Self Study: Some Things to Consider

Self Study: Some Things to Consider

The Richard Stockton Collegeof New Jersey

September 20, 2010

Proposed Path

• Overview of Accreditation• Self Study– The process– The products

• The Standards• The Research Questions• The Work Teams• Summing Up

What is accreditation?

• A means of demonstrating compliance with Federal rules and regulations in a variety of areas.

What is accreditation?

• A means of providing quality assurance in the areas of– Student learning and achievement– Curriculum development and support– Faculty– Facilities and equipment– Finance, administration, and governance– Integrity and compliance

What is REaccreditation?

• A Focused Process • A defined time for an entire institution to come

together to examine the “big questions” such as:– Is the institution’s mission still appropriate?– Is the institution making decisions in concert with its

mission?– Does the institution have and allocate resources in a

fashion that enables it to meet its mission?– Do the governance and administrative structures

facilitate the learning process?– Are student and faculty support structures adequate?

What “camera” is used?

InstitutionalSelf

Study

What is the subject?

The Richard Stockton College

of New Jersey

What lenses are used?

The Richard Stockton College

of New Jersey

InstitutionalEffectiveness(Institutional Assessment)

EducationalEffectiveness(Assessment of Student Learning)

Institutional Effectiveness(Standard 7: Institutional Assessment)

•Mission•Planning•Resource Allocation•Leadership•Governance•Administration•Integrity

Standards 1 through 6

Educational Effectiveness(Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning)

•Admissions & Retention•Student Support Services•Faculty•Educational Offerings•General Education•Related Educational Activities

Standards 8 through 13

Fundamental (lens) ElementsStandard 14

Assessment of Student Learning• Articulated expectations for

student learning

• Documented, organized, and sustained assessment processes

• Evidence that student learning assessment information is shared & used to improve teaching and learning

• Documented use of student learning assessment information as part of institutional success

Standard 7 Institutional Effectiveness

• Written institutional strategic plan(s)


• Evidence that assessment results are shared & used in institutional planning, resource allocation and renewal

• Evidence that institutional assessment findings are used to improve student success

Fundamental (lens) ElementsStandard 14

Assessment of Student Learning• Articulated expectations for

student learning


• Evidence that student learning assessment information is shared & used to improve teaching and learning

• Documented use of student learning assessment information as part of institutional success

Standard 7 Institutional Effectiveness

• Written institutional strategic plan(s)


• Evidence that assessment results are shared & used in institutional planning, resource allocation and renewal

• Evidence that institutional assessment findings are used to improve student success

Assessment of Institutional Effectiveness

•Mission & Goals•Planning, Resource Allocation•Institutional Resources•Leadership & Governance•Administration•Integrity

•Admissions & Retention•Student Support Services•Faculty•Educational Offerings•General Education•Related Educational Activities•Assessment of Student Learning

EducationalEffectiveness

What is REaccreditation?

• A PARTICIPATORY process involving – The Richard Stockton College community• Faculty• Staff• Students• Board

– the larger educational community• Engaged with/by the College• the Middle States Region

What are the Products?

• A document

• More than one headache and late night

Our Self

Study

What are the Products?

A dynamic document • Bridges of communication and cooperation• A greater awareness• A renewed commitment• A clarification of why we are a part of The

Richard Stockton College• A glimpse of where we and the College would

like to be

The Standards

• “Characteristics of Excellence”– “Middle States’ accreditation is an expression of

confidence in an institution’s mission and goals, its performance, and its resources.” --- Characteristics

– The articulation of the qualities, behaviors, support structures, and outcomes that the member institutions of the of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education believe must be demonstrated by an accredited post-secondary institution.

The Standards

• are intended be viewed as an interrelated whole

• emphasize functions rather than structures

• may not necessarily apply fully to all institutions

• may be grouped when engaging in self-study.

The Research Questions

• Gather evidence that demonstrates– Compliance with the Commission’s standards– Commitment to institutional self-understanding

and improvement.• Provide structure and focus

The Research Questions• Gather evidence that demonstrates:– “What evidence is there …”– “How effective is …”– “To what extent …”– “How consistent …” – “How comprehensively …”– “How successful …” – “How well …” – “What mechanisms exist …”– “What methods are employed …”– “How sufficient …”

The Research Questions• Gather evidence that demonstrates:

– “What evidence is there …”– “How effective is …”– “To what extent …”– “How consistent …” – “How comprehensively …”– “How successful …” – “How well …” – “What mechanisms exist …”– “What methods are employed

…”– “How sufficient …”

• Compared to what?

• How will we know:– “sufficient”– “successful”– “effective”– “comprehensive”?

Compared to: Institutional Mission and Associated Goals

• Help students develop the capacity for continuous learning and adapt to changing circumstances

• Insist on curriculum breadth, as well as depth.

• Insist on excellence in teaching and dedication to learning.

• Participate in the development of new ideas.

• Commitment to faculty-wide involvement in general education.

• Provide the resources and atmosphere which will make exceptional effort possible and appreciated.

Compared to: Institutional Mission and Associated Goals

• Depth of study in the major.

• Offer students a real understanding of the ideas and methods of their disciplines.

• Co-curricular activities complement the academic curriculum.

• Value diversity and the differing perspectives it brings.

• Recognize the limitations of resources and respond by a prudent and flexible allocation of those resources.

• Positive development of southern New Jersey.

• Quality graduate programs.

The Research Questions• Provide Structure and Focus

– 1,4,6: Mission and Goals; Leadership and Governance; Integrity

– 2,3,5: Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal; Institutional Resources; Administration

– 7: Institutional Assessment

– 8,9: Student Admissions and Retention; Student Support Services;

– 11, 12, 13: Educational Offerings; General Education; related Educational Activities

– 10: Faculty

– 14: Assessment of Student Learning

So far …

• The what and why of reaccreditation.

• What self study could/should be.

• The standards

• The self study research questions

The Work Teams

Focus 1: Mission, Goals, Leadership, Governance, Integrity

• Standard 1: Mission and Goals• The institution’s mission – clearly defines its purpose within the context of

higher education– indicates who the institution serves– and what it intends to accomplish.

The Hub

PlanGoals

StrategiesResource Allocation

Assessment Mission

Otherwise …

Otherwise …

Plan

Goals

Strategies

ResourceAllocation

AssessmentWants

Pressures

Terrific Ideas

Focus 1: Leadership, Governance, Integrity

• Working together and sharing is a good thing.

• Working together and sharing the responsibility to ensure that decisions made are in concert with and promote the institution’s mission is a MUST.

Focus 2: Planning, Resource Allocation, Institutional Renewal, Institutional Resources, Administration

Standard 2– An institution conducts ongoing planning and

resource allocation based on its mission and goals,– develops objectives to achieve them,– and utilizes the results of its assessment activities for

institutional renewal. – Implementation and subsequent evaluation of the success

of the strategic plan and resource allocation– support the development and change necessary to

improve and to maintain quality.

Close the Loop

PlanGoals


Assessment Mission


• Stockton 2020• Balanced Scorecard

The Balanced Scorecard CycleTop

Down Bottom

Up


• Central threads running through all accreditation requirements:

– Planning must be systematic

– Planning must be rooted in an institution’s mission

– Planning must be predicated on analytical and evaluative information

– Planning must be used for institutional decisions, including resource allocation

Focus 3: Institutional Effectiveness

• Gather evidence that demonstrates:– “What evidence is there …”– “How effective is …”– “To what extent …”– “How consistent …” – “How comprehensively …”– “How successful …” – “How well …” – “What mechanisms exist …”– “What methods are employed

…”– “How sufficient …”

• Compared to what?

• How will we know:– “sufficient”– “successful”– “effective”– “comprehensive”?

Focus 3: Institutional Effectiveness• How will we know?

• Standard 7: The institution has developed and implemented an assessment plan and process that evaluates its overall effectiveness in

– achieving its mission and goals

– implementing planning, resource allocation, and institutional renewal processes

– Using institutional resources efficiently

– Providing leadership and governance

– Providing administrative structures and services

– Demonstrating institutional integrity

– Assuring that institutional processes and resources support appropriate learning and other outcomes for its students and graduates.

Focus 3: Institutional Effectiveness

•Mission & Goals•Planning, Resource Allocation•Institutional Resources•Leadership & Governance•Administration•Integrity

•Admissions & Retention•Student Support Services•Faculty•Educational Offerings•General Education•Related Educational Activities•Assessment of Student Learning

EducationalEffectiveness

Focus 3: Institutional Effectiveness• How will we know?• Standard 7: The institution has developed and

implemented an assessment plan and process that evaluates its overall effectiveness

Focus 3: Institutional Effectiveness• How will we know?• Standard 7: The institution has developed and

implemented an assessment plan and process that evaluates its overall effectiveness

I’ma

Gonna

Close That Loop!

PlanGoals


Assessment Mission

Focus 4: Student Admissions, Retention, Support Services

• Congruence, Coordination, Cooperation– What is our mission?– How does our recruitment plan align with that

mission?– Have we provided those whom we recruit a

reasonable chance to succeed?– To what degree do our published program

outcomes map to the actual program curriculum offerings?

Focus 5: Faculty• The degree to which The Richard Stockton College faculty members have the knowledge,

skills, and support to:– Help students develop the capacity for continuous learning and adapt to changing

circumstances

– Insist on curriculum breadth, as well as depth.

– Insist on excellence in teaching and dedication to learning.

– Participate in the development of new ideas.

– Commit to faculty-wide involvement in general education.

– Facilitate depth of study in the major.

– Offer students a real understanding of the ideas and methods of their disciplines.

– Value diversity and the differing perspectives it brings.

– Recognize the limitations of resources and respond by a prudent and flexible allocation of those resources.

– Develop and offer quality graduate programs.

Focus 6: Curriculum

• “Curriculum” – As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word

for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults.

--- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curriculum

Focus 6: Curriculum

Standard 11• Offerings appropriate to mission• Offerings of appropriate rigor• “Program goals that are stated in terms of student

learning outcomes”• Congruence between curricular offerings and

learning resources and facilities

Focus 6: CurriculumStandard 13• Programs and activities characterized by a particular

content, focus, location, mode of delivery, or sponsorship.– Exist because of a “choice” to commit to a specific focus

• Special populations• Geographic locations beyond the “main campus”

– Carnegie Library Center, Atlantic City, NJ

• Delivery modes other than what one would characterize as “traditional”

• Curriculum “packages” other than what one would characterize as “traditional” – Credit and noncredit

• Contractual arrangements with other entities

Focus 6: Curriculum

Standard 12 -- General Education• “Curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course,

referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults.” --- Wikipedia

• “Institutions should identify and provide a recognizable core of general education that expresses the educational philosophy of the institution for each undergraduate degree program or cluster of degree programs.” --- Characteristics

Focus 6: CurriculumGeneral Education at The Richard Stockton College

• General Studies constitutes the college curriculum's "commons," the place where students and faculty with various specializations explore the world of knowledge, ideas, and issues, often in an interdisciplinary way.

• Students take General Studies courses throughout their undergraduate career.

• The program constitutes the core of the liberal arts tradition that together with the major supports an excellent education.

• Students learn new perspectives, develop critical thinking skills, and discover new areas of interest.

Focus 7: Learning AssessmentStandard 14: After all is said and done, the institution’s students have• the knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with

institutional goals

• at graduation have achieved appropriate higher education goals.

Focus 7: Learning AssessmentStandard 14: After all is said and done, the institution’s students have• the knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with

institutional goals – An individual “presents” as a former Richard Stockton College

student• at graduation have achieved appropriate higher

education goals.– Richard Stockton College has fulfilled its “promise” of creating

the environment necessary for and conducive to achieving the student learning outcomes it has determined to be necessary to receive a credential from Richard Stockton College.

Summing Up

Something to keep in mind

• What appears to be soooo clear to us …

Something to keep in mind

• may not be seen the same way by those not as close to and/or involved in

The view from . . .SAS

MSCHE Commission

MSCHE

Committee

on Evaluation

Reports

Visiting Team

Institution

Work Team

Individ

ual

Partici

pant

“The Evidence”

The view from . . .SAS

MSCHE Commission

MSCHE

Committee

on Evaluation

Reports

Visiting Team

Institution

Work Team

Individ

ual

Partici

pant

“The Evidence”

To reaffirm accreditation. The periodic review report is due June 1, 2017.

Don’t Forget …

• This is YOUR process• Participation makes it a rich process• There are already some extraordinary things

going on• Some excellent evidence is already available• The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

has a history of working with exceptional MSCHE liaisons ….

I am sure you will do just fine!

•Thank you

Documents

Self Study: Some Things to Consider