The school completes a Notification of Intent to Submit a Proposal (NISP) and forwards it to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs. The Associate Provost forwards the NISP to the Undergraduate Programs Council (UPC) for recommendation to the Provost. The Associate Provost sends the NISP with the UPC’s recommendation to the Provost. If the Provost approves the NISP, the Associate Provost notifies the dean. The Office of the Vice President for Information Management (VPIM) is copied on this communication so that the appropriate information can be compiled for the President and possible submission to the Board of Trustees (Board) and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). If the President approves, the NISP goes to the Board. If the Board approves, the NISP is submitted to ACHE. The NISP must be submitted to ACHE at least two (2) months prior to their receiving the full proposal.

The full proposal follows the same general path as the NISP from the school to ACHE. The Board first approves submission of the proposal to ACHE. ACHE has up to ten (10) months from the date of receipt of the NISP to review and act on the full proposal. The proposal then returns to the Board for final action. VPIM communicates the outcome to various offices. The Office of the Associate Provost further distributes the information to academic and student affairs units on campus.

The school forwards its proposal for a new concentration or track to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs. The Associate Provost forwards it to the Undergraduate Programs Council (UPC) for recommendation to the Provost. The Associate Provost then sends the proposal with the UPC’s recommendation to the Provost. If the Provost approves, the Associate Provost notifies the dean. The Office of the Vice President for Information Management (VPIM) is copied on this communication so that the appropriate information can be compiled for the President and possible submission to the Board of Trustees (Board) and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). If the President approves, the proposal goes to the Board. If the Board approves, it goes to ACHE. VPIM communicates the outcome of ACHE’s review to various offices. The Office of the Associate Provost further distributes the information to academic and student affairs units on campus.

The school forwards the proposal for a new minor to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs. The Associate Provost forwards the proposal to the Undergraduate Programs Council (UPC) for recommendation to the Provost. The Associate Provost then sends the proposal with the UPC’s recommendation to the Provost. Since no external review is required, the Provost makes the final decision regarding the minor. The Associate Provost notifies the dean. If the minor is approved, the Office of the Associate Provost distributes the information to academic and student affairs units on campus.

Same procedure as that to establish a new concentration/specialization/track within a major.

Same procedure as that to establish a new concentration/specialization/track within a major.

The school forwards its proposal to change a department name to the Provost. The Office of the Vice President for Information Management (VPIM) is copied on this communication so that the appropriate information can be compiled for the President and possible submission to the Board of Trustees (Board) and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). If the Provost approves, it is forwarded to the President. If the President approves, the proposal goes to the Board. If the Board approves, it goes to ACHE. VPIM communicates the outcome of ACHE’s review to various offices. The Office of the Associate Provost further distributes the information to the UPC and academic and student affairs units on campus.


* NOTE: Changing a department name does not change a degree name. Each must be done independently of the other.

Following approval of the course change(s) at the school level, the new information is forwarded to the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs to be shared, as an information item, with the UPC and other academic units on campus. Course requirements can only be changed for an upcoming catalog year and cannot be changed during an academic year.