Coordinating Board staff may recommend to the institution's governing board the closure of any non-exempt degree program which has been on the annual list of low-producing programs for three or more consecutive years. If the governing board does not accept the recommendation to close the program, then the university system or, where a system does not exist, the institution must identify the program recommended for closure on the next legislative appropriations request submitted by the system or institution. If a system or institution is required to identify a degree program on its legislative appropriations request, the system or institution should also develop a plan to allow the degree program to achieve the minimum standard for the degree awarded, or if the standard is not attainable, provide a rationale describing the merits of continuing the degree program.