Session K08: Town Hall: Guide to Effective Practices for Physics Departments: Implications for Program Review and Accreditation

Town Hall: Guide to Effective Practices for Physics Departments: Implications for Program Review and Accreditation

Program review is a reality for all colleges and universities. Whether this is regional accreditation, periodic external program review, or the department seeking certification or accreditation, there is a substantial amount of work required. The joint APS / AAPT guide: Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3), is a community-based effort to help physics programs conduct meaningful self-assessments, and respond to regional accreditation in ways that will maximize the value from the time spent by the department in developing and conducting these assessments. The guide will provide an opportunity for the department to transform the chore of self-assessment into a culture of continuous improvement, informed by evidence-based practices. It will include strategies for chairs to implement reforms, information on assessment practices, and a set of resources informing all aspects of a physics program. EP3 will train departmental reviewers to use these strategies and design principles in external program reviews.