Overview
The Committee on Instruction (COI) at Columbia University's School of Professional Studies plays a vital role in maintaining and enhancing the School's academic standards. Comprised of full-time faculty members appointed by the Dean, the COI advises on curriculum matters, including approving new programs and courses. It ensures that all syllabi meet Columbia University's rigorous standards, collaborates with program directors, faculty, and curriculum committees, and proposes new academic policies. The COI upholds the quality and integrity of the School's academic offerings through regular meetings and continuous oversight.
Beth Fisher-Yoshida, Ph.D., Program Director, M.S. in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution; Professor of Practice (Chair)
Steve Safier, Ph.D., Program Director and Lecturer, Human Capital Management
Michael Schwam-Baird, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Professional Practice, Political Analytics
Robert Simione, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Professional Practice in Applied Analytics
Grant Son, M.B.A., Senior Lecturer, Sports Management
Danielle Spencer, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in Discipline, Narrative Medicine
Kevin Visconti, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer and Associate Director of Curriculum, Strategic Communication
Secretary & Ex Officio
Erik T. Nelson, Ph.D., Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Lecturer in Professional Studies
Advisory & Ex Officio
Tiffany Hughes, Ed.D., Associate Dean of Graduate Programs
Ariel Fleurimond, Senior Director of Instructional Design & Curriculum Support
Administrator
Evelina Freeman, Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs
All program and course-level changes requiring COI (Committee on Instruction) approval should primarily be reviewed by the Program Curriculum Committee (PCC) during the Annual Curriculum Review (ACR) and on an ad-hoc basis if emergent needs arise.
Course updates made as part of regular teaching practice should be made in consultation with the Program Director, who will advise if COI review is needed. Minor changes can be processed through the Course Management System (CMS) without COI review.
PROGRAM-LEVEL CHANGES
Changes Requiring COI Approval
At the program level, the following changes require review and approval from the COI:
- Any changes to program learning objectives or outcomes.
- Any addition, removal, or substitution of core courses must follow the guidelines from the Office of the Provost. Program Directors are responsible for consulting with the Office of Academic Affairs prior to seeking a COI approval.
Changes Not Requiring COI Approval
At the program level, the following changes do not require COI review:
- Addition of required course sequencing or the establishment of pre-requisites.
- Removal of elective courses.
COURSE-LEVEL CHANGES
Changes Requiring COI Approval
At the course level, the following items require review and approval from the COI:
- Addition of an entirely new course to the curriculum.
- Changes of significance to existing courses, including any of the following:
- Course title changes.*
- Course description changes.*
- Changes to the number of academic credits.
- Modifications affecting more than 25% of learning objectives.
- Modifications affecting more than 50% of course topics.
- Changes to the course assessment strategy.
- Changing a course’s designation from Core to Elective or Elective to Core (must follow Office of the Provost guidelines, with consultation from the Office of Academic Affairs).*
*Denotes an informational item for COI.
Changes Not Requiring COI Approval
At the course level, the following changes do not require COI review and approval:
- New modalities of existing courses (e.g., transitioning to online), so long as the new modality does not alter the course syllabus in a way that requires COI approval as delineated above.**
- New readings or examples that improve the currency and relevance of course topics.
- Grammatical changes to course descriptions in student-facing sites.
- Standard legacy updates.
**Any addition of an online modality version of an existing course must partner with a member of the Instructional Design team.
PROCESS SUMMARY
Program Directors are responsible for consulting with the Office of Academic Affairs for program-level changes and ensuring compliance with the Office of the Provost's guidelines. Minor course updates should be processed through the CMS, while significant changes must be submitted for COI review.
Link to access COI Process Workflow Resources
For any questions regarding the Committee on Instruction, please email [email protected]
Please use the designated web form (linked below) to submit your course syllabus or other materials for review by the Committee on Instruction.
For syllabus submissions, please ensure the syllabus is complete and adheres to the guidelines set by the Committee. The syllabus should clearly articulate course-level learning objectives that are specific, observable, and measurable. Additionally, it must include a comprehensive list of required and recommended readings with full citations following a consistent discipline-appropriate formatting style such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. This process is designed to maintain high academic standards and ensure a coherent and supportive learning environment for all students. Please review and address any feedback from previous submissions before resubmitting.
Important: Program Curriculum Committees (PCCs) must review and approve any materials being submitted. For syllabus submissions, PCCs are required to review and approve use the SPS Course Review and Approval Matrix.
Items to Submit for Review
- Course Syllabus
- PDF or Word document
- Follows SPS Syllabus Template
- SPS Course Development Syllabus Narrative Cover Page
- Completed by faculty member & PCC
- Opportunity to provide context for how the course syllabus aligns with specific programmatic and school-wide considerations and standards
- SPS Course Development Syllabus Narrative Cover Page
- Informational Items
- Items such as course titles and descriptions or changes in the type of course (e.g., core to an elective) must also be submitted using the COI Submission Web Form
Upon submission, you will receive a confirmation email, and a member of the Academic Affairs team will reach out with any questions. Please note the COI review period is rolling, and decisions may be administered at any time during the review period.
Link to COI Submission Web Form
USEFUL PLANNING RESOURCES
For any questions regarding the Committee on Instruction, please email [email protected].
GENERAL
- AY24-25 Deadlines
- COI & PCC Resources Folder (Public)
- COI Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities
- Submitting to the COI via Smartsheet Job Aid
- Google Course Development Calendar
- Academic Planning Calendars
COURSE SYLLABUS MATERIALS
- SPS Course Review & Approval Rubric
- The rubric ensures that all relevant stakeholders consistently and thoroughly review SPS academic courses. Faculty developers, program curriculum committees, and the Committee on Instruction must evaluate courses based on the specified criteria and achieve satisfactory outcomes before advancing the course to the next stage of the review process.
- SPS Syllabus Template
- The template provides a standardized model for all SPS course syllabi, including structure, formatting, and boilerplate SPS and University policies that should remain in all SPS course syllabi.
- SPS Course Development Syllabus Narrative Cover Page
- This is for use by program administrators when submitting a syllabus for COI review.
- Provides context on the course project for COI members.
- Should be submitted with the course syllabus and the Review & Approval Rubric signed off on by a PCC representative.
- SPS Course Development Syllabus Narrative Cover Page [Special Topics Only]
- Sample Syllabi
COURSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
PROGRAM CURRICULUM COMMITTEES
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility in SPS Classrooms
- Course and Program Change Policy
- New & Existing Course Change Roadmap (Fall 2021) - Shows the type of review, approvals required and submission pathway for different course projects
- AY24-25 Course Review & Approval Process Workflow - visual approval process for course projects requiring full COI review
For any questions regarding the Committee on Instruction, please email [email protected].