Office of Institutional Effectiveness 5723 Middlebrook Pike, Suite 218, Knoxville, TN 37921 865-974-6964 IEDept@utk.edu ie.utk.edu March 14, 2025 Dr. Kevin Sightler Substantive Change Office SACS Commission on Colleges 1866 Southern Lane Decatur, GA 30033 Re: SC029100 – New Program Approval – Graduate Certificate in Policy Analytics – Request for Additional Information Dear Kevin, Please see requested information regarding the graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program. 1. Clarify whether the program requires approval by an institutional governing board (e.g., Board of Trustees). If so, provide documentation of any approval required. If not, provide the final internal approval required. Graduate certificate programs do not require the approval of an institutional governing board. The graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program was approved following the institution’s curricular procedures, including review and approval by the faculty in the Baker School for Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School), and submission to the institution’s graduate curriculum committee, Graduate Council, and Faculty Senate for review and approval. Minutes from the Faculty Senate meeting reflecting final internal approval are provided in Appendix A. 2. Provide the methods/measurements by which student learning outcomes will be assessed, such as exams, projects, etc. The learning objectives for the graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program have been further refined since the initial submission for program approval. The refined learning objectives, as well as the assessment plan for the program, can be found in Appendix B. 3. Provide the person(s) who will provide administrative oversight of the certificate. Provide the upward reporting structure of the administrative oversight person(s) and their duties/responsibilities. • Xuhong Su, Director of Graduate Studies, Baker School • Zoe Webb, Graduate Student Coordinator, Baker School • John Scheb, Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Baker School • Marianne Wanamaker, Dean, Baker School Dr. Kevin Sightler SC029100 March 14, 2025 Faculty teaching the courses for the graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program will meet periodically with the Director of Graduate Studies (Xuhong Su), who is responsible for program development and curriculum management, and Graduate Student Coordinator (Zoe Webb), who will be responsible for relevant data collection. The Director of Graduate Studies reports up to the Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (John Scheb). The Interim Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will ensure the Dean of the Baker School (Marianne Wanamaker) is kept informed and updated on topics concerning the graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program. 4. The Graduate Certificate in Policy Analytics is currently listed in the Academic Catalog. There is no indication on the webpage that this program has not yet been approved by SACSCOC. Is the program currently accepting students and in operation? The graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program is not currently accepting students. The graduate certificate in National Security program is not currently accepting students. The program was included in the catalog erroniously and now has the required language “Pending SACSCOC approval.” The program is listed on the Baker School website with the following caveat: The Baker School’s Graduate Certificates will be available as add-on for currently enrolled students and stand-alone credentials for students at other institutions or who already have a degree, pending SACSCOC approval. 5. Provide a revised faculty roster, including: a. Status (FT or PT) for each faculty member on the faculty roster, including the to- be-hired position. b. Qualifications required for the to-be-hired faculty position. c. In the top heading, the applicable academic terms (e.g., Spring 2025). A revised faculty roster for the graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program, including faculty member status, qualifications required for to-be-hired positions, and the applicable academic terms, can be found in Appendix C. 6. Provide a description of physical resources that will support the online program, such as faculty offices/spaces/equipment and program-specific software. The graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program will be offered as an in-person program in the Baker School for Public Policy and Public Affairs. All physical facilities, equipment, and services that are needed for the graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program are already in place. The Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs has more than 52,000 square feet of space on three floors that includes a 140-seat auditorium and 3-story rotunda for public events, classrooms, state-of-the-art archives storage and research areas, an interactive museum, a boardroom, and the administrative spaces necessary for the Baker School’s operations. The building also houses the Institute of American Civics and two research centers: the Center for Dr. Kevin Sightler SC029100 March 14, 2025 Energy, Transportation, and Environmental Policy and the Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs. The building is currently undergoing construction to add two classrooms – one seating 52 students and one seating 25 students. Twenty-eight office spaces are also being added. All faculty members have a private office space, averaging 169 square feet in size. In the Baker School, rooms 118 (~ 842 square feet), 204 (~ 679 square feet), and 205 (~ 683 square feet) will be utilized for instruction. All classrooms are equipped with smartboards, projectors, video players, and interfaces for instructors’ laptops. No program specific software is required to implement the graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program. Faculty will utilize Canvas, the institution’s learning management system (LMS). Students who are actively enrolled at UT Knoxville have access to Canvas and log in using their institutionally issued NetID. 7. Provide a description of instructional technology available in classrooms, such as smartboards, etc. Classrooms utilized in the Baker School for the graduate certificate in Policy Analytics program have smartboards, projectors, video players with an audio source, and interfaces for instructors’ laptops. 8. Provide pro-rated faculty and staff salaries for the certificate budget. Pro-rated faculty and staff salaries for the graduate certificate in Nuclear Security program can be found in Appendix D. Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Heather Hartman SACSCOC Liaison