Subject: Academic Program Elimination
Effective: 1/29/87
Last Revised: 9/1/16
An academic program can be assessed for possible program elimination
(1) as the result of the program review process as indicated,
(2) at any time at the initiative of the campus offering the program, or
(3) at any time upon the recommendation of the Chancellor based on enrollments and the centrality of the program to the campus mission. In those situations in which the Chancellor believes there is sufficient reason for a campus to consider invoking the program elimination process, he/she will make such a recommendation, accompanied by the rationale for the recommendation, to the campus President. Following receipt of such a recommendation, the campus will either initiate the program elimination process or provide justification for not eliminating the program.
Academic degree program elimination shall include the following:
- The initiation of the Program Elimination Procedure including notification in writing by the President to the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and to the Associated Faculties of the University of Maine System for the programs to which unit members are assigned, of the intent to develop a Program Elimination Proposal.
- The development of a Program Elimination Proposal which shall include the following:
a. A five-year summary of program enrollments (number of majors and number of graduates), course section enrollments, number of full-time faculty equivalents associated with the program, and budgets.
b. The specific rationale for the elimination of the program including an indication of the campus process used to reach the recommendation.
c. The relationship of the program elimination to the campus mission and to other programs on the campus.
d. A plan for the retrenchment or reassignment of faculty.
e. The impact of the program elimination on students.
f. A timetable for the program elimination.
g. The input obtained from meeting and discussion with the Associated Faculties of the University of Maine System prior to completion of the proposal.
- Campus submittal of the Program Elimination Proposal to the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs. The Vice Chancellor will make copies of the Program Elimination Proposal available to the President and Chief Academic Officer of each campus for their information.
- Program Elimination Proposals submitted to the University of Maine System Chief Academic Officers, who will review all proposals and decide upon one of the following three actions:
a. Program Elimination Proposal accepted.
b. Program Elimination Proposal returned with request for additional information.
c. Program Elimination Proposal rejected with rationale to substantiate decision. - The Chief Academic Officers’ recommendation to the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, who will in turn make his/her recommendation concerning the Program Elimination Proposal to the Chancellor.
- The Chancellor’s recommendation of the Program Elimination Proposal to the Board of Trustees for its review and final approval.