University Policy
Title
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Policy on Academic Program Review
Introduction
Purpose
Academic program reviews maintain and enhance the quality of both undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (“UNC-Chapel Hill” or “University”) and are required by UNC System policy. This policy outlines the academic program review process for ensuring continuous program improvement at the University, essential for maintaining high academic standards.
Scope
This policy applies to all UNC-Chapel Hill academic units.
Policy
Policy Statement
Higher education institutions require regular scrutiny and self-examination to improve. It is well-established that one of the most effective ways to foster this improvement process is through frequent self-study within individual programs and periodic review by knowledgeable faculty drawn from peer institutions.
Pursuant to Section 400.1 of the UNC Policy Manual, the Chancellor is required to regularly review the University’s academic programming to ensure the maintenance of a sound and balanced educational program that is consistent with the functions and mission of the institution. Accordingly, the Chancellor and the Office of the Provost have charged The Graduate School with coordinating academic program reviews of all programs at UNC-Chapel Hill. The University is committed to transparency and involving relevant stakeholders in the academic program review process.
Authority for Developing and Reviewing Curricular Matters
- Section 502 D(1) of The Code of the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina (“The Code”) provides that “[s]ubject to policies established by the Board of Governors, the institutional board of trustees, or the president, the chancellor shall be the leader of an the official spokesperson for the institution; shall promote the educational excellence and general development and welfare of the institution; shall define the scope of authority of faculties, councils, committees, and officers of the institution; and all projects, programs, and institutional reports to be undertaken on behalf of the institution shall be subject to the chancellor’s authorization and approval.”
- Pursuant to this authority, Section 400.1 of the UNC Policy Manual requires the Chancellor to review all academic degree programs and to “be prepared to expand, contract, or discontinue programs based on that review.”
- Through regular processes of shared governance, faculty have primary responsibility for developing and reviewing curricular matters consistent with the authority and expectations of the Chancellor as articulated in Section 502D of The Code, including through participation in and responses to academic program review recommendations.
Academic Program Review Schedule: Publication and Content Requirements
- The University will maintain a schedule for academic program reviews on The Graduate’s School program review website. The schedule will show the timeline for each program review and any deviations from the approved schedule (e.g., for accreditation alignment, some exempted programs for accreditation reasons).
- The University will also maintain Self-study guidelines, expectations for the site visit teams, and site visit schedules on The Graduate School’s program review website. The University adheres to specific evaluation metrics identified in Section 400.1.1[R] of the UNC Policy Manual.
Follow-Up and Continuous Assessment
- The Graduate School is responsible for managing all follow-up continuous assessment activities, including tracking the Reviewer’s Report, the Program Response, and Closure Memo resulting from an academic program review. These activities include making recommendations on timelines for subsequent review activities and providing the Chancellor and Provost with information pursuant to the UNC Policy Manual regulations.
Reporting to the Chancellor and Provost
The Chancellor and Provost will receive a summary of the academic year’s reviews annually, or more frequently as deemed necessary resulting from a specific academic program review. Regular reviews help UNC-Chapel Hill identify and address common recommendations, enabling the University to maintain academic quality across all programs.
For any academic program review Closure Memo action item that significantly expands or contracts academic programs:
- The Provost and Chancellor will charge the relevant academic dean to deliver an implementation plan that models the academic and financial impact in the case of changes in program size.
- The academic dean will appoint a committee that includes faculty to assist in the production of this implementation plan.
- If the Provost and Chancellor review and approve the implementation plan, the Chancellor will direct the Provost to work with the academic dean to execute the plan.
- The University will adhere to Section 400.1.1[R] of the UNC Policy Manual in cases of new degree program development and substantive curricular changes.
For any academic program review Closure Memo action item that recommends actions to eliminate academic programs:
- The Provost and Chancellor will charge the relevant academic dean to deliver an implementation plan that protects currently enrolled students in the case of program elimination.
- The academic dean will appoint a committee that includes faculty to assist in the production of this implementation plan.
- If the Provost and Chancellor review and approve the implementation plan, the Chancellor will direct the Provost to work with the academic dean to execute the plan.
- The University will adhere to Section 400.1.2 of the UNC Policy Manual in cases of program discontinuation.
If any implementation plan above involves the termination of faculty, it will follow and comply with the provisions of section 6 of the Trustee Policies and Regulations Governing Academic Tenure in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including review by the Faculty Financial Exigency and Program Change Committee.
Definitions
Self-study: Describes the current status of the program, including data about student characteristics, curriculum, faculty research and scholarship, etc. Particular emphasis is placed on the program’s future goals and specific plans for attaining those goals.
Reviewer’s Report: Outlines the program’s strengths and areas of concern, comments on the feasibility of the program’s future plans, and provides specific recommendations for improvement.
Program Response: Describes specific steps the program plans to take to enhance its academic program based on the recommendations and action items identified in the academic program review.
Closure Memo: Describes consensus action items resulting from the discussions following the site visit, Reviewer’s Report, and Program Response. Also establishes a timeline for follow-up for continuous assessment activities, including the check-in schedule between reviews.
Related Requirements
External Regulations
Contact Information
Primary Contact
Name: Stephanie Schmitt, Vice Dean, The Graduate School
Telephone: 919-962-7799
Email: sschmitt@email.unc.edu
Other Contacts
Name: Darin Padua, Associate Provost for Academic Operations
Telephone: 919-843-5117
Email: dpadua@email.unc.edu