Eastern Illinois University Logo
Program Analysis |

Graduate School Assistantship

Program List

Section 1: History & Relevance

This criterion shows how the program is aligned with the university mission:

Eastern Illinois University is a public comprehensive university that offers superior, accessible undergraduate and graduate education. Students learn the methods and results of free and rigorous inquiry in the arts, humanities, sciences, and professions, guided by a faculty known for its excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, and service. The university community is committed to diversity and inclusion and fosters opportunities for student- faculty scholarship and applied learning experiences within a student- centered campus culture. Throughout their education, students refine their abilities to reason and to communicate clearly so as to become responsible citizens and leaders.

The university mission statement sets standards and expectations for programs. Programs will vary in their purposes, clienteles, and methodologies, but all programs are expected to support the university's mission in some way and achieve its stated expectations of excellence. The pattern of achievements and expectations is different for a mature program than a nascent one, so program history is relevant.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Program Mission

What is the program’s mission statement or statement of purpose? Why does the program exist?


How does the program mission align with the university mission?

Services Provided

Whom does the program serve?


What are the services provided? How do these services align with the university mission and program mission?

Program History

Describe the program’s origins (e.g. year established, purpose, expectations).


How has the unit changed or adapted over time?

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program’s history and relevance to university mission.

Section 2: Internal demand for the program

No single program can achieve the university's mission on its own, and this criterion captures the interconnections among programs. Academic programs provide students with general education courses, foundation and principles courses, and specialized course(s) in support of other programs. Administrative programs may serve a variety of internal clientele, and the choice between internally or externally provided services may be relevant in some cases.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Enrollment Data

Provide data showing the four-year trend in the number of majors, minors, options, and concentrations.

Program Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013 Fall 2014

Provide data showing the four-year trend in student credit hour (SCH) production, percent of SCHs that are general education, and percent of SCHs that are taught to non-majors.

Program FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013 FY2014
Total SCHs 0 0 0 0 0
% of SCHs that are general education
% of SCHs taken by non majors

What elements of the program’s curriculum are offered specifically to support other academic majors, minors, options, and concentrations?

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the internal demand for the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., curriculum changes made by another program) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Section 3: External demand for the program

The external demands for programs stem from a number of sources: students and their families, employers and business partners, alumni, donors and other friends of the university, and the general citizenry. The establishing legislation for the university requires it to offer courses of instruction, conduct research, and offer public services. The Illinois Board of Higher Education's Public Agenda for Illinois Higher Education establishes expectations for increasing educational attainment, ensuring college affordability, addressing workforce needs, and enhancing economic development.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Employment Opportunities

List relevant data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) New Graduate Salary Survey, and the EIU Career Services Annual Report.

External Expectations

Is the program accredited or approved by a recognized external agency or otherwise certified to meet established professional standards? Provide an executive summary of and link to the program’s most recent accreditation or certification report, if available.


Is the program required to meet any regulatory or legal requirements? Is the program subject to any special auditing requirements?

Community Involvement

What are the most important outreach or public service activities supported by the program?


How do the local community and the region benefit from the program?

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the external demand for the program.

Section 4: Quality of program outcomes

Assessment and accreditation of academic programs today tend to be more focused on program outcomes than inputs. This criterion focuses on external validations of quality and uses multiple measures to identify exemplary performance and achievements. Both student and faculty outcomes will be relevant for academic programs. Administrative programs are expected to use best practices and provide value to the clienteles served.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the quality of program outcomes.

Section 5: Resources Generated by the Program

Programs may generate resources in a number of ways: enrollments, grants, fundraising, income-producing contracts, ticket sales, and provision of services. Interconnections among programs create implicit cross-subsidies, with some programs being net payers and others being net receivers. Resources in this context need not be financial. Relationships with community colleges, schools and businesses, and government bodies also benefit the university.

Revenues
Account 2011 2012 2013 2014
Please limit all responses to 300 words
External Funding Data Pending

Note any special benefits (e.g., personnel support, equipment, permanent improvements) that the program has received in the past three years from its grants and other sponsored programs.

Relationships

How does the program benefit from donor gifts (e.g., scholarships, endowed chairs)? Does donor support provide a significant percentage of the program’s overall funding?

List two or three key relationships that the program maintains with external constituencies (e.g., community colleges, other universities, government bodies). How do these relationships advance the university mission or otherwise benefit the university?

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the resources generated by the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., revenue pass-throughs) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Section 6: Productivity of the program

Productivity refers to the outcomes and resources generated by the program relative to its size and scope. Productivity measures tend to be quantitative, based on metrics like student credit hour production, degree completions, and number of students or other clientele served, relative to the size of the faculty or staff assigned to the program. A program's productivity can be negatively impacted if its resources are too thinly spread to achieve a critical mass or if its resources are imbalanced relative to program needs.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Student Credit Hours Summary Data Pending
PROGRAM FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14
Average SCHs per faculty instructional credit unit
Average SCHs per faculty credit unit
Faculty costs per student credit hour
Personnel costs per student credit hour
Ledger-1 program costs per student credit hour
Degrees Conferred Summary Data Pending
Class Size For academic programs: Data excluding independent study, independent research, internships, and other individualized curricula.
For Colleges: Summary-level data
Summary Data Pending
Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the productivity of the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., accreditation requirements, curricular changes, program restructuring) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Section 7: Costs associated with the program

Program analysis will be tied to the university's financial ledgers. A program by definition uses university resources, and tying to the accounting system helps ensure that no programs are overlooked in the analysis. Metrics in this criterion are used to identify all of the costs of delivering the program. Many of these costs are direct, but some may be implicit or indirect costs not directly associated with any financial payment. Programs may also be drivers of efficiencies that can help reduce the costs of delivering other programs.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Expenditures
Account 2011 2012 2013 2014
70020-Contractual Services 850 500 500 500
70070-Other Expenses 16,350 22,744 16,011 19,609
Total: 17,200 23,244 16,511 20,109
Program Total: 17,200 23,244 16,511 20,109
Staffing
127110 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Total Head-Count (Not FTE) 17.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Admin/Professional 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Civil Service 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Faculty 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Unit A 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Unit B 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Non-negotiated 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Graduate Assistants 17.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Student Workers 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the costs associated with the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., expenditures made centrally or externally, expenditures made on behalf of other units) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Section 8: Program impact on university mission

This criterion may be considered a catch-all for relevant information not covered elsewhere. It focuses on reasons why a program should be maintained or strengthened, the essentiality of the program to the university and its mission, the contributions that the program makes to other programs' successes, and the benefits that the university receives from having the program. The university's vision calls for making personal connections and having a global reach and impact, and programs may have unique aspects that contribute to this vision.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Distinctive and Unique Aspects

How does the program seek to distinguish itself from similar programs at other institutions?

Note any unique and/or essential contributions that the program makes to the university.

Program-specific Metrics (optional)

Provide any program-specific metrics that help to document program contributions or program quality. Examples of some commonly used program-specific metrics may be found here.

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program impact on the university mission.

Section 9: Future opportunities for the program

No program has all the resources it wants or needs, and new or reallocated funds are scarce. This criterion provides an opportunity analysis to identify new and innovative ideas to promote a sustainable academic and financial future for the university. Identifiable trends in student demographics and interests, technological developments, and partnerships with businesses, schools, alumni, and donors are just a few possible avenues for future opportunities. Many of the opportunities that programs identify will tie back to the university's strategic plan, which specifies six key areas that we want to enhance or strengthen.

Planning Limit all responses to 300 words

Provide a link to or listing of the program’s goals and/or strategic plan.

What role will the program have in the implementation of the university’s strategic plan (provide link to strategic plan)?

Opportunities Limit all responses to 500 words

What are the program’s two or three most promising opportunities that could help advance the university’s academic mission? Provide an estimate of additional investments or other costs required and additional student credit hours, revenue, or other resources generated.

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand future opportunities for the program.