Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Curriculum Related Questions

What is the difference between the General Bulletin, the Graduate or Undergraduate Catalog and the Registration Guide?

General Bulletin is the official title of the document produced by this office that contains the University polices, procedures, admission requirements, department and course descriptions, etc. This document is produced in two separate editions, graduate and undergraduate. Common titles for these two publications are the Graduate Catalog or Graduate Bulletin and, Undergraduate Catalog, Undergraduate Bulletin, or just General Bulletin. While this may be confusing, most people will use the word "graduate" in the title to differentiate it from the undergraduate version, regardless of whether they use the term "Catalog" or "Bulletin".

The Registration Guide is the official title of the document produced each semester by this office that contains some registration, chronological and fee information. This document has replaced the Directory of Classes, which is no longer printed.

Where is the Directory of Classes?

The Registration Guide has replaced the Directory of Classes. In the new document, you can find such information as the academic calendar, registration windows, telephone and web worksheets, registration information, and fee information. Information on courses for Liberal Studies credit, courses for Multicultural credit, the exam schedule, and academic-advising codes can be found here. The course listings can be found on the Course Look Up system. From this site, you can search for courses by prefix or department or by a defined range of time. You also can get information about newly created or deleted courses or sections, view any change in time, location or instructor, search by location or special program, or see how many seats remain in a given section.

When do you start working on the new Catalog?

Undergraduate Edition

The cycle for updating the undergraduate catalog, or Bulletin, typically begins in late October - early November with the creation and delivery of the first proofs. These proofs contain any authorized corrections that have been communicated to Academic Publications, as well as any new curriculum that has been processed, since the publication of the previous undergraduate catalog. The deadline for final submissions varies but is typically the end of February, beginning of March. The printed document is usually available on campus around early June.

Graduate Edition

The graduate catalog is a two-year document. The production cycle for a new graduate catalog typically begins with the delivery of first proofs in early August. The production cycle continues through the Fall semester, ending roughly in November as the undergraduate catalog moves into full production. The graduate catalog is typically back on campus the following July.

What should I do? For current production dates, please refer to the Academic Publication production calendar.

Why am I not listed in the faculty section in the back of the Bulletin?

Two things may have occurred that would prevent your name from appearing in the current Bulletin. 1) You may have been hired prior to the update deadline set by the Office of the Dean of the Faculties or Human Resources but may have an incomplete personnel file. In this case, your file was not included in the pool compared to the existing text and as such would not have been added to the proof for inclusion. 2) You may have been hired after the update deadline set by either the Office of the Dean of the Faculties or Human Resources. In this case, your file was not included in the pool compared to the existing text and as such would not be added.

What should I do? In both cases, you should notify Academic Publications of the error and contact your department personnel representative or Human Resources to determine the status of your personnel file.

I was recently promoted. Why is my rank printed incorrectly?

Typically this occurs when individuals are promoted after the update deadline set by either the Office of the Dean of the Faculties or Human Resources. In this case, your file was not included in the pool compared to the existing text and as such would not reflect your new rank or title. In some cases, your University file may indicated one rank or title while the department or office you work for has awarded you an "honorary" title. In this case, only the official University rank or title will be printed.

What should I do? Consider when your promotion was approved. Was it after the submission deadline for the Bulletin or the Office of the Dean of the Faculties? If so, that would explain the problem. However, you should notify Academic Publications of the possible error and contact your department personnel representative or the Office of the Dean of the Faculties to determine the status of your personnel file. Also consider if your title is "official" or "honorary."

Why is my course not listed in the Bulletin?

There are several possible reasons for this. A new course or change to a course must be approved at the department, possibly the college or school level, and finally at the University Curriculum committee level. For various reasons, this approval process may be anywhere from one to four months long. In addition, courses must have a number assigned by the Statewide Common Course number office. Often times a course has been approved by the appropriate curriculum committees but may still need a course number verified by Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). Courses pending numbers or not approved by the appropriate committees and received by the Office of Academic Publications' submission deadlines may not be printed in the Bulletin.

What should I do? First check that course has been submitted to the appropriate committees at the department, college or school levels. Was it approved by each committee or is it pending the next meeting? If it was approved, contact the Office of the Dean of the Faculties to determine if it has been added to the agenda for the University Curriculum Committee and when that that meeting will occur. The Office of the Dean of the Faculties will also be able to verify when approved courses have been sent to SCNS for number assignment. If you have tracked the course through the various committees and know that it has been approved at the SCNS level, you should contact Academic Publications to determine the current status of the course.

What are the production deadlines?

These deadlines vary depending on the document in question.

What should I do? Please refer to the production calendar for the current deadlines.

Can I submit my changes electronically?

Currently the changes to the catalog must be submitted in a handwritten format, on the proofs provided to each department. However, we encourage departments with substantial changes (a paragraph or more of new text) to include an electronic copy of the new text, in addition to the written changes. One of the primary responsibilities of this office is to verify the accuracy of the information in the Bulletin. As such, this office must be able to see and verify each change. To ensure readability and compatibility, electronic submissions must follow specific guidelines and file formats.

What should I do? Please contact the Office of Academic Publications directly for more information.

Who should I notify about corrections or suggestions for the Bulletin?

The Office of Academic Publications always welcomes suggestions or comments. Please refer to the staff list for contact people and addresses.

Curriculum Related Questions

How do I get a new course approved? My curriculum needs an overhaul. How do I change it?

With the exception of refining or redirecting the emphasis of a course by changing the course description or pre-/corequisites, courses may not be changed substantially without approval of the University Curriculum Committee. Substantial changes include, but are not limited to, the following: course titles, credits, repeat codes, or grade types. Course numbers and prefixes are determined by Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) and may not be changed except by that office. The University Curriculum Committee is a standing committee that works in conjunction with the Office of the Dean of the Faculties. The Office of the Dean of the Faculties has the necessary forms and can instruct you on the policy and procedure for changing or adding courses as well as what supporting documentation should be provided to expedite the curriculum approval process.

What should I do?

Certain departments or colleges/schools may require internal reviews of curriculum prior to it being forwarded to the Curriculum Committee. Please consult your department chair or dean for policies and procedures specific to your area. Contact the Office of the Dean of the Faculties directly for University-wide information and forms.

What changes may I make to my course without going through the University Curriculum Committee?

As a general rule of thumb, departments may change those elements of course which do not appear on a transcript, i.e., the course description, prerequisites, corequisites, or major codes. Items such as the title, prefix, number, grade type, or credit or altering the course description to the degree that the course fundamentally becomes a new course are items that must be approved by the University Curriculum Committee.

What should I do?

You may change course descriptions, pre- or corequisites or major codes three ways: 1) update the catalog proofs when they are circulated during a Bulletin cycle. Changes made on those proofs are entered in the University Master Curriculum File (MCF) and the Bulletin after passing editorial review; 2) when not in a Bulletin cycle, contact the Coordinator of Curriculum Publications for the best way to submit your changes. This is particularly important if you are planning a sweeping series of changes. Depending the number and types of changes, several methods are available and will be discussed when you contact the office; 3) if you are planning to submit your course through the curriculum approval process because of other changes, you may update your course description, pre- and corequisites or major codes on the curriculum change form. When the approved course reaches Academic Publications, the changes will be implemented after editorial review.

If you need to change other elements of the course that affect transcript-type information, you must complete the appropriate curriculum change request forms and provide all required supporting documentation to the University Curriculum Committee. See above for details about adding or changing courses.

How do I get a course printed in the Bulletin?

All courses printed in the Bulletin have first been approved the department, college or school curriculum committees, as well as the University Curriculum Committee. Upon approval by the University Curriculum Committee, the course is forwarded to SCNS for a course number. Once a number is assigned the course is sent to Academic Publications. Approved and numbered courses are entered into the MCF and a proof is automatically generated for inclusion in the appropriate General Bulletin.

NOTE: Departments are encouraged to process curriculum change requests, including discontinuation or addition of new courses, as rapidly as possible. The deadlines of Academic Publications are tied to the Summer orientation schedule and semester timelines. The Office of the Dean of the Faculties and the University Curriculum Committee meet monthly during the Fall and Spring. Courses must be submitted several weeks in advance of an anticipated committee meeting to be listed on that meeting's agenda. Please contact Melissa Crawford in the Office of the Dean of the Faculties for University Curriculum Committee meeting times and deadlines.

What should I do?

Complete the curriculum approval process for either new courses that have never been taught before or for courses that are undergoing changes as described above.

How do I remove a course from the Bulletin?

Courses may be remove in two ways:

A course may be removed from the General Bulletin by submitting a curriculum change form through the appropriate curriculum committees, including the University Curriculum Committee, requesting that the course be discontinued. Once that paperwork is approved and forwarded to Academic Publications, a Bulletin proof is automatically generated to delete the course from the appropriate department. Only courses officially discontinued may be removed from the Bulletin.

Courses not taught in five years will appear on a report, run once a year, called the purge list. Typically departments with courses appearing on this report are notified that the course(s) in question will be purged, or removed from the MCF, unless otherwise specified. Courses that have been purged from the MCF as a result of this process will also be removed from the appropriate General Bulletin.

If a course is taught or shared by more than one department, who "owns" the course?

Typically, only one department "owns" a course. Ownership in this case means that the department that created the course has the right to modify or discontinue that course and the right to schedule that class for a given semester. In the case of interdisciplinary programs, joint programs, or special agreements worked out between departments, more than one department may teach a course. In this case, one department is considered the "primary" department or "owner" of the course. The primary department is the department that creates the course and submits the paperwork with that department chair's signature. This department has the final authority for changing the course description, modifying the course through the curriculum process or discontinuing a class. Other departments, if listed on the curriculum change form when the course is approved, or added through the direction of the primary department after the course is approved, may schedule the class as well. Any request for changes to the structure of the course by any department, other than the primary department, must be approved by the primary department and the University Curriculum Committee, if needed.

What should I do?

For questions about ownership of a course, contact Academic Publications. Failure to properly identify associated departments that may teach a course will result in that department's inability to build class sections for a given year or term.

Why has my course suddenly changed numbers?

This often happens due to a correction by SCNS. These corrections may be a result of leveling or adjusting course numbers across the Division of Colleges and Universities system.

What should I do? If you notice that a course appears under a different number than the one you submitted, and you are aware of no changes originating from your department, then most likely SCNS has adjusted the course number. Please contact Academic Publications and we will be happy to research the situation.

My course was approved but does not appear on the MCF or in the Bulletin. Why?

This may occur for several reasons:

  1. The course in question may have been approved just prior to or after the printing of the Bulletin proof or book that you are reviewing. As such, Academic Publications was unable to enter that course into the file in time for it to appear.
  2. Your course may have been approved in time to be printed but may not have been assigned a course number. In the case where the department is unsure of what number to assign a course, the courses may be submitted to the University Curriculum Committee with a number indicting the level at which a course will be offered (COP 3XXX). Upon approval of the course, the Office of the Dean of the Faculties will apply to the Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) for the appropriate number. The assignment of a course number may take several weeks, resulting in missed publication deadlines. Upon receipt of a number, Academic Publications will enter the course in the Master Curriculum File (MCF) and the appropriate General Bulletin.
  3. There may be other issues that must resolved before the course may be entered on the Master Curriculum File (MCF), ranging from missing data to conflicting numbers or title.
  4. Your course may have been approved by your department, college or school committee but may not have passed the University Curriculum Committee as yet.

What should I do? Departments are encouraged to track the progress of their courses throughout the approval process. Questions concerning University Curriculum Committee deadlines and meeting times should be directed to Melissa Crawford in the Office of the Dean of the Faculties. Questions about courses that have already been approved by the University Curriculum Committee and assigned a number by SCNS may be directed to Melissa Crawford or Academic Publications.

Curriculum Approval Cycle and Contact Points

  1. The faculty or a department decides to add/modify/delete a course or courses; verify curriculum approval process and policies.
  2. Complete all required forms, making sure that all fields are complete and appropriate documentation is attached.
  3. Submit completed paper work. To expedite your approval process, make sure that you follow the appropriate channels for your department, area or division.
  4. Review by department, area, or college/school. This varies widely across campus. Courses will not be forwarded to the University Curriculum Committee until they have cleared all lower-level review processes.
  5. Get on University Curriculum Committee Agenda. Courses must arrive on or before specific deadlines to be placed on the review agenda for the University Curriculum Committee. Failure to make that deadline may mean that a course is not reviewed until the following meeting and may mean a delay of anywhere from one to three months, depending of the time of year. Traditionally, the University Curriculum Committee does not meet during the Summer Semester.
  6. Courses reviewed by the University Curriculum Committee. Several things may happen at this point.
    1. Course is approved;
    2. Course is passed pending. This typically occurs when a minor change or additional documentation is requested by the University Curriculum Committee. If supplied, the course is typically forwarded to the next step without requiring additional review;
    3. Course is rejected. This may happen for a wide variety of reasons. The faculty member or the department submitting the course will be contacted and the situation explained. Courses may be reviewed and rejected several times by the Committee. Approval is not guaranteed.
  7. Approved course forwarded to Statewide Common Course Numbering (SCNS). This may take four to six weeks before the SCNS review is complete and the course is returned to the Office of the Dean of the Faculties.
  8. Course is returned from SCNS
  9. Course forwarded to Academic Publications. When received, the course is prepped and entered into the Master Curriculum File (MCF) and the Bulletin. It may take up to one week from the time we receive the course until it is entered on the MCF. Exceptions to this typically occur when the information is missing or contradictory. Certain courses may be received and entered in the MCF but not appear in the Bulletin depending on the Bulletin proof and printing cycle.