Academic Unit Review

Purpose & Characteristics

The fundamental purpose of Academic Unit Reviews is to provide information, both qualitative and quantitative, and recommendations that can serve as a basis for innovation and improvement toward institutional goals.

Reviews should primarily provide perspectives useful to the academic units whose programs are under review and to their respective college deans. They should also give leaders outside the academic unit an informed overview of the strengths, challenges, and needs of academic units.

Academic Unit Reviews at Texas Tech have the following characteristics:

• Reviews provide a concise, honest appraisal of an academic unit’s strengths and challenges.
• Reviews are forward looking. While assessment of a unit’s current status is important, priorities for continued future improvement are of greatest concern.
• Reviews are evaluative, not just descriptive. Plans for improvement require academic judgments about the quality of the academic program(s), faculty, students, curricula, resources, and future directions.
• Reviews incorporate expert assessment provided by prominent faculty at other leading universities and by faculty from other units at Texas Tech.

Frequency of Reviews

Academic Units will be reviewed at least every ten years to remain in compliance with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board review of graduate programs. The THECB must approve the 10-year review cycle in advance of its implementation.

THECB allows alterations to the schedule, but any changes require prior approval. Any unit or school not able to fulfill the requirements of the AUR process as scheduled will prepare a formal request with clear justification to the Office of the Provost.

The 10-year AUR cycle will be scheduled with program accreditation deadlines in mind. Units may choose to conduct AUR before, during, or after their program accreditation review.

AUR Schedule

3-Phase Review Structure

The following activities, described in greater detail below, comprise an academic unit review:

1. SELF-STUDY: The unit writes a Self-study. 
2. EXTERNAL REVIEW: An external review team visits and provides a formal report.
3. ACTION PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION: The unit writes a plan of action, confirmed by the college and Office of the Provost.

Toolbox & Resources

By approaching this process as a catalyst for meaningful change rather than a compliance exercise, units can drive forward-thinking improvements. The AUR Toolbox and Guidebook provides the resources and structure to support that journey.

AUR Toolbox

Because Academic Unit Review is a collaborative process, the development of its structure and approach has involved input from colleagues across the university. This cross-campus engagement helps ensure the process is aligned with institutional priorities and supports meaningful, actionable outcomes.