I. Purpose Temporary suspension of an academic
program is intended only to allow time for program faculty to review curricular
structure, resource and enrollment issues, accreditation demands, and the like,
in order to reactivate the program within a maximum of three years. Temporary
suspension of an academic program is not appropriate when the goal is program
discontinuance. Consensual discussion
and decision-making on the part of all relevant parties (see below) shall
precede any proposal for suspension.
II. Procedures
A. The faculty of the academic program in
question are responsible for developing a written
proposal for a temporary suspension. If
no faculty members are currently involved with the program, the program Chair
or Director shall develop the suspension proposal. The proposal shall include all
the following:
1.
A full explanation of why the temporary program
suspension is being proposed.
2. Reasons
that faculty are proposing temporary suspension instead of discontinuance.
3. The semester and date when the proposed
suspension will take effect,
and the semester and date when it is anticipated that it will
come to an end. No suspension may
exceed six consecutive semesters excluding summers.
4. A complete
list of courses that will not be taught if the program is suspended, and a
statement summarizing the effect of not teaching those courses on other areas
of the university including the Library, GE, Liberal Studies, and interdisciplinary
programs.
5. Student
enrollment and application patterns for the program during the previous five
years.
6. Likely
effects of the temporary suspension on students currently enrolled in the
program.
7. The number
and type (tenured, tenure-track, and lecturer) of faculty currently teaching in
the program and the way(s) in which the temporary suspension will affect
them.
8. The number
and type of university staff employed in the program and the way(s) in which the
temporary suspension will affect them.
9. The means
by which affected faculty, students, and staff will be informed of the proposed
temporary suspension and an explanation of proposed channels of
communication for obtaining feedback on
the proposed temporary suspension from the affected faculty, students, and staff.
10. A summary
of what the most recent SFSU Academic Program Review, SFSU Memorandum of
Understanding, and any accreditation review say
about the program, including any parts of these reviews that have
relevance to the proposed suspension.
11. Resource
implications (including facility and equipment) of the proposed
suspension.
12. The changes
that would be necessary in order to resume offering the program.
B. Proposal processing.
1. The
proposal for temporary suspension will be developed by the faculty of the
program in question, or by the program Chair or
Director if no faculty are currently involved with the program.
2. The program
Chair or Director, College Dean, and Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA)
must approve the proposal.
3. The
approved suspension proposal will be sent to the Educational Policies Council
(EPC) of the Academic Senate for review.
EPC will ensure that all the questions listed in Section II, A, above
are completely answered in the proposal, that all necessary approvals have been
secured, and that all applicable SFSU and Academic Senate policies and
procedures have been followed.
4. EPC will
forward any recommendations it may wish to make to all parties involved in the
proposal preparation, and will forward the completed program suspension proposal
and EPC recommendations to the Academic Senate and VPAA as informational items. The VPAA shall have responsibility to
inform all relevant administrative offices, including but not limited to
Admissions, Graduate Division, the
5. After
completion of the process outlined in section II, B, 4, above, the temporary
suspension of an academic program will begin.
C. During the program suspension period:
1. In the SFSU
Bulletin listing for the program, following
the title of the program and the list of faculty and preceding information
about program requirements, there will be a notice that the program is under
temporary suspension, is
not currently accepting new students, and plans to resume on a
given date. The notice will include an
appropriate university contact for further information about the suspended
program.
2. No new
students will be admitted to the program and no degrees will be granted from
the program unless the recipient was enrolled in the program at the time of the
suspension.
3. The program
will not be advertised until the semester prior to resumption.
4. None of the
program courses will be offered except as is necessary to serve students
enrolled in the program at the time of suspension or as is necessary to serve
students in other programs for whom the classes are
required.
5. The VPAA
will report annually to the Academic Senate on the status of the suspended
program.
D. Resumption of the suspended program
1. Within the
semester (excluding summer) prior to the resumption of the suspended program, a
report will be developed by the program’s faculty or its Chair or Director (if
there are no faculty) and sent to the Academic Senate for its information.
2. The
resumption report will be approved by the program faculty, the program Chair or
Director, the College Dean, and the VPAA.
3. The
resumption report will explain how all the elements of the suspension proposal
have been addressed, and what actions must be taken to allow for the program’s
resumption. Any changes in the program
must proceed through the usual channels for curricular change or academic
reorganization.
E. Failure to Resume. If, at the end of three years in suspension,
there is no viable proposal for resumption, the VPAA shall initiate
discontinuation proceedings.