Program Development Materials

All new occupational curricula must be approved by the Illinois Community College Board.

Associate in Applied Science degree programs may require approval by the Illinois  Board of Higher Education as well. The review process used for new unit requests varies according to the type of curriculum proposed and the category of approval requested. Following are (A) descriptions of the review process utilized for each type of occupational curriculum, and (B) the categories of approval that may be requested. Please read this information carefully, as it reflects a number of changes that have been implemented to streamline the new unit process and allow the colleges maximum flexibility in implementing programs that respond to emerging needs.

A. Review Process

1. Associate in Applied Science Degree: An application for a new AAS degree is reviewed by a team of ICCB, IBHE, and ISBE staff. The college may be asked to provide the review team with additional information. The review team develops a consensus recommendation that is presented to the ICCB for action and to the IBHE if permanent approval is requested.
2. Certificates of Seven or More Semester Credit Hours: An application for a certificate of seven or more semester credit hours is reviewed by staff from ICCB and ISBE. The college may be requested to provide additional information. Staff will develop a recommendation to be presented to the ICCB for action. If the proposed certificate is less than 30 semester credit hours, the President/CEO of ICCB may approve the certificate on behalf of the Board.
3. Certificates of Less Than Seven Semester Credit Hours: Implementation of a certificate of less than seven semester credit hours may be done through the Reasonable and Moderate Extension process (Form 21S), provided the college has one or more approved curricula in the same two-digit CIP classification (i.e., 51.xxxx). See page 37 for specific instructions.

B. Occupational Curriculum Approval Categories
There are two categories of occupational curriculum approval. The categories of approval utilize different application forms and criteria. Therefore, it is important for the college to determine the type of approval to be requested and use the appropriate form and application instructions. Occupational curriculum approval may be requested as follows:

1. Permanent Approval may be requested for any certificate or Associate in Applied Science degree program by submitting a Form 20, Parts A and B. Form 20, Parts A and B and instructions for completing and submitting each part of the application can be found on pages 18-26 of this manual.
2. Temporary Approval may be requested for any certificate and for Associate of Applied Science degree programs that (1) address emerging occupations, or (2) meet immediate and temporary needs in the community by submitting a Form 20T. At the end of the temporary approval period, the program must receive permanent approval in order for the college to continue to offer the program. The Guidelines for Application for Temporary Approval, Form 20T, and instructions for completing and submitting the application can be found on pages 27-29 of this manual.

Application Time Table
To provide maximum flexibility to colleges in program development and implementation, applications for occupational curriculum approval may be submitted for consideration at any time and may be recommended for action at any ICCB meeting during the year. Associate of Applied Science degree programs for which permanent approval is requested require ICCB and IBHE approval. All certificate programs and Associate of Applied Science degree programs for which temporary approval is requested require ICCB approval only. All applications for new occupational curricula are shared with ISBE staff for review and comment, and applications for AAS degrees are shared with IBHE staff as well.

For applications that are complete and require little or no revisions or clarifications, the time required for ICCB staff to review the proposal, seek comment from staff at IBHE and/or ISBE, and make a recommendation for Board action should range from six weeks for requests for temporary approval to eight weeks for requests for permanent approval. Recommendations are not final until the ICCB or its designee (and IBHE, if applicable) have acted upon them.

While staff will make every effort to process applications according to these time estimates, colleges need to keep in mind that if additional information and/or discussion is needed during the review, the proposed program may not be recommended to the Board for action within this time frame. It is advisable to submit applications as far in advance of the proposed implementation date as feasible.

For Associate of Applied Science degree programs that require approval by both ICCB and IBHE, recommendations will be taken to whichever Board meets first after approval is recommended by staff.

Appeal Process
If ICCB staff do not recommend approval of a new occupational curriculum, the college may appeal the decision by notifying the ICCB President/CEO or the Executive Vice President in writing. For permanent approval, Associate of Applied Science Degree programs also require IBHE approval.

If IBHE staff do not recommend approval, the college may appeal the decision by notifying the IBHE Executive Director in writing, with a copy to the ICCB.