Abstract
This article examines departmental review as a central instrument in outcomes assessment for higher education communication programs. Situating the practice within escalating legislative accreditation and board level accountability, it traces common anxieties that reviews may prompt program closure or reconfiguration. Through case analysis, this article identifies pitfalls arising from unclear objectives, partial data, and uneven participation, and then articulates two guiding principles: evaluation must rest on transparent standards and on evidence grounded in disciplinary knowledge. The discussion links evaluation criteria curriculum adequacy faculty quality resource allocation and graduate performance, with attention to external audiences who often misunderstand communication studies. Concluding guidelines outline characteristics of defensible departments, including integrative scholarship, engaged governance, theory practice balance, and strategic communication of academic value, positioning assessment as a constructive opportunity for continuous program improvement.
Recommended Citation
McBath, James H.
(1990)
"Use of Departmental Review as Part of the Assessment Process,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 72, Article 7.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol72/iss1/7
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