Report
Back to sections

Section IV: Programs
SACS Comprehensive Standard for All Educational Programs

IV-11.   The institution places primary responsibility for the quality and oversight of its educational program with its faculty.

JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Yes, East Tennessee State University is able to provide a portfolio of evidence supporting compliance.

STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

The faculty of East Tennessee State University maintain oversight of the university's education programs through a comprehensive process that begins in academic departments and extends through a series of faculty committees.  Faculty in each discipline are responsible for providing coherent courses of study that include the establishment of program learning outcomes (SACS Standard IV-1; University Profile System), sequencing of courses, and monitoring student progress (SACS Standard III-13).  Curriculum proposals originate with departments or other academic units and undergo departmental and college committee reviews prior to review and action by university curriculum committees (ETSU Curriculum Process Manual). 

The following university faculty committees oversee ETSU's educational programs:

• The ETSU General Education Advisory Council oversees all aspects of the university's general education program, including setting goals for student learning, assessing achievement of these goals, periodically evaluating the general education curriculum, and reviewing proposals for changes in the curriculum.   

• The ETSU Honors Advisory Committee oversees all aspects of the University Honors Scholars Program and all honors-in-discipline programs (ETSU Honors Programs), including policies for student achievement, scholarship award and retention, and for development of new programs, in addition to reviews of all honors course and program proposals, and periodic assessment of the University Honors Programs Office and Director.

• The ETSU Teacher Education Council develops, initiates, and coordinates teacher education programs; develops policies to implement and support programs; and reviews all curriculum changes affecting teacher education programs prior to submission to the ETSU Curriculum Advisory Committee and/or ETSU Graduate Council.  This council includes faculty from colleges other than the College of Education.  

• The ETSU Curriculum Advisory Committee reviews proposals for new courses, programs, and concentrations; changes in majors and minors; and other matters concerning the undergraduate curriculum. 

• The curriculum subcommittee of the ETSU Graduate Council reviews all graduate curricular matters and reports to the full council.

• The Medical Student Education Committee serves as the curriculum committee for the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine and oversees the development, management, and evaluation of the medical school curriculum. This committee makes recommendations directly to the executive associate dean for academic affairs, who ensures that appropriate faculty review is conducted prior to approval and implementation of curricular initiatives.

The Academic Matters Committee of the ETSU Faculty Senate addresses curricular and academic concerns brought to the attention of the senate from the university community. 

In 1999, a faculty committee reviewed curriculum process procedures and made recommendations for improvement (ETSU Curriculum Process Committee Report).  The ETSU Academic Council (Minutes)approved the committee's report and recommendations.  These recommendations included:

1. strengthening faculty responsibility in the curriculum process by adding an ETSU Faculty Senate representative to the ETSU Curriculum Advisory Committee and granting voting rights to the senate representative on the ETSU Graduate Council;

2. encouraging departments and colleges to observe best practices for review and development of curricula (ETSU Curriculum Process Manual);

3. instituting strategic review of proposed major actions by the ETSU Academic Council prior to the development of full proposals;

4. streamlining the curriculum process by sending minor actions directly to the provost;

5. posting curriculum process information, including committee actions, guidelines for proposals, and forms on an ETSU Curriculum Process web site;

6. providing curriculum process workshops for new department chairs and curriculum advisory groups;

7. refining ETSU's electronic submission and review processes for curricula (ultimately the entire process will be conducted via the web);

8. implementing a cyclic and systematic audit process for ETSU's course inventory; and

9. developing and implementing a method for routine, cyclic evaluation, and improvement of ETSU's curriculum process.

Recommendations 1-8 have been fully implemented as of June, 2001 (ETSU Academic Council Minutes).  

DOCUMENTATION

	Report
Back to sections
Top of Page

reference room | pilot project | compliance audit | enhancement plan
search | contact | home

East Tennessee State University
alphabetical site index

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O
P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

© 2001 East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN 37614