Best Practices to Consider

• While AVP’s have overall responsibility for their unit program reviews, they depend on the committee to keep the review on schedule.
• If a director looks at the current program review schedule and sees that it may be difficult in terms of the calendar, he/she should let their AVP and the Associate Director Finance, IT, and Assessment know right away rather than waiting for the program review to begin.
• Provide reviewers with access to a foundation of knowledge that impacts the department (i.e., laws, limitations, best practices, etc.).
• Provide reviewers with an adequate amount of history from the previous program review.
• Consider the department's resources as the review is planned.
• Keep the standards and SWOT at a "Big Picture" level.
• Consider multiple external reviewers or national organization review teams. 
• Overcome communication barriers. Have informal discussions about the process outside of the regularly scheduled meetings.
• Take time to understand the major functions of the department. Start early.
• Clarify and communicate roles and responsibilities. (e.g. who schedules the meetings, who drafts the report, etc.). Make sure calendars are appropriately cleared for work.
• Be sure to include formal constituent feedback.
• Forecast elements such as accreditation concerns and external consultants ahead of time.
• Take advantage of resources on campus including CARS and Student Affairs Assessment Advisory Council.
• Directors should be expert on their own industry standards.
• Consider starting certain elements of the review (such as the SWOT) before the formal review begins.
• Ensure every voice is heard.

Keys

• Committee co-chairs and members should access the templates for subcommittee reports as well as the sample reports that have been made available.
• It’s important that each committee member understands that the AVP and director will have a chance to review the report/recommendations and provide feedback on those. Therefore, not all recommendations made by the committee may end up in the final report.
• Decide to be enthusiastic about the program review process. 
• Strive for continual improvement.
• Choose committee members who will be fair and willing/able to provide honest, constructive feedback.
• Avoid "stacking" the committee with friends. ("A program review is not a group hug.")
• Be clear with expectations on time and content for the committee.
• Create an accountability structure.
• Stick to deadlines and timelines.

Program Review Traps to Avoid

• If the committee needs to focus on entire department as well as identified areas for focus there is the possibility that overall work may not be able to go into appropriate level of depth for study.
• Students are over-surveyed--use discretion when using a survey/designing a survey. Assessment should be ongoing rather than just during program review. 
• Avoid using too many instruments in assessment.
• Avoid over-reliance on the internal SWOT. Creates a "we don't know what we don't know" trap.
• Avoid focus on one area only. Look at the department overall.
• Don't wait too long to contact the external reviewer.
• Avoid having preconceived outcomes.
• Don't be quick to discredit committee recommendations.
• Avoid creating a "forum for complaining" and instead focus on continual improvement. 

Keys

• Avoid hidden agendas.
• Avoid becoming defensive or only paying lip service to the process.
• Establish expectations; don't allow committee members to disengage.
• Don't be unrealistic about the time and effort a review will take.