College Services Program Review
Outline and Guide
The Process
Over the course of several months to one year, program faculty, staff and managers engage in a process of inquiry and analysis using a variety of quantitative and qualitative data to respond to review guidelines and standards. Once a program has completed the self-study process, peer reviewers are invited to provide external perspective and input. The final review document, to include peer comments, recommendations, action plans, and goals and objectives, is submitted to the College Services Program Review Committee and Vice President for feedback and response.
| Inputs | Outputs | |
| Program or Service Data → Enrollment Data → Financial Information → Operational Issues → Other Internal and External Environmental Factors → | Your Program Review | → Future Vision for Your Program → Recommendations for Improvements → Strategies with Measureable Goals and Action Items → Key Performance Indicators |
The College Services Program Review Committee will support program review work to include coordinating review schedules, providing resources and support to review teams, organizing and training evaluation teams (peer reviewers), receiving and providing feedback on review documents and processes, and evaluating the effectiveness of the review process.
Reviews will be conducted on a rotating five year cycle, with annual updates and progress reports submitted in each of the off years as part of the Department Planning Cycle. Adjustments may be made to align with program certification, accreditation cycles or other environmental factors.
Integrating Program Review into Planning and Budget Decisions
Program Review recommendations that have financial implications will be carefully prioritized and connected to the college’s strategic priorities and then connected into the budget development process.
Program Review Outline and Guide
Notes and Suggestions:
- The value of program review (strategic planning) is in the process. It is essential that program faculty, staff and administrators are engaged throughout.
- Set timelines for completion
- Provide evidence to support narrative and analysis
- Find meaningful benchmarks and comparisons
- Seek multiple perspectives
- Be candid and employ a continuous improvement mindset
Section 1: Program Information
1. Core Purpose
- Describe your program’s core purpose, educational or service goals and objectives
- How does your program align with and contribute to the college’s mission, core themes and strategic directions?
Consider using the Simon Sinek Why-How-What model
2. Program Description
Suggested topics:
- Provide a brief history/evolution of your program
- Degrees, certificates, and brief summary/range of courses offered (academic)
- Services offered
- Program and curricular outcomes
- Enrollment, students, customers served
- Faculty, staff and management organizational structure, credentials and staff development
- Location and facilities
- Funding, budget and financials
- Partnerships, collaborations, advisory councils, associations and memberships
- Program certifications and accreditations
- Substantive change since last review
Section 2: Environmental Scanning/Operating Environment
Identify key national, regional, local, college, departmental, economic, political, demographic and/or technological trends that have or are expected to have a significant impact on your program and students.
Section 3: Key Performance Indicators
Describe the key performance indicators used to assess the quality and effectiveness of your program relative to its core purpose and the college mission.
Examples:
- Student progression and completion
- Core theme objectives and indicators
- Program certification/accreditation standards
- National, state or disciplinary benchmarks
- Financial performance
- Efficiency measures
- Department planning data elements
- Other benchmarks as appropriate
Section 4: Program Reflection and Assessment
Suggested topics:
- Prior review recommendations
- Accreditation results/recommendations
- Strategies employed (innovation, adaptation, development)
- Projects and initiatives (include outcomes and measures)
- Evaluation of progress toward goals
Section 5: Current State Analysis
Based upon the work and analysis of sections, one through four, identify the current issues and opportunities the program is facing.
Consider using the SOAR framework
Section 6: Key Findings and Program Opportunities
- Articulate key findings that arose from the review process.
- Identify and prioritize recommended strategies and opportunities for program improvement. For each recommendation, include a high-level feasibility analysis, to include required resources and other considerations.
Section 7: Conclusion
Section 8: Peer Reviewer Comments and Recommendations
Section 9: Action Plan
- Strategies and initiatives (prioritized list)
- High level timelines and implementation plans
- Resources, requirements and other considerations
- Outcomes and measures
Section 10: Administrative Response
Checklist of Elements to include in Program Review
- Faculty and staff professional development (current, planned, needed)
- Financial results, budgetary plans and requirements
- Longitudinal history of key performance indicator data