Rule 3362-2-24 | Curriculum approval process.
(A) Purpose
The purpose of this rule is to establish a curricular approval process as codified in section 3345.457 of the Revised Code. This rule applies to the following curricular actions: establishing or modifying academic programs, curricula, courses, general education requirements, and degree programs. This rule applies to the approval, rejection, and discontinuation of academic programs.
(B) Scope of authority
(1) The Shawnee state university board of trustees is the ultimate authority to establish and modify academic programs, schools, colleges, institutes, departments, and centers at Shawnee state university.
(a) The Shawnee state university board of trustees also retains final authority over adoption and modification of the curricular approval process required to establish, modify, or discontinue curricula, courses, general education requirements, and degree programs.
(b) The Shawnee state university board of trustees has the overriding authority to approve or reject any establishment or modification of academic programs, curricula, courses, general education requirements, and degree programs.
(2) The Shawnee state university faculty senate shall have the opportunity to provide advice, feedback, and recommendations on the establishment and modification of academic programs, curricula, courses, general education requirements, and degree programs.
This feedback from the university faculty senate is advisory in nature.
(C) Process for establishing, significantly modifying, or discontinuing academic programs
Academic departments or schools may submit requests to establish, significantly modify, or discontinue academic programs by first submitting a proposal to the academic resource management committee (ARMC), chaired by the provost. The faculty involved in the proposal shall meet with the office of institutional budgeting and office of enrollment management to receive feedback on budget and enrollment impacts, as well as marketing strategies. The proposal will be reviewed at the department or school level by the chair or school director, and submitted to the appropriate college dean for review and comment prior to submission to the ARMC.
(1) The faculty, chair/school director, and dean associated with the proposal will present the proposal to the members of the ARMC and answer questions regarding the proposal. The ARMC shall vote to recommend support, postponement, or lack of support for the proposal to the provost.
(2) Upon recommendation from the provost, the faculty may then submit the proper curricular program and course proposals to the appropriate curricular approval committee.
(D) Curricular approval committees
(1) All proposals reviewed by these committees must be submitted in the curriculum software.
(a) Members of the board of trustees may approve initiation of a proposal for review and shall designate the provost to submit a board of trustees initiated proposal into the software. Such proposals will start at the appropriate committee for review.
If the university has entered into an agreement, such as a state-wide curricular agreement required by the Ohio department of higher education or mandated by sections of state or federal law, the board of trustees will review alignment of current curriculum and request that the proposals needed to achieve the required outcomes of the agreement be submitted by the provost.
(b) The provost may initiate a proposal seeking to discontinue an academic program when the department or school does not agree to initiate such a proposal or when required to by law.
(c) Current tenure-track and tenured faculty members may initiate curricular proposals that shall be reviewed and recommended by their department or school prior to review by the college dean. For graduate curriculum proposals, the initiator must be a current tenure-track or tenured graduate faculty member.
(2) General education advisory committee (GEAC): All curricular policies, assessment plans, and proposals that impact the general education program (GEP) will be reviewed and evaluated by the GEAC. All course proposals received by GEAC will be evaluated to ensure that the course meets the learning outcomes for its respective GEP category and aligns with the GEP assessment plan. All business before the GEAC will be made available for comment and criticism to the campus community via a five-day open hearing process. All proposals recommended by the GEAC shall be forwarded to the education policies and curriculum committee (EPCC) for review and evaluation. The Shawnee state university administration shall assign one senior administrator to be the primary representative to the GEAC. This senior administrator will be a non-voting member of the GEAC.
(3) Education policies and curriculum committee (EPCC): All undergraduate educational policies and curricula proposals, including those recommended by the GEAC, will be reviewed and evaluated by the EPCC. All business before the EPCC will be made available for comment and criticism to the campus community via a five-day open hearing process. As needed, proposals requiring review and evaluation for distance learning will be forwarded to the distance learning committee (DLC) upon recommendation by the EPCC. All other proposals recommended by the EPCC shall be forwarded to the university faculty senate (UFS). The Shawnee state university administration shall assign one senior administrator to be the primary representative to the EPCC. This senior administrator will be a non-voting member of the EPCC.
(4) Graduate council (GC): All graduate educational policies and curricula proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by the GC. All business before the GC will be made available for comment and criticism to the campus community via a five-day open hearing process. As needed, proposals requiring review and evaluation for distance learning will be forwarded to the DLC upon recommendation by the GC. All other proposals recommended by the GC shall be forwarded to the university faculty senate (UFS). The Shawnee state university administration shall assign one senior administrator to be the primary representative to the GC. This senior administrator will be a non-voting member of the GC.
(5) Distance learning committee (DLC): All distance learning, hybrid (a defined percentage of class sessions meet in person with additional instruction conducted online), hyflex (a student may attend all class sessions in-person, online synchronously, or online asynchronously), or online curricular and program proposals shall be reviewed and evaluated by the DLC. Proposals for new courses and programs seeking to use these modes of instruction shall first be referred from the appropriate governance committee (EPCC or GC). Proposals seeking to add distance learning modalities to existing courses may be submitted directly to DLC following department/school and dean recommendation. All proposals recommended by the DLC shall be forwarded to the university faculty senate (UFS). The Shawnee state university administration shall assign one senior administrator to be the primary representative to the DLC. This senior administrator will be a non-voting member of the DLC.
(6) University faculty senate (UFS): Policy, program, and curricular proposals recommended by the EPCC, GC or DLC will be reviewed and evaluated by the UFS. Matters for consideration by the UFS may be referred to the UFS by any member of the university community. Academic policies, curricular proposals, and resolutions to be put before UFS must be submitted through the curriculum software. Upon recommendation of the UFS, all proposals will be forwarded to the provost for review and evaluation.
(7) Upon receiving curricular and policy recommendations from the UFS, the provost will evaluate and review the proposals and make a recommendation that the proposals be presented at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Shawnee state university board of trustees during the academic and student affairs committee meeting where the proposals will be considered for final approval. Proposals approved by the academic and student affairs committee will be presented as part of the consent agenda or as individual action items on the agenda of the board of trustees meeting. A vote in favor for approval by the board of trustees must be recorded before the university registrar incorporates curricular changes into the Shawnee state university academic catalog.
Last updated December 4, 2025 at 2:36 PM
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