Below are some frequently asked questions about submitting a new course proposal for approval. They will guide you through the process.
Biology C&I Frequently Asked Questions
C&I stand for “Curriculum and Instruction.”
The Biology C&I Committee is a part of the formal curriculum-approving structure of the University. Courses and programs that are approved by the C&I are (after approval at the College and University levels) included in the University Catalog. Traditionally, it has been the practice of the Department to separate the initiating and approval process. Thus, individual faculty members (or committees) can initiate courses, and the C&I evaluates the proposals and gives formal approval.
Members of the C&I are responsible for evaluating course proposals to ensure: 1) academic rigor, 2) suitability of the course material to the programs in the Department, 3) the prevention of duplication of courses, and 4) the appropriateness of prerequisites.
- Consult with the AUH and the Undergraduate Program Committee to make sure that there are sufficient faculty, physical, and financial resources available to offer the class, and that the proposed class fits within the program offerings.
- Contact the C&I Chair.
- Prepare a short description of the course (1 page), including a title, credits, prerequisites, an outline of the content, a justification for why it should be offered, and whether it should count toward the organismal diversity requirement and/or the laboratory requirement, and whether it should count toward any of the concentrations.
- Attend the C&I meeting when the course is considered to answer any questions.
- Consult with the AUH and the Undergraduate Program Committee to make sure that there are sufficient faculty, physical, and financial resources available to offer the class, and that the proposed class fits within the program offerings.
- Contact the C&I Chair.
- Prepare a C&I Course Information Form (in consultation with the C&I Chair). In your justification statement, be sure to include a statement that the AUH and UPC have been consulted, as well as if it should count toward the organismal diversity requirement and/or the laboratory requirement.
- Attend the C&I meeting when the course is considered to answer any questions.
- Contact the C&I Chair.
- Prepare a C&I Course Information Form (in consultation with the C&I Chair).
- Attend the C&I meeting when the course is considered to answer any questions.
Contact the C&I Chair.
- The course originator submits a Course Information Form to the C&I Chair.
- The C&I Chair posts the information on Curriculog, and notifies the faculty that it has been posted.
- The C&I Chair schedules a meeting of the C&I Committee to consider the course. This meeting must occur at least 6 class days after the notification date.
- The C&I Committee meets to consider the course. The originator should be present at the meeting to answer any questions that may arise.
- The C&I Chair will notify the faculty of the Committee’s decision. Faculty have 6 class days to request a rehearing. If no rehearing is requested, approved courses are then sent for approval to the Department Head.
- After approval by the AUH, the CSM C&I Committee meets to consider the course.
- After approval by the CSM C&I Committee, the Dean of CSM is notified.
- If the Dean of CSM approves the course, the VPAA is notified.
- If the VPAA approves the course, the Registrar is notified, and the course is entered into the Catalog and into the PeopleSoft system.
Generally, it can take 4-6 months for the entire process.
It depends. See the answer to the previous question. Start early! As a general guideline, the proposal must be sent to the Dean no later than the end of the Fall semester.
- The originator of the proposal is a member of the Biology faculty.
- The course provides substantive biological content that is not currently available within the Department.
