Reviewers

Reviewers for accredited programs are selected or assigned using the procedures established by the accreditor.

For review of non-accredited programs, two external reviewers are selected as follows:

Non-accredited programs are reviewed internally by the Program Review Committee.  The Provost may request additional potential reviewers from the program faculty and college dean.  The list is provided to the provost by the college dean.

Reasonable travel costs for reviewers, including lodging and meals, are paid by the Office of the Provost and/or Office of the Dean from the respective college; reimbursement for lodging and meal expenses is based on state rates and assumes that the on-site reviewer will have meal expenses covering at least parts of two days.  The program area (college/department) is responsible for consultant honoraria.  Check with the Office of the Provost for current approved honorarium amounts for on-site visitors and readers.

Reviews

The review of an accredited program follows the procedures and format established by the accreditor.

The reviewers carry out their reviews. The reviewers consult with each other to produce a single evaluative report on the program. This report is transmitted to the program. Two separate reviews will not be accepted by GSU.

The review must include, as relevant to the program, the information required by the program's accrediting body or the Program Review Committee, as applicable. The report may provide additional information if deemed appropriate by the reviewers. To be of most use to the program under review, the report should distinguish as much as possible between program actions/changes that are deemed by the reviewers to be essential to the health of the program and actions/changes that are collegial suggestions but are not deemed essential to the health of the program.

As indicated in Timing and Processes, the reviewers’ report must be received by the program’s department no later than six weeks after the review. A response to the review, prepared by program faculty and approved by the dean of the college, must address the findings of the reviewers’ report specifically, with a plan of action – including a timeline – for addressing concerns/essential changes.

Reporting Requirements

For accredited programs, the visiting team’s report, an institutional response, and the report of official action by the accreditor must be submitted to GSU's Office of Institutional Effectiveness and the Office of the Provost immediately upon receipt of notification by the accreditor of action.

For non-accredited programs, a copy of the report and the institutional response noted in the previous section are provided to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Office of the Provost.

All programs report internally in annual reports on progress in responding to actions/changes required by their reviews, and accredited programs will report as required by their accreditors.