The Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board Proposal
Review Process and Distance
Education Policies
Anya Sebastien, Director of Academic Programs
Van Davis, Special Projects Director
Academic Affairs and Research Division
February 2, 2011
Doctoral Proposal Process
• Proposal submitted by System Office
• Posted on THECB’s website for 30 days
• Staff reviews and conducts analysis
• Proposal is routed to two staff peer reviewers
Doctoral Proposal Process (Continued)
• Routed through the Academic Affairs and
Research Division
• Assistant Commissioner makes a
recommendation
• Routed through the Commissioner’s Office
• Commissioner makes final recommendation to
continue with an external reviewer for a site
visit or desk review
Doctoral Proposal Review
• Guidelines for Institutions Submitting
Proposals for New Doctoral Programs
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/doctoral request
form
Program Information
Job Market Need
• Demonstrate the workforce need for additional
graduates in the field.
• Show a supply/demand analysis by citing figures
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas Workforce
Commission, and professional associations.
• Indicate how the number of new graduates
produced each year compares to the number of job
openings that require a doctoral degree in the
discipline on both the national and state levels.
Program Information (Continued)
• Determine whether there is capacity to accept
additional students in existing state and regional
programs as well as major programs at peer
institutions across the nation. Provide the number of
graduates from these programs in the last five years.
• Indicate why the proposed program would not
unnecessarily duplicate existing programs. Include
reasons such as the availability of similar programs,
the capacity of existing programs, and/or unique
approach or emphasis of the proposed program.
Doctoral Proposal Sample
Response
Job Market Need
•
“Local and Regional Need- The study of ecology and evolution is essential in
ensuring the survival of humans on our planet. Knowledge of these two fields
can enhance the quality of our lives by helping to use resources sustainably,
without destroying ecosystems. This is especially important in an arid border
region, where the rugged landscapes are inhabited by fragile communities and
long-term or permanent changes can occur after only a slight human-caused
disturbance. Because we know little about the local ecosystems, we are
usually unable to stop or reverse the degradation. This proposed program will
offer numerous opportunities for international collaborations in research and
scholarship.”
•
“State, national and international needs-The number of doctoral degrees in
ecology and related fields increased rapidly over a forty year period from 1960
through the 1990’s (Fig. 2), the number of institutions offering these degrees
has not kept pace (Fig. 1).”
Doctoral Proposal Sample Response
(Continued)
• “The National Ecological Observing Network (NEON)
(http://www.neonic.org/), a well developed and
unprecedented 60 million dollars per year effort to monitor
the ecological well being of the nation, will begin over the
next few years. Institution is partnering with NEON’s
Southwest domain, a critical end point along an
environmental gradient that extends from Eastern
California to the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert at Indio
Mountains Research Station. NEON is likely to dramatically
alter the nation’s perceptions on the importance of
ecology, which will increase the need for ecologists to take
on the most pressing environmental challenges of the
nation. “
Doctoral Proposal Sample
Response (Continued)
• “There are two aspects to the demand for graduate
programs in ecology and evolution that need to be
addressed. First, while the number of PhD programs has
only slightly increased over the past 8 years (Figure 1),
the total number of graduates in these fields has
significantly increased (Figure 2). The later clearly shows
that there is student interest and demand at the
academic level. Secondly, opportunities exist in the job
market (academic, government, or consulting/private
sector) for people with expertise in ecology and
evolution.”
• “A very good proxy of the current market in evolutionary
biology is the website EvoIlDIR
(http://evol.mcmaster,ca/evoldir.html). On that site,
which archives postings for 3 months, there are almost
daily job postings for academic and technical positions.”
Doctoral Proposal Sample Response
(Continued)
• “Additional data is available on the need for ecologists
with PhDs from the Ecological Society of America (ESA) a
leading professional organization for ecologist. A total of
34 job postings on their website for individuals with a
PhD in Ecology. The postings included 17 faculty
positions, 11 post-doctoral positions, 4 government jobs
and 2 positions with non-governmental organization,
Nearly one-half of these jobs were located in Mexico or
the US southwest including Texas, Arizona and California.
This concentration in the US Southwest of available jobs
for PhDs in Ecology stresses the need for locally and
regionally trained researchers.”
Staff Guidelines for Reviewing
Proposals for New Doctoral Programs
Job Market Need
• Staff verify submitted documentation to support the need for
new doctorates in the discipline of the proposed program
both in Texas and the nation.
Workforce Projections
• Staff confirm workforce projections for individuals trained at
the doctoral level.
• Staff review evidence of unmet need, including regional need
if applicable, using the following categories:
• Strong
• Moderate
• Weak
• Comments
New Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree
Programs
• Following Board action on July 30, 2009, new
bachelor’s and master’s programs that meet the
following criteria are automatically approved
(Chapter 5, Subchapter C, Section 5.44):
o the program has institutional and governing board
approval;
o the program complies with the Standards for Bachelor’s
and Master’s Programs;
o adequate funds are available to cover the costs of the new
program;
New Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree
Programs (Continued)
o new costs during the first five years of the program will not
exceed $2 million;
o the program is a non-engineering program (i.e., not
classified under CIP code 14); and
o the program will be offered by a university or healthrelated institution.
A new bachelor’s or master’s degree program that meets
these criteria may be requested using the Certification
Form for New Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs and is
automatically approved if no objections are received
during the 30-day public comment period. The
institution's program inventory will be updated
accordingly, and a letter of approval will be sent to the
institution/System.
New Bachelor’s and Master’s Checklist
• Are the SCHs within minimum & maximum for degree
level?
• CIP Code
o Does CIP code match the description of the program?
• Comparison with other institutions
o Does the CIP code match programs at other institutions?
o Do other similarly named programs at other institutions use the
same CIP code?
• Are any programs within the same 2-digit CIP code at the
institution on the low-producing list?
• Any comments received during 30-day period?
Distance Education Doctoral Proposal
Process (New Distance Education
Degree)
• Proposal submitted by System Office and area notification
made if off-campus program
• Posted on THECB’s website for 30 days
• Staff reviews and conducts analysis
• Proposal is routed to Distance Education Advisory
Committee’s (DEAC) Doctoral Education Subcommittee
• DEAC discusses and votes on recommendation at one of its
quarterly meetings
• Staff reviews DEAC’s recommendation
• Upon a positive review, program is considered by the Board’s
Strategic Planning and Policy Committee
• Upon a positive review, program is voted on by the Board at
one of it’s quarterly meetings
Distance Education Doctoral Proposal
Process (Change in Distance Education
Modality)
• Proposal submitted by System Office and area notification
made if off-campus program
• Posted on THECB’s website for 30 days
• Staff reviews and conducts analysis
• Proposal is routed to Distance Education Advisory
Committee’s (DEAC) Doctoral Education Subcommittee
• DEAC discusses and votes on recommendation at one of its
quarterly meetings
• Staff reviews DEAC’s recommendation
• Approval is made at the Assistant Commissioner’s level
Distance Education Doctoral Proposal
Process (Additional Delivery Site)
• Proposal submitted by System Office and area notification
made
• Posted on THECB’s website for 30 days
• Staff reviews and conducts analysis
• Proposal is routed to Distance Education Advisory
Committee’s (DEAC) Doctoral Education Subcommittee
• Staff reviews Subcommittee’s recommendation
• Approval is made at the Assistant Commissioner’s level
Important Items for Distance
Education Doctoral Programs
•
•
•
•
•
Program need and demand
Faculty resources
Student interactions
Evaluation of program content and delivery
Student resources and access to campus
offices
• Institutional distance education infrastructure
Online Program and Course
Notifications, Bachelor’s and Master’s
• Notification made to the Coordinating Board
• Notification includes signed Principles of Good Practice
• Program is added to Coordinating Board database of distance
education programs
• No notification is necessary for online courses
Off-Campus Program and Course
Notifications, Bachelor’s and Master’s
• Notification (with copy) made to area institutions within 50
miles of proposed delivery site 60 days prior to beginning of
course/program
• Area institutions have 30 days to object
• Approval is automatic if no objections are received and
program is added to Coordinating Board’s distance education
database
• Signed copy of Principles of Good Practice is submitted to the
Coordinating Board for off-campus programs
Off-Campus Program and Course
Notifications, Bachelor’s and Master’s
• Notification (with copy to THECB) made to area institutions
within 50 miles of proposed delivery site 60 days prior to
beginning of course/program
• Area institutions have 30 days to object
• Approval is automatic if no objections are received and
program is added to Coordinating Board’s distance education
database
• Signed copy of Principles of Good Practice is submitted to the
Coordinating Board for off-campus programs
• No area notification is needed for courses that are a part of
approved distance education programs
• No area notification is needed for programs and courses
delivered to MITCs/University Centers but notification to
Coordinating Board is necessary for programs
Higher Education Regional Councils and
Lower Division Courses
• Ten Higher Education Regional Councils (HERC)
across Texas
• Meet every spring
• Institutions, including universities, must submit a
distance education plan that lists planned offcampus lower-division course offerings
• HERC approves the plan at its meeting and forwards
to the Coordinating Board
• Questions regarding HERCs can be addressed to Dr.
David Couch, david.couch@thecb.state.tx.us
Self-Supporting (i.e., Non-Formula
Funded) Distance Education Programs
• Courses are reported on the CBM 00X
• Programs follow the normal reporting and
notification guidelines
• Notification for out-of-country self-supporting
degree programs should be made in the form of a
letter to the Director of Academic Programs and
should certify that the institution has authority to
offer the program, that no state funds will be used,
and that the out-of-country program will not
negatively impact the on-campus program
Feel free to contact us.
anya.sebastien@thecb.state.tx.us
Van.davis@thecb.state.tx.us