New program quality committee

1. Introduction and purpose

Student feedback is an important aspect of Loyalist College’s quality assurance processes. It helps faculty reflect on the quality of their instruction, supports faculty development and evaluation, and enables the College to enhance program curriculum and delivery. The Program Quality Committee provides students in degree programs with an opportunity to provide feedback to their faculty members and academic administrators on their current experience in the program and to resolve program issues, if any. The purpose of this policy is to set out the scope of Program Quality Committee.

2. Application

This policy applies to all degree programs offered by Loyalist College.

3. Definitions

Academic Administrator – Program Chair, Course Chair, or Dean
Student – Any student currently enrolled in a degree program on a full-time basis and part-time students enrolled in full-time degree programs.

4. Policy

• 4.1 Every full-time degree program offered by the college is required to have a Program Quality Committee to align with the standards of the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board. Degree programs with common curriculum elements, or in a related sector or area of study, may be grouped as a cluster for Program Quality Committee purposes.
• 4.2 Membership of Program Quality Committees consists of class representatives who are elected by their peers. Membership shall include student class representatives from each level and section of the program, the Academic Administrator responsible for the program, the Coordinator of the program, faculty representatives associated with the program and a representative from the College’s Academic Quality department. Class representatives shall serve for two academic terms and may be re-elected.
• 4.3 A Program Quality Committee meeting is to be scheduled within the first six weeks of the start of the academic term.
• 4.4 Students enrolled in full-time programs offered on a part-time basis are to be invited to participate in the Program Quality Committees of the full-time programs.
• 4.5 There shall be a minimum of one meeting per term. Additional meetings are encouraged and are to be held at the discretion of the Academic Administrator or Program Committee members.
• 4.6 At the duration of one complete offering of the program, established quality program processes will ensue.

5. References

• Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board Manual for Public Institutions including Ontario Colleges.