Graduate Council Report on Program Prioritization

Suggestions for Implementation Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services

October 18, 2005

• This document is written within the context of “Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services” (ISU 10/4/05, available in PDF format from http://www.indstate.edu/acad-aff/facultyres.html) which indicates that all programs will be reviewed.

• The “Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services” document suggests that programs be divided into either thirds or quintiles, and we suggest quintiles. The implication is that 20% of programs will be identified for “phasing out, reduction, or consolidation” and 20% will be identified for “enrichment”.

• A new Criterion area “Centrality to the ISU Mission” is suggested here. If we are to have a meaningful university mission statement, then it should be the basis for many decisions.

• The questions in each Criterion area were written with an emphasis on data and information that is available to department Chairs. Most of the questions ask for specific data and some ask for narrative answers.

• Most of the data required in this report should be available from BANNER or other ISU data bases and generating this date for each program should be an institutional, not a departmental, priority.

• We suggest that the report generated should be limited to 10 pages of text, with no supplemental material or appendices.

• Clarification needs to be provided on what constitutes a program on ISU’s campus (see Dickeson Chapter 4).

Criterion 0: Centrality to the ISU Mission

1. What are the program’s mission and other basic statements, such as a values and a vision statement?

2. What do program faculty, students, and staff do that links directly to the ISU Mission.

3. Specifically how does the program link to the ISU Mission?

Criterion 1:  History, Development, and Expectations of the Program

1. How has the program changed over the years to meet or lead social and economic changes in Indiana?

Criterion 2: External Demand for the Program

1. What organizations or companies do graduates work for?

2. How do external demands suggest the institution should continue this program?

3. List other similar academic programs in the state.

4. What would be the consequences to our principle stakeholders in the state if this program were to be discontinued?

5. What do the students and faculty in this program produce that are used by our principle stakeholders in the state?

Criterion 3: Internal Demand for the Program

1. What other ISU programs or departments does this program support, for example general education?

2. What would be the consequences to other ISU programs is this program were to be discontinued?

3. What do the students and faculty in this program produce that are used by other parts of the ISU campus?

Criterion 4: Quality of Program Inputs and Processes

1. Cite evidence of:

   1. Student standardized test scores before and at ISU (if applicable)

   2. Student class ranking before and at ISU (if applicable)

   3. Student GPA before and at ISU

   4. Student involvement with appropriate department committees and processes

2. Cite evidence of:

   1. Faculty academic preparation, including ongoing professional development

   2. Faculty service to ISU

   3. Faculty service to the profession

   4. Faculty teaching quality

3. Cite evidence that:

   1. The curriculum reflects best practice in the discipline.

   2. The curriculum was recently reviewed.

   3. Program accreditation, certification, or other professional recognition.

   4. The academic program was reviewed by non-ISU personnel.

4. Cite evidence of how technology is used in student learning and teaching

5. Cite evidence that equipment, facilities, and other resources are sufficient to support student learning and teaching.

Criterion 5: Quality of Program Outcomes

1. Cite evidence of:

   1. Graduation rates for majors

   2. Accomplishments of majors

2. Cite evidence of:

   1. Faculty publications

   2. Faculty professional presentations

   3. Faculty creative works

   4. Faculty professional activities, service, and consultations (See Criterion 4, 2, b and c)

Criterion 6: Size, Scope, and Productivity of the Program

1. List the number of majors over the past 5 years (Note that all of this data should come only from the “10 day reports”.)

2. List the number of graduates over the past 5 years

3. List the program’s maximum capacity for majors, given current resources

4. List the number of faculty and staff assigned to the program over the past 5 years

5. List the faculty instructional load in the program

6. List the FTE faculty to FTE student ratio in the program

7. List the number of credit hours generated over the past 5 years

8. List the amount of service provided to ISU and outside ISU (See Criterion 4, 2, b and c) by:

   1. Faculty

   2. Students

Criterion 7: Revenues and Other Expenses Associated with the Program

1. List financial resources generated by the program from ISU sources

2. List financial resources generated by the program from non-ISU sources such as grants, contracts, externally funded assistantships, licensing, fees, etc.

3. List key relationships between the program and other areas of ISU such as service courses taught or direct services provided to other departments or programs

4. List key relationships between the program and areas outside of ISU such as ongoing collaborations, student teaching opportunities, work with nearby organizations, schools, and colleges.

Criterion 8: Costs and Other Expenses Associated with the Program

1. What are the faculty costs for the program, based on faculty salaries and benefits and faculty FTE dedicated to the program?

2. What are staff costs for the program, based on staff salaries and benefits and staff FTE dedicated to the program?

3. What are the specialized equipment and facilities costs associated with the program, other than general classroom and faculty/staff/department office space? For example specialized laboratories, computer, or teaching facilities.

Criterion 9: Impact, Justification, and Overall Essentiality of the Program.

1. Demonstrate how this program has had, and will continue to have, a positive effect on ISU.

2. How does this program help distinguish ISU from other institutions?

3. How does this program help further the ISU Strategic Plan?

Criterion 10: Opportunity Analysis of the Program

1. Demonstrate how the program might take advantage of current and future opportunities for students, faculty, and ISU.

2. Demonstrate how this program might change its curriculum or teaching strategies to take advantage of current or future opportunities.

3. Demonstrate how, if appropriate, the program might take advantage of the technology initiatives at ISU.

Additional Considerations:

1. Include here any other appropriate information, such as:

   1. Student, faculty, or program accreditation or recognition that would reflect student, faculty, or program quality.

   2. Accreditation requirements restricting enrollments or section size, for example clinical practice class size limits.

   3. Department policies restricting enrollment or section size, for example section size limits for laboratory or for distance education classes.