Course attributes are a powerful tool for identifying courses that have a specific role to play in the curriculum. They are used to identify courses in the Guide, in the Course Search & Enroll App, and the Student Information System (SIS), and with appropriate resources and planning have the potential to be used on transcripts, degree audits, and in other curricular data systems. The presence of a course attribute makes it practical to do reporting and analysis relating to students and faculty/instructors for a group of courses with a common course attribute. (For a list of attributes see Course Proposal: Course Designations.)
The purpose of this policy is to set criteria for when a course attribute is appropriate and outline the proposal process to follow for establishing new course attributes (see Section D for process information). The nature of the proposal to the University Curriculum Committee (UCC) is influenced somewhat by the nature of the plan for the course attribute. If the attribute is simple, well-justified, and does not establish a broad academic requirement, or incur substantial costs, the proposal process is straightforward (see section D). If the course attribute carries more complexity and/or requires a financial commitment, then broader planning and additional endorsements will need to accompany the proposal to the UCC.
Criteria must be set for the course attribute. Ideally, the criteria are sufficiently straightforward that department-level and school/college curriculum committees and the UCC will be able to apply the course attribute criteria without substantial training or without the need for a standing committee of faculty/staff to conduct reviews for approvals.
For course attribute criteria that require a standing committee for review or have other substantial resource implications, the faculty/staff originating the proposal will need to develop a plan and seek approval and a commitment of required resources before UCC approval of the course attribute criteria; specifics will depend on circumstances (see section D).
Once a course attribute is approved, it may be added to an existing or new course through the course approval process (supported by Lumen Course Proposal System), with the usual opportunities for approval by the subject owner, the school/college, and the UCC.
Course attributes are useful to identify groups of courses that share common features that are not represented in some other way but are of interest or value to a broad range of students and programs and serve institutional goals or priorities;
Course attributes are generally justified when they: