Provost Announces Academic Portfolio Review Committee

06/21/2019

The Office of the Provost has announced the appointment of the Academic Portfolio Review Committee and the committee has issued its first report on its efforts to evaluate the University’s academic programs.

Committee chair Mark Knuepfer, M.D., sent out the committee’s report in a message to the SLU community on Thursday, June 20. The report outlines the committee’s goals and methodology. It is available here through a Google Site maintained by the provost’s office that is restricted to SLU faculty and staff members.

According to Knuepfer, the committee will establish a comprehensive review process that assesses the value and effectiveness of academic degree programs based on metrics and university priorities.

“The goal of these efforts is to evaluate the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of our academic programs,” he said.

The committee, in collaboration with departmental, program, and involved faculty members, will then make recommendations to the provost regarding our current portfolio of academic offerings.

The process that is developed will eventually be used as a regular, ongoing assessment tool for all graduate and undergraduate programs to ensure they continue to add value to the University and to its mission.

“We realize that our recommendations to the provost may lead to the discontinuation of specific programs but assure all involved that we will consult with faculty, staff, and students who are affected before finalizing our decision,” Knuepfer said in his June 20 letter. “This internal review aspires to be transparent and to engage a judicious assessment of our programming. More importantly, it is essential for the long-term success of Saint Louis University to fulfill our mission as a viable and dynamic University community.”

The Evaluation Process

• Develop Evaluative Process – identify appropriate metrics for tangible and intangible contributions of individual programs to the University
• Employ Evaluative Process – review graduate and undergraduate programs using defined metrics and input from faculty responsible for specific programs
• Develop individualized responses for specific programs – with input from responsible faculty, departmental, college, and University levels to redirect efforts and resources towards future success
• Provide provost with recommendations – program enhancement, elimination, modification or consolidation with specific timelines for resolution

Committee

Chair

• Mark Knuepfer, M.D., School of Medicine

Faculty Nominated by School or College

• Scott Duellman, Ph.D., Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business
• Matt Grawitch, Ph.D., School of Professional Studies
• David Kullman, University Libraries
• Donna LaVoie, Ph.D., College of Arts and Sciences
• Ray LeBeau, Ph.D., Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology
• Mike May, S.J., College of Arts and Sciences
• Mike Rozier, S.J., College for Public Health and Social Justice
• Molly Schaller, Ph.D., School of Education and Office of Mission and Identity
• Joanne Thanavaro, D.N.P., School of Nursing
• Anders Walker, J.D., School of Law
• Chris Werner, Ph.D., Doisy College of Health Sciences

Additional Members

• Peter Benoist, University Trustee
• Tracy Chapman, Ph.D., Dean, School of Professional Studies
• Jordan Glassman, undergraduate student
• Associate Provost Stacey Harrington, J.D.
• Associate Provost Mike Lewis, Ph.D.
• Peter Martens, Ph.D., College of Arts and Sciences
• Quinn Peoples, graduate student
• Laurie Shornick, Ph.D., College of Arts and Sciences
• Mary Cook, Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, administrative support

Keep Up on the Committee’s Work

• The committee’s newly-established Google Site will keep the University community informed on the committee’s progress. The site requires viewers to login to their SLU Google Drive before they can access it.
• Learn more here.
• Feedback can be sent to the committee through its email address.