Academic Approvals & Notifications
This page is under construction. We are working to provide significantly more guidance into each of the processes and items listed below.
Submission Portal
All requests should be submitted to the Academic Proposals Smartsheet portal. This portal requires Provost permission to access. Prior to August 12, 2024, academic requests were submitted via a SharePoint portal. That portal is accessible via Smartsheet for any institution needing to access historic requests.
New Programs
The creation of new degrees/majors is a Board approval item while the create of new certificates is an administrative approval item. Note that once a program is approved, it will be given an “Authorized, Not Yet Active” status to allow time for the institution to set up a program webpage, obtain necessary resources, and update campus systems to allow for new students. Once an institution is ready to begin admitting students, a “New Authorized Program Activation” request must be submitted via Smartsheet to make a program active.
There are many factor that should be considered in developing new programs. More information, including required forms, is available at the following sites:
New Program Proposal Forms and Resources
Log of Recent New Programs Approved or Pending Review (includes timeline)
Program Modifications
Program modifications may fall under any category of board approval, administrative approval, or notification, depending on how substantive the request is. More information on the types of modifications and whether approval or notification is required is available at the following site:
Types of Changes/Program Modifications
Deactivation/Termination of Programs
Program Deactivation is an administrative approval item, while program termination is a Board approval item. More information about these processes is available at the following site:
Program Deactivation and Termination Process
Additional Program Requirements
Credit Hours and Degree Waivers
Please review the Program Length guidelines and Section 2.3.5 Exceptions to Program Length Requirements of the Academic and Student Affairs Handbook.
Degree Waivers Approved by the Board
Comprehensive Program Review Example Template
Comprehensive Program Review Instructions, Reporting Vehicle, and Definitions (Word)
Comprehensive Program Review Instructions, Reporting Vehicle, and Definitions (PDF)
Coming Soon. For now, please visit https://www.usg.edu/strategic_academic_initiatives/assets/strategic_academic_initiatives/committee_docs/documents/FormsforSubmittingProposals.pdf for information on how to submit general education course request forms (including Core IMPACTS and Field of Study courses).
Institutional Mission Statements
Modifying an institution's Mission Statement and reaffirming an institution's Mission Statement are board approval items.
The request must be submitted via Smartsheet.
For more information, please review BOR Policy 2.8 Institutional Missions.
Establishing Off-Campus Instructional Sites
Establishing Off-Campus Instructional Sites may fall under any category of board approval, administrative approval, or notification, depending on whether and how much of an academic program is taught at that location as well as the financial arrangements for the site. For more information in how these sites are classified, how to request approval/notification, and how they should be reported, please review the Off-Campus Instructional Site webpage.
Institutional Agreements
Cooperative Academic Arrangements (e.g., Collaborative Programs), Joint/Dual degree programs, and Articulation Agreements with TCSG institutions are all forms of institutional agreements. Establishing, modifying, or dissolving these agreements are notification items.
Establishing an endowed faculty position, appointing a faculty to an endowed position, and (re-)appointing faculty to Regents' positions are all Board approval items.
Establishing a termed faculty position is an administrative approval item.
Note that “termed faculty positions” refer to those positions that are not funded by an endowment, but rather a multiyear funding agreement. A table comparing the lengths of these positions is provided below.
| Lifetime of the position | Length of Time an individual can be appointed to that position | |
Endowed Positions, Regents' Entrepreneurs | Indefinite | Determined by the institution, it may or may not be subject to term length. |
| Termed Positions | Based on the funding agreement. Minimum 3 years, but not indefinite. | Determined by the institution, it may be for all or part of the lifetime of the position. |
Regents' Professorship, Regents' Researcher, Regents' Innovator | 3 years (renewable) | 3 years (renewable) |
For more information, please review BOR Policy 8.3.2.