This webpage serves as the central resource for faculty program leads, department chairs, program directors, deans, staff leads, and non-academic catalog editors involved in the Academic Catalog Review and Publication process. It outlines roles and responsibilities, distinguishes catalog review from curriculum approval, and provides key deadlines, tools, and guidance to support a smooth, accurate, and timely catalog cycle.
Catalog Review Process Steps
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CMS Approvers Setup (Early Fall): Academic Programs Office (AP) updates approvers and roles in the Curriculum Management System (CMS).
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Proposal Processing: Proposal Processing (Ongoing through early April): AP processes proposals daily, communicates with faculty, and updates PeopleSoft.
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Catalog Review Packets Sent (Early February): Sent to department chairs, program directors, and deans via CMS.
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Integration & Editing (March): AP incorporates edits and Chancellor’s Office mandatory copy.
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Draft Published (Mid-April): Departments have time for final review.
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Final Publication (Early May): No changes permitted after this date.
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Academic Plan Table Updates: AP coordinates with Enrollment Services on program implementation.
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Catalog Draft and Data Setup (June): AP creates a draft catalog for the next cycle and sets up data connections in CMS.
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Curriculum Proposal Forms Created (Late-June to Early-July): New forms are available in CMS for the next catalog cycle.
Catalog Review Overview
The catalog review process is designed to ensure the accuracy and clarity of published information. During this review, departments should check for errors, verify degree and course details, check catalog descriptions for errors or typos, and confirm faculty directory listings. This review is essential for maintaining a high-quality, student-facing catalog.
Catalog review is not a substitute for the formal curriculum approval process. Proposed changes to program structure, degree requirements, or new course additions must go through established curriculum channels. Requests to restructure or reorganize catalog pages require a longer project timeline and must be discussed in advance with the Curriculum Specialist.
Please note: due to limited staff resources, not all reorganization requests may be accommodated.
If a program modification is still under review at the time of catalog proofing, Academic Programs will incorporate approved changes once finalized. Departments should note that in-progress proposals may not be visible in their review packet until official approval is receive
Accurate catalog content depends on timely collaboration across academic and administrative units. Each role—from department-level reviewers to college and university editors—plays a critical part in ensuring that programs, courses, and policies are clearly communicated and fully approved before publication. The table below outlines who is responsible for what, and how each contributor supports a smooth and compliant catalog cycle.
| Role | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Department Chair / Program Director / Designated Point-Person |
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| College Dean / Associate Dean |
|
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Non-Academic Catalog Editors
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All non-academic units are expected to maintain their section content annually. Please designate a permanent staff member to serve as the point of contact for catalog updates. |
| Academic Programs Office |
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The catalog year includes curriculum for the full academic cycle: Summer, Fall, and Spring terms.
For example:
Catalog Year 2025–2026 includes Summer 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026.
(Summer is considered part of Fall for catalog purposes—not the previous year.)
To ensure inclusion in a given catalog year, all curriculum proposals must be fully approved by early April of the prior academic year. This deadline supports course scheduling, advising, and publication timelines.
Why Catalog Rights Matter
Catalog rights allow students to complete their degree based on the program requirements in place when they began their studies. This ensures consistency and fairness in how degrees are awarded.
To uphold these rights, it’s essential that curriculum is fully approved and published by the appropriate catalog year. Late changes—or attempts to retroactively adjust program or course requirements—can create confusion, advising errors, and legal or accreditation concerns.
This is why curriculum cannot be split across terms or added after the catalog is published—even small changes must follow the formal approval timeline.
Catalog Year Data Supports Other Systems
Curriculum included in the catalog is also used to populate several downstream systems. Late or misaligned changes can cause inconsistencies in:
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Degree Planner
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Advising Worksheets
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Program Roadmaps
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Graduation and Degree Audits
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Financial Aid eligibility and planning
To ensure students receive accurate information across these platforms, it is essential that approved curriculum is aligned with the correct catalog year and submitted on time.
Student Requirements
Each academic catalog is a standalone record of the degree and program requirements in effect for a given year. While unchanged content may carry forward during catalog development, students’ academic requirements are tied to a specific catalog year, not the currently published one.
Under CSU policy, a student’s catalog year is typically determined by one of the following milestones:
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When they first enroll as a first-time freshman
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When they transfer to the university
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When they graduate
Students are entitled to follow the requirements listed in the catalog that corresponds to their catalog year.
As such, departments and advisors should not insert or restate requirements from prior catalogs in the current version. Instead, students should be directed to the archived catalog for their assigned year to avoid confusion about degree requirements and catalog rights.
Timely participation in the catalog review process is essential to ensure accurate publication and alignment with advising, scheduling, and system deadlines. The timeline below outlines key dates for departmental review, approvals, and catalog publication.
|
Responsible Party |
Process Step |
Timeline |
|---|---|---|
|
Academic Programs Office |
Catalog Review Packets Distributed |
February 2, 2025 - February 6, 2026 |
|
Department Chair or Program Director |
Deadline for Program Director or Department chair to approve |
Monday, March 2, 2026 |
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College Dean and/or Department Chair |
Deadline for reviewers to complete revisions |
Monday, March 9, 2026 |
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Academic Programs Office |
Revisions are incorporated into the draft catalog |
March 10 - April 10, 2026 |
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Academic Programs Office |
Publish draft catalog |
Monday, April 13, 2026 |
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Department Chair or Program Director |
Department review |
April 14 – May 1 |
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Academic Programs Office |
Publish catalog |
Monday, May 4, 2026 |
Catalog Review Edits vs. Curriculum Changes
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Review-Time Updates |
Curriculum-Level Changes (Submit in Curriculum CMS) |
|---|---|
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Correct typos, grammar, or wording on department pages and faculty listings. |
Change program admission requirements, program total units, pre-requisites etc. (requires Program Modification Form). |
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Add or remove courses from elective or optional course lists. |
Add or remove required/core courses without formal curriculum approval. |
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Add courses to “choose one of the following” sections. |
Remove courses from “choose one” lists. |
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Edit Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) and Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs). |
Change course titles, prerequisites, or descriptions ( any course data change requires an approved Course Modification Form). |
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Adjust course visibility in the catalog (note: hidden courses remain in the schedule). |
Permanently remove a course without completing the “Course (Reactivate/Inactivate/Delete)” form in Curriculog. |
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Align PLOs with Graduate Learning Goals (GLGs). |
Propose curriculum changes that span multiple catalog years or terms. |
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Approve packets with “No Edits Needed” by submitting the form and leaving a comment. |
Skip the form entirely—even if no edits are needed, departments must confirm review completion. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happens if my new course proposal isn’t approved by the deadline?
A: All new and modified courses must be fully approved in early-April to coincide with the publication of the Fall schedule. Deadlines are published annually. Any courses not approved will be deferred to the next catalog year. Faculty are encouraged to track all proposals and stay in close communication with department and college approvers to keep curriculum moving through the review process. Early coordination supports timely approval and ensures that proposed changes are published in the intended catalog year.
Q: What happens if I miss the deadline to submit a proposal?
A: Proposals not submitted and approved by the deadline may be deferred to the next catalog year. Academic Programs does not prohibit submitting proposals after the stated deadlines; however, the proposal may not be approved in time for catalog inclusion.
Q. Can I make changes to the catalog after the publication date?
A. No, unless there was a technical problem with the publication, or an error that needs immediate attention.
Q. What happens if a new program receives final approval after the catalog is published?
A. Programs awaiting approval after publication may be added to the online catalog with an appropriate notation (e.g., “Pending Chancellor’s Office Approval”). Academic Programs will generally add pending programs, as long as they are approved by the Academic Senate prior to catalog publication. However, departments should not advertise the program and will not be able to enroll students until full approval is confirmed and communicated by Academic Programs.
Q. Who do I contact if I have a question about the catalog?
A. Academic Programs staff are here to assist you and ensure the accuracy of the Catalog. Email AcademicPrograms@csustan.edu or contact Neesha Oliver, Curriculum Specialist and Catalog Editor, at noliver@csustan.edu.
Updated: June 27, 2025