Program Review
Cal Lutheran’s Program Review provides an opportunity for a recurring all-inclusive assessment of a program for its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges, with the ultimate goal of identifying the future direction, needs, and priorities of those programs. This collaborative process entails systematic, objective, and expert based evaluation that is rooted in evidence-based reflections and academic excellence.
All program reviews are strongly connected to the institution’s strategic plan, resource allocation, and decision-making at the program, department, college, and university levels.
Academic Program Review
Academic programs engage in the program review activities once every seven years and complete a mid-cycle report in the fourth year of the cycle. Some program review cycles are dictated by required specific external accreditation cycles. Newly established programs are expected to complete a mini program review three years from the start date.
During this review:
- Program faculty work collaboratively to develop a self-study document that describes how the program is fulfilling its mission, how program learning outcomes align to the university mission and strategic priorities, and strategies for improving the quality and experience of students in the program.
- Cal Lutheran engages an expert external reviewer to review the self-study report, provide critical judgment, evaluate the objectivity of the program review process, and determine how the program compares to other programs at similar institutions.
At the end of the review process:
- The external evaluator submits a final report that describes the site visit experience and highlights the commendations and recommendations emerging from the visit.
- After a review and discussion of the final report by the Provost, dean, program faculty, and EEIR office, the program creates a seven year action plan where program priorities and details of how the recommendations from the report will be addressed.
Administrative Program Review
Administrative program reviews are conducted when needed. The Vice President overseeing each area identifies programs or initiatives that could benefit from an administrative program review process. The Office of Educational Effectiveness works collaboratively with the program to ensure the process is appropriate, systematic, and evidence based. In some cases, external reviewers are hired to conduct on-site visits in order to enhance the quality of the review.