Policy

Program Discontinuation Policy

1.00 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and standards for the discontinuation of any academic programs. This policy complies with Coded Memoranda AAP-91-14 and EP&R-79-10 from the Office of the Chancellor.

This policy is deemed to be consistent with the University's commitment to the principles, goals, and ideals described in the California State University, Monterey Bay Founding Vision and its core values.

2.00 Definitions

Academic Program: is a sequence of courses leading to a degree, a degree program concentration, a minor, a credential, and/or a certificate at any level (baccalaureate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate). 

Program Discontinuation: or "sunsetting" is a process during which the university engages in an orderly closure of an academic program.  Academic programs subject to discontinuation must allow an opportunity for the students currently in the academic program to complete it, regardless of their academic progress at the time of the closure.  This may necessitate a Teach-Out Plan to be developed by the offering academic program, and shared with the current students.

The academic program will end upon the completion of the program by students enrolled at the time of the discontinuation decision and who remain continuously enrolled.  The academic program will be removed from the University Catalog as soon as the decision to discontinue is approved.  Program discontinuation does not result in the discontinuation of the courses that comprise the program; this requires separate action through the Course Consent Process.

Program Enrollment Suspension: indicates a cessation of new student enrollment in an academic program. Enrollment in a program may be suspended without being discontinued.  Program enrollment suspension may be requested by faculty or administrators of the offering department, school, or college.  The decision to suspend enrollment in a program shall be made by the Provost in consultation with the Dean.  Suspended programs remain in the University Catalog with clear notation of the suspended status and its effective date.

Teach-Out: is a process that describes the planned course offerings of an academic program subject to discontinuation such that all students currently enrolled in the program are able to complete it.

Teach-Out Plan: is a written plan developed by the department of the academic program subject to discontinuation detailing how and when academic program requirements and potential course substitutions will be offered.  At a minimum, teach-out plans include a list of currently enrolled students and the program requirements each student has completed, a scheduled of planned course offerings each term, including course substitutions, and a communication plan for currently enrolled students as well as inactive students.

3.00 Guidelines

Program discontinuation may be initiated by the faculty, a department chair, a college dean, the Senate Curriculum Committee Council (SCCC), the Provost, or the President.

A program may be discontinued by mutual agreement of the program faculty, the Dean, the Provost, and the SCCC.  In these cases, discontinuation review is not required.

Should discontinuation of an academic program be initiated and the parties are not in agreement with discontinuation, a determination shall be based upon a discontinuation review of the following factors: 

  1. Importance to the University
  2. Quality of the Program
  3. Cost Effectiveness of the Program & Demand for the Program

In considering whether program discontinuation, no one factor is more crucial than any other. A decision to discontinue a program is based on a holistic assessment of the program in terms of quantitative and qualitative assessment of all of the decision factors, within a process that is broadly consultative.

3.10 Importance to the University

A program's importance to the University will be determined by the following criteria:

  1. The extent to which the program promotes the mission and vision of the University.
  2. The extent to which the program is central to the curriculum of the University.
  3. The extent to which the program provides a service to the surrounding community and the changing needs of the State of California.

3.20 Quality of Program

Program quality shall be substantiated by program review (inclusive of self-study, external review, and/or accreditation review) and shall determine to what extent the quality of the program justifies continuation in its present form.

The evaluation of program quality shall include:

  1. Demonstrated ability of the faculty to offer and maintain a current and rigorous curriculum.
  2. Access to resources adequate to develop sufficient breadth, depth, and coherence of the program.
  3. Demonstrated ability to attract and retain well-qualified faculty.
  4. The quality of the program's faculty as demonstrated by participation in appropriate scholarly, creative, and/or professional activity.
  5. The extent to which the program's excellence and standing in its discipline enhances the reputation of the University.
  6. Demonstrated ability to attract, retain, and graduate students in a timely manner that leads to student success.

3.30 Cost Effectiveness & Demand for the Program

A program's cost effectiveness shall be determined relative to disciplinary norms and compared to similar programs at comparable institutions in the California State University system. The metrics evaluated shall include:

  1. Student-faculty ratio;
  2. FTEF numbers of tenured/tenure-track faculty and lecturers;
  3. Total cost-effectiveness of staff and facility allotment;
  4. Total cost-effectiveness per FTEF; and
  5. Total cost-effectiveness per FTES. 

Student demand for the program may be measured by one or more of the following:

  1. The number of completed applications for admission.
  2. The FTES generated in lower division, upper division, and/or graduate level courses.
  3. The number of students who complete the program in a timely manner.
  4. The anticipated need for graduates of the program.

4.00 Program Discontinuation Procedures

For all academic programs the process for program discontinuation shall include faculty, the Department Chair, the College Dean, the SCCC, the Provost, and the President. This process shall be completed within one calendar year from the initial recommendation.

An academic program may be discontinued by mutual agreement of the program faculty, Department Chair, College Dean, SCCC, Provost, and President.  A letter documenting this agreement will be generated by the Department Chair and be forwarded to the program faculty and the appropriate Dean(s) for signature.  This signed letter is sent to the Office of the Provost who facilitates review and signature of the discontinuation letter by the SCCC, Provost, and President.  If mutual agreement regarding program discontinuation cannot be achieved, then a discontinuation review shall be conducted.

4.10 Initiating the Program Discontinuation Review

When there is no consensus regarding program discontinuation, the determination shall be based upon a discontinuation review.  This review of an academic program is conducted for the purpose of determining whether or not a program discontinuation is warranted.

A written request for a discontinuation review of an academic program may be initiated by any of the following:

  • The Department Chair, when the Chair has written approval of a majority of the program faculty, subject to departmental voting procedures then in effect;
  • A majority vote of the College Curriculum Committee;
  • A majority vote of the Senate Curriculum Committee Council;
  • The Dean of the College;
  • The Provost; or,
  • The President.

Such a request shall be submitted in writing to the Provost and copied to:

  • The Associate Provost for Academic Planning & Institutional Effectiveness;
  • The faculty of the program;
  • The Dean of the College;
  • The College Curriculum Committee; and,
  • The Chair of the Senate Curriculum Committee Council.

The letter requesting the program discontinuation review shall clearly indicate the specific reasons for the suggested program discontinuation.  If within 21 calendar days[1] of receipt of this letter by the Provost, none of the individuals or parties listed above has objected to the proposed discontinuation in writing to the Provost, a recommendation for discontinuation shall be sent to the President.

If within 21 calendar days of receipt of the letter requesting program discontinuation any one of those parties has objected to discontinuation in writing, then the procedures outlined below must be followed before a recommendation for program discontinuation can be made to the President.

4.20 Ad hoc Program Discontinuation Review Committee

Within 14 calendar days of receipt of written objection to a proposed program discontinuation from one of the parties listed in section 4.00, the Provost, in consultation with the SCCC, shall appoint an Ad hoc Program Discontinuation Review Committee to conduct a special program review focused on issues related to potential discontinuation.

The committee shall consist of six tenured/tenure-track faculty:

  • One selected by the faculty who teach in the affected program;
  • Three faculty members who do not teach in the program under review, and who have been selected by the SCCC;
  • The Chair of either the SCCC or the Post Graduate Studies Committee, depending on the degree level of the program; and,
  • The Chair of the Academic Senate, who will serve as a non-voting member.
4.2.1 Responsibilities of the Ad hoc Program Discontinuation Review Committee

The factors to be examined in the discontinuation review and the criteria for each factor are stated in Section 3.00 of this policy.

The Ad hoc Program Discontinuation Review Committee shall determine to what extent to consult other appropriate constituencies such as additional program faculty, representative students of the program, etc.

At the end of the review, the Ad hoc Program Discontinuation Review Committee shall report its recommendation to the Provost for action.  In keeping with Section 4.00 of this policy, the Ad hoc Program Discontinuation Review Committee shall submit this report within sixty days from the date on which the group first convened.

4.2.2 Provost Review of Recommendation

The Provost shall review the recommendation of the ad hoc Program Discontinuation Review Committee.  The Provost may request additional data and consultation for review.  The Provost shall forward their recommendation to the President.

4.2.3 Presidential Decision

Written notification of the President’s decision shall be communicated to the Provost, College Dean(s), and Department Chair.  The decision of the President is final.

5.00 Responsibilities of the Department

If the program is discontinued, currently enrolled students will be able to complete their course of study.

The Teach-Out Plan shall be implemented and monitored by the Department Chair and include all of the following:

  1. An official list of students enrolled in the program at the time of the discontinuation decision, prepared by the Office of the Registrar.
  2. Departmental notification by email and hard copy to all students on the official list (with file copies to College Dean and to the Office of the Registrar) of the following:
    1. The decision to discontinue the program and the commitment of the University to teach out the program to all currently enrolled students who are making adequate progress to degree and who remain continuously enrolled (see definition section of the CSUMB Graduation Requirements and Catalog Rights Policy).
    2. Students will be graduating under degree requirements stated in the Catalog the year they entered CSUMB, the year they began the program, or the year the program discontinuation decision was made.
    3. Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence will be removed from the list of students completing this program. They will be notified by the Office of the Registrar of their change in status and may be referred to other programs in the University in order to complete a degree.
    4. Other programs offered by the University to which the student may wish to transfer and/or similar programs offered by nearby institutions.
    5. Name and contact information for the academic advisor working with students during the Teach-Out of the program.
  3. Conscientious academic advising of all students as they complete the program.

6.00 Continuous renewal

This policy shall be reviewed ten years from its effective date to determine its utility and appropriateness. This policy may be reviewed before that time as necessary.

s/President Vanya Quiñones

Effective Date: 12/20/2024

Certification of Process:

Reviewed by: Educational Planning & Policy Committee, Enrollment Management & Student Affairs Leadership Team, Academic Affairs Leadership Team, Associated Students, Academic Senate Executive Committee, and Academic Senate.

[1] ‘Calendar days’ exclude the summer break and the breaks between semesters wherever the term is used in this document.

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