Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024
(1)
Purpose. The purpose of evaluating changes to instructional role
and academic units is to ensure that institutions expand their academic
offerings in line with their institutional missions and maintain academic rigor
without generating unnecessary duplication of offerings.
(2)
Commission Responsibility.
The Commission is responsible for evaluating requests from public institutions
regarding changes in their classification or role and scope, including
expansion of instructional offerings to higher or lower degree levels. In cases
where the expansion of offerings would exceed the role recognized for the
institution in the Code of Ala. 1975, approval must be sought from the
Legislature prior to Commission review.
(3)
Scope. The following policy
applies to all public postsecondary institutions.
(4)
Definitions related to
Instructional Role.
(a) Instructional
Role: Instructional role is defined as the degree levels for which an
institution is approved to award degrees and does not automatically include
approval to offer degrees at a lower degree level. The Commission recognizes
the following instructional roles, organized from lowest to highest:
1. Associate degree granting
2. Baccalaureate degree granting
3. Master's degree granting
4. Education Specialist degree
granting
5. Practice-focused
doctorate degree granting, where "practice-focused doctorate" is defined as a
doctoral course of study whose primary emphasis is on the application of
research. This includes those degrees categorized by IPEDS as Level 18
(Professional Doctorates), as well as the Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctor of
Business Administration (DBA), and other similar offerings.
6. Research-focused doctorate degree
granting, where "research-focused doctorate" is defined as a doctoral course of
study that incorporates substantial research preparation, including the
production of original research. This includes the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
and similar degrees.
(b)
Role Expansion: Role expansion is defined as the ability to develop and
implement academic programs at a higher or lower degree level than previously
awarded. Once a role expansion is approved, the institution may bring forward
new program proposals at the expanded level without needing to demonstrate
strategic benefit for each, as described in §
300-2-1-.03.
(5)
Eligibility for Expansion to a
Higher Degree Level up to Practice-Focused Doctorate Granting.
(a) To be considered for any expansion of
instructional role to a higher level, the request must be aligned with
applicable state statute recognizing the institution. If the Code of Ala. 1975
defines an institution's role more narrowly, the institution must secure
approval from the Legislature for the expansion of instructional
role.
(b) The institution shall
attain three successful single discipline program implementations at the higher
degree level before it may request an expansion of institutional instructional
role to a higher degree level.
(6)
Instructional Role to Include
Research-Focused Doctorates.
(a) The
following institutions are recognized by the Commission as having an
instructional role that includes research-focused doctoral degrees:
1. Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical
University
2. Alabama State
University
3. Auburn
University
4. University of
Alabama
5. University of Alabama at
Birmingham
6. University of Alabama
in Huntsville
7. University of
South Alabama
(b) If an
institution other than those named above seeks to expand its instructional role
to include research-focused doctorates, the following criteria must be met:
1. The institution must demonstrate that it
has legislative approval to expand its instructional role.
2. The institution must successfully
implement three research-focused doctoral degree programs before it may request
an expansion of institutional instructional role to include research-focused
doctorates. Successful implementation is defined as two years of acceptable
post-implementation information including enrollment data, assessment results
of the program learning objectives, as well as survey results of faculty and
student feedback regarding each program's efficacy, and documentation of
ongoing steps that have been implemented to facilitate graduates' employment.
The Commission realizes that some data measures may have limited availability
or determination within a two-year time frame.
3. An institution shall not seek a fourth
(4th) research-focused doctoral program implementation before an expansion of
institutional instructional role has been approved by the Commission.
(c) Institutions approved to grant
research-focused doctorates will receive differential consideration in the
development of the Commission's consolidated budget recommendation.
(7)
Evaluation of
Instructional Role Expansion.
(a) To be
considered for any expansion of instructional role to a higher level, the
request must be aligned with applicable state statute recognizing the
institution.
(b) The Commission
will use all of the following criteria to evaluate and approve or disapprove
requests for expansion of institutional role to a higher instructional level:
1. Successful implementation of three
academic programs at the target degree level
2. The institution's mission
3. Institutional readiness (defined as
faculty credentials, financial resources, and institutional
commitment)
4. Rationale for the
expansion to a higher instructional level
5. Relationship of the requested role
expansion to the state's strategic needs
6. No substantive needless role duplication
with other Alabama Public Universities (also refer to Code of Ala. 1975, §
16-5-8 [b])
7. Justification of having no
anticipated/projected adverse influence on enrollments at public institution(s)
already having that role, particularly those within 50 miles of the proposing
institution or within that service area
8. Priority consideration being accorded to
institution(s) with role seniority in that service area (also refer to Code of
Ala. 1975, §
16-5-10)
9. Accreditation considerations
10. Peer and other feedback
(8)
Implementation of Collaborative Programs at a Higher Degree Level.
The Commission strongly encourages collaborative programs between/among Alabama
public institutions where feasible and when in the best strategic interests of
the State. To foster collaboration and cooperation to meet significant
identified needs, the Commission may approve institutions without an
independent doctoral or master's role to participate in joint, shared, and
cooperative doctoral or master's programs if the partner institution meets all
requirements and has the commitment at that higher level. Participation in such
joint and shared programs will not give such institutions an independent
doctoral or master's role.
(9)
Definitions Related to Academic Units.
(a) Academic Unit: Organizational structure
that includes individuals with faculty appointments or has a reporting
relationship to the institution's chief academic officer, usually the Provost.
Academic units can be instructional or non-instructional:
1. Unit of Instruction: An organizational
structure which offers instructional courses or other activities for academic
credit. There are two types:
(i) Major
Instructional Unit: Division, college, or school that comprises several minor
units of instruction.
(ii) Minor
Instructional Unit: Department or other unit offering degree programs,
cross-disciplinary or multi-disciplinary consortium offering coursework but no
degree programs.
2.
Non-Instructional Academic Unit: An academic unit that does not offer
credit-bearing coursework or degree programs, including the following:
(i) Unit of Research: An organizational
structure for those activities intended to produce one or more research
outcomes, including the creation of new knowledge, the organization of
knowledge, and the application of knowledge. These may include such entities as
research divisions, bureaus, institutes, centers, and experiment
stations.
(ii) Unit of Public
Service: An organizational structure established to make available to the
public the various unique resources and capabilities of an institution for the
specific purpose of responding to local, regional, or statewide needs or
problems.
(iii) Unit of
Administration: An academic unit whose function is primarily administrative in
nature, such as the Office of the Provost or Academic Success Center.
(b) Non-Academic Unit:
An organizational structure that does not meet the definition of academic unit,
including, but not limited to, student services, facilities/operations,
financial affairs, information technology, advancement, and auxiliaries.
Administrative changes to non-academic units do not have to be reported to the
Commission.
(10)
Changes to Academic Units.
(a)
Changes to Major Units of Instruction: If the administrative change creates a
more prominent unit of instruction, such as a division or school, Commission
approval as a new unit is may be required. Specifically, changes to major
instructional units that entail additional expenditures will need Commission
approval prior to implementation. ACHE staff will determine whether the
proposed change needs approval.
(b)
Changes to Minor Units of Instruction: Administrative changes at the department
level, such as establishing a new department, combining two or more departments
into a single department, or dividing a department into two or more
departments, will require prior notification only, unless the change will
entail additional expenditures.
(c)
Changes to Non-Instructional Academic Units: Addition, elimination, or
modification of non-instructional academic units will require prior
notification only.
(d) Relationship
to Instructional Role: Changes to academic units must be consistent with an
institution' s instructional role as recognized by the Commission.
Author: Robin McGill
Statutory Authority:
Code of Ala.
1975, §
16-5-8, §
16-5-10.
