In this section

University Curriculum and Degree Committee Governance

The University Curriculum and Degree Committee (UCDC) shall be a standing committee of the Faculty Senate of the University of Michigan-­‐Dearborn. The Committee’s charge is to: provide the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs with a university-­‐level assessment of new course and degree program proposals; to serve, through its Dearborn Discovery Core Subcommittee, as the approval body for the campus-­‐wide general education curriculum; and to facilitate/monitor campus assessment activities through its Assessment Subcommittee. The UCDC’s Graduate Subcommittee (formally the stand alone committee known as the University of Michigan-­‐Dearborn Graduate Board) bears responsibility for approving graduate course and degree program proposals as well as serving as the primary campus procedural body for Dearborn graduate programs. The membership and scope of each subcommittee shall be outlined in motions approved by the UCDC and the Faculty Senate.  

The purpose of the UCDC and its subcommittees shall be to execute the following from a university-­‐wide perspective:  

In the planning/discussion phases of undergraduate and graduate course/degree program development: 

  • promote efficient and strategic use of university resources by advising and supporting faculty in the development of new degree program proposals as needed and identifying potential duplication in new course proposals; 
  • make recommendations to and receive suggestions from the provost and/or the deans of the various colleges for the coordination and improvement of the university’s  academic programs.

In the undergraduate and graduate course/degree program development (after approval within the individual colleges has been obtained): 

  • approve all undergraduate course proposals/modifications/changes, and new undergraduate degree proposals prior to final campus endorsement by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; 
  • approve, via the Graduate Subcommittee, all graduate course proposals/modifications/changes, and new graduate degree proposals/modifications/changes (as articulated in the Graduate Subcommittee Bylaws) prior to final campus endorsement by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; 
  • develop and approve campus-­‐wide academic policies related to course and program development; 
  • approve, via a designated subcommittee, courses for general education; 
  • ensure that learning outcomes are built into the curriculum and its component programs; 
  • coordinate/monitor regular periodic reviews of all undergraduate programs; 
  • coordinate/monitor, via a designated subcommittee, campus assessment practices.

Article I. Regular Membership  

The UCDC shall be led by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs and Integrative Learning, who serves ex officio as chair without a vote (except to break a tie) or, in the event of the chair’s absence or incapacity, the Associate Provost for Online Learning and Graduate Studies acting as vice chair shall serve in the chair’s place. In addition, the Committee shall have ten members: nine faculty; two from each college and a Faculty Senate representative; and a Student Government representative. The faculty members from the colleges shall serve two-­‐year terms. The Faculty Senate and Student Government representatives shall serve one-­‐year terms. Each college, the Faculty Senate, and Student Government shall determine its own method of appointment. The terms for members shall begin at the start of the new academic year. 

The university registrar or designee, director of admissions & orientation or designee, library director or designee, campus assessment coordinator or designee, institutional research director or designee, and marketing manager or designee shall serve the UCDC as ex officio advisors without a vote.   

Article II. Alternates  

To ensure the effective representation of each college at every meeting of the UCDC, procedures are hereby established to provide for official alternates with the full powers of regular members.  

Every year, at the end of the winter semester, each college dean shall obtain from their college executive committee approval of one alternate representative to the UCDC who shall satisfy the office holding limitations provided in Article IV. The dean and executive committee, as necessary, may change the alternate designation during the academic year.   

Whenever the regular member from a college cannot attend a UCDC meeting, he/she shall inform the Associate Provost and the alternate who will attend. Normally, alternates shall not replace a regular member for more than two months. If the absence is longer than two months (in the case of a sabbatical, illness, or a leave), the college shall select a new regular member to serve the unexpired portion of the term of office or a specified interim.   

Article III. Office-­‐Holding Limitations  

No regular member shall be eligible for reappointment until after the lapse of one year.  

Article IV. Continuity of Policies and Procedures  

To insure continuity of campus policy and administration, the policies and procedures either adopted by the Faculty Senate for use by UCDC or approved by the Committee shall remain in effect.  

Approved by UCDC on Oct. 15, 2014 

Approved by Faculty Senate on April 13, 2015