UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

A STANDING FACULTY COMMITTEE

BY-LAWS

Membership:

The Deans of the Undergraduate Schools and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, ex-officio.
One member and alternate elected for a two-year term by and from the membership of each academic department, the library, and the academic counselors. All members will serve on at least one subcommittee.
Five students, one appointed by each Dean of an Undergraduate School and Dean of Graduate Studies, for renewable terms of one year.
The Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee and the Chair of the International and Area Studies Committee, ex-officio.

Organization:

The Curriculum Committee shall organize itself in May, electing its Chair (two year term) and Secretary (one year term) from among those members representing academic departments, and fix its time and place of meeting.
The Chair shall appoint a Vice-Chair for a one-year term. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall preside with the full authority of the Chair.
These By-laws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the members present at any regular or special meeting of the Curriculum Committee, provided that written proposed amendments are presented to Curriculum Committee members via the Chair at least two weeks prior to the meeting.

Functions and Responsibilities:

To review and recommend to the Faculty Senate policies concerning the University curricula including the structure of all majors, minors and concentrations of all graduate and undergraduate programs, both departmental and interdepartmental; and on all modifications, additions, utilizations, and deletions of all courses and programs within the curricula.
To make a continuous study of the University curricula as they relate to programs authorized by the Board of Trustees for the Connecticut State University.
To hold an annual review, following notification of the affected departments, of those courses which have not been taught for two consecutive years.

Curriculum Committee Procedures:

The Committee shall use Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Submission of requests:
1. Requests for curriculum changes shall be made on the latest Curriculum Committee standard forms for course or program change.
2. Requests for changes shall be in the hands of the Chair at least two weeks in advance of the meeting at which they are to be considered.
3. Copies of each request in the number specified by the Chair are required. In the case of graduate courses, additional copies in the number specified by the Graduate Studies Committee are to be sent directly to the Graduate Studies Committee via its chair.
4. Proposals for majors, programs, and courses which are presented and/or justified as either required and/or recommended by an appropriate accrediting organization and any changes in majors, programs, or courses so presented and/or justified, must be accompanied by a copy of the accrediting organization’s requirements and/or recommendations.
An agenda of items to be considered at any meeting shall be sent by the Curriculum Committee Chair to members of the Committee, Department Chairs, and appropriate administrative personnel not less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting.
Authorization of requests:
1. Requests from a Department shall carry evidence of department approval and evidence of review by the Department Chair and the Dean(s).
2. Requests from a School shall carry the endorsement of the Dean and evidence of review by the Chairs of the departments concerned.
3. Requests affecting more than one Department shall carry not only an appropriate endorsement but also evidence of review by the other group(s) concerned.
The Curriculum Committee may receive and consider suggestions and/or recommendations from the President, the Faculty Senate, or any other properly constituted agency of the University.
The Curriculum Committee may, by majority vote, make amendments to requests for curriculum changes which do not essentially affect the substance of the request (e.g., changes in wording, cycling pattern). However, any substantial changes may be made only with the concurrence of the representative(s) and/or spokesman of the Department(s) concerned, and lacking this consent, the request will be returned to the submitting agency.
Changes approved by the Curriculum Committee by its March meeting and by the Faculty Senate by its second meeting in March will normally appear in the next appropriate University Catalogue.
The Curriculum Committee shall be privileged to establish such ad hoc subcommittees as shall be deemed advisable.
The Curriculum Committee shall retain the unique prerogative of making recommendations to the faculty concerning additions and deletions of courses and programs.
Procedures for effecting minor changes:
1. Requests for a change in the designator, number, title, cycling pattern and/or description may be submitted to the appropriate Dean(s) for approval provided that the essential nature of the course is not changed. The Dean(s) shall consult with the Chair of the Curriculum Committee before approving any such request. A report of such actions shall be made to the Chair of the Curriculum Committee, who shall make reports of such changes to the Curriculum Committee at the next scheduled meeting. At such a meeting, objections can be brought forth.
2. The Graduate Studies Committee shall review all proposals, including non-substantial changes, concerning graduate programs and courses for graduate credit.
Authorization of courses not yet approved by the Curriculum Committee and/or the Faculty Senate: The Vice-President for Academic Affairs may authorize the offering of a not-yet-approved course for a single session, provided that time does not permit its approval before the schedule is fixed, and provided that an appropriate request (standard form) has been made to the Curriculum Committee.
Departments wishing to require a higher grade than passing as a prerequisite must request approval from the Curriculum Committee with a statement of justification for the request.
The Curriculum Committee shall make a written report to the Faculty Senate within ten (10) school days of the Curriculum Committee’s action. Actions taken by the Curriculum Committee are not official until approved by the Faculty Senate and signed by the President.

Curriculum Committee Structure:

The work of the Curriculum Committee having increased to the level that efficient and judicious operation of the Committee is no longer possible in the Committee of the whole, the following subcommittee structure is established:
1. Standing subcommittees are established to review all undergraduate curriculum proposals from the Departments within each School. These subcommittees are: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Professional Studies, and Technology.
2. Each subcommittee shall be composed of all members of the Curriculum Committee representing constituencies within that School, one representative at large from each of the other Schools appointed by the Curriculum Committee Chair, the Dean of the School, one student appointed by the Curriculum Committee Chair, and the Chair of the Curriculum Committee, ex-officio. Each subcommittee shall organize itself.
3. Each subcommittee shall review all proposals emanating from any of its constituencies and make recommendations, favorable or unfavorable, to the Curriculum Committee. Each subcommittee shall possess the power to recommend amendments, subject to the limitations on the Curriculum Committee itself.
4. Each subcommittee shall meet prior to all Curriculum Committee meetings where pertinent items appear on the agenda.
5. The minutes of each subcommittee shall be distributed by the Curriculum Committee Chair to members of the Curriculum Committee in advance of Curriculum Committee meetings.
The Graduate Studies Committee shall review all proposals concerning graduate programs and courses for graduate credit.
The International and Area Studies Committee shall be recognized as the review committee for all international program and course proposals as well as all course proposals for which an “International” designation is requested.
In order to assist in the refinement, development and implementation of the General Education Program, a permanent subcommittee called the General Education subcommittee shall be established.
1. The General Education subcommittee shall be appointed by the Curriculum Committee Chair and be composed of two representatives each from Study Area I and Study Area II; one representative from each of the four Skill Areas, Study Area III, and Study Area IV; one representative each from the Schools of Business, Education, and Technology; the coordinator of the International and Area Studies Committee (IASC); one student; the Dean of Arts and Sciences; and the Chair of the Curriculum Committee, ex-officio. It shall organize itself.
2. The subcommittee shall review all proposals placed before it and make recommendations, favorable or unfavorable, to the Curriculum Committee. It shall possess the power to recommend amendments, subject to the limitations on the Curriculum Committee.
3. The subcommittee shall receive and/or initiate recommendations to the Curriculum Committee concerning the implementations of the General Education Program.
4. The subcommittee shall meet prior to all Curriculum Committee meetings where pertinent items are on the agenda and at such other times as its Chair may request. e. Minutes of the General Education subcommittee shall be distributed by the Curriculum Committee Chair to members of the Curriculum Committee in advance of Curriculum Committee meetings.
Representative(s) from the initiating department, school, or other appropriate agency shall be requested to attend all subcommittee meetings concerned with their proposals as well as executive sessions of the Curriculum Committee.

Revised 12/2002