Academic Program Review

for

USF St. Petersburg Graduate Programs

Cycle

Florida Statutes require that all academic programs in State universities undergo review on a cyclical basis.  Each degree program listed on the SUS Academic Degree Programs Inventory must be reviewed during the 7-year cycle.

Purpose

Promote and maintaining high-quality academic programs that are delivered and administered efficiently and effectively and are consistent with the USF system's mission and with Board of Governors' strategic priorities.  Systematic review and improvement of academic programs with an emphasis on student learning outcomes is an integral part of institutional effectiveness.

Process

Elements of the program review:

• Program self-study
• Dean's report
• External review

External reviewers will be selected and retained by the Office of the Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in consultation with the department chair/program director and dean from a list of nominees developed by the unit under review.  Guidelines for the selection of external consultants are found here.

For programs with specialized accreditation, institutional program review will be scheduled to coincide with professional accreditation reviews.

Timeline

USF St. Petersburg's Academic Program Review Plan is developed for graduate programs and disseminated every seven years and is posted on the Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs' Office web page.

In the spring semester of the academic year preceding its program review year, an academic unit will be reminded of its scheduled review.  The Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs' Office will conduct an orientation meeting with representatives of the academic units and their colleges.  The purpose of this meeting is to describe the rationale, timeline, and process for review; possible utilization of outcomes; and the relationship of program review to professional accreditation, strategic planning, assessment of student learning outcomes and other institutional and state-level processes.  The unit, in consultation with the college dean, a representative of the Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research/Dean of Graduate Studies as appropriate, will identify questions and issues to be addressed by the review.  The college dean will also provide to the Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs' Office the names of three to five potential external reviewers.  A sample review schedule for academic program review can be found here.  Timelines for USF St. Petersburg programs can be found here.

The Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs' Office will prepare and submit to the Division of Colleges and Universities a Conceptual Framework for the program review.

For programs being reviewed in conjunction with professional accreditation, a University addendum to the accreditation self-study may be required to address questions and issues of specific interest tot he University and to the Board of Governors.

The Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs' Office, through the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, will assist the unit in obtaining all relevant institutionally generated data, including a library report, needed for the self-study.

For programs not undergoing professional accreditation review, self-study reports (including the Dean's Report) are due in the Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs' Office by the first weekday of November.  Site visits by outside reviewers will be scheduled in late fall or early spring.  The outside reviewer's report will be provided to the Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs no later than the first Monday in April.

For programs being reviewed in conjunction with professional accreditation, the schedule for preparation and submission of University addenda (if required) will be coordinated with the schedule for preparation and submission of the accreditation self-study and the visiting team report.

The Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or designee will discuss the final report and recommendations with the department chair/program director and dean.  Units may be asked to report annually on actions taken with respect to program review recommendations.

Self-Study Guidelines

The format for the self-study can be found here.  Although the report should be comprehensive and substantive, in most cases it will not exceed 25 pages.  Tables, charts, and other relevant documents such as strategic plans and outcomes assessment plans should  be placed in appendices.  All documentation will be developed and submitted in electronic format.

If the academic unit plans to develop a new degree program in the same or similar discipline as the program(s) being reviewed, a description of the proposed program and a timeline for implementation should be included in the self-study.  If an implementation proposal is in preparation, a draft proposal should be included as an appendix to the self-study.

For programs being reviewed in conjunction with professional accreditation, the elements of any University addendum to be prepared in addition to those required by the accrediting association will be agreed upon by the Regional Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs' Office, the department chair/program director, and the dean.

The Dean's Report will include, but not necessarily limited to, a discussion of the following aspects of the program(s) under review:

• Internal and external demand/need
• Competitive/strategic advantage
• Quality of students
• Faculty productivity
• Bearing on institutional mission, strengths and distinctiveness

Program Review Outcomes

The results of academic program review will be used to plan for continuous program improvement as well as to inform strategic planning, program development, and budgeting decisions at the institutional level.  Specific outcomes may include:

• Resource decisions (e.g. enhance, reduce, maintain, eliminate, or review further)
• An action plan to implement recommended changes on a specific, agreed-upon schedule.