Coordination of the site visit is completed in conjunction with the Office of the Provost and Office of Institutional Effectiveness and begins as soon as the review team is selected and a date for the on-site visit is set. The program is responsible for determining the visit schedule and agenda and coordinating the external review team meetings with program faculty and staff (and/or with related departments). These interview-style meetings include the department chair, department faculty (full and part-time, tenured, tenure-track, non-tenure, adjunct, and faculty in respective majors or subfields), staff, students and directors of any specialized programs or initiatives within the department. For more details on this process, see the Site Visit Guidelines.
The two-day on-site opening will be a welcome meeting hosted by the department chair, the provost, and/or the division chair. Department chairs may provide a brief introduction of the program, including any areas of focus for the review. 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 continues any meetings. The day concludes with a close out/exit meeting in which the review team provides an oral report of any preliminary findings to the department chair, the program review committee faculty 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:
The Office of the Provost provides logistic and financial support including travel, and hotel accommodations, an honorarium, and a per diem for the External Review Team members. Food, beverages and any meals offered to the review team while on campus are coordinated by the program but funded by the Provost. Reviewers are encouraged to arrive the night before the visit and depart late evening of the second day.
When the scheduling of an on-site visit is impacted by external factors such as public health or weather issues, a virtual site visit is an option. If the program believes a virtual visit is appropriate, communicate with the Provost and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness early in the planning phase. Previously outlined guidance on the 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.
6 am PT 7 am MT 8 am CT 9 am ET
3 pm PT 4 pm MT 5 pm CT 6 pm ET