Announcement of Revised Central Curricular Processes

May 12, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

In Summer 2023, I charged a small committee with a revision to the University Curriculum Committee (UCC) processes, with the goal of being nimble-but-compliant to speed up the curriculum process and to seize opportunities to introduce innovative curricula for our students.

Although efficiency was the overall goal, Phase 1 of the project included benchmarking, gathering stakeholder input, and revising multiple processes. In Phase 2 (Spring 2025), we have prioritized implementation for Fall 2025.

Implementation Priorities for Phase 2 include the following: 
•    Modernizing Course and Programs forms in Instructor Systems with a completion date of Spring 2026 
•    Launching the Provost Review Committee (PRC) with a completion date of Aug. 1, 2025
•    Delivering new professional development, communications, and support opportunities 
•    Monitoring the priorities to prepare for Assessing for Improvement as Phase 3

In Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, the curriculum process will change in the following ways: 
•    Blueprint: Curriculum process maps will be available online
•    Speed: By moving the central processes earlier, we will create momentum
•    Partnership: Curriculum Liaisons assigned in the colleges to help distribute knowledge 
•    Office Hours: Central, collaborative spaces for shared problem solving
•    Approachable: Updated COURSES and PROGRAMS forms

More changes will be announced soon.

Professional development (PD) opportunities that give access to revised systems will be announced soon for late summer and early fall. Participants will learn about the revisions mentioned above as well as navigating the new processes. Please keep in mind that all current users of the COURSES and PROGRAMS systems will be removed this summer as we redevelop the curriculum process. Attending this short, focused PD will ensure your access to the curriculum systems this fall.

If you are interested in hosting a conversation about the revised curriculum processes at a fall meeting of your college or your college curriculum committees, please reach out to Stacia Moroski-Rigney (rigneyst@msu.edu).

Please share this information with your faculty and anyone in your colleges who is involved with curriculum design or processing.

Sincerely,

Thomas D. Jeitschko, Ph.D. (he/him)    
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs    
Professor, Department of Economics