Program Review Update
April 14, 2011 - Program Review Update
In my January 28, 2011 and February 28, 2011 campus updates, I provided an overview of the academic program review process to date, including the academic program review conducted last year and the recent review from earlier this spring. The February 28 update also provided a summary of the recommendations formulated by our Academic Program Review Task Force that were submitted to the BOR (Board of Regents) for the 19 low-completer academic programs at Southeastern identified by the BOR.
As explained in these prior updates, our recent on-campus academic program review also included several academic programs that were not identified by the BOR as low-completer programs but had been identified as programs potentially at risk for elimination through the initial academic program review completed last year. Information about the process last year, including the criteria and data used, was shared in multiple campus updates in spring 2010 and again in the January 28, 2011, update.
In light of continuing State budget challenges and program scrutiny at the State level, overlapping initiation of the BOR low-completer review early this spring, the University of Louisiana System asked Southeastern and the other UL institutions to also update all program review results that were generated during the past year. Given that the criteria to be used by the BOR in the current low-completer review are a subset of the same criteria used in our internal review of academic programs, it was logical to ask our Academic Program Review Task Force to carry out these tasks at the same time.
Low-Completer Program Review Results To Date
We have been informed that BOR staff, after careful analysis of the recommendations made by all institutions, substantively concur with our recommendations regarding the 19 low-completer programs at Southeastern. It appears that this was not the case for all institutional recommendations, and in some cases the BOR staff is recommending more program terminations than recommended by the institution.
As a result of the BOR staff analysis, recommendations will be advanced to the Board for its consideration and decision on April 27. As indicated in my February 28 campus message, that meeting will be the final opportunity for any faculty or students in the low-completer programs who may potentially be affected to speak up on behalf of these programs.
At-Risk Academic Program Review Results To Date
As part of the recent review process, departments with potentially at-risk programs were asked to provide updated information and data to the Academic Program Review Task Force via their respective department heads and deans. In coming weeks, the programs that remain potentially at risk have the opportunity to provide any additional information or data they believe pertinent to the program review criteria for further consideration by the Academic Program Review Task Force.
Internal recommendations for additional program eliminations, if any, will be based on the academic prioritization criteria, relevant data and information submitted by the departments, analysis and review by the Task Force, and additional budget developments.
As always, I will endeavor to keep the entire campus apprised of developments and new information.