University Senate Approval
The Education Committee of the University Senate reviews all new programs leading to a master's or doctoral degree on behalf of the full Senate.
- The Committee establishes a subcommittee of its members to review each proposal for a new program. The subcommittee receives the proposal at one meeting of the Committee and reports back to the full Committee at a subsequent meeting. As part of its review, the subcommittee typically contacts the individual listed on the cover sheet of the proposal as the program contact to discuss the proposal.
- After the subcommittee submits its report, the full Education Committee discusses the proposal and votes on whether to recommend the proposed program to the full University Senate.
Proposals that receive an affirmative vote in the Education Committee are forwarded to the Executive Committee of the University Senate for inclusion on the agenda of the next plenary meeting of the full University Senate.
The University Senate and its Education Committee meet monthly between September and April. Since it takes at least two months, and some times more, for the Senate to complete its review departments and schools should send their proposals to the Vice Provost for Academic Administration as early in the academic year as possible. The closer to April the Vice Provost receives a proposal, the greater the likelihood that the Senate will not consider and approve the new program until the following academic year.