LDCC New Course/Program Implimentation Processes and Procedures 

Process for Approval: (for more than 25% change) to a Program:

1.     Complete the GADIE and the LDCC Curriculum Proposal Form and submit to the Vice Chancellor of Education and Student Service (VCESS) (anyone can initiate this). 

• If all components of the GADIE and the LDCC Curriculum Proposal Document are not complete, it will NOT be reviewed.
  • GADIE
  • Curriculum Proposal Form

           (If curriculum changes are less than 25%, the curriculum committe forms will be submitted to the Director of Institutional Effectiveness directly.) 

2. Once the new program, new courses, revised program, or revised course is approved for review, it will be submitted to the curriculum committee.

3. After the curriculum committee has submitted recommendations, it is sent to the VCESS for internal approval and posting the ICC for 10 days and review by the college

4. After internal approval, it is submitted to LCTCS Board of Supervisors for approval.

5. Once approved by LCTCS, it is submitted to Board of Regents for final approval.

Programs only:

6. Once all approval processes are in place, a Substantive Change (50-100% new content) for a Program is submitted to SACSCOC for approval.

• Please note, that if we make more than 25% change to any level of a program in one semester, it is considered a required notification.  We are also required to internally track course changes that are less than 25% per term for a program and have those internal documents ready for SACSCOC reviews.
• For a program to begin with the changes in the Fall Semester, SACSCOC must receive the completed documentation by the January 1st deadline.  For the program to begin with the changes in Spring Semester, SACSCOC must receive the completed documentation by the July 1st deadline.

7. Upon SACSCOC notification to the school regarding approval, the Financial Aid Office, the Registrar’s Office, Student Enrollment, and other divisions will be notified the program has been approved and can add the program in banner, and we can begin to advertise and enroll in the program. 

• We cannot advertise, enroll, or offer any Financial Aid for a new program prior to the approval by SACSCOC.

Timeline for Implimenting New Programs/Curriculum (for more than 25% change) to a Program

 

General Requirements for Substantive Change

The below general requirements will apply to all or most of the substantive change types. These requirements will address obligations and processes by an institution and SACSCOC.

Submission Deadlines

For full SACSCOC Board of Trustees

• March 15 for review at the Board's June meeting
• September 1 for review at the Board's December meeting

For those requiring approval from the Executive Council of the SACSCOC Board of Trustees or Notification only

• January 1 for an implementation date between July 1 and December 31
• July 1 for an implementation date between January 1 and June 30
• Notifications may be submitted any time before implementation. Once the notification has been submitted, the institution may implement the change prior to receiving a response from SACSCOC. If any additional information is needed, the SACSCOC liaison will be contacted.
• For a substantive change to close a program, site, program at a site, or method of delivery, a teach-out plan should be submitted as soon as possible after the decision is made to close.

Substantive Change Academic Procedures

The following guidelines should be followed when developing and delivering LDCC credit-bearing courses off-site, electronically, or for a new program and program level. The Vice Chancellor of Education and Student Service's Office will monitor the implementation of these procedures by tracking governance action items, curriculum items, and course scheduling reports.

Substantive changes requiring notification only prior to implementation include, but are not limited to:

• offering 25%-49% of a program at an off-campus site (including dual enrollment sites)
• offering programs or courses through Cooperative Academic Arrangements
• initiating joint programs with another SACSCOC-accredited institution

Substantive changes requiring approval include, but are not limited to:

• adding significantly different programs to the academic curriculum at LDCC
• initiating off-campus sites (including dual enrollment sites) where students can obtain 50% or more of the credits toward a program
• closing (inactivating) a program, or closing a method of program delivery (such as online)
• initiating joint degrees with another institution not accredited by SACSCOC

The College's first step is determination of the type of substantive change and reporting requirements. Initial information will be requested from the department or unit initiating the change through utilization of the Academic Intake Form, conveniently located in Intra Communication Center Teams. In some cases, a letter of intent or notification to SACSCOC signed by the College Chancellor (or the SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison) with basic information regarding the change is required. In other cases, a simple notification letter or a completed prospectus will be required and sent to SACSCOC. If a prospectus is required, the Vice Chancellor of Education and Student Service's Office will provide the unit/department desiring to institute the change a template to use for the prospectus and will assist in preparing the prospectus for submission to SACSCOC. The time frame for submitting the prospectus information to the Vice Chancellor of Education and Student Service's Office must accommodate an adequate review timeline by SACSCOC Substantive Change office, which is generally twelve (12) months in advance of the possible change.

All questions about whether a change is substantive should be directed to the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation for guidance.

Deciding if you might have a SACSCOC substantive change

Programs and Certificates

If you are involved with an academic program or certificate, please answer the following questions to determine if you should complete the substantive change intake form:

1. Does this involve development of a new degree or certificate program?
2. Does this new degree or certificate program involve a contract, MOU, grant, or consortium for the development or construction of all or part of a program or certificate? (This applies whether LDCC is outsourcing instruction or LDCC is providing the instruction for another organization or company.)
3. Does this involve instruction of courses delivered by LDCC instructors/employees at an off-campus location?
4. Does this involve the deactivation of a program or certificate?

If you answered yes to one or more of the self-assessment questions above, please complete the Academic Intake Form. Academic Affairs will review the completed form and utilize the information to determine the type of substantive change (notification or approval) required. Once the determination has been made, the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation will contact you with next steps in the process and information for SACSCOC submission.

Administration

If you are involved with an administrative department, please answer the following questions to determine if you should contact the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation regarding a potential substantive change:

1. Does this include initiating a contract, MOU, grant, or consortium regarding outsourcing instruction or regarding LDCC's provision of instruction for another organization or company?
2. Does this potential substantive change include buying new property for LDCC?
3. Does this potential substantive change include opening a new institution-owned campus or center?
4. Does this potential substantive change involve a new off-campus instructional site?
5. Does this potential substantive change include the relocation of an off-campus instructional site?

(For example, LDCC offers some nursing courses at the XYZ Building at a specific street address provided to SACSCOC. If XYZ Building wants LDCC to move the instruction to another street address, then this could be considered a substantive change.

If you answered yes to one or more of the self-assessment questions above, please complete the Academic Intake Form. Academic Affairs will review the completed form and utilize the information to determine the type of substantive change (notification or approval) required. Once the determination has been made, the Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation will contact you with next steps in the process and information for SACSCOC submission.

Helpful Points:

What is a Cooperative Academic Arrangement? A Cooperative Academic Arrangement is an agreement between a SACSCOC accredited institution and another entity to deliver program content recorded on the SACSCOC institutions transcript as its own.

Notification of initiating program/courses delivered through contractual agreement, or a consortium does not apply to articulation agreements with other institutions, clinical agreements, or internship agreements.

What is a significant departure? A program that is not closely related to previously approved programs at the institution or site or for the mode of delivery in question. To determine whether a new program is a "significant departure", it is helpful to consider the following questions:

What previously approved program(s) does the institution offer that is closely related to the new program and how are they related?

• Will significant additional equipment or facilities be needed?
• Will significant additional financial resources be needed?
• Will a significant number of new courses be added to the curriculum?
• Will a significant number of new faculty members be required?
• Will significant additional library/learning resources be needed?

What should I consider a substantive change in my program modification? A good rule of thumb is increasing or decreasing the number of credit hours/clock hours by 25% or more and increasing the time to degree completion. It's also important to determine if any of the above questions regarding "significant departure" are relevant, such as if 25% of the courses are being replaced, additional equipment, new faculty, or additional library, facilities or financial resources.

What information must you provide as part of the teach-out plan for closing a program? SACSCOC must approve all program closures prior to implementation. The written plan must provide equitable treatment of students and must also include the following information:

1. Date of closure (date when new students will no longer be admitted)
2. An explanation of how affected parties (students, faculty, staff) will be informed of the impending closure
3. An explanation of how all affected students will be helped to complete their programs of study with minimal disruption
4. An indication as to whether the teach-out plan will incur additional charges/expenses to the students and, if so, how the students will be notified
5. Signed copies of teach-out agreements with other institutions if any
6. How faculty and staff will be redeployed or helped to find new employment

What is a Dual Academic Award? A Dual Academic Award is an award in which the student receives instruction at two (or more) institutions in prescribed curricula leading to each institution granting academic awards at the same credential level.

What is a Joint Academic Award? A Joint Academic Award is an award in which the student receives instruction at two (or more) institutions in prescribed curricula leading to the institutions granting a single academic award bearing the names, seals, and officials' signatures of each participating institution.

Glossary

Approval: an official action by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees enabling an institution to implement a proposed substantive change

Branch Campus: an off-campus instruction site additional location geographically apart from the main campus, delivers instructions, independent of the main campus (independent meaning permanent, offers courses leading to degree), has it’s own faculty and administrative or supervisor organization and own budgetary and hiring authority

Closure: ending of instruction in an educational program, at off-campus instructional site, in an educational program at an off-campus instructional site or main campus, method of delivery, an entire institution

Competency-Based Education: method of delivery in which competencies are learned through interaction with faculty and an academic credential is earned based on what students demonstrate they can do

Competency-Based Education by Course/Credit-Based Approach: demonstrating competencies is embedded in a traditional curriculum with courses completed, credits earned, and a credential awarded

Competency-Based Education by Direct Assessment: progression and completion of a master of prescribed competencies

Cooperative Academic Arrangement: agreement between a SACSCOC accredited institution and another entity to deliver program content recorded on the SACSCOC institutions transcript as its own

Correspondence Courses: courses in which students and instructors are not in the same locations and in which instructional materials and learning assessments are delivered electronically or by mail

Distance Education: method of delivery in which the majority of instruction occurs when students and instructors are not in the same location

Dual Academic Award: student receives instruction at two (or more) institutions in prescribed curricula leading to each institution granting academic awards at the same credential level

Face-to-Face Instruction: method of delivery in which the majority of instruction occurs when students and instructors are in the same location

Federal Regulations: rules and regulations of the U.S Department of Education as codified in the Code of Federal Regulation

Geographically Apart: non-contiguous location independent in distance

Joint Academic Award: student receives instruction at two (or more) institutions in prescribed curricula leading to the institutions granting a single academic award bearing the names, seals, and officials' signatures of each participating institution

Method of Delivery: principle method by which instruction is delivered to include competency-based education, distance-education, and face-to-face instruction

Notification: official communication from an institution to SACSCOC as defined in Substantive Change Policy and Procedures

Off-Campus Instructional Site/Additional Location: a location geographically apart from an institution's sole main campus and where instruction is delivered, could qualify as a branch campus

Program: coherent course of study leading to a for-credit credential including a degree, diploma, certificate, or other generally recognized credential

Substantive Change Restriction: additional or different requirements for institutions meeting defined criteria

Teach-Out: process and time period of teach-out plan

Teach-Out Plan: written plan developed by an institution for students to complete their programs of study because it decided to end a program, off-campus instructional site, method of delivery, or to close the institution

Teach-Out Agreement: optional written agreement with an institution or entity under which students covered by a teach-out plan may complete their programs of study