Catalog Publication and Academic Planning Cycle Policy and Procedures
IMPORTANT NOTICE
The University Catalog at Chico State is published on a one-year cycle. This one-year cycle began with the 2011-2012 catalog. It is expected that a one-year cycle will help the University better coordinate with the Degree Audit Process and a restructured curriculum review process. Deans, department chairs, and curriculum committee members should be aware of this one-year cycle for several reasons:
- To protect reliability of current catalog information for the many off-campus users, changes to existing programs or courses are normally approved for implementation effective with the next catalog. New degrees and courses are usually made effective for the next academic year, and will appear in that catalog.
- The need for review and approval by EPPC, Academic Senate, and the Chancellor's Office and/or WSCUC requires lengthy lead time for technical review and timely submissions of proposals to guarantee formal approval in time for inclusion in the next catalog.
- Confidence in our catalog, and on- and off-campus student advising and planning, is greatly improved by having the catalog as accurate and stable as possible over the entire one-year catalog life cycle.
While changes may occur between catalogs (and such changes may be approved for compelling reasons, e.g., an accreditation requirement), it is the policy of the University to make every effort to assure the catalog's accuracy throughout the one year it is in service.
The following is the timeline for curriculum planning, course and curriculum revisions, and production of The 2026-2027 University Catalog.
NOTE: "Program" is the umbrella term for the following: degree (e.g., BA, MS,), option, credential, minor, certificate.
Fall 2024 | Confirm plans for any NEW programs with Curriculum Services. Review proposed changes to existing undergraduate programs with Curriculum Services to determine if the proposal should be a significant or minor change. Graduate program changes should be reviewed with the Office of Graduate Studies. Schedule a curriculum workshop with Curriculum Services if your department needs assistance with procedures, paperwork requirements, and general questions. |
October 1, 2024-December 15, 2024 | Cal State Apply accepting applications for fall 2025. |
November 30, 2024 | Deadline to submit a formal projection proposal for new degree programs to Curriculum Services (undergraduate programs) or the Office of Graduate Studies (graduate programs) for review. NOTE: Projections for new degree programs (e.g., BS, MA) must be sent to the Chancellor's Office in time for placement on our campus Academic Plan in early January, so we cannot take late submissions. |
December 20, 2024 | For the spring Academic Senate cycle, this is the deadline for any proposal requiring EPPC/Academic Senate review* (and in some cases CO and/or WSCUC review and approval). Submit proposals to Curriculum Services. Proposals submitted after November 30 and before May 31 will be scheduled for the fall Academic Senate Cycle. Please note: It is recommended that proposals requiring Chancellor's Office approval go through the spring EPPC/Academic Senate Cycle in order to allow sufficient time for all approvals. |
April 10, 2025 | For the spring Academic Senate Cycle, this is the last day a proposal requiring EPPC/Academic Senate review will be given an agenda date. |
April 21, 2025 | Continuing student registration begins for fall 2025. |
April 25, 2025 | Last day to email Memos of Intent and other required documents to the Intent Distribution List for the spring semester. All responses to advertised material must be made by May 9, 2025. |
May 31, 2025 | For the fall Academic Senate cycle, this is the deadline for any proposal requiring EPPC/Academic Senate review* (and in some cases CO and/or WSCUC review and approval). Submit proposals to Curriculum Services. Proposals submitted after May 31 cannot be guaranteed implementation in the 2026-2027 catalog. Please note: It is recommended that proposals requiring Chancellor's Office approval go through the spring EPPC/Academic Senate Cycle in order to allow sufficient time for approvals. Every effort will be made to obtain approval for proposals submitted for the fall Academic Senate cycle, but publication in the 2026-2027 catalog cannot be guaranteed. |
May 31, 2025 | Deadline for all course changes and minor program change proposals*. Proposals submitted after May 31 cannot be guaranteed implementation in the 2026-2027 catalog. |
August 1-September 30, 2025 | Cal State Apply accepting applications for spring 2026. |
September 1-November 30, 2025 | Catalog editing cycle. Departments and programs are responsible for editing their catalog pages. Curriculum Services will email links and instructions in early September. Contact the University photographer for any new photos to be included in the next catalog |
October 27, 2025 | Continuing student registration begins for spring 2026. |
December 1, 2025 | Last day to email Memos of Intent and other required documents to the Intent Distribution List for the fall semester. All responses to advertised material must be made by December 12, 2025. |
In January and February, all catalog copy is finalized and readied for publication. | |
March 1, 2026 | The 2026-2027 University Catalog is published and the next Academic Planning and Catalog Production cycle begins. |
* only minor program changes do not require EPPC/Academic Senate review.
Procedures
Proposals for: new degrees, options, minors, and certificates; programs being discontinued; significant program revisions; name changes; reorganizations/moves must be submitted according to procedures outlined in the Academic Department Manual section on Academic Program Proposals and Changes. Proposals must be submitted to Curriculum Services no later than May 31.
To be effective in the 2026-2027 Catalog, proposals can either move through the spring 2025 or fall 2025 Academic Senate cycle. For the spring Academic Senate cycle, proposals must be submitted to Curriculum Services no later than November 30, 2024. Any of the proposal types mentioned above that are submitted after November 30, 2024, and before May 31, 2025, will go through the fall Academic Senate cycle. There is a chance that proposals submitted late in the cycle will not be approved during the fall cycle. Proposals requiring EPPC/Academic Senate review submitted after May 31, 2025, may not take effect with the 2026-2027 Catalog.
Minor changes to existing programs require submission of an online program change form(opens in new window) which reflects clearly all additions, deletions, and changes to the program and narrative text. (See the Minor Changes section on Program Proposals and Revisions in the Academic Department Manual for more information.) Follow catalog format exactly in your revisions. Consult with Nicol Gray in Curriculum Services (x4923) for help with the program form.
This document is the property of Academic Affairs and maintained by Curriculum Services.