Memorandum to Presidents 01/1

State University of New York Memorandum to Presidents 



Date: January 3, 2001 Vol. 01 No. 1 



From: Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs 



Subject: 2001 Guidelines for the Submission of Undergraduate Academic Program Proposals 



To: Presidents, State University of New York 



Effective February 1, 2001, the attached 2001 Guidelines for the Submission of Undergraduate Academic Program Proposals will apply to all State University campuses for proposed new programs at all undergraduate award levels. These revised Guidelines supercede the Guidelines issued as Memorandum to Presidents, Vol. 96 No. 1. Program Announcements and Program Proposals begun under the 1996 procedures remain governed by that process. 



The 2001 Guidelines are a result of the State University’s Mission Review process in that they recognize campus mission, academic planning, quality enhancement and continuous assessment, as well as the need for System to facilitate campus introduction of new academic programs. 



Noteworthy features of the 2001 Guidelines include: 



  the establishment of clear criteria for the expedited review for all programs; 



  implementation of an internal process for streamlining the Program Proposal review process, including reducing the number of possible review decisions from seven to three; 



  consistency with current efforts at the State Education Department to streamline its process for program registration. A thoughtful preparation of materials under the 2001 Guidelines will meet SED’s revised requirements; 



  the resolution of questions related to the mission appropriateness at the Program Announcement stage, as well as the use of e- mail for the announcement, with System Administration responsible for its electronic distribution; 



  simplification of the Program Proposal form with tables for curriculum, faculty, and resources; 



  the requirement for external review for all new baccalaureate programs, with the possibility of a waiver for campuses with highly developed campus faculty governance and program resources already in place; 



  the establishment of an electronic address for the Program Review and Planning Group (program. review@ sysadm. suny. edu) to improve communication, and the regular (weekly and monthly) sharing of program announcements, news, updates, information, and decisions through e- mail broadcasts and by posts on the Office of the Provost webpage (www. sysadm. suny. edu/ provost/ programreview/); and a comprehensive handbook, with guidance to campuses on the various forms and compliance with SED regulations. 



2 Greater accountability of the Program Review and Planning Group to campuses is assured by the establishment of clear goals for the timely completion of its work, including: 



  the study of Program Announcements within 30 days of the date when the announcement is received; and 



  the review of complete Program Proposals that qualify for fast- track review within 30 days of the date when the proposal is received, and complete, non- expedited, proposals within 60 days. 



Our efforts this past year to refine the process have been grounded by the good counsel of an advisory committee of State University academic officers and our colleagues in the State Education Department’s Division of College and University Evaluation, to whom I am grateful. 



If there are any questions about this document or process, please don’t hesitate to contact me or Dr. Donald Steven, Associate Provost, Office of Academic Affairs, at (518) 443- 5663 or stevendo@ sysadm. edu. 



Peter D. Salins Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs 



Enclosures Copy: Chief Academic Officers, State University of New York This memorandum addressed to: 



Presidents, State- operated Campuses Presidents, Community Colleges Deans, Statutory Colleges 



Copies for information only to: President Edmondson Provost Martin