Planning & Logistics
Selecting External Reviewers
You will work in concert with your Dean to identify an external review team, typically 2-3 individuals. It is helpful to consider the special topics your department wants to address when selecting the visitors. These individuals should be from institutions at the level of UMass Lowell's aspirant peers or peers. Ideally, reviewers should have some administrative experience as chairs or administrators. Disciplinary organizations may be a good source for potential reviewers. Reviewers should be at arm's length from any faculty or programs in the department.
Creating a Schedule for the Visit
The department should craft a clear, manageable, and detailed schedule for the time that the visitors will be on campus. Typically, the visit lasts two full days, with visitors arriving on the evening prior to the first day, and departing in the late afternoon on the second day.
You will need to work with the Provost's assistant to schedule a welcome meeting (the first meeting on day one) and an exit meeting (the last meeting on day two).
Visitors are typically given the opportunity to meet with groups of students and faculty in the department on their own. Departments should invite the visiting chair to request additional meetings with particular groups, as dictated by your review's special focus.
The department will need to provide visitors with a space for the team to meet in private, transportation from the ICC to campus and around campus, and meals during the day.
Please see additional notes on the Suggested Schedule (pdf).
Travel, Accommodation, and Stipends for Visitors
The department is responsible for arranging the travel, accommodation, and stipends for the visitors, though these costs are handled by the Provost's Office. Visitors will typically need to be created as vendors before they can be paid their stipend or reimbursed for their related expenses. Please ensure that you have the necessary information to complete that step as well as the necessary receipts from the visitors. For information on reimbursement procedures for AQAD site visit-related expenses, please contact Karen Morin, Director, Academic Budgets by email to Karen_Morin@uml.edu or by phone at (978)-934-2537.