University Policy 4150
Download a Printable Version of Policy 4150
Effective Date
July 1978
Last Revision Date
January 25, 2021
Responsible Party
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, (208) 426-1202
Office of the Registrar, (208) 426-4249
Scope and Audience
This policy applies to all individuals who work on changes to the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
1. Policy Purpose
To ensure timely and properly authorized changes for the annual revision of the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.
2. Policy Statement
Boise State University is committed to providing current, articulate, and accurate University information in its catalog for current and prospective students, faculty and administrative officers, and other education or allied agencies.
3. Definitions
3.1 Administrative Policy Changes
Changes that affect students in matters other than academic and curricular.
3.2 Curricular and Academic Policy Changes
Changes to student programs, courses, and/or policies that affect the academic offerings.
3.3 Editorial Changes
Changes that do not change policy but are designed to improve the usability of the catalog, clarify language, and improve the technical aspects of catalog production.
4. Responsibilities and Procedures
4.1 Responsibilities
a. The catalog editor is responsible for the annual revision of the catalog and will accept approved change requests, maintain documentation supporting changes, and initiate or approve all editorial changes.
b. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will process all administrative and curricular policy changes and will ensure institutional and State Board of Education approval, when required, before forwarding to the catalog editor for inclusion in the next catalog revision.
c. Department chairs and administrative unit heads will be responsible for initiating changes to the catalog through appropriate committees and proofing catalog copy when provided by the Editor.
d. The University Catalog Committee is responsible for making recommendations on format changes, style and layout, language, and other changes that affect the appearance, readability, continuity, consistency, and presentation of the catalog.
4.2 Procedures
a. Changes to the catalog will be documented and submitted to the catalog editor in accordance with published instructions. Documentation to support all changes to the catalog will be maintained in the office of the catalog editor (Registrar’s Office) for reasonable periods of time in accordance with guidelines established in University Policy 1020 (University Records, Archives, and Publications). Catalog changes will generally fall within Curricular and Academic, Administrative, or Editorial categories.
b. The following timetable and change submission deadlines must be followed to ensure April delivery of the revised catalog:
(i.) Academic policy changes that require State Board of Education approval must be sent to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs by spring semester to ensure inclusion on the October State Board of Education meeting agenda.
(ii.) Curriculum changes requiring State Board of Education approval that are approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, or designee, during fall semester will be sent for approval to the office of the State Board of Education and incorporated into the catalog.
(iii.) Curricular and academic policy changes requiring State Board of Education approval that are approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, or designee, after mid-November, but before the end of fall semester, will be sent to the catalog editor for incorporation pending State Board of Education approval. Any such changes not approved by the State Board of Education will be eliminated during the proofreading process. New academic degree programs require five (5) months to be processed by the State Board of Education prior to their approval.
(iv.) Requests for editorial changes must be received by the catalog editor by the last official day of the fall semester prior to the winter break.
(v.) Catalog copy will be mailed or delivered to the printer during the first week of March.
c. Curriculum Changes will be processed in accordance with University Policy 4050 (Minor Curriculum Change Procedures). Academic policy changes will generally allow the same procedures for approval through appropriate committees, the Faculty Senate, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Administrative policy changes that will result in catalog changes will be processed from various sources through the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs to the catalog editor.
d. Editorial changes may be recommended by any University employee directly to the catalog editor. The catalog editor will ensure appropriate coordination and determine if additional approvals are necessary.
e. Editorial changes include minor word changes in course descriptions that do not change course content, title, lecture, lab or credit hours, prerequisites, corequisites, or semesters offered. Editorial changes will be used to clarify, simplify, or improve the description for the students’ benefit.
f. Narrative sections in any portion of the catalog may be improved within the limitation of approved policy. Statements quoted directly from approved policies will be changed by amendment of the original policy and not by editorial change. Additional statements may be added to help interpret and improve readability.
Revision History
January 1994; July 1995; January 25, 2021