Academic Program Planning Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Frequently asked questions about academic program planning.

Below are common questions about academic program planning in the School of Education. Please contact Cindy Waldeck, Academic Planner, with any questions and to discuss course, program, badge or other academic program planning in the School of Education.

Lumen Basics
Lumen Approver Access
Approval Process

Lumen Basics

What is Lumen and how do I access it?

Lumen is the university's curricular management software. Courses and Programs created and edited in Lumen are published in the university's online catalog, Guide.

Procedures: Lumen as the Single Source of Truth

Access Lumen via the MyUW dashboard. See this Lumen/Guide Access page and this How To for detailed instructions.

Why can't I find my course/program proposal?

Follow the instructions for using the search function at the top of the Lumen screen. If the search is not working:

Confirm that the Lumen tile is correct: search for programs in the "Program Proposals" tile and search for courses in the "Course Proposals" tile.
When searching for programs, use asterisks before and after the title. Ex: *occupational therapy* or *learning analytics*
When searching for a specific course, use the accurate subject code and course number surrounded by asterisks. EX: *CURRIC 406* or *COUN PSY 110*
- Click here for a full list of subject codes

How do I start a new proposal?

To propose a new program, first consult Percival Matthews, Associate Dean for Academic Programs. Cindy Waldeck, Academic Planner, can help facilitate the Lumen process and provide a tutorial.

To propose a new course, edit an existing course, or edit an existing program:

Open the Lumen tile in MyUW. Click on the relevant tile in uPortal Lumen. Click on the "Propose New Course/Program" button to the right of the search bar. Edit the proposal in the inventory window. Click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the screen to save progress.

How do I continue working on my proposal?

Search for the appropriate proposal in Lumen (see the question above for information about searching in Lumen). Once the proposal loads, click the green “Edit my proposal” button. Make changes in the new window and save progress.

What is Workflow?

Workflow is the approval path in Lumen for a particular proposal. The steps in Workflow vary depending on the type of proposal. View the Workflow steps specific to a proposal in the top right corner after submission. Please see below for a general outline of the governance process.

Governance Workflow

The chart below illustrates the governance process for course/program proposals. Please refer to the Lumen Workflow steps listed on the top right corner of the proposal to view information specific to your course/program proposal.

Some program proposals require additional approval(s) beyond the University Academic Planning Council. For example, new major/degree proposals or requests for online tuition require approval by the UW-System Board of Regents. Teacher certification programs require approval by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Contact the SoE Dean’s Office with academic planning-related questions or concerns.

See KB for Course Proposal Help: Course Content Information

See KB for Lumen Programs: Overview and System Functionality

Governance Workflow

Troubleshooting

If any issues persist after attempting the strategies described below, contact Cindy Waldeck, Academic Planner, for assistance

Why is my proposal taking so long to load?
- It is normal for program proposals to take a few seconds to load. Ensure that the internet connection is stable and try refreshing the browser.
Why can’t I attach a course syllabus?
- Try saving the course proposal and refreshing the browser before attempting to attach a syllabus again. Consider attaching a different version of the syllabus, for example, if a Word version was not working, try to attach a PDF version.
Why isn’t my proposal saving?
- Use the save button at the very bottom of the proposal. Do not use the floating save button that appears while working on the proposal.
Can more than one person work on a proposal in Lumen at the same time?
- No, it is possible to save over someone else’s work. Be careful to avoid working on a proposal in Lumen at the same time as someone else. The system is not collaborative and does not function like a Google Doc.

How do I edit my program's Guide page?

Contact Cindy Waldeck with general questions about editing Guide. View the 2026-27 Guide Deadlines for Departments page for information about deadlines for submitting changes to Guide for the 2027-28 academic year.

Most edits to Guide pages are accomplished in Lumen. The following information is considered “governed content” and can be edited in Lumen. Governed content requires approval from the department, school, and university.

Admissions Tab
Requirements Tab
Policies Tab

Undergraduate programs should contact Barb Gerloff with questions about updating Guide information in Lumen.

Graduate programs should contact Cindy Waldeck with questions about updating Guide information in Lumen.

Department Guide Editors can make changes during a designated editor access window. See the Guide Deadlines for Departments document for that time period for this academic year.

Undergraduate programs should contact Barb Gerloff with questions about editing Guide during the editor access window.

Graduate programs should contact Cindy Waldeck with questions about editing Guide during the editor access window.

The following information can be edited directly in Guide during the designated period for Department Guide Editors. This information is considered non-governed, and does not require additional approval beyond the department.

Overview Tab
Photos
WI Experience Tab
Funding Tab

The following information is considered non-governed (does not require additional approval beyond the department) and can be edited at any time.

Advising and Careers Tab
Contact information box
Professional Development

Undergraduate programs should contact Barb Gerloff to make changes.

Graduate programs should contact Cindy Waldeck with requests for revision.

Resources for Course Proposals

View the current policy on Course Proposal Sample Syllabus Requirements here.

SoE Course Syllabus Checklist

SoE Course Proposal Checklist

Contact Cindy Waldeck with questions and/or to request a review of course proposal materials.

Lumen Approver Access

How do I access the Lumen approver window?

Department chairs and designees with Lumen approver access can review and approve proposals on behalf of the department. Once a proposal enters Workflow, Lumen sends an email to notify all designated approvers. Access the approver window by clicking on the link included in the email. More information is available at Lumen/Guide: Taking Action on Proposals (using workflow).

For more information about Lumen approver permissions, contact Cindy Waldeck.

Why can't I see proposals submitted by my department?

Complete the steps outlined in the question above and then follow the steps outlined for Lumen/Guide: Taking Action on Proposals (using workflow) and ensure that the department approver role is selected.

Contact Cindy Waldeck with questions.

How do I approve a proposal?

Follow the steps outlined in this KB: Lumen/Guide: Taking Action on Proposals (using workflow).

Contact Cindy Waldeck with questions.

Approval Process

Which committees will review my course proposal?

The general approval process for a course proposal is outlined below:

Department Curriculum Committee
SoE Programs Committee
University Curriculum Committee

Crosslisted courses will have additional approval steps to include the appropriate department and School/College.

Course proposals requesting course designations or attributes (general education designations, LAS credit, breadth, sustainability attribute, etc.) will have additional steps to obtain these approvals.

Which committees will review my program proposal?

The type of program proposal will determine the approval process. For information specific to your proposal, contact Cindy Waldeck with questions.

The general approval process for a new program proposal is outlined below:

Department Curriculum Committee
SoE Programs Committee
SoE Academic Planning Council (new program proposals or substantial changes to existing programs)
Graduate Faculty Executive Committee (GFEC) (graduate programs only)
University Academic Planning Council (UAPC)
Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (new program proposals or proposals for online delivery)

How do I prepare to present my proposal to SoE Committees?

The SoE Programs Committee focuses on the details of a proposal:

Course Proposals:

Requests for course designations/attributes
Rationale/integrity of the course material
Syllabus

Program Proposals:

Admissions and requirements
Curriculum and advising

The SoE Academic Planning Council (APC) reviews proposals for new programs or proposals that make substantial changes to existing programs. The APC reviews proposals in consideration of the SoE’s academic mission and long-term strategic plan. The APC considers budget implications and resource allocation, as well as impacts on other Schools/Colleges on campus.

Contact Percival Matthews or Cindy Waldeck with questions.