Louisiana State University and A&M College

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  2. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION
  3. PART 1. Signatures Attesting to Compliance
  4. PART 2. List of Substantive Changes Approved Since the Last Reaffirmation
  5. PART 3. Institutional Assessment of Compliance
    1. Section 2: Core Requirements
      1. 2.1 Degree-granting Authority
      2. 2.2 Governing Board
      3. 2.3 Chief Executive Officer
      4. 2.4 Institutional Mission
      5. 2.5 Institutional Effectiveness
        1. 2.5 Institutional Effectiveness (Continued)
      6. 2.6 Continuous Operation
      7. 2.7.1 Program Length
        1. 2.7.1 Program Length (Continued)
      8. 2.7.2 Program Content
      9. 2.7.3 General Education
      10. 2.7.4 Course work for Degrees
      11. 2.8 Faculty
      12. 2.9 Learning Resources and Services
      13. 2.10 Student Support Services
        1. 2.10 Student Support Services (Continued)
      14. 2.11.1 Financial Resources
      15. 2.11.2 Physical Resources
    2. Section 3: Comprehensive Standards
      1. 3.1.1 Mission
      2. 3.2.1 CEO evaluation/selection
      3. 3.2.2 Governing board control
      4. 3.2.3 Board conflict of interest
      5. 3.2.4 External Influence
      6. 3.2.5 Board dismissal
      7. 3.2.6 Board/administration distinction
      8. 3.2.7 Organizational structure
      9. 3.2.8 Qualified administrative/academic officers
      10. 3.2.9 Personnel appointment
      11. 3.2.10 Administrative staff evaluations
      12. 3.2.11 Control of intercollegiate athletics
      13. 3.2.12 Fund-raising activities
      14. 3.2.13 Institution-related entities
      15. 3.2.14 Intellectual property rights
      16. 3.3.1 Institutional Effectiveness
        1. 3.3.1.1
          1. 3.3.1.1 (Continued)
        2. 3.3.1.2
        3. 3.3.1.3
          1. 3.3.1.3 (Continued)
        4. 3.3.1.4
          1. 3.3.1.4 (Continued)
        5. 3.3.1.5
          1. 3.3.1.5 (Continued)
      17. 3.4.1 Academic program approval
      18. 3.4.2 Continuing education/service programs
      19. 3.4.3 Admissions policies
      20. 3.4.4 Acceptance of academic credit
      21. 3.4.5 Academic policies
      22. 3.4.6 Practices for awarding credit
      23. 3.4.7 Consortial relationships/contractual agreements
      24. 3.4.8 Noncredit to credit
      25. 3.4.9 Academic support services
        1. 3.4.9 (Continued)
        2. 3.4.9 (Continued - 2)
      26. 3.4.10 Responsibility for curriculum
      27. 3.4.11 Academic program coordination
      28. 3.4.12 Technology use
      29. 3.5.1 General education competencies
      30. 3.5.2 Institutional credits for a degree
      31. 3.5.3 Undergraduate program requirements
      32. 3.5.4 Terminal degrees of faculty
      33. 3.6.1 Post-baccalaureate program rigor
        1. 3.6.1 Post-baccalaureate program rigor (Continued)
      34. 3.6.2 Graduate curriculum
      35. 3.6.3 Institutional credits for a graduate degree
      36. 3.6.4 Post-baccalaureate program requirements
      37. 3.7.1 Faculty competence
      38. 3.7.2 Faculty evaluation
      39. 3.7.3 Faculty development
      40. 3.7.4 Academic freedom
      41. 3.7.5 Faculty role in governance
      42. 3.8.1 Learning/information resources
      43. 3.8.2 Instruction of library use
      44. 3.8.3 Qualified staff
      45. 3.9.1 Student rights
      46. 3.9.2 Student records
      47. 3.9.3 Qualified staff
      48. 3.10.1 Financial Stability
      49. 3.10.2 Financial aid audits
      50. 3.10.3 Control of finances
      51. 3.10.4 Control of sponsored research/external funds
      52. 3.11.1 Control of physical resources
      53. 3.11.2 Institutional environment
      54. 3.11.3 Physical facilities
      55. 3.12.1 Substantive change
      56. 3.13 Policy compliance
        1. 3.13.1 "Accrediting Decisions of Other Agencies"
        2. 3.13.2. "Collaborative Academic Arrangements: Policy and Procedures"
        3. 3.13.3. "Complaint Procedures Against the Commission or Its Accredited Institutions"
        4. 3.13.4. "Reaffirmation of Accreditation and Subsequent Reports"
          1. 3.13.4.a.
          2. 3.13.4.b.
      57. 3.14.1 Publication of accreditation status
      58. 3.13.5. "Separate Accreditation for Units of a Member Institution"
        1. 3.13.5.a.
        2. 3.13.5.b.
    3. Section 4: Federal Requirements
      1. 4.1 Student Achievement
      2. 4.2 Program curriculum
        1. 4.2 Program curriculum (Continued)
      3. 4.3 Publication of policies
      4. 4.4 Program length
        1. 4.4 Program length (Continued)
      5. 4.5 Student complaints
      6. 4.6 Recruitment materials
      7. 4.7 Title IV program responsibilities
      8. 4.8 Distance and correspondence education
        1. 4.8.1
        2. 4.8.2
        3. 4.8.3
      9. 4.9 Definition of credit hours
  6. PART 4. Institutional Summary Form Prepared for Commission Reviews
  7. FOCUSED REPORT
  8. QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN (QEP)

3.4.10 Responsibility for curriculum

The institution places primary responsibility for the content, quality, and effectiveness of the curriculum with its faculty. (Responsibility for curriculum)

Compliance Status

Louisiana State University and A&M College is in compliance with this principle.

Narrative

The faculty of Louisiana State University and A&M College (LSU) have the primary responsibility for the content, quality, and effectiveness of the curriculum. The regulations of the Louisiana State University System Board of Supervisors, in Chapter 1, Section 1.2.2.b, state the following: “The faculty or Faculty Council shall establish curricula, fix standards of instruction, determine requirements for degrees, and generally determine educational policy, subject to the authority of the board” [1].  The Faculty Council of LSU (all full-time members of the academic staff with the rank of instructor or higher) has delegated the authority for the determination of academic policy to the LSU Faculty Senate.  The Faculty Senate Courses and Curricula Committee is charged with ensuring that the content, quality, and effectiveness of the curriculum is consistent with standards appropriate to higher education and to the university’s mission. 

All academic degree programs, including courses, concentrations, and curricula, are initiated by the faculty and approved through the faculty governance process described in LSU Policy Statement PS 45 [2].  After a proposal for a new course, concentration, minor, or curricula (or a change in one of them) is initiated and approved by faculty in the appropriate department or discipline, it must be approved by the faculty and dean of the college or school before submission to the Faculty Senate Courses and Curricula Committee.  If the proposal involves a graduate level course or program, the proposal must be approved by the Graduate School dean (who consults with the Graduate Council as appropriate) before submission to the Faculty Senate committee.  After review and approval by the Courses and Curricula Committee, the proposal is submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs for final approval and promulgation. This process is further described in Comprehensive Standard 3.4.1.

Proposals for new degree programs, after review and approval by the Faculty Senate Courses and Curricula Committee and the Office of Academic Affairs, must be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for approval and then to the Board of Regents, which has final authority for the approval of new degree programs (Figure 1).

As a proposal moves through the approval process, the faculty initiating a new course, concentration, or curriculum (or changing one of them) are responsible for justifying that the course, concentration, or curriculum is appropriate to the field and discipline, contains current  and coherent content, has the appropriate level of rigor, and is of interest to a cohort of students.  Faculty or departments proposing changes to a course, concentration, or curriculum must also demonstrate that the changes do not diminish the quality or level of the course, concentration, or curriculum.

The quality of curricula at LSU is also the responsibility of the faculty, of program coordinators, and of academic leadership. As noted in Comprehensive Standard 3.13.1, 80 degree programs are evaluated by external accrediting agencies. The effectiveness of all curricula is insured by the yearly assessment of all degree programs [3]. All degree programs have established student learning outcomes and have identified metrics that can be measured to determine how well students are meeting those goals.  Each year the faculty of each degree program (department) analyzes the data collected and uses the information to improve or change the program, as appropriate.  The department's report is entered into the TaskStream LSU Degree Program Assessment Template for review by the college or school dean.  It is also reviewed by the University Review and Assessment Council. This process of assessment and use of results is more fully described in Comprehensive Standard 3.3.1.1.

File Attachments:
  1. [1] Louisiana State University System Board of Supervisors Regulations: Chapter 1, Section 1.2.2.b: Duties of faculty [1] Louisiana State University System Board of Supervisors Regulations: Chapter 1, Section 1.2.2.b: Duties of faculty
  2. [2] LSU Policy Statement 45: Courses and Curriculum [2] LSU Policy Statement 45: Courses and Curriculum
  3. [3] Handbook for Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes [3] Handbook for Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
Author: Stephenie Franks
Last modified: 7/1/2015 8:33 AM (EDT)