Staff Policy D-105.01
Institutional Effectiveness Criterion: Scholarship

Degree Requirements Change

Northwestern Michigan College continuously improves the learning experience and its relevance to those we serve. To that end, NMC will establish a process for regular and expeditious review of degree requirements to assure that they correspond with the multiple and changing higher education needs of our students.

1. Definition of Degree Requirements
   Degree requirements are those requirements for each of Associate of Science and Arts,
   Associate in Applied Science, Associate Degree in Nursing, Associate in General Studies, Associate of Science in Engineering and Bachelor of Science.
2. File Maintenance
   The Curriculum Committee Chair will be responsible for the maintenance of all files related to degree requirements. The official record of NMC’s degree requirements is kept in the Educational Services Office.
3. Five Year Review of Degree Requirements
   1. Vice Presidential charge: One academic year prior to review of the degree requirements, the Vice President for Educational Services will charge the Curriculum Committee to conduct a review of degree requirements.
   2. Curriculum Committee review: The Curriculum Committee will conduct a review of degree requirements and propose changes to the degree requirements as appropriate. The Curriculum Committee will review the proposals for degree requirement change(s) with special attention to the scope, rationale, content, possible consequences of the proposed change(s) and alternative methods of attaining the same result. Using methods of its own determination, the Curriculum Committee will seek input changes from the College community. Based upon this data the Curriculum Committee will propose any changes in degree requirements for the next five year period.
   3. Publication of draft degree requirements: After developing a draft of proposed degree requirements, the Curriculum Committee will publish and concurrently forward the proposed degree requirements to the Policy Council and the Vice President for Educational Services. During the review process, the Policy Council and the Curriculum Committee will meet jointly under the leadership of their chairs who will serve as co-chairs for the joint committee.
   4. Public hearing: The Curriculum Committee and the Policy Council will initiate and facilitate a joint hearing to gather public input on the new proposed degree requirements.
   5. Review and revision of the draft of degree requirements: Meeting jointly, the Curriculum Committee and the Policy Council will review and analyze the input gathered in the public hearing process and make revisions to the draft of proposed degree requirements as appropriate.
   6. Publication of the final draft of degree requirements: The Curriculum Committee and the Policy Council will concurrently inform the Faculty Council of its recommendation, publish its recommendations and forward the proposed degree requirement change to the Vice President for Educational Services for review and action.
   7. Vice Presidential action: The Vice President for Educational Services will review the proposed degree requirement change and in an expeditious manner accept the proposed degree requirement policy and forward it to the President for review and action, return the proposed degree requirement change to the Policy Council and the Curriculum Committee with suggestions for revision, or reject the proposed degree requirement changes.
   8. Presidential action: The President will review the proposed degree requirement change in a timely and expeditious manner. The President will recommend the proposal to the Board of Trustees for approval and notify the proposer in an expeditious manner. If the President denies the proposal, he or she will return the proposed degree requirement change to the Vice President for Educational Services with suggestions for revision, or reject the proposal terminating the process. The President will discuss his/her decision with the Policy Council if the recommendation cannot go forward.
   9. The Board of Trustees review: At the next scheduled meeting, the Board of Trustees will consider the proposal for approval.
   10. Termination: If the proposed degree requirements are rejected by the Vice President for Educational Services, the President or the Board of Trustees and the process is terminated, the current degree requirements will remain in effect for another five year period.
4. Change in Degree Requirements Outside the Five Year Review Process
   1. Degree requirement change(s) proposal development: Any person proposing changes in the degree requirements will meet with a member of the Curriculum Committee or the Chair of the Curriculum Committee to review the proposed changes.
   2. Submission of degree requirement proposal: The proposal for degree requirement change will be submitted concurrently to both the Educational Services Office and the Curriculum Committee. The Vice President for Educational Services will respond to the degree requirement change proposal in an expeditious manner.
   3. Initial Curriculum Committee review and request for changes: The Curriculum Committee may ask the proposer to make changes in the proposed degree requirement change(s).
   4. Curriculum Committee review: The Curriculum Committee will review the proposal for degree requirement change(s) with special attention to the scope, rationale, content, possible consequences of the proposed change(s) and alternative methods of attaining the same result. As appropriate the Curriculum Committee will include the proposer, the Vice President for Educational Services, and all other relevant parties in its discussions of the proposal for degree requirement change(s). The Curriculum Committee may ask the proposer to provide additional documentation and other information related to the proposed degree requirement change. Concurrent with its review of the proposed degree requirement change, the Curriculum Committee, using method of its own determination, will gather College wide input concerning the proposal from all interested and affected parties.
   5. Publication of proposed degree requirement change(s): After using data gathered across the campus to complete its review of the proposed degree requirement change, the Curriculum Committee will either terminate the process and reject the proposal for degree requirement change(s) or concurrently publish and forward the proposal to the Policy Council for joint review and processing. During the review process which will follow the publication of the proposal for degree requirement change(s), the Policy Council and the Curriculum Committee will meet jointly under the leadership of their chairs acting as co-chairs of the joint committee.
   6. Public hearing: The Curriculum Committee and the Policy Council will initiate and facilitate a joint hearing to receive public input on the proposed degree requirement change.
   7. Review and revision of the draft of degree requirement change(s): Meeting jointly, the Curriculum Committee and the Policy Council will review and analyze the input gathered in the public hearing process and make revisions to the proposed degree requirement change(s) as appropriate.
   8. Curriculum Committee action: The Curriculum Committee and the Policy Council will concurrently inform the Faculty Council of its recommendation, publish its recommendation and forward the proposed degree requirement change(s) to the Vice President for Educational Services for review and action.
   9. Vice Presidential action: The Vice President for Educational Services will review the proposed degree requirement change(s) and in an expeditious manner forward it to the President for review and action, return the proposed degree requirement change(s) to the Policy Council and the Curriculum Committee with suggestions for revision, or reject the proposal terminating the process.
   10. Presidential action: The President will review the proposed degree requirement change and will recommend the proposal to the Board of Trustees for approval and notify the proposer in an expeditious manner. If the President denies the proposal, he or she will return the proposed degree requirement change(s) to the Vice President for Educational Services with suggestions for revision, or reject the proposal terminating the process. The President will discuss his/her decision with the Policy Council if the recommendation cannot go forward.
   11. Board of Trustees review:  At the next scheduled meeting, the Board of Trustees will consider the proposal for approval.
5. Policy Status of Degree Requirements
   After approval by the Board of Trustees, degree requirements are staff policies and may be changed according to the procedures described in this policy.

The Vice President for Educational Services, in conjunction with the appropriate faculty and staff, is responsible for the development and publication of any procedures or guidelines that may be necessary to administer this policy effectively.

If any provision(s) of this policy or set of bylaws conflicts with laws applicable to Northwestern Michigan College, including the Community College Act of 1966, the Freedom of Information Act, or the Open Meetings Act, as each may be amended from time to time, such laws shall control and supersede such provision(s).