GUIDELINES FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW For self-studies due to the Office of the Provost on October 1, 2015 CENTERS

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1 GUIDELINES FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW For self-studies due to the Office of the Provost on October 1, 2015 CENTERS OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM REVIEW At Illinois State University, primary responsibility for maintaining the quality of research/service centers approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) resides with center directors and administrators in the units to which they report. Responsibility for ongoing review of centers resides with the Academic Planning Committee, an external committee of the Academic Senate. Program review is carried out in a manner compatible with institutional academic planning mechanisms and guidelines established by IBHE. The IBHE program review process requires institutions to review programs to monitor quality, identify needed improvements, and make recommendations for closure. While IBHE requires review of centers at least every eight years, Illinois State University requires all IBHE-approved research/service centers to undertake a self-study review every four years. Under IBHE guidelines, institutions must indicate if the center being reviewed is in good standing or if an annual interim report is needed to resolve concerns regarding program quality. Such centers are considered flagged and are reviewed annually until the status of good standing has been achieved. Institutions may also temporarily suspend activities of a center identified as requiring attention sufficient to warrant such action. A results-based program review process has been developed at Illinois State that places primary emphasis on congruency between center objectives and outcomes. The program review process encourages the development and maintenance of high-quality programs that are administered efficiently and are consistent with the university mission. The program review process is designed to help center staff identify strengths and weaknesses of the unit and to develop a plan for remediation in areas identified for improvement. Program reviews result in recommendations for program development and modification that serve to inform the center, the unit to which the center reports, and the University on decisions regarding strategic planning, program focus, resource allocation, staffing plans, and center sustainability. The Academic Planning Committee provides these recommendations in summative reports submitted to the Academic Senate, Board of Trustees, and IBHE. Information regarding program review at Illinois State, including program review schedules and guidelines, is available on the Office of the Provost website, at PRINCIPLES OF PROGRAM REVIEW AT ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY 1. The program review process requires a thoughtful and critical self-analysis linked to long-term university priorities aligned with Educating Illinois, the University strategic plan. The unit must account for how the center contributes to the mission of the University and to the goals set forth in Educating Illinois. 2. Faculty and staff associated with the center should have meaningful opportunities to fully participate in the self-study process. 1

2 3. The center determines the goals and quality measures that are appropriate for driving center improvement. Further, the center is responsible for being able to explain its selection of these goals and measures. Units will look nationally to identify peer programs or national standards for each quality measure. 4. The program review document should be outcomes-based to allow an accurate determination of program quality. Report writers must support assertions of quality and excellence with evidence. 5. Centers will demonstrate fiscal accountability through a documented planning process tied to budgeting. 6. As part of the review process, center financial records must undergo an audit by University internal auditors. PROGRAM REVIEW PROCESS See the program review timeline included with this section (page 4). Steps in the program review process are described below. CONDUCTING THE SELF-STUDY The center initiates the program review process by conducting a thorough self-study. The center director typically takes the lead in this process but may identify a program review coordinator to facilitate the selfstudy process that culminates in a program review report. Faculty, students, and staff who support the center should have opportunities to participate in the self-study process in a meaningful way. Their participation should be documented in the program review report. The serves as a liaison to the center to answer questions about the review process. The Assessment Advisory Council and University Assessment Services also provide guidance in matters of evaluation and assessment. Centers may utilize an external consultant to help identify center strengths and areas for improvement. The Office of Internal Auditing will audit center operations in connection with the program review and will submit preliminary and final audit reports to the center director and to the. Audit reports are intended for internal (administrative) use only and are not disseminated to the Academic Planning Committee, Academic Senate, or Board of Trustees. The may, however, notify the Academic Planning Committee of any significant findings that may affect center efforts to achieve its goals and objectives. COMPILING THE PROGRAM REVIEW REPORT The self-study process, findings, and analysis are documented in a program review report. The center should follow the Program Review Report Guidelines for Centers (see pages 5-6). REVIEW BY THE ACADEMIC PLANNING COMMITTEE The Academic Planning Committee serves as the primary review committee for center reviews. The committee is an external committee of the Academic Senate. The committee has 15 members including a faculty member from each college recommended by the college dean and confirmed by the Faculty Caucus of the Academic Senate; the chairperson of the Academic Senate; a member of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Academic Senate; representatives from the Office of the Provost, University Assessment Services, and the Graduate School; an undergraduate student appointed by the Student Government Association; and a graduate student appointed by the Graduate Student Association. The Academic Planning Committee meets from October into early spring to discuss each program review self- 2

3 study. The committee may request clarification or supplemental information from the center director during this time. The Academic Planning Committee will write a summative report of the center based on its review of the program review report and any additional information provided by the center. The summative report includes recommendations for program development and modification that serve to inform the center, the unit to which the center reports, and the University regarding resource allocation, staffing, and program focus. A draft of the summative report is provided to and discussed with the center director, the department/school chairperson/director (if applicable), and the appropriate dean before the report is finalized. APPROVAL OF PROGRAM REVIEW SUMMARIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS The Academic Planning Committee submits the summative reports to the Academic Senate as part of the draft Academic Plan. The Academic Plan then moves forward to the Board of Trustees for approval before being submitted to IBHE. Subsequently, the Provost s office works with the center director and appropriate administrators to follow up on program review recommendations. 3

4 PROGRAM REVIEW TIMELINE FOR CENTERS SUBMITTING SELF-STUDY REPORTS IN FALL 2015 Date Activity Responsibility October 2014 October 2014 September 2015 September 1, 2015 September 15, 2015 The center director meets with the to review the self-study process. The Office of the Provost submits a request to the Office of Internal Auditing for an audit of the center. Center faculty/staff conducts the self-study The self-study report is due to the department/school to which the center reports (if applicable). The self-study report is due to the college to which the center reports October 1, 2015 The self-study report is due to the Office of the Provost Dean Center director Center director Chairperson/director (if applicable) or center director October 2015 February 2016 March 15, 2016 March-April 2016 April 2016 May 2016 July 2016 August 2016 The Academic Planning Committee reviews the self-study report and requests additional information from the center director as needed The Office of Internal Auditing submits a preliminary and final audit to the center director and to the. The informs the Academic Planning Committee of any significant remedial actions needed based on audit findings The Academic Planning Committee drafts a summative report with recommendations The summative report draft is distributed to the center director, the chairperson/director of the department/school to the which the center reports (if applicable), and the dean of the college to which the center reports The and members of the Academic Planning Committee meet with the center director, the chairperson/director (if applicable), and the dean The summative report is finalized and is incorporated into the draft Academic Plan The draft Academic Plan, including the summative reports, is reviewed by the Academic Senate The draft Academic Plan, including the summative reports, is reviewed by the Board of Trustees. The Board approves the plan as presented or amended. The Academic Plan and the summative reports are submitted to IBHE., Academic Planning Committee, Academic Planning Committee, Academic Planning Committee Provost, Provost, 4

5 Program Review Report Guidelines for Centers (maximum 20 pages) The program review report should demonstrate that a lengthy and thoughtful self-study process has occurred. It should be evidential in nature in that center initiatives are critically examined and an assessment of quality occurs. While a list of center initiatives since the last center review is important to include in the self-study, the center should also present evidence that the initiatives met a need and were assessed for quality. Section I: Self-study process Briefly describe the process used by the center to conduct its self-study. Section II: Introduction and overview Provide an overview of the history of the center. What was the original purpose for establishing the center? What are the current mission, goals, and objectives of the center? How does the center compare with similar centers in the state and nation? What features of our center are distinctive and demonstrate excellence? Describe the structure of the center. Include an organizational chart. Identify faculty and staff members who report directly to the center director and those who are affiliated with the center but report to units external to the center. Section III: Alignment with Educating Illinois and The Illinois Public Agenda How does the center contribute to goals and strategies set forth in Educating Illinois? How do center initiatives contribute to student learning at Illinois State? How does the center contribute to goals and strategies set forth in The Illinois Public Agenda, the IBHE strategic plan? See Section IV: Assessment Describe the strategies and methods used by the center to assess whether the center is achieving its objectives, meeting its goals, and fulfilling its mission. Attach the assessment plan adopted by the center, or provide a URL for the plan. What targets has the center set to assess progress toward achieving its objectives? Targets might include expected research and/or public service products; collaborative research products that promote the well-being of the state; impact of the center on national, state, regional, or local organizations, businesses, or communities; faculty or student involvement in center activities; or ratio of external to internal funding. 5

6 Section V: Accomplishments Describe the major accomplishments of the center since its last program review relative to center goals and objectives identified in Section II and targets identified in Section IV. Section VI: Resources Provide a narrative overview of the center budget. In the narrative describe significant changes in the budget, funding sources, operational expenses, and staffing since the last review. Section VII: Response to previous program review recommendations List each recommendation from the last IBHE program review, followed by a brief description of actions taken. Section VIII: Major findings of this self-study Summarize the state of the center based on findings from this self-study. What aspects of the center are working well? What aspects could be improved? Section IX: Initiatives and plans for the next program review cycle Describe center plans, including initiatives planned for the next four years based on major findings of this selfstudy. Include the center strategic plan as an appendix to the report, or provide a URL for the plan. Section X: Executive summary Prepare a summary of the completed program review self-study report using the outline below. Your executive summary will serve as the basis for the review submitted to IBHE. Therefore, in preparing your executive summary, please assume that its readers are not familiar with the center and will not have read the complete program review self-study report. Please use the executive summary to recap points made in the report rather than introduce new information. Please limit the executive summary to two pages. Self-study process Introduction and overview Alignment with Educating Illinois and The Illinois Public Agenda Assessment Accomplishments Resources Response to previous program review recommendations Majors findings of this self-study Initiatives and plans for the next program review cycle 6