Administrative number: 3-26
Responsible office: Academic Affairs
Responsible officer: Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Academic Program Review Policy

Purpose:

This policy ensures that all undergraduate and graduate academic programs at Winona State University (WSU) are reviewed on a regular basis.

Policy:

Winona State University’s program review process is a cyclical and collaborative process for evaluating and enhancing the quality and currency of academic programs. The review is conducted through a combination of internal and external evaluations with the goal of identifying pedagogical strengths and weaknesses of programs for our students, our accrediting agencies, and the various communities that we serve.

A. Objectives of Program Review

The program review addresses three categories of objectives.

  1. Internal to the program:

    • To maintain high quality academic programs
    • To promote excellence in teaching, research and scholarship, and service
    • To promote professional growth and development
    • To promote excellence in the support of student growth
    • To improve the quality of the learning experience
    • To assist the program in decision making and planning

  2. Internal to the university:

    • To monitor and enhance the quality of the learning experience
    • To assist university decision making and planning
    • To inform students about program quality

  3. External to the university:

    • To benchmark performance measures and standards in all areas of academic activity against appropriate external bodies
    • To provide external evidence to accrediting bodies, the Minnesota State College & Universities system, and the State of Minnesota

B. Guiding Principles of Program Review

  1. All academic programs are reviewed on a five-year cycle or coordinated with accreditation timelines.

  2. The program review has the following five components:

    • a. Evidence Portfolio
    • b. Self-Study Report
    • c. External Review
    • d. Program Response to External Review
    • e. Administrative Response

  3. Program reviews are completed on a pre-defined schedule.

  4. The complete records of program reviews are archived in the college dean’s office.

  5. The costs of program reviews are paid by the Office of Academic Affairs.

Related documents:

Related definitions:

[3-26] Academic Program:

A course of study leading to an undergraduate or graduate degree, major, minor, or certificate.

Subsequent Procedure:

History:

Adoption date:
Implementation date: