8-03.6 Procedure - Course Development/Redesign Stipend

Course Development/Redesign Stipend Guidelines and Requirements

Quality course design and development require careful planning, consistent communication, and effective time management, with instructors and instructional designers (IDs) working together. The Curriculum and Instructional Support Center (CISC) provides full course development support to instructors, including:

1. 1:1 consultation with an Instructional Designer
2. A targeted plan for developing an effective, engaging course
3. Aligning courses with national quality assurance standards for online and face-to-face learning
4. Exploring strategies to enhance learner engagement

Full-time faculty may be eligible for a temporary salary adjustment (TSA) for eligible course redesigns or the development of new courses. Course redesign will be at the discretion of the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) or designee.

Occasionally, it may be necessary for adjunct faculty to develop a new course or to redesign an existing course. The pay rate will be the same for full-time and adjunct faculty. For adjunct faculty, the Dean’s Administrative Coordinator (or designee) will document the completion of the requirements (described below) on the faculty Adjunct Pay Adjustment form. The stipend will be a pay adjustment in the pay period in which the faculty member completes the course redesign, provided that the submission to Human Resources (HR) is made before the HR and payroll deadline. Funds to pay adjunct faculty are to come from the operating budget of their respective department.

Course development guidelines are as follows:

1. Priority will be given to the development of courses that:
   1. will include a substantial change in content due to industrial changes, technological advances, new program outcomes, and objectives
   2. will be included in a new program
   3. are new courses (never been offered)
   4. have been identified, through the course review, advisory committee, assessment process, or program review, as needing significant updates
   5. include required accreditation changes
      *Note: changing textbooks does not qualify
2. Courses that have already been developed or redesigned and for which a faculty member previously received a stipend/TSA will not qualify unless major modifications (described below in Course Design Modifications) are necessary. The stipend may be reduced based on the essential changes. An internal QM review is required to determine the course status.
3. Faculty are required to complete the current Applying the QM Rubric workshop successfully, regardless of modality. The college will cover the cost for the first attempt only.
4. Courses designed will use the QM Rubric standards.
5. Courses will use the current Learning Management System.
6. Intended course-level outcomes and student learning activities (i.e., assessments, assignments, etc.) in any course must be equivalent regardless of the modality used for delivery.
7. The aggregation of time on task, assignments, and interactions in an online course must reflect the rigor and expectations equivalent to GTC’s Policy for Awarding Credit Hours definition of the credit hour: 15 hours of direct faculty instruction and a minimum of 30 hours of out-of-class student work for each credit hour awarded. The completion of a course blueprint document, and time on task are required. The instructor will complete the time on task as well as the instructional designer. 
8. Faculty will continue to develop any future courses using the QM process, regardless of whether they are eligible to receive a stipend.
9. To meet the QM review, the review must
   1. Confirm “Met” for all 3-point essential standards in the rubric.
   2. Result in a total overall score of 86 or higher out of 101 points.
      (NOTE: Refer to the GTC QM Rubric Review form located in the online learning lib-guide.)

There are two (2) payment tiers for course redesign and new course development. Regardless of the tier, the developer must meet the following criteria:

• Complete the QM training: Applying the QM Rubric workshop
• Develop a syllabus, outlining
  • Course Learning Outcomes that are measurable and mapped to the Program Learning Outcomes
  • Module Learning Outcomes that are measurable and mapped to the Course Learning Outcomes
  • Overall grading criteria for the course
• Develop a semester schedule of the course
• Complete study guides, lectures, labs (if applicable), and handouts
• Create assessments
• Complete a course blueprint
• Complete the course redesign/development by the stated deadline in the faculty agreement form.

Funding at any tier level is contingent upon approval by the Deans and budget availability. The TSA is taxable income. The CAO or designee has the final say on all redesign projects. Completing the required items does not guarantee that the course will be accepted for payment.

Application Process

New Course Development

1. Faculty member submits the Course Development/Redesign Application.
2. Director of Instructional Design verifies application meets criteria
3. The school dean will review the application and approve or deny the request.
4. Upon approval by the school deans, the Director of Instructional Design will initiate the faculty agreement form. This form will require the signatures of both the faculty member and the Director of Instructional Design.
5. The project is assigned to an Instructional Designer.

Course redesign

1. Faculty member submits the Course Development/Redesign Application.
2. Director of Instructional Design verifies application meets criteria
3. The school dean will review the application and approve or deny the request.
4. The Chief Academic Officer and the Director of Instructional Design will meet with the applicant to review the course redesign request.
5. Upon approval by the Chief Academic Officer, the Director of Instructional Design will initiate the faculty agreement form. This form will require the signatures of both the faculty member and the CAO.
6. The project is assigned to an Instructional Designer.

Dates to apply for consideration of a stipend

• Fall Term: October 1^st-31^st for a course implementation in the following summer semester.
• Spring Term: February 1^st -28^th for course implementation in the following fall semester.
• Summer Term: July 1^st -30^th for a course implementation in the following spring semester.

Quality Review Process

• Faculty member emails the assigned ID stating that the course redesign is complete and ready for review.
• ID has up to 10 business days to review and provide feedback to the faculty member.
• Based on the ID’s review, the faculty member is notified that the course is:
  1. Accepted and TSA eligible
  2. Requires revisions
• The ID will complete the Course Design Scoring Rubric, Time on Task spreadsheet, and Tier recommendation Form, determining the TSA amount.

Expectations of Faculty for Revisions

Faculty are expected to work closely with ID to correct any suggested revisions so that the course meets the QM standards (see requirements listed above).

• For the first revision, faculty have up to 14 days to complete and submit for review to the ID.
• For the second revision, faculty have up to 7 days to complete and submit for review to the ID.

The faculty member is disqualified from receiving the stipend if further revisions are necessary. For extenuating circumstances, the Director of Instructional Design may grant an extension of one term.

Deadlines for Completion

Stipend Payment

• Upon completion of the course redesign, the Instructional Designer will send the QM rubric, course blueprint, and tier recommendation to the Director of Instructional Design, who will then create the necessary documents for payment. 
• The Director of Instructional Design will forward the documents for payment to the Chief Academic Officer's  office for approval. Once approved, they will forward the documents to HR for payment. 
• Faculty should reference the Academic Workload and Payroll Master Calendar. The faculty member is responsible for meeting each of the deadlines listed. Missed deadlines will cause delays in processing payments.
• Stipends will be paid in a lump sum.

Quality Matters (QM) Training

• The Applying the Quality Matters Rubric course is a three-week course that requires 20-40 hours of completion time. This course is a self-paced online course, but it includes deadlines throughout.
• To register for QM training, contact the Director of Instructional Design.
• Professional Development
  • The Director of Instructional Design will submit paperwork to CPE for PD documentation and credit.
  • Completion of the QM training will render eight (8) hours of professional development for faculty.

Revised November 2025