August 12, 2026

This message is distributed to Senate Faculty, Unit 18 Faculty, Academic Department Chairs & Deans, and Academic Assistant Deans. (Click here to view description of distribution groups.)

The following is being sent on behalf of Michael Miller, Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Undergraduate Education

To: Senate Faculty, Unit 18 Faculty, Academic Department Chairs and Deans

Subject: Important Updates to Senate Policy and Review Process for Online Courses

From: Michael Miller, Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Undergraduate Education

Dear Colleagues,

Following the August 3 message from Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost David Marshall and Academic Senate Chair Rita Raley announcing UCSB’s first Policy on Undergraduate Online Education, I am writing to summarize the policy changes and implementation details most immediately relevant to departments and faculty planning online or hybrid courses. Their campus message included the Undergraduate Council’s transmittal memorandum and the full Senate policy, which remain the authoritative sources for the complete standards and requirements.

The central message for implementation is that the process has been streamlined and modernized. Approvals should be easier to navigate, unnecessary repeat reviews have been eliminated, and online and hybrid instruction will be treated as regular instructional modalities rather than exceptional course types. The sections below highlight the key changes and practical steps, particularly for departments seeking to expand high-quality online offerings through Summer Sessions.

Summary of procedural and course record updates:

  • One Senate review: CCGE is now the sole Senate committee reviewing undergraduate online course proposals; separate FEC review is no longer required.
  • Fewer automatic renewals: The standard two-year renewal cycle has been eliminated, and most newly approved courses are expected to receive ongoing approval after the initial review.
  • Transition period: Courses approved for a one-time online offering in Summer 2026 may be offered again in Summer 2027 while departments pursue permanent approval.
  • Simpler course records: The “W” designation will be phased out in 2027, with approved modalities identified directly in course records, scheduling systems, and the published schedule of classes.


1. Streamlined Review Process

Previously, online course proposals were reviewed by the appropriate College Faculty Executive Committee (FEC) and then by the Committee on Courses and General Education (CCGE). Under the new policy, CCGE serves as the sole Senate committee responsible for reviewing and approving undergraduate online course proposals.

Departments preparing proposals should:

  • complete the revised online course proposal form and submit the appropriate Course Approval Request (CAR) through CourseDog;
  • obtain all required departmental approvals before submission; and
  • coordinate with the Academic Senate Analyst for CCGE regarding questions or proposal status.


2. Fewer Renewals

The automatic two-year renewal requirement has been eliminated. In most cases, we expect an approved proposal to receive permanent, ongoing approval without a discontinuance date. However, CCGE may still require a renewal review if they feel it is warranted in some instances.

Courses currently operating under time-limited approvals. CCGE will evaluate these courses to determine whether scheduled renewals will be maintained or eliminated. Departments with courses approaching a scheduled renewal can contact the Academic Senate Analyst for CCGE for updates and guidance as needed.


3. Summer Online Courses

Conditional Awards for 2027. Instructors who have received conditional award letters to develop summer online courses for 2027 will soon receive an invitation from Summer Sessions to submit a full proposal. Detailed next steps will be included in the invitation email.

The former Summer “one-time” approval process has been discontinued. Courses that departments intend to offer online in future summers should now seek regular approval for the online modality.

Transition for Summer 2027
A course approved for a one-time online offering in Summer 2026 may be offered online again in Summer 2027 without a full new proposal. After Summer 2027, however, the course must have approval under the new process to continue being offered online in a subsequent summer. Summer Sessions will be in contact to invite instructors to submit proposals.

Online Courses with In-Person Exams
The new “Online Course with In-Person Exam” modality option may be proposed to CCGE. If approved, that modality may ordinarily be scheduled only during the academic year. Because many students take summer online courses while living away from campus, a Summer offering that requires students to return to campus for examinations will require both an exception from CCGE and approval from Summer Sessions. Please reach out to James Ford (jamesford@ucsb.edu) to discuss.


4. Online and Hybrid Courses Identified as Regular Modalities

The “W” course designation will be phased out beginning in 2027 (targeting Spring 2027 registration, and no later than Fall 2027). All courses will use a single course record, with each approved instructional modality identified in the campus systems.

Student-facing systems will also identify the format used for a particular term (for example, In-Person, Online, Hybrid, or Online with In-Person Exams) rather than relying on a separate course prefix. This change will:

  • give students and advisors clearer information about the format of each offering;
  • eliminate duplicate course records and related administrative complications;
  • improve Registrar tracking of instructional modalities; and
  • bring UCSB into closer alignment with practices at most peer institutions and UC campuses.

Implication for new proposals: departments should no longer expect to create or request a separate “W” course number when proposing an online or hybrid modality.

Existing “W” course records will also be consolidated or converted by the Registrar.


5. Updated Guidelines for Online Course Proposals

The revised proposal form will look familiar, but the review will focus more explicitly on whether the course has been intentionally designed for online learning. A proposal should show how the modality advances student learning and pedagogical goals, not simply how an in-person course will be delivered remotely.

Proposals should address:

  • Pedagogical rationale: why the online modality is appropriate for the course;
  • Intentional design: how the course structure and learning activities support student success online;
  • Instructor interaction: how the course will meet federal expectations for regular and substantive instructor-student interaction;
  • Academic integrity: how assessment design and the appropriate use of artificial intelligence will be addressed; and
  • Educational objectives: how online delivery advances the stated learning objectives of the course.

Courses adapted from an existing in-person offering should explain how the course has been redesigned for the online modality rather than merely transferred from the classroom format.

Rationales for Academic-Year and Summer Offerings
The policy distinguishes between:

  • Primary pedagogical justifications, which explain why online instruction is educationally appropriate for the course; and
  • Secondary considerations, such as expanding access, addressing enrollment bottlenecks, or supporting timely progress toward the degree.

Academic-year online offerings should generally be supported by a strong primary pedagogical justification. Courses approved mainly on secondary grounds should ordinarily only be offered through Summer Sessions. Exceptions may be approved with the support of the Department Chair and Dean.


6. Support and Next Steps

Faculty are encouraged to pursue the opportunities created by this streamlined process. Faculty developing online courses (particularly first-time online instructors) are encouraged to consult with the Office of Teaching and Learning during course and proposal development. Additionally, for questions regarding summer online courses and development funds, please consult with James Ford in Summer Sessions.

Before beginning a proposal, faculty and departmental staff should refer to the full Undergraduate Council transmittal memorandum and Senate policy distributed with the August 3 campus message, as well as the revised proposal materials, which are posted on the Academic Senate website. Those documents also address updated definitions for online and hybrid instruction, student engagement and course-design standards, modality rules, limits on online coursework per term and within degree requirements, and broader campus guidance regarding online education.

Questions about the policy or proposal process should be directed to Jennifer Halpert at jenniferhalpert@ucsb.edu, the Academic Senate Analyst who advises both CCGE and UgC.

Thank you for your continued efforts to develop high-quality and accessible online learning experiences for our students.

Sincerely,

Michael Miller
 AVC for Undergraduate Education
 Dean of Undergraduate Education, Letters and Sciences
 University of California, Santa Barbara