I. Campus Five-Year Planning Perspectives for Academic Programs and Academic Units

Every other year campuses submit to the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) Five-Year Planning Perspectives that list the anticipated actions to create and/or transfer, consolidate, disestablish, or discontinue (TCDD) undergraduate degree programs, graduate degree programs, schools, and colleges. With the Perspectives, campuses have the opportunity to gather information useful to their own long-range planning efforts. In addition, integrating lists from all ten campuses allows for systemwide analysis of academic plans and creates an opportunity to promote coordination, synergy, and specialization. The preliminary picture offered by the Perspectives is especially useful because this systemwide context can prompt valuable discussion in the early stages of proposal development.

UCOP collects and analyzes Perspectives data, distributes it to select groups, and posts it on the UCOP website. The Academic Planning Council, select administrators, the Senate Divisions, and three systemwide Senate committees—the Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs (CCGA), the University Committee on Educational Policy (UCEP), and the University Committee on Planning and Budget (UCPB)—are the primary groups that provide commentary on the Perspectives. The University formerly submitted campus Five-Year Planning Perspectives to the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC). With the disestablishment of CPEC in 2011, UC now provides planning information upon request to state officials or agency staff (e.g., Governor, Department of Finance, Legislative Analyst).

Details of the Process

1. Two-Year Reporting Cycle - Five-Year Planning Perspectives are submitted and reviewed biennially in even-numbered years.
2. Content (see Appendix B.1.) - Each Five-Year Planning Perspective contains:
   • A list of undergraduate degree programs, graduate degree programs, departments, schools, and colleges for which the campus anticipates any action (establish or TCDD) within the next five years.
     1. This includes proposals at all stages, whether nascent plans under discussion or fully formed proposals undergoing campus review. The intent is to provide information about proposals as early as possible in their development.
     2. The number of years each proposal has been listed on the Perspective should be cited. No entry should remain longer than three years, or two reporting cycles, without discernible activity or development.
   • A brief description of each item listed except those related to undergraduate programs. Descriptions need not be resubmitted if sent previously and still accurate. They should be updated and resubmitted if there are substantive changes in the graduate program, school, or college planned.
     1. For all actions related to graduate programs and for disestablishment of a school or college, campuses should submit a 1- to 2-page description—preferably in advance of campus review of a formal proposal.
     2. For establishment of a new school or college, campuses should submit the 2- to 5-page description. The pre-proposal required under Compendium Section III.B.1. may be used for this purpose.
   • Disposition of items on previous Perspectives (e.g., items that were approved, rejected, postponed, withdrawn, etc.). If a proposed action is listed for more than three years—or two reporting cycles—with no discernible activity or development, then a one-page rationale must be enclosed explaining why the proposal remains under consideration.
3. Timeline (see Appendix B.2.) - In even-numbered years:
   • Early January: Each Chancellor submits a campus Perspective to the Divisional Senate Chair for review.
   • March 1: Chancellors submit the Perspectives to the UC Provost. The UC Provost transmits the Perspectives to Academic Affairs staff for review, analysis, and updates to any relevant databases.
   • April: The UC Provost distributes the Perspectives and analysis of systemwide trends to the Academic Council Chair (for CCGA, UCEP, and UCPB), the Chancellors (for EVCs, Graduate Deans, and Vice Provosts/Deans of Undergraduate Education), the Academic Planning Council, and others as appropriate.
   • April – July: Recipients may review, discuss, and provide feedback on the perspectives. Systemwide issues of interest may include:
     1. Potential for cooperative planning;
     2. Similarities among anticipated actions as well as relationships between these actions and extant programs and units (both within and across campuses);
     3. Need for new resources or redirection of existing resources;
     4. Financial sustainability over time;
     5. Potential to enhance UC system or campus character or reputation;
     6. Convergence with state and national needs;
     7. Senate and administration involvement in proposal development and review.
   • August: If forthcoming, comments on the Perspectives should be sent to the UC Provost. Senate committee comments (i.e., CCGA, UCEP, and UCPB) should be sent via the Academic Council Chair to the UC Provost.
   • September: The Provost or his/her designee posts on a UCOP website the Perspectives, summaries, analyses, and comments.
   • September – December: At the discretion of the APC Chair and Vice Chair, the Perspectives, analyses, and comments may be placed on the APC agenda. APC may recommend approaches to address issues of interest, refer issues to other parties for further examination, gather expert advice, and/or create an ad hoc study group. If APC pursues such options, the Chair and Vice Chair send the Chancellors and other relevant groups a joint letter identifying issues that may affect campus planning.
4. Follow-up on the previous cycle of Five-Year Planning Perspectives as well as preparations for the next cycle occur in odd-numbered years.