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Program Approval Process
Phase I: Initial Program Proposal
Normally new program proposals begin in an academic unit of the campus. A program initiative may come from a department, a dean or a vice president. In some circumstances, suggestions for new programs may arise from campus constituencies not connected with a department, from outside the campus or may be dictated by student demand or need. Individuals proposing a new program should develop a rationale and obtain pertinent statistics substantiating the need and demand for the program as part of the initial program proposal.
Phase II: Review
Prior to further development of a proposal, the President and the VPAA review the initial concept as presented by the department, campus unit or outside unit. They will consider whether the proposal is consistent with the mission of the college and with the institutional plan. This preliminary program approval by the President and the VPAA signals the department, campus unit or outside unit to begin a more thorough development of the program.
Phase III: Program Development
The department, campus unit, or outside unit will develop a proposal which will include the philosophy and concept of the program with emphasis on indicating how the program is consonant with the mission of the college. An outline of the curriculum will be developed which will include indicators of quality. The proposal also will include a thorough study of needed resources such as:
1. faculty and support of instruction
2. library resources
3. equipment, laboratory support, computer support
4. facilities
5. administrative cost including accreditation costs where applicable
6. financial impact on the institution and programs within the institution. This study shall include consultation with the units responsible for these resources.
Phase IV: Outside Consultation
An outside consultant will be appointed by the VPAA from a pool of four (two submitted by the department and two from other sources), in consultation with the proposing department, to review the preliminary proposal for its quality and the appropriateness of resources for supporting a nationally-recognized quality program. This review should include detailed and substantive information for use in refining the final proposal. After changes suggested by the consultant are incorporated into the proposal, it is sent to the President, the VPAA and the Dean of the school for review and approval.
Phase V: Administrative Approval
The President and VPAA will review this more developed proposal, and when deemed feasible and acceptable, will submit it to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees for their initial approval.
Phase VI: Development of Full Proposal
The department, campus unit or outside unit prepares a full proposal for the program. This proposal includes the following:
- a thorough description of the curriculum with syllabi and further documentation regarding the appropriateness of the proposal in support of the college's mission
- a list of the program outcomes as they relate to the college's mission
- a discussion of ways to determine the success in meeting program outcomes
- vitae of current faculty teaching in the program and detailed position description for any anticipated position.
Phase VII: School Curriculum Committee and College Government Structure
The proposal is submitted to the school curriculum committee for approval. If recommended by the school committee, the program is submitted for recommendation through the college's governance process. The recommendation should indicate concurrence or nonconcurrence with the proposal by the Dean of the school.
Phase VIII: Additional Outside Review
The completed proposal is reviewed by an outside consultant, distinct from the consultant employed in Phase IV, and appointed by VPAA from a pool of four in consultation with the proposing department. This consultant will review the entire proposal including the report from the initial outside consultant. The charge to this consultant will be to judge the quality of the program and the appropriateness of resources, present and proposed, to support a quality program.
Phase IX: Academic Affairs Committee Approval
If the program is recommended by the college's governance structure, the President submits it to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees. This committee is provided with the full program proposal and the consultant reports.
Phase X: Board of Trustees Approval
The Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees recommends the program proposal to the full Board of Trustees for final approval.
Phase XI: Circulation of Program Notification
Notification of the approved program is circulated to the New Jersey higher education community. If objections are raised, efforts may be made to resolve them.
Phase XII: Program Sent to Presidents' Council
For information sharing purposes the notification of approved program, Board of Trustees resolution, consultant's report, and any objections from the higher education community in response to the program notification with efforts to respond to and resolve objections, are sent to Presidents' Council.
In any and every instance of non-approval or non-concurrence there should be reasons provided in writing for such decisions.
Passed by CUPPS: April 27, 1995
Approved by Board of Trustees: June 22, 1995
