Section 205 - Program Review and Quality Assurance

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Purpose

Each Minnesota state college and university is required by Board of Trustees Policy 3.10 to "review all academic programs and departments with respect to a) contribution to the mission and academic master plan of the institution; b) performance on System accountability standards, measures, and procedures, as well as accreditation, licensure or certification requirements; and c) other factors as appropriate. The results of the review are then to be used by the institution to plan strategies for continuous quality improvement."

Southeast Technical has adopted a two part process: a) evaluate the performance of each program on System accountability standards, measures, and procedures annually; and b) evaluate each program on its contribution to the college's mission, strategic plan, and academic master plan at least once every 5 years. This process is a “quality assurance” process designed to confirm the continued viability of programs and disciplines offered through the college.

Stakeholders

CAO, Deans, Coordinators, Directors, Department Chairs, Faculty, Students, and Advisory Committee Members

Process

Each program or discipline is to be reviewed at least once every 5 years. The administration is responsible to establish a rotation list for the review process. However, the program data collected and reviewed by administration could alter the rotation list. The administration will notify the programs by September 1 if a program has been selected for this reason.

Administration Responsibilities

a. Collect Data for each program/discipline and review during the summer months.

  1. A 5-year trend pattern of FTE student enrollment
  2. A 5-year trend pattern of graduation rate
  3. 5-year trend pattern of the number of credits sold
  4. A 5-year trend pattern of the ratio of FTE (faculty) to FYE
  5. A 5-year trend pattern of cost per FYE (Salary costs/FYE & Non-salary costs/FYE)
  6. A 5-year trend pattern of graduate placement percentages

b. Produce a random program/discipline rotation list and modify per the following:

  1. Programs with severe enrollment and or cost issues will have first priority
  2. Programs with enrollment and or cost issues will have second priority
  3. Programs that have not been reviewed for 4 to 5 years will have third priority.
  4. The rotation list along with the program/discipline data will be given to the faculty associated with the programs/disciplines to be reviewed during that academic year.

c. Lead the review process, evaluate the program/discipline information, give response to the program/discipline plans, and provide a written letter of summation to each program/discipline reviewed.

Program/Discipline Faculty Responsibilities

a. Review and analyze the DATA pack information.

b. Submit annual updates for:

c. Submit the following as part of the review process:

d. Program Review Report

e. Complete a Program Action Plan

EVALUATION REPORT

(Format and timelines to be determined between program/discipline and administration.)

Program General Information

  1. What is awarded to students at the completion of the program/discipline?
  2. When can students take classes (day, night, weekends, online)?
  3. Describe any outside governing bodies associated with this particular program/discipline.
  4. List the program/discipline goals.
  5. How do these goals support the Mission of the college?
  6. How do these goals support the strategic plan of the college?

Curriculum

  1. Describe the curriculum review process (who, what, when).
  2. When was the curriculum for the entire program last reviewed?
  3. Describe any articulations, transfer agreements or industry partnerships.
  4. Define the role of general education in this program/discipline.
  5. What percent of general education is embedded within the technical curriculum?

Assessment

  1. Describe how this program/discipline maintains their assessment plan?
  2. What is/are the measure/s of student achievement?
  3. How is student input collected and what is done with this information?
  4. Describe the assessment tools and processes used to assess learning within this program/discipline area.
  5. Describe the assessment tools and processes used to assess learning within the embedded general education curriculum (if applicable).
  6. How is the information collected through the assessment process used to improve the educational process for students?

Human Resources

  1. What are the credentialing requirements of faculty in this program / discipline?
  2. What are the credentials of the faculty teaching in this program / discipline?
  3. What faculty are currently using the Faculty Assessment Program? For those not participating, when will they begin the program?

Physical & Financial Resources

  1. Could you efficiently and effectively serve more students if this program/discipline had more space (classroom, lab, clinical)? Explain.
  2. Could you efficiently and effectively serve more students if this program/discipline had additional equipment? Explain.
  3. Could you efficiently and effectively serve more students if this program/discipline had more instructors? Explain.
  4. Could you efficiently and effectively serve more students if this program/discipline were offered at an alternative location, alternative times or using alternative methods? Explain.

Marketing/Recruitment & Community

  1. Describe the current marketing/recruitment plan for this program/discipline.
  2. To what extent are college-wide recruitment services adequate for this program/discipline?
  3. How are the faculty members in this program/discipline involved with college's foundation?
  4. How are the faculty members in this program/discipline involved with the community (to what extent are they OF the community—vs—in the community)?

Program Potential

  1. Describe anything that makes this program/discipline unique.
  2. Identify like programs/disciplines within the MnSCU system.
  3. How is the program/discipline meeting local, state, national and/or world-wide demands?
  4. What are three (3) to ten (10) strengths and/or opportunities of your program/discipline.
  5. What are three (3) to ten (10) weaknesses and/or threats of your program/discipline.

Action Plan

  1. Based on your analysis of the program data and the information you have provided in this evaluation, develop a continuous improvement plan for this program/discipline.

Include such items as:


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