Academic Program Reviews
The principal functions of an Academic Program Review (APR) are to re-define the mission and objectives of the department or program, to assess program quality and effectiveness in relation to these goals and objectives, to generate plans for improvement, and to provide guidance for administrative decisions.
An APR includes an internal self-study and an external review by a visiting committee, resulting in the formulation of an academic plan for each department and program. Both the internal self-study and the external review focus on the intellectual vitality of the department or program as it manifests itself in teaching, scholarly or artistic activity, and contribution to the academic life of the College as a whole.
Every program and department undergoes an APR under a staggered cycle, with two departments and one program being reviewed each year. That way, each department and program undergoes a full APR within a 10-12 year cycle. Additionally, each department and program will devote one faculty meeting every three years to an interim discussion which involves reviewing, assessing, and updating the APR. Descriptive minutes of the department meeting and any updated data will be sent to the Provost as part of the chair’s annual report in those years when the three-year interim discussion takes place.
For more information about Academic Program Reviews, contact the Special Advisor to the Provost for Academic Affairs and Curriculum (lpostlew@geo-drillchina.com).