Office of Institutional Assessment, Research and Planning

1.1 TAMIU shall be guided by policies, rules, and procedures of TAMIU, System, THECB, SACSCOC, the U.S. Department of Education, and other accrediting bodies when applicable.

1.2 Substantive Change Proposals include, but are not limited to: new doctoral programs; new or changed degree programs that represent a significant departure in terms of new courses; new certificate programs or stand-alone minors requiring new courses; joint or dual degree programs with another institution; courses and programs offered through contractual agreement or consortia; new sites for delivering courses or programs; or closing programs.

1.3 Non-Substantive Change Proposals:

1.3.1 For THECB, they include, but are not limited to: new bachelor’s or master’s programs with the exception of engineering programs and new programs with costs over $2,000,000 over five years (these are still substantive changes for SACSCOC except as explained below); new certificate programs using existing approved courses; and minor changes to existing courses or degrees.

1.3.2 For SACSCOC, they include, but are not limited to: repackaging of existing curricula into new programs, minors, or certificates. Repackaging includes taking existing courses and redistributing the content into courses with new course numbers and descriptions and minor changes to existing courses or degrees.

2.1 Most proposals require the use of forms specific to TAMIU, System, THECB, and/or SACSCOC.

2.2 The timeline for proposals requiring System notification or approval will follow the process outlined by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

2.3 Substantive changes may require advance notification or approval from SACSCOC prior to implementation.

2.4 Substantive changes requiring SACSCOC approval prior to implementation must be accompanied by a full or modified prospectus.

2.4.1 If approval from the THECB is required, the approval document must be included in the substantive change prospectus submitted to SACSCOC.

2.5 Submission to SACSCOC due dates are:

2.5.1 January 1 of the same year for July 1 – December 31 implementation.

2.5.2 July 1 of the preceding year for January 1 – June 30 implementation.

3.1 Curriculum proposals initiated by faculty in departments or programs must be submitted through the originating department or program and require approval by the department head and/or program chair.

3.2 Following approval at the department level, the curriculum proposal will be forwarded to the college’s curriculum committee. Following review by the college curriculum committee, the proposal will be forwarded to the appropriate dean for review and approval.

3.3 Curriculum proposals approved by the dean will be forwarded to the University Curriculum Committee (UCC) for review and consideration.

3.3.1 The SACSCOC Liaison will review the proposal to determine if there is a significant departure and thus requiring a substantive change prospectus to be sent to SACSCOC.

3.4 Curriculum proposals approved by the UCC are submitted to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost) for review and approval. The President (or designee) has final approval of curriculum changes.

3.5 Notifications and approvals from external authorities, including the System Board of Regents (BOR), THECB, and the U.S. Department of Education, will be the responsibility of the Provost.

3.5.1 Notifications and approvals from SACSCOC will be the responsibility of the SACSCOC Liaison.

3.6 The Provost will be the primary record holder of all proposals. Copies of requests to SACSCOC as well as approvals will be provided to appropriate administrative units for record-keeping.

4.1 Department chairs and program coordinators are responsible for:

4.1.1 Preparing proposals using current forms and guidelines;

4.1.2 Monitoring proposed programs for quality and compliance; and

4.1.3 Reviewing and approving proposals after assuring the above responsibilities have been met.

4.2 Deans of colleges/schools are responsible for:

4.2.1 Assuring that curriculum committees reviewing proposals are knowledgeable about the current process;

4.2.2 Attesting to the quality of the proposed program; and

4.2.3 Acknowledging that all responsibilities listed above have been met.

4.3 Curriculum committees are responsible for:

4.3.1 Evaluating proposals within the context of TAMIU’s mission; and

4.3.2 Ensuring that proposed educational programs are of high quality and adhere to System, THECB, and SACSCOC guidelines for good practices.

4.4 The Provost is responsible for:

4.4.1 Reviewing proposals for all of the standards of quality and excellence prior to forwarding to the president for final institutional signature and submission, if required;

4.4.2 Coordinating submission of institutionally-approved curriculum proposals to System, state, or regional entities, as required; and

4.4.3 Maintaining records and distributing copies of approvals from System, state, and regional entities to appropriate TAMIU offices.

4.5 The SACSCOC Liaison is responsible for:

4.5.1 Determining if the proposal represents a significant departure as defined by SACSCOC;

4.5.2 Determining the appropriate level of notification to SACSCOC should a significant departure be identified; and

4.5.3 Submitting any required substantive change notification or prospectus to SACSCOC.

System Policy 11.10, Academic Program Requests

System Policy 11.03, Shortened Courses

Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Sub-Chapter Q, §4.272

TAMIU SAP 11.03.99.L0.01, Shortened Courses

“Curricula,” “curriculum,” and “program” may refer to academic programs, including courses, degrees, and certificates.

“Minor change” may be a modification to existing courses not involving changes to course content, prerequisites, or credit hours.

“Substantive change” is defined by SACSCOC as a “significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution.” Additional information for guidance on necessary approvals and notification may be found on the websites for The Texas A&M University System, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (see links under Appendix).

Additional information for guidance on necessary approvals and notification may be found at:

The Texas A&M University System - Academic Planning & Policy
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy Statement