I want to call your attention to a proposed update to UW system policy regarding academic programs. The comment period on this policy is now open. See the link below to access the policy and comments feature.  

SYS 102, University of Wisconsin System Array Management: Program Planning, Delivery, Review, and Reporting 

Comment period closes Tuesday, November 19. 

Overall SYS 102 provides guidance on academic degree program array management actions, including approvals of new programs, review of program suspensions and eliminations, individual and lateral program reviews, as well as other required reporting and approval items at the Board of Regents or UW System level. Such items may include, but are not limited to, revisions to institutional missions, establishment of new schools or colleges, and the extension of programs to other sites, including international sites.  

Public comment is invited in response to proposed substantive modifications to SYS 102, Section 6.3, and proposed technical revisions to SYS 102.

Section 6.3 concerns small programs that may produce a low number of degrees. It is titled: Monitoring Low-Degree-Producing Academic Degree Programs. Substantive modifications to SYS 102, Section 6.3 have come about after a previous round of open comments and feedback from campuses centered on making sure that monitoring and decision-making about academic programs remains at the campus level. Campus level concerns have been incorporated into revised policy.  

Under the proposed revised policy, “each UW System institution will develop an academic program monitoring process based on this policy. The institution-level process may include monitoring criteria, reasons to justify continuance of a program, roles for faculty and shared governance, an institution level appeal process, possible action steps, timelines, and an institution reporting process. 

Here is a summary of the revisions:   

  • Definitions for new terms are added to the policy for clarification. 
  • The changes outline the roles and responsibilities for UW System and the UW institutions. 
  • The policy clarifies that each UW institution will develop a program monitoring process and the institution will share this process with UW System. 
  • UW System will provide a report on all program graduates to each institution each fall. 
  • UW institutions will report on the results of their own monitoring activities as a part of the annual Program Planning and Review Array Management Report. 
  • If the institution decides to retain a program, it will provide a brief justification to UW System as part of the Program Planning, Review, and Array Management Report each July. 
  • Monitoring report data will be reported to the President of the UW System as well as to the Board of Regents on an annual basis.