Alabama Administrative Code › Title 300 - ALABAMA COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION › Chapter 300-2-2 - PROGRAM VIABILITY REVIEW › Section 300-2-2-.01 - Implementation Policy, Process, And Procedures For Program Viability Legislation, Act 96-557

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1)
			 Purpose Statement: Through the implementation of Act 96-557, the Alabama
			 Commission on Higher Education will work with institutions to examine academic
			 programs which do not produce minimum levels of graduates as established by the
			 Alabama legislature. The goal of this effort will be to evaluate priorities,
			 eliminate unnecessary duplication, and focus existing resources to enhance the
			 overall quality of academic offerings.
(2) Policy: The Alabama Commission on Higher
			 Education will review the productivity of programs listed in its academic
			 program inventory using a two-level review process. In year one, programs will
			 be identified as viable or non-viable. This identification process will be
			 followed by a three-year monitoring period. Any programs which do not meet the
			 standards or receive a waiver of non-viability at the end of the three-year
			 monitoring period will be phased out over a three-year period. Consistent with
			 the statutory mandate to base productivity standards primarily, but not
			 exclusively, on the annual average number of degrees conferred, the Commission
			 will use three factors in evaluating the productivity of a program: IPEDS
			 (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) completions data as required
			 by Act 96-557, double majors, and the number of students previously enrolled in
			 vocational/technical programs who meet certain standards and can be counted as
			 graduates for purposes of program viability. Although one outcome of this
			 process may be program terminations, the Commission recognizes that closing
			 programs will not necessarily lead to cost savings because programs often share
			 facilities, faculty, and resources.
(3) Review Process: The review process will
			 consist of an Identification Year Review and a Three-Year Monitoring Period.
(a) Identification Year Review:
1. Level I Review: Programs whose average
			 annual graduation rate meets the viability standard annual graduation rate
			 established by Act 96-557 will be deemed viable. This rate will be calculated
			 using IPEDS completions data only.
2. Level II Review: The remaining programs
			 will be subjected to a Level II review based on double majors and the
			 certification of students previously enrolled in vocational/technical programs
			 as graduates if the institution can document that the student successfully
			 completed a minimum of 20 quarter hours or 15 semester hours of technical
			 skills courses during the reporting period and left the program for purposes of
			 gainful employment. All data will be subject to audit as directed by the
			 Alabama Commission on Higher Education. Programs which meet the viability
			 standard annual graduation rate as a result of the Level II review will be
			 placed on the viable program list, and the remaining programs will be
			 considered non-viable, with the exception of the core liberal arts programs
			 (see b.2. in this section and
			 300-2-2-.02.).