Department Planning FAQs
Q: My department is comprised of two or three distinct areas. May I submit a report for each?
A: Yes. It is important to identify the most meaningful units of analysis for this work, and in some cases that will involve separating a department into multiple groups related to disciplines or program focus (e.g. life sciences and physical sciences)
Q: What should I include in my spring narrative report?
A: Summarize the discussion amongst your department faculty and staff about your progress toward strategic goals, institutional priorities as they relate to your work, and ideas for areas of focus in the coming year(s). See self-evaluation template for guiding questions and sample library for examples.
Q: Do I need to report on all of the data elements listed on the data elements worksheet?
A: No. The idea is for you to review all of the data elements and engage your faculty and staff in conversations about those that are most meaningful to you and your work and program effectiveness. In your year-end report, make note of the key data elements/indicators for your department and the trends you see.
Q: We maintain additional data elements for our department. May we report on these?
A: Yes, as long as the data is vetted by IRAP, the Budget Office or other appropriate resources.
Q: What do we do if we don’t understand the data in the data package and/or don’t have access to key data needed to evaluate our program?
A: Contact Jennifer Steele or Craig Taylor for a consultation.
Q: What will our self-evaluation be used for?
A: The primary objective of the department planning self-evaluation process is for department managers, faculty, and staff to have a dialog about program data and performance, acknowledge and appreciate department gains, and to discuss goals for addressing gaps or opportunities. An important secondary objective is to create a structure for deans and directors to share performance data with their executive dean or vice president and to receive feedback on goals and resource planning. Flowing from the self-evaluation, the planning process will flow into budget development and resource planning structures.
Q: When will our program do program review?
A: Program review is a voluntary process. Academic program review schedules are coordinated by the Academic Program Review Oversight Committee (APROC), Student Affairs and College Services are coordinated through their respective offices. Departments are encouraged to think about when they’d like to go through a review process and get it on the calendar so that they can plan schedules and resources to support the process.
Q: Is unit planning officially gone?
A: Yes, the new planning paradigm of program review, annual self-evaluation, and budget and resource allocation has replaced unit planning.
Q: Where does one-time funding fit into the new process and cycle?
A: One-time funding will folded into the holistic budget development and resource allocation process where all budget requests are connected to strategic plans and priorities and we look to all possible funding sources to support department and initiative needs.