Compliance Narratives

Judgment of Compliance

Narrative

Availability of Archived Official Catalogs

Sam Houston State University (SHSU) makes available to all current, former, and returning students archived official catalogs that contain course and degree requirement information. The SHSU offices that store archived bulletins and catalogs are the Office of Academic Planning and Program Development, University Archives, and the Office of the Registrar. The Office of Academic Planning and Program Development maintains the University’s online catalog, both current and archived editions. Each year, the Office of Academic Planning and Program Development publishes the newest year's catalog with a link included on the catalog directory webpage [1]. The catalog directory webpage is available to the general public through an internet search and is also linked from numerous university websites including, but not limited to, the SHSU homepage Fast Links menu, SHSU homepage Getting Started menu, Student Advising and Mentoring Center webpage, and program landing pages [2]. Archived catalogs are also available on the University's online catalog directory dating back to the 1996-1998 Undergraduate Catalog and the 1995-1997 Graduate Catalog [1]

The archival print catalogs are housed in a climate-controlled room in the University Archives [3]. The oldest catalogs date back to 1879-1880 and into the early 1900s. Archived catalogs are available for each year in which a print copy was produced from 1879 until 2008-2010 (undergraduate) and 2009-2011 (graduate) when the institution transitioned away from print catalogs to a solely online format. The University Archive holdings can be accessed by using the library’s catalog system. Copies of the catalog materials can also be requested by telephone and email, as well as by visiting the University Archives. Unofficial copies of the information are available from archive personnel via email, photocopies, and scanning of the images. Requested copies can be emailed or mailed.

The print catalogs housed by the Registrar’s Office [4] are bound and stored in a climate-controlled, fireproof vault. Copies of the catalog materials can be requested by telephone, email, and/or by visiting the office.

Procedures for Updating Catalog Content

The University's catalog review cycle, described in the Academic Planning and Program Development website [5], encompasses an annual review of all catalog content to include review of course and program requirements. As a result of these reviews, departments make necessary modifications to their respective catalog degree plans and other program requirements for publication in the following years' academic catalog. Departments are also able to add new courses and degree programs, as well as changes to or deletions of existing courses or programs, that have been reviewed and approved through the curriculum review process (described in greater detail in Standard 9.1). Resulting, updated content is published each year in the annual catalog, as well as added to the degree audit software. Following catalog publication, departments are not permitted to make changes to degree requirements that might negatively impact students' progress toward degree, including adding admission requirements, adding required courses, deleting a degree plan, or increasing or decreasing required semester credit hours [5].

A student has the option of meeting the academic requirements for any degree or certificate as outlined in the catalog at the time of admission or those listed in any later catalog provided the requirements are met not later than six (6) years from the effective date of the selected catalog [6]. Students are able to view their degree requirements and progress to degree, by catalog year, in either the academic catalog or the degree audit system. Prior to admission, prospective students are directed to the academic catalog to learn about degree requirements [7]. Once accepted and throughout their academic career, students are advised to reference both their respective academic catalog and the degree audit software to monitor their requirements and progress toward degree [8].

Supporting Documentation