PROGRAM REVIEW HANDBOOK
2020-21 ACADEMIC YEAR
2020-25 Quality Assurance Funding Reporting Cycle
Austin Peay State University
Revised September 2020
28 | Page
APSU Program Review Handbook
Contents2020-25 Quality Assurance Funding Reporting Cycle1What
is Program Review?4Why is Program Review important?4What is the
schedule for the Program Review process?4How are potential external
reviewers identified?5What information is included in the
self-study report?6How is the self-study report reviewed?7How do
reviewers assess the program?7How is the site visit scheduled?8Who
will participate in the virtual site visit?8What are the program’s
responsibilities before and during the visit?92020-25 Quality
Assurance Funding Reporting Cycle10Appendices10Appendix A – 2020-21
Program Review Timeline11Appendix B – Sample Draft Email Invitation
for External Reviewers14Appendix C – Travel Claim Information:
Guest without A Number15Appendix D – Associate Program
Template16Appendix E – Baccalaureate Program Template33Appendix F –
Graduate Program Template49Appendix G – Program Review Self-Study
Report Signature Form68Appendix H – Program Review: Certificate and
Associate Programs69Appendix I – Program Review: Baccalaureate
Programs72Appendix J – Program Review: Graduate Programs75Appendix
K – Itinerary of Program Review Visit Schedule79
What is Program Review?
Program Review is a peer evaluation process designed to improve
the quality of the university’s academic programs. Program Review
provides a systematic method to evaluate quality, productivity, and
need as required by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission
(THEC) for its Quality Assurance Funding (QAF) initiative. Each
academic program offered is mandated to be accredited by a
recognized agency which accredits programs for that field and
degree level. If no recognized agency exists, the program must be
evaluated once in every five year reporting cycle. Historically,
Austin Peay State University has participated in a similar process
called Academic Audit. The Tennessee Board of Regents manages this
process selecting and training all reviewers. The 2018-19 academic
year marked the first year since 2006 that Austin Peay chose to use
Program Review as its evaluation process.
Academic programs are scheduled for evaluation before the start
of each five year QAF cycle. Currently, Austin Peay is starting its
first year of the 2020-25 QAF cycle. Programs must adhere to the
schedule as set and cannot change their reporting year. During the
designated year of review, a program will collaborate with the
Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment (IEA) and
their respective college dean(s) to complete a self-study report
and conduct a one-day site visit. An out-of-state academic peer
reviewer will evaluate the program using a rubric designed and
provided by THEC. The external reviewer writes a narrative report
that includes commendations and recommendations for improvement.
Programs create action plans based on this feedback and give a
report to the Provost and senior administration in a special
presentation held during the fall semester of the next academic
year. Ongoing tracking of recommendations and outcomes continues
until the next scheduled review is held, approximately five years
later. This cycle is the vital link that enacts improvements
brought to light through this process.
IEA oversees Program Review, along with other elements of the
QAF. Each spring, IEA meets with representatives of programs
participating in reviews slated for the upcoming academic year to
provide an overview and guidance. Within the IEA office, the
Quality Assurance Coordinator serves as a resource throughout
preparations and the site visit. Program Review shares a focal area
with the annual Institutional Effectiveness cycle and draws upon
ongoing student learning outcomes assessment. Decision Support and
Institutional Research (DSIR) serves as resource to provide
historical data by request.
Why is Program Review important?
Program Review is a valuable tool designed to help you identify
the strengths and weaknesses of your program so improvements can be
recommended and implemented. The follow-up process ensures these
improvements are made and tracked for effectiveness.
Program Review is also an important component of THEC’s QAF
process. Program evaluation and accreditation serve as one of five
sections in the Student Learning and Engagement standard. Each
year, the university receives state appropriations based upon the
number of points earned per standard. The “Academic Programs:
Accreditation and Evaluation” section offers Austin Peay the
largest opportunity within the Student Learning and Engagement
standard to earn points. This section accounts for 35 of the 100
possible points awarded for the report annually.
What is the schedule for the Program Review process?
Each spring, IEA coordinates with the Office of the Vice Provost
and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (VP/AVPAA) to
develop a timeline for the upcoming academic year process. The
timeline is distributed during the orientation meeting held in
March and posted on IEA’s Program Review Resources webpage (See
Appendix A). Chairs are encouraged to review the timeline and
familiarize themselves with the expected responsibilities. Chairs
should lead an organizational meeting in late March or early April
to identify and assign faculty to assist with the self-study.
Selection of the team lead is a critical start for this
process.
The team lead should be selected and the Quality Assurance
Coordinator notified by April 21. Data should be requested from
DSIR no later than August 28. Recommendations for external
reviewers and preferred site visit dates can be submitted any time
after the orientation meeting but must be submitted by October 2.
Faculty assisting with the review will be invited to attend a
presentation on September 10 where programs participating in the
previous academic year discuss their experiences.
Self-study drafts go through a rigorous review process beginning
in October and extending through January. Site visits typically
occur during the months of February, March and April. Within a
month after the site visit, the external reviewer’s report will be
submitted to IEA and shared with the chair. A debriefing will be
held with the chair, team lead, dean and IEA approximately two
weeks after the report is received. The department will also
prepare a written response to the reviewer’s report and rubric
ratings. The response should address observations and
recommendations made in the report and identify appropriate actions
to be taken. In early September, 2021, the chair presents a summary
of the process in a presentation to Academic Affairs administration
and other programs participating in the process.
How are potential external reviewers identified?
Although only one external reviewer is selected, the program
chair identifies two to three potential reviewers to submit to IEA
for the VP/AVPAA’s consideration. Candidates must be professionals
in the field of study under review working at institutions outside
the state of Tennessee. It is highly recommended the chair
considers candidates from an institution similar in size to Austin
Peay who serve or have served in a leadership role. Guidelines for
selecting candidates include:
External Reviewers must:
1. Be professionals in the field under review;
2. Hold a terminal degree;
3. Hold an academic position, preferably at a regional public
university comparable to APSU; in some cases a practicing
professional in the field or a retiree is an appropriate
substitute;
4. NOT be APSU graduates;
5. NOT have active or previous professional or personal
affiliations with faculty or staff in the department to be
reviewed, or with other internal reviewers (co-author, classmate,
professor/student, former colleague, etc.);
6. Have program chair or coordinator experience;
7. Have training or experience as a program reviewer.
It is important that potential reviewers cannot have personal or
professional affiliation with members of APSU’s faculty within the
program under review to avoid any conflict of interest. Preference
will be given to regional candidates.
The chair should contact each candidate identified to ask if
they are willing to be considered and able to serve. A sample email
invitation is included in the appendices for reference (see
Appendix B) and posted to the Program Review Resources webpage. The
chair will submit a list of the candidates to the IEA Director as
early in the academic year as possible, but no later than October
2. The list must include candidates’ contact information (including
email addresses) and a copy of their vita (or links to web
versions.) An abbreviated vita of five pages of less will be needed
to submit to THEC as part of the annual Quality Assurance Funding
report. The IEA Director and VP/AVPAA review candidates’
information and select one external reviewer based on their
credentials. The IEA Director will notify the chair when a reviewer
is chosen.
The external reviewer selected will receive a $1,000 stipend.
For the 2020-2021 cycle, all site visits will be planned as virtual
visits; accordingly, additional compensation for travel expenses is
not included. The candidate must electronically sign the contract
before site visit preparations can proceed, no later than December
11 (see page 10 for a description of program responsibilities).
Programs can opt to select a second external reviewer to
participate in the process. If a second reviewer is chosen, the
program must cover the cost of the reviewer’s stipend. As virtual
visits are planned for 2020-2021, travel expenses are not required.
The chair must inform the IEA Director of their intention to have a
second reviewer when the list of the candidates is submitted. A
contract will be prepared on the behalf of the program. Again, the
candidate must electronically sign the contract before site visit
preparations can proceed, no later than December 11.
Tips for identifying potential reviewers:
· Ask appropriate professional associations for help in
identifying potential reviewers. Many disciplinary organizations
provide training for program reviewers and can provide names of
experienced/trained individuals.
· Ask department faculty for suggestions.
· Contact comparable programs at other locally governed
institutions to learn who successfully reviewed their programs.
What information is included in the self-study report?
The narrative of the self-study report should be constructed
after an open and frank discussion by program faculty and staff
members as they prepare for the review. Individual faculty members
and/or committees can be appointed to write the self-study in whole
or by focal area sections. However, the program chair is
responsible for the final report.
Use the self-study report templates for associate, baccalaureate
and graduate programs (Appendices D, E, and F) to organize the
report’s structure. These templates are designed to match the
following common focal area sections in THEC’s rubrics:
· Learning Outcomes
· Curriculum
· Student Experience
· Faculty
· Learning Resources
· Support
Rubrics for associate and graduate programs have additional
focal area prompts that must be addressed.
Use the following points as a guide:
· Use a formal writing style. Avoid using the pronouns “we” and
“I”.
· Keep reports to a suggested length of 30 pages or less.
Appendices are not included in this page count.
· Use a five year timeframe when referencing program history and
accomplishments.
· References to previous Academic Audit findings should be
explained.
· Avoid naming particular faculty members when writing the
report.
· Request data from DSIR before the deadline listed in timeline.
Allow ample time for DSIR to respond. Same day requests may not be
fulfilled.
· Resource assistance can be found by contacting Information
Technology, Distance Education, Library, Finance and Administration
and Enrollment Management offices.
· When preparing the listing of program faculty, include faculty
who may only teach in your program once every year or two. Specify
what courses faculty teach and how often.
· Be judicious with the appendices. General university documents
and evidence may be provided by including a hyperlink or web
address in the report instead of expanding the appendices.
What additional information might reviewers need?
If any of the data requested in the outline above is too
cumbersome or lengthy to include in full in the appendix, summarize
it and include either a) a website where the exhibits are posted;
or, b) a note that the exhibit will be available during the site
visit. Physical exhibits should be gathered and held in a
convenient location in case they are requested by the review team
at the time of the site visit.
Among those materials that could be available:
· Written exams, reports, projects, etc. used for Institutional
Effectiveness during the past five years;
· Previous Academic Audit narrative report and summary
document;
· Syllabi for all courses in the program;
· Journal articles written by students or student/faculty
collaborations;
· Research presentations from students.
How is the self-study report reviewed?
The self-study report is written by the team lead and submitted
to the chair and dean of the college (and dean of the College of
Graduate Studies, if applicable) for initial review and feedback in
October. Typically, the chair and the team lead consult on feedback
and revisions before the report is submitted to the college dean
and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, if applicable. It
is the program lead’s responsibility to work closely with the
department chair to allow enough time for their review and to
implement the chair’s revisions. The program chair is responsible
for the final report. The chair of the program being reviewed is
responsible for coordinating the review and approval of the dean
and graduate dean, where applicable.
The report is submitted to the IEA Director for review by
October 30. Review, revision and signatures of the chair, dean, and
IEA director must be completed prior to submission the VP/VPAA, no
later than November 30. The IEA Director submits the self-study to
the VP/AVPAA in early December before it is forwarded to the
Provost for final review and approval.
Signatures of approval are obtained at each level using the
Self-Study Signature Form Template (see Appendix G). The signature
form follows the report digitally through the review process until
it is approved by the Provost and distributed to the review team in
early February.
How do reviewers assess the program?
The external reviewer receives a digital copy of the self-study
report and visit, itinerary at least one month before the site
visit. The external reviewer reads the report and related materials
before the visit noting questions or concerns to be addressed.
During the site visit, they observe, question and evaluate the
program based upon information provided. They also consider
feedback they receive from faculty, students and administrators.
The team may also examine additional information you prepare for
their perusal. For virtual visits, programs may need to provider
the reviewer with additional resources (photos, videos, etc.) that
allow the reviewer to view facilities and other campus sites.
What are the responsibilities of the external reviewer(s)?
· Read the program’s self-study report and applicable THEC
program review rubric before arriving on campus.
· Prepare questions and conduct interviews with faculty,
administrators, students, alumni, employers/internship supervisors
and other stakeholders.
· Before adjourning, the external reviewer(s) completes the THEC
rubric for the designated program level (see Appendices H, I and J)
and gives a verbal report on the reviewer’s findings in a
concluding session. This session is open to all program faculty,
the chair, the dean(s) and administrators.
· Prepare and submit a narrative report to the Quality Assurance
Coordinator within 30 calendar days following the visit.
How is the site visit scheduled?
Chairs should recommend two to three dates for the site visit
when submitting reviewers’ information to the IEA Director.
Blackout dates listed in the timeline should be avoided. The
Quality Assurance Coordinator will work with the Office of the
VP/AVPAA to schedule the visit. Options will be provided if
requested dates are unavailable. Chairs should work with the
selected reviewer to insure their availability.
Who will participate in the virtual site visit?
In addition to meetings with the dean, department chair, and
program faculty, the visit will include virtual meetings with the
external reviewer and:
AdministratorsThis session allows the reviewer to ask about
institutional support and resources. Invited administrators will
include the Provost, Vice Provost and Assistant Vice President for
Academic Affairs, the Director of IEA, the Graduate Dean (if
applicable), and administrators from other relevant areas such as
the library, distance education, etc. IEA will work with programs
to determine the appropriate attendees for this meeting.
StudentsInvite a variety of students that are declared majors in
the program being reviewed. Students who are first generation,
adult learners and distance learners can provide a broad
perspective of the program. Invite more students than needed to
supplement for last minute conflicts and no shows. A minimum of 5
students are needed to participate; this might mean inviting 10
students in the hope at least 5 participate. Encouraging attendance
and asking for confirmation of their participation may help offset
potential problems.
Community partners, alumni, and stakeholdersThis session
connects the external reviewer with stakeholders in your program
outside of APSU. This may include program alumni, employers, or
other local organizations with whom you partner for recruitment,
job placement, faculty or student research, or internships/clinical
experiences.
Internal ReviewersInternal reviewers work with the external
reviewer to offer faculty perspectives outside of the program and
to provide the reviewer with contacts who can answer general
questions about academic culture and processes at APSU. Internal
reviewers do not participate in or influence the external
reviewer’s completion of the rubric. However, internal reviewers
will hold a short meeting with the program after the review to
provide their own feedback. IEA works closely with programs to
select and train internal reviewers.
What are the program’s responsibilities before and during the
visit?
Faculty and staff of the program under review are responsible
for the following tasks:
· Recruit, invite and confirm students who will participate in
the visit;
· Recruit, invite and confirm community partners, alumni, and
stakeholders who will participate in the visit;
· Send to IEA a list of invitees for the sessions with program
faculty; chair and dean; students; community partners; alumni and
stakeholders; and APSU internal reviewer(s). IEA will schedule,
create Zoom links, and send Outlook and email invitations for each
virtual visit session (see Appendix A and K);
· Distribute the virtual visit itinerary to departmental
participants;
· Conduct and attend a site visit preparation meeting for
faculty and chair scheduled prior to the visit;
· Attend the concluding session to hear the review team’s
scoring and feedback.
PROGRAM REVIEW HANDBOOK
2020-25 Quality Assurance Funding Reporting CycleAppendices
Note: All appendices are available on the Program Review
Resources webpage.
Appendix A – 2020-21 Program Review Timeline
2020-21 Program Review TimelineRevised September 2020
Blue – revisions to external reviewer/visit timeline
Red – revisions to self-study report timeline
Programs
General Agriculture (BS), Leadership & Organizational
Administration (BS), Philosophy & Religion (BA/BS), Sociology
(BS), Biology (MS)
Timeframe
Activity
Responsibility
April 7, 2020
Attend APSU Program Review Orientation.
VP/AVPAA , IEA,
Dean, Chair, PR
Team Lead
April 2020
Begin self-study process by leading a departmental meeting.
Select PR Team Lead.
Chair, PR Team
Lead, Faculty
April 2020
Deans meet with the department chairs and team leads to discuss
process.
Dean(s), Associate Dean, Chair
PR Team Lead
April 27, 2020
Notify Quality Assurance Coordinator who is serving as the team
lead.
Chair
Pre-Semester Week August 2020
Lead a departmental meeting to discuss program data for
self-study report writing.
Chair, PR Team Lead,
Faculty
August 28, 2020
Submit request to DSIR for needed data not provided on DSIR web
site
(https://www.apsu.edu/dsir/institutional-data.php) by August
28.
PR Team Lead
September 10, 2020
at 1:30 p.m.
Attend Program Review presentations from 2019-2020 cohort.
VP/AVPAA, Dean,
IEA, Chair, PR Team
Lead
October 2, 2020
Submit recommendations for external (out of state) reviewers (2)
with CVs, suggestions for internal reviewers (at least 1), and
preferred virtual site visit dates (2) to IEA. (Site visits should
be scheduled in late February, March or April. Avoid following
blackout dates: April 5-9, 2021, more TBD) Quality Assurance
Coordinator schedules external reviewer orientation and other
pre-site visit prep meetings.
PR Team Lead, Chair, IEA.
Early October
Self-study rough draft meeting with IEA. IEA will schedule with
PR Team Lead.
IEA, PR Team Lead
October-November
Chair and Dean review of self-study draft, PR Team Lead
incorporates revisions. Plan ahead: chairs and deans need to sign
off on self-study by November 30.
PR Team Lead, Chair, Dean
October 23, 2020
Finalize external reviewer selection and generate contract.
VP/AVPAA, IEA, PR Team Lead, Chair
October 30, 2020
Full Draft due to IEA. Please indicate status of chair and dean
review.
PR Team Lead
November 15, 2020
IEA returns revisions.
IEA
Early November
Screening meeting with external reviewer.
VP/AVPAA, IEA, PR Team Lead, Chair
November 20, 2020
Finalize virtual site visit itinerary and contract; distribute
to external reviewer.
IEA and PR Team Lead
November 30, 2020
Revised draft of self-study due to IEA with Chair and Dean
signatures. IEA submits to VP/AVPAA.
PR Team Lead
December 11, 2020
Schedule and send Outlook meeting invitations for orientation,
administration, and exit meetings. Schedule pre-visit prep and post
visit discussion meetings.
Quality Assurance Coordinator
December 17, 2020
VP/AVPAA returns self-study with revisions via IEA Director
VP/AVPAA, IEA
January 15, 2021
Revised self-study due to IEA.
PR Team Lead
January 19, 2020-February 2, 2021
Provost review of self-study. PR Team Lead meeting with IEA to
finalize self-study.
Provost, IEA, PR Team Lead.
February 5, 2021
Self-study ready for submission to reviewers.
PR Team Lead, Chair, IEA.
One Month Prior to Scheduled Site Visit
Send copies of final self-study, THEC rubric, instructions for
narrative report, on-site visit schedule, and hotel reservations to
all reviewers.
IEA
One Week Prior to Visit
External reviewer and internal reviewer orientation.
Pre-meeting with program and peer faculty participants.
VPAA, IEA.
January/February/ March 2021
Individual program meetings for pre-site visit preparation will
be conducted with department chairs, PR Team Lead, faculty, and
internal reviewer(s).
Chairs, PR Team Leads, IEA, internal reviewer(s).
March/ April 2021
Site visits for all programs (Avoid the following blackout
dates: April 5-9, 2021, more TBD).
PR Team Lead, Chair,
IEA
Within 30 calendar days after site visit
Obtain written report from reviewers.
Quality Assurance Coordinator
Within 30 calendar days after site visit
Internal reviewer(s) meet with program to provide feedback.
Internal reviewer, PR Team Lead, Chair, Program Faculty
Within 2 Weeks after receiving
written report from reviewers
Discuss preliminary observations concerning the program,
criteria ratings, and recommendations for improvement during exit
meeting.
Chair, PR Team Lead, Dean(s), IEA
September 1, 2021
Prepare written response to reviewer’s report and ratings;
response should address observations and recommendations in the
reviewers’ report and identify appropriate actions to be taken;
submit to Dean and Quality Assurance Coordinator.
Chair, PR Team Lead and Program Faculty
September 2021*
Present response to PR report, rating and recommendations in a
meeting with senior administration, deans and other programs.
Chair, PR Team Lead
Ongoing
Program improvement activities.
Implemented by
program
*Italicized dates are estimated dates
Self-Study Report Activity
Date*
Writing initial self-study report draft begins
August 10, 2020
Chair review
PR Team Lead submits draft to chair for review
Chair returns draft for revisions
PR Team Lead incorporates feedback and makes revisions
PR Team Lead returns draft to chair for signature; revisions
verified
Dean(s) review
Chair submits draft to college dean and College of Graduate
Studies dean if applicable for review
Dean(s) return draft to chair and team lead for revisions
PR Team Lead incorporates feedback and makes revisions
PR Team Lead returns draft to dean(s) for signature; revisions
verified
Chair and Dean revisions and signatures complete
October-November, 2020
PR Team Lead collaborates with chair and dean to ensure review
and revisions complete by Nov 30.
November 30, 2020
Early October, 2020
October 31, 2020
November 15, 2020
November 30, 2020
December 3, 2020
December 17, 2020
January 15, 2021
January 19, 2021
January 19, 2021
February 2, 2021
February 2-5, 2021
February 5, 2021
IEA review
Rough draft meeting with IEA Director
Full draft submitted to IEA Director
IEA Director returns draft to Team Lead with revisions
PR Team Lead returns draft to IEA Director for signature;
revisions verified
VP/AVPAA review
IEA Director submits draft with signatures to VP/AVPAA VP/AVPAA
reviews draft
VP/AVPAA returns draft for revisions via IEA Director
PR Team Lead incorporates feedback and makes revisions
IEA Director returns draft to VP/AVPAA for signature; revisions
verified
Provost review
VP/AVPAA submits draft with signatures to Provost for review
Provost reviews draft
Provost returns draft for revisions via IEA Director
PR Team meets with IEA to finalize self-study
Final report available to send to reviewers.
*All activities can occur on or before stated date.
Appendix B – Sample Draft Email Invitation for External
Reviewers
Sample Draft Email Invitation for External Reviewers
Dear [Potential Reviewer],
Austin Peay State University’s [name of program to be reviewed]
will undergo a Program Review evaluation during the [year] academic
year as part of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s Quality
Assurance Funding process. This program review is conducted
approximately once every five years in an effort to help our
program improve the quality of the educational experience we offer
students. This review includes an evaluation of a comprehensive
self-study report as well as an on-site visit by a team of three
reviewers (one external reviewer and two internal reviewers) that
will occur next spring between February and mid-April.
To prepare for this process, [name of program to be reviewed]
has been asked to identify an external reviewer from outside
Tennessee to assist two internal reviewers that will be chosen from
other disciplines within the university. This distinguished
scholar, external to Austin Peay State University, will lead the
team in analyzing our program; interviewing faculty, students,
employers, and administration; compiling a written summary report
and completing standardized evaluation forms. We would be honored
if you would consider serving in this role.
Our program and Austin Peay would greatly appreciate your
participation. We will be glad to coordinate this visit with your
schedule in mind and provide a stipend and reimburse for authorized
travel expenses. Additional information about the Program Review
process is available for your information on APSU’s Institutional
Effectiveness and Assessment website at
http://www.apsu.edu/institutional-effectiveness/prresources.php.
Can you please consider this opportunity and inform us of your
decision by [date]? We will need a copy of your current vita or a
link to a web-based version for review. Once again, thank you for
your thoughtful consideration of the commitment to this
process.
Sincerely,
[Name and Title of Chair]
[Contact Information of Chair]
Appendix C – Travel Claim Information: Guest without A
Number
Travel Claim Information: Guest without A Number
Program Reviewed:
Program Chair Name:
Contact for Information:
Guest’s First name:
_________________________________________
Guest’s Middle name: _______________________________________
Guest’s Last name:
__________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________
City:
_______________________________________________________
State: ___________________________ Zip: ____________________
Phone No.: _________________________________________________
Purpose of trip:
______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Date(s) of trip:
_______________________________________________
Number of miles driven (round
trip):_____________________________
Itemized Expenses:
Lodging: University billed
Meals: (University per-diem) Note: breakfast and lunch on day of
visit will be provided.
_______________________________
_______________________________
Miscellaneous:
___________________________________________________________
Appendix D – Associate Program Template
Department Name [Your Department’s Name]
Austin Peay State University
Self-Study Report for Associate of [Degree Designation] in [Name
of Program]
[Current Academic Year] Program Review
Program Review Team Lead: [Name of Team Lead]
Focal Area 1: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 2: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 3: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 4: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 5: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 6: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Table of Contents should be included on the second page of the
report. Please include all sections, focal areas and appendices on
this page. Start each chapter on a new page.
I. INTRODUCTION
Mission: (Insert the department or program’s mission)
Program History and Structure:
Introduce the program. Describe program structure such as
college and department program is housed, if program offered partly
or entirely online, other special characteristics of program.
Include a brief history if applicable to understanding of program’s
current status.
Faculty:
Full Time
Part Time
Full Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Instructor
Adjunct
Figure 1. Head count of program name current faculty.
Other faculty and staff assigned administrative duties, etc.
Student Demographics:
Describe appropriate unique characteristics of program students.
See Resource 1 for examples of providing tables.
Program Review Process
Describe how the program conducted its self-study process – who
was engaged (faculty, adjunct faculty, stakeholders, students); how
they were engaged (meetings, online methods, focus groups, survey,
etc.); and how the self-study report was drafted, reviewed, and
finalized.
II. OVERALL PERFORMANCE
This section is essentially the Executive Summary or Abstract of
the self-study report. Begin this section with a brief assessment
of the unit’s education quality assurance processes and how you
work together as a faculty and with stakeholders to improve
quality. The Program Review Team will ask about the logic and
evidence behind the assessment, but it will not collect additional
evidence nor substitute its judgment about education quality. The
objective is to provide an accurate state of the program in terms
of curriculum, student experience and faculty. It is not expected
that the program flawlessly delivers exemplary quality education.
For example, candid descriptions of areas that will benefit from
attention and improvement, supported by evidence, will be received
better than unsupported claims of excellence.
A reflective summary statement of how the Program Review
self-study processes benefited the program should be included in
this section.
III. FOCAL AREAS
Focal Area 1: Learning Outcomes
1.1 Program and student learning outcomes are clearly identified
and measureable. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Begin by describing the university’s Institutional Effectiveness
process in which you participate. Information about this process
can be found on the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and
Assessment’s website at
https://www.apsu.edu/institutional-effectiveness/ie-assessment/index.php.
After that description, explain student learning outcomes for the
program under review. This may include the program SLOs and/or
student achievement-related (departmental) administrative outcomes
associated with the program. Include Nuventive printouts (IE
Reports for previous year; IE Plan for current year) as an
appendix. Consider including course student learning outcomes if
the program has a core.
Program learning outcomes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Student learning outcomes of core courses:
Course #1
1.
2.
3.
4.
Course #2
1.
2.
3.
Etc.
Describe your program’s process for evaluating program and
student learning outcomes. This process should be taking place on a
regular basis taking into account best practices, stakeholder
feedback, and appropriate benchmarks in the field.
1.2 The program uses appropriate evidence to evaluate
achievement of program and student learning outcomes. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Give examples of evidence that has been collected about the
program from SLOs and/or student achievement-related (departmental)
administrative outcomes reported in Nuventive (the Institutional
Effectiveness process) or other sources you may access. Discuss the
mechanism for review of this data; consider the IE departmental
meeting scheduled in the pre-semester calendar.
1.3 The program makes use of information from its evaluation of
program and student learning outcomes and uses the results for
continuous improvement. (Use rubric description as the title of
each subsection.)
Describe how the program takes data and information collected as
part of its Institutional Effectiveness process and uses it to
advance the program. Give examples on improvements made to the
program.
1.4 The program directly aligns with the institution’s mission.
(Use rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe how the program supports the university’s mission. For
context, Austin Peay’s Mission and Vision Statements can be found
at https://www.apsu.edu/about-apsu/mission.php.
Focal Area 2: Curriculum
2.1 The curriculum content and organization are reviewed
regularly and results are used for curricular improvement. (Use
rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe the process and give examples.
2.2 The program has developed a process to ensure courses are
offered regularly and that students can make timely progress
towards their degree. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe the process and give examples.
2.3 The program incorporates appropriate pedagogical and/or
technological innovations that enhance students learning into the
curriculum. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For additional information, consider
the Tech Tools resources from Distance Education,
https://www.apsu.edu/online/technology/index.php
2.4 The curriculum is aligned with and contributes to mastery of
program and student learning outcomes identified in Focal Area 1.1.
(Use rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. Consider including a curriculum map
as an appendix if the program has mapped its student learning
outcomes.
2.5 The curricular content of the program reflects current
standards, practices, and issues in the discipline. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
2.6 The curriculum fosters analytical and critical thinking and
problem-solving. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
2.7 The design of degree program specific courses provides
students with a solid foundation. (Use rubric description as the
title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
2.8 The curriculum is appropriate to the level and purpose of
the program.
Describe and give examples.
Focal Area 3: Student Experience
3.1 The program provides students with the opportunity to apply
what they have learned to situations outside the classroom.
Describe and give examples.
3.2 The program provides students with opportunities to
regularly evaluate the curriculum and faculty relative to the
quality of their teaching effectiveness. (Use rubric description as
the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For more information, visit Academic
Affair’s Course Evaluation website at
https://www.apsu.edu/academic-affairs/course-evaluations/index.php.
3.3 The program ensures students are exposed to professional and
career opportunities appropriate to the field. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
3.4 Students have access to appropriate academic support
services. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples. See Resource 2 for examples of
university support services. Include program-specific evidence or
examples.
Focal Area 4: Faculty (Full-time and Part-time)
4.1 All faculty, full time and part time, meet the high
standards set by the program and expected SACSCOC guidelines for
credentials. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For additional information, see
Faculty Qualification Matrix webpage at
https://www.apsu.edu/academic-affairs/faculty/faculty_resources/index.php.
You may list each faculty member and their academic credentials (or
include such a list as an appendix).
4.2 The faculty are adequate in number to meet the needs of the
program with appropriate teaching loads. (Use rubric description as
the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
4.3 The faculty strives to cultivate diversity with respect to
gender, ethnicity, and academic background, as appropriate to the
demographics of the discipline. (Use rubric description as the
title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For additional information, see the
Office of Equity, Access and Inclusion’s webpage at
https://www.apsu.edu/equity-access/index.php for policies and
additional information.
4.3 The program uses an appropriate process to incorporate the
faculty evaluation system to improve teaching, scholarly and
creative activities, and service. (Use rubric description as the
title of each subsection.) {2nd 4.3 rubric item}
Describe and give examples. See Faculty Resources webpage at
https://www.apsu.edu/academic-affairs/faculty/faculty_resources/index.php
for information on faculty annual evaluation and part-time
instructor review as well as the department’s Retention, Tenure and
Promotion Criteria information.
4.4 The faculty engages in regular professional development that
enhances their teaching, scholarship and practice. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. See Resource 3 for Faculty Support
Services.
4.5 The faculty is actively engaged in planning, evaluation and
improvement process that measure and advance student success. (Use
rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
Focal Area 5: Learning Resources
5.1 The program regularly evaluates its equipment and
facilities, encouraging necessary improvements within the context
of overall institutional resources. (Use rubric description as the
title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
5.2 The program has access to learning and information resources
that are appropriate to support teaching and learning. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For additional information, see
Distance Education’s webpage for faculty resources at
https://www.apsu.edu/online/faculty/ and the Library Liaisons
webpage at http://library.apsu.edu/about/liaisons.html for
department specific assistance.
Focal Area 6: Economic Development
6.1 For transfer programs: The program provides and promotes
clear transfer pathways supported by curricular maps, advising and
other means to support student articulation.’
Describe and give examples.
6.2 For transfer programs: Graduates who transfer to
baccalaureate programs in a related area are successful.
Describe and give statistics.
6.3 For career programs: The program demonstrates responsiveness
to local and regional workforce needs through an advisory
committee, partnerships with industry and/or other means.
Describe and give examples.
6.4 For career programs: The program identifies applicable
workforce trends and uses the information to improve the
program.
Describe and give examples. Consider contacting APSU’s Career
Services and professional organizations within the discipline for
current trends and projections.
Focal Area 7: Support
7.1 The program’s operating budget is consistent with the needs
of the program. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
7.2 The program has a history of enrollment and/or graduation
rates sufficient to sustain high quality and
cost-effectiveness.
Provide historical program enrollment and degree awards to
demonstrate they are sufficient to sustain high quality and
cost-effectiveness. Use the below tables (dates as appropriate)
with information provided on Decision Support and Institutional
Research’s Institutional Data webpage at
https://www.apsu.edu/dsir/institutional-data.php.
Examples:
Head count of program name fall enrollments between 2011 and
2016.
Number of degrees in program name awarded per year between 2011
and 2016.
IV.
APPENDICES
Appendix 1:
Appendix 2:
Appendix 3:
Appendix 4:
Appendix 5:
A Table of Contents for the Appendices is needed.
Additional Resources
Resource 1: Student Demographics Examples
Fall 2014
Fall 2015
Fall 2016
Fall 2017
Fall 2018
(n = 31)
(n = 29)
(n = 34)
(n = 40)
(n = 72)
Race
American Indian
*
*
Asian
Black/African-American
*
*
*
*
*
Hispanic/Latino
*
*
*
*
≥ 2 or more races
*
*
*
White
*
*
*
*
*
Unknown
*
*
*
Gender
Female
*
*
*
*
*
Male
*
*
*
*
*
Enrollment Status
Full-time (9+ hrs/term)
*
*
*
*
*
Part-time (<9 hrs/term)
*
*
*
*
*
Figure: Program Demographic Data for XXX, 2014 – 2018.
Black
Asian/Pacific Islander/Multi-Racial
Hispanic
Non-Resident Alien
White
Unknown
Total
2016
*
*
-
-
*
*
*
2017
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
2018
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
2019
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Total
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Table 3. Enrollment by self-identified race in XXXX program Fall
Semesters 2016-2019.
Active
Dependent
Veteran
No Vet Status
Total
2016
*
*
*
*
*
2017
*
*
*
*
*
2018
*
*
*
*
*
2019
*
*
*
*
*
Total
*
*
*
*
*
Table 4. Enrollment by military affiliation in XXXX program Fall
Semesters 2016-2019.
Female
Male
Total
2016
*
*
*
2017
*
*
*
2018
*
*
*
2019
*
*
*
Total
*
*
*
Table 5. Enrollment by gender in XXXX program Fall Semesters
2016-2019.
Resource 2. Student Support
The following (excerpted from SACS-COC – The Fifth-Year Interim
Report (2020), Section 12) may be useful in considering the Program
Review rubric dimensions related to Student Experience and Learning
Resources, in particular:
· Students have access to appropriate academic support
services.
· The program has access to learning and information resources
that are appropriate to support teaching and learning.
Please consider these as items to consider, not mandated
inclusions. As always, your self-study will be strengthened by any
examples of ways in which your program interacts with these support
areas.
College of Graduate Studies (COGS)
The College of Graduate Studies (COGS) provides current and
prospective students with assistance in admissions, enrollment and
registration for graduate degree programs. For graduate assistants
participating in research, referred to as graduate research
assistants, and for any graduate student participating in research,
the University requires Collaborative Institution Training
Initiative (CITI) training according to their type of research.
Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs
The Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs seeks to assist
students and veterans in processing their Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), financial aid awards, scholarships,
and benefits.
Office of International Student Services
The Office of International Student Services provides resources
to assist international students in pursuing a degree at APSU, and
maintaining their legal and student status. In addition,
International Student Services provides programming throughout the
year which facilitates integration into the APSU and surrounding
community.
Office of Student Research and Innovation (OSRI)
The Office of Student Research and Innovation pools resources
from the Library, Financial Aid
(e.g., scholarships), Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
(Grants), and Career Services to empower students with mechanisms
to support their academic and professional careers. Annually,
students may apply for travel grants and research support grants in
a competitive process, which concludes with a research showcase
weekend, where students present their research in either poster or
oral format. Every month, OSRI supports professional development
for students.
Distance Education Support DeskThe Distance Education Support
Desk provides faculty, staff, and student support for resolving
technical and instructional needs related specifically to the D2L
Bright space learning-management system and third-party
instructional technology tools.
Technology Help Desk
The Technology Help Desk is a service provided by the Office of
Information Technology (OIT) in the Division of Finance and
Administration and provides the first point of contact for
computing, networking hardware and software, PC, Macintosh and
printer problems.
Academic Support Center (ASC)
The Academic Support Center (ASC) offers a number of services
designed to help students meet their educational objectives and
achieve academic success. Through the services offered by the ASC,
students grow in personal responsibility and gain meaningful,
marketable skills while earning their degree and contributing to
the surrounding community.
Peer tutoring and technology assistance are offered to enrolled
students through the Academic Support Center (ASC). Tutoring is
available for most general education core courses, as well as some
upper-division courses. The ASC provides face-to-face tutoring as
well as online tutoring through Tutor.com that is available 24/7
for many undergraduate courses.
The Writing Center is located in the Woodward Library and
provides students with writing support related to grammar,
vocabulary, writing proper citations, adhering to writing styles
such as MLA and APA, and preventing plagiarism. Additionally, the
Writing Center allows students to submit written papers online for
review and timely feedback, typically within 48 hours of their
submission.
The Structured Learning Assistance (SLA) program serves
undergraduate students who entered the University with an academic
deficiency by using a co-requisite model to provide SLA supported
courses, courses designated with an “E” in the course description.
SLA also supports courses that are known to be challenging to
students. These courses are designated with an “S” for success in
the course description.
Office of Career Services
The Office of Career Services mission is to assist students in
making a successful transition from academia to the world of work
by equipping them with the tools to take ownership of their
professional development for lifelong career satisfaction. The
Office of Career Services provides one-on-one counseling and career
assessments that allow students to be guided through the decision
making process. On campus recruiting events also provide students
with an opportunity to explore the many employment options
available to them. Additionally, the office provides resume
feedback, career assessments, mock interviews, job search
strategies, and workshops covering various career-related
topics.
Office of Student Affairs
The Office of Student Affairs offers advocacy, wellness,
diversity, involvement, engagement, spirit, recreation, and
leadership opportunities.
Office of Equity, Access, and Inclusion
The Chief Diversity Officer works in the Office of Equity,
Access, and Inclusion works in collaboration with the Diversity
Committee and is responsible for developing strategies to attract
and retain a diverse student body and to recruit, retain, advance,
recognize, and promote a diverse faculty and staff.
Office of Disability Services
The Office of Disability Services provides support for students
to ensure access for any student with a disability to all
curricular and co-curricular opportunities offered by Austin Peay
State University.
Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement
The Center for Service Learning & Community Engagement
(CSLCE) provides students with opportunities to connect their
academic and personal growth to the betterment of their
community.
Adult, Nontraditional, and Transfer Student Center (ANTS)
Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center
Military Student Center
Hispanic Cultural Center
Resource 3. Support Services for Faculty
The following (excerpted from SACS-COC – The Fifth-Year Interim
Report (2020), Section 12) may be useful in considering the Program
Review rubric dimensions related to Focal Area 4: Faculty
(Full-time and Part-time):
First Year Faculty Program
Academic Affairs offers the “I AM A GOV: First Year Faculty
Program” to support the professional success of tenure-track
first-year faculty at APSU. Program participants develop an
in-depth understanding of retention, tenure, and promotion criteria
through an exploration of teaching, creative or scholarly
achievement, service, and advising in predominantly active-learning
environments with extensive peer interactions for cohort cohesion
and community building. New faculty receive a course release in the
Fall and Spring semesters of their first year.
Faculty Advising Program
Academic Affairs provides the Faculty Advising Program which
“recognizes the importance of excellence in advising at APSU. In
exchange for a course release, the program offers an opportunity
for selected faculty to explore advising [in a faculty cohort
during a specific semester] as a means to enhance student success.”
Accepted applicants meet weekly in the fall semester. This program
is offered every other fall semester.
Faculty Teaching Program
Academic Affairs provides the Faculty Teaching program. In
exchange for a course release, the Faculty Teaching Program offers
an opportunity for selected faculty to study teaching strategies
that can enhance student success. The Center for Teaching and
Learning offers this program every other fall semester. Accepted
applicants meet weekly in the fall semester. Additional faculty
responsibilities include completing weekly assignments,
participating in individual teaching consultations, and delivering
a professional-development workshop on a teaching strategy.
Faculty Leadership Program
The Faculty Leadership Program offers an opportunity for
selected faculty to acquire a more comprehensive awareness of
university operations, current or upcoming initiatives, trends, and
relevant literature, as well as work on a team project and present
its findings to the president and provost. Participants meet for a
full academic year, one half-day per week for a full academic year,
and campus-led immersion program that assists participants in
developing a collaborative project to positively impact the
institution and student success. This program is offered every
other year.
Online Learning Consortium
Austin Peay State University is an Online Learning Consortium
(OLC) Institutional member. The OLC is the leading professional
organization in advancing the continuous improvement of quality
online learning. With OLC institutional membership, faculty may
receive professional development training in online and hybrid
teaching pedagogy and research-based best practices for free
through the APSU Department of Distance Education. Last, the Online
Learning Consortium provides various research publications related
to the continuous improvement of online teaching and learning.
Quality Matters
Austin Peay State University is a Quality Matters institutional
member. Quality Matters provides a set of eight general standards
and 43 specific review standards for the quality design of online
and hybrid courses. Through Quality Matters, APSU faculty may
complete professional development workshops in a variety of areas
related to the continuous improvement of online and hybrid course
design. The APSU Department of Distance Education can assist
faculty with paying for online workshops. Additionally, the Office
of Distance Education can assist faculty in reviewing their courses
using the Quality Matters rubric and ensuring courses demonstrate
at least an 85 percent compliance level with Quality Matters
standards.
Instructional Design Services
The Department of Distance Education provides instructional
design consultation services for APSU faculty. Services include the
review of courses for alignment with Quality Matters standards and
the continuous improvement of online and hybrid course development.
In addition, instructional designers provide flexible training
pathways for faculty development such as monthly professional
development workshops, one-on-one coaching, and online
training.
Instructional Technology Support
The Department of Distance Education provides training related
to instructional technology used to support online and hybrid
teaching at APSU. This training includes the D2L learning
management system, video and audio production, streaming video, and
captioning services. A short description of instructional
technology provided by the Department of Distance Education
follows:
· Desire to Learn (D2L) Bright space Learning Management System
– Content management and
course delivery platform for APSU courses. This platform
provides faculty tools to facilitate grade management, manage
course content, collect student artifacts, and implement
collaboration tools to promote faculty-to-student interaction and
student-to-student interaction.
· Smarter Measure Learning Readiness Indicator – Provides online
and hybrid learning students an opportunity to assess their level
of readiness for taking technology rich courses.
· Kaltura Video Streaming Services – Host faculty and student
audio and video multimedia content and limit access to students
enrolled in APSU courses. In addition, Kaltura video streaming
services provide data regarding video usage and average viewing
times.
· Cielo-24 Captioning Services – Software platform allows
faculty to provide accurate captions for
multimedia content to ensure compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
· Turnitin – Plagiarism prevention service used by faculty and
students to improve writing related to grammar and the proper
citation of resources.
· Examity Online Proctoring – Provides online proctoring,
technical and customer services support
24/7, 365 days per year with no interruptions.
· Adobe Presenter – Software platform that allows faculty to
develop voice-over-PowerPoint
Presentations and publish them to the learning management
system.
· Zoom – Web conferencing software platforms provides faculty
and students with online collaborative tools for virtual
meetings.
· Camtasia – Software for creating and editing videos.
Appendix E – Baccalaureate Program Template
Department Name [Your Department’s Name]
Austin Peay State University
Self-Study Report for Bachelor of [Degree Designation] in [Name
of Program]
[Current Academic Year] Program Review
Program Review Team Lead: [Name of Team Lead]
Focal Area 1: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 2: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 3: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 4: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 5: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Focal Area 6: [Name(s) of Author(s)/Contributor(s)]
Table of Contents should be included on the second page of the
report. Please include all sections, focal areas and appendices on
this page. Start each chapter on a new page.
I. INTRODUCTION
Program or Department Mission:
Program History and Structure:
Introduce the program. Describe program structure such as
college and department program is housed, if program offered partly
or entirely online, other special characteristics of program.
Include a brief history if applicable to understanding of program’s
current status.
Faculty:
Full Time
Part Time
Full Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Instructor
Adjunct
Figure 1. Head count of program name current faculty.
Other faculty and staff assigned administrative duties, etc.
Student Demographics:
Describe appropriate unique characteristics of program students.
See Resource 1 for examples of providing tables.
Program Review Process
Describe how the program conducted its self-study process – who
was engaged (faculty, adjunct faculty, stakeholders, students); how
they were engaged (meetings, online methods, focus groups, survey,
etc.); and how the self-study report was drafted, reviewed, and
finalized.
II. OVERALL PERFORMANCE
This section is essentially the Executive Summary or Abstract of
the self-study report. Begin this section with a brief assessment
of the unit’s education quality assurance processes and how you
work together as a faculty and with stakeholders to improve
quality. The Program Review Team will ask about the logic and
evidence behind the assessment, but it will not collect additional
evidence nor substitute its judgment about education quality. The
objective is to provide an accurate state of the program in terms
of curriculum, student experience and faculty. It is not expected
that the program flawlessly delivers exemplary quality education.
For example, candid descriptions of areas that will benefit from
attention and improvement, supported by evidence, will be received
better than unsupported claims of excellence.
A reflective summary statement of how the Program Review
self-study processes benefited the program should be included in
this section.
III. FOCAL AREAS
Focal Area 1: Learning Outcomes
1.1 Program and student learning outcomes are clearly identified
and measureable. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Begin by describing the university’s Institutional Effectiveness
process in which you participate. Information about this process
can be found on the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and
Assessment’s website at
https://www.apsu.edu/institutional-effectiveness/ie-assessment/index.php.
After that description, explain student learning outcomes for the
program under review. This may include the program SLOs and/or
student achievement-related (departmental) administrative outcomes
associated with the program. Include Nuventive printouts (IE
Reports for previous year; IE Plan for current year) as an
appendix. Consider including course student learning outcomes if
the program has a core.
Program learning outcomes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Student learning outcomes of core courses:
Course #1
1.
2.
3.
4.
Course #2
1.
2.
3.
Etc.
Describe your program’s process for evaluating program and
student learning outcomes. This process should be taking place on a
regular basis taking into account best practices, stakeholder
feedback, and appropriate benchmarks in the field.
1.2 The program uses appropriate evidence to evaluate
achievement of program and student learning outcomes. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Give examples of evidence that has been collected about the
program from SLOs and/or student achievement-related (departmental)
administrative outcomes reported in Nuventive (the Institutional
Effectiveness process) or other sources you may access. Discuss the
mechanism for review of this data; consider the IE departmental
meeting scheduled in the pre-semester calendar.
1.3 The program makes use of information from its evaluation of
program and student learning outcomes and uses the results for
continuous improvement. (Use rubric description as the title of
each subsection.)
Describe how the program takes data and information collected as
part of its Institutional Effectiveness process and uses it to
advance the program. Give examples.
1.4 The program directly aligns with the institution’s mission.
(Use rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe how the program supports the university’s mission. For
context, Austin Peay’s Mission and Vision Statements can be found
at https://www.apsu.edu/about-apsu/mission.php.
Focal Area 2: Curriculum
2.1 The curriculum content and organization are reviewed
regularly and results are used for curricular improvement. (Use
rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe the process and give examples.
2.2 The program has developed a process to ensure courses are
offered regularly and that students can make timely progress
towards their degree. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe the process and give examples.
2.3 The program incorporates appropriate pedagogical and/or
technological innovations that enhance students learning into the
curriculum. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For additional information, consider
the Tech Tools resources from Distance Education,
https://www.apsu.edu/online/technology/index.php.
2.4 The curriculum is aligned with and contributes to mastery of
program and student learning outcomes identified in Focal Area 1.1.
(Use rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. Consider including a curriculum map
as an appendix if the program has mapped its student learning
outcomes.
2.5 The curricular content of the program reflects current
standards, practices, and issues in the discipline. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
2.6 The curriculum fosters analytical and critical thinking and
problem-solving. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
2.7 The design of degree program specific courses provides
students with a solid foundation. (Use rubric description as the
title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
2.8 The curriculum reflects a progressive challenge to students
and that depth and rigor effectively prepares students for careers
or advanced study. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
2.9 The curriculum encourages the development of and the
presentation of and the presentation of results and ideas
effectively and clearly in both written and oral discourse. (Use
rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
2.10 The curriculum exposes students to discipline-specific
research strategies from the program area. (Use rubric description
as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
Focal Area 3: Student Experience
3.1 The program provides students with opportunities to
regularly evaluate the curriculum and faculty relative to the
quality of their teaching effectiveness. (Use rubric description as
the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For more information, visit Academic
Affair’s Course Evaluation website at
https://www.apsu.edu/academic-affairs/course-evaluations/index.php.
3.2 The program ensures students are exposed to professional and
career opportunities appropriate to the field. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
3.3 The program provides students with the opportunity to apply
what they have learned to situations outside the classroom. (Use
rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
3.4 The program seeks to include diverse perspectives and
experiences through curricular and extracurricular activities. (Use
rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
3.5 Students have access to appropriate academic support
services. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples. See Resource 2 for examples of
university support services. Include program-specific evidence or
examples.
Focal Area 4: Faculty (Full-time and Part-time)
4.1 All faculty, full time and part time, meet the high
standards set by the program and expected SACSCOC guidelines for
credentials. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For additional information, see
Faculty Qualification Matrix webpage at
https://www.apsu.edu/academic-affairs/faculty/faculty_resources/index.php.
You may list each faculty member and their academic credentials (or
include such a list as an appendix).
4.2 The faculty are adequate in number to meet the needs of the
program with appropriate teaching loads. (Use rubric description as
the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
4.3 The faculty strives to cultivate diversity with respect to
gender, ethnicity, and academic background, as appropriate to the
demographics of the discipline. (Use rubric description as the
title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For additional information, see the
Office of Equity, Access and Inclusion’s webpage at
https://www.apsu.edu/equity-access/index.php for policies and
additional information.
4.4 The program uses an appropriate process to incorporate the
faculty evaluation system to improve teaching, scholarly and
creative activities, and service. (Use rubric description as the
title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. See Faculty Resources webpage at
https://www.apsu.edu/academic-affairs/faculty/faculty_resources/index.php
for information on faculty annual evaluation and part-time
instructor review as well as the department’s Retention, Tenure and
Promotion Criteria information.
4.5 The faculty engages in regular professional development that
enhances their teaching, scholarship and practice. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. See Resource 3 for Faculty Support
Services.
4.6 The faculty is actively engaged in planning, evaluation and
improvement process that measure and advance student success. (Use
rubric description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
Focal Area 5: Learning Resources
5.1 The program regularly evaluates its equipment and
facilities, encouraging necessary improvements within the context
of overall institutional resources. (Use rubric description as the
title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
5.2 The program has access to learning and information resources
that are appropriate to support teaching and learning. (Use rubric
description as the title of each subsection.)
Describe and give examples. For additional information, see
Distance Education’s webpage for faculty resources at
https://www.apsu.edu/online/faculty/ and the Library Liaisons
webpage at http://library.apsu.edu/about/liaisons.html for
department specific assistance.
Focal Area 6: Support
6.1 The program’s operating budget is consistent with the needs
of the program. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples.
6.2 The program has a history of enrollment and/or graduation
rates sufficient to sustain high quality and
cost-effectiveness.
Provide historical program enrollment and degree awards to
demonstrate they are sufficient to sustain high quality and
cost-effectiveness. Use the below tables (dates as appropriate)
with information provided on Decision Support and Institutional
Research’s Institutional Data webpage at
https://www.apsu.edu/dsir/institutional-data.php.
Examples:
Head count of program name fall enrollments between 2011 and
2016.
Number of degrees in program name awarded per year between 2011
and 2016.
6.3 The program is responsive to local, state, regional and
national needs. (Use rubric description as the title of each
subsection.)
Describe and give examples. Consider contacting APSU’s Career
Services and professional organizations within the discipline for
current trends and projections.
IV.
APPENDICES
Appendix 1:
Appendix 2:
Appendix 3:
Appendix 4:
Appendix 5:
A Table of Contents for the Appendices is needed.
Additional Resources
Resource 1: Student Demographics Examples
Fall 2014
Fall 2015
Fall 2016
Fall 2017
Fall 2018
(n = 31)
(n = 29)
(n = 34)
(n = 40)
(n = 72)
Race
American Indian
*
*
Asian
Black/African-American
*
*
*
*
*
Hispanic/Latino
*
*
*
*
≥ 2 or more races
*
*
*
White
*
*
*
*
*
Unknown
*
*
*
Gender
Female
*
*
*
*
*
Male
*
*
*
*
*
Enrollment Status
Full-time (9+ hrs/term)
*
*
*
*
*
Part-time (<9 hrs/term)
*
*
*
*
*
Figure: Program Demographic Data for XXX, 2014 – 2018.
Black
Asian/Pacific Islander/Multi-Racial
Hispanic
Non-Resident Alien
White
Unknown
Total
2016
*
*
-
-
*
*
*
2017
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
2018
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
2019
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Total
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Table 3. Enrollment by self-identified race in XXXX program Fall
Semesters 2016-2019.
Active
Dependent
Veteran
No Vet Status
Total
2016
*
*
*
*
*
2017
*
*
*
*
*
2018
*
*
*
*
*
2019
*
*
*
*
*
Total
*
*
*
*
*
Table 4. Enrollment by military affiliation in XXXX program Fall
Semesters 2016-2019.
Female
Male
Total
2016
*
*
*
2017
*
*
*
2018
*
*
*
2019
*
*
*
Total
*
*
*
Table 5. Enrollment by gender in XXXX program Fall Semesters
2016-2019.
Resource 2. Student Support
The following (excerpted from SACS-COC – The Fifth-Year Interim
Report (2020), Section 12) may be useful in considering the Program
Review rubric dimensions related to Student Experience and Learning
Resources, in particular:
· Students have access to appropriate academic support
services.
· The program has access to learning and information resources
that are appropriate to support teaching and learning.
Please consider these as items to consider, not mandated
inclusions. As always, your self-study will be strengthened by any
examples of ways in which your program interacts with these support
areas.
College of Graduate Studies (COGS)
The College of Graduate Studies (COGS) provides current and
prospective students with assistance in admissions, enrollment and
registration for graduate degree programs. For graduate assistants
participating in research, referred to as graduate research
assistants, and for any graduate student participating in research,
the University requires Collaborative Institution Training
Initiative (CITI) training according to their type of research.
Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs
The Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs seeks to assist
students and veterans in processing their Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), financial aid awards, scholarships,
and benefits.
Office of International Student Services
The Office of International Student Services provides resources
to assist international students in pursuing a degree at APSU, and
maintaining their legal and student status. In addition,
International Student Services provides programming throughout the
year which facilitates integration into the APSU and surrounding
community.
Office of Student Research and Innovation (OSRI)
The Office of Student Research and Innovation pools resources
from the Library, Financial Aid
(e.g., scholarships), Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
(Grants), and Career Services to empower students with mechanisms
to support their academic and professional careers. Annually,
students may apply for travel grants and research support grants in
a competitive process, which concludes with a research showcase
weekend, where students present their research in either poster or
oral format. Every month, OSRI supports professional development
for students.
Distance Education Support DeskThe Distance Education Support
Desk provides faculty, staff, and student support for resolving
technical and instructional needs related specifically to the D2L
Bright space learning-management system and third-party
instructional technology tools.
Technology Help Desk
The Technology Help Desk is a service provided by the Office of
Information Technology (OIT) in the Division of Finance and
Administration and provides the first point of contact for
computing, networking hardware and software, PC, Macintosh and
printer problems.
Academic Support Center (ASC)
The Academic Support Center (ASC) offers a number of services
designed to help students meet their educational objectives and
achieve academic success. Through the services offered by the ASC,
students grow in personal responsibility and gain meaningful,
marketable skills while earning their degree and contributing to
the surrounding community.
Peer tutoring and technology assistance are offered to enrolled
students through the Academic Support Center (ASC). Tutoring is
available for most general education core courses, as well as some
upper-division courses. The ASC provides face-to-face tutoring as
well as online tutoring through Tutor.com that is available 24/7
for many undergraduate courses.
The Writing Center is located in the Woodward Library and
provides students with writing support related to grammar,
vocabulary, writing proper citations, adhering to writing styles
such as MLA and APA, and preventing plagiarism. Additionally, the
Writing Center allows students to submit written papers online for
review and timely feedback, typically within 48 hours of their
submission.
The Structured Learning Assistance (SLA) program serves
undergraduate students who entered the University with an academic
deficiency by using a co-requisite model to provide SLA supported
courses, courses designated with an “E” in the course description.
SLA also supports courses that are known to be challenging to
students. These courses are designated with an “S” for success in
the course description.
Office of Career Services
The Office of Career Services mission is to assist students in
making a successful transition from academia to the world of work
by equipping them with the tools to take ownership of their
professional development for lifelong career satisfaction. The
Office of Career Services provides one-on-one counseling and career
assessments that allow students to be guided through the decision
making process. On campus recruiting events also provide students
with an opportunity to explore the many employment options
available to them. Additionally, the office provides resume
feedback, career assessments, mock interviews, job search
strategies, and workshops covering various career-related
topics.
Office of Student Affairs
The Office of Student Affairs offers advocacy, wellness,
diversity, involvement, engagement, spirit, recreation, and
leadership opportunities.
Office of Equity, Access, and Inclusion
The Chief Diversity Officer works in the Office of Equity,
Access, and Inclusion works in collaboration with the Diversity
Committee and is responsible for developing strategies to attract
and retain a diverse student body and to recruit, retain, advance,
recognize, and promote a diverse faculty and staff.
Office of Disability Services
The Office of Disability Services provides support for students
to ensure access for any student with a disability to all
curricular and co-curricular opportunities offered by Austin Peay
State University.
Center for Service Learning and Community Engagement
The Center for Service Learning & Community Engagement
(CSLCE) provides students with opportunities to connect their
academic and personal growth to the betterment of their
community.
Adult, Nontraditional, and Transfer Student Center (ANTS)
Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center
Military Student Center
Hispanic Cultural Center
Resource 3. Support Services for Faculty
The following (excerpted from SACS-COC – The Fifth-Year Interim
Report (2020), Section 12) may be useful in considering the Program
Review rubric dimensions related to Focal Area 4: Faculty
(Full-time and Part-time):
First Year Faculty Program
Academic Affairs offers the “I AM A GOV: First Year Faculty
Program” to support the professional success of tenure-track
first-year faculty at APSU. Program participants develop an
in-depth understanding of retention, tenure, and promotion criteria
through an exploration of teaching, creative or scholarly
achievement, service, and advising in predominantly active-learning
environments with extensive peer interactions for cohort cohesion
and community building. New faculty receive a course release in the
Fall and Spring semesters of their first year.
Faculty Advising Program
Academic Affairs provides the Faculty Advising Program which
“recognizes the importance of excellence in advising at APSU. In
exchange for a course release, the program offers an opportunity
for selected faculty to explore advising [in a faculty cohort
during a specific semester] as a means to enhance student success.”
Accepted applicants meet weekly in the fall semester. This program
is offered every other fall semester.
Faculty Teaching Program
Academic Affairs provides the Faculty Teaching program. In
exchange for a course release, the Faculty Teaching Program offers
an opportunity for selected faculty to study teaching strategies
that can enhance student success. The Center for Teaching and
Learning offers this program every other fall semester. Accepted
applicants meet weekly in the fall semester. Additional faculty
responsibilities include completing weekly assignments,
participating in individual teaching consultations, and delivering
a professional-development workshop on a teaching strategy.
Faculty Leadership Program
The Faculty Leadership Program offers an opportunity for
selected faculty to acquire a more comprehensive awareness of
university operations, current or upcoming initiatives, trends, and
relevant literature, as well as work on a team project and present
its findings to the president and provost. Participants meet for a
full academic year, one half-day per week for a full academic year,
and campus-led immersion program that assists participants in
developing a collaborative project to positively impact the
institution and student success. This program is offered every
other year.
Online Learning Consortium
Austin Peay State University is an Online Learning Consortium
(OLC) Institutional member. The OLC is the leading professional
organization in advancing the continuous improvement of quality
online learning. With OLC institutional membership, faculty may
receive professional development training in online and hybrid
teaching pedagogy and research-based best practices for free
through the APSU Department of Distance Education. Last, the Online
Learning Consortium provides various research publications related
to the continuous improvement of online teaching and learning.
Quality Matters
Austin Peay State University is a Quality Matters institutional
member. Quality Matters provides a set of eight general standards
and 43 specific review standards for the quality design of online
and hybrid courses. Through Quality Matters, APSU faculty may
complete professional development workshops in a variety of areas
related to the continuous improvement of online and hybrid course
design. The APSU Department of Distance Education can assist
faculty with paying for online workshops. Additionally, the Office
of Distance Education can assist faculty in reviewing their courses
using the Quality Matters rubric and ensuring courses demonstrate
at least an 85 percent compliance level with Quality Matters
standards.
Instructional Design Services
The Department of Distance Education provides instructional
design consultation services for APSU faculty. Services include the
review of courses for alignment with Quality Matters standards and
the continuous improvement of online and hybrid course development.
In addition, instructional designers provide flexible training
pathways for faculty development such as monthly professional
development workshops, one-on-one coaching, and online
training.
Instructional Technology Support
The Department of Distance Education provides training related
to instructional technology used to support online and hybrid
teaching at APSU. This training includes the D2L learning
management system, video and audio production, streaming video, and
captioning services. A short description of instructional
technology provided by the Department of Distance Education
follows:
· Desire to Learn (D2L) Bright space Learning Management System
– Content management and course delivery platform for APSU courses.
This platform provides faculty tools to facilitate grade
management, manage course content, collect student artifacts, and
implement collaboration tools to promote faculty-to-student
interaction and student-to-student interaction.
· Smarter Measure Learning Readiness Indicator – Provides online
and hybrid learning students an opportunity to assess their level
of readiness for taking technology rich courses.
· Kaltura Video Streaming Services – Host faculty and student
audio and video multimedia content and limit access to students
enrolled in APSU courses. In addition, Kaltura video streaming
services provide data regarding video usage and average viewing
times.
· Cielo-24 Captioning Services – Software platform allows
faculty to provide accurate captions for
multimedia content to ensure compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
· Turnitin – Plagiarism prevention service used by faculty and
students to improve writing related to grammar and the proper
citation of resources.
· Examity Online Proctoring – Provides online proctoring,
technical and customer services support
24/7, 365 days per year with no interruptions.
· Adobe Presenter – Software platform that allows faculty to
develop voice-over-PowerPoint
Presentations and publish them to the learning management
system.
· Zoom – Web conferencing software platforms provides faculty
and students with online collaborative tools for virtual
meetings.
· Camtasia – Software for creating and editing videos.
Appendix F – Graduate Program Template
Department Name [Your Department’s Name]
Austin Peay State University
Self-Study Report for Master of [Degree Designation] in [Name of
Program]
