Academic Affairs Projects

Committees with faculty representatives carefully scrutinize existing programs or recommend new ones to ensure that TCU continues to be a premier institution of higher education now and for the future.

 

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FUNDS 

Academic Excellence Funds augment TCU’s support for research and teaching. Unique to each college and school, the funds support faculty, staff and students to advance their research, professional development and educational requirements to further their careers and education. Contact your Dean’s Office for more information about your college’s or school’s specific funds and guidelines.

 

COURSE APPROVAL PROCESS 

A new process for reviewing and approving proposed new courses, both undergraduate and graduate, was implemented in 2024 to define the process for University Council, Undergraduate Council and Graduate Council, and provide a checklist to guide their review at each step. Beginning 2025, all new courses must be reviewed by the new process prior to scheduling for the next semester.

 

CREDIT HOUR RESIDENCY IMPLEMENTATION COMMIITTEE

In 2024, University Council approved a recommendation to lower TCU’s credit hour residency requirements for upper-division course requirements from 42 to 36 credit hours, and residency requirements from 58 to 45 credit hours. The Credit Hour Residency Implementation Committee is working to implement the change while ensuring TCU’s adherence to curricular, accreditation and licensure requirements for all academic programs in each college/school.

 

FACULTY EQUITABLE WORK EXPECTATIONS

To ensure that TCU has and is implementing clear Faculty Equitable Work Expectations for SACSCOC reaffirmation, all TCU Deans, led by Associate Provost of Faculty Affairs Francyne Huckaby, partnered to develop university-level, adaptable work expectations to be used as a guideline for colleges and schools to assess faculty work.

 

PROMOTION & TENURE POLICY UPDATE

The Promotion and Tenure Policies Review Committee, appointed by Faculty Senate and the Provost, was formed in the Spring of 2021  to “review the process and timeline for promotion and tenure and the faculty appeal process, and then make recommendations for improving the efficacy and clarity of these processes.” In Fall 2023, the committee submitted recommendations to the Provost for a new Promotion, Tenure and Emeritus Policy. The recommendations were reviewed by various university committees, deans, chairs, faculty senate and the entire faculty before being approved by the President’s Cabinet in Spring 2024.

 

SYLLABUS TEMPLATE

The Streamlining the Syllabus Template Committee simplified and codified information for a required TCU syllabus template to be used across the university beginning in spring 2025. The new template includes learning outcomes, QEP outcomes (where appropriate), academic honesty and more, to keep TCU in line with SACSCOC requirements. Click here to access the syllabus template, checklist and support services.