Comprehensive
Standard 3.4.1
The
institution demonstrates that each educational program for which academic
credit is awarded is approved by the faculty and the administration (Academic
program approval)
Non-Compliance
The Academic Standards and
Curriculum Committee is the entity responsible for reviewing and approving the
curriculum. It is chaired by an administrator, and faculty participate as
committee members, as noted in the Faculty Handbook. T. A. Lawson State Community
College provided partial documentation of approval of the Automotive Body
Repair program, including minutes from the Advisory committee meeting and the
packet of materials prepared for approval by the Alabama state authorities. The
provided link to “minutes” of the Standards Committee, however, was actually a
link to a published list of members. The On-Site Review Committee should
confirm that the committee has reviewed and approved educational programs.
Response:
Lawson State Community College adheres to Alabama State Board
of Education Policy 702.01: Request for New
Instructional Programs. The policy
stipulates that an institution must submit a written request and application
for any new instructional program. As
indicated on its website (ISS Overview), the Instructional
and Student Services Division of the Department of Postsecondary Education
provides technical assistance to the postsecondary education institutions in
the areas of program development, staff development, and student support
services; determines and maintains the standards of measurement for course and
program approval and maintains the official System academic inventory.
Likewise, the Academic Programs (Academic
Program) component of the Instructional and Student Services
Division provides leadership and technical assistance to the instructional
personnel in the Alabama Community College System; leads the System in academic
program planning, development, evaluation and academic transfer processes; and
directs the development and review of curriculum and academic support programs.
The college also abides by the rules and regulations of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. The department is responsible for the review and implementation of statutory mandates and initiatives for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) related to instruction, planning, and special services. ACHE is responsible for all activities related to the regulatory functions dealing with instructional offerings of the public colleges and universities in Alabama to include: the review of new programs and units of instruction, the review of extensions and alterations of existing programs, the review of off-campus courses and programs, maintenance of the Academic Program Inventory, the review of requests for the modification of post-implementation conditions, and the monitoring of the program viability process.
The most recent program Lawson State received
approval from ACHE and the Department of Postsecondary Education to offer is a
long certificate in auto body repair. (ABR
Application)
At the
college level, the faculty’s role in curriculum establishment, review, and
evaluation is established in the Faculty and Staff Handbook via committee structure. The Academic Standards and Curriculum
Committee (Standards) is the committee (Minutes) charged with conducting program review, reviewing the
curricula and instructional programs and recommending new courses, course
changes, course substitutions and course deletions. The process at the college
begins at the faculty level and goes full circle through the program review
process. It also includes any advisory committees that may be established for
that particular area. (Minutes) All programs of study offered must meet the curriculum standard
developed by the Alabama Community College System and the Alabama Commission on
Higher Education. Criteria
for the Evaluations of Proposals and Guidelines
on Implementation of a New Program.
Lawson State Community
College (LSCC) faculty members are heavily involved in academic and curriculum matters as outlined
in LSCC’s local polices governing College-wide Committee on Committees
responsibilities (Policies
and Procedures Manual), Committee on Committees Policy. LSCC faculty and
staff are assigned to and participate in College-wide Committees (called
Standing Committees) (Committee
on Committees Listings). The college-wide
Standing Committees determine all matters that relate to both instructional and
non-instructional programs. Committee structures (regardless of title) include
faculty, staff, administrators and in some instances students. Standing
Committees that fall under Instructional Services include: Academic Advising
Committee; Academic Calendar Committee; Academic Standards and Curriculum
Committee; Catalog and Schedule Committee; Professional Development Committee;
Instructional Technology and Distance Learning Committee; Library Committee;
Workforce Development Committee and Textbook Selection and Adoption Committee (Committee
on Committees Sample Minutes). Standing Committees that
fall under Institutional Effectiveness included the Institutional
Effectiveness/Outcomes Assessment Committee and the Planning and Accountability
Committee (Administrative Cabinet) (Sample
Minutes Institutional Effectiveness.) Principal Committee Chairs or Co-chairs serve
as the liaison between the Deans, Vice Presidents, the President’s
Administrative Cabinet and the Subcommittee chairs.
In addition, each full-time
faculty member is assigned to a specific department as outlined in the
2007-2009 Organization Chart (LSCC
Organizational Chart). Departments are headed by Department Chairs,
and each unit works as a team to strategically plan, organize and improve its
unit (Samples,
Departmental Minutes). Faculty at the College have the primary
responsibility for changes to curriculum standards, selection of Student
Learning Outcomes per course; selection of Student Learning Outcomes (per
program); and development of course guidelines.
Faculty establishes and maintains the course syllabi for each course
they teach. A syllabus template is
provided to all faculty on the College’s intranet (Course
Syllabus Sample). The
syllabus template provides a common framework for faculty to outline content
delivery for each course, instructor expectations and learning outcomes. Further, faculty design and implement
assessment procedures in all courses to ensure that students attain an
appropriate level of competency to receive credit for the course (Faculty
Created Assessment Example). The requirements and means of evaluation are
outlined in the course syllabus.
The effectiveness of the
curriculum is monitored by faculty. They
are responsible for designing and administering assessments in their courses to
measure and verify student achievement and competence at the established level
of proficiency. Faculty also work within
their units (as a team) to evaluate results and to adjust the curriculum to
improve student learning. Faculty often
will work among divisions to bridge curriculum gaps and to strengthen curriculum
(Sample
Minutes between Developmental Education and Mathematics). Faculty also participate in Program Reviews,
Unit Planning, and Student Learning Outcomes Evaluations. They are directly responsible for working
with their Department Chair in crafting Unit Plans, tracking outcomes,
evaluating data and improving academic programs on a continuous basis. If a department requires a curriculum change
or if a change is initiated through post-secondary, they must seek approval by
the Academic Standards Committee (Developmental
Education Curriculum Change and Approval). If approved by the Academic Standards
Committee, the change is then submitted to the Administrative Cabinet and
President for final adoption (Example
of Committee to Cabinet Approval).
As noted earlier, Career
Technical faculty also participates in and often lead program Advisory
Committees. Advisory Committees are
charged with all aspects of program development, improvement and evaluation (Samples,
Advisory Minutes).
Based on the committee
structure, there is a two-way process of disseminating and receiving
information between and among committees. Proposals that affect academic
programs, faculty or students may be initiated at the subcommittee level and
flow to the Principal Committee Chairs and the President’s Administrative
Cabinet for acceptance and/or approval by the President and his committee. Likewise, the president may refer items to
Committees for input prior to making a final decision. The Vice President for Instructional
Services, Academic Dean and Career Technical Associate Dean represent faculty
members on the President’s Administrative Cabinet. Information or recommendations can also come
out of faculty meetings held each semester (Faculty
Meeting Minutes).
Documentation:
|
Documentation |
Location |
|
Alabama State Board of Education policy
702.01: Request for New Instructional
Programs |
|
|
Instructional / Student Services Overview DPE website |
|
|
Academic
Programs component of the Instructional and Student Services Division |
|
|
Alabama
Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) |
|
|
Auto
Body Repair Application |
|
|
LSCC Faculty / Staff Handbook |
|
|
LSCC Academic Standards and Curriculum
Committee |
|
|
LSCC Academic Standards and Curriculum Committee
Minutes |
|
|
Auto Body Repair Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes |
|
|
ACHE Criteria for the Evaluation of Proposals for
New Programs of Instruction |
|
|
ACHE Guidelines for the Implementation of
a New Program |
|
|
Current Policies & Procedures Manual, LSCC Local Policy (Committee On Committees Structure, p. 337.) |
|
|
2007-2009, Committee On Committees Listing, 2007-2009 Faculty and Staff Handbook |
|
|
Committee on
Committees Minutes |
|
|
Institutional
Effectiveness Minutes |
|
|
LSCC
Organizational Chart |
|
|
Department
Minutes, Samples |
|
|
Course
Syllabus Template and Completed Samples |
|
|
Faculty
Created Assessment Examples |
|
|
Sample Minutes
of Joint Departments (Curriculum Issues) |
|
|
Sample,
Academic Standards Minutes & Approval of Curriculum Changes |
|
|
Example
Cabinet Approval of Curriculum Changes |
|
|
Advisory
Minutes |
|
|
Faculty
Meeting Minutes |