Updated: February 24, 2022

The College of Information and Communications and all schools therein are committed to ensuring that teaching resources are allocated and used responsibly. This policy outlines the College framework for decision-making related to course enrollment. Course enrollment minimum standards in the CIC are established by the Dean’s Office based on budgetary and strategic planning.

All courses must meet the minimum standards specified below unless approved by the procedure outlined below.

Procedure

All Schools monitor course enrollments during registration to identify courses at risk of low enrollment. Early identification allows time for the reassignment of faculty and instructional staff in the event of course cancellation and allows students time to readjust their schedules.

The College will review course enrollments 3-weeks before the beginning of classes and will contact Directors regarding courses that are under-enrolled or in danger of cancellation. Reasons for lower class enrollment numbers may include factors such as:

• Pedagogical reason for small class size (e.g., graduate seminar).
• Course required for timely progress toward a degree.
• Innovative new course added to the curriculum.
• Limitations based on laboratory space or required resources for course completion.
• Accreditation requirements (i.e., skills course).
• Honors or Palmetto College offering.

Directors can request approval for low enrollment, a course cancellation, or reduced compensation via an email to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The email should include the number/section of the course, instructor of record, and a brief justification for the request. Please include whether the course is a major course or other required course.

Independent Studies, Internships, Practica, Study Abroad, Directed Research, Dissertation Supervision do not typically count as part of a regular teaching workload allocation and are not included in this policy.