| |AUGUST 202519INSIDERUpdating a college's academic catalog course offerings can be a perfect example of `shared governance,' but it's hard to share if there is no system in place to track and monitor changes and feedbackasked to save the document as a PDF, allowing comments to be enabled. This makes it easier for the voting and approval team to see and understand the verbiage changes. Next, the newly created or edited document is ready to upload to the computer application, and the creator uses the `Browse' button that is visible to select the proper PDF. Once again, the green `Submit' button is pressed to end the task. While the creation and uploading part of the tracking system is unique, the process for tracking and approving is equally as important. This is where the ideas of shared governance and team input come into play. After an entry is submitted, our Advising office receives an email that a new catalog request has been added to the application and is in need of review. The advisor, who also has access to the application, can then login and review the changes. If they have no issue, they write that in the text box and press `No Concern.' At that point, the text box turns green. If an objection is noted and explained in written form, `Have Concern' is selected. This causes the text box to turn red. If there is an objection at any time in the approval process, it is noted, and the box turns red. That indicates that the change may be problematic and needs further discussion. After advising review, that program director or designee's area coordinator is alerted that a catalog change for their area has been created and is in need of review. In a similar manner, if there is no objection, `Approved' is selected, and that box is now green. Next, it will be reviewed by the respective faculty committee (either undergraduate, graduate or PhD). If the faculty committee approves the change, it is then sent to the proper Dean (Graduate or Undergraduate). It is here that the request is reviewed for consistency with other classes or degrees, as well as any inconsistent verbiage is worked out before it is approved as a school catalog change that goes to the university for approval. Lastly, after the Dean's approval, JSOM academic operations take the class or catalog change and manually enter it into the university catalog. These changes are used as drafts when the edits go to the various UTD committees for approval. The layers of approval that exist in JSOM as it relates to catalog changes may not be completely unique, but the computerized application that tracks these changes and allows for critique and shared governance is indeed something, not all schools use or even consider. Using technology to create and track catalog changes ensures JSOM students are getting the courses and content they need for academic success. But just as important is the knowledge that all of these curriculum changes were implemented via technological agreement amongst all required JSOM stakeholders.
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