Rackham Program Review

Programs are asked to complete the Preliminary Information Form, which captures specific program information such as changes in curriculum, recruiting activities, and measures of success. Rackham staff anonymously survey current students to include their perspectives around how the graduate program facilitates graduate student success.

Data is shared with the program prior to the meeting. The first meeting conversation focuses on how plans for the program have been realized, the biggest successes and challenges, responses to the data sent (career outcomes and survey of graduating doctoral students), and how program leadership can engage with faculty about near- and long-term changes in the discipline, especially as it concerns graduate education.

In preparation for the second meeting, Rackham sends program-specific data on current students (recruitment, admissions, completion, and the survey of current students). Looking at this data, we discuss where the program is in terms of the future direction and steps to move closer to that vision. Although program quality is principally in the hands of the faculty, Rackham shares expertise and examples to assist faculty initiatives.

At the conclusion of the review, the dean of Rackham and the associate dean write a letter summarizing the meeting conversations, including priorities that arose in those discussions. Prior to finalizing the letter, the deans of Rackham and the dean of the school or college meet to discuss the draft letters and alignment of strategic initiatives within the school or college. The final letter is then sent to the department chair, graduate chair, and dean of each participating graduate program in early winter.

Graduate program leadership is asked to provide a written response that outlines the program’s plans to address the priorities highlighted in the final letters. This information informs next steps within Rackham to continue to support and partner with programs as they implement change. These plans are revisited at the time of the next review to learn how changes have been realized or adjusted.

• RPR collaborates with the Rackham Institutional Research Office (IR) to share data that informs the conversations with graduate program leadership. IR has publicly facing program data that can be found on our Program Statistics page.
• RPR partnered with ADVANCE to survey a cross section of faculty leadership about their experience in RPR. The Executive Summary of the report is available for your review.