Effective Date: August 1, 2024
Issuing Authority: Provost
Policy Contact: Vice Provost, provost@mercer.edu, 478-301-2110
Purpose
The policy outlines criteria and timeline for curriculum changes that require academic pro forma submission.
Scope
This policy applies to the curricular development process involving curricular proposals for new programming or substantive change impacting enrollments.
Exclusions
None
Policy Statement
New academic program development and the review and modification of existing academic programming are vital to fulfilling the mission of the University. Curricular proposals for new academic programs or substantive change proposals impacting enrollments which either require additional institutional investment or amend existing enrollment targets require the completion of an academic pro forma. The academic proforma process is managed by the chairs of curriculum councils. Consultation with the appropriate council chair is necessary to determine whether a pro forma is required as part of the curricular process.
Academic pro forma are submitted by the academic dean. The academic dean has the overall responsibility to oversee program development for their respective college or school and is accountable, in collaboration with Enrollment Management, for the program’s success in meeting enrollment targets. The academic dean may delegate the responsibility for evaluating a program’s resource needs and determining revenue and cost projections to an appropriate budget representative or program director.
Consultations with other administrative offices are essential to accurately determine the expenses and enrollment potentiality of the program. Most consultations are a part of the regular curricular process.
The following consultations are expected:
- Gray Data Administrator – Within each academic unit is a Gray Data Administrator. The Gray Program Evaluation System data tables within the pro forma must be completed and used to determine market viability.
- Provost/ Institutional Effectiveness – Consultation with the Provost and Office of Institutional Effectiveness are expected to determine any accrediting, professional association, or licensing requirements associated with the program.
- Enrollment Management – Consultation with enrollment management is required to ensure headcount projections are realistic and substantiated by market demand. An appropriate program marketing strategy is required as part of the pro forma and must be developed collaboratively with Enrollment Management.
- Financial Planning – Consultation with Financial Planning is required to determine the implications of the program structure on the financial aid eligibility for the expected student population.
- International Programs – Consultation with International Programs is required if international recruitment is an expectation in meeting enrollment targets.
- Library – Consultation with the University Libraries serves to determine necessary expenses to ensure access to appropriate primary sources and disciplinary-specific resources for adequate program delivery.
- Information Technology – Consult with Information Technology to determine necessary expenses for specific technological resources or specialized equipment.
- Physical Plant – Consult with Physical Plant as necessary to explore space and capital needs. All capital expenditures require a capital pre-determination from Administration and Finance.
Submission deadlines for academic pro forma are listed on the Office of the Provost website. Academic pro forma are submitted to the chair of the appropriate Curriculum Council and are reviewed by the Provost, Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance, and the Executive Vice President. During the review, direct consultation with the academic dean, budget director, and/or program director will occur as needed.
Academic pro forma are multi-year projections, the review will evaluate the five-year expectation of revenue, operating expense, and capital expense. The review committee must have a multi-year outlook on the pro forma to allow for appropriate planning of operating and capital expenses which may be necessary in future years to serve the growth of students. Approval of the pro forma implies that the financial projections for the next five years of the program are reasonable.
Programs with active pro forma must annually report actuals (financials and headcount) against projections as part of the budgetary and hiring request processes. During the budgetary process, existing pro forma should also be updated with adjusted enrollment, revenue, and expense projections for future years based on the current and historical performance of the program. This reconciliation is an important step to ensure that the pro forma tools and processes are effective in accurately capturing the full cost and demand of the program.