The Curriculum Committee considers and makes recommendations concerning policies and procedures for the development, alteration, review, and approval of undergraduate curricula and programs. Acting on behalf of the Faculty Assembly, the committee also considers and approves or disapproves additions, deletions, and changes to undergraduate academic programs and curricula.
Planning a course or program change?
This page provides guidance for preparing and submitting Course Action and Program Action forms to the Curriculum Committee, including deadlines, required approvals, and what to expect during the review process.
Submission Process
If you need to add or change a program or course in the curriculum, begin by planning the proposed action and preparing the appropriate form. Your department must approve the proposal before it is submitted to the Curriculum Committee.
Develop the Proposal Prepare the proposed course or program action and complete the appropriate form.
Receive Department Approval Obtain the required approval from your department before submitting the proposal.
Submit to the Committee Submit the completed materials at least seven days before the Curriculum Committee meeting.
Present the Proposal A representative from the department presents the proposal during the Curriculum Committee meeting.
Complete Revisions If revisions are requested, complete the changes and obtain department approval for the revised form.
Receive Committee Approval Submit the final approved version to the Curriculum Committee for processing.
Provost Review Approved forms are forwarded to the Provost for review and approval.
Registrar Updates Curriculum Following Provost approval, the materials are forwarded to the Registrar for implementation.
Important: If the Curriculum Committee approves a form with minor edits, the revised form must be completed, receive the necessary department approval, and be returned to the Curriculum Committee within seven days of the meeting.
Curriculum Meeting Dates and Submission Deadlines
The Curriculum Committee generally meets on the first Tuesday of each month during the fall and spring semesters. Forms must be submitted at least seven days before the meeting.
| Month | Curriculum Meeting | Submission Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | No meeting | — | — |
| February | February 3 | January 27 | — |
| March | March 3 | February 24 | Last meeting to review forms for implementation in the Fall 2026 semester. |
| April | April 7 | March 31 | — |
| May | May 5 | April 28 | — |
| June–August | No meeting | — | — |
| September | September 1 | August 25 | — |
| October | October 6 | September 29 | Last meeting to review forms for implementation in the Spring 2027 semester. |
| November | November 3 | October 27 | — |
| December | December 1 | November 24 | — |
If your form is approved during the Curriculum Committee meeting but requires minor edits, you must submit the revised form to the committee no later than seven days after the meeting.
Preparing the Form
Where Do You Start?
There are two main types of actions you can submit, depending on the change you are proposing: a Course Action Form or a Program Action Form.
Course Action Form
Use a Course Action Form if you need to add a new course or make changes to an existing course.
- Course Add: Select this option when proposing an entirely new course.
- Course Change: Select this option when making changes to a course that already exists.
Program Action Form
Use a Program Action Form if you are proposing a new program or making changes to an existing program.
Program Add
Select Program Add when proposing an entirely new program. Because a program consists of multiple courses, additional Course Add or Course Change forms may also be required.
- Use a Course Add form for each new course being created as part of the program.
- Use a Course Change form when an existing course needs to be incorporated into the new program.
Program Change
Select Program Change when proposing changes to an existing program. If a new course is being added to an existing program, both a Course Add form and a Program Change form are required.
Complete All Fields
Every field on the form must be completed. If an item does not apply, enter N/A rather than leaving the field blank.
For a Course Change or Program Change, complete the entire form rather than only the fields being changed. The new form supersedes the previous form, so information that is not changing should be copied exactly as it currently appears.
Required Approvals
Department Approval
Once the forms are complete, obtain signed authorization from your department chair and dean.
If the Curriculum Committee requests changes, the revised form must receive department approval again before it is returned to the committee.
General Education Approval
Additional approval may be required if the proposed course or program action involves General Education. Obtain the appropriate General Education approval before submitting materials to the Curriculum Committee and include the approval with the supporting documents.
If the action is not connected to General Education, enter N/A where applicable.
Planning Your Submission
Submission Deadline
Submit your materials at least seven days before the Curriculum Committee meeting. Because the committee generally meets on the first Tuesday of the month, the submission deadline is typically the previous Tuesday.
Minor Edits
If the committee approves your proposal but requests minor edits, the revised form must be completed and approved by your department chair and dean within seven days of the meeting. Forms received after this period will be processed at a future Curriculum Committee meeting.
Semester Schedule
The Curriculum Committee meets during the fall and spring semesters. Meetings are not held during summer or winter break.
Implementation Deadlines
For fall implementation: The course or program action must be submitted and approved by the Curriculum Committee no later than March of the preceding semester.
For spring implementation: The course or program action must be submitted and approved no later than October of the preceding semester.
Submit Your Materials
Use the Curriculum Committee submission form to submit your completed materials. Include any supporting documents required for your proposal.
- Course Add: Include the course syllabus.
- Course Change: Include the syllabus if the proposed changes significantly affect it.
- Program Add: Include a list of courses in the proposed program and the credits awarded for each course.
Curriculum Committee Meeting
Meeting Format
Curriculum Committee meetings are held online via Zoom. After a submission is received, a calendar invitation containing the Zoom link will be sent to the presenter.
Presenting Your Proposal
One person from the submitting department must attend the meeting to present the proposal. This is generally the faculty member proposing the change, but another department representative who is knowledgeable about the proposal may present instead.
During the presentation:
- Provide an overview of the proposed course or program action.
- Explain why the course or program action is needed.
- Be prepared to answer questions from committee members.
- Note any changes or edits requested by the committee.
Presenters do not need to read the submitted form during the meeting. The purpose of the presentation is to provide context, explain the proposal, and answer questions.
After the Curriculum Committee Meeting
Forms Requiring Major Edits
If major edits are required, the proposal will not be approved during that meeting. The proposal will be postponed until the requested changes have been addressed and can be considered at a future meeting.
Major revisions may affect the proposed implementation semester, particularly when a proposal is submitted at the March or October deadline. Submitting course and program actions earlier is encouraged when possible.
Forms Requiring Minor Edits
If the committee approves the proposal but requests minor edits, the form will not be processed until the committee receives the revised document with the required department approvals. The revised form must be submitted within seven days of the meeting.
Final Approval and Processing
After forms are approved by the Curriculum Committee, they are sent to the Provost for approval. Following Provost approval, the forms are forwarded to the Registrar for processing.
Please use the official submission form. Forms emailed directly to the Curriculum Chair or individual Curriculum Committee members will not be processed for a committee meeting.
Questions?
The Curriculum Chair is available to provide guidance while you prepare your forms and throughout the submission process.
When emailing with questions, use “Curriculum” in the subject line to help identify and prioritize your message.
Angelica Castro Cardenas
Curriculum Chair, 2025–2027
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Email: castroag1@sunypoly.edu
