1. A description of current requirements.

2. Evidence - often found in the course of regularly assessments of student learning - indicating that a need for change exists. Examples of evidence include:

   • Unsatisfactory time-to-degree rates for completion of the major
   • Unsatisfactory or low rates for completion of the major by students with particular GPAs (or GPAs in a particular series of entry level courses)
   • Unsatisfactory enrollment, drop, and/or course close-out data
   • Assessment data suggesting that different prerequisites or course patterns have better predictive validity for student success in the major
   • Data from advisors regarding the rate and nature of exceptions granted or the difficulty students encounter when they attempt to change majors and get credit for courses taken
   • Changes in the field, certification or licensure requirements that warrant parallel changes in degree requirements (most notable in majors affected by DPI teacher certification tests)
   • Changes in program direction or student demand
   • Alumni or employer satisfaction surveys
     
3. The proposed change and an explanation of its intended effect on the identified problem.
   
4. If applicable, statements solicited from departments or programs affected by the change.  In the case of revisions to Honors tracks in the major, the L&S Faculty Honors Committee must recommend approval by the L&S Curriculum Committee.^{Note 1} 

Consultation. In most cases, revisions to degree and certificate programs operated under the sole authority of Letters and Science Departments will not require consultation outside the college. However, departments are reminded that many School of Education (SED) majors are aligned with L&S degree programs. Changes to L&S programs may have an impact on the SED programs. For this reason, we remind our departments to confer with the School of Education as they are discussing revisions, to ensure that SED students are not unduly affected. Departments will be asked to provide evidence that they have taken steps to inform the School of Education that revisions were being considered, and that efforts were made to accommodate the needs of SED majors.

5. An impact study to ensure that the changes proposed will not disproportionately affect any discrete group of students (such as women or targeted minorities).

6. If such a group is affected, an appropriate plan to ensure equity if the change is implemented.

   Please Note: Departmental curriculum committees are encouraged to consult with the L&S Curriculum Committee throughout the revision process, as well as to contact the committee chair to discuss whether the committee should review changes under consideration. The committee’s goal is not to judge the content of the curriculum, but rather, to ensure that:

   • Revisions are consistent with L&S degree requirements;
   • Revisions are implemented according to university policy and practice in that they follow the two-year cycle of editions of the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs;
   • Changes that affect other departments are communicated to those departments; and
   • All interested, motivated and capable students can successfully complete the requirements. 
     
   The L&S Curriculum Committee and the L&S Student Academic Affairs assist departments in considering the impace of proposed curricular changes. They can also suggest or help develop equitable solutions for any problems that might be anticipated. 

When approved, course change requests will be forwarded to the appropriate Divisional Committee.  Notification of other changes will be forwarded, if appropriate, to the L&S Academic Planning Council.  The Dean will be advised of any changes that involve or affect other Schools or Colleges.

^{Note 1:}   By action of the L&S Faculty Senate, the L&S Faculty Honors Committee has the authority to review and approve criteria and requirements for Honors in the Major.  To ensure that these changes follow the established lines of communication regarding curricular changes, the L&S Curriculum Committee ratifies FHC-approved revisions and communicates with departments, Student Academic Affairs, and University Publications to promulgate the changes.

Guidelines for Establishing Implementation Dates

The Curriculum Committee recognizes that departments and programs are eager to implement changes to their curricula in a timely fashion. The following guidelines clarify the considerations in establishing implementations dates and the deadlines that units should attend to in their curricular planning.

• The Curriculum Committee establishes implementation dates.

• The immediacy of implementation varies according to the nature of the changes sought, but in no case will proposals be implemented in the same semester in which they are approved.

• Longer implementation periods will be deemed appropriate when time is needed for departments to advertise revisions and communicate with interested parties, including current and potential students; departments, Schools and Colleges that provide courses and/or share students with the program; the L&S DARS Dean; Student Academic Affairs advising liaisons; and (when relevant) the UW System Transfer Information System.

• Departments are advised that requests to revise existing programs can be complicated, and often require departments to respond to questions raised by the committee. Proposals, particularly those addressing more extensive curricular changes, should be submitted to the Committee well in advance of the dates noted below to provide sufficient time for the Committee to consider and approve requests. Please also note that proposals for course changes or new courses that may accompany curricular changes must also be approved by the appropriate Divisional Committee after Curriculum Committee review (see http://www.secfac.wisc.edu/divcomm/courses/CourseProposals.htm for information about proposing new courses).

• The Committee has established following decision rules and approval deadlines to determine an appropriate implementation date:

  1. Changes that make it easier for students to complete the program or speed time-to-degree will be assigned an implementation date coinciding with the beginning of the Fall or Spring semester. So that curricular changes can be in place prior to student registration, proposals to be implemented in the Fall semester must be approved by March 1 st; proposals to be implemented in the Spring semester must be approved by November 1 st. Proposals of this nature should be submitted to the Committee at least one month prior to the deadline.

  2. Changes that may negatively affect students’ progress (e.g., by eliminating or restricting electives or options) will be assigned an implementation date that coincides with the beginning of the academic year. In these cases, departments will be encouraged to accommodate students who may not have declared the major but who can demonstrate that their course selections were based on requirements in force under the old program. To ensure that curricular changes are in place prior to student registration for Fall semester, these proposals must be approved by March 1 st; please submit them to the Committee at least one month prior to the deadline to allow time for questions to be raised and resolved.

  3. In cases of substantial changes to curricula (e.g., complete reorganization of requirements, elimination or addition of required sequences), the Committee will assign an implementation date that coincides with the beginning of the next academic year, provided that there is sufficient time for communication with various interested parties. Curricular changes of this magnitude need to be communicated to interested parties prior to student registration for Fall semester; therefore, proposals of this nature must be approved by December 1 st, and should be submitted to the Committee at least two months prior to the deadline.

  Please Note: Although the electronic Catalog allows us to make changes to the Catalog between Catalog publication cycles, departments and programs are reminded of the roles served by the printed Catalog. First, the Undergraduate Catalog is a historical document that serves as a record of the curriculum relevant to returning students seeking to complete a past program; changes that occur between publication cycles are not documented in the historical record. Second, in the absence of mandatory student advising, many students rely on the printed Catalog for information and will self-advise based on its contents; this practice is promoted by the wide dissemination of the printed Catalog at SOAR, across campus, and to high schools and other post-secondary institutions. Third, the printed Catalog has advantages as an advising tool because it provides information in a convenient, immediate, and consistent format, it facilitates interaction between students and advisors, it is portable, it is tactile – meaning students can mark pages and make notes, and it may be perceived as more personal than references to a web site. For all of these reasons, the Committee encourages departments and programs to plan substantial curricular changes to coincide with the publication of the Undergraduate Catalog to the extent possible.

Departments should consult with the Curriculum Committee Chair and/or the L&S Assistant Dean who works with the committee (Dr. Elaine M. Klein, kleine@ls.admin.wisc.edu ) for guidance.

Adopted by the L&S Curriculum Committee, 26 January 2004

Handbook reviewed: August 4, 2006 by emk