The University’s dedication to the following core values is reflected in the quality of its curricula:

• Emphasize excellence in instruction;

• Develop programs that are viable, innovative, and relevant to market needs;

• Infuse a global outlook and ethical standards in course content and curriculum development;

• Uphold the commitment to regional and national program accreditation;

• Encourage undergraduate and graduate research in appropriate disciplines.

To ensure that all degree programs are imbued with these core values, the University assigns responsibility for program coordination, curriculum development, review, and oversight to persons academically qualified in the field. McNeese State University does not offer degree programs in which majors are not identified. Students who opt for concentrations are awarded degrees within the major field.

Undergraduate programs which lead to both Associate and Bachelor’s degrees are coordinated by academically qualified faculty members as are graduate programs leading to Master’s and Specialist’s degrees. In departments where students may select one or more concentrations, qualified Program Coordinators have been selected by individual department heads and deans to ensure the integrity of the programs. The table of Program Coordinators provided as supporting documentation identifies Program Coordinators for each undergraduate and graduate degree and concentrations. Credentials for these coordinators can be accessed by reviewing the faculty roster. The duties of Program Coordinators are identified in the Academic Program Coordinator Job Description:

Responsibilities of the Coordinator

A. Annual review of program against appropriate standards including those of professional agencies, discipline-specific standards, general education competencies, if course appropriate, and/or peer institutions.

B. Annual program assessment and evaluation as part of the university master plan and progress report process.

C. Periodic research, analysis, evaluation of the academic program and collaboration with program faculty for the purpose of professional accreditation or re-accreditation and/or external review as required by McNeese’s five-year cycle.

D. Purpose curricular and requirements changes to program based on assessment cycles.

Program Coordinators, Department Heads, and faculty periodically develop, review, and revise curricula in order to keep abreast of current theories and pedagogies and to refine curricula to address changes within the disciplines and to meet the needs of the students, the community, and the workplace. This process of examination is described below. From the governing boards to individual departments and programs, this process is designed to safeguard program integrity. Through careful curriculum development and periodic reviews and revisions, Program Coordinators and faculty design curricula and strategies for the delivery of instruction that are educationally sound. However, ultimate responsibility for academic programs lies with the Vice President of Academic Affairs, whose oversight of such programs ensures compliance with standards established by professional accrediting agencies, learned societies, in-house program reviews, and Louisiana governing boards of higher education.

Process of Development of New Programs

The policies at the University for development of curricula are based on policies and procedures established by the Louisiana Board of Regents and the University of Louisiana System. Board of Regents' Academic Affairs Policy 2.04, Part D, requires that institutions planning new academic programs summarize in a letter of intent the credentials of faculty members who will be directly involved in the proposed programs. Before new programs are authorized by the Board, institutions must demonstrate that not only can they provide the resources necessary to initiate the program, but that faculty members are qualified to oversee and implement it. Another safeguard instituted by the governing boards is oversight by the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors. Section V. C.11:11 of the University of Louisiana System Bylaws states that part of the general duties of the Board of Supervisors is to "accept and approve curricula and programs of study."

The process for development of new programs is explained in detail in the McNeese State University Policy "Evaluation and Review of Curricular Offerings." Proposals for new programs are discussed with and approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Following review and approval, Letters of Intent for new programs proceed through the appropriate levels of administration: department curriculum committee, college committee, University Curriculum Committee (UCC) or Graduate Council, and the Academic Advisory Council for final campus approval. Following campus approval, the Letter of Intent is submitted to the University of Louisiana System, and then to the Board of Regents. Following approval from these state bodies, the University may submit a Degree Program Proposal to the University of Louisiana System and Board of Regents, and upon approval, the program may be included in the University catalog.

Evaluation of Existing Programs

Evaluation and revision of existing programs is conducted annually in preparing the Master Plan/Progress Report. Each academic department and program examines student learning outcomes, student evaluation of instruction, graduation rates, student opinion surveys, and other appropriate information to determine the efficacy of the department and the program. Based on analysis of these and other data, faculty members, program coordinators, department heads, and deans determine what, if any, kinds of improvements or changes are appropriate.

For example, in the Department of English and Foreign Languages, faculty members on the Freshman-Sophomore English Committee determined that in order to meet one of the primary goals of the BA in English successfully students must “be able to think and write critically and clearly and to incorporate research into their writing.” In order to measure this objective, the Committee created an exit exam, a 100-item criterion-referenced exam, which was incorporated into the curriculum in Fall 2006. This exam is used in concert with an essay exam as both a pre-test and a post-test for students enrolled in English 102. Students’ pre- and post-test scores are compared to determine how to best design activities and exercises which facilitate good writing (2006 Master Plan/Progress Report, 527-530).

Responsibility for review, evaluation, and development of curriculum and coordination of programs lies with faculty members in each college and department. The most experienced and knowledgeable faculty members are responsible for program coordination and curriculum development and review. Program Coordinators, departmental faculty, and department heads devote considerable time and energy to periodic program reviews. Academic units which are accredited or approved through professional agencies or learned societies are called upon to review curricula to meet the expectations of those agencies. Policies initiated in 2005 charge Program Coordinators and departments to conduct in-house program reviews when their programs are not guided by external accrediting agencies. The in-house reviews include an assessment of the program by an outside reviewer. The University Program Review is discussed below.

University Program Review

The University implemented in-house program reviews to ensure that both undergraduate and graduate curricula maintain quality, are effective, and deliver appropriate content. Program reviews are conducted by faculty in programs which are not accredited by professional accrediting agencies. Academic program review policy, published in the Faculty/Staff Handbook and on the University homepage, is as follows:

Undergraduate Academic Program Review

McNeese State University seeks to maintain the highest academic program quality and to ensure that each program meets stated objectives and student learning outcomes. Academic program review is conducted to ensure academic excellence and appropriate student achievement and success is maintained for each program offered. Programs accredited by professional accrediting agencies undergo thorough self-evaluation and external review periodically as required by the respective accrediting agency. Programs that are not professionally accredited or for which there is no professional accrediting agency conduct periodic self-evaluation and review according to MSU policy.

The McNeese State University Assessment Team (MAT) reviews program and unit Master Plans to ensure that fulfillment of the University’s mission is ongoing and appropriate student learning outcomes are being achieved, documented, and reported. The annual Master Plan process ensures academic programs document expectations for student learning outcomes, achievement of the outcomes, and identifies improvements as a result of analyses of program assessment information. A more detailed and comprehensive program self-evaluation and review is conducted periodically (approximately every seven years) according to the timeline established by the MAT.

For professionally accredited programs, the program review conducted during its accreditation process serves as an appropriate academic program review.

Non-accredited undergraduate programs for which an accrediting agency exists use program accreditation criteria outlined by the accrediting agency for the self-evaluation format. Non-accredited undergraduate programs for which no accrediting agency exists use the MSU Academic Program Self-Evaluation format. A program review requires faculty to develop a formal document (not to exceed 75 pages) and includes persons external to the University (faculty from sister institutions, or other experts in the discipline). Guidelines for the document are indicated in the “Undergraduate Academic Program Self Evaluation” procedure. Non-accredited graduate programs conduct self-evaluation and/or eternal review according to the Graduate Program Standards developed by the Graduate Council.

Undergraduate and graduate academic Program Coordinators are responsible for program development as well as coordinating the program review and evaluation and identifying appropriate external reviewers (Faculty/Staff Handbook, Section 324).

Graduate Academic Program Review

Graduate programs are also reviewed periodically by faculty in programs not reviewed by professional agencies. The Graduate Council adopted the review plan on April 13, 2006. The Graduate Program Standards demonstrates the process by which graduate programs are periodically evaluated by faculty members.

Internet or Web-Based Courses

Regardless of the method of course delivery – traditional or alternative – programs are developed, evaluated, and coordinated by appropriate, qualified faculty. However, to ensure that web-based courses are effective and meet the educational goals of the University, faculty delivering instruction using this medium are required to adhere to additional guidelines established by the Internet or Web-Based Course Policy. Guidelines regarding development of Internet courses are excerpted and summarized below.

• Faculty using Internet for course delivery must be properly trained and demonstrate competency in use of appropriate technical materials;

• Faculty offering new courses after Fall 2005 will be required to successfully complete the online course, Introduction to Online Course Design;

• Faculty members must develop proposed course prior to semester course is offered;

• Course is reviewed by the E-Learning Advisory Team for approval or with recommendations for improvement. Any course which does not receive the E-Learning Advisory Team approval may not be taught online;

• All Internet courses are subject to review by the E-Learning Advisory Team;

• A justification for offering the course through the Internet must be included in the request for approval.

Technical support is provided for students as well. A direct link to a variety of tutorial programs is made available to students via the Distance Learning website. Students are advised before enrolling in electronically-delivered courses to determine whether or not these courses are suitablefor them. The following guidelines emphasize the importance of being proficient in the use of technology before enrolling in a web-based course:

• Students must be familiar with the basic operation of their computers and their computer's operating system (i.e., Microsoft Windows, MacOS). The fundamental skills needed include use of the mouse, copy and pasting, printing, and toggling from one window to another.

• Students should have some experience and familiarity with navigating and using the Internet as an information and communication resource. Knowing how to download files, attach document files to e-mail, and use word processing software are necessary skills to achieving academic success in an online course environment.

Students are prompted to answer the following questions to judge their readiness for online courses:

1. Does the student have access to a computer for an entire academic term?

2. Can the student download files to the local hard drive?

3. Can the student browse to find files on the local hard drive?

4. Does the student have a reliable Internet Service Provider (ISP)?

5. Does the student’s computer hardware meet the minimum requirements?

6. Does the student’s computer software meet the minimum requirements?

7. Does the student know how to send and/or receive files (attachments)?

8. Does the student have basic computer literacy skills?

Students may also want to complete an extensive online assessment of their skills in using the computer and the Internet.

Student Advising

An additional means of ensuring that programs sustain currency and quality is through the pulse of the students. Advising is an essential component in delivering instruction that is meaningful and relevant and advances students toward their goals. Faculty assume critical roles as academic advisors. The University Advising Handbook defines its philosophy on advising, a principle guided by University core values and mission that is the lynchpin of academic success:

Academic advising is a process of communication with students and potential students of the University for the purpose of assisting them in realizing their ability to learn, in gaining access to University and community services, and in thinking critically about their education. It includes, but is not limited to, providing students with information about careers, curriculum choices, and registration. During the process of advising, the faculty member guides students through a degree program; interprets the values of higher education; helps the students choose educational and career goals appropriate to their interests and abilities; examines with them the consequences of educational and career choices; provides information about academic policies and procedures, graduation requirements, and specific educational options and opportunities; and refers the

students to a wide variety of support services. Academic advising is vital to the University's overall commitment to the individual student. (Advising Handbook, 5)

At McNeese, incoming freshmen are advised by the Department of General and Basic Studies, whose purpose is identified as follows: “Basic Studies provides academic advising to the freshmen of McNeese State University. The primary objective of the [Department] is to provide entering students with a sound basis in academic understanding as well as general knowledge about the University” (University home page). Students are advised by Basic Studies until they have completed 15 semester hours with a 2.0 or better grade point average or 30 cumulative semester hours; at that point, they are assigned advisors in their majors (Catalog, 94). Students enrolled in secondary teacher education programs or K-12 education majors (eg., music, art, foreign language) are advised by both education faculty and discipline-specific faculty.

Supporting Evidence

List of Program Coordinators

Louisiana Board of Regents' Master Plan of 2001

Board of Regents' Academic Affairs Policy 2.04, Part D

Evaluation and Review of Curricular Offerings

New Program Process

Program Coordinator Job Description