University Core Curriculum Committee, Procedures and Criteria for Appointment
To describe the composition and responsibilities of the University Core Curriculum Committee and to set forth the procedures and criteria for appointment.
Faculty and staff on the University Core Curriculum Committee
As part of instituting a University-wide KU Core curriculum, the University of Kansas established a “University Core Curriculum Committee” (UCCC), a university-wide standing committee reporting to the Provost, to develop, sustain, and oversee the KU Core curriculum.
Charge
This committee is charged with:
- Overseeing the composition of the core curriculum;
- Certifying (and re-certifying) courses and experiential learning activities nominated for inclusion as part of the KU Core;
- Monitoring the achievement of learning outcomes through these courses and activities; and
- Reviewing and recommending proposals for certificate programs (e.g., GAP, REP, SLP);
- Envisioning innovative ways to meet learning outcomes.
Representation
The committee shall include one voting representative from each of the five divisions of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and one from each of the professional schools with undergraduate programs:
- Architecture, Design, and Planning
- Business
- CLAS Humanities
- CLAS Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- CLAS International Studies
- CLAS School of the Arts
- CLAS Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Journalism and Mass Communications
- Music
- Pharmacy
- Social Welfare
Membership requirements and terms
Voting members of the committee shall be tenured or tenure-track faculty. Members shall serve staggered three-year terms and may be reappointed. However, no faculty member shall serve more than two consecutive terms. No chair, dean, vice provost, vice chancellor, assistant or associate dean, vice provost or vice chancellor or current member of a school/College curriculum committee shall serve as a faculty member of the UCCC. One representative from the libraries, one representative from the Schools of Nursing and Health Professions at KUMC, and one from Undergraduate Studies will serve as ex officio, non-voting members.
Student representation: As student opinions and concerns are important in the development and maintenance of the Core curriculum, three students shall serve as voting members of the UCCC on policy matters. Student members will serve one-year terms.
Appointment process
Faculty representatives: Each division of the College and each professional school shall elect one faculty member for membership on the UCCC. The representative will be determined by elections held in accordance with the policies and procedures of the College or professional school.
Student representatives: Provided they are willing to serve, the undergraduate student members who are elected representatives in the Student Senate are eligible to serve as student members of the UCCC. Each year, the Student Senate leadership will announce the filing deadline for their elections, prepare the ballots, and conduct the elections. If the numbers of elected undergraduate students willing to serve are less than the number of positions to be filled in order to constitute twenty percent of the faculty membership, then nominations for these positions will be solicited from the school/College community.
Chair and staffing
UCCC faculty members will select a chair annually. The chair-elect will be selected near the end of each academic year to serve the following academic year. Faculty members in their second year on the UCCC are eligible to be nominated or self-nominate for chair-elect.
The Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor shall provide staff support to the committee, scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and minutes, and providing such other support as may be required.
Responsibilities
The UCCC shall develop and monitor the KU Core Curriculum. This committee shall entertain proposals forwarded from the curriculum committees of the professional schools and College to consider courses and experiential learning activities that meet the requirements of the KU Core Curriculum. Certifying that these proposed courses and activities achieve the goals and outcomes of the KU Core will require a majority (2/3) positive vote. The UCCC shall also review evidence of learning outcomes achieved through courses and educational experiences and develop a regular re-certification process. In its recommendations and decisions, the committee shall take into consideration the curricular requirements of the several bodies that accredit undergraduate professional programs at the University of Kansas.
The University Core Curriculum Committee will submit an annual report to the university community. This report will be compiled with the help of the Provost Office support staff and will summarize the activities of the committee. The report will be made available on the UCCC webpage, an email will be sent to all faculty, staff and students announcing the availability and location of the report.
The UCCC will not have jurisdiction over degree-specific or major requirements, and will work with College and professional school personnel and curriculum committees on the most appropriate ways for their majors to meet KU Core requirements.
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
785-864-4904
01/27/2015: Added language for 'Applies to'.
01/13/2015: Policy formatting cleanup (e.g., bolding, spacing).
05/14/2012: Developed by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor in consultation with the Core Curriculum Transition Committee and the University Senate; approved by the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor.
