Components of the Program Review

1) A self-study produced by the department. The self-study should focus on the development of a forward-facing strategic plan based on data trends for the department and program(s). The Department Chair coordinates the writing of the study with feedback from the entire department. The self-study is an inward focused process and must include the following:

● A strategic plan for the department for the next five years. The plan should include goals (action items) for each program within the department for the upcoming year that align with the department strategic plan. (Each summer, chairs should develop new goals for the upcoming year.) Questions to consider in development of the strategic plan and goals include: What compelling curricular and programmatic developments will be pursued? How will the program continue to evolve to remain modern and address changing student needs and demands? How can the department and programs capitalize on its strengths while addressing areas that need improvement?

● A review and report on progress made on the prior strategic plan and annual goals. (Chairs should be reflecting on progress towards annual goals each summer. Those progress reports should be collated within the self-study.)

● Exploration of the relationship between the program’s mission, philosophy, co-curriculum, activities, and goals with Truman’s vision, liberal arts and sciences mission (including the Dialogues), and University Strategic Plan.

● The Skills Alignment Assessment that reviews programs for inclusion of key skills within the curriculum. Directions for completion can be found at: https://wp-internal.truman.edu/provost/files/2025/05/Skills-Alignment-for-5-Year-Reviews.pdf.

● Brief review and discussion of relevant program and departmental data (and comparison to University-wide trends) to drive strategic plan objectives and annual goals. Attendance at the Assessment Workshop provides the foundation, including pre-prepared graphs, for the necessary examination.

● Appendices:
▪ Standard data elements provided by Academic Affairs
▪ Current CVs of all faculty members should be filed electronically with the school and made available for reviewers.
▪ Course-level syllabi should be filed electronically with the school and made available for reviewers.
▪ Elements required for the Faculty Senate report.

2) An external review of the department and its programs. This review is performed by two or more reviewers, at least one from an institution with characteristics like Truman and one Truman faculty member from another school. For departments with programs from multiple disciplines, the chair, dean and provost will determine the appropriate number of additional external reviewers to allow perspective on all academic areas. Departments can support additional external reviewers if more perspectives would be valuable. External reviewers must be approved by the Chair, Dean, and Provost, and arrangements for the official visit are coordinated by the department and school working with the Academic Affairs Office.

3) A response from the department to the external review, highlighting any changes to the strategic plan and annual goals as a result of the additional feedback. Fall 2025 2 of 18 Academic Affairs

4) A brief executive summary (1-3 pages) for easy review by governance and other campus and public audiences composed of key elements of the above documents.

5) Memos from the Dean and Provost highlighting key areas of strength, areas for improvement, and identifying sources of support within the school/university for future improvements.

6) A report to Faculty Senate. See Appendix 6.