Timelines & Deadlines
There are two deadlines to submit the Special Studies Course Proposal Form. First, prospective facilitators need to submit the course proposal form along with any specific departmental forms to the department sponsoring the DeCal. Then, pending approval from the faculty sponsor and department chair, the course proposal form and all other relevant documents should be sent to the Academic Senate’s Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI). To sum it up, any DeCal course should be approved by a department and then confirmed by the university.
Berkeley Division Regulation A230 gives department chairs approval authority for sections of 98 and 198 courses, while COCI receives copies of the course proposals for informational purposes. The deadline for submitting proposals to the Committee on Courses of Instruction will be one month before the end of instruction in the preceding semester (or summer), effective as of Spring 2007.
All departmental deadlines will be prior to the COCI deadline. Prospective facilitators need to consult the departments for more information as departments set their deadlines according to their own administrative styles/demands/resources. Usually, there’s a person in the department (often referred to as the “course scheduler” or sometimes the “Undergraduate Advisor” or sometimes the “SAO”—Student Affairs Officer) who can assist facilitators. Use the Department Policies and Contacts page to find the right contacts.
The DeCal Program offers publicity and outreach services to student-facilitators and is not responsible for the academic and administrative aspects of DeCal courses. If facilitators would like to advertise their courses on www.decal.org, they need to submit a copy of the Special Studies 98 and 198 Course Proposal Form or its equivalent for Special Studies 97/197 and course syllabus to the DeCal Office at 320 Eshleman Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720. Advertising on the site is completely optional for facilitators. The DeCal Program always accepts the forms. Please allow at least 48 hours for processing the submissions. Instructions for course posting will be sent to the e-mail addresses provided by the course proposal forms. Expect up to one week for processing during the summer and winter holidays.
Department Deadlines
Many departments will not accept course proposals after the deadline has passed. These departments adhere to their deadlines because they want to ensure the quality of the DeCals they sponsor. Several departments, such as Classics and Political Science, even delegate specially-trained faculty members to walk through the departmental requirements and academic expectations for Special Studies courses. Normally, the academic advisor helps the facilitators. You can also read special notes about departmental DeCal policies in the Department Policies and Contacts page.
Here’s a list of departments with early deadlines:
If you know of a department with an early deadline not listed above, please don’t hesitate to tell us by calling 510.642.9127 or e-mailing decalprogram@gmail.com.
The Academic Senate must receive your form one month before the end of instruction in the preceding semester (or summer)
The Committee on Courses of Instruction, Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate, 320 Stephens Hall, Mail Code 5842 (near the Campanile) needs a copy of the course proposal form. The Academic Senate will contact the department chair and faculty sponsors if there is a problem with your course.
In a memo sent to deans and department chairs on July 5, 2006, the Academic Senate’s Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) has adopted the following revised procedures for student-facilitated group study (98 and 198) courses, in consultation with Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Christina Maslach.
“In order to make possible a thorough review of student-facilitated 98 and 198 courses, the deadline for submitting proposals to the Committee on Courses of Instruction will be one month before the end of instruction in the preceding semester (or summer), effective as of Spring 2007. Proposals for courses to be taught in the fall will be due to COCI one month before the end of summer instruction; proposals for courses to be taught in the spring will be due one month before the last day of fall instruction. Late submissions must be accompanied by a letter from the dean or department chair clearly laying out the reasons for the lateness.”
Berkeley Division Regulation A230 gives department chairs approval authority for sections of 98 and 198 courses, while COCI receives copies of the course proposals for informational purposes. The earlier deadline will allow COCI to contact student facilitators, instructors of record, and department chairs, if necessary, before courses are taught in order to discuss proposals and improve the quality of the courses with regard to academic rigor and adherence to regulations. We believe this change will have a positive impact on students and departments. Before approving student-facilitated course proposals, COCI urges department chairs to carefully review each syllabus and to verify that the instructor of record will appropriately supervise the course. COCI will make every effort to work with departments but reserves the authority to revoke approval of individual sections or entire courses that fail to abide by Regulation A230 and COCI procedures.
If you have questions about the implementation of the new deadline, please contact Sumei Quiggle, Senate Analyst, at sumei@berkeley.edu or 510.642.7212. Students needing assistance creating courses should contact Elizabeth Keithley, Assistant Director of the Student Learning Center, at keithley@berkeley.edu or 510.643.6090.
The DeCal Program deadline to submit course proposals is September 10, 2008.
After your department approves the course, you may submit a copy of the course proposal form to the DeCal office at 320 Eshleman, Berkeley, CA 94720 (near Bancroft & Telegraph).
Unlike previous years, the DeCal Program is establishing a deadline to submit course proposals for addition to website. This new deadline to ensure that course information is received and posted in a timely manner, alllowing students to make the best, most-informed decision possible regarding their course schedules.