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Show Degrees reviewed A systematic review and evaluation evalua-tion of graduate education at the University has been developing in the Graduate School for the past year. Dr. Sterling M. McMurrin, Dean of tire Graduate School, reported that the periodic review strives to strengthen established graduate degrees and eliminate or improve those which do not meet acceptable accep-table standards. It does this by critically examining every campus department at least once every five years. According to Dr. McMurrin, this examination is as rigorous as any other like it in the United States. "Graduate education grew tremendously in this country after World War II," Dr. McMurrin added, ad-ded, "but in the last few years both administrators and faculties have recognized the need to halt expansion, critically analyze every graduate degree offering and retain re-tain only those that meet high current standards." New graduate programs are formed for-med by compliance to similar stringent procedures. Before a new program can be approved, its department must show that the University is competent to award the degree, that its faculty, library holdings, scientific equipment, and space facilities are qualified, and that there is definitely a need for the program in the field or profession. The department must also prove that the program is in harmony with what is being done in other leading universities, that it is in accord with national professional pro-fessional trends and that the University Uni-versity has sufficient funds to who make mde , . gations and evaluation The faculty Corai nng for the "PoLcy ' cedure for Review Dee Programs" beE1 S' University in 1966 f' 1 e Institution mittee May 28, J' adopted by the Gradual ' S0V', 2i' 1969. an i Faculty Council on Ja 5: This policy pro' graduate degrees and pr0a ; subject to review every L Approximately 20 pe,ce departments offering grees and doctorates arem-. each year. A Program Review Ct, of the Graduate Council d! by Dr. Edward R.Per of physiology in School, directs the evaluat'-' these graduate programs. Each evaluation is fe studies and recommend; i made by external and i-review i-review committees, said ' McMurrin. The outside f consist of experts in the !f: field and the internal ecu, of members from other rep;: tatives of different areas c University. Reviews of the Ckiri:;: neering, English, Pharaii Physics and Theatre Depart have already been complete; der this policy. Recommend, will be considered by diet ate Council in its regular; Nov 9. Reviews of 14ofaiV ments are currently being : and will be completed ti 1971. handle the new program. Dr. McMurrin said,"under these procedures it is . extremely difficult dif-ficult to establish a new program at the University. I don't see how we could get much more rigorous, either in the evaluation of our old programs or in the establishment of new ones." Although this careful type of screening has been going for several seve-ral years, the policy adopted last year now requires outside experts to examine proposed programs. These experts must be drawn from other institutions, and by internal consultants - experts for other departments on campus - |
