curriculum handbook

Curriculum Handbook

Compiled by: District Curriculum Office

January 2011

aracelia.saucedo

Typewritten Text

Revised 8/2011

HCC Curriculum Handbook, Jan., 2011

Houston Community College Curriculum Handbook Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Background and General Information

A. HCC Mission, Vision, and Values……………………………………………………………………………. Page 5 B. HCC Board Policies………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 6 C. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board………………………………………………………….. Page 6 D. SACS……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 7

Chapter 2: Academic Transfer Courses and Programs A. Degrees and Programs at HCC…………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 8

1. Types – AA, AS, AAT……………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 8 2. Fields of Study………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 8 3. Academic Courses for Transfer Success ………………………………………………………………. Page 9 4. Academic Programs (CB rules)……………………………………………………………………………… Page 10 5. Academic Core Curriculum in Texas…………………………………………………………………….. Page 11 6. Academic Core Curriculum at HCC…………………………………………………………………………… Page 11‐15 7. Academic Certificate Programs at HCC………………………………………………………………………. Page 15‐16

B. Academic Structure/Organization at HCC……………………………………………………………………. Page 16 1. Academic Departments/Divisions and Disciplines……………………………………………….. Page 16 2. Academic Deans’ Council ……………………………………………………………………………………… Page 16 3. HCC Curriculum Committee…………………………………………………………………………………. Page 17 4. HCC Core Curriculum Committee………………………………………………………………………….. Page 17

C. Creating/Revising Academic Courses and Programs at HCC………………………………………… Page 17 1. Creation and Maintenance of HCC Syllabi and Course Guides……………………………… Page 18 2. CurricUNET……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 18 3. Process………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 19‐24 4. Resources……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 5. The Importance of Articulation……………………………………………………………………………… Page 25 6. Dual Credit with High Schools……………………………………………………………………………….. Page 25‐26 7. Articulation with other Colleges and Universities…………………………………………………. Page 26‐27

Chapter 3: Workforce Courses and Programs A. Degrees and Programs at HCC………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 28

1. AAS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 28 2. SCH Certificates………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 28‐29 3. Continuing Education (CEU) Certificates………………………………………………………………... Page 29

B. Workforce Structure at HCC………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 30 1. Workforce Deans’ Council……………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 30 2. Division of Extended Learning………………………………………………………………………………… Page 30

a. Adult Education………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 30 b. Apprenticeship Programs…………………………………………………………………………… Page 31 c. Corrections Programs………………………………………………………………………………... Page 32 d. Corporate College………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 32‐33 e. School of Continuing Education…………………………………………………………………. Page 34‐35

3. Workforce Program Committees…………………………………………………………………………… Page 35 4. Hub and Regional Structure of Programs at HCC……………………………………………………. Page 35


C. Creating/Revising Workforce Courses and Programs at HCC………………………………………. 7 1. Process………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 38‐53 2. Resources……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 53‐54 3. CurricUNET……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 55

D. Deactivation/Closure of Workforce Programs……………………………………………………………. Page 55

1. Program Viability Report……………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 55‐56

2. Process………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 55‐56

Chapter Four: Curriculum Design and Development

A. Principles……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 57

1. Learning‐Centered Instruction……………………………………………………………………………… Page 57

2. Active and Collaborative Learning…………………………………………………………………………. Page 57

B. Instructional Formats…………………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 58

1. Web‐enhanced……………………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 58

2. Hybrid……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 58

C. Distance Education………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 59

1. Out‐of‐District……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 59‐63

2. Study Abroad…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 64‐65

3. Out‐of‐State and Out‐of‐Country…………………………………………………………………………. Page 65‐66

D. Resources……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Page 67

1. Creating Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)…………………………………………………………. Page 67

2. Creating Curriculum Maps…………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 67

3. Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence………………………………………………………. Page 68

4. Instructional Media Center………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 68

5. Distance Education……………………………………………………………………………………………….. Page 68

Chapter Five: Curriculum Related Topics

A. Assessment and Program Review………………………………………………………………………………. Page 69‐71

B. Roles and Responsibilities for Faculty and Chairs……………………………………………………….. Page 71

C. Maintenance of the HCC Catalog and Academic Calendars………………………………………… Page 72

D. Creation of HCC Course Schedules……………………………………………………………………………… Page 73

Houston Community College (HCC) Curriculum Handbook

Preface

Among the most important tasks for community college faculty are the design, development, and delivery of the curriculum. In its broadest sense, a curriculum may refer to all of the courses offered at a college. Some colleges are dedicated to instruction in a particular field – e.g., aviation science, culinary arts, fashion and design, etc. As a community college, however, our role is comprehensive – to educate and prepare students in an array of fields and for a variety of purposes. This Handbook will define those fields and those purposes to help guide your tasks. In Chapter One, we introduce you to the bodies/agencies that create the broad parameters under which we develop our curriculum – the HCC Board of Trustees, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges.

A curriculum may also refer to a defined and prescribed set of courses which students must complete in order to pass a certain level of education, one constituting a certificate or a degree. As a comprehensive community college, we offer different degrees for two broad purposes – (1) academic transfer for students who intend to pursue a baccalaureate degree and (2) workforce entry. Again, this Handbook will help you understand the similarities and differences in creating these degree programs. In Chapter Two, we outline the types of academic curricula, the process by which it is developed, resources for faculty, and the academic organizational structure at HCC. In Chapter Three, we outline the same information for our workforce curricula, including that which is offered for credit as well as for non-credit.

Finally, the curriculum consists of the topics, the materials, and the activities that instructors utilize for an individual course. Although our faculty are individually well-trained in their particular fields of expertise, have obtained work experiences as required, and are protected by the principles of academic freedom, they do not work in a vacuum. They are required to work together with peers in academic departments or divisions, both within their colleges and across our district, to ensure that the curriculum developed will have quality, integrity, and consistency – that it will meet standards widely recognized as appropriate and necessary by their colleagues and peers across the nation, professional organizations, state agencies, and regional accrediting bodies. In Chapter Four, we address the principles and additional resources for curriculum development and delivery at HCC.

In addition to the internal dialogues college peers and organizations, our faculty must also be mindful of the continuum of education through which our students progress. They must communicate and work with their counterparts in both the public schools as well as the baccalaureate-granting institutions to ensure articulation of subject matter and student learning outcomes (SLO) in such ways that students will both come to us as prepared as possible and leave us well-equipped to transition successfully to the next level of learning. In Chapter Five, we refer you to curriculum-related topics as assessment, program review, roles and responsibilities of faculty and chairs, and creation and maintenance of our HCC Catalog and Course Schedules.


Chapter One: The Broad Context

Houston Community College (HCC) is a comprehensive community college tasked with offering a broad array of academic transfer courses and programs, workforce courses and programs, adult education, continuing education, and developmental education to the citizens of our taxing district and service area and via contract to clients around the world. Additionally, we offer these courses and programs in numerous formats: face to face in traditional classrooms and labs, with enhanced instruction via the web, in a hybrid form (half face to face and half web); distance education (total instruction via the web to desktop computers, laptops, smart phones, etc.), at work locations, at apprenticeship halls, at clinics and hospitals, at Early College High Schools, and at community agencies. Our guiding principles are established by our Board of Trustees as follows.

A. HCC Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals

Mission: Houston Community College (HCC) is an open-admission, public institution of higher education offering a high-quality, affordable education for academic advancement, workforce training, career development, and lifelong learning to prepare individuals in our diverse communities for life and work in a global and technological society. Vision: Houston Community College will be the most relevant community college in the country. We will be the opportunity institution for every student we serve – essential to our community’s success.

Values:

Freedom - The essence of education is the cultivation of an open environment that promotes a rigorous, untiring life-long pursuit and expression of truth, and free exchange of ideas. Accountability - A responsible individual is committed to doing one’s duty and taking

the right actions. Community-Mindedness - The bonds of our community are care, open communication, cooperation, and shared governance. Integrity - Personal and community well being demands a commitment to honesty, mutual respect, fairness, and empathy in all situations. It means doing the right thing at all times. Excellence - Our will and spirit is to achieve the best in teaching, learning, community building, and stewardship.

Goals: Our goals are those things that we must execute at a consistently high level to accomplish our vision. Our goals are associated with:

• Effective Leadership • Student Success • Resource Development and Enhancement • Global Perspective • Effective Communication • Accountability and Strategic Decision-Making



B. HCC Board Policies The Board of Trustees is the official governing body of the Houston Community College District (HCC). It is composed of nine members who are elected to staggered six-year terms from single-member districts. The Board has final authority to determine and interpret the policies that govern HCC. Additional duties and responsibilities of the Board are to:

Appoint, support and assess the performance of the chancellor Clarify the mission of the institution Approve long-range plans Approve the educational program Ensure the well being of faculty, students and staff Ensure strong financial management Ensure adequate financial resources Preserve institutional autonomy Interpret the campus to the community Interpret the needs of society to the campus Serve as court of appeal Assess their own performance

The Board Policies relevant to the Curriculum Handbook are found in

Section E: Instruction and may be accessed online at: http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/faculty-staff/policies-procedures-hcc

C. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board provides leadership and coordination for the Texas higher education system. Since being created by the Texas Legislature in 1965, the Board has worked to achieve excellence for the college education of Texas students. The Coordinating Board is responsible for codifying state legislation into administrative rules and regulations with which all public institutions of higher education in Texas must comply to receive state funding.

The Coordinating Board web site is located at: www.thecb.state.tx.us and contains an enormous amount of information related to the state’s plans for higher education, rules and regulations for operations, grant projects, reporting requirements, and statistical information. For purposes of Curriculum in Texas community colleges, the relevant Coordinating Board rules and regulations are contained in Chapter 5: Rules Applying To Public Universities, Health-Related Institutions, and/or Selected Public Colleges Of Higher Education In Texas; and Chapter 9: Program Development in Two-Year Colleges. The Coordinating Board has specific Guidelines and Manuals relevant to course and program development that will be specifically addressed in parts II and II of this Handbook.



D. Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. The Commission’s mission is the enhancement of educational quality throughout the region and it strives to improve the effectiveness of institutions by ensuring that institutions meet standards established by the higher education community that address the needs of society and students. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and other international sites approved by the Commission on Colleges that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees. The Commission also accepts applications from other international institutions of higher education. HCC must maintain its regional accreditation to ensure the transferability for students of its credits and degrees to other institutions of higher education and to maintain the eligibility of HCC to receive federal funds, both in the form of financial aid grants to students and in the form of grant programs to the institution from federal agencies (e.g., National Science Foundation, Department of Labor, etc.) SACS requires that all institutions of higher education meet Core Requirements, Comprehensive Standards, and Federal Requirements. All of these are detailed in The Principles of Accreditation: Foundation for Quality Enhancement and may be accessed online at: http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/PrinciplesOfAccreditation.PDF Of particular interest to faculty in developing curriculum are the following Comprehensive Standards:

3.3 Institutional Effectiveness 3.4 All Educational Programs 3.5 Undergraduate Programs 3.7 Faculty 3.8 Library and Other Learning Resources 3.9 Student Affairs and Services


Chapter Two: Academic Transfer Courses and Programs

A. Academic Degrees and Programs at HCC

HCC offers college-level freshman and sophomore academic courses leading to two-year Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), and Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degrees. All academic courses and degrees are designed to transfer to baccalaureate programs in four-year colleges and universities.

The associate academic degrees provide students with a solid learning foundation through a traditional liberal arts education. Courses are offered in the broad areas of fine arts/humanities, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics and natural sciences. The liberal arts help students develop critical and analytical skills demanded by our constantly changing physical and social environments.

1. Types of Degrees

Associate in Arts (AA) Degree

The Associate in Arts is intended primarily for students planning on transferring to a senior college or university to receive a baccalaureate degree in the following areas: business, communication, education, social/behavioral sciences, humanities, and fine arts. HCC, in conjunction with a number of four-year institutions, has developed specialized transfer plans for specific majors in these areas http://sites.hccs.edu/transfers.

Associate in Science (AS) Degree

The Associate in Science is intended primarily for students planning on transferring to a senior college or university to receive a baccalaureate degree in the following areas: business, computer science, engineering, health and natural sciences, or mathematics. Just as with the AA degree above, HCC has worked with a number of four-year institutions to develop specialized transfer plans for specific majors in these areas.

Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT)

The Associate of Arts in Teaching is a state-approved collegiate degree program consisting of lower-division courses intended for transfer to baccalaureate programs that lead to initial Texas teacher certification. The AAT degrees can only be offered by Texas public community colleges, and are fully transferable to any Texas public university offering baccalaureate degree programs leading to initial teacher certification.

2. Fields of Study

Starting fall of 1999, all AA and AS academic core courses taken at HCC are guaranteed to transfer and count as core courses at all Texas public institutions of higher education. In addition, if a student successfully completes any part of a field of study (FOS) curriculum developed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the FOS courses will be transferred to a Texas public higher educational institution and must be substituted for that institution’s lower division requirements in the degree program containing the field of study. The student shall receive full academic credit for the transferred FOS courses in the related



university degree program. For general and specific degree requirements, please refer to the HCC Catalog, available on-line at http://www.hccs.cc.tx.us/catalog/hom.html.

3. Academic Courses for Transfer Success

Curriculum, and Fields of Study. The rules state that “All successfully completed lower-division academic courses that are identified by the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) and published in the Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) shall be fully transferable among public institutions and shall be substituted for the equivalent course at the receiving institution. Except in the case of courses belonging to a Board-approved Field of Study Curriculum (FOSC), applicability of transferred courses to requirements for specific degree programs is determined by the receiving institution.”

The Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM), located on the web at: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/acgm.htm is the official list of approved courses for general academic transfer that may be offered (for state funding) by public community and technical colleges in Texas. The provisions for approval of general academic courses for state appropriations are outlined in the Coordinating Board's Rules and Regulations, Chapter 9, Subchapter D. Accordingly, the Coordinating Board established an Academic Course Guide Manual Advisory Committee with equal representation from public community colleges and public universities. This standing committee meets at least twice annually to recommend revision to the Coordinating Board staff.

The fall 2010 edition of the ACGM incorporates new Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes included in the migration to CIP 2010. Reporting officials should review the approval numbers carefully because some have changed. This edition of the ACGM lists alphabetically by discipline the academic courses that are funded by the state for public community and technical colleges and are transferable to public universities. (For information regarding workforce education courses, see the Workforce Education Course Manual.) Course additions include new courses incorporated into field-of-study curricula or otherwise needed to reflect new curriculum trends.

If a community or technical college wishes to offer a course not listed here, or offer an ACGM course for more credit or contact hours than listed, it must request approval for such a course on a “unique need” basis. There are no provisions in this edition for special topics courses. A resulting inventory of Unique Need courses is the only academic inventory required of individual institutions. Colleges must continue to report academic courses according to instructions in the most recent edition of the Reporting and Procedures Manual for Public Community and Technical Colleges published by the Educational Data Center of the Coordinating Board. All edits of reports must be in accordance with the ACGM and the individual institutions’ Unique Need course inventories. The state will not fund academic courses at community and technical colleges that are not listed in the ACGM or on the college’s Academic Unique Need inventory.

The 2010 edition of the ACGM is organized alphabetically by academic disciplines currently taught at community and technical colleges. All common courses listed in the ACGM have been numbered to correspond to course numbers assigned by the Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS). Where available, each entry begins with a list of common course prefixes and numbers. For course descriptions with no common numbers currently assigned, a



content descriptor (for example, “Environmental Science”) is listed. Beneath the course list, a brief course description appears along with a line listing the 10-digit approval number for the course, the matching CIP descriptor, and information about maximum semester credit hours (SCH) per student, maximum SCH per course, and maximum contact hours per course.

4. Rules for Creation of Academic Associate Degree programs

In 2009, the Coordinating Board approved the following rules for creation of Academic Associate Degree Programs:

(1) The institution shall certify that the following criteria have been met: (A) The program has institution and governing board approval. (B) There is recent evidence of both short-term and long-term student demand for

the program. (C) Enrollment projections reflect student demand estimates to ensure the

financial self-sufficiency of the program. (D) The institution has an enrollment management plan for the program.

(E) If the program does not follow a Board-approved field of study curriculum or a Board-approved statewide articulation transfer curriculum, the institution has or will initiate a process to establish transfer of credit articulation agreements for the program with senior-level institutions.

(F) The program is designed to be consistent with the standards of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, other applicable accrediting agencies, and is in compliance with applicable licensing authority requirements.

(G) Adequate funding is available to cover all new costs to the institution over the first five years after the implementation of the program.

(H) The program complies with all applicable provisions contained in divisions of this subchapter and, adheres to the Standards for Academic Associate Degree Programs approved by the Board.

(2) The Coordinating Board shall post the proposed program online for public comment for a

period of 30 days. If no objections are received, the Coordinating Board staff shall update the institution's program inventory accordingly. If objections to the proposed program are received by the Coordinating Board staff, the proposed program shall not be implemented until all objections are resolved. The Coordinating Board reserves the right to audit a certificate or degree program at any time to ensure compliance with any of the criteria contained in paragraph (1)(A) - (H) of this section.

(3) New Program Approval. The Board delegates to the Commissioner final approval authority for all certificate programs, applied associate degree programs, and academic associate degrees that meet Board policies for approval as outlined in the Guidelines for Instructional Programs in Workforce Education and this subchapter. The Commissioner may delegate this final authority.



5. The Academic Core Curriculum in Texas

All students seeking an AA, AS, or AAT degree are required to complete the core curriculum or a state-approved Field of Study Curriculum. In 1997, the 75th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 148, which required the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to adopt rules that include a statement of "the content, component areas, and objectives of the core curriculum." Every public institution of higher education was required by law to adopt and implement by Fall 1999 a core curriculum of no less than 42 semester hours that would be fully transferable and, if completed, would substitute for a receiving institution’s core curriculum.

Currently, a new Undergraduate Education Advisory Committee has been working with the Coordinating Board to revise the Core Curriculum in Texas. It is expected that new rules for the Academic Core Curriculum will be issued sometime in 2011.

6. The Academic Core Curriculum at HCC

The purpose of the HCC Core Curriculum is to provide the basic intellectual competencies and perspectives that help define the educated person. The exemplary educational objectives listed for the various core component areas form the basis for assessing student performance and the effectiveness of the HCC Core Curriculum.

Basic Intellectual Competencies in the HCC Core Curriculum

Essential to the learning process in any discipline are six basic intellectual competencies. These competencies should inform the components of the HCC Core Curriculum and should be woven into instructional practices throughout each course. Although certain courses address specific competencies, such as writing or speaking, the competencies of critical thinking or computer literacy may be included as specific objectives in many different courses.

Reading: Reading material at the college level means having the ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials, including books, articles, and documents. Writing: Writing at the college level means having the ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion, and audience. In addition to knowing correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation, students should also become familiar with the writing process, including how to discover a topic, how to develop and organize it, and how to phrase it effectively for their audience. These abilities are acquired through practice and reflection. Speaking: Effective speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion, and audience. Listening: Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication. Critical Thinking: Critical thinking embraces methods for applying both qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and creatively to subject matter in order to evaluate arguments



and to construct alternative strategies. Problem solving is one of the applications of critical thinking used to address an identified task. Computer Literacy: Computer literacy at the college level means having the ability to use computer-based technology in communicating, solving problems, and acquiring information. Core-educated students should have an understanding of the limits, problems, and possibilities associated with the use of technology and should have the tools necessary to evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available.

Perspectives in the HCC Core Curriculum

The HCC core curriculum will contain courses that help students:

1. Establish broad and multiple perspectives on the individual in relationship to the larger society and world in which he or she lives and to understand the responsibilities of

living in a culturally and ethnically diversified world. 2. Stimulate a capacity to discuss and reflect upon individual, political, economic, and

social aspects of life in order to understand ways in which to be a responsible member of society.

3. Recognize the importance of maintaining health and wellness. 4. Develop a capacity to use knowledge of how technology and science affect their lives. 5. Develop personal values for ethical behavior. 6. Develop the ability to make aesthetic judgments. 7. Use logical reasoning in problem solving. 8. Integrate knowledge and understanding of the interrelationships of the scholarly

disciplines. Core Components and Related Exemplary Educational Objectives To complete the core curriculum, HCC students are required to take courses in each of the following component areas: Communication (6 SCH), Mathematics (6 SCH), Natural Sciences (7 SCH), Humanities, Visual/Performing Arts (6 SCH), Social/ Behavioral Sciences (15 SCH), and Cross/Multicultural Studies (3 SCH) for a total of 43 SCH. For each component area, there is a core objective and well-defined "exemplary educational objectives." There are also several designated course options for students to take to fulfill the core component area. Communication - The objective of communication in the core curriculum is to enable the student to communicate effectively in clear and correct prose in a style appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.



Exemplary Educational Objectives

To understand and demonstrate writing and speaking processes through invention, organization, drafting, revision, editing, and presentation.

To understand the importance of specifying audience and purpose and to select appropriate communication choices.

To understand and appropriately apply modes of expression (descriptive, expositive, narrative, scientific, and self-expressive) in written, visual, and oral communication.

To participate effectively in groups with emphasis on listening, critical and reflective thinking, and responding.

To understand and apply basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and technical proficiency in the development of exposition and argument.

To develop the ability to research and write a documented paper and/or to give an oral presentation. Mathematics - The objective of mathematics in the core curriculum is to develop a quantitatively literate college graduate. Every college graduate should be able to apply basic mathematical tools in the solution of real-world problems. Exemplary Educational Objectives

To apply arithmetic, algebraic, geometric, higher-order thinking, and statistical methods to modeling and solving real-world situations.

To represent and evaluate basic mathematical information verbally, numerically, graphically, and symbolically.

To expand mathematical reasoning skills and formal logic to develop convincing mathematical arguments.

To use appropriate technology to enhance mathematical thinking and understanding and to solve mathematical problems and judge the reasonableness of the results.

To interpret mathematical models such as formulas, graphs, tables, and schematics and draw inferences from them.

To recognize the limitations of mathematical and statistical models. To develop the view that mathematics is an evolving discipline, interrelated with

human culture, and understand its connections to other disciplines. Natural Sciences - The objective of the natural sciences in the core curriculum is to enable the student to understand, construct, and evaluate relationships in the natural sciences and to enable the student to understand the basis for building and testing theories. Exemplary Educational Objectives

To understand and apply method and appropriate technology to the study of natural sciences.

To recognize scientific and quantitative methods and the differences between



these approaches and other methods of inquiry and to communicate findings, analyses, and interpretations both orally and in writing.

To identify and recognize the differences among competing scientific theories. To demonstrate knowledge of the major issues and problems facing modern

science, including issues that touch upon ethics, values, and public policies. To demonstrate knowledge of the interdependence of science and technology and their

influence on, and contribution to, modern culture. Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts - The objective of the humanities and visual and performing arts in a core curriculum is to expand students’ knowledge of the human condition and human cultures, especially in relation to behaviors, ideas, and values expressed in works of human imagination and thought. Through study in disciplines such as literature and the visual and performing arts, students will engage in critical analysis, form aesthetic judgments, and develop an appreciation of the arts and humanities as fundamental to the health and survival of any society. Students should have experiences in both the arts and humanities. Exemplary Educational Objectives

To demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.

To understand those works as expressions of individual and human values within an historical and social context.

To respond critically to works in the arts and humanities. To engage in the creative process or interpretive performance and comprehend

the physical and intellectual demands required of the author or visual or performing artist.

To articulate an informed personal reaction to works in the arts and humanities. To develop an appreciation for the aesthetic principles that guide or govern the

humanities and arts. To demonstrate knowledge of the influence of literature, philosophy, and/or the

arts on intercultural experiences. Social and Behavioral Sciences - The objective of social and behavioral science in the core curriculum is to increase students’ knowledge of how social and behavioral scientists discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas. Such knowledge will better equip students to understand themselves and the roles they play in addressing the issues facing humanity. Exemplary Educational Objectives

To employ the appropriate methods, technologies, and data that social and behavioral scientists use to investigate the human condition.

To examine social institutions and processes across a range of historical periods, social structures, and cultures.

To use and critique alternative explanatory systems or theories. To develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for



contemporary social issues. To analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global

forces on the subject of study. To comprehend the origins and evolution of U.S. and Texas political systems, with a

focus on the growth of political institutions, the constitutions of the U.S. and Texas, federalism, civil liberties, and civil and human rights.

To understand the evolution and current role of the U.S. in the world. To differentiate and analyze historical evidence (documentary and statistical) and

differing points of view. To recognize and apply reasonable criteria for the acceptability of historical

evidence and social research. To analyze, critically assess, and develop creative solutions to public policy

problems. To recognize and assume one’s responsibility as a citizen in a democratic society

by learning to think for oneself, by engaging in public discourse, and by obtaining information through the news media and other appropriate information sources about politics and public policy.

To identify and understand differences and commonalities with diverse cultures. Cross/Multi-Cultural Studies - The objective of cross/multi-cultural studies in the core curriculum is to introduce students to areas of study which enlarge their knowledge and appreciation of the multi-cultural and multi-racial world in which they live. Exemplary Educational Objectives

To establish broad and multiple perspectives in the individual in relationship to the larger society and world in which he or she lives and to understand the responsibilities of living in a culturally and ethnically diversified world.

To demonstrate knowledge of those elements and processes that creates and defines culture.

To understand and analyze the origin and function of values, beliefs, and practices found in human societies.

To develop basic cross/multi-cultural understanding, empathy, and communication. To identify and understand underlying commonalities of diverse cultural practices. To analyze the effects of cultural forces on the area of study.

7. Academic Certificate Programs at HCC

Although not formally approved as Coordinating Board programs as yet, HCC has developed and implemented the following Academic Certificate Programs: Africana African-American Studies Mexican-American/Latino Studies Global Studies Women and Gender Studies



It is the intent of the HCC Academic Deans’ Council to develop a CB approved AA degree program in Interdisciplinary Studies and incorporate all of the certificates above within the program.

B. The Academic Structure/Organization at HCC 1. Academic Departments/Divisions and Disciplines

HCC consists of six colleges – Central, Coleman, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest. Faculty are assigned to one of the colleges and work within academic departments (one discipline) or divisions (multiple disciplines) at the College. An Academic “discipline” is defined by the subject content as taught by HCC – e.g., English, history, government, sociology, etc. A discipline committee consists of all HCC full-time faculty teaching that particular discipline across the colleges and possibly closely-related disciplines – e.g., Physics and Astronomy constitute one discipline committee. Some disciplines are so large (as defined by the number of course sections taught, they are divided into sub-committees – e.g., Math and Developmental Math. There are currently 48 academic disciplines taught at HCC and 29 discipline committees. The current HCC discipline chairs are listed at: http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/academic-discipline-chairs. Since HCC full-time faculty are assigned to and supervised by the different Colleges within the district, it is important for all HCC full-time faculty within the disciplines to meet together at least twice a year to take actions to ensure curriculum consistency and instructional excellence across the district. Discipline committees are charged with the responsibilities of electing a Chair for district-wide leadership, creating/revising the discipline curriculum, selecting instructional materials, conducting periodic program reviews, and completing annual assessment/progress reports. For a detailed review, please refer to the Discipline Committee Guidelines at http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/discipline-committee-guidelines.

2. The Academic Deans’ Council

The Academic Deans’ Council consists of all Instructional Deans from the Colleges who

supervise academic instruction. The Academic Deans’ Council is chaired by the Vice

Chancellor for Instruction or his designee and meets monthly to discuss issues of instructional

qualify. All new or revised academic curriculum issues must be approved by the Academic

Deans’ Council prior to presentation to the HCC Curriculum or Core Curriculum Committees.

The members of the Academic Deans’ Council are listed on the following web site:

http://hccs.edu/Academic-Deans-Council.



All academic program reviews and assessment/progress reports are presented to and reviewed by the Academic Deans’ Council. All agendas, minutes, and appropriate documents are posted on the Academic Deans’ Council SharePoint (Intranet). The current members and purposes of the Academic Deans’ Council is posted on line at : http://hccs.edu/Academic-Deans-Council. 3. The HCC Curriculum Committee The purpose of the HCC Curriculum Committee is to provide guidance, standards and oversight of the curriculum approval process at Houston Community College. The Curriculum Committee shall make recommendations to the Vice Chancellor for Instruction for approval of new courses and new instructional programs, for revisions of existing courses and programs, and for deactivation/closure of existing courses and programs. The Curriculum Committee shall meet at least once each long semester and be chaired by an administrator designated by the Vice Chancellor for Instruction at Houston Community College. The Administrative Chair will be responsible for calling routine meetings and preparing and distributing minutes to all full‐time faculty. The committee membership will consist of two appointed faculty representatives from each college. Appointed representatives will serve a three‐year term. The Vice Chancellor may appoint additional committee members from the administration, classified staff or student body. For more information, please refer to http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/faculty-staff/curriculum . 4. The HCC Core Curriculum Committee To purpose of the HCC Core Curriculum Committee is to review and recommend to the Vice Chancellor for Instruction approval all courses seeking inclusion in the HCC Core Curriculum. The Core Curriculum Committee is chaired by an Administrator as appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Instruction and shall meet at least once each long semester. The Chair will be responsible for calling the meetings and preparing and distributing agendas and minutes to all full-time faculty members. In addition to course approvals, the Core Curriculum Committee will periodically review the relevancy and efficacy of the HCC Core as a whole (including core objectives, perspectives, and competencies) and provide assessment data and analysis to the Vice Chancellor for Instruction for submission to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as needed. For more information, please refer to http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/faculty-staff/curriculum .

C. Creating/Revising Academic Courses and Programs at HCC

An academic course may be initiated on one or more campuses in the district. Any faculty, adjunct faculty and/or administrator can initiate a curriculum proposal. The process begins by discussing the idea with the discipline chair and other faculty in a district-wide discipline committee meeting. As a result of this dialogue, the curriculum proposal, may be aborted, postponed, modified or pursued. If the decision is to pursue the proposal, an Originator (individual or team responsible for full development) is appointed. The results of this determination should be documented in the Discipline Committee meeting minutes.



As early as possible and before the proposal enters the electronic approval process, implementation costs including staffing, equipment and resources needs as well as facility impact should be discussed with the academic dean(s) of the campuses involved. The curriculum proposal team is led by the proposal Originator, the individual who will ultimately be responsible for entering the proposal into the HCC CurricUNET system. The Originator convenes the team and facilitates the curriculum development process including the development of all curriculum guides. The curriculum proposal team can decide to table, postpone, modify or proceed. Upon review and favorable support by campus administration, the Originator will summarize the proposal and meet with the District Curriculum Office to determine any training needs, appropriate electronic approval process and necessary proposal attachments prior to beginning data entry into CurricUNET.

1. Creation and Maintenance of HCC Syllabi and Course Guides The Academic Discipline Chairs and Workforce Program Chairs are responsible for the creation and maintenance of the official HCC syllabi and course guides for all HCC courses. A team of HCC faculty and administrators worked throughout the 2009-2010 academic year to develop an HCC template for the official HCC Syllabus and Course Guide. The template is color coded: The orange boxes, coded (1), are those that are filled in by the Discipline or Program Chair and are to be consistent for ALL HCC faculty who teach the courses, both full-time as well as adjunct. The blue boxes, coded (2), are those that may be customized according to the needs and preferences of individual faculty members. The green boxes, coded (3), are to be filled in by the Discipline and Program Chairs as resources for all faculty that may or may not be required for their use – these are based upon HCC guidelines and discipline/program decisions. All official HCC syllabi and course guides are to be entered in HCC CurricUNET (see next section) by Discipline and Program Chairs. All individual full-time and adjunct faculty are required to download the official syllabi into a word file, from which they may customize those sections as needed. All individual full-time and adjunct faculty are required to post their individually customized course syllabi on the HCC Learning Web. If instructors need assistance, they may contact the Instructional Design Coordinators at their colleges [email protected] at the HCC Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, or [email protected] at the HCC Curriculum Office.

2. Using HCC CurricUNET

CurricUNET is intended to replace the various manually prepared forms and processes that are carried out by HCC personnel and provide a curriculum management capability on the Web for more accurate and expedient data entry, processing, review, and approval. CurricUNET is the warehouse and source for HCC curriculum course and program information, historical, active and proposed.



It also contains a search function, enabling HCC users to examine the courses and programs of other CurricUNET users (including such institutions as the San Diego Community College District, the City Colleges of Chicago, and the Miami Dade Community College District). To assist faculty in the curriculum modification process, a CurricUNET Handbook has been prepared http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/help_docs/CurricUNETHandbook10212010.pdf to assist faculty in getting started with entering and editing courses in CurricUNET and in printing a course syllabus. Additionally, two Quick Reference Guides are available as quick reminders on how to Print a Syllabus and How to Edit a Course.

(1) Quick Reference Guide for Printing Your Syllabus (2) Quick Reference Guide for Editing Your Courses

3. Approval Process for Academic Course Addition/Revision

1. Academic faculty member or team proposing curriculum modification and/or addition

(Originator) meets with appropriate academic Discipline Chair and faculty to analyze, modify, and approve proposed curriculum change. Please refer to the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM), the official list of courses approved for general academic transfer that may be offered by public community and technical colleges in Texas for state funding at http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/acgm.htm.

2. Upon faculty approval of the proposal, the Discipline Chair will document concurrence in the Faculty Meeting Minutes with supporting documentation. Documentation includes the following: rational for change(s), courses being added (include lecture/lab), course(s) being deleted, courses changing semester credit hours and/or lecture/lab.

3. Discipline Chair (Originator) meets with the District Curriculum Office @ 8-8542 to review proposed curriculum modification proposal prior to submission into CurricUNET.

4. The Originator enters all new and/or revised courses into CurricUNET at www.CurricUNET.com/hccs and uploads the following files into CurricUNET as appropriate: SACS Prospectus or SACS Modified Prospectus, Faculty Meeting Minutes, and new or revised Curriculum Map. (Forms may be found at the following CurricUNET link: http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/forms.cfm)

5. After completing proposal entry, the Originator indicates completion of course data entry by choosing the Submit option in CurricUNET which Launches the proposal into the HCC approval process.

6. The District Curriculum Office is automatically notified by the CurricUNET System that a proposal has been launched. The District Office reviews the proposal; if changes and/or additions are required, returns the proposal to the Originator. If the proposal is accepted, it will continue along the approval process.



7. Members of the Academic Deans’ Council will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to respond regarding the proposal within two weeks. If the Academic Deans’ Council accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Council will approve and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office. The Academic Deans’ Council may table the proposal, request clarification or return the proposal to the Originator for additional work. The approval process continues in the same way to the District-wide Curriculum Committee.

8. Members of the District-wide Curriculum Committee will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Curriculum Committee accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Curriculum Committee will approve, document approval in meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office. The District-wide Curriculum Committee may table the proposal, request clarification or return the proposal to the Originator for additional work.

9. The approval process continues in the same way to the Core Curriculum Committee if Core approval is being sought. Members of the District Core Curriculum Committee will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Core Curriculum Committee accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Core Curriculum Committee will approve and document approval in meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office. The Core Curriculum Committee may table the proposal, deny the request, request clarification or return the proposal to the Originator for additional work.

10. Upon approval, the District Curriculum Office forwards the proposal to the Vice Chancellor for Instruction. Once approved, the District Curriculum Office prepares the revised program for entry into the HCC Catalog, submits course additions, changes, and/or in-activations to PeopleSoft, and updates the counseling degree plan(s) as necessary.



It must be noted that, during the approval process, approvals must be documented in the meeting minutes of the following groups and that these minutes must be published and made available electronically:

Discipline/program meeting minutes Advisory Committee meeting minutes (workforce only) Academic or Workforce Deans’ Council District-wide Curriculum Committee

Any decision may be appealed to the Chancellor’s Operational Team.

In some instances, faculty may determine that they wish to have an academic course proposal approved for addition to the HCC Core Curriculum. In this case, the following process and flowchart exist and can be accessed electronically at the following location: http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/curriculum_processes.cfm.



4. Approval Process for Core Curriculum Course Addition

1. Academic faculty member (s) proposing course addition and/or change (Originator) meets with the appropriate discipline committee to analyze, modify, and approve proposed course addition/ change. When approved, the discipline chair documents concurrence in Discipline Chair Meeting Minutes.

2. The Originator enters all data into CurricUNET at www.CurricUNET.com/hccs and

uploads the Discipline Committee Meeting Minutes.

3. When the proposal is complete, the Originator indicates completion of data entry by choosing the Finish option in CurricUNET which Launches the proposal into the approval process.


5. Members of the Academic Deans’ Council will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Academic Deans’ Council accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Council will approve, document the approval in the Council meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office. The approval process continues in the same way to the District-wide Curriculum Committee.

6. Members of the District-Wide Curriculum Committee will be notified automatically by e-

mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Curriculum Committee accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Curriculum Committee will approve, document the approval in the minutes of the meeting and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office.

7. Members of the Core Curriculum Committee will be notified automatically by email and

asked to respond within two weeks. Since the proposal entails a change to the HCC Core Curriculum, approval for admission to the Core must be documented in the Core Curriculum meeting minutes.

8. Upon approval from the Vice Chancellor for Instruction, the District Curriculum Office

prepares the new course for entry into the HCC Catalog course inventory and HCC Core listing as well as into PeopleSoft.



5. Approval Process for Unique Need Course

Approval for a course that is not available under an approval number in the Academic Course Guide Manual (ACGM) or a course with credit and/or contact hours in excess of the limits prescribed in ACGM must be approved by the THECB according to THECB Rules and Regulations, Section 5.172. These may be found in the ACGM and should be reviewed prior to developing a unique need course. When applying for a unique need course, a request for approval must be submitted to the THECB. This form is available at the following CurricUNET site and is part of the submission process: http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/unique%20needs%20request.doc. The electronic flowchart and process may be accessed at the following site: http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/curriculum_processes.cfm.



1. Academic faculty member (s) proposing a Unique Need Course addition and/or change (Originator) meets with the appropriate discipline committee to analyze, modify, and approve proposed Unique Need Course addition/ change. When approved, the discipline chair documents concurrence in Discipline Chair Meeting Minutes. (see Unique Need Course criteria in CurricUNET at http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/forms.cfm)

2. The Originator enters all data into CurricUNET at www.CurricUNET.com/hccs and uploads the Discipline Committee Meeting Minutes.When the proposal is complete, the Originator indicates completion of data entry by choosing the Finish option in CurricUNET which Launches the proposal into the approval process.


4. Members of the Academic Deans’ Council will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Academic Deans’ Council accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Council will approve and document approval in the meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office. The approval process continues in the same way to the District-Wide Curriculum Committee.


mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Curriculum Committee accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Curriculum Committee will approve and document approval in the meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office.


prepares and submits the Unique Need Course Addition form to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and prepares the new course for entry into the HCC Catalog and PeopleSoft.



D. The Importance of Articulation

1. Dual Credit with High Schools

Dual credit is part of the Houston Community College admissions program, designed specifically for high school juniors and seniors ready for college-level instruction Students who demonstrate college readiness on a placement exam can earn college and high school credits simultaneously by attending classes at their high school or through a Houston Community College campus. Many of the classes are transferable to public colleges or universities in Texas, and some are accepted by out-of-state and private colleges. Dual credit courses are typically taught at high schools. In theory, any course taught by HCC could be taught for dual credit as long as students have the prerequisites skills and abilities. HCC offers courses and programs in over thirty academic subject areas and over



seventy workforce areas. For more information, please refer to the HCC Dual Credit Handbook at: http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/dual-credit-handbook. To be eligible for any dual credit courses, high school students must have passed all sections of the high school exit-level Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) test. Also to be eligible for dual credit courses that count toward an associate degree or a level two certificate (those of 42 SCH or longer), high school students must either pass the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test or those section(s) of the ASSET exam (reading, writing, mathematics) deemed applicable by the college for the intended course. As authorized by Texas Education Code, Section 130.008 and approved by HCC Board of Trustees, eligible in-district students may register for one or two dual credit courses per semester at no charge. Eligible out-of-district students may register for one or two dual credit courses per semester at no tuition charge, but must pay the current out-of-district fee per course. All dual credit students are responsible for purchasing their own textbooks and other required course materials. All instructors of dual credit courses must meet the minimal requirements as specified by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. HCC is responsible for maintaining a dual credit student’s college transcript. All courses will e identified on the college transcript as the regular college-level course. The high school is responsible for maintain the student’s high school transcript. The state funding for dual credit courses will be available to both public school districts and HCC based upon the current agreement between Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Higher Education. For more information, please refer to the website at: http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/dual-credit-partnership-agreement.

2. Articulation with other Colleges and Universities

The academic associate degrees (Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Associate of Arts in Teaching) are intended primarily for students planning on transferring to a senior college or university to receive a baccalaureate degree in the area of the student’s major. Commencing the fall of 1999, all academic associate degrees (AA, AS, AAT) core curriculum courses taken at HCC are guaranteed to transfer and count toward the core curriculum at all Texas public higher educational institutions. In addition, if a student successfully completes any part of a field of study (FOS) curriculum developed by the Coordinating Board, the FOS courses will be transferred to a Texas public higher educational institution and must be substituted for that institution’s lower division requirements in the degree program containing the field of study. The student shall receive full academic credit for the transferred FOS courses in the related university degree program.



HCC has developed specialized transfer plans for specific majors and for specific universities. Students should obtain appropriate transfer plans including FOS courses from a counselor. Students also need to be aware that universities often have limitations on the amount of credit that can transfer from community colleges to universities. That limit is usually around sixty-six semester hours taken at community colleges. See Transfer Office website for additional details at: http://sites.hccs.edu/transfers/.


Chapter Three: Workforce (Credit) Courses and Programs

A. Degrees and Programs at HCC

HCC offers a variety of instructional options to prepare students for the workforce, including two-year degree programs with college semester credit hours (SCH) that may be transferable to baccalaureate programs in four-year colleges and universities; certificate programs of one-year or less with SCH that may serve as stepping-stones to the associate and/or baccalaureate degrees; institutional certificates with either SCH or Continuing Education Units (CEU) that may qualify the student as a "marketable skills achiever;" and courses that offer CEU for students to explore new career options or upgrade skills in their current career fields.

The Guidelines for Instructional Programs in Workforce Education (GIPWE) is the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s policy manual for both credit and non-credit workforce education programs offered at public higher education institutions in Texas. Texas Workforce Education Program Elements – AAS, SCH Certificates and Continuing Education (CEU) Certificates are all spelled out in Chapter 3 of the GIPWE:

http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/GIPWE2010/GIPWE2010.pdf

1. Associate in Applied Science (AAS) Degree

Designed primarily for students seeking applied skills, knowledge, and training leading to employment in a specific field, the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree is offered by HCC in 13 workforce clusters: Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, Architecture & Construction, Arts; Audio/Video Technology & Communications; Business; Education and Schools; Government and Public Service; Health and Medical Sciences; Hospitality and Tourism; Human Services and Social Sciences; Information Technology; Manufacturing; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; and Transportation, Distribution & Logistics.

Rather than the 43 SCH core curriculum required in the AA and AS degrees, the AAS degree requires students to take a 15-SCH academic core curriculum. This reduced core curriculum contains at least one course in each of the following three areas: humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and mathematics/natural sciences. The remaining hours (from 45 to 57) are technical core courses and technical specialty courses depending upon the program area.

2. SCH Certificates

A workforce credit certificate should constitute progression toward an AAS degree. At least 50 percent of course credits should be drawn from the technical specialty. Remaining courses may be technical or academic. Credit certificates are approved in the following four different levels:

A level one certificate (CERT 1) can be completed in one calendar year or less and consists of at least 15 and no more than 42 SCH. As a rule, the curriculum for a level one certificate is limited to one Special Topics course.



A level two certificate (CERT 2) must consist of at least 43 SCH and no more that 59 SCH. Students in level two certificates are subject to the TSI requirements. As a rule, the curriculum for a level two certificate is limited to no more than two special Topics courses.

An Enhanced Skills Certificate (CERT 3) is a certificate associated with an AAS. In most cases, a baccalaureate degree or junior-level standing in a baccalaureate degree program may be a prerequisite. It must consist of at least 6 SCH and no more than 15 SCH. A CERT 3 may extend an AAS to an overall total that may not exceed 87 SCH. It is intended to provide skills beyond career entry or where external mandates make it impossible for a program to meet the 72 SCH limit.

An Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC) is a certificate that has a defined associate or baccalaureate degree (or junior-level standing) as a prerequisite. It must consist of at least 16 and no more than 50 SCH. As a rule, the curriculum for an advanced technical certificate together with the prerequisite AAS degree is limited to no more than three Special Topics courses.

A Marketable Skills Achievement Award (MSA) is a sequence of credit courses totaling 9-14 SCH or workforce continuing education courses of 144-359 contact hours. These awards meet the standard for program length established by the Texas Workforce Commission for the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). An MSA does not require approval from the Coordinating Board and is TSI-waived. These awards must be recommended by an external workforce advisory committee or it must appear on the Local Workforce Development Board’s Targeted Occupation’s List (Houston-Galveston Area Council). The awards are generally made up of WECM courses only and prepare students for employment in accordance with WIA guidelines. 3. Continuing Education (CEU) Certificates

A coherent sequence of continuing education courses which total 360 or more contact hours must be submitted as a workforce education certificate program. Courses shall be considered part of a coherent sequence if they meet one of the following requirements:

include required and/or recommended prerequisites or co-requisites; lead to an external credential (license, certification, or registration); or are taken by a majority of students in sequence to meet occupational qualifications.

These certificate programs may award continuing education units (CEU) according to the guidelines in this manual. All Continuing Education certificate programs must be listed on the college’s approved inventory of programs and must be transcripted. Workforce education programs of 780 contact hours or more must be offered for SCH only. An exception is made for Emergency Medical Technology/Paramedic continuing education programs, CIP 51.0904, which may have a maximum of 800 contact hours.



An institution must follow SACS guidelines when converting previously awarded CEU credits to students that wish to have them as college credit. (See “Advanced Standing” Chapter 3 of the GIPWE.) If the college converts CEU to SCH, it must have a policy and maintain documentation that the continuing education courses have met the same objectives, rigor, evaluation process, and faculty qualifications as the analogous credit courses. The documentation must demonstrate that individual continuing education students have met the same competencies as the successful credit students prior to the granting of SCH retroactively for courses taken as continuing education. B. Workforce Structure at HCC

1. Workforce Deans’ Council

The Workforce (Career and Technology Education) Deans’ Council consists of all Instructional Deans from the Colleges who supervise workforce instruction. The Workforce Deans’ Council is chaired by the Associate-Vice Chancellor for Workforce Instruction or his or her designee and meets twice each month to discuss issues of instructional quality. All new or revised workforce curriculum issues must be approved by a program’s faculty and Advisory Committee prior to presentation to the Workforce Deans’ Council. Once approved by the Workforce Deans’ Council, the new or revised workforce curriculum is presented to the HCC Curriculum Committee. If approved, the changes are submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. All agendas, minutes, and appropriate documents are posted on the CTE Deans’ Council Sharepoint (Intranet). The current members and purposes of the Workforce Deans’ Council is posted on line at: http://hccs.edu/workforcecouncil.

2. Division of Extended Learning

a) Adult Education Courses / Programs

Adult Basic Education is grant supported literacy education offered to the community through non-CEU courses. Class offerings occur at all college sites and in over fifty community partner locations in Houston. Students are eligible for the Adult Education and Literacy Programs if they are 18* years or older, have a picture ID and a Social Security card and have one of the following as a general goal: To obtain a high school credential (GED); To improve basic skills; or To learn English or improve fluency.

Following the vision of the division of taking people “where they are at,” the Division of Extended Learning Recruiter works under the Outreach Director and provides recruitment and advisement to GED and ESL students in the ABE and Corrections classes as well as outreach activities. A full-time Counselor provides career counseling services to the inmates and provides orientations of educational opportunities and career pathways to college. The Recruiter works closely with each college and district recruiters to expand the services of the DEL instructional programs to prospective students.



All Adult Education courses follow the Texas Adult Education Content Standards & Benchmarks for ABE/ASE (GED) & ESL Learners. A complete guide to the ABE Operational procedures including copies of the Lesson Plan forms is located at: http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/del-resources/abe-operations.

For more information about the HCC Adult Education Program, visit the program’s website at

the following address: http://hccs.edu/Adult-Education.

b) Apprenticeship Training Programs

An Apprentice Training Program requires at least 2,000 hours of on-the- job training per year, supervised by a certified journeyman, and at least 144 hours of related classroom training per year. The related instruction is provided through HCC and may include math, blueprint reading, computer aided drafting, welding, estimating, material and equipment processes, safety, and special laboratory courses. All applications must be made through the various training directors and joint apprenticeship committees. Apprentices are employed and work in the trade of their indenture for three to five years. Upon completion of on-the-job training and related classroom instruction, apprentices are compensated through an increase in their wages every six months. Upon completion of the program, apprentices receive a Certificate of Completion as a certified journeyman. HCC is working with all of the apprenticeship programs to provide students the option of obtaining credit toward a college certificate or associate degree for their classroom training and on-the-job training. HCC currently works with the following Apprenticeship Programs. For more information contact the Apprenticeship Program at the following address: http://hccs.edu/Apprenticeship-Programs.

Asbestos Workers

Bricklayers

Carpenters

Cement Masons

Electricians

Independent Electrical Contractors

Ironworkers

Operating Engineers

Painters

Glaziers

Floorlayers

Pipefitters

Plumbers

Sheet metal

Stationary Engineers

Tool and Die



c) Corrections Programs

For over 30 years the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Houston Community College have provided educational classes to all inmates in the Harris County jail facilities. HCC Correctional Education instructors provide job training, literacy, and trade classes to an average of 456 male and female inmates per day at five jail facilities. http://hccs.edu/Corrections-Program.

This educational system has grown to be one of the largest and most successful county jail inmate educational programs in the United States. In July 2004, Houston Community College received certification from the Correctional Education Association. Standards set by the CEA were passed with a 100% rating. This program was the first county jail nationally certified in the nation.

The purpose of the Correctional Education Program is to provide needed education to a specific population of students exemplifying, if not magnifying, the definition of “at risk student”. The program’s purpose encompasses not only the delivery of educational programs but also provides the needed counseling and guidance to keep these students in a life-learning atmosphere. This program provides the first taste of achievement and success to students who have never known that particular experience. Crime and the promise of easy money is all they know, and with a 6th grade reading level as the average for their group, jail and prison will more than likely be their home without the benefit of the correctional education classes to help rehabilitate them to help them become employable productive citizens.

The jail educational programs are administratively under the Support Services Bureau, Harris County Sheriff's Office, and the Division of Extended Learning at Houston Community College. On a daily basis, the programs are administered and coordinated by the Director and Assistant Director of Education, HCSO, and the Director of Correctional Education (HCC).

d) Corporate College Programs The HCC Corporate College http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/business-community/about-corporate-college curriculum is defined by customer needs, corporate trainer capabilities and available curriculum. The HCC Corporate College provides the following product and training service solutions:

Training Needs Assessment Training Design, Development, and Delivery Foreign Language and English as a Second Language with an emphasis in

occupational specific programs



Leadership, Management, Supervisory training Employee Development Desktop PC and IT Applications Customer Service Basic Business and Specific Technical Skills Customized courses in collaboration with other HCC or external partners Course and Program Evaluation (Return on Investment Analysis) Online Learning (through the ACT Center) State-of-the-art meeting or training facilities can be rented to clients Training and Development Consulting Research grant funding opportunities WorkKeys Job Analysis / Employee Testing Executive coaching

To meet business and industry quick turn-around customized training the Corporate College has partnered with several national instructional curriculum vendors. The content is licensed and provides Corporate College to customize to individual companies needs while having access to national recognized professional development curriculum. Following is a list of these curriculum partnerships: Command Spanish Llicensed the Command Spanish® curriculum and will teach basic workplace Spanish for over 55 unique occupations. Target occupations include medical professionals, bank tellers, police and fire officials, etc. HRD Training Solutions The HCC Corporate College has licenses the Ultimate Trainers Resource library from HRD Training Solutions. The 5 CD set contains more than 100 soft skill training courses and many other instructor and participant materials. We will use these materials to create and customize training to meet our customer’s unique training needs. Element K Element K offers a broad range of Microsoft courseware including MS Office and MS Project training courses. As our capabilities grow, we will offer courses in more advanced IT subjects. AchieveGlobal A partnership with AchieveGlobal will offer HCC Corporate College curriculum in two competency areas: Leadership and Customer Service. Development Dimensions International (DDI) We have partnered with DDI to procure additional courses in the areas of Leadership, Management and Supervisory training.



e) School of Continuing Education The School of Continuing Education offers short term workforce courses and seminars to help students develop the professional skills and training needed in today’s work environment. Our goal is to take the student from the classroom to the workplace in less than a year.

The area job market has many exciting opportunities for individuals with the right training. HCC can help a student to explore a new career, sharpen personal or technological skills, or help complete professional licensure continuing education requirements.

SCE adheres to standards and performance measures as set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ (SACS) continuing education guidelines. We offer courses in the following areas:

Business Business and Career Development at the School of Continuing Education is at the forefront of providing business professional development solutions that meet the needs of the current market. Whether one is a working executive or a person seeking a career change, the Business program offers an array of exciting and innovative programs that provide opportunities for career advancement, career change, personal enrichment and skill building. Construction/Building Trades The Construction and Trades Department offers a wide variety of courses for people who wish to become skilled in the field of construction science. Whether it’s air conditioning, residential wiring, machining, or green jobs training, the Construction and Trades department offers fast-track, first-class training.

Health SCE offers state-of-the-art training in the health field. Programs include telemetry, phlebotomy, EKG, certified nurse aide, medical billing and coding, electronic medical records, and breast imaging. Many of the programs lead to national or state certification, and most programs include a clinical assignment offering workplace experience. Languages/ESL The languages department offers a placement assessment and introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses to improve English-language learning and communication (listening, speaking reading, and writing). The courses are organized to follow successful completion from one level to another. Workplace English courses are also offered in technical areas such as Health, HVAC, Drafting, Auto Repair, Safety and others.


Public Safety The Public Safety Institute is a department within the School of Continuing Education that focuses on three areas of instruction: Peace Officer, Fire Fighter, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). The department goals are to educate and train practitioners in the public safety community, prepare individuals to enter careers in criminal justice, fire service or emergency medicine, and to provide information to the public about safety and security. Technology The Information Technology department offers a variety of courses in the IT field that range from beginner to advanced courses. From a basic Microsoft Windows class to an advanced Network Engineering course, the IT department offers a range of state-of-the-art IT programs. Transportation This program prepares students for the written and driving skills needed for a Commercial Drivers License. The School of Continuing Education continues to re-evaluate content areas and programs to meet the need of the community. SCE is committed to improving processes to improve customer service while offering relevant courses.

3. Workforce Program Committees A Workforce “program” is defined by the subject content as taught by HCC – e.g., accounting, cosmetology, nursing, petroleum engineering technology, etc. A workforce program committee consists of all HCC full-time faculty teaching that particular program. Many workforce programs are “hubbed” at a single HCC college. Some programs are so large (as defined by the number of course sections taught), they are “regionalized” or expanded to additional HCC Colleges – e.g., accounting, computer science and business technology. There are currently 101 AAS degree awards, 144 Certificates, 2 Advanced Technical Certificates, 5 Enhanced Skill Certificates and 46 Marketable Skill Achievement Certificates in 70 HCC workforce programs with 59 program committees.

Since HCC full-time faculty are assigned to and supervised by the different Colleges within the

District, it is important for all HCC full-time faculty within the program to meet together at least

twice a year to take actions to ensure curriculum consistency and instructional excellence

across the district. A list of the current Workforce Program and Regional Chairs is listed at:

http://hccs.edu/evaluation-of-instruction.

.4. Hub and Regional Structure of Programs at HCC

Each Workforce Program is either a “hubbed’’ program or a” regionalized” program. A hubbed program is operated out of a single HCC college and is one whose courses and awards may be limited exclusively to that college or may be offered at a limited number of HCC locations. All hubbed programs have a Program Chair who reports to the Workforce Dean at the college where the program is housed. The Program Chair is responsible for overseeing the department


budget, monitoring the class schedule, hiring adjunct faculty, overseeing the curriculum and convening the program’s advisory committee. Regionalized Chairs, on-the-other-hand, report to the Workforce Dean at the college where the Regionalized Chair is housed. The Regionalized Chair is responsible for coordinating the class schedule with the regional colleges, certifying adjunct faculty, hiring adjunct faculty at the college where the Regionalized Chair is housed, overseeing the curriculum, maintaining accreditation and/or licensure, completing Program Review and/or the Annual Assessment and Progress Report and convening the program’s advisory committee. The Regionalized Chair oversees the budget at the college where he or she is housed. Associate Chairs are housed at their respective colleges and are responsible for overseeing the budget, hiring adjunct faculty and negotiating the college’s course schedule with the Regionalized Chair. Until a program is completely regionalized, the program budget, the full-time faculty, and the scheduling of program courses (including dual credit) remains in the hands of the original, hubbed college. The “enrollments,” however, should go to the host college, the college at where the students are actually taught.



C. Creating/Revising Workforce Courses and Programs at HCC

1. Process

Houston Community College must submit a New Program Certification form under the following circumstances:

To create a certificate, including an advanced technical certificate, or an AAS in a program for which the college has no current offerings on its inventory or in a program which has been deactivated for over three years.

To create an AAS degree in a program in which the college has only certificate offerings. To offer a sequence of workforce continuing education courses for which the total

number of contact hours for the sequence is 360 or more.

For a detailed description of this process see Chapter 5 of the GIPWE at http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/gipwe.htm

A new workforce course or program may be initiated on one or more colleges in the district. Any faculty, adjunct faculty and/or administrator can initiate a curriculum proposal. The process begins by discussing the idea with the program chair and other faculty in a college/district-wide faculty committee meeting. As a result of this dialogue, the curriculum proposal, may be tabled, postponed, modified or pursued. If the decision is to pursue the proposal, an Originator (individual or team responsible for full development) is appointed. The results of this determination should be documented in the program Faculty Committee meeting minutes.

Once approved by faculty, the program chair and/or Originator present(s) the proposal to the program’s Business and Industry Advisory Committee which votes to table, modify, reject or approve. Once approved and documented in the Business and Industry Advisory Committee meeting minutes, the new program proposal may be entered into CurricUNET.

A curriculum proposal to create a new program, a new AAS, ATC or certificate award or to regionalize an existing program, requires a Business Plan. The Business Plan must be signed by the college president or presidents involved prior to its presentation to the Workforce Deans’ Council. Once approved, the Business Plan must be signed by the Vice Chancellor for Instruction who presents the plan to the Chancellor’s Cabinet. The creation of a Business Plan requires the rationale for the new award, a review of current program statistics, input from an Advisory Committee, a budget detailing the costs of staffing, equipment, materials and supplies, marketing, travel, and preparation of a recruitment/retention plan. Once approval is granted for start-up, the curriculum development process begins.

The curriculum proposal team is lead by the proposal Originator, the individual who will ultimately be responsible for entering the proposal into the HCC CurricUNET system. The Originator convenes the team (one or more faculty members) and facilitates the curriculum development process including the development of all curriculum guides.

Upon review and favorable support by District/College administration, the curriculum proposal team (Originator) meets with the District Curriculum Office to determine training needs, process


and timeline for data entry into CurricUNET. It must be noted that, during the approval process, approvals must be documented in the meeting minutes of the following groups and that these minutes must be published and made available electronically:

Program meeting minutes Advisory Committee meeting minutes (workforce only) Workforce Deans’ Council District-wide Curriculum Committee

Any committee decision may be appealed to the Chancellor’s Operational Team.

Approval Process for New Career and Technical Education (Workforce) Program

This approval process and accompanying flowchart may be accessed electronically at the following address: http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/curriculum_processes.cfm

1. Career and Technical Program (CTE) faculty member/chair/dean (Originator) proposing

a new CTE program, a new AAS within an existing program or an Advanced Technical Certificate must submit a new program application to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. (See Chapter 5 of the Guide to Instructional Programs in Workforce education [GIPWE]: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/gipwe.htm

2. If the new award is part of an existing program with a standing faculty and advisory

committee, the initial process is the same as if making a Revision to a Career and Technical Education Program: http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/curriculum_processes.cfm

3. If the new program is a “stand-alone” program (new CIP Code), the Originator works with the District Curriculum Office and an appointed business Industry steering committee to gather the necessary documentation on program need (labor market projections, etc.) and to draft the proposed curriculum.

4. The Originator works with District Curriculum Office staff to enter all course and program

information into CurricUNET and to upload the following required files to the Program “File Upload” Screen: SACS Full Prospectus or Modified Prospectus, Faculty and Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes, or Steering Committee minutes.

5. When the proposal is complete, the Originator indicates completion of data entry by

choosing the Finish option in CurricUNET which Launches the new program into the approval process.




7. Members of the CTE Deans’ Council will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Deans’ Council accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Council will approve and document approval in meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office. The approval process continues in the same way to the District-Wide Curriculum Committee.

8. Members of the District-Wide Curriculum Committee will be notified automatically by E-mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Curriculum Committee accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Curriculum Committee will approve the proposal, document approval in committee meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office.

9. The District Curriculum Office works with the Vice Chancellor for Instruction to prepare the Agenda Item for the next meeting of the HCC Board of Trustees.

10. Upon approval by the HCC Board of Trustees, the District Curriculum Office prepares the Statement of Assurances (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board) for the Chancellor’s signature.

11. Upon receipt of the signed Statement of Assurances, the District Curriculum Office works with the proposal Originator to complete the required New Program Application for submission to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

12. Upon notification of THECB approval, the District Curriculum Office prepares the new program for entry into the HCC Catalog, enters all new courses into PeopleSoft, and prepares the counseling degree plan(s).

Assumptions

1. All appropriate personnel (presidents, deans, program chairs and faculty) have an opportunity for input into the new program development process.

2. All proposals for new workforce programs will be brought before the Chancellor’s Operational Team.

3. The prioritization of new program development will be reviewed annually by the Chancellor’s Operation Team and modified in accordance with emerging employment and market trends - high skill, high wage and high growth criteria.

4. The program development process may result in recommendation of either credit or non-credit delivery of training.



Workforce Program Revisions

Once an AAS degree or certificate is placed on the HCC program inventory, changing it requires a formal program revision. All applications for revisions must be submitted electronically through the WECM website: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduatedED/WorkforceEd/inventory/. A program revision is required for the following changes in a program as defined in Chapter 6 of the GIPWE: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/wecm2000/WECMProtocolMc

To change the name of an AAS degree or certificate. To request a change in the CIP code of a degree or certificate to a different CIP code in

the same program.



To add a new Semester Credit Hour or Continuing Education certificate to an existing degree or certificate program.

To add an Advanced Technical Certificate to an existing program. To revise the curriculum of an award in any of the following ways:

1. Adding any new Special Topics or Local Need courses to the curriculum; 2. Increasing or decreasing the total number of credit hours in the curriculum by

six SCH from the number of SCH on the HCC approved course inventory; 3. Lengthening or decreasing the length of the award by one semester or more; 4. Changing the certificate status from CERT 1 to CERT 2 or vice versa; and 5. Replacing and WECM course by an ACGM course or vice versa.

To deactivate an award. To reactivate an award (within three years of deactivation). To close an award.

Applications for program revisions must be submitted to the THECB staff at least 45 days prior to the requested implementation date of the changes. All applications for a revision must be submitted electronically. Information about this process is available on the CB website at: www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateED/WorkforceEd/Inventory/ or through the WECM website under “Electronic Submissions” at: www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorforceEd/wecm2000/index.htm.

Should the revision be considered a substantive change, HCC may be required to submit a Full Prospectus or a Modified Prospectus to SACS prior to implementing the change.

Any other changes (changes not covered by Chapter 6 of the GIPWE) to a course in an approved certificate or degree program may be made utilizing the CurricUNET edit function. See the Users Guide from the CurricUNET homepage (http://www.curricunet.com/hccs) for the CurricUNET Handbook or the Quick Start Guide to Editing Courses.



Approval Process for Curriculum Addition and/or Revision to a Career and Technical Education Program

1. Career and Technical Program faculty member proposing curriculum modification and/or addition (Originator) meets with appropriate program chair and program faculty to analyze, modify, and approve proposed curriculum change. When approved, the program chair documents concurrence in program Faculty Meeting Minutes.

2. Upon faculty approval of the proposal, the faculty member/chair meets with the program

Business and Industry Advisory Committee to analyze, modify and or approve the proposed curriculum change. When approved, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee Chair will document concurrence in the Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes.

3. The Originator enters all data into CurricUNET at www.CurricUNET.com/hccs. The following files are uploaded into CurricUNET as appropriate: SACS Prospectus or SACS Modified Prospectus, Faculty Meeting Minutes, Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes, and modified Curriculum Map.




7. Members of the District-Wide Curriculum Committee will be notified automatically by E-

mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Curriculum Committee accepts the proposal, the Chair will approve, document in meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office.


works with the proposal Originator to complete the required Program Revision forms for submission to the THECB.

9. Upon notification of THECB approval, the District Curriculum Office prepares the revised

program for entry into the HCC Catalog, submits course additions, changes, and/or deactivates the course in PeopleSoft, and updates the counseling degree plan(s).



Special Topics Course

Special Topics courses are provided for temporary use or transitional content and should be used only when course content does not exist in a WECM course. HCC must supply the program-specific course student learning outcomes. These topics may address recently identified current events, skills, and knowledge pertinent to the technical area and relevant to

the occupation. These courses are approved for a two-year period and are reviewed periodically during WECM maintenance meetings. Special Topics courses are identified by a “9” in the third digit of the course number. A credit Special Topics Course cannot have fewer than 16 or more than 112 contact hours. Please see Table 4-1, Chapter 4, page 68 of the GIPWE where a range of contact hours and lecture/lab components is specified for each SCH value. http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/GIPWE2010/GIPWE2010.pdf.



Though course content is not approved by the THECB, HCC must submit a Special Topics form through the electronic submission process prior to the end of the semester in which the course is offered. For a detailed discussion of the process for development and submission of a Special Topics course see Chapter 4, page 71 of the GIPWE. http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/GIPWE2010/GIPWE2010.pdf.

Generally, HCC is limited to a total of three Special Topics and/or Local Need courses per AAS degree or advanced technical certificate; two Special Topics and/or Local Need courses per Level 2 certificate; and one Special Topics and/or Local Need course per Level 1 certificate. Please see the attached link for a copy of the Special Topics Form. http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/forms.cfm Approval Process for adding a WECM Special Topics Course to a Career and Technical Education (Workforce) Program

1. Workforce faculty member (Originator) proposing a WECM Special Topics course meets with appropriate program chair and program faculty to analyze, modify, and approve proposed WECM Special Topics. When approved, the department chair documents concurrence in program Faculty Meeting Minutes.

2. Upon faculty approval of the WECM Special Topics proposal, the faculty member/chair

meets with the program’s Business and Industry Advisory Committee to analyze, modify and/or approve the WECM Special Topics proposed. When approved, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee Chair will document concurrence in the Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes.

3. The Originator enters and/or updates data into CurricUNET at

http://www.CurricUNET.com/hccs. See the HCC CurricUNET Handbook at http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/user_guide.cfm

4. The following files are uploaded into CurricUNET as appropriate: Faculty Meeting Minutes and Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes.


6. The District Curriculum Office is automatically notified by the CurricUNET System that a

proposal has been Launched. The District Office reviews the proposal; if changes and/or additions are required, returns the proposal to the Originator. If the proposal is accepted, it will continue along the approval process.



7. Members of the CTE Deans’ Council will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Deans’ Council accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Council will approve, document the approval in meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office. The approval process continues in the same way to the District-Wide Curriculum Committee.


mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Curriculum Committee accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Curriculum Committee will approve, document approval in the meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office.


works with the proposal Originator to complete the required WECM Special Topics form for submission to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB): http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/SpecialTopicsFormWorkforce.doc


course for entry into the HCC Catalog and submits course additions or changes to PeopleSoft, and updates the counseling degree plan(s).



Local Need Course Local Need courses are used to respond to unique local or regional conditions or to regulatory changes, to expand an existing program to include a new specialty, or to create courses in new program areas where no course rubrics exist in the WECM. Local Need courses are identified by a “7” in the third digit of the course number. A credit Local Need Course cannot have fewer than 16 or more than 176 contact hours. Please see Table 4-2, Chapter 4, page 71 of the GIPWE where a range of contact hours and lecture/lab components is specified for each SCH value. http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/GIPWE2010/GIPWE2010.pdf.

Course content that is not contained in the WECM and that will be offered repeatedly over several years is appropriate for a Local Need Course. Local Need Courses must be submitted to the THECB and approved at least 30 days prior to instruction to qualify for state funding. For a detailed discussion of the process for development and submission of a Local Need course see Chapter 4, page 69 of the GIPWE: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/GIPWE2010/GIPWE2010.pdf



Please see the attached link for a copy of the Local Need Application Form. http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/forms.cfm Approval Process for adding a WECM Local Need Course to a Career and Technical Education (Workforce) Program This approval process and accompanying flowchart may be accessed electronically at the following address http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/curriculum_processes.cfm

1. Career and Technical Program faculty member (Originator) proposing a WECM Local

Need course meets with appropriate program chair and program faculty to analyze, modify, and approve proposed WECM Local Need course. When approved, the department chair documents concurrence in program Faculty Meeting Minutes.

2. Upon faculty approval of the WECM Local Need proposal, the faculty member/chair

(Originator) meets with the program’s Business and Industry Advisory Committee to analyze, modify and/or approve the WECM Local Need proposed. When approved, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee Chair will document concurrence in the Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes.

3. (Originator) meets with the District Curriculum Office @ 8-8542 to review proposed

curriculum modification proposal prior to submission into CurricUNET.

4. The Originator enters and/or updates data into CurricUNET at www.CurricUNET.com/hccs.

5. The following files are uploaded into CurricUNET as appropriate: Faculty Meeting

Minutes and Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes.






9. Members of the District-Wide Curriculum Committee will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Curriculum Committee accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Curriculum Committee will approve, document approval in meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office.


works with the proposal Originator to complete the required WECM Local Need form for submission to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).


course for entry into the HCC Catalog and submits course additions or changes to PeopleSoft, and updates the counseling degree plan(s).



Marketable Skills Achievement Award (MSA) A Marketable Skills Achievement Award (MSA) is a sequence of credit courses totaling 9-14 SCH or workforce continuing education courses of 144-359 contact hours. These awards meet the standard for program length established by the Texas Workforce Commission for the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). An MSA does not require approval from the Coordinating Board and is TSI-waived. These awards must be recommended by an external workforce advisory committee or they must appear on the Local Workforce Development Board’s Targeted Occupation’s List (Houston-Galveston Area Council). The awards are generally made up of WECM courses only and prepare students for employment in accordance with WIA guidelines. If a proposed award is not on a Board’s “Targeted Occupation’s List,” the College must prove through employer documentation that the award leads to available jobs in the region paying a sustainable wage.

Approval Process for adding a Marketable Skills Achievement Award (MSA) to Career and Technical Education Program

This approval process and accompanying flowchart may be accessed electronically at the following address http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/curriculum_processes.cfm

1. Career and Technical Program faculty member (Originator) proposing a Marketable

Skills Achievement Award (MSA) meets with appropriate program chair and program faculty to analyze, modify, and approve proposed MSA curriculum. When approved, the program chair documents concurrence in program Faculty Meeting Minutes.

2. Upon faculty approval of the MSA proposal, the faculty member/chair meets with the

program’s Business and Industry Advisory Committee to analyze, modify and or approve the proposed MSA. When approved, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee Chair will document concurrence in the Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes.

3. Originator) meets with the District Curriculum Office to review proposed MSA proposal

prior to submission into CurricUNET.

4. The Originator enters and/or updates data into CurricUNET at www.CurricUNET.com/hccs. The following files are uploaded into CurricUNET as appropriate: Faculty Meeting Minutes and Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes.

5. When the proposal is complete, the Originator indicates completion of data entry by

choosing the Finish option in CurricUNET which Launches the proposal into the approval process.

6. The District Curriculum Office is automatically notified by the CurricUNET System that a

proposal has been launched. The District Office reviews the proposal; if changes and/or additions are required, returns the proposal to the Originator.



If the proposal is accepted, it will continue along the approval process.

7. Members of the CTE Deans’ Council will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Deans’ Council accepts the proposal, the Chair of the Council will approve and document approval in meeting minutes and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office.


prepares the approved program for entry into the HCC Catalog, submits course additions or changes to PeopleSoft and updates the counseling degree plans.

9. Optional Step: THECB approval is not required for an MSA.


prepares the approved MSA for submission to the THECB for approval and inclusion onto the HCC Program Inventory.

11. Upon notification of THECB approval, the District Curriculum Office prepares the

approved MSA for entry into the HCC Catalog, submits course additions or changes to PeopleSoft and updates the Counseling Degree Plans.



Program Deactivation and Closure

HCC may deactivate a program by suspending new student enrollment and submitting an electronic Application for Program Deactivation to the Coordinating Board. The college should have on file and available for Coordinating Board staff review provisions for teaching out currently enrolled students. A program may remain deactivated no longer than three academic years. A program that is not reactivated by the college within three years will be closed by the Coordinating Board. HCC may voluntarily close an award or program. If students are currently enrolled in a program that the college wishes to close, the program should be deactivated before being formally closed. HCC must submit an electronic Application for Program Closure to notify the Coordinating Board staff of its intent to close a program. The college should have on file and available for



Coordinating Board staff review the reason(s) for closure and provisions for teaching-out currently enrolled students. A copy of this letter must also be submitted to SACS in compliance with Substantive Change procedures. Closed programs may only be reopened if they are resubmitted as new programs.

Process for Deactivation of an Instructional Program Career and Technical (Workforce) Program (CTE) faculty member/chair (Originator) proposing program Deactivation writes justification/reasons for Deactivation and consults with department faculty and Dean(s). Justification statement must include a plan to phase or teach out the program so as to not adversely affect students. This document will include, but not be limited to the following:

•Title and short description; •Courses included in the program; •Justification or reasons for deactivation (obsolete technology, enrollment, etc.); •Faculty impact; •Impact on other programs; •Equipment disposal plan; •Classified staff impact; •Plan for phasing/teaching out the program.

This deactivation approval process and accompanying flowchart may be accessed electronically at the following address http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/curriculum_processes.cfm

1. Upon faculty approval of the proposal, the faculty member/chair meets with the program Business and Industry Advisory Committee to analyze and or approve the proposed Program Deactivation. When approved, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee Chair will document concurrence in the Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes.

2. Members of the CTE Deans’ Council will be notified automatically by e-mail and asked to

respond within two weeks. If the Deans’ Council accepts the deactivation proposal, the Chair of the Council will approve and document in meeting minutes, and forward the deactivation proposal to the District Curriculum Office. The deactivation process continues in the same way to the District-Wide Curriculum Committee.


mail and asked to respond within two weeks. If the Curriculum Committee accepts the deactivation proposal, the Chair of the Curriculum Committee will approve, document deactivation in meeting minutes, and forward the proposal to the District Curriculum Office.


works with the proposal to complete the required Program Deactivation /Closure forms for submission to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and substantive change documents to SACS.



5. Upon closure, the District Curriculum Office archives all courses and program information in CurricUNET and runs a Course Impact Report. Any course utilized in another CTE program remains active in the course inventory.

6. The District Curriculum Office will work with the Originator to write the statement of Program Deactivation for the HCC Catalog. Upon program closure, courses will be inactivated in PeopleSoft.

2. Resources

The Guidelines for Instructional Programs in Workforce Education (GIPWE) is theTexas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s policy manual for both credit and non-credit workforce education programs offered at public higher education institutions in Texas. http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/GIPWE2010/GIPWE2010.pdf



Last updated in June 2010, the GIPWE consists of the following seven chapters:

Chapter One: Introduction Chapter Two: General Institutional and Personnel Requirements for Workforce

Education Programs Chapter Three: Workforce Education Program Elements Chapter Four: The Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) Chapter Five: New Program Approval Process Chapter Six: Program Revisions Chapter Seven: Glossary

The manual provides guidelines for the effective design, development, operation, and evaluation of workforce education programs. The processes associated with these guidelines include applications for new program approval, revisions of currently approved programs, deactivation or reactivation of programs, closure of programs, and implementation of TechPrep programs. Throughout these guidelines, the word “must” is used to identify program requirements and the word “should” is used to identify characteristics that are strongly recommended.

First operational in 1998, the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/UndergraduateEd/WorkforceEd/provides community and technical colleges with an inventory of pre-approved courses developed in close partnership with Instructional Specialists representing a wide variety of technical fields. It is supported by a mechanism, WECM maintenance, for continually designing and updating courses, and it is complemented by a process for the implementation of courses developed to meet unique local need.

The purposes of the WECM are to:

Contribute to the quality and consistency of workforce courses.

Provide Texas colleges increased assistance and flexibility in responding to employer needs.

Enhance the portability of credits and credentials for students.

Provide increased access for students to workforce education degrees and career advancement for students.

Facilitate articulation with other providers of education at both the secondary and post-secondary levels.

Incorporate industry-established skill standards into Texas workforce education.



3. Using HCC CurricUNET

CurricUNET is intended to replace the various manually prepared forms and processes that are carried out by HCC personnel and provide a curriculum management capability on the Web for more accurate and expedient data entry, processing, review, and approval. CurricUNET is the warehouse and source for HCC curriculum course and program information, historical, active and proposed. It also contains a search function, enabling HCC users to examine the courses and programs of other CurricUNET users (including such institutions as the San Diego Community College District, the City Colleges of Chicago, and the Miami Dade Community College District). To assist faculty in the curriculum modification process, a CurricUNET Handbook has been prepared http://www.curricunet.com/HCCS/help_docs/CurricUNETHandbook10212010.pdfto assist faculty in getting started with entering and editing courses in CurricUNET and in printing a course syllabus. Additionally, two Quick Reference Guides are available as quick reminders on how to Print a Syllabus and How to Edit a Course.

1. Quick Reference Guide for Printing Your Syllabus 2. Quick Reference Guide for Editing Your Courses

D. Deactivation/Closure of Workforce Programs

1. Program Viability Report/Process for Deactivation/Closure of Programs

All Workforce Programs submit a district-wide Program Review every four years and an Annual

Assessment and Progress Report in the other years of the four-year Program Review Cycle.

The Program Review is intended to note program strengths and weaknesses in terms of student

success, curriculum (including articulation agreements and partnerships), faculty (including

professional development), equipment, facilities, and leadership. Please see the following link:

http://hccs.edu/evaluation-of-instruction.

Several factors might contribute to program weaknesses: low enrollment based on contact hours; low numbers of graduates and placements; advances in technology that have rendered the program obsolete; declining job opportunities in the field; lack of program accreditation; lack of program resources and/or leadership; lack of compliance with CB measures and standards; and/or a recommendation for deactivation/closure has been made by the CB or the program advisory committee.

District VCIN staff annually produce the CTE Program Viability Report which charts and graphs

a workforce program’s five year performance in the following three areas: graduates,

placements and total contact hours. The minimal standard for graduates is 15 over a three-year

period; the minimum standard for placements is 85 percent. This report is available at the

following site: http://hccs.edu/career-technical-workforce-education;



The College Presidents, CTE Deans, and District staff participate in compilation and review of all CTE program reviews and annual progress reports. These reports are available on the assessment shareware site: https://share.hccs.edu/sites/hcc/assessment. Additionally, the District staff will provide: (1) an annual CTE Program Viability Report (a five year overview of enrollments, graduates, and placements by workforce program); (2) current labor market information, including periodic updates to the Occupational Forecast Reports for all HCC programs http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/occupational-forecasts-cte-2008-2018; and (3) annual program cost per contact hour information. Upon review of all materials, the following actions are recommended:

For programs that fail to generate sufficient enrollments to justify program expenditures after a three year period, the VCIN will recommend program deactivation upon vote of the Chancellor’s Cabinet.

For programs that remain out-of-compliance with CB standards for 3 years but for which

a clear need has been established by labor market information, a change in program leadership should occur. The appropriate CTE Dean and President will remove the Chair and appoint a replacement Chair for a year with the task of devising an improvement plan (with District office assistance) that meets with Chancellor’s Cabinet approval.

For programs that are deemed to be significantly “under-performing” for 3 years (barely

meeting CB standards; stagnant or low enrollments in spite of high market demand), District staff will work with College personnel to target Perkins dollars for improvements, including bringing in program/industry experts to make recommendations for program improvement.

If the District and/or College personnel determine that need for the program can no

longer be established or that attempts at program improvement have not worked, the CTE Deans’ Council will approve either deactivation or closure of the program.

Note: Deactivation suspends new student enrollment, but allows the institution three additional years during which the institution may “reactivate” the program with new leadership and/or resources. HCC may voluntarily close a program or award at any point. Regardless of whether a program is deactivated or closed, a plan must be filed with the CB for teaching out currently enrolled students and SACS must be notified. Closed programs may only be reopened if they are resubmitted as new program applications to the CB.



A. Principles

1. Learner Centered Instruction Learner-Centered Instruction is an instructional process in which the content is determined by the student’s needs, the instructional materials are geared to the student’s abilities, and the instructional design makes the students active participants. The rationale behind the methodology is that students will be more engaged and enthusiastic about the curriculum if it is adjusted to their preferences. The HCC Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence offers workshops on Implementing Learner-Centered Teaching for Student Success and a workshop on Creating Learner-Centered Syllabi. The following link offers a Learning Manual and additional resources on the Learner-Centered Instruction Workshops: http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/tle-workshop-registration-learning-resources. 2. Active and Collaborative Learning Active Learning is, in short, anything that students do in a classroom other than merely passively listening to an instructor's lecture. This includes everything from listening practices which help the students to absorb what they hear, to short writing exercises in which students react to lecture material, to complex group exercises in which students apply course material to "real life" situations and/or to new problems. Paulson & Faust, California State University, Los Angeles, http://www.calstatela.edu/dept/chem/chem2/Active/index.htm Research on student learning shows that students learn best when they are motivated and engaged in their learning, when they find connections between what they are learning in the classroom and their own lives, when they can articulate their learning and how it relates to issues that matter, and when they are provided with frameworks that help them understand what they have learned, questions that remain unanswered, and practice in self-assessment for lifelong learning. For these reasons, researchers and practitioners are incorporating active and collaborative pedagogies to promote student thinking, critical analysis, motivation to learn, as well as fact acquisition. Moreover, these strategies can assist faculty in reaching students with a variety of learning preferences. Active and collaborative learning pedagogies require faculty to take on different roles in the classroom. For example, one might create learning activities that explore and/or emphasize key concepts presented in the lecture. In these situations one’s expertise is used in facilitating the learning process through critical inquiry. The HCC Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence offers a workshop on “Improving Student Learning through Active-Engagement.” The following link offers a Learning Manual and additional resources on the workshop: http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/tle-workshop-registration-learning-resources



B. Instructional Formats

1. Web Enhanced

In a web-enhanced course http://hccs.edu/process-for-developing-a-web-enhanced-class-in-

blackboard-vista the class meets just like a traditional class, in classroom, with an instructor at

the regular scheduled day, time and location. Seat time is generally not replaced but

components of your course will be accessible to you 24/7. You may also complete homework

assignments, take quizzes, participate in group work, and interact with your instructor and fellow

students online.

Web-Enhanced classes (being taught in Bb Vista) must have input/ approval of the Chair. They will be listed in the course schedule as Web-Enhanced and will have the same or somewhat less face-to-face meeting time than traditional classes. Chairs are responsible for seeing to it that classes are input correctly in PeopleSoft (tagged with WE in the Instruction Mode and Notes section).

Classes that contain less than 50% instruction offered electronically will be considered to be traditional classes even though they are coded as Web-Enhanced in PeopleSoft (PS). Instructors who are teaching traditional classes that use electronic sessions where the class does not meet face-to-face must notify and/or obtain the approval of their Chair. Each Discipline Committee has the option to take upon itself the creation of rules that do not contravene the above-stated definitions regarding the substitution of electronic contact hours for face-to-face contact hours.

Follow the following link to view the HCC process to set up and teach a Hybrid or Web-Enhanced Class: http://hccs.edu/process-for-developing-a-web-enhanced-class-in-blackboard-vista

2. Hybrid Course

A hybrid course http://hccs.edu/process-for-developing-a-hybrid-class-in-blackboard-vista is a

blend of face-to-face instruction with online learning. In a hybrid course, a significant part of the

course learning is online and as a result, the amount of classroom seat-time is reduced. Hybrid

classes meet half the time in a traditional face-to-face classroom environment and deliver the

remainder of the class presentation, interaction, activities, and exercises through various

electronic means (Bb Vista, podcasts, online video and audio formats, and new technologies as

they become available). Instructors and students should be prepared to spend as much time

engaged in class



activities as in a traditional class, even though they will not be physically present in the classroom for all of it. In addition, the electronic and face-to-face portions of hybrid classes will be apportioned weekly so that every week during the semester the students will have 50% face-to-face instruction and 50% electronic instruction.

Faculty teaching hybrid classes will be required to complete BB Vista I- BB Interface, BB Vista II-BB Content and Developing an Online Class in the Faculty Certification in Technology program and strongly encouraged to complete all of the BB Vista classes and a Certification in Technology. See http://imctraining.hccs.edu/classes/start.htm for the current class schedule.

Hybrid classes (being taught in Bb Vista) must have the prior signed approval of the Department Chair (Chair). They will be listed in the course schedule as having an off-campus electronic component and meeting only half the on-campus (face-to-face) time of traditional classes. To aid facilities planning and student scheduling, the exact day and time of the face-to-face component of hybrid classes will be listed in the course schedule each semester. Department Chairs (Chairs) are responsible for seeing to it that classes are coded correctly in PeopleSoft (tagged with HY in the Instruction Mode and Notes Section).

Follow the following link to view the HCC process to set up and teach a Hybrid or Web-Enhanced Class: http://hccs.edu/process-for-developing-a-web-enhanced-class-in-blackboard-vista.

C. Distance Education

Distance education classes, for all practical purposes, will involve 100% of instruction being offered electronically, with the exception of required labs and on-campus testing; all other exceptions will be kept to a minimum and require the prior approval of the Distance Education Department. The Distance Education department will assist the Department Chair with this process.

1. Notification and Approval Procedures for Distance Education, Off-Campus (Out-of-District), and On-Campus Extension Programs and Courses Public institutions shall adhere to the following procedures for notification and approval of distance education, off-campus and on-campus extension programs and courses. According to Chapter 4, Subchapter E of Coordinating Board Rules, the term “program” refers to both certificate and degree programs. In this document, courses offered by community colleges refer both to lower-division courses and formula-funded workforce education credits. Non-credit adult and continuing education courses offered at a distance by universities and health science centers are exempt from Subchapter E.



(1a) Distance Education (both Formula Funded and Extension) Delivery of Courses and Programs

Following Board approval of an Institutional Plan or Report (as required by Board Rules Section 4.106 of Chapter 4, Subchapter E), the governing board of the institution shall thereafter approve formula funded and extension courses and programs offered by distance education, with the following conditions and exceptions:

(1) Each institution or system shall have in place a process for the review and approval of formula funded and extension courses and programs, e.g. governing board procedure could be that courses are approved at the institution level through a defined process. Programs need governing board level examination.

(2) Before an institution initiates a program delivered by distance education, the President or chief academic officer of the institution shall submit a Board prescribed certification form affirming, in part, that the program will be offered in accordance with the Principles of Good Practice for Academic Degree and Certificate Programs and Credit Courses Offered Electronically as adopted by the Board, that it will be the same as the program approved for on-campus delivery, and that it meets the quality standards and criteria identified in Board guidelines.

(3) Courses offered by higher education institutions through distance education shall be reported in accordance with provisions and schedules determined by the Commissioner. They also shall adhere to the following criteria: (A) Undergraduate and master’s courses can be delivered online (via the Internet)

following a defined internal review process, without prior Board notification. (B) Lower-division courses may be delivered electronically to groups by a public

community college outside its taxing district but in its service area without prior Board notification.

(C) Lower-division courses delivered electronically by a public community college to groups outside its service area shall adhere to the Regional Council approval process described in Section 2 below.

(D) Lower-division courses delivered electronically to groups by a university, health related institution, public technical college, or Lamar State college shall adhere to the Regional Council approval process described in Section 2 below.

(E) Upper-division and master's courses offered by a university or health-related institution may be delivered electronically to groups in the state without geographic restriction and without prior Board notification following notification of area institutions and higher education centers. Any institution party to a disagreement arising from electronic delivery of upper-division or graduate courses to groups may appeal first to the Commissioner and then to the Board.

(F) Internet and other distance education courses offered to individuals may be delivered in-state or out-of-state without prior governing board approval and without prior Board notification or approval.

(G) When four of the courses that support a doctoral program are offered through electronic and/or off-campus delivery, Coordinating Board notification is required. The notification shall mention whether the institution intends to offer the program



through distance education and/or off-campus delivery. A program is considered to be offered through distance education and/or off-campus delivery when approximately half of the semester credit hours, excluding dissertation and research, may be completed without the student being in residence on-campus.

(H) In the event of a dispute arising from electronic delivery of lower-division courses that cannot be resolved by a Regional Council, any institution party to the disagreement may appeal to the Commissioner and the Board. Any institution party to a disagreement arising from electronic delivery of upper-division or graduate courses to groups may appeal first to the Commissioner and then to the Board.

(4) Programs offered by higher education institutions through distance education shall be

reported in accordance with provisions and schedules determined by the Commissioner. They also shall adhere to the following criteria:

(A) Associate’s and technical programs offered by a community college, technical

college, or Lamar State college may be delivered online (via the Internet) without geographic restriction in the state, following approval by the institution's governing board, and submission of a certification form to the Board.

(B) Associate’s and technical programs offered by a community college, technical college, or Lamar State college that are delivered electronically to groups outside its service area shall adhere to the Regional Council approval process described in Section 2 below.

(C) Baccalaureate and master's programs offered by a university or health-related institution may be delivered online (via the Internet) without geographic restriction in the state, following approval by the institution's governing board, and submission of a certification form to the Board. The certification shall be submitted in accordance with provisions and schedules determined by the Commissioner and shall be acknowledged by the Board before delivery of the program begins. New programs are subject to the standard Board approval process.

(D) In the event of a dispute arising from electronic delivery of lower-division courses that cannot be resolved by a Regional Council, any institution party to the disagreement may appeal to the Commissioner and the Board. Any institution party to a disagreement arising from electronic delivery of upper-division or graduate courses to groups may appeal first to the Commissioner and then to the Board.

(1b) Procedures for Off-Campus (Out-of-District) Course and Program Delivery and On-Campus-Extension Course and Program Delivery

Procedures for Review and Approval of All Off-Campus Lower-Division Instruction (both formula funded and extension) and On-Campus-Extension Lower-Division Instruction. (1) Unless specifically exempted by the Board, all off-campus lower-division courses

by universities, health-related institutions, public technical colleges, Lamar state colleges, or by public community colleges outside their service areas shall be.



reviewed by the higher education Regional Council containing each site proposed to receive instruction

(2) Regional Council notification shall be made for all on-campus-extension lower- division courses.

(3) A public community college planning to offer off-campus courses and programs outside its taxing district but inside its service area shall notify all potentially affected Regional Councils prior to offering the course or program.

(4) All institutions offering off-campus lower-division instruction shall submit an annual Off-Campus Instruction Plan to the appropriate Regional Councils and the Board on a schedule to be determined by the Commissioner. An Off-Campus Instruction Plan is an institution’s listing by location of off-campus lower-division courses and programs planned to be taught during an academic year. For public community colleges, the Off-Campus Instruction Plan will contain both out-of-service area courses and programs which require Regional Council review and approval, and out-of-district-but-in-service-area courses and programs which merely require Regional Council notification.

(5) The Board recognizes Regional Councils in each of the ten Uniform State

Service Regions. The presidents – or designated representatives – of each public and independent institution of higher education with its main campus in the Region comprise the Council membership. A Council Chair shall be elected by the members, with the term of service to be determined by the respective Council.

(6) Each Regional Council has the following responsibilities:

(A) To develop and file with the Academic Affairs and Research Division of the Board its procedures and guidelines for reviewing Off-Campus Instruction Plans for proposed lower-division classes, programs, and locations in the Region that require its approval.

(B) To facilitate inter-institutional cooperation in the conduct of off-campus instruction, to assure that each institution in the Region has received notification in advance of all off-campus lower-division courses and programs proposed to be offered in the Region by any other institution, and to provide each institution in the Region full opportunity to review and comment on the plans of other institutions.

(C) To make recommendations to the Commissioner regarding Off-Campus Instruction Plans proposed to be offered within its Region in accordance with the consensus views of Council members, except for courses and programs proposed to be offered by public community/junior colleges in their designated service areas.

(D) To advise the Commissioner on appropriate policies and procedures for effective state-level administration of off-campus lower-division instruction.

(E) To encourage excellence in the conduct of off-campus lower-division instruction.



(F) To study cooperatively the various methods of providing lower-division off-campus instruction, and promote the use of those methods which support quality and promise the most effective and efficient use of state resources.

(G) To hear and attempt to resolve any disputes involving off-campus and electronic delivery of lower-division courses offered by universities, health-related institutions, public technical colleges, Lamar state colleges, or public community colleges and, if necessary, to make recommendations to the Commissioner concerning these disputes.

(7) Procedures for submitting applications to the Board for authorization to offer off-

campus lower-division courses are as follows: (A) Each Regional Council shall review Off-Campus Instruction Plans affecting

the Region proposed by all institutions, except for courses offered by community colleges in their designated service areas, and forward its recommendations for approval or disapproval to the Board.

(B) If proposed off-campus courses could affect an institution which is a member

of another Regional Council, the Off-Campus Instruction Plan shall also be sent to that institution and to the Council to which it belongs. The full membership of that Council shall review the proposal and return a recommendation for approval or disapproval to the originating institution. This recommendation of the Regional Council and the institution’s request shall both be sent to the Commissioner.

(C) The Commissioner shall devise a procedure to encourage and assist Regional Councils in the resolution of disputes between or among institutions.

(D) The Commissioner shall consider the recommendations of Regional Councils. Public and independent institutions which have concerns about possible unnecessary duplication of off-campus courses and programs planned for their Region may appeal to the Commissioner. The Commissioner has the authority to approve or disapprove courses and Off-Campus Instruction Plans, and to resolve disputes between or among institutions which cannot be resolved by the Councils, including courses and programs offered by a public community college within its service area but outside its taxing district. Institutions may appeal off-campus approvals and disapprovals made by the Commissioner to the Board.

(E) The Commissioner shall develop a time schedule for submission of Regional Council recommendations, for Commissioner review and response to all affected institutions on approvals and disapprovals of courses proposed under each Off-Campus Instruction Plan, for any needed dispute mediation procedures, and for Board appeal.

(8) After the regular annual period for approving off-campus and formula-funded

workforce continuing education courses, the Regional Council may approve a limited number of additional courses for institutions if the courses have been reviewed.



2. Approval of Study-Abroad and Study-in-America Courses (1) Study-Abroad and Study-in-America courses offered by institutions of higher

education, or by an approved consortium composed of institutions, shall be approved by the Commissioner in order for the semester credit hours or contact hours generated in those courses to be used for formula reimbursement.

(A) An institution or consortium shall certify that the course meets the standards

and criteria set forth in subsection (b) of this section. (B) A course that has been previously approved for funding does not need to be

reapproved if it has not been substantively changed. (C) Faculty shall not teach Study-Abroad and Study-in-America courses for

formula funding unless the faculty member is accompanying a cohort of students from a Texas public institution.

(D) Institutions may enroll students who are not regularly enrolled on-campus in

Study-Abroad and Study-in-America courses provided the credit hours generated by these students are not submitted for formula funding.

(2) Study-Abroad and Study-in-America courses are subject to the following

standards and criteria: (A) All students enrolled shall meet institutional standards for admission and

shall be admitted to the institution or to one of the participating institutions in an approved consortium. All students shall pay the appropriate tuition and fees for their residency category for the total number of credit hours earned. Financial aid shall be available to students on the same basis as students seeking financial aid for on-campus instruction. Additional financial aid may be furnished as appropriate.

(B) Instruction shall be provided by faculty of the institution or one of the consortium institutions and be supervised and evaluated according to appropriate institutional policies. Exceptions may be made by the Commissioner to take advantage of uniquely qualified instructors at out-of-state or foreign locations if the institution provides justification and the exception is approved by faculty or institutional officials.

(C) Individual courses shall meet the following standards and criteria: a) Each course shall be on the approved course inventory of the main

campus of the institution or a consortium institution, shall be part of an approved degree or certificate program, and shall be justified in terms of academic, cultural, or other resources available at the specific location(s).

b) Instruction shall conform to all relevant academic policies of the institution. All courses shall conform to the institution's workload and enrollment requirements, contact hour/credit ratio, and similar matters.

c) Courses may not offer credit for activities undertaken primarily for travel, recreation, or pleasure.

d) Minimum class enrollments shall conform to the same standards applicable to on-campus classes.

(D) Multi-course offerings shall meet the following standards and criteria:



(a) A group of courses taught by an individual faculty member and offered in the same time period and in the same out-of-state or foreign location may

be considered an aggregate for approval purposes. (b) The Commissioner may approve an aggregate so long as at least one-half

of the courses comply with paragraph 3(A) of this subsection and all the courses comply with the other criteria in this section.

(E) Advertising or marketing for out-of-state and foreign courses shall emphasize the instructional nature of the courses and may not offer credit-for-travel experiences.

(F) Faculty and staff shall not receive unusual perquisites or unusual financial gain for teaching out-of-state or foreign courses.

(G) Except for funds specifically appropriated for international activities (e.g. state incentive programs, scholarships, etc.), state funds shall not be used for

faculty or student travel, meals and lodging, or other incidental expenses associated with out-of-state or foreign instruction.

(H) Any free tickets for travel, accommodations, or other expenses provided by travel agents, carriers, or hotels shall be used in direct support of the instructional program and shall not be given away.

(I) No state funding shall be provided for distance education courses or credits delivered to reception sites outside state boundaries without prior approval of the Commissioner.

(J) Study-Abroad and Study-in-America courses are subject to reporting in accordance with the Board's uniform reporting system. Study-Abroad and Study- in-America courses that are not reported by location will be disallowed for funding.

(K) Notification of area institutions is not required for Study-Abroad and Study-in- America courses.

3. Out-of-State and Out-of-Country Courses and Programs

(1) Out-of-state and out-of-country courses offered by institutions of higher education are

extension courses and may be offered electronically to groups or face-to-face at a site outside Texas. The semester credit hours generated in these courses may not be submitted for formula funding.

(2) A few out-of-state and out-of-country courses may be taught without prior approval of the Board. However, full degree programs offered under these circumstances shall be approved in accordance with the provisions of Board Rules and Regulations Chapter 4, Subchapter E.

(3) Institutions of higher education shall submit a certification form prescribed by the Commissioner for each out-of-state and out-of-country program offered.

(4) Public community and technical colleges proposing to offer off-campus out-of-state or out-of-country courses for which no state funds are expended are subject to the provisions of Chapter 9, Subchapter I of Coordinating Board Rules.

(5) Notification of area institutions is not required for out-of-state and out-of-country courses.



Any HCC faculty wishing to obtain approval to teach an HCC course out-of-state or out- of-country must work with the HCC Curriculum Office to complete a Certification Form that must be approved in advance by the Vice Chancellor for Instruction and submitted to the Coordinating Board for approval. In this form, you must document that:

1. All students enrolled will meet institutional standards for admission and will be actually admitted to the institution, or one of the participating institutions in an approved Texas Consortium. 2. All students enrolled will pay the appropriate tuition and fees for their residency category. Financial aid will be available to students registering in foreign classes on the same basis as for on-campus students. 3. Instruction will be provided by faculty of the institution or a consortium institution and will be supervised and evaluated according to institutional

policies. Exception will be made only to take advantage of uniquely qualified personnel at the out-of-state location.

4. Each course is on the approved main course inventory of the institution, is a part of an approved degree or certification program, and is justified in terms of

academic, cultural, or other resources available at the specified location. 5. Instruction will conform to all relevant academic policies. All classes will conform to workload and enrollment requirements, contact hour/credit ratio, and similar matters. 6. Courses will not offer credit for activities undertaken primarily for travel, recreation, or pleasure. 7. Minimum enrollments will conform to the same standards applicable were the class to be offered on campus. 8. Multi-course offerings will meet the standards and criteria outlined in Notification and Approval Procedures Distance Education and Off-Campus Programs and Courses approved by the Coordinating Board in October 1999. 9. Advertising and marketing for out-of-state and foreign classes will emphasize

the instructional nature of the classes, and not create the impression that they are primarily credit-for-travel experiences.

10. Faculty and staff will not realize unusual perquisites or financial gain for teaching out-of-state or foreign classes. 11. Except for funds specifically appropriated for international activities (e.g.,state

incentive programs, scholarships, etc.), state funds will not be used for faculty or student travel, meals and lodging, or other incidental expenses.

12. Free tickets for travel, accommodations, or other expenses provided by travel agents, carriers, or hotels will be used in direct support of the instructional program and will not be used as gifts to faculty, staff, or their families. 13. State funds will not be used to offer courses or credits by instructional telecommunications to reception sites outside state boundaries and will not be submitted for formula funding. 14. All courses offered in a shortened format will consist of the same number of contact hours, normally 45-48, as courses offered in a regular or summer session. Students will not carry more courses at a time in a shortened format than will give them total credit of one semester credit hour per week of instruction. (CB Rules 4.6). Pre- or post-travel class sessions will be scheduled to attain the required minimum length standard.



D. Resources

1. Creating Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are explicit statements describing knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes that a student will be able to demonstrate at the end (or as a result) of his or her engagement in a particular lesson, course, program, or collegiate experience. SLO’s are assessed at the Course, Program and Institutional levels.

Every HCC Course Guide and Course Syllabus lists both the Course Student Learning Outcomes as well as the Program Student Learning Outcomes. Course syllabi can be printed by going to the HCC CurricUNET site http://www.curricunet.com/hccs, selecting a course to view under Search Courses and by clicking on the syllabus icon . The syllabus can then be downloaded into Microsoft Word on the desktop.

Sample syllabus and course guide templates are available at the following site; http://www.hccs.edu/tle.

Dr. Mary Allen’s workshop on writing and assessing student learning outcomes is available at the CTLE Itunes University site: http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/tle-itunesu-instructional-video-recordings.

2. Creating Curriculum Maps

Curriculum mapping is a method to align instruction with desired program-level student learning outcomes. The map documents what is taught and when, reveals gaps in the curriculum and helps in designing an assessment plan. Curriculum mapping shows where (in which courses) each program or discipline learning goal or objective is addressed, in one of the following ways: NA, basic, intermediate or advanced. The HCC Curriculum Map template can be found at the following address: http://www.curricunet.com/hccs.

All courses comprising the discipline or program are entered onto the map in the vertical column on the left of the diagram. Courses are listed in order from entry level to advanced level. Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLO) are listed across the top horizontal axis of the map.

For each course listed on the vertical column on the left of the map, indicate whether the course content supports the PSLO and at what level instruction occurs: basic, intermediate, advanced or not applicable.

For each PSLO, check only those core competencies emphasized in each course. (R = Reading, W = Writing, S/L = Speaking/Listening, CT = Critical Thinking, C/IL = Computer/Information Literacy).

Add additional pages for additional courses and additional PSLOs as necessary. For any given course in the curriculum, the map will show whether or not course content supports a Program Student Learning Outcome and at what level instruction occurs. Additionally, the map will indicate which core competencies are substantially addressed in a course.



3. Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence

knowledge and skills focused on the Community College Survey of Student Engagement benchmarks of effective educational practice: Academic Challenge, Active and Collaborative Learning, Student Effort, Student – Faculty Interaction, and Support for Learners. The CTLE offers a Certificate in Teaching & Learning Excellence for each of its programs:

Achieving the Dream Student Success Program Faculty Interns/Scholars Program Part-time Faculty Success Program Teaching & Learning Excellence Program iTunesU

For more information about the curriculum and procedures regarding enrollment, go to: http://hccs.edu/tle. To learn more about the CTLE, visit the Centers website: http://www.hccs.edu/tle.

4. Instructional Media Center

The Instructional Media Center (IMC) team works with faculty to teach them how to incorporate technology into their curriculum. IMC accomplishes this through faculty and staff training classes, the Instructional Technology certificate program (CIT), one on one DE course development, and special project requests. For a complete list of Blackboard Vista Resources, the Center’s Certificate in Technology and IMC Services, please go to the following: http://www.hccs.edu/imc.

5. Distance Education

Distance education is the field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom. It has been described as "a process to create and provide access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both.” For Spring, 2011, the unduplicated headcount enrollment in distance education was 14,666. Please see http://de.hccs.edu/portal/site/de/ for an overview of the HCC Distance Education program.



A. Assessment and Program Review

All HCC programs are reviewed on a four-year cycle. The program review is intended to help

programs assess student and program student learning outcomes, achieve stated goals,

improve student performance and plan better for the future. In addition, the program review is

intended to help the program achieve congruence with overall institutional goals. See Evaluation

of Instruction, http://hccs.edu/evaluation-of-instruction for a detailed discussion of the Program

Review Cycles, processes and templates.

The purpose of program review is to internally and externally examine, assess and evaluate academic disciplines and workforce programs to ensure compliance with the institution's mission, to improve disciplines/programs, to document successful efforts, and to comply with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) criteria. The results of the review process serve as a tool for continuous program improvement and impact the planning and budgeting activities at both the institution and discipline/program level.

The review process provides an opportunity for the program faculty to identify strengths, document shortcomings, support planning and delivery of instruction and influence budgetary decisions. The review process, using data related to discipline/program outcomes, is an introspective process for the department chair and faculty to look at themselves and their effectiveness, the operation of the discipline/program, student outcomes, curriculum, competencies of graduates, linkages to business and industry, etc. to determine if the program mission, goals, objectives and program student learning outcomes are being met.

The process involves completing the program review instrument and providing the required documentation. The responses to the program review questions, attachments, and evidence provided must represent the effectiveness, relevance, currency and community need for the discipline/program.

Each respective Deans’ Council reviews and assesses the discipline/program's findings and the quality and acceptability of the discipline/program's review. The Deans’ Council documents its findings in a formal report and makes recommendations for improvement where problems of compliance with program standards are validated or found. Where the Deans’ Council report includes recommendations, the discipline/program must respond with a written improvement or action plan to address the recommendations with timelines and measurable outcomes. Progress is reported on an Annual Progress and Assessment Report that is submitted each of the three years following the program review.

Effective 2009-2010 all discipline/programs must assess at least one program student learning outcome annually as part of the program review process. The results of the PSLO assessment are documented on the discipline/program Assessment Plan and are reported in the Program



Review document or in the Annual Assessment and Progress Report. The Assessment Plan documents PSLO assessment results and the plan for using these results to improve teaching and student learning. This continuous process of collecting data, analyzing it, and utilizing it for improvement fits into HCC’s iterative four-step Strategic Planning process:

Plan Act Check Do Plan

See http://hccs.edu/evaluation-of-instruction, Evaluation of Instruction, for a detailed discussion of the PSLO, processes and templates.

Copies of all completed discipline and workforce program reviews and Annual Assessment and Progress Reports are available in the District Office of the Vice Chancellor for Instruction or on the above website.

Program Review Rating System

The Chancellor’s Operating Team approved the implementation of a “ratings” system for Program Review, beginning fall 2009. Thus, the “ratings” will be a means to alert everyone as to a discipline/program’s status. The following ratings are currently in place: (See Rating Feedback Form for detailed definitions of each rating category: http://hccs.edu/evaluation-of-instruction.)

Exemplary Recognized Satisfactory Needs Improvement/Recommended for Administrative Action

The new “ratings” system for HCC program reviews will start with the fall, 2009 Program Reviews. The appropriate Deans’ Council will agree upon one of the ratings with results reported to the Chancellor’s Operations Team. If the “rating” is “needs improvement/ administrative action,” the resultant action will be discussed and agreed upon at the Chancellor’s Operations Team.

If the program does not like or agree with the rating, it may supply additional information in the subsequent semester to appeal/upgrade its rating. Programs that receive a “needs improvement/administrative action” rating MUST respond in the subsequent semester on improvements/actions recommended.

Note: It will be important to remember that the program rating is not necessarily a reflection on the program Chair. In many cases, the Chair may have faced problems with uncooperative colleagues, budget deficits, facility limitations, administrative obstacles, or other factors beyond his/her control. The program rating is a reflection on the total program/discipline across the



district. For example, a program review was presented to the Academic Deans’ Council in which the Chair did an “outstanding” job in the review in terms of its candor and clarity in presenting program weaknesses. As a result, however, the program would have probably been labeled “needs improvement.”

The HCC Operations Team is currently considering how the results of program reviews should be used in subsequent planning and administrative decisions such as program expansion, deactivation, closure, or relocation and budget decisions related to staffing, equipment, and facilities.

B. Roles and Responsibilities for Faculty and Chairs

Program and learning outcomes are grounded in the faculty’s knowledge of the content and coherence of the discipline as well as in the learning process. These outcomes reflect the expectations for performance consistent with the level of the program and the mission of the institution. Program and learning outcomes specify the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes students are expected to attain in courses or in a program. Methods for evaluating the extent to which students achieve these outcomes are appropriate to the nature of the discipline. In addition, evaluation assures that learning outcomes are consistent over time.

The role of the instructional chair is central and crucial to carrying out the system's mission and affirming its values. The chair links the college's major constituent groups: students, faculty, administration, and the community. The chair serves students by providing leadership in developing curriculum and programs that provide them with an education whose excellence prepares them not only for jobs, but also for an enriched quality of life and the pursuit of learning. The chair is a faculty leader selected by peers to provide leadership by modeling good instruction and counseling, evaluating both full-time and part-time faculty, steering the development of new and responsive curriculum, advocating for the department/division in terms of institutional resources, nurturing collaboration and collegiality among peers, and maintaining department/division morale.

Chairs work in partnership with business and industry on advisory committees and in the creation of cooperative education opportunities, service learning, and other external learning experiences for our students. Chairs establish and work with advisory committees made up of members from business and industries related to the discipline to ensure that the program, including curriculum and textbooks, reflects current industry practices. Chairs act as important intermediaries between students and community in helping students to find jobs and prospective employers to find qualified personnel.



C. Maintenance of the HCC Catalog and Academic Calendars

HCC has adopted a two-year cycle for planning and budgeting purposes, commencing in September of the odd-numbered years and ending with August of the subsequent odd-numbered year (e.g., September 2009-August 2011). Similarly, HCC has adopted a two-year Catalog of its programs, courses, faculty, and academic services and procedures. On December 1 of even-numbered years, the HCC Communications Office will send email notices and electronic versions of the existing Catalog to all content owners, Vice Chancellors, and the College Presidents. All information related to faculty and other personnel, campuses and college locations, financial information, and student services should be directly updated by the content owners with the Communications Office by February 1 of the subsequent odd-numbered year. All information related to the academic courses, programs, and services should be provided to the Articulation and Transfer Office in the Vice Chancellor for Instruction Office by February 1. All information related to workforce courses, programs, and services should be provided to the Workforce Office in the Vice Chancellor for Instruction Office by February 1. The Vice Chancellors for Instruction and Student Services will prepare the final draft for the Communications Office by March 10 of the odd-numbered year. The Communications Office will post an electronic draft of the new Catalog by March 20. Final edits and approval of an electronic file for print publication will occur by April 1. Printed copies of the Catalog will be distributed to Campus Bookstores by April 30. HCC will maintain an on-line Catalog as well as the printed Catalog. The on-line Catalog will be updated with non-program or course information (faculty, personnel, campuses, services, etc.) as necessary to ensure that the most complete and accurate information is available. Revisions to course and program information to the on-line Catalog will occur once at the end of October during the Fall semesters, and once at the end of March for the Spring semesters. The academic calendar will contain the start and end dates of all academic semesters, the reporting dates, and the dates for student registrations, payments of tuition/fees, drops/adds of classes, including the final day for student withdrawals, refunds of tuition/fees as applicable, days/times reserved for administration of final exams, and deadlines for the posting of final grades by faculty/. On October 1 of the even-numbered year within the cycle (e.g., October 1, 2010), the planning for the next cycle (e.g., September 2011-August 2013) of academic calendars will commence. The College Registrar will create a draft academic calendar based upon Coordinating Board guidelines and share with members of the Chancellor’s Strategic Team for one month’s time of review and comment. The Vice Chancellor for Instruction will receive the comments and prepare the final draft of the academic calendar by November 1 for approval by the Chancellor by November 15.



D. Creation of HCC Course Schedules

HCC will create its course schedules according to the following process:

1. The Communications Office will work with the Registrar’s Office and IT to release the roll-over edition of the prior year’s Summer and Fall course schedules for creation and revision as follows:

a) February 1 – Colleges will begin the creation/revision course process in

PeopleSoft. b) February 1 – Communications will email a PDF version of the text for the

prior year’s schedules for edits/corrections to all of the Vice Chancellors, and College Presidents, Deans, and COOs.

c) All text revisions are due back to Communications by February 15. d) All course additions/revisions are due in PeopleSoft by March 1. e) An on-line version of the Summer and Fall Schedules will be available for

viewing by March 10. f) Communications will deliver printed copies of the Summer and Fall

Schedules on April 1.

2. The Communications Office will work with the Registrar’s Office and IT to release the roll-over edition of the prior year’s Spring course schedules for creation and revision as follows:

a) July 1 – Colleges will begin the creation/revision course process in PeopleSoft.

b) July 1 - Communications will email a PDF version of the text for the prior year’s schedule for edits/corrections to all of the Vice Chancellors, and College Presidents, Deans, and COOs.

c) All text revisions are due back to Communications by July 15. d) All course additions/revisions are due in PeopleSoft by August 1. e) An on-line version of the Spring Schedule will be available for viewing by

August 10. f) Communications will deliver printed copies of the Spring Schedule on

September 1.

curriculum handbook

Education

curriculum handbookcompiled

community college faculty

district curriculum

academic transfer

academic departments

types of academic curricula

principles of academic

broad purposes