Administrative Program Review

institutional research, planning & assessment

Devlin Red Door

Administrative Program Review (APR) was launched in 2006 as part of BC's Strategic Plan and the University's commitment to continuous improvement and Ever to Excel.

APR is a set of activities designed to help managers and employees examine their department's current operations, make adjustments, and establish plans for continuous improvement.

Mission

To foster among the University's administrative departments a culture that values self-examination, quality improvement, strategic thinking, mission-aligned planning, and the continuous pursuit of excellence.

We accomplish this mission by designing and implementing a developmental process of ongoing program reviews that involve systematic assessment, planning, action, and improvement across the administrative departments at Boston College.

These activities include an internal self-assessment conducted by members of the department, a campus visit by peer experts from other leading universities, the implementation of an action plan for changes based on recommendations from the APR reviews, and ongoing monitoring and follow-up.

 Goals

  • Examine the department's mission and how it aligns with the University's Mission and Strategic Plan
  • Review current priorities, direction, services, and organizational efficiency
  • Identify customer needs and collect customer feedback
  • Validate strengths and identify opportunities for improvement
  • Gain insight from knowledgeable experts at peer institutions
  • Benchmark practices, services, and quality with those of other leading national universities
  • Develop action plans and performance measures to achieve high-quality performance results

Benefits

Main Components of an APR


Members of each department work together to complete the self-study of the department. Team members will receive training and support from the APR office.
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Subject matter experts in the relevant fields are invited to the department to conduct an external review and provide recommendations.
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Members of the department blend the findings and recommendations of the self-study and external review into a consolidated department report.
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Members of the department create and implement action plans and monitor on-going progress.

  • Established, clear priorities that link to university priorities
  • Improved short-range and long-range planning to reach those priorities
  • Participation and input from members regarding improvement
  • Integration of assessment methods into its operations for continual feedback
  • Improved levels of customer and employee satisfaction
  • Enhanced communication within the department
  • Support for managers and employees to develop and improve skills
  • Opportunities for increasing and supporting diversity
  • Broader understanding of university processes