Curriculum

Curriculum Roles and Responsibilities

The roles of individuals, councils, and committees in the curriculum development process appear in alphabetical order. Their responsibilities in the curriculum development process may include, but are not limited to those listed below.

College Curriculum Committee:

• evaluates the curriculum proposal initiated at their college. (See the Curriculum Processing Support Materials section for Suggested Criteria for College Curriculum Committee Evaluation of Proposals.)

• evaluates a proposal when a response has not been received from the Instructional Council within ten (10) instructional days.

• assures that a curriculum proposal is well-developed and that its supporting materials adequately supplement the proposal

• Evaluates the impact of a curriculum proposal on the resources and other curricula of the college

• considers the recommendations of the Instructional Councils and Advisory Committees on the proposed curriculum

College Curriculum Technician:

• provides appropriate forms and sections of the curriculum procedures as requested

• reviews the curriculum form for accuracy

• assembles all required forms and supporting materials to complete curriculum proposals

• attaches a Curriculum Transmittal Memorandum to a completed curriculum proposal and sends copies to the Occupational Deans, College Curriculum Developers and all members of the appropriate Instructional Council(s)

• receives the evaluation of the curriculum proposal from the appropriate Instructional Council(s) and submits the Council's evaluation to the College Curriculum Committee for its evaluation

• forwards completed curriculum proposal that has been approved by the College Curriculum Committee and signed by the College President to the District Director of Curriculum at the District Curriculum Office for evaluation by the District Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Development Facilitator:

• is involved in the curriculum process from its inception to its conclusion

• works with the initiator and other involved persons to produce written curriculum proposal

• coordinates activities of all involved persons at the college to insure that MCCCD curriculum criteria are met

• is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all required curriculum materials

• serves as liaison between college and content expert(s) from business/industry

• serves as liaison between college and District Curriculum Coordinator

Department/Division Chair:

• consults with appropriate dean regarding merits and feasibility of the curriculum proposal for the department/division

• provides immediate feedback to the initiator

• provides support and guidance to initiator throughout the consultation and development stage

• refers initiator to the college Curriculum Developer for guidance in developing a curriculum proposal

District Curriculum Committee (DCC):

The roles and responsibilities of the District Curriculum Committee members have evolved over the years but consistently the Committee plays a major role in the following general areas:

• Casting visions with regard to the larger scope of MCCCD curriculum and pursuit of curricular goals through Committee planning, development and implementation efforts

• Facilitating curricular processes

• Providing guidance and support to the subcommittees and groups that report to the DCC.

• Broadening the curricular role – large systemic role at multiple levels: local, state, national

• Strengthening the relationship of the work of the DCC to curriculum and assessment

• Communicating DCC meeting outcomes to member's constituents.

More specific roles currently include:

• Evaluating the District-wide impact of a curriculum proposal, assuring that the proposal is in accordance with MCCCD educational policies, educationally sound and in the best interest of MCCCD prior to recommending approval of the proposal to the MCCCD Governing Board

• Serving as arbiter of conflicting recommendations concerning a curriculum proposal from different recommending bodies

District Director of Curriculum:

• plans for the work of the DCC

• organizes the flow of information from multiple parties to Committee

• development and maintenance of curriculum system supports and resources

• formation and distribution of policies and processes in support of curriculum

• reporting on outcomes

• archiving of historical curriculum record

• collaboration with multiple external and internal parties in support of curriculum

• facilitates the work of the DCC

Director of University and College Relations:

• serves as a representative to the Transfer Articulation Task Force (TATF), one of two MCCCD members of the ASU committee discussing streamlining of the general education processes at university level

• interfaces with all three universities regarding transfer and substitutes for the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Student Development at APASC level

Maricopa County Community College District General Education Faculty Representative:

• Serves as co-chair of the General Education Articulation Task Force (GEATF)—a state-level -group reporting to the Academic Program Articulation Steering Committee (APASC)

• involved with ASU Main and West in general education as decisions are made at university level regarding general education at course level and general education criteria,

• coordinates the submission of general education proposals and documents outcomes on university action

Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) Governing Board:

• approves any credit course and/or credit-based certificates and/or degrees before they can be offered by any one of the colleges within the Maricopa Community Colleges. (This is a responsibility charged by statute.)

• approves occupational curriculum items that must be sent for approval to the Arizona Community College Board.

• approves MCCCD courses, certificates, degrees, Graduation Policies/ General Studies for all MCCCD degrees, and AGEC

Initiator:

• consults with a department/division chair, faculty or appropriate deans concerning the development of a curriculum proposal

• works in conjunction with the college Curriculum Developer in developing the curriculum proposal

Instructional Council:

All involved Instructional Councils shall be given an opportunity to make a recommendation on cross-referenced courses.

• evaluates course and new occupational program proposals received from an Instructional Dean (See Curriculum Processing Support Materials section for Suggested Criteria for Instructional Council(s) Evaluation of Proposals)

• receives from the initiating college, occupational program modification proposals as informational items

• evaluates the quality and appropriateness of the content of a curriculum proposal and the impact of a proposal on the disciplines which have been assigned to it

• (Chair) receives evaluations of a curriculum proposal from other Council members and submits to the initiating college the written recommendation of the Council based upon these evaluations

• submits recommendation within ten (10) instructional days of the date of the Curriculum Transmittal Memorandum. If no recommendation is received from the Instructional Council Chair by the due date, the Instructional Dean may proceed with the proposed curriculum

Instructional Dean:

The Instructional Dean needs to be included in the consultation and development stage of the curriculum process, he/she should be consulted before a proposal is developed at his/her college.

The Instructional Dean:

• provides feedback concerning the merits and feasibility of the curriculum proposal for the college

• consults, if necessary, with the College President, faculty and appropriate deans district-wide concerning the impact of the curriculum proposal on other instructional units within the District

• provides support services and guidance to the initiator to develop support materials for the curriculum proposal. This process is facilitated the College Curriculum Developer/Curriculum Development Facilitator

• may channel feedback from a variety of sources in the consultation and development stages of the curriculum development process

• initiates the formal recommendation and approval stage of the curriculum development process by sending a Curriculum Transmittal Memorandum and the curriculum proposal to members of the appropriate Instructional Council(s). This process is facilitated by the College Curriculum Technician

• submits the curriculum proposal with the recommendation of the Instructional Council to the College Curriculum Committee. This process is facilitated by the College Curriculum Technician.

• recommends approval of a curriculum proposal initiated at his/her college in order for it to be submitted to the District Curriculum Committee

Occupational Dean:

Serves as liaison for the Instructional Dean and the initiator, occupational department/division chairs, Curriculum Developer or equivalent, and the program advisory committee concerning the development of an occupational curriculum proposal.

Occupational Program Advisory Committee:

This committee is a group of citizens who are experts in a specific occupational field. The Committee is formally organized for a specified period of time (1-3 years) and includes at least one college representative. The Committee:

• meets at least once a year

• serves in an advisory capacity

• reviews new and modified occupational programs

• advises educators regarding occupational education programs

• provides information about the preparation of program graduates

Vice Chancellor for Student and Educational Development:

• serves as chair of the District Curriculum Committee

• provides support service to the District Curriculum Committee and to the colleges in coordination with the Instructional Deans

• plans and coordinates curriculum for the District

• assigns course prefixes/disciplines to the Instructional Councils

• consults, if necessary, with the Chancellor concerning a curriculum proposal

• recommends and submits curriculum proposal(s) to the MCCCD Governing Board for approval