Lumen

Because of Lumen, departments and programs will:

  • have reliable, real-time data about their courses, curriculum and academic programs;
  • save staff the time spent manually tracking and updating necessary changes to key curricular data; and
  • more easily submit, track, approve, and notify key stakeholders across campus when course/program proposals and changes occur.

This suite of tools has three main components to help academic units manage their own processes efficiently:

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Guide (aka academic catalogs or bulletins pre-2017).

Guide replaces the previous web-page editing system with a robust, specialized catalog builder. Courses are generated by the Student Information System (SIS) for accuracy; editing of the catalog has new workflow controls; and degree and program information from units across campus will be organized in a consistent, easy-to-use layout that will enhance the students’ navigational experience. Both the former Graduate School catalog and Undergraduate catalog are combined into the Guide. Also included in Guide for the first time, Non-degree academic offerings from the Division of Continuing Studies, and a current faculty draw based on who taught in the previous academic calendar.

The first Guide was published in June 2017.

Course, curricular and program proposals/updates, and program-review activities.

When our faculty want to offer a new course, propose a new program, or modify an existing course or program, Lumen provides consistent and standardized forms for collecting the needed information relevant to the proposed change. Lumen provides an integrated workflow and tracks all approval stages. Reports are easily produced for committee discussions and all parties in the process know the progress status of each proposal. Lumen also provides a repository of changes and actions making it easier to find out when what change was approved. The Guide and SIS can both be automatically updated with most of the governance-approved changes, for maximum accuracy and efficiency.

The existing Online Course Proposal system was replaced with the Lumen Course Proposal system in January 2018.

The Lumen Program Proposal system went live in October 2018.

The Lumen Exam Proposal (department placement exams; credit by exam) system went live in February 2021. 

Academic and Curricular Policy Repository Advisory Committee (ACPRAC)

From January 2016 to September 2020, the Academic and Curricular Policy Repository Advisory Committee (ACPRAC) provided governance and oversight for the implementation of Lumen/Guide to ensure the Lumen tools were the right fit for the faculty and staff and aligned with the broader campus vision for a consolidated, consistent curricular management framework.

As of September 2020, the Lumen Sponsors group of Jocelyn Milner (Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Director of Academic Planning and Institutional Research), Scott Owczarek (UW–Madison Registrar), Michelle Young (Associate Director, Academic Planning and Institutional Research) and Will Lipske (Associate Registrar) assumed responsibility for the oversight of Lumen/Guide. This group, in consultation with key stakeholders as appropriate, provides ongoing leadership for the Lumen/Guide tools.

Project Sponsors

Provost John Karl Scholz
Office of the Provost
Executive Project Sponsor

Allison La Tarte
Interim Vice Provost
Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research(DAPIR)

Scott Owczarek
Registrar, Office of the Registrar