Academic Program Review
Please click here for the full document describing the Program Review process at The College of St. Scholastica. Please send comments or feedback to Anne Kruchten, Director of Assessment, at akruchten@css.edu.
Overview of the Academic Program Review Process
The general purpose of program review is to promote continuous improvement of the academic programs at The College of St. Scholastica. The program review process advances the mission of the college by providing an accurate assessment of the quality, effectiveness, and future direction of academic programs. The in-depth reflection and critical analysis of programs generated by the Self Study, the student and alumni surveys, the external consultant’s report, and the Peer Reviewers reports serve to inform budgetary and planning decisions at all levels. Finally, the process assists the College in monitoring and refining its programmatic curriculum, directions and priorities. The VPAA is responsible for administering this program, and changes to the process will be made with consultation from the Faculty Assembly Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is responsible for bringing faculty recommendations for changes to the attention of the VPAA.
Overview of the Academic Program Review Process
In the first stage, program faculty participate in a Program Self Study coordinated by an appointed member of the program. Students and alumni are surveyed on their impressions of the program. The results of these two processes together with catalog information and syllabi from program courses are forwarded to an external consultant who contributes a disciplinary perspective to the process. Two assigned faculty Peer Reviewers review all these materials and analyze the strengths, weaknesses and contributions of the program towards the College’s mission, values, and strategic plan. The Director of Assessment writes an executive summary of all materials and forwards the summary and all materials to the VPAA. The VPAA holds the responsibility for developing an action plan and prioritizing program needs and representing them in the budgeting and strategic planning processes. Annually, program faculty and staff who participated in the process have the opportunity to assess the Academic Program Review process. The Peer Review Board and the Director of Assessment are responsible for creating an action plan to ensure that the process is working to facilitate continuous improvement of CSS programs.