The School of Education
Brooklyn College
2/1/99

Submitting Curriculum Items: Basic Information

The SOE Curriculum Committee's guidelines for submitting curriculum items are intended to insure that all our curriculum items meet Brooklyn College and CUNY standards and that our curriculum process is well-documented and can be expedited by using standard word-processor formats and email communication.

For more details about the curriculum process, please see the SOE curriculum webpages:

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/education/curriculum

What is a curriculum item?

Any change to a course or degree program that requires a change to the Bulletin; any new degree program. These matters require a formal curriculum item and faculty approval.

How do I submit a curriculum item?

Curriculum items should be submitted by Program Heads after approval by program faculty. They should be in standard CUNY format with a cover letter explaining fully the need for the change. Submit by email as text or attachment (Word95, Word97, Wordperfect or RTF for Windows; please convert Mac files to a Windows format before sending) to jlemke@brooklyn.cuny.edu .

How do we initiate preliminary discussions with the Curriculum Committee?

Send an email with a preliminary proposal or idea, which need not be in CUNY format, to jlemke@brooklyn.cuny.edu . It will be forwarded to members of the committee and we will contact you about how to proceed further.

What happens next?

The Curriculum Committee will ask for clarifications or make suggestions about both preliminary and formal curriculum proposals. It may invite discussions between different programs. When a curriculum item has been approved by the Committee, it is brought for a vote by the SOE faculty. If approved, it goes to the BC Undergraduate or Graduate Curriculum Committee, and then to Faculty Council. Once approved at BC it goes into the Chancellor's Report for action by the CUNY Board of Trustees. At any of the approval stages it may come back with a request for justifications or changes.

What problems should be anticipated?

Editorial changes in Bulletin language are rarely a problem. Changes to existing courses require well-written justifications (in the cover letter, NOT in the curriculum item, where the Discussion section should be VERY short). New courses may require clearance from other departments. Changes to degree programs are closely scrutinized when they involve increases in total numbers of credits. New degree programs require additional approvals of a preliminary Letter of Intent by BC Master Planning, the BC Provost, and CUNY Academic Affairs.

Where do I get more information?

You should write a formal curriculum item only after reading the appropriate BC Curriculum Guidelines (separate for Undergraduate and Graduate), and if appropriate the CUNY guidelines for new degree programs. These will be made available to all programs. You should always also check the latest Bulletin to see how it will be affected. View the material on the SOE curriculum committee webpages (see address above). If more guidance is needed, contact the Acting Curriculum Coordinator by email or any member of the SOE Curriculum Committee.

Members of the SOE Curriculum Committee:

Elected members (voting):

Graciela Elizalde-Utnick

Nancy Gropper

Carol Korn

Kathleen McSorley

Peter Taubman

Ex-officio members (non-voting):

Alberto Bursztyn, Assistant Dean

Jay Lemke, Acting Curriculum Coordinator

Deborah Shanley, Dean