Executive Policy 5.229 Executive Policy 5.229



Title

Programs with Low Number of Degrees Conferred

Header

Executive Policy Chapter 5, Academic Affairs
Executive Policy EP5.229  Programs with Low Number of Degrees Conferred
Effective Date:  April 2016
Prior Dates Amended:  N/A
Responsible Office:  Office of the Vice President for Academic Planning and Policy
Governing Board of Regents Policy:  RP 5.201 Instructional Programs
Review Date:  August 2018

I. Purpose

    A. To define the parameters of a program with low number of degrees/certificates of achievement conferred.

    B. To describe the actions required when a program with low number of degrees/certificates of achievement conferred falls within the defined parameters.

    C. To identify the parties responsible to implement the policy.

II. Definitions

    A. A program is any sequence of courses or instructional activities that culminate in a Board conferred degree or certificate of achievement.

III. Executive Policy

    A. The Office of the Vice President for Academic Planning and Policy will provide an annual reporting to the Board of Regents of programs with low number of degrees/certificates of achievement programs conferred.

    B. Parameter for programs with low number of degrees conferred:

      1. Fewer than 10 undergraduate degrees/certificates of achievement conferred per year (three year average)

      2. Three or fewer graduate degrees conferred per year (5 year average)

    C. A program with low number of degrees/certificates of achievement conferred will prompt a campus level review that will:

      1. Address the program quality.

        a. Articulate how the academic program is aligned with the strategic directions of the campus and system goals.  What evidence is there that the program - even if small - fills a genuine student, programmatic, and/or community or workforce need?

        b. Articulate how the program represents an area unique to UH, or important to the university’s mission, reputation, strategic goals, identity, or otherwise furthers the state’s economic goals.

        c. Is the program well managed and of strong quality?

          (1). Common quality indicators include but may not be limited to time-to-degree, graduation rates, and quality of student work while in the program and graduate school enrollment and employment post graduate rates.

          (2). What is the trend in enrollment of majors?  What options are there to increase the number of majors?

      2. Address the program costs.

        a. Are the costs of the program appropriately aligned with the needs, mission, and strategic goals of the campus and system?

        b. If the program were discontinued as a major, what faculty or staff resources would become available for use in other areas?

      3. Address significant overlap or redundancy with existing similar programs on the campus and within the UH system.

        a. In what ways is this program similar to or redundant with other programs on the campus and within the UH System?

        b. Are there benefits to reconfiguring this program?

    D. The campus review will result in one of the following recommendations:

      1. Continuation of the program.

        a. If a program with low number of degrees/certificates of achievement conferred is continued, its progress and status will be reviewed annually unless it is determined to have no significant unique costs or to be uniquely and solidly aligned with the function, mission, strategic goals of the campus and/or UH system, and in some instances, specific state goals.

          (1). The review team may be asked to provide recommendations of how to strengthen the program and make it more viable, or more strategically aligned with campus and system priorities.

          (2). The responsible department/division may be asked to develop a concrete action plan to move the program off this status by increasing the number of degrees/certificates of achievement. The Chancellor or designee will approve this plan.

      2. Given the evaluation of the program, it may be required that such a program will meet the minimum criteria for number of degrees conferred by the time of the next comprehensive program review. If it has not, it should be expected that a recommendation to terminate or merge the program will emerge during the next review cycle.

      3. Merging the program into an appropriate larger degree program, or merging several low-enrollment programs into a single, more inclusive program within the School, College or campus.

      4. Stopping-out admission and terminating the program.  It may be possible to continue to provide access for individual students through other means, e.g., Interdisciplinary Studies.

      5. It may also be possible to redirect interested students to programs at another campus.

    E. In the event that a program with low number degrees/certificates of achievement conferred is found to be appropriately positioned within the institution based on the mission, strategic goals, reputation, or identity, the regularly scheduled program reviews should continue to address the questions above.

IV. Delegation of Authority

The President delegates to the Chancellors of UHM, UHH, UHWO, and the VPCC/Chancellors of the Community Colleges, the responsibility to implement and enforce this policy.

V. Contact Information

Office of the Vice President for Academic Planning and Policy
Telephone: (808) 956-6897
Email: ovpaa@hawaii.edu

VI. References

Consultation: 
Council of Chief Academic Officers and Senior Student Affairs Officers (May 2015)
UHPA and HGEA (June 2015)
Student Caucus (September 2015)
ACCFSC (September 2015)
Council of Chancellors

VII. Exhibits and Appendices

No Exhibits and Appendices found

Approved

    Signed    
    David Lassner    
    May 10, 2016    
        
    President

Topics

No Topics found.


Attachments

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