General Education and ECCE courses, as well as criteria and samples. To propose a NEW course, submit:

  1. Course Approval Form
  2. Syllabus (faculty are encouraged to use the UIS Accessible Syllabus Template)
  3. Rationale Form (MS Word)
  4. General Education checklist, (for proposing new courses in the General Education or ECCE curriculum)

See this annotated example of an entire submission packet for proposing a NEW course.

Existing Course Changes

When proposing changes to an EXISTING course, faculty are encouraged to consult with the Curriculum Committee chair, other Committee members, and (if relevant) the General Education Council or University Requirements Council. The Office of Undergraduate Education maintains the procedures and forms for proposing General Education and ECCE courses, as well as criteria and samples. To change the prefix or number, prerequisites, title, description, credit hours, faculty workload hours, or delete a course, or add a crosslist, submit:

  1. Course Approval Form (see annotated sample)
  2. Rationale Form (MS Word)
  3. General Education Checklist (ONLY for changes to EXISTING General Education/ECCE courses). Substantive changes should be accompanied by a syllabus (faculty are encouraged to use the UIS Accessible Syllabus Template)

Unit and Program Reviews

The Provost's office maintains the schedule for periodic review of academic units and programs. The Academic Unit and Program Review website offers guidance and information to units undergoing review. After receiving unit/program review materials, the Curriculum Committee will either:

  1. Approve the review and forward with a memo summarizing its discussions and recommendations to the next level of review on the UIS Levels of Governance Chart, OR
  2. Request additional materials or clarifications from the unit under review. Representatives from the unit may be invited to attend a Curriculum Committee meeting to answer questions and discuss submitted materials.

New Program Proposals

CLASS faculty or units seeking to propose a new academic program (i.e., major, minor, certificate, concentration, or graduate degree) are encouraged to consult with the Curriculum Committee chair, the CLASS Dean, and Provost's Office staff to learn about specific proposal requirements, which may differ by program type. Examples of successful previous proposals can also be provided by the Provost's Office.

Departmental Honors

CLASS academic units seeking to develop departmental or program honors are directed to the Guidelines for Departmental or Program Honors established by the Undergraduate Council.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if I don’t know all of the readings and course assignments yet?

A: The course schedule, readings, and assignment descriptions allow the Committee to gauge the rigor and level (1XX, 2XX, etc.). Please provide typical examples of what would be required for a course at the respective level in your department.

Q: Do I need to include the Academic Integrity Policy and ODS Policy as stated from the office?

A: You are required by the University to include the ODS Policy. The Academic Integrity policy is optional but recommended and you may include your own, but sanctions, procedures, etc., cannot contradict the university Academic Integrity Policy.

Q: What additional information should I use to help answer the purpose and rationale questions?

A: Helpful information may include: How does the course contribute to academic programs offered by the department/unit? Will the course be an elective, core, or capstone course? Are there courses on campus with similar content and if so how is this course different from those? How many students can be expected to enroll? How often will it be offered?

Q: How does the committee assess the rigor of a course?

A: The Committee will assess course rigor by evaluating the number and components of assigned projects, course objectives and expected outcomes, amount of reading and/or writing required, appropriateness of workload for level compared to similar courses/syllabi in the offering academic unit.