Minnesota State Board Policy 3.36 - Academic Programs
Part 7. Academic Review. Each system college and university shall regularly review its academic programs for the purpose of academic planning and improvement.
Each system college and university shall submit an annual summary of its academic program review activity to the chancellor.
The chancellor, as appropriate, may conduct statewide or regional reviews of academic programs or program clusters, report findings to the Board of Trustees and, when necessary, impose conditions on academic programs.
Minnesota State Board Procedure 3.36.1 Academic Programs
Part 7. Academic Review. Periodic review of academic programs is the responsibility of the college or university. The review shall encompass all instructional areas and be structured according to discipline, academic program or program cluster, department or other academic unit.
St. Cloud Technical and Community College (SCTCC) will conduct periodic review on an established schedule of no more than five years of all its academic programs for the purpose of academic planning and continuous improvement. The program review process is intended to support methods that enhance the learning environment and student experience with a continuous quality improvement philosophy that utilizes an appreciative inquiry approach.
This periodic review process shall include the following criteria:
- Alignment of mission and course outcomes to program and college outcomes.
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- Review schedule of all courses and course outcomes
- Review schedule of all transfer and articulation agreements
- Assessment of student learning outcomes and program
- Accreditation, licensure, or certification requirements
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- Faculty credentials and professional development
- Quantitative data related to enrollment, graduation, and placement
- Advisory board bylaws, membership, and evaluation
- Student data including demographic and geographic data
- Infrastructure and development inventory and resource needs related to facility, equipment, and technology
- Budget
- Labor market trends and forecasts related to the program
- Applicable system policy, procedures and guidelines,
- Minnesota Transfer Curriculum requirements
- Other factors as appropriate.
For the purpose of academic planning and continuous improvement, data collection and analysis through the program review process will provide a foundation for/to:
- assessing the current strengths and opportunities of the program/discipline
- identifying areas of potential improvement
- alignment of college, program/discipline, and course outcomes
- improvement of student learning outcomes and assessments
- accountability – accreditation, transfer, employability, and community partnerships
- enhance sustainability of program and curriculum
- enhance program and college decision-making
- facility and equipment planning
- develop educational pathways and partnerships to serve students
- assess technical skills and competencies for workforce/transfer preparedness
- create budgets
- development of short and long term plans
- acknowledge student and faculty success
Accreditation and/or certification from an external board or entity may replace the program review process for SCTCC when of comparable rigor and within the established timeline for review.
Program Review Procedures
Preparing for Program Review
- The review process will follow the calendar established and distributed from the office of the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.
- The calendar will establish a three-to-five year cycle of program review unless programs are involved in an accreditation and/or certification process of five years or fewer. An accreditation process may replace the program review process for SCTCC when of comparable rigor and within the established timeline for review.
- The calendar will be updated annually.
- The Academic Dean responsible for Program Review will notify the faculty within the department of the upcoming review by the end of the prior academic year in which the program review will be completed.
Steps to Follow for Program Review
- The Academic Dean will provide the Program Review Template in both written and digital format and will review with faculty. This includes a checklist and timeline for completion.
- Program profile data will provide a baseline of quantitative information to be utilized in the review process. Additional requests for data will be made through the Dean and appropriate data offices.
- As part of the program review process, any curricular changes will be discussed with the dean and advisory board and be revised as appropriate and submitted to AASC (Academic Affairs and Standards Council).
- Faculty will provide the Academic Dean with the draft of the completed Program Review in accordance with the annual schedule.
- It is expected this faculty will consult with the dean, students, advisory boards, and other stakeholders during the program review process.
- It is recommended that faculty and the Academic Dean will schedule ongoing meetings to complete the program review template prior to April 1.
- Submitted program review will be dated upon receipt to the Academic Dean’s office.
- The Academic Dean & VP of Academic and Student Affairs will evaluate the Program Review template and corresponding documents and provide feedback to faculty within the timelines established in the annual schedule.
- Feedback will be in written and oral form and include a minimum of one meeting to review content.
- All parties will sign the Program Review document after review meeting. Faculty and/or Academic Dean may include notes, memos, or other documentation related to the review and its content prior to submission to the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.
- The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs will review documentation from the program review process for final approval and signature.
- Review and signature will occur prior to the start of the next semester.
- Documents will be stored in the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs office.