Authorities/Governance

Western’s Senate holds the ultimate authority with respect to ensuring the quality of all academic programs. Senate Committee on Academic Curriculum and Awards (ACA) and its two subcommittees, the ACA Subcommittee on Program Review – Undergraduate (SUPR-U) and the ACA Subcommittee on Program Review – Graduate (SUPR-G), undertake the program reviews on Senate’s behalf and bring all program recommendations to Senate for ultimate consideration and/or approval.

The Provost and Vice-President (Academic), along with the Vice-Provost (Academic Programs) [VP (AP)] and the Vice-Provost (Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies) [VP (SGPS)], have oversight of the undergraduate and graduate quality assurance processes. The Provost, VP (AP) and VP (SGPS) are supported by the Office of Academic Quality and Enhancement (OAQE), which monitors all aspects of the program review process at Western and provides advice regarding compliance to, and effectiveness of, quality assurance processes and supports, and ensures public accountability of the review outcomes. With a focus on institutional governance, the University Secretariat monitors and supports approval processes for program reviews.

Beyond the various administrating groups and units listed above, the principal stakeholders of all quality assurance processes are the faculty members, staff and students within the programs under review, seeking modifications, or being created. Self-studies and program proposals/ modifications that are part of the quality assurance processes are faculty-driven; however, they must include relevant student participation in quality assurance activities such that student perspectives inform the development, revision, and review of programs. Other key informants and collaborators in the development of self-studies and program proposals include:  

  • the Office of Institutional Planning and Budgeting 
  • the Office of the Registrar 
  • Western Libraries 
  • the Centre for Teaching and Learning 
  • the Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion 
  •  the Office of Indigenous Initiatives 
  • Western alumni 
  • Employers of Western graduates 
  • Industry and community leaders

Western’s IQAP and any subsequent revisions to this process are subject to the approval of Senate and the Quality Council.

It should be noted that documentation related to the IQAP processes are confidential (e.g., the program self-study, external reviewers’ report, the program and faculty responses). The only public document is the Final Assessment Report (FAR) which summarizes all components of the review process. The FARs for each of Western’s approved program reviews are located here. The storage of all review documentation and related data is held on password-protected servers and computers within the OAQE and SGPS.