Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the Quality Enhancement Review?
The Quality Enhancement Review's primary purposes are (a) to examine the institutional effectiveness of a department or program, its national position with respect to comparable programs, what it needs to improve or sustain performance and (b) to serve as a basis for administrative decisions on the investment of new and existing resources.

Why are departments/programs asked to provide so much information and data for the Quality Enhancement Review?
The Quality Enhancement Reviews combines the statutorily-required Florida Board of Governors' seven-year program reviews with the Graduate Policy Committee's reviews of graduate programs and the Provost's internal reviews of programs relative to unit productivity and outcomes. It is also scheduled, to the extent possible, to coincide with any external accreditation review. The integration of these evaluation processes effect a more efficient review process.

Are there self-study binders from similar programs available for review?
Yes, the Office of the Provost maintains self-study binders, external reviewer's reports, GPC recommendations, and the dean's action reports in 212 Westcott Building. Please contact the Office of the Provost to make arrangements to review binders. Please note that binders cannot be removed from 212 Westcott Building and are generally too lengthy to make copies.

How should we identify comparable and aspirational institutions? What measures should be used?
Comparable and aspirational institutions are generally selected by departments/programs on the basis of degree offerings, faculty size, enrollments, contracts and grant expenditures, and operating budgets. For programs included in the National Research Council (NRC), the Provost has established the comparison of peer institutional rankings in NRC categories as a benchmark for identifying peer institutions and those that FSU programs should aspire to match.

What is the role of the external reviewer?
The role of the external reviewer is to review and analyze the self-study as well as interviews conducted during the site visit in order to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the degree programs and identify strategies for quality improvement. The external reviewer's final report forms the basis for later stages of the QER process.

In our academic discipline, we focus less on journal publications and grant awards than other disciplines, yet the Unit Accomplishment Summary (UAS) asks us to provide this information on spreadsheets. Is it still necessary to complete these sections of the UAS for our program?
If you find that adding columns to the UAS spreadsheets provides a better description of your program, please add them, but you should also provide data for all of the existing columns in the UAS. Do not delete any of the existing columns in the Unit Accomplishment Summary spreadsheets.

For interdisciplinary programs, who should be identified as faculty for the Unit Accomplishment Summary?
In general, interdisciplinary programs should include core faculty in the program.

What is the purpose of the Unit Review and who attends this meeting?
The Unit Review is an opportunity to discuss enrollment trends in the degree programs, research productivity and how the program ranks relative to comparable and aspirational institutions, current and future challenges and plans, and the external reviewer's report. Oftentimes, faculty members raise very departmental/discipline specific issues or concerns about space, parking, salaries, legislative priorities, graduate support, the Pathways to Excellence initiative, or university priorities (e.g., graduate enrollment growth).

The Unit Review meeting involves the full departmental faculty, the academic dean, the GPC review committee members, Dean of the Faculties, Dean of Graduate Studies, Associate Vice President for Research, and other key academic affairs representatives.

These meetings have generally resulted in very productive discussions for all involved.

How are the self-study, external reviewer's report, and the dean's action plan used for decision making?
The Provost uses the "action plan" prepared by the academic dean to make budgetary and planning decisions and also in the dean's performance evaluation.

				Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Quality Enhancement Reviews



	QER General Information Purpose and Overview Process Guidelines Seven-Year Cycle Schedule Contact List Due Dates and Deadlines QER Schedule—Fall 2008 (Excel download) QER Schedule—Spring 2009 (Excel download) External Reviewer Information Role and Qualifications Steps in Identifying and Engaging External Reviewers Sample Engagement Letter Sample Site Visit Schedule Sample External Reviewer's Report format Self-Study Questions and Documentation CURRENT Self-Study Questions* PROPOSED Self-Study Questions* Supporting Documentation: Sources Unit Accomplishment Summary Instructions Unit Accomplishment Summary Spreadsheets (Excel download) Faculty SUSSAI Scores Spreadsheet (Excel download) Faculty SUSSAI Scores SAMPLE Spreadsheet (Excel download) Graduate Policy Committee (GPC) Review Process Florida Board of Governor's Process Frequently Asked Questions QER Guidelines and Procedures Manual (PDF download) *Self-Study Questions: Fall 2008 reviews may either use the current or proposed self-study questions. Spring 2009 reviews must use the proposed self-study questions.			Frequently Asked Questions *What is the purpose of the Quality Enhancement Review?* The Quality Enhancement Review's primary purposes are (a) to examine the institutional effectiveness of a department or program, its national position with respect to comparable programs, what it needs to improve or sustain performance and (b) to serve as a basis for administrative decisions on the investment of new and existing resources. *Why are departments/programs asked to provide so much information and data for the Quality Enhancement Review?* The Quality Enhancement Reviews combines the statutorily-required Florida Board of Governors' seven-year program reviews with the Graduate Policy Committee's reviews of graduate programs and the Provost's internal reviews of programs relative to unit productivity and outcomes. It is also scheduled, to the extent possible, to coincide with any external accreditation review. The integration of these evaluation processes effect a more efficient review process. Are there self-study binders from similar programs available for review? Yes, the Office of the Provost maintains self-study binders, external reviewer's reports, GPC recommendations, and the dean's action reports in 212 Westcott Building. Please contact the Office of the Provost to make arrangements to review binders. Please note that binders cannot be removed from 212 Westcott Building and are generally too lengthy to make copies. How should we identify comparable and aspirational institutions? What measures should be used? Comparable and aspirational institutions are generally selected by departments/programs on the basis of degree offerings, faculty size, enrollments, contracts and grant expenditures, and operating budgets. For programs included in the National Research Council (NRC), the Provost has established the comparison of peer institutional rankings in NRC categories as a benchmark for identifying peer institutions and those that FSU programs should aspire to match. *What is the role of the external reviewer?* The role of the external reviewer is to review and analyze the self-study as well as interviews conducted during the site visit in order to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the degree programs and identify strategies for quality improvement. The external reviewer's final report forms the basis for later stages of the QER process. In our academic discipline, we focus less on journal publications and grant awards than other disciplines, yet the Unit Accomplishment Summary (UAS) asks us to provide this information on spreadsheets. Is it still necessary to complete these sections of the UAS for our program? If you find that adding columns to the UAS spreadsheets provides a better description of your program, please add them, but you should also provide data for all of the existing columns in the UAS. Do not delete any of the existing columns in the Unit Accomplishment Summary spreadsheets. *For interdisciplinary programs, who should be identified as faculty for the Unit Accomplishment Summary?* In general, interdisciplinary programs should include core faculty in the program. *What is the purpose of the Unit Review and who attends this meeting?* The Unit Review is an opportunity to discuss enrollment trends in the degree programs, research productivity and how the program ranks relative to comparable and aspirational institutions, current and future challenges and plans, and the external reviewer's report. Oftentimes, faculty members raise very departmental/discipline specific issues or concerns about space, parking, salaries, legislative priorities, graduate support, the Pathways to Excellence initiative, or university priorities (e.g., graduate enrollment growth). The Unit Review meeting involves the full departmental faculty, the academic dean, the GPC review committee members, Dean of the Faculties, Dean of Graduate Studies, Associate Vice President for Research, and other key academic affairs representatives. These meetings have generally resulted in very productive discussions for all involved. *How are the self-study, external reviewer's report, and the dean's action plan used for decision making?* The Provost uses the "action plan" prepared by the academic dean to make budgetary and planning decisions and also in the dean's performance evaluation.