Office of the Provost

Programmatic Waiver Request Template

State University General Education Requirement (SUNY-GER)
Instructions: Programmatic Waiver Request Template

Waivers from a portion of the SUNY-GER may be granted on a programmatic basis when it is demonstrated that fulfillment of the SUNY-GER would extend students’ time-to-degree beyond eight semesters of full-time study or the equivalent.  It is normally expected that programs for which a waiver is granted will have highly prescriptive degree requirements due to accreditation or other relevant and demonstrable professional standards.

Use the format set out on the following page when requesting a partial waiver for a degree program or programs from the SUNY-GER.  Instructions/examples are provided in boldface.  Use as much space as appropriate to provide the requested information.  This document is not a form, but you may find it convenient to use it to create a template for your submissions.

Electronic submissions are requested.  They should be submitted in RTF or Word (Windows) format to gened@sysadm.suny.edu.

Any questions about a program’s suitability for a waiver will normally be conveyed within 30 days of receipt by the Provost’s Office.  Campuses shall refrain from publicizing a programmatic waiver before receiving confirmation from the Provost’s Office.  Requests for expedited processing should be made at the time of submission.

 May 2010

State University General Education Requirement (SUNY-GER)
Programmatic Waiver Request Template

I.  Campus.

[Campus name.]

II.  Campus Contact Person.

[Name, relevant title, phone & fax, email]

III.  Program Identification

[Title/Award/SED program code.  E.g., “Electrical Engineering, B.E., #12345.”  The SED program code may be accessed via the online Inventory of Registered Programs at www.nysed.gov/heds/IRPSL1.html.]

IV.  Curriculum

A.  Semester-by-Semester Breakdown

[Provide in tabular format a breakdown by semester of coursework that would typically be taken to complete the program in eight full-time semesters.]

B.  Curriculum Requirements

[Paste in or include as a separate attachment the catalog copy of program requirements.]

V.  Waiver Requested

[Specify the portion of the SUNY-GER from which students graduating from the program would be waived.  Examples might include:

• “Any two of the ten subject categories”
• “Foreign Language and Other World Civilizations”
• “Substitute a course in International Studies for a Foreign Language”]

VI.  Rationale for the Waiver

[Describe the need for the waiver in terms of criteria described on the “Instructions” page—i.e., time-to-degree, accreditation and other relevant professional standards, vel sim.  A persuasive rationale will derive demonstrable support from the curricular information provided in IV.A-B.]