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Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) offers a wide variety of educational programs for which academic
credit is awarded. Programs are approved by faculty and administration through guidelines established at the local
level as well as by Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). These guidelines are clearly presented
in the 2006-2007 Curriculum and Rules Development and
Program Approval Process Manual [1]
and through BSCTC's
local approval process [2].
This approval process is in accordance with KCTCS Board of Regents Policy
4.11 Policy on Program Approval [3]
and includes oversight by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education as outlined in the Kentucky Revised Statutes
(KRS) 164.020 Powers and duties of council [4].
The role of the faculty in the curriculum development process is clearly defined. Faculty who wish to create courses, to
make changes in existing courses, or to create new programs are responsible for following the approved process.
Faculty will initiate the curriculum change based on recommendations by advisory committees, community or industry needs,
or other relevant factors. They must also provide documentation of support for the change from faculty within the discipline.
The documentation is forwarded to the Provost's office. The Provost will then forward the documentation to the local
curriculum review committee (CRC). The local CRC is composed of elected members of the College and the Chair of the
CRC is a member of the statewide Curriculum Review Committee. The local CRC seeks input from faculty. If the local CRC
does not recommend the proposal, then all paperwork is returned to the submitting faculty with an explanation concerning
the decision. If the CRC recommends the change, the proposal is then forwarded by the Provost to the President of the College.
The President endorses the proposal which is given back to the Provost. The Provost will then forward the proposal to the
System Chancellor's office. Once the proposal is at the System level, it will be reviewed by the statewide CRC
committee and KCTCS council, which serve as peer review and advisory bodies. The curriculum proposal is returned to the
College for approval by majority of faculty within the
discipline
[1]
[2]
[5].
The process for the approval of ENG 282, International Films Studies, began with initiation by local
English faculty [6],
followed by local review and approval by local CRC on October 18, 2006
[7].
After notification, the Chancellor's Office initiated peer review through System CRC and ended with Senate Council on
December 13, 2006 [8].
Feedback was sent to the college to conclude approval process. The course will be implemented in Fall 2007.
For a new program, the Program Curriculum Committee will convene. The curriculum needs will be identified and a single proposal
will be formulated. This proposal will be sent to the college's Chief Academic Officer (CAO) for local review. If
recommended by the CAO, the proposal will go through the local college approval process
(same as curriculum process described above) with feedback provided to the Program Curriculum Committee.
The Program Curriculum Committee will continue to receive peer review comments. Next the proposal is forwarded to the
Chancellor's Office and from there to the System CRC. The proposal will then go to the Senate Council. From the
Senate Council, the proposal will be sent to the CAO for local college approval. The college approval process will involve
faculty from the discipline area. Following local approval, the proposal is sent to the Chancellor's Office and then to the
KCTCS President. From the President's office the proposal is sent to the Board of Regents for
approval [1]
[2]
[5].
At the present time, BSCTC has not submitted any requests for new programs.
Faculty are responsible for providing programs of study that relate to the College's strategic goals of promoting
excellence in teaching and learning, increasing student access and success, expanding diversity and global awareness,
and expanding the economic development of communities and the
Commonwealth [9].
Faculty maintain oversight of educational programs through program reviews, analyses of completers, placements of graduates,
employer surveys, and committee memberships at local and state levels.
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