Academic Portfolio and Program Review (APPR)
Academic excellence and innovation for today and tomorrow’s students
Penn State is engaging in a University-wide academic portfolio and program review (APPR) of all undergraduate and graduate programs across our campuses beginning in 2024.
By evaluating the current University academic portfolio, Penn State will be poised to align offerings across locations with student and market demand, create stable enrollments, foster strategic growth, and connect academic offerings with the University’s mission and goals.
This effort will be a fluid process, and plans will evolve based on learnings and feedback. Check back regularly as this website will continue to be updated as this process moves forward.
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Last updated: 03/06/2025
APPR Reports
Workstream #1 Report for Project 1— Bachelor’s and Associate’s Degree Portfolio Review is now available. Access more information about the report and supplementary materials on the APPR Report 1 page.
Workstream #2 Report—Pennsylvania Workforce Development Assessment information is available on the APPR Report 2 page.
Goals
Penn State will emerge as the top land grant university for academic innovation. Our goal is to build on our strengths as a University and to remain a student-centric institution with a comprehensive and cohesive academic portfolio that meets our educational mission sustainably and aligns with students’ preferences, societal and workforce needs, and Penn State’s research strengths and priorities. Our work will focus on:
The APPR team will meet goals by achieving outcomes and operating in accordance with their guiding principles. Read more about outcomes and guiding principles.
Structure and Roles
Academic leaders, faculty, staff, and students will be partners in the APPR effort, serving as members of the steering committee and project work teams, and through opportunities to provide guidance and input.
Role of External Consultant in APPR
Penn State is engaging with an external consultant, Hanover Research group, to offer guidance and recommendations throughout the process. Hanover will not have decision-making responsibilities. Their role will be to:
- Provide expertise and bandwidth to objectively and efficiently deliver the review processes
- Provide market data and peer benchmarking
- Support the development of measurements and metrics to assess existing (including newly started) and future programs
- Take a University-wide approach to assessing current and future offerings to maximize Penn State’s impact and mission
Work with Hanover began in October 2024, the result of an extensive RFP process that took place summer 2024. The APPR RFP Selection work team, in consultation with representatives from the Graduate Council, University Faculty Senate, and University Staff Advisory Council, recommended Hanover Research group. They are a research firm with experience in higher education research and data collection and analysis, including work on portfolio and program review projects.
Workstreams
In October 2024, the APPR tri-chairs created a new Workstreams group to help map out priority projects, or “workstreams,” with Hanover. Each workstream, of which there will be many, is identified as a priority research project for Hanover to gather data with Penn State.
The research process is fluid: As data is collected, assessed and measured, metrics established, and reports created, information will be analyzed for immediate use and new workstreams will be launched as necessary.
The topics for the first four workstreams have been identified*:
Project 1 – Bachelor’s and Associate’s Degree Portfolio Review
- Reviews all bachelor’s and associate’s degrees across Penn State for student interest and employment alignment
- Classifies each program degree into one of the following categories:
- High Growth
- Emerging
- Established
- Low Growth
- Insufficient Data
- Uses multiple data sources to holistically evaluate degrees
- Evaluation is done at the state and regional level (region is PA, NY, NJ, MD, DC, and DE, which conforms to current IPEDS data)
- Provides a starting point for more in-depth research questions
Deliverable: Hanover will deliver a broad portfolio overview which will include classification of each program into one of the following categories: High Growth, Emerging, Established, Low Growth, and Insufficient Data.
Timeline: Report expected before the end of the Fall semester.
Project 2 – State Labor Assessment
- Evaluates current and likely future employment needs across the state of Pennsylvania
- Breaks down employment at the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) level and the county level (as data permits)
- Identifies likely competitors for programming
- Provides information on where employment/credential gaps are likely to exist at a level of detail useful for program planning across the Commonwealth campuses
Deliverable: Hanover will deliver a broad portfolio overview which will include classification of each program into one of the following categories: High Growth, Emerging, Established, Low Growth, and Insufficient Data.
Timeline: Report expected before the end of the Fall semester.
Project 3 – Campus and College Programming and Employment Alignment Dashboard
- Identifies where program overlaps exist between campus and colleges
- Identified where program gaps exist based on local employment needs and opportunities.
- Provides a filterable dashboard based on Penn State’s campus and college-level program data supplemented with employment data from Hanover’s proprietary data sets.
Deliverable: Hanover will deliver a Power BI dashboard (hosted on Hanover Digital).
Timeline: Hanover will deliver the report and data supplement in approximately ten weeks once the data set is received.
- Literature review of scholarly and institutional sources from the last 5–7 years to answer the research questions listed below
- Review Penn State peers and competitors using publicly available data regarding their program review process
- What are the different approaches to program review being leveraged by peer and competitor institutions (e.g. centralized versus decentralized, internal resources versus third-party vendor support)?
- What are the other institutions using as criteria for their own programs reviews (e.g., student conferral volume, local employment needs, national trends)?
- How frequently are other systems reviewing their portfolios?
Deliverable: Hanover will deliver a narrative report with citations.
Timeline: Full report expected by April 2025; interim reports during Spring Semester.*Disclaimer: These are high-level overviews of the initial workstreams. This is a fluid process and the APPR leadership team understands there may be questions.
Participation in the Insight Sessions is encouraged to ask questions about the workstreams and engage with the APPR team. Questions can also be emailed to appr@psu.edu.
APPR Work Teams, Representatives, and Structures
The APPR work teams are comprised of faculty, staff, and students who are using their expertise to support the APPR project. The work teams were formed from the close to 500 nominations/self-nominations that were submitted for the project teams in spring 2024. Read more about the APPR work teams, their team charges, and membership.
APPR Process Progression and Draft Timeline
Committee and Team Membership
Faculty, staff, students, and administrators from across Penn State are participating in the APPR project. This page lists the members of the APPR groups, including the steering committee, the leads of the work teams, the project tri-chairs, executive sponsors, project support team, auditors, and former members.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will make decisions about academic portfolio and program changes?
President Bendapudi has clarified that Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Tracy Langkilde, as Penn State’s chief academic officer, and the future permanent provost will determine the best path forward after meaningfully collaborating with three key groups: 1) the deans and chancellors of the academic units across Penn State, 2) the APPR initiative members, and 3) the University Faculty Senate and the Graduate Council.
The external partner that Penn State hires to assist with the APPR project will not possess any decision-making responsibility or authority.
Why did the APPR name change?
The APPR steering committee decided to change the name of the project from “Academic Program and Portfolio Review” to Academic Portfolio and Program Review” in April 2024 in response to feedback from the stakeholders, faculty, and staff who were concerned the project was an effort by a third-party to assess the quality of Penn State’s academic programs and to potentially eliminate programs. The emphasis on ‘portfolio’ reflects the focus on comprehensive and cohesive assessment of the academic portfolio University-wide, with the goal of best positioning Penn State for success in the future.
Is the administration expecting the APPR initiative to solve the budget challenges?
No. The APPR project process and the budget process are independent. Penn State’s leadership team (at campuses, colleges, administrative units) is not waiting on the results of the APPR process to decide how to move forward in addressing their budgets.
Budget planning is happening now, and changes are being made based on current information at the University. While the data gathered from APPR will help inform future decision-making, the administration is not looking at APPR as a budget initiative. Rather, this is an attempt to make sure students are best served across the institution.
The APPR is a process that Penn State would (and should) be engaged in regardless of the budget. At most institutions, there is a regular program review process that occurs periodically. The APPR initiative creates an opportunity to restart this important process at Penn State. In addition, a regular portfolio review helps the University stay connected to the marketplace of students that Penn State aims to recruit and serve. One of the goals of the APPR initiative is to develop a fluid process for the future, to undertake a review approximately every 7–10 years, similar to the process undertaken by peer institutions.
Is the APPR an attempt to eliminate small programs, humanities, and the arts?
No. The humanities and the arts are a critical part of Penn State and that will not change. Similarly, Penn State offers many small programs that are incredibly successful, highly ranked, and in demand. Being small is not an indicator of being unsuccessful.
The goal of APPR is to build on Penn State’s strengths and to analyze the comprehensive and cohesive academic portfolio to make sure it meets the University’s educational mission sustainably and aligns with students’ preferences, societal and workforce needs, and Penn State’s research strengths and priorities. This is a process to help leadership understand the current reality, so Penn State is best positioned to succeed in the future.
What are the implications for the campuses? Is the goal to get rid of programs entirely at certain campuses?
There are no predetermined outcomes set for the APPR initiative. The analysis will help determine the right degree portfolio by location and provide the data and rationale for more flexibility across offerings. Information will be used to help coordinate programs across the state, meet student needs, and invest strategically in high-demand areas and programs.
The outcomes will likely include recommendations to leave programs unimpacted, create new programs, make changes to existing programs, and to eliminate some programs, among other options. The APPR process will help provide information that results in an understanding of the best offerings for each location.
Is APPR connected to re-imagining the future state of the campuses?
The projects are independent, but APPR will happen in parallel with the ongoing work at the Commonwealth Campuses to plan for the future. The APPR steering committee expects that data and recommendations from the ongoing work of the APPR teams will be shared in real-time with chancellors and deans to help with planning efforts.
Is there an updated timeline and what are the next steps?
In spring 2024, close to 500 nominations/self-nominations were submitted for the project teams. Based on this information, the steering committee is finalizing the project teams that will start working on various aspects of process, data needs and collection, communication, and engagement. One of the groups will be selecting an external partner who will assist in gathering data and identifying opportunities and important factors to consider when making decisions.
The APPR team sent out the RFP at the beginning of May and is beginning the process of selecting an external partner, which typically takes approximately 60 days. The partner will be named this summer. The team anticipates the partner will begin work by the end of July, data collection will take place through the fall, recommendations from the partner will be submitted by the end of fall semester, and validation/decision making will begin at Penn State in spring semester 2025. This is a high-level schedule and is subject to change by the APPR group or leadership team. Any changes will be shared with the Penn State community.
What is the structure of the APPR group?
Under Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Tracy Langkilde’s leadership, the APPR group structure has been refined to operate most efficiently and effectively. Langkilde and Margo DelliCarpini, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses and executive chancellor, are the executive sponsors of the initiative. Renata Engel, vice provost for online education, and Elizabeth Wright, chancellor and chief academic officer of Penn State Hazleton, are serving as project co-chairs and will lead the APPR process. The APPR steering committee, comprised of faculty and staff from across Penn State campuses, colleges, and administrative units and includes University Faculty Senate leadership, Graduate Council leadership, student leadership, and staff representation, will act as an advisory committee to the whole process. Co-leads of the five work teams developed by APPR will bring updates, questions, and recommendations from their individual teams’ work to the steering committee and leadership team for decision-making. Co-leads of the work teams are building out their work teams now.
What is the timeline for the RFP and work with the external partner? When will information be shared?
The APPR team sent out the RFP at the beginning of May and is beginning the process of selecting an external partner, which typically takes approximately 60 days. The partner will be named this summer. The team anticipates the partner will begin work by the end of July, data collection will take place through the fall, recommendations from the partner will be submitted by the end of fall semester, and validation/decision making will begin at Penn State in spring semester 2025. This is a high-level schedule and is subject to change by the APPR group or leadership team. Any changes will be shared with the Penn State community.
The process will be fluid and information shared out in real-time for colleges, campuses, and administrative units to use for planning purposes. As noted, the APPR project is happening in parallel to other Penn State work, such as the ongoing work at Commonwealth Campuses to plan for the future.
When will the external partner be named?
The APPR team sent out the RFP at the beginning of May and is beginning the process of selecting an external partner, which typically takes approximately 60 days. The partner will be named this summer, and the team anticipates the external partner will begin work by the end of July.
What is the role of the external partner?
The external partner will work with the APPR teams to conduct data gathering to aid in strategic decision making, conduct the portfolio review with suggestions for further analysis, and produce a suggested on-going academic program and portfolio review process. They will leverage their expertise in data collection and academic portfolio reviews in conducting the analysis. The partner will make recommendations to Penn State based on a thoughtful analysis, but they will not make decisions.
The external partner will not have any decision-making responsibility or authority.
What impact will the Academic Portfolio and Program Review (APPR) now underway have on the budget for fiscal year 2025-26?
The APPR is about realigning our programs based on student and workforce needs and is not directly tied to the 2025-26 budget. The University is looking at the APPR not as a budget initiative but rather as a way to make sure Penn State is doing its very best to serve students, provide high-quality programs, and be innovative to meet their needs. The goal of the initiative is to set Penn State up for the future and is a practice every university should do on a regular basis.
Insight Sessions
Insight Sessions are an opportunity for the APPR leadership team to provide regular updates and engage the Penn State community in the APPR project. Each session will include time for participants to ask questions and provide feedback to APPR leaders. All members of the Penn State community are invited to attend.
Next session: Thursday, March 27, from noon to 1:30 p.m., on Teams.
Spring 2025 Schedule:
Thursday, March 27, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 24, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 29, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Insight Sessions will be recorded; link here for meeting recordings.
Newsletter
Sign up for our monthly newsletter to receive updates on the APPR initiative. Read past issues here.
Contact
We want to hear from you – community input will be a critical part of this process. Please send questions and ideas to the APPR team at appr@psu.edu.