Suspending or Discontinuing an Academic Program

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Policy Number:
UW-1003
Responsible Office:
Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

The suspension or discontinuation of an academic program impacts academic divisions and units, faculty, and staff, as well as students. This policy addresses the importance of communicating such decisions and ensuring the quality of the program is maintained throughout the teach-out period.

Definitions:
Academic Division (School/College)
An academic group of the university, defined in UW-803 Faculty Policies and Procedures Chapter 3, that serves as a school, college or like unit and is led by a dean or director who reports to the provost.
Academic Program
An area of study that leads to a degree/major, certificate, minor or named option, also referred to as a plan or subplan.
Academic Unit
The academic and administrative home for an academic program or subject listing, also known as an academic department, housed within an academic division (school/college). The academic unit originates all program and curricular changes through academic governance; ensures the curriculum is appropriate and that courses are offered regularly; provides student support services such as advising; prepares all content for the Guide and assures the program and subject listing is represented accurately at all times; oversees the course evaluation process; coordinates assessment and program review; and receives allocation for program enrollment, degrees, certificates and credits in the information systems.
Discontinuation
For purposes of this policy, the permanent closure of an academic program and any related activities.
Suspension
A period of up to three years in which admission to an academic program is not offered pending a decision on program continuation.
Scope:

All academic units that seek to suspend and/or discontinue an academic program

Policy:

  1. Reasons for Suspending/Discontinuing an Academic Program

    A proposal to suspend admission to or discontinue an academic program is the result of one or more of the following:

    1. The academic program is a low-award program that no longer serves the needs of students, faculty, and the mission of the university. According to UW-1008 Low Award-Producing Policy, programs that award fewer than 25 degrees or 10 certificates in a five-year period are deemed “low award” and are to be reviewed and considered for discontinuation. This excludes academic programs that are within five years of first enrolling students.
    2. The academic program is part of a restructuring plan that will result in a merger or re-organization of existing programs.
    3. The academic program has student enrollment and student interest, but a range of circumstances—often budgetary or resource allocation issues—compel the program faculty and school/college dean to seek suspension of admission or program discontinuation.
    4. The degree/major is a non-admitting master’s program that is a partner program to a Ph.D. program of the same name that is an admitting program. In such cases, notice must be provided but all other limits described here do not apply.

  2. Overview of Process

    1. In all cases, suspending admission or discontinuing an academic program requires the same open and transparent process, communication, documentation of concurrence by other interested and affected units, and participation in shared governance as is required to gain approval for a new program.
    2. The suspension or discontinuation of an academic program involves consultation and communication with a wide range of academic, administrative, and student support units and must be managed to minimize any adverse impact on current or prospective students, and on faculty and staff. 
    3. Suspending or discontinuing an academic program requires extensive advanced planning. Once the admission cycle begins for a term and applications are opened to prospective students, a program is prohibited from suspending admission for that term.

  3. Teach‐Out Plan

    A teach-out plan is required to meet the commitment made to currently enrolled and prospective students admitted to the program, as well as to those students who were at one time enrolled in the academic program and stopped out.

    1. Currently enrolled students who have declared an intention to complete the program must be supported with courses, advising, and other services to complete the program. The faculty must plan to continue teaching required courses or make reasonable exceptions to those requirements to facilitate student completion of the requirements. In some cases, the faculty may need to adjust program requirements to maintain quality throughout the teach-out period. Such a change in curricular requirements may require approval by the school/college curriculum committee.
    2. Prospective students, e.g., new freshmen, transfer students, or graduate students, who selected the program on the application for admission and who received offers of admission, or those who have otherwise been formally advised preceding the program’s proposal for suspension or discontinuation, must be informed of the program’s status, and must be advised of other program options, if applicable.
    3. Stopped-out students will not be readmitted to a degree/major program that has been suspended or discontinued. The teach-out plan must describe how stopped-out students will be supported to find an appropriate new major/degree program.
Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:
External References:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Policy Manager:
Vice Provost for Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research
Contact:
Associate Director, Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research -- Michelle Young, MEYOUNG@WISC.EDU, (608) 262-2143
Effective Date:
11-07-1995
Revised Dates:

05-17-2012, 06-22-2018, 11-29-2019, 04-26-2023, 02-12-2025

Retrieved:
07-18-2025 11:37:06