Timeline and Process

Proposals for courses can be submitted to the Program Committee Co-Chairs (please copy both) at any time: 

Molly McClintock, mollymcclintock235@gmail.com, 540-239-6432
Nancy Metz, nancy.metz@vt.edu, 540-998-1119 

Proposals for field trips and special events are submitted to the Special Events subcommittee leadership:

Anne Campbell (chair): judloy@gmail.com, 540-951-8326
Molly McClintock, mollymcclintock235@gmail.com, 540-239-6432 
Pat Hyer: hyerp@vt.edu, 540-250-5618 

The Program Committee welcomes course or event proposals from interested individuals. A call for proposals will be published each term, usually in the newsletter. Subcommittees also generate course and event ideas, coordinate invitations to appropriate speakers or instructors, and prepare proposals for consideration.

The Program Committee considers proposals twice each semester. The deadline for submission is generally mid-October for spring offerings and mid-March for fall. Early submission is always best since proposals are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis until the curriculum fills up with an attractive and balanced set of offerings.  

After the proposal has been reviewed by the Program Committee, Instructors and event organizers will be notified whether it has been accepted. In some cases, questions and clarifications may need to be resolved.

Program planning is typically completed no later than November 1 for the following spring term and May 1 for the following fall term to allow time for scheduling and preparation of the catalog and website. Instructors are consulted about proposed dates, times, venues, and catalog copy. 

A few weeks before the semester begins, instructors will receive a detailed letter from the instructional support committee with information about teaching venues, technology assistance, copying, reimbursement (in the case of courses that involve the purchase of approved materials), and general classroom support.

During this same period, the instructor will learn who has been appointed class assistant for the course and what kind of help the assistant will provide.

Instructors will receive a live link to their course roll during the second week of registration. Adds and drops will be reflected in the daily registration data. 

After the final class meeting, participants in the class will be asked to fill out an anonymous survey about their experiences as learners. 

Several weeks after the completion of the term, the instructor will receive a summary of these student responses by email.