Appendix B:
Existing Program Review Institutional Plan
University of Central Arkansas

[This document was filed with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education in May 1998. Note that the attachments referred to in the document are not included here. All are on file and available for viewing in the Office of the Provost.]

1. Person Responsible for Oversight of Institutional Academic Program Review
   Director, Office of University [now "Academic"] Planning and Assessment
2. Ten-Year Institutional Academic Program Review Schedule, 1998/99-2007/08
   (Attached)
3. Letters from accrediting, certifying, or licensing agencies or organizations verifying status of certificate and degree programs and effective dates
   (Attached)
4. Institutional Program Review Process
   1. Annual Assessment of Student Outcomes

      Every certificate and degree program in the university will submit an annual assessment report on student outcomes to the [Academic] Assessment Subcommittee of the University Planning and Assessment Committee. [That committee has now been replaced by a free-standing Academic Planning Assessment Committee.]

   2. Accredited programs
      1. Certificate and degree programs that are accredited, certified, or licensed by recognized external accrediting agencies or professional organizations will be reviewed by the appropriate external agency or organization, according to the attached schedule. [See Accredited Programs: External Review Process and Information Flow.]
      2. Three to five years after a program has been reviewed by an external accrediting agency or professional organization, the Graduate Council or Undergraduate Council will conduct an internal review of the program by requiring the program to complete a "Departmental Response to External Review of Graduate/Undergraduate Program." [See All Programs: Internal Review Process and Information Flow and Appendix A (for Forms EPR-I-UC and EPR-I-GC).] The attached schedule indicates when such internal reviews will be conducted.
   3. Non-accredited programs
      1. All certificate and degree programs that are not accredited, certified, or licensed by a recognized external accrediting agency or professional organization will undergo an external review once every ten years, according to the attached schedule.
      2. The external review will consist of a self-study completed by the program. This self-study will include, but is not limited to, the following components:

         Program Faculty
         Program Curriculum
         Program Resources
         Student Outcomes
         Program Improvement

         [See Self-Study Guidelines.]
      3. The program self study will be sent to two external professionals (consultants) in the discipline. These external consultants will be chosen in the following manner:
         • If the national professional association of the discipline or program maintains a list of professionals in the field who are qualified and willing to serve as consultants, then the Provost, Dean, and faculty in the program shall attempt to agree on two consultants from this list.
         • If no such list of qualified and willing consultants is available, then the faculty in the program to be reviewed will compile a list of at least five acceptable consultants, and the Provost and Dean will agree on one name from this list. The Provost and Dean will also compile a list of at least five acceptable consultants, and the faculty in the program to be reviewed will agree on one name from this list.
         After reviewing the self study, one consultant will visit campus, at UCA expense, to conduct an on-site review of the program. After consulting with each other, the two consultants will then submit a written evaluation of the program's strengths and weaknesses, including any recommendations for program improvement. The program will write a response to the external consultants' evaluation. [See External Review Process and Information Flow and Budget for External Review .]
      4. Three to five years after external review, the Graduate Council or Undergraduate Council will conduct a brief internal review of the program by requiring the program to complete a "Departmental Response to External Review of Graduate/Undergraduate Program." [See All Programs: Internal Review Process and Information Flow and Appendix A (for Forms EPR-I-UC and EPR-I-GC).]

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