Step 2: External Review

Step 2 of the program review process involves the department nominating experienced scholars or peers from other institutions to serve on an External Review Team. The external peer group will review the Self-Study report and participate in a two-day on-site campus visit. This phase of the process is an opportunity for programs to dialogue with colleagues in their respective fields and review any strengths, challenges, or areas for growth.

Following the on-site visit, the reviewers submit a summary of their findings and recommendations. The department then has an opportunity to composes a written response to these findings. The Program Response is submitted to the Provost’s Office who then prepares 1) a response to the external review report and 2) a response to the program’s response report.

The department under review identifies five to six candidates, in order of preference. These nominations are forwarded to the Business Intelligence Analyst in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. The Provost then selects one or two of the nominated individuals and another member to comprise the final three-member review team.

The Office of the Provost will contact the external reviewers and arrange for the team’s two-day on-site visit. Prior to this campus visit, the Office of the Provost sends the Self Study document along with other relevant college documents, such as the catalog, to the reviewers.

The list of nominations should include contact information, a CV or link to the CV (if possible), and a brief biographical sketch or information supporting each candidates’ qualifications as an external reviewer for the program. Any potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed and discussed.

• A history of involvement and success in scholarship or research as well as experience in undergraduate teaching in the program field
•  Broad knowledge of the discipline as a whole and representative of the major subfields within the discipline as appropriate
• Widely acknowledged national and/or international eminence and are also noted for good judgment and objectivity
• A mix of public and private higher educational experience at least comparable to that of Spelman College

Coordination of the site visit is completed in conjunction with the Provost’s office. The Business Intelligence Analyst in OIE works with the department to create a detailed schedule for the on-site review. The Office of the Provost will provide logistic and financial support including an honorarium, travel and lodging accommodations for the External Review Team members. The final schedule for the external team’s visit to the department is set by the department.

The on-site visit includes meetings between the review team and the Department Chair, department faculty (full and part-time, respective majors or subfields), staff, students and directors of any specialized programs or initiatives within the department. The department may also invite program alumni or community partners. Note: Program leadership is not required to be present at all meetings.

On the second day of the on-site visit, the External Review Team participates in an exit interview – making an oral report to the Department Chair, the Program Review Team and representatives from the Office of the Provost and/or the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

Two-weeks following the exit interview, the External Review Team submits a 10-to-15-page summary report of their findings and recommendations to the Provost who forwards the report to the Department Chair for distribution to program faculty.

 The report typically includes:

• An overview of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats faced by the program.

• Recommendations for the future geared toward improving the overall quality and relevance of the academic program.

• Prioritized recommendations distinguished between short- and long-term goals.

External Review Team, members will receive information concerning travel to campus and related guidelines.

• Travel Information
• Spelman College Campus Map
• Directions to Spelman
• Visitor Parking Map
• Visiting Spelman

When scheduling of an on-site visit is impacted by external factors such as public health or weather, a virtual site visit is an option. If the program believes a virtual visit is appropriate, communicate with the Provost and the Office of the Institutional Effectiveness early in the planning phase. Previously outlined guidance on selection of the External Review Team is still applicable; however, the virtual visit schedule and timeline may be expanded to accommodate technology requirements and to facilitate online engagement.

Below are some general considerations when scheduling a virtual site-visit.

• A virtual site visit schedule and sessions can generally mirror those conducted in person on the college campus.
  
• Build in 1-2 additional days (beyond the standard 2-day on-site visit) and amble breaks between sessions.
• Consider time zone differences. If applicable, no session begins before 9am Eastern Time (ET) and later if some evaluators are in the Pacific Time (PT) zone. No sessions end after 6pm ET. Consider other time zone differences if reviewers will be participating from outside of the United States.

  
  

  6am PT        7am MT             8am CT                9am ET

  3pm PT       4pm MT              5pm CT                6pm ET

  
  

• Consider breaking for 30-60 minutes at mealtimes, again keeping in mind time zone differences for meals.
• For Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings, consider these options:
  • One meeting link (either Zoom or Teams) for the entire site visit. Turn on the meeting room features.
  • Separate meeting links (either Zoom or Teams) for each session. With this option the “allow participants to join before host” feature may be turned on. This allows the review team to enter the virtual meeting room whenever they are ready.
• A meeting moderator for each session is required. The moderator will start sessions, assign any co-host responsibilities and monitor the chats.