The essential word is "planning," for literally every component of the process. The self-study and reports, culminating in an Action Memorandum from the Provost, must give a clear picture of where the program stands and what it realistically expects to accomplish over the next five years - curricular revision, faculty hiring, space alterations, change in student mix, enhanced off-campus delivery, changing use of technology, more community ties, develop or use more effectively an advisory board, more alumni contact, etc.
The policy requires an element related to evidence of program effectiveness. The Policy includes a model assessment plan both at the college and the department levels, and others will be made available. Because such measures are an increasingly important part of University accreditation (WASC), it is necessary to show how departments are collecting -- and using for the purposes of program improvement -- evidence of their effectiveness.
The following is intended to be a general overview. Be sure to see the Program Planning Guidelines (doc) for more information
Fall semester before the Program Planning Year:
Spring semester before the Program Planning Year:
Program Planning Year:
It is obvious that, unless the Dean negotiates shorter times for the department and college responses and reports, that a visit after Feb. 1 would push the process into final exams and beyond the end of the academic year.
The Program Planning Guidelines (doc), revised in fall 2006, give extensive instructions on format and sections required for the self-study. Departments that have one program are limited to a twenty-five page self study. .
The Office of Institutional Research will provide required data elements. Should the department wish additional data, the Office of Institutional Research may be able either to provide requested data or to aid the department in finding sources.
Only one, though five additional pages beyond the twenty-five page limit are allowed. For example, departments with two programs, an undergraduate and a graduate program, are allowed 30 pages. Resources are typically shared across programs within a department, so that, for instance, most faculty teach in multiple programs. For that reason, departments with multiple programs should integrate self-study discussions across programs
The Chair, who may delegate this in whole or part, but who nonetheless remains responsible. The Deans, of course, see to it that Chairs carry out this task.
The Provost very much intends to make the Action Memorandum a part of both short and long term resource allocation procedures within the Academic Affairs division. Requests for faculty hires, for new curricula, for special resource consideration, that have not been documented in Program Planning, are much less likely to be honored.
Yes. See first paragraph on page 3 of the revised Guidelines (doc) .
Members of the Program Planning Committee play a logistical support role. They will help departments negotiate changes to procedures as necessary, and in general will report to the Committee whether things are progressing smoothly. The liaison should not be regarded as a working member of the department self-study process, but as an informational link to the Committee and as support.
The Program Planning Committee is being asked by the Curriculum & ResearchCommittee to oversee the long-term commitments made during Priorities, and to see to it that during the Planning processes appropriate degree condensations, evaluations, etc., are carried out.
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