Section 1501.303  Program Requirements

a)         Comprehensive Program.  The programs of a college shall be comprehensive and shall include:  pre-baccalaureate, occupational, and general studies curricula, and public service programs.

b)         Degrees and Certificates.  A college shall award associate degrees and certificates in accordance with units of instruction approved by ICCB.  This authority is not extended to administrative units of the college.

c)         Honorary Degrees.  Honorary degrees awarded by a board shall be limited to the associate degree.

d)         Review and Evaluation of Programs.

1)         A college shall have a systematic, collegewide program review process for evaluating all of its instructional, student services, and academic support programs at least once within a five-year cycle.

2)         The minimum review criteria for program review shall be program need, program cost, and program quality, as defined by each college.

3)         The review of academic disciplines, student and academic support, cross-disciplinary instruction (developmental education, adult education and vocational skills), and career and technical education shall be scheduled according to the published ICCB schedule.  A college shall follow the published schedule set by ICCB that shows when each program will be reviewed during a five-year cycle.  If a college seeks an exception to the published schedule, the college must receive written approval from ICCB.

4)         The five-year schedule of program review is determined through a combination of several factors, including but not limited to:

A)        National trends that consider high need, high demand sectors;

B)        Accreditation requirements in specific occupational areas;

C)        Areas that the agency has determined are in specific need of review based upon industry trends;

D)        Feedback from local community colleges;

E)        Changes in federal priorities, including specific updates to CIP classifications;

F)         Other factors as appropriate.

5)         ICCB may request the college to include special reviews of programs that have been identified as a result of State-level analyses, legislative resolutions, or Illinois Board of Higher Education policy studies by notifying the college of this request before January 1 of the year the special review is to be conducted.

6)         A college shall keep on file for ICCB recognition purposes a copy of the current program review process, its five-year schedule for program review, and complete reports of program reviews conducted during the past five years.

7)         A college shall submit to ICCB by September 1 each year a summary report of its previous year's program review results in a format designated by the ICCB and a copy of the current five-year schedule of program reviews.  If an institution cannot meet this deadline, a written request for an extension shall be submitted to ICCB for approval.

e)         Academic Calendar. 

1)         A college shall operate on an academic calendar that provides at least two academic terms consisting of at least 15 weeks (at least 75 days of instruction each), three academic terms consisting of at least 10 weeks (at least 50 days of instruction each) or a different combination of academic terms consisting of at least 30 weeks (at least 150 days of instruction).

2)         The days of instruction prescribed in subsection (e)(1) shall include all days when there is a full schedule of classes and support services, but will exclude holidays, Saturdays, Sundays, and days scheduled exclusively for registration, orientation, collegewide placement or assessment testing, faculty workshops, and final examinations.

3)         Colleges may include terms during the summer or any other time during the year, in addition to the ones identified in subsection (e)(1).

4)         Courses/classes may be scheduled between academic terms, spanning academic terms, for a shorter time frame than the academic term, or for a longer time frame than the academic term, if the schedule provides sufficient duration and contact hours to meet the requirements in Sections 1501.309(b) and 1501.507(b)(10).

5)         If an emergency such as a fire, flood, pandemic, or strike makes it necessary for the college to shorten one of its academic terms, the college may request that the Executive Director approve a shorter term. In such cases, the length of the term may be shortened, but only to the extent that enables all courses to meet the contact hours specified in Section 1501.309(b).

6)         Colleges must have a plan in place to address modifications to the academic terms in the event of an emergency.  This plan must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

f)         Preparation of Professional Staff.  Professional staff shall be educated and prepared in accordance with generally accepted standards and practices for teaching, supervising, counseling and administering the curriculum or supporting system to which they are assigned.  This preparation may include collegiate study and professional experience.  Graduate work through the master's degree in the assigned field or area of responsibility is expected, except in those areas in which the work experience and related training is the principal learning medium.

g)         Library.  A college shall maintain a library or learning resource center with a collection of reference works and other learning resources to meet the specific needs of its curricula and students.  This collection shall be kept up to date through a planned program of acquisition and deletion.

h)         Supplies and Equipment.  Classrooms, laboratories, and shops shall be provided with equipment and supplies that are adequate for effective teaching and learning.

i)          General Education.  Organized curricula leading to an associate degree shall include general education courses designed to contribute to the liberal education of each student.

j)          Apprenticeships.  A college that participates in apprenticeships coordinated by the Office of Apprenticeship, U.S. Department of Labor and/or other programs related to business, industrial, or trade groups or organizations shall meet applicable federal, State, and local governmental rules, regulations, and guidelines.

(Source:  Amended at 48 Ill. Reg. 10170, effective June 25, 2024)