Program Review Process
All departments, degree-granting graduate fields, and centers will be reviewed once every five to ten years. Whenever possible, fields and centers that can be associated with a department will be reviewed with the department. Where the interdisciplinary nature of the field or center makes combined reviews unfeasible, independent field and center reviews will be carried out.
- The Self Study
- The External Review Team
- The External Review
- The External Review Report
- The Department's Response to the External Review Report
- The Dean's Response to the External Review Report
- The Faculty Committee on Program Review's Report to the Provost
- The Reimbursement of Program Review Expenses
- The Administration of the Faculty Committee on Program Review
The Self Study
To initiate the self study process the chair of the Faculty Committee on Program Review (FCPR) and if available, the administrative manager of the FCPR, will meet with the department chair and review the self study format. During that meeting, they will discuss:
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the review process
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data needs
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schedule of review activities, and
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the process used to identify external reviewers.
Upon setting a date for the completion of the self-study document, FCPR administrator (Kristin Walker) notifies the Graduate School data coordinator (Laura Lee Morgan), who will then compile the graduate data for the department and send it directly to the department chair.
The self study should comply with the self study format guidelines (pdf link). Four copies of the self study document are sent by the department to the FCPR for review and comment no less than 6 weeks before the scheduled external review. FCPR will respond within 2 weeks to provide time for any changes before documents are sent to the external review team members.
The External Review Team
The selection of the External Review Team should be initiated during the self study phase. The process will involve the department, the college dean and the FCPR.
The External Review
Establishing the date and time for the on campus visit; developing the charge, questions, and objectives for the external review team; and setting the agenda are all critical components that require communication within the department and between department and dean. The opening and closing meetings with the external review team include the dean, a provost's designee, the dean of the Graduate School, and two members of the FCPR; they do not include members of the department being reviewed.
The External Review Report
External Review Reports will be treated as confidential documents and will be stamped "Confidential - Do Not Copy."
Routine distribution of the reports will be limited to the provost, cognizant vice provost, all relevant deans, associate deans, department chairs and professorial faculty directly involved in the review; and to members of the FCPR. The FCPR may, in unusual circumstances, send a copy of an external review report to another college dean, who will not be authorized to distribute it further. The dean(s) directly involved in the review may distribute copies of the external review reports at their own discretion.
External review teams may, if they wish, attach a confidential annex to the review report that will be removed and forwarded to the Provost and the appropriate dean, before the main report is distributed to the department chair and professorial faculty.
The External Review Report is to be submitted to the appropriate dean and to the FCPR within a month following the external review team visit.
The Department's Response to the External Review Report
Upon receipt of the external review team's written report, the department prepares a written response to the review team's findings and recommendations.
The length of the Department's Response will depend on the department's level of agreement with the report. When the department agrees with the report, intends to implement its recommendations, and urges the dean to do likewise, a short acknowledgement will suffice. On the other hand, when the department disagrees with some of the findings or recommendations of the report, a fuller response to each significant finding or recommendation is required.
The Department's Response is to be submitted to the appropriate dean and to the FCPR within a month following receipt of the written report of the external review team.
The Dean's Response to the External Review Report
The next step in the review process is a written response from the dean regarding the external reviewers' findings and recommendations and the department's responses thereto, with appropriate explanations where needed.
The dean should submit his/her response to the FCPR within a month of receipt of the department's response.
The Faculty Committee on Program Review's Report to the Provost
Upon receipt of the External Review Report and the Department's Response, the FCPR will prepare a short report to the Provost summarizing the review.
The Reimbursement of Program Review Expenses
The department or college will be reimbursed for all expenses for three to four external reviewers per department review (i.e., travel, lodging, meals, and honoraria). Additionally, the cost for the printing of the self studies, including 4 copies for the FCPR, a copy for the provost, appropriate vice provost, deans, associate deans, and 1-5 copies for the department will be reimbursed. The department or college assumes responsibility for all other expenses related to the review.
The Administration of the Faculty Committee on Program Review
The administrator of the Faculty Committee on Program Review provides the following support to the Committee, Provost, and Vice Provost:
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tracking of all reviews and where they are in the process,
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coordination of the submission of all materials sent to the FCPR for review and approval
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coordination of the distribution of all documents to the FCPR, provost, and vice provost, including self studies, external review charge and agenda, and external review reports.
All communication between the college or department and the FCPR should be addressed to them by e-mail or campus mail at the following address:
Kristin Walker
440A Day Hall
kkc11@cornell.edu
For more information contact:
Kristin Walker
kkc11@cornell.edu
607-255-2716
Resources
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