4210 - Curricular Co-ordination with Other Idaho Institutions

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Last updated: July 1, 2025

A. PURPOSE. The purpose of this policy is to provide for appropriate faculty review of catalog changes and to provide for timely processing of those changes so that students have access to accurate catalog information regarding curricular requirements and course offerings.

B. SCOPE. This policy applies to all faculty at the University of Idaho.

C. DEFINITIONS.

C-1. Routine curricular changes. Changes identified as Group A changes by the University Curriculum Committee.

C-2. Substantive curricular changes. Changes identified as Group B and C changes by the University Curriculum Committee.

C-3. UCC. University Curriculum Committee.

D. POLICY. Catalog changes shall be processed with appropriate faculty review in a timely manner in order to provide students with accurate catalog information regarding curricular requirements and course offerings.

E. PROCEDURE.

E-1. Routine curricular changes

a. Each routine curricular change proposal shall be submitted to the relevant unit and college for approval following all notice and approval procedure contained in unit or college bylaws. For inter-college interdisciplinary programs that are designed and assessed by a group of faculty from more than one college, the proposal shall first be approved by the intercollege curriculum working group responsible for proposing a new program or maintaining curriculum for an existing program, and then be submitted to the university-level Intercollege Curriculum Committee (ICC) for approval following the committee's curricular approval procedures. Any graduate-level program that progresses through the ICC must then be vetted by the Graduate Council before review by the UCC. Intercollege programs established before Spring 2025 and administratively housed in a single college or with specialized accreditation requirements can choose to take curricular changes through their home college instead of the ICC.

b. Following approval by the unit and college or by the ICC, the college or committee shall submit the proposal for review to the UCC. The UCC Secretary will distribute a list of all proposed curricular changes to all university faculty members at least 48 hours before each meeting.

c. If approved by the UCC, the UCC Secretary shall send the proposal to the Office of the Registrar for implementation after a waiting period of at least seven days, provided that the UCC Secretary has not received a valid petition signed by at least five faculty members requesting Faculty Senate review.

i. If the UCC Secretary receives a valid petition as described in E-1.c. by the established deadline, the UCC Secretary shall refer the proposal to Faculty Senate for review, except that a petition concerning courses or curricula in the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences signed by five members of the college faculty shall be returned to the college for further consideration rather than being sent to Faculty Senate.

ii. If approved by Faculty Senate, the proposal will be forwarded to the provost for final approval. If disapproved by Faculty Senate or the provost, the proposal will be sent back to the proposal originator for further consideration.

iii. The Faculty Secretary shall forward all routine curricular changes approved by the provost to the Office of the Registrar for implementation.

E-2. Substantive curricular changes

a. Each substantive curricular change proposal shall be submitted to the relevant unit and college for approval, following all notice and approval procedure contained in unit or college bylaws. For inter-college interdisciplinary programs, that are designed and assessed by a group of faculty from more than one college, the proposal shall first be approved by the intercollege curriculum working group responsible for proposing a new program or maintaining curriculum for an existing program, and then be submitted to the university-level Interdisciplinary Curriculum Committee for approval following the committee's curricular approval procedures. Any graduate-level program that progresses through the ICC must then be vetted by the Graduate Council before review by the UCC. Intercollege programs established before Spring 2025 and administratively housed in a single college or with specialized accreditation requirements can choose to take curricular changes through their home college instead of the ICC.

b. Following approval by the unit and college or by the ICC, the college or ICC shall submit the proposal for review by all appropriate committees. Following such review, the college or committee shall submit the proposal to the provost for approval. The provost shall submit approved proposals to the UCC and return disapproved proposals to the proposal originator for further consideration.

c. The UCC Secretary shall distribute a list of all substantive curricular change proposals to all university faculty at least 48 hours prior to each meeting.

d. If approved by the UCC, the UCC Secretary shall forward the proposal to Faculty Senate for approval.

e. If approved by the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Secretary shall send the proposal to the provost for final approval after a waiting period of at least seven days, provided that the Faculty Secretary has not received a valid petition signed by at least 10 faculty members requesting review at a meeting of the university faculty.

i. If the Faculty Secretary receives a valid petition as described in E-2.e. by the established deadline, the Faculty Secretary shall place the proposal on the agenda of the next university faculty meeting, except that a petition concerning courses or curricula in the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences signed by five members of the college faculty shall be returned to the college for further consideration rather than being sent to the university faculty meeting.

ii. If approved by university faculty, the proposal will be forwarded to the provost for final approval and implementation. If disapproved by university faculty or the provost, the proposal will be sent back to the unit or committee for further consideration.

iii. Any additional required approvals, such as approval by the Board of Regents, shall be managed by the Office of the Provost.

E-3. Other catalog changes. Noncurricular catalog changes may be submitted directly to the most relevant standing committee of the university faculty and require approval by Faculty Senate and the university faculty before being forwarded to the provost for approval.

E-4. Interim catalog changes. The provost may approve an interim catalog change (not including curricular changes) to address legal requirements or a significant institutional risk if there is insufficient time to complete the standard review and approval process. A timeline for completing the standard review and approval of the interim catalog change as soon as reasonably practicable must be included in the request to the provost. If approved, the catalog change will go into effect immediately. The standard catalog change review and approval process must be completed during this approved interim period.

Version History

Amended July 2025. Procedures revised for approval of inter-college interdisciplinary programs.

Amended July 2024. Revised to include “university-wide interdisciplinary committees” as bodies with authority to initiate and submit curriculum changes to UCC.

Amended July 2022. Moved catalog change procedures into this policy from FSH 1540; simplified approval process.

Amended 2001. Editorial changes.

Adopted 1979.