P-3 proposals are the basis of the administrative review and approval process that enable a second college or multiple colleges to deliver programs already authorized in another college; that enable a college to deliver an existing program at an additional campus within its purview or through the World Campus; that authorize the closure of a program in a college or campus so long as that program will continue to be offered elsewhere at the University; and that, under extraordinary circumstances, may authorize the delivery of extended degrees. Note that a P-6 proposal is required to terminate a program when doing so will completely remove it from the University's offerings. As with P-1 and P-6 proposals, P-3 proposals must be preceded by submission of an ACUE Curricular Program Prospectus.
P-3 ProposalsOne or more colleges may be authorized to offer degree programs. This authorization has sometimes been referred to as academic program sponsorship or program sponsorship transfer. The Provost is responsible for administratively authorizing the moving, sharing, and discontinuance of academic sponsorship of existing degree programs for all colleges and campuses. The University Faculty Senate does not take part in this authorization.
Two types of sharing and transferring of sponsorship may occur:
(1) Joint sponsorship in which, in addition to the original sponsoring college, one or more additional colleges also are awarded authority to offer the existing program. Graduates in these programs belong to and are certified for graduation by the college in which they are enrolled.
(2) Handoff sponsorship in which the authority to offer an academic program is transferred from one college to another. Here, an original sponsoring college withdraws its academic authority for a program and another college or group of colleges is awarded authority in its place.
In every case in which a program is transferred or shared, every effort must be made to insure curricular integrity by minimizing the number of core course substitutions at the newly offering campus or college. Disciplinary communities are nonetheless encouraged to consider the development of program options beyond the core that reflect local expertise, student demand, and market need.
There is a third type of shared program referred to as an "extended degree." Based upon extraordinary circumstances, such as specialized licensing and/or accreditation requirements, a single college may offer its programs by extending their availability to additional campuses. In this arrangement, only the "extending" college has the authority to award the program degree, although the degree may be delivered at multiple campuses. A college must secure written approval from the Provost before submitting a P-3 proposal to the Office of Undergraduate Education. Extended degree status shall be reviewed every five years by the Office of Undergraduate Education to determine whether it has become appropriate to grant shared authority to offer the program.
Deans retain the authority to move a degree program within a college. When such actions are taken, the College must notify the Office of Undergraduate Education, which will then inform other offices as appropriate.
Following the completion of the prospectus process, a P-3 proposal may be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Education. It must address all relevant strategic and academic issues, including those outlined in Academic Administrative Policy P, Section V: Common Program Justification Criteria.
P-3 Timeline
• Preliminary college and disciplinary consultation and consultation between appropriate campus chancellor(s) and Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses
• Submission of prospectus to ACUE by College Associate Dean
• ACUE Prospectus deliberation and written response to submitting college
• College development of formal proposal, including appropriate consultation, data collection, and research
• Submission of P-3 proposal by College Dean to Office of Undergraduate Education
• Office of Undergraduate Education review
• Provost review of Office of Undergraduate Education action
• Office of Undergraduate Education memo to implement distributed to appropriate offices
• Implementation the following semester or later