Illinois Administrative Code › Title 23 - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES › Part 1050 - APPROVAL OF NEW UNITS OF INSTRUCTION, RESEARCH AND PUBLIC SERVICE AT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS › Section 1050.50 - Review of Existing Units of Instruction, Research and Public Service

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
The Board of Higher Education is authorized to review,
				periodically, all existing programs of instruction, research and public service
				at the State universities and colleges and to advise the appropriate board of
				control if the contribution of each program is not educationally and
				economically justified
. [
				110 ILCS
				205/7 ]
a)
			 Units of Instruction Approved after December 23, 2008
1) Third Year Progress Report
Three years after approval of a new program, the institution
				shall provide a program progress report to the Board as part of the
				institution's annual report. The third year progress report shall describe the
				institution's performance in meeting program objectives and show where any
				improvements are necessary. The placement of a program in voluntary temporary
				suspension will not negate the requirement of submitting a third year progress
				report.
2) Third Year Status
			 as Determined by the Institution
A) Program
			 in Good Standing: The institution is meeting the program objectives as outlined
			 in the original application that was submitted during the program approval
			 process.
B) Program Flagged for
			 Review: The institution is not meeting the program objectives as outlined in
			 the original application that was submitted during the program approval
			 process. In that event, the institution shall flag the program for review and
			 shall submit a plan for improvement. The plan will outline the steps to be
			 taken, benchmarks indicating adequate progress, and a timeline indicating step
			 completion and/or benchmark achievement points.
C) Additional Requirement for Programs in
			 which State Licensure is Required for Employment in the Field: In the case of a
			 program in which State licensure is required for employment in the field, a
			 program can be found to be in good standing if the institution is able to
			 provide evidence that program graduates are eligible to take the appropriate
			 licensure examination and pass rates are maintained as specified in the
			 objectives of the unit of instruction. If there is no such evidence, the
			 institution shall report the program as flagged for review.
3) Upon completion of the third
			 year progress report or the annual interim report required for programs flagged
			 for review:
A) If the program is in good
			 standing, the institution will add the program to the eight-year program review
			 cycle as provided in subsection (b).
B) If the program has been flagged for
			 review, the institution shall submit annual interim reports until the status of
			 good standing is achieved. A flagged program will no longer be considered a
			 Board approved program beyond the fifth anniversary of its original approval.
			 If no required annual interim report is submitted for a flagged program, the
			 Board will interpret the absence of an annual interim report as an indication
			 that the institution has terminated the program and the program will no longer
			 be considered a Board approved program.
C) Annual interim reports on flagged programs
			 shall:
i) Delineate actions taken to resolve
			 the issues or improve the program;
ii) Identify areas for further action or
			 improvement; and
iii) Describe how
			 the program will be monitored to ensure continued improvement until the next
			 review.
D) An
			 institution may request approval to place a program in voluntary temporary
			 suspension. That status does not negate the requirement for submitting annual
			 interim reports and does not negate the limitation of five years duration as a
			 program flagged for review.
4) Community Colleges
Community colleges may be deemed compliant with the program
				review process by participating in a comparable review required by the Illinois
				Community College Board. This will not abrogate the Board of Higher Education's
				authority to request reviews of community college programs.