Program Review Process and Schedule

Program reviews, conducted once every five to seven years, provide information that helps to enhance academic excellence as well as improve the quality of the student learning experience.  Ideally, the program review process is linked to the department's annual plans, assessment of student learning outcomes, and other evaluations that take place on a continuous basis and are reviewed as an integral part of regional accreditation.

The program review is an iterative opportunity for the department to self-evaluate the effectiveness and relevance of the program under review and, as a result, improve its operations and outcomes. This includes alignment of the program’s mission to the school and Siena missions, curricular design, student outcomes, enrollment and staffing trends, and identification of changes or improvements that should be implemented. The process also enables department members, internal reviewers, and external reviewers to monitor program quality, to identify problems that may need corrective action, and to modify departmental offerings accordingly. The program reviews should be conducted within the context of Siena's academic values, the University's history, Siena's internal strengths and weaknesses, and the institutional need to respond to internal and external challenges and opportunities.

The program reviews scheduled within an academic year, are submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs by June 1 each year (details enclosed). Following this submission, a meeting will be held between the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs for Institutional Effectiveness, Department Chair and the Dean of the School. During this meeting, a plan for actions to be taken by the program within the next two years will be discussed.