UNE Academic Planning Process The Academic Planning Process assures the most vibrant, high-‐quality desired academic programs are offered by UNE. It is designed to 1) promote UNE’s mission and the continuous revitalization of the academic program 2) provide a mechanism for UNE to respond to market forces with mission driven programs that suit the needs of diverse student populations 3) maintain a venue for clarifying and renewing the University’s academic plan. Academic planning at UNE has shifted from the concept of program expansion using current resources to the concept of university investment of resources based on the assessment of market and institutional readiness. The new program approval process provides a rational and effective process for program development, consideration, and approval that will ensure that the University is making coordinated decisions for program development, resource allocation, and external regulatory compliance. This document provides a structure to guide the planning and approval process of new academic degree programs. By requiring specific data and background information, the procedures ensure appropriate consistency and care in designing and presenting new academic program proposals. They also clarify the institutional procedures that govern internal and external approvals and thereby eliminate confusion and unnecessary delays. The program planning process includes three distinct steps that build upon each other. Only the President and Provost can initiate new program planning based on their initial understanding of the potential mission fit and market. Once a concept is approved by the President and Provost, the planning process described below is initiated. The three phases of the Academic Planning Process are detailed below. Each phase includes a timeline and action steps and associated documentation required to progress to the next phase. The forms are available to download via Phase I, Phase II and Phase III links. Key Timeline Benchmarks for Approval of New Programs March Board Meeting – Completed Phase III feasibility studies, a summary of programs under consideration, and Phase I and II proposals are presented to the Academic Affairs Committee and the Board of Trustees. May Board Meeting -‐ Completed Phase III feasibility studies, a summary of programs under consideration, and Phase I and II proposals are presented to the Academic Affairs Committee and the Board of Trustees. November Board Meeting – Completed Phase III feasibility studies, a summary of programs under consideration, and Phase I and II proposals are presented to the Academic Affairs Committee and the Board of Trustees. 1 FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
Roles and Responsibilities The President and Provost provide oversight of new program planning, setting academic priorities in keeping with the University of New England’s Strategic Plan, and providing final approval, if granted. Regular updates on new program opportunities will be provided to the Academic Affairs Committee and the Long Range Planning Committee of the Board by the President and Provost. In keeping with a process of shared governance, the new program planning options and plan components will be reviewed on a continuous cycle by administrative units and assemblies to support an expedited process with ongoing feedback. In Phase I, the primary function is the development of a thorough market analysis, as well as an economic and budget model to provide the foundation of the process. In order to assess the viability of potential new programs at the University of New England and advance new programs on a reasonable schedule, the overall process includes the expectation that planners, deans, faculty, students, staff, and community members will review and comment on elements of the proposed programs at various points throughout the development process. Accordingly, planners focus on the timelines and documentation; deans provide oversight of their college level planning; faculty members in each college review and comment on the model curriculum; and university administration provide advice on budgets, impacts, enrollment potential, and mission fit.
2 FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
Phase I -‐ Idea GeneraYon, ExploraYon and PrioriYzaYon Timeline is 30 Days Ideas for new or revised program generated; market analysis and budget models are completed
Open and robust process captures ideas based on internal and external trends
President and Provost approve short and long-‐ term possibiliYes
Approved program ideas are prioriYzed/researched by the planning team
Phase II -‐ Intent to Plan Timeline is 30 Days Intent to Plan team formed and document is completed.
Preliminary assessment of mission fit, raYonale, enrollment potenYal, etc.
Deans and College Assemblies review to plan next steps and Ymeline.
Office of the Provost/VPAA approves progression to full feasibility study.
Phase III -‐ Feasibility Study for New Academic Program Timeline is 45 Days College, department, or other planners complete feasibility study
Detailed info on all secYons Componenents of the study are submiZed to Dean, with are distributed for feedback College Assembly's and advice from units and recommendaYon. UFA
Program is approved by Provost/President with a clear implementaYon and communicaYon plan
PHASE I PLANNING INITIAL PROPOSAL INTRODUCTION New program development is critical to the University and both encouraged and expected. New programs refer to any new degree program such as new majors/minors, graduate and doctoral programs, graduate certificate programs, and dual degrees. These guidelines are intended to be helpful in the planning and implementation of new programs. TIMELINE Assessment of potential viability takes resources. Phase I planning is allowed thirty days. DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED Idea Generation 3 FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
Idea generation for a new program can come from many sources. It may come from competing institutions, external scans, market needs, societal or community needs, or individual/administrator or contributor ideas. The Proposal Consider the following questions as an initial screening of the viability of new programs: •
Will the proposed program contribute positively to the mission of the University?
•
Is there a societal need for this program?
•
Is there evidence that student learners need this program?
•
Can this program be delivered with sufficient academic quality at UNE?
•
Is the program consistent with the strengths of the institution?
•
Will the program require a substantive change report and possible visit from NEASC?
•
Are there any program delivery formats that would be new or different?
•
Is the program similar to any other program on campus and would a revision be appropriate?
•
What characteristics will distinguish this program from other programs offered by competing institutions? Do you plan a collaborative arrangement with other departments or another institution or entity? Are there unique characteristics of the curriculum (as compared to similar programs)?
• •
The Market Scan and Economic/Budget Model Provide a brief justification for why UNE needs this program and why UNE should offer the program. Provide a brief description of whether and why students will enroll in the program, including the audience of learners for the program and societal impact. The market scan is a professionally completed review of the current and emerging market for this program. It includes a professional market analysis, including an analysis of current and future vertical markets within the discipline, and a competitor analysis. The Economic/Budget model is an opportunity to review all data regarding the preferences of potential learners, new competition, and alternative or emerging products and trends to create scenarios and budget models. ! The proposal, market scan, and economic/budget models will be reviewed by the President and Provost. If approved, planners will be invited to proceed to Phase II with a clear timeline. PHASE II PLANNING INTENT TO PLAN NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM INTRODUCTION The Intent to Plan process provides an opportunity for clarification on key elements in consideration of establishing any new program. 4 FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
TIMELINE Assessment of potential viability takes resources. Phase II planning is allowed thirty days. DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED Exploring the potential Provide a brief statement about the mission, institutional fit, preliminary demand for the program, and rationale for developing the new academic program. 1. Degree: • •
What is the degree or program being proposed? Is the name of the degree or program clearly linked to career opportunities?
2. Proposed College/Unit to Offer Academic Program: •
Indicate collaborators across UNE
3. Lead Planner: 4. Feasibility Study Committee (list members and/or membership criteria): •
Include collaboration and consultation with institutional and external partners
5. General Program or College Objectives: •
List the most important three to five expected learning outcomes 1. Describe how they will be measured. 2. Will the degree involve a practicum or field experience? 3. What are the specific competencies or concentrations within the degree? 4. What evidence is available to support the rationale for choosing these? 5. Are there special accrediting bodies associated with the degree?
6. Evidence of Need, including preliminary market information and student enrollment potential: Are there specific target groups, occupations, or professions that would be likely to pursue the degree? Are there other degrees recognized by employers that can be substituted for the proposed degree? What would motivate the target audience to seek the proposed degree? Career change? Advancement? Salary increase? Better credential? Change in employment landscape? Demand in the marketplace? 5 FINAL Approval date: 12/15 • • •
7. Extent and estimated cost of needed resources: • Human Resources: • Facilities: • Equipment: • Library: • Consultation: • Technology: Other Costs: • How many new students are expected to be admitted each term? • What is the number of entry points and terms each year? • How will you promote and market the program? • How many faculty and staff are needed for the proposed program? • What current faculty and staff are available to support the proposed program? • Will the new program need classroom and office space? Can it be housed in currently available space? • Will this be an online program? • Will this be a Competency Based Program? • Will new equipment be needed for the program? If so, what will be needed? Is it currently available or will it be purchased? • At this point in planning, what other resources do you think you will need? 8. Revenue and External Funding Sources: •
Attach preliminary business plan showing estimated costs and revenue
9. Estimated Planning and Implementation Time Frame: • • •
Anticipated date for presentation to Provost and President Anticipated date for presentation to Board of Trustees Implementation plan and timeline
10.
Signatures:
1.
Submitted by: ______________________________
______________
2.
Submitted by: ______________________________ Dean(s)
Lead Planner
Date
______________ Date
6 FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
3. Approved by: ______________________________ _______________ Provost/VPAA Date ! The Phase II Intent to Plan proposal will be reviewed by the President and Provost. If approved, planners will be invited to proceed to Phase III with a clear timeline. PHASE III PLANNING NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAM FEASIBILITY STUDY INTRODUCTION The feasibility study requires detailed information in each section; supporting documentation of evidence should be attached to the feasibility study. Information not available or not included must be explained in the body of the feasibility study. The lead planner is responsible for guiding the study through the process of review and comment by various university and external stakeholders. This is a critical part of the process for the lead planner, in concert with the dean, to seek input and feedback, and make revisions and adjustments throughout the course of the study. TIMELINE Phase III planning is allowed forty-‐five days. DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED 1.
Full College or Program Title, Rationale, and Viability– Include degree to be offered and description of program
A. Explanation or definition
B. General program goals (maximum 3-‐5 major goals) and objectives C. Specific competencies or student learning outcomes (maximum 8-‐10 items) and measurement process
2.
Program Rationale
A. Documentation of educational, economic and social needs. Include citation of specific studies or authorities consulted. Key sources (studies or documents) should be included in the appendix. • •
Conceptual fit with university mission, philosophy and goals, and the Strategic Plan Place of the program in the university structure. Indicate appropriate college, school, or department. Include collaborative structures. 7
FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
B. Career opportunities and employment outlook for graduates. Include data from other professional, potential employers (as a result of needs assessment) and published studies. Cite appropriate studies and include key sources in an appendix. 3.
Student Availability A. List of competitive programs in the state and the region or beyond, as applicable. Include institutions to which students may apply. For each program, list the institution name, degree name, concentrations or specializations (if appropriate), tuition rate, total tuition, regional accrediting body, specialized accreditation (if appropriate), admission requirements, program length/credit hours, and reputation of competitive program.
B. Application experience of other programs for the past three years. •
4.
Include number of applications, number accepted, and number enrolled. Include data from multiple external sources on number of students indicating a preference for the program of study for the past three years, for undergraduate programs and relevant comparable data for graduate programs.
Enrollment Projections A. Project FTE enrollment for years 1 to 5, including the estimated total number of new and returning students for each term or semester.
B. Calculate an appropriate attrition rate per year for the first three years of each class and include justification
C. Indicate, if appropriate, the addition of transfer students to each class.
5.
Model Curriculum
A. Outline and describe required and elective courses indicating total credits required for degree. Include measures of student learning outcomes. B. Provide a diagram of the curriculum structure and a sample curriculum outline indicating possible course schedule for each year of the program. Explain how the sequencing of courses, prerequisites, concentrations, practicum experiences, and length of degree is scalable to the proposed student population. C. If appropriate, describe the nature of field experience, independent study, competency-‐based education, clinical rotations and assignments employed in curriculum design.
D. Cite specific ways curriculum may be integrated into existing course offerings; if appropriate see Section 7A.
6.
Accreditation requirements 8
FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
A. If program requires specialized or can achieve specialized accreditation, describe specific requirements and their effect on the institution, i.e. faculty, space, curriculum.
B. Describe any programmatic plans that have potential effect on institutional accreditation.
C. Describe NEASC requirements and include documentation as required by NEASC.
D. Describe Maine Department of Education requirements and include documentation as required by MEDOE, if applicable.
7.
Educational Requirements and Capacity
A. Impact of program on existing programs. Include impact of increasing the number of students in service/support courses. Include undergraduate general education competencies for all undergraduate degree programs. Obtain data on required increases in sections of courses, development of new courses, and personnel required to meet increased demand.
B. Impact on academic support area, i.e. Enrollment Management, Student Academic Success Center, Library, ITS, Bookstore, Registrar, etc. C. For those programs requiring field-‐based experiences, include data on availability of field or clinical sites for student placement, as well as mechanism and cost for student supervision, i.e. program faculty or placement faculty supervision.
8.
Facility Requirements and Capacity – Describe the primary mode of instructional delivery.
A. Renovation of current classroom, laboratory, clinical, and research space required.
B. Additional space requirements including faculty offices, staff offices, new classroom, laboratory, clinical, and research space. (Provide projections for five years.) C. Additional academic support area space requirements, such as Student Academic Success Center, library, ITS, bookstore, enrollment management, registrar’s office, etc.
D. Residential life capacity. E. Online learning and ITS support: All new programs must meet with OWL to determine support required for anticipated online learning (if appropriate).
9.
Student Life Considerations
A. Impact of additional students on student support services, i.e. health center, student activities, counseling center, financial aid, meal plan and dinning services, and bookstore especially as they relate to adult-‐oriented programs.
9 FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
B. Impact of new student demographics (age, commuter vs. resident, gender) on areas listed above as well as minority population, parking, and athletic programs. Consider and describe special needs of non-‐ traditional students and online learners. 10.
Program Resources
A. Personnel •
•
Position requirements of staff and faculty who will assume major responsibility for the program to be included in an appendix. Describe specialty roles needed and include an explanation/justification for all positions. Specific effect on existing programs if current faculty members are reassigned to new program. Administrative assistance and staffing needs.
• B. Equipment: new equipment required for program and a plan for its acquisition, i.e. Year-‐by-‐year plan and potential grants, donations, and unique revenue sources.
11.
Financial Projections
A. Five-‐year financial projection with rationale for each item
B. Project costs to other academic areas to provide support courses for the program. (Provide projections for five years.) C. Include in narrative an estimate of start-‐up commitment prior to revenue generation and at what point (in months) it is expected that the proposed program’s revenue is projected to exceed its expenses or reach a steady state financially.
D. Include program cost computation for new program and for existing programs.
E. What additional funding is required beyond projected income to support the program during any given year? Identify the source of that funding.
F. Identify potential outside or independent sources of funding that may be available to the program.
12.
Time Line for Implementation
A. Provide an overall time line indicating the major events/activities from initiation through admission and enrollment of the first class.
B. Attach the time line to the study as an appendix.
13.
Program Evaluation 10
FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
A. All new programs must undergo a program evaluation three years after implementation. The program evaluation will follow the format of the feasibility study. The evaluation must focus on the comparison between original study and actual results. Revised projections, particularly enrollment and financial should be completed during the evaluation as a reference point for the next three years. In the event revisions do not forecast positive results, follow B.
B. Identify a general process with anticipated difficulties for discontinuing the program should the three-‐year evaluation indicated non-‐viability of the program. Include plans for placing students in other institutions or other programs, reassigning or terminating faculty members, and a time line for phasing out the program.
14.
Executive Summary
The Executive Summary should be one to two pages in length and briefly summarize the content of the feasibility study. It should include, but is not limited to, the following elements: A. Title of the program and the degree to be offered. B. Summary of market analysis and mission fit. C. Description of the program goals curriculum (course content, sequencing, and student learning outcomes/competencies) methods of instruction accreditation requirements; timeline for implementation. D. Rationale for the program; educational and/or social need; conceptual fit with the university mission; placement of program in the university structure (college, school, department); enrollment projections. E. Impact on university resources income and expense projections faculty, staff, equipment, and space requirements; academic support services (library, registrar, admissions, etc.). Identify outside or independent sources of funding. F. Feasibility study sign off is required from all parties who review the study throughout the planning process and is customized for each feasibility study. See appendix for an example of a sign off sheet. ! The President and Provost will determine the suitability and viability of the proposed new program after all phases. They will review the material developed in the planning process, consider evidence of current economic and educational trends. The President will make a decision to recommend or not to recommend the program to the Board of Trustees.
Appendix Feasibility Study Notification and Agreement Process Program Title: 11 FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
College: By signing below, you are indicating that you have read and/or discussed the above new program feasibility study with the planner and that your suggestions and recommendations have been addressed. (Below are examples of possible sign off areas.) Facilities: Student Life: Admissions: Registrar: Financial Aid: University Budget Office: ITS/ATS:
12 FINAL
Approval date: 12/15
