1. How Can Benchmarks Best Be Used to Judge Program Quality?
Tom Valentine
Faculty-in-Residence
Graduate School, UGA

2. On the Horizon
Developing a formal benchmarking system is beyond the scope of this project
But national data on doctoral completion will be widely released
Adaptation for the purpose of program evaluation is easily accomplished

3. Faculty Input Essential
Now is the perfect time for input—before formal benchmarking systems are designed and implemented by our universities.
In this session, we hope to get your best ideas and include them in our final project report.

4. Faculty Input Essential
The overarching question for today is:
If your university were to implement a benchmarking system, what would you want it to look like?

5. Project data Available on the website Two measures ID: CGS PW: (g$
% completion
Time-to-degree

6. How Might Benchmarking Work?
Select indicators
Collect data
Draw conclusions about program quality by comparing programs against one another

7. The Simplest Comparison Uses Ranks
Program
Rate
Rank A
72.7 1 B
66.7 2 C
59.4 3 D
55.6 4 E
43.8 5 F
37.5 6 G
33.3 7

8. Other Comparisons Might Use Ranges
Ranked in the top 25% of programs
Ranked between 26% and 50%
Ranked between 51% and 75%
Ranked in the bottom 25% of programs

9. A Rubric Might Be Applied
Excellent (top 25% of programs)
Good (26% and 50%)
Fair (51% and 75%)
Poor (bottom 25% of programs)

10. To What Purpose Might Such Frameworks Be Put?
In routine program reviews
For allocation of funds
For purposes of strategic planning

11. So now is your chance
Please work diligently in your small groups to give us your best wisdom.
Let your voices be heard in the spirit of faculty self-governance!