0990 SAN JACINTO COLLEGE DISTRICT Curriculum Development Manual: Academic Disciplines 2017-2018 Developed and Compiled by the Curriculum Process Task Force Originally Adopted May, 1999 Revised May 2017 This manual has been developed to assist individuals participating in the curriculum review process. It is meant to be a resource that faculty and staff can use to efficiently and effectively develop new courses and programs within the San Jacinto College District, review existing courses and programs, and to propose curriculum revisions.
Table of Contents Mission Statement iv Vision Statement iv San Jacinto College Values iv Code of Ethics v I. General Information 1 II. Roles and Responsibilities 3 Academic Faculty 4 Department Chair 5 Curriculum Proposal Task Force 5 Curriculum Task Force Chair 6 Instructional Deans (General responsibilities) 7 Dean of Liberal Arts, (North and South), Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Central), Dean of Natural Sciences and Health Sciences (North and South), and Associate Vice Chancellor for College Preparatory (District) 8 Registrar 8 Associate Vice Chancellor for Learning and Assessment 8 District Curriculum Steering Committee 9 Curriculum Coordinator 10 Provost 10 Deputy Chancellor and College President 10 Strategic Leadership Team 10 Chancellor 11 Board of Trustees 11 III. Steps in the Curriculum Process 12 Academic Courses: A. Development of Multi-campus Academic or College Preparatory Courses 14 B. Core Curriculum Courses 16 C. Revisions of Multi-campus Academic Courses 18 D. Development of Two-Semester Pilot Courses 18 E. Development of Unique Need Courses 19 F. Administrative Corrections 20 G. Distance Learning Conversion...20 Minimum Presence 20 Single Faculty Developed Course 20 Shared Content Course 20 Ready-to-Teach Course 21 H. Credit for Prior Learning...21 I. Approved Curriculum Proposals...22 J. Substantive Change...22 ii
IV. Appendix...23 Considerations for Curriculum Proposals 24 Resource Manuals 26 Curriculum Documents 27 Course Syllabus 27 First-day handouts 28 Glossary of Acronyms and Terms 29 iii
MISSION STATEMENT Our mission is to ensure student success, create seamless transitions, and enrich the quality of life in the communities we serve. VISION STATEMENT San Jacinto College will be a leader in educational excellence and in the achievement of equity among diverse populations. We will empower students to achieve their goals, redefine their expectations, and encourage their exploration of new opportunities. Our passions are people, learning, innovation, and continuous improvement. SAN JACINTO COLLEGE VALUES Integrity: Ethical and Professional We act in ways which instill confidence and trust Excellence: In Everything We Do We achieve quality results in everything we do Accountability: It s Up to Us We take responsibility for our commitments and outcomes Innovation: Lead the Way We apply our knowledge, skill, insight, and imagination to recognize opportunities, solve problems, and recommend new solutions Sense of Community: Caring for Those We Serve and Ourselves We demonstrate genuine concern for the well-being of our students, our community and ourselves Student Success: Our Ultimate Measure We enable students to achieve their goals Diversity: Celebrate the Differences We celebrate the diversity of ideas and cultures Collaboration: We work Together We work together for the benefit of the college iv
CODE OF ETHICS STATEMENT The faculty, administrators, district curriculum steering committee, workforce and economic development council, and strategic leadership team are responsible for maintaining and enhancing the quality of the curricula within the San Jacinto College District, its extensions and learning centers. All other employees are responsible for supporting those efforts. Guided by a belief of dignity and worth in the pursuit of truth and knowledge, committee members will recognize the special responsibilities placed upon them. They will serve conscientiously and carry out their duties to the best of their abilities. The primary responsibility of all participants in the curriculum process is to the students who seek knowledge and training within the San Jacinto Community College District. In the exchange of ideas and criticism, all employees participating in curriculum review will show due respect for the opinions of others. Committee members have obligations that derive from common membership in a community of scholars. Their role is to encourage and facilitate differing views, opinions and approaches to curriculum issues. The focus will always be on ideas. They will respect and defend the free inquiry of associates as they exercise critical and professional judgment of ideas. v
I. GENERAL INFORMATION 1
GENERAL INFORMATION Curriculum development is the process of developing or revising courses or a series of courses leading to a degree or certificate. This manual is intended to provide the faculty, administrators and staff with processes, information, and strategies needed to adequately and effectively serve San Jacinto Community College District s (SJCCD) diverse learning communities and to provide quality education through the curriculum development process. The focus is directed towards traditional academic credit courses. Curriculum teams and individuals proposing changes should consider all other college programs and services in making recommendations. The curriculum review process outlined in this manual embraces, incorporates and promotes the innovation and flexibility required by education for today's global society. This manual and the curriculum forms are electronically available at G:\Curriculum Development. Communication is an essential element in curriculum development. The department chair and instructional dean should review and sign each proposal. The routing slips must be signed by the appropriate person(s) on the campus on which the proposal is initiated. The proposal does not have to be signed by administrators on other campuses, but they must be made aware of proposals that affect their areas. Deans and department chairs will provide the expertise and information that is needed to complete the forms. Division operations coordinators can provide clerical and technical support. All pages of the curriculum proposal must be numbered. This helps reviewers refer to specific pages in the proposal. It is not the responsibility of reviewers to edit a work in progress. Their responsibility is to debate the merits of a complete proposal. A copy of courses as described in the Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) should be included with the proposal for the deans and registrar to review. San Jacinto College Community District has one inventory. Once a course has been approved via the curriculum development process, it is placed in the inventory and may be taught on any or all campuses. For this reason, each campus on which the course may be used should participate in the review and development of proposals. Selecting approved courses from the inventory and placing them in Course Finder is at the discretion of each campus. Campuses should submit only one proposal per academic discipline. Multiple proposals will not be considered. Proposals should ideally reflect curriculum proposal task force consensus. The office of the associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment should be notified before September 15 of each academic year about upcoming curriculum proposals. 2
II. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 3
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES An outline of the roles and responsibilities of each entity involved in the curriculum review process is found in this section. Academic Faculty Department Chair Curriculum Proposal Task Force Curriculum Task Force Chair Instructional Deans (General responsibilities) Dean of Liberal Arts, (North and South), Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Central), Dean of Natural Sciences and Health Sciences (North and South), and Associate Vice Chancellor for College Preparatory (District) Associate Vice Chancellor for learning and assessment District Curriculum Steering Committee Deputy Chancellor and College President Strategic Leadership Team Chancellor Board of Trustees Academic Faculty Play central roles in assessing and improving the college's curriculum through course development revision, and through membership on curriculum planning committees. Faculty are responsible for maintaining the quality of the curriculum. Serve as members of the curriculum steering committee, curriculum proposal task force and as the curriculum proposal task force chair Select and support curriculum proposal task force members Provide input and needed documentation to curriculum proposal task force members regarding proposed academic course additions, deletions, or revisions Discuss any proposed curriculum ideas or revisions with department chairs, deans, and colleagues across the district Participate in informal and/or formal meetings with colleagues regarding proposed or needed revisions in their curricular area Participate in regularly scheduled multi-campus discipline meetings to provide input to curriculum proposal teams 4
Department Chair May serve on curriculum proposal task force, as curriculum task force chair, or on the curriculum steering committee, in the same capacity as any faculty member Participates in discipline meetings with colleagues from other campuses to provide input to curriculum proposal task force If not serving as curriculum proposal task force chair, consults with, supports and serves as resource to curriculum proposal task force chair in the curriculum process Disseminates information to faculty and schedules formal and/or informal meetings for consideration of program-related issues, concerns, and trends Reviews proposals for appropriateness, completeness, accuracy, format and content Signs curriculum proposal form and routing slip when the proposal is initiated on his/her campus Curriculum Proposal Task Force The primary role of the curriculum proposal task force is to originate and develop curriculum proposals and revisions. Each curriculum proposal task force is composed of at least one faculty member of that discipline from each campus offering the course (i.e., multi-campus academic disciplines). Disciplines that serve only one campus will have representation from that single campus, although faculty members from related disciplines on other campuses may be invited to serve. Interdisciplinary courses will be comprised of representation from the disciplines involved. The faculty names the curriculum proposal task force. The curriculum proposal task force selects a curriculum proposal task force chair. Each campus is responsible for developing its own selection process. A curriculum proposal task force is formed on an as-need basis. The curriculum proposal task force members are selected on an ad hoc basis and will serve until the project is completed. A minimum of one face-to-face multi-campus college discipline meeting should be convened annually to ensure faculty input and involvement. If faculty communicate via email, the decisions should be summarized in minutes. The emails should not be included in the curriculum proposal. The curriculum proposal task force, as applicable: Reviews course descriptions, student learning outcomes, syllabi, texts, and other curricular materials Conducts needs assessment and feasibility study Collects curriculum materials needed to prepare the proposal, including Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) guidelines, the Curriculum Development Manual, and Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM). A more complete list of resources materials can 5
be found in the Appendix. Serves as campus representatives for their respective discipline Meets regularly and collaborates on the proposal throughout the process Participates in any called college staff development meetings related to curricular issues Meets with appropriate deans to review proposal Reviews formal proposals for appropriateness, completeness, accuracy, format and content Supports and participates with curriculum proposal task force chair in all aspects of curriculum review Monitors best practices and current trends Curriculum Proposal Task Force Chair Moves the curriculum proposal through the curriculum development process Serves as curriculum leader for the curriculum proposal task force and attends staff development meetings related to the curriculum review and revision process Convenes and organizes curriculum proposal task force meetings in accordance with curriculum review and revision timelines Keeps department chair, dean, provost, and curriculum proposal task force on all campuses where the course exists informed on the progress of the curriculum proposal Provides input and needed documentation to the curriculum proposal task force members regarding proposed course additions, deletions or revisions, curriculum pattern changes, and course outcomes. Revisions should be made from verified need Keeps all resource materials needed by the curriculum team Submits the original curriculum proposal to the office of learning and assessment after approval by the curriculum steering committee Facilitates dialogue and assures that concurring and opposing views are presented Obtains necessary signatures on documents Emails scanned.pdf copy of the signed curriculum proposal to the curriculum coordinator for placement on curriculum steering committee agenda at least two weeks before the scheduled presentation 6
Meets with district curriculum steering committee to review and discuss curriculum proposals Provides feedback to curriculum task force regarding suggested revisions Ensures that the curriculum proposal task force has met its responsibilities as outlined in this manual Discusses any proposed curriculum ideas or revisions with department chairs and/or deans Participates in informal and/or formal meetings with colleagues on respective campuses regarding proposed or needed changes in their curricular area Instructional Deans (General responsibilities) Maintain awareness of trends and changes regarding assessment and appropriate guidelines, such as THECB, SACSCOC, or Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) Convene faculty to assess or develop curriculum proposals Participate in the processes and/or tasks that evolve from the review and approval of learning outcomes, review of general education and program competencies, and the review of articulation agreements Evaluate curriculum proposals received from curriculum proposal task force and provides feedback Review proposal for appropriateness, completeness, accuracy, format and content Sign off on curriculum proposal forms before submission of proposals to district curriculum steering committee Encourage faculty to meet with faculty colleagues across the district to discuss curriculum issues and trends Participate in professional development sessions related to curriculum Attend district curriculum steering committee meetings Foster and encourage faculty involvement in the curriculum revision process through professional development activities Ensure the accuracy and completeness of internal forms Communicate proposed revisions with department chairs on other campuses and provosts on 7
their own campuses Dean of Liberal Arts, (North and South), Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Central), Dean of Natural Sciences and Health Sciences (North and South), and Associate Vice Chancellor for College Preparatory (District) Stay abreast of change in the Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM),) and in the courses in the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) Evaluate academic and college preparatory curriculum proposals Monitor the curriculum revisions process and provide timely guidance to curriculum proposal task force chairs, curriculum proposal teams, and department chairs Provide feedback and make recommendations on items that need to be revised or completed to meet THECB guidelines or conform to other regulations Provide professional development workshops for department chairs and related to the curriculum revision process Work with the department chairs to complete documentation Serve as a resource to the provost regarding THECB guidelines (ACGM) Make recommendations on future proposal developments Attend district curriculum steering committee meetings Implement prioritization of new program development Registrar Informs the provost when the institution has allowed courses to be offered that are out of compliance with the rules and regulations from THECB for which the institution is losing funding Oversees entry of information into database (e.g., Banner) Associate Vice Chancellor for Learning and Assessment Stays abreast of change in the Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM), the Guidelines of Instructional Programs in Workforce Education (GIPWE), the Workforce Education Course Guide Manual (WECM), and in the courses in the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) Revises Curriculum Development Manual Serves as resource for curriculum development 8
Serves as facilitator of curriculum steering committee meetings Serves on ISS Council and presents summary of proposals to that body Maintains original copies of approved curriculum proposals on G:\Curriculum Proposals, where they are available to faculty, department chairs, registrars, instructional deans, provosts and Banner data specialist Incorporates curriculum changes into the College Catalog Makes administrative corrections to approved curriculum proposals, as needed Prepares and submits curriculum reports to the deputy chancellor and college president District Curriculum Steering Committee The curriculum steering committee approves unconditionally, approves conditionally, disapproves, or requests modifications of curriculum proposals. The committee includes the associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment, assistant vice chancellor of accreditation and assessment, provosts, instructional deans (as needed), dean of student development, registrar, and faculty that is, technical, academic, college preparatory, health care faculty representatives from each campus. Bases decisions on data Reviews formal proposals for completeness, accuracy, format and content Reviews curriculum proposals that duplicate existing programs, program options, and/or courses Ensures proposal fits the overall district mission, values, curriculum and program goals and objectives Ensures that SACSCOC requirements, THECB and SJCCD guidelines have been met Discusses issues, ideas, and trends for future proposal development Discusses budgetary issues and consequences as they affect the campus Proposes recommendations on future proposal development of courses and programs Attaches comments for consideration to the curriculum proposal Serves as a resource on curriculum matters to the campus community 9
Applies Considerations for Curriculum Proposals (Appendix) during decision-making Curriculum Coordinator Serves as resource for curriculum development Provides training in the curriculum process Maintains original copies of approved curriculum proposals on G:\Curriculum Proposals, where they are available to faculty, department chairs, registrars, instructional deans, provosts and Banner data specialist Forwards final curriculum results to Banner specialist who enters data into the system Notify libraries, bookstores, financial aid, office of research & institutional effectiveness, EPCC and marketing, and, when necessary, the business office about new programs and awards Enters approved curriculum results into the College Publication database Duplicates and submits all approved certificate and degree awards for THECB approval Provost Provides input regarding new program development and concept papers Makes final determination regarding which courses in the inventory will be offered by the campus Proposes recommendations on future proposal development to deputy chancellor and college president Deputy Chancellor and College President Serves as chief academic officer Coordinates professional development activities for curriculum development Prepares and submits curriculum reports to the SLT and the board of regents Summarizes and presents new program prioritization to SLT Oversees notification to SACSCOC Strategic Leadership Team Approves prioritization of new program development and concept papers 10
Chancellor Serves as official representative for San Jacinto College District to outside accrediting associations and authorizing agencies Board of Trustees Reviews curriculum reports disseminated during board of trustees meetings Approves new associate degree and certificate programs 11
III. STEPS IN THE CURRICULUM REVIEW PROCESS 12
Steps in the Curriculum Review Process This section of the manual describes the steps in the curriculum review process for academic and college preparatory courses and revisions. The proposal is submitted on the curriculum proposal forms found in G:\Curriculum Development and in SOS. Resources for proposal development are available in Appendix. Curriculum development is a year-round process with the majority of work completed in the fall semester. On or before September 15, deans should notify the learning and assessment s office of upcoming curriculum proposals for that school year. The associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment and the curriculum coordinator schedule curriculum steering committee meetings to hear proposals. Curriculum steering committee meetings occur every Monday from October through December. A pdf version of each proposal should be submitted two (2) weeks before the scheduled presentation. Proposals should be submitted to the dean at least two (2) weeks before submission to the office of learning and assessment. Presentations during the fall semester are strongly recommended for academic and college preparatory courses that will be reflected in the next catalog and fall Schedule of Classes. The fall Schedule of Classes is prepared in February, followed by registration in mid-april. Administrative corrections may occur at any time throughout the year, but the effective date depends upon semester section creation dates, and the registration cycle. In general, courses cannot be revised after students have begun to enroll. This section of the manual contains steps to follow to: Academic Courses: A. Development of Multi-campus Academic or College Preparatory Courses B. Core Curriculum Courses C. Revisions of Multi-campus Academic or College Preparatory Courses D. Development of Two-Semester Pilot Courses E. Development of Unique Need Courses F. Administrative Corrections G. Distance Learning Conversion H. Credit for Prior Learning I. Approved Curriculum Proposals J. Substantive Change 13
ACADEMIC AND COLLEGE PREPARATORY COURSES A. Development of Multi-campus Academic or College Preparatory Courses An academic college preparatory course may be developed on one or more campuses in the district. Any faculty, adjunct faculty and/or administrator can initiate a curriculum idea. An idea is an informal proposal or suggestion for a course in the discussion stage. Not all ideas are developed into curriculum proposals. Ideas include development of a new academic course or revision of an existing academic course. The person initializing the idea should check the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM). Courses that are transferrable to colleges and universities can be found in ACGM and at the Texas Common Course Numbering System (www.tccns.org). The TCCNS website should be reviewed to determine if an academic course transfers to upper-level institutions. The office of associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment can be consulted for the predominant institutions to which SJC students transfer. Transfer courses that are not in the ACGM are considered Unique Need Courses. Refer to the ACGM for a full discussion of Unique Need Courses. Courses proposed for inclusion in the core curriculum follow the same process for developing any academic course, but must include the criteria specified in the next section of this manual. Formalizing the process begins by discussing the idea with the department chair and other faculty in the department/discipline, as well as faculty colleagues throughout the district. The initiating campus must send an email to the faculty within the discipline on other campuses, inviting them to participate in development of the course. The curriculum proposal task force must include one faculty member from each campus. When developing core curriculum courses, conversations should occur between and among the various departments that house the courses. While emails are convenient for an exchange of information, meetings with minutes provide the opportunity to discuss the issue and work out the details of the curriculum proposal. Minutes from the meetings are included in the curriculum proposal packet submitted to the curriculum steering committee. Decisions in emails should be summarized as minutes in the proposal, and the individual emails should not be included in the proposal. Before the proposal is developed, the budget implications of the idea should be discussed with the appropriate department chairs, deans, and provost. The addition of faculty, college resources, and adjunct faculty are important details to note when developing a curriculum proposal. Faculty members developing a proposal become members of a curriculum proposal task force. The curriculum proposal task force selects a task force chair. An explanation of curriculum proposal task force membership and the responsibilities of the curriculum proposal task force chair can be found in Roles and Responsibilities. The curriculum proposal task force addresses the Considerations for Curriculum Proposals (Appendix) and keeps minutes of the meetings. Resources for Curriculum Proposals (Appendix) provides a list of materials to be used in preparing a proposal and a format of the curriculum proposal packet. Academic Course Forms are located in G:\Curriculum Development. 14
The curriculum proposal task force will decide whether to proceed from an idea to a formal curriculum proposal. A proposal is a fully defined recommendation. It has entered the formal process leading to the completed curriculum proposal that will be reviewed by the curriculum steering committee. The curriculum proposal task force completes the paperwork for the curriculum proposal. When the curriculum proposal task force completes the proposal, it should be reviewed by the department chair(s) and the appropriate instructional dean(s) on the originating campus. The department chair and deans will indicate that the proposal has been reviewed by signing the appropriate forms. Signatures on the routing slips are not an approval of the curriculum proposal. They verify that the proposal has been reviewed for completeness and accuracy. To ensure completeness and accuracy of the curriculum proposal is achieved, allow for at least two (2) weeks for the dean to review the proposal prior to submission to the office of learning and assessment. The curriculum proposal task force chair will scan the signed proposal and a forward a.pdf version to the curriculum coordinator at least two (2) weeks before the scheduled presentation to the curriculum steering committee. The curriculum coordinator will distribute the proposal to the curriculum steering committee. The curriculum steering committee will discuss the proposal and vote to approve unconditionally, approve conditionally, disapprove, or return to the curriculum proposal task force with recommendations for modification. Minutes of the curriculum steering committee meetings will be posted in G:\Curriculum Proposals and on The Exchange. Minutes should include the name of the curriculum proposal task force chair, the proposal, the motion, and action. If the proposal is approved, presenters should be prepared to leave the original proposal with the curriculum coordinator at the curriculum steering committee meeting. The curriculum coordinator will post the proposal to G:\Curriculum Proposals folder, where it will be available to the College community. Paperwork from the approved proposal will be distributed to the Banner specialist who enters data into the system. A memo should be sent to the libraries, the bookstores, institutional research & effectiveness office, student development, marketing, and, if necessary, and the business office, notifying them of a new degree or discipline. The Curriculum Proposal Forms Template for a curriculum proposal is available at G:\Curriculum Development\Curriculum Forms \Academic Forms. 15
B. Core Curriculum Courses Each institution of higher education that offers an undergraduate academic degree program shall develop its core curriculum by using the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board-approved purpose, core objectives, and foundational component areas of the Texas Core Curriculum. Through the Texas Core Curriculum, students will gain a foundational knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, develop principles of personal and social responsibility for living in a diverse world, and advance intellectual and practical skills that are essential for all learning. By completing the Texas Core Curriculum, students will be prepared for contemporary challenges by meeting the following core objectives 1 : (A) Critical Thinking Skills: to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information; (B) Communication Skills: to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication; (C) Empirical and Quantitative Skills: to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions; (D) Teamwork: to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal; (E) Personal Responsibility: to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making; and (F) Social Responsibility: to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities. Each institution's core curriculum will be composed of courses that adhere to the content description, core objectives, and semester credit hour requirements for a specific foundational component area. Any course considered for San Jacinto College s core curriculum must (a) be included in the ACGM as an approved, college-level lower division course, (b) meet the criteria for the foundational component area and the core objectives established by the state, and (c) incorporate the SJC general education outcomes and course content learning outcomes into the district-wide syllabus. When a curriculum proposal is presented for approval to the curriculum steering committee, it must include examples of how content and general education learning outcomes will be assessed. The foundational component areas and the number of required SCH are: (A) Communication (B) Mathematics (C) Life and Physical Sciences (D) Language, Philosophy, and Culture (E) Creative Arts 6 SCH 3 SCH 6 SCH 3 SCH 3 SCH 1 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 4, Subchapter B, Rule 4.28, http://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.tacpage?sl=r&app=2&p_dir=&p_rloc=174532&p_tloc=&p_plo c=&pg=1&p_tac=174532&ti=19&pt=1&ch=4&rl=28&dt=&z_chk=1976047&z_contains=core%20curriculum 16
(F) American History 6 SCH (G) Government/Political Science 6 SCH (H) Social and Behavioral Sciences 3 SCH (I) Component Area Option 6 SCH The core objectives for the foundation component area are as follows: Critical Thinking Communication Skills Empirical & Quantitative Skills Teamwork Social Responsibility Personal Responsibility Communication X X X X Mathematics X X X Life & Physical Sciences X X X X Language, Philosophy & Culture X X X X Creative Arts X X X X U.S. History X X X X Government/Political Science X X X X Social/Behavioral Science X X X X Component Area Option X X (one of these four areas) Component Area Option Courses used to complete the Component Area Option must meet the definition and criteria specified in one or more of the foundational component areas, include a minimum of three core objectives, including Critical Thinking, Communication Skills, and one of the remaining core objectives of the institutions choice. The core objectives required in the corresponding foundational component area apply to each course used to fulfill the component area option. The San Jacinto College District general education outcomes are: 1. Communication Skills Students will communicate ideas, express feelings, and support conclusions effectively in written, oral, and visual formats. 17
2. Critical Thinking Skills Students will develop habits of mind, allowing them to appreciate the processes by which scholars in various disciplines organize and evaluate data and use the methodologies of each discipline to understand the human experience. 3. Empirical and Quantitative Skills Students will develop quantitative and empirical skills to understand, analyze, and explain natural, physical, and social realms. 4. Teamwork Students will consider different points of view and work interdependently to achieve a shared purpose or goal. 5. Personal Responsibility Students will develop habits of intellectual exploration, personal responsibility and physical wellbeing. 6. Social Responsibility Students will demonstrate a global perspective toward issues of culture, society, politics, environment, and sustainability. Core curriculum courses that are not offered for one year will be considered for removal from the core by the Assessment Committee, and core curriculum courses that are not taught for two years will be recommended for removal from the core curriculum by the Assessment Committee. C. Revisions of Multi-campus Academic or College Preparatory Courses Curriculum paperwork is necessary to revise academic courses, but review by the curriculum steering committee may not be required. The associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment can perform administrative corrections under certain circumstances without approval of the curriculum steering committee. Administrative corrections include changes to prerequisites, co-requisites and skills levels, and correction typographical errors. The curriculum steering committee will be informed of administrative corrections at the next possible meeting. Contact the office of learning and assessment for instructions. Changes in course rubric, course number, course title, course description, course content, student learning outcomes, credit lecture/lab hours, lab or incidental fees, and prerequisite(s)/corequisites(s) necessitate review through the curriculum process, including a curriculum task force and the curriculum steering committee. Follow the process for developing a new academic course. The Curriculum Proposal Forms Template for a curriculum proposal is available at G:\Curriculum Development\Curriculum Forms \Academic Forms. D. Development of Two-Semester Pilot Courses Two-semester pilot courses may be developed under the signature of the deputy chancellor and college president. All paperwork and forms are handled through the office of learning and assessment. Pilot courses can be academic transfer, college preparatory or technical courses, but must meet Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM), or Workforce Education Course Guide Manual (WECM) and Guidelines of Instructional Programs in Workforce Education, (GIPWE) guidelines. The two-semester pilot courses process is intended for creative and innovative curricular ideas. Pilot courses are not to be included in the core curriculum. 18
They may be taught for two semesters. Two-Semester Pilot Course Forms are located in G:\Curriculum Development. At the end of the first semester, a report explaining why the course should continue must be presented to the office of associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment. At the end of the second semester, a second report with updated curriculum forms must be presented to the associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment. At this time, the course will be presented to the curriculum steering committee for full approval. A 2-semester pilot course will be placed in the inventory, but not be included in the Catalog. The course will be placed on the curriculum steering committee meeting as an information item. The Curriculum Proposal Forms Template for a curriculum proposal is available at G:\Curriculum Development\Curriculum Forms \ 2-Semester Pilot Course Forms. E. Development of Unique Need Courses Approval for a course that is not available under an approval number in the Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) or a course with credit and/or contact hours in excess of the limits prescribed in ACGM must be approved by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) according to THECB Rules and Regulations. These can be found in ACGM and should be reviewed prior to developing a unique need course. Courses that transfer only as elective credit, courses that receive no funding from the state (e.g., Bible, military science courses), or courses designated for upper division colleges and universities are not eligible for Unique Need status. When applying for a unique need course, the associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment will need to submit a Request for Approval Form and a Unique Need Course Request Form to the THECB. The associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment provides the required signatures on the forms. A FICE code and a password are required to enter the site. These codes are available in G:\Curriculum Development\Curriculum Development Manual.Academic Disciplines.2017.Curriculum Development Version. Prior to development of a unique need course, the idea should be discussed with the department chair, academic dean, provost, and associate vice chancellor for learning and assessment. The steps in the curriculum process for unique need courses are the same as those used in the development of a new academic (transfer) course, including letters of transferability from five Texas universities and five community colleges. The G:\Curriculum Development\Curriculum Forms \Academic Forms\Unique Need Course Request Unique Need Forms (letters of transferability from three or more Texas and/or regional universities, and forms at http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/uniqueneed) 19
F. Administrative Correction If minor errors are found in approved courses (e.g., typographical errors, inappropriate skills levels), they may be corrected through the office of learning and assessment by contacting the curriculum coordinator. In most cases, an administrative correction proposal will need to be prepared by the department. The Curriculum Proposal Forms Template for a curriculum proposal is available at G:\Curriculum Development\Curriculum Forms \Academic Forms. G. Distance Learning Conversion Because of the increase of multiple delivery systems for courses, special focus and review will be needed to assure standards are met and the quality of courses is maintained. Flexibility in delivery of curricula is desirable. San Jacinto College offers distance learning (DL) through online (DL) and online/classroom (hybrid) delivery modes. A course must have been approved through the curriculum development process before being taught as a distance learning class. However, when a course is developed, the curriculum steering committee determines the merit of the course or program and does not determine the mode by which a course will be taught. Faculty will work through the Educational Technology Services department (EdTech) and participate in training and professional development prior to teaching DL. Guidelines are available online. Minimum Presence All courses taught at San Jacinto College have a minimum presence requirements posted to Blackboard (Bb), including faculty contact information, district-approved course syllabus, and an active Bb grade book that is regularly updated to inform students of their progress. For core curriculum courses, a minimum presence also includes a collection of common assignments as required for assessment. EdTech provides a course template for all LMS (Blackboard) course sites at the time classes are created in the system that contains elements that support minimum presence expectations, to which the faculty can add other materials and resources. The course design reflects Quality Matters (QM) design principles. General student support links and information are built into the template design. Beyond the minimum presence, courses may be developed as either a single-faculty developed course, shared content course (SCC), or as a ready-to-teach (R2T) course, each of which is described below. Regardless of how the course is developed, the elements of a minimum presence, single-faculty developed course, shared content course (SCC), or a ready-to-teach (R2T) course are the property of San Jacinto College and may not be used in teaching a course at another institution. Single-Faculty Developed Course A single-faculty developed course is one in which a single faculty member serves as the course developer for the courses that he or she teaches. It is built upon the basic template, and the faculty member serves as the content manager. 20
Shared Content Course A shared content course (SCC) or program is one in which multiple faculty or a small group develop the course site. Development may or may not include EdTech department resources. Each course/program should have an identified faculty member in place to serve as the facilitator. The facilitator shares materials, information and training to faculty colleagues who also wish to teach using the course. The facilitator oversees implementation and use of the shared content course each semester. An administrative assistant or division operations coordinator copies (shares) the course with those who will use the course material. As with all courses within the college, the courses are assessed. Ready-to-Teach Course (R2T) A ready-to-teach course can be offered on a single campus and designated ir2t, or a readyto-teach course can be offered across multiple campuses and designated R2T. Either course is developed by the EdTech department in conjunction with identified course faculty who serve as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The R2T course reflects Quality Matters (QM) design principles, accessibility guidelines and College copyright policies, and uses a single identified textbook and software. It will be mandated for all faculty teaching the course by distance learning. The course contains the minimum acceptable student learning outcomes (SLOs), as specified in the district-approved syllabus. The course should be taught with the content, as developed. Faculty may add to, but not subtract from, the content. The course makes use of the Blackboard Content system for content storage at an institutional level. As with any SJC course, ir2t and R2T courses should have an identified faculty member in place to serve as the facilitator. For curriculum revisions, the facilitator serves as the curriculum task force chair. The facilitator leads faculty colleagues in revisions and updates to the course in collaboration with the EdTech department. The facilitator shares materials, information and provides training to faculty colleagues who also wish to teach the course. The facilitator oversees implementation and use of the course each semester. An administrative assistant or division operations coordinator copies (shares) the course with faculty who will use the course material. As with all courses within the college, the courses are assessed. H. Credit for Prior Learning San Jacinto Community College District (SJCCD) offers a quality-learning environment and a wide array of courses for its diverse population. Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) allows students, who have mastered academic or technical competencies, to demonstrate their knowledge for credit in a multitude of content areas. The CPL process is described in the Credit for Prior Learning Manual, posted on The Exchange. Students may acquire credit for academic courses through credit by external exams that is, International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP), and College Level Examination Program (CLEP). I. Approved Curriculum Proposals 21
What happens after a proposal is approved? An approved proposal is saved to G:\Curriculum Proposals. It is shared with the Banner team and the information from the course inventory maintenance forms is entered into Banner. After the information is entered into Banner, the curriculum coordinator review and updates new, revised, and deactivated course descriptions in Publication Builder for the for the catalog and web publications. After information is entered into Banner, course sections (SSASECT) and course syllabi (SCASYLB) can be created beginning with the effective semester listed on the course inventory maintenance form. At the time a course is developed in Banner, the course is immediately sent in Blackboard and there is no window to make changes to key course information. Before making any revisions to a course in Banner, please refer to the latest version of the Course Section Creation/Schedule Entry Training Manual on The Exchange 2. Courses and syllabi can be published to the College website (i.e., Course Finder). Faculty can download the official course syllabus into a Microsoft Word document from their individual SOS site. Because course sections are created well in advance of the semester in which they are offered, all curriculum revisions and any administrative corrections must be entered into Banner before the following dates: February 1 for fall courses July 1 for spring courses October 1 for summer courses J. Substantive Change Substantive change is a significant modification or expansion in the nature and score of an accredited institution. Under federal regulations, substantive change includes a number of changes to be addressed via the change report form. The types of substantive change and the procedures for addressing them appropriately may be found in Substantive Change for SACSCOC Accredited Institution document (http://sacscoc.org/pdf/081705/substantivechange.pdf). Each department/program must review and address the following items: Any change in the established mission or objectives of the institution Any change in legal status, form of control, or ownership of the institution 2 Footnote: http://internal.sanjac.edu/node/5902 22
IV. Appendix: Resources for Curriculum Proposals 23
Considerations for Curriculum Proposals Among the considerations that are to be weighed by the curriculum task force and curriculum steering committee in acting on proposals are the following: General Questions Are the proposals consistent with the college s stated or implied mission and goals? Are the courses suitable for a community college credit course? Is the course in Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM)? If no, will it be a Unique Need course? Have the proposals been duly considered and debated at the campus level and district-wide? What steps (e.g., published minutes) have been taken to assure that this has been accomplished? Are the proposals supported with suitable or required documentation (e.g., transferable per the Texas Common Course Numbering System)? Will the proposed courses transfer as core curriculum or elective courses? Is the content of the proposed courses of college-level rigor and at the lower division (i.e., freshman- or sophomore-level)? Has the curriculum task force determined which methods(s) of delivery are appropriate for this course (e.g., online, online partial, and online/classroom, or face-to-face)? What is the projected enrollment? Will the new courses result in an unjustified spreading of enrollment among more classes than would otherwise be needed with an attendant increase in cost? Will the new courses constitute course duplication? If yes, what is the value/justification for this course? Have all applicable regulations and especially those from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board been reviewed? Are the proposals consistent with those regulations? Are there lab fees or incidental fees? Are they appropriate? Do they meet guidelines? Is the short title for the course appropriate and descriptive? Have prerequisites and co-requisites been identified? 24
Questions specific to Core Curriculum Courses: Have the core objectives been identified? Has the foundation component area been identified? Have SJC general education outcomes and student learning outcomes been included in the syllabus? Has a common assignment been developed? Does the common assignment align with the LEAP VALUE rubric(s)? Questions specific to Unique Need courses: Will it transfer and count toward the general education or major requirements for a degree at two regional universities? (Courses that transfer only as elective credit are not eligible for Unique Need status). Is justification of need provided? Is transferability fully documented by a letter from five upper-level institutions and five community colleges accepting the course for transfer credit? (Each letter must specify course prefixes, titles, semester hours, and how the course will apply toward a specific degree). Is the course part of a 2+2 or other special transfer agreement? (If so, please include the agreement in the proposal). Is it an academic course or a community service, leisure or vocational course? (Community service, leisure and vocational courses do not qualify as Unique Need courses.) Have student learning outcomes, course description, and course syllabi been provided? Questions specific to Curriculum Steering Committee Will additional facilities be required for the proposed course (e.g., new or additional labs or classroom space? Will additional faculty or staff be required for the proposed course? What will the start-up costs be? What will the on-going costs be? Will outside funding be made available for additional costs? Will this course affect other courses/programs? If so, how? Will this course be offered on all campuses? 25