INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL
IMPROVEMENT THROUGH PROGRAM REVIEW
The following is a synopsis of College Procedure 2.03.01.18: Program Review.
What is the object
of Program
Review?
To assess the current and future viability of all credit and of all non-credit instructional programs and to make
recommendations on program improvement and viability (College Procedure 2.03.01.18: Program Review).
When is it done?
Annually.
What is reviewed?
Instructional programs, defined as instructional courses or groups of courses for which students may or may not receive
college credit upon completion: Credit developmental, Credit Transfer, Credit occupational, English as a Second
Language and Non-credit. Non-credit courses include courses taken through the Americana Language Program and
those taken through the other Continuing Education areas. Imbedded and Enhanced Skills certificates are evaluated as
part of a program.
Who assesses?
Program Review Committee. The committee’s authority is limited to recommending that the senior instructional
administrators review a program's strengths and weaknesses and the program's capacity to improve its service to
students and the community. The final decision on continuation rests with the President of the College. Voting members
do not vote on recommendations on their own programs.
Which data are
used?
Viability Indicators track the minimum performance levels required for program maintenance, and Quality indicators
encompass measures beyond minimal program performance.
What instrument is
used?
Program Review Report. The Office of Institutional Research (IR) provides the data; the Office of Institutional
Effectiveness (IE) produces the report, which presents the data by program. In the fall, the IE Office publishes the report
by sending it to the Program Review Committee, which reviews the data and performance scores to determine those
programs to be reviewed in-depth.
What are the
parameters of
Program Review?
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What is the role of
Deans, Directors
and Coordinators
in the committee
review process?
District wide evaluation, rather than by campus. Normally, three consecutive years of data are analyzed. Courses
or sequences of courses are evaluated only if they appear in the College Catalog of the year during which the
Program Review Committee evaluates the programs.
Fields of Study and Areas of Concentration without program-specific courses are not evaluated.
Data for credit programs include concurrent continuing education students.
Indicators have a title (e.g. Enrollment Trends), a measure (e.g. whether there is increasing enrollment), a data
source (e.g. Master Class Schedule), and a standard (e.g. a numerical or a yes/no performance level).
Indicators are scored “Met” or “Not Met.” A Viability Indicator “Met” score of 50% or lower or unmet Graduation
and Student Success prompt formal review.
The report is sent to the Deans, Directors and Coordinators before publication to allow them to verify the data; concerns
should be addressed to the Office of Institutional Research. When a program meets fifty-percent (50%) or fewer of its
Viability Indicators or fails to meet State graduation and student success requirements, the Dean/Director and Program
Coordinator shall be required to appear before the Program Review Committee to discuss the status of unmet Viability
and Quality Indicators. The committee then votes to recommend whether senior instructional administrators should
review a program in-depth.
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH AND ACCOUNTABILITY Z:RS/PROGREVCOMMITTEEADM/PROGREVFREQASKEDQUEST 8-19-2014
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8-19-14