Approval Process Timelines
Consult the charts below to determine the deadlines for approval through faculty governance, CHE and SACS.
All programs need to be fully approved by SACS before a major code is assigned and before admitting students. The process can take up to 6 months from date of notification to SACS, and may take longer if SACS requests additional information.
These dates reflect the shortest amount of time it takes to process a proposal through the approval cycle. If the deadlines in one approval process are not met, the proposal will rotate into the next subsequent approval cycle.
It is recommended that proponents vet a draft CHE New Program Proposal Form with Academic Programs prior to the due date. Due dates to Academic Programs are firm; if dates are not met, proposals will rotate into the next subsequent cycle.
New Program Approval Process Timeline
| Approving Entities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty Senate and C&C Committee APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
C&C: Mar 2019 FS: Apr 2019 |
C&C: Apr 2019 FS: Jun 2019 |
C&C: Aug 2019 FS: Sept 2019 |
C&C: Nov2019 FS: Dec2019 |
| Graduate Council and GC Committees APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
Mar 2019 | May 2019 | Sept 2019 | Jan 2020 |
| CHE New Program Proposal Form due to Academic Programs | 5/1/2019 | 7/30/2019 | 10/15/2019 | 1/15/2020 |
| Proposal discussed by Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee (BOT AA) | 6/7/2019 | 9/13/2019 | 12/17/2019 | 3/20/2020 |
| Proposal discussed by Full Board of Trustees | 6/21/2019 | 10/11/2019 | 12/17/2019 | 4/24/2020 |
| Academic Programs notifies Commission on Higher Education (CHE) of intent to submit proposal | 7/1/2019 | 10/30/2019 | 2/1/2020 | 5/1/2020 |
| Final Proposal due to CHE from President; Provost notifies SACS*** | 8/1/2019 |
11/1/2019 |
2/1/2020 | 2/1/2020 |
| Proposals reviewed at Advisory Committee on Academic Programs (ACAP) meeting | 9/12/2019; or11/21/2019 | 3/26/2020 | 3/26/2020 | 9/17/2020 |
| Proposal reviewed at Committee on Academic Affairs & Licensing (CAAL) meeting |
11/6/2019; or 2/13/2020 |
5/14/2020 |
5/14/2020 | 10/29/2020 |
| Proposal reviewed at Commission on Higher Education (CHE) meeting | 12/5/2019; or 3/5/2020 |
6/6/2020 |
6/6/2020 | 12/4/2020 |
| Program to appear in USC Bulletin after CHE and SACS approval |
Fall 2020 (approximate) |
Fall 2020 (approximate) |
Fall 2021 (approximate) |
Fall 2021 (approximate) |
All programs need to be fully approved by SACS before a major code is assigned and before admitting students. The process can take up to 6 months from date of notification to SACS, and may take longer if SACS requests additional information.
These dates reflect the shortest amount of time it takes to process a proposal through the approval cycle. If the deadlines in one approval process are not met, the proposal will rotate into the next subsequent approval cycle.
It is recommended that proponents vet a draft CHE Program Modification Proposal Form with Academic Programs prior to the due date. Due dates to Academic Programs are firm; if dates are not met, proposals will rotate into the next subsequent cycle.
Program Modifications Approval Process Timeline
| Approving Entities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty Senate and C&C Committee APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
C&C: April 2019 FS: June 2019 |
C&C: Aug 2019 FS: Sept 2019 |
C&C: Sept 2019 FS: Oct 2019 | C&C: Nov 2019 FS: Dec 2019 |
| Graduate Council and GC Committees APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
May 2019 | Sept 2019 | Oct 2019 | Nov 2019 |
| CHE Program Modification Proposal Form due to Academic Programs | 8/1/2019 | 11/1/2019 | 11/1/2019 | 2/1/2020 |
| Proposal discussed by Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee | 9/13/2019 | 12/17/2019 | 12/17/2019; OR 3/20/2020 | 3/20/2020; OR June 2020 |
| Proposal discussed by Full Board of Trustees | 10/15/2019 | 12/17/2019 |
12/17/2019; OR 4/24/2020 |
4/24/2020; OR June 2020 |
| Academic Programs notifies Commission on Higher Education (CHE) of intent to submit proposal | 10/30/2019 | 2/1/2020 | 5/1/2020 | 8/1/2020 |
| Final Proposal due to CHE from President; Provost notifies SACS*** | 10/15/2019 | 2/1/2020 | 8/1/2020 | 7/15/2020 |
| Proposals reviewed at Advisory Committee on Academic Programs (ACAP) meeting | 11/21/19 |
3/26/2020 |
9/17/2020 | 9/17/2020 |
| CHE Staff Approval | 2/15/2020 | 6/15/2020 | 11/15/2020 | 2/15/2022 |
| Program to appear in USC Bulletin after CHE and SACS approval | Fall 2020 (approximate) |
Fall 2020 (approximate) |
Fall 2020 or Fall 2021 (approximate) |
Fall 2022 (approximate) |
All program terminations must be fully approved by CHE and SACS before being removed from the Bulletin.
These dates reflect the shortest amount of time it takes to process a program termination through the approval cycle. If the deadlines in one approval process are not met, the proposal will rotate into the next subsequent approval cycle.
It is recommended that proponent vet a draft program termination memo with Academic Programs prior to the due date. Due dates to Academic Programs are firm; if dates are not met, proposals will rotate into the next subsequent cycle.
Program Termination Approval Process Timeline
| Approving Entities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty Senate and C&C Committee APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
C&C: Apr 2019 |
C&C: Sept 2019 |
C&C: Nov 2019 FS: Dec 2019 |
C&C: Mar 2020 FS: April 2020 |
| Graduate Council and GC Committees APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
May 2019 | Sept 2019 | Jan 2020 | Mar 2020 |
| CHE Program Termination Proposal due to Academic Programs | 7/1/2019 | 11/1/2019 | 1/15/2020 | 3/15/2020 |
| Proposal discussed by Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee | 9/14/2019 | 12/17/2019 | Mar 2020 | June 2020 |
| Proposal discussed by Full Board of Trustees | 10/9/2019 | 12/17/19 | Apr 2020 | June 2020 |
| Academic Programs/Provost Office notifies Commission on Higher Education (CHE) and SACS | 10/15/2019 | 1/15/2019 | 5/1/2020 | 8/1/2020 |
| Program to be removed from USC Bulletin after CHE and SACS approval | Fall 2020 (approximate) |
Fall 2020 (approximate) |
Fall 2021 (approximate) |
Fall 2021 (approximate) |
All programs need to be fully approved by SACS before a major code is assigned and before admitting students.
These dates reflect the shortest amount of time it takes to process a proposal through the approval cycle. If the deadlines in one approval process are not met, the proposal will rotate into the next subsequent approval cycle.
It is recommended that proponents vet a draft CHE New Certificate Proposal Form with Academic Programs prior to the due date. Due dates to Academic Programs are firm; if dates are not met, proposals will rotate into the next subsequent cycle.
New Certificates Approval Process Timeline, 18 credit hours or less
| Approving Entities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty Senate and C&C Committee APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
C&C: Apr 2019 FS: June 2019 |
C&C: Aug 2019 FS: Sept 2019 |
C&C: Oct 2019 FS: Nov 2019 |
C&C: Jan 2020 FS: Feb 2020 |
| Graduate Council and GC Committees APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
May 2019 | Sept/Oct 2019 | Feb2019 | Apr 2019 |
| CHE Program Termination Proposal due to Academic Programs | 8/1/2019 | 11/1/2019 | 2/1/2019 | 5/1/2019 |
| Proposal discussed by Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee | 9/13/2019 | 12/17/2019 | 3/13/2020 | 6/5/2020 |
| Proposal discussed by Full Board of Trustees | 10/9/2019 | 12/17/2019 | 4/24/2020 | 6/19/2020 |
| Academic Programs/Provost Office notifies Commission on Higher Education (CHE) and SACS | 11/1/2019 | 1/15/2020 | 5/1/2020 | 8/1/2020 |
| Program to appear in USC Bulletin after CHE and SACS approval | Fall 2019 (approximate) |
Fall 2019 (approximate) |
Fall 2020 (approximate) |
Fall 2020 (approximate) |
Pre-Authorization TImeline for 2017-2018
Faculty Senate
| Pre-Authorization Due to Academic Programs |
Currricula and Courses Meeting | Faculty Senate Meeting |
|---|---|---|
| December 20, 2019 | January 2020 | February 2020 |
| January 2020 | February 2020 | March 2020 |
| February 2020 | March 2020 | April 2020 |
| March 2020 | May 2020 | June 2020 |
Graduate Council
| Pre-Authorization Due to Academic Programs |
Humanities or Sciences Sub-Committees | Graduate Council |
|---|---|---|
| December 15, 2019 | January 2020 | January 27, 2020 |
| January 15, 2020 | February 2020 | February 24, 2020 |
| February 15, 2020 | March 2020 | March 23, 2020 |
| March 15, 2020 | April 2020 | April 27, 2020 |
| April 15, 2020 | May 2020 | May 11, 2020 |
Academic Planning Calendar
Consult the planning calendar below to determine deadlines for getting proposals approved for entry into the academic bulletin.
| Approval Entities | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty Senate and C&C Committee APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
Oct 2018 C&C Nov 2018 FS |
Oct 2019 C&C Nov 2019 FS |
Oct 2020 C&C Nov 2020 FS |
Oct 2021 C&C Nov 2021 FS |
| Graduate Council and GC Committees APPS proposals due 10 days prior to meeting Meets 9 times each Academic Year Schedule |
Nov 2018 | Nov 2019 | Nov 2020 | Nov 2021 |
| FINAL DEADLINE FOR FACULTY GOVERNANCE APPROVAL | Dec 2018 | Dec 2019 | Dec 2020 | Dec 2021 |
| BULLETIN FREEZE DATE (Registrar's Office) | Dec 15, 2018 | Dec 15, 2019 | Dec 15, 2020 | Dec 15, 2021 |
| MASTER SCHEDULE & BULLETIN PUBLISH DATE |
Feb 2019 | Feb 2020 | Feb 2021 | Feb 2022 |