About the Academic Planning Manual
The Academic Planning Manual describes the major university processes for addition of new programs, review of existing programs, and other programmatic changes that result in resource and curricular decisions. Careful planning is indispensable in any environment but especially in the current climate of fiscal austerity and increased accountability. It is important that our strategic plans be reflections of our shared vision and mission, be informed by regular evaluation, and be utilized in the campus decision-making apparatus. The following resources can be useful in this process.
- CSUB Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan
- Academic Senate
- Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment
- University Strategic Planning and Budget Advisory Committee
- Principles of Assessment
- WSCUC: CSUB accreditation
To assist with Academic Planning, the Chancellor's Office has provided a web-based
guide that includes all pertinent laws, statutes, policies, and descriptions of processes
used by the Chancellor's Office relating to academic programs. The program review process (see University Program Review) strives to inform program decisions based upon evidence-based assessment. Assessment
results, in turn, lead to a foundation for informed budget and curricular decisions.
This dynamic interplay, which is at the heart of the program review, is primarily
a faculty-driven process. Program review establishes intermediate benchmarks and follow-up
plans that track progress toward achieving and ensuring alignment of student, programmatic,
and university-wide academic goals and objectives. These benchmarks are assessed and
reviewed in the annual reports. Program review and annual reports form the basis for reporting the program's continuous
improvement strategies and success. Program review provides an evidence-based determination
of whether students are accomplishing the program's learning objectives through outcomes-based
assessment of student learning and development. The results of program review provide
the evidentiary basis for informed, transparent and accountable decisions about program,
faculty and student needs, curricular planning, and resource allocation and management.
The campus systematically integrates program reviews into planning and budgeting processes.Review of Existing Programs