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Kansas State University

Procedures for Implementing Regents Guidelines for
Prompting Intensive Program Reviews

 

Beginning in 1997-98, all degree programs at Regents institutions will be reviewed on an eight-year cycle, with reviews focusing on a variety of indicators of program quality. In addition, the Kansas Board of Regents has developed Guidelines for Prompting Intensive Program Review, consisting of quantitative criteria for assessing program efficacy and quality. Academic programs which fail to meet these guidelines will be targeted for intensive reviews in addition to the regularly scheduled eight-year cycle.

The nature of system-wide guidelines means that many programs may fail to meet a stated criterion, while at the same time maintaining exceptional quality and/or serving a crucial role within the university. To ensure that the Guidelines identify those programs for which they were intended, the following coding system will be used.

Programs that fail to meet one of the criteria included in the Regents Guidelines will be categorized as:

  1. Academic Support Program (ASP) : Academic support programs provide coursework and other academic support for other majors within the University. Many of the programs in this category may fail to meet criteria for majors or degrees conferred.

  2. Interdisciplinary and Coordinated Programs (ICP) : Interdisciplinary programs are generally characterized by a significant contribution in donated faculty time from affiliated departments. As such, interdisciplinary programs may have few students or faculty, but nonetheless reflect an institutional attempt to maximize the efficient use of resources. Similarly, some programs are cooperative ventures between two or more units. For example, some students preparing to become French instructors at the secondary level, may be enrolled in Education or French, depending on the campus and specific program.

  3. Research Support Program (RSP) : Many programs, especially at the graduate level, are closely tied to the research enterprise and to the mission of the institution. These programs are necessary for institutional success.

  4. Service Support Program (SSP) : Many programs are closely tied to the service mission of the institution and are necessary to support that mission.

  5. New Programs (NP) : New programs include those that have been initiated within the past five years. Many of these programs are still building an enrollment base.

  6. Discontinued Programs (DP) : These programs are in the process of being phased out. Some students, however, may still be enrolled in the programs and progressing toward graduation.

  7. Additional Review (AR) : Programs in this category will be screened by the institution and a recommendation will be made regarding the need for an intensive review on the part of the Board.

  8. Monitoring Program for Improvement (MPI) : These programs were initially triggered for additional review and have undergone a review process specified by the respective institution. The programs continue to be monitored by the institution and retain this code until (a) their regular review; (b) their discontinuance by the institution; (c) their reclassification; or (d) their attainment of Board minima guidelines.

Codes will be assigned as part of the on-campus program review process and will be subject to review by the Board.


Guidelines for Prompting Intensive Program Reviews

Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate programs failing to meet any one or a combination of the following thresholds will be identified for intensive program review according to the process and criteria established by the Board and the University.

  1. Number of Majors - baccalaureate programs should have an annual average of 25 or more junior and senior majors, computed over the most recent five year period.

  2. Number of Graduates - baccalaureate programs should have an annual average of 10 or more graduates, computed over the most recent five year period.

  3. Number of Faculty FTE to Deliver the Program - baccalaureate programs should have an annual average of 3 or more faculty FTE with doctorate or appropriate terminal degree to deliver instruction in the major, computed over the most recent four year period.

  4. Average ACT Score - baccalaureate programs with an annual average ACT Score of 20 or more, computed over the most recent three year period.

 

Graduate Level 1 Programs

Graduate Level 1 programs failing to meet any one or a combination of the following thresholds will be identified for intensive program review according to the process and criteria established by the Board and the University.

  1. Number of Majors - Graduate level 1 programs should have an annual average of 20 or more majors, computed over the most recent five year period.

  2. Number of Graduates - Graduate level 1 programs should have an annual average of 5 or more graduates, computed over the most recent five year period.

  3. Number of Faculty FTE to Deliver the Program - Graduate level 1 programs offered in departments that also offer the baccalaureate should have an annual average of an additional 3 faculty FTE with the doctorate or appropriate terminal degree (for a total of 6) to deliver instruction in the graduate major, computed over the most recent four year period.

    Graduate level 1 programs offered in departments that do not offer the baccalaureate should have a minimum of 3 faculty FTE with the doctorate or appropriate terminal degree to deliver instruction in the graduate major, computed over the most recent four year period.

  4. Applicant Acceptance Rate - Graduate level 1 programs should have an annual admission rate of less than 80% (number of admits/number of completed applications x 100), computed over the most recent five year period.

Graduate Level 2 Programs

Graduate Level 2 programs failing to meet any one or a combination of the following thresholds will be identified for intensive program review according to the process and criteria established by the Board and the University.

  1. Number of Majors - Graduate level 2 programs should have an annual average of 5 or more majors, computed over the most recent five year period.

  2. Number of Graduates - Graduate level 2 programs should have an annual average of 2 or more graduates, computed over the most recent five year period.

  3. Number of Faculty FTE to Deliver the Program - Graduate level 2 programs offered in departments that also offer the baccalaureate and master's should have an annual average of an additional 2 faculty FTE with the doctorate or appropriate terminal degree (for a total of 8) to deliver instruction in the graduate major, computed over the most recent four year period.

    Graduate level 2 programs offered in departments that do not offer the baccalaureate should have a minimum of 5 faculty FTE with the doctorate or appropriate terminal degree to deliver instruction in the graduate major, computed over the mot recent four year period.

  4. Applicant Acceptance Rate - Graduate level 2 programs should have an annual admission rate (number of admits/number of completed applications x 100) of less than 80%, computed over the most recent five year period.

 

Other Programs Identified for Intensive Review

  1. Any program the university designates for intensive review based on other information in the program review database or other information sources, such as assessment results, accreditation reports, and/or national rankings, pertaining to the program's quality or relationship to institutional mission.

  2. In consultation with the university and the chair and vice-chair of the Board's academic committee, Board of Regents staff may recommend an intensive review of a program that may otherwise appear to be experiencing difficulties, based on the program's profile in the program review database.