Program Planning and Assessment


Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Proposing a New Program at UW-Parkside

There are three formal steps in proposing a new degree program at UW-Parkside. Each step requires approval through the internal approval process at UW-Parkside.  In addition, once internal approval is obtained, the new degree program must obtain approval by the University of Wisconsin System administration office responsible for managing new programs, the Office of Academic, Faculty, and Global Programs.

The three steps in proposing a new program are:

  1. Entitlement to Plan (PDF)
  2. Authorization to Implement (PDF)
  3. Implementation (PDF)

Once a new program is officially implemented, it has to to through a five-year program review process called a Joint Review (PDF) in order to become a permanent academic program at the university.

Go to a flowchart of the approval process for a new academic major or degree program at UW-Parkside. (PDF)

The University of Wisconsin also provides a flow chart of their process for new program approval.(PDF)

Expedited Entitlement to Plan

There is an expedited Entitlement to Plan process for any new undergraduate academic program (major) that is currently offered as a sub-major (e.g., track, concentration, emphasis). If your new program was originally a sub-major, you may use the expedited Entitlement to Plan process.

Entitlement to Plan

The first step for new programs that were not previously a track, concentration, or emphasis, is the Entitlement to Plan (PDF), which requires that the academic dean, and campus-wide decision making bodies (e.g., the Committee for Academic Planning) determine the relevance, strategic benefit, and feasibility of the proposed new degree program. In order to evaluate the proposed program, a program proposal is needed. The campus-based Deans and faculty approval bodies review the proposal prior to submitting the proposal to the UW-Parkside Provost for review and final approval.  The UW-Parkside Provost’s Office then submits the proposed new degree program to the Office of Academic, Faculty, and Global Programsfor UW System approval.

To obtain campus approval, the individual or program interested in starting a new degree program should develop a proposal that includes, as a minimum, answers for the following questions:

  1. What is the need for the program? Include any available data on student demand and market demand for graduates.
  2. Identify the learning outcomes and provide a brief overview of the curriculum for this program.
  3. How does this new degree program relate to the institution's mission, strategic plan, goals and objectives?
  4. How does this new degree program relate to other academic programs in the UW System, the region and, if appropriate, the nation?
  5. What is unique about this program? Provide evidence of awareness of how this program is similar or different from other majors and also sub-majors/emphases systemwide.
  6. If this new program will be supported by unusual resources, provide a description.

Once a proposal is developed, it needs to obtain review and approval by the following individuals/groups prior to going to the Provost's Office for final approval:

  1. The program faculty
  2. The Dean of the School or College
  3. An informational item on the UW-Parkside Faculty Senate (informational item)
  4. The Committee for Academic Planning.

After the campus-based administrators and decision-making bodies provide their approval, the proposal is sent to the Provost's Office for final review and approval.

Upon approval by the Provost, the proposal is sent to the Office of Academic, Faculty, and Global Programs for review and approval.

The Associate Vice President for Academic, Faculty, and Global Programs circulates the Entitlement to Plan proposal to all of the UW System campus’ Provosts for comment.  Once the circulation of the request to all of the UW System campuses' Provosts is complete, The Associate Vice President for Academic, Faculty, and Global Programs may do any of the following with the Entitlement to Plan request:

  1. Approve the request for Entitlement to Plan
  2. Return the proposal to the institution for additional work
  3. Deny the request.

If the proposal is sent back for additional work, the campus has to address each of the issues presented before it can be re-submitted to the Office of Academic, Faculty, and Global Programs.

If the proposal is denied, the process ends. If the proposal is approved, it enters the next phase, implementation.

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Authorization to Implement

Once UW-Parkside receives permission to proceed through the Entitlement to Plan process, the next phase is the Authorization to Implement (PDF) process. The authorization process requires that:

  1. UW-Parkside appoint a three-person Program Review Committee. The committee consists of at least two representatives from UW-Parkside (one of whom represents the Provost) and a representative of the UW System Office of Academic, Faculty and Global Programs. The Provost appoints the institutional representatives, and the Associate Vice President for Academic, Faculty, and Global Programs appoints the system representative. The Provost’s representative typically convenes the Committee.
  2. The institution develops a proposal for Authorization to Implement the entitled program. The specific information that should be included in the program proposal is detailed in Attachment #1 (PDF).
  3. The program proposal must be have the following reviews:
    1. Review of the program by at least two reviewers from outside of UW-Parkside
    2. Review of the program by the Program Review Committee
    3. Review of the program by the Committee for Academic Planning, the Course and Curriculum Committee, and the Faculty Senate.
    4. Review of the program by the appropriate Dean.
  4. When the above reviews are completed, the Program Review Committee makes an informal recommendation to the Provost.
  5. If the Committee recommends proceeding and the Provost agrees, they prepare a draft Executive Summary which is finalized by the academic planner. Attachment #2 (PDF) provides a template for the Executive Summary.
  6. The Provost submits the complete and final proposal for Authorization to Implement and the Executive Summary to the UW System Associate Vice President for Academic, Faculty, and Global Programs. Attachment #3 (PDF) is a checklist of the required items.
  7. The Provost presents the Executive Summary to the Board of Regents Education Committee. Guidelines on making the presentation to the Education Committee are appended as Attachment #4 (PDF). The Education Committee considers the proposal and, unless there is a request by a member of the Education Committee for a second reading, makes a recommendation for action by the Board of Regents. The Board acts on the proposal for Authorization to Implement the program,

Once Authorization to Implement is received, the program proceeds to the implementation phase.

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Implementation

UW-Parkside is responsible for determining when to implement the program. If the institution does not implement an authorized program within five years of the date of the Board of Regents approval, the Authorization to Implement expires.

The UW-Parkside Provost notifies the Associate Vice President for Academic and Student Services in writing when the program is actually implemented.  It is important to maintain accurate records of when the program was implemented because the date of implementation determines when the program is required to go through a mandated Joint Review (PDF).

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