Institutional Research and Academic Planning
Appendix C: State Program Review Principles
Formerly, the state agency for higher education, the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC), reviewed proposals for new University graduate programs as well as for new schools and colleges. CPEC employed the principles listed below to evaluate proposals.
Although CPEC was defunded in 2011, state interest in UC’s academic offerings continues and at some point the state may resume formal review. The principles below capture areas of ongoing state interest and are at the core of periodic inquiries received by UCOP from state officials and agency staff (e.g., the Governor, the Department of Finance, Legislative Analyst). Information solicited for the University’s own approval processes covers many issues the principles seek to address: student demand, societal need, placement of graduates, differences from other UC programs or from programs at other institutions in California, costs, and research and scholarly activity.
Student demand
Within reasonable limits, students should have the opportunity to enroll in programs of study they are interested in and qualified for. Therefore, student demand for programs, indicated primarily by current and projected enrollments, is an important consideration in determining need for a new program.
Societal need
Postsecondary education institutions bear a responsibility for preparing students to meet the state’s workforce and knowledge needs. Workforce demand projections serve as one indication of the need for a proposed program. Although achieving and maintaining a perfect balance between supply and demand in any given career field is impossible, it is important nevertheless that the number of persons trained in a field and the number of job openings in that field remain reasonably balanced.
Appropriateness to the institutional and system mission
Programs offered by a public institution within a given system must comply with the delineation of function for that system, as set forth in the California Master Plan for Higher Education. Proposed new programs must also be consistent with the institution’s own statement of mission and must be approved by the system’s statewide governing body.
Number of existing and proposed programs in the field
An inventory of existing and proposed programs provides an initial indication of the extent to which apparent duplication or undue proliferation of programs exists, both within and among the higher education systems. However, the number of programs alone cannot be regarded as an indication of unnecessary duplication. This is because (a) programs with similar titles may have varying course objectives or content, (b) there may be a demonstrated need for the program in a particular region of the state, or (c) the program might be needed for an institution to achieve academic comparability within a given system.
Total Costs of the Program
The relative costs of a program, when compared with other programs in the same or different program areas, constitute another criterion in the program review process. Included in the consideration of costs are the number of new faculty required and the student/faculty ratios, as well as costs associated with equipment, library resources, and facilities necessary to deliver the program. For a new program, it is necessary to know the source of the funds required for its support, both initially and in the long run.
Maintenance and improvement of quality
Protecting the public interest and trust requires that educational programs at all levels be high quality. Although the primary responsibility for the quality of programs rests with the institution and its system, the Commission, for its part, considers pertinent information to verify that high standards have been established for the operation and evaluation of the program.