Curriculum Resources

1. IU South Bend Signature Routing Sheet
2. Guidance on proposals for new academic programs
3. Documentation and forms for new proposals and changes to academic programs:

• Degree Program Proposals and Changes
• Certificate Proposals and Changes
• Major Proposals and Changes (including Tracks and Concentrations)
• Transcript Changes
• Academic Structure Changes

Each year, the Office of Academic Affairs receives requests to contribute to various speakers and programs on campus. These requests come at different times of the year and for differing amounts. In the past, the Office has usually been able to contribute some monies to defray the costs of  these events.

Because it is difficult to gauge how many groups will be asking for funding in any given year, the Office of Academic Affairs is instituting a more transparent, regularized policy for departments and groups requesting funding from Academic Affairs to defray the costs of their programs.

Beginning immediately, departments or groups requesting funds from Academic Affairs must:

1. Submit a request in writing that specifically details the purpose of the program and the amount of funding requested;
2. Describe how the program (speaker, conference, other event) advances a strategic goal of the campus;
3. Describe efforts to secure funding from other sources and the amounts pledged/received.

The request should be no more than 1-1/2 pages in length.

Funds may be requested for up to $500. The final amount allocated will be dependent on the number of requests received and budgetary availability.

Requests for funding must be received by September 1 of the academic year in which the program will take place.

Funding requests should be forwarded to Linda Chen, via email, at Linda Chen.

This policy puts everyone on an even playing field with regards to funding requests to the Office of Academic Affairs. It will enable the Office of Academic Affairs to better budget for such requests and it will facilitate advanced planning by departments and groups for programs and events.

The following Indiana University South Bend program review procedures are derived from the Indiana University Procedures for Program Reviews established by action of the University Faculty Council, April 13, 1993, and from Program Review and Educational Quality in the Major, Association of American Colleges, 1992.

1. IU South Bend will implement a campus-based system of periodic program reviews of individual academic units not subject to regular accrediting and professional organizational review.
2. Program reviews are to be conducted every five to seven years.
3. Program reviews will be conducted by the Dean or Program Director in cooperation with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
4. Program reviews will make use of outside peer evaluators who are mutually agreeable to the Faculty of the unit, the Dean or Program Director and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
5. The program review is based on the unit=s self-study prepared by the ffaculty of the unit under review. The self-study should include
   • the unit's mission statement
   • a statement of goals to be used by the appointing officer in charging the outside reviewer
   • a summary of findings from the third year assessment reviews, previous program reviews and supporting information such as course syllabi, final examinations
   • description of changes in the program since the last review and of changes that are a result of the assessment reviews
   • evidence of the extent to which goals are being met
   • identification of critical problems facing the program
   • short and long-range plans and recommendations.

   Questions such as the following should be addressed in the self study:

   • Are the teaching, research and service activities of the faculty consistent with the unit's mission?
   • What are the students learning? Is the curriculum of the unit consistent with the unit's mission?
   • Does the curriculum reflect practices of the field, liberal learning and the needs and lives of its students?
   • Is academic advising valued and effective?
   • Does the unit have goals to encourage inclusion and success for a diverse range of students?
   • Does the unit receive adequate administrative support?
   • Is the unit better than, the same as, or worse than it was five (seven) years ago?
   • What changes are needed in the next five (seven) years?
6. The unit under review and the outside reviewer(s) will receive support services to conduct the review from the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. Financial costs of the review are the responsibility of the unit with ancillary support from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
7. The external reviewer(s) will submit a report of findings in a timely manner to the Dean or Program Director and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
8. Following receipt of the external review report, the unit under review will prepare a written response and will meet with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs to discuss the findings. The response should address the following questions:
   
   • Are unit goals appropriate?
   • How well is the unit achieving the goals?
   • What changes should be made in light of the review findings and how will these changes be implemented?
   • What resources will be necessary to mediate deficiencies and achieve short- and long-range goals