University Studies Courses (UNIV)

Criteria

UNIV course offerings will be selected based on the following criteria:

1. Courses should appeal to a wide range of students, with a targeted student audience from majors that are in at least two different colleges.
2. Courses should address university-wide learning objectives, diversity learning objectives, and/or sustainability learning objectives. Typically courses should be GE and/or USCP certified.
3. Courses should be multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary, team-taught (or have the potential to be taught at different times) by identified individuals from different colleges.
4. Courses should be available to as many students as possible, depending on the nature of the course and the number of instructors involved. For example, a writing-intensive course with two instructors should be offered in a section accommodating at least 46 students; a non-writing-intensive course with multiple instructors should accommodate a substantially larger number of students, possibly using "break-out" sessions or recitations for discussions or other activities.

Proposals for repeat offerings of UNIV courses may be considered; however, given limited funding at the present time, no long-term commitments can be made.

Instructors offering courses under the UNIV prefix are required to conduct student evaluations in all sections.

Process

Requests for proposals for UNIV courses will be made by the Vice Provost for Programs and Planning.

Each submission should consist of:

1. 1. The standard course description form (It is not necessary to re-submit this form if it was submitted in response to a previous UNIV solicitation, unless changes are being proposed.)
2. A memo specifying:
   a brief rationale for offering the course under the UNIV prefix, in light of the criteria listed above; the quarter (or quarters) in which the course would be offered; the targeted student audience; the number of students to be accommodated in a section; the names and departments of proposed instructors; the funding, if any, sought to replace each instructor (measured in WTUs).
3. Brief statements of support from department chairs/heads or deans.

The Academic Senate Curriculum Committee is involved in reviewing the proposals. The offerings will be subject to available funding. Every effort will be made to complete the selection process with notification of the results in sufficient time for class scheduling purposes. The offerings will be subject to available funding, which may be sufficient to support up to 3-4 courses in each of the three AY quarters.