External Review & Site Visit

Nomination of External Reviewer(s)

All new programs are subject to external review. Review documentation is shared in advance of a 1-day site visit. In the case of undergraduate degree programs, a desk audit may replace the site visit if the external reviewer is agreeable. Applicable Dean with the Working Group will submit a completed form of suitable external reviewers using the template provided. Nominations should be submitted in a timely manner to allow for the confirmation of reviewer(s) and to facilitate the scheduling of a timely date for a site visit. The form should clearly identify the fields of expertise for each potential reviewer, if applicable.

• Nomination of External Reviewers – Template (.docx)

The Office of the Provost will contact the reviewer(s) and programs, and make arrangements with respect to sharing documentation and scheduling a site visit. For Joint Programs with another University, the institutions will work collaboratively to rank and invite reviewers.

Criteria and Qualifications of Reviewers

Suitable external reviewers will be:

• Associate or Full Professors
• Experience in developing, assessing and/or managing degree programs at the university level
• Be active experts in the relevant disciplinary or interdisciplinary fields
• For Graduate Programs – have experience with graduate teaching and supervision
• For Graduate Programs – have combined professional experience to cover the majority of identified fields

Arm’s Length

External members must be at ‘arm’s length’ from those associated with the development of the proposal for a new degree program. To avoid conflict of interest and the appearance of conflict of interest, reviewers will not:

• Be a close friend or relative or a member of the Working Group or of someone with whom the Working Group as consulted;
• Have been a supervisor within the past ten years of a member of any academic unit involved in the development of the proposal;
• have been a regular or repeated external examiner of students in any academic unit involved in the development of the proposal;
• Have collaborated (ie significantly contributed to intellectual work with another) within the past ten years with a member of any academic unit involved in the development of the proposal, or have plans to collaborate with a member in the immediate future;
• Have been an instructor or a visiting scholar within the past ten years in any academic unit involved in the development of the proposal;
• Have been a student within the past ten years in any academic unit involved in the development of the proposal; or
• Have received an undergraduate or a graduate degree from Trent.

Site Visit Schedule

• The Office of the Provost will confirm reviewers, book accommodation and assist with travel plans.
• The academic unit that will be housing the new degree program will be responsible for the site visit schedule.
• Sample Schedules are available upon request.
• Reviewers will meet with the Provost, Dean(s), Chair or Director, Working Group, relevant faculty and students if applicable.
• A tour of facilities should be included if relevant.

Expenses

• The Office of Provost is responsible for all reasonable expenses related to the site visit.
• Academic Units should charge all expenses to their own accounts and submit all expenses directly to the Office of Finance. An email should be submitted to the Office of the Provost, itemizing all expenses with a total to be transferred into their account. No receipts are necessary.
• All expenses should be economical in choice.