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Part B: Procedure for Challenging Substantive Curriculum Proposals

 

The challenge period is an opportunity for other academic entities to raise objections or to check whether a change affects their courses or programs.  Before challenging a proposal, we strongly encourage contacting the units sponsoring the proposal first.  Typically, the issues can be resolved and the challenge avoided.

 

1.     A challenge must be submitted via email to the appropriate school/divisional dean's office on or before the end of the challenge period.  The challenge must include a statement of the grounds on which the challenge is based, and must identify the person(s) sponsoring the challenge, College affiliation, and must state explicitly "THIS IS A CHALLENGE TO PROPOSAL...".

2.     Upon receipt of such challenge, the School/Divisional Curriculum Committee shall provide a forum for discussion of the challenged proposal, and shall invite the person(s) sponsoring the challenge to the meeting at which the proposal is to be reconsidered.

3.     Within two working days of this meeting, the School/Divisional Curriculum Committee shall notify the sponsor(s) of the challenge of the decision made by the committee.  It shall forward the proposal to the Senate office for approval by the appropriate Senate Course of Study Committee (Undergraduate or Graduate), including a cover letter which clearly states that the proposal was challenged, and it shall give the reasons for the challenge.

4.     If the sponsors of the challenge are not satisfied with the decision reached by the School/Divisional Curriculum Committee and intend to further challenge the proposal, they must email a statement to the Senate Office within 5 days of action taken by the School/Divisional Curriculum Committee.  The statement must be addressed to the appropriate Senate Course of Study Committee, it must include the grounds on which the challenge is based, and it must identify the person(s) sponsoring the challenge, giving College affiliation.

5.     The appropriate Senate Course of Study Committee shall invite the sponsor(s) of the challenge as well as the sponsors of the proposal to the meeting at which the proposal will be considered.

6.     Action by the Senate Course of Study Committee shall be considered final unless there is a motion to Reconsider or Rescind from the floor of the Senate.  This motion must be made at the Senate meeting at which the proposal is reported to the Senate as having been approved, and has the effect of returning the item specified to the Senate Course of Study Committee for further deliberation.  All interested parties shall be permitted to testify at that meeting.  The Committee will then make its decision and inform the Senate according to the present procedures at the following Senate meetings.