Development of criteria for evaluating proposed courses in Texas junior colleges, senior colleges, and universities

The first specific objective of this study was to develop a set of criteria for the approval of proposed courses which can be used by office responsible for academic administration in Texas junior colleges, senior colleges, and universities. The second objective was to contribute directly to the beginning of a body of knowledge for the management of Texas institutions of higher learning. Seventy-five institutions within Texas and twenty institutions outside Texas participated in the study. Data were collected from Texas institutions by an initial inquiry questionnaire. Data obtained from the selected out-of-state institutions were collected by subsequent data-collection instruments. The findings indicated a conspicuous absence of a standard procedure among colleges and universities for adding new courses to the curriculum. Each of the institutions tend to follow local guidelines for determining the inclusion of proposed courses within their respective programs. There were no appreciable differences between public and private institutions in this respect and there were no appreciable differences between junior colleges and senior colleges. In setting forth criteria to be used to evaluate proposed courses, one of the first factors that must be analyzed is the availability of economic resources; for without adequate financing, new courses or programs cannot be added regardless of their merit. Various factors that affect the institutional economy of all institutions include the size of the institution, the number of full-time students, the average class size, the average full-time student credit-hour load, the average full-time faculty credit-hour load, the average academic year salary of the instructor, and the cost for maintenance and repair. ..