Manual for the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) is a Committee of the Council of Rhode Island College and as such is subject to all the requirements and regulations of Council committees that apply. 

1.1 Article on General Provisions Regarding Council Committees

Unless otherwise specified herein, the following provisions shall regulate the conduct and the execution of business of each committee constituted and empowered under the Charter:
a.    Unless a by-law governing a particular committee explicitly provides for a Council committee to take final action on a matter, Council committees serve in an advisory capacity to Council or to the President, or both.
b.    A quorum of each committee shall be a majority of the voting members of that committee.
c.    In those articles where the election of a committee chair is not provided for, the Committee on Committees shall appoint the chair.
d.    Each committee shall meet at least one time during each academic semester and as many times thereafter as shall be necessary and appropriate to execute its charge. A copy of each of the minutes of the committee meetings shall be forwarded to the Executive Committee when distributed.
e.    Each committee shall submit to Council a report of its activities at least once each year. Said report is to be placed and maintained in the Council's public file. Other reports may be requested by Council. If a committee makes a report to any authority other than Council, a copy shall be furnished to Council. Any significant departure from existing policy or normal procedure shall be reported to Council promptly, in advance if possible. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply to all committees defined as being under the jurisdiction of Council.
f.    The by-law governing a particular committee and the foregoing general provisions (a through e above) governing all committees shall take effect for a particular committee when the Executive Committee certifies that it is appropriate for the committee to be governed by them.

1.2 Article on Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (XIV in the By-Laws)

A. Powers and Duties
The Committee shall:
1.    Be responsible for the approval and oversight of all aspects of the undergraduate curricula, including honors programs and general education. Implementation of UCC decisions is subject to action by the Provost/Vice President and the President of the College.
2.    Initiate study of new curricula or changes in curricula, and consider suggestions for curriculum development from the administration, divisions, departments, programs, individual faculty members, and students. The Committee shall consult faculty concerned with particular curriculum proposals under consideration.
3.    Meet at least once a month during the academic year. Any faculty member may attend any meeting. Except in emergencies specified in the call of the meeting, an agenda shall be published on the UCC website prior to each meeting.
4.    Meet whenever necessary to review and evaluate the curriculum in general, to consider important problems and deficiencies in the curriculum, and to discuss its major goals and directions. Such meetings may be conducted largely under suspension of rules and without a formal agenda of specific proposals.
5.    Publish on the UCC website the recorded minutes of each meeting.
6.    Publish on the UCC website the decisions of the Committee and subsequent actions taken on these decisions, and list proposals that remain on the calendar.

B. Membership  (Revised and Approved 3/8/2024)

The Committee shall consist of 20 members:

1. Two FAS faculty members from Art; Communication; and Music, Theatre, and Dance.

2. Two FAS faculty members from English, History, Modern Languages and Philosophy.

3. Two FAS faculty members from Anthropology, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.

4. Two FAS faculty members from Biology, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Science.

5. Two faculty members from the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development.

6. Two faculty members from the School of Business.

7. One faculty member from the Onanian School of Nursing.

8. One faculty member from the School of Social Work.

9. The Chair of COGE.

10. Two undergraduate students appointed annually by SCG by the end of the first three weeks of class during the Fall semester. Appointments not made by that deadline may be made by the Dean of Students. Appointments are subject to ratification by Student Parliament.

11. The Provost/Vice President shall serve in a non-voting capacity.

12. The Dean or Associate Dean of FAS.

13. One member appointed from among academic Deans and Associate Deans from Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, School of Business, Onanian School of Nursing, or School of Social Work by the Provost/Vice President.

C. Elections and Officers
1.    The elected members of the Committee shall serve for two-year staggered terms, so that approximately half of the committee will be replaced each year. No more than one elected member from any department may sit on the Committee at the same time.
2.    The Election of members of the Committee shall be conducted by the Elections Committee and shall take place in April of each year.
3.    The Chair of the Committee shall be selected each May by the Committee-Elect from among its members.
 

2.1 The Organizational Position of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

On most matters within the UCC's jurisdiction, the by-law delegates to the UCC the power to make decisions without referring back to the Council of Rhode Island College, subject to approval by the Provost/Vice President and the President of the College. In cases of new programs that were not included in previously authorized functions of the College, approval by the OPC is required.

2.2 The Responsibilities of Members

As specified in the By-Laws, the UCC consists of 14 faculty members, the Chair of the Committee on General Education, three members of the administration, and two undergraduate students. All members, aside from Provost/Vice President who is non-voting, have an equal vote.
It is the responsibility of each member of the UCC to exercise their best judgment as to the good of the College's programs as a whole, even though the member is chosen by, or on behalf of, a particular constituency.

The principal exercise of this judgment is in the discussion and voting in the meetings. Experience shows that in order to exercise this judgment well, members need to "do their homework" - to read and digest before the meeting the materials distributed for consideration. Discussion in the meeting may bring out aspects not clear in the proposal or alternative ways of accomplishing the desired result. Members should try to contribute to this in appropriate cases. At times, members are needed for subcommittees or special studies.

Members also have a liaison function, both with the College community as a whole and especially with their own constituency. This includes answering questions, alerting appropriate persons to matters of interest to them, and helping preparers of proposals who are unfamiliar with UCC procedures.

2.3 The Responsibilities of Officers (Revised and Approved 4/21/2023)

The officers of the UCC consist of the Chair, the Secretary, and the Executive Committee elected annually from and by the membership of the UCC.

The Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee has the following responsibilities:

1.    Receive proposals and check for completeness.
2.    Assign document numbers for proposals received, and record reception dates
3.    Inform the preparer of proposals that they have been received.
4.    Prepare and publish the agenda for each meeting.
5.    Convene and conduct the regular monthly (and any special) meetings of the UCC according to the rules of order.
6.    Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the UCC; convene and chair the Executive Committee.
7.    Publish for the College community all meeting dates of the UCC, of the Executive Committee's deadlines for submission of proposals, and of UCC actions.
8.    Forward the UCC’s recommendations to the Provost/Vice President and to the President. If recommendations are approved by the Provost/Vice President and the President, the date of approval will be noted on the UCC website and those affected will be notified. All proposals should contain accurate copy for catalog additions, deletions, and/or revisions.
9.    Ensure that minutes of meetings are recorded and published on the website.
10.   Act as Corresponding Secretary for the UCC.
11.    Communicate with the preparer of a proposal about the reasons for committee action in the event that a proposal is rejected or referred back to the preparer.
12.    Appoint members to any subcommittees or ad hoc committees.
13.     Inform subcommittee chairs, directors, and deans of reporting requirements.
14.   Keep the UCC manual up to date.
15.    Ensure that the Elections Committee, or the appropriate nominating body is notified of any upcoming openings on the UCC.
16.    Others as required.

The Secretary of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee has the following responsibilities: 

1.    Prepare the minutes of each UCC meeting. (Minutes must include revisions and/or amendments to proposals resulting from action taken by the UCC so that an accurate record of this action is available.)
2.    Keep records of attendance by committee members. Names of members with more than three unexcused absences shall be referred to the Executive Committee of the Council of Rhode Island College for appropriate action.
3.    Serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the UCC.

The Executive Committee of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee shall include the Chair, the Secretary, the Provost/Vice President, and two faculty elected from and by the membership. The election of these officers is to be held in the May meeting at the close of the academic year to facilitate transition. The officers and members of the Executive Committee take office at the start of the next academic year. The Executive Committee of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee have the following responsibilities: 

1.    Meet with the Chair of the UCC at least ten days prior to any scheduled meeting of the UCC to set the agenda and plan procedural steps for the upcoming meeting.
2.    Screen documents submitted to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for clarity, completeness, and correctness, as well as contradictions to policy and/or practice of the UCC and the College.
3.    Recommend "return to sender" actions for documents that need major revisions in order to meet above requirements. It is the policy of the committee that documents returned for revision must come to the Executive Committee a second time for a second screening.
4.    Make amendments for those documents that need only minor alteration so these documents may proceed to action of the UCC with the agreement of the proposer, without return to sender and a second screen. Members of the Executive Committee shall make the determination of minor or major revisions.
5.    Identify substantive curricular and/or policy issues that are explicit or implicit in proposals received by the UCC, and prepare statements identifying these issues, and (possibly) make recommendation for action to be considered by the UCC.
6.    Prepare recommendations and/or proposals for revisions, additions, and/or deletions of policy, procedures, and/or practice of the UCC.
7.    Assist the Chair of the UCC regarding committee policy, procedure, or practice of the UCC as its policy, procedure, or practice extends beyond the committee to other committees and/or segments of the College.
8.    Call attention to and raise discussion of issues regarding policy, procedure, and practice of the College and/or the governing and legislative bodies beyond the College that have curricular relevance.
9.    Assist and advise the Chair of the UCC in the execution of his/her responsibilities.
10.    Others as needed.

2.4 The Jurisdiction of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

The UCC is responsible for approving undergraduate curricula, including program requirements, program retention requirements, addition of new courses, course descriptions, course credits, and honors programs - but not grade index requirements for graduation, nor most administrative arrangements. The responsibility of the UCC is generally exercised by acting on proposals sent to the Committee.

The Committee also has responsibility for initiating study of new curricula or changes in curricula and for considering suggestions for curriculum development. In some cases, initiative may come from the Committee on the Mission and Goals of the College. 

Note: Implementation of UCC decisions is subject to action by the Provost/Vice President and the President of the College.

2.5 The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee's Relationship to Other Bodies (Revised 5/13/2022)

The UCC is established by a By-Law of the Council of Rhode Island College but most actions of the Committee do not require reference to the Council. 

The number of credits each student receives for a course is specified by UCC action. Faculty load credits for instruction are determined in accordance with the collective bargaining contract. The grading system to be used for a course is determined by the specific department subject to the approval of the UCC.

The UCC sets curriculum requirements and general policies. The Academic Standing Committee has jurisdiction over requests by individual students for exceptions in individual cases because of special circumstances.

The Committee on Student-Designed Majors has authority to approve ad hoc designs of majors for individual students. The Committee should establish criteria and procedures for the development of individually designed majors and will submit an annual report of their activity each May to the UCC.

The Writing Board is charged with the responsibility "to coordinate writing across the curriculum (in an advisory capacity and as a forum for discussion of writing issues)." The Board offers professional development on matters of writing and pedagogy and administers the college’s Writing in the Disciplines program.

2.5.1 The Committee on Student-Designed Majors 

The Committee on Student-Designed Majors consists of 6 members:
•    One faculty member from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
•    One faculty member from the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development.
•    One faculty member from the School of Business.
•    One representative from the Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
•    One representative from the Office of the Dean of the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development.
•    One representative from the Office of the Dean of the School of Business.

Faculty members are appointed by the Chair of the UCC in consultation with the Executive Committee of the UCC and serve for two-year staggered terms. Representatives from the Office of the Dean and Director are appointed by the Deans or Directors and serve at the pleasure of the Dean or Directors. The Chair of this committee is the representative from the Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

2.5.2 The Committee on General Education (COGE) (Revised and Approved 5/12/2023)

The COGE consists of 18 persons ex officio or appointed by the Executive Committee of the UCC before 1 July for two-year staggered terms according to the following constituencies:
•    One member to represent the Literature Distribution. 
•    One member to represent the History Distribution.
•    One member to represent the Social/Behavioral Sciences Distribution.
•    One member to represent the Visual and Performing Arts Distribution.
•    One member to represent the Mathematics Distribution.
•    One member to represent the Natural Science Distribution
•    One member from each of the schools of Nursing, Social Work, Education, and Business.
•    One student appointed by the President of Student Parliament.
•    Provost/Vice President (or designee).
•    Dean of Faculty of Arts and Sciences (or designee).
•    Associate Dean of Faculty of Arts and Sciences 
•    Coordinator of First Year Seminars
•    Representative for the Language requirement.
•    Director of Writing (or designee).
•    One member from the Adams Library faculty.

No department may represent more than one of the distribution categories in any single year. The terms of faculty members shall be for two years. Appointments of faculty members shall be staggered to allow continuity in membership. The term of the student member shall be for one year. All appointments to COGE may be renewed.

The Chair of COGE will be a faculty member appointed by the Provost/Vice President and the Chair (outgoing) of the UCC. The Chair of COGE will normally serve for a two-year term. The Chair of COGE will serve on the UCC. The Chair of COGE will have program responsibility (except for specialized accommodations as waiving and substituting courses, transfer courses and credits, which are the responsibility of the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences) and receive appropriate load credit and necessary support (clerical, financial, and other as needed).

The Executive Committee of the Committee on General Education shall include the Chair, the Dean of FAS (or designee), and two faculty elected from and by the committee membership. The election of these officers is to be held at the first meeting of each academic year. The Executive Committee of COGE have the following responsibilities:

1.    When required, to meet with the Chair of COGE at least ten days prior to any scheduled meeting of COGE to set the agenda and plan procedural steps for the upcoming meeting.

2.    Screen documents submitted to COGE for clarity, completeness, and correctness, as well as contradictions to policy and/or practice of COGE, the UCC and the College.

3.    Recommend “return to sender” actions for documents that need major revisions in order to meet above requirements. It is the policy of the committee that documents returned for major revision must come to the Executive Committee a second time for a second screening.

4.    Make amendments for those documents that need only minor alteration so these documents may proceed to action of COGE with the agreement of the proposer, without return to sender and a second screen. Members of the Executive Committee shall make the determination of minor or major revisions.

5.    Identify substantive curricular and/or policy issues related to General Education that are explicit or implicit in proposals received by COGE, and prepare statements identifying these issues, and (possibly) make recommendation for action to be considered by COGE.

6.    Prepare recommendations and/or proposals for revisions, additions, and/or deletions of policy, procedures, and/or practice of COGE.

7.    Call attention to and raise discussion of issues regarding policy, procedure, and practice of the College and/or the governing and legislative bodies beyond the College that have curricular relevance for General Education at the College.
8.    Others as needed.

2.5.3 The Writing Board (Revised and Approved 5/13/2022)

The Writing Board consists of 11 persons. The ex officio members are
•    The Director of Writing 
•    The Director of the Writing Center
•    The Director of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning

Rotating members of the Writing Board appointed by the Executive Committee of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee are:
•    Three faculty members from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, at least one of which is from Math/Science.
•    One faculty member from the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development
•    One faculty member from the School of Social Work
•    One faculty member from the School of Business
•    One faculty member from the School of Nursing
•    One faculty member from Adams Library

The rotating members of the Writing Board serve for two years in staggered, renewable terms beginning 1 July. The Chairperson is selected from among these faculty members by the members for a two-year, renewable term.

The Chair of the Writing Board serves as the contact person for the various constituencies responsible for writing and writing instruction on campus, to provide a coherent vision about writing and writing instruction across the college. The Chair shall serve ex officio on the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning Advisory Board and receive appropriate load credit.

2.6 Reports from other committees and specific individuals (Revised and Approved 5/13/2022)

The Chair of the UCC is responsible for assuring that reports are presented in a timely fashion.
•    The Chair of the Committee on General Education (COGE) reports to the UCC at monthly meetings and presents an annual report in May.
•    The Chair of the Committee on Student-Designed Majors presents an annual report in May.
•    The Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs presents an annual report in May on what Transfer Minors have been offered and granted during the previous academic year.
•    The Chair of the Writing Board presents an annual report in May.
•    Director of Honors presents an annual report in May.
•    When appropriate, the Dean of the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Dean of the School of Social Work, the Dean of the School of Business, the Dean of Social Work and the Dean of Nursing report in April of each year on X5O, X60 and X8O courses that have been offered for more than three semesters.

In writing reports, the subcommittees of the UCC should follow the format found in the Appendix of this manual.

3.1 Meetings

Meetings of the UCC are regularly scheduled for the third week of each month from September through May, except when this conflicts with vacations, convocations, etc. These meetings usually last about two hours.
Extra meetings may be scheduled by the committee or called by the Chair of the UCC in an emergency. 
It is urged that all members attend meetings to give their information and insights and to assure the representation of their constituency. Substitutes and proxy votes are not authorized. Though the Committee is usually willing to listen to remarks by someone speaking for an absentee, it is urged that members be present by the scheduled starting time to avoid delay for lack of a quorum.
The By-Law gives any faculty member the right to attend meetings, and this is generally extended to all members of the College community. This does not confer to all members of the College community the right to speak, but the committee usually will hear any remarks that would contribute to an understanding of the issues. It is expected that the originator of a proposal, or someone who can speak for him/her, will be present in case committee members wish to ask questions. Lack of such representation is often cause for postponing consideration of a proposal.

3.2 Agendas

The By-Law provides that the Chair of the UCC prepare an agenda according to Robert's Rules of Order. A typical agenda for a regular meeting includes
•    Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting.
•    Report of the Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
•    Reports from COGE and any other committees who need to report.
•    Old business.
•    New business.
Proposals are not placed on the agenda until the Executive Committee reviews them, and all the necessary signatures have been collected and handed in. The meeting times for the Executive Committee are published each September. Proposals for each meeting should be sent to the Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee before noon on the first Friday of that month (two weeks before the full committee meeting). Copies of the agenda and documents to be considered are published on the UCC website prior to the meeting of the UCC.

3.3 Conduct of Meetings

Meetings of the UCC are conducted under Robert's Rules of Order, except when modified by action of the committee.
Accordingly, most of the business of the meetings is conducted by voting on motions made and seconded by any members of the committee. Occasionally, other procedures (such as straw votes on several alternatives) may be used. On some matters, general consent is often requested and received as a way of expediting the business, but major motions are usually voted on, even if not in doubt.
Voting is normally by show of hands, with the secretary recording the number of ayes, nays, and expressed abstentions. Voice votes may be used if the outcome appears to be almost unanimous. If the chair cannot tell the outcome of a voice vote, a show of hands is requested. A member can refrain from responding to any of these categories. Individual votes are not recorded, except in the case of a specific request. A secret ballot could be asked for in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order and in the election of officers. Substitute and proxy votes are not authorized.

3.4 Distribution of Materials

Documents are made available in advance of the meeting so that committee members will have a chance to study the material and perhaps seek further information. These will be uploaded to the UCC website.
Minutes of the meetings (once they have been approved by the Committee) and reports of the committee's actions, will be published on the UCC website. 
An Action Form is completed by the Chair to report each UCC action and/or recommendation to the Office of the Provost/Vice President and to the Office of the President and all other persons who must know the action of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. (See the Appendix - Action Forms.)

3.5 Deleting Courses from the Catalog  (Revised 3/19/2021)

The UCC has the following course deletion policy based on the NECHE requirement that the college catalog should not list as current any courses not taught for two consecutive years that will not be taught during the third consecutive year:
1.    Annually, at the beginning of September, the Chair of the UCC will request from the Director of the Registrar's Office a report indicating which courses listed in the College Catalog have not been taught for two or more calendar years, and the last semester the course was taught. This report will be shared with the academic deans/director and members of the UCC.
2.    The appropriate academic dean will notify appropriate department chairs/program directors of the courses that have not been taught for two or more years and are subject to deletion.
3.    The department chair/program director has eight weeks within which to object to the deletion of the course(s) and to supply an appropriate rationale as to why the course(s) should not be deleted. If the course will be offered in the upcoming year then it need not be deleted. If the department chair/program director does not communicate with the academic dean in this regard, the academic dean will notify the Chair of the UCC of their sole recommendation regarding deletion of the course(s).
4.    If the academic dean is notified that the department chair/program director objects to the deletion of a course(s), the two will discuss the situation and attempt to arrive at a mutually agreeable recommendation. If they agree, the academic dean will notify the Chair of the UCC of their joint recommendation.
5.    If the two cannot arrive at a mutually agreeable recommendation, the academic dean will notify the Chair of the UCC of the two opposing recommendations.
6.    Decisions for permanent exemption from this deletion policy and procedure can be granted only by the UCC upon recommendation of the academic dean. A list will be maintained on the UCC website.
7.    All recommendations must be submitted to the Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee by the first Friday in December. The Chair will place on the agenda of the December meeting of the UCC a proposal regarding the deletion of courses not taught for two or more calendar years and the recommendations regarding deletion of these courses. If the decision is to delete the course, the Chair of the UCC will submit an Action Form for approval by the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs and the President. All action sheets will be available to view on the UCC website.

The course deletion policy will be in effect upon approval of the UCC and supersedes all other policies or procedures in regard to deletion of courses. All other course deletions shall be accomplished through the process of submitting a course revision form.
 

4.1 Types of Proposals (Updated 5/24/2023)
This chapter is concerned mainly with proposals for new or revised undergraduate programs, including majors, minors, and concentrations, as well as new courses or revisions of courses, such as changes in title, course prefix, number, credits, description, or prerequisites. Proposal originators must be full-time faculty at the college, and each proposal must be supported by a college department. There is now just one proposal form, containing parts A through G, and it is available for download on the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) website. It contains various instructions as screen tips (just hold your cursor over any blue highlighted words/phrases to read) that should be fully read before you fill it in. Only submit those parts that pertain to your proposal. All proposals require parts A and G, but most will only need a selection of B through E in addition to these, depending on what you plan to request. Delete from your document those sections that are not needed before submitting the proposal. The UCC looks at all proposals affecting 000 to 400-level courses, however, proposals affecting 400-level courses that are also offered as 500-level, must first be approved by the Graduate Committee before coming to the UCC. All proposals that affect only graduate programs and 500-600 level courses go through the Graduate Committee alone. Any questions: please e-mail the Chair of UCC at curriculum@ric.edu.

In some cases it is possible to combine related proposals onto a single form, such as when a course proposal also necessitates a program revision, or if you are making the same change to a group of courses, but, in general, each proposal needs its own form to ensure smooth passage. A single form can be used to make multiple changes to a single course (but if you are changing everything this should be presented as a new course rather than a revision). A single form may be used to make the same change to more than one course (for example, to make the same prerequisite change to two or three courses), so long as the rationale for each addition is given (in the case of there being different reasons). When making different changes to several courses, it is better to use separate forms for each course or it becomes too confusing for the reader. Bear in mind, if you combine different elements onto a single form and one of them should not be approved, then the whole proposal gets rejected. If the proposal is for a new program (sections E or F) then the proposal must follow guidelines described in RIOPC policies.

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee also receives proposals for policy statements, investigations, etc. either from individuals or from subcommittees. It is helpful to the Committee to have as specific a proposal as possible, particularly something that can easily be put in the form of a motion. An individual wishing to communicate with the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for any of these purposes should contact the Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee at curriculum@ric.edu.

4.2 Information About the Preparation of Proposals

Audience
Proposers should remember that the audience for the proposal, initially members of the UCC (but then students, advisors, Registrar's Office, and other administration) may not be experts in your field of study, so please pitch your explanation at a level appropriate for the readership, to whom it needs to make sense. A clear and compelling "curricular rationale" for why you are making this proposal is key and is the first thing the committee considers, so make sure this explains ALL the changes you intend and the reasons why you are making them, or a full explanation of why this new course/program should be created and will benefit the students and the college.

Filling Out the Form
Use the current form that is available on the UCC website and not an older version. It is a single form that has different parts, and the type of proposal will determine which of these parts you need to include. Delete whole sections (B, C, D, E, F) that have not been used. Follow the explanations given on the form directly as well as under various screen tips—the latter are indicated by blue highlighted words and phrases that create pop up text boxes when you hold your cursor over them. The proposal form is a Microsoft Word document (.docx). It is designed to be downloaded, completed electronically, then saved as a Word file and emailed to the Chair of the UCC at curriculum@ric.edu. Please do not convert to .pdf files as the Executive Committee needs to be able to write on these documents and make corrections, where appropriate. The Committee needs the electronic file, along with a separate single electronic file of its accompanying catalog copy (use a copy of the current catalog with tracked changes; Word files for this are available on the UCC Forms and Information page), as soon as possible, and you can send this in while still collecting signatures so you can get feedback should anything have been overlooked. We need to have a copy of the proposal with all of the required signatures, before your proposal can go before the UCC. We accept electronic signatures or confirmation of approval or acknowledgement e-mails sent to curriculum@ric.edu in place of this—the Chair of the UCC should have the approval signatures prior to the Executive UCC meeting for that month (see timetable on announcements page) so that we do not waste time looking over proposals that do not have the required approvals. Always double-check that numbers for program credits add up correctly if you have made any changes to course credits or program requirements. If making changes to a course that is used by other department programs outside of yours, be sure to note this on your proposal (A. 6) and get a signature from said department and their Dean if different from yours (they may need to make changes in the Academic Rhode Maps). Include relevant catalog copy that shows ALL the places your changes/additions need to be changed in the catalog (consider information lists of programs and where courses get listed in programs other than your own department’s). Make sure you note any website updates that will be needed (A. 11) or anything that might impact current transfer agreements (A. 12). For A. 13 check the list on the Forms and Information page of the UCC website for a list of proposals that may need to be approved by NECHE, and enter that expectation here, and contact Institutional Research for further guidance. Catalog copy needs to be without error (and should agree exactly with whatever was stated on the proposal—please double-check).

Make sure you complete all necessary responses, and only leave blank those parts that are irrelevant to your proposal (All parts of A.7 need completing, even if it is just a simple “none” and if A. 5 and 6 are left blank, then you may want to rethink why you are making this proposal if it will have no impact!!). On the flip side, don’t fill in sections that are irrelevant—for example, when making course revisions only include the old and new of those things you are changing (except for the course prefix and number that should be included to allow the committee to place the proposal). Where the form includes possible choices just delete the words in the boxes when they do not apply in order that the Committee can clearly focus on the details that are being changed. Do not use highlight to choose words (as when printed in black and white these do not show up) but delete the words you do not wish to use. Course learning outcomes are especially important for new courses, but also apply when making substantial revisions to a course. We do not need the full syllabus you would be giving a student—but a two-tier outline to convey a sense of what material/skills the course will include (make sure this is detailed enough to justify the number of course credits being requested).

Ensure you indicate enrollment numbers in the program proposal forms (E and F). This is so we have an idea of how many students will be affected by the proposal. Check with Institutional Research for advice if you need to furnish a CIP number (as well as if you answer YES to 8, 9, or 10. Make sure when revising programs that you include clear tables of the before and after in section 5 that clearly indicate to the committee what aspects of the program are being altered. If you have any questions just e-mail them to curriculum@ric.edu. All new programs need clear program goals.

Any suggested changes after the proposal has been read, including minor ones, will be reviewed with the originator/proposer before forms are sent to the UCC at large. Maintaining the proposal as a Word document allows it to be posted to the UCC web site, where all members of the college community may view proposals and track them through the approval process, and also allows for any needed future editing should there need to be friendly amendments.

Submission of Proposals
After completing your proposal, you should forward it to your department or program chair and your dean for approvals and signatures before submitting it to the UCC; if they do not all sign off then you should not be wasting the committee's time with the proposal. If proposals involve more than one department, department chairs and deans of all affected programs must acknowledge or approve and sign the proposal (see below for further guidelines on acknowledgements and approvals). While the Executive Committee will look at a proposal without the signature page, it will not be placed upon the agenda of the UCC until the Chair has a copy of the signature page with all of the necessary signatures. The agenda is typically published one week before the UCC's scheduled meeting. Proposals to revise anything within the General Education Program must be approved by the Committee on General Education before they are submitted to the UCC and need to be signed by ALL the Deans. Proposals which affect Graduate courses must be approved by the Graduate Committee and need to be signed by the Chair of that committee, before they are submitted to the UCC. The OPC must approve proposals for new programs and/or substantial revisions (more than 25%) of existing programs for Higher Education once they have passed through UCC. The UCC website will indicate when the necessary approvals have been made on its documents page, and the date on which the proposal, if passed, will go into effect. The originator will receive an e-mail confirmation once their proposal has reached final approval (along with other people who will need to know, such as the Directors of the Library, OASIS, and Records, the Chief Information Officer, Assistant Director of College Communications and Marketing, and the Office of Institutional Research).

To submit your proposal to the UCC, email the Word copy file of your completed form as an attachment (make sure you have the names and affiliations typed onto the signature sheet of those who will be signing before sending it out for those signatures). Only include those parts of the form that apply to your specific proposal (for example, if this is just a course revision, just delete sections E and F from the form). Please name the file to reflect the content of the proposal (eg. The number of the course being proposed or changed [such as ENGL261] or the discipline of the program [such as CHEMprog] and do not leave spaces in the name as these can cause problems during upload). Please send this single file and a single file covering the catalog changes, to the Chair of the UCC, at curriculum@ric.edu. Use this e-mail and not the Chair’s personal e-mail. Please follow the detailed instructions that appear on the "Forms and Information" section of the UCC website to create your catalog copy. On completing your proposal, please acquire all necessary signatures, as noted above, these can be collected electronically. If the Chair does not have all the signatures by the time of the UCC meeting, your proposal will be tabled. Dates of meetings and when proposals are due for each one are posted on the UCC website, but as a general guide, proposals need to be sent in three weeks ahead of the meeting at which you would like your proposal to be considered. This is to give the Executive Committee time to check them over before submitting them to the full committee.

The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the UCC examines proposals for completeness (which includes all necessary signatures) and conformity to committee policy. They then recommend or do not recommend that the proposal be placed on the agenda of the next UCC meeting. Failure to recommend placement on the agenda will mean that the proposal is returned to the originator for repairs or revision or consultation with other concerned elements of the College community. If a proposal is returned to the originator, the Chair of the UCC confers with the originator about needed revisions. If these problems are relatively minor and can be fixed in time, the Executive Committee may allow placement on the agenda for that month’s meeting. If the UCC finds further problems with the proposal during its meeting, there is also the possibility of friendly amendments to effect repairs on the floor. These, however, must be made by the representatives of the originator’s constituency or by a member of the Executive Committee, in consultation with the originator. Only members of the UCC may make motions to amend a document before the Committee.

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
The UCC receives proposals listed on its agenda, and after deliberation, approves, rejects, or tables a proposal. If a copy of the proposal, with all required signatures, has not been submitted to the Chair prior to this meeting, the proposal will be automatically tabled. It is recommended that the originator/proposer (or a representative) attend the UCC meeting at which their proposal is being discussed in order to be able to respond to any questions that may arise. If questions about the proposal cannot be resolved at the meeting, then it will need to be tabled to the next meeting. If a proposal is not approved by the UCC, it may be referred back to the originator with an explanation of the reasons for disapproval. The proposal may be revised and resubmitted. Once a proposal is approved, an Action Form (see Appendix II-A), which includes an explanation of the proposal, is completed by the Chair of the UCC. This is forwarded to the Provost/Vice President, who signs or does not sign the Action Form after checking it for content, and forwards it to the President who approves or rejects the action. Proposals that are rejected by the President are returned to the UCC for reconsideration, with an explanation of the reason for the rejection. Notice of approved proposals is sent to the originator. The UCC website shows the progress of any submitted proposal, including when the proposal has been forwarded from the Executive Committee to the UCC, when it has been approved or rejected by the UCC, the Provost/Vice President, the President, and, if necessary, the OPC, along with the date on which the proposal will go into effect. 
The action contained in a proposal becomes official only after presidential approval and, if needed, OPC approval or notification. Monthly lists of all actions approved by the UCC are also included on the UCC website.

Policy
It is the policy of the Chair of the UCC with the advice of the Executive Committee of the UCC to refuse to accept for agenda, proposals that are incomplete or that do not contain necessary information as outlined in the UCC Manual. It is the responsibility of the proposer to keep abreast of any changes in these requirements. The Executive Committee may ask for minor revisions. Revised proposals must be ready at least one week before the scheduled meeting of the UCC to give the committee time to read materials thoroughly prior to the meeting.

The Executive Committee may also suggest major revisions to a proposal or recommend that the proposal be withdrawn or reconsidered. These recommendations are made based on the consensus that the proposal would not be approved by the UCC as a whole. The proposer may decide to revise the proposal or elect to withdraw it entirely.

If your proposal will require any resources managed through Information Services, then the VP of Information Services must be informed prior to submitting the proposal to ensure that such resources will be available, and there should be a signature from the VP of Information Services on the form to reflect their approval of this. This action also should be noted on your proposal in the relevant section (A.7), where you are asked to describe the impact of the proposed change on college resources.

Once the Executive Committee forwards proposals to the UCC, the Chair will place them on the agenda of the Committee in chronological or logical order as received with other proposals. A proposal with interdepartmental or institutional concerns may be considered at one meeting with final action postponed until a subsequent meeting.

The UCC does not have jurisdiction over administrative arrangements for implementing approved proposals. Hence, any references in proposals to administrative arrangements are viewed solely as informational by the committee.

Additional Guidelines
Course numbering: If changing the number, or creating a new one, please check to make sure the number is not being used for another course, especially for a newly approved course that does not yet appear in the current catalog. Check for recent approvals that may not yet be in the catalog on the UCC website—the document names reflect abbreviations and numbers of courses/programs that are being proposed or revised. To help avoid confusion in transcripts and course repetition, the course number should not have been used for a course recently discontinued (in the past five years).

Course numbering system:

First digit: Indicates the level of the course.
•    0: These courses carry college credit in terms of the student’s credit total for the semester, but do not count toward graduation requirements, so courses numbered 000-099 are effectively non-credit courses.
•    1 or 2: Lower division undergraduate courses, primarily for first year students or sophomores. These are introductory and foundational knowledge courses normally taken in undergraduate students’ initial years at the college.
•    3 or 4: Upper-division undergraduate courses, usually taken by juniors or seniors. All must have a prerequisite—either other lower division courses, number of credits taken, or permission of department/program chair. Courses whose first digit is 4 may be taken by graduate students, but the number of 400 level credits acceptable in a graduate program is limited by graduate program policies.
•    5: Graduate courses. Undergraduates are not usually admitted to these courses.
•    6: Doctoral program courses, available only to doctoral students.

Second digit: Conveys special information about the course.
•    6: A seminar or general education Connections course (a few of the latter also use 7).
•    8: A workshop.
•    9: Directed study

Second and third digit:
•    50: Courses with temporary topical content or courses that are being developed. These courses must be approved by the dean or director but do not come before the Curriculum Committee until they have been offered with the same content three times, when they should be converted to become permanent courses.  
•    80: Workshop courses with temporary topical content. These courses must be approved by the dean or director but do not come before the Curriculum Committee.

Word limits: Titles are limited to six words, course descriptions to 30 words.

Credit hours per semester (and issue of discrepancy between this and contact hours per week): Courses are usually no more than four, although student teaching and internships may have more than four credit hours. Often the number of contact hours per week and credit hours per semester is the same, although courses with labs or studio time may have more contact hours than credit hours. If there is a difference between contact and credit hours, indicate why in the designated space.

Curricular rationales: This is a very important section, and often the one to which committee members first turn. Never leave this blank. Explain how your proposal strengthens the curriculum of a department, program, major, or concentration. Reasons may include the changing knowledge base of the field, updated language and terminology, the changing needs of students and society, relationships among and consistency with other College programs, professional needs, and changes in content emphasis. When revisions of programs are in response to external evaluations, the proposal must include the curricular reasons for the revisions. Clearly explain how the proposal will satisfy the goals of the department and the goals and mission of the College.

Catalog Copy for programs: include all information you want published in the catalog, formatted as you want it to appear. Information may include Course Requirements, Admission Requirements, Retention Requirements, Course Requirements for a Minor, Professional Components, Requirements for a Certificate Program, etc. If program information will require the addition of new catalog pages, indicate the placement of these pages, in relation to the existing catalog.

Acknowledgments and Approvals
In brief:
•    A new program that includes courses from other departments, needs all of their approval signatures (along with their respective Deans).
•    A revised program that is adding courses from other departments (whether they be required or optional), or changing a course previously included that is offered by another department from optional to required, needs their approval (along with their respective Deans).
•    If your department wishes to delete a course that is offered in a program in another department, you need only their acknowledgment.
•    A revised program that is deleting courses from other departments, or changing a course previously included that is offered by another department from required to optional, needs only their acknowledgment.
•    A revised program that utilizes courses from other departments, but in the revision these courses are not being added or deleted needs neither acknowledgment nor approval from those departments (only the departments for which a change is being made need sign).

In more detail:
Acknowledgement signatures (with dates) are needed from:
•    The chair or director of any department or program which includes a course that you are revising or deleting as part of their program, along with the Dean of that department/program.
•    Any persons in charge of other elements of the College that are affected by this proposal. For example, proposals that directly or tangentially involve or affect resources provided by or activities of other elements of the College, such as the computer center, multimedia center, or other departments.
•    The library will be automatically informed of all proposals once they have been approved, and so proposals will no longer require the acknowledgment signature of the Director of the Library, unless specialized resources are necessary.
Acknowledgment signatures indicate awareness (not necessarily endorsement or approval) of the impact of the proposal. If appropriate, these signatures may be accompanied by statements of support (or nonsupport) for the proposal. Affected persons may also appear before the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee to speak for or against a proposal.

Approvals
Approval signatures (with dates) are needed from:
•    The chair or director of the department originating the proposal must sign, as well as the appropriate dean. 
•    The chair or director of any department or program that will be offering any courses you request in a new or revised program, along with the relevant Dean.
•    Proposals that involve more than one school of the College must be signed by all concerned deans. 
•    If a proposal involves a general education course or policy in any way, the proposal must come before COGE for consideration and obtain the Chair’s signature before it comes to UCC. It must also be signed each dean or their proxy. If COGE disapproves a proposal that has General Education implications, the proposal may come before the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee on appeal from a negative response from COGE, but rarely will the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee contradict a decision by its own subcommittee.
N.B. Proposals that do not have the necessary signatures prior to a UCC meeting will be tabled.

4.3. Revision of Existing Policy or Practice or a New Policy or Practice

Proposals for revisions of existing curricular policy, curricular practice, or for new policy or procedures may be submitted in writing to the Chair of the UCC. Such proposals should include a clear rationale and explanation of the need for the proposed revision or addition of policy or practice. It should also describe the possible impact on the College-faculty, students, staff, administration and resources. The UCC may schedule open hearings on proposals of far-reaching implications, if appropriate, or may agree if requested to do so. Note that proposals for changes in Academic policy or practice must be sent to the Committee on Academic Policy and Procedures or to the Executive Committee of the Rhode Island College Council.

4.4 Glossary of Terms (Updated 11/21/2014) 
The following glossary of terms are used to define parts of programs:

Capstone means culminating or crowning. It is used to describe a course that is the culminating experience for a program of study.

Certificate of Undergraduate Studies (CUS) programs are primarily for undergraduate-level students, where the certificate components consist mostly of Rhode Island College undergraduate-level courses. Admission and retention requirements are significant. These certificates typically provide applied academic and/or professional training.

Certificate of Continuing Studies (CCS) programs are primarily for non-degree students, where the certificate components consist primarily of courses and/or workshops earning credits not associated with undergraduate or graduate programs at Rhode Island College, such as continuing education units (CEUs), college Outreach Program credit, etc. Admission and retention requirements for most CCS programs are minimal. These certificates typically provide professional development, vocational training, or personal enrichment.

Cognates are required courses in disciplines related to the major; they are intended to broaden and enhance the major.

Concentration is the area of specialization. Courses in the concentration are a group of courses that relate specifically to the student's area of study.
Curriculum represents the student's total program of study (normally requiring a minimum of 120 semester hours) and usually consists of (1) the General Education Program; (2) a major, or for elementary education, a teaching concentration; (3) cognates; and (4) electives. Education curricula also require a professional education sequence. For the sake of clarity, "program of study" is preferred over "curriculum."

Directed Study are courses numbered X90 and are designed to be a substitute for a traditional course under the instruction of a faculty member.

Electives are courses that the student may choose beyond the specifically required courses in order to fulfill the degree requirements (normally 120 semester hours for undergraduate degrees).

Independent Study are courses numbered X9X and the term applies to courses in which students select a topic and undertake concentrated research or creative activity mentored by a faculty member. These are the courses that students who are pursuing departmental honors will take.

Interdisciplinary major is a group of ten or more courses that form a major but that cut across departmental lines.

Major is the discipline or academic area that the student studies in depth (normally requiring a minimum of 30 semester hours).

Minor is a secondary specialization in a degree program (normally requiring a minimum of 18 semester hours).

Mode of Instruction (under revision by Committee on Online Learning
•    Standard Classroom: A course that meets at a pre-determined time and place, in-person, on a regular schedule throughout the term. The course may include use of online learning management system(s).
•    Hybrid: A course in which a portion of standard classroom instruction is replaced by online learning.*
•    Distance: A course in which all teaching and learning takes place online. There are no in-person meetings.

* All General Education Connections courses must include at least 50% Standard Classroom instruction.

Sequence is a listing of courses in the order they are to be taken by the student.

Specialization. See Major and Minor.

Specialized requirement is a course, or group of courses, within the major (this needs defining in order to set these courses apart from regular required courses or cognates).

Teacher education program is used in the elementary and secondary education curricula to describe the major and other requirements necessary to earn certification for teaching.

Teaching concentration is a group of courses satisfying the requirement for a specialty in the education curriculum.

Other terms such as focus, module, cluster, track, emphasis etc. should not be used to define programs and should be avoided in the text.
 

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and its subcommittees are charged with making reports of activity during the year. The UCC publishes monthly minutes, agendas, proposals and a detailed record of all actions taken by the Committee so that a record is available for the future. Items required for the report are listed in Appendix I-A. The subcommittees of the UCC report to the UCC all action taken during the year. The format for this report is in Appendix I-B.

Appendix I-A
Content of Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Annual Reports
The UCC report should conform to information requirements of the Council of Rhode Island College; all this information is published on the UCC website, and is included through agendas, minutes and actions. 
1.    Membership (names, terms, department, constituency).
2.    Officers.
3.    Membership of the Executive Committee of the Undergraduate Curriculum
Committee.
4.    Meeting dates of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the Executive
Committee of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
5.    Dates of any special meetings and purpose of such.
6.    Subcommittees' membership and terms.
7.    Annual reports of subcommittees attached to the annual report.
8.    All ad hoc committees, their charges, memberships, reports, if any, and dates of 
task completion (refer to the minutes of the meeting in which the report was 
made).
9.    All special task force(s) formed, membership copies of the charge(s) of the task
force(s), and progress reports and/or final reports.
10.    All special policy actions taken by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
summarized with dates of appropriate minutes.
11.    All actions taken by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee classified by
origination source (departments), with indication of action by the President.
12.    All other information required by the Council of Rhode Island College.

The following may also be included:
a.    Specific recommendations to the Council from the Committee in the form of 
resolutions to the Council.
b.    Specific recommendations to new communities.
c.    Self-evaluation with recommendation for alterations in structure and duties for the
By-Law Committee.
d.    Implications of current fiscal or personnel agreements relative to program,
personnel, curriculum facilities, etc. as they impinge on the work of the Committee.

Appendix I-B
Content of Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Subcommittees' Annual Reports
1.    Committee Title:
2.    Submitted to: Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
3.    Prepared by: Chair
4.    Members of the Committee:
5.    Meeting Dates:
6.    Review of Committee Activities:
7.    Decisions Approved:
8.    Include descriptions of the significant and critical events in the life of the
committee which may or may not have precipitated committee action, but of which future committees and the UCC should be informed.
9.    Include any suggestions for changes or additions in UCC policy or committee structure that should be considered by the UCC; such as changes in the responsibilities, membership, and/or procedures of the committee.

The Action report of recommendations to the Provost/Vice President and to the President is prepared by the Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. The form used for this report is below. The recommendations must include a summary of all revisions (deletions or additions), with brief explanatory comments. A summary of each month’s submitted UCC action forms will be placed on the UCC website.

The Provost/Vice President and the President should make their decision known (at the latest) by the end of the month following the UCC approval. If they approve the action of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee they should affix their signatures, dates of approval, and date effective to the action form. The form is held at the Office of the Provost/Vice President, and the website is amended accordingly. The originator, the Directors of the Library, Records, and OASIS, the Chief Information Officer, and Assistant Director College Communications and Marketing, and the Office of Institutional Research should be informed of each proposal that is approved. If OPC needs to be informed or give approval, then the Provost/Vice President should present these proposals at the next OPC meeting on the calendar after they and the President have approved. If the proposal is rejected by either the Provost/Vice President or the President, the originator should be informed of the reason for this and given opportunity to appeal and have one month from being notified to make that appeal and have it resolved. The Registrar's Office needs to implement requested changes in a timely fashion so that students will be able to sign up for the revised courses when registration is opened for the semester for which they are scheduled to be made effective.

Directors of the Library, OASIS, and Records, the Chief Information Officer, Assistant Director of College Communications and Marketing, and the Office of Institutional Research

Appendix II-A
Form for Report of Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Action

Document(s): #

Recommendation:
Date of Action:
Originated by:
Recommended by Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
(Department, Person, or Group)

Effective date: 
Catalog citations: See pages on Curriculum website.

Comments:
 
APPROVALS
Chair, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee: 

Date:
Provost/Vice President:
 
Date:
President:
 
Date:
 
EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THIS APPROVED RECOMMENDATION

There are three subcommittees of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee: The Committee on Student-Designed Majors, the Committee on General Education, and the Writing Board. The purpose, structure, and policies of these committees are described in this Appendix. All of these committees report to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.

Appendix III-A
The Committee on Student-Designed Majors (Updated 12/16/2022)
I. Purpose
To provide undergraduate degree candidates who have earned at least 40 credits and who have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 with an opportunity to design unique program that satisfy particular interests or needs or to pursue undergraduate work in an area in which the College has no existing undergraduate program. The structure of this committee is described in section 2.5.1 of this manual.

II. Proposals for Student-Designed Majors
1.    Proposals from students with more than 75 credits normally will not be accepted.
2.    The proposal must include at the minimum eight to 10 courses in the major and any essential cognates. Courses in the major should be primarily upper-level Rhode Island College courses. The proposal should also include and describe some means for integration or focus such as a research project, directed study, or field placement.
3.    The proposal must be approved by a faculty member or members who agree to serve as advisor(s) to the student and by the chair(s) of the department(s) involved. The chair(s') signature(s) indicate that courses on the proposal will be offered in the near future. The appropriate academic dean also must approve any proposal for a student-designed major resulting in a professional program.
4.    The completed proposal must be submitted to the Committee for Student-Designed Majors no later than 1 October (fall) or 1 March (spring) for action that same semester. Incomplete proposals will be returned. The student may meet with the Committee to discuss the proposal.
5.    The Committee's action (approval, request for revision, disapproval) will be communicated in writing to the student and advisor(s) before the beginning of registration for the following semester. The Registrar's Office will be sent a copy of each approved proposal, to be used in monitoring completion of degree requirements. Students whose proposals are approved will be required to complete all courses listed on the approved proposal. The Committee on Student-Designed Majors must approve any requests for substitutions in advance.
Forms for applying for a Student-Designed Major are available in the Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Appendix III-B
Committee on General Education (COGE) Revised and Approved 1/23/2012—minor revisions 5/13/2022)
I. Purpose of COGE
The administration of General Education will be the responsibility of the Committee on General Education (COGE), its chair, and the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The structure of COGE is described in Section 2.5.2 of this manual.
II. Duties and Responsibilities of COGE
Responsibilities of COGE and its Chair shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
1.    Administer General Education in a manner consistent with the philosophy and programmatic requirements established by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
2.    Undertake a comprehensive ongoing review of all General Education offerings to determine that they meet the category definition and requirements.
3.    Organize and direct General Education faculty development programs to be related to the core courses, and to encompass all aspects of General Education.
4.    Evaluate and approve syllabi and course proposals for core and distribution courses.
5.    Forward proposals for courses to be included in General Education to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for approval in a timely fashion.
6.    The Chair of COGE and the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will work cooperatively with department chairs to schedule appropriate numbers and sufficient sections of general education courses (core and distribution) and to assure necessary and appropriate participation of full time faculty to support the core courses and distribution courses. This arrangement will be consistent with all details of the contractual agreement.
7.    All COGE meetings shall be open and an agenda shall be published in the College Briefs one week in advance, notifying faculty, staff, and students of time, place, and agenda.
8.    Hold an annual meeting open to all faculty, staff, and students for the purpose of reporting on and discussing issues related to General Education. This meeting should be publicized in a timely fashion.
9.    Organize, direct, and execute an assessment of General Education on a three-year cycle to include, but not be limited to, an assessment of the extent to which the goals and purposes of General Education are realized by the structure of the program, the content of the program, the schedule and timeliness of course offerings, enrollments, the sequencing of courses, the administration of the program and its ancillary components as well as faculty, staff and student satisfaction with the program.
10.    The Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences shall have the responsibility of determining and signing approval of special accommodations that may be required on a day-to-day basis. The Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will provide necessary clerical support to expedite such special accommodations for students.
11.    The Chair of COGE will submit a monthly report to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee regarding the activities of the committee and a written annual report to the President, Provost/Vice President and the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
12.    The Chair of COGE will prepare descriptions of the General Education Enrichment Programs and Faculty Development Programs sufficiently and appropriately in advance of these events to allow for preparation and participation.

III. Purposes of General Education at Rhode Island College

General Education at Rhode Island College performs several functions. Its primary purpose is to promote active and thoughtful citizenship and individual growth by providing all students with certain common intellectual experiences and with a fund of general knowledge. As specified below in the statement of outcomes, General Education seeks to develop or enhance students' abilities to analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and communicate information in various academic discourses. It seeks to promote students' understanding and appreciation of cultural and multicultural, social and political, scientific and technological, aesthetic and philosophical contents and issues important to life-long learning and successful citizenship in a changing America and a global economy. In addition to its primary purpose, General Education may contribute both directly and indirectly to students' study in their majors by offering required, recommended, and cognate courses at the introductory level. General Education at Rhode Island College is collaborative. Students and faculty work together so that students graduate with basic skills and knowledge, and with a foundation for more specialized learning.

IV. Outcomes of General Education at Rhode Island College
Each course in General Education addresses several outcomes. Students who complete the general education program will encounter each outcome at least once at an introductory level. No introductory course can fully meet an outcome. Rather, every course introduces or develops several outcomes. Relevant outcomes are addressed at a higher level within the advanced work of the respective majors.
1.    Students will understand the different purposes of writing and employ the conventions of writing in their major fields. Students will produce writing that is well organized, supported by evidence, demonstrates correct usage of grammar and terminology, and is appropriate to the academic context. (Written Communication)
2.    Students will be able to analyze and interpret information from multiple perspectives, question assumptions and conclusions, and understand the impact of biases, including their own, on thinking and learning. (Critical and Creative Thinking)
3.    Students will demonstrate the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and ethically use information to address a wide range of goals or problems. (Research and Information Literacy)
4.    Students will learn to speak in a clearly expressed, purposeful, and carefully organized way that engages and connects with their audience. (Oral Communication)
5.    Students will learn to interact appropriately as part of a team to design and implement a strategy to achieve a team goal and to evaluate the process. (Collaborative Work)
6.    Students will demonstrate through performance, creation, or analysis an ability to interpret and explain the arts from personal, aesthetic, cultural, and historical perspectives. (Arts)
7.    Students will gain knowledge of social and political systems and of how civic engagement can change the environment in which we live. (Civic Knowledge)
8.    Students will demonstrate an understanding of their own ethical values, other ethical traditions from diverse places and times, and the process of determining ethical practice. (Ethical Reasoning)
9.    Students will analyze and understand the social, historical, political, religious, economic, and cultural conditions that shape individuals, groups, and nations and the relationships among them across time. (Global Understanding)
10.    Students will demonstrate the ability to: (1) interpret and evaluate numerical and visual statistics, (2) develop models that can be solved by appropriate mathematical methods, and (3) create arguments supported by quantitative evidence and communicate them in writing and through numerical and visual displays of data including words, tables, graphs, and equations. (Quantitative Literacy)
11.    Students will understand how scientific knowledge is uncovered through the empirical testing of hypotheses; be familiar with how data is analyzed, scientific models are made, theories are generated, and practical scientific problems are approached and solved; have the capacity to be informed about scientific matters as they pertain to living in this complex world; and be able to communicate scientific knowledge through speaking and writing. (Scientific Literacy)

V. Statement on Competencies
COGE feels that students must have certain basic intellectual skills to do college-level work. Among the most important of these are the ability to write coherently and perform fundamental mathematical operations and communicate in and understand a language other than English at a novice-mid proficiency level. Without these intellectual skills, assignments necessary for effective or even successful learning, not only in General Education, but in all other majors or programs could not be carried out. (See the current catalog for methods of meeting writing and mathematics competencies, and second language requirement [also below].) 

VI. Structure and Description of General Education
All degree programs require the completion of ten 4-credit General Education courses: three Core courses and seven Distribution courses. Students must also complete the Second Language requirement. A Writing in the Discipline requirement is also included in General Education and is a part of each major.

CORE REQUIREMENTS  (Revised 5/1/2020)

First Year Seminar (FYS)
FYS 100 is required in the freshman year, with sections on a wide variety of topics. Each section is discussion-based and focused on developing critical thinking, oral communication, research fluency, and written communication. FYS 100 will not be offered in the summer or the early spring sessions. Students who enter the college as transfer students are not considered first-year students and are exempt from this requirement. Courses are limited to twenty students. HONR 100 is open to students in the College Honors Program.

First Year Writing (FYW)
FYW 100, FYW 100H, or FYW 100P is required in freshman year. These introduce students to college-level writing and help them develop the writing skills needed for success in college courses. Successful completion of the course (a final grade of C or better) will also meet the College Writing Requirement. Courses are limited to twenty students for FYW 100 (4 credit hours), and to fifteen students for FYW 100P (6 credit hours). FYW 100H is open to students in the College Honors Program.

Connections (C)
Courses in the Connections category are upper-level courses on topics that emphasize comparative perspectives, such as across disciplines, across time, and across cultures. Students must complete the FYS and FYW courses and must have earned at least 45 college credits before taking a Connections course. Courses are limited to twenty students. Connections courses cannot be included in any major or minor program. Connections courses must include at least 50% Standard Classroom instruction.

DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS
Distribution Requirement courses emphasize ways of thinking and methods of inquiry within various disciplines. Students are required to take one course in each of the following seven areas:
•    Arts—Visual and Performing
•    History
•    Literature
•    Mathematics
•    Natural Science (lab required)
•    Social and Behavioral Sciences
•    Advanced Quantitative/Scientific Reasoning

SECOND LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT (Revised 5/1/2020)
Rhode Island College graduates are expected to communicate in and understand a language other than English at a novice-mid proficiency level. The Second Language Requirement of General Education is designed to meet that expectation. If you are unable to fulfill any one of the requirements listed below, please consult the chair of the Department of Modern Languages.

The Second Language Requirement may be fulfilled in any of the following ways:

1.    By completing RIC language course 102 or higher, with a passing grade.
2.    Through transfer credit of language courses equivalent to 102 or higher from an accredited college or university.
3.    Through transfer credit of a second language course from an approved study abroad program.
4.    Through Advanced Placement (AP) credit. If students score three or higher on the AP Test in French, German, or Spanish, RIC will award 6 credits (equivalent to RIC language courses 113 and 114).
5.    Through Early Enrollment Program credit for language courses 113 or 114, with a  passing grade.
6.    By completing the CLEP Test in French, German, or Spanish, with a score on the Level I test of 50 or higher.
7.    By completing the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and the written exam for languages for which there are no CLEP or AP Tests. Level: OPI (offered in 65 languages): Novice Mid to High. Written test: Novice High (offered in twelve languages). 
8.    By completing the SAT II Subject Test (scores vary according to language).
9.    Foreign/international students may submit an official high school transcript from a non-English-speaking country of origin.

INTRODUCTION TO RIC REQUIREMENT (Approved 1/10/2019)

To maximize student success, a one-credit transition to college course, RIC 100 Introduction to RIC is required of all first-year students during their first semester. 

Students learn how to navigate college in general and RIC specifically, including such topics as time management, wellness, college expectations, note-taking, cultural competency, and campus resources.

Note: Students taking COLL 101 or HONR 150 will be exempted.

GENERAL EDUCATION CATEGORIES
Courses that fulfill General Education requirements have the appropriate notation in the course description following credit hours:

Gen. Ed. Category A (Arts—Visual and Performing)
Gen. Ed. Category AQSR (Advanced Quantitative/Scientific Reasoning)
Gen. Ed. Category C (Connections)
Gen. Ed. Category FYS (First Year Seminar)
Gen. Ed. Category FYW (First Year Writing)
Gen. Ed. Category H (History)
Gen. Ed. Category L (Literature)
Gen. Ed. Category M (Mathematics)
Gen. Ed. Category NS (Natural Science)
Gen. Ed. Category SB (Social and Behavioral Sciences)

TRANSFER STUDENTS
Transfer Students may determine their status with respect to General Education requirements by inquiring at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions or at the Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
 
Appendix III-C
The Writing Board (Revised and Approved 5/13/2022)

I.  Purpose
To promote a culture of writing across campus by providing materials, suggestions, and support to departments and programs as well as individual faculty members on matters related to writing and pedagogy (i.e. curriculum and program design, assessment, etc.). This includes providing input on new and existing campus-wide writing initiatives, sponsoring writing-related faculty development, and collaborating with other campus units that engage in matters of writing and pedagogy (i.e. the First year Writing Program, the Writing Center, COGE, the First Year Seminar Program). The structure of this Board is described in section 2.5.3 of this manual.

II. Responsibilities of the Writing Board
1.    Meet regularly to discuss writing issues on campus.
2.    Create a forum for cooperation between the Writing Center, the First Year Writing Program, the First Year Seminar program, COGE, and other academic units on campus, including ESL programs, Adams Library and OASIS.
3.    Advise and make recommendations to Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, COGE, departments, programs, and others about writing and writing instruction.
4.    Plan and facilitate professional development opportunities for faculty.
5.    Maintain a website presence that offers guidance in the instruction of writing.
6.    Oversee the policy, implementation, and assessment of the Writing in the Disciplines program.

III. Responsibilities of the Chair of the Writing Board
1.    Organize and conduct regular meetings of the Writing Board; maintain membership.
2.    Facilitate and coordinate the support of writing instruction on campus by serving as the contact person for information pertaining to writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines and by developing funding opportunities for faculty development as need and opportunity arise.
3.    Coordinate with the Writing Center, First Year Writing, First Year Seminar, Adams Library and OASIS to enhance the support of writing instruction and to help identify faculty and student needs in relation to writing.
4.    Regularly meet with departments to discuss writing instruction practices, especially pertaining to writing in the discipline; identify department level support for writing instruction that can be developed and implemented by the Writing Board in collaboration with the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.
5.    Collaborate with other groups on campus such as the Committee on General Education, Adams Library and the Rhode Island Writing Project, as need and opportunity arise to support writing pedagogy and instruction at Rhode Island College.
6.    Facilitate collaboration between the Writing Board and the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning on professional development events related to writing and pedagogy. 
7.    Offer input and advice to the Committee on General Education (COGE) on matters related to writing and pedagogy.
8.    Serve as an ex officio member of the advisory board of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.
9.    Present an annual report in May of the activity of the Writing Board to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.
10.    Coordinate editorial content and general design decisions to maintain effectiveness of the Writing Board website.

Appendix IV (Revised and Approved 4/23/2021)
The College Honors Program 
The College Honors Program offers academically superior students, regardless of major, the opportunity to participate in a four-year honors experience. The program has two parts: General Education Honors and Departmental Honors. Each part may be taken independently of the other and will be noted on the student's official transcript. However, both parts must be completed in order to receive the additional designation of "College Honors" on the transcript.

General Education Honors
General Education Honors admits students directly from high school, during their freshman year, or as transfers. Most of General Education Honors is normally, although not necessarily, completed by the end of the sophomore year, except for a junior year General Education Connections course. 

Students take a minimum of five General Education courses in specially designed honors sections. These sections are designed to be more intellectually challenging than regular courses and are kept small in size, thus allowing ample opportunity for class discussion and for individualized study.

Successful completion of General Education Honors requires a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.00. All honors courses taken are noted on the student's transcript, as is the completion of General Education Honors as a whole. Students may withdraw from the program at any time.

Admission to General Education Honors is by invitation of the Director of Honors and the College Honors Committee. Students invited into General Education Honors normally rank in the top 20 percent of their high-school class, have taken demanding academic schedules, and have scored at least 1200 on the SAT (verbal and critical). Each student's application is looked at individually, however, and other factors are considered, such as activities, recommendations, the student's high school curriculum, and his or her personal statement. Students may also join on the basis of their performance at Rhode Island College during their first year or as transfer students, if they have not already completed too many General Education courses.

Each year Rhode Island College awards a number of merit-based scholarships to students in General Education Honors. Those scholarships are renewable for a maximum of four years as long as the student maintains full-time status with a minimum GPA of 3.00 and makes satisfactory progress toward completing General Education Honors.
Other financial scholarships specifically for General Education Honors students are the Eleanor M. McMahon Award, which is presented to an outstanding graduating senior who has completed both General Education Honors and Departmental Honors; the Eleanor M. McMahon Rising Junior Award, which is presented to a rising junior in General Education Honors who plans to complete a departmental honors project; the John Nazarian Honors Scholarship, which is awarded to an outstanding incoming freshman in General Education Honors; the Director of Honors Scholarship, which is given to a deserving student in General Education Honors; and the Ruth Williams '33 Honors Scholarship, which is given to students from the Westerly, Rhode Island area.

Honors Colloquium
Honors 351: Honors Colloquium admits continuing and transfer students who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.00, whether or not they have participated in General Education Honors. Although most students will have attained junior status, this colloquium is open to second-semester sophomores as well. This course may be taken twice for credit.

Honors 351 promotes intellectual and social community among students from different disciplines at the college. It teaches students to think self-analytically about their majors and about working in particular academic genres. It helps students decide whether or not to undertake departmental honors work and guides them in the initial stages of identifying, researching, and proposing honors projects in their respective majors.

Departmental Honors
Departmental Honors offers students the opportunity to undertake an independent research, critical, or creative project on a topic of the student's choice and directed by a professor of the student's choice. Normally, the project begins in the senior year, although it may commence earlier, and carries six to eight hours of independent study credit over two semesters. Students may participate in Departmental Honors whether or not they have completed General Education Honors or taken Honors 351.

A Departmental Honors project is completed in the department of the student's major. The student must apply formally to the appropriate departmental honors committee, which is responsible for accepting the student's proposal for an honors project, for evaluating the completed project, and for awarding the Departmental Honors designation, which will appear on the student's transcript. If the student's project involves work with persons or animals, the project must also be approved by the Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Individual departments may also require that the student take specific upper-level courses in addition to or as part of the honors project. 

If there is no honors program in the student's major or if the student wishes to undertake an interdisciplinary project that cannot be accommodated in the major, the student may apply directly to the Director of Honors to appoint an appropriate faculty committee to review the student's proposal and to oversee the project. In such cases, the student's transcript will reflect completion of an Honors Independent Project rather than Departmental Honors. Such students will still be eligible to receive the College Honors designation on their transcripts.

Students seeking Departmental Honors must have a minimum overall grade average (GPA) of at least 3.00 and a minimum GPA in the major of at least 3.25. Some departments require higher minimum GPAs. Students should consult the respective departmental honors committees for details. A student whose project is denied honors may appeal that decision through the normal college appeal process.

Departmental Honors programs are offered in most departments in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, as well as in the Schools of Business, Education, Nursing and Social Work.
 

I. The Structure of General Education Honors
The General Education Honors program is mostly a lower-division honors sequence, with the majority of honors work to be completed, normally, in the freshman and sophomore years. To complete General Education Honors, students must take a minimum of five General Education courses in specially designed honors sections. Courses chosen normally include the Honors Core, which consists of Honors First Year Seminar, Honors First Year Writing, and Honors Connections (taken in the junior year). Other honors courses are offered in various disciplines as Distribution Requirements. To emphasize active class participation and close student-teacher interaction, the Honors classes are kept small, usually twelve to fifteen students, and are conducted in a discussion rather than a lecture format. Honors sections often employ innovative teaching techniques. Students are admitted to General Education Honors directly from high school, during their freshman year, or as transfers. Most students in the program rank in the top 20 percent of their high school classes and have SAT scores of at least 1200 (verbal and critical reading). Each student's application is looked at individually, however, and other factors are considered for admission, such as activities, recommendations, the student's high-school curriculum, and his or her personal statement.

Students must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 in order to graduate with General Education Honors. 

II. Non-Honors Students in Honors Classes
Students not in the honors program but with a demonstrable proficiency and interest in a given area are allowed to take individual honors classes. They will not, however, preempt any student in the honors program who wishes to take a given class or cause the class size to be increased above 15. Admission of such students will be by permission of the instructor and the Director of Honors.

III. The Honors Faculty
Faculty participating in the program normally combine strong credentials as in-class teachers with a demonstrated and on-going commitment to scholarly and/or creative productivity in their respective disciplines.

IV. Administration
Faculty participating in the program should normally combine strong credentials as in-class teachers with a demonstrated and on-going commitment to scholarly and/or creative productivity in their respective disciplines.

V. Administration
The General Education Honors program will be administered by the Director of Honors, advised by the Honors Committee, who will report to the Provost/Vice President. The Director of Honors, working closely with appropriate members of the faculty and administration, will supervise the development, coordination, review, and publicizing of the program. Ultimate responsibility for the quality and the operation of the program shall rest with the Director of Honors. Scheduling and staffing of honors classes shall rest with the Director of Honors in conjunction with department chairs. Evaluation of honors courses rests with the Director of Honors.

The Rhode Island College Council has charged the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee of Rhode Island College with responsibility in matters pertaining to departmental Honors Programs. Proposals for the initiation and/or revision of departmental Honors Programs should be submitted to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee on Program Proposal or Program Revision Forms for approval. Approval will be contingent upon the proposed Honors Program meeting the following minimum criteria. 

Admissions
1.    An applicant must have a minimum overall grade point average of at least 3.00 and a grade point average in the major of at least 3.25. Departments may set higher minimum standards and/or additional criteria for entrance into the Honors Programs. Departments may make exceptions to their minimum requirements to admit an individual student but each student admitted as an exception shall be considered to be on probationary status.
2.    Each department offering an Honors Program must establish a departmental honors committee of at least three members, one of whom shall serve as chair. This may be a committee of the whole or a sub-group of another standing committee.
3.    Applications for admission to the Honors Program within a department must be submitted in writing to the chair of the department who shall forward them to the departmental honors committee and to the Director of Honors.
4.    Application for admission shall occur between the fourth and sixth semester.

Program
1.    All departmental Honors Programs shall require a substantial piece of directed or independent research or creativity in the major field.
2.    All academic work in an Honors Program shall be in some way awarded credit. All "extra work" in regular courses that could previously be counted toward an Honors Program shall be eliminated and the honors project or thesis be substituted in its place.
3.    Departments offering Honors Programs shall make use of the 490-91 directed study or independent study courses unless other directed study experiences can serve as acceptable substitutes.

Dismissal/Credits
1.    Each Honors Program must have a written policy stating the conditions of dismissal from the program and a statement on the procedures available to students who may wish to appeal an honors grade or dismissal from the program.
2.    Students whose projects are not awarded honors by the departmental honors committee may receive elective credit in the major for the directed study classes. Grades for those classes are awarded by the honors project director, not by the departmental honors committee.

External proficiency examination refers to the establishment of proficiency through the use of a standardized examination, such as a CLEP test or an Advanced Placement Test; internal proficiency examination refers to the establishment of proficiency through the use of an examination prepared by a member of the College faculty.

A list of CLEP and AP Tests accepted by the College can be found at https://www.ric.edu/academics/prior-learning-assessment/clep-and-ap

Credit towards a baccalaureate degree at Rhode Island College can be earned by proficiency examinations in accordance with the policies outlined below:

A. Credit for Individual Existing Rhode Island College Courses Other Than General Studies

1. Authorization
The decision on offering credit for an individual course through a proficiency examination shall rest with the department sponsoring such a course or with a quasi-departmental director or committee for interdepartmental courses. It should include discussion with any other departments concerned, require in the case of courses that are part of a professional sequence the approval of the department responsible for that sequence; and be subject to the approval of the appropriate divisional dean(s). Approval of a proficiency examination shall rest with the department as a whole or a committee of the department appointed for this purpose.

2. Process 
The process involved shall be as follows: Each department shall examine course offerings, and within the overall limits specified below, will recommend to the appropriate divisional dean(s) what, if any, courses shall be offered for credit through internal or external proficiency examinations or a combination thereof. Recommendations for external proficiency shall include specifications of the appropriate test and qualifying score. Recommendations for internal proficiency examinations shall include a description of the general features of the examination to be used and specification of the qualifying criteria. The qualifying score on a proficiency examination shall be at least equivalent to a grade of "C." A departmental examination (as distinguished from an individual instructor's examination) shall be used for each course.

3. Limits on Amount of Credit
The maximum amount of credit earned through proficiency examination shall be 60 credit hours. (The requirement that at least 25 percent of a baccalaureate degree must be earned through course work done in residence at Rhode Island College continues in effect.) The proportion of a particular major or teaching concentration earned through proficiency examination shall not exceed one-half of the total number of courses in that major or concentration.

4. Eligibility 
Only Rhode Island College undergraduate students shall be eligible to attempt credit through internal proficiency examination. Each department may establish additional eligibility requirements related to the appropriate prerequisites. A student will not receive credit for a proficiency examination that is taken a second time.

If a student has failed a course at Rhode Island College for which a proficiency examination has been previously approved the grade of F may be removed in accord with existing policy by taking and passing that proficiency examination.

These regulations do not prohibit an instructor from allowing a student to complete a course in which he received an Incomplete, for which a proficiency examination is available by taking and passing such an examination within the time period established for conversion of an Incomplete to a letter grade.

A student may transfer credits earned by proficiency examination from another accredited institution in accordance with general policies governing transfer credit, subject to the limitations in Section 3 above. However, nonstandardized internal proficiency examinations may not be taken at another institution for Rhode Island College credit after admission to Rhode Island College.

A person with a baccalaureate degree will be permitted to use proficiency examinations in working for a second undergraduate degree.

5. Records
A record of all proficiency examinations attempted at Rhode Island College will be recorded in a student's file in the Registrar's Office. Proficiency examinations that are passed shall, upon a student's request, be recorded on his official transcript. The actual raw score of an external proficiency examination shall be recorded so that an institution to which a student transfers will be able to assign an equivalent grade if it so desires.

6. Administrative and Financial Provisions
The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee notes that administrative and financial aspects of a proficiency program are outside the Committee's jurisdiction. It recommends to the appropriate authorities that fees for taking the examinations be based on costs of administering the examinations, including preparation and overhead and a share of College development costs, rather than on fees for taking instruction in the course, and that the magnitude of the effort contemplated will probably require compensation (in money or load credit) for faculty involved if the program is to have reasonable chance of success.

7. Scheduling of Proficiency Examinations
Normally proficiency examinations shall be offered in September, January, and June.

B. General Studies
The formulation of recommendations on credit by proficiency examinations for General Studies shall rest with the COGE, subject to action of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.

C. Policy Review
At the end of each academic year the UCC shall review the proficiency policies and practices in effect at the time and shall make whatever recommendations for revisions it considers desirable.

D. Procedures
It is recommended that the Committee of Deans in concert with appropriate College offices develop procedures necessary for the implementation of the policies stated above. These shall include procedures by which a student may request a proficiency examination, procedures involved in recording proficiency efforts, and the like.

A. Control of Off-Campus and Special-Format Courses:
1.    Full control of off-campus courses should reside in the academic departments and utilize the defined existing processes for such decisions that:
a.    pertain to initiation of courses and their validity
b.    approve course descriptions
c.    determine the amount of credit to be granted
d.    approve the course for program credit
e.    establish course requirements
f.    determine the scheduling of the course
g.    determine the assignment of teaching personnel
2.    The departmental control of courses resides with the most appropriate and proper department related to the course offerings.
3.    Off-campus course proposals are approved by the appropriate dean or deans.
4.    "Off-campus courses" in this sense are not intended to include practica and other classes with an off-campus component.

B. Need for an Efficient, Qualitative Mechanism to Respond to All Outside Requests for Workshops
It is recommended that the College:
1.    Maintain the present procedure whereby all sources of course proposals are introduced to the College community. These are identified as:
o    Appropriate Academic Dean's Office
o    Graduate Dean's Office
o    Appropriate Department Head
o    Bureau of Social and Educational Services
2.    Disseminate among members of the faculty and department chairs identifying all elements in the approval process.

C. Time Needed to Study Requests and Render a Decision:
Emergency approval of off-campus courses should be avoided.
1.    All approvals should be obtained under conditions that permit adequate time for consideration of proposed off-campus courses.
2.    When school is not in session, or the appropriate department chair and/or personnel are not available, an ad hoc committee may be appointed by the appropriate academic dean for consideration of off-campus courses.
3.    When approval is granted by the ad hoc committee, it will be for one semester only and subject to review when the usual department personnel become available.

D. Staff Qualifications and Availability
To obtain the most qualified personnel to instruct the off-campus offering:
1.    Instructors for said courses should be regular, full-time faculty of the College except where departments shall explicitly approve special instructors for specific courses.
2.    Instructors, other than full-time College faculty, shall be approved each and every time they receive an assignment for teaching off-campus offerings.

E. Appropriate Rigor of Offerings Along with Necessary Support Systems
To insure the integrity of the off-campus course offerings:
1.    When on-campus courses are to be taught off-campus the necessary resources are to be made available.
2.    All requests for courses already taught on campus shall be subject to the approval process already identified for off-campus course approval.
3.    The college policy whereby the maximum student load is one graduate credit per week for summer courses shall also be applied for all workshops and off-campus course offerings.

Appendix VI-A (Under review)
Undergraduate Proposal for Off-Campus Course

Policy
Normally, courses carrying college credit shall be taught on campus where the full resources of the institution are available. In certain circumstances, however, courses such as workshops, seminars, or institutes may be offered off-campus where the objectives or the content of the course or the particular needs of students may be more appropriately met. In these circumstances, the proposal to offer the course off-campus must be approved by the appropriate Department Chairman and the appropriate Academic Dean.
 

1.    The college maintains a variety of interdisciplinary programs. Some are independent and others are administered within an academic department. The difference is that the independent ones have sole responsibility for their curriculum, administer their own budget, and report to the Dean rather than to a department chair.
2.    International education programs are to be administered by the President's Office.
3.    All other existing independent programs are to be coordinated by the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. These programs have advisory committees and their Directors are assigned to a three year term (repeatable). As they are not part of a department, they report assessment results and submit program reviews directly to the Dean of Arts and Sciences. These programs will be coordinated with assistance from the Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences.
4.    New student or faculty-designed programs involving a limited number of students are to go through the Committee on Student Designed Majors. Formalization of these programs requires submission to the Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and if five identical programs get repeated within a three-consecutive-year period this program will need to be formalized as one offered by the college through a proposal to the UCC that will place it in the catalog. The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee receives an annual report in May regarding what has been accepted. 

A. Definitions: 

Liberal arts major A program leading to the B.A. degree that is not classified as a professional program.

Professional program: A program whose curriculum is determined by licensure or certification requirements imposed by professional organizations, or that is designed to lead to a specific profession or group of professions.

Cognates:  Courses from outside a discipline's offerings that form part of the discipline's major, either as required courses or restrictive electives.

B. Maximum Credit Requirements for Programs. 
NOTE: If the number of credits required to complete a major or minor is a range (e.g. 40-44), the size of the major or minor will be determined by the lower bound, which represents the minimum number of credits necessary to complete the major or minor.

1.    General Education Program: 40 credits.

2.    Liberal arts majors: 40 credits maximum (30 credits minimum), including all cognates, but excluding courses that also fulfill General Education requirements.
a.    This limit may not be exceeded except upon a clear and convincing demonstration that the additional credits are necessary to conform to accepted standards of the profession, supported by evidence of practices at peer institutions. In no case shall such a major exceed 60 credits.

3.    Professional programs, Bachelor of Science Degrees and Studio & Performing Arts majors: 80 credits maximum, including all cognates, but excluding courses that also fulfill General Education requirements.
a.    No major may exceed 80 credits without either:
1.    A clear demonstration that the additional credits are required by licensing or certifying authorities
2.    A clear demonstration, supported by evidence from other institutions, that the additional credits are necessary to prepare students in the field for the relevant profession(s).
b.    A major which exceeds 80 credits shall have a statement placed prominently in the Catalog to the effect that "Because the total number of credits required for this major exceeds 120, students should expect that the degree requirements will normally not be completed in four years of full-time study."
4.    Academic minor: 18 to 24 credits but excluding courses that also fulfill General Education requirements.
5.    Summary of the distribution of credits:
a.    Liberal Arts Major 
General Education Program: 40 credits
Major: 40 credits maximum 
Free Electives or Second Major: 40 credits.
Total: 120 credits 
b.    Professional Programs, B.S. degrees, and Studio/Performing Arts: 
General Education Program: 40 credits.
Major: 80 credits maximum
Total: 120 credits 

Appendix IX-A Mathematics Milestone (Revised and Approved 5/12/2023) 

Students are encouraged to complete the College Mathematics Milestone by the end of their first year of study at the College. Students who have not fulfilled the milestone will have that noted on their Academic Requirements report and transcript.
 
Students who do not satisfy the College Mathematics Milestone by the end of their first year (30 or more attempted credit hours at Rhode Island College) will have a registration hold until the student is registered for the appropriate course.
 
Note: Fulfillment of the College Mathematics Milestone is distinct from and does not substitute for completion of the Mathematics Category of General Education.
 
Entering students (first year and transfer) shall have the following options for fulfilling the College Mathematics Milestone:
 
1)    All entering students will be required to take the Mathematics Placement Exam prior to or during New Student Orientation. Students who achieve an appropriate placement score will have met the Mathematics Milestone. (This examination is given at least six times each semester and, if necessary, may be repeated once. The examination is administered by the Mathematics Learning Center.)
 
2)    Students who do not achieve a satisfactory grade on the Mathematics Placement Exam (which may be taken twice) must enroll in MATH 010 prior to or during their first year at Rhode Island College.  Students who fail to earn a satisfactory grade must re-enroll in MATH 010 until successful completion.
 
3)    Students who receive transfer credit for a course(s) deemed equivalent to a RIC math course (MATH 010, 120, 139, 143, 177 or higher) will have met the Mathematics Milestone.

Appendix IX-B Writing Competency Requirement (revised 5/1/2020)
All students are required to complete the College Writing Requirement. In most cases, this requirement is satisfied by the completion of FYW 100, FYW 100P or FYW 100H, with a minimum grade of C. However, the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development requires a minimum grade of B. Students who receive a C-, D+, D or a D- in FYW 100, FYW 100P or FYW 100H, will receive the college credit but will not have fulfilled the College Writing Requirement. This requirement may also be satisfied by (1) passing the appropriate College Level Examination Program (CLEP)/College Composition, with a minimum score of 50, and by reporting the score to RIC’s Registrar's Office; or (2) by passing the course equivalent of FYW 100 with a C or better; in this latter case, the transcript from the institution at which the student enrolled in the equivalent course should be sent to RIC’s admissions office. Most students will have the opportunity during first year orientation to choose which FYW course best meets their needs. Visit the FYW Program website at www.ric.edu/firstyearwriting for information on this process.

Students are encouraged to fulfill the College Writing Requirement in their first year of study at Rhode Island College. Students who have not fulfilled the requirement will have that noted on their transcript. Students who have not fulfilled the College Writing Requirement before the completion of 30 attempted credits at the college will have a registration hold placed on their account until they have registered for the course. If the course is not completed successfully, the hold will be placed again.

1. Certificate definition and nomenclature
All certificates at Rhode Island College are categorized as Certificate of Continuing Study (CCS), Certificate of Undergraduate Study (CUS), or Certificate of Graduate Study (CGS). Certificates of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.) are graduate degrees and are not included in this category. All new certificate programs are required to identify their category.
a. Certificate of Continuing Studies (CCS): Primarily for non-degree students, where the certificate components consist primarily of courses and/or workshops earning credits not associated with undergraduate or graduate programs at RIC, such as Continuing Education Units (CEUs), college outreach program credit, etc. Admission and retention requirements for most CCS programs are minimal. These certificates typically provide professional development, vocational training, or personal enrichment.
b. Certificate of Undergraduate Studies (CUS): Primarily for undergraduate-level students, where the certificate components consist mostly of RIC undergraduate-level courses. Admission and retention requirements are significant. These certificates typically provide applied academic and/or professional training.
c. Certificate of Graduate Studies (CGS): Primarily for post-baccalaureate-level students, where the certificate components consist mostly of RIC graduate-level courses. Admission and retention requirements are extensive. These certificates typically provide advanced applied academic and/or professional training.

2. Certificate Program Review
Certificate programs are important to the college and merit considerable care in their development and administration. When academic credit is awarded, these programs should be afforded the same level of guidance and scrutiny given to other applications of academic credit, which is the purview of the Curriculum Committee. For certificates representing academic achievement but not through the awarding of academic credits, i.e., the CCS, guidance and scrutiny are still called for by associated academic units and administrators.
a. Certificates and minors are not awarded for the same course work.
b. CUS and CGS programs are reviewed and approved like all other academic programs.
c. CCS programs undergo review by associated and affected academic units, deans, VPAA, and President.

3. Certificate Program Requirements
All CCS, CUS, and CGS requirements normally must be completed at Rhode Island College. 
a. Certificate of Continuing Studies (CCS): The CCS certificate program will be composed of courses and/or workshops totaling at least 3 CEUs (at least 30 contact hours). The completion requirement for the certificate typically includes a minimum of contact hours, but other or additional requirements may be specified. 
b. Certificate of Undergraduate Studies (CUS): The CUS certificate program will be composed of at least 15 credit hours, primarily consisting of existing RIC courses. The completion requirement for the certificate is typically a 2.0 or greater minimum cumulative GPA unless otherwise specified.
c. Certificate of Graduate Studies (CGS): The CGS certificate program will be composed of at least 15 credit hours, primarily consisting of existing RIC courses at the 500-600 level. The completion requirement for the certificate is typically a 3.0 or greater minimum cumulative GPA unless otherwise specified.
16 credit hours are required in CUS programs for the student to be eligible for financial aid; 8 hours are required in CGS programs for the student to be eligible for financial aid. Students in CCS programs are not eligible for financial aid; however, third party tuition assistance for certain CCS programs may be available.

4. Certificate Program Registration, Transcription, and Graduation
a. Certificate program coordinators for CUS and CGS students will notify the Registrar's Office when a student is admitted to a certificate program.
b. CUS or CGS students who are not matriculated will be recognized and coded as non-degree students. The Registrar's Office will establish and use uniform certificate coding procedures.
c. Students completing CUS or CGS programs will have the certificate requirements and the certificate awarded noted on their transcript. They will also receive printed certificates and be acknowledged on appropriate websites by the coordinating department.
d. The coordinating department will track student progress and notify students of impending program completion.

5. Other Certificate Academic Policies
a. Undergraduate and graduate courses completed for certificate program credit prior to admission to graduate and undergraduate programs will be applied to those programs according to policies outlined in the Graduate Studies Manual and/or College Catalog. Exceptions to this must be stated in the program design and approved by the appropriate authorizing body.
b. Matriculated students may earn certificates except when specifically prohibited. 
c. Matriculated students may earn a certificate or a minor in a field, but not both.
d. Standard college tuition and fees will apply to all students for college credit bearing courses used in certificate programs. 

Each department may offer topics courses, seminars and workshops--X50 and X60 and X80. Topics courses and workshops may be repeated with a change in content and credits may vary. 

Within the general category of "Courses with Variable Content," no department may offer any X50 topics courses, X60 seminars, or X80 workshop courses with the same content more than three times. After three offerings, the course in question must either be approved by the College Undergraduate Curriculum Committee as a regular catalog course or the sponsoring department must receive in advance the written approval of the appropriate academic dean for exception to this policy. The Deans shall report to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee in April each year on any exceptions given.

Field experience, internships, practica, etc. are important methods of learning for students. Classroom content can be enhanced by a planned program that allows students to put theory and skill into practice. The use of this educational tool should be purposeful and planned: such experiential learning will supplement and reinforce classroom learning in actual life situations. In such learning experiences, students should be involved directly in the work of the agency and not merely be there as an observer with only vicarious involvement. Student tasks should be consistent with the educational goals of the student and the school.

All such experiences should be treated as a course, ranking it necessary for Undergraduate Curriculum Committee action. The proposal should include:

1.    Clearly stated objectives.
2.    Method of instruction.
3.    Method of evaluation.
4.    Procedure for placement by the department/school offering the experience.
5.    A plan for coordination with learning site.
A.    The objectives should be related to the experience the student will have. This permits a learning contract to be developed, which provides a basis for evaluation. It also provides for a link with theoretical knowledge already learned.
B.    Commitments with outside agencies shall not be made by students.
C.    Each program should develop a field manual that must be approved by the appropriate dean and that spells out:
1.    Specific learning objectives
2.    Procedures for placement of students
3.    Procedures for on-site supervision
4.    Responsibility of all parties involved: college faculty, students, and agency personnel
5.    Process of evaluation
6.    Process of coordination between faculty and agency based supervisors
7.    Method of grading
D.    Credit for field work associated with courses that are principally theory and/or method in content should be given on a formula basis of two (2) hours per week equals one (1) semester hour credit. Credit for field work with courses that are practice in content (e.g. student teaching, internship) should be given on the formula basis of approximately four (4) hours per week equals one (1) credit.

1.    Any course that carries credit toward the 120 hours required for graduation shall be numbered 100 or above.
2.    Any course that is in the nature of a basic skills remedial course or preparatory course for college entrance shall not carry any credit toward graduation and should be numbered below 100. These courses, however, shall count toward determining full-time status.
3.    Courses of a remedial nature of special interest to specific populations may be offered by the College from time to time, which shall carry no credit and shall be numbered below 10.
4.    If the Office of Continuing Education sees the need for a course not currently offered by the College, it shall send a proposed course title and description to the appropriate department for development and written approval to offer the course. Normal Undergraduate Curriculum Committee course approval procedures shall apply.

Courses Numbered 000-099 - Non-credit courses.

Courses Numbered 100-299 – Introductory and foundational knowledge courses normally taken in undergraduate students' initial years at the college.

Courses Numbered 300 and above MUST have a prerequisite.

Courses Numbered 300-399 – More advanced courses taken by undergraduate students. Not accepted for credit toward graduate degrees.

Courses Numbered 400-499 – Most advanced courses, typically taken by seniors, and open to graduate students for credit toward graduate degrees. Number of credits acceptable in a graduate program is limited by graduate program policies.

Courses Numbered 500-599 – courses open to graduate students. Normally these courses require a bachelor's degree as a prerequisite. In certain circumstances, qualified undergraduate students who have earned at least 90 credit hours may be admitted, with documented consent of the instructor and the appropriate dean.

Courses Numbered 600-699 – courses open to graduate and doctoral students only

Courses Numbered 700-799 – courses open to graduate and doctoral students only

In general, when the middle digit of a course number is 6, the course is a seminar or a general education core course (sometimes a 7 for the latter); 8, a workshop; 9, directed study

1.    The College sponsors noncredit continuing education experiences in which the participants may earn continuing education units (CEUs). The College also endorses noncredit continuing education experience offered by groups and institutions other than Rhode Island College in which participants may earn CEUs. One CEU is earned through ten contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction. CEUs provide a way for adults, especially those in the professional and technical occupations, to accumulate, to update, and to transfer a record of their educational experiences in non-credit activities. Students who wish to enroll in an educational experience offering continuing education units may range from an adult who has not finished high school to someone who has an advanced degree. People with doctorates in some disciplines must complete CUE requirements for recertification or relicensure. 
2.    CEUs may not be changed to academic course credits, and CEUs do not count as credit toward an undergraduate or graduate degree. The CEU is not a "quasi-credit" to be given for noncredit continuing education experiences. 
3.    Office of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions (OCESS) supports CEU workshops proposed by various on- and off-campus partners according to IACET guidelines. OCESS requires a completed proposal form, course/workshop description and outline, and instructor CV. 
4.    Proposals submitted by campus chairs or program directors (considered academic unit heads) are accepted without respective dean's approval.  Proposals submitted by off-campus partners require approval by the related academic unit head.
5.    Some OCESS CEU programming (Professional Development Programs) falls under the category of workforce development and work skills training. These courses are offered in conjunction with the RI Office of Training and Development and/or the RI Department of Labor and Training. For the most part, these offer existing or new courses that have been approved by these agencies. The courses do not have content that clearly aligns with RIC departments, and academic unit heads and deans are not involved in the approval process. 
6.    School of Social Work (SSW) is authorized by the RI National Association of Social Workers (RINASW) to offer RIC Social Work CEUs.  Continuing Education in Social Work (CESW) is supported by SSW and OCESS.  CESW CEU workshops must be approved by a SSW faculty member designated by the dean.
7.    The School of Nursing may seek authorization from the RI State Nurses Association (RISNA) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to offer nursing CEU workshops. OCESS's support is not required for this programming.
8.    Appropriate evaluation methods must be used and evaluation criteria established prior to the beginning of the activity. Many CEU courses/workshops are approved for State of RI incentive credit (IC).  IC courses must have a test at the conclusion and participants taking the course for IC must score 70 out of 100 points to receive IC. However, some CEU workshops/courses follow the "seat time" measure in terms of awarding of CEUs, and assessment of value added outcomes are not measured.

Administrative Procedures for the Continuing Education Unit
1.    The Director of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions will be responsible for the operation, coordination, and development of instructional programs for which CEUs are awarded.
2.    The Director, in consultation with the appropriate department chair and dean, will certify and approve the awarding of a specific number of CEUs for all sponsored and endorsed programs prior to the program offering.
3.    CEU courses and workshops will be transcripted in PeopleSoft and participants will be enrolled and graded (S/U/H grading pattern).  Permanent records will be available in the form of student transcripts available through MyRIC and/or the Registrar's Office. 

Note: These guidelines must be followed for CE for-credit courses using FSEHD discipline codes, but other RIC schools and OCESS are not obliged to follow these guidelines. 
Credit-bearing undergraduate and graduate FSEHD courses are being offered through off-campus partners, and it is essential that Rhode Island College apply its academic policies, procedures, and governance equally to all courses. 

Course approval
1.    Any entity, whether affiliated or not affiliated with FSEHD, may request that an existing course that has been approved through college governance be delivered to a specific group of individuals, either on or off-campus. The requests should be submitted to the Dean, Feinstein School of Education and Human Development in writing or online at least three months before the class starts 

2.    Requests may include recommendations for instructor appointment and the adaptation of content, but academic departments retain full control of the academic content and faculty appointments regardless of the nature of the relationship with the partner organization or any historical precedents. Typical recommendations might include: 
1.    Dates, times, and location (for class meetings or course format (online, hybrid, etc.)
2.    Potential audience, expected class size
3.    Recommendations with respect to overall course content, possibly referencing a topical outline or a pre-existing syllabus 
4.    Recommendation of one or more persons qualified to teach the course 

3.    Part time instructors assigned to teach a course must submit their detailed syllabus, in FSEHD template form to the Department Chair for approval at least one month before class begins. The Chair may choose to delegate syllabus approval to another full time faculty whose area of expertise matches the proposed course. The approved syllabus will be filed electronically with the department and Dean's office, along with a record of approval.

4.    In case of repeat offerings, the syllabus must be reviewed at least annually. 

No course maybe entered into RIC's PeopleSoft scheduling system without prior written approval by the Department Chair and Dean.

Mode of Instruction
•    Standard Classroom: A course that meets at a pre-determined time and place, in-person, on a regular schedule throughout the term. The course may include use of online learning management system(s).
•    Hybrid: A course in which a portion of standard classroom instruction is replaced by online learning.*
•    Distance: A course in which all teaching and learning takes place online. There are no in-person meetings.
* All General Education Connections courses must include at least 50% Standard Classroom instruction.

Below is a list of recommended class-sizes for the different types of undergraduate courses. These recommendations are based on the pedagogical needs of different course formats. In addition to these recommendations, consideration needs to be given for lab, studio, or similar space, safety, and contractual requirements, and departmental or program differences that necessitate flexibility.

Departments shall use the table below to guide selection of a class size limit in their course proposal. Once a course is approved at the UCC with a specific class size limit, additions of up to 2 students above that number shall require the approval of the department chair and the permission of the instructor. Any department may use the UCC revision process to propose officially altering class size limits after approval.