WEST VIRGINIA NORTHERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Multi-Year Process

for

Curriculum Evaluation

All curricula shall be periodically evaluated by an external panel of curriculum consultants consisting of

(a) a minimum of two professionals in the field or from another institution chosen for their knowledge and expertise, at least one of whom shall be employed outside of the education field; (b) a faculty member from another program within the institution.

1. A written evaluation report by the panel shall be submitted to the faculty unit, the Academic Director and the Provost.

2. A final report to the President on the formal evaluation shall consist of (a) self-study report prepared prior to the visit, (b) the evaluation panel report, and (c) the faculty unit's response to the evaluation report.

3. The final report shall be reviewed with the Institutional Governing Board. An institutional recommendation from the Board regarding the program shall be forwarded by the President to the Chancellor.

FORMAL EVALUATION PROCEDURES

A. Internal Evaluation Report - Two months prior to the evaluation visit, the appropriate program director and/or academic center director, in conjunction with faculty assigned to the curriculum shall review program objectives and outcomes and request relevant data from Career Services and Instituional Research and any other data source for the purpose of preparing a critical self study report.

1. The self-study should include the following elements: stated objectives, curriculum structure, degree requirements, faculty vitae, current and projected enrollments, resources and facilities, student achievement and graduate success.

2. In its preparation, the program faculty should consult the Checklist for Self-Study and Data Submission Form provided by the Office of Provost.

3. The critical section of the self-study should outline briefly the faculty unit's perception of the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum and new directions under consideration.

4. A file of those documents relating to the curriculum shall be prepared which may include but is not limited to the following: course syllabi, final examination copies, budget information, the original curriculum proposal (or previous formal evaluation reports); and institutional research documents such as graduate follow-up studies, attrition/persistence reports, standardized test results and student profiles. Additionally, any documentation relating to quality indicators, such as logs, student letters, faculty exchange may be cited.

B. The Evaluation Panel - The purpose of the visiting panel is to provide consultation to the faculty rather than merely a critique. The panel shall be chosen by the Provost in consultation with the Academic Director. The faculty unit shall suggest the names of individuals they believe are qualified to evaluate the curriculum. The College representative on the panel shall be appointed by the Provost with the approval of the program core faculty.

1. The panel shall receive the Self-Study report at least one week prior to the scheduled visit.

2. During the visit, the College faculty member on the panel shall be relieved of all other duties. Class coverage shall be arranged.

3. The consulting team will convene on the morning of the scheduled visit for a meeting with the program faculty and administrators in order to review the visit agenda.

4. Specific arrangements shall be made by the Academic Director for the team members to meet with students and with members of the program's Advisory Committee, if possible.

C. The Visit - The visit shall last for approximately a day and half day and shall include interviews with faculty, students, support staff, and administrators related to the curriculum as well as examination of pertinent materials and inspection of facilities and equipment. Classrooms and laboratories may be visited. The panel shall discuss its findings with the faculty on the second day. The evaluation report shall be submitted within one week of the visit by the lead member of the panel.

D. The Evaluation Report - The report shall summarize the panel's findings in three main sections; strengths, weaknesses, suggested new directions. Following are some of the questions to be addressed:

1. Is the need for the curriculum justified? Is it clearly related to the College mission?

2. Are the curriculum objectives valid? Are the objectives clearly articulated and understood by faculty and students in the program?

3. Is the curriculum content current? Are proposed curriculum directions appropriate considering the needs of students and the field for which they are being trained? Do the courses relate well? Is there an integrated basic skills component?

4. What are the students' perceptions of the overall quality of instruction? Of their needs satisfaction? Is there evidence of good rapport with faculty?

5. What conclusions may be drawn about the persistence/attrition and graduation data?

6. Are graduates being employed in the field or successfully transferring for higher degree study?

7. What are the professional aims of the faculty, both full and part time? Is there evidence of academic vitality?

8. Does the program enjoy sufficient support from the administration and other support areas (e.g., library)?

9. Are sufficient resources available to support the program? Are existing resources and facilities appropriately and well used?

10. Are there any obstacles to the continuation of the program?

E. Response to the Evaluation - The faculty unit shall meet to consider the panel's findings following the visit and shall prepare a written response to the evaluation report within two weeks. This response may express agreement or disagreement with the report recommendations. It should be a summary of the value of the experience but should not attempt to provide further detailed documentation.

EVALUATION SCHEDULING

1. Normally, evaluations shall be scheduled every five years. Periodic reports may be required, and in some cases, follow-up reviews may be scheduled in a shorter time frame. The rotation schedule shall be published by the Provost's Office.

2. During initial preparation for the evaluation, if the faculty unit discovers major weaknesses to be corrected, they may request delay of the scheduled visit with provision for another time.

3. Those curricula which undergo other types of evaluation by outside agencies for accreditation may be excluded from the list.

4. In cases involving a small program with less than three core faculty members, the evaluation may be shortened to one day with an evaluation team membership of two professionals.

5. This process shall be examined for possible amendment following five program evaluations in which it is implemented.

WEST VIRGINIA NORTHERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CURRICULUM/PROGRAM EVALUATION

(Please use this format to guide the report.)

Dates of Visit: _____________________

Curriculum: _____________________

ABSTRACT

General Conclusions:

Major Strengths:

Significant Weaknesses:

Recommendations/Suggested New Directions:

Consultation Team: ______________________

Date of Report: ______________