Requesting Degree Program Moratorium

Effective Date

ACC approved January 21, 2020

Faculty Senate approved February 24, 2020

Overview

A moratorium is a temporary suspension of student admissions to an academic degree program.

A moratorium may be requested for a variety of reasons, including low demand for the program, lack of faculty availability to teach core courses, or significant planned program changes related to academic program review. Programs that are being considered for permanent cancellation must be placed into moratorium before they are discontinued.

Placing a program in moratorium alerts students and the Registrar’s Office that the program is not currently accepting applications from new students and allows academic units time to consider the future of the program and complete any necessary transitional planning.

A moratorium may be requested for a period of one year or longer and requests should always include a proposed beginning and ending quarter date. At the end of the period in question, the department must submit a request to lift or extend the moratorium or submit a request for program cancellation.

Placing a program in moratorium does not absolve the department of its responsibility to allow students already admitted to the program to finish within a reasonable timeframe, generally accepted to be a period of three years. It is the responsibility of each academic unit to appropriately notify all affected students, including those who have expressed intent to apply for admission via pre-major processes. If cancellation is being considered, it is important for the department to ensure that all necessary courses in the degree program are offered in a timely manner to ensure that current students can complete their degree requirements.

Procedures for Requesting a Moratorium

  1. Submit the ACC Curriculog form: Request for Moratorium of Program of Study.
  2. Department chair must approve Curriculog form and route to the appropriate Curriculum Committee(s), including TCCC, the Graduate Curriculum Committee, and other departments and colleges for combined or joint offerings, where applicable. Department and curriculum committees should seek to ensure that all appropriate collegial communication has occurred and is documented in Curriculog.
  3. Curriculum Committee approves Curriculog form and routes to the ACC and to the Registrar’s Office.
  4. The ACC makes determination regarding approval or disapproval.
  5. Upon receipt of notification of approval or disapproval from the ACC, the Faculty Senate office will send an email notification of the approval or disapproval to the college and department responsible for administration of the program. If approved, a copy of the Request for Moratorium in an Academic Program form and approval will be forwarded to the Office of Admissions and to University Communications. The Catalog Coordinator updates the e-Catalog accordingly for the effective academic year.

It is recommended that:

  • Information be made available to transfer students and for spring registration.
  • Departments post moratorium programs on their website in addition to the catalog language.
  • Advisors be notified to inform students.