S.96-23
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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
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OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC ?
MEMORANDUM
To: ?
Senate
From: ?
D. Gagan, Chair
Senate Committee on Academic Planning
Subject: ?
External review guidelines
Date: ?
February 13,1996
Action undertaken by the Senate Committee on Academic Planning gives rise to the
following motion:
Motion:
"That Senate approve the revisions to the Guidelines for External Reviews of
Academic Units contained in paper S.96- 23
The guidelines set out an important process which each academic unit has to undertake
periodically, a process of self-assessment, external evaluation and forward planning.
The existing guidelines include an implementation plan to be developed from the
external evaluation but did not provided for any formal adoption of the plan either by
the Dean of the Faculty or by SCAP. The proposed revision outlines a new
consultative process and introduces the concept of the unit developing/ negotiating an
academic plan with the Dean and SCAP which would cover its activities for the next 5-7
years.
The proposed academic plan would be used in assessing future program plans
generated by the unit. The plan would also form the basis of assessing the progress of
the unit at the time of the following external review.
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Proposed Changes to External Review Process for Academic Departments/Programs
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11.
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The external review report will be 'circulated, for comment, to:
(a) the unit involved(cu4rc
(b)
the President
(c)
the Dean of the Faculty
(d)
the Dean of Graduate Studies
(e)
the Vice-President, Academic
(f)
SCAP
(g)
other Senate committees which
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may have an interest in the report.
Comments are to be forwarded to the Department Chair, School Director, or
Program Co-ordinator concerned.
12.
(a) The unit will review the report and the comments provided, and
prepare an academic plan describing the unit's objectives in the period
leading up to its next scheduled review (5-7 years). The first section of
the plan should provide the unit's response to the external review, in
particular the reviewers' recommendations.
(b)
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The unit and the Faculty Dean will negotiate the final draft of the plan
to be forwarded to SCAP.
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13.
The Unit's feward plan will be sent to SCAP for approval. Following SCAP
approval, both the unit and SCAP will reference the approved plan in
proposing/ assessing future program and curriculum proposals from the unit.
14.
Senate will receive, for information, .a summary of the external review and a
copy of the unit's approved wa'Tan. Members of Senate may review
full documentation in the Director of Secretariat Services's office.
15.
Three years after SCAP approval of the unit's academic plan, the unit will
formally report to SCAP on its progress in implementing its academic plan.
Approved by SCAP for recommendation to Senate: February 7, 1996
SENATE GUIDELINES FOR
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EXTERNAL REVIEWS OF ACADEMIC UNITS
All academic units are reviewed on a periodic basis, normally once every seven
years. The purposes of such reviews are to enable units to conduct their own
assessments of their strengths and weaknesses, to obtain the views of external
experts in the field, and to engage in
planning
for their own future. The review
process is intended to ensure that:
a)
The quality of the program is high and the unit has measures in place
to ensure the evaluation and revision of the teaching programs.
b)
The quality of faculty research is high and faculty collaboration and
interaction provides a stimulating academic environment.
c)
Department members participate in the administration of the unit and
take an active role in the dissemination of knowledge.
d)
The departmental environment is conducive to the attainment of the
objectives of the department.
Review committees should make their assessments taking into account the
resources currently available to the department and the University.
Review Process ?
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1.
The review will be initiated by the Vice-President, Academic, after
consultation with the Dean of the Faculty, and the unit involved. The Dean
of Graduate Studies shall also be consulted about the initiation of an external
review and shall be involved in external reviews in relation to graduate
programs and graduate student issues.
2.
The Department will engage in a period of self-study of one to two semesters,
possibly including a retreat, in which the members of the unit assess all
aspects of the activities falling within its mandate and prepare a report
covering the following areas:
a)
Institutional role, unit role and activities, goals and aspirations;
b)
Quality of teaching demonstrated by student achievement, scholarships
and awards, degrees completed, post-graduate employment;
C)
Quality of the programs indicated by student demand, access to courses,
student opinion on programs, educational experience including
co-op and exchange opportunities, experience and satisfaction of
students after graduation;
Departments, Faculties, Schools, Programs. Parallel procedures will be used for periodic reviews of
academic service units.
December 9, 993
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d) Quality of scholarship demonstrated through grants, graduate student
achievements; knowledge distribution and utilization, awards
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citations, honours, appointments;
e)
Service to the community demonstrated by public service activity,
involvement in related community groups, membership on
boards or similar bodies;
f) Collegial environment for all members of the unit,
g) Appropriate orientation and training, support for employee
development;
h)
Resources for unit activities; faculty, staff, operating budget, space,
equipment (program for renewal), library holdings (process for
determining collections directions).
3.
Undergraduate and graduate students will be encouraged to participate in the
preparation of material for the departmental self-study and student input will
be sought throughout the process. The Chair/Director should contact the
student union and student representatives on departmental committees, as
well as publicizing the review in classes and within the department. Student
contributions will be included or reflected in the self-study and students will
have meetings with the external review committee.
4.
The self-study report prepared by the unit shall be made available to all
members of the unit (faculty, staff and students) prior to being forwarded to
. the:external review committee. The self-study shall include a standard set of
data provided by Analytical Studies, the Office of the Dean of Graduate
Studies and the unit. The unit will supplement this if it wishes.
5.
The external review committee will normally consist of three persons
external to the university who are senior members of the discipline, some of
whom have had administrative experience. The Vice-President, Academic
will normally appoint an internal member from the University community
who will be a full member of the committee. The internal member can
provide the review committee with contextual advice about the
environment and operations of Simon Fraser University. The unit will be
asked to provide the Vice-President, Academic with a list of reviewers who
represent a broad cross section of the discipline and who are considered to be
outstanding scholars and objective reviewers. The Vice-President, Academic
shall appoint the members of the external review committee after consulting
with the Dean of the Faculty, the Dean of Graduate Studies and the unit
involved. The external review committee will primarily be composed of
faculty members from Canadian universities outside British Columbia. Both
genders should be represented on the committee.
6.
The terms of reference for the review committee will be prepared by the Vice-
President, Academic in consultation with the Dean of the Faculty, the Dean of
Graduate Studies and the unit. At the conclusion of its visit, the review group
is expected to submit a detailed report including a full and frank assessment
December
9,1993
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of the mission, the various activities, the quality of the unit and its programs,
and the resource allocation to and within the unit being reviewed.
7.
The dates of the visit of the external review committee and the detailed
schedule for the visit will be arranged by the Office of the Vice-President,
Academic in consultation with the Deans and the Chair of the unit. Members
of the external review committee should avoid informal social events with
members of the unit during the site visit.
8.
The committee will meet with the Vice-President, Academic and the Deans at
the start and at the end of the review to discuss guidelines for the review and
the report. The committee
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will also meet with the unit's faculty and staff
members, and graduate and undergraduate students, as well as with others
with responsibilities affecting the unit.
9.
If the review committee receives information or allegations regarding specific
individuals, these will be transmitted to the appropriate persons within the
University and handled in accordance with established University
procedures. These persons might include the Chair, and Dean and/or the
Harassment Policy Coordinator. If the review committee receives general
comments or complaints that the environment in the unit is not conducive
to a high quality of teaching, learning, research and working, the committee
may comment and make recommendations on this in its report, and the
appropriate persons within the. Department, Faculty and University shall be
advised.
10.
The review committee shall prepare a report which will become a public
document. Any supplementary reports concerning confidential matters will
not form part of the public record, but will be made available to the
appropriate University officers, and any individuals named will be apprised
of the information and provided with an opportunity to comment.
11.
The unit being reviewed will consider the external review report, comment
on it and within six months prepare a plan for implementing the
recommendations accepted by the unit. The Dean of the Faculty and the Dean
of Graduate Studies will provide comment on the external review and the
unit's implementation plan.
12.
The external review report may, at the discretion of the Vice-President,
Academic, be forwarded to other appropriate Senate Committees for their
consideration and/or recommendations.
13.
The external review report, the response of the Department and the
Department's implementation plan, and the comments of the Deans and
other Senate committees will be tabled for discussion at SCAP.
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December 9,1993
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14.
Once SCAP has recived these reports and commented on them, they will
constitute a framework for planning and future developments by the unit
. involved. SCAP will use the review documents as a basis for assessing
proposals for new programs or courses or making any other recommendation
to Senate it deems appropriate.
15.
Senate will be provided with a summary of the external review report and
the implementation plan prepared by the unit. Copies of the self-study,
external review report and the unit's response received by SCAP will be
available to all members of Senate for review.
16.
Two years after SCAP has received the review, a progress report by the unit
shall be brought to SCAP for information.
Approved by Senate, 10 January 1994
S94-6
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December 9, 1993
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