Lumen Basics
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What is Lumen and how do I access it?
Lumen is the university’s curricular management software. Courses and Programs created or edited in Lumen are published in the university’s online catalog, Guide.
Access Lumen via the MyUW dashboard. See this KnowledgeBase page or this How To for detailed instructions.
Why can’t I find my course/program proposal?
Follow the instructions for using the search function at the top of the Lumen screen. If the search is not working:
- Confirm that the Lumen tile is correct: search for programs in the “Program Proposals” tile and search for courses in the “Course Proposals” tile.
- When searching for programs, use asterisks before and after the title. EX: *occupational therapy* or *learning analytics*
- When searching for a specific course, use the accurate subject code and course number surrounded by asterisks. EX: *CURRIC 406* or *COUN PSY 110*
How do I start a new proposal?
To propose a new program, first consult Adam Nelson, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs. Cindy Waldeck, Academic Planner, can help facilitate the Lumen process and provide a tutorial.
To propose a new course, edit an existing course, or edit a program:
Open the appropriate tile in MyUW. Click the “Propose New Course/Program” button to the right of the search bar. Edit the proposal in the inventory window. Click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the screen to save progress.
How do I continue working on my proposal?
Search for the appropriate proposal in Lumen (see the question above for information about searching in Lumen). Once the proposal loads, click the green “Edit my proposal” button. Make changes in the new window and save progress.
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. View the Workflow steps specific to a proposal in the top right corner after submission. This How To document provides a general outline of the governance process.
To submit a completed proposal to Workflow, ensure it is in a final draft state. Click the green “Save and Start Workflow” button at the bottom of the proposal. A proposal cannot be edited once it enters Workflow. Contact Cindy Waldeck with any questions or concerns.
Troubleshooting
If any issues persist after attempting the strategies described below, contact Cindy Waldeck 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.
- 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.
- Why isn’t my proposal saving?
- Use the save button at the very bottom of the proposal. Do not use the floating save button that appears while working on 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.
How do I edit my program’s Guide page?
Contact Cindy Waldeck with general questions about editing Guide. View the 2022-23 Guide Deadlines for Departments page for information about deadlines for submitting changes to Guide for the 2022-23 year.
Most edits to Guide pages are accomplished in Lumen. The following information is considered “governed content” and can be edited in Lumen. Governed content requires approval from the department, school, and university.
- Admissions Tab
- Requirements Tab
- Policies Tab
Undergraduate programs should contact Barb Gerloff with questions about updating Guide information in Lumen.
Graduate programs should contact Cindy Waldeck with questions about updating Guide information in Lumen.
Department Guide Editors can make changes during a designated editor access window. See the Guide Deadlines for Departments document for that time period for this academic year.
Undergraduate programs should contact Barb Gerloff with questions about editing Guide during the editor access window.
Graduate programs should contact Cindy Waldeck with questions about editing Guide during the editor access window.
The following information can be edited directly in Guide during the designated period for Department Guide Editors. This information is considered non-governed, and does not require additional approval beyond the department.
- Overview Tab
- Photos
- WI Experience Tab
- Funding Tab
The following information is considered non-governed (does not require additional approval beyond the department) and can be edited at any time.
- Advising and Careers Tab
- People Tab
- Contact information box
- Professional Development
Undergraduate programs should contact Barb Gerloff to make changes.
Graduate programs should contact Cindy Waldeck with requests for revision.
Resources for Course Proposals
View the current policy on Course Proposal Sample Syllabus Requirements here.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Training and Development Resources
Contact Cindy Waldeck with questions and/or to request a review of course proposal materials.
Lumen Approver Access
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How do I access the Lumen approver window?
Department chairs and designees with Lumen approver access can review and approve proposals on behalf of the department. Once a proposal enters Workflow, Lumen sends an email to notify all designated approvers. Access the approver window by clicking on the link included in the email.
For more information about Lumen approver permissions, contact Cindy Waldeck, Academic Planner.
Why can’t I see proposals submitted by my department?
Complete the steps outlined in the question above and then follow the steps outlined in this document to ensure that the department approver role is selected.
Contact Cindy Waldeck with questions.
How do I approve a proposal?
Follow the steps outlined in the questions above and see this document for more information.
Contact Cindy Waldeck with questions.
Approval Process
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Which committees will review my course proposal?
The general approval process for a course proposal is outlined below:
- Department Curriculum Committee
- SoE Programs Committee
- University Curriculum Committee
Crosslisted courses will have additional approval steps to include the appropriate department and School/College.
Course proposals requesting course designations or attributes (general education designations, LAS credit, breadth, sustainability attribute, etc.) will have additional steps to obtain these approvals.
To see a visual of the governance process, view this document.
Which committees will review my program proposal?
The type of program proposal will determine the approval process. For information specific to your proposal, contact Adam Nelson or Cindy Waldeck with questions.
The general approval process for a new program proposal is outlined below:
- Department Curriculum Committee
- SoE Programs Committee
- SoE Academic Planning Council (new program proposals or substantial changes to existing programs)
- Graduate Faculty Executive Committee (GFEC) (graduate programs only)
- University Academic Planning Council (UAPC)
- Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (new program proposals or proposals for online delivery)
See this document for a visual representation of the governance process.
How do I prepare to present my proposal to SoE Committees?
The SoE Programs Committee focuses on the details of a proposal:
Course Proposals:
- Requests for course designations/attributes
- Rationale/integrity of the course material
- Syllabus
Program Proposals:
- Admissions and requirements
- Curriculum and advising
The SoE Academic Planning Council (APC) reviews proposals for new programs or proposals that make substantial changes to existing programs. The APC reviews proposals in consideration of the SoE’s academic mission and long-term strategic plan. The APC considers budget implications and resource allocation, as well as impacts on other Schools/Colleges on campus.
For more information about presenting to the School or differences between the SoE’s committees, see this document.
Contact Adam Nelson or Cindy Waldeck with questions.
Where can I find the dates for committee meetings?
See the Guide Deadlines for Depts document for final deadlines.
Committees post dates and deadlines on their websites.
Programs Committee: https://education.wisc.edu/about/committees/programs-committee/
APC: https://education.wisc.edu/about/committees/academic-planning-council/
GFEC: grad.wisc.edu/governance
UAPC: https://academicplanning.wisc.edu/uapc/