Alignment Policy & Guidelines

Course Alignment Policy

This policy distinguishes between courses that regularly offer multiple sections (Course Shells, e.g. UNIV 1800) and those that are taught only once or twice a semester (Individual Courses).  The oversight requirements for the former is greater since it has to include consideration of qualifications and training of multiple instructors and consistency and comparability across what may be a large number of sections.

Course Shells

Units offering courses with multiple sections/semester shall supply to UICC an annual report for each course shell.  This report with include:

  • A listing of the offerings of the course for the academic year, including section title and instructor name and rank.
  • A narrative description of how comparability across parallel offerings and consistency between repeat offerings of the course is achieved.
  • Three representative syllabi from the course.

Individual courses

Units offering individual courses shall supply to the UICC a copy of the syllabus for each offering of the course over that academic year.  They will also report on any significant changes in the course since its approval by UICC.

Course Alignment Procedures & Guidelines

In order to effectively manage the course alignment process:

  • The Course Alignment reviews will be evenly spread out over a 3-year cycle (each year within the cycle referred to as a round) managed by the UICC Administrator. The schedule will attempt to strike a balance in the number of courses to be reviewed, as well as to spread the large number of shell courses across the review period. The current review schedule can be found on the Review Schedule web page.
  • New courses that have been offered at least twice, but have not been reviewed in the previous three academic years, will be added to each unit pool of courses to be reviewed
  • Typically, higher level (i.e. 3000 and 4000 level) courses will be reviewed during the Fall Semesters, and lower level (i.e. 1000 and 2000 level) courses will be reviewed during the Spring Semesters. Otherwise, the schedule (fall or spring) will be established in consultation with each offering unit to ensure efficiencies.

During the course alignment process:

  • Each Unit Head will be asked to identify a liaison who will communicate with the UICC Administrator and make alignment-related decisions. The Unit Head may choose to select themself as the liaison.
  • The Unit Liaison will be responsible for:
    • Communicating with course instructors about deadlines and responsibilities, and conveying any information sent by the UICC or UICC Administrator;
    • Ensuring that the instructors of the selected courses submit the alignment forms completely and on-time;
    • Following up with the UICC Administrator regarding any questions or issues with the course alignment review process.
  • Once selected for alignment, a course may only be removed from consideration for the following reasons:
    • The course was approved but never taught – units should consider archiving courses that have been dormant following guidelines laid out by the Office of the Registrar.
    • The only instructor who teaches the course is no longer with the unit; department representatives may be asked to select a replacement course, if this is the case.
  • Units offering shell courses with multiple sections/semester shall supply to the UICC reports for each course shell. This report should include:
    • A list of the offerings of the course for the academic year, including section title and instructor name and rank.
    • A narrative description of how comparability across parallel offerings and consistency between repeat offerings of the course is achieved.
    • Three representative syllabi for the course.
  • Units offering individual courses shall supply to the UICC a copy of the syllabus for each offering of the course over that academic year. They shall also report on any significant changes in the course since it was approved by the UICC.