APPENDIX C
Program Review Self-Study Categories and Questions to Be Addressed
Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Departments
1. Department and Program
Description
- What are the department's mission and goals?
- How do they contribute to current College and
University mission and goals?
- What are the department's diversity goals and
objectives regarding students, faculty/staff and program offerings?
For purposes of this review, diversity should include race, gender, disability
and sexual orientation (in accord with federal and/or state law).
- How do the programs and activities of the department
fit with its expressed mission and goals?
- What are the most noteworthy changes occurring
within the department and its program/s over the past five years?
- How well has the department fulfilled its mission
and goals since the most recent program review?
- What progress has been made in implementing the
last program review's recommendations for program improvement?
Suggested Information Sources:
- Annual Report of Accomplishment of Goals
- Affirmative Action Plans and Reports
2. Student Academic Achievement
- What are the student learning outcomes for the program, and what standards
have been established for successful achievement of each of those outcomes?
- How do student learning outcomes reflect departmental, College and University
mission and goals?
- What is the evidence of success in achieving established student learning
outcomes?
- Based upon the evidence gathered, what program improvements have been made
since the most recent program review?
- How does the department engage all faculty in both planning for and assessing
student academic achievement and program improvement?
For departments providing general education and service courses:
- How does the department ensure that general education and service courses
it provides meet expected student learning outcomes for the general education
program or the department being served?
- If the department offers service courses, how is cross-departmental collaboration
in planning and assessment of these courses employed?
Suggested Information Sources:
- Program Assessment Plan/s
- Exit Interviews
- Annual Program Assessment Reports
- Student Course Evaluations
- Student/Alumni/Employer Survey
3. Faculty Achievement
(Subheadings and questions in category three are organized according
to the criteria established for faculty professional development and evaluation
under Article 22 of the MnSCU/IFO Agreement. Criterion 3, continued preparation
and study, is not explicitly included because it supports achievements in other
outcomes/criteria rather than being a direct outcome for the program.)
Teaching Effectiveness/Effectiveness in Current Duties:
- What is the evidence of effective teaching and learning or effectiveness
in performance of current duties?
- How do instructional strategies used within the department promote active
learning?
- How does the department encourage improvement of teaching?
Scholarly and/or Creative Work and/or Research:
- What level of scholarly and/or creative work and/or research occurs within
the department?
- How does it contribute to maintaining quality undergraduate and graduate
academic programs or effective academic support services?
- How are faculty members continuously encouraged and involved?
Contribution to Student Growth and Development
- In what ways does the department encourage student growth outside the classroom?
- How are students benefiting from such activities?
- How do department faculty identify, refer and support students who may have
academic learning difficulties?
- How effective is the department in providing academic advising for its undergraduate
and graduate students?
- If the department appoints graduate assistants, how are
they recruited, trained, and mentored?
Service to University and Community:
- In what ways does the department serve the university and its communities?
- How do students and programs benefit from such service?
- How does the department/college/university benefit?
Suggested Information Sources:
- Professional Development Plans
- Faculty Improvement Grants
- Professional Development Reports
- Faculty Research Grants
- Tenure/Promotion Applications
- Sabbaticals
- Service-Learning Opportunities
- Partnerships/Collaborations/Centers
- Student Course Evaluations
- Minutes of Department Meetings
- Advisory Council Minutes
- Student/Faculty Research
- Assessment of Advising Activities
- Graduation Rates
4. Interpretation of Quantitative Performance Measures
When viewed across the time since the
most recent program review, what do the following measures of productivity indicate
about the strengths and weaknesses of the department and each of the undergraduate
and graduate program/s it offers?
- Enrollment Measures: majors, minors, general
education/service courses, undergraduate and graduate student credit hours,
etc.
- Efficiency Measures: student/faculty ratio,
cost per FTE, time to graduation, etc.
- Effectiveness Measures: degrees awarded,
retention, placement, etc.
- Quality Measures: accreditation, honors,
awards, etc.
- Diversity Measures: student, faculty,
staff; within United States and international
- Comparative Advantage Measures: regional
competitors, student demand, environmental scan, labor department, etc.
Other Suggested Information Sources
for Quality and Comparative Advantage:
- Program selectivity rate
- Faculty diversity
- Public lecture/performance sponsorship
- Colloquium/symposium activities
- Research program
- Collaborations (curricular & scholarly)
- Student/employer surveys
- Student organization membership & activity
5. Resource Management
When viewed across the time since the
most recent program review, what do the following indicators of resource management
suggest about the strengths and weaknesses of the department and each of the
undergraduate and graduate program/s it offers?
Faculty: How are responsibilities
within the department allocated to meet needs for teaching, advising, committee
membership, research, etc.? What does this show about department strengths
and weaknesses?
- Facilities: What facilities are
used? What is their quality? Is this a strength or weakness?
- Equipment: What equipment is used?
What is its quality? Is this a strength or weakness?
- Nonsalary Budget: What level of funding?
How is it allocated within the department? Is this a strength or weakness?
- Development: What development initiatives
have been undertaken? With what success? Is this a strength or
weakness?
- Instructional Technology/Media Support:
What are the quantity and quality of media holdings and instructional technology?
Is this a strength or weakness?
6. Summary Evaluation and Outlook
- Based upon the information included in the program
review self-study:
- What are the department's strengths in programs
and activities?
- What are the department's limitations in programs
and activities?
- What information does environmental scanning
provide in considering the department's future plans for programs and activities?
- In relation to programs and activities, what
departmental goals and priorities should be established for the next five
years?
