Program Deletions

Deletions of undergraduate degrees, associate diplomas, undergraduate degree credit diplomas and certificates, as well as degree program specializations (majors, minors, areas of concentration, areas of emphasis) require governance approval as outlined in the Board of Undergraduate Studies (BUGS) Terms of Reference. 

The following information aims to provide clarity regarding the required approvals for the deletion of a program or specialization and the process for consultation with faculty, staff, instructors, and other individuals related to the deletion. In the case of any discrepancies or inconsistencies between the information provided here and in the BUGS Terms of Reference, the latter shall prevail. 

Initiation of Deletion

Deletions may be initiated for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, pedagogical and/or operational decisions. Program deletions may be initiated by a Curriculum Committee, Program Committee, Chair/Director, or Dean/Associate Dean. Given these various potential points of initiation, the CIM workflow is automated to follow typical program change processes to ensure that deletions are communicated to the appropriate committees. When in doubt about the governance procedures required, please contact univsec@uoguelph.ca.

Required Approvals

In all instances[i], the deletion of a program or specialization requires the following approvals: 

1. Approval from Dean(s) associated with the Program/Specialization
2. Approval from Board of Undergraduate Studies
3. Approval from Senate

Although Curriculum Committee and Program Committee approval are not explicitly required, recording their approvals within the CIM software is intended to capture the collegial spirit of the process and ensure that conversations informing any impacted faculty and committees have occurred prior to the deletion moving through governance. 

Collegial Governance and Communication

In addition to the formal approvals, the spirit of collegial governance processes expects that relevant individuals be informed of the deletion and timing it is being proposed including Curriculum Committees, Program Committees, Department Chairs/School Directors/Program Heads, and related faculty and staff. While the CIM workflow can assist with information sharing and documenting evidence of communication, it is not intended to replace discussion and communication with those impacted by the proposal. 

Communication from Dean

In decisions where the deletion of program or specialization is being considered, the Dean of the College and/or Chair of the Department is expected to communicate with the relevant program constituents prior to the deletion being initiated within the CIM software. The Dean or Chair shall communicate the rationale for the deletion and the intended timeline for the process to begin governance approvals. 

Additionally, for all deletions, the Dean will provide to governance committees, including BUGS and Senate, a letter of information outlining: 

1. The rationale for the program deletion;
2. A history of any relevant program revisions and steps, if any, taken to revitalize the program;
3. An overview of communication to related faculty, instructors, staff, and any other key partners associated with the program prior to the deletion to ensure their awareness of the process; and 
4. If applicable, an overview of the communication plan that will provide students currently enrolled in the program assurances that their completion of the program will not be impacted and/or any accommodations that will be provided. The CIM proposal requires information on the impact on students and how it will be mitigated, while the Dean’s letter outlines the associated communication plan. 

The Dean’s letter will be included in the governance materials along with the information provided in the CIM system to support BUGS and Senate members in their decision-making processes. 

As the CIM system does not currently allow document attachments for program deletions, any supporting documentation, including the Dean’s Letter, can be submitted directly to oqa@uoguelph.ca. 
 

Deletions of Graduate Programs

The guidance contained herein generally also applies to the deletion of graduate degree programs and graduate diplomas, which require governance approval as outlined in the Board of Graduate Studies (BGS) Terms of Reference. Supporting documentation eventually submitted in support of program deletions, including the Dean's Letter, can be submitted directly to gradcurr@uoguelph.ca. 

For more information on the deletion of graduate programs, please see the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website and/or contact gradcurr@uoguelph.ca. 

[i] An area of emphasis is nested within a particular major or standalone degree program and as such, must be approved by the relevant Curriculum Committee and Program Committee to ensure the integrity of the curricula within their purview.