Catalog changes

Course Catalog Introductory Section Details

GUIDELINES FOR UPDATING INTRODUCTORY SECTION

If you have questions about a subsection of the copy, refer to appropriate examples in the current catalog and the description at this link: insert link here. Be sure to check all references to specific courses in the introductory description of the department, major, minor, concentration, in current course descriptions, and in the listing of courses to be offered in subsequent years. Be sure course titles and numbers are consistent throughout.

Departmental Section Introductions should be organized into ten sections, which should be maintained and revised as necessary.

Section 1 : Listing of faculty in your department or program. Please continue to first list the active faculty (including those on leave or going on leave). Indicate the chair or director for next year, if known. Provide the names of emeriti faculty at the end of the active list. For interdisciplinary programs-first list the directors and members of the advisory board, followed by others who teach classes.

A faculty member's title (instructor, assistant professor, etc.) should be the title that he or she has at the time of the catalog's publication: March 1, of the academic year. It is the College's policy to use new titles in publications only after it is official, i.e., after July 1. If a new faculty member has been hired as an instructor but expects to defend a dissertation over the summer, the title must be listed as "instructor" in the Course Catalog unless his or her contract indicates otherwise. The authority in such cases is the contract on file in the Provost's Office.

Section 2 : A brief description of the discipline or program, or department's mission.

Section 3 : First-year and New Student section--a brief paragraph explaining your introductory courses. This section will help guide new students and students taking courses in your department for the first time. Every department must provide this section, and courses appropriate for first year students should be noted in the catalog listing as well. Please, do not repeat the course descriptions in this section. Repeated course descriptions will be removed.

Section 4 : Discussion of the specific curriculum of your department or program. Although this section may not be necessary, you may want to include some general caveats regarding your department's curriculum beyond discussion of appropriate introductory courses.

Section 5 : Requirements for the major. This section will serve as a contract with your majors who declare next year, so please review this section. Here you may want to include information for potential majors as well as information for students ready to declare their major. Please review this section for clarity. Any changes to requirements will come from CPC upon approval.

Section 6 : Description of the Senior Exercise. Please explain the structure and reasoning behind the senior exercise.

Section 7 : Requirements for departmental honors. This section must include your department's minimum requirements to be approved to attempt senior honors. Be sure to include a general description your expectations for a successful completion of honors.

Section 8 : Requirements for minors or concentrations--where appropriate.

Section 9: Transfer credit policy--explain any limitations to the acceptance of transfer credit toward major, minor/concentration requirements.

Section 10 : Cross-listed courses. If your department or program will be offering CPC-approved cross-listed courses from other departments or programs, please list all of those courses here, giving number and title. Public Affairs will supply a brief paragraph introducing them.

"Cross-listed" courses are those that may be found under two or more departments or programs--for diversification purposes--such as ENVS 112 being cross-listed with Biology for Natural Science diversification. These should be listed consistently in the Course Catalog, as the same course in all appropriate sections. Such courses should reflect the Department or Program of the primary instructor or discipline. For example, ENVS 112 is listed under Environmental Studies on page 137 of the current catalog as it should be, and it is also listed on page 78, within the Biology section, because it is cross listed with Biology. Please note that the description of each cross-listed course should include information regarding the diversification. Refer students to the original listing.