•
						•
						•
						•

Section III: Comprehensive Standard

3.4.1 The institution demonstrates that each educational program for which academic credit is awarded is approved by the faculty and the administration. (Academic Program Approval)

---

JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

√ Compliance             Partial compliance          Non-compliance

NARRATIVE

Richard Bland College has Board-approved policies and authorized institutional procedures to ensure that the faculty and administration of the College approve the development, adoption and changes to all academic programs at the College.  Curricular changes take the form of changes to the two degree programs offered, changes to the general education core, changes to pre-major disciplines, and changes to individual courses.  The only change at the degree level in the College’s history is the development of and subsequent elimination of the Associate in Science Degree in Business.  Original to the creation of the College in 1960 are the Associate in Science and Associate in Arts degrees.  The Board of Visitors has final approval of all changes to degrees offered by the College and such changes must also be approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

No substantive changes to the general education program have occurred in the past ten years.  An impending change, scheduled for implementation in the fall of 2008 described in Core Requirement 2.7.3, will increase the options at the discipline, pre-major level.  This change was approved by the faculty at the May 4, 2007 faculty meeting.

Introduction of new courses and major modifications of current courses begin with the individual faculty member.  Proposals move from the faculty member to the discipline, on to the division, and, where appropriate, to the Instructional Programs Committee, the entire faculty, the Provost and Dean of Faculty, and the President.  The Faculty Handbook outlines the process and procedures for course development, divisional review of disciplines, as well as program and degree changes in Sections VIII, A, Academic Freedom; C,  Faculty Bylaws, Article IV, 4.1 and 4.2, (e); Article V, Section 5.4 (e); Article VI, Section 6.5:2; Article IX, C, D, E, O. 

Perhaps the clearest demonstration of these policies and procedures comes in the form of the recent review of the general education program itself.  Begun as a dialogue among a few faculty members concerning the efficacy of both the physical education and computer literacy requirements, growing into divisional discussions of the need to enhance basic writing and computational skills, and culminating in a faculty-wide effort to enhance transfer ease, the faculty conducted a thorough review of the degree requirements and general education program of the College.  The Instructional Programs Committee submitted a formal proposal to the Provost and Dean of Faculty who approved the proposal and forwarded it to the President who gave final approval. 

---

SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION

Page updated February 15, 2008  | Questions or comments? Email sacsparc@rbc.edu

© 2005, Richard Bland College
Petersburg, Virginia