PRESIDENT’S PRESIDENT’S Campus forumCampus forum

November 9, 2010November 9, 2010

Dr. Shirley Wagner and Dr. Paul Weizer

NEASC Self Study Co-Chairs

Key Elements of the Self Study Process

Demystifying NEASC

What you’ll hear at this session

1. The basics of accreditation: How does it work?

2. Changes to Process and Current Issues

3. Areas of Emphasis from our Last Review

4. How can you get involved?

How does it work? What

are the basics of

accreditation?

Accreditation = Standards + Mission

+Standards of higher education community

Mission of the

institution

evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence

Accreditation fulfills 2 functions1. Quality improvement: private

function

The accreditation process helps the institution improve

2. Quality assurance: public function

Does the institution deserve the public trust?

An articulation by the higher education community of what a

college or university must do in order to deserve the public trust

A framework for institutional development and self-evaluation

What are the standards for accreditation?

An articulation by the higher education community of what a

college or university must do in order to deserve the public trust

A framework for institutional development and self-evaluation

What are the standards for accreditation?

Quality assurance

Quality improveme

nt

candor candor candor candor candor candor candor candor

Development of Accreditation in the U.S.Input Are there enough books in the library?

Are the faculty well qualified?

Is the curriculum appropriate?

…………………………………….

………………………………………..

Development of Accreditation in the U.S.Input Process

Are there enough books in the library?

Are students using the books?

Are the faculty well qualified?

Is the curriculum appropriate?

Is there good instructional practice?

Do students get practice and feedback?

…………………………………….

………………………………………..

Development of Accreditation in the U.S.Input Process OutcomeAre there enough books in the library?

Are students using the books?

Are students gaining skills of information literacy?

Are the faculty well qualified?

Is the curriculum appropriate?

Is there good instructional practice?

Do students get practice and feedback?

Are students achieving the learning outcomes of the program and institution?

…………………………………….

………………………………………..

Mission-driven Standards1. Mission and Purposes

2. Planning and Evaluation3. Organization and Governance4. The Academic Program5. Faculty6. Students7. Library and Other Information

Resources8. Physical and Technological

Resources9. Financial Resources10.Public Disclosure11.Integrity

Institutional Self-Study

Product: The Self-Study Report: 100 pages plus forms

Process: Studying the institution against the standards

• How do we meet the standards?• How well do we meet the

standards?• What are our plans for

improvement?

• Strengthen the culture of inquiry• Using evidence• Community reflecting together

3-PART FORMAT

DESCRIPTIONDESCRIPTION: : what do we dowhat do we do??Succinct!Succinct!

APPRAISALAPPRAISAL: : how well do we do ithow well do we do it??Analysis of strengths, concernsAnalysis of strengths, concerns

PROJECTIONPROJECTION: : what do we commit to dowhat do we commit to do??Specific plans to address challengesSpecific plans to address challenges

What is new this review cycle?

Data First FormsA series of forms (at least one for each Standard)

designed to allow you to report key institutional data. Many forms ask you to report trends over time.

New!

A few examples …Std 3: Off-campus locations, distance educationStd 4: Enrollment at all levels & locationsStd 5: Faculty salaries & assignmentsStd 6: Admissions, student debtStd 7: Library collections, personnel, instruction, useStd 10: Public disclosure

.

What is Data First? – The name says it all!What is Data First? – The name says it all!

Each section will begin with a statement of data bringing focus to the report.

What do we have? What’s missing? Will be distributed to committees for their

use as they work on their chapters.

“You can see a lot just by looking.” Yogi Berra

ANALYZE THE EVIDENCEANALYZE THE EVIDENCEWHAT STORY DOES THE DATA TELL?

Not just numbers, but Not just numbers, but how you interpret themhow you interpret them

Not just what you did, but what you Not just what you did, but what you learned from what learned from what you didyou did

How you How you usedused findings to improve (CLOSING THE LOOP) findings to improve (CLOSING THE LOOP)

Process – what we DIDProcess – what we DID Ex: administered survey Ex: administered survey

Findings – what we LEARNEDFindings – what we LEARNED Ex: faculty and student concerns about advising Ex: faculty and student concerns about advising

Results – what we CHANGEDResults – what we CHANGED Ex: new student orientation, recognition for advisorsEx: new student orientation, recognition for advisors

Evidence Analysis“There are 754,700 volumes in the library.”

“This is a 20% increase in 5 years and puts us at the median of our peers.”

“A syllabus study shows that students in 65% of their classes have assignments that require them to use information resources.”

“It was not clear that students are expected to use increasingly sophisticated sources of information.”

EVIDENCE & EVIDENCE & ANALYSISANALYSIS

GOOD EVIDENCE IS …GOOD EVIDENCE IS …Intentional, purposefulIntentional, purposeful

Addresses relevant, useful questions Addresses relevant, useful questions Part of ongoing dialogue, cumulativePart of ongoing dialogue, cumulative

Interpreted Interpreted Numbers don’t stand alone Numbers don’t stand alone What do you make of what you What do you make of what you

see?see? Integrated, holisticIntegrated, holistic Not just “data dump”Not just “data dump” Shows that data is Shows that data is usedused

• Advising supports students with special needs.

• Faculty use effective teaching styles and techniques.

• Our campus supports people of diverse backgrounds.

• The institution ensures the integrity of its finances.

Evidence answers Evidence answers ““How Do You How Do You Know?Know?””

How do you know??

EMPHASIZE EMPHASIZE ANALYSIS AND PLANNINGANALYSIS AND PLANNING

DESCRIPTION, APPRAISAL, PROJECTION

not Description, Appraisal, Projection

APPRAISAL = APPRAISAL = analysis analysis What are our strengths?What are our strengths?

Where do we need to improve?Where do we need to improve?

EvidenceEvidence How do we know …?How do we know …? What story do our numbers tell?What story do our numbers tell? What are our trends? What are our trends? How do we compare to our peer institutions?How do we compare to our peer institutions?

Reflecting on Reflecting on learninglearning = institutional effectiveness = institutional effectiveness Why do we do it this way?Why do we do it this way? What have we experimented with?What have we experimented with? What surprises have occurred?What surprises have occurred? What did we learn the last time we tried XXX?What did we learn the last time we tried XXX?

Candor demonstrates institutional strength, Candor demonstrates institutional strength, credibilitycredibility

PROJECTION = PROJECTION = planningplanning Relates directly to Appraisal sectionRelates directly to Appraisal section Institutional Institutional commitments tocommitments to

Maintain strengthsMaintain strengthsAddress areas identified for Address areas identified for

improvementimprovement Planned follow-up from self-studyPlanned follow-up from self-study Your “To-Do List”Your “To-Do List”

Areas of Emphasis from our Last Review

Issues Raised Ten Years Ago

1. Engaging in institutional planning that is systematic, broad-based and participatory

2. The continued development of a governance system that supports the accomplishment of the institution’s mission and purpose

3. Continued development of the Leadership College emphasis

4. Using the results of assessment of student learning for improvement

5. Systematically strengthening the systems of academic advising for students

What Have We Done Since?• Five Year Report was submitted in

2007• The Report analyzed how each of

the five cited areas of emphasis in the 2002 report have been addressed.

• The Report identified goals for the future which must now be evaluated.

• We are in much better shape today than we were during our last review. Most of the concerns identified ten years ago are no longer serious issues for us.

Future Plans from our 2007 Five Year Report• Review of the college mission, goals, and objectives

• Continuation of the strategic planning process

• Development of a comprehensive academic plan and continuation of the program review process

• Implementation of the newly approved Liberal Arts and Sciences core requirements

• Further development of the culture of assessment, including annual analyses of the data

• Annual audits; a capital campaign; the construction of new campus facilities and improvement of existing physical and technological resources

• Regular review of the college web site for accuracy

How can you help with the accreditation

process?

How can you help with the accreditation process?

• Get Involved! This process can only work if it is broad based and inclusive.

• Provide thoughts and feedback via:• The subcommittees• The NEASC web site and email

address• Talk to your colleagues and

remain engaged.

THE VISITTHE VISIT THE VISITING TEAM WILL BE ON THE VISITING TEAM WILL BE ON

CAMPUS MARCH 4 -7, 2012!!!!CAMPUS MARCH 4 -7, 2012!!!! THEY WILL MEET WITH GROUPS OF THEY WILL MEET WITH GROUPS OF

FACULTY, STUDENTS AND STAFF.FACULTY, STUDENTS AND STAFF. THEY WILL WANT TO KNOW WHETHER THEY WILL WANT TO KNOW WHETHER

WE FULFILL OUR MISSION.WE FULFILL OUR MISSION. THEY WILL WANT TO KNOW THAT THE THEY WILL WANT TO KNOW THAT THE

SELF-STUDY REFLECTS WHAT THEY SELF-STUDY REFLECTS WHAT THEY SEE ON-CAMPUS.SEE ON-CAMPUS.

Time for your comments and

questions.