Members of the Curriculum Committee serve an integral part of managing curriculum development. Members oversee the development of new programs, changes within the program, determine how these changes affect other programs, and ensure the resources are available to implement the changes. Each member of Curriculum will read the requested changes, review its impact on the University, and respond to departmental request for changes. The following is the policy of the Curriculum Committee to ensure quality of programs as well as efficient and effective use of resources.

Curriculum changes at Valley City State University are initiated and approved within the Constitution of the Faculty Association. The Curriculum Committee, a Faculty Association committee, is responsible for continued evaluation of the academic requirements of the University. 

The Curriculum Committee receives requests for graduate and undergraduate curriculum changes from the department chair or a faculty member with the department chair’s approval. A brief, written description of requested changes, including a rationale for the request and impact on the department and other departments will be submitted through Leepfrog within three business days prior to next scheduled meeting. Either the department chair, or said faculty member with chair’s approval, will attend a curriculum meeting to present the request.

If the Curriculum Committee approves the request after the first reading, the department chair is responsible for making any required changes through Leepfrog. These revisions need to be completed three business days prior to the next scheduled meeting.

After the second reading, and if proposed changes are approved, the requests will be forwarded to Senate for final approval. Recommendations receiving a unanimous vote from the Faculty Senate will be forwarded to the Registrar for implementation. 

The Curriculum Committee Chair will send a summary of proposed changes to APAC during the last week of each month Curriculum meets.

The responsibility of each member of the Curriculum Committee is to ensure that changes fall within the VCSU mission and vision statement, strategic plan, and enhance the quality of programs without jeopardizing other programs. Each Curriculum Committee member is required to ask questions and have faculty members defend their proposed curriculum changes.

Issues to consider for proposed curriculum changes include:

Guiding principles: 

Be cautious of proliferation of credits, programs, courses – are we spreading ourselves too thin?

Be cautious of faculty specific courses and programs –

Curriculum should be strategic plan driven, not faculty driven

Consider the credibility of program – program standards; compare to other, similar programs

Integrity of program – rigor, and number of credits and upper level courses -

What is VCSU’s norm?

Who will this change impact? – How will this better serve students?

How will this improve the quality of program?

How does this fit with offerings of department?

How will students use this? – market analysis, trends in workforce needs

How will it impact enrollment? – evidence of student interest

Do the changes reflect an understanding of quality measures? – Accreditations guidelines and/or discipline guidelines.

General principles:

Does the change affect other programs?

What financial impact will this have? – Do we have current faculty to teach the courses?

What, if any research went into the decision? – Please read rational carefully

Does this impact the General Ed. Program?

If they are asking for new courses, are they removing other courses?

Are there other departments that should be aware of this change before we approve it?

Might this be a duplication of other similar courses? 

Communication plan for change with students? Recruitment? 

Online considerations

Number of 300 and 400 level courses?

VCSU standards:

Major: 32-42 Credits (all non-education majors require a minor)

Composite Major: 52-75 Credits (minor not required)

Minor: 18-26 Credits (VCSU norm is 21-24 credits)

Certificate: at least 16 undergraduate credits

Certificate of Completion: less than 16 undergraduate credits

Concentration: should not exceed the minimum for a minor

Degree: 120 credits and at least 30 upper level credits

The ten credit gap between a major and composite major is intentional to allow students to fit in their minor and allow students to explore other courses.

Sponsored by: Curriculum Committee 

Revised: Fall, 1990

Reviewed: Winter, 1996

Revised: March 2015

Revised: October 2016