Guidance on Proposals and their Approval

All contingent processes are part of the proposal development. Please email approval@iu.edu for any assistance.

• Enrollment, degree, and budget projections. 
  For all new degree programs, campuses must contact the Assistant Vice President for Administration (Philemon Yebei, pyebei@iu.edu) to initiate this process early in the proposal development phase and prior to campus approvals.
• Demand Analysis.
  For all new degree programs and stand-alone certificates, the staff of University Academic Planning can run a Lightcast report with supplemental information to support the proposal requirements. Please reach out early to approval@iu.edu so that this information may be available during proposal development.
• Articulation Plans for New Baccalaureate Degrees.
  Campuses are to develop articulation plans with both Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University to demonstrate and provide a pathway for transferring students. This is to be developed by the campus prior to campus approvals. Please contact us at approval@iu.edu if you need assistance.
• CIP Code Review.
  For all new degree programs and stand-alone certificates,Institutional Analytics will conduct a review of available coding within the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP). Any questions may be sent to approval@iu.edu. 

• IU Online.
  All online, hybrid, and collaborative programming must first be approved by IU Online. This must be done early in the proposal development process and prior to campus approval and submission in APPEAR. Request for review and approval is initiated with the Office of Online Education Online Academic Program Initial Request Form.
• University Graduate School.
  All graduate level proposals must be approved prior to campus approval and submission in APPEAR. 
  • Graduate Schools: Bloomington, Indianapolis
• Education Abroad.
  All academic programs offered through partnerships outside US must be approved through Education Abroad prior to campus approval and submission in APPEAR. Click the above link for additional information.

• Detailed information on APPEAR, including access, instructions, and proposal status, is available on the APPEAR System page.

Approvals

• Required approvals are noted from the action type tiles on the main page, and as guided by the Matrix of Required Approvals.
• Upon approval, University Academic Planning sends out the notice of approval to the campus.
  • Approval notification for items that reach final approval through IU-internal approvals, including Academic Leadership Council (ALC) is sent upon completion, monthly.
  • Items requiring approval from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) are approved upon receipt of the letter of approval. This letter is forwarded to campuses as it is received.

The the Academic Leadership Council (ALC) approves all proposals either as the final action or for advancement following review by the ALC Technical Committee.

Items for ALC approval:

• New majors (including grad concentrations and licensure programs)
• New area certificates
• Name change or elimination of majors or area Certificates

Items for ALC notification:

• New minors (including tracks, concentrations, or specializations)
• New dual/accelerated degrees (both existing)
• Name change or elimination of minors or dual/accelerated degrees
• Program transfers to a new school/college
• Transcript notations
• New assessed alternative (micro-) credentials
• New articulation agreements

Items for subsequent approvals at the IU Board of Trustees and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) are advanced following ALC approval. 

Meeting schedules:

• ALC Technical Committee - monthly (3rd Thursday)
• ALC Approvals - monthly via electronic form

Items for ICHE approval via Routine Staff Action (RSA):

• New stand-alone certificates (<13 Credits)
• Changes to existing degrees or certificates:
  * Additional degree in same discipline
  * Existing degree/cert at a new location
  * Elimination, suspension or reinstatement of
      any degrees or stand-alone certificates
  * CIP Code changes
  * Credit hour changes
  * Name changes
  * Distance education changes
  * Mergers or consolidated programs

Meeting schedules:

• ICHE Academic Affairs & Quality (AA&Q) Committee

The above items are presented at the ICHE Academic Affairs & Quality Committee meeting and are final upon receipt of the ICHE letter of approval.

Items for ICHE approval (after approval at the IU Board of Trustees):

• All new degrees
• New stand-alone certificates of 13 or more credits

Meeting schedules:

• IU Board of Trustees
• ICHE Academic Affairs & Quality (AA&Q) Committee
• ICHE Commission Meetings

Items are reviewed at the AA&Q Committee and recommended for action at the full Commission meeting. Approved programs are final upon receipt of the ICHE letter of approval.