Whom do I contact with ideas or questions about university-wide academic programs?
If you have ideas or questions about programs, the Department Chair and College Dean will help guide your next steps. The Dean of Faculty is the liaison to Civic Engagement, Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, Writing Across the Curriculum, Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs, International Programs, and the Westfield State Experience. The Dean of Undergraduate Studies is the Academic Affairs contact for questions pertaining to general education and the common core, academic support services (Academic Advising, Urban Education, Trio, Office of Retention and the Banacos Center), and curriculum support programs such as Higher Ed/Higher Ground, and Diversity Across Curriculum.
How will the development of department course schedules be affected by the new structure?
The department chairs will continue to work with faculty to develop course schedules. College Deans will work with department chairs to ensure that the course schedules are serving the needs of students and using resources effectively. Course schedule edits should be sent to the College Dean, who will work directly with the Registrar on preparing the final schedule. College Deans will review course enrollments and work with department chairs and the Registrar to cancel low-enrolled courses. The College Dean will work across the colleges and with the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and the Registrar to ensure campus-wide coordination of program offerings and support for general education.
College Deans are responsible for approval of:
- Course by Special Arrangement
- Independent Study
- Pilot Courses
Who is involved in academic program planning and development?
All ideas for new majors, minors, or certificate programs should be discussed at the departmental level first and brought to the College Dean for further discussion. Any programs that involve CGCE resources and graduate programming should also be discussed with the CGCE Dean. The Dean of Undergraduate Studies serves as the liaison to the DHE and will work with college deans and department chairs on submission for state approval process of new undergraduate academic programs.
The Dean of Undergraduate Studies is responsible for coordination of the implementation of the Common Core. The Dean of Undergraduate Studies works with campus constituents such as the colleges, AUC, the Curriculum Committee, and ACAP (Advisory Committee on Academic Planning) on assessment of, and revisions to, the common core.
The Dean of Undergraduate Studies and the Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education are responsible for coordinating academic relationships with our community partners. The Dean of Undergraduate Studies assures university compliance with statewide transfer programs and articulation agreements and dual admissions programs with our community college partners. The Dean of CGCE is responsible for all early college programs including the Westfield Promise.
Who is involved with the review of academic programs?
The program review process is an essential part of academic planning. The Dean of Undergraduate Studies is responsible for coordinating the regular program review process. All questions regarding program review should be sent to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. The College Dean will support the academic departments in the program review process.
The Dean of Undergraduate Studies is also responsible for providing institutional support for the accreditation process. The Dean of Undergraduate Studies tracks the accreditation review of all programs, collaborates with deans and department chairs to ensure that the review process proceeds smoothly and serves as a liaison with central administration to secure their cooperation in this process. College Deans are expected to monitor the accreditation status of programs in their home college and secure resources to support the accreditation process.
Annual Reports
Department Chairs will submit annual reports to the College Dean. College Deans are responsible for reviewing all annual reports, meeting with department chairs to follow-up on the reports, and summarizing the reports for central administration as part of a summary of college-wide activities.