Update on the Academic and Administrative Program Review (November, 2018)

November 14, 2018

I write to provide another update on the Academic and Administrative Program Review, and to convey some additional ways you can stay informed about the review and opportunities for your participation in the months ahead.

Let me begin by expressing my deep appreciation for the work of the many faculty, staff, administrators, students and alumni taking part in this process. The AAPR is ambitious, and the work can at times seem daunting. Not only have steering committee members given generously of their time and energy to make AAPR successful — they have done so with dedication to a broadly inclusive process that is authentic to Oberlin’s history, culture and distinctive modes of excellence. I especially want to thank the department and program chairs and unit heads who have responded to inquiries for information from the AAPR. 

For those of you who would like to know more about AAPR and its work, I invite you to consult a website created for the review. This site provides easy access to past communications about and from the AAPR, a working calendar for the review, useful reference materials, and an FAQ that helps lay out this initiative, its purpose and goals, and the process underway.

Right now the steering committee is in the process of gathering a broad spectrum of input: extensive survey data, early feedback from community and governing committees, research from outside partners, and more. This process will continue through the remainder of the calendar year. In coming weeks, as this data is collected, the working groups will begin to analyze the information and identify emerging themes that will require further consideration and discussion. 

Early in the new year, the working groups will begin to refine those emerging themes and their potential implications for AAPR recommendations.  We look forward to consulting widely with all stakeholders as we work towards developing recommendations.  I urge you to review the working calendar and please continue to check it from time to time – as the process evolves, and new events and opportunities to participate are added. We look forward to a process that is open, inclusive, and authentic to Oberlin.