Each academic program will be reviewed by a designated Program Review Team (PRT). The Program Review Team thoroughly examines the Self-Review Report and conducts an on-site visit. The Program Review Team’s efforts culminate in a formalized assessment report of the academic unit and each program.
Program Review Team Report
Appointing the Program Review Team
A Program Review Team ordinarily consists of three members. One of the members of the team is a Texas State faculty member residing outside the college. The remaining two members are from off-campus institutions of higher education and must meet the criteria established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) as reflected in the Program Review Team Selection Criteria provided. The THECB guidelines for reviewers are based on the highest level of program offered by the academic unit
The chair/director of the academic unit in consultation with faculty members will identify nominees for the Program Review Team. Program Review Team members should represent peer or aspirant programs and should not have a conflict of interest with the unit. Names, contact information, and area of expertise will be provided in the Program Review Team Nomination Form (.docx) . Nominees will be forwarded to the college dean who ultimately selects the members of the Program Review Team and names the chair of the Program Review Team from the off-campus team members. The college dean finalizes the list by August 1st for academic units without external program accreditation or by late November for units with external program accreditation at which time the names, contact information, and areas of expertise will be forwarded to the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment.
Inviting the Program Review Team
The chair/director often contacts potential Program Review Team members to ascertain their interest and availability. However, it is the college dean who formally extends an invitation to the potential team members. The dean may also identify issues for the Program Review Team important to the review including issues raised in any previous reviews. The Program Review Team will subsequently receive an introductory letter from the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment. This introduction will include a copy of the PPS describing the Academic Program Review Process, the final version of the Self-Review Report, and the review forms.
Prior to the Program Review Team Campus Visit
The chair/director of the academic unit will provide Program Review Team members with a copy of all attachments/documentation for the Self-Review Report. If any confidential material appears in the attachments/documentation, special care should be taken to ensure appropriate protection at all times. The chair/director will also forward to the Program Review Team members the contact information for all team members, an itinerary of the site visit, and any additional materials deemed pertinent to the review process. The assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment will also contact the Program Review Team outlining the responsibilities and providing the review forms.
Planning the Program Review Team Itinerary
The Program Review Team site visit ordinarily is scheduled for two days. The unit chair/director in consultation with the college dean and assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment establishes a workable itinerary for the Program Review Team site visit.
The academic unit considers possible times for the review taking into consideration professional conferences, major events, and the university calendar. Possible dates should be given to the dean so that he/she can consult with the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment who, in turn, coordinates the scheduling on the calendars of the provost, senior vice provost, and vice provost for Academic Innovation and Success; The Graduate College Dean; and the vice president for Research. Around the same time, the chair/director of the academic unit should contact the Program Review Team members to make the necessary travel arrangements.
Once the dates have been established, the chair/director of the academic unit should structure the itinerary. The schedule typically includes:
- A private meeting with the academic unit chair/director and the college dean
- Individual or group meetings with program coordinators
- Individual or group meetings with a representative sample of faculty in each program under review
- Individual or group meetings with representative samples of student in each program under review
- Open time for faculty and students to sign up for individual or group meetings (as they choose)
- Private time each day for the review team to discuss its work
- Unscheduled time in the later part of the site visit when the review team may meet with whomever they wish
- A meeting with the Vice President for Research (scheduled by the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment)
- A meeting with the dean or associate dean of The Graduate College (if applicable) (scheduled by the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment)
- A meeting with the provost, senior vice provost, and vice provost for Academic Innovation and Success (scheduled by the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment)
- An exit interview with the academic unit summarizing the on-campus visit
Some of the work of the Program Review Team may be conducted as a single group, although members of the Program Review Team may work individually at certain times. Some flexibility should be maintained to accommodate possible changes to the itinerary or for additional appointments as deemed appropriate to the review. However, program review teams should be expected to adhere as closely as possible to the original itinerary.
Academic units often have unique facilities, collections, or events that would be of particular interest to the reviewers. Time should be allotted in the schedule to showcase these distinctions.
Attached is a Sample APR Review Itinerary (.docx). Other examples can be obtained from the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment.
Expectations of the Program Review Team
The Program Review Team is expected to provide a thorough review of the academic unit and each program along with thoughtful suggestions for improvement. Aspects of the program review include
- The appropriateness and strength of the academic unit including:
- The academic unit description and strategic plan
- Faculty qualifications, contributions, and workload, and
- Resources
- Recommended improvement to strengthen the academic unit
- The appropriateness and strength of each academic program including:
- The program curriculum, and
- The students and graduates characteristics and accomplishments
- Recommended improvement to strengthen each academic program
- Any other points of interest as requested by the college dean and/or academic unit chair/director
Forms for the review will be provided to the Program Review Team members by the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment. The chair of the Program Review Team is expected to integrate Program Review Team members’ perspectives when preparing the composite reports from the team as a whole. The chair of the Program Review Team is also expected submit the Program Review Team Reports on the provided forms to the college dean and the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment within four weeks of the site visit. The Program Review Team Report will consist of a single completed Program Review Form, Part I for the Academic Unit as a whole as well as a Program Review Form, Part II for each of the Academic Programs.
The college dean forwards copies of the Program Review Team Reports to the chair/director for final review. The chair/director of the academic unit has two weeks from the date the Program Review Team Reports were sent to the dean to note any errors of fact in the report. Noted errors must be sent to the chair of the Program Review Team so that final corrections can be made. Meanwhile, the academic unit can begin developing their response and action plan.
The final Program Review Team Report must be sent to the college dean within two weeks from the time corrections were sent, which is also no later than eight weeks from the site visit. The college dean must send the final Program Review Team Reports to the assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment within eight weeks of the site visit.
Reimbursing Expenses of the Program Review Team
Travel Expenses:
The academic unit pays for the expenses of the Program Review out of its operating account and is later reimbursed for the expenses. Travel expenses for external reviewers are paid according to Travel Office procedures. Once all bills related to the costs of the Program Review have been paid and tallied, the academic unit contacts the office of Academic Budgets to initiate reimbursement to their operating account.
Honorariums:
External reviewers are also paid an honorarium in the amount set by the Provost. The assistant vice provost for Program Accreditation and Assessment establishes individual contracts with each of the external reviewers to pay the established honorariums. Payment of honorariums is processed only after the final Program Review Team Reports for the academic unit and each program have been received. Internal reviewers are not provided remuneration.