Program Review

Program review is a process of systematic review and evaluation of academic programs in a university that takes place at regular intervals. Program reviews usually involve a self-study by the department or program that is the subject of the review.

Program review not only fulfills a state mandate but also provides the basis of application for professional accreditation by programs that need it. In an institution such as FGCU, which is committed to ongoing evaluation, it achieves other important objectives as well. It assesses program quality and facilitates program improvement in colleges, and it contributes to the corpus of information on institutional effectiveness presented by the University to the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), its regional accrediting body.

Program Review reports are submitted yearly according to a predetermined schedule. According to the Board of Governors (BOG), all academic degree programs must undergo review at least once every seven years.

Yes. In instances where a program is undergoing professional accreditation, the self-study presented to the accrediting body as well as the subsequent report of the visiting team will serve as a review for the program preparing the self study. In these cases, the guidelines provided by the accrediting body are used in conjunction with the FGCU Guidelines.

Ultimately the college dean is responsible for seeing that Assessment Plans & Reports are developed and implemented for their college's academic degree offerings at all levels both undergraduate and graduate. In addition, each college has an Associate Dean who is a member of the Assessment Council and works with the Office of Planning and Institutional Performance to share information on Institutional Effectiveness between the college and PBC.

Each academic program has several cycles of Assessment and improvements stored on the assessment and accreditation management system.

Each program will be asked to identify at least one aspect of the assessment plan that will be implemented in the coming year, lead to assessment results, and to consideration of those results to foster program improvement.

Again, deans ultimately have the responsibility to ensure that the faculty is coordinating college assessment activities, and that they are working with program leadership and program faculty to ensure program assessment and review take place.

Yes, the Office of Planning and Institutional Performance is available to provide assistance in support of the program review process. The Office of Curriculum and Instruction is also available to provide support to assessment efforts.

Academic Learning Compacts have been derived from the Assessment Plans & Reports and must form part of all undergraduate program reviews. The efficacy of the ALCs will be assessed as part of the academic program review cycle. They must also be included in summaries prepared for the Board of Governors.

Please contact Lenore Benefield.