Frequent Proposal Questions Addressed
You may use one form to make multiple changes to a single course. You may also use one form to make the same change to more than one course (for example, to make the same prerequisite change to two or three courses.). But if you are making different changes to different courses, please use separate forms for each course. Some changes may be approved and others not, and so we need to keep different kinds of requests separate to ensure accurate record keeping.
Please Note: Changing when a course is offered does not need to go through UCC, but can be included on the form if you are making other revisions to ensure the change gets made in the catalog.
- Propose a new course (either as a free elective or as part of a program):
- Please use a separate form for each new course you are proposing
- If your new course is to be included within a specific program, then you should also complete the section covering a program revision (this can be done using the same form).
- If your new course is replacing an already existing course, you should indicate this on the form and mark the old course for deletion. Check to see if this deletion will affect any other programs, and ensure those affected are informed and indicate any changes in the program revision section (an acknowledgment signature will be required).
- The form has separate sections that deal with in-person, hybrid and fully online courses; select all that apply.
- Any new course or substantial course revision proposal for UCC requires the inclusion of a detailed two-tier topic outline (please no syllabi). Contact the FCTL if you would like any advice/assistance with putting together.
- Revise an existing course to change:
- course prefix and/or number
- title
- description
- number of contact hours
- number of credit hours
- prerequisites
- grading system
- mode of delivery
- some other requirement not listed above
- Delete a course or program [include the CIP number for the deletion of any program. All CIP codes for individual programs can be found in the Academic Program Information section of the Fact Book. For these, only sections A and G are needed, but make sure the CIP code is listed in the rationale section if you are deleting a program.
- Propose a new undergraduate program. Bear in mind that new programs will require approval from OPC, which can take some time, so determine ahead of time if this really is a new program, or just a revision of an existing one. Also check with Institutional Research and make sure you include the required CIP code. For revisions that need to go to OPC, the measure is whether or not you are changing more than 25% of the program’s entire requirements. Guidelines for new or drastically altered programs (which also need approval from the OPC) can be found on the RIBGHE website. If the program is to be fully online use section F, otherwise use section E.
- Revise an undergraduate program. This might include adding a concentration to an existing program. If the changes constitute 25% or less of the program’s entire requirements, then the OPC only needs to be notified of said changes, and no approval from them is necessary. If you will be offering new or revised courses as part of this revised program, please include separate proposals to cover these in addition to this form, as needed. Do not include new courses or revisions to courses on the same form as some changes may be approved and others not, and so we need to keep different kinds of requests separate to ensure accurate record keeping. If the program is to be fully online, or already is, use section F, otherwise use section E.
To keep the Academic Rhode Maps up-to-date you must check to see if your proposal will alter ANY program’s Rhode Map. For example, if you are changing a course title, prefix, number of credits or when it is offered, or if you are deleting a course that might be used in another department’s program, then their Rhode Map will need to be updated. Also, if you are proposing anything that might alter your own department’s program, that will also need a revised Rhode Map. Basically, if your proposal is changing anything within the program section of the catalog, it will be affecting someone’s Rhode Map. Thus, whichever Maps are affected need to be updated and resubmitted along with your proposal in separate Word files (the Chair will be responsible for converting these to pdf’s once they have been checked, and updating them on the website). Below is a link to Word copies of the Rhode Maps for use in this matter. Use track changes before you start making any revisions, to make it easier for the changes to be double-checked. Include the revision date on the Map, where indicated (usually at the bottom of the first page).
The editor of the College Catalog needs to know exactly what changes to make for next year’s catalog, and so you must consider every possible catalog change that your request might affect. While you may combine catalog copy if you are submitting several related proposals, every proposal will need a catalog file that shows exactly how it affects the catalog. Catalog copy must be sent as a separate single file, and not embedded into the proposal as it is uploaded into its own dedicated space on the Curriculum website. When creating this file, you need to use the "Track Changes" feature in Microsoft Word so it will be clear exactly what is being changed. If you are creating a new program, included sections of the before and after current catalog pages to show where it will be placed. Please follow the step-by-step instructions below.
Following these instructions is a list of files in MS Word format representing the current College Catalog to assist you in creating the catalog copy for your proposal. Each file is a different section of the Catalog, but after you download the ones you need, please select from these just the pages you plan to edit. To try and maintain format--these contain several tables that get messed up if you try and cut a section from the middle, and if adding you may need to use the Table menu to insert a row--when you select the parts you wish to cut, allow for a buffer of material on each end, and make sure your format margins in the new document you create are set to “narrow.”
- Do an electronic search on the most recent edition of the college catalog that is available on the Registrar's Office website to identify all catalog pages affected by your proposed change, including general education, other department program listings (as well as your own) and course descriptions. If you are revising the course prefix, number, title, credit hours, prerequisite, or description, you must find any page that lists the course as a requirement, elective, cognate etc.
- From the list below, select and download the file(s) that contain the materials you need to update. They have been divided into sections to try and make these easier to find, but you must collate the pages you need to change into a single document.
- Cut the pages that you will need to change and paste into a separate Microsoft Word document. All catalog changes for a proposal must be contained within a single file. Use page breaks to separate the different sections, to make it easier for the Catalog editor to follow, and also ensure you have given sufficient context in your extracts so it is clear from what part of the catalog they have come. Order them to match the order in which they would appear in the catalog.
- If you are submitting several connected proposals, you may prepare a single catalog file that covers all of these.
- Before editing, ensure you turn on "Track Changes," using the “Review” tab, and you will find it easier to see what you have changed if you pull down the “Show Markup” menu and take off “formatting.”
- When you are adding or deleting information in a section that is formatted in table form, you will need to use the “Table” tab at the top of your screen to add or delete rows, as the delete button on your keyboard won’t work, and the line cannot just be tabbed down in the document to create space.
- Make the changes, save the file (as .doc or .docx, do not convert to .pdf), and name your file to match the proposal (e.g. The prefix of the course being proposed or changed [such as ENGL261catalog] or the discipline of the program [such as CHEMprogcatalog] and do not leave spaces in the name as these cause problems when we upload).
- Send this file, along with the proposal: email the UCC chairs at curriculum@ric.edu
Catalog Copy from 2024-2025
In certain cases, Rhode Island College’s regional accreditation organization, NECHE, requires that the College prepare and submit formal documents (a “Substantive Change Proposal”) to them before changes are made to our academic programs. Below is a list of those situations in which it is likely necessary for us to inform NECHE before proceeding. If any proposals under consideration seem to meet these criteria, please contact RIC’s Director of Institutional Research & Planning, for guidance. Please be aware that, if required, we need to submit our Substantive Change Proposal to NECHE at least six months prior to implementing the change.
Academic Program-Related Changes Requiring Approval from NECHE
Most Common Scenarios
- Offering a degree or certificate program for which 50% or more of the program can be completed at a location other than RIC’s main campus or the Nursing Education Center.
- Establishing any degree or credit-bearing certificate program in which 50% or more of the program can be completed on line; currently, we are only approved to offer the Bachelor’s of Professional Studies (BPS) program through such a modality.
- Engaging another organization (as by contract) to provide direct instructional services, as we do with the Lifespan School of Medical Imaging for our Medical Imaging programs.
Other, Less Common Scenarios/Ones That Have Broader Institutional Implications
- Introducing courses or programs at a degree level above or below that at which accreditation is held; RIC is currently approved to offer undergraduate certificates, bachelor’s degrees, post-bachelor’s certificates, master’s degrees, the certificate of advanced graduate studies, a PhD, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
- The acquisition of a program of another institution.
- Establishing a joint, dual, or concurrent degree with a non-regionally accredited institution, or in a field of study, degree level, or mode of delivery not previously included in the institution’s accreditation.
- Dropping or reducing programs to an extent that our institution mission is not being accomplished
- Initiating any academic program whose requirements for graduation are based on the mastery of competencies rather than the accrual of credit hours, including direct assessment programs.
- Adding courses or programs that represent a significant departure from the existing offerings of educational programs or method of delivery from those that were offered when the institution was most recently evaluated, such as distance learning or correspondence education.
- Changes in the way the institution measures student progress, including whether the institution measures progress in clock hours or credit hours, semesters, trimesters, or quarters, or uses the time-based or non-time-based methods.
- A substantial increase in the number of clock hours or credit hours awarded or an increase in the level of credential awarded for successful completion of one or more programs
- Substantial changes to the established mission or objectives of the institution, student population served, or educational programs.
