S.96-22
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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC
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MEMORANDUM
To:
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Senate
From: ?
D. Gagan, Chair
Senate Committee on Academic Planning
Subject- ?
Delegation of responsibility for approval of new courses
Date: ?
February 13, 1996
In November 1995 I circulated to members of the Senate Committee on Academic
Planning and the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies and the
Senate Graduate Studies Committee a proposal for reorganizing and streamlining some
responsibilities for these three committees. The proposal has been considered and
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approved by SCAP, SCUS and SGSC and gives rise to the following motion:
Motion
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"That Senate delegate its respstility for approving all
new undergraduate
courses and program rev
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of a minor nature to the Senate Committee on
Undergraduate Studiñdall new graduate courses and program revisions of a
minor nature to thenate Graduate Studies Committee."
Further if this motion is approved by Senate:
Motion:
"That the Secretary of Senate be authorized to make the appropriate changes to
the terms of reference of each of these committees."
SCAP asked SCUS and SGSC to bring to SCAP, for information, a description of the
decision-making criteria which will be used to make curriculum assessments. SCUS
prepared a New Undergraduate Course Approval Cover Sheet (attached) which will
accompany all new courses in the approval stages. The process summarized within the
cover sheet contains the following requirements:
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Departments initiating new courses must consult with other departments and
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Faculties which might have an interest in the course content.
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The Dean (or designate) of the
Faculty housing the course will indicate
his/her
approval for the course, and the Deans of Faculties which may be affected by the
proposed new courses will also have the opportunity to signify their approval.
SCUS,
a small existing committee
with representation from each Faculty will
be the final
decision-making level for the approval of all new undergraduate courses. A similar
system will be implemented for graduate courses and the role of SGSC would parallel
the role of SCUS.
At SCAP, committee members appreciated that the process
proposed by SCLJS might have to be fine-tuned after a period of experience, but there
was strong support for the recommended streamlined approach for both SCUS
and
SGSC.
With these proposed changes, SCAP will turn its attention to the issues at the program
level, such as program plans, external reviews, quality, effectiveness and priorization.
Motion:
"that Senate delegate its responsibility for approving all new undergraduate courses
and program revisions of a minor nature to the Senate Committee on
Undergraduate Studies and
all new graduate courses and
program revisions of a
minor nature to the Senate Graduate Studies Committee.
Furthermore, all such
actions by SCLIS and SGSC be reported to SCAP for information before they are
reported to Senate. And that, within one week after SCLJS or SGSC has reported to
SCAP, any two members
of
SCAP can ask that the specific new courses or program
revisions
of
a minor nature be considered by SCAR Similarly, that within two
weeks after SCLIS or SGSC has reported to Senate, any five members
of
Senate can
ask that the specific new courses or program revisions
of
a minor nature be
considered by Senate. Only after SCAP and Senate have been thus informed, do
these delegated actions
of
SCLTS and SGSC become official Senate policy without
further Senate action.
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New Undergraduate Course Approval Cover Sheet
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to be attached to New Course Proposal Form
1.
Departmental*
approval
indicates that the Department has approved the content of the course, and has
consulted with other Departments and Faculties regarding proposed course content and overlap issues.
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Which other Departments and Faculties have been consulted regarding the proposed course content
including overlap issues? ?
[More pages to be added as required]
Course approved by Department Curriculum Committee (Committee Chain
Course approved at Department level (Chair)
2.
Faculty*
approval
Other Faculties approval
indicates that the Dean(s) or designate of other Faculties affected by the proposed
new course support(s) the approval of the new course.
Home Faculty approval
indicates that all the necessary course content and overlap concerns have been
resolved, and that the Faculty/Department commits to providing the required Library funds.
Any outstanding resource issues to be addressed prior to implementation: space, laboratory equipment, etc.
3.
SCUS approval
indicates that the course has been approved for implementation subject, where appropriate,
to financial issues being addressed.
Course approved by SCUS (Chair of SCUS
2 semester lag waived by SCUS (Chair of SCUS)
Approval is signified by date and appropriate signature.
An annual report of all new course approvals would be generated by SCUS and sent to all Departments and
Faculties for information. An executive summary of the annual report would be prepared for the information of
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Senate.
* Non-departmentalized Faculties would complete both sections 1 and 2.
February 7,
1996
