When a proposed programmatic or curriculum change has implications for more than one course -- e.g., it involves several new courses, coordinated changes to existing ones, a phase-in period involving multiple courses, or a combination of such factors -- it is appropriate for the Curriculum Committee to understand, and approve in principle, the intended scope of changes before it considers requests related to individual courses. This should save all parties time and frustration down the road.
Therefore, if you are proposing such changes and want smooth sailing in the Curriculum Committee (at least, as smooth as can be expected), you should carefully consider and prepare written answers to the following questions as early as possible in the process. These answers should be submitted for informal consideration and feedback from the Curriculum Committee well before individual course requests are made.
After review of the answers to these general questions, the Curriculum Committee may ask for more specific information before considering whether to "bless" the overall change in principle. Such a blessing is not intended to be an official action of the Curriculum Committee, but a statement that the Committee believes that subsequent individual course requests are appropriate for consideration under normal procedures. There are no guarantees, of course, that individual course requests will be approved just because the Curriculum Committee has agreed that the overall program makes sense. On the other hand, in the absence of satisfactory answers to these questions at the beginning of the process, it is likely that individual course requests will face significant questions regarding their role in the bigger picture.
As a practical matter, it is also important that individual course requests -- when they do come -- should be prepared as carefully and completely as possible. If you are responsible for any individual course requests and do not understand what documentation and paperwork is required, please contact the chair of the Curriculum Committee in advance.