II.5 Development of the Program Presentation

A special committee convened to develop the Program Presentation usually plans and oversees the entire process. It is expected that faculty, staff, students, and alumni, and other constituent groups will also participate in the development of the Program Presentation. Many programs work with an external editor to ensure that the final Program Presentation is clear and accurate. 

To determine the organization and content of the Program Presentation, examine the mission, goals, and objectives of the institution, the school, and the program; conduct assessment and evaluation of specific objectives, benchmarks, and/or targets that measure program-level student learning outcomes; and demonstrate indications of the continuous planning and evaluation processes. It is beneficial to approach the comprehensive review as a planning and evaluation activity that is essential for the improvement of the school and program as well as for the creation of the Program Presentation. The document should demonstrate how the comprehensive review process fits within the school’s and program’s ongoing planning and outcomes-assessment processes.

When preparing the Program Presentation, refer to previous narrative reports submitted to the COA and all COA correspondence since the last comprehensive review, including responses to previous narrative reports and requests for special reports. Address all issues or questions raised by the Committee in that correspondence. Continually building on previous narrative reports can reduce the amount of time needed to develop the Program Presentation. Faculty will not need to devote as much time to writing the Program Presentation because documentation and evidence will have been developed and gathered through the biennial narrative reports.

The Dean submits a draft of the Program Presentation to the Director and the External Review Panel four months before the site visit. At the Chair’s discretion, the draft may be shared with External Review Panel members for feedback. This is to better ensure that the final Program Presentation will fully address the Standards and that its development is proceeding in accordance with the plan for the Program Presentation presented and discussed one year before the visit.

The draft should be as close as possible to the final version in content and format. It is reviewed and discussed in a conference call with the Dean, the Director and the Chair.