Introduction
Planning for the future of the department is the responsibility of
all department members, including the chairperson, faculty, students,
and staff. However, the primary responsibility for coordinating the
internal planning process and communicating departmental needs, aims,
and aspirations to various constituencies outside the department resides
with the department chairperson.
Curriculum Planning
Changes in the department's academic program are handled through the
university system for curriculum. Proposals for curriculum revision,
including program changes and courses changes, originate within the
department. Such proposals may be based either on a need for change
perceived internally by department members or on an external mandate
such as Regents' policies or teacher education standards. Proposals
for curricular changes will normally be referred to the department's
standing committee on Curriculum and Assessment for study and recommendation
to the department as a whole.The department faculty then considers committee
recommendations for curricular change, amends them if necessary, and
establishes the final form of the change by majority vote.The proposed
changes are then entered on the appropriate forms and forwarded to the
Curriculum Committee of the College of Arts and Sciences. If approved
by this committee, the proposed changes take one of three routes:
- Changes having an impact on teacher education are sent to the University Council on Teacher Education which routes them to the University Curriculum Committee.
- Changes in graduate programs or courses are sent to the Graduate Council.
- All other changes are sent directly to the University Curriculum Committee.
Once curriculum proposals are approved by all the appropriate agencies, they are forwarded to the Faculty Senate for final approval.
Annual Departmental Program Review
Planning for departmental resources, facilities, and personnel is addressed in annual departmental program reviews conducted by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The reviews usually occur sometime in the spring semester and may take varying forms. In advance of the program review interview, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Council of Arts and Sciences Chairs establish University and College goals and objectives. The department chairperson consults with the Department in establishing departmental goals and objectives and then prepares a departmental program review in a form provided by the Vice President.
