REVIEW OF THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH – TERMS OF REFERENCE
(FINAL VERSION AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2014)
PREAMBLE:
In order to strengthen its position as a top research-intensive institution in Canada, the University of
Saskatchewan continues to identify strategies and initiatives that enhance the academic and research
agenda of the institution. As an example of this, three interdisciplinary graduate schools were created
in 2007 to elevate our teaching, research and scholarship activities in the areas of public health, public
policy, and environment and sustainability. Not only is it important to implement initiatives such as the
schools, but so too is it important to monitor and review the quality, performance, and outcomes of
these initiatives to ensure alignment to our institutional goals and objectives. When the graduate
schools were created in 2007, a commitment was made to conduct a review at some point after the first
five years of inception. The School of Public Health is the first of the three schools to be reviewed in
accordance with this commitment.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of the review of the School of Public Health (SPH) includes the following:
 To assess progress against originally stated goals and priorities of the school that were initially
approved by University Council when the school was created on July 1, 2007.
 To assess SPH activities and programs against public health education and scholarship at both
the national and international levels to better understand the progress SPH has made with
respect to the University of Saskatchewan’s public health academic and research agenda.
 To assess the effectiveness of the school’s administrative and organizational structures.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBLITIES:
This review will be led by the Provost and Vice-President Academic with resources from Institutional
Planning and Assessment (IPA) assigned to provide support, facilitation and coordination of aspects of
the review, as appropriate. Specifically, The Provost will retain authority for the scope of the review,
selection of reviewers, and communication to stakeholders at the conclusion of the review while IPA will
manage the assimilation of the self-study materials, liaise with the external and internal reviewers, and
assist with process and logistics for the duration of the review.
Stakeholders associated with the School of Public Health will certainly be involved as well. The interim
Executive Director will assist where necessary at the discretion of the Provost and will play a role in
defining the nature of the review. Faculty members will be given ample opportunity to provide input
into the process, as will students who are enrolled with the school. This could include providing verbal
and/or written feedback for the external reviewers’ consideration and/or advice to the Provost on the
scope of the review. Other colleagues at the U of S will also be afforded an opportunity to provide input
to the process, as directed by the Provost.
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PROVISION OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The external review team will have access to pertinent background material prior to and during the
external review. This information will include the following:
 Previous accreditation documents of the SPH
 University of Saskatchewan documents relating to the establishment of the school
 Integrated planning documents of the SPH and University of Saskatchewan
 Institutional data pertaining to the School’s:
o faculty and staff complement
o student enrolment and outcomes
o research activity (funding, projects, outcomes, impact)
 Summary of results from applicable student surveys
SCOPE OF THE REVIEW:
The external review team will focus on and make recommendations on the following areas:
A. Mission and Vision
An assessment of the continuing appropriateness and effectiveness of SPH’s mission and strategies,
including the following:
 Are the current vision, mission and strategic directions of the SPH clearly stated, communicated
and understood by SPH internal and external stakeholders?
 Are the mission and objectives in line with the original intent of the school as presented in the
2007 proposal? Do the mission and objectives continue to be in line with the current intent of
the school?
 Are the mission and objectives being met?
 Does the SPH support the mission and objectives of the University with respect to bringing
together expertise across campus for interdisciplinary teaching and research?
B. Organizational Structure and Governance
An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the current structure and governance of the SPH,
specifically as they relate to the following:
 The adequacy of the organizational structure and the mechanisms in place to manage,
coordinate and ensure the excellence of activities undertaken by the SPH.
 The adequacy of resources (financial, human, physical and information) available and the
efficacy and efficiency of their management.
 An assessment of the morale, satisfaction and engagement of the faculty, students and staff.
C. Academic and Educational Activities
An assessment of the strengths and weakness of the academic and educational activities of the SPH,
including the following:
 The appropriateness of the SPH’s curricula to its learning outcomes and degree level
expectations and whether they meet the standards expected for the degree programs (with
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reference to the degree-level learning outcomes provided by the College of Graduate Studies
and Research).
The quality of the SPH’s academic and educational activities as they compare to national and
international schools of public health.
The quality of teaching including the appropriateness of learning formats used.
The appropriateness of the methods used for the evaluation of student progress.
The quality of the learning experiences available to students beyond the classroom (e.g.,
experiential learning, practica, internships).
The level of engagement in interdisciplinary collaboration for programming and scholarship.
The availability and quality of student advising and counselling.
D. Research Activities
An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the research activities of the SPH as they relate to
the following:
 The quality and quantity of research and publication activities of the SPH in Canada and beyond.
 Funding of research at the SPH, including eligibility for funding, past grant applications/awards.
 How SPH’s research funding is facilitated, supported and structured by the University.
 The level of engagement in interdisciplinary collaboration for research.
 The relevance of research and training to Saskatchewan, Canada and internationally.
E. Partnerships
An assessment of partnerships in the following areas and how they compare to partnerships that exist at
other similar schools:
 Relationship between the SPH and other colleges/departments including, but not limited to the
College of Medicine and other health professional schools at the University of Saskatchewan.
 The scope and nature of the SPH’s relationships with governmental, academic, professional and
non-governmental organizations.
F. Other
Identification of any other issues that may affect the SPH’s success, hamper the effectiveness, efficiency
and quality of services, or reduce its performance. If issues are identified, recommendations will be
provided on how they can be addressed.
TIMELINES:
The external review will take place beginning in January 2015 with the external review team conducting
meetings on-site at the University of Saskatchewan on January 28 and January 29, 2015. Time will be
scheduled for individual and group meetings with university and SPH officials including administration,
faculty, staff, students and other stakeholders (e.g. alumni).
Following the site visit, the written report will be due within four weeks. The report will be submitted to
the Provost and Vice-President Academic, with copies to the interim Executive Director of the SPH and
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the Director of Institutional Effectiveness in the office of Institutional Planning and Assessment. An initial
response from the interim Executive Director to the recommendations of the review team will be
required within four weeks of receipt of the written report. The draft report may also be shared in
confidence with other officials in the School and at the University (such as the Dean of the College of
Graduate Studies and Research) at the discretion of the Provost.
OUTCOMES:
This review will culminate in a written report (prepared by the external reviewers) that will present
findings, recommendations, and outcomes of the review. The results of the review will be instrumental
in determining if the governance, organizational structure, mandate, and activities of the school are
appropriate and will be valuable in assisting with the search process for the new Executive Director of
the school. In addition, the results will facilitate decisions about changes and enhancements within SPH
to ensure its sustainability, improve program delivery, improve student satisfaction, and increase the
quality and quantity of research activity.
At the discretion of the Provost, a summary of the review will be made public and posted in the
“reviews” section of the Institutional Planning and Assessment website. The Provincial Government will
also be apprised of this project in accordance with their expectations around quality and accountability
of programs and services of post-secondary institutions.
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