Preparing your Library for NEASC Accreditation NELINET Workshop March 20, 2009 Patricia O’Brien, NEASC-CIHE Gai Carpenter, Hampshire College

Topics for today’s workshop Overview of the accreditation process Heightened emphases in the Standards for Accreditation The Commission’s new data forms Preparing for the visit

Overview of the accreditation process

Heightened emphases in the Standards for Accreditation

The Commission’s new data forms

Preparing for the visit

a status granted to an educational institution or a program that has been found to meet or exceed stated criteria of educational quality voluntary non-governmental self-regulatory institutional or specialized Accreditation is

a status granted to an educational institution or a program that has been found to meet or exceed stated criteria of educational quality

voluntary

non-governmental

self-regulatory

institutional or specialized

Dual purposes of accreditation: “ public” and “private” Assure quality Foster improvement Accreditation certifies that an institution: Has appropriate purposes Has the resources needed to accomplish its purposes Demonstrates that it is accomplishing its purposes Has the ability continue to accomplish its purposes

Accreditation certifies that an institution:

Has appropriate purposes

Has the resources needed to accomplish its purposes

Demonstrates that it is accomplishing its purposes

Has the ability continue to accomplish its purposes

New England Middle States Southern North Central (Higher Learning Commission) North Western Western Six regional accrediting associations in the United States

New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education Accredits 245 colleges and universities in New England and six countries abroad 23 commissioners; 9 staff members; hundreds of volunteers Compact geography; wide institutional diversity; preponderance of independent institutions

Accredits 245 colleges and universities in New England and six countries abroad

23 commissioners; 9 staff members; hundreds of volunteers

Compact geography; wide institutional diversity; preponderance of independent institutions

Standards for Accreditation form the basis for the evaluation Mission and Purposes Planning and Evaluation Organization and Governance The Academic Program Faculty Students Library & Other Information Resources Physical Resources Financial Resources Public Disclosure Integrity Accreditation = Standards + Mission

Mission and Purposes

Planning and Evaluation

Organization and Governance

The Academic Program

Faculty

Students

Library & Other Information Resources

Physical Resources

Financial Resources

Public Disclosure

Integrity

Full self-study for re-accreditation every 10 years Interim report every 5 years Special reports and/or focused visits as recommended by Commission Annual report Substantive changes Accreditation is an “ongoing relationship” that involves periodic review of institutions:

Full self-study for re-accreditation every 10 years

Interim report every 5 years

Special reports and/or focused visits as recommended by Commission

Annual report

Substantive changes

Three part process: Self-study Site Visit Commission action

Three part process:

Self-study

Site Visit

Commission action

Process 18 – 24 months Steering Committee Widespread participation A candid evaluation of the institution Product About 100 pages One chapter for each standard Three-part analytic framework: description, appraisal, projection Data forms Step 1: Self Study … a process and a product

Process

18 – 24 months

Steering Committee

Widespread participation

A candid evaluation of the institution

Product

About 100 pages

One chapter for each standard

Three-part analytic framework: description, appraisal, projection

Data forms

Step 2: Site visit Sunday afternoon - Wednesday morning 6-10 team members, from peer institutions, knowledgeable about the Standards Meetings with administrators, faculty members, students, trustees, alumni Visits to branch campuses, as appropriate Document room Exit report

Step 2: Site visit

Sunday afternoon - Wednesday morning

6-10 team members, from peer institutions, knowledgeable about the Standards

Meetings with administrators, faculty members, students, trustees, alumni

Visits to branch campuses, as appropriate

Document room

Exit report

Step 3: Commission Action Semester following site visit Commission reviews self-study, Team report and confidential recommendation, institutional response to Team report President and Team Chair attend Commission meeting Letter to President

Step 3: Commission Action

Semester following site visit

Commission reviews self-study, Team report and confidential recommendation, institutional response to Team report

President and Team Chair attend Commission meeting

Letter to President

Range of Commission Actions Granting or denial of candidacy status Granting or denial of initial accreditation Continued accreditation Focused report or visit Formal notice of concern Probation Termination of accreditation

Range of Commission Actions

Granting or denial of candidacy status

Granting or denial of initial accreditation

Continued accreditation

Focused report or visit

Formal notice of concern

Probation

Termination of accreditation

Heightened emphases in the Standards Institutional capacity Can the institution do and do well all that it proposes to do? Public disclosure What does Aunt Miriam want to know? Institutional effectiveness and assessment Educational quality and student success Use of evidence

Institutional capacity

Can the institution do and do well all that it proposes to do?

Public disclosure

What does Aunt Miriam want to know?

Institutional effectiveness and assessment

Educational quality and student success

Use of evidence

Mission & Standards Institutional Effectiveness Assessment* *What and how students are learning Heightened emphasis on assessment and institutional effectiveness

Clearer expectations regarding assessment and institutional effectiveness Engagement (“It’s always on our agenda”) campus community external community Mission-appropriate approach Evidence of what students know and can do Broad support from administration, faculty Use of assessment results for improvement Ongoing commitment, integrated into campus culture

Engagement (“It’s always on our agenda”)

campus community

external community

Mission-appropriate approach

Evidence of what students know and can do

Broad support from administration, faculty

Use of assessment results for improvement

Ongoing commitment, integrated into campus culture

Educational Quality In light of the institution’s mission, teams evaluate the quality of: Academic programs: curricula, degree objectives Student achievement Faculty Student support services Recruiting and admissions procedures Library and information resources Physical facilities and equipment Fiscal and administrative services Website, catalogs and other institutional “publications”

In light of the institution’s mission, teams evaluate the quality of:

Academic programs: curricula, degree objectives

Student achievement

Faculty

Student support services

Recruiting and admissions procedures

Library and information resources

Physical facilities and equipment

Fiscal and administrative services

Website, catalogs and other institutional “publications”

Shifts in approaches to understanding and assessing quality Inputs There are sufficient, qualified faculty There is appropriate access to adequate library resources Processes Students receive good academic advising Students use library resources Outcomes Faculty are demonstrably effective Students develop skills of information literacy

An appropriate level of student success The Commission’s Standards expect that: Learning goals for each program include knowledge, intellectual and academic skills, and methods of inquiry and, if relevant, creative abilities and values and/or specific career-preparation practices Goals for student learning reflect the mission and character of the institution and general expectations of the larger academic community for the level of degree awarded and the field of study Goals for retention and graduation reflect institutional purposes

The Commission’s Standards expect that:

Learning goals for each program include knowledge, intellectual and academic skills, and methods of inquiry and, if relevant, creative abilities and values and/or specific career-preparation practices

Goals for student learning reflect the mission and character of the institution and general expectations of the larger academic community for the level of degree awarded and the field of study

Goals for retention and graduation reflect institutional purposes

Measures of Student Success Retention and graduation Other measures related to the institution’s mission, including: Pursuing higher degrees Pursuing mission-related paths Working in fields for which they were not explicitly prepared Pursuing other mission-explicit achievements Licensure passage rates Job placement rates

Retention and graduation

Other measures related to the institution’s mission, including:

Pursuing higher degrees

Pursuing mission-related paths

Working in fields for which they were not explicitly prepared

Pursuing other mission-explicit achievements

Licensure passage rates

Job placement rates

Heightened emphasis on evidence Evidence answers the question: “How do you know?” Enrollment data: admissions, retention, advising Publications: website, catalogs, factbooks Institutional work products: policy statements, program reviews, strategic plans, committee minutes, task force reports Assessment results: normed exams, portfolios, work samples, self-reported gains, external reviews of student work Surveys of faculty, students, staff, alumni, employers, community

Enrollment data: admissions, retention, advising

Publications: website, catalogs, factbooks

Institutional work products: policy statements, program reviews, strategic plans, committee minutes, task force reports

Assessment results: normed exams, portfolios, work samples, self-reported gains, external reviews of student work

Surveys of faculty, students, staff, alumni, employers, community

Data forms to report on assessment and student success The E-Series: Making Assessment More Explicit Select and declare a basic approach to assessment and summarize the findings The S-Series: Documenting Student Success Report data on retention rates, graduation rates, and other measures of success appropriate to the institution’s mission

Data First Forms A 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 education Std 4: Enrollment at all levels & locations Std 5: Faculty salaries & assignments Std 6: Admissions, student debt Std 7: Library collections, personnel, instruction, use Std 10: Public disclosure

URL of Info Literacy reports URL of most recent library annual report Availability/ attendance Circulation Reference & Reserves Library Instruction Personnel (FTE) Collections Expenditures/FTE student Next yr goal Current year Last year 2 yrs prior 3 yrs prior Library Data Form

Software systems and versions IT Personnel (FTE) Multimedia classrooms (percent) Network Bandwith Course management system Number (percent) of students w/computers Next yr goal Current year Last year 2 yrs prior 3 yrs prior IT Data Form

Using the data forms in the self-study process Start early so the data can be collected, analyzed, and used by those engaged in the self-study process. Appraisal provides an opportunity to reflect on the findings. How well has your institution developed the capacity to collect, analyze and use important institutional data, especially data about student achievement and success? Projection provides an opportunity to state commitments about improvements to institutional efforts to collect, analyze and use data – especially data about student achievement and success – for planning and decision making.

Start early so the data can be collected, analyzed, and used by those engaged in the self-study process.

Appraisal provides an opportunity to reflect on the findings. How well has your institution developed the capacity to collect, analyze and use important institutional data, especially data about student achievement and success?

Projection provides an opportunity to state commitments about improvements to institutional efforts to collect, analyze and use data – especially data about student achievement and success – for planning and decision making.

Exhibits for the team room Budgets for multiple years Collection development plans Technology learning outcomes Tech training schedules Technology policies  IPEDS and ACRL surveys Technology plan Peer comparisons Library training schedules Surveys & survey results List of library liaisons Reports & meeting minutes Information literacy outcomes Usage statistics Consortial agreements Consultant reports Lists of electronic resources Annual reports Strategic plan for library

Budgets for multiple years

Collection development plans

Technology learning outcomes

Tech training schedules

Technology policies

Technology plan

Peer comparisons

Library training schedules

Surveys & survey results

List of library liaisons

Reports & meeting minutes

Information literacy outcomes

Usage statistics

Consortial agreements

Consultant reports

Lists of electronic resources

Annual reports

Strategic plan for library

Your questions, comments, insights … Patricia M. O'Brien, Deputy Director Direct phone line: 781-541-5412 [email_address] Commission on Institutions of Higher Education New England Association of Schools and Colleges 209 Burlington Road, Suite 201 Bedford, MA 01730-1433 Phone: (781) 271-0022 Fax: (781) 271-0950 http:cihe.neasc.org Thank you!