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Academic Program Planning Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Lumen Basics

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What is Lumen and how do I access it?

Lumen is the university’s curricular management software (see this KnowledgeBase page for details). Courses and Programs created or edited in Lumen are published in Guide, the university’s online catalog.

Access Lumen via the MyUW dashboard. See this KnowledgeBase page or this Adding the Lumen widget walkthrough for instructions.

Why can’t I find my course/program proposal?

Follow the instructions for using the search function located at the top of the page. If the search is not working:

  • Confirm that you are using the correct Lumen entryway: search for programs in the “Program Proposals” widget and search for courses in the “Course Proposals” widget.
  • When searching for programs, use asterisks before and after the title. EX: *Systems Neuroscience* or *Advanced or Special Topics in Biomolecular Chemistry*
  • When searching for a specific course number, use the accurate subject code and course number surrounded by asterisks. EX: *MED PHYS* or *M M & I*

See the Office of Registrar’s full list of curricular subject codes.

See the Course Proposal Status walkthrough for instructions on checking the status of a course proposal.

How do I start a new proposal?

To propose a new program in Lumen, contact Maddie Sychta, Academic Planner II, in the Office of Basic Research, Biotechnology and Graduate Studies.

To propose a new course, edit an existing course, or edit an existing program:

  • Open the appropriate widget in your MyUW dashboard.
    • To start a new proposal: Click the green “Propose New Course/Program” button to the right of the search bar.
    • To edit an existing proposal: Click the green “Edit Course/Program” button below the search window.
  • Edit the proposal in the inventory window.
  • Click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the screen to save progress.

See the Course Change Proposal How To or the New Course Proposal How To for a walkthrough of the process.

How do I continue working on my proposal?

Search for the appropriate proposal in Lumen (see the question above for information related to searching in Lumen).

Once the proposal loads, click the green “Edit my proposal” button. Make changes in the new window and save progress.

You will not be able to edit the proposal once it is submitted to Workflow.

If you are a designated program/department approver, you can see the Editing Lumen Proposals in Workflow for a walkthrough on approving, editing, and rolling back a proposal.

What is Workflow?

Workflow is the approval path in Lumen for a particular proposal. The steps in Workflow vary depending on the type of proposal. See the Course Proposal: Approval Workflow and Program Proposal: Approvals KnowledgeBase pages for more information.

View the Workflow steps specific to your proposal after submission.

To submit a completed proposal to Workflow, ensure it is in a final draft state. A proposal cannot be edited once it enters Workflow. Contact Maddie with any questions or concerns.

See What is Workflow? for more information.

If any issues persist after attempting the strategies described below, contact Maddie for assistance.

  • Why is my proposal taking so long to load?
    • It is normal for program proposals to take a few seconds to load. Ensure that the internet connection is stable and try refreshing the browser.
    • The following browsers are best for working in Lumen: Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge.
  • Why can’t I attach a course syllabus?
    • Try saving the course proposal and refreshing the browser before attempting to attach a syllabus again. Consider attaching a different version of the syllabus. For example, if a Word version was not working, try to attach a PDF version.
    • Note: Lumen will not upload a file with more than one period in the name.
  • Why isn’t my proposal saving?
    • Use the save button at the very bottom of the proposal.
  • Can more than one person work on a proposal in Lumen at the same time?
    • No, it is possible to save over someone else’s work. Be careful to avoid working on a proposal in Lumen at the same time as someone else. The system is not collaborative and does not function like a Google Doc.

Check the Lumen: Open Help Tickets and Known Issues KnowledgeBase page.

How do I edit my program’s Guide page?

See Guide: Content Requirements by Tab for details and contact Maddie with general questions.

Review current SMPH Lumen/Guide Deadlines and campus deadlines.

Most edits to Guide pages are accomplished in Lumen Programs. The following information is considered “governed content” and can be edited in Lumen Programs. Governed content requires approval from program/department, school, and university.

  • Admissions Tab
  • Requirements Tab
  • Policies Tab

Contact Maddie with questions about updating the information in the tabs listed above.

Program/Department Guide Editors can make changes during a designated editor access window. Contact Maddie with questions about editing Guide within the designated editor access window.

The following information can be edited directly in Guide during the designated editor access window.

  • Overview Tab
  • Photos
  • WI Experience Tab
  • Funding Tab

The following information is considered non-governed (does not require additional approval beyond the program/department) and can be edited at any time.

  • Advising and Careers Tab
  • People Tab
  • Contact information box
  • Professional Development

Graduate programs should contact the Graduate School’s academicplanning@grad.wisc.edu with their requests for revision.

Resources for course proposals

View the current policy on Course Proposal Sample Syllabus Requirements here.

Please note that the course proposer is responsible for completing the course proposal form, providing an updated sample syllabus, and monitoring the approval process. The proposer has one year from the date of submission to receive full approval before the proposal is removed from Lumen (see Responsibilities of the Course Proposer here).

Contact Maddie with questions and/or to request a review of course proposal materials.

See the SMPH’s Course Syllabus Checklist and SMPH Lumen/Guide Deadlines for more information.

Lumen Approver Access

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How do I access the Lumen approver window?

Department chairs and department/program designees with Lumen approver access can review and approve proposals on behalf of the program/department. Once a proposal enters Workflow, Lumen sends an email to notify all designated approvers.

View the Approving & Editing Lumen Proposals in Workflow walkthrough for more information.

Why can’t I see proposals submitted by my program/department?

Complete the steps outlined above and in the Approving & Editing Lumen Proposals in Workflow walkthrough to ensure that the appropriate program/department approver role is selected.

How do I approve a proposal?

Follow the steps outlined in the questions above and in the Approving & Editing Lumen Proposals in Workflow  walkthrough for more information.

Approval Process

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Which committees will review my course proposal?

The general approval process for a course proposal is outlined below:

Crosslisted courses will have additional approval steps to include the appropriate department and School/College.

Course Proposals targeting undergraduates or requesting course designations or attributes (general education designations, LAS credit, breadth, ethnic studies attribute, etc.) will have additional steps to obtain these approvals.

Which committees will review my program proposal?

The type of program proposal will determine the approval process. For information specific to your proposal, contact Maddie.

The general approval process for a new graduate degree or certificate program proposal is outlined below:

How do I prepare to present my program proposal to the SMPH Academic Planning Council?

Identify at least one faculty member who can present and answer questions. Maddie will help with scheduling. The SMPH APC meets on the third Wednesday of each month from 8 am – 9 am in HSLC 4201.

Where can I find the dates for committee meetings?

Graduate Educational Policy Council (GEPC): SMPH Lumen/Guide Deadlines

SMPH Academic Planning Council: https://intranet.med.wisc.edu/apc/

Graduate Faculty Executive Committee: https://kb.wisc.edu/grad/search.php?q=gfec&cat=7604

University Academic Planning Council (program and center proposals): https://apir.wisc.edu/academic-planning/uapc/

University Curriculum Committee (course proposals only): https://apir.wisc.edu/course-planning/meeting-dates-deadlines/

UWS Board of Regents (new program proposals and requests for online tuition): https://www.wisconsin.edu/regents/meetings/