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X. The Formal Review

A. Upon completion of the preliminary review process and notification of acceptability of a proposal by the VPAA and the SCAA, the unit administrator and the proposer or his/her representative, the appropriate academic deans and the VPAA will meet to determine the exact steps of the review process.

1. Included in the process will be an internal formal hearing and review by a panel of professional peers from outside the University, except as noted below.

2. The VPAA and the SCAA are jointly responsible to ensure that such steps will be consistent with the principles of sound academic peer review and will be carried out in a timely and thorough manner.

3. If a program is an academic major or a minor, the external review will not be required unless both the VPAA and the SCAA deem otherwise.

B. The VPAA, in consultation with the SCAA, will appoint the members of a Review Panel which will arrange and schedule the formal hearing.

1. The panel will, as a minimum, conduct its own investigation, accept the reports of the external reviewers and hold formal hearings.

2. At least one member of the appropriate Academic Committee of the SCAA will be a member of the Review Panel and s/he or her/his alternate (from the same committee) will be present at the hearing.

3. No faculty member or academic administrator who would have a direct connection with the proposed program is eligible to serve as a Review Panel member.

C. In the case of Periodic Review of an Existing Program, this paragraph is replaced by the following.

Included in the process may be a review by a panel of peers from outside the University. Outside review is normally required, but it may be waived by request of the program director and the concurrence of the Department Head, the Academic Dean, the SCAA and VPAA. Regular external review for accreditation or certification may be accepted as fulfilling the requirement if it has occurred within four years of the scheduled review or will occur within one year of the scheduled review. In the event that the external review will occur following the scheduled review, the VPAA, with concurrence from the SCAA, may choose to postpone the review or to proceed with the review and withhold final decision pending the outcome of the external review.