Sessions set for campus community to discuss program review
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Four brown-bag lunch events are scheduled during July and August for members of the campus community to get support and information about the 2014-15 Academic Program Review and Planning process.
The first 11:30 to 1 p.m. session is set for Wednesday, July 9, and will cover Criteria A through C of the process. Criteria D through E will be covered Wednesday, July 16, at the same time. The sessions will be repeated on Wednesdays, Aug. 6 and 20. All sessions will be held in 159 Bernhard Center.
Academic Program Review and Planning
The 2014-15 Academic Program Review and Planning process is a comprehensive review of academic programs designed to align effective assessment with campuswide continuous improvement, and provide meaningful data-driven information to assist with strategic planning. The academic review process should provide direction in planning for academic programs in order to maintain program relevancy for both students and the community.
According to Dr. Jody Brylinsky, vice provost for institutional effectiveness, the materials for the process are now available for review at wmich.edu/effectiveness/review. Documents have been posted for anyone wishing to begin their self-study process during the summer months.
Posted materials
- Process procedures.
- A self-study guide.
- Self-study templates for undergraduate majors and graduate certificates.
- Minor program self-study templates.
- General education and service course self-study templates.
- A review observation consideration rubric.
- A department summary data report form.
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness will continue to comb through the materials to refine them and and post enhanced instructions in the self-study guide along with FAQs through the months of July and August. A commitment has been made to not make any significant change in format or content of the self-study templates so that interested parties may feel secure their summer efforts will be useful. All materials will again be presented to the Faculty Senate and campus at-large in September.
The informal brown-bag sessions are designed to provide information about the review and planning process, respond to questions regarding completion of the program self-study reports, and facilitate understanding of available data resources.
Staff from the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Institutional Research along with department chairs or directors from the beta-year process will be available to talk with participants during the 90-minute sessions. Everyone involved in the process is invited to attend and encouraged to bring their specific program self-study material with them for one-on-one conversations. Participants may take advantage of various food options.