PP: Ratings and Ranking

I'm hearing quite a bit of concern about the use of numbers (ratings, 1-5) in the prioritization process.  A common question is "how do I want to answer to get the highest rating?"  The answer is, "answer the questions as honestly as possible."  Unlike PP initiatives at other universities, we will not be targeting cuts across the board for programs with certain ratings.  We are using the numbers as a guide to see where the issues may be.  For instance, a program with great quality and starved for resources (or equipment, etc) may have a medium overall rating.  Another program may have a medium overall rating and be average in the categories across the board.  These two programs would have the same rating, but would require very different actions.  It's what's behind the numbers that is key.  The PP is not only about trying to address a budget issue, but will also reallocate some resources to help programs. 

Academic (Degree) Program Prioritization

The Program Prioritization website continues to be updated:
http://www.d.umn.edu/vcaa/program_prioritization.html

The Academic Program Prioritization Committee (PPC) has incorporated many of the excellent comments from their forum into their criteria and that will be posted this week.  The website will start to have more frequent updates, including a page that will hold links to data as we progress.  Please use the website and talk with your PPC representatives about the process.  We need to make changes quickly and this process is needed to get us to a place where we can support our academic programs properly.  The process is not intended to be divisive -- the point of it being campus wide for all programs (not just degree programs) is to open up opportunities to find a way that all units can contribute to stabilizing our academic programs while also looking into efficiency and quality.  The current model with a large portion of the academic budget in "course access" means that this money is not in the baseline budget -- that is not sustainable.

I was glad to see a lot of faculty at the forum I held on Academic (Degree) PP.  I know people are very concerned about the results of the prioritization and I'm trying to be as straight forward as possible in addressing your concerns.  Feel free to post questions to this blog.  In the meantime, I'll start by tackling a few of the FAQs that I've heard lately in my next posts.

Welcome to the start of the semester!

I always enjoy the energy that the start of the semester brings.  I'm excited that I'll be back in the classroom this semester to teach a section of UMD Seminar.  We had someone cancel at the last minute and I took the opportunity to take a deeper look at the course and to also have a chance to keep in touch with our incoming students. 

As you know, we have several major initiatives going on including Program Prioritization and establishment of the new Governance system.  I'm going to use this blog as a way to get communication out to supplement the communications coming out through other means.  Please feel free to post questions and I'll answer as many as possible (focusing on the ones that may be of interest to the broad UMD community). 

I hope you have a great first week of classes,
Andrea

coffee week of 1/21/13

I'll be in Solon Campus Center from 1:30-2:30 on Thursday, January 24.  Anyone is welcome to stop by for discussion.  Welcome back to the first day of classes!