Kennesaw State Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Linda Noble placed a strategic pause on the curriculum change review process at the university.
Noble first announced the strategic pause in an email to faculty and staff in late August, stating that she had heard repeatedly from faculty members that the curriculum review process does not allow enough time to review curricula or incorporate any curriculum changes into KSU’s system.
Noble said in the email that KSU has an extensive review process for any curriculum changes requested by university faculty members.
“We want to ensure that each proposal is given the appropriate level of attention, complying with both the spirit and letter of the review process,” Noble stated in the email.
Noble later said that there are six steps involved in the curriculum change review process. The change is reviewed by the department’s curriculum committee, the department chair, the college’s curriculum committee, the college’s dean, the university’s curriculum committee and finally, the Provost.
After a curriculum change receives final approval, the change is published in KSU’s catalog, Noble said.
“As KSU has grown, the number of curriculum proposals have increased,” Noble said. “In the 2017-18 academic year, we reviewed over 500 new course proposals and more than 125 program proposals. With the increase, the review committees do not have adequate time to properly review the proposals. Additionally, those impacted by curriculum changes do not have adequate time to make any necessary adjustments.”
Noble announced that although there is currently a pause on any curriculum review changes, faculty can still request a review if the failure to make the change to the curriculum will have a negative impact on students or the degree program. Noble stated that any exemption requests should be sent to the associate vice president for curriculum, who will determine if the request meets the criteria for review.
According to Noble, there are currently 300 proposals currently under review. The proposals will not continue through the review process until the pause is lifted, and Noble said she will work with the campus to “determine the best path forward” for the proposals.
Noble formed a working group to review the curriculum approval policies at KSU.
“I want to ensure that the University has policies and practices in place ensuring a thorough and rigorous review, with a streamlined timeline preventing the type of backlog of proposals we are currently experiencing,” Noble stated in the email to faculty and staff.
Noble said that she and KSU President Dr. Pamela Whitten will determine when the pause should be lifted after they receive recommendations from the working group.
