These are some of the most frequently asked questions that we receive at the Curriculum and Assessment Office. If you do not find the answer to your question, you can contact us.
- Where do I submit course and program submissions?
Any course-related submission (new course, course change, 3-year syllabus review) is submitted via CurricUNET. All program submissions (program proposal, program change, program assessment plan change, program assessment report) should be submitted to the Curriculum & Assessment Office, Student Center Building, Room 257 or emailed to curriculum.assessment@wccnet.edu.
- If I am having problems with a curriculum-related form, where should I look for help?
Please visit the Processes section of the Curriculum & Assessment website first. This section describes the process for submitting forms and provides helpful checklists for completing curriculum-related forms. If you are still having problems, please contact the Office of Curriculum & Assessment at 734-973-3706.
- Where can I find copies of an official course syllabus?
Copies of all master syllabi are posted on the Curriculum & Assessment website. Go to wccnet.edu, click on "WCC Gateway" and click on "Faculty/Staff Dashboard." Scroll down to the Faculty section on the left side of the page, and click on "Curriculum and Assessment." Select "Course & Program Data" from the sidebar, then click on "master syllabi" to access the discipline choices. These are great pages to bookmark on your browser for easy access.
- How do I get a course approved for transfer to another college or university?
(This is being reviewed for current information as of 5/16/22. Please contact the C&A Office at 734-973-3706 or email curriculum.assessment@wccnet.edu for more information.)
- How do I get a course approved to fulfill a General Education Requirement?
(This is being reviewed for current information as of 5/16/22. Please contact the C&A Office at 734-973-3706 or email curriculum.assessment@wccnet.edu for more information.)
- I want to change the number of a course. What do I do?
(This is being reviewed for current information as of 5/16/22. Please contact the C&A Office at 734-973-3706 or email curriculum.assessment@wccnet.edu for more information.)
- What date should I use as the effective term when submitting a Course and Syllabus
Form or a Program Change Form?
Look to see what the C & A approval deadlines are for the type of approval you are requesting and select the date. Put the Effective Term-when the change should take place-on the top right corner of the first page. If a course will not be offered until winter semester, but it needs to be included in the catalog, make the effective term the upcoming fall semester.
- I need a new course number. How do I do this?
Contact the C&A office at curriculum.assessment@wccnet.edu or 734-973-3706 and they will provide a list of all the available course numbers. A course number cannot be reused, even when a course number is inactivated.
- What does it mean when a course has conditional approval, as opposed to a full approval?
As a rule, all new courses and courses with major changes must go to the Curriculum and Assessment Committees for review before they are forwarded to the Vice President of Instruction (VPI). In certain urgent situations, and only by request from a Dean, courses can be sent directly to the VPI for review and may be granted a conditional approval for a maximum of three consecutive semesters. (After this, the course must be submitted for full approval. In order for a course to be fully approved, an assessment report and master syllabus update must be submitted for full approval by the end of the third semester. Otherwise, the course will be discontinued.)
- What is the Curriculum Committee and why do they review courses and programs?
The Curriculum Committee is provided for in the Master Contractual Agreement, and is charged with reviewing new courses, courses with major changes, new programs, changes to programs, and issues related to curriculum in general. They act in an advisory capacity and provide recommendations to the Vice President for Instruction (VPI). Five faculty members and up to four administrators appointed by the VPI comprise the Committee. For current members, click here.
- I saw an error in the catalog or on the WCC website pertaining to a course or program.
What can I do?
Contact the C&A office. Depending on the type of change, some can be resolved immediately; others will be changed for the next catalog.
- My department wants to print brochures, handouts, etc. for our programs. Do I need
to notify anyone?
Yes, the C&A Office needs to be aware of these plans so that correct information can be provided. You should also contact Marketing Services regarding any college-related publications.
- My department wants to develop a new program. What form needs to be completed?
Use the Program Proposal form, checking the Preliminary proposal box. For this initial version, address the items briefly and in general terms, and submit it to the Curriculum and Assessment Office for review by the Vice President. When this version of the proposal is approved, the Program Proposal form is used again, but the Final Proposal box is checked, and all items are answered comprehensively and in detail.
- What if I submit a curriculum proposal to my Department Chair or Dean and it is not
approved?
Before submitting the proposal to the Chair, make sure that the entire Department has had an opportunity to review it, and that they will support it. If the proposal is denied by the Chair or Dean, discuss the reasons they had for not approving the proposal. The Chair and Dean will offer suggestions so that the proposal can be revised and resubmitted.
- What if the Vice President of Instruction does not approve my curriculum proposal?
The Vice President will discuss the reasons with you, your Department Chair, and Dean, as well as suggestions for resubmitting the proposal.
- What if I submit a curriculum proposal to the Curriculum and Assessment Committees
and it is not approved?
The Committees will explain why the proposal was not approved, and they will make recommendations concerning items that require clarification. The proposal can then be resubmitted.
- How can articulation agreements with other institutions be set up so that programs
can transfer?
Faculty from both institutions review both programs and determine equivalencies between courses. This process applies to both four-year institutions and to high schools. The Curriculum and Assessment Office can facilitate this process.