1. Best Practices Managing Agendas and the Electronic Curriculum System
It is vitally important to ensure your committee members know how to access the electronic proposals and also use the print feature to make track changes.
When searching between years, be sure to click the “Select” button.
Items that carry forward: In Process, Not Submitted
Items that DO NOT carry forward: Withdrawn, Published
Not Submitted Items: need to be cleaned up

2. Best Practices
New Program Approval Time Line (If there are NO edits or returns)
Department – 1 to 2 weeks
College – 3 to 4 weeks
Dean Approval/Bulletin Editor – 5 to 6
APC/Provost – 7 to 8 weeks
Assessment Council – 9 to 10 weeks
Academic Senate Executive Committee – 10 – 11 weeks
Academic Senate Committee – 12 to 13 weeks
Board of Trustees – 16 to 17 weeks
Presidents Council – 22 to 24 weeks
Expect at least 6 months for new programs.
*This does not take breaks or holidays into account.

3. Best Practices Enhancing Curriculum Committees
Engage Members: Designate committee members to do the following:
Evaluate impact on time to graduation
Review grammatical issues that may lead to approved with edits versus returns
Address possible advising issues
Evaluate the affects on other departments and programs
Evaluate course outcomes to ensure they are measureable and appropriate for the course level
Evaluate course sequencing for new programs
Evaluate changes in number of credit hours
Evaluate affects of program modifications
Determine if courses are duplicated

4. Best Practices Enhancing Curriculum Committees
Very Important! Assign a member to ensure information in the attached documents match the electronic forms!!!
Capitalize on Member’s Strengths: Example, some members may have been involved in program review. Allow them to evaluate new programs overall while other members may be better suited to evaluate course modifications because of experience redesigning courses.
Follow Up Strategies (Out of Sight Out of Mind): Curriculum proposals are often forgotten when there is not a good strategy for following up. Develop follow up strategies and COMMUNICATE to other committees.

5. Best Practices Handling of Curriculum Minutes
Accuracy of Minutes: To ensure accuracy of minutes, it is important to verify correct dates and information in SAP. Sometimes the information may change in SAP depending on the lag time on the routing of the proposal.
Consistency: Ensure the information on the Green form reflects exactly what is on the MCS. In addition, be sure the Green form reflects the information stated in the minutes (hours, lab hours, etc).
Frequency of Submitting Minutes: Minutes should be submitted to the Bulletin Editor and Academic Senate Office not later than 2 weeks after the meeting is held. Use electronic voting to get minutes approved.
FROM and TO: are still needed in Minutes for courses but should be copied from the electronic proposal and pasted in the minutes.
Please continue to use the minutes template ( on the Academic Senate website to ensure consistency sing there will be multiple reviews of the minutes. Call the Academic
Senate office or the Office of Curriculum and Assessment if you have any questions
regarding minutes.