Course Approval Committee
The Course Approval Committee (CAC) is a standing faculty committee that serves at the request of the Vice President for Instruction. Composed entirely of faculty members, this committee encourages and fosters curriculum development and faculty participation in program planning and maintenance of academic standards, primarily through quarterly meetings to review applications for new and revised courses.
The CAC reviews new and revised courses submitted by faculty. The committee considers compliance with college standards, accreditation standards, and alignment with the college mission, values, and learning outcomes. All new and revised courses must be reviewed and approved by the CAC prior to approval by the Vice President for Instruction. The CAC maintains and facilitates documents related to the course approval process.
Course Approval Committee Goals:
- Enable programs to offer high quality courses that support college-wide and program level learning outcomes
- Promote curriculum development
The Course Approval Committee will:
- Review course proposals and provide feedback
- Ask questions
- Ensure that the course approval process is followed
- Determine if course tags and learning outcomes are in alignment with the appropriate program and college-wide learning outcomes
- Promote professional development opportunities for curriculum
- Work with the Instructional Assessment Committee to provide support for new and revised course development
Chair
The CAC chair is appointed by the Vice President. The chair receives one third (1/3) release time or other arrangements as agreed upon to carry out CAC responsibilities. The chair serves a three-year term.
Membership
Faculty representatives from each academic division recommended by the Dean or administrator. CAC members serve a three-year term. Representation includes at least:
- Humanities/Social Sciences – one from each
- Science and Math – one from each
- Library – one
- Business, Information Technologies, and Creative Arts – two
- Basic Studies – one each from ABE and ESL
- Health and Human Services -- one
- Counselors – one (two preferred)
Chair
- Establishes meeting schedule, develop agenda items, and conduct meetings
- Ensures the development and acceptance of short-range objectives and long-range goals for the committee
- Makes provisions for recording and distributing minutes for each meeting
- Facilitates course establishment by maintaining forms, assisting faculty proposing courses, conveying information between committee members and proposing faculty, and ensuring that course information is routed as required
- Informs faculty and administrators of the CAC process and provides training or guidance as needed; informs the Vice President for Instruction of policies recommended by the CAC
- Maintains or delegates responsibility for maintaining a CAC Web site, including schedule, forms, instructions, and other information
- Maintains a records of CAC activities, including courses evaluated, policies and procedures, and other activities
- Communicates with the other two curriculum committee chairs in the district
- Provides an annual review of committee activities to the Vice President for Instruction
- Serves on the Curriculum Coordinating Council
- Works closely with the other curriculum committee chairs
Members
- Attend all meetings
- Review all courses submitted to the committee and provide feedback
- Take on projects that facilitate CAC operation
Missed Meetings
After a member has missed two consecutive meetings, the chair will contact the member to discuss whether a replacement should be sought
Voting
A quorum consists of 50% (rounded up) plus one of the current CAC membership
Actions Requiring a Vote
The following actions by CAC require approval by a simple majority of the quorum:
- Approving a course application
- Establishing a CAC policy
E-mail Discussion
In the interest of expediency, some decisions can be made by e-mail. In this case, at least 50% plus one member must respond to the e-mail vote. For example:
- Minor changes to course proposals submitted to the committee
- Issues discussed at a meeting that required additional information before a vote
Course Approval Process
Process Overview
The CAC accepts course proposals for review once each quarter. Course proposals must include all required documentation in order to be considered. Required documentation is described and forms are provided on the Course Establishment and Revision Guide Web page.
CAC reviews all completed packets and forwards its recommendations to the Vice President for Instruction. CAC-approved courses are reviewed by the three district Vice Presidents and forwarded to the district once they are approved.
Timing and Deadlines
In general, courses must be proposed at least two (2) quarters before being offered to allow time for any necessary revisions and to meet the publication deadline for the quarterly schedule. The committee’s course review deadline typically falls in the third or fourth week of the quarter. Committee members review courses received by that deadline and discuss them at a course review meeting usually scheduled about two weeks later. Proposing faculty are invited to attend the meeting.
After the meeting, the CAC chair notifies the proposing faculty of the committee’s conclusions and provides a summary of recommendations, if any. If the chair fails to notify the faculty of the course status within two weeks of the course review meeting, the course may continue through the approval process without CAC intervention. The proposing faculty must respond to the recommendations within two weeks of the chair’s communication, to be considered at the next business meeting. Otherwise, the course can be re-submitted by the next course approval deadline.
The committee will review late proposals as time allows and at the discretion of the chair with approval from the committee.
Appeals
Within two weeks of receiving the committee’s recommendations, the proposing faculty may appeal by submitting a rationale for rejecting the recommendations. The committee will consider the appeal at its next scheduled business meeting. If the committee accepts the appeal, the course will be approved and forwarded to the Vice President. If the committee rejects the appeal, the committee will forward the course to the appropriate administrator with an explanation.
Documentation and Notification
Approved courses are routed as follows:
- Hard copy original with signatures: Manager - Instructional Information (BE4180)
- Electronic Copy: Saved with CAC Files
- Notify: Proposing faculty, appropriate administrator, committee members