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Procedures: Required Language for Guide Pages regarding Academic Structure Changes
- Policy
- Procedures
Policy
Lumen/Guide - Guide Content
Lumen/Guide – Guide Content
Policy Number
UW-1089Responsible Office
Office of the RegistrarType
University PolicyRationale/Purpose
Lumen is the gateway for faculty, staff, and governance bodies to propose, update, track and/or approve academic and curricular information at UW-Madison. As a large and complex organization, it is imperative the campus community follow consistent rules when utilizing the Lumen suite of tools for publication to the Guide.
Policy
Academic Programs in the Guide
All active academic programs that award credentials during the academic year for which the Guide is published must be represented with a page in the Guide. Academic ownership and hierarchy, as reflected in academic structure, defines what is in the Guide, where it is located, and how it is presented to the public.
New academic programs and credentials are to be added to the Guide in alignment with publication deadlines only after full governance approval is complete.
Academic programs that are approved for a future academic year may be published in alignment with publication deadlines, and can include limited information about the program in promotional pages.
Discontinued academic programs are only removed with the publication of a new Guide (in June) regardless of the term for which they are inactivated.
New, suspended, or discontinued elements of the academic structure (subject listings, plans, subplans) must include standard text about start and end dates.
Courses in the Guide
All active for-credit courses are to be published in the Guide.
General Publication Standards
All governed and non-governed content for the Guide must be submitted by the publication deadlines. Governed content is subject to campus deadlines for approvals, and may be subject to UW-System, Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and/or State Legislature for approval.
The Guide is published in June before the start of the academic year to support advising and student needs, however, midcycle updates in October or January occur to reflect new courses and course changes effective for spring semester or summer term, and/or to resolve egregious errors.
These midcycle updates, if not corrected, adversely impact students by delaying implementation of changes to the next Guide publication in June.
As the single source of truth, the Guide must be a stable and reliable resource that any advisor or current or prospective student can reference for an entire academic year. Any revision to the Guide during the academic year is expected to be minimal.
If a change to a course in an academic program becomes necessary during the academic year, e.g., change in subject listing, creation of a new course, or discontinuation of a course, the academic unit that owns the program is responsible for making updates to the program in Lumen Programs so that specific courses referenced in Requirements, Admissions/How to Get in, and Four-Year Plans match the current status of a course in the course catalog for the given term.
Midcycle updates to courses must precede the release of the Schedule of Classes. Changes to courses after the release of the Schedule of Classes for the given term are not permitted.
To maintain the integrity of the Guide, no pages are to be deleted in mid-cycle updates. If a plan/subplan is discontinued, the Office of the Registrar will add standard text to the Overview and How to Get in/Admissions sections of the Guide indicating the program is no longer accepting students.
Tabs
Tabs are a structured way to separate content on a page in the Guide into smaller pieces. Each section of the Guide (undergraduate, graduate/professional, non-degree) has a defined set of tabs which contain both governed and non-governed content. Governed tabs, if applicable, are required. Non-governed tabs are not to duplicate content that exists on governed tabs. Revision to content on tabs must follow publication guidelines and deadlines.
The creation, deletion or name revision of tabs requires submission of a proposal to and approval by the Lumen Sponsors in consultation with the Lumenaries, Guide Coordinators, and appropriate governance bodies. Once approved, implementation will take effect with the publication of a new Guide edition (June publication).
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources
Language for New or Discontinued Programs
Procedures for Promotional Pages
Naming Conventions and URLS for Guide Pages Procedures
Approval Authority
Associate Vice Provost and University RegistrarPolicy Manager
Associate Vice Provost and University RegistrarContact
Associate University Registrar for Academic Services -- Will Lipske, WILL.LIPSKE@WISC.EDU, (608) 890-2089Effective Date
05-30-2023Source: View policy UW-1089 in the UW-Madison Policy Library
Lumen/Guide - Lumen Content
Lumen/Guide – Guide Content
Policy Number
UW-1089Responsible Office
Office of the RegistrarType
University PolicyRationale/Purpose
Lumen is the gateway for faculty, staff, and governance bodies to propose, update, track and/or approve academic and curricular information at UW-Madison. As a large and complex organization, it is imperative the campus community follow consistent rules when utilizing the Lumen suite of tools for publication to the Guide.
Policy
Academic Programs in the Guide
All active academic programs that award credentials during the academic year for which the Guide is published must be represented with a page in the Guide. Academic ownership and hierarchy, as reflected in academic structure, defines what is in the Guide, where it is located, and how it is presented to the public.
New academic programs and credentials are to be added to the Guide in alignment with publication deadlines only after full governance approval is complete.
Academic programs that are approved for a future academic year may be published in alignment with publication deadlines, and can include limited information about the program in promotional pages.
Discontinued academic programs are only removed with the publication of a new Guide (in June) regardless of the term for which they are inactivated.
New, suspended, or discontinued elements of the academic structure (subject listings, plans, subplans) must include standard text about start and end dates.
Courses in the Guide
All active for-credit courses are to be published in the Guide.
General Publication Standards
All governed and non-governed content for the Guide must be submitted by the publication deadlines. Governed content is subject to campus deadlines for approvals, and may be subject to UW-System, Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and/or State Legislature for approval.
The Guide is published in June before the start of the academic year to support advising and student needs, however, midcycle updates in October or January occur to reflect new courses and course changes effective for spring semester or summer term, and/or to resolve egregious errors.
These midcycle updates, if not corrected, adversely impact students by delaying implementation of changes to the next Guide publication in June.
As the single source of truth, the Guide must be a stable and reliable resource that any advisor or current or prospective student can reference for an entire academic year. Any revision to the Guide during the academic year is expected to be minimal.
If a change to a course in an academic program becomes necessary during the academic year, e.g., change in subject listing, creation of a new course, or discontinuation of a course, the academic unit that owns the program is responsible for making updates to the program in Lumen Programs so that specific courses referenced in Requirements, Admissions/How to Get in, and Four-Year Plans match the current status of a course in the course catalog for the given term.
Midcycle updates to courses must precede the release of the Schedule of Classes. Changes to courses after the release of the Schedule of Classes for the given term are not permitted.
To maintain the integrity of the Guide, no pages are to be deleted in mid-cycle updates. If a plan/subplan is discontinued, the Office of the Registrar will add standard text to the Overview and How to Get in/Admissions sections of the Guide indicating the program is no longer accepting students.
Tabs
Tabs are a structured way to separate content on a page in the Guide into smaller pieces. Each section of the Guide (undergraduate, graduate/professional, non-degree) has a defined set of tabs which contain both governed and non-governed content. Governed tabs, if applicable, are required. Non-governed tabs are not to duplicate content that exists on governed tabs. Revision to content on tabs must follow publication guidelines and deadlines.
The creation, deletion or name revision of tabs requires submission of a proposal to and approval by the Lumen Sponsors in consultation with the Lumenaries, Guide Coordinators, and appropriate governance bodies. Once approved, implementation will take effect with the publication of a new Guide edition (June publication).
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources
Language for New or Discontinued Programs
Procedures for Promotional Pages
Naming Conventions and URLS for Guide Pages Procedures
Approval Authority
Associate Vice Provost and University RegistrarPolicy Manager
Associate Vice Provost and University RegistrarContact
Associate University Registrar for Academic Services -- Will Lipske, WILL.LIPSKE@WISC.EDU, (608) 890-2089Effective Date
05-30-2023Source: View policy UW-1089 in the UW-Madison Policy Library
Procedures
Subjects
For subjects that have been approved but do not have any active courses for the term in which Guide is published, a standard statement is applied to the Guide page. Typically, only used for new subjects. May be applied during a mid-cycle update if all courses are removed from or are deactivated from a subject, in the process of an eventual discontinuation of the subject.
Standard text
The subject [subject] does not have any active courses at time of Guide publication.
Example
The subject ASIALANG does not have any active courses at time of Guide publication.
Programs
Promotional (Promo) pages
When a program has been approved through all levels of governance (i.e. University Academic Planning Council, Universities of Wisconsin-Board of Regents, and the Higher Learning Commission) and does not enroll students for the current Guide publication, it may have a promotional (promo) page.
Promo pages provide an official presence in the Guide for new programs. Promo pages publish for the June and October publication of Guide. Promotional pages can be published in the January publication of Guide if the program starts enrollment for a summer term. Promotional pages include only the Overview tab.
Standard Text
The first term for enrollment in the [award] is [first term of enrollment].
Formatting
No special formatting used (i.e. no boldface or italics).
Example
The first term for enrollment in the Capstone Certificate in Data Analytics for Decision Making is spring 2019.
Delayed name change
Where programs have a proposal approved through university governance to have a delayed name change (a change approved to happen in the future), standard text on the Guide page alerts prospective students to the name change. See the KB on Academic Program Name Changes for more information.
Standard Text
The [current program name] [award type] is being renamed to [new program name]. Students will be able to earn a [award type] in [current program name] through the end of summer [year]. Beginning in fall [year the change will take place], the program awarded will be a [award type] in [new program name].
Formatting
- Always start the overview with “Notice of Program Name Change” as a Header 2 (H2)
- No special formatting used (i.e. no boldface or italics).
Examples
- The Education Studies bachelor's program is being renamed to Educational Policy Studies. Students will be able to earn a BS in Education Studies through the end of Summer 2025. Beginning in Fall 2025, the program awarded will be a BS in Educational Policy Studies.
- The Life Sciences Communication doctoral minor is being renamed to Science Communication. Students will be able to earn a Doctoral Minor in Life Sciences Communication through the end of Summer 2027. Beginning in Fall 2027, the program awarded will be a Doctoral Minor in Science Communication.
- The Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies undergraduate certificate is being renamed Chicanx/e and Latinx/e Studies. Students will be able to earn a Certificate in Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies through the end of Summer 2027. Beginning in Fall 2027, the program awarded will be the Certificate in Chicanx/e and Latinx/e Studies.
Suspended programs
After university governance approval (UAPC), programs with suspended admissions have text added to the Overview and How to Get in or Admissions tab at the next publication of Guide (January, October, June).
Standard text
Admissions to the [award] are suspended as of [effective term of suspension]. If you have questions, please contact the department (see contact box).
Formatting
Boldface the first sentence.
Example
Admissions to the Art Education MA are suspended as of Spring 2017.If you have any questions, please contact the department (see contact box).
Suspended admissions and program discontinuation
After university governance approval (UAPC), programs being suspended and discontinued have text added to the Overview and How to Get in or Admissions tab at the next publication of Guide (January, October, June).
Standard text
Admissions to the [award] are suspended as of [effective term of suspension] and the program will be discontinued as of [term of inactivation]. If you have any questions, please contact the department (see contact box).
Formatting
Boldface the first sentence.
Example
Admissions to the Materials Science MS are suspended as of spring 2016 and the program will be discontinued as of fall 2019. If you have any questions, please contact the department (see contact box).
Suspended and discontinued with a replacement program identified in Lumen Programs
Where a program is being discontinued and the department has proposed a new program to take its place, text is added in both the program proposal and the Guide page. This set-up requires complete governance approval of the new program to be included on the discontinued program’s Admissions or How to Get in Guide content.
What goes on the Guide page
After university governance approval (UAPC), programs being suspended and discontinued have text added to the Overview and How to Get in or Admissions tab at the next publication of Guide (January, October, June).
Standard Text
Admissions to the [award] are suspended as of [effective term of suspension] and the program will be discontinued as of [term of inactivation]
Formatting
Boldface this text.
Example
Admissions to the Materials Science MS is suspended as of Spring 2016 and the program will be discontinued as of Fall 2019.
What to include in the Program Proposal
Where there is a replacement program that has been approved through all bodies of governance (UAPC, Universities of Wisconsin - Board of Regents, HLC), text may be included in the Lumen Program proposal.
Standard Text
Students interested in the [discontinued award] may want to consider the [new program], a new program starting [term of first enrollment]. This new program replaces the [discontinued award]. If you have any questions, please contact the department (see contact box).
Note: The rest of the admissions content may be removed leaving only this statement to publish in Guide. If the program is not a direct replacement, the second sentence may be removed.
Formatting
Boldface the first sentence.
Example
Students interested in the Horticulture MS may want to consider the Plant Science and Technology MS, a new program starting Fall 2025. This new program replaces the Horticulture MS. If you have any questions, please contact the department.
Other Academic Structure elements
When university governance approves future name changes for anything in the academic structure not listed above, we add standard text to those pages in Guide.
Standard text
The [academic structure element + current name] is being renamed to [future name] in [term the name change goes into effect].
Example
The department-like unit of Chicana/Chicano and Latina/Latino Studies is being renamed to Chicanx/e and Latinx/e Studies in Summer 2026.