Policy: Curriculum Review & Development

Document Number: 1.004
Title: Curriculum Review & Development
Effective Date: 06/13/2024
Revised Date: 08/08/2024

Policy Statement

Under the authority of the Louisiana Board of Regents (BoR), the Board of Supervisors for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (BoS, LCTCS), and the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for River Parishes Community College (RPCC), the faculty of RPCC has the responsibility for establishing, reviewing, maintaining, and revising the College Curriculum and assuring that it is consistent with curriculum-related policies of the BoR and LCTCS and the Mission of the College.  As a member institution of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), RPCC is committed to adhering to its curriculum-related standards, guidelines, and policies. 

Policy Scope and Rationale 

This policy applies to courses and programs for which students earn academic credit upon successful completion.  Development of courses and programs is the joint responsibility of RPCC faculty and administrators based on the needs of and input from RPCC stakeholders.  RPCC’ Curriculum Committee is responsible for reviewing the existing curriculum and evaluating proposed changes, including but not limited to the addition, modification, and deletion/termination of courses and programs.  The Curriculum Committee may also assist in the review and approval of student learning outcomes for General Education and for programs. 

The RPCC Curriculum Committee is charged with representing the faculty at-large in the review of the existing curriculum and the evaluation of proposed curriculum changes. The Committee reports its recommendations to the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. 

Final approval authority for course-level actions is granted by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.  The LCTCS Board of Supervisors approvals all program additions and terminations as well as modifications reaching the reporting threshold and requests for authorization to offer programs via electronic or distance delivery.  The Louisiana Board of Regents has final approval authority for awards for which General Education coursework is required.  Notification of or approval from SACSCOC is required for program actions outside the existing scope of RPCC’s accreditation at the time of the proposed action.  The Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs is responsible for attaining approval at the state level and from SACSCOC, as needed, and ensuring the accurate reflection of RPCC’s programs on the College’s Program Participation Agreement (PPA) with the United States Department of Education. 

Addition of a new program may not be advertised, formally or informally, until approved by the RPCC Curriculum Committee, the LCTCS Board of Supervisors, the Louisiana Board of Regents, and SACSCOC (as appropriate). 

The specific procedures and responsibilities for developing RPCC’s curriculum are described in the RPCC Handbook for Curriculum Development.   

Policy Implementation 

Curriculum Committee Membership: The Curriculum Committee consists of seven full-time faculty members, all appointed by the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. The five members will be representative of the breadth of disciplines at RPCC. The appointed faculty members are voting members. Representatives from the Library, the Admissions/Orientation/Advising Office, the Registrars’ Office, and the Financial Aid Office, serve ex-officio, as non-voting members.  The Director of Curriculum and Assessment, a full-time staff member of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, serves as the ex officio proxy for the Vice Chancellor, organizes proposals for the Committee’s meetings and serves as Chair. The Chair is responsible for ensuring that procedures are followed during meetings. 

Submitting Proposals to the Curriculum Committee: All proposals for the addition, modification, or deletion of courses and programs must be submitted for consideration to the Director of Curriculum and Assessment at least two weeks prior to the Curriculum Committee meeting. Proposals should be emailed to the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs by the Dean of the division from which the proposed action(s) originate and copied to the Director of Curriculum and Assessment.  

Notifications to the College Community: The Curriculum Committee agenda and all supporting attachments will be made available to the College community at least 24 hours prior to each Curriculum Committee Meeting via email. Actions taken by the Curriculum Committee will be documented in minutes for each meeting and published on the Faculty intranet within two weeks of approval of the minutes at the next scheduled meeting. 

Curriculum Committee Meetings: The Curriculum Committee meets at least two times each fall semester (in September and November) and spring semester (in February and April). Specific dates will be published on the RPCC Faculty intranet. 

• All meetings are open to faculty, students, and staff. Non-members may address the Committee in support of, or opposition to, any matter being considered.  
• When a proposal is to be considered, the Division/Department in which the proposal originates is required to send a representative(s) to the meeting to explain the proposal. A maximum of three (3) representatives is permitted per proposal. Should no representative appear, the item will be tabled.   
• Each proposed action is introduced, debated and/or a motion is made and seconded, discussed, and subjected to vote by the Committee.  A proposal may be tabled, approved, approved with modification(s), or not approved.  Proposals approved by the Committee are prepared for review by the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs; tabled or unapproved actions are returned to the Dean of the division from which the proposal originated for modification and/or correction(s), as needed. 

Policy Exceptions 

Course-level changes that do not require changes to the College’s Student Information System (SIS), Banner, may be submitted to the Director of Curriculum and Assessment for review, who will engage appropriate faculty and staff in the review and submit the proposed action to the Vice Chancelor for Academic Affairs.  The Curriculum Committee will review such preapprovals at their next regularly scheduled meeting. 

The Curriculum Committee may be asked to meet and review proposals at times other than their scheduled meetings when the proposed actions are required for meeting the requirements of the state, accrediting agency, or federal government (e.g., Veteran’s Affairs, Financial Aid).  The Committee will not be asked to meet and review proposals submitted after the deadline for the final meeting of the academic year that are not linked to requirements of the state, accrediting agency, or federal government.