Course Review & Revision
GRCC COURSE REVIEW REVISION FRAMEWORK & PROCESS
The Course Revision process is designed to ensure the currency and quality of the Grand Rapids
Community College (GRCC) course offerings. Every course is updated at least once every four
years using the Course Revision process.
Values
 The Revision cycle for each course within programs, departments, and schools will be
transparent and accessible by all primary stakeholders for planning purposes.
 The Course Revision cycle will be established within the Program Review in order to
create alignment between the processes.
 The Course Revision process will take into consideration the requirements of external
stakeholders, transfer and articulation agreements and accrediting bodies.
 The Course Revision process will include an evaluative component that helps to identify
areas for improvement for the course and course documentation.
Inputs to the Process
GRCC Program Review, Curriculum Maps, Faculty Expertise, Articulation Agreements,
Accreditation Standards, Transfer Standards (MACRAO), GRCC Institutional Research & Planning
(IRP) data, curricular changes from transfer institutions (GRCC Transfer & Articulation Office)
Stakeholders/Oversight/Responsibility
Primary and secondary stakeholders have been identified for these processes. Primary
stakeholders include students, Administrators, Faculty, Associate Deans, Department Chairs,
Program Directors, IRP. The secondary stakeholders include accrediting bodies, employers,
government, the parents and families of students.
Course Revision is carried out by faculty with direct support from the Department
head/Program Directors and oversight by Associate Deans. Technical support is provided by
the GRCC Curriculum Team. Data is provided by IRP and the Transfer & Articulation office.
Revision Cycle and Timeframes
The schedule for assessing courses is determined by the associate deans/department chairs,
using the following guidelines:
 Every course should go through the full assessment process every four years (at a
minimum).
 To the extent possible, Course Revision should be aligned with transfer institution
updates.
 The Curriculum Office maintains the official Course Review schedule.
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Course Revision Process (effective Winter 2013 through Summer 2014)
1. Determine the status of the course, based on the results of Program Review or upon
consultation with the Department Head or Program Director or Associate Dean:
 Course will not be offered again – no revision necessary
 Course will be substantially changed (1/3 or more of the outcomes will differ
from current format.) – Follow the New Course Development process
 Course will continue to be offered with minor changes – Follow the Course
Revision process below.
2. Check that you have access to edit the course. Go to Webbuilder
(http://www.grcc.edu/webbuilder or you can use the link on the Course Development
and Revision page at http://cms.grcc.edu/coursedevelopmentandrevision.) and sign in
using the username and password that you use for Blackboard. If the course you wish
to revise is listed, click on the “Edit Working” icon to verify that a new course document
will open. If not, contact Misty McClure at 616-234-4226 or mmcclure@grcc.edu.
NOTE: Only one faculty member at a time can be given access to a course.
3. Complete the course document, consulting with other faculty in your Department,
especially those who also teach the course. Directions can be found on the right side of
the Course Development and Revision page or at the “More Info” link at the top of
each section of the course document. Also available is a Course Document Checklist,
which will be used to determine if the document meets quality standards. Curriculum
office assistance is available by emailing curriculum@grcc.edu.
4. Department review and Department Head or Program Director approval are the next
steps. The links to send the appropriate emails are on the Process page, Steps 2 and 3.
It is recommended that you send out both emails at the same time, so the document
can be approved as soon as it is ready.
5. The Curriculum Office and the Transfer and Articulation Office review the course
document, once the Department Head or Program Director has approved it. The
Curriculum Office will use the Course Document Checklist and contact the course
author if there are any questions. The Transfer and Articulation Office will check for any
potential issues and ensure that changes are communicated with appropriate
institutions. Once any questions are addressed, the Curriculum Office will forward the
course document to the Associate Dean.
6. Associate Dean approval is the last requirement before the new version of the course
document can become official. When the Department Head or Program Director
approves the course document, they have the option of sending it on to the Associate
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Dean for approval. You can also do it yourself by using the link on the process page for
Step 4, once Department Head or Program Director approval has been given.
7. The revised course document will become official after Associate Dean approval has
been given. The Curriculum Office enters the changes into People Soft and coordinates
with all other offices concerned to ensure the changes are in the necessary systems.
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