Administration

Penn State Bulletins make progress toward new content management system

Noncurriculum-related content gathering phase to commence in October

Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In May, Penn State launched a new initiative to replace the University Bulletins web-based interface with CourseLeaf Catalog, an academic catalog management system solution that will improve the accuracy, functionality and maintenance capabilities of the degree-program bulletins. The transition to the new bulletin system will align with recent University-wide academic and student information system improvements.

The University Bulletins provide comprehensive academic information to students, including degree program requirements, General Education requirements, program descriptions and course descriptions. The current Bulletins migrated from a print publication to an online platform in 2007, but functional, user and integration needs have evolved beyond the current system’s capacity.

The 2018 migration will retain academic information in the current Bulletins, but will also offer the opportunity for colleges to publish additional non-curriculum-related information on college and program description pages. New content areas are designed to create consistency across the Bulletins and improve the ease with which students can understand and navigate University resources, policies and academic requirements.

To advance progress towards the 2018 Undergraduate Bulletins launch, colleges will receive information through ACUE regarding specific plans that include members of the Bulletins Implementation Team reaching out to college representatives to kickstart the process of gathering new content. Representatives will be nominated by college leadership.

Executive sponsors of the University Bulletins Implementation Project are Robert Pangborn, vice president and dean for undergraduate education, and Regina Vasilatos-Younken, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School.

The Bulletins Steering Committee is co-chaired by Alan Rieck, assistant vice president and assistant dean for undergraduate education, and Robert Kubat, assistant vice president for undergraduate education and the University registrar. Members of the committee include representatives from faculty and staff.

Questions can be directed to bulletins@psu.edu

Last Updated August 21, 2018