Catalog and Curriculum Management

NOTE: The instructions below only apply to permanent courses. Special topic and experimental course sections should be proposed through Special Topic/Experimental Course Management.

Before You Begin

• Consult with your departmental colleagues and department chair for their feedback on the proposal. Reach out to other departments to discuss potential overlap with existing courses.
• Create a syllabus to attach to the proposal. For assistance, see the resources on the Provost’s Syllabus Design website.
• Do you want this course to count toward an existing program? If yes, please keep in mind that this may require a separate program change proposal. You can begin this program change proposal through Program Management as soon as your new course proposal has been submitted.

Governance & Timeline

New permanent course proposals are a Category II governance change, which requires approval by the department chair and the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC), a one-week public comment period, and notification to Faculty Senate. You should expect the process of getting a new course approved to take a few months at minimum. See Governance Categories for more information.

New courses must be approved several months prior to the semester in which they will first be scheduled:

• For the Summer or Fall: Approval by CIC/Grad Curriculum by February
• For the Spring: Approval by CIC/Grad Curriculum by September

Note that the governance bodies (CPC, CIC, Faculty Senate, and General Faculty) do not meet during the summer or other breaks. The sequencing of these meetings can create bottlenecks, particularly during high-volume periods, and this can delay the final approval and implementation for some courses/programs. For this reason, it is advisable to start the approval process as early as possible.

Submitting a New Course Proposal

• Go to the Course Management landing page and click “Propose New Course”.
  • NOTE: Please do not try to edit multiple CourseLeaf forms at once. Your work may not save or submit properly.

• The New Course Proposal form will open in a pop-up window. Complete the required fields, including:
  • Proposed Implementation Semester: The first semester in which the course will be available to be scheduled.
  • Governance Category: Category Type II.
  • Is course Arts and Science or Business?: This field only displays for certain undergraduate subject codes. Check “Arts and Science” ONLY if this course can apply toward the 15 credits of Arts and Sciences Electives that business majors are required to complete. Please do NOT check both boxes, as a course cannot count toward both Arts & Science and Business.
  • Course Type: Permanent (Special Topic and Experimental course sections should be proposed through Special Topics/Experimental Management).
  • Please do not forget to include learning outcomes for the course and to attach a syllabus.

• Context & Perspectives (Undergrad Arts & Sciences courses only)
  • All undergraduate students are required to take one course in each of six Context & Perspectives themes. C&P designations can only be added to arts & sciences courses, and each course can only carry a single C&P designation.
  • If you are interested in applying a Context & Perspectives theme to your course, you must fill out a separate Context & Perspectives Request. Please note that you will not be able to fill out a C&P request until after you have submitted your new course proposal.
  • Once your new course proposal and your Context & Perspectives request have been approved, the Registrar’s Office will administratively add the C&P designation to your course.
• Communication Intensives (Undergrad courses only)
  • All undergraduate students are required to complete at least one course designated as a Communication Intensive (CI). Additionally, certain business-focused majors must complete a second CI course within their major. See Communication Intensive Course Requirements Overview for Faculty for the standards governing CI courses.
  • If you are interested in requesting a CI designation for your course, check the “Communication Intensive” box. Please note that you must include a rationale explaining how your course meets the CI requirements - click the help bubble for guidance on what to include in your rationale:

• When you are finished with your new course proposal, click “Start Workflow.”
  • This will move your proposal along to the first step in the governance process.
  • Please note that you may be asked to attend a CIC/Grad Curriculum meeting when your course comes up for a vote. You should be prepared to explain your plans for this course and to answer any questions.
  • Rollbacks: If an approver decides to roll the proposal back to you for changes, you will receive a notification email from CourseLeaf. The email will include a comment explaining why the proposal was rolled back. You can follow the link in the email to reopen the form, make the requested changes, and resubmit it to the workflow.
  • Note for Department Chairs: Most workflows require approval from the department chair as the first step in the approval process. If you are a department chair, you may need to approve your own proposal at the Approve Pages site before it moves on to the next step.

• If you need to save your work and return later:
  • Scroll to the bottom of the form and click “Save Changes.”

• To resume your proposal:
  • Go to the Course Management landing page and search by the course code, or by a keyword/phrase from the title with an asterisk on both ends (ex: *calculus*). 
  • Then click “Edit Course” to re-open the form:

NOTE: The instructions below only apply to permanent courses. Special topic and experimental course sections should be proposed through Special Topic/Experimental Course Management.

Before You Begin

• Consult with your departmental colleagues and department chair for their feedback on the proposed changes. If needed, reach out to other departments to discuss potential overlap with existing courses.
• Check to see if the existing course form has learning outcomes and an attached syllabus. If not, please plan to add these when you submit the revision.
• If you would like to add this course to an existing program, keep in mind that this may require submitting a separate program change proposal through Program Management.

Governance & Timeline

Course change proposals typically go through governance as Category III or Category IV. Category IV proposals require approval from the department chair and a notification to the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC), while Category III proposals require approval from both the department chair and CIC. See Governance Categories for more information.

Keep in mind that course updates intended for a particular semester must be completed before scheduling for that semester is finalized. Scheduling for the Summer and Fall is typically finalized in March, while scheduling for the Spring is finalized in October.

Note that the governance bodies (CPC, CIC, Faculty Senate, and General Faculty) do not meet during the summer or other breaks. The sequencing of these meetings can create bottlenecks, particularly during high-volume periods, and this can delay the final approval and implementation for some courses/programs. For this reason, it is advisable to start the approval process as early as possible.

Editing an Existing Course Form

• Go to the Course Management landing page and pull up the existing course form. Click “Edit Course.”
  • You can either search for the course code (ex: AC 753) or a keyword/phrase from the title with an asterisk on both ends (ex: *tax factors*).
  • NOTE: Please do not try to edit multiple CourseLeaf forms at once. Your work may not save or submit properly.

• The Course Form will open in a pop-up window. At the top of the form, indicate which field(s) are being changed.
  • This will help ensure that all approved changes are entered into Workday.
  • If you select “Other”, a box will open where you can indicate what other field(s) are being changed:

• Select the Proposed Implementation Semester and Governance Category.
  • Proposed Implementation Semester: The semester in which the course changes will take effect
  • Governance Category: Typically Category III or IV (see Governance Categories for guidance)

• Make the changes to the field(s) that you indicated above.
  • For questions or assistance with editing individual course fields, contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu). 
  • Context & Perspectives (Undergrad Arts & Sciences courses only): If you are interested in adding a C&P theme to your course, you must fill out a separate Context & Perspectives Request. Once the request have been approved, the Registrar’s Office will administratively add the C&P designation to your course.
  • Communication Intensives (Undergrad courses only): If you are interested in requesting a CI designation for your course, check the “Communication Intensive” box. Please note that you must include a rationale explaining how your course meets the CI requirements - click the help bubble for guidance on what to include in your rationale:

• IMPORTANT: Check to make sure that the course form includes a syllabus and learning outcomes; if not, add them to your proposal.
  • If you add a syllabus or learning outcomes, make sure that these changes are reflected in “What are you changing in this proposal?” at the top of the form.

• When you are finished, click “Start Workflow.”
  • This will move your proposal along to the first step in the governance process.
  • Rollbacks: If an approver decides to roll the proposal back to you for changes, you will receive a notification email from CourseLeaf. The email will include a comment explaining why the proposal was rolled back. You can follow the link in the email to reopen the form, make the requested changes, and resubmit it to the workflow.
  • Note for Department Chairs: Most workflows require approval from the department chair as the first step in the approval process. If you are a department chair, you may need to approve your own proposal at the Approve Pages site before it moves on to the next step.

• If you need to save your work and return later:
  • Scroll to the bottom of the form and click “Save Changes.”

• To resume your proposal, go to the Course Management landing page, pull up the course form as before, then click “Edit Course.”

NOTE: The instructions below only apply to permanent courses. C&P themes for special topic and experimental course sections can be requested through the Special Topic/Experimental Request form.

Before You Begin

• Remember that Context & Perspectives themes can only be added to arts & sciences courses. Each course can carry only one C&P designation.
• Have the course syllabus ready to attach as supporting documentation.
• Note that Context & Perspectives requests are reviewed and approved by the C&P Committee and the Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences. The C&P Committee meets less frequently than other curriculum bodies, so submitting your C&P request as early as possible is advisable.
• New Courses: When requesting a C&P designation for a new permanent course, you must first submit the new course proposal through Course Management. You can then complete the Context and Perspectives Request.

Submitting a Context & Perspectives Request

• Go to the Context & Perspectives Request landing page and click “New Context and Perspective.”
  • NOTE: Please do not try to edit multiple CourseLeaf forms at once. Your work may not save or submit properly.

• This will open a pop-up window. Select the relevant course code from the drop-down, then click “New Context and Perspective.”
  • Note that you can only fill out a request for a course without an existing C&P theme. If you select a course code with a theme already attached, you will receive an error message.

• This will open the Context and Perspective Request form. Complete the required fields.
  • Contact the Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences with any questions.

• Note that once you have selected a C&P theme, the form will require you to input a rationale and assessment method for at least two of the theme’s learning outcomes:

• When you are finished, click “Start Workflow.”
  • This will move your proposal along to the first step in the governance process.
  • Rollbacks: If an approver decides to roll the proposal back to you for changes, you will receive a notification email from CourseLeaf. The email will include a comment explaining why the proposal was rolled back. You can follow the link in the email to reopen the form, make the requested changes, and resubmit it to the workflow.
  • Note for Department Chairs: Most workflows require approval from the department chair as the first step in the approval process. If you are a department chair, you may need to approve your own proposal at the Approve Pages site before it moves on to the next step.

Before You Begin

• Special topic and experimental courses are created as individual sections of a permanent shell course code – for example, EC 299 Experimental Course in Economics or GLS 444 Bentley Global Experience. If you are unsure about which shell course code to use, consult with your department chair.
• Create a syllabus to attach to the proposal. For assistance, see the instructions and resources on the Provost’s Syllabus Design website.
• Course Repeats: You must submit a new Special Topic/Experimental Request each time a course is repeated, even if the content will be exactly the same. Do not revise the old form and resubmit it. This will ensure an accurate record of how many times a topic has been proposed.
• Repeat Limit: A special topic/experimental course can only be offered twice. To offer it a third time, you must submit your topic as a new permanent course through Course Management. Note that this limit does not apply to study abroad/Bentley Global Experience courses.

Governance & Timeline

Special topic and experimental course proposals go through governance as Category IV, which requires approval from the department chair and notification to the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC). Study abroad courses are Category III, which requires approval from both the department chair and CIC. See Governance Categories for more information.

New topics must be approved several months prior to the semester in which they will be offered:

• For the Summer or Fall: Approval by CIC/Grad Curriculum by February
• For the Spring: Approval by CIC/Grad Curriculum by September

Note that the governance bodies (CPC, CIC, Faculty Senate, and General Faculty) do not meet during the summer or other breaks. The sequencing of these meetings can create bottlenecks, particularly during high-volume periods, and this can delay the final approval and implementation of some courses/programs. For this reason, it is advisable to start the approval process as early as possible.

Submitting a Special Topic/Experimental Request

• Go to the Special Topic/Experimental Request landing page and click “New Sp. Topic/Experimental.”
  • NOTE: Please do not try to edit multiple CourseLeaf forms at once. Your work may not save or submit properly.

• This will open a pop-up window. Select the relevant course code from the drop-down, then click “New Sp. Topic/Experimental”:

• This will open the Special Topic/Experimental Request form. Complete the required fields.
  • For questions or assistance with editing individual course fields, contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu). 
  • Is this course Arts and Science or Business?: This field only displays for certain undergraduate subject codes. Check “Arts and Science” ONLY if this course can apply toward the 15 credits of Arts and Sciences Electives that business majors are required to complete. Please do NOT check both boxes, as a course cannot count toward both Arts & Science and Business.

• Context and Perspectives: Undergraduate Arts & Sciences courses will give you the option of requesting a Context & Perspectives theme. If yes, you will need to input a rationale and assessment method for at least two of the C&P theme’s learning outcomes. 
  • Please note that you will not need to submit a separate C&P Request form.

• When you are finished, click “Start Workflow.”
  • This will move your proposal along to the first step in the governance process.
  • Rollbacks: If an approver decides to roll the proposal back to you for changes, you will receive a notification email from CourseLeaf. The email will include a comment explaining why the proposal was rolled back. You can follow the link in the email to reopen the form, make the requested changes, and resubmit it to the workflow.
  • Note for Department Chairs: Most workflows require approval from the department chair as the first step in the approval process. If you are a department chair, you may need to approve your own proposal at the Approve Pages site before it moves on to the next step.

If a course is no longer in use and/or has not been offered in the past five years, it should be deactivated. Deactivated courses can later be reactivated, if necessary.

Course deactivations that do not affect other departments are considered a Category IV change, while deactivations that do affect other departments are Category II (see Governance Categories below).

To deactivate a permanent course, go to the Course Management Landing Page and search by the course code, the full course title, or a keyword with an asterisk (*) on both ends. When you have selected it, click the red Deactivate button on the left:

This will open a pop-up window where you can select the end term and add a comment. When you are finished, click Start Workflow:

Before You Begin

• Consult with your departmental colleagues, department chair, and the dean(s) for their feedback on the proposal. Reach out to other departments to discuss potential overlap with existing programs. It may also be helpful to solicit feedback from Admissions and Career Services.
• If needed, create syllabi or other documentation to attach to the proposal.
• If you are proposing an undergraduate business major, make sure that you have designated one course as a Communication Intensive.
• Plan to attend a Curriculum Planning Committee (CPC) meeting to discuss your proposal.

Governance & Timeline

New majors and degree programs require Category IA governance, while new minors and concentrations require Category IB. These are the highest levels of governance, and so you should expect the process of getting a new program proposal approved to take several months at minimum (in some cases, closer to a year). See Governance Categories for more information.

Note that the governance bodies (CPC, CIC, Faculty Senate, and General Faculty) do not meet during the summer or other breaks. The sequencing of these meetings can create bottlenecks, particularly during high-volume periods, and this can delay the final approval and implementation for some courses/programs. For this reason, it is advisable to start the approval process as early as possible.

Submitting a New Program Proposal

• First, go to the Program Management landing page and click “Propose New Program”.
  • NOTE: Please do not try to edit multiple CourseLeaf forms at once. Your work may not save or submit properly.

• The New Program Proposal form will open in a pop-up window. Complete the required fields.
  • Governance Category: Select Category IA for new majors or degree programs and Category IB for new minors or concentrations.
  • Do not forget to include learning outcomes for the program.
  • For questions or assistance with editing individual program fields, contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu). 

• Under “Program Requirements,” fill in the courses and credits required for students to complete the program. To begin, click the “Insert/Edit Formatted Table” icon:

• Select “Course List” from the drop-down:

• This opens the Course List editing controls as a pop-up. As you add courses, they will display in the box in the top right corner. See below for guidance on specific tasks:
  • Adding, Removing, and Reordering Courses
  • Adding a Line of Text
  • Adding Electives
  • Adding the Total Credits
  • Course Alternates, Comments, and Footnotes

• When you are finished, click “Start Workflow.”
  • This will move your proposal along to the first step in the governance process.
  • An advisory meeting with CPC is required for all new program proposals. In addition, you may be asked to attend the CIC/Grad Curriculum, Faculty Senate, and/or General Faculty meetings when your proposal comes up for a vote. You should be prepared to explain your plans for this program and to answer any questions.
  • Rollbacks: If an approver decides to roll the proposal back to you for changes, you will receive a notification email from CourseLeaf. The email will include a comment explaining why the proposal was rolled back. You can follow the link in the email to reopen the form, make the requested changes, and resubmit it to the workflow.
  • Note for Department Chairs: Most workflows require approval from the department chair as the first step in the approval process. If you are a department chair, you may need to approve your own proposal at the Approve Pages site before it moves on to the next step.

• If you need to save your work and return later:
  • Scroll to the bottom of the form and click “Save Changes.”

• To resume your proposal:
  • Go to the Program Management landing page and search by the program code (ex: BSAC) or by a keyword/phrase from the title with an asterisk on both ends (ex: *accounting*). Then click “Edit Program” to re-open the form:

NOTE: If you are proposing a new concentration for an existing program, please submit it on a NEW Program Form. Contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu) if you need assistance.

Before You Begin

• Consult with your departmental colleagues, the department chair, and the dean(s) for their feedback on the proposed changes. Reach out to other departments to discuss potential overlap with existing programs.
• If needed, create syllabi or other documentation to attach to the proposal.
• Check to see if the existing program form includes learning outcomes. If not, please plan to add these when you submit the revision.

Governance & Timeline

Existing program revisions can fall within any category of governance, depending on the program type and whether or not the change is considered substantial. See Governance Categories for more information.

Note that the governance bodies (CPC, CIC, Faculty Senate, and General Faculty) do not meet during the summer or other breaks. The sequencing of these meetings can create bottlenecks, particularly during high-volume periods, and this can delay the final approval and implementation for some courses/programs. For this reason, it is advisable to start the approval process as early as possible.

Revising an Existing Program Form

• Go to the Program Management landing page and search for the existing program form, then click “Edit Program”.
  • You can either search for the program code (ex: ASAC) or a keyword/phrase from the title with an asterisk on both ends (ex: *advanced standing*).
  • NOTE: Please do not try to edit multiple CourseLeaf forms at once. Your work may not save or submit properly.

• The Program Form will open in a pop-up window. At the top of the form, indicate which field(s) are being changed.
  • This will help ensure that all approved changes are entered into Workday.
  • If you select “Other”, a box will open where you can indicate what other field(s) are being changed:

• Select the Governance Category and Proposed Year of Implementation.
  • The governance category depends on the program type and changes being made. See Governance Categories for guidance.

• Make the changes to the field(s) you have indicated.
  • For questions or assistance with editing individual program fields, contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu). 
• If you need to make changes to the "Program Requirements" section, double-click within the blue Course List box:

• This opens the Course List editing controls as a pop-up. As you add courses, they will display in the box in the top right corner. See below for guidance on specific tasks:
  • Adding, Removing, and Reordering Courses
  • Adding a Line of Text
  • Adding Electives
  • Adding the Total Credits
  • Course Alternates, Comments, and Footnotes

• IMPORTANT: Check to make sure that the program form includes learning outcomes. If not, add them to your proposal.
  • If you add learning outcomes, make sure that these changes are reflected in “What are you changing in this proposal?” at the top of the form.

• When you are finished, click “Start Workflow.”
  • This will move your proposal along to the first step in the governance process.
  • Please note that you may be asked to attend a CIC/Grad Curriculum/Faculty Senate meeting when your proposal comes up for a vote. You should be prepared to explain your plans for this program and to answer any questions.
  • Rollbacks: If an approver decides to roll the proposal back to you for changes, you will receive a notification email from CourseLeaf. The email will include a comment explaining why the proposal was rolled back. You can follow the link in the email to reopen the form, make the requested changes, and resubmit it to the workflow.
  • Note for Department Chairs: Most workflows require approval from the department chair as the first step in the approval process. If you are a department chair, you may need to approve your own proposal at the Approve Pages site before it moves on to the next step.

• If you need to save your work and return later:
  • Scroll to the bottom of the form and click “Save Changes.”

• To resume your proposal, go to the Program Management landing page, pull up the program form as before, then click “Edit Program.”

Before You Begin

If you have not already done so, open the Course List editing tools. As you add or change courses, they will display in the box in the top right corner:

Adding Courses

• Method #1: Use the dropdowns on the left-hand side to search for courses by Department. Click on the course you want, then use the “>>” button to move it into the Course List box.

• Method #2: Type the course code into the Quick Add box and clicking “Add Course.”
  • Please note that the Quick Add feature is case sensitive. Also, be sure to leave a space between the subject code and the course number!

• NOTE: If you accidentally type a course that does not exist or use the incorrect format, it will appear in the Course List box with the error message “Course Not Found.”

Removing Courses

• To remove a course, select it and click the “<<” button to move it out of the Course List box:

Reordering Courses

• To change the course order, select an individual course and click “Move Up” or “Move Down.”
  • NOTE: Required courses should be listed first, then electives. Within each section, courses should be arranged alphabetically by course code (AC, CS, MA, etc.) and then by increasing course number.

When you are finished editing the Course List, click OK. This is how courses appear in a Course List table:

Before You Begin

If you have not already done so, open the Course List editing tools. As you add or change courses, they will display in the box in the top right corner:

Instructions

• Click “Add Comment Entry” at the bottom left:

• Enter the text, then click “OK”:

• If needed, add the number of credits to the “Hours” box.
  • For example, if the text instructs students to select two standard 3-credit courses, enter the number “6”. If the student can decide how many courses to select, you will give a credit range – for example, if the student can select one or two courses, enter “3-6”.

• To make changes to an existing line of text, select it from the Course List box and make edits in the "Comment" field:

This is how a line of text with credits will appear in a Course List table:

Overview

Creating an elective list involves three steps

1. Adding a line of text with credits that explains how many courses to select
2. Adding the elective courses
3. Nesting the electives underneath the line of text

Before You Begin

If you have not already done so, open the Course List editing tools. As you add or change courses, they will display in the box in the top right corner:

Instructions

• To create a new elective list, first add the line of text and relevant credits (see instructions above):

• To edit an existing elective list, select the text in the Course List box and make changes in the "Comment" field:

• Next, add or edit the list of elective courses underneath the instruction text (see instructions above).
  • Remember that courses should be arranged alphabetically by course code (AC, CS, MA, etc.), then by increasing course number. To reorder a course, select it from the course list box and click "Move Up" or "Move Down":

• Note that you can use "Add Comment Entry" to add study options other than individual courses:

• Finally, select each elective and check the “Indent” box. This will nest them underneath the text instructions.

This is how a finished elective list will appear in a Course List table:

Before You Begin

If you have not already done so, open the Course List editing tools. As you add or change courses, they will display in the box in the top right corner:

Instructions

• First, add a line of text by clicking “Add Comment Entry” at the bottom left:

• Write “Total Credits” (with no punctuation) in the text box, then click “OK”:

• Select the "Total Credits" line in the Course List box, then add the appropriate credit total to the “Hours” field:

• Check the “Area Header” box:

• This is how the Total Credits should appear at the bottom of a Course List:

Adding a Course Alternate

• Select the relevant course in the Course List box and type the alternate course into the “Or Class” field below.
  • Please note that the Or Class field is case sensitive and requires a space between the subject code and the course number. For example: "AC 332" will work; "ac 332" or "AC332" will not.

This is how the course alternate will appear in a Course List table:

Adding a Course Comment

• Select the relevant course in the Course List box and add the comment to the "Comment" field. 
  • Do not add parentheses - these will be added automatically.

This is how the course comment will appear in the Course List table:

Adding a Footnote

Adding a footnote to a program form requires making changes in two areas:

1. Adding the footnote number to the relevant course
2. Adding the footnote text to the bottom of the program

Adding the Footnote Number

• First, select the relevant course (or line of text) in the Course List box and add the footnote number to the “Footnote” field. Click OK to close the Course List controls.

Adding the Footnote Text

• Next, click below the Course List table to deselect it. Select the “Insert/Edit Formatted Table” icon to insert a new table:

• Select “Footnotes” from the dropdown and click OK:

• Add the footnote number to the “Symbol” box and the text to “Footnote Content”. When you are finished, click OK.
  • To add or remove additional footnotes, click “New Footnote” or “Delete Footnote”. 
  • NOTE: If the program requirements include multiple footnotes, please double-check to ensure that each footnote's text and number is attached to the correct course!

This is how the finished footnote will appear in the Course List table:

New course and program proposals, as well as substantial revisions marked as Category IA, IB, or II, go through a Public Comment period before they are voted on by the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC) or Graduate Curriculum Committee. This provides an opportunity for all faculty to review these proposals, provide feedback, and/or flag potential issues.

When a proposal begins its Public Comment period, the CIC/Grad Curriculum Chairs will notify faculty via email. Any comments that are submitted will be collected and reviewed during the next governance meeting.

Submitting a Public Comment

• Faculty receive a notification email when a course or program proposal reaches Public Comment. You can access the proposal via the link in the email:

• Alternately, you can view all proposals that are at the Public Comment stage by going to CourseLeaf's Approve Pages site. Select “Public Comment” from the dropdown menu in the top left, then click on a proposal:

• Review the proposal. Consider whether you have any questions for the submitter or concerns that are not addressed in the proposal.
  • Note that the top of the form indicates whether it is a New Course/Program or a Course/Program Change. If it is a change, check the “What are you changing?” section to see which fields have been edited:

• If you wish to leave a comment, click “Add Comment” on the right side of the form:

• Type your comment into the text box, then click “Save”:

• You’re done – thank you for your feedback!

NOTE: If you have difficulty accessing the course/program proposal or using the comment feature, email your comment to the CIC/Grad Curriculum Chairs and they will input it on your behalf.

The Bentley Academic Catalog is published every summer before the start of a new academic year. Each catalog page is "owned" by one or more faculty or staff members, who are responsible for reviewing the page content annually and making any necessary updates.

The catalog page review process begins in late January, when page owners are emailed the direct link(s) to their pages in CourseLeaf NEXT, and ends in late May, when all catalog edits are due.

Page Ownership

In order to edit a catalog page, you must be set up as an owner/co-owner of that page in CourseLeaf.

To request that someone be added as a catalog page co-owner, or to remove yourself as a page owner, please contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu).

Instructions for Page Owners

• At the start of the review process, you will receive an email containing the links to any catalog pages you will need to review. 
  • These links will open the pages in CourseLeaf NEXT, where they can be edited.
• Select the first page you would like to review and click the URL to open it in your browser:

• Click “Edit Page” in the top left corner to put the page in editing mode:

• Review the page content.
  • Note that some pages include an academic program and/or borrowed content. See below for more information about updating these.
  • Keep in mind that the catalog content should be appropriate for the upcoming academic year, not the current one. In particular, please pay attention to:
    • Years or dates that may need to be updated
    • Terminology that has or will be changed (ex: “Accountancy” to “Accounting”)
    • Fixing dead or outdated links
    • If the page contains any toggles (+), be sure to click these to expand each section:

• If you need to make edits, click “Edit Page Body” in the top right corner of the first paragraph:

• This will open the Page Body editing tools. In addition to changing the text, you can use the toolbar at the top of the page to make changes to the formatting, add links or bullet points, etc. When you are finished editing, click “OK”.

• When you have completed your review and made any necessary edits, put your catalog page into workflow.
  • To do this, click the green “Start Workflow” button at the bottom left:

NOTE: Please remember to click "Start Workflow" for all of your catalog pages, even if you do not make any changes. This will move them along to the next step in the catalog publication process.

Academic Programs

• Academic programs are created in a CIM Program Form and then imported into CAT. To check if a program is pulling from a program form, put the catalog page in editing mode. The program will appear in a gray box with the words "Edit Program Requirements" in the top right corner.
• Changes to an academic programs must be made separately through its program form. To edit the program, click “Edit Program Requirements":

• This will take you to the program form in a new tab. Click "Edit Program" to begin a program change proposal:

• For instructions about making program edits, see Edit Program above.

Borrowed Content

• Borrowed Content is used when two catalog pages (usually one from the Undergrad and one from the Grad Catalog) have the exact same text. The content lives in one page, then is “borrowed” by the other so that it does not need to be entered twice.
• To edit a page that uses borrowed content, first open the original page and make the necessary changes to the text. Click “OK” when you are finished:

• Next, go to the borrowed page and click "Edit Page Body." This will refresh the page and allow the edits to import over to the original; you will see the text enclosed in a blue box labeled “Borrowed Content”. To save the changes, simply click “OK”:

• If you would prefer to remove the borrowed text, highlight it by clicking inside the Borrowed Content box, then delete it. You can then add new text to the page body.

Troubleshooting: Why Can't I Edit My Catalog Page?

To open a catalog page in editing mode, click on the brown "Edit Page" button on the top left of the page:

If you do not see this button:

• Check to make sure you opened the page in CourseLeaf NEXT. You can tell by looking at the URL: pages in NEXT have a URL that starts with "nextcatalog.bentley.edu", whereas pages in the LIVE catalog (which page owners cannot edit) start with "catalog.bentley.edu". The easiest way to find the correct link is through the email sent to page owners about completing the annual catalog page review. If you are having trouble locating this email, reach out to Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu) for assistance.

If you see this button, but get an error message saying that you cannot edit this page:

• Check to make sure you are actually listed as a page owner. For example, if a colleague has asked you to assist with the page review process but you have not been administratively added as a co-owner, you will not be able to edit the page. Contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu) for assistance.

Overview of Curriculum Management

Changes or additions to Bentley's curriculum are proposed through individual CIM forms and subject to a governance process before they can be implemented. The curriculum governance committees (CIC, Grad Curriculum, Faculty Senate, etc.) meet from early September to late April to review and approve course and program proposals.

When a faculty member submits a curriculum proposal to governance, the first step is typically approval by the department chair. This ensures that the chairs are aware of any changes to their department's offerings and have the opportunity to flag any issues before the proposal moves further along. As much as possible, however, department chairs should work with faculty members before the proposal is submitted to make sure the information is complete and any impacts or potential issues have been addressed. Department chairs should also be aware of the deadlines to submit course and program changes so they can encourage faculty to submit their proposals early.

In addition to reviewing and approving curriculum proposals, department chairs will occasionally receive questions from CIC/Grad Curriculum and the Registrar's Office about their department's course and program offerings. Some examples of areas where a department chair may be asked to weigh in include: clarifying course pre-requisites; cleaning up major/minor exclusions; deactivating old courses; etc.

Helpful Tips

Some suggestions from CIC for effective curriculum management:

• Carefully review CIC's deadlines and submit proposals as early as possible. This allows sufficient time for public comment, CIC review, and potential revisions before the intended course or program launch.
• Select the appropriate governance category in CourseLeaf. If there is any uncertainty, reach out to the CIC co-chairs before submitting.
• Before submitting, consult with other department chairs or faculty who offer similar courses to address any potential overlap. However, please note that this consultation cannot replace a required public comment period!
• Make sure that change proposals include learning objectives, assessment information, and a syllabus (if needed). Incomplete proposals will be rolled back and will not be placed on the CIC agenda until all required materials are included.
• When a new course is proposed, consider whether it could be added as an elective to an existing program. If yes, this will require a separate program change proposal to be submitted.
• For courses seeking a Communication Intensive designation, make sure that both the proposal and the syllabus clearly explain how the course meets the CI requirements.
• For experimental and special topic courses, make sure that the correct CIM form and shell course code are used. Remember that a new proposal form must be submitted every time an experimental or special topic course is offered, even if the topic has been offered previously.

Overview of Catalog Review

The Bentley Academic Catalog is published every summer before the start of a new academic year. Each catalog page is "owned" by one or more faculty or staff members, who are responsible for reviewing the page content annually and making any necessary updates. The catalog page review process begins in late January, when page owners are emailed the direct link(s) to their pages in CourseLeaf NEXT, and ends in late May, when final catalog page edits are due.

Department chairs are responsible for reviewing the catalog pages containing (a) their department's programs and (b) their department's permanent course offerings. As part of the review process, department chairs should submit any updates to their programs and course offerings in time for the final CIC/Grad Curriculum meetings of the year (mid-April).

Catalog & Curriculum Timeline

When a faculty member submits a curriculum proposal to governance, the first step is typically approval by the department chair. This ensures that the chairs are aware of any changes to their department's offerings and have the opportunity to flag any issues before the proposal moves further along. (Please note: If you submit a curriculum proposal yourself, you will still be required to approve it in your role as the department chair!)

When a curriculum proposal requires your review and approval, you will be notified by an email from CourseLeaf (the sender will be "General Catalog Update") with a subject line beginning, "[Course/Program Changes] PLEASE REVIEW." You can also visit CourseLeaf's Approve Pages site at any time to view all of the proposals awaiting your review.

Instructions for Department Chairs

• Method #1: To open a proposal from an email notification, open the email from CourseLeaf and click on the approval link provided:

• This will open CourseLeaf's Approve Pages site. The "Pages" dropdown on the top left should auto-populate with the relevant approval role (AC Chair, HI Chair, etc.). Select a proposal from the list underneath:

• Method #2: If you want to view all of the proposals awaiting your review, you can go directly to CourseLeaf’s Approve Pages site. Use the "Pages" dropdown on the top left to find your approval role (AC Chair, HI Chair, etc.) and select a proposal from the list underneath:

• All Proposals: Review the course, program, or C&P request proposal under "Page Review."
  • The top of the form indicates the proposal type (New Course/Program, Course/Program Change, etc.). 
  • The workflow approval path will be listed on the right.

• For course/program change proposals, look at the “What are you changing?” field to see which fields are being revised:

• Any changes will be indicated in red/green markup:

• ROLLBACKS: Occasionally a proposal will be rolled back for further edits. If you are re-reviewing a proposal that was rolled back, scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the rollback comment and make sure that the appropriate changes have been made:

• When you are finished reviewing the proposal, use the controls at the top to approve, edit, or roll it back.
  • The green “Approve” button will move the proposal along to the next step in the workflow process.
  • The red “Rollback” button will send the proposal back to the submitter. Please note that you will be required to leave a comment explaining why the proposal was rolled back; this comment will appear at the bottom of the proposal and in the notification email that will be sent to the submitter.
  • The blue “Edit” button will allow you to make the changes to the proposal yourself. After making changes, do not forget to either approve or roll back the proposal.

• You’re done – thank you!

NOTE: Please remember to click "Start Workflow" for all of your catalog pages, even if you do not make any changes. This will move your pages along to the next step in the catalog publication process.

The Bentley Academic Catalog is published every summer before the start of a new academic year. Each catalog page is "owned" by one or more faculty or staff members, who are responsible for reviewing the page content annually and making any necessary updates. The catalog page review process begins in late January, when page owners are emailed the direct link(s) to their pages in CourseLeaf NEXT, and ends in late May when all catalog edits are due.

Department chairs are responsible for reviewing the catalog pages containing their department's programs and course offerings. Catalog page content is updated in two ways, depending on the type:

1. Program requirements/course information: These are set up in CIM and imported onto the catalog page. Any changes should be made through the individual CIM program and course forms prior to the last faculty governance meetings in mid-April.
2. Page body text: Any text or other content that is not imported from a CIM form (the program's description, etc.) can be edited directly on the page. All catalog pages should be reviewed and submitted to workflow by late May.

Page Ownership

In order to edit a catalog page, you must be set up as the owner (or co-owner) of that page in CourseLeaf.

To request that someone be added as a catalog page co-owner, or to remove yourself as a page owner, please contact Geneva Wright (gwright@bentley.edu).

Instructions for Department Chairs

• At the start of the review process, you will receive an email containing the links to any catalog pages you will need to review. These may include both (a) your department's academic programs and (b) the catalog pages listing your department's course offerings. The pages will open the pages in CourseLeaf NEXT, where they can be edited.
• Select the first page you would like to review and click the URL to open it in your browser:

Academic Program Pages

• Click “Edit Page” in the top left corner to put the page in editing mode:

• Once the catalog page is in editing mode, you will be able to see the difference between different types of content.
  • Page body content has a white background and the words "Edit Page Body" in the corner.
  • Shared/Other content has a gray background and a "Last Edited" date in the corner. This information is shared to multiple catalog pages, so you can disregard it during your review.
  • CIM program requirements have a gray background and the words "Edit Program Requirements" in the corner.

• Review all of the page's content, making sure that it is relevant for the upcoming academic year (rather than the current one). In particular, please pay attention to:
  • Years or dates that may need to be updated
  • Terminology that has or will be changed (ex: “Accountancy” to “Accounting”)
  • Fixing dead or outdated links
  • If the page contains any toggles (+), be sure to click these to expand each section:

• To edit the page body content, click “Edit Page Body” in the top right corner of the first paragraph:

• This will open the Page Body editing tools. You can use the toolbar at the top of the page to make changes to the formatting, add links or bullet points, etc. When you are finished editing, click “OK”.

• To edit the CIM program requirements, click “Edit Program Requirements":

• This will take you to the CIM program form in a new tab, where you can start a change proposal by clicking "Edit Program." For more instructions, see Edit Program above.

• When you have completed your review and made any necessary edits, put your catalog page into workflow by clicking the green “Start Workflow” button at the bottom left:

• You’re done – thank you!

Course Offerings

• Click “Edit Page” in the top left corner to put the page in editing mode:

• The course information is imported from each course's individual CIM form. To ensure that you are viewing the most updated version, click "Edit Program Body" to refresh the import:

• Then click "OK" to save the updated information:

• To make changes to any individual course, go to Course Management (CIM) and search for the course code, then click "Edit Course" to start a change proposal. See Edit Course above for more instructions.

• When you have completed your review and all courses have been updated, put your catalog page into workflow by clicking the green “Start Workflow” button at the bottom left:

• You’re done – thank you!