Introduction

Curriculum Development Process Schedule of Final Deadlines

It is to the advantage of the academic department and the students that curriculum changes are recommended in time for those changes to appear in college publications. It is important that faculty recognize that the approval process can be a lengthy one, especially in the case of new programs which require the approvals of the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Class schedules are developed three times each year for Fall, Spring, and Summer class sessions. No new course or program can appear on the schedule until it has completed the approval process. In addition, the effective date for any major change must be timed so as not to impact apportionment reimbursement; e.g., a credit hour change will not be effective until the semester in which the information can be a part of any published class schedule. The College has determined that new courses or programs can be scheduled to begin in either January or August.

The College catalog is published each spring in odd-numbered years. Curriculum development should be planned in such a manner that all approval processes have been completed in time for the information to be placed in the catalog, as no change is made to any catalog curriculum copy unless that process is complete. Generally, all curriculum for which approvals have been received by December of even-numbered years would be guaranteed inclusion in the new catalog.

The following is representative of an average time frame for curriculum implementation from the time the Intent to Develop is presented to the Curriculum Development Group until the approval process is complete:

All curriculum changes will have an effective date of either January 1 or August 15.

Early submittal is encouraged and increases the probability of on-schedule approval and implementation.