Curriculum Committee – Roles and Responsibilities
The curriculum is the property right of the Faculty and a university's primary means of educating students in a manner valued by the Faculty. Curricula should be reviewed and, if necessary, revised on a regular basis, better to serve the changing needs of both students and the university community.
Committee Member’s responsibilities
Through preparation for a curriculum meeting is crucial to ensure any proposal or voting item has been properly evaluated for accuracy, merit, and rigor. A thorough review of all proposed curriculum and other materials is required before the committee commences so that the chair may facilitate efficient and productive meetings.
As faculty members review materials and curriculum proposals, certain considerations should be kept in mind (including, but not limited to):
- Does the proposed curriculum support the mission and/or goals of NAU?
- Does the proposed curriculum support the mission and/or goals of the academic unit putting forth the proposal?
- Since the syllabus is a public document, is it in NAU’s approved format, clear, thorough, and devoid of errors?
- Does the rational for the proposal fit any strategic plan (either university, college, or academic unit level)?
- Are there letters of support for the proposal from appropriate sources?
- Does the proposal address the potential of other units that might be affected by the curricular proposal?
Committee members will have opportunities to ask questions to representatives from any proposal’s academic unit. This is an opportunity to reach clarity on issues and facilitate a more informed vote.
Role in establishment or disestablishment of plans or programs
Establishment of programs or plans:
Programs and plans may be established or disestablished by two distinct groups: faculty peers or administration of the University.
Establishment by faculty peers:
The curriculum committee is empowered with the right to recommend approval or disapproval of program or plan submitted by faculty peers. The establishment of the program or plan must be concurrent with a proposed curriculum. A representative from the proposed program’s administering unit must be present to discuss the program and answer questions from the committee. If no representative is present to discuss the proposed program or plan that appears on the agenda, the item will be tabled till the next meeting.
Establishment by administration:
The curriculum committee is empowered with the right to recommend the approval of the curriculum of the established program or plan. No vote may be taken to approve establishment of the program or plan. A representative from the proposed program’s administering unit must be present to discuss the program and answer questions from the committee. If no representative is present to discuss the proposed program or plan that appears on the agenda, the item will be tabled till the next meeting.
Disestablishment by faculty peers:
The curriculum committee is empowered with the right to recommend disestablishment of a program or plan initiated by faculty peers responsible for that program or plan. The proposal must be accompanied by a justification of the disestablishment, statement of faculty support, and contingencies that will address the plan’s remaining students. A representative from the proposed program’s administering unit must be present to discuss the program and answer questions from the committee. If no representative is present to discuss the proposed program or plan that appears on the agenda, the item will be tabled till the next meeting.
Disestablishment by the administration:
The curriculum committee will not vote to approve or deny the disestablishment of a program or plan initiated by the administration. Such an action will be presented as a discussion item, with the option of a committee vote supporting the faculty’s position regarding the disestablishment. Details concerning the disestablishment of the program will be made available to the full committee before the item appears on the agenda.
A representative from the proposed program’s administering unit must be present to discuss the program and answer questions from the committee. If no representative is present, the item will become an informational item and removed from the agenda. A discussion may take place, but no vote of support or non-support may be taken. The faculty of the administering unit may request a discussion and vote on the item in a future meeting of the committee, provided a reasonable explanation is made to the committee explaining the original absence of representative faculty in the prior meeting.