REVIEW OF THE CURRICULUM PROCESS REPORT
Hawaii Community College – Academic Senate Educational Policy Committee
1. Curriculum Review Committee Duties and Responsibilities:
Recommendation to Senate: (This is not an amendment to the Senate Charter)
Since individual faculty, divisions, departments, and programs have the primary responsibility
for curriculum content and methods of instruction to meet HawCC’s Mission Statement, the
Curriculum Review Committee (CRC) shall, to the greatest extent possible, represent the faculty,
divisions’, departments’ and programs’ interests in maintaining the quality, integrity, and
cohesion of the curricula at HawCC. The CRC will review new course and program proposals
and curricular changes and ensure the following steps are taken:
a. Informs proposers on the process, forms, etc., each year;
b. Allow sufficient time for review by the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate and the
entire Academic Senate, post summaries of forthcoming curriculum proposals on the HawCC
CRC Web site AND leave an accessible, hard copy of entire proposals at the offices of the
Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs;
c. Make recommendations for form revisions to the Educational Policy Committee (EPC);
d. Review forms submitted with curriculum proposals for completeness;
e. Review curriculum proposals for impact on students, other disciplines and programs;
f. Request clarification from proposer and/or the Division/Department Chairperson as necessary;
and
g. Forward curriculum proposals with recommended action to the Academic Senate.
2. Procedures for Curriculum Review
Recommendation to Senate:
Replace the current Curriculum Proposal Procedure document with the following.
PROCEDURES FOR CURRICULUM REVIEW
The following delineates the process, procedures, and actions of the respective bodies and
individuals involved in the curriculum proposal process.
Curriculum Review Committee (CRC)
a. Publishes timelines and deadlines for the curriculum process and review such that proposals
will be due to the CRC Chair by the end of the 4th week of instruction.
b. Presents a workshop for faculty in April of each year on the curriculum process, forms, and
deadlines.
Division/Department
a. A curriculum proposal is initiated by a faculty member (the proposer). A new course proposal
will include student learning outcomes, a syllabus, possible texts or readings, and delivery
modes.
b. The proposer discusses the proposal with peers within the division/department and the
Division/Department Chair (DC).
c. The division/department representative to the CRC provides assistance with forms and
process.
d. The proposer forwards the completed proposal and required forms to the DC.
Department/Division Chairperson
a. With the CRC representative, the DC ensures that forms are complete.
b. Ensures that the proposal meets criteria outlined in the curriculum proposal instructions and
forms.
c. Ensures that any course which will articulate meets UH system criteria.
d. Ensures that the proposal is discussed thoroughly within the division/department.
e. Consults with other divisions/programs as needed to review matters of common concern such
as prerequisites, cross-listing, student learning outcomes, and general education requirements.
f. The DC reviews the proposal for impact on students, program requirements, financial aid,
student services, other disciplines and programs, and UH articulation.
g. If the division/department does not support the proposal, returns the proposal to the proposer
for further discussion or revision.
h. Forwards the proposal to the CRC only after it has been supported by the division/department.
Curriculum Review Committee (CRC)
a. Receives all proposals and maintains a log of proposals and date received.
b. A representative of the CRC will consult with a representative of the Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs (VCAA) to review proposals for consistency with system requirements.
c. Reviews forms for
1. Completeness
2. Impact on students, other disciplines and programs
d. Requests written clarification and/or changes from proposer and division/department chair as
necessary.
e. Recommends approval or returns proposal to proposer and/or division/department chair.
f. Allows sufficient time for faculty review. Publishes summaries of forthcoming
proposals/curriculum changes in each division/department. Places a copy of the entire proposal
in offices of the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for faculty review.
g. Forwards recommended proposal to the Academic Senate.
Academic Senate
a. The Senate Executive Committee receives CRC recommendations for placement on the
agenda.
b. The Senate reviews the proposal and its impact on students, division/program, and college.
c. If the proposal is accepted, the Senate Chair forwards it to the VCAA.
d. If the proposal is not accepted, the Senate Chair returns it to the proposer and/or
division/department chair.
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
a. Reviews the approved proposal for impact on the college.
b. May meet with proposer(s)/reviewer(s), if needed.
c. If the proposal is approved, forwards it to the Chancellor.
d. If the proposal is disapproved, returns it to the proposer and/or division/department chair.
e. Reports any action to the Academic Senate chair and the CRC chair.
Chancellor
a. Reviews the proposal.
b. Consults with the VCAA as necessary.
c. Approves or disapproves the proposal.
d. Returns the proposal to the VCAA.
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
a. Informs proposer and/or division/department chair of the decision.
b. If the proposal is approved, ensures that the course proposal/modifications are added to the
college database and college catalog.
c. If the proposal is disapproved, returns the proposal to the proposer and/or division/department
chair with an explanation.
4. Form Management Policy
Recommendation to Senate:
The curriculum review process should remain the responsibility of the EPC and all changes to
the Procedures for Curriculum Review and to curriculum proposal forms should come to the
EPC. Anyone initiating or proposing form changes to the Curriculum Review (CR) process may
send recommendations to the EPC Chair. Form changes approved by the Academic Senate will
be effective August 1st of the academic year. In the event of a form change, faculty may use the
new forms or prior year forms.
5. Timeline:
Recommendation to Senate:
a. Establish and publish consistent deadlines for both the Fall and Spring semesters.
1. Curriculum proposals will be due to the Department/Division Chairperson on the 2nd week of
instruction.
2. Curriculum proposals will be due to the Curriculum Review Committee Chairperson by the
end of the 4th week of instruction.
b. The Staff Development Committee will coordinate a workshop in April of each year on the
curriculum process, forms, and deadlines. Representatives from the offices of the Vice
Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Financial Aid should be invited to discuss Banner and
financial aid related issues respectively.
c. It is strongly recommended that curriculum proposals be given to the Department or Division
Chairperson at least two weeks before the Curriculum Review Committee deadline to allow for
sufficient review of the proposals, however, Divisions and/or Departments should establish their
own specific internal deadlines. (See 5a. (1) above.)
Proposers who submit curriculum proposals after either the Department/Division Chairperson or
Curriculum Review Committee deadlines must understand that there is no guarantee that the
proposal will be reviewed in a timely manner or at all for that submission period. The proposal
will be placed in a lesser priority for review than proposals submitted on time.
6. Review policy of programs and courses
Recommendation to Senate:
Procedures for program reviews have been initiated by the administration with consultation with
the Senate, therefore, it will not be addressed by the EPC.
The existing policy (HAW 5.250) on the review of established courses will not be reviewed, but
the EPC recommends that a review be conducted in the near future.
Program Proposals (guidelines/checklist for proposer)
7. New program proposal
Recommendation to Senate:
CCCM 6000 Authorization to Plan a New Academic Program & CCCM 6001 Submission of a
New Program Proposal are available, yet the EPC felt this was not part of the Curriculum
Review Process we are currently studying.
8. Modify program proposal
Recommendation to Senate:
Replace current forms with new form (attached).
9. Delete program proposal
Recommendation to Senate:
BOR Policies, Chapter 5, Section 5-1a addresses the review of established programs and
program stop-outs, however, the EPC felt this was not part of the Curriculum Review Process we
are currently studying.
10. New course proposal
Recommendation to Senate:
Replace current forms with new forms (attached).
11. Modify course proposal
Recommendation to Senate:
Replace current forms with new forms (attached).
12. Delete course proposal
Recommendation to Senate:
Replace current forms with new forms (attached).
13. Form 2, Item 10 (issue is addressed in Procedures for Curriculum Review and the new forms)
Additional EPC Recommendation to Senate (not part of previous recommendation package)
1. CRC chair release time
Recommendation to Senate:
The CRC chair should be given six credits/semester reassigned time.