José F. Méndez Dr.hc

Vice Presidency of Planningand Academic AffairsA system-wide focus onacademic qualityJorge Crespo-Armáiz, Ph.D.In advancing the level of academic excellence, theVice Presidency for Planning and Academic Affairsexercises two major functions: positioning AGMUSas a path-breaking higher education institution, andconceptualizing the infrastructure to achieve thatgoal. In planning and developing academic programs,AGMUS leads the way in promoting both teaching andresearch, with an entrepreneurial spirit and aglobalperspective, playing an important role in fostering thesocial and economic development of Puerto Rico.During 2009-2010, the Vice presidency ofAcademic Affairs developed and implemented systemwidepolicies to strengthen academics at the threeuniversities and 13 university centers in Puerto Rico.For the first time, Universidad Metropolitana (UMET),Universidad del Turabo (UT) and Universidad del Este(UNE) established a comprehensive model and a fiveyearcalendar for evaluating program offerings – fromthe certificate to the doctorate levels. Starting in 2010-2011, and continuing through 2014-2015, this calendarsets a schedule for assessing some 160 programs. Inaddition to a formal evaluation, the five-year calendarcalls for the institutions to assess the feasibility of theiracademic programs as well as their expected qualitylevel.In addition to the evaluation of existing academicofferings, a five-year plan of potential new programs,was prepared for each of the three universities, basedon a revision and updating of the academic goals andprojections included in AGMUS’ strategic guidelines.These two academic planning instruments will beused by each institution’s office of assessment, withthe support of the institutional planners, in order toscrutinize the programs and reinforce academic qualityat the universities.To promote institutional commitment, as well as itsteaching quality, a new policy and procedure was putin place to evaluate and certify part-time professors.AGMUS has experienced extraordinary growth in thepast decade, particularly in non-traditional studentsegments and in its off-campus centers, which tendto hire more part-time resources. At this momentthe three universities have between 380 and 400regular, tenured faculty and more than 2,500 part-time28