A61.2: Faculty Senate Curricula Committee (FSCC)

Approved by: Faculty Senate
Effective: April 29, 2025
Responsible Faculty Committee: Faculty Senate Curricula Committee
Office Responsible for Administration: Office of the University Secretary

Applicability

All UNM faculty, including the Health Sciences Center and Branch Community Colleges.

Policy Rationale

The Faculty Senate Curricula Committee (FSCC) provides leadership to and coordination of Faculty Senate Committee efforts that deal with academic issues. The primary role of the FSCC, in cooperation with the Senate Graduate and Professional Committee (SGPC), is responsibility for maintaining and enhancing the quality of education and the curricula at the University of New Mexico (UNM), its branch community colleges, and its graduate centers.

Policy Statement

The functions of the Committee shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following.

1. Reviewing the recommendations of the SGPC concerning all proposals for major changes in programs, including new degrees, new programs, new majors and minors, name changes, and substantive changes in existing programs, and transmitting them to the Faculty Senate for final approval.
2. Reviewing and making recommendations on all proposals for minor course changes, new courses , minor changes in existing programs, originating from students, departments, programs, divisions, schools, colleges of UNM and its branch community colleges and graduate centers, and Faculty Senate committees.
3. Participating with members of the SGPC in periodic reviews of instructional units and programs.
4. Hearing curricular disputes and recommending means for their resolution.
5. Initiating occasional reviews of curricular offerings and policies at UNM.
6. Recommending to the Faculty Senate both programs and the application of curricular policies.
7. Overseeing the approval and ongoing assessment of the General Education Program in consultation with the Faculty Senate.

Procedures

1. Committee Membership

Faculty members will be appointed by the Faculty Senate or in the case of branch community colleges faculty who will be appointed by their respective faculty assemblies. The Curricula Committee shall consist of the following faculty members. One (1) faculty member from each of the branch community colleges; four (4) from Arts and Sciences, [one (1) from the humanities (including foreign languages), one (1) from the social and behavioral sciences, one (1) from the natural/physical sciences and math, one (1) at large,] and one (1) each from Architecture and Planning, Dental Hygiene Programs, Education and Human Sciences, Engineering, Fine Arts, Honors College, University Libraries, Law, Anderson School of Management, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Population Health, two (2) students appointed by the Associated Students of UNM (ASUNM) and one (1) student appointed by the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), respectively. Ex-officio members shall include the Registrar, a Collection Development Librarian, a faculty administrator from the Office of Academic Affairs, the Director of University Advising, a faculty administrator from the Office of the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences, Dean of Students, Associate Provost for Student Success, and one (1) representative from the SGPC. In addition, the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion will appoint one (1) ex-officio representative from the Diversity Council Curriculum Subcommittee, who is a voting member of the UNM Faculty.

The terms of office for faculty members shall be for three (3) years, set up on a staggered basis so that the terms of approximately one-third (1/3) of members will expire each year. Student terms are usually one (1) year.

The chairperson is elected by the Committee.

The FSCC will schedule regular meetings. The Committee Chair will report Committee recommendations for consideration by the Faculty Senate.

2. Course Reviews

The General Education Program falls under NM Higher Education Department (NMHED) review and is offered in collaboration by UNM colleges and schools. Thus, the FSCC bears responsibility to determine that proposed general education courses meet UNM general education program criteria and NMHED general education criteria. Selected members of the FSCC will represent the FSCC on a cross-college committee appointed by the Provost charged with review and improvement of the General Education Program.

Departments and programs preparing curriculum course proposals for general education areas outside the department’s/program’s routine offerings must communicate with the chairs of departments/programs and associate deans of schools and colleges that regularly offer courses within the area of the course proposal. Such communication is essential in order to understand the methods by which component and essential skills in the relevant general education are taught within already-existing courses. The other departments/programs should acknowledge having been informed and are supportive of the proposal or respond with any concerns they may have. The FSCC will consider these concerns and recommend a means for their resolution.

1. Procedures for Adding Courses to the General Education Program

1.1 Documentation Required

Departments wishing to add courses to the UNM General Education Program must submit a Program Revision Request for each proposed new course, accompanied by the following material:

• Identification of the area into which the course will fit (writing/speaking, math, science, social/behavioral sciences, humanities, non-English language, fine arts.)
• Rationale for adding the course to the General Education Program.
  • Justification for adding the course to the General Education Program.
• How will this course benefit UNM students?
• Why does it belong in the General Education Program?
  • Impact statement on the effect this addition may have upon other departments/courses currently in the General Education Program.
  • Explanation of how the course meets updated criteria for General Education Program courses, including UNM criteria and NM Higher Education Department criteria on required essential skills adopted by the FSCC and posted on the website of the UNM Registrar.
  • Current and predicted enrollments for the next three (3) years.
  • Awareness and adoption of UNM General Education Program Assessment posted by the Office of Assessment.
• Budget/Faculty Load statement.
  • Budget impact statement.
  • Resources (faculty/facilities) that the department has for teaching the course.
  • Memo from Dean or College Curriculum Committee regarding financial support for five (5) to ten (10) years.
• Student learning outcomes and proposed techniques to assess those outcomes through class assignments.
• Documentation of application for HMHED Certification (application to NMHED may be simultaneous with submission and review of the Program Revision Request).
• Complete syllabus and course schedule including time on topics and suggested text.

1.2 Approvals

• Approval by department’s college curriculum committee/dean
• Review by the SGPC
• Approval by Faculty Senate Curricula Committee
• Office of the Provost
• Vote by Faculty Senate
• NMHED General Education Program certification form (information provided to UNM Associate Registrar for submission to NMHED) and New Mexico Common course number (NMCCN) form (information provided to UNM Associate Registrar for submission to NMHED)
• Office of the Provost will collaborate with the Office of the Registrar in ensuring that additions to the UNM General Education Program are appropriately reviewed, recorded, and meet the requirements of NMHED.

1.3 Timeline

• Departments must submit the Program Revision Request early in the fall semester.
• Departments must also submit a certification form to the registrar for review and submission to NMHED.
• Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee must receive proposal by December 1 for the opportunity for inclusion in the upcoming course catalog.
• NMHED certification of the course is required for inclusion in the UNM General Education Program.

2. Procedures for Deleting Courses from the General Education Program

2.1. Documentation Required

Departments wishing to delete courses from the UNM General Education Program must submit a Program Revision Request for each course to be deleted, accompanied by the following material:

• Identification of the area 1-7 into which the course fits.
• Rationale for deleting the course from the UNM General Education Program.
  • Justification for deleting the course.
  • Impact statement on the effect this deletion may have upon other departments/courses.
  • Enrollment history for the previous three (3) years.
• Budget/Faculty Load statement.
  • Budget impact statement.
  • Memo from Dean or College Curriculum Committee regarding support for removing this course.

2.2 Approval Procedures

• Approval by department’s college curriculum committee/dean
• Review by the SGPC
• Approval by Faculty Senate Curricula Committee
• Office of the Provost
• Vote by Faculty Senate
• Collaboration with Office of the Registrar on submission of forms for removing the course from the NMHED record of general education program courses at UNM and from the NMHED record of CCN courses at UNM.

2.3 Timeline

• Departments must submit the Program Revision Request early in the fall semester.
• Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee must receive proposal by December 1 for the deletion in the upcoming course catalog.

Definitions

No specific definitions are required for the Policy Statement.

Who should read this policy

• Academic chairs, directors, and deans
• Non-academic managers and directors
• Vice presidents and other executives

Related Documents

Faculty Handbook:

• A51: Faculty Constitution
• A53: Development and Approval of Faculty Policies
• A60: Faculty Senate Bylaws
• A61: Academic Council
• A61.3: Senate Graduate and Professional Committee (SGPC)

Assessment of the General Education Program at UNM

Applicable NM State Laws and Regulations

Contacts

Direct any questions about this policy to the UNM Office of the University Secretary.

History

• April 29, 2025 - Amended policy approved by the Faculty Senate
• October 10, 2022 - Amended to delete or update references to outdated program revision request forms, per FHB Policy A53 procedures
• August 3, 2021 - Amended related documents and procedures approved by Faculty Senate Operations Committee
• April 8, 2021 - Amended related documents and procedures approved by Faculty Senate Policy Committee
• April 28, 2020 - Amended policy approved by Faculty Senate
• November 22, 2016 - Amended policy approved by Faculty Senate
• February 4, 2014 - Amended procedures approved by Faculty Senate Operations Committee
• January 29, 2014 - Amended procedures approved by Faculty Senate Policy Committee
• June 16, 2011 - Approved by UNM President
• March 22, 2011 - Approved by Faculty Senate