Academic Program Review Policy
Policy Purpose
- This policy provides a method to collect, analyze, and review data about performance of programs for the purpose of academic planning to allocate resources appropriately. Information from academic appraisals may lead to expansion, reduction or elimination of academic programs. The review aligns with NSHE strategic goals and CSN’s strategic plan.
- This policy replaces the Annual Academic Appraisal Policy and the Academic Program Review Policy.
Policy Statement
- This policy provides:
- for the collection, analysis and review of data and information for academic planning, which may include decisions about size, scope, and resource allocation;
- an opportunity for academic units (units at the college that offer disciplines and programs) to perform self-evaluation, analysis, planning and development of action plans; and
- It establishes a mechanism for communicating the data, the results of self-evaluation and the action plans to all interested parties.
Procedure
- These procedural steps shall be taken according to the timeline in Attachment B.
- Institutional Research (IR) will provide a prescribed set of data, including enrollment, completion, and transfer figures, data from the NSHE Low Yield Policy (if applicable), and workforce needs to the Department Chairs and/or Program Directors, Academic Appraisal Committee Chair, and the school Deans for the programs and non-programmatic courses being reviewed that year.
- Office of Curriculum and Scheduling (OCS) will provide data on space utilization.
- Department Chairs and/or Program Directors:
- check the data from IR and OCS for accuracy and completeness;
- compile evidence from annual assessment reports, current assessment report data, supporting assessment action plans, feedback from peer assessment committees and Dean’s review;
- review lists of factors (Attachment G) that may be considered for the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis;
- complete all required sections of the Academic Appraisal Form, listed here:
- Program Review Summary, which describes the program, its accomplishments, and primary issues.
- Program Overview, which includes:
- program mission;
- history of the program;
- support of the CSN Strategic Plan
- support of the NSHE Strategic Goals;
- role and purpose of the program; and
- partnerships with business and professional or community organizations.
- Assessment and Student Success Overview, which includes:
- student learning outcomes;
- alignment of assessments with CSN’s Strategic Plan;
- completed, ongoing, and planned assessments;
- student success pathways; and
- enrollment planning.
- Unit Planning, which includes:
- SWOT analysis;
- Recommendations and six-year goals; and
- Six-year action plan.
- The school Deans:
- review the IR supplied and OCS supplied data and Program Review forms received from the departments;
- develop action plans in consultation with Department Chairs and/or Program Directors and the faculty of affected disciplines, which must identify every area of concern and must be signed by the relevant dean and Department Chair and/or Program Director; and
- submit the Program Review form and action plans to the Office of Assessment and Accreditation (OAA), Chair of the Academic Standards Committee (ASC), and the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA)
- The Academic Standards Committee:
- reviews completed Program Review forms, action plans, and attached assessment documentation;
- returns to the Dean incomplete forms for revision;
- reports to Faculty Senate on any action plans that recommend substantial changes to programs, including their expansion, reduction, or elimination; and any other information related to Academic Appraisals deemed relevant by the Committee;
- reports to the Institutional Effectiveness Council any recommendations.
- The OAA
- reviews the Program Review forms, action plans, and assessment documentation and returns to the dean incomplete forms for revision;
- reports to the VPAA on the Program Reviews and actions plans.
- The VPAA approves or requests revision of action plans. The VPAA will submit approved plans and the list of areas of concern to IEC.
- The IEC reviews the data in the program reviews to see how well the program is aligned with the strategic plan and mission fulfillment, analyzes budget requests in light of the program reviews, and reports its recommendations to the president.
- All datasets, identified areas of concern, and approved action plans will be published on the IR web page, and all assessment plans and reports will be published on the Office of Assessment webpage, for review by interested parties.
- This process will be repeated over a six-year cycle, as outlined in Appendix C.
Most Recent Changes
Version #2:
- Replaces former Program Review and Annual Academic Appraisal Policies.
- Establishes a six-year cycle analyzing the prior years’ data and planning for the next six years.
- Scheduling SWOT analysis.
- Clarifies or establishes the roles of the participants, including the Academic Standards Committee, the Office of Assessment and Accreditation, and the Institutional Effectiveness Council.
Disclaimer
The president has the discretion to suspend or rescind all or any part of this policy or related procedure(s). The president shall notify the appropriate CSN personnel, including the Executive Sponsor and shared governance leaders, of the suspension or rescission.
Questions about this policy should be referred to the Executive Sponsor.