Original Issuance Date: March 10, 2020
Last Revision Date: October 21, 2020
1. Purpose of Guidelines
This guideline provides information on items for UW universities to consider when deciding whether to eliminate an academic degree program.
2. Publishing Office(s)
The UW System Office of Academic Programs & Faculty Advancement is the publishing office. This guideline will affect the UW university faculty, instructional academic staff, faculty senates, and provosts’ offices.
3. Affected Stakeholders on Campus
The provosts’ offices will be actively adhering to this guideline. The guideline will be shared with the program planning liaisons and provosts via an email communication. A link to the guideline will be posted on www.wisconsin.edu/program-planning/.
4. Primary Responsibility
The UW System Office of Academic Programs & Faculty Advancement will monitor any need to update the guideline as well as do the three-year guideline review.
The UW universities provosts’ offices are expected to implement and maintain compliance with the guideline.
5. Guidelines
This guideline provides information on items for UW universities to consider when deciding whether to eliminate an academic degree program. This guideline relates to SYS 102, University of Wisconsin System Array Management: Program Planning, Delivery, Review, and Reporting.
In evaluating programs for possible elimination, it is suggested that the following be considered:
- The quality of the academic degree program (program) in the areas of teaching and learning, and the contributions of its faculty in research, creative activity, and service;
- The contribution of the program to the mission and strategic plan of the university, the overall quality of academic offerings, and the strategic plan of the UW university;
- Student demand for the program as measured by student enrollment, retention, graduation trends, and applicable variables;
- The resource implications of retaining or eliminating the program, including faculty and staff;
- The uniqueness/redundancy of the program within the UW university and across the UW System;
- Opportunities for collaboration with other programs within the UW university or at other UW universities; and
- The impact of program elimination on systemwide array and student access to programs.
6. Contact
UW System Office of Academic Programs & Faculty Advancement
7. Guideline History
Revision 1: October 21, 2020
Original Issuance: March 10, 2020
8. Scheduled Review
March 10, 2023