Academic and student support programs must conduct
a program review every five years. The program review allows the
university to assess current programs, identify strengths and
weaknesses, and develop strategies to build upon strengths and improve
deficiencies. The Office of the Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State
System of Higher Education maintains a schedule
of program reviews for each of the 14 state universities. Detailed
information is provided in the Board of Governors Policy 1986-04-A:
Program Review and the related
Administrative Procedure.
In addition, the University requires programs to
submit annual reports using the same format and report form as the
five-year review. This process assists programs in gathering and
documenting information annually, which makes the five-year review
process much simpler. It also helps programs and the university monitor
progress in achieving program goals between five-year reviews and
provides important information for the annual planning and budgeting
process.
Annual
reports and program reviews should include the following (updated for
2008-09):
All programs
should consult the following:
- The Guidelines for
Completing the "Academic Program Report Summary Form" for
annual reports and program reviews (rev. 1/07/09)
- A sample report
(on a hypothetical Classics major at Imaginary University); the sample
is of an annual report (a program review report would be very similar,
but reflect the five-year time horizon)
- The Report
Evaluation form (used to provide advice to programs on
improving annual reports and program reviews)
- The University's
Strategic Plan (annual reports and program reviews should
reflect awareness of and the program's contribution to the Strategic
Plan)
- The LHU
Program Review Model for the difference between student
learning and other program outcomes
- The "Administrative Procedure for Board of
Governors’ Policy 1986-04-A: Program Review" (here
or on the
PASSHE web site under "Academic Policies") for programs
preparing PASSHE five-year program reviews
University
Days presentations on annual reports and program reviews:
For
additional information on program review in general, see:
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has a
helpful overview of Foundations
and Principles of Program Review.
- The American Association of Physics Teachers
has developed a "Definition
of a Thriving Undergraduate Physics Program" that may offer ideas for
potential program outcomes for any discipline.
