Policy Overview
This policy establishes the process that Santa Fe Community College (SFCC or College) will follow to systematically review all academic programs and determine the extent to which those programs provide high-quality learning experiences for students, meet the needs of the community, and allocate resources effectively. This policy is in keeping with the requirements of the Higher Learning Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation.
Scope and Applicability
This policy applies all academic programs at SFCC.
Policy Statement
The primary goal of the Academic Program Review process is to review program specific data, program strategic plans, and learning assessment data, in order to make decisions and provide recommendations to ensure continuous quality improvement.
Academic Program Review uses a continuous quality improvement process to study and improve academic programs on a regular basis as required by the Higher Learning Commission through the Criteria for Accreditation. If directed by the appropriate vice president, an out-of-cycle Academic Program Review may occur.
Definitions
- Continuance means that the academic program is approved to continue its work.
- Academic Program Discontinuance The cessation of an academic program, center, institute, or department based upon educational, academic, and financial considerations in accordance with Policy 3-5 Academic Program Review.
- Remediation means that the academic program must develop and carry out a remediation plan based on the deficits determined in the review. An academic program under remediation will undergo an additional review in accordance with the remediation plan.
Policy Process
A. Oversight of Academic Program Review Process
The Academic Program Review committee shall have oversight of the process. The process will be conducted for academic programs on a cyclical basis. Academic programs under review will conduct a self-study based on a template provided by the committee.
- The Academic Program Review Committee. The Academic Program Review committee will consist of a faculty representative from each school, as well as representatives from the Faculty Senate, the Curriculum Committee, the Learning Assessment Committee, Institutional Research, and the Chief Financial Officer. The Director for Assessment, Program Review, and Special Projects will chair the committee. Membership will be updated annually.
- A quorum of the committee shall consist of at least 70 percent of the active members. A member shall be deemed as inactive upon missing three or more consecutive meetings. Inactive members may be replaced upon the discretion of the appropriate vice president(s). Decisions by the quorum shall be determined by a simple majority of the members present.
B. Academic Program Review Self-Study
The Academic Program Review committee members will provide each program under review with a standardized template of self-study questions and prompts. The self-study will include a report on the results of program-level assessment of student learning. It is the responsibility of the program lead, chair or director, working collaboratively with program faculty, to complete the self-study by the deadline assigned.
C. Academic Program Review Data Set
The Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness shall provide a standardized data set to each program under review. Programs may request additional data as needed. The data set will be related to the self-study questions. The data set will include areas such as faculty and student demographic data, summary degree information, student success information, financial information, and enrollment/withdrawal/cancellation information.
D. Presentation
A formal presentation of the self-study results will be made to the Academic Program Review committee as part of the process of review. The presentation is the responsibility of the program lead, head, chair or director.
E. Review
Upon completion of the self-study and presentation, the Academic Program Review committee will review the information and make specific recommendations for quality improvement to the Vice President for Strategy and Organizational Effectiveness and for the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
F. Review and Recommendations
- The Academic Program Review committee shall make recommendations on program continuance or recommend remediation or discontinuance to appropriate vice presidents. Recommendations shall require a formal vote of the committee where at least a quorum of its members must be present and voting. Decisions will be based on a simple majority of the members present. The Academic Program Review committee chair shall provide formal notice (email or other form) of not less than one week, of a meeting wherein a vote is to take place. The committee will strive for consensus in voting.
- The two vice presidents will make a joint recommendation to the President. The recommendation from the vice presidents may be different from that of the committee, in which case both recommendations shall be presented to the President for resolution.
a. Program Continuance. The Academic Program Review committee may recommend continuance of an academic program based on formal review of the self-study and the presentation provided by the program.
b. Program Remediation or Discontinuance. The Academic Program Review Committee may recommend remediation/discontinuance of the program to the vice presidents who will determine which course of action to follow for the specific program under review.
i. In the case of a decision for remediation by the vice president, the program will be required to undergo remedial or corrective action, based on formal review of the self-study and the presentation. The recommendation for remediation will address specific concerns derived from the Academic Program Review process.
ii. Following a recommendation of remedial or corrective action, a program faculty member identified by the dean will create a remediation plan in consultation with their academic dean.
iii.The period of the remediation plan shall be no longer than two years, at which time an additional full academic program review process shall occur.
iv. If the second Academic Program Review process leads to a determination that the program still needs significant improvements to meet SFCC standards of quality, the Academic Program Review committee shall recommend program discontinuance to the vice presidents.
v. In the case of a decision for discontinuance, the recommendation shall be made to the President, who has the final decision. The President’s determination that a program should be discontinued is not subject to challenge (SFCC Policy 4-40 Special Circumstances Employment Actions).
vi. The decision to discontinue a program shall provide for teach-out of current students who have declared the major, budget planning, and the publication of the course-catalog and schedule.
3. Program discontinuance does not preclude the reallocation of resources to other academic programs for academic and/or educational reasons. When applicable, Policy 4-40 Special Circumstances Employment Actions shall guide the process.
Statement of Accountability and Responsibility
The President, through the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, shall be responsible for enforcing academic affairs policies and procedures. The Office of Academic and Student Affairs and the Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness shall work with different departments and offices to comply with this policy and to develop procedures that will enforce this policy regarding awareness, prevention, and remediation.
Authority
Higher Learning Commission: Criteria for Accreditation and Core Components
SFCC Policy 4-40 SFCC Special Circumstances Employment Actions
Approval
SFCC Governing Board approved: 11/10/2008
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 6/29/2009
Revised and SFCC Governing Board approved: 4/27/2016
