Southern Polytechnic State University
Policy and Procedure Manual
P&P Number:  305.0
Original Date: November 1987
Previous Revisions: July 1998
Approved: August 26, 2002
 
New Degree Program Proposals
Contents This P&P includes the following main sections:
  • Background
  • Procedure for proposing a new degree program
Background By starting new degree programs, Southern Polytechnic State University responds to the educational needs of the region and state and thus fulfills its mission.  This P&P describes the steps involved in proposing a new degree program.
Procedure for
Proposing a
New Degree
Program
Step Procedure
1. An academic program head, a dean, the vice president for academic affairs, or the president may develop a preliminary proposal for a new degree program that addresses the issues outlined in the Board of Regents’ Academic Affairs Handbook.
2. The dean of the school that will offer the proposed program submits copies of the preliminary proposal to each program in the school, to other deans in the university, to the vice president for academic affairs, and to the president.

Note:
If the vice president for academic affairs or president has initiated the preliminary proposal, the vice president will be responsible for submitting the copies.
3. The dean of the school that will offer the proposed program forwards the preliminary proposal to the Faculty Senate with his or her recommendation.
4. The Faculty Senate reviews the preliminary proposal and makes its recommendation to the faculty.
5. The faculty approves or disapproves the preliminary proposal.
6. If the faculty approves, the vice president for academic affairs reviews the preliminary proposal and makes a recommendation to the president.
7.
  1. The president approves or disapproves the preliminary proposal and communicates his or her decision to the vice president for academic affairs, who informs the dean of the school that would offer the proposed program.
  2. The dean communicates the president's decision to the program that would offer the proposed program.
8. If the president approves the new program proposal, he or she forwards it to the University System of Georgia Office of Academic Affairs for review.
9.
  1. The decision of the Office of Academic Affairs (University System of Georgia) is communicated by the president to the appropriate dean through the vice president for academic affairs.
  2. The dean communicates the Office of Academic Affairs' decision to the program that would offer the proposed program.
10. Once the preliminary proposal has been approved, the Office of Academic Affairs (University System of Georgia) invites the institution to submit a formal proposal, which should follow the format outlined in the Board of Regents’ Academic Affairs Handbook.
11.
  1. Upon receiving the formal proposal, the Office of Academic Affairs (University System of Georgia) may seek the advice of outside consultants in evaluating the proposal.
  2. The Office of Academic Affairs, after a review of the proposal, recommends whether or not to place the proposal on the agenda of the Board of Regents' Committee on Education.
  3. If approved by the Board of Regents, the proposed degree program can be implemented.