Using the External Program Review as a Lever for Change

Many of our colleges and universities use the External Program Review (EPR) as an independent assessment of overall quality. These reviews typically take place every five to 10 years, with 10 to 20 percent of the departments participating annually in order to evenly spread the costs and administrative burdens. Aside from the accountability function of EPRs, they can also be done to address issues of chronic underperformance by a department, to assess unit readiness for a new initiative, and to resolve impasses among faculty members or between faculty and administration.