Post on 21-Jul-2020
SELF-STUDY REPORT
The Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (“Sagrado”) in Santurce, Puerto Rico, presents this Self-
Study Report to document its self-assessment regarding its compliance with the Middle States
Commission on Higher Education’s Standards for Accreditation and Requirements for
Affiliation. This Self-Study sets forth Sagrado’s own recommendations for its continuous
improvement in its efforts to accomplish the institutional Mission: to educate persons in
intellectual freedom and moral conscience willing to engage in the construction of a more
authentically Christian Puerto Rican society, a community of solidarity in justice and peace.
The Self-Study begins with a Prologue and then has five sections: Introduction, Executive
Summary, Note on Presidential Transition, Individual Standard Analysis and Recommendations
and Conclusion. The Introduction gives a historical overview of the University and its Mission.
The Executive Summary provides a summary of the findings and recommendations of the Self-
Study. The Note on Presidential Transition provides a brief context of the presidential
transition that took place in the middle of the review period. The Individual Standard Analysis
and Recommendations include the University’s self-assessment regarding each Standard for
Accreditation and the applicable Requirements for Affiliation. Finally, the Conclusion
summarizes Sagrado’s perspective on the Self-Study and outlines the path forward.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
TABLES ................................................................................................................................................... ii
FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................. iii
PROLOGUE ............................................................................................................................................ iv
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1
NOTE ON PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION .............................................................................................. 9
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................... 12
Standard I: Mission and Goals ............................................................................................... 22
Standard II: Ethics and Integrity ............................................................................................ 35
Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience ................................ 57
Standard IV: Support for the Student Experience................................................................. 97
Standard V: Education Effectiveness Assessment .............................................................. 134
Standard VI: Planning, Resources and Institutional Improvement ..................................... 151
Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration………………………… .... …………………180
CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 198
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TABLES
Table 1: Student Welcome Day participation and survey 25 Table 2: Number of faculty promoted in range up between 2008-2009 to 2017-2018 41 Table 3:Type of compliance for years 45 Table 4 Undergraduate Academic Programs 60 Table 5 Graduate Academic Programs 69 Table 6: Graduate Academic Programs 70 Table 7 : Faculty profile by type of contract during the period 2012-2018 74 Table 8: Faculty profile by academic degree during the period 2012-2018 76 Table 9: Faculty profile by academic ranks during the period 2012-2018 76 Table 10: Full time and adjunct faculty profile by gender during the 2012-2018 period 77 Table 11. Sponsored education for Faculty 80 Table 12: Students enroll in GEN and FEP courses 83 Table 13: Average of the performance (2008-2017) Centro de Vinculación Comunitaria 84 Table 14: Practice courses. 87 Table 15: Quantity of programs produced and students’ participation 88 Table 16: Students in outgoing Internships 89 Table 17: Students in incoming Internships 89 Table 18: Comparison of retention rates between regular students and students who participated in federal programs
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Table 19: Early alert system request 108 Tabla 20: @SER tutoring 109 Table 21: Tutoring services offered PAE 109 Table 22: Students who participated in the Work Study Program 113 Table 23: Voluntary hours 115 Table 24: Student participation in student council votes 117 Table 25: Student Associations 118 Table 26: Athletic students per year who received scholarships 121 Table 27: Requests of the students in the March 2016 residents’ survey 123 Table 28: Exit surveys results 124 Table 29:Evolution of Institutional Goals 135 Table 30:Undergraduate transversal competencies calendar 139 Table 31: Graduate transversal competencies calendar 139 Table 32:Actions taken of Assessment of Students Learning Outcome in Accredited Programs 143 Table 33:Academic Support Units Assessment. 144 Table 34: Distinguished Alumni (2009-2017) 147 Table 35:Passing Rates PCMAS (Programa para la Certificación de Maestros) 149 Table 36: On campus Nursing. 149 Table 37: Condensed Statements of Financial Position FY2013-2017 (in thousands) 166
Table 38: Condensed Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets FY 2013-17 (in thousands) 167
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Table 39: Condensed Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets - Alternate Presentation FY 2013-17 (in thousands) 168 Table 40: Participants and courses offered by the Department of Continued Education 169
Table 41: Detail of Grants, Auxiliary Enterprises and Other Revenues 170
Table 42:Endowment Fund FY 2013-17 (in thousands) 171
Table 43: Extraordinary Charges/Adjustments to Total operating expenses FY 2013-17 (in thousands) 173
Table 44: Financial Ratios FY 2013-17 178
FIGURES
Figure 1:Comparison of strategic plans PE 2014-17 and PE 2017-2020 29 Figure 2: Number of students attended by year in ASI 113 Figure 3: Students satisfaction with ASI services 114 Figure 4: Occupancy of the residencies per year 122 Figure 5: Assessment cycle 142 Figure 6: Strategic Plan and MSCHE reaccreditation timeline 155 Figure 7: Budget Flowchart 161 Figure 8: Total Enrollment USC First Semester 169 Figure 9: Executive Leadership Team 191 Figure 10: Organizational Chart 192
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PROLOGUE
The Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (“Sagrado”) writes this Self-Study in the aftermath of
hurricane María, which struck Puerto Rico on September 20th, 2017. María was the strongest
storm to hit Puerto Rico in 90 years. It was but the last in a series of events that have deeply
marked the people of Puerto Rico.
A prolonged economic contraction that is technically a depression began 12 years ago, in 2006.
The government of Puerto Rico declared a default on its public debt in June 2015 and in
response, the federal government appointed a fiscal oversight board in September 2016.
Record numbers of Puerto Ricans have migrated to the mainland U.S. during this decade, a
trend that accelerated as a result of the hurricane’s impact. All of these events and the resulting
fiscal adjustments have put significant strains on our already vulnerable social structures.
In the midst of these challenges, Sagrado has decided for solidarity and hope. Sagrado is Puerto
Rico’s oldest private continuing educational project serving the People of Puerto Rico for 138
years, since Puerto Rico was a Spanish overseas territory. Sagrado lived through the Spanish-
American war of 1898 and the entrance of the U.S. military, the Great Depression of 1929 and
two hurricanes that devasted the island in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, and the tumultuous
late 1960’s and early 1970’s--the era of Vatican II, Civil Rights, the Vietnam War and the OPEC
oil embargo.
At each critical juncture, Sagrado defied the times, reaffirmed its Mission of service and
solidarity and made a preferential option for future. In response to the devastation of
hurricane María, Sagrado became a solidarity center for the University community, the at-risk
communities in the immediate vicinity of Santurce and many communities in need across
Puerto Rico. These efforts reached all of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities and touched over
40,000 lives. Sagrado was the first university to resume physical operations in Puerto Rico, thus
providing shelter, food, supplies, emotional and spiritual support and, most importantly, a place
to gather and recompose lives—a sign of hope and the possibility of new beginnings. Students,
faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, friends and collaborators demonstrated with their unconditional
actions that Sagrado is committed to building a more authentically Christian society, a
community of solidarity, in justice and peace.
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The relief and recovery effort became the comprehensive Sagrado Contigo project (“Sagrado
With You”) that transcended geographical boundaries as Sagrado became a trusted
collaborator for many outside Puerto Rico who were looking for ways to contribute. While this
effort lies outside the accreditation review period, the experiences, the lessons and the
resulting initiatives have deeply influenced a look within and are embedded in this Self-Study.
It is impossible to engage in this process of self-assessment regarding compliance with the
accreditation standards and requirements for affiliation by abstracting from the current
moment.
Hurricane María confronted Sagrado with a profound question: how is Sagrado called to live up
to its Mission in response to the challenge of the times? This Self-Study has allowed Sagrado to
look within and determine what needs to be done to rise up to this challenge and provide a
meaningful educational alternative for the Puerto Rico of the future. The response has been
twofold.
First, Sagrado has strongly reaffirmed its Mission: to educate persons in intellectual freedom
and moral conscience who are willing to participate in the construction of a more authentically
Christian Puerto Rican society, a community of solidarity, in justice and peace. Second, Sagrado
has refined and strongly reaffirmed its 2017-2020 Strategic Plan as the articulation of its
Mission for the signs of the times: we will form solidary leaders to engage in projects of
positive social impact, through active, creative and engaged learning experiences, in an
innovative community of service and continuous improvement, with the resources to fulfill the
Mission. The institutional project to carry out this Strategic Plan is called RBK.
In this reaffirmation, Sagrado remains faithful to its guiding vision: “to offer a unique academic
project, an innovative educational experience in which the classroom is the world, in an
environment characterized by a quality community life and anchored in the principle that the
human person and Christian values are the center of the project.”
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INTRODUCTION
The Universidad del Sagrado Corazón is an independent, non-profit, Catholic university,
committed to the education of the whole person through a strong foundation in the liberal arts
or the arts of liberty. It is defined by a deeply held Mission and led by an independent Board of
Trustees of community leaders. Sagrado is a university from the community, for the
community and by the community.
Sagrado is a tuition-driven teaching institution that currently serves approximately 4,500
undergraduate and graduate students and 4,000 continuing education students. Most of its
undergraduate students come from the middle-lower and lower socio-economic levels of
Puerto Rican society. For the academic year 2017-2018, approximately 80.8% of them received
federal financial aid in the form of Pell Grants (64.3%) and federal student loans (41%).
Sagrado is located in a single 34-acre urban campus in the Santurce neighborhood of the capital
city of San Juan. Santurce is one of Puerto Rico’s largest urban centers, with a high density of
creative and cultural industries, and close proximity to the main cultural, entertainment,
tourism and financial hubs. In recent years, Santurce has become the preferred location for
Puerto Rico’s technological enterprises and start-up culture.
Sagrado’s Roots in the Society of the Sacred Heart
Sagrado has its roots in the educational Mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart, a women’s
Catholic religious order founded by St. Magdalene Sophie Barat in Paris in 1800. She led a
group of courageous women who responded to the realities of post-revolutionary France by
founding what eventually became a network of schools for young women. At the time, women
received little formal schooling and there were limited schools and teachers for their education.
The Society’s mission was a mission of solidarity: to manifest the love of God through the
education of the whole person. Their initial objective was the renewal French society through
an integral education of women.
St. Magdalene Sophie and her sisters were true entrepreneurs in the service of a deeply felt
mission. They challenged the traditional cloistered life for religious women and the absence of
educational alternatives for women. They soon realized that their project transcended the
geographical limits of France and was pertinent to societies all over the world. The Society’s
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mission of social renewal through integral education had global reach. The first missionary was
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, who in 1818 embarked with a group of sisters in the vessel
Rebecca in route to the port of New Orleans. They opened the first schools in the Americas.
Sixty-two years later, her sisters landed in the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
St. Rose Philippine has become a symbol of daring, audacity and courage in the service of a
mission. This year Sacred Heart communities all over the world celebrate the 200th anniversary
of her voyage aboard the Rebecca and are asking themselves about their own Rebecca
moment: what is the frontier that each community must cross in the service of the mission?
For Sagrado, this question became clear and pressing in the aftermath of hurricane Maria,
hence the name of institutional project, Rebecca or RBK.
In sending St. Rose Philippine to the Americas, St. Magdalene Sophie had realized that the
Society’s educational project had to remain relevant to the times and the societies they were
serving. She was fond of saying that “Times change and we must change with them” and
constantly pressed the Society to keep revising its plans of study.
Sagrado’s Commitment to Puerto Rico
The first sisters landed in Puerto Rico in 1880 and opened a school for women in San Juan with
the support of the Spanish authorities. Eighteen years later, the Spanish-American War
erupted and the U.S. military invaded and occupied Puerto Rico. The military authorities
eventually removed the sisters from their school in the Miramar district because it was located
in a public building. Rather than leave Puerto Rico following the example of many other
religious orders, the Society confronted the adversity and reaffirmed its commitment to Puerto
Rico and its educational project. After searching for several years, they eventually settled in the
current tract of land in Santurce and laid the cornerstone in 1906.
During the 1930’s, Puerto Rico was reeling from the effects of the Great Depression and two
devastating hurricanes, San Felipe (1928) and San Ciprián (1932). In the midst of this profound
desolation, the Society made a preferential option for the future and in 1935 opened the
university college that is Sagrado’s direct predecessor. The pattern once again repeated itself.
In a moment of great adversity, the ethical response was solidarity and hope: to build an
institution of higher learning for women in Puerto Rico’s worst historical moment.
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In 1970 the Puerto Rican community assumed direct responsibility for the project. The 1960’s
was a tumultuous decade in the Catholic Church, as well as in American and Puerto Rican
society. As result of the Second Vatican Council many religious orders, including the Society,
profoundly questioned and reexamined their missions. In Puerto Rico, the local congregation of
the Society controversially decided to close the school and sell the university college, in order
to pursue other avenues of service. The community of students, teachers, alumni, friends and
collaborators, which was already 90 years old the time, strongly opposed this decision.
After a difficult period of profound reflection, the Society once again opted for solidarity and
hope. It decided to that the project should continue under new stewardship and transferred
ownership and governance to the community represented by a lay Board of Trustees, with
minority representation of ecclesial or religious appointees. This was the beginning of the
modern university. A few years later the project became co-educational and in 1976 the name
changed to Universidad del Sagrado Corazón.
In 1998, after many innovations in academic and student support programs, Sagrado responded
to the last decade of sustained economic growth in Puerto Rico by launching its signature
community engagement and service learning initiative to support marginal communities and
the many non-profit institutions that serve those communities. This became an integral piece
of the academic project. Sagrado reaffirmed its roots in solidarity and hope and confirmed that
it is a community of service. Today, Sagrado is the only university in Puerto Rico that is certified
for community engagement by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Sagrado’s Mission
Sagrado’s Mission was officially articulated by the Board of Trustees in 1988, but as this short
narrative makes evident the Mission was already present and embedded in the Society’s
founding charism to manifest the love of God through education of the whole person and the
Society’s and the university’s history of service to Puerto Rico.
The roots of the Mission lie a double commitment to solidarity. The first is a commitment to
educate the whole person, which requires that each person be addressed on his or her own
terms. St. Magdalene Sophie clearly established this foundational principle when she states
that “[f]or the sake of one child, I would have founded the Society.” Each person is created in
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the image and likeness of God and thus deserving of equal dignity and an education that would
allow her to fulfill her God-given potential. In the tradition of the Society of the Sacred Heart,
“[t]o educate is, in itself, an act of justice.”
The second is a commitment to social solidarity. The aim of the educational Mission was to
educate persons who would serve and thus renew their societies through their example and
initiatives in the different fields of human endeavor. St. Magdalene Sophie and her sisters had
witnessed first-hand the devastation of the French Revolution and decided that the path to the
common good required a new education of women. Hence, they committed to the individual
solidarity of educating each person for the sake of the social solidarity of serving and rebuilding
their communities.
Sagrado’s Mission reflects this double commitment. The first half of the Mission states
“educate persons in intellectual freedom and moral conscience.” Sagrado aims to educate
persons, each in his or her own individuality and wholeness—intellectual, moral, spiritual,
social, cultural, physical--to develop their own judgment and exercise their own ethical
responsibility. The second half states that Sagrado educates persons “who are willing to
participate in the construction of a more authentically Christian Puerto Rican society”, which
the Mission defines as “a community of solidarity in justice and peace.” Sagrado educates
enterprising persons committed to serving the common good by building just, peaceful and
solidary communities.
St. Magdalene Sophie and the Society of the Sacred Heart understood that this mission of
integral education for social solidarity requires a community devoted and committed to its
fulfillment. Sagrado reaffirms its Mission every year, in countless formal and informal ways
throughout the community, whether in resolutions of the Board of Trustees or anonymous acts
of human solidarity. The latest example was Sagrado’s response to hurricane María.
Sagrado Contigo
The hurricane struck all of Puerto Rico. All the islands lost electric power and communications.
In the absence of electric power, many lost their water supply. Roads and access became
impaired. Many communities were cut off. There was substantial damage to residences,
businesses and other structures, in many cases catastrophic. Access to health and other basic
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services were severely curtailed. The loss of life was unprecedented. Many lost their jobs and
sources of income. Thousands of small business could not reopen and tens of thousands
emigrated.
Government authorities were unprepared for the scope of the emergency and could not
provide an effective response. An army of volunteers, estimated at over 200,000, actually
carried Puerto Rico on their shoulders and became the first and critical line of relief and
recovery. A network of communities, non-profit organizations, businesses, foundations, and
individuals—with the solidary support of many outside Puerto Rico—rose up to the challenge.
Sagrado was one of the many strong nodes in that resilient web.
Fortunate that its structures did not suffer crippling damages, the University became a center
of solidarity in two important ways. First, Sagrado was able to quickly resume operations and
thus provide students a safe place in which to gather, continue with their studies and
reconstruct their lives. Sagrado confirmed very early that students, faculty and staff wanted to
move forward and lend a hand to others in need. Second, precisely because Sagrado acted so
rapidly, the University became a solidarity hub for the community, the neighboring at-risk
communities in Santurce and other communities across Puerto Rico, many of which were
connected to students, faculty and staff.
While the administrative staff worked on clearing debris, repairing damages and preparing
facilities for operations, the academic leadership worked with the faculty to develop a
compressed semester schedule that reassigned all courses to usable classrooms and alternate
learning spaces during daylight hours: seven days a week, sunrise to sunset. Specific
documentation procedures were developed for student attendance, contact hours for courses
and alternative teaching strategies.
During this process, it was critical to have the flexibility to adjust the courses to the students’
diverse circumstances while guaranteeing the quality of their learning experiences. Following
guidelines, faculty designed 25% of the contact hours in alternative or non-traditional teaching
strategies that ranged from synchronous and asynchronous videoconferencing for students
with access to internet, to direct communications and meetings with students for diverse
projects directly related to the class topics.
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As a result of these creative efforts, 95% of the student population reengaged with the
University. Seventy-five percent (75%) was able to return to campus and their courses on a
regular basis. Another 20% reengaged but was unable to attend regularly: 8% had moved out of
Puerto Rico, 9% lived in distant locations with limited access or transportation and 3% indicated
that their responsibilities had changed (family and/or job related). Unfortunately, 5% of the
student population was unable to continue their studies.
The extraordinary result of this great academic restructuring was another example of Sagrado’s
solidarity. Owing to the creativity and sensibility of the faculty and the students, the post-
Maria curriculum became a comprehensive community and service learning project. The
journalism students reported in the impact of the hurricane. Film and photography students
documented that impact all over Puerto Rico. Nursing, social work, education and psychology
students went into many communities to provide services and support. Art students caught the
moment in their creations. Faculty and students, in conjunction with community partners,
brought artistic and educational activities to children in many communities in which schools
were closed. Hurricane María became the source of student reflections and discussions in
courses throughout the University.
At the same that the faculty and academic teams were moving forward with the semester, the
rest of the staff converted Sagrado into a solidarity hub in Puerto Rico’s network of relief and
recovery. The indoor court became a collection and distribution center, receiving and
distributing dozens of truckloads of basic necessities from friends and collaborators within and
outside Puerto Rico. Teams of students, faculty and staff volunteers went on relief missions to
distressed communities all over the island. The Pastoral Care and Personal Development
Centers offered psychological and spiritual counseling while the General Counsel and a support
team offered orientation on how to fill applications for public assistance.
Sagrado provided financial and material assistance to students and employees who lost their
homes or suffered other significant impacts. Funds were raised and distributed to assist
students who lost their jobs and sources of income and could not fulfill their financial
obligations. The Career Center helped students and alumni prepare resumes and connect with
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new employment opportunities. Sagrado provided temporary housing in the dormitories and a
work place to area businesses that could not resume operations.
Finally, in an exemplary act of academic solidarity, volunteer faculty from all over the United
States, with the support of New York University and the University of Cincinnati, offered a free
online session of courses called Sagrado Online for students from Sagrado and other
universities in Puerto Rico.
Sagrado carried out this great collective effort with no electric power for the first month and
half and other challenging operational circumstances. At the end of the day, Sagrado was the
first university to resume physical operations in Puerto Rico and finished the semester before
Christmas 2017. Sagrado’s community eventually gave this extraordinary effort a simple, but
powerful name, Sagrado Contigo (“Sagrado With You”). In two words, the name distilled the
essence of our Mission. By December 2017, some 650 volunteers had reached directly or
indirectly over 40,000 people, in Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities. This was the latest and
perhaps most eloquent testimony of Sagrado community’s profound commitment and devotion
to its Mission of solidarity and hope.
RBK
Hurricane Maria laid bare many of Puerto Rico’s stark social inequities. María was a natural
phenomenon, but much of the disaster was human-made: the poverty of a great portion of our
population, the lack of appropriate housing and access to quality health care, the weakness of
Puerto Rico’s power and communications grids, the condition of its roadways, the weak
economy and the dearth of employment opportunities, the environmental damage, the
unpreparedness of government authorities. This experience challenged Sagrado to revisit its
Mission and the Strategic Plan approved in March 2017 to ask a deeply profound question: how
is Sagrado called to live its Mission in response to the challenge of the times?
After much internal discussion, Sagrado realized that the answer was right there in its Mission
statement and in the bicentenary in 2018. The second half of the Mission calls for educating
persons who “who are willing to participate in the construction of a more authentically
Christian Puerto Rican society”, which the Mission defines as “a community of solidarity in
justice and peace.” Thus, Sagrado must challenge itself to move beyond its role as a teaching
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institution and become itself engaged, as an institution, in projects and initiatives for the
construction of a more equitable and sustainable Puerto Rico. Sagrado has been engaged in
the relief and recovery and Sagrado must also become engaged in the difficult task of
reconstruction. Puerto Rico needs citizens, leaders and entrepreneurs willing to rebuild a better
society.
Sagrado looked at its Strategic Plan 2017-2020 from this perspective and realized that while the
plan pointed in the right direction, there is now a better understanding of what this direction
requires. Thus, the strategic plan was redefined and distilled it to its essence. Sagrado will
carry out its Mission by forming solidary leaders to engage in projects of positive social impact,
through active, creative and engaged learning experiences, in an innovative community of
service and continuous improvement, with the resources to fulfill the Mission.
The name of the institutional project to implement this plan is RBK, after the vessel Rebecca
that brought St. Rose Philippine and the Society of the Sacred Heart to the Americas in 1818.
RBK is a symbol of daring, audacity, and courage in the service of the Mission. Sagrado’s
Strategic Plan 2017-2020 has been translated into the first institutional objectives and key
results necessary to make RBK a reality. In RBK, Sagrado remains faithful to its guiding vision:
“to offer a unique academic project, an innovative educational experience in which the
classroom is the world, in an environment characterized by a quality community life and
anchored in the principle that the human person and Christian values are the center of the
project.”
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NOTE ON PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION
Before proceeding to a discussion of each of the accreditation standards, it is important to
place this review within the context the presidential transition that took place in the middle of
the review period in 2014. This transition marked a historical moment in Sagrado. It took place
in the eighth year of Puerto Rico’s prolonged economic contraction, a year before the
declaration of default on the public debt and three years before Hurricane Maria. Not
surprisingly, Sagrado’s enrollment faced significant downward pressure with successive years of
declining figures.
On February 3, 2014, Sagrado’s President, Dr. José Jaime Rivera, announced to the University
community that he was retiring after 22 years of distinguished service. He left behind an
impressive record of accomplishments in advancing Sagrado’s Mission and articulating its
guiding Vision, including the critical achievement of our service learning center, the Community
Engagement Center (“CVC”), and the Carnegie Foundation’s Certification for Community
Engagement.
On that same date, the Board of Trustees announced to the community the appointment of a
Special Committee, presided by a former chairperson of the board, to manage the selection
process. The first step in this process was an open consultation to obtain input from University
stakeholders regarding the profile of the new president and the main areas of concerns and
priorities that the candidate should address in the near future. As a result of this consultation,
the Special Committee developed a candidate profile and a list of the main challenges facing
the new president.
After publishing official job postings in local and industry media, the Special Committee
received and evaluated a considerable number of applications, selected a handful of candidates
for formal interviews and eventually recommended to the Board of Trustees the appointment
of Gilberto J. Marxuach-Torrós. The Board approved the recommendation in a meeting held on
June 26, 2014. President Marxuach-Torrós began his first three-year term on August 4, 2014.
In outlining the many institutional challenges to the new president, the Board of Trustees
emphasized the importance of strengthening and advancing Sagrado’s Mission, while pursuing
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creativity, innovation and continuous improvement. The Board stressed the need to renew and
update institutional processes, structures and culture to accomplish greater operational
efficacy and reach institutional goals. This process required a comprehensive review of the
University’s leadership, operations, staff and systems.
In appointing President Marxuach-Torrós, the Board of Trustees opted for a non-traditional
candidate who understood and was committed to Catholic higher education grounded in the
liberal arts, and charged him with the responsibility of leading this process. He is an attorney
with a diverse background in law, business and high public service, who had been engaged in
educational matters throughout his professional career, as well as several institutional reforms.
As graduate of the University of Notre Dame’s Program of Liberal Studies and Yale Law School,
he has deep abiding respect for the academy and the kind of integral education to which
Sagrado is devoted.
During his first year, President Marxuach-Torrós engaged in substantial discussions with diverse
stakeholders in order to get to know the community and its challenges. At the same time, he
had to manage the renewal and reorganization of the leadership team as many of its
longstanding members retired, returned to their faculty positions or left the university,
including the chief academic officer, the chief operating officer, the chief information officer
and the legal counsel. Only two of the original members of the executive staff remained, the
chief student affairs officer and the chief financial officer. Each of them had been serving the
university for more than three decades.
During his first year, President Marxuach-Torrós also implemented a voluntary-transition plan
for employees in order to significantly reduce payroll expenses and create budget space for
renewal of human resources in critical areas. Seventy-nine employees or close to 20% of the
total, decided to retire or withdraw, including the director of human resources, an academic
department director and others in intermediate management positions. This created additional
pressure to bring new human resources to the organization.
As will be detailed below, most of the new leadership team at the executive level and the
middle level had to come from outside the University as there were no readily available
qualified candidates within. The recruitment and selection process of the executive level,
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including the selection of new chief academic officer, took most of 2015. Understandably, the
new members needed a reasonable time to conduct in depth assessments of their areas,
determine issues of immediate need and attention and formulate action plans.
President Marxuach-Torrós decided to hold on the implementation of the existing strategic plan
until the team was in a position to meaningfully contribute to its review. In September 2016,
he made a full presentation to the faculty in which he reviewed the findings and basic projects
of his first two years and indicated that the year 2016-2107 would be dedicated to the
development of the strategic plan and the design of the Self-Study. As discussed in Standard I
and VI, he appointed a multi-sectoral Steering Committee to lead the strategic plan effort,
which culminated with the approval of the new 2017-2020 Strategic Plan in March 2017.1
Maria hit several months later and relief and recovery assumed urgent priority. The plan was
eventually refined, reaffirmed and converted into institutional objectives and key results for
2018-2019.
With this background, the discussion now turns to Sagrado’s compliance with each of the
accreditation standards and the requirements for affiliation.
1 Informe del Presidente: Reunión Ordinaria del Claustro del 9 de septiembre de 2016.
SELF-STUDY UNIVERSIDAD DEL SAGRADO CORAZON Page 12 of 198
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In view of the experience post-Maria, it is not surprising that work on this Self-Study had to
slow down considerably during Fall 2017. The situation started to regain a sense of normalcy in
Spring 2018. Power and communications had been restored in the University and gradually all
over Puerto Rico. On February 16, 2018, MSCHE granted a semester extension to complete the
Self-Study.
The President, the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and the ALO attended
MSCHE’s Self-Study Institute in November 2015. The Steering Committee was appointed on
October 27, 2015 and led the configuration of working groups by accreditation standard with
stakeholders from all sectors of the University. The working groups developed a draft of the
Self-Study Design that was completed and submitted to MSCHE on February 24, 2017. After a
visit from Dr. Tito Guerrero III on March 9-10, 2017, MSCHE formally approved the Self-Study
Design on April 20, 2017. This approved design is the basis of the present Self-Study.
Intended Outcomes of the Self-Study
Two of the three primary intended outcomes of this Self-Study are to: (a) demonstrate how
Sagrado meets the accreditation standards and the requirements of affiliation; and (b) review
the institutional assessment practices and make recommendations to continue enhancing these
practices to improve institutional planning, resource allocation, and development. In the
aftermath of hurricane Maria and the subsequent refinement of the Strategic Plan 2017-2020
and development of the RBK Project, the third intended outcome has been further distilled: (c)
to identify critical issues to upgrade Sagrado’s capabilities to successfully carry out the refined strategic
plan and thus accomplish Sagrado institutional Mission and goals.
As this Self-Study shall demonstrate, all three outcomes have been accomplished. Sagrado
meets all the standards for accreditation, the requirements of affiliation and the goals of the
planning process for re-accreditation. Sagrado has a strong assessment culture and is in the process
of implementing a comprehensive assessment system with the support of a new academic-student
information system that began implementation in March 2017. The Strategic Plan 2017-2020 has led
to the RBK Project and the institutional objectives and key results for 2018-2019 have been shared
with all faculty and staff and incorporated into our performance management system.
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Sagrado now provides an executive summary of the findings and recommendations with respect to
each of the seven standards. Evidence that demonstrates Sagrado’s compliance with the
standards can be reviewed in the Documentation Roadmap and is analyzed in the section of
this Self-Study corresponding to each standard.
Summary of Findings and Recommendations
Standard I: Mission and Goals
Finding. Sagrado is defined by its founding charism and institutional Mission. The Mission is
reviewed and reaffirmed on a periodic basis and is deep-rooted, clearly articulated and well-
known. It guides institutional decision-making and execution at all levels, nurtures Sagrado’s
strategic plans, the institutional goals and drives key initiatives and activities for their
implementation. The institutional strategic priorities are developed through a collaborative
community-wide process and approved by the Board of Trustees. In view of the centrality of
Sagrado’s Christian Mission and character, the Marta Miranda, rscj, Pastoral Care Center is now
part of the Executive Leadership Team.
Sagrado complies with Standard I.
Recommendation. Sagrado should evaluate the establishment of a policy to require a Mission
and organizational climate/communication study on a periodic basis, every three to five years
at least, to assess and document (a) the community’s knowledge and commitment to the
University’s Mission, and (b) the community’s perception of Sagrado’s fulfillment of its Mission
in different operational areas and services.
Standard II: Ethics and Integrity
Finding. As a mission-driven institution with a profound sense of its ethical and social
responsibility, Sagrado is committed to the highest ethical and professional standards. The
Mission calls for educating persons in “intellectual freedom” and “moral conscience” to conduct
lives of ethical and social responsibility.
On a day to day basis, Sagrado strives to be faithful to its Mission, meet its commitment to
excellence in education, comply with all legal obligations and commitments and follow all
institutional policies and procedures. Sagrado has appointed a full time General Counsel who
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serves as the University’s chief legal, compliance and institutional integrity officer. Sagrado has
an internal auditor that reports directly to the Board of Trustees’ Audit Committee.
From April 6 to April 8, 2016, the Puerto Rico Council on Education conducted a comprehensive
on-site review of all University operations in order to evaluate Sagrado’s application for
renewal of its state operating license. On October 14, 2016, the Council concluded that
Sagrado complied with the legal and regulatory requirements and renewed its operating license
for a new five-year period from 2016 to 2021. All recommendations issued during the review
process have been adopted and implemented.
Sagrado complies with Standard II.
Recommendation. Sagrado should establish (a) a policy for the periodic review of all
institutional policies and procedures through the appropriate governing bodies, the Academic
Board, the Administrative Board or the Board of Trustees, and the participation of all
appropriate community stakeholders; and (b) formal program for institutional compliance
under the direction of University’s Chief Compliance Officer subject to review by the
University’s internal auditor and the Board of Trustees’ Audit Committee.
Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
Finding. The student learning experience is at the heart of Sagrado’s Mission as a student-
centered university committed to the education of the whole person. Sagrado’s new
organizational chart reflects this student-centeredness by placing the “students” at the top the
chart.
Sagrado has a strong academic leadership team and highly-qualified faculty that manages a
curriculum that is fully aligned with the Mission and that delivers learning experiences that are
consistent with higher education expectations. The objective is articulated in the institutional
vision: “a unique academic project, an innovative educational experience in which the classroom
is the world, in an environment characterized by a quality community life and anchored in the
principle that the human person and Christian values are the center of the project.”
The undergraduate curriculum has three main components: (a) a general education core
anchored in the liberal arts or arts of liberty; (b) major areas of concentration in different
academic disciplines, some that are expressly mission-driven (ex. nursing, psychology,
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education, social work); and (c) free electives for student curricular exploration or
diversification. The curriculum focuses on the development of core transversal competencies
aligned with the Mission and is supported by diverse learning experiences consistent with the
Mission, with an emphasis an active and creative learning such as service learning.
Eight new bachelor’s degree programs have been launched during the review period years after
receiving the approval of the Academic Board and the Board of Trustees and the necessary
authorizations from the Puerto Rico Council on Education. The graduate programs are currently
under review and new programs will be launched in new modalities that are more flexible and
adjust to the demanding realities of many professionals. Three new graduate programs have
received all internal approvals; two just received authorization from said licensing authority and
the third is pending.
In all undergraduate and graduate programs, student learning experiences are provided by
qualified members of the faculty that have the experience and knowledge necessary to design
and deliver an academic experience that meets the requirements of the programs. The number
of the faculty members is appropriate considering the amount of students.
Sagrado complies with Standard III.
Recommendation. Sagrado should (a) establish a system for the periodic review of academic
programs; (b) implement an annual faculty performance management system, that includes
assessment by peers, supervisors and students; (c) expand its programs for faculty
development in active and creative teaching-learning methodologies; (d) support the new
research center with additional resources to pursue faculty research and other creative or
professional opportunities; and (e) develop prototypes for new learning spaces to support
active and creative learning.
Standard IV: Support for the Student Experience.
Finding. As a mission-driven institution devoted to the education of the whole person, Sagrado
is committed to the success of each of its students. This commitment can be traced back to St.
Magdalene Sophie’s remarkable declaration that “[f]or the sake of one child, I would have
founded the Society.” Sagrado’s new organizational chart reflects this commitment by placing
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the “students” at the top of the chart and all academic, student affairs and administrative units
in service of the students.
Accordingly, Sagrado has a comprehensive student support network dedicated to enhancing
the student experience and contributing to each’s student integral development through
graduation. This network starts with the office of admissions and connects all the student
support units in Student Affairs, and the student residences and the athletic department. This
network is anchored in policies, regulations and procedures that are faithfully followed. There
is constant assessment of the quality of the services of the units within this network.
The Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs leads this network, except for the admissions’
office which is fully integrated into the marketing function with Integrated Communications
Team. In view of the student-centeredness of the Mission, the Vice President and Dean of
Student Affairs now reports directly to the President rather than to the Executive Vice President
for Academic Affairs. Sagrado has also appointed a chief retention officer within Student Affairs
who is responsible for coordinating all efforts related to student retention, persistence and
graduation.
Sagrado complies with Standard IV.
Recommendations. Sagrado should: (a) leverage its new Jenzabar academic-student
technology platform, which includes student-life, advising and retention modules, to improve
and more closely integrate this student support network to accomplish institutional retention,
persistence and graduation goals; (b) strengthen the network by integrating the assessment
practices of each of the operating units into a cohesive-system that can provide timely and
accurate data on student performance and experience to support agile decision-making and
execution; (c) consider how to effectively integrate third-party providers into this assessment
system; (d) consider how to incorporate the assessment of the transversal competencies into
the students’ extra-curricular activities in order to have a fuller picture of student development;
(e) establish a formal program for participation in the NSSE and FSSE surveys; (f) evaluate in
depth the performance of undergraduate students admitted through the committee process,
rather than by the admissions formula, to determine whether the admissions criteria should be
revised and/or special measures taken to support these students to improve their persistence,
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retention and graduation; and whether it is necessary to revise the incoming students’ profiles
to better align student services and support to served their necessities; (g) improve the process
for the evaluation of transfer credits through the effective integration of information
technology; (h) track transfer students’ persistence, retention and graduation separately from
other undergraduate students in order to assess their performance and determine whether the
admissions criteria should be revised and/or special measures taken to support these students;
and (i) evaluate and benchmark the program for credit for non-academic learning to determine
whether there is an opportunity to modify its application to reach more non-traditional
students.
Standard V: Education Effectiveness Assessment
Findings. Sagrado understands that the success of its Mission depends on continuous
innovation and improvement driven by robust assessment practices. This is the reason why of
one the five priorities of the Strategic Plan 2017-2020 is the development of an innovative
community of service and continuous improvement.
The University has developed a strong assessment culture and currently has institutional
processes in place to assess student learning outcomes for undergraduate and graduate
programs and thus propel changes to programs, curricula and syllabi. Academic and student
support units also have institutional processes in place to assess their services, for utilization
and satisfaction, alignment with the institutional goals and Mission and dissemination among
stakeholders.
These assessment processes, however, have not followed a common model across the
University, with significant variations across units. Moreover, these processes not been
historically supported by robust information technology systems and, therefore, have been
difficult to manage and maintain and eventually integrate a University-wide system. In March
2017, Sagrado began implementation of its new academic-student information technology
platform, which includes a new learning-management system. The planning for this
implementation included the development of a learning outcomes assessment plan that could
be incorporated into this platform and easily used by the faculty and the academic leadership
for continuous innovation and improvement. The implementation of this plan was delayed due
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to the impact of hurricane Maria and is scheduled to be piloted and tested in the spring of
2019, for full deployment in 2019-2020.
Sagrado complies with Standard V.
Recommendations. Sagrado should support the implementation of the new learning outcomes
assessment plan by establishing an independent unit reporting to the President that is
responsible for institutional intelligence, assessment, efficacy and planning, that is supported
with the staff and information systems necessary to continually assess student learning
outcomes and support academic innovation.
Standard VI: Planning, Resources and Institutional Improvement
Findings. Sagrado’s Mission guides the University’s planning, budget and decision-making
processes. Sagrado has a formal, standardized and participatory budget planning process in
which expenditures are qualified according to criteria linked to the Mission and institutional
priorities. Budgets are developed in consultation with all operational units, reviewed by the
Administrative Board and eventually approved by the Board of Trustees. The administration
and the Board’s Finance and Investment and Infrastructure and Technology Committees review
in detail operational and capital budgetary performance on a periodic basis.
Sagrado is currently moving to embed this robust budgetary process into an integrated and
systematic planning, budget and assessment process supported by the necessary information
technology systems. The Strategic Plan 2017-2020 was developed in a participatory process led
by a steering committee representing all community stakeholders. The plan was approved by
the Academic and Administrative Boards and the Board of Trustees in March 2017. After the
extraordinary events of the Fall 2017, the plan was placed on hold for an academic year. It has
now been refined, reaffirmed and translated into institutional objectives and key results for
2018-19 and approved by the Board of Trustees.
Sagrado has a performance management system, first piloted in the spring of 2017, and
implemented in 2017-2018, which will incorporate the 2018-2019 institutional objectives and
key results derived from the strategic plan. For 2019-2020, the budget planning process will be
expressly linked to the institutional objectives and key results.
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Financial statements are audited every year by an independent audit firm that is selected by
the Board of Trustees. The independent audit firm reports directly to the Audit Committee the
results of the audit, the Single Audit of federal funds received and any recommendation that
they may have in a management letter.
Sagrado complies with Standard VI.
Recommendation. Sagrado must continue its efforts to operationalize its 2017-2020 Strategic
Plan by incorporating institutional objectives and key results into the performance
management system and embedding the plan in the proposed systemic planning, budgeting
and assessment process. As in Standard V, Sagrado should (a) establish an independent unit
reporting to the President that is responsible for institutional intelligence, assessment efficacy
and planning that is supported with the staff and information systems necessary to drive
strategic planning and decision-making and assess compliance with the strategic plans; (b)
should focus on the initiatives to diversify revenue sources through the expansion of the
continuing education platform, the increase in occupation levels of the University residences
and apartments throughout the year, renewed efforts to promote the use of available facilities
by third parties and the reestablishment of the development operation; and (c) in view of the
many changes in Puerto Rico over the past 10 years, and the many changes impacting the
higher education sector, Sagrado should consider conducting a review and assessment of its
master development plan.
Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration
Finding. Sagrado serves its Mission through a clearly defined, well-functioning governance
structure consisting of a Board of Trustees, an Academic Board and Administrative Board, each
with its governing bylaws and regulations, which are regularly reviewed and updated; and a
qualified chief executive and an experienced leadership team.
The Board of Trustees is an independent and autonomous body that acts in accordance with
Sagrado’s governing By-Laws. The Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for the fulfillment
of the institutional Mission in accordance with the statutes and applicable laws and regulations.
It has 25 members, a majority of which represent the community and a minority is selected by
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the Society of the Sacred Heart and the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of San Juan. The
university is not subject to governance oversight by any religious or ecclesial body.
The Academic Board is a representative body integrated primarily by the representatives from
the faculty with participation of student representatives and several members from the
academic and executive leadership. The Academic Board is primarily responsible for
establishing the policies that guide the direction of the academic project. The Administrative
Board is also a representative structure with members from the faculty, administrative staff and
the student body that makes recommendations regarding administrative matters. Each
governing body acts in an autonomous manner and makes decisions and recommendations as
appropriate.
There are two student governance bodies, the Student Council and the Student Residents
Council. The Academic and Administrative Boards include student representation and the Board
of Trustees has recently established a self-standing Student Affairs Committee to address
student and enrollment affairs and provide a forum for students to communicate their
concerns directly to the Board.
Sagrado’s leadership integrates into a single executive team with the President the leaders of
the following areas: Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Finance and Operations, Integrated
Communications, Information Technology and Development. A larger Executive Leadership
Team integrates the deputy chief academic officer, the academic department heads, the chief
retention officer and the Director of the Pastoral Care Center. The team also includes the
General Counsel, who is the chief legal, compliance and institutional integrity officer. The
University has an Internal Auditor.
The performance of the leadership team is reviewed annually through a performance
management system. The Board of Trustees assesses its own performance and formally
reviews the President’s performance.
Sagrado complies with Standard VII.
Recommendation. In order to improve its governance structures, Sagrado should (a) invite the
Academic and Administrative Boards to establish self-assessment processes similar to the
processes followed by the Board of Trustees; (b) invite both boards (Academic and
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Administrative) to evaluate ways to avoid overlaps between their respective functions in areas
where they may have shared responsibilities such as strategic planning and policy reviews; and
(c) recommend to the Student Council and the Student Residents Council to consider adopting
formal governance documents that incorporate self-assessment processes.
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Standard I: Mission and Goals
The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students
it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its
mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission. Sagrado meets the four criteria and all
sub-criteria of Standard I and is in compliant with the Commission’s Requirements of Affiliation
7 and 10. Evidence that demonstrates that Sagrado meets this standard can be reviewed in the
Documentation Roadmap and are analyzed in this section.
Sagrado complies with Standard I.
Criterion Number
Standard I Criterion Meet
Criterion
C1 Clearly defined mission and goals that:
C1a Are developed through appropriate collaborative participation
C1b Address external and internal contexts and constituencies
C1c Are approved and supported by the governing body
C1d Guide faculty, administration, staff, and governing structures in making decisions related to planning, resource allocation, program and curriculum development, and institutional and educational outcomes
C1e Support scholarly inquiry and creative activity
C1f Are publicized and widely known by internal stakeholders
C1g Are periodically evaluated
C2 Institutional goals are realistic, appropriate to higher education, and consistent with mission
C3 Goals that focus on student learning and related outcomes and on institutional improvement
C4 Periodic assessment of mission and goals to ensure they are relevant and achievable
Compliance with Standard I
Sagrado’s Mission clearly defines its purpose within the context of higher education in Puerto
Rico, the students we serve and what the University community intends to accomplish:
To educate persons in intellectual freedom and moral conscience who are willing to participate
in the construction of a more authentically Christian Puerto Rican society—a community of
solidarity, in justice and peace2.
2 www.sagrado.edu/en/why-sagrado/.
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Sagrado’s institutional goals are clearly linked to, and specify how the University fulfills, the
Mission.
Sagrado’s Mission is Approved and Supported by its Governing Bodies
Sagrado’s Mission was expressly articulated by the Board of Trustees 30 years ago in 1988 and
has remained constant since. As related in the introductory narrative, Sagrado’s Mission may
have been expressed in writing at that particular historical juncture, but the Mission derived
from the founding charism of the Society of the Sacred Heart and has always guided Sagrado’s
long history of service to Puerto Rico.
The Mission has been reviewed and reaffirmed repeatedly over the last three decades as it
continues to be relevant. Sagrado’s governing document is the By-laws of the University that
are reviewed and approved by the Board of Trustees3. This By-laws begin by clearly stating the
University’s Mission, Vision, Guiding Philosophy and Institutional Values4. The Board of Trustees
periodically reviews this document and at each review, has reaffirmed the Mission. During the
period between 2008 and 2018, the Board of Trustees revised and updated the By-laws three
times (2008, 2016 and 2018)5. During the Annual Retreats in which the Board of Trustees
considers the strategic plan, the Board has also reaffirmed Sagrado’s Mission, Vision and
Institutional Values.
The by-laws of Sagrado’s Academic Board also state and reaffirm the Mission as the guiding
principle of its powers and procedures6. Similarly, the ruling manuals of Sagrado’s three main
groups of stakeholders, faculty (Faculty Handbook 7), students (New Student Handbook8) and
staff (Employee Handbook9) expressly incorporate the University’s Mission. Sagrado’s
governing bodies validate the Mission every time any of these handbooks are reviewed and
3 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018); Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (22 de marzo de 2018), available upon request. 4 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018). 5 Estatutos Octava Revisión (2008); Estatutos Novena Revisión (2016), Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018). 6 Estatutos de la Junta Académica (2016). 7 Manual de Facultad (2017) 8 Manual del Estudiante de Nuevo Ingreso. 9 Manual del Empleado (2017); Manual del Empleado.
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approved by the respective boards: Academic Board10, Administrative Board11, and finally by
the Board of Trustees12. (C1f)
Sagrado’s Mission is Publicized and Widely Known
Sagrado’s Mission is clearly stated in the University’s web site13, displayed in offices and public
areas throughout campus and publicized through diverse analogue and digital venues14.
Sagrado’s students, faculty and staff repeatedly make reference to the Mission in speeches and
events and are often quoted in local media15. The President and the Provost constantly mention
and discuss the Mission at official University events16. The inductions processes for new
students17, employees (staff and faculty)18 and trustees19 start by making reference to
Sagrado’s Mission. In late 2015, Sagrado launched the digital bi-weekly newsletter inSagrado to
keep the internal and external community continuously informed of news and events and how
Sagrado is living its Mission20.
One special example of the dissemination of Sagrado’s Mission is the orientation event for
incoming first year students. This day-long event starts with a presentation in the University’s
Emilio S. Belaval Theater that references the Mission and founding history and concludes with
the lighting of a torch in front of the Administration Building21. The fire is a symbol of the
founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart, St. Magdalene Sophie Barat. She is known as “the
daughter of fire”, because she was born on the day that a fire destroyed much of her home
town of Joigny, France22. The hope is that the education in Sagrado may kindle the divine fire in
10 Certificación 2017-05 de la Junta Académica (11 de mayo de 2017). 11 Acta 2016-2017 de la Junta Administrativa (17 de marzo de 2017). 12 Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (30 de marzo de 2017), available for review upon request. 13 www.sagrado.edu/en/why-sagrado/. 14 www.sagrado.edu/en/university-catalog/; Catálogo Subgraduado (2014-2016). 15 Juramenta el presidente de la Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (21 de enero de 2015). 16 Presentación CEPR (abril 2016); Presentación Personal Administrativo (marzo 2015). 17 Manual del Estudiante de Nuevo Ingreso. 18 Orientación a Empleados de Nuevo Ingreso. 19 Orientación para los Nuevos Síndicos (2018). 20 http://insagrado.sagrado.edu/en/ 21 Éxito 2016 (agosto 2012); Éxito 2017 (agosto 2013); Sagrado da la bienvenida a estudiantes de nuevo ingreso
#Éxito2019 (2015); ¡Bienvenidos, Delfines! (2016); ¡Bienvenidos delfines! (2017); Llega Éxito 2022 ¡Enciende la
Llama! (2018). 22 https://sites.google.com/a/sagrado.edu/plan-estrategico-sagrado/nuestras-raices.
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each student so that he/she may contribute to building “a more authentically Christian Puerto
Rican society, a community of solidarity, in justice and peace” as stated in the Mission.
Table 1: Student Welcome Day participation and survey.
Areas Éxito 2017 Éxito 2018 Éxito 2019
Students Parents Students Parents Students Parents
Visits 488 206 390 68 405 124
Surveys completed 58 136 294 40 168 64
% % % % % %
Registration 98 84 99
Dynamics 100 94 95
Found your place 98 83 90
Religious act (parents and students) 97 39 85 84 84 90
Activity: Encendido de la Llama (parents
and students) 98 75 100 93 100
Dynamic transition and financial aspects
(parents) 74 95 94
Relevant aspects of the university life
(parents) 72 100 94
Mission and campus climate/communication surveys conducted in 2008 and 2012 confirmed
the community’s profound knowledge and commitment of the Mission23. These surveys are
performed every five years and the latest was scheduled to be conducted in 2017. Perhaps the
most conclusive demonstration of the University community’s knowledge and commitment to
the Mission was Sagrado’s extraordinary response to the hurricane Maria in the Fall of 2017.
Sagrado Contigo involved all stakeholders—students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, friends
and collaborators--in a common effort of solidarity.
With a sense of normalcy regained, this past June 2018, the Board of Trustees called for the
survey to be conducted this academic year 2018-201924. It is slated to be conducted in the
Spring of 2019. One recommendation related to this Standard I is the adoption for an official
policy that requires such surveys take place on a periodic basis, at least every three to five
years. The Board of Trustees will be addressing this matter this year.
23 PRR (2013); Estudio de Misión, Ambiente y Comunicación Institucional: Informe de Resultados 2007 -2012. 24 Informe del Comité de Gobierno Institucional de la Junta de Síndicos (4 de junio de 2018), available upon request.
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Centrality of Sagrado’s Mission: the Madre Marta Miranda, rscj, Pastoral Care Center
In view of the centrality of Sagrado’s Mission and founding charism, the Director of the Marta
Miranda, rscj, Pastoral Care Center is now part of the Executive Leadership Team25. The
Director, Madeline Ortiz Rivera, rscj, is a religious of the Sacred Heart, and she has the
responsibility of working with diverse stakeholders to ensure that all University activities
faithfully reflect the Mission26. The Pastoral Care Center is the beating heart of the campus and
receives the highest number of student visits each year27.
Three of its many programs give eloquent testimony of Sagrado’s educational mission of
solidarity. In response to the troubling reality that some of our students often do not have
enough money to pay for their meals, in 2015, the Pastoral Care Center, with the participation
of trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni, started Comesa as a soup kitchen for students in
need. It operates with volunteer students working in teams to prepare meals that are then
shared during lunch break28. Since its beginning, approximately 100 meals are served daily from
Monday through Thursday. A survey on service satisfaction conducted in 2015 shows that 100%
agreed with this initiative in solidarity. Sixty percent (60%) of the participants indicated that
without Comesa they would have no food and 57.5% specified that sometimes there was no
food in their homes
Conéctate is a program that works with students to develop their solidary and transformative
leadership29. Students in the program work in community development initiatives in at-risk
communities close to campus in Santurce. Momento Sagrado is a daily reflection on the daily
Gospel reading, often by a member of the community—student, faculty, staff or alumni—that is
shared by email, seven days a week, with a broad network of recipients that grows organically
by sharing30.
25 Presentación Personal Administrativo (marzo 2015) 26 https://www.sagrado.edu/madeline-ortiz-rivera-rscj/ 27 Pastoral Statistics (2014 – May 2017). 28 Comesa 29 Conéctate 30 Momento Sagrado
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Since 2014, the Pastoral Care Center has been leading a project of reconnecting with Sagrado’s
founding charism and its roots in the history, educational philosophy and spirituality of the
Society of the Sacred Heart. In view of the reduced presence of women religious of the Sacred
Heart, it is critical that the University become intimately familiar with the founding charism and
the roots in the Society. In 2016, the Executive Leadership Team went to the Society’s retreat
house in the mountain town of Barranquitas for a one-day conference on the Society’s
educational philosophy and integrative spirituality. In 2017, two members of the Society’s
Stuart Center in Washington, D.C. visited Sagrado to provide workshops on solidary leadership
to students, faculty, staff and trustees31. Sagrado also sent two students to a workshop on
solidary leadership32 held by the Stuart Center and two members of our staff attended a
congress in St. Louis, MO, on the occasion of the bicentenary of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne’s
voyage to America33. Finally, a members of the Society visited Sagrado to guide some sessions
on the Society’s special integrative, incarnated spirituality that transcends any soul-body duality
and looks at human person as an integrated whole.
Sagrado’s Mission Guides Institutional Goals and Actions
Sagrado’s Mission is student-centered as it calls for the education of the whole person and it is
also society-oriented because it calls for an education that will generate a particular kind of
social impact: solidarity, justice and peace. The Mission has three main elements.
The first is the affirmative statement “to educate persons in intellectual freedom and moral
conscience”. Sagrado seeks to educate intellectually free and morally responsible persons, who
exercise their own judgment and ethical and social responsibility.
The second is the phrase “willing to participate in the construction.” Sagrado seeks to educate
persons who will engage in the construction of a better society—not passive individuals, but
leaders, entrepreneurs and builders for positive social impact.
The third describes the kind of social impact desired, the construction “of a more authentically
Christian Puerto Rican society, a community of solidarity, in justice and peace.” Sagrado seeks
31 Stuart Center 32 Global Citizens 33 6th Society of the Sacred Heart Spirituality Forum (2017)
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to educate persons for social solidarity, persons who will exercise solidary leadership to build
just, peaceful and solidary communities.
These three elements have guided Sagrado’s last three strategic plans: 2008-201334, 2014-
201735 and 2017-202036 that expressly reaffirm the Mission and the Vision. The Mission focuses
specifically on the character and objective of the education at Sagrado and, thus, each plan
begins by focusing on the nature of the educational project. The plans then turn to the
community, the environment and context necessary to nurture the Mission, and finally to the
organization necessary to sustain the Mission.
With respect to the kind of education, all plans focus on an integral education of the whole
person through an interdisciplinary approach grounded in the liberal arts and the development
of specific competencies and abilities across academic disciplines aimed to achieve a solidary
social impact. With respect to community, all plans focus on a student-centered community
anchored in the dignity of each person at its Christian values, meaningfully engaged in the
world, and committed to providing students the integral experiences services and support
necessary to accomplish their educational and life goals. And with respect to organization, all
plans stress the importance of an effective and innovative organization with sufficient
resources to sustain and accomplish the Mission and institutional goals.
The following figure compares the institutional goals of strategic plans 2014-2017 and 2017-
2020 and confirms that Sagrado remains true to its Mission as student-centered and society-
oriented, while incorporating new perspectives and strategies that help the University respond
to contemporary challenges:
34 Fundamentos para el Plan Estratégico Institucional Visión 2013 (2008). 35 Plan Estratégico Visión 2014-2017. 36 Plan Estratégico 2017-2020.
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Figure 1:Comparison of strategic plans PE 2014-17 and PE 2017-2020.
Source: Table prepared by the Writing and Editing Committee (Committee IX).
The main difference between both plans is that the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan expressly calls for
a redesign of the interactions between the University and its surroundings to emphasize the
importance of innovation and social entrepreneurship to accomplish solidary social impacts37.
Since 2016 and the launch of our Collaborative Innovation Center (Neeuko), Sagrado has been
developing a new model of community engagement and socio-economic development through
the Santurce: Nuestro Barrio project that was initially funded by a grant from the National
37 Plan Estratégico 2017-2020.
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Endowment for the Arts38. In the aftermath of hurricane Maria, the redesign of Sagrado’s
community impact strategies became an urgent priority.
Indeed, the experience of hurricane Maria allowed Sagrado to distill the essence of the five
strategic priorities of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. The original articulation of these priorities
could be summarized as follows:
1. Educate citizens with the knowledge and skills needed for a productive immersion
into society.
2. Redesign the interaction between the academic project and our surroundings to
promote innovation and social entrepreneurship.
3. Develop a community experience that complements the academic project and
supports the students’ integral development.
4. Continually improve organizational structures and processes to improve institutional
efficacy.
5. Design and implement strategies to improve the university’s financial position.
As distilled into clear directional statements post-Maria, these five priorities now provide that
Sagrado will
1. Form solidary leaders,
2. To engage in projects of positive social impact,
3. Through active, creative and engaged learning experiences,
4. In an innovative community of service and continuous improvement,
5. With the resources to fulfill the Mission.
The Mission in Action
One of the most eloquent examples of Sagrado’s Mission in action in alignment with the
institutional priorities is the annual interdisciplinary events on human rights, social justice and
gender equality such as the Social Justice Encounters39, the Gender Conferences40 and the
38 http://nuestrobarrio.org. 39 Encuentro por la Justicia Social. 40 Jornadas de Género.
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International Women’s Day41. These events usually include a wide variety of activities designed
to promote social justice and respect for diversity. They provide opportunities for students,
faculty and the community to reflect on how distant our social realities are from the “more
authentically Christian Puerto Rican society, a community of solidarity, in justice and peace”
which Sagrado is committed to building. These events invite the community to develop projects
and initiatives to construct the kind of society to which Sagrado aspires. In the 2017, at the
Women’s International Day, the University read a manifesto reaffirming the Mission and
declaring the commitments to a more solidary, just and peaceful society in which all persons
can aspire to a full life of human dignity42. This day is particularly important in Sagrado because
the University was born of a project by women for the education of women.
Community Participation in the Development of the Strategic Plans
Each of the past three strategic plans reaffirms and is faithful to Sagrado’s Mission. Each was
developed with the participation and collaboration of community stakeholders. As explained
in the 2008 Self-Study, the 2008-2013 Strategic Plan was the result of an extensive review and
ample community participation43. The 2013 Periodic Review Report provides further
information and also details the process for the development of the 2014-2017 Strategic Plan44.
For the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, the President appointed a Steering Committee with
representation of all stakeholders that was charged with the task of carrying out a broad
consultation process and developing the plan for presentation to and approval by Sagrado’s
governing bodies. The Committee included representatives from the faculty, the student body
and the Board of Trustees, as well as representatives from Academic and Student Affairs and
the administrative staff45. A diverse mix of stakeholders, some who were new to Sagrado and
others with a long-standing history of service participated in the Committee. The rationale and
the Committee’s challenge was to remain faithful to Guiding Philosophy and Institutional
41 Jornadas de Derechos Humanos. 42 Manifesto for 2017 International Women’s Day 43 Self-Study Report (2008) 44 PRR (2013). 45 Plan Estratégico 2017-2020.
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Values, while exploring innovative ways to articulate the Mission. The consulting firm Quality
for Business Success (QBS) supported the Committee’s efforts46.
During the first half of 2016, Sagrado’s Executive Leadership Team conducted several
preliminary sessions and meetings with faculty in preparation for the work on the strategic
plan. The Steering Committee received this input and conducted multiple open sessions with
the community, met with faculty, students and staff, held sessions with the strategic planning
committees of the Academic and Administrative Boards and opened an online portal to receive
comments47. The process commenced in September 2016 and in March 2017 the 2017-2020
Strategic Plan was presented to and approved by both the Academic and Administrative Boards
and then to the Board of Trustees for final approval. Complaint with regulatory requirements,
the plan was submitted to Puerto Rico’s Council on Education on May 2017 and was approved
on June 7, 2017.
As previously explained, the initial implementation of the plan during the 2017-2018 academic
year was delayed due to the impact of hurricane Maria. The subsequent refinement of the plan
and its conversion into the institutional goals and key results for the academic year 2018-2019
was the result of several intense sessions of the Executive Leadership Team during August
201848. In addition to the President’s direct reports, this team includes the deputy chief
academic officer, the directors of all academic departments, the chief retention officer and the
Director of the Pastoral Care Center.
Sagrado’s Assessment of its Mission and Institutional Goals.
As will be further discussed in Standards V and VI, Sagrado has been preparing since 2016 to
establish a comprehensive institutional assessment system supported by robust information
technology systems. This system has three components: (a) a performance management
system, (b) a learning outcomes assessment system; and (c) an institutional assessment system.
46 QBS Proposal (May 12, 2016); Análisis de Situación Operativa y Financiera en la Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. 47 Plan Estratégico 2017-2020. 48 Executive Team Leadership Workshop (August 2018).
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Institutional goals are established taking into consideration the Mission and the Strategic Plan
of the University.
The performance management system, supported by ADP technology, was first deployed as a
pilot in the Spring of 2017 in order for administrative staff to learn to use the system. After
assessing the experience, the system was scheduled for full deployment to the administrative
staff in the academic year 2017-18, but the impact of hurricane Maria thwarted full annual
implementation. It was applied during the Spring semester of 2018. The academic year 2018-
2019 will be the first year of full annual deployment for all administrative staff. The
performance management system for faculty is being currently developed and will be piloted in
the Spring 2019. The learning outcomes assessment system is part of the implementation of the
new academic-student technology platform, Jenzabar, which began implementation in March
2017 after twelve months of preparations. The learning outcomes assessment system is
scheduled for testing in the Spring of 2019 as part of the deployment of the new learning
management system. Finally, the assessment system for institutional goals and key results
depended on the implementation of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan and will be deployed this
academic year.
Prior to these implementations, the institutional assessment process was led primarily through
the leadership’s annual reviews of operations and the accomplishments of area objectives.
These reviews have been taken into consideration at the time of the preparation of the annual
budgets and the revisions to the strategic plans. The President would also periodically update
the Board of Trustees on different strategic initiatives and afford trustees an opportunity to
evaluate their progress and ascertain that the goals continued to be realistic and achievable.
As will be discussed below, one of the main recommendations of this Self-Study is the
establishment of an independent unit reporting to the President that is responsible for
institutional intelligence, assessment, efficacy and planning, supported with the staff and
information systems necessary to perform this critical work. In a learning community
committed to continuous innovation and improvement in the service of its Mission, this is a
necessary step to ensure that the University remains relevant and responsive to the challenges
of times, as it has continually done through Sagrado’s 138 years of service to Puerto Rico.
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Conclusion.
Sagrado is defined by its founding charism and institutional Mission. The Mission is reviewed on
a periodic basis and is deep-rooted, clearly articulated and well-known. It guides institutional
decision-making and execution at all levels, nurtures Sagrado’s strategic plans, the institutional
goals and drives key initiatives and activities for their implementation. The Mission and goals
are developed through collaborative participation of the different constituents and are
evaluated and approved by the Board of Trustees. Sagrado complies with Standard I.
Recommendation.
Sagrado should evaluate the establishment of a policy to require a Mission and organizational
climate/communication study on a periodic basis, every three to five years at least, to assess
and document (a) the community’s knowledge and commitment to the University’s Mission,
and (b) the community’s perception of Sagrado’s fulfillment of its Mission in different
operational areas and services.
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Standard II: Ethics and Integrity
Ethics and Integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher
education institutions. In all activities, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its
contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.
Compliance with the Standard and Criteria
Sagrado meets the nine criteria and all sub-criteria of Standard II and is in compliance with the
Commission's Requirements of Affiliation 1, 5, and 6. Evidence that demonstrates this can be
reviewed in the Documentation Roadmap and is analyzed in the following section.
Criterion Number
Standard II Criterion Meet
Criterion
C1 Commitment to academic and intellectual freedom, freedom of expression, and respect for intellectual property rights
C2 Climate that fosters respect among students, faculty, staff and administration from a range of diverse backgrounds, ideas, and perspectives
C3 A fair and impartial grievance policy that is documented and disseminated
C4 Avoidance of conflict of interest
C5 Fair and impartial practices in the hiring, evaluation, promotion, discipline, and separation of employees
C6 Honesty and truthfulness in public relations announcements, advertisements, recruiting and admissions materials and practices, and in internal communications
C7 As appropriate to mission, services, or programs in place:
C7a To promote affordability and accessibility
C7b To enable students to understand funding sources, options, value received for cost, and methods to make informed decisions about incurring debt
C8 Compliance with all applicable federal, state, and Commission reporting policies, regulations, and requirements regarding:
C8a Full disclosure of information on institution-wide assessments, graduation, retention, certification, and licensing board pass rates
C8b The institution’s compliance with the Commission’s Requirements of Affiliation
C8c Substantive changes affecting mission, goals, programs, operations, sites are disclosed in a timely and accurate fashion
C8d The institution’s compliance with the Commission’s policies
C9 Periodic assessment of ethics and integrity in institutional policies, processes, practices, and the manner in which these are implemented
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Compliance with Standard II
As a mission driven institution with a profound sense of its ethical and social responsibility,
Sagrado is committed to the highest ethical and professional standards. The Mission calls for
educating persons in “intellectual freedom” and “moral conscience” to conduct lives of ethical
and social responsibility. On a day to day basis, Sagrado strives to be faithful to its Mission,
meet its commitment to excellence in education, comply with all legal obligations and
commitments, and follow all institutional policies and procedures.
Ethics, Compliance and Risk Management
To ensure institutional compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements and observance
of the highest ethical standards, in 2015 Sagrado appointed an experienced attorney as the
University’s General Counsel responsible for legal matters, compliance and institutional
integrity
49. Prior to this appointment, the University had a part-time legal counsel with a more limited
scope of responsibility.
Sagrado also has an internal auditor who reports directly to Audit Committee of the Board of
Trustees. Prior to 2016, the internal audit work was performed by a full-time employee. During
2016 and 2017, the Audit Committee and the administration decided to outsource this service
to an experienced certified public accountants’ firm. As part of the on-going assessment to
improve the University’s operations, the Audit Committee and the administration recently
concluded that it is best for the University to hire a full-time internal auditor as part of the staff.
The internal auditor performs audits for compliance and risk management pursuant to a risk
assessment plan approved by the Audit Committee50.
Ethical Conduct
Since at least 1995, Sagrado has a Code of Ethics governing the trustees’ fiduciary duties and
outlining the conflict of interest obligations for trustees and all University employees51. In 2016
Sagrado began the development and in 2017 adopted a broader and comprehensive Code of
49 Nuevos Integrantes Área de Servicios; General Counsel. 50 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018). 51 Código de Ética (1995).
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Ethical Conduct that sets forth the ethical standards expected from all its members, whether on
or off campus, and from all visitors or third parties who interact with the University. Sagrado’s
General Counsel led the effort to draft this code, which was adopted after extensive review and
discussion in the Administrative Board and eventually approved by the Board of Trustees52 The
code includes provisions regarding conflicts of interest, compliance with laws, regulations and
institutional policies and procedures, respect for the rights and dignity of others, interest in
health and respect for the environment, academic integrity, and ethics in research, honesty and
integrity in business practices, among others53.
Mutual Respect
One of the fundamental tenets of Sagrado’s Code of Ethical Conduct is the obligation to respect
the dignity of each individual. Sagrado’s mission requires that the University be a community of
mutual respect where each person feels welcomed and included and where persons treat each
other in accordance with the highest ethical standards. This commitment derives from
Sagrado’s fundamental faith as a Catholic university that each person is created in the image
and likeness of God and thus deserving of the equal dignity and respect. Sagrado’s Code of
Ethical Conduct expressly states that:
The University is committed to the principle of treating each member of our community with
respect and dignity. The University prohibits discrimination and harassment and provides equal
opportunity for all members of the community and applicants regardless of race, color,
nationality, religion, civil status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or status as a covered
veteran. Code of Ethical Conduct (2017, p. 3) [Translation by authors].
Accordingly, Sagrado’s institutional policies encourage a climate of mutual respect, whether on
or off campus.
Intellectual Freedom and Property Rights
A community of mutual respect that educates persons in “intellectual freedom” and “moral
conscience,” Sagrado is also committed to respecting academic and intellectual freedom, as
52 Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (21 de junio de 2017) available upon request. 53 Código de Conducta Ética (2017).
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well as the intellectual property rights of faculty, students, staff and third parties. These
commitments are clearly stated in Sagrado’s Code of Ethical Conduct, Faculty, Student and
Employee Handbooks and in policies that expressly address the protection of intellectual
property rights54. Sagrado is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of its intellectual
property policies and expects to adopt an updated policy sometime during the academic year
2018-201955. Sagrado also has acquired all necessary licenses for its music programs and
musical student associations such as ASCAP, ACEMLA, BMI, Global Music, SESAC, Sound
Exchange56.
Ethical Research Practices
Sagrado is similarly committed to ethical research practices. Since 2015, Sagrado and the
Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico (UIPR) have maintained a Memorandum of
Understanding to establish the Human Subject Protocol framework. Under this agreement,
IUPR’s Internal Review Board (IRB) reviews Sagrado’s research protocols for compliance with
applicable rules and regulations. Sagrado’s priority is to promote and ensure ethical faculty and
student research that safeguards the rights of any and all human subjects57.
Fair and Impartial Human Resources Practices
Sagrado is likewise committed to observe the highest ethical and professional standards in its
human resources practices: hiring, evaluation, development, promotion, disciplining, and
separation of employees.
Hiring Policies. Sagrado’s Faculty and Employee Handbooks outline the institutional hiring
policies. The current, revised versions of both of these handbooks were approved in March
2017 by the Academic and Administrative Boards after extensive review and discussion for
54 Code of Ethical Conduct; Manual de la Facultad 2003; Manual de Facultad 2017; Reglamento de Estudiantes;
Política para la Protección de los Derechos de Autor y el uso de Fotocopias o Reproducción de Obras, 2010; Política
de Honestidad Académica. 55 Review Status of Inventory of Institutional Policies and Procedures. 56 Examples of musical licenses agreements: ACEMLA, BMI, Global Music, SESAC, Sound Exchange. 57 Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico Memorandum of Understanding.
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most of 201658. The Board of Trustees approved both handbooks in March 201759. Sagrado’s
General Counsel and the Vice President for Organizational Development and Human Resources
(“ODRH”) actively participated in this process to ensure full legal compliance and observance of
best practices.
Prior to 2017, recruitment and hiring practices for administrative personnel were guided by
regulatory requirements of equal employment and non-discriminatory principles established in
the then Employee Handbook60. As part of Sagrado’s continuous updates and improvements of
its labor and employment policies and procedures, the ODHR team adopted a recruitment
policy for administrative staff that clearly communicates the procedures to be followed
compliant with all federal and state laws and regulations to the University community and
potential employment candidates61. The Faculty Handbooks describes the recruitment process
for new faculty members in teaching positions62.
Staff Evaluations. Prior to 2016 the University engaged in several efforts to implement a
performance management process - Transfórmate63, and Academia de Talentos64 - based on
objectives that would serve as the basis for evaluation, development, promotion, discipline and
separation of employees. However, assessment showed that these first attempts not effective
due to a variety of factors, including the absence of an information system to support the
effort.
To address this and improve staff evaluations, in 2016 the ODHR team began planning the
implementation of a comprehensive performance management system supported by the ADP
technology platform. The system was first piloted with all administrative employees during the
Spring 2017 semester. The ODHR team held multiple orientations for all administrative staff
and training sessions for the supervisory personnel responsible for developing objectives with
58 Acta de la Junta Administrativa (17 de marzo de 2017); Certificación 2017-05 de la Junta Académica (17 de marzo de 2017). 59 Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (30 de marzo de 2017) available upon request. 60 Manual del Empleado. 61 Política de Reclutamiento de Personal Administrativo (2017). 62 Manual de Facultad (2003); Manual de Facultad (2017). 63 Transfórmate. 64 Academia de Talentos.
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their teams and conducting the performance evaluations65. After assessing this pilot with the
Executive Leadership Team and the supervisory personnel, the system was slated for full
implementation during the academic year 2017-2018. It was subsequently postponed until
Spring 2018 due to the impact of hurricane Maria. The ODHR team conducted an assessment of
the first live phase after the closing of the cycle in June 2018, and now the system is being fully
implemented for academic year 2018-201966.
The information gathered during the evaluation process has been instrumental in
organizational development decisions for employee development, promotions and the filling of
vacancies and new positions. For instance, from 2015 to the present, 28 employees with sound
performance and potential for development have been promoted to new positions within the
University thus providing opportunities for continued professional growth67. The development
of employee objectives is now aligned to the institutional objectives and the 2017-2020
Strategic Plan, and the ADP performance management system supports this alignment. Once
fully implemented, the ODHR team will assess productivity and effectiveness. The ODRH is
currently developing an employee development program for administrative staff in response to
the needs identified during the evaluation process68.
Faculty Evaluations. The Academic Affairs and the ODRH teams are developing a
comprehensive annual evaluation review for faculty that will be supported by the ADP
performance management system scheduled for implementation during Spring 2019. As will be
further discussed in Standard III, currently, full-time faculty evaluations are performed following
these processes:
1. Supervisory evaluation. Faculty members submit an annual report to the academic
directors and the Provost where each faculty member lists the major accomplishments
65 Taller I - Redacción de Objetivos SMART; Taller II - Evaluación de Desempeño ADP Workforce Now; Taller III –
Destrezas Gerenciales para el manejo efectivo de Sistema de Gerencia de Desempeño. 66 Repaso a Supervisores Evaluación de Desempeño junio 2018. 67 Employees Promoted from 2015 until 2018. 68 Plan de Desarrollo Individual.
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in six areas: student engagement, scholarship, teaching, research/creation, community
engagement, and institutional/departmental participation69.
2. Student evaluations. Prior to 2014, student evaluations of faculty members were
performed every semester in hard-copy70. This process was cumbersome and labor
intensive. The University subsequently used an electronic platform, Livetext,71 but it was
discontinued because the assessment showed that student participation dropped
dramatically. Accordingly, a new process was implemented in 2016. The process begins
with the selection of a sample of undergraduate and graduate courses in both
modalities (physical and hybrid) with the highest number of students. The sample
includes full and part time faculty members. The evaluation process includes in-person
visits to the classrooms by members of the Student Council where students were asked
to complete a Google form evaluation. However, this caused disruptions to the teaching
activity and, in 2017 instead of visits to the classrooms, a code number was assigned to
faculty members and students were asked to complete an online evaluation using a
given an email address.
3. Rank Assessment. Full-time faculty members are evaluated for rank promotion by their
peers and the director of their academic department. The process commences when the
ODHR team informs Academic Affairs those faculty members eligible for a rank
evaluation following a promotion schedule that is based in years of service. Eligible and
interested faculty members then submit the documentation required (dossier) in the
Rank Assessment Handbook. If denied, the faculty member may request that the
determination be reviewed by an Appeal Committee72.
The process requires that each faculty member prepare a comprehensive dossier that includes
student evaluations, peer evaluations, director’s recommendation, and evidence of scholarly or
creative work (publications, research, artistic productions), community involvement,
69 Manual de Evaluación y de Ascenso en Rango (2017); Manual de Facultad (2017). 70 Examples of faculty evaluations by students in hard-copy, available for review upon request. 71 Examples of faculty evaluations by students in Livetext, available for review upon request. 72 Manual de Evaluación y de Ascenso en Rango (2017).
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professional association membership, and any other pertinent information. The dossier is then
evaluated by two committees (departmental and institutional) and recommendations are
presented to the Provost and President for final approval. During the period under study and
including 2008-09 until 2017-2018, 35 faculty members were promoted through the rank
assessment process.
Table 2: Number of faculty promoted in range up between 2008-2009 to 2017-2018.
Year 2008-
09 2009-
10 2010-
11 2011-
12 2012-
13 2013-
14 2014-
15 2015-
16 2016-
17 2017-
18 Total
Approved 5 3 No
data 3 1 6 1 3 5 8 35
Established in 2003, the Rank Assessment Handbook was updated to include the new
organizational structure and aligned with the revised Faculty Handbook. In March 2017, the
Academic Board approved the Rank Assessment Handbook together with the Faculty
Handbook73.
4. Part-time faculty. Part-time faculty members are subject to the student evaluations
every semester/trimester74.
Disciplinary Actions. Sagrado conducts all disciplinary processes in a fair and impartial manner.
The level of the sanction is determined based on impartial investigations, taking into
consideration the nature and severity of the offense, and the circumstances75. Disciplinary
actions with respect to employees or students are the result of careful consideration and
advise, including supervisors, the ODHR team, the Academic Affairs team, or the Student Affairs
team, as applicable, the General Counsel and, if appropriate, the President. These are regular
procedures, but no behavioral pattern has been identified in the last decade.
Employee Recognition. Employees are an important part of the Sagrado family and the
University recognizes their contributions. Originally, the employee recognition system was
based on increments of five-years of service76. Aligned with the performance management
process, the ODHR team in consultation with employees, will submit a new employee
73 Certificación 2017-05 de la Junta Académica (17 de marzo de 2017). 74 Manual de Evaluación y de Ascenso en Rango (2017). 75 Manual del Empleado (2017); Manual de Facultad (2017); Reglamento de Estudiantes (2012); Manual de las Residencias Universitarias (2016). 76 Manual del Empleado.
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recognition program that combines performance with years of service to the Administrative
Board for implementation in Spring 201977.
Avoidance of Conflict of Interest
To ensure that the above-mentioned policies and procedures are properly enforced, all
responsible parties have the duty to act free of conflicts of interest, that is, free of any personal
or external pressures or interests that will prevent them from performing their duties on behalf
of and in the best interests of Sagrado. All Sagrado employees must make decisions seeking to
do what is right, both from a legal and ethical perspective.
This institutional conflict of interest policy stems from the By-laws of the Board of Trustees and
applies to employees at all levels78. Every year trustees certify that they do not have a conflict
of interest and, if a potential conflict of interest is identified, the Board evaluates the potential
conflict and determines the impact of such conflict to the University79.
The recently adopted Code of Ethical Conduct expressly provides that University employees,
regardless of their position, must be guided by the principle that there must not be an actual or
apparent conflict of interest between their personal interests and those of the University and, if
there are any such conflicts, they have an obligation to disclose and take all necessary
avoidance measures by letting the appropriate office or official manage the situation.
As part of continuous assessment and improvements, in June 20, 2018, the Board of Trustees
reviewed the University’s Code of Ethics and approved a revised version applicable to trustees
and all employees of the University to govern specifically the avoidance of conflicts of
interests80. On that same date, the Board of Trustees also approved a revised Policy for the
Avoidance of Conflict of Interests for Contracting with the Federal Government applicable to
trustees and all employees of the University81. Violations of these policies by employees are
handled under the appropriate disciplinary procedures and by trustees in accordance with the
procedures established by the Board.
77 Programa de Reconocimiento al Empleado. 78 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018). 79 Formulario de Conflicto de Interés. 80 Código de Ética (1995); Código de Ética (2018). 81 Política para Evitar el Conflicto de Intereses en la Contratación con el Gobierno Federal (1995a; 2018b).
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Grievance Policies and Procedures
To safeguard the character and safety of our community and ensure compliance with
institutional policies, Sagrado has policies and procedures that are equally applied in order to
fairly and unbiasedly address complaints when any situation arises where any member of the
community feels that he or she has been treated in a manner that is contrary to our policies
and codes of conduct. Complaints are investigated by impartial officers and, often, by a
committee of peers in a reasonable time or following protocols already in place. There are
specific procedures for claims by students, faculty, staff or third parties.
1. Staff employees. The Employee Handbook outlines the norms of conduct expected of
employees and, also, the corrective actions that could result if an employee is found to
have violated the norms82. The norms of conduct and any corrective action apply to staff
and faculty members, unless specifically stated in a policy. Complaints are conducted
following the Procedure to Review Complaints under the Affirmative Action83.
2. Faculty. Complaints related to academic matters are reviewed by the Complaints and
Grievances Committee that is composed by members of the faculty84. The process
includes the investigation of the claim and a determination regarding the same. There is
an appeal process to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
3. Students. The Student Handbook establishes a grievance and disciplinary process, as
well as the corresponding sanction for student-related complaints85. There is an appeal
process to the Student Disciplinary Committee, and ultimately, to the Dean and Vice
President for Student Affairs. There are other special policies and procedures in place
depending on the nature of the offense. For example:
a. Sexual Misconduct/Title IX. Student Affairs followed the grievance procedure in
the Student Handbook for all student complaints including sexual
misconduct/Title IX complaints until 2016 when the University appointed an
82 Manual del Empleado (2017). 83 Reglamento para Ventilar Querellas bajo el Plan de Acción Afirmativa. 84 Manual de Facultad (2017). 85 Reglamento de Estudiantes (2012).
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independent Title IX Coordinator compliant with the U.S. Department of
Education’s Dear Colleague Letter of April 25, 201586. Aware of this critical role,
the Title IX Coordinator is a manager-level position within the administrative
staff with experience investigating complaints87. The General Counsel supervises
the Title IX Coordinator and oversees the investigations and the report and
recommendations to the Dean and Vice President for Student Affairs (for
student respondent) or the Vice President for Organizational Development and
Human Resources (for staff or faculty respondent). Since her appointment in
February 2016, the Title IX Coordinator has been active with different
educational activities that include in-person trainings to faculty, administrative
staff, the Student Council, international students, athletic coaches and
personnel, and contractors88.
Cognizant of the importance of communicating information on Title IX, sexual misconduct is
part of the content of the FEP introductory courses discussed in Standard III89. Another
communication outlet is the Title IX webpage in the institutional website where information on
sexual misconduct and a video developed by students is available. Compliant with the Title IX
regulations, this webpage has an online survey to assess awareness and the overall climate on
this important matter. The webpage also provides a form for confidential online or hard-copy
complaints.
Table 3:Type of compliance for years.
Type of complaint 2008-
09 2009-
10 2010-
11 2011-
12 2012-
13 2013-
14 2014-
15 2015-
16 Admission and Enrollment 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Counseling 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Financial Aid 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Athletics 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sexual Harassment 0 1 0 0 1 0 4 4 Hostile Environment 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 Sexual assault 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Pregnancy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
86 Dear Colleague Letter (April 24, 2015). 87 Comunicación a la Comunidad – Coordinadoras de Título IX (2016a; 2018b). 88 Presentación sobre conducta sexual inapropiada/Título IX. 89 FEP Syllabus.
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Type of complaint 2008-
09 2009-
10 2010-
11 2011-
12 2012-
13 2013-
14 2014-
15 2015-
16 Marital or family status 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Job 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Recruitment 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Reprisal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stalking 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 0 2 0 0 2 0 7 6
As part of the ongoing assessments and improvements, in 2017, the University developed and
communicated the Policy on Sexual Misconduct/Title IX90 and two procedures: Procedures for
the Resolution of Sexual Misconduct Complaints Against Students91, and Procedure for the
Resolution of Sexual Misconduct Complaints Against Faculty, Staff, Affiliates, and Non-
affiliates92.
b. Bullying. Similar to sexual misconduct/Title IX, prior to 2017, complaints for
bullying were managed following the grievance procedure in the Student
Handbook. In 2017, Sagrado approved the Policy to Against Bullying93 and a
procedure that outlines the grievance process94 in compliance with Puerto Rico
Act No. 104 of August 1, 2016.
c. Grades. The Policy for Grade Review establishes the procedure for students who
disagree with a grade95. The process commences when the student submits a
written request to the professor to review the grade. If the student is not
satisfied with the outcome, he or she may request reconsideration to the
appropriate Academic Director or Program Coordinator. If the student is still not
satisfied with the determination, the student may request a review by the
Appeal Committee that is constituted by professors in the discipline. The
Committee sends a recommendation to the Academic Director and the latter to
90 Política sobre Conducta Sexual Inapropiada (2018). 91 Procedimiento para la resolución de querellas de conducta sexual inapropiada contra estudiantes (2018). 92 Procedimiento para la resolución de querellas de conducta sexual inapropiada contra la facultad, personal administrativo, afiliados y no-afiliados (2018). 93 Política Institucional para el Manejo del Acoso Escolar (2017). 94 Protocolo para el Manejo del Acoso Escolar (2017). 95 Política de Reclamación de Notas (11 de marzo de 2013).
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the Provost and Executive President for Academic Affairs who notifies the final
determination to the student, the Academic Director or Program Coordinator,
and the professor. If a change of grade is appropriate, the Academic Director or
Program Coordinator sends the change to the Office of the Registrar.
d. Tuition and Fees. A student may request a review of a tuition and fees
determination to the Office of Financial Assistance by following the procedure in
the Financial Norms96.
Honesty and Truthfulness in Communications
All the above-mentioned policies and procedures, as well as other official policies, regulations,
programs, services and disclosures, are made public for the benefit of the community through
different means, taking into account its diverse audiences. The strategies for dissemination are
varied: the distribution of handbooks and policies, orientations and workshops, broad and
narrow casts through digital and mass media: websites, institutional portal, email, social
networks97. These efforts reaffirm our commitment to be an open and transparent community.
The Integrated Communications Team. All official communications distributed to stakeholders
through official channels, such as the institutional website and portal and the social media
networks, are reviewed and approved for publication by the Integrated Communications Team
and, if necessary, by the General Counsel. In 2015, the Integrated Communications Team united
all marketing, public relations, digital media, communications and calendar functions under the
leadership of one executive98.
Official Communication Channels. The website is the official channel for external
communications99. It explicitly states the institutional mission and vision and provides
information regarding academic programs, faculty, admissions processes, tuition and fees,
financial aid, student services, accreditations, alumni and other relevant matters. The
Integrated Communications team regularly reviews and update the website. The institutional
96 Normas Financieras (2018-2019). 97 Promoción de la Oferta Académica 2008-2017. 98 Nuevos de Integrantes Área de Servicios: Vice-presidenta de Comunicaciones Integradas (2015). 99 www.sagrado.edu.
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portal is an internal tool for official communications with enrolled students, faculty, and
administrative personnel100. Policies, regulations, student support services, financial aid,
campus life, campus security, human resources, Moodle/eLearning tutorials are available for
each segment.
Academic Programs. Sagrado communicates its academic offering and services clearly and
precisely through the distribution of promotional materials during high school visits, orientation
events, fairs, its annual Open House and campus visits101. Likewise, Sagrado carries out
advertising and public relations efforts in traditional and digital media to promote our academic
programs, student services and opportunities. All academic communications are reviewed for
accuracy for publication by Academic Affairs.
Student Financial Assistance. Sagrado complies with all applicable requirements regarding the
publication of information regarding student financial assistance. The Office for Integrated
Assistance (ASI) is responsible for managing Sagrado’ student financial aid programs, including
the dissemination and orientation regarding policies and procedures102.
With respect to Title V funds, Sagrado communicates information that allows students and their
families to assess the costs as well as financial opportunities available so that they can make
informed decisions. Information about financial aid on tuition costs, fees, room and board,
government grants and loans, private grants, and work-study is available online, in printed
material, and in direct face-to-face communication with ASI officials. The following documents
are specifically published and available on the institutional website and portal: Financial Norms,
Net Price Calculator, Consumer Student Information, and Consumer Veteran Information103.
Through 2010-2014, fairs were organized in campus to assist students and their families in
completing the FAFSA. After 2014, fairs were substituted by a more comprehensive, year-round
assistance by ASI officers, Open House activities, and enrollment fairs104.
100 http://mi.sagrado.edu/ics/. 101 Promo Oferta Académica 2008-2017; https://www.sagrado.edu/programas/. 102 https://www.sagrado.edu/asistencia-economica/. 103 https://www.sagrado.edu/consumer-information/. 104 Presentations by ASI.
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The Director of ASI is an active member of the Association of Administrators of Economic
Assistance Programs of Puerto Rico (PRASFAA), and the National Association of Student
Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), thus allowing personnel to be up to date in policies and
best practices in the field105.
Consumer Information. Sagrado also complies with all applicable requirements regarding the
publication of consumer information106. The official website contains the following information
and reports: student financial aid information, financial aid contacts, tuition, fees and room
costs, refund policy, loan disclosures, textbook information, Information for Veterans, Jeanne
Clery Reports, and FERPA. Statistical data about Sagrado’s graduation and retention rates
cohorts 2012-2016, Equity in Athletics, the Assessment on Social Work Student Outcomes as of
May 2017 is also available in the Consumer Information webpage. Professional certifications
are available in the 2014-2016 Undergraduate Catalogue107.
1. Jeanne Clery Act (Campus Security). Security on campus and in official activities is
important to Sagrado. Until 2015, the University Security Office was only responsible for
campus security and traffic. Recognizing that security entails more than just traditional
security matters in 2015, the University expanded the responsibilities of the Security
Office to include managing risks such as the Emergency Plan, fire, hazardous materials,
and paramedics assistance108. Sagrado also updated the blue lights and emergency
telephone system, and installed security cameras in compliance with the Jeanne Cleary
federal regulations109. In the event of a reportable situation, warning letters are
disseminated thought the website, social media, and other communication outlets110.
Every year, Sagrado prepares the Annual Security and Fire Report that includes crime
105 https://mi.sagrado.edu/ICS/ASI/. 106 https://www.sagrado.edu/consumer-information/. 107 Undergraduate Catalogue (2014-2016). 108 Announcement of Office of Integrated Security and Risk Management (2015). 109 https://www.sagrado.edu/en/integrated-security-and-risk-management/. 110 https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/alerta-29-agosto-2017.pdf; https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/9-12-16-Alerta-de-Seguridad.pdf; https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/alerta-30-abril-2015.pdf; https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/alerta-29-de-abril-2015.pdf.
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and VAWA statistics, the fire response plan, and prevention efforts111. The Annual
Report as well as the crime log are communicated to the University community and the
public on the website112. In view of the importance of communicating information on
security, Jeanne Clery and VAWA are also part of the content of the introductory FEP
courses discussed in Standard III113.
2. Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (Controlled Substances). Sagrado complies with
all federal and state laws regarding the use and possession of controlled substances. The
University had one policy on the use of alcohol and other drugs for students and
employees114 until 2017 when a separate policy for employees was approved to address
state labor law requirements115. Both policies (students and employees), clearly states
the University’s zero tolerance on the illegal use and possession of controlled
substances. Sagrado has procedures to investigate and adjudicate any violation to these
policies that closely follow the procedure explained and detailed in the Student
Handbook116, the University Residences Handbook117, and the Employee Handbook118.
Statistical evidence of these processes is available in compliance reports published in
the official website.
The policies outline health risk factors, state and federal penalties if found in violation to the
law, University sanctions if found in violation to the policy, and the in-campus resources for
assistance. In 2017, Sagrado approved the Policy on the Use and Possession of Marihuana
111 https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/Informe-anual-seguridad-2017.pdf; https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/Informe-anual-seguridad-reporte-incendios-2016.pdf; https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/INFORME-ANUAL-SEGURIDAD-2015.pdf; https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/Informe-Anual-de-Seguridad-y-Seguridad-en-Caso-de-Incendio-2014.pdf; https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/Informe-de-Seguridad-2013.pdf; https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/Informe-de-Seguridad-2012.pdf. 112 http://crimelog.sagrado.edu/. 113 FEP Syllabus (2017). 114 Política sobre el Uso de Alcohol y otras Drogas (2012). 115 Política para Empleados sobre Abuso de Alcohol y Uso de Sustancias Controladas, Narcóticos y otras Drogas (2017). 116 Reglamento de Estudiantes (2012). 117 Manual de las Residencias Universitarias (2016); 118 Manual de Facultad (2017).
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(medical cannabis) in the University adopting a state regulation of 2015 that prohibits the use
and possession of medical cannabis in a school setting including a higher education campus119.
Sagrado communicates these policies through a series of prevention and awareness initiatives
such as: faculty and staff trainings, activities by the student group La Red that promotes healthy
living, and information on the institutional portal120 and the website121. These policies are
disseminated as part of the FEP introductory courses discussed in Standard III122.
Complaint with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act and state regulations, every two
years, Sagrado prepares the Bi-annual Report on Drug-free Schools and Campuses Regulations
that is disseminated to the University community and the public through the website123. The
Center for Personal Development has psychologists, counselors and social workers on staff, and
the Pastoral Care Center provide counseling and support services to students and employees124.
The ODHR team manages the Employee Assistance Program through the University’s health
plan125.
3. FERPA (Privacy of Student Records). Sagrado, though the Office of the Registrar,
complies with its responsibility for the protection of student information and academic
records, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The
Registrar provides orientation and training to staff as they acquire access to an
academic record. Sagrado has a policy and a procedure to comply with FERPA’s annual
notification to students regarding their rights and responsibilities under the statute126.
Sagrado also provides written notifications whenever a third-party requests information
and the student has not provided prior authorization for its release127. Sagrado provides
119 Política sobre el Uso y Posesión de Marihuana (cannabis medicinal) en la Universidad (2017). 120 http://mi.sagrado.edu/ics/. 121 https://www.sagrado.edu/consumer-information/. 122 FEP Syllabus (2018). 123 Informe Biannual “Drugs-free Schools and Campuses Regulations, 2011-2013; Informe Biannual “Drugs-free
Schools and Campuses Regulations, 2013-2015; Informe Biannual “Drugs-free Schools and Campuses Regulations,
2015-2017. 124 Política sobre el Uso de Alcohol y otras Drogas (2012); Política para Empleados sobre Abuso de Alcohol y Uso de Sustancias Controladas, Narcóticos y otras Drogas (2017). 125 INSPIRA. 126 Notificación a Estudiantes sobre Derechos bajo la Ley de Derechos Educativos y de Privacidad Familiares. 127 https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/FERPA-Autorizacion-2.pdf.
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degree verification through National Student Clearinghouse, in compliance with FERPA,
with a written authorization (disclosure) from the student for Sagrado to provide
information of their academic degree128. This service is provided to students through the
website129.
Compliance with Laws, Regulations and Accreditation
Puerto Rico compliance. Sagrado is a non-for-profit corporation organized and existing and in
good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Sagrado is also compliant
and in good standing under the laws and regulations of the state licensing authority for
institutions of higher education.
From April 6 to 8, 2016, the existing licensing authority at the time, the Puerto Rico Council on
Education, conducted a comprehensive on-site review of all University operations to evaluate
Sagrado’s application for renewal of its state operating license. This reviewed covered the
following 9 areas: institutional mission; organizational structure; academic offering; faculty
academic and professional credential and experience; information resources; student services;
physical and equipment infrastructure; financial capability; and truthful representation. On
October 11, 2016, the Council notified that Sagrado complies with the legal and regulatory
requirements and renewed the operating license for a new five-year period from 2016 until
2021130. All recommendations issued during the review process have been adopted,
implemented and accepted by the Council.
Sagrado’s graduate and undergraduate programs have also been reviewed and approved by the
state licensing authority. This review requires a comprehensive application covering the
following areas: academic offering, faculty, availability of information resources and
educational technology, special labs, financial capability, and institutional policies131. The
licensing authority appoints an expert in each discipline to (1) review the application, (2)
physically inspect the facilities, and (3) validate the financial and human resources.
128 Autorización para la No Divulgación de Información de Directorio” del Expediente Académico. 129 https://secure.studentclearinghouse.org/tsorder/faces/TranscriptOrder#secondload. 130 Certificado del Consejo de Educación de Puerto Rico 2016-530 (11 de octubre de 2016). 131 Reglamento para el Licenciamiento de Instituciones de Educación Superior en Puerto Rico.
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Sagrado complies with all required state regulatory filings, including applications for new
undergraduate and graduate programs, approval of substantive changes to existing academic
programs, and notifications of material issues such as the strategic plan132.
Federal compliance. Sagrado complies with all applicable laws and regulations as a participant
in federal student financial programs133. Every year an independent external auditor conducts
an audit of the University’s compliance. During the period from 2008-2009 to 2016-2018, the
auditor issued clean, unqualified single audit opinions with no material deficiency findings134.
Auditor recommendations are well-received and implemented. Sagrado also complies with all
required IPEDS data submissions.135.
Accreditation. Sagrado also complies with all required filings and notifications of its different
accreditation agencies and is in good standing with all such accreditations: Middle State
Commission on Higher Education, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Council on
Social Work, Network of International Business Schools, Council for the Accreditation of
Educator Preparation, and International Association for Continuing Education and Training136.
Recommendation. In view of the University’s significant compliance obligations across its
operations, Sagrado should consider establishing a formal comprehensive compliance program
that (1) outlines all institutional requirements, (2) their time and mode of compliance so that
the governing bodies and the administration can follow and assess the University’s
performance in a timely, pro-active manner, and (3) identify all necessary corrective actions.
Sagrado’s General Counsel, who oversees institutional compliance, will address this
recommendation during the 2018-2019 academic year. This program should be reviewed and
approved by the internal auditor and the Board of Trustees’ Internal Audit Committee.
Periodic Review and Assessment
132 Certificado del Consejo de Educación de Puerto Rico 2017-278 (23 de junio de 2017); Certificado del Consejo de Educación de Puerto Rico 2017-284 (28 de agosto de 2017); Certificado del Consejo de Educación de Puerto Rico 2014-260 (3 de julio de 2014). 133 Letter of Determination from the U.S. Education Department (January of 2018). 134 Sigle Audit Opinions available for upon request. 135 IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2017; IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2016; IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2015;
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2014; IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2013. 136 www.sagrado.edu/acreditaciones.
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Review of Policies and Procedures. Sagrado’s review of institutional policies and procedures
has historically responded to particular situations such as changes in law, situations that arise
on campus, or licensing and accreditation requirements. Since 2015, Sagrado has been
engaged in a comprehensive review of institutional policies and procedures to ensure legal and
ethical compliance as well as observance of professional best practices.
Each operational team has been responsible for assessing and updating the existing policies and
procedures in their areas with the support of the General Counsel and any other necessary
resource. Updated policies are then submitted to the appropriate governing body whether the
Academic or the Administrative Board, and in some cases, the Board of Trustees.
Approximately, 60 policies and procedures have been revised and reissued since 2015 in the
following areas: labor and employment, student life, sexual misconduct/Title IX, branding,
endowment, among others. Two prominent examples are the Faculty and Employee Handbooks
reviewed by the Academic and Administrative Boards and approved by the Board of Trustees.
The review process continues as Sagrado is currently reviewing policies in the areas of
intellectual property, academic integrity, information technology systems, among others137.
Review of Contracts. Since 2015, Sagrado’s General Counsel has conducted a comprehensive
review of all University contracts to generate University-wide standards and ensure compliance
with applicable legal requirements as well as ethical and professional standards. This review has
covered approximately 20 different contract models for professional services, consultants,
academic collaborations, University housing, facility leases, study abroad, authorizations for use
of image, voice and name, among others138.
Review of Governing Statutes and Regulations. Sagrado’s three governing bodies, the Board
of Trustees, the Academic Board and the Administrative Board, regularly review their governing
statutes and regulations.
The Board of Trustees has revised and updated its governing statute three times over the past
ten years in 2008, 2016 and 2018139. The Academic Board conducted a comprehensive review
137 Review Status of Inventory of Institutional Policies and Procedures. 138 Inventory of Model Contracts. 139 Estatutos Octava Revisión (2008); Estatutos Novena Revisión (2016), Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018).
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of its governing bylaws and regulations during the 2015-2016 academic year, and approved the
revised documents on June 17, 2016.140. Similarly, the Administrative Board conducted a review
of its governing regulations statute during 2016-2017 academic year, and recommended the
revised version for approval on March 17, 2017141. The Board of Trustees approved the revised
bylaws and regulations of the Academic Board and the revised regulations of the Administrative
Board on June 21, 2017142.
Recommendation. A recommendation resulting from this Self-Study is the establishment of a
policy for the periodic and systematic review of institutional policies and procedures. This
review should be part of the regular responsibilities of the operational teams responsible for
the implementation of each policy and procedure and should flow through the appropriate
governing bodies with participation of all appropriate stakeholders.
Institutional Ethics and Integrity
Sagrado’s mission commits the University to observe the highest ethical standards. As detailed
above, Sagrado complies with its legal and regulatory obligations and is engaged in a
continuous process of updating policies, procedures and practices in accordance with best
practices and the highest professional standards.
The mission tracking surveys conducted in 2007 and 2012 confirmed the community’s
knowledge and commitment to Sagrado’s mission143. During the academic year 2013-2014,
Sagrado collected data for the assessment of students’ ethical sense as a competency across
the curriculum. Assessment results showed the following:
• 95% of the participating students expressed respect for the ethical principles of the
university and its profession.
• 99% of the students identified examples of ethical principles in the educational
experience.
140 Estatutos de la Junta Académica (2016); Reglamento de la Junta Académica (2016). 141 Reglamento de la Junta Administrativa (2017); Acta de la Junta Administrativa (17 de marzo de 2017). 142 Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (21 de junio de 2017) available for upon request. 143 Estudio de Misión, Ambiente y Comunicación Institucional: Informe de Resultados 2007 -2012.
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• 100% of the students knew how to coexist with a plural and heterogeneous grouping
with diverse perspectives.
• 100% of the students systematically showed coherence between their ethical principles
and their actions.
According to this report, the majority of the participating students indicated that Sagrado
helped them to internalize and recognize the importance of justice in their actions, the value of
equality, the concept of integrity, and the value of freedom for their professional
development144.
Conclusion
Sagrado’s mission seeks to “educate persons” in “intellectual freedom” and “moral conscience”
to lead lives of ethical and social responsibility. Sagrado models the conduct that we expect
from our students by acting in accordance with the highest ethical and professional standards,
complying all applicable laws and regulations, following its internal policies and procedures, and
truthfully representing itself to internal and external audiences.
Recommendations
Sagrado should establish (a) a policy for the periodic review of all institutional policies and
procedures through the appropriate governing bodies, the Academic Board, the Administrative
Board or the Board of Trustees, and the participation of all appropriate community
stakeholders; and (b) formal program for institutional compliance under the direction of
University’s Chief Compliance Officer subject to review by the University’s internal auditor and
the Board of Trustees’ Audit Committee.
144 Informe del avalúo del aprendizaje estudiantil (2013-2014).
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Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and
coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All
learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting are
consistent with higher education expectations.
Compliance with the Standard and Criteria
The University meets the eight criteria of Standard III and is in compliance with the Commission’s
Requirements of Affiliation 8, 9 and 10. Evidence that demonstrates this can be reviewed in the
Documentation Roadmap.
Sagrado complies with Standard III.
Criterion Number
Standard III Criterion Meet
Criterion
C1 Programs leading to a degree or other recognized higher education credential, designed to foster a coherent student learning experience and to promote synthesis of learning
C2 Student learning experiences that are designed, delivered, and assessed by appropriate professionals who are:
C2a Rigorous and effective in teaching, assessment of student learning, scholarly inquiry, and service
C2b Qualified for their position and the work they perform
C2c Sufficient in number
C2d Provided with and use sufficient opportunities, resources, and support for professional growth and innovation
C2e Reviewed regularly and equitably based on clearly written, disseminated, and fair criteria, expectations, policies, procedures
C3 Academic programs of study are clearly and accurately described so that students are able to understand and follow degree and program requirements and expected time to completion
C4 Sufficient learning opportunities and resources to support both Sagrado’s programs of study and students’ academic progress
C5 Institution offers a general education program that has:
C5a Sufficient scope to draw students into new areas of intellectual experience
C5b A curriculum designed to acquire and demonstrate essential skills
C5c A program in non-US institutions without general education N/A
C6 In institutions that offer graduate and professional education, there are opportunities for students to develop research, scholarship, and independent thinking provided by qualified faculty
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Criterion Number
Standard III Criterion Meet
Criterion
C7 Adequate and appropriate institutional review and approval on any student learning opportunities designed, delivered, or assessed by third party providers
C8 Periodic assessment of the programs providing student learning opportunities
Compliance with Standard III
Sagrado’s Mission and Vision guide the design of the student learning experiences, whether
curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular. The student learning experiences seek to develop
in each student the institutional values outlined in Sagrado’s governing document: Christian
values; ethical and esthetical values; community, solidarity, justice and peace; integrity,
responsibility & honesty; dialogue & commitment; multi-cultural understanding; and creativity
and social change.
Sagrado’s Mission calls for the education of intellectually free and morally responsible persons,
who will exercise their own judgment and ethical and social responsibility and engage in the
construction of just, peaceful and solidary communities. Sagrado’s Vision calls for the Mission
to be accomplished within “a unique academic project” that offers “an innovative educational
experience in which the classroom is the world, in an environment characterized by a quality
community life and anchored in the principle that the human person and Christian values are
the center of the project.”
Sagrado’s Mission and Vision therefore reflect the double solidarity of the founding charism of
the Society of the Sacred Heart: solidarity in educating the whole person for the purpose of
solidarity in building a more authentically Christian society. For this educational Mission, the
world must be the classroom and the human person must be at the center of academic project.
All of Sagrado academic programs, whether at the undergraduate and graduate levels, each in
their particular discipline, aim at this double solidarity. The programs pursue an integral
education and solidary social impact. As the education aims at social impact, the academic
approach of the academic programs must be inter and transdisciplinary as social challenges are
generally beyond the purview of single academic discipline.
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The faculty, the structure of the programs, the core undergraduate general education
component, the curricular and co-curricular learning experiences, the transversal competencies
developed across all programs, the learning facilities and resources, and the assessment of the
programs, are all aligned to accomplish this fundamental double purpose in a multi-disciplinary
and innovative academic project.
Sagrado provides its students learning experiences at the curricular, co and extra-curricular
levels, characterized by the rigor and coherence necessary to accomplish the Mission and each
program’s disciplinary objectives.
The Academic Project’s Philosophical Framework
In 2012, Sagrado generated the document titled Marco Educativo de la Universidad del Sagrado
Corazón that reaffirmed the institutional Mission and outlined the philosophical framework for
the academic project.
145This philosophical framework calls for an education of the whole person that addresses all
aspects of human activity and aspires to help students develop an integrated view of
knowledge.
Sagrado’s Undergraduate Programs
Academic Units and Programs
Sagrado currently offers 49 undergraduate programs146 within 4 academic units: (a) the Ferré
Rangel School of Communication, (b) the Interdisciplinary Faculty of Humanistic and Social
Studies, (c) the Department of Business Administration and (d) the Department of Natural
Sciences.
145 This document encompasses the philosophical commitment of Universidad del Sagrado Corazón’s educational
Project as a Liberal Arts institution in the context of Puerto Rico in the second decade of the XXI Century. […]
The main purpose is to ensure the link between the University’s philosophy, values, Vision, Mission, and goals. It also secures the connection of these elements with its understandings, academic guidelines, and the profile of the main actors: students, faculty, and staff. (p. 1) 146 Academic Programs.
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Table 4 Undergraduate Academic Programs.
Undergraduate Academic Programs147 Active as of June 2017
Moratoriums
Closing
Ferré Rangel School of Communications
Associate of Arts in Photography Mar-18
Associate of Arts in Radio Production May-17
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a major in Photography X
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a major in Journalism X
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a major in Digital Production X
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a major in Radio Production and Marketing
X
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a major in Advertising X
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a major in Public Relations X
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a major in Animation, Visualization and Interactive Technology 3D
X
Bachelor of Arts in General Communication X
Business Administration Department
Associate of Arts in Production and Marketing of Events May-16
Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in General Business Administration
May-18
Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Accounting X
Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Entrepreneurship
X
Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Marketing X
Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Tourism X
Bachelor of Arts in Production and Marketing of Events X
Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Management May-18
Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Computerized Information Systems
Mar-18
Interdisciplinary Faculty for Humanities and Social Sciences (FIEHS)
Associate Degree in Liberal Arts Mar-18
Associate Degree in Liberal Arts Online Mar-18
Bachelor of Arts in General Education X
Bachelor of Elementary Education Mar-18
Bachelor of Elementary Education with a major in English Mar-18
Bachelor of Elementary Education with a major in Bilingual Education May-18
Bachelor of Elementary Education with a major in Special Education Mar-18
Bachelor of Secondary Education with a major in English Mar-18
Bachelor of Secondary Education with a major in Mathematics Mar-18
Bachelor of Secondary Education with a major in Spanish Mar-18
Bachelor of Secondary Education with a major in History Mar-18
Bachelor of Secondary Education with a major in Bilingual Education Mar-18
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Social Sciences X
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Visual Arts X
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Dance X
147 During the review period, Sagrado closed 5 undergraduate programs in compliance with the state regulations due to minimal enrollment and placed another 13 programs in moratorium due to enrollment figures below regulatory thresholds. Sagrado complied with all required regulatory filings. Another 19 programs were placed in moratoriums during the academic year 2017-2018 for the same reasons.
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Undergraduate Academic Programs147 Active as of June 2017
Moratoriums
Closing
Bachelor of Arts with a major in International Studies X
Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies X
Bachelor of Arts with a major in General Humanities X
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology X
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Justice Systems X
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Theatre X
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Social Work X
Natural Science
Associate of Sciences in Nursing X
Associate of Sciences in Nursing Online X
Bachelor of Arts and Sciences with a major in Web Technologies X
Bachelor of Sciences with a major in Biology X
Bachelor of Sciences with a major in Biotechnology X
Bachelor of Sciences with a major in Computer Science X
Bachelor of Sciences in General Natural Sciences X
Bachelor of Sciences with a major in Mathematics May-17
Bachelor of Sciences with a major in Chemistry X
Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing X
Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing Online X
Bachelor of Sciences with a major in Exercise Sciences and Health Promotion
X
At this time, Sagrado offers 21 minor concentrations distributed through the 4 academic units.
It specifically offers a minor concentration in foreign languages that allows students to take 4
courses (12 credits) in a foreign language.
The University also offers a signature multidisciplinary bachelor’s degree that allows students to
combine any three minor concentrations. While this program required that the minor
concentrations not belong to the same academic unit, in October 31, 2016 the Academic Board
approved an amendment to remove this restriction148.
All of Sagrado’s undergraduate programs have been reviewed and approved by the state
licensing authority. This review requires a comprehensive application covering the following
areas: academic offering, faculty, availability of information resources and educational
technology, special laboratories, financial capability and institutional policies. The licensing
authority appoints an expert in the discipline to review the application and often visits the
university to discuss the application and inspect the facilities and resources149.
148 Certificación de la Junta Académica 2016-03. 149 Reglamento para el Licenciamiento de Instituciones de Educación Superior de Puerto Rico (2012)
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Mission-driven Undergraduate Programs.
Sagrado offers special Mission-driven programs that seek to prepare professional in fields that
engage directly in solidary services. The Natural Sciences Department offers bachelor’s and
associate degrees in nursing and academic disciplines that usually become routes to graduate
studies in the health sciences. The Interdisciplinary Faculty offers bachelor’s programs in
education, social work, justice systems (akin to peace studies and conflict resolution) and
psychology (oriented towards social-community psychology). And the Ferré Rangel School of
Communications offers a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Students in all of these programs
distinguished themselves for their community engagement and services in Sagrado’s efforts
after Hurricane María. All of these programs have been part of Sagrado’s academic project for
at least twenty years, and thus have a long history of service to Puerto Rico.
All other programs are connected to the Mission in the way that Sagrado approaches them,
from the perspective of integral education and solidary social impact, but not necessarily
because the disciplines themselves seek to engage directly in solidary social services.
New Undergraduate Programs.
Since the 2008 Self-Study Sagrado has added twelve undergraduate programs: eight bachelors
and four associates degrees in all the academic units. Four of these programs include an online
component (AS and BS in Nursing and AA and BA in Liberal Arts)150.
In response to globalization and the current interest in preparing students to interact in a global
society, Sagrado designed and received approval to offer a BA in International Studies
(Certificación de CEPR 2010-062). This program differs from other related programs because it
emphasizes a transdisciplinary approach with emphasis on international relations, political
economy, political sciences, geography, sociology, anthropology and peace studies.
Two significant programs developed during this period are the Nursing AS and BS online
offerings (Certificación de CEPR 2012-075). Established in 2012, they seek to address a
particular need of recent immigrants in to the US from Latin American countries who held
advanced degrees in the medical fields, but were looking to develop a professional practice in
nursing. This program has all courses on line (core, departmental and specialized) and for the
150 Academic Programs.
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practical experiences the students come to Puerto Rico. The demand for seats in this program
has been incremental. in addition, the retention rates are higher than those of other programs.
A group of these students were in Puerto Rico during hurricane María and were instrumental as
part of Sagrado’s response and community outreach efforts151.
Three of the newest undergraduate programs are designed to enhance the liberal arts in the
curriculum and broaden Sagrado’s cultural industries area: Dance, Music and 3-D Digital
Animation, Visualization and Interactivity152.
The Dance program is the first of its kind in Puerto Rico and is the result of innovative
partnership with the Coda21 Dance School, which provides the highly qualified faculty and the
dance studios. This program sought to complement the existing and long-standing theater
program and expand Sagrado footprint in the performing arts. The Director of the Coda21
Dance School, Prof. Denisse Eliza, is an accomplished international performer and dance
teacher, who has studied in prestigious institutions and companies in Puerto Rico and
Europe.153
The Music program is fully aligned with Sagrado’s long tradition in the liberal and performing
arts as the first university in Puerto Rico to stage student theater productions back in the
1930’s. The development of the program responded to the intense and diverse musical
activities of Sagrado students, the need to complement with music the existing programs in the
visual and performing arts (dance, theater and visual arts) and film, television and radio, and
the opportunity to create innovative, interdisciplinary linkages to programs in the social and
natural sciences. The program was developed by Dr. Carlos Conde, who had a distinguished
career as an operatic performer, is currently an international voice instructor, and one of the
few performers holding a doctoral degree in music in Puerto Rico (DMA, SUNY, Stony Brooks).
The 3-D Digital Animation program responded to an opportunity to complement the Ferré
Rangel School of Communication with a discipline that has become critical to the
151 http://www.orlandosentinel.com/elsentinel/os-es-puerto-rico-huracan-maria-crisis-humanitaria-ayuda-
comunidad-sagrado-educacion-20170929-story.htm
https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/nota/inciertoeliniciodeclasesenelsagradocorazon-2361137/ 152 Academic Programs. 153 Bio Denisse Eliza.
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communication and media industries and that has increasingly important applications across
academic disciplines such as, for example, the use of 3-D visualization in the presentation of
scientific research results. The current leader of this 3-D Digital Animation program. Prof.
Fernando Montilla, is an alumni and Sun Coast Emmy Award winner, who had developed
programs at other institutions and was interested in developing an innovative, transdisciplinary
program at Sagrado154.
All three programs belong to an area that is one of the critical priorities in the 2017-2020
Strategic Plan and the RBK Project--the creative and cultural industries—and can contribute to
another of the critical priority areas—health and quality of life. All three programs offer
opportunities to expand the use of their disciplines in the pursuit of improved quality of life as
the arts are being increasingly engaged in practices of social and clinical healing.
The development of the Dance program began in 2012. The Academic Board granted its
approval in March 21, 2013 after receiving the positive recommendation of the Curriculum
Committee155. The submissions to the Curriculum Committee set forth the programs’ alignment
with the institutional Mission. The Board of Trustees approved the program in 2013. Once the
required comprehensive application and expert review, including site visits, the state licensing
authority also granted its approval (Certificate from the CEPR 2014-260 (June 27, 2014).
In 2016 the design of the 3-D Digital Animation and Music programs began and the Academic
Board granted its approval in Feb 24, 2017 and March 20, 2017 respectively after receiving the
positive recommendation of the Curriculum Committee156. As with other programs, the
recommendation from the Curriculum Committee is an explicit recognition of the alignment
with the institutional Mission. The Board of Trustees subsequently approved both programs in
March 30, 2017. The state licensing authority also approved both programs157 after the
required comprehensive applications and expert reviews, including site visits.
Structure of the Undergraduate Programs
154 Propuesta del Bachillerato de Animación, Visualización e Interactividad 3D. 155 Certificación 2013-04 de la Junta Académica. 156 Certificación 2017-02 de la Junta Académica; Certificación 2017-03de la Junta Académica. 157 Certificación de CEPR 2017-278 (23 de junio de 2017); Certificación de CEPR 2017-284 (25 de agosto de 2017).
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Sagrado’s undergraduate programs generally follow the same threefold structure: (a) a general
education core curriculum (48 credits), (b) the departmental and concentration requirements
(45 credits), and (c) electives, considered a space for student exploration and development (27
credits)158. All the programs require 120 credits for the completion, with some exceptions for
programs with special professional requirements.
Each undergraduate major generally follows the same curricular structure: departmental,
concentration, electives and capstone. The design moves the students from the broad base of
the general component to the departmental base of the major selected and from there to the
concentration courses and the exploratory electives. A final capstone courses challenge the
students to integrate their learning and experiences in a final project or other endeavor.
This current three-fold structure is the result of a research project by the Curriculum
Committee of the Academic Board in response to the 2008 Self-Study’s suggestions regarding
the need of further differentiation of Sagrado’s academic programs. The Committee’s research
covered the period between 2008 and 2016 and included a review of Sagrado’s historical
archives to identify curricular trends within the University and benchmarks of innovations in
other liberal arts universities throughout the world.
In 2016, the Committee presented a series of recommendations to reduce the total number of
credits for a bachelor’s degree to 120 and create a more flexible structure that would allow
students greater latitude in the design of their own learning experiences. In May 11, 2017, the
Academic Board approved the creation of a new undergraduate curricular structure159.
The general adjustment to 120 credits brought Sagrado’s programs in line with current best
practices in higher education and the more flexible structure anchored in a core-curriculum of
liberal arts would allow students to explore within their general education, pursue an in-depth
study in at least one academic discipline and to complement these studies with courses and
experiences in other areas of interest.
Before this curricular reform, the general curriculum was deemed too rigid as it specified many
of the particular general courses that a student must take and the departmental and
158 Certificación 2017-09 de la Junta Académica (18 de mayo de 2017). 159 Certificación 2017-09 de la Junta Académica (18 de mayo de 2017).
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concentration components were so large that a student often had very little space to pursue
electives, minor concentrations and another major concentration.
The Undergraduate General Education Component
Sagrado’s general education component is the expression of the commitment to an integral
education grounded in the liberal arts or the arts of liberty. Sagrado calls the liberal arts “the
arts of liberty” because their aim, since the times of the ancient trivium (grammar, logic and
rhetoric) and quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music), is to educate the free
person or, as the Mission aims, the intellectually free and morally responsible person.
The general curriculum is structured around six components that seek to provide Sagrado’s
students with a strong foundation in the arts and sciences. The approach is necessarily
multidisciplinary where connections between topics are fostered. These components are
designed around particular areas of knowledge to provide students an integral perspective:
• Arts and Humanities: culture and arts;
• Social Sciences: the social, economic and environmental aspects of the world, and the
wonders of how the human mind works and our behavior;
• Natural Sciences: biology and the physical and chemical components of matter;
• Languages: broadly defined to include social and linguistic communities and other
languages such as mathematics and programming;
• Theology and religious studies as an opportunity to reflect upon all this knowledge
through the lens of ethical and social responsibility frameworks.
• Preparation for university life: dedicated to the transition that first year students
arriving at the university directly from high school experience160
This structure was worked through the General Education Committee (ad hoc committee
named by the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs) and the Curriculum
Committee of the Academic Board. Several proposals were presented and discussed with
faculty in regular assemblies where they provided feedback. Once consensus was attained, the
160 Propuesta para la estructura curricular del Bachillerato de la USC
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proposed structure was presented to the Academic Board and the Board of Trustees and
formally approved161.
The approval of the new curricular structure also implied the approval of the redefinition of the
competencies (and subsequent reduction in number) and the seven key principles (following
Edgar Morin) that are fundamental issues for education in the 21st Century. The total number
of transversal competencies approved in 2017 are six of which the last two in the following list
are mission-centric:
• Communication (oral and written in Spanish and English, visual and digital)
• Critical inquiry (reasoning and analysis, scientific reasoning and quantitative analysis,
and problem solving)
• Research/innovation (search and discernment of the different types and sources of
information, and appropriate use of technology)
• Entrepreneurship
• Ethics (team work, awareness of ethics and human diversity)
• Social Justice (solidarity without exclusions).162
Edgar Morin’s seminal book Seven complex lessons in education for the future (1999) presents
the key issues that were followed during the curriculum revision in order to integrate different
disciplines in the General Education curriculum:
1. the absence of reflection on learning process itself and human knowledge,
2. the principles for interrelated knowledge beyond its division into disciplines,
3. teaching of the human condition,
4. teaching earth or planetary identity,
5. awareness of human and scientific uncertainties and teaching strategies to tackle them,
6. teaching the very process of human comprehension, and
7. the ethics of the human species.
This main structure was used by each academic unit to guide the curricula revision of each
program in order to adjust to the new credit distribution.
161 Certificación 2017-09 de la Junta Académica (18 de mayo de 2017). 162 Nueva estructura curricular (junio 2017).
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The Transversal Competencies: Across the Disciplines
One of the main objectives of Sagrado’s general component is the development of an
interconnected group of competencies that reflect the liberal arts in contemporary
terminology, as presented above. These competencies, however, are not addressed only in the
general curriculum, but throughout the curricula of the academic disciplines. Sagrado calls
them “competencias transversales” or transversal (or cross-sectional) competencies because
they are to be developed throughout the curriculum, whether in general, departmental,
concentration, elective or capstone courses. Sagrado’s Mission cannot be limited to the general
component, but must be present throughout the curriculum.
As discussed earlier, the current group of transversal competencies was established by the
Academic Board in 2017. This decision was the last chapter in a long process of internal
assessment by the faculty and the academic leadership. Sagrado was one of the pioneers in the
pursuit and assessment of competencies across the curriculum. The initial large groups of
competencies and other related, skills, experiences and attributes established back in 2008
proved to be extremely difficult to manage, particularly in the absence of strong information
technology systems.
Subsequently, as detailed in Standard V, each iteration or redefinition of competencies has
resulted in fewer numbers, better defined and simpler processes, that is, smaller set of core
competencies, a standard assessment methodology that was cost effective and the support of
an information technology platform. Between the 2008 Self Study and this report, the number
of competencies has been reduced from an ambitious 21 before 2008 to 14 in 2011163
decreasing gradually to the current six competencies164.
Throughout this process there have been significant and successful assessment processes in
particular programs, but only now is Sagrado in a position to anchor the pursuit and assessment
of its competencies in a systemic and standardized way with the support of its learning
management system. The pilot is scheduled for testing in the spring of 2019 with full
implementation slated for the academic year 2019-2020165. As previously stated in Standard I,
163 Modelo de avalúo de la efectividad institucional y del aprendizaje (2011). 164 Nueva estructura curricular (junio 2017, p. 7). 165 Procesos de avalúo del aprendizaje.
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one of the main recommendations of this Self-Study is the establishment of an independent
unit that is responsible for institutional intelligence, assessment, efficacy and planning,
supported with the staff and information systems necessary to oversee the assessment of the
transversal competencies and other learning outcomes.
Sagrado’s Graduate Programs
Structure of the Graduate Programs166
In 1985 the first master Programs started in Sagrado: MBA in Information Systems, MAC in
Public Relations, and MEd in Educational Technologies. These programs were located in the
corresponding academic unit. From 2002 to 2014 the graduate programs were housed in the
Associate Deanship of Graduate Studies. At the graduate level there were two offerings:
master’s programs and post baccalaureate certificates (PBC). During the review period, Sagrado
developed and offered 11 PBC. Currently only one is active (Production and Marketing of
Events), seven are in moratorium and three are closed.
Table 5 Graduate Academic Programs.
PBC
Major Description Approved Active Moratorium Closed
CPDJ Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Digital Journalism
Jan-09 Mar-18
CPCA Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Advertising Jul-07 Mar-18
CPCW Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Creative Writing (short story)
Feb-12 Mar-18
CPIT Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Information Technologies
Mar-09 May-17
CPITME Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Information Technology and Multimedia in Education
Nov-07 May-17
CPLOC Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Leadership, Organization and Community Action
May-13 Feb-17
CPMNO Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Management of Non-Profit Organizations
Sep-12 Feb-17
CPMWE Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Media Writing and Editing
Feb-07 May-17
CPPME Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Production and Marketing of Events
May-09 X
166 Decanato Asociado de Posgrados (2010-2014).
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Major Description Approved Active Moratorium Closed
CPPR Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Public Relations Feb-07 Mar-18
CPCW Post-baccalaureate Certificate in Scriptwriting Dic-04 May-16
Table 6: Graduate Academic Programs
MASTER
Major Description Approved Active Moratorium Closed
MA Master of Arts in Creative Writing specialization in Narrative
May-04 Mar-18
MAED Master of Arts in Education with a specialization in Early Childhood Education
Aug-04 Mar-18
MA Master of Arts in Justice Systems with a specialization in Human Rights and Antidiscrimination Process
Oct-05 Mar-18
MA Master of Arts in Justice Systems with a specialization in Mediation and Conflict Transformation
Oct-05 Mar-18
MA Master of Arts in Learning Design and Technology Nov-07 Mar-18
MA Master of Arts in with a specialization in Public Relations and Integrated Communication
Oct-18 (Jan-19)
MAC Master of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Advertising
Sep-00 Mar-18
MAC Master of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Digital Journalism
Jan-09 Mar-18
MAC Master of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Media and Contemporary Culture
Sep-00 May-16
MAC Master of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Media Writing
Sep-00 Mar-18
MAC Master of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Public Relations
Jul-85 Mar-18
MAC Master of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Scriptwriting
Jul-05 May-16
MAC Master of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Digital Narratives
Oct-18 (Jan-19)
MBA Master of Business Administration with a specialization in the Administration of Human Resources
Jul-98 Mar-18
MBA Master of Business Administration with a specialization in International Marketing
Mar-18
MBA Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Management Information Systems
Jan-03 Mar-18
MBA Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Taxes
Jul-98 Mar-18
MS Master of Sciences in Management of Non-Profit Organization
Jul-02 Feb-17
MS Master of Sciences with a specialization in Auditing of Information Systems
Dic-06 Mar-18
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Sagrado also offered 17 of master’s degrees. The master programs fluctuated between 33 and
48 credits. These programs were designed as high quality offerings that promoted research,
creativity, and commitment through local and global analysis and social impact.
The structure of these programs followed a common logical sequence: core courses;
specialization courses; electives and final project (thesis). The credit distribution for each of
these areas varied depending on the program. The programs also focused on the development
of 8 transversal competencies: (1) critical inquiry, (2) leadership (through values), (3) decision
making, (4) team work, (5) information technologies, (6) research/creation, (7) communication
(oral & written), (8) ethics167.
In 2010-2011 the University celebrated the 25th anniversary of the three original master
programs. For this celebration each of the programs selected a trend in the discipline and
invited a major scholar or distinguished professional in the field for a lecture series that
included other local scholars and professionals. As it turned out, the trends sought
independently resulted in a common thread of how technology (particularly new media (web
2.0 and the dawn of web 3.0) were transforming professional practices, relationships among
people and between citizens and the State, and finally ways of learning and teaching. The
master lecturers were168:
• Harry Lewis, Harvard University: “Way too much information”
• Deirdre Breakendrige: “From PR to Social Media Power”
• George Siemens, Athabasca U.: “The meaning of Connectivism for Learning Design”
For the period under analysis, Sagrado created one master program and six CPB. At the end of
that same period due to a dramatic drop in enrolment, all master’s programs were placed in
moratorium and three were closed. In an effort to update the graduate offerings, Sagrado
recently designed and presented for approval three new master’s programs of which two have
been approved by the licensing agency and will start in January 2019. Two additional programs
are under development.
167 Marco Educativo (2012); Decanato Asociado de Posgrado 2010-2014 168 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKmH7KLpo7Y; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN8dgheq9G4; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdHNmx6rVsw.
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The new programs are 24 credits, can be completed in a year, and are designed to incorporate
professional and academic trends including teaching modalities such as low residency
programs. This allows students to enroll in the programs even if they live outside the
Metropolitan area of San Juan (or even outside of Puerto Rico) and can take a percentage of the
courses on line but in a synchronous fashion so they can have a valuable and rich learning
experience in the context of a learning community. These courses are simultaneously taught in
face-to-face environments for the local student population. In addition, there are compulsory
face-to-face meetings that guarantee not only a personal engagement with faculty, but an
opportunity to develop networks and meaningful partnerships among graduate students.
Students in the graduate program are required to present an “end of career project” that may
take the form of a thesis (traditional or creative), a project designed and executed for a real
client, or an international experience project169. For this final test of knowledge and
competencies the student selects or is assigned (depending on the modality chosen) a Thesis
Director who is charged with the responsibility of guiding the research and supervising the
execution of the project with rigor and accuracy, as related to the field of inquiry. (C6) The
Thesis Director should be a faculty member with expertise in research and/or the topic chosen
by the student. He or she should have a terminal degree preferably in the discipline.
As with any other academic unit, any new programs are elaborated by the academic leadership
and the faculty, presented to the Academic Board and the Board of Trustees for approval and
then submitted to the accrediting and/or licensing organizations as required.
Sagrado’s Faculty
In Sagrado, faculty, students, staff, trustees and collaborators are all co-responsible for the
institutional Mission: all, in different roles, have a responsibility to live the Mission. The faculty,
however, plays a fundamental role. As leaders of the academic project, they have the sacred
responsibility of modeling the Mission with their example and guiding students’ integral
development.
Sagrado is blessed to have a faculty that is committed to and passionate about the Mission.
They are the heart of Sagrado. Through their research, creative productions, publications,
169 Manual de Normas y Procedimientos para Tesis (2012).
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speeches, events, involvement in student organizations, passion for teaching, and commitment
to their students, they embody the Mission of educating intellectually free and morally
responsible persons willing to construct communities of solidarity, in justice and peace.
Faculty as Embodiment of the Mission. A few examples of Sagrado’s faculty’s accomplishments
can eloquently attest to their fundamental role in the university community and Puerto Rico:
• Alba Brugueras (2017) President, Economist’s Asociation of Puerto Rico; Founding
Partner at Top Brains Group.
• Alfredo Nieves Moreno (2011) Las mecánicas del pájaro: Ver y audiover el cine de
Hitchcock. Columnist 80Grados.
• Antonio Vantaggiato: co-author of the STEMmED proposals for Sagrado (2011-16).
Higher Education Innovation & Open, Connected Learning: Back To The Future, In Virtual
Educa (2016).
• Anushka Ramos, books: “No me quieras”, “Autopsia” (Ediciones Aguadulce) &
“Claustrofobia” (EDP University).
• Carlos Conde, opera-performing-practice lecturer at the International Vocal Arts
Institutes in Tel Aviv, Virginia, and Montreal; the Sociedad Internacional de Valores
Mexicanos (SIVAM); the José Cuervo Academy and International Festival in Jalisco
(Mexico), the Juilliard School’s Pre-College DiVision.
• Francisco Arencibia expert in computational modeling in the modern biology curricula.
Arencibia-Albite, F., et al (2016). Cocaine sensitization increases subthreshold activity in
dopamine neurons from the ventral tegmental area. Journal of neurophysiology, 117(2),
612-623.
• Gabriel Paizy “Habla y redacta en buen español” (book). Columnist (El Nuevo Día) and
TV personality: “En buen español” Univisión.
• Iliana Ballester Founding Partner at Top Brains Group 2017. Director of Elemento 360
(student run Communication Agency).
• Javier Hernández (2016) Emprendimiento Creativo. Columnist and board member
80Grados.
• José Curet (2013) El Crimen del Cementerio. Tinta Roja, Ed.
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• María F. Barceló Miller Numbered member of Academia Puertorriqueña de la Historia
(2017).
• Nina Torres Vidal. Official translator for Esmeralda Santiago on Vintage Books.
• Nitza Luna. Exhibition “Naturaleza” at Fundación Ángel Ramos (2015). Curator since
2000 of the student and alumni exhibition PhotoFinish.
• Oscar Dávila. Historia, identidad y cultura: La expresión americana de José Lezama Lima.
San Juan: Instituto de Cultural Puertorriqueña, 2015 literary criticism award Concha
Meléndez.
• Sonia Fritz 15 Faros de Puerto Rico (documentary), winner of the Best Documentary of
the International Rincón Film Festival.
• Teresa Previdi “Ser Familia” (documentary) Audience’s award in PR Queer Film Festival
2018.
• Wanda Del Toro Distinguished Communication professor, Women's Civic Club of Puerto
Rico 2014.
The University has an adequate number of faculty members to fulfill its Mission, goals and
objectives. Table 7 shows the proportion of full-time faculty as opposed to adjuncts from 2008
to 2017.
Table 7 : Faculty profile by type of contract during the period 2012-2018.
Academic Year
Total Full Time Adjuncts
# % # %
2008-09 367 122 33% 245 67%
2009-10 354 126 36% 228 64%
2010-11 384 124 32% 260 68%
2011-12 422 126 30% 296 70%
2012-13 424 130 31% 294 69%
2013-14 476 132 28% 344 72%
2014-15 401 131 33% 270 67%
2015-16 451 102 23% 349 77%
2016-17 317 99 31% 218 69%
2017-18 460 98 21% 362 79%
Source: ODHR.
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Sagrado’s total faculty in 2008 was comprised of 367 individuals, 122 (33%) of whom were full
time and 245 (67%) adjuncts, as compared to 2017, when the faculty comprised of 460
individuals, of whom 98 (21%) were full time and 362 (79%) adjuncts. This evidences a change
in composition since last MSCHE visit (Source: IPEDS).
The reduction in full time faculty is mostly due to retirement. Many of the faculty members
have served the University for long periods of time. When the University implemented a
voluntary transition plan in 2015, 27 faculty members opted for retirement. Since then, another
8 also retired, and another 8 have left the University (Source: ODHR 1S 2018-19). The University
is currently in the midst of another voluntary transition and it is possible that additional faculty
members will decide to participate.
These transition plans provide windows to bring new faculty members on board to maintain
and develop a qualified faculty committed to the Mission. For example, Sagrado is currently
recruiting a faculty member to lead the journalism program, which is one of the fastest growing
programs in the Ferré Rangel School of Communication. This is a Mission-critical program due
the fundamental role that a strong and independent press plays in ensuring the health of a
democracy. Sagrado is committed to educating independent, ethical and courageous journalists
who will be true to the civic and professional responsibility to follow and report the truth
wherever it leads.
Despite the recent reduction in numbers, Sagrado retains an experienced and qualified faculty
that is responsible for the academic programs and the improvement of the student learning
experiences. The student-faculty ratio at Sagrado is a reasonable 20:1, which is slightly above
the U.S. average of (18:1), according to the National Center for Education Statistics170
Faculty Qualifications. Faculty qualifications are assessed in terms of the expertise needed to
address Sagrado’s diverse academic programs. The University’s faculty has conducted graduate
studies in recognized institutions of higher learning in Puerto Rico, United States, Latin America,
and Europe.
170 https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=28
http://gpseducation.oecd.org/revieweducationpolicies/#!node=41720&filter=all
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Table 8 shows the number of faculty with terminal degrees. The number of faculty holding
doctoral and terminal degrees has been stable around a 27%. Currently, there are faculty
holding Ph.D. degrees or equivalent in all departments.
Table 8: Faculty profile by academic degree during the period 2012-2018.
Academic Year
Total Ph.D. or
Equivalent % Master’s % Bachelor’s % Other’s* %
2008-09 367 99 27% 236 64% 16 4% 16 4%
2009-10 354 95 27% 223 63% 18 5% 18 5%
2010-11 384 120 31% 230 60% 17 4% 17 4%
2011-12 422 117 28% 260 62% 30 7% 15 4%
2012-13 424 110 26% 267 63% 32 8% 15 4%
2013-14 476 132 28% 296 62% 33 7% 15 3%
2014-15 401 115 29% 246 61% 31 8% 9 2%
2015-16 451 124 28% 277 61% 33 7% 17 4%
2016-17 317 92 29% 187 59% 25 8% 13 4%
2017-18 460 123 27% 296 64% 17 4% 24 5%
*First level professional
Source ODHR.
Currently, the professorial ranks for Sagrado faculty are distributed in the following way: 51%
Professors, 16% Associate Professors, 13% Assistant Professors, and 19% Instructors. Once
again, this compares with data from 2008: 67% Professors, 10% Associate Professors, 11%
Assistant Professors, and 11% Instructors. The reduction in the number of professors is
primarily the result of faculty retirements. As shown in Table 9, the highest professorial ranks,
Professor, Associate and Assistant, constitute 80% of Sagrado faculty. Promotions occur
regularly which demonstrates an increase in the number of associate professors.
Table 9: Faculty profile by academic ranks during the period 2012-2018.
Academic Year
Total Professor
Associate Professors
Assistant Professor Instructor
# % # % # % # %
2008-09 122 82 67% 12 10% 14 11% 14 11%
2009-10 126 85 67% 14 11% 15 12% 12 10%
2010-11 124 86 69% 11 9% 15 12% 12 10%
2011-12 126 83 66% 15 12% 15 12% 13 10%
2012-13 130 85 65% 13 10% 16 12% 16 12%
2013-14 132 83 63% 15 11% 20 15% 14 11%
2014-15 131 82 62% 14 11% 19 15% 16 12%
2015-16 102 55 54% 10 10% 16 16% 21 19%
2016-17 99 53 54% 12 12% 17 17% 17 17%
2017-18 98 50 51% 16 16% 13 13% 19 19%
Source ODHR.
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Faculty Gender Diversity.
The faculty’s gender diversity has remained stable during the review period, with an increase in
the number of female faculty members. As of 2017, more than half of the professors or 58% are
female and 42% male. This compares with 2008 where the faculty profile by gender was 51%
female and 49% are male. The gender gap present in most universities around the world is not
a reality in Sagrado.
Table 10: Full time and adjunct faculty profile by gender during the 2012-2018 period.
Academic Year
Total Female Male
# % # %
2008-09 367 188 51% 179 49%
2009-10 354 182 51% 172 49%
2010-11 384 200 52% 184 48%
2011-12 422 228 54% 194 46%
2012-13 424 231 54% 193 46%
2013-14 476 261 55% 215 45%
2014-15 401 224 56% 177 44%
2015-16 451 245 54% 206 46%
2016-17 317 179 56% 138 44%
2017-18 460 269 58% 191 42%
Source ODHR.
Faculty Credit Load.
At Sagrado, full time faculty is expected to teach a minimum of 15 credits per semester. They
may opt to teach additional courses, if available, although it is not required or recommended.
The maximum faculty teaching load is 24 credits per semester171. At the graduate level, faculty
is required a terminal degree (mostly doctoral level). There is a limited group of faculty
members fully dedicated to the graduate programs; however, their teaching load can be
completed with undergraduate courses.
Faculty Development: Internal Training and Development.
All faculty members are expected to keep up-to-date in their fields, engage in academic
research and other scholarly activities, and community service. Faculty must submit yearly
reports to evidence the fulfillment of their academic and administrative responsibilities.
Professional development for the faculty is usually carried out through workshops and
conferences organized by the academic leadership and the Center for Faculty Support and
171 Manual de Facultad (2003); Manual de Facultad (2017).
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Educational Technology (CEDTEC). CEDTEC also provides training and support in the use of
educational technologies, assessment and innovative teaching methods. As reported in the PRR
(2013), this unit offered about 27 workshops on a yearly basis between 2008 and 2013 an
average of 300 faculty members took part in the sessions each year.
With the establishment of the Faculty Professional Development Program in 2013, full-time
professors are required to complete 12 hours of continuing education every year172. From 2013
to the end of this review period, an average of 690 faculty members participated in
approximately 70 sessions per year173. This represents a doubling of the number of participants
and sessions as compared to the last PRR.
All new faculty (whether full or part time) must complete an induction process. In this
workshop, professors are familiarized with the institutional Mission, objectives, rules, policies,
and procedures174.
Similarly, since 2008 every professor hired to offer online courses must be certified175. The
purpose of this workshop is to present faculty with the online instructional design strategies
and best practices for virtual learning experiences and the relevance of connectivity in the
achievement of the virtual community. In all, 180 professors (22 full-time, 158 part-time) from
all the academic units were certified through 35 workshop sessions aimed at developing the
faculty skills to offer both face-to-face and virtual courses to undergraduate and graduate
students176.
In order to better meet the professional development requirements of the faculty, two needs
assessments were carried out in years 2015 and 2016177. The information received was used to
prepare the biannual professional development activities calendar, which is submitted to the
Provost for evaluation and alignment with the institutional goals. These activities are organized
and promoted through CEDTEC and their documentation shows that between 2012 and 2017,
172 Programa Desarrollo Profesional de la Facultad (2013). 173 Faculty participate in multiple training and/or continuing education seminars or workshops. CEDTEC: Desarrollo Profesional; Resumen de actividades y asistencia. 174 Política de Mejoramiento Profesional para Profesores Nuevos y Parciales. 175 Proceso de certificación de la facultad para ofrecer curso a distancia. 176 Profesores certificados en el diseño de la experiencia de aprendizaje en línea (2008-2017). 177 CEDTEC 2015 (TOTAL); Resultado estudio de necesidades (octubre 2016).
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360 activities were carried out, such as workshops, conferences, webinars and informal talks
and 3,526 participants were recorded178. Additional faculty training is also provided through
other institutional projects, such as CVC, Neeuko, STEMmED, and LAD, which will be discussed
below.
One of the important recommendations of the Self-Study is to expand the programs for faculty
development in active and creative teaching-learning methodologies and practices inasmuch as
the new strategic direction will emphasize productive activity by students. This is one of the
critical priorities of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. A related recommendation is the
development of prototypes of the new learning spaces designed to support active and creative
learning methodologies.
Faculty Development: External Opportunities.
Sagrado also encourages its faculty to participate in external professional development
opportunities. Sagrado has been a member of New York’s University’s Faculty Resource
Network (“FRN”) since 1998179. The FRN holds a weeklong faculty development session every
summer at NYU that offers a variety of seminars for faculty from the participating colleges and
universities. Faculty members have to apply to participate in these summer sessions. The FRN
also offers conferences in which faculty from participating schools provide sessions for the
benefit of their colleagues in other institutions. Since the inception of the partnership in 1998,
93 of Sagrado’s faculty members have participated in a total of 140 programs, seminars, and
workshops.
Faculty also participate in other development opportunities such as international conferences
and workshops. They have to request authorization from academic unit director and the
Provost’s Office. Some recent examples include: Dr. Javier Hernández, 4to Congreso
Internacional sobre Industrias Culturales y Creativas, México October 2018; Dr.Amelisse De
Jesús, XXII Seminario Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Escuelas de Trabajo Social, Colombia;
Prof. Nibia Pastrana, Fellowship at Program in Latin American Studies, Princeton from August
19 to September 1, 2018.
178 CEDTEC: Desarrollo Profesional; Resumen de actividades y asistencia. 179 Participation Faculty Resource Network.
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Faculty Development: Promotion of Doctoral Studies. Sagrado also promotes the
development of its faculty by sponsoring faculty to continue and obtain their doctoral degree.
Sagrado provides release time covers all or part of the cost of the doctoral programs. Interested
faculty have to submit a proposal to their director and to the Provost. Since the PRR, Sagrado
has approved nine of such proposals. We are pleased to report that of those sponsored, five
members have completed their PhD through this program.
Table 11. Sponsored education for Faculty.
Sponsored doctoral
education Academic
Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
# of faculty
sponsored 2 4 4 7 6 5
completed 1 3 1
Faculty Development: Research and Creative Projects. Sagrado promotes faculty research and
creative projects within the context of its current character as a tuition driven, teaching
institution. Sagrado has a Center for Academic Research (CEINAC) that receives and evaluates
faculty proposals each semester and during the summer session180. In 2016, Sagrado appointed
a Director of Licensing, Accreditation and Research within the Provost’s Office to perform
CEINAC’s functions. Sagrado has approved 37 proposals with the highest number of proposals
during the academic year 2012 with 12 proposals181. In 2017, the Ferré Rangel School of
Communication, with the support of endowed funds, launched COMUNICA182, a center to
stimulate faculty research and creative activity. While located within the School of
Communication, the center is expected to support faculty across the departments and promote
multi-disciplinary projects. One of the recommendations of the Self-Study is support the center
and the faculty with additional resources to pursue faculty research and other creative and
professional opportunities. Thus, CEINAC is being evaluated and options are being examined as
to whether to relocate its resources and consolidate with the new initiative.
180 CEINAC: Programa de Descargues Académicos y/o Compensación Adicional para la Investigación/Creación. 181CEINAC (2012-2017). 182 http://insagrado.sagrado.edu/elemento/.
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Faculty Assessment. All of the above programs seek to support the faculty’s professional
development in their fields and the enhancement of their teaching skills. In order to assess the
success of these efforts and thus the institutional advancement of the Mission, the faculty is
evaluated in a variety of manners: peer-to-peer, student evaluations, and rank assessment.
These have already been introduced in the discussion of Standard II regarding Ethics and
Integrity.
Faculty Assessment: Peer-to-Peer Review. According to the Faculty Handbook full and part
time faculty should be evaluated by his/her peers on a yearly basis183. Each academic unit
director selects an evaluation committee which consists of three members: a representative of
the program; representative of the director; and an advocate chosen by the faculty member
under evaluation. The committee announces the classroom visit establishing a two week
window. The evaluation is guided by a specific rubric. Later the results are discussed with the
intention of improving the teaching experience. Even when it is mandatory for all faculty, as
mentioned, this evaluation is most commonly performed for faculty in the process of rank
assessment.
Faculty Assessment: Student Evaluations. Each semester students evaluate faculty members
through a questionnaire that was administered for several years by the Office of Institutional
Research and Assessment (OIRA). Historically, this questionnaire was administered on paper in
the classroom. During 2014 and 2015, the university attempted to the implement the Livetext
digital platform to gather and analyze assessment related data. As mentioned in Standard V,
due to the expense and level of inconvenience of this platform, the Academic Affairs Team and
the new Director of Institutional Assessment reinstituted in February 2016 the previous practice
with some modifications to allow electronic gathering of student responses.
Faculty Assessment: Rank Assessment. Finally, the faculty is subject to a comprehensive
evaluation by their peers and supervisors as part of the rank assessment process. To begin the
process, a faculty member who has complied with the appropriate time requirement for
promotion can submit an application accompanied by a portfolio or dossier that must address
five areas, for which the faculty member must provide substantiating evidence: student
183 Manual de Evaluación y Ascenso en Rango (2017, p. 25).
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evaluations, peer evaluations, director’s recommendation, and evidence of scholarly work
(publications, research, artistic productions), community involvement, professional association
membership, and any other pertinent information. The dossier is then evaluated by two
committees (departmental and institutional) and recommendations presented finally to the
Provost and President184.
This comprehensive review only occurs when a faculty member decides to apply for rank
promotion and thus usually takes place at five year intervals. There are no other comprehensive
review processes in the meantime. Not surprisingly, the faculty assessment process was one of
the areas that was subject to important recommendations during the Self-Study process. One
recommendation is the establishment of annual review process through the implementation of
a faculty performance management system. A pilot will be tested in the Spring 2019 with full
implementation scheduled for the academic year 2019-2020. This recommendation is closely
connected to one of the main recommendations of the Self-Study regarding the establishment
of an independent office responsible for institutional intelligence, assessment, efficacy and
planning that will implement a comprehensive assessment system supported by a robust
information technology platform.
Institutional Projects and Learning Spaces in Support of Academic Programs and Student
Learning Experiences
In addition to the faculty development and assessment outlined above, Sagrado supports
faculty and students and the academic programs through a robust network of institutional
projects and learning spaces. These projects offer curricular and co-curricular student learning
experiences that support the institutional Mission by promoting community engagement and
social responsibility and the development of the transversal competencies across the
curriculum.
Institutional Projects.
FEP (Freshmore Experience Project). Sagrado offers an introductory course for all incoming
first-year undergraduate students called the FEP course for its origin in the Freshmore
Experience Project started in 2011 as the proposal “Retaining and Graduating through
184 See: Standard II for details.
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Technologically-Based Empowerment” funded by Title V-HSI185. This required course introduces
students to university life, exposes them to Sagrado’s Mission and Vision and begins the
development of the transversal competencies and other life skills that they will need to
successfully navigate their college career186. This course has evolved and improved through the
years as a result of active feedback from students and faculty engagement in its development.
The following table outlines the student participation in the FEP, which tracks first-year
undergraduate enrollment.
Table 12: Students enroll in GEN and FEP courses.
Students enroll
Semester GEN 100 FEP 101 FEP 102 FEP 201 FEP 100
08-1S 131
09-1S 102
09-2S 3
10-1S 12
11-1S 21 93
11-2s 75
12-1s 151 51
12-2s 16 127
13-1s 398 103
13-2s 15 312
14-1s 572 247
14-2s 47 415
15-1s 556 64 278
15-2s 31 457 51
16-1s 607 59 288
16-2s 33 461 68
17-1s 70 279 753
17-2s 22 72 86
Total 269 2519 2062 1437 839
Community Engagement Center (CVC; Centro de Vinculación Comunitaria). This institutional
center runs Sagrado’s recognized undergraduate service learning program. It started in 1988
and is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Aligned to Sagrado’s Mission of social solidarity and Vision of the world as the classroom, the
CVC connects faculty and students with communities and non-profit organizations engaged in
valuable social initiatives and offers students significant active and creative learning
185 Retaining and Graduating through Technologically-Based Empowerment” Title V-HIS. 186 Prontuario FEP 100.
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experiences. Students learn by doing while providing critical social support. Participating
students develop their transversal competencies in an integrated manner: communication,
critical inquiry, research, innovation, team-work and ethical and social justice reflection187. As a
result of their community engagements, students have produced documentaries, marketing
and promotional campaigns, research protocols and data gathering for specific community
based research projects, accounting processes and data bases, and (as detailed in the next
paragraph) identified environmental risk factors and educational campaigns.
One of the signature projects of the CVC is the Caño Martín Peña Research Project. Every
semester since its start in the fall of 2000, students enrolled in the General Microbiology—Bio
206 course have done bacteriological analysis of the water from the Martín Peña Channel in
order to detect and quantify coliforms. The Martín Peña Channel is a water body that surrounds
a group of 14 underprivileged and high-population density communities to the immediate east
of the University. The community service-learning component allows the students to develop
their research and analytical skills, while engaging in profound reflections about social justice
and developing strategies to promote environmental justice through public awareness
campaigns. This project exemplifies Sagrado’s Mission of educating for “the construction of a
more authentically Puerto Rican Christian society.”
CVC’s assessment data for the 2012-2017 period shows that 187 sections of second and third
level courses were engaged in direct services to the community through the development of
488 projects188. As shown in the table below, students have dedicated 91,082 service hours
between 2008 and 2017.
Table 13: Average of the performance (2008-2017) Centro de Vinculación Comunitaria.
Centro de Vinculación Comunitaria 2008 al 2017
Courses Students Faculty Projects Organizations Hours of services
19 543 21 762 63 91,082
187 Guía Informativa para la Facultad con Cursos Vinculados. 188 Courses in the CVC Project are divided in three levels: 1: reflexión (1st and 2nd year courses), research (3rd year courses), consulting, product development and services (4th year courses) – Niveles de Vinculación Comunitaria; Datos del Proyecto Aprendizaje en el Servicio - CVC 2008-2012.
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In 2015, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recognized these efforts
and granted Sagrado the Community Engagement Classification (2015-2025)189.
STEMmED II. Sagrado is committed to developing its undergraduate natural sciences programs
to prepare students to engage many of the health and environmental challenges in today’s
world. The STEMmEd II Project (2011-2016)190 was the sequel to the STEM Project (2009-2010)
described in the PRR and built upon its predecessor's work. The project sought to strengthen
Sagrado’s science culture and the development of the transversal competencies in critical
inquiry, research and innovation. Seven state-of-the-art labs were remodeled and have been in
continuous use during the project's life and beyond.
The faculty designed and developed a student centered pedagogical model191. The projects had
an impressive array of accomplishments: (a) a strong tutoring and mentoring program; (b) the
remodeling of seven science laboratories; (c) faculty professional development, including 45
workshops; and (d) the redesign of 41 courses with strong faculty participation and 5 new
courses including Scientific Journalism in collaboration with faculty from the Ferré Rangel
School of Communication. This project was funded by a Title V-HSI grant and accordingly
supervised and assessed. (C4; C7) Sagrado sought to continue this important project with a
third consecutive STEM grant in 2016, the proposal was not successful.. In 2018, Sagrado
submitted a proposal for an NSF grant for scholarships in the STEM disciplines and is currently
waiting for the adjudication.
During the review period, one of Sagrado’s natural science students in biology, Adolfo
Rodríguez Velázquez, was awarded a NSF fellowship and is currently pursuing doctoral studies
in biology with a focus on tropical ecology and a specialty in herpetology. Adolfo was actively
involved in the STEMmEd II project and combined his main major in biology with a double
major in film, opening important linkages between science and communications. Another
student Leilani Lotti combined chemistry and computer sciences and was selected by the
American Chemestry Society to participate in the International Research Experience for
Undergrads (IREU) where she was able to collaborate on an on-going research at Hannover
189 https://www.sagrado.edu/wp-content/uploads/English_catalog.pdf. 190 STEMmEDII House of Science. 191 http://insagrado.sagrado.edu/logros-obtenidos-en-cinco-anos-del-proyecto-stemmed-ii/.
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University in Germany. She is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Chemistry at Ohio State
University. Leilani was also very actively involved in the project. Adolfo and Leilani are
examples of the engaged students that Sagrado aims to continue developing in the natural
sciences.
Centro de Lenguas y Culturas (CLC; Center for Language and Culture). The CLC192 is an area
designed to foster and strengthen multicultural awareness and inclusiveness. It houses two
programs: Language Tutoring and Language Across the Disciplines (LAD). The Language tutoring
is the language laboratory where faculty and tutors design exercises and experiences where
students can practice their language skills beyond the classroom time, for all languages taught
in Sagrado including Spanish and English. In view of the priority for the development of oral and
written communication skills in both Spanish and English, in 2001 Sagrado received a FIPSE
(Funds for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education) grant and Sagrado launched LAD to
support of undergraduate courses in all academic programs. The LAD provided services such as
taping of oral exercises for later analysis, text editing, coaching for presentations, etc. The 2015
and 2017 assessments reveal that the LAD worked with 1171 students in 66 course sections193.
Instituto de Artes Musicales (IAM; Institute of Musical Arts). In order to provide a platform for
the development of the undergraduate music program, the interdisciplinary integration of
music throughout the curriculum and the support of student association and groups engaged in
musical and artistic performances, in 2016 Sagrado launched the Institute of Musical Arts.
Music is one of the seven liberal arts and Sagrado could not be conceived without a robust and
interdisciplinary musical component. The IAM has specialized rooms and musical instruments
that have served 110 students from 2015-2016 through 2016-2017. Since the creation of the
IAM, the university choir has grown from approximately 20 students to over 50. In May of
2017, Sagrado’s student a cappella group Staccato held a joint concert in the chapel with Yale’s
Red, Hot and Blue194. The IAM has also established a new tradition by holding an annual
Christmas concert in the chapel with distinguished student performers and musical groups.
192 https://es.slideshare.net/lenguasycultura/estudiantes-bienvenidos-a-lad-aug-2012. 193 Presentación LAD (p. 6). 194 http://insagrado.sagrado.edu/juntemus/
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Practices Courses and Internships. In order to accomplish the Mission of integral education for
solidary social impact and the Vision of the world as the classroom, it is critically important that
student have experiential learning opportunities in real-world scenarios. All of Sagrado’s
undergraduate programs offer either practice courses or internships, and in some cases both
learning experiences. The courses and internships offer students an opportunity to develop
their transversal competencies and professional and life skills, while gaining valuable practical
experiences under the supervision of an expert in their field of study. The following table
outlines the courses available under each academic program:
Table 14: Practice courses..
Academic Units Practicum and Seminar
FIEHS EDU 401- Preschool Education Practicum And Seminar EDU 403- Elementary Education Practicum and Seminar EDU 405- Primary Education (K-3) Practicum and Seminar EDU 407- Secondary Education Practicum and Seminar EDU 470- Seminar and Montessori Teaching Practicum Internship I EDU 471 - Seminar and Montessori Teaching Practicum Internship II EIN 408- Practicum in International Studies SJU 414- Professional Internship in The Justice System PSI 440- Practicum in Psychology TSO 403- Social Work Practicum I TSO 422- Social Work Practicum II
Business Department ADM 498 - Management GME 499 - Marketing TUR 498 - Tourism CON 499 - Accounting PME 499 - Practicum in Production and Marketing
School of Communication Ferré Rangel l
CMU-490 Professional Practicum CMU-300 Communication Internship
Department of Natural Science
ENL 101 - Fundamentals of Nursing - Clinical ENF 108 - Medical Surgical Care Adult ENF 201 - Mother and Neonate Care ENF 204 - Pediatric Nursing ENF 205 - Psychiatric Nursing
Communications Center. The Centro de Comunicación195 (Communication Center) is part of
the Escuela de Comunicación Ferré Rangel (ECFR; School of Communication Ferré Rangel) and
offers students co and extra-curricular experiential learning opportunities in preparation for the
world of media. The Center provides a workshop for students to develop their transversal
195 https://www.sagrado.edu/centro-de-comunicacion/.
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competencies in an integrated manner through the production of media content. Its facilities
include television production studios with master control, lighting and draping systems, digital
cameras, sound production studios, digital audio workstations and editing stations, as well as
photo-studio spaces and photography lab. A former classroom near the ECFR was refurbished
as a 40-seat digital cinema (Sala de Cine) screening room for courses in digital cinema and
production with a state of the art sound system and projection equipment. The
Communications Center is not only a laboratory for students, it also provides services all other
units in Sagrado. During the review period, it responded to over 30,000 requests for audiovisual
equipment196.
Tele-Radial Unit. Like Communications Center, the Tele-Radial Unit is another project of the
ECFR aimed providing co and extra-curricular experiential learning opportunities to allow
students to further develop their transversal competencies in an integrated manner. The unit
runs two digital radio stations, Radioactiva and Radiorama, and production studio, Tele-
Sagrado, and the web-platform, Sagrado TV. The radio stations and WebTV are fully managed
by students as part of doing by learning educational ethos. Table 13 shows that, during 2012-
2017, 349 students have benefited from these opportunities and 36 radio programs were
produced.
Table 15: Quantity of programs produced and students’ participation.
StudioLab or Creative Technologies Studio. This is third institutional project connected with
the ECFR that seeks to provide students curricular and co-curricular experiential learning
opportunities in digital media. It was created in 2015 to support academic programs,
collaborations, and continuing education courses in 3D animation, visualization, and interactive
196 https://www.sagrado.edu/centro-de-comunicacion/.
Year Number of programs produced Students who have benefited from these opportunities 2012 17 153 2013 4 69 2014 6 50 2015 3 26 2016 1 8 2017 5 43 Total 36 349
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techniques. StudioLab is equipped with a network of graphics workstations, specialized
software, 3-D printers and other and state of the art equipment that have served students in
their academic courses and co and extra-curricular projects, as well as high school students,
enthusiasts and professionals through boot camps, workshops and seminars197.
Sagrado Global (SG; Center for Global Education and Professional Development) In order to
accomplish Sagrado’s Vision of the world as the classroom and promoting a global orientation
and multicultural sensitivity, student mobility and exchange programs have been consistent
part of Sagrado’s co-curricular programs for years. In 2015, the Sagrado Global office was
constituted to consolidate in one operating unit all incoming and outgoing student programs,
including special incoming programs with colleges and universities outside Puerto Rico such as
faculty led programs. The following tables reveal the outbound and inbound student traffic for
the past ten years.
Table 16: Students in outgoing Internships.
OUTGOING (STUDENTS OF SAGRADO)
Years # Students Academic Unit Country
2008-09 42 19 ECFR; 9 ADM; 13 FIEHS; 1 NAT 15 United States; 10 Latin America; 17 Europe
2009-10 44 29 ECFR; 6 ADM; 7 FIEHS; 2 NAT 10 United States; 14 Latin America; 20 Europe
2010-11 27 13 ECFR; 8 ADM; 5 FIEHS; 1 NAT 6 United States; 7 Latin America; 14 Europe
2011-12 31 13 ECFR; 7 ADM; 7 FIEHS; 4 NAT 10 United States; 6 Latin America; 15 Europe
2012-13 38 19 ECFR; 6 ADM; 10 FIEHS; 3 NAT 22 United States; 4 Latin America; 12 Europe
2013-14 39 20 ECFR; 10 ADM; 9 FIEHS; 0 NAT 16 United States; 8 Latin America; 15 Europe
2014-15 39 14 ECFR; 9 ADM; 12 FIEHS; 4 NAT 17 United States; 2 Latin America; 20 Europe
2015-16 39 18 ECFR; 9 ADM; 10 FIEHS; 2 NAT 16 United States; 9 Latin America; 14 Europe
2016-17 38 14 ECFR; 6 ADM; 14 FIEHS; 4 NAT 7 United States; 5 Latin America; 24 Europe; 1
Canada; 1 Asia
Totals 337 159 ECFR; 70 ADM; 87 FIEHS; 21
NAT 119 United States; 65 Latin America; 151 Europe;
1 Canada; 1 Asia
Table 17: Students in incoming Internships.
INCOMING (STUDENTS VISITORS OF EXCHANGE)
Years # Students Country
2008-09 13 7 United States; 5 Latin America, 1 Europe
2009-10 15 11 United States; 2 Latin America, 2 Europe
2010-11 12 9 United States; 2 Latin America, 1 Europe
2011-12 16 11 United States; 4 Latin America, 1 Europe
2012-13 13 8 United States; 4 Latin America, 1 Europe
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INCOMING (STUDENTS VISITORS OF EXCHANGE)
2013-14 30 14 United States; 7 Latin America, 9 Europe
2014-15 29 6 United States; 8 Latin America, 13 Europe; 2 Canada
2015-16 46 4 United States; 7 Latin America, 34 Europe; 1 Canada
2016-17 62 9 United States; 2 Latin America; 45 Europe; 3 Canada; 3 Asia
Totals 236 79 United States; 41 Latin America; 107 Europe; 6 Canada; 3 Asia
Recently, in 2017, Sagrado Global was integrated with the career development office and
renamed the Center for Global Education and Professional Development. One of the objectives
of this consolidation is to promote student exploration of internships and employment
opportunities outside Puerto Rico as another way of developing the students’ global orientation
and multi-cultural sensitivity.
Since 2016, after recognizing the need to improve career services and increase the
opportunities available to students, Sagrado Global has been implementing the online platform
Simplicity to connect students with opportunities all over the world. Many colleges and
universities in the U.S. use the same platform. Sagrado named its platform “Sagrado Jobs” and
works with students to create their profiles in the platform in order to be in position to apply
for opportunities as they come along. Sagrado Jobs is available a 24 hours a day and provides
students with free didactic resources such as webinars, templates and career advice in order to
strengthen their employability skills.
The creation of this new unit has allowed further employability opportunities for the students
through work, co-curricular and international experiences, thereby addressing what was
previously considered a weakness in the SSR.
Neeuko Collaborative Innovation Center. In 2006, Sagrado was the first University in Puerto
Rico to establish an undergraduate program in entrepreneurship (Certificación CEPR 2006-131).
Since then Sagrado has been considering how adopt entrepreneurship and innovation as one of
the transversal competencies to be developed across the curriculum. Sagrado understands
entrepreneurship and innovation as a mindset—combination of skills and attitudes--applicable
to all disciplines. The Mission specifically calls for educating persons “willing to engage in the
construction” of solidary communities. In 2016, Sagrado launched the Neeuko Collaborative
Innovation Center to gather and direct the efforts to develop these competencies throughout
the university and to promote projects and initiatives for solidary social impact.
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From its origin, Neeuko was conceived as a space to serve students, faculty and the community.
It includes co-working stations, meeting rooms, a modern fabrication lab and specialized
equipment to develop entrepreneurial or socio- cultural projects for students and
organizations. Neeuko has collaborations with three of the four academic departments, and
eight student projects. Approximately 423 students enrolled in related courses during the 2016-
17 academic year. Neeuko has developed 15 socio-economic and educational alliances. Over
108 high school students have participated in innovation programs, and approximately 600
people have participated in workshops, seminars and entrepreneurship talks198.
Mother María Teresa Guevara Library. All of the above academic programs and institutional
projects are supported by the programs in the Mother María Teresa Guevara Library, a modern
center for information literacy and research. In 2013, it established a Digital/Virtual Reference
service: “Ask the librarian” that is a 24/7 on line service via chat or email. A redesign project
concluded in 2014 converted the main floor of the Library into a Learning Commons with 12
group study rooms and a service desk to handle student requests for loans of equipment such
as laptops, tablets, and scientific calculators. An average of 1,036 students each semester use
the information resources through the Proyecto de Investigación y Competencias de
Información al Currículo (PICIC199) and other projects. An average of 2,228 technological
equipment loans are processed, and an approximately 9,300 requests for use of the library’s
study rooms are serviced on a yearly basis. Students and faculty have remote access to the
Library’s digital repositories. During 2014 the Library was further remodeled to provide
additional study and gathering spaces for students in the ground floor overlooking the main
quad. Currently, the third floor of the Library is in the initial stages of a redesign project to
provide multi-functional spaces for students and faculty.
Learning Spaces
Sagrado supports students and faculty, the academic programs and the institutional projects
with a network of learning spaces that complement the university’s classrooms and campus.
198 Informe Anual Neeuko 2016-2017. 199 PICIC.
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Each of these learning spaces is properly supplied with the equipment necessary to support the
learning objectives.
Arts. The programs in the visual and performing arts use the following the learning spaces: (a)
three art studios (two visual and plastic); (b) art gallery; (c) experimental theater; (c)
performance arts theater; (d) Coda21 dance studios; and (e) music rooms (individual rooms and
ensemble rooms),
Communications. The Ferré Rangel School of Communications includes the following studios
and facilities to support its academic programs: (a) three audio-visual production studios; (b)
two radio stations; (c) two photography studios; (d) multiple sound mixing and film editing
rooms; (e) a communications center for distribution of audio-visual equipment and support of
technology; (f) a digital animation studio; (g) a research center; and (g) a student-run
communications firm.
Natural Sciences. The natural science programs use 11 natural science laboratories, seven of
which were remodeled in 2016 with funds from a STEMmed II Grant received in 2011. The
laboratories are distributed across the following fields: (a) general biology/genetics (3
remodeled); (b) biochemistry (remodeled); (c) molecular and cell biology (remodeled); (d)
microbiology; zoology/anatomy/physiology; (e) general chemistry (remodeled); (f) organic
chemistry; and (g) instrumental chemistry200.
Nursing. The nursing program has its own nursing Auto Tutorial and Nursing Skills Laboratory
Program to allow Nursing Program students to practice and develop their skills in nursing care.
The laboratories feature a highly sophisticated computer equipment similar to the ones that
students will use in hospitals and health agencies. The Nursing Skills Training Manikins
(simulators) are a key component in practical training by providing the students with the
opportunity to study a patient's scenario and develop the best response strategies.
Theology and Social Justice.
The Pastoral Center includes a classroom, a learning center with computers and other learning
spaces to support its Mission.
On-Line Programs and Courses
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Sagrado offers three different modalities of web-enhanced courses: full on-line, hybrid or
blended (usually 50% on-line), and face-to-face courses with on-line repositories. The on-line or
hybrid courses are an important part of Sagrado’s curriculum design for three reasons: access
to quality education; time flexibility; and student success. Access: over 2/3 of students who
participated in the graduation exit survey for the past three years (2016, 2017, 2018) indicated
they had part or full time jobs during their time at the University (see Standard IV). This fact has
implications on students’ time availability or lack thereof201. Time flexibility: one of the main
advantages of an on-line or hybrid course is that materials are available 24/7 and students can
examine and retrieve them at their convenience and as many times as needed. If the course has
a synchronic video element that is recorded, then this experience is available to be explored at
different rhythms. Student success: literature on this topic establishes that web-enhanced
courses improve learning outcomes and retention and facilitate interaction among students,
and between students and their instructor.
As mentioned earlier, Sagrado has on-line programs: AS and BS in Nursing and AA in Liberal
Arts, which allowed the University to be fully approved by MSCHE to offer this modality. The
latter of these is in moratorium and the Nursing programs have been successful. These
programs are defined as low residency because most of the curriculum is taught through
distance education and there is a sequence of on-campus visits for the clinical rotations which
must be in hospital (or hospital-like) settings and supervised by licensed nursing faculty.
Because of the On-line Nursing Program, all General Education courses have been redesigned
as deliverable fully on-line. This represents close to half of the curriculum (45%) since General
Education courses during the period under analysis totaled 66 credits of 135. Sagrado’s on-line
offerings at this point are asynchronous. However, the Sagrado On-Line program developed as
a solidarity measure after Hurricane María, provided the opportunity to test synchronous video
201 According to the Retaining and Graduating through Technologically Based Empowerment (Title V), a total of 17
courses were developed or re-designed on the last year of the proposal (2013-2014) and were assessed by an
external evaluator. The assessment results showed that most students choose these courses because of their
convenience (work or other responsibilities interfere with their class schedule). Title V External Evaluation Report,
Four Year (2013-2014) Final Report.
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conferences as part of the experience and proved to be so successful that it is the chosen
model for future on-line course development.
In order to enable faculty to better design on-line courses, the University (through CEDTEC)
created the Proyecto Medular de Educación A Distancia (2012)202 which established the
guidelines for the development and assessment of online courses. CEDTEC also regularly
offered student opinion surveys for online courses203. In an analysis produced by CEDTEC204, as
of 2017, all academic units had total of 233 courses that had been redesigned both at the
undergraduate and graduate levels.
Communication of Academic Programs
Sagrado’s undergraduate and graduate programs are communicated through the university
catalogues and the internal portal (mi.sagrado.edu). Course syllabi are available in the
institutional portal. Information about the programs, institutional projects, learning spaces and
student support services is provided and updated in the official web-site and communicated
through a wide-array of media such as newspapers, television and film, social networks,
brochures and other handouts.
Before the new 120-credit undergraduate curricular structure became effective in 2017, the
academic leadership team held a series of town hall meetings with faculty, students and staff to
explain this change and discuss the transition process for students that had approved 60 credits
or less. These students received an orientation to allow them to make informed decisions on
whether to change to the new curriculum or remain with their existing one. Professional
counselors were trained in order to work with these students. The admissions’ office staff was
also trained in order to explain the new curricular structure to prospective students and their
families.
In all these efforts at internal and external communications, Sagrado strives to portray its
information as accurately and completely as possible. The Integrated Communications team
works with Academic Affairs team and, if necessary, the General Counsel, to ensure that all
202 Proyecto Medular de Educación a Distancia; Datos sobre los Cursos en Línea. 203 Cuestionario Opinión Estudiantil Sobre los Cursos En Línea.
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academic marketing and promotional materials are accurate and in compliance with applicable
laws and regulations.
Assessment of Academic Programs and Institutional Projects
Sagrado’s academic programs are subject to assessment processes every several years. As
detailed in PRR, Sagrado has performed two prior academic priorization studies following the
Dickeson model and taken some actions to improve the marketing and promotion of some of
the lowest performing programs and take other actions to improve program contents205. In
2016, Sagrado performed another study with the support of a consulting firm, Quality for
Business (QBS), the same firm that supported the strategic planning process from 2016 through
2017. This study analyzed the financial viability of each program and assisted in the
development of a profile of the parameters for a viable program in terms of enrollment and
faculty composition (see Standard VI).
Each program should have a sufficient number of faculty members to form a strong unit that
will drive the program’s development and a sufficient numbers of students not only to make it
financially sustainable but also to ensure a high quality learning experience for the participating
students. The parameters developed through this study, in conjunction with other important
criteria such a Mission alignment, have informed the changes in Sagrado’s academic programs
and will continue to inform development of the program review process called for in the 2017-
2020 Strategic Plan (see Standard V).
One of the critical recommendations of this Self-Study is precisely the need to establish a
periodic process for program review properly supported by assessment data and grounded in
criteria that align with the Mission and Vision and also recognize the financial and operations
realities of the university. The establishment of this process and the evaluation of the existing
programs is one of the key results of the institutional goals for 2018-19.
Conclusion
All of Sagrado academic programs, whether at the undergraduate and graduate levels, each in
their particular discipline, are aligned with the institutional Mission of integral education and
205 Proyecto de Priorización de Programas Académicos (2008); Proyecto de Priorización de Programas Académicos basados en el Modelo Dickison (2012).
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solidary social impact. The faculty, the structure of the programs, the core undergraduate
general education component, the curricular and co-curricular learning experiences, the
integral competencies or abilities to developed across all programs, the institutional projects,
the learning facilities and resources, and the assessment of the programs, are all aligned to
accomplish this fundamental double purpose in a multi-disciplinary and innovative academic
project.
Recommendations
As outlined above, the recommendations resulting from the review of this Standard III are the
following: (a) establish a system for the periodic review of academic programs; (b) implement
an annual faculty performance management system, that includes assessment by peers,
supervisors and students; (c) expand its programs for faculty development in active and
creative teaching-learning methodologies; (d) support the new research center with additional
resources to pursue faculty research and other creative or professional opportunities; (e)
develop prototypes for new learning spaces to support active and creative learning.
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Standard IV: Support for the Student Experience
This standard is still being worked on:
Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution
recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with
its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence,
completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system, sustained by qualified
professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the
educational experience, and fosters student success.
Compliance with the Standard and Criteria
Sagrado meets the six criteria and all sub-criteria of Standard IV and the Requirements of
Affiliation #s 8 and 10. Evidence that demonstrates that SAGRADO meets Standard IV can be
reviewed in the Documentation Roadmap and is analyzed in the following section.
Sagrado clearly complies with Standard IV.
Criterion Number
Standard IV Criterion Meet
Criterion
C1 Clearly stated ethical policies and processes to admit, retain, and facilitate student success:
C1a Including accurate and comprehensive information about expenses, financial aid, scholarships, grants, loans repayment, and refunds
C1b With a process by which students who are not adequately prepared for the study at the level where they have been admitted are identified, placed, and supported in attaining appropriate educational goals
C1c Including orientation, advisement, and counseling programs to enhance retention and guide students throughout their educational experience
C1d With processes designed to enhance students’ success in achieving their educational goals
C2 Policies and procedures regarding evaluation and acceptance of transfer credits earned in various ways
C3 Policies and procedures for the safe and secure maintenance and appropriate release of student information and records
C4 Student life and other extracurricular activities are regulated by the same academic, fiscal, and administrative principles and policies that govern all programs
C5 Adequate and appropriate institutional review and approval of student support services, designed, delivered, or assessed by third-party providers
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Criterion Number
Standard IV Criterion Meet
Criterion
C6 Periodic assessment of the effectiveness of program supporting the student experience
Compliance with Standard IV
As a mission-driven institution devoted to the education of the whole person, Sagrado is
committed to the success of each of its students This commitment can be traced back to St.
Magdalene Sophie Barat’s remarkable declaration that “[f]or the sake of one child, I would have
founded the Society”
206. Since 2015, Sagrado’s organizational chart reflects this commitment by placing the
“students” at the top of the chart and all academic, student affairs, administrative units and the
Board of Trustees in service of the students207.
Sagrado would like to celebrate the graduation of each of its admitted students. Although
graduation rates have been steadily improving since PRR 2013, from 31% in 2014 to 36% in
2017, the University is far from accomplishing its aspiration. As stated in the Strategic Plan208
the University is working towards increasing the graduation rate from the actual 36% to 50% in
2021. The long-term goal is to consistently exceed 50%209.
For the past five years Sagrado has graduated an average of 33.8% of its first-year
undergraduate students within six years and 41% in eight years. The overall graduation rates of
all undergraduate students is 33.6% within six years. These graduation rates place Sagrado in
the second tier of graduation rates among Puerto Rico institutions of Higher Education, which
have first year graduation rates in the range of 11% to 71%210. Despite these graduation
figures, IPEDS data reflects that Sagrado consistently places among the top three universities in
Puerto Rico in awarding bachelor’s degrees from a group of an average of 24 comparable
private non-for profit-degree granting institutions of Higher Learning in Puerto Rico211.
206 https://www.sacredheartusc.education/page/roots/founding-mothers/st-madeleine-sophie-barat/quotes-by-st-madeleine-sophie-barat 207 Organigramas Foco Estudiantes 208 Plan Estratégico 2017-2020 209 Retención, Matrícula Y College Board para Middle State 210 Compendio Estadístico sobre Educación Superior de PR 211 IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2012; IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2013; IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2014;
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Sagrado understands that to improve the graduation rates and thus deliver on its commitment
to each student, there is a need of a comprehensive, integrated and well-functioning student-
support network that addresses all aspects of the students’ development: intellectual, spiritual,
psychological, cultural, social, moral and physical. It is part of Sagrado’s Vision to promote an
integral education of the whole person and this education is not limited to the classroom or the
academic learning spaces.
The University has been progressing in the establishment of this student-support network to
complement and integrate seamlessly with the academic project. The Office of Admissions is
the first team in a network which connects all the student-support units in Student Affairs and
eventually links with Academic Affairs, Administration and the Board of Trustees. This network
is anchored in policies, regulations and procedures that are faithfully followed.
The Vice President and Dean for Student Affairs leads this student-support network, except for
the Office of Admissions which is fully integrated into the marketing function with the
Integrated Communications Team. In view of the student-centeredness of the Mission, since
2015, the Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs reports directly to the President rather
than to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. Sagrado has also appointed a Chief
Retention Officer within Student Affairs who is responsible for coordinating all efforts related to
student retention, persistence and graduation.
To complement these changes within the administrative structures, in 2018 the Board of
Trustees also created a Student Affairs Committee to address and oversee all student affairs,
admissions, enrollment, retention and graduation rates, graduate studies and post-graduation
career placement matters. This Committee will invite student participation and will be the
main channel for bringing student concerns to the attention of the Board212. The current
Chairperson of the Board, Vanessa Lugo, was the first Chairwoman of this important committee
and the one responsible for its development. From 2008 to 2016, the Board of Trustees had
addressed these issues in two separate committees
IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2015; IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2016 IPEDS Data Feedback Reports 2017 212 Estatutos Décima Revisión BoT (2018)
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This development at the Board of Trustees will complement the students’ ongoing participation
in the Academic and Administrative Boards, where they already have official representation213.
As related in the discussion of Standard I, students also participated in the Steering Committee
that led to the development of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan and actively participated in the
March 2017 meeting of the Board of Trustees that approved the plan214.
As discussed in this Standard, student participation in these official governing bodies, as well as
their constant engagement with university leadership, faculty and staff through student
assemblies, multiple meetings with members of the Executive Leadership Team and other
formal and informal activities with students and student organizations, are critical to the
continuous assessment that drives the improvement of this student-support network. The
development of this comprehensive and integrated student-support network has been a
consistent institutional priority and figures prominently in the 2018-19 institutional objectives
and key results.
Sagrado’s Student-Support Network.
Sagrado is committed to improving retention and graduation rates and promoting student
success through the continued development and improvement of a comprehensive, integrated
and well-functioning student-support network, supported by a robust information-technology
system that allows the timely sharing of information across the network and thus facilitates
effective interventions and meaningful assessments. The University also has a set of policies
and procedures, some reviewed and discussed in Standard II, to make sure admitted students’
interests, competencies, experiences and goals are congruent with the Mission.
Many of the units of this network have been in place for years providing valuable services to
students with committed, qualified and dedicated staffs. Each of these units engaged in the
continuous assessment and improvement of their operations. These units, however, were
primarily connected with each other through informal connections. There was no information
technology system connecting these different units and facilitating the coordination of their
213 Estatutos Junta Académica; Reglamento de Junta Administrativa 214 Plan Estratégico 2017-2020
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services. Sagrado is currently trying to integrate these units into a system supported by
technology with the expectation that it can move from a reactive and fragmented to a more-
proactive and integrated stance that can work with students in a more effective manner to help
them accomplish their educational and life goals, persists and graduate.
The new information technology system, Jenzabar, was selected in 2015 after a comprehensive
review of the alternatives by the Integrated Information Technology Team. Sagrado’s existing
academic-student system POISE, which had served the University well for close to 30 years, was
at the time totally unsupported by the supplier. Jenzabar was the successor to POISE and thus
the affordable alternative. Its implementation would take place in phases with the first
focusing on the core of the system in the admissions, registration, student billing, financial aid
and institutional portal modules and the initial deployment of the learning management
system. Phase I was launched in March 2017 after an accelerated twelve months preparation
calendar. Phase II, which would include the full deployment of the student life, student
advising and retention modules, the learning management system and the mobile application,
was scheduled for implementation throughout the 2017-2018 academic year. Hurricane María
also delayed this implementation schedule for a full academic year as Sagrado had to focus on
strengthening its IT infrastructure in response to the emergency and continuing with the
implementation of Phase I. As of today, all of the Phase II modules are in the process of
implementation. At this point Sagrado’s efforts are invest in entering and validating the data
necessary to star assessing students’ outcomes directly from the new Platform.
This student-support network is composed of the following units by area of service or student
engagement:
I. Admissions, retention and graduation:
• Admissions: the Office of Admissions part of the Integrated Communications
Team
• Orientation and Introduction to University Life: Student Welcome Day and The
Freshmore Experience Project
• Retention Projects: Tittle V-HIS proposals and STEMmED
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• Advising, Academic and Professional Counseling: Academic Counselors per
program, @SER, the Retention Services Unit, the Student Support Program
(“PAE”), and Title V proposal
• Psychological Counseling and Support: the Center for Personal Development
II. Student support services
• Special and/or Academic Needs: @SER, the Retention Services Unit and the
Student Support Program (“PAE”)
• Financial Aid: the Integrated Services Administration (“ASI”)
• Spiritual Counseling and Support: the Marta Miranda rscj Campus Ministry
• Community Services and Volunteership: the CVC, the Marta Miranda rscj Campus
Ministry and the Center for Volunteership Development
• International Mobility: The Center for Global Education and Professional
Development
• Security: Office of Integrated Security and Risk Management
• First Aid Services Medical Emergency Services: the Integral Security and Risk
Management Office
III. Student life, extracurricular activities and other services
• Student Council and Student Associations
• Student Recognition
• Athletics: Sports Team, Wellness Program and new Director
• Residential Life: Student Residences Halls
• Dining Hall/Cafeteria and Convenience Store
• Cleaning and Custodial Services
• Transportation: the Dolphy Transport System
IV. Post-graduation placement
• Career Development: The Center for Global Education and Professional
Development
• Student Co and Extra Curricular Transcript and Portfolio
V. Policies and regulations
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• Student information and security of student information
• Admissions and Financial Aid Policies
• Transfers Students Policy
• Prior non-academic learning
• Student rights and responsibilities
• Student Disciplinary Procedures: Deanship of Student Affairs
VI. Periodic assessment of the Student Experience
One important recommendation, as a result of this Self-Study, is to leverage the
implementation of the new Jenzabar academic-student platform to more closely integrate this
network and improve its systemic performance. The objective is an effective, comprehensive
and holistic student-support network focused on providing integrated services and an
enhancing the student life experience from enrollment through graduation (and eventually
beyond graduation). This network should complement the academic project to accomplish the
Mission of an integral education for positive social impact by addressing all co-and extra-
curricular aspects of the student experience: integral health and quality of life; spiritual growth;
student outreach; professional and career development; international experiences; community
engagement and volunteership; financial counseling and support; athletics and wellness; and
residential life.
This section will address each of the units of the system as well as discuss special, federally-
funded programs to support student retention, persistence and graduation.
Admissions, retention and graduation
• Admissions. Sagrado has an Office of Admissions that, following the recommendation of
the 2008 SSR, is now fully integrated into the marketing function as part of the
Integrated Communications Team. This team is the partial successor of the Institutional
Research and Planning Office in as much as it gathers all institutional marketing,
communications, and public relations functions, as well as the promotion and
admissions function.
The Office of Admissions is responsible for all undergraduate and graduate admissions
with the necessary support from other university teams, especially Academic Affairs.
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The Office is usually the first point of contact with prospective students and their
families and thus a critical vehicle for the communication of Sagrado’s Mission. Until
2017, the Office of Admissions was known as the Office of Recruitment and Admissions
and divided into two smaller units, the Recruiting and the Admissions Offices, each with
its own director and both under the supervision of the Director of Admissions and
Enrollment. Following the recommendation of an external assessment at the end of
2017, the office was restructured into a single cohesive unit and additional staff was
recruited to strengthen the office’s effectiveness.
Sagrado’s undergraduate admission follows criteria set forth in the institutional
catalogue. A formula of admission is applied to prospects based on the student’s high
school grade point average and College Board (CEEB) results. Students who do not meet
the formula threshold are referred to two different evaluating committees, depending
on their CEEB scores, which can ultimately decide whether the student should be
admitted. Assessment results reveal that students who meet the formula threshold
exhibit greater retention and graduation rates, than students who are admitted by
committee determination215.
One recommendation of this Self-Study is the necessity of an in-depth evaluation of the
performance of undergraduate students admitted through the committee process,
rather than by the admissions formula, to determine whether the admissions criteria
should be revised and/or special measures taken to support these students to improve
their persistence, retention and graduation rates.
During 2015 and 2016, Sagrado engaged an admissions consulting firm to develop and
implement special admissions efforts aimed at high school students in the mainland
U.S. Sagrado decided to suspend this program after a year because the experience gave
the Executive Leadership Team an acute sense of the preparations that the University
needed to make to receive English-speaking U.S. students, from the availability of a
curriculum that could be navigated in English to staff in all critical student offices that
could appropriately service English-speaking students. Sagrado has been engaged in
215 One year retention
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these preparations and expects to develop a mainland U.S. admissions effort within the
next two fiscal years.
Sagrado’s graduate admissions process is also described in detail in the University
catalogue. All prospects should comply with general as well as specific requisites set for
the different academic programs. The application is available online216 and prospects
have two ways of applying for admission (regular or special), depending of their interest
in pursuing the whole master or just taking a sequence of courses without achieving the
degree. A set of policies and regulations regarding student validation and transfer of
credits is included in the Catalogue.
• Orientation and Introduction to University Life. A student’s successful introduction to
university life can be critical to the student’s ability to persist and complete his/her
studies. Sagrado has two special projects to provide an effective orientation for
incoming students.
o Student Welcome Day. As discussed in the section on Standard I, the Student
Welcome Day is the initial orientation into Sagrado that all incoming
undergraduate students receive217. In this orientation, students had the first
formal exposure to all support services and support staff. This event is assessed
every year to continue improving its quality218. In its latest iteration, held on
August 2018, the Provost and the Academic Directors for the first time made a
presentation of Sagrado’s academic programs.
o Freshmore Experience Project (“FEP”). The FEP course, already discussed in
Standard III, is the curricular complement to the Student Welcome Day. This
project has been the subject of constant assessment and student feedback, as
stated in the 2008 SSR (p.63) and 2013 PRR (p,46)219. The FEP course has evolved
from a course designed specifically for students with less than 500 points in any
part of the CEEB Test (from 2000-2011) to a three-credit course that is part of all
216 http://www.sagrado.edu/en/apply/ 217 Manual de Estudiante Nuevo Ingreso 218 Actividades “Enciende la Llama” 219 SSR 2008 ; PRR 2013
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the academic programs (2012-2017). The Admissions Office is responsible for
enrollment students in FEP during the first semester after admission.
The current version, developed during the academic year 2017-2018 and
implemented in the Fall of 2018, was designed to provide a comprehensive
introduction to important university services and to the development of skills
critical to a student’s self-management such as self-awareness, academic and
career empowerment and conflict resolution. An important part of FEP is the
detailed discussion that take place regarding different important policies and
procedures as well as university support services that will assure student success,
as briefly mentioned in Standard II. This course now requires engagement with a
student’s counselor to assess the student’s transition into university life, to have a
better understanding of student’s academic, financial and vocational needs as
well as the integration of career orientation as part of the advising process220.
In addition to the above formal programs, there is a wide variety of orientation
processes on campus, some run by Student Affairs and other by the students
themselves, often through student associations.
• Retention Projects. In view of Sagrado’s commitment to student success through
graduation, it has historically pursued federal grants to support the retention efforts.
Trio Student Support Program or PAE is a federally funded program that has allowed the
University to annually support a special group of 600 at risk students for the past 40
years. During this past ten years, as explained below, Sagrado has developed other
programs to improve retention rates:
Table 18: Comparison of retention rates between regular students and students who
participated in federal programs.
All PG
Cohort # Est Retention
2nd Sem. 1 year 4th Sem. 2 year 6th Sem. 3 year
2011 1005 88.6% 73.1% 67.0% 60.2% 57.3% 53.0%
2012 847 89.5% 75.7% 69.4% 59.1%
220 Resumen de Hallazgos y Recomendaciones del Proceso de Evaluación, 9 de enero de 2018
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2013 700 91.9% 75.3%
TITLE V
Cohort # Est Retention
2nd Sem. 1 year 4th Sem. 2 year 6th Sem. 3 year
2011 93 91.4% 73.1% 68.8% 62.4% 62.4% 57.0%
2012 176 89.8% 76.1% 73.9% 63.6% 2013 395 93.4% 81.5%
PG WITH OUT TITULO V
Cohort # Est Retention
2nd Sem. 1 year 4th Sem. 2 year 6th Sem. 3 year
2011 912 88.3% 73.1% 66.8% 60.0% 56.8% 52.6%
2012 671 89.4% 75.6% 68.3% 58.0%
2013 305 89.8% 67.2%
o Title V Retention Grants. During the review period, Sagrado sought and
received two Title V-HSI grants to enhance retention efforts. The first Title V
Program, Retaining and Graduating Through Technology (2010-2015)221, sought
to redesign existing services to improve their efficacy and to develop new ones.
This grant allowed Sagrado to develop an early alert information technology
system, a set of online courses for students who could not continue attending
classes, and financial coaching and tutoring services, among others.
Unfortunately, the early-alert system implemented through this grant was not able to
provide a sustainable basis for institutional retention efforts. The first system, “Early
Alert by Educational Dynamics,” operated for only two years when the supplier phased-
out the program. Its replacement, Starfish, suffered a similar fate and in 2015 the
University was forced to seek a new system. At the time, the Integrated Information
Technology Team was evaluating alternatives to succeed POISE and the decision was
made to wait until the selection of the new academic-student platform to implement
the new early alert system. The new Jenzabar has a student retention module that
includes an early alert system. Implementation is currently ongoing, and the early alert
system went operational in September 2018.
221 Annual Performance Report 2015
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Table 19: Early alert system request.
Request for intervention
Year 2011-2012 Year 2012-2013 Year 2013-2014 Year 2014-2015 Totals Aug /
Dec Jan / May
Aug / Decr
Jan / May
Aug / Decr
Jan / May
Aug / Decr
Jan / May
RFI attended through the Early IQ system
28 43 67 77 117 679 243 1,254
RFI attended outside the Early IQ system
2 1 1 8 0 324 100 436
Totals 0 30 44 68 85 117 1003 343 1,690
Action Plans
AP developed through the Early IQ system
25 50 67 82 129 600 953
AP developed outside the Early IQ system
2 1 1 7 0 50 61
Totals 0 27 51 68 89 129 650 0 1,014
The second Title V- HSI Project (2016-2021), Active Learning to Empower
Students and Increase Retention and Graduation, is still operating, and allows
the continuation of the student support services and retention initiatives. The
project aims to increase student enrollment, retention and graduation rates by
revamping teaching-learning modalities, providing counseling and student
support services, optimizing the use of technology and furthermore by
innovating and customizing classes and support services that motivate
exploration, empowerment and intellectual curiosity.
Therefore, the project has four main components:
▪ Creation of transformative learning environments
▪ Reshaping teaching and learning
▪ Integration of co-work and learning incubator spaces, and
technologically upgraded classrooms
▪ Revamping the student learning outcomes assessment system.
This grant fosters student centered practices and has been influencing the
University's ability to promote a student experience that integrates support,
human warmth and high technology to guide the student in his or her university
life. By training faculty and service providers Sagrado is empowering them to be
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better equipped and motivated to work towards excellency in their tasks and
responsibilities.
Through this project Sagrado has been able to provide supplemental activities
such as: Empowerment focused Counseling, restoring and improving an Early
Alert System, creating co-working learning spaces, providing peer tutoring and
mentoring, facilitating professional development opportunities for faculty and
support personnel, curricular revision to promote innovation in academic
programs and teaching strategies, Enabling on-line access to academic process
for students.
Tabla 20: @SER tutoring.
Period Area
2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017*
Students Number
of Services
Students Number
of Services
Students Number
of Services
Students Number
of Services
1st. Semester
Spanish 25 34 14 19 32 69 23 50
English 47 68 16 63 14 30 16 43
Math 90 159 110 184 68 145 53 220
Accounting 56 115 59 120 57 150 17 30
Science 5 6
Others 38 64 27 54 17 33 2 2
2nd. Semester
Spanish 25 36 7 12 9 18 43 105
English 66 89 38 73 20 43 14 48
Math 123 188 100 172 100 191 93 300
Accounting 76 119 48 92 59 173 18 32
Science 62 332
Others 23 26 13 23 12 25 1
Summer I
English
Science 7 10
Math 1 19 35
Total 569 898 433 812 388 877 373 1,213
Table 21: Tutoring services offered PAE.
Period Area
2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017
Students
Number of
Services
Students
Number of
Services
Students
Number of
Services
Students
Number of
Services
1st. Semester
Spanish 129 1,138 112 1,015 132 1,132 121 896
English 101 1,080 91 665 87 760 73 582
Math 83 820 92 614 69 706 74 649
Workshops 88 178 44 88 87 174 37 74
2nd. Semester
Spanish 59 338 61 372 52 395 46 326
English 97 750 92 656 72 516 56 369
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Math 75 474 59 471 72 448 69 622
Workshops 21 42 23 46 25 50 15 30
Summer I
Spanish 2 8 2 18 0 0 0 0
English 1 10 1 9 0 0 0 0
Math 4 20 6 30 0 0 0 0
Total 660 4,856 583 3,984 596 4,181 491 3,546
• STEMmED. The STEMmED grant was discussed in the Standard III Section. One of the
results of this grant was an increase in the retention rates for students in Natural
Science programs (except Nursing). STEMmED project was funded by the first Title V-
HIS program granted in 2010. State-of-the-art labs were remodeled, and a student-
centered pedagogical model was designed and developed. STEMmED's developed and
excellent tutoring and mentoring program; a research infrastructure; a pertinent and
relevant faculty professional development and course redesign with active faculty
participation.
The initial retention rate for the baseline 5-year freshman Natural Sciences students
was an average of 71%. As discuss in the STEMmED: Comprehensive Final Report
(2011-2016, p.2)222. The retention rates for the Natural Sciences Department (except
Nursing) increased by 16%. The Project closed with an of 87% STEMmED freshmen
retention rate and a five-year average of 87.6%, well above the baseline.
• Advising, Academic and Professional Counseling. Sagrado’s Mission of integral
education requires attention to other aspects of the students development beyond the
academic in order to contribute to the students’ persistence. In 2012, Sagrado
established the @SER or the Center for Student Services and Retention as a one-stop
center with professional counselors and other trained staff who can work with
undergraduates to facilitate the necessary student support services in one location223.
The Center manages the early alert system, administers and processes reasonable
accommodations documentation and protocol, provides professional and vocational
counseling as well as academic orientation regarding student’s curriculum, and, with the
assistance of the Title V-HSI program, coordinates tutoring and other support services.
222 Stemmed Comprehensive Final Report, p.2 (2011-2016) 223 PRR 2013
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After hurricane María the University saw the necessity to revise the Center’s objectives
to balance up the student support network. The Center’s main purpose should be to
promote student’s empowerment with their academic goals, support them through
their self-knowledge process, assist those undecideds with their vocational aims and
give them the necessary counseling for them to persist and graduate.
From the end of the 1990’s trough 2016, students who had approved more than 61
credits, would have been assigned a professor from to his/her major to give them advice
regarding course recommendations. In 2016, after assessing the effectiveness of having
faculty engaged in this limited role, @SER assumed all these functions and began
providing both professional counseling and advice regarding course selection. Under the
new Title V-HIS project, faculty will start serving in a mentorship capacity to
complement the Center’s services.
• Psychological Counseling and Support. A student’s mental health is fundamental to
their ability to successfully manage the challenges of university life. Sagrado is
therefore committed to working with students to address their mental health issues as
part of their integral development and adaptation to being part of a collegial
community.
Since the binning of the 1990’s Sagrado has maintained a Center for Personal
Development led by Dr. Julio Fonseca, a psychologist and member of the faculty. The
Center is currently staffed with psychologists and counselors, and supported by
graduate students from the Carlos Albizu University. They provide psychological
counseling and other personal and emotional development services to students. The
graduate students also provide office hours in the residence halls. One troubling trend
over the past years has been a significant and steady increase in the number of students
who use the Center’s services. One recommendation of this Self-Study is to analyze this
data in depth in order to determine possible causes and measures that Sagrado can take
to improve students’ ability to successfully manage themselves and the challenges of
university life224.
224 Centro de Desarrollo Personal
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Student support services
• Special and/or Academic Needs. Sagrado’s mission calls for solidarity with each student
in his or her individuality and a commitment to her personal development. Sagrado
embraces three distinctive initiatives for those students identified as vulnerable during
the admission process or within their first academic year and who may need special
support in order to attain their educational goals: (a) the Student Support Program or
PAE, the largest Federal Trio program in Puerto Rico, which services 600 first generation
students with disabilities or special academic or economical needs; (b) special
accommodations for students with disabilities, and (c) preliminary courses for students
who need to develop certain skills in order to engage in university level work. Other
units within the student-support network such as the Pastoral Care Center, the Center
for Personal Development and @SER also provide special attention to these vulnerable
students providing academic tutoring and mentoring.
• Financial Aid. One of Sagrado’s aspirations is that the lack of financial resources should
not be an impediment to a student’s ability to complete her studies at Sagrado. This
aspiration has become even more important in view of Hurricane’s María impact on the
financial condition of many of the students and their families. A survey conducted after
the hurricane, where 2,073 students participated, indicated that 49.9% of them did not
have a job and that another 21.1% had received a reduction in their hours225. That is
why one of Sagrado’s aspirations is to strengthen the endowment to reach more
unprivileged students.
Sagrado spends an annual average of $1,850,000 in student financial aid, or about 5% of
annual tuition revenues. Over the five year period from 2012 to 2107, the percentage
of students receiving financial aid has returned to the 2012 high of 86%.
Similarly, the number of students participating in work-study programs has also
returned close to the 2012 high of 682 students.
225 Encuesta Estudiantes posterior Huracán María, 2017
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Table 22: Students who participated in the Work Study Program.
2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017
682 468 488 610 659
With the commitment of the Board of Trustees, the Finance Team is currently assessing
all of Sarado’s institutional financial aid programs in order to find ways to increase and
maximize the impact of the institutional resources devoted to student financial aid. In
the meantime, Sagrado’s financial aid policies, programs and procedures are
communicated in the institutional website and portal.
The Student Integrated Service Center or ASI is the central facility responsible for
supporting and servicing students with respect to their financial aid and the university’s
financial processes. As stated in the 2013 PRR and presented in the following table, ASI
periodically assesses student satisfaction and as a result implements measures to
improve its services. Two examples are the implementation of Turnos.pr and the direct
deposit program. In order to reduce waiting time and quality of service, in June 2013,
ASI implemented a new system (Turnos.pr) to provide automatic turns to students for
the different kinds of ASI services. In 2015, this system was updated to send students
text messages when they were about to be called so they did not have to stand in ASI
while waiting to be called. In 2013, ASI also implemented a direct deposit program to
speed up student receipt of financial aid, loans surplus amounts and other
reimbursements. A new module was also implemented for a faster notification of
students’ loan approvals.
Figure 2: Number of students attended by year in ASI.
34
,42
9
31
,46
7
34
,47
6
63
0 35
,78
5
35
,65
1
37
,26
5
2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015* 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018
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Figure 3: Students satisfaction with ASI services.
• Spiritual Counseling and Support. As a Catholic institution committed to integral
education of students willing to engage in the construction of a more authentically
Christian Puerto Rican society, Sagrado’s Pastoral Care Center plays a mission critical
role. It directs all campus ministry efforts, provides spiritual counseling and support and
engages in community service activities. Some of the Center’s most important
initiatives such as the Comesa soup-kitchen for students in need and the Conéctate
program for solidary leadership development were introduced in the discussion of
Sagrado’s Mission in Standard I.
The Center connects with all areas of the university through a constant feedback loop.
The Center receives a high number of student visits and thus gathers information on
student assessment of services, events and activities across the University. The Center’s
staff then reaches out to the different units to provide feedback and prompt the
necessary adjustments or reinforce good performance. The Center’s Director inclusion
in the Executive Leadership Team allows a forum for discussion of issues that merit
consideration at that level.
• Community Services and Volunteership. Sagrado’s mission aims at the social solidarity
of educating persons for “the construction of a more authentically Christian Puerto Rican
society, a community of solidarity in justice and peace.” Accordingly, it is also mission
critical to provide community engagement and service opportunities for students.
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The Standard III discussion outlined Sagrado’s Community Engagement Center (CVC)
which manages the service learning program of the academic project. There are at least
two other units that also provide opportunities for community engagement. The Center
for Volunteership Development, under Sagrado’s auspices since 2009, trains students
for volunteer services and organizations for managing volunteers. The Center organizes
different activities every year in which student volunteers can participate. Some
prominent examples are the annual coastal cleanup with Scuba Dogs, the housing rehab
with Habitat for Humanity, and the Casa Manuel Fernández Juncos with Starbucks Re Do
It Day. Since the 2013-2014 academic year, there has been a marked increase in
student volunteer participation and the number of volunteer hours.
Table 23: Voluntary hours.
Years Sagrado students Voluntary hours
2013-2014 89 8,752
2014-2015 236 5,585
2015-2016 667 15,407
2016-2017 1,288 31,792
Average 570 15,384
The Pastoral Care Center, referenced in the discussion of Standards I and III, also
provides opportunities for community engagement and service. The Center runs the
volunteer soup-kitchen Comesa for the benefit of students in need. In 2015, the Center
sent a group of students in community service trip to Costa Rica. In 2017, another group
of students visited the Casa Pueblo project in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, for a week to
collaborate in the care of the Model Forrest. Since 2017, the Center has coordinated
student volunteer services in the Cantera Cultural Center and the Villa Palmeras
community, two underprivileged communities in Sagrado’s immediate vicinity.
• International Mobility. Sagrado’s Vision states that the classroom is the world and, as
discussed with respect to Standard III, Sagrado has a Center for Global Education and
Professional Development to promote the students’ international mobility through
exchange programs, internships and other opportunities226. The Center is also
226 Outgoing and Incoming Students USC 2008-2017
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responsible for receiving and assisting international students who come to Sagrado
through exchange and other academic programs. The University has a selection of more
than 218 partners institutions in more than 30 countries of the world where students
can participate in student exchange programs227.
• Security. Sagrado is committed to providing a safe and secure campus for the students,
faculty, staff and visitors. In 2015, the Office of Campus Security evolved into the Office
of Integrated Security and Risk Management unit to consolidate health-related
emergency services, previously under the Athletics Department, and campus safety,
emergency response and related risk management.
Since the PRR, the University has made the following improvements: placed 27
electronic phone emergency system (blue lights posts) strategically situated around the
campus to facilitate communications directly with the Office of Integrated Services and
Risk Management if they have been victims of a crime or fill threatened. The University
also modernize the system of security cameras and established a command center in
the security office. At this moment, there are 139 security cameras operating 24/7
situated tactically around campus, including both students residencies.
Sagrado complies with all regulatory reporting requirements and the mandatory reports
are published in the institutional website and internal portal228. Security services are
assessed in the exit survey for graduating students. This survey shows a modest
improvement from 67% (excellent/satisfactory) in 2012 to 76% in the same category in
2017.
• First Aid Services: Medical Emergency Service. Sagrado has paramedics on duty 24
hours a day to provide immediate emergency services to students and other members
of the community. Prior to 2015, these services were given by nurses on the university’s
staff. Due to difficulties in ensuring that these nurses could be available 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, in 2015 the university decided to subcontract these services to the
same third-party that provides campus security services. This third party was in a
227 Universidades Disponibles para Movilidad Estudiantil 228 https://www.sagrado.edu/en/integrated-security-and-risk-management/
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position to guarantee paramedic services at all times, especially when there are
students living on campus.
Student satisfaction with medical emergency services is assessed in the survey for
graduating students. Emergency medical services show a slight improvement from 50%
(excellent/satisfactory) in 2012 to 54.2% in the same category in 2017. It is necessary to
inquire further to understand the reasons for these results.
Student life, extracurricular activities and other services
• Student Council and Student Associations. Student government and student
associations play important roles in the students’ integral development as they provide
platforms for student to develop and exercise critical skills in leadership, teamwork,
communications, planning, execution and problem-solving, among others, and execute
important student-led projects and initiatives. Sagrado’s student government includes
two official bodies, the Student Council and the Student Residents Council, which are
discussed below.
• The Student Council. The Student Council is elected annually via direct student vote. It
represents the student body in Sagrado’s two governing bodies, the Academic and
Administrative Board, and in the specially designated Strategic Planning Steering
Committee. The Council will also be invited to meetings of the Board of Trustees’
Student Affairs Committee.
For the past three academic years (2014-2017), the Student Council elections have been
organized by students and supervised by Student Affairs. Student candidates have used
a variety of strategies to increase student participation. These strategies have proved
successful as the percentage of participation increased from a low of 17% in 2014 to a
high of 30% in 2016.
Table 24: Student participation in student council votes.
Election Year (march)
Students Participation
Second Semester Enrollment
Percent of participation
Student Council
2014 838 4,981 17 2014-2015
2015 803 4,548 18 2015-2016
2016 1,258 4,234 30 2016-2017
2017 828 3,970 21 2017-2018
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Since the academic year 2013-2014, Student Affairs, in conjunction with the Pastoral
Care Center and the Center for Personal Development, has sought to develop the
leadership skills of Student Council members through a series of workshops the summer
before the start of the semester in August. These workshops are usually led by experts
in the workshop’s guiding themes such as solidary leadership, conflict management and
resolution, group dynamics, and spiritual growth. The workshops have been assessed
using the institutional rubrics for student learning229.
• Student Associations. Since most of Sagrado’s undergraduate students do not live on
campus, one of the main institutional challenges is how to increase student
participation in student associations and extracurricular activities, as these experiences
play important roles in a student’s integral development. One of the major
accomplishments of the review period has been a marked increase in the number of
student associations from 34 in 2013-2014 to 52 during the academic year 2016-2017.
Table 25: Student Associations.
Student Associations 2013 - 2014
2014 - 2015
2015 - 2016
2016 - 2017
2017 - 2018
Department of Business Administration
3 3 4 6 4
School of Communication Ferré Rangel
6 7 10 8 6
FIEHS 7 11 14 14 7
Natural Sciences Department 7 10 11 10 10
VP of Student Affairs 11 9 13 14 11
Total 34 40 52 52 38
• Student Assemblies and Meetings. Every academic year the Student Council holds two
student assemblies, in which students are invited to present any issues before the
Council and the university administration. The Student Residents Council also holds
open meetings every academic year for students to raise any issues related to the
229 Avalúo Taller Liderazgo Estudiantil, 2015, Taller de Liderazgo Estudiantil, 2013, Taller de Liderazgo Estudiantil,
2016
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residences or other matters or concern. These assemblies and meetings allow
Sagrado’s leadership to assess the students’ concerns and incorporate them into
institutional priorities and actions plans230. The Student and the Residents Councils
subsequently receive feedback on the measures to be taken.
Two important campus initiatives have resulted from these efforts: the Universal Space
and Sagrado Verde. The Universal Space is a class period that is reserved for the
Student Council and the student associations three times per semester. No classes are
scheduled during these three dates. The Student Council and diverse associations plan
and organize different kinds of events and activities and all students, faculty and staff
are invited to participate.
Sagrado Verde is an ecological initiative aligned with Sagrado’s mission. The
International Studies Association runs the program in conjunction with the Facilities,
Conservation and Services Team (ICS). The Pastoral Care Center’s Conéctate initiative
also participates as it has a dimension of eco-spirituality. Sagrado Verde was launched
on August of 2016, and by April of 2017, the project had collected over 25,000 pounds
of recyclable material (11,500 paper, 6,500 textiles, 7,260 pounds of cardboard and
aluminum) and had reduced plastic bottle water consumption by the equivalent of
17,200 bottles. The Student Council President for the 2016-2017 academic year, José
Carlos Sánchez, captured the essence of Sagrado Verde when he stated:
“The ideal education of the future professional is not limited to the classroom. It is
based on the power of being educated with the commitment for social responsibility. In
Sagrado, this is seen on a daily basis and Sagrado Verde is a living example.” (José Carlos
Sánchez, former President of the Student Council, 2017. Translated by Committee
VIII)231.
230 Report and actions taken 11/18/2014 (Asamblea Estudiantil, 18 de noviembre de 2014); Act (Acta de la
Asamblea Estudiantil, 23 de noviembre de 2015), Actions taken 11/23/2015 (Asamblea Estudiantil, 23 de
noviembre de 2015), Minute (Minuta de la Asamblea Estudiantil, 18 de octubre de 2016), Actions taken
10/18/2016 (Asamblea Estudiantil, 18 de octubre de 2016), Minute (Minuta de la Asamblea Estudiantil, 28 de
marzo de 2017), Actions taken 3/28/2017 (Asamblea Estudiantil, 28 de marzo de 2017), Report and actions taken
11/11/2017 (Asamblea Estudiantil, 11 de noviembre de 2017).
231 http://insagrado.sagrado.edu/uscverde/
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• Student Recognition. Sagrado believe that it is important to celebrate student
accomplishments. There are three official award ceremonies in addition to
Commencement.
Achievement Night recognizes students’ outstanding academic accomplishments, as
well as the leadership, civic engagement and personal growth of distinguished students
nominated by the community—three elements clearly aligned with the Mission.
Students receive the distinguished Portico Medal in recognition and celebration of their
accomplishments. The Monogram Awards are organized by the Athletic Department
and recognize the student-athletes’ sports and academic accomplishments. The
Student Support Program Achievement Day recognizes and celebrates the civic
engagement, effort and personal growth, leadership and academic progress of students
participating of this program.
In 2015, the Student Council decided to institute its own awards ceremony, the Socorro
Fernández Julia, rscj Awards. The awards are named in honor of Socorro Juliá
Fernández, rscj, a Puerto Rican religious of the Sacred Heart who has dedicated her life
to Sagrado and its students. She served in various administrative roles and then as a
trustee until her retirement in 2017. She is known for her passion and profound
commitment to the cause of the students. Indeed, she is living witness of Sagrado’s
Mission and its impact on the graduates. The awards seek to recognize the
performance of student associations in different categories inspired by her service and
aligned with the Mission such as commitment and community service, among others.
• Athletics. Sagrado’s mission of integral education must also address the student’s
physical and mental health and wellbeing. The Athletic Department has a dual
responsibility in this area. First, the Department must lead the sports teams in a
manner consistent with the Mission of integral education, that is, with a view to the
holistic development of students-athletes. Second, the Department must also promote
programs for healthy lifestyles among students and the rest of the university
community.
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o Sports teams. Sagrado has been a member of the Interuniversity Athletic League
or LAI since 1979. Both female and male students participate in a diverse range
of sports: volleyball, basketball, soccer, tennis, athletics, track and field,
swimming, weightlifting and judo. Sagrados’ students won 62 medals from 2013
to 2017. Sagrado has invested an average of $397,000 each year in scholarships
that have benefited an average of 115 athletes per year during the period
evaluated in this Self-Study.
Table 26: Athletic students per year who received scholarships.
2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 Average
133 126 129 93 95 115
$469,224.00 $415,014.00 $406,007.00 $346,185.00 $346,185.00 $396,523.00
o Wellness Programs. The Athletic Department has also consistently promoted
activities and programs, in conjunction with the faculty of the Exercise Science
program, to promote the healthy lifestyles of the university community. The
annual Evolution Challenges is one of the most prominent examples of these
initiatives.
Another of this project is "Ponte Fit", a program to promote a healthy lifestyle
among students through guided exercise. The Department also developed a
program for employees, named #SAGRADOFITNES, whose exclusivity is the best
option to raise spirits, improve health and fitness and increase productivity at
work.
The athletic facilities, including the swimming pool and gym, are free to use by
all students.
o New Athletic Director. During academic year 2015-2016, after the retirement of
Sagrado’s long-serving Athletic Director, a new Director was hired following a
rigorous selection process managed by the Organizational Development and
Human Resources Team. The new Director, María E. Batista-Santaella, was an
alum, former swimming champion and accomplished leader in Puerto Rico’s
sports scene, who had directed all the sports operations of the Capital City of San
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Juan. She implemented a series of improvements, including a new system to
award athletic scholarships tied to the assessment(link) of three performance
indicators: sport execution, physical condition, and academic progress.
• Residential Life. While most of Sagrado’s students do not live on campus, the students
who do so play a crucial role in campus life because they are generally the movers
behind student university activities. The residential experience, moreover, provides a
unique opportunity to advance the mission of an integral education. It is one Sagrado’s
long term goals to improve the residential character of the university experience.
Sagrado believe that living independently away from one’s home can be an important
formative experience that advances a student’s integral growth and maturation.
• Residence Halls. Sagrado has two separate residence halls for men and women within
campus. The men’s residence hall has capacity for 202 students, and the women’s
residence hall for 363 students. Residents elect a Residents’ Council to represent them
and coordinate hall activities and functions.
Figure 4: Occupancy of the residencies per year.
The Council organizes social activities such as a welcome party at the beginning of the
academic year to receive new residents and holiday dinners and special events to
celebrate and promote residents’ integration. The Council also works with the Pastoral
Care Center and the Center for Personal Development to sponsor activities and
workshops that focus on personal development. The Council also holds regular
1428 1380
15881659
14311316
1474
2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17
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meetings of residents to receive student input regarding life in the halls. After
evaluating these meetings, in 2010, Student Affairs recognized that it needed to collect
specific data on occupancy important to better understand student’s needs.
Generally, residents raise two kinds of issues: (a) concerns about the regulation of
student life in the halls and (b) requests for infrastructure improvements. Student
Affairs brings the latter for consideration through the annual process for the capital
improvements budget. Most of the requests relate to the women’s residence hall
because it is the older of the two. In response to student requests, the lobby of the
women’s hall was remodeled, the hallways’ repainted and the lighting changed in 2016.
In 2016, a process was started to consider the possible engagement of a third party to
conduct major renovations to both residence halls This process was detained by the
impact of hurricane María. In view of potential influx of funds from insurance proceeds
and grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Emergency
Management Administration, Sagrado is currently evaluating the possibility of moving
forward with some or all of those renovations. In the meantime, the University is
piloting a remodeling of a bathroom and a kitchen in the women’s hall. Once finished,
the Sagrado’s will assess student response before proceeding with the remaining
bathrooms and kitchens.
With respect to student concerns about the regulation of student life, in 2016 Student
Affairs began a participative process with the students to review the University
Residences Handbook. Student Affairs conducted a series of surveys in which 357
residents participated (a response rate of approximately 54%). The results were
subsequently discussed with the residents during various meetings throughout the
academic year.
Table 27: Requests of the students in the March 2016 residents’ survey.
Requests Yes(%) No(%)
Visits in the rooms 61.1 37.3
Activities with drinks 52.1 46.8
Share the residences 52.7 45.9
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The student community reached a consensus, and as a result, the University Residences
Handbook was amended to allow overnight visitors with the previous consent of the
roommate and the Residence Halls Director, and to allow opposite sex visitors in the
common areas of each floor of the halls.
• Other University Residences. Sagrado also has some apartments in the immediate
perimeter of the university. They provide accommodations for 40 students. While
these apartments are technically off-campus, the properties are adjacent and thus have
direct access to the university. Moreover, Sagrado has other residential properties in
the perimeter and is currently evaluating plans to improve them and make them
available to students to enhance the university’s residential character.
• Dining Hall and Convenience Store. In order to maintain a thriving community life
within campus, it is important to provide basic services to students and other members
of the community. Sagrado has a dining hall in the St. John Paul II Student Center and a
smaller cafeteria in Barat Hall, Sagrado’s main academic building, both operated by the
same third party. Sagrado also has a convenience store in the Student Center but run by
a different third party. These services are assessed in student exit surveys upon
graduation. For the period under analysis, an average of 62% of the students have
consistently indicated that the service and foods at the cafeteria are good or excellent.
However, student satisfaction with the services dropped from 67%
(excellent/satisfactory) in 2012 to 61% in the same category in 2017. For the campus
store, an average of 74.5% of the students said the services and merchandise at the
campus store were good or satisfactory.
Table 28: Exit surveys results.
2012 (n=269) 2016 (n=309) 2017 (n=511)
Excellent / satisfactory
Regular / deficient
Does not apply
Excellent / satisfactory
Regular / deficient
Does not apply
Excellent / satisfactory
Regular / deficient
Does not apply
Cafetería 67% 32% 1% 58% 29% 13% 61% 36% 3%
La Tiendita @Sagrado
68% 19% 13% 81% 14% 6%
Seguridad 67% 29% 4% 63% 24% 13% 76% 19% 5%
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There is room for improvement in both quality of food and services and this is an area of
opportunity. Since 2017, Sagrado has been planning a process for the improvement of
these operations and the possible addition of new locations within campus. A group of
campus stakeholders is advising the Finance and Operations Team in this process.
• Cleaning and Custodial Services. Sagrado prides itself with high maintenance standards
for the esthetical appearance of the campus. The cleaning and custodial services are
operated by a third-party and the provider receives and constantly responds to
feedback from staff, faculty and students. Although Sagrado reviews the services for
compliance with contractual obligations and there is constant coordination to ensure
satisfactory performance of services, this and other third-party providers are not part of
a formal institutional assessment process. Accordingly, one of the recommendations of
this Self-Study is to establish such a formal assessment process for all third-party
providers.
• Transportation. Sagrado is an urban campus within close proximity of the Sagrado
Corazón metro train station. In order to provide safe and easy access to the campus, a
third-party operates shuttle to and from the train station. The shuttle is called “Dolphy”
because Sagrado’s mascot is the dolphin. There are four round trips per hour from
Monday through Friday. The service hours are varied and tied to the class schedules. A
higher number of shuttle buses are available during peak periods. For academic year
2016-2017, a monthly average of 8,000 on-board passengers used the Dolphy.
Post-graduation placement and portfolio
• Career Development Services. Since 2005 through 2017 the University offered career
services through the Employment Formation Center in Student Affairs. The students
received information on how to prepare their resume, market it within their industry or
labor market, and develop effective interview techniques. Also, the Center attended the
requests from employers to recruit students for part-time employment opportunities
and full-time opportunities for alumni.
Furthermore, the students had access to orientations, workshops and referrals to job
opportunities since their first year of studies at the University. The Center organized job
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fairs twice a year and interested students were placed in voluntary practices in real work
scenarios. The assignment of students for supervised practice was coordinated with the
faculty and collaborative agreements were established with the private sector to refer
them for internships and practices in their area of concentration. As part of the
collaborative agreements, students were placed in job opportunities in and outside the
University under the Federal Work and Study Program. These allocations of students
were held each semester.
In 2015, Sagrado hired an external consultant to redesign the post-graduation
placement services for students as well as to offer them an online tool to meet their
career reediness needs. From August to December 2015 an assessment and
presentation phase of the Sagrado Jobs project was prepared and presented to the
Presidency and the Executive Leadership Team. In March 2016, a contract with
simplicity, the platform provider for Sagrado Jobs, and Vault was signed. A
customization phase began and was completed by July of that year. A site
demonstration was organized for administrators, student leaders and the faculty. During
November 2016, Sagrado Jobs launched to 3,800+ students, the first of its kind in Puerto
Rico. In June 2017 a new team was assigned to lead the career prep efforts and the
international programs/internships agenda. In the summer of 2017, the services of the
Center were now channeled through the Center for Global Education and Professional
Development and the Federal Work Study program was assigned to the Student
Financial Aid offices.
In the next steps of the Sagrado Jobs platform implementation, students not only will
develop their professional profile, they also will be able to design a professional
portfolio where they can publish and highlight their academic work.
Sagrado is currently developing a system to track its students' employment post-
graduation. It is one of the key-results for the academic year 2018-2019. Currently,
student employment is verified at the alumni survey administered at graduation and by
individual programs in accordance with their accreditation requirements. From 2016 to
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2018 in the alumni survey (undergraduate and graduate), near 68% average of the
participants indicated that they were employed part or fulltime.
• Student Co and Extra-Curricular Transcript and Portfolio. Co and extra-curricular
activities play a decisive role in accomplishing Sagrado’s institutional mission of integral
education for social solidarity. In 2013 Sagrado took the important step of capturing
students’ participation in these activities in a co and extra-curricular transcript232. As a
result, the undergraduate students receive two transcripts upon graduation: the
academic or curricular transcript, which reflects the grades obtained in academic
courses and the co and extra-curricular transcript, which reflects each student’s
participation in co and extra-curricular activities such as service learning courses,
volunteer work and student leadership in student government or student associations233
he combination of both transcripts gives a more accurate representation of the
students’ achievements and communicates the integral or holistic character of
Sagrado’s education. The new Jenzabar platform already allows the generation of this
second transcript.
This co and extra-curricular transcript should serve as a good driver of the integration of
the different units within the student-support network. In order to faithfully reflect a
student’s participation in these activities, there needs to be a system across units,
supported by technology, to gather and report information in a standard manner. One
of the recommendations of this Self-Study is to ensure that this system is properly
established and deployed in all relevant units so that all relevant student activities are
captured across the university and subsequently reported for inclusion in the transcript.
The goal is to offer a faithful and comprehensive representation of students’ co and
curricular engagement. As the students reflect on their co and extracurricular
experiences that will be recorded in the transcript, they can better prepare for future
career and employment opportunities. Student Affairs is responsible for the continued
development of this project.
232 Transcripción Extra y Cocurricular, 5 de mayo de 2014. 233 Ejemplo Transcripción Extra y Cocurricular
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Another important recommendation from this Self-Study is to consider how to
incorporate the assessment of transversal competencies into the students’ extra-
curricular activities in order to provide another measure of student
development. Sagrado’s Mission calls for the development of these competencies not
only in curricular activities, but throughout the students’ broad engagement in
university life. Accordingly, the institutional and learning assessment system should
attempt to reflect how co and extracurricular activities are contributing to this
important objective. The effective incorporation of these activities into the assessment
system would also provide sound basis for a more in depth evaluation of these activities
and their contribution to the institutional Mission. Student Affairs is responsible for
evaluating this recommendation.
Policies and regulations
• Student information. The Office of the Registrar, under Academic Affairs, manages the
institutional responsibility for the protection of student information and academic
records, as required by FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as
amended). Sagrado’s compliance with these requirements was discussed in Standard II.
• Security of Student Information. As stated before, Sagrado is committed to protecting
the integrity, privacy and confidentiality of student information and academic records,
as required under FERPA, all other applicable laws and regulations and the highest
professional standards. Incoming students and their families receive orientation about
the applicability of these laws. This information is also available in the institutional
catalogues, the official website and the internal portal (mi.sagrado.edu).
The student’s identification verification and network credentials and authentication
processes, as reported in the PRR, were administered through the Student Information
System in the previous POISE platform. As indicated before, this system was replaced by
the new Jenzabar platform in March 2017 and this system also provides the
functionality to manage FERPA standards.
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Sagrado’s information security policies and procedures fully comply with industry
standards. Today, Sagrado has not detected any security breaches in its technology
infrastructure.
Nevertheless, as part of an ongoing assessment and improvement process some actions,
have taking place since 2016 to minimize the risks of losing any information asset, as
follows:
o Current Information security policies and procedures are under a review and
an active security service was contracted to monitor and detect any intrusion
in network environment on a 24x7 basis.
o An internal network restructuration was performed to assure the availability,
management and security of Sagrado’s network infrastructure. System
Security Controls have been activated in order to restrict unauthorized access
to institutional and academic information: Firewall rules, operating systems
standardization on an integrated platform, single sign on in main platforms,
virtual private network (VPN) access, network segmentation and IP
readdressing have been implemented among other security initiatives.
o As a critical resource, the Internet access was improved, increasing the
bandwidth and setting a fault tolerance strategy with multiple vendors and
technologies redundancy.
o To improve the availability and accessibility of Sagrado’s application
platforms, the core student information system (Jenzabar) was uploaded to a
cloud environment.
Technology infrastructure and security is evolving day by day. In Sagrado, information
security and privacy is a priority. The IT Team is constantly adapting and improving the
systems’ platforms and techniques, as well as procedures and policies, to keep Sagrado
in compliance with the highest industry standards.
• Admissions and Financial Aid Policies. All policies and procedures regarding admissions
for undergraduate, graduate, transfers, international or special students are clearly set
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forth in Sagrado’s catalogs and available in the institutional website and portal234.
Similarly, the website and the portal contain all official policies and regulations
regarding tuition and fees, room and board, federal and institutional financial aid,
student loans, work-study, financial aid appeals, repayments and refunds. From 2013 to
2017 all prospective students receive a manual with all relevant information. Recently
this handbook has been digitalized and enrolled student received it through the
institutional email235.
• Transfer Students. Sagrado welcomes transfer students for both levels (undergraduate
and graduate) that meet the admissions requirements. The official catalogue, website
and portal contain all the policies and procedures regarding the admission of transfer
students and the acceptance of transfer credits. Generally, undergraduate transfer
students must have a minimum GPA of 2.50 and be in good standing in their institution.
One of the recommendations of this Self-Study is to improve the process for the
evaluation of transfer credits through the effective integration of information
technology. The process has been manual and thus difficult to manage during high
volume moments in the admissions cycle. The redesign of this process is one of the key
results for the current academic year 2018-19. It is necessary to have a more agile
process that can perform the evaluations in a timely and accurate manner, particularly
during high volume admissions periods.
Another recommendation is to track transfer students’ persistence, retention and
graduation separately from other undergraduate students in order to assess their
performance and determine whether the admissions criteria should be revised and/or
special measures taken to support these students.
• Prior non-academic learning. Sagrado has a program, described in detail in the PRR, for
accepting and granting undergraduate or graduate credit for non-traditional learning
experiences236. Students can approve no more than 36 credits (nine credits for graduate
students) using either a challenge exam or a portfolio. This program is seldom used at
234 https://www.sagrado.edu/catalogo/ 235 Manual de Estudiante Nuevo Ingreso 236 Programa de Convalidación de Experiencias de Aprendizane No Tradicionales. marzo 2015.
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Sagrado and therefore data regarding its use has not been collected and assessed. One
of the recommendations of this Self-Study is to evaluate and benchmark this program
and determine whether there is an opportunity to modify its application to reach more
non-traditional students.
• Student rights and responsibilities. As stated in Standard II, students’ rights and
responsibilities are set for in the Students Handbook237. All policies regarding consumer
information are published in the external website and internal portal for prospect and
enrolled students to follow. Sagrado has policies regarding matters such as: Title X,
Bullying, Financial Norms and Grade Review, among others.
• Student Disciplinary Procedures. Student Affairs is responsible for the University’s code
of student conduct. It is the goal of the institution to convert all disciplinary procedures
into learning experiences that will contribute the students’ personal development.
All referrals for disciplinary intervention are investigated following the University’s
policies and procedures. Depending on the severity of the violation, preventive and/or
disciplinary measures are taken always taking into consideration the best interests and
safety of the students. Disciplinary measures might include, when adequate, an activity
that should promote introspection and reflection about consequences of engaging in
such violation, and community service hours, among other progressive discipline
strategies.
Periodic Assessment of the Student Experience
As the above summary demonstrates, Sagrado is committed to maintaining and developing a
robust student-support system to complement the academic project in furtherance of the
Mission. As related above, the components of this support system consistently engage in the
assessment of their operations in order to improve their services. There is a clear record of
constant adjustment in response to performance quality and student concerns. Sagrado is very
responsive to student needs and concerns and is actively seeking ways to improve the student
experience. The remaining challenge is to gather all of these individual assessment practices
into a comprehensive system of institutional assessment, supported by technology, that will
237 Reglamento de Estudiantes, 2012.
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integrate all units in standard practices using shared criteria and allow visibility of performance
across the university in order to drive systemic improvement, by assessment238 and survey239.
Sagrado is a student-centered institution, therefore its main objective is always to ensure that
there is consistency between what any person interested in becoming a student understands
are his or her goals and what is required in order to successfully complete a degree. There is a
system of structures, programs, and personnel in place that support the students’ experience
and this system is continually being improved.
The establishment of institutional goals and key results to implement the 2017-2020 Strategic
Plan during the academic year 2018-19 is a critical step in this direction. These goals and key
results have been shared with all faculty and staff and will drive the staff performance
management system as well as the pilot for the faculty performance management system. One
remaining piece is the establishment of an independent office for institutional intelligence,
assessment, efficacy and planning, integrated to the Executive Team, that will be responsible
for developing, and implementing this assessment system and incorporating its findings to drive
and improve institutional decision-making. The independence from all other operating units is
critical since this office will be assessing the performance of all such units. This office will be
responsible for ensuring the university’s meaningful participation in NSSE and FSSE surveys, and
all others than can contribute to the institutional Mission. Sagrado participated in the NSSE
survey in 2010, 2012 and 2014240 as presented in the 2013 PRR 2013. Although the PRR also
recommended that the University should also engage in the FSSE (Faculty Survey of Student
Engagement) and there has been no participation in such survey to date.
Conclusion
Sagrado has a student-centered Mission of an integral education for social solidarity. All
members of the Sagrado community are co-participants and co-responsible for the
accomplishment of this mission. This Mission requires a university-wide effort because it
cannot be achieved only in the classroom or the formal academic learning spaces. This Mission
238 Plan de avalúo de aprendizaje por unidad Decanato de Estudiantes; Resultados pan de avalúo de aprendizaje
por unidad Decanato de Estudiantes 239 Estudio Vida Estudiantil, febrero 2015 240 NSSE 2014 High-Impact Practices
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is achieved in every student engagement, curricular, co or extra-curricular, on campus and
outside. As demonstrated above, Sagrado is committed to a coherent and effective student-
support system, from admission through graduation, to enhance the quality of the student
experience and promote students’ success.
Recommendations
Sagrado should: (a). Leverage its new Jenzabar academic-student technology platform, which
includes student-life, advising and retention modules, to improve and more closely integrate
this student support network to accomplish institutional retention, persistence and graduation
goals, (b). Strengthen the network by integrating the assessment practices of each of the
operating units into a cohesive-system that can provide timely and accurate data on student
performance and experience to support agile decision-making and execution, (c).Consider how
to effectively integrate third-party providers into this assessment system,(d). Consider how to
incorporate the assessment of the transversal competencies into the students extra-curricular
activities in order to have a fuller picture of students’ development. (e). Establish a formal
program for participation in the NSSE and FSSE surveys, (f). Evaluate in depth the performance
of undergraduate students admitted through the committee process, rather than by the
admissions formula, to determine whether the admissions criteria should be revised and/or
special measures taken to support these students to improve their persistence, retention and
graduation; and whether it is necessary to revise the incoming students’ profiles to better align
student services and support, (g). Improve the process for the evaluation of transfer credits
through the effective integration of information technology, (h). Track transfer students’
persistence, retention and graduation separately from other undergraduate students in order
to assess their performance and determine whether the admissions criteria should be revised
and/or special measures taken to support these students, (i). Evaluate and benchmark the
program for credit for non-academic learning to determine whether there is an opportunity to
modify its application to reach more non-traditional students.
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Standard V: Education Effectiveness Assessment
Assessment of student learning demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished
educational goals consistent with their programs of study, degree level, the institution’s mission,
and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.
Sagrado meets the five criteria and all sub-criteria of Standard V and is compliant with the
Commission’s Requirements of Affiliation 8 and 10. Evidence that demonstrates that Sagrado
meets Standard V can be reviewed in the Documentation Roadmap and are analyzed in this
section.
Sagrado complies with Standard V.
241 Addressed in tandem with Standard IV
Criterion Number
Standard V Criterion Meet
Criterion
C1 Clearly stated educational goal at the institution and degree/program levels which are interrelated with one another and with the institution’s mission
C2 Organized and systematic assessments conducted by appropriate personnel in order to:
C2a Define meaningful curricular goals with defensible standards for evaluation
C2b Articulate the preparation of students for successful careers, meaningful lives
C2c Support and sustain assessment of student achievement and communicate results to stakeholders
C3 Consideration and use of assessment results for the improvement of educational effectiveness by some combination of:
C3a Assisting students in improving their learning
C3b Improving pedagogy and curriculum
C3c Reviewing and revising of academic programs and support services
C3d Offering a range of professional development
C3e Planning and budgeting for academic programs and services
C3f Informing appropriate constituents about the institution and its programs
C3g Improving key indicators of student success
C3h Implementing other processes and procedures to improve educational programs and services
C4241 Adequate and appropriate institutional review and approval of assessment of services delivered by third-party providers
C5 Periodic assessment of the effectiveness of assessment processes for improvement of educational effectiveness
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Compliance with Standard V
Sagrado understands that it is a learning organization and that the success of the Mission
depends on continuous innovation and improvement driven by robust assessment practices.
This is the reason why of one the five priorities of the Strategic Plan 2017-2020 is the
development of an innovative community of service and continuous improvement. The two
preceding strategic plans emphasized as priorities “an administrative and academic
organization that promotes creativity and initiative” and the 2014-2017 plan, further specified
an organization with “institutional and learning assessment as the basis for planning and
resource allocation.”
Table 29:Evolution of Institutional Goals.
Institutional Goals
Marco Educativo 2012 Vision 2017 Vision 2020
Goal 1
To promote the search for knowledge in an
environment of intellectual liberty
through an integrated, participatory, and
personalized education that is relevant to the
world around us.
Center the educational project on the student
through an integral humanistic, multi and
interdisciplinary education by providing more opportunities
for students and faculty to engage in diverse cultural and
learning practices.
Educate citizens with the competencies, knowledge and skills needed for a productive insertion in society by way of an academic offer
that is interdisciplinary, flexible, innovative, different, and pertinent
to the challenges of the 21st century.
Goal 2
To propitiate the development of a
moral conscience based on Christian values,
fostering social commitment based on justice, brotherhood,
sisterhood, and peace.
Support students to achieve their academic goals through services designed for them as center and reason to exist by means of a teaching and non-teaching staff committed to the institutional values and
prepared to meet 21st century challenges.
Redesign the interaction model between the surroundings and the
academic project based on innovation, social responsibility, and entrepreneurship in order to impact the immediate context: business of
all levels and sizes, non-profit sector, community-based initiatives, and
government, among others.
Goal 3
Develop strategies, possible actions to increase funding,
and revenues and reach efficiency levels that will allow
financial stability for the University.
Promote an experience that integrates coaching, human touch
and high-tech to support students in their academic life by means of
spaces, (co)curricular and extracurricular activities that allow
for integral growth, commitment and result in a sense of pride and
belonging.
Goal 4
Strengthen the organizational structure and routines through
continuous improvement of processes that will increase efficiency and productivity.
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Institutional Goals
Marco Educativo 2012 Vision 2017 Vision 2020
Goal 5
Develop innovative strategies, possible actions to increase funding, and revenues and reach efficiency
levels that will allow financial stability for the University.
Source: USC’s Educational Framework; Marco Educativo de la Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, 2012; Strategic Plan Vision 2014-2017; and Strategic Plan Vision 2017-2020.
The University has developed a strong learning assessment culture since the last decennial visit.
The academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels have always shown the
program’s goals and the student learning outcomes that are aligned with the institutional
Mission. Since 2008, in response to the Visiting Team’s suggestions regarding then Standard 14,
Sagrado has been engaged in systematic efforts to assess the academic programs regarding the
accomplishments of program goals and learning outcomes. An assessment plan was developed
in 2011 and an office designated to oversee its implementation.
All academic departments have established and revised different assessment systems with
different levels of success. The Ferré Rangel School of Communication (Communication School)
and the accredited academic programs in Nursing, Social Work and Education have maintained
consistent assessment practices given their discipline accrediting requirements. Other
departments have tried different approaches. Some academic support units such as the Center
for Community Engagement (CVC) and the Madre María Teresa Guevara Library have also
implemented effective assessment systems. The assessment practices have led to multiple
revisions to programs, services, curricula and syllabi, as well to the academic support programs.
The objective has been to develop an effective learning assessment system that is appropriate
to Sagrado’s organizational scale, structure and resources. Sagrado has learned, through the
challenges of the implementation of an assessment plan, the need for a simple, manageable
and uniform system that would not place undue burdens on the faculty, who usually teach five
courses per semester. The initial assessment models considered a large number of
competencies (prior to 2008, as many as 21) and little or no uniformity in the rubrics and
scales242 used to measure them.
242 Examples of rubrics: pensamiento crítico, comunicación escrita, trabajo en equipo, investigación
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Sagrado’s academic leadership has consistently tried to streamline the system by simplifying
and standardizing competencies to be measured, as well as rubrics and scales. In 2017, Sagrado
conducted a survey to gather faculty assessment of learning assessment practices from 2012
through 2017 and confirmed the need for simplicity, ease of execution and appropriate
technological support243. The University’s assessment processes have not been historically
supported by a strong information technology system. An attempt to implement one
technology platform from 2013 to 2015 did not succeed because the system was too costly and
unwieldy to implement.
Accordingly, in view of the 2017 implementation of the new Jenzabar academic-student
information technology platform, the University decided to conclude the existing assessment
practices during the 2016-2017 academic year in order to establish a new system with the new
platform. The new system has been in the planning stages since the hiring of a Director of
Assessment in February 2016 and the planning for Jenzabar’s implementation. The
implementation of this plan was delayed due to the impact of hurricane María in September
2017 and is scheduled to be piloted and tested in Spring 2019, for full deployment in the 2019-
2020 academic year.
Sagrado’s Academic Programs: Clearly Stated Educational Goals and Learning Outcomes
Aligned with the Mission.
All of Sagrado’s undergraduate and graduate programs set forth clearly stated educational
goals and a student profile that outlines the intended learning outcomes. Such goals and
outcomes align with Sagrado’s Mission, Vision and Institutional Values.
Under Puerto Rico law, all new academic programs have to be approved by the state licensing
authority, currently called the Puerto Rico Council on Education but soon to evolve to a new
board in accordance to a reform statute enacted in 2018. The licensing process requires the
submission of a substantial application that must meet statutory and regulatory requirements.
One of those requirements is that each academic program include the proposed educational
goals and learning outcomes consistent with the goals of higher education in the proposed field
of study. All of Sagrado’s programs have been appropriately licensed and thus all comply with
243 Informe de encuesta a la facultad sobre resultados de avalúo – cierre de ciclo 2012-2017
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this requirement. Each program has curricular matrix that indicates the goals, the student
outcomes and the specific courses that address each of these outcomes244.
The internal governance process requires that each new program245 be first approved by the
Academic Board, pursuant to a recommendation of the Curriculum Committee, and then by the
Board of Trustees pursuant to a recommendation of the Academic Affairs and Honorary
Degrees Committee. One of the objectives of this double review is to ensure that all academic
programs are consistent with Sagrado’s Mission, Vision and Institutional Values.
The Assessment of Student Learning at Sagrado
Sagrado’s commitment to its Mission requires a constant review of institutional efforts in all
areas—academic, student support and administrative--to ensure that the University is
consistently achieving the Mission and delivering on the educational commitment to its
students, their families and the community. Continuous assessment keeps the Mission alive and
responsive to the needs of the students and the challenges of the times. Sagrado’s history,
related throughout this Self-Study, reveals a community that is constantly innovating.
Sagrado’s longstanding commitment to learning assessment was summarized in a 2008 report
regarding the institutional assessment practices from 1986 to 2008 prepared in connection with
the SSR (2013). The 2008 Visiting Team recognized Sagrado’s efforts and recommended that
Sagrado develop a formal, written and outcomes-based assessment plan and assign
responsibility to an individual who would assume leadership to assure institution-wide
integration of the process246. Sagrado followed this recommendation and in 2011 approved a
formal institutional and learning assessment plan and Academic Affairs was charged with
responsibility for the implementation of the learning assessment component of the plan247. In
2012, Sagrado issued a conceptual framework for the academic project to frame the learning
assessment efforts248.
The 2011 Assessment Plan and its Revision. The 2011 Assessment Plan set forth 14 student
learning outcomes for undergraduate programs and 8 for graduate programs. This represented
244 Examples of curricular matrix 245 Protocolo para el desarrollo de programas nuevos. 246 Informe enviado por MSCHE 2008 247 Institutional Strategic Assessment and Planning for Universidad del Sagrado Corazón 1986-2008 248 Modelo de Avalúo de la Efectividad Institucional y del Aprendizaje
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a significant reduction from previous assessment efforts that outlined 21 learning outcomes for
undergraduate programs. A trend was beginning to emerge as the understandable aspiration of
a comprehensive assessment system that covered all desirable competencies faced the realities
of implementing a complex system within the organizational structures of a diverse teaching
institution with no supporting information technology system.
Prior to the implementation of the 2011 Assessment Plan, the University retained the services
of an external consultant, Linda Suskie, to conduct a pre-implementation review. One of the
recommendations was to further simplify and streamline the process by focusing on 7
undergraduate learning outcomes rather the proposed 14, and on 5 graduate learning
outcomes rather than the 8 original ones. The revised assessment plan was scheduled to begin
in the academic year 2013-2014 and would extend through 2016-2017, the last of the 2014-
2017 Strategic Plan249. The 2011 Assessment Plan had the following schedules for
undergraduate and graduate learning assessments.
Table 30:Undergraduate transversal competencies calendar.
Competencies A Y 2012-13
A Y 2013-14
A Y 2014-15
A Y 2015-16
A Y 2016-17
Professional competency X X X X X
Ethics X X
Critical thinking X X
Team working X X
Written communication in Spanish and English X X
Research X X
Human diversity X X
Verbal communication in Spanish and English X X
Table 31: Graduate transversal competencies calendar.
Competencies A Y 2012-13
A Y 2013-14
A Y 2014-15
A Y 2015-16
A Y 2016-17
Professional competency X X X X X
Communicate effectively orally and in writing X
Professional competency X X X
Ethics X X
Team working X X X
Research X X X
Decision making X X
249 2014-2017 Strategic Plan
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Implementation Challenges. The implementation of the revised assessment plan was
supposed to be supported by a new information technology platform called LiveText. This
platform was a stand-alone system not integrated with the university’s academic-student
information platform at the time, POISE, which was already unsupported and in need of
replacement. For the first academic year of the plan, 2013-2014, all five academic units
presented student learning assessment reports. In 2014-2015, three academic units presented
full assessment reports, while the other two units presented information that did not include
information on all applicable courses250.
Three factors affected the process during 2014-2015. First, the University could not sustain the
use of the LiveText platform due to its high cost and the need for voluminous manual collection
and entry of data into the stand alone system. The burdens on the faculty were substantial.
They had to gather the data and enter it into the system. These responsibilities were
subsequently transferred to the Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning Office, thus
creating a massive data entry bottleneck. Second, the process was not standardized. There was
not a uniform assessment framework across all academic units. The student learning outcomes
regarding the transversal competencies were the same, but different academic units developed
different rubrics, grading scales and assessment levels for each of the learning outcomes. The
lack of uniformity hampered execution as each academic unit struggled to define the
measurement instruments that it considered appropriate for its programs.
Third, 2014-2015 was the year of the presidential transition and the Dean of Academic and
Student Affairs (the Chief Academic Officer), the Director of the Humanities and Social Sciences
Interdisciplinary Faculty (the largest faculty responsible for the general education component
and the largest group of programs) and the Director of the Office of Institutional Research,
Assessment and Planning, all retired. The Director of the Information Resources Center (the
Chief Information Officer) returned to the faculty. These events challenged continuity of
operations, including how to move forward the learning outcomes assessment plan in view of
the problems with the technological platform and the leadership transition in Academic Affairs.
250 Institutional Assessment Report 2013-2014, 2014-2015
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At the beginning of the 2015-2016 academic year, after a selection process that lasted the first
six months of the year, Sagrado engaged a new chief academic officer, now titled Provost and
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, who would be responsible only for academic
affairs. The Provost immediately led a process for the selection of a Director of Assessment
within Academic Affairs, who assumed her duties on February 2016. The new director took
control of the process, met with each academic unit, gathered the available assessment data,
and proceeded to close the assessment cycle251 from 2012 through 2017 with a survey of the
faculty regarding the assessment processes during the period. This survey confirmed the need
for simplicity, standardization and ease of execution, with appropriate technological support.
The New Assessment Plan. By February 2016, Sagrado had already selected its new Jenzabar
student-academic information platform as the replacement for POISE, and the Director of
Assessment participated in the planning for its implementation in order to launch a new
comprehensive institutional and learning assessment system that could rely upon the new
platform. In September 2016, the President made a presentation to the faculty and outlined the
new assessment system converted with the Jenzabar platform as an institutional priority252.The
learning assessment system would be implemented in Phase II of the Jenzabar implementation
once the new learning management system became fully operational across the university. This
would take place during the 2017-2108 academic year. Hurricane Maria significantly affected
Jenzabar’s implementation and thus forced the postponement of the learning assessment
system until the 2018-2019 academic year
As a result of the 2017 curricular reform that brought all undergraduate programs within a
structure of 120 credits, the undergraduate transversal competencies and student learning
outcomes have once again been streamlined to the following five: Critical thinking,
Communication, Research/exploration, Ethics, and Innovation/entrepreneurship. These are the
five mission-critical learning outcomes that will be incorporated into the assessment plan that
will be implemented during 2018-2019. The new plan will use a standard assessment template
across all academic programs.
251 Informe de encuesta a la facultad sobre resultados de avalúo – cierre de ciclo 2012-2017 252 Reunión Ordinaria Claustro (2016)
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Figure 5: Assessment cycle.
Sagrado’s Dissemination and Use of Learning Assessment Results.
Throughout the review period Sagrado has remained committed to establishing an learning
assessment system that is appropriate to its organizational scale, structure and resources as a
teaching institution. The challenges of implementation have confirmed the need for a simple,
manageable and uniform system that would not place undue burdens on faculty.
Despite these challenges, several units within Sagrado continued to move forward with their
learning assessment efforts. The Ferré Rangel School of Communication, the Natural Sciences
and the Education departments continued to report assessment results through 2015-2016,
while the Business Administration and the Humanities and Social Sciences conducted
assessment on various courses. The Ferré Rangel School of Communication continued for
2016-2017. Similarly, all three programs with specific accreditations continued with their
learning assessment practices throughout the 2013-2017 period: Nursing, Social Work and
Education. Several academic support units, the Center for Community Engagement (CVC), the
Madre María T. Miranda Library and the Language Across the Disciplines program (LAD)
conducted their own assessments during the same period. The federally funded STEMmed and
“Retaining and Graduating through Technologically-Based Empowerment” programs also
conducted their own assessment programs.
The results obtained from these efforts were communicated and discussed within each of the
appropriate academic and academic support units, mostly in faculty meetings. Other means
such as videos, emails and digital bulletins were also used, but there was no systemic
communication strategy. Much in the same way that each academic unit and academic support
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unit designed its own assessment measuring instruments, the dissemination and discussion of
the results also followed different paths. The Ferré Rangel School of the Communications and
the accredited programs consistently discussed the results in faculty meetings. Similarly, the
academic support units and the federally funded programs also internally discussed their
assessment results.
As detailed below, these academic and academic support units used their assessment results
for meaningful steps to improve educational effectiveness:
Table 32:Actions taken of Assessment of Students Learning Outcome in Accredited Programs.
YEAR PROGRAM
2013-14
Education Nursing Social Work
Conducted undergraduate learning outcome assessment for ethics and critical thinking competences through direct and indirect methodologies, and the dissemination of results and syllabi reviews.
• Identified students at risk in task completion and outlined an action plan (Ad Hoc committee)
• Created the Callista Roy and nursing process rubric, to meet the SLO, and integration of social network.
• Researched evidence papers for cultural diversity.
• Integrated cultural activities to different courses.
• Supported the Nursing Students Association.
• New strategy and rubric (Analytic Memo) was created and implemented (ENF 332) to assess cultural diversity.
• Reviewed the course test (Unit Three).
• Modified clinical performance rubric, adding criteria for quality and safety.
• Initiated evidence base skills during the Cornerstone Course (ENF 101) through a library workshop.
Modified social work curricula, included new rubrics.
2014-15
Conducted undergraduate learning outcome assessment for ethics and critical thinking competences through direct and indirect methodologies, and the dissemination of results and syllabi revisions.
• Performed a checklist (guide) that include the steps for using technology during administration of medication.
• a workshop of administration and dosage of medication
• Integrated using critical thinking questions for the discussion of medication administration safety and use of technological equipment (January 2015).
• The teaching strategy for this SLO: changes in health-care policies (January 2015), learning for SLO public policy and health services impacting the uninsured population. Adapted a movie to integrate aspects of public mental health policy, facilitating access to appropriate care, use of less restrictive environments, mental health client’s rights, restrictions, alternatives and the recovery model, and standards of practice.
• Used a study guide with critical thinking questions that direct the student to the discussion of public policy and health system issues.
• Used a study guide rubric to assess SLO.
Added a self-evaluation for students in SW Practicum (TSO 403, TSO 422), in addition to external collaborators. Collaborators were consulted for the development of a pilot study (TSO 217) to improve practicum behavior.
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Table 33:Academic Support Units Assessment..
YEAR UNIT
Library: Information
literacy and Technology
LAD: Written and oral communication
STEMmED: Research
CVC: Ethics/Social Awareness
2013-2014
Integrated the competence into the courses through the
Curriculum Information Literacy Integration
Project, (PICIC). Developed the infor-mation literacy rubric
used by faculty. Discussed and revised
workshops with librarians and fa-culty.
Changed method-logies and activities in order to strengthen the design. Executed work-shops with an attendance of
1,069 students.
Used pre-post rubrics for 39 sections for
Spanish oral communication, where 89.7% demonstrated a higher outcome in post
rubrics. For Spanish written communication, 39 sections participated,
and 51.3% of those sections demonstrated
improvement in the post rubric. Preparation of resume and letter of presentation were used
in 3 sections of exit courses (CMU 480 & TEL
480).
8 redesigned courses (BIO 309, CCO 330, QUI
401, MAT 200, MAT 415, INF 252, CCO 340,
INF 201) & 1 new course was designed (QUI 312),
as a result of the 3rd year in grant. Research
was conducted by faculty members (3) and
students (6), some of them with collaboration of other post-secondary institutions. 6 students
were engaging in research. TEDx
USagradoCorazón was conducted for the first
time & faculty designed rubrics for assessment.
Assessment was conducted through
mentorship rubrics. 18 courses (at
undergraduate and graduate level) and 53 sections participated in this program, with an
impact of 677 students, 27 faculty members, 51
entities, 114 projects organized by students and 14,200 hours of
service. Revised rubrics for level I courses participating in
CVC, and designed guidelines for level II &
III courses.
2015-16
• Emphasized the importance of being guided by the rubric to meet all criteria. Developed a research criticism guide for the EBP task.
• Used research papers for evaluation. Papers submitted were returned to 90% (18/20) of the students, specifying that they should follow the instructions and use nursing research journals.
• Corrections to the works delivered to follow the rubrics as published on the Moodle platform.
• Reinforced the use of nursing journals.
• The evaluation strategy will be changed to a study guide with questions aimed at required skill.
• Continued to integrate health policies and financing of services in the tasks.
Analyzed (using SPSS) results from pilot study (TSO 217) to improve practicum behavior.
2016-17
New courses in Sign language, Secondary history, Practicum, update clinical experiences and rubrics.
• Reinforce responsibility and importance of turning in assignments on due dates.
• Evaluation results: 1st semester average: 95% compliance; 2nd semester: 89% compliance.
• A workshop was offered to faculty about nursing process, Callista Roy, and NANDA, through case study discussion (2nd semester).
• Reinforcement of data categorization, NANDA, NOC & NIC.
Modified rubrics and the creation of rubrics Excel with CEDTEC.
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YEAR UNIT
Library: Information
literacy and Technology
LAD: Written and oral communication
STEMmED: Research
CVC: Ethics/Social Awareness
2014-2015
Activities were identified for
information literacy, including ethics in the used of information. Executed workshops
with an attendance of 1,187 students.
Used pre-post rubrics for 39 sections for
Spanish oral communication and 33
sec-tions for Spanish written communication.
In average, the differences were higher in post rubric for both
com-petences. Preparation of resume and presentation letter were used in 6 sec-tions of CMU 480, HUM 480
& TEL 480.
10 courses were identified for review and
a new course of Scientific Journalism was developed (CAN
340). 5 students participated for the first
time in research activities with faculty.
The 3rd TEDx USagradoCorazón was held in 2015 with 10
faculty members.
19 courses (at undergraduate and
graduate level) and 37 sections participated in this program: Impact:
601 students, 22 faculty members, 63 entities, 105 projects organized by students and 12,020
hours of service.
2015-2016
Developed exercises and simulations in
library workshops (with the attendance of 1,067 students), instructional
module, and informational material.
Recommended changes in course syllabi and
level of competence in the School of
Communication (CMU 101).
Faculty members continued their research
engaging with 7 students (including 2
first time doing research).
19 courses (under-graduate and graduate
level) & 36 sections participated in this
program. Impact: 540 students, 21 faculty, 54
entities, 89 projects organized by students and 10,800 hours of
service.
2016-2017
Revised informational material and continued
with information literacy library
workshops (with the attendance of 719
students).
24 sections participated in oral and written
communication, with a total of 439 students.
During this term, changes were
performed and informed to students
and faculty. These changes were done in
schedules and area utilization.
45 faculty workshops, 16% re: assessment; 41
science courses redesigned (Math, Chemistry, Biology, Physics & Computer
Science) or newly designed, 76% approved
by institution 33 students (headcount)
participated in research with faculty members; 3 TEDx USagradoCorazón
16 courses (at undergraduate and
graduate level) and 35 sections participated in this program. Impact:
533 students, 18 faculty members, 48 entities,
74 projects organized by students and 10,620
hours of service.
The Ferré Rangel School of Communication School, as mentioned earlier, did performed
systematic assessment of their programs (both undergraduate and graduate) and as a result,
created internal committees dedicated to curriculum review (2013-14), which started their
work in 2014-15 and concluded in 2017.
The academic units that did not carry out systematic assessment processes due to the
implementation challenges discussed above did carry out assessment efforts and took several
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measure to improve their programs. For example, the Natural Sciences Department revised the
rubrics used in the capstone course 480 to assess oral and written communication, research
and information literacy skills. Students performed at or above expectations in oral
communication and information literacy skills, but below expectations in written
communication skills. The faculty made changes in the course activities to increase more
scientific writing experiences.
Within the Interdisciplinary Faculty (FIEHS) which houses several academic programs and
General Education, the courses are consistently assessed with pre- and post test, minute
papers, and other indirect measurements. Results are incorporated into the corresponding
syllabi. In a similar fashion, the Business Administration Department assessed courses and
shared their results in newsletters.
While there are significant instances of corrective actions across academic units, it is evident
that there is a pressing need to implement a robust learning assessment system. After the
lessons of the repeated attempts of the past 5 years and the faculty’s 2017 assessment of their
own assessment efforts, Sagrado is now poised to take this important step with the new
assessment plan to be piloted in the Spring of 2019 and integrated with the new learning
management system.
Sagrado’s Alumni
In keeping with Sagrado’s history of defying the times and opting for hope and solidarity,
Sagrado has continued to innovate and offer students meaningful paths forward to accomplish
the Mission of integral education for positive social impact.
In 2017, Sagrado revised and opened the undergraduate curriculum to grant students more
flexibility in designing their own educational experience. After hurricane Maria and further to
our refined 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, Sagrado has developed the RBK Project to further
redesign the academic programs to stimulate student productive, creative and entrepreneurial
activity across all disciplines, with an emphasis on active, creative and community engaged
learning experiences; and to integrate the students’ holistic development into the curriculum
through a discernment and coaching component through all years of study.
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While the new assessment system is implemented and the RBK program redesign implemented
in time for the 2020-2021 academic year, perhaps the best evidence that Sagrado fulfills its
institutional mission is the exemplary performance of our alumni253. They are leaders across
diverse fields as presented in the following table where a sample of recent alumni are included.
Table 34: Distinguished Alumni (2009-2017).
Student Program Graduation Actual Position
Julio René Rivera Rodríguez Accounting 2009 CPA / Senior Associate Auditor en KPMG
Lucas Gordils Molina Communication 2009 Operations Project Manager, Lehigh Valley Health
Network, en Allentown, Pennsylvania
Sheryll Pérez Colón Communication 2009 Assistant Vice President of Corporate
Communications, Medical Card System, Inc. (MCS)
Jessie Ann Acevedo Oramas Communication 2010 Brand and Communications Manager, Shell Oil
Company, en Houston, Texas
Marissa Gasparoli Muñiz Communication 2010 President 7.29 Events
Pablo Rehbein Muñoz Communication 2010 Communications Specialist at the Puerto Rico AARP
Managing Editor of the AARP Puerto Rico Blog
Aixa Romero Cintrón Communication 2011 Client Partner Facebook, Cisneros Interactive
Reseller Official Facebook
Anuchka Ramos Ruiz Justice System 2011 Professor and author
Azyadeth Vélez Candelario Communication 2011 Associate Director, Press Office, Universidad de
Puerto Rico, Mayagüez (RUM)
Grace Meinhofer Torres Communication 2011 Regional Communications & Marketing Director at
American Red Cross, en Miami, Florida
Ivette Sosa Guzmán Communication 2011 News Reporter at Telemundo Puerto Rico
Luz Marina Zuluaga Rodríguez
Communication 2011 Brand Manager, Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico
Rosa Vargas Muñoz Communication 2011 Operations Supervisor and Corporate
Communications, Arcos Dorados
Cristina Vargas Márquez Communication 2012 Director Market Strategies Division, Estudios
Técnicos, Inc.
Lcda. Krytal Laracuente Communication 2012 WAPA News Reporter
Bárbara Cardenales Torres Communication 2013 Community Leader and staff for Foundation for
Puerto Rico for economic development projects.
Carlos R. Cobián Relaciones
Públicas 2013 Chief Executive Officer, Cobian Media
Edgardo Sanabria Mariani Communication 2013 Executive Producer at NBC Universal Telemundo
Enterprises, en San José, California
253 https://exalumnos.sagrado.edu/
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Student Program Graduation Actual Position
GlaelisSierra Gómez Communication 2013 Senior Account Executive, Williams Whittle, en
Alexandria, Virginia
Zulmarie Ayala Business
Administration 2013
Entrepreneur. Founder of Statera Snaks. (healthy snaks)
Rigoberto Cintrón Colón Natural Science 2014 Neurobiologist|Physiologist - Ph. D Candidate at Scripps Research Institute at La Jolla, California
Rocío Badía Acevedo Communication 2014 Sales Manager, Metro Puerto Rico
Sandra Caro Torrado Communication 2014 Sandra Caro Public Relations
Sylvia Escoto Camacho Communication 2014 News Reporter, Noticentro, WAPA-TV
Candy R. Colón Torres Communication 2015 Executive Assistant To The President at Nova Terra
Inc. and Marketing Manager
Eileen Medina Chárriez Communication 2015 Communications and Marketing Manager, Caribe
Girl Scout Council
Katelin López Torres Communication 2015 Communications Coordinator, Amnisty International
of Puerto Rico
Adolfo Rodríguez Velázquez Natural Science 2016 Master's UPRRP
Dolly M. Serrant Communication 2016 Director, Commission on Hispanic Affairs of Indiana
GabrielaAllende Heres Communication 2016 Public Relations Account Executive, Badillo Nazca
Saatchi & Saatchi
Jeffrey Martínez Pedroza Communication 2016 Brand Communications Manager, San Jorge
Children's Hospital
Juan E. Lappots Abreu Estudios
Internacionales 2016 Human Resources Director, Abreu, Mejías y Asso.
Juan Gumá Yglesias 2016 Sr. Communications Specialist at Honeywell
Aerospace
Luis Miguel Rodríguez Communication 2016 Entrepreneur Creator cap brand: Suxess.
Diosa Ruiz Alicea Advertising 2017 Service Representative Pizza Grill Plaza
Edenmarí Class Montijo Communication 2017 Manager, Oraganizational Development and
Communications. Fundación Ángel Ramos
Karla M. Rodríguez Hornedo Communication 2017 Communications Director, Cámara de Mercadeo,
Industria y Distribución de Alimentos (MIDA)
Raquel Rivera Torres Communication 2017 Director, Corporate Communications, Grupo Ferré
Rangel
One recent alumni merits special mention, Yanna Otero254, a 2017 Summa Cum Laude graduate
in Education, became the first Fulbright U.S. Student participant in Sagrado's history. She spent
254 Yanna Otero
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one year teaching English in Busan, South Korea, and has decided to remain for another
year. She keeps a blog of her experiences255.
The personal and professional performance of Sagrado’s graduates and the results they obtain
in many licensing exams demonstrate beyond doubt that Sagrado accomplishes the goals and
learning outcomes of its academic programs and fulfills the institutional Mission.
Table 35:Passing Rates PCMAS (Programa para la Certificación de Maestros).
Year Passing rate USC Passing rate PR
2008 – 09 100% 82%
2009 – 10 91% 85%
2010 – 11 88% 85%
2011 – 12 Not available Not available
2012 – 13 93% 80%
2013 – 14 86% 85%
2014 – 15 Not available Not available
2015 – 16 95% Not available
2016 – 17 93% 93%
2017 – 18 Pending Pending
Table 36: On campus Nursing..
Year Nursing (BSN) Nursing (ASN)
Passing Rate PR National Mean Passing Rate PR National Mean
2008-09 No data No data No data No data
2009-10 No data No data No data No data
2010-11 100% 68% No data No data
2011-12 92% 78% No data No data
2012-13 92% 82% 100% 76%
2013-14 100% 86.6% 100% 73%
2014-15 No data No data No data No data
2015-16 No data No data No data No data
2016-17 86% 78% 100% 55%
2017-18 100% 71% There were no
candidates Unknown
2018-19 Pending Pending Pending Pending
Conclusion
Sagrado has been graduating men and women of high character who have gone on to make
important contributions to Puerto Rican society. Sagrado has accomplished these results due
255 Blog
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to its profound commitment to its students and their families to deliver on the promise of the
Mission.
One of the positive outcomes of Sagrado’s attempts to implement a comprehensive assessment
system is that an assessment culture has taken root and the community is keenly aware of the
importance of assessment as a driver for continuous improvement in the service of the Mission.
The elements are in place: a well-known Mission, a Guiding Vision, deeply engrained
institutional Values, academic programs with clear educational objectives and learning
outcomes, a clear set of transversal competencies aligned with the Mission, a strong
assessment culture born of repeated attempts to implement an effective system and a deep
history of innovation in response to the challenge of the times.
Sagrado is confident that once the necessary assessment system is completely in place, the
University can continue to improve its educational project to educate intellectually free,
ethically responsible men and women, who are prepared and willing to meaningfully confront
the challenges of the times and engage in the construction of the solidary, just and peaceful
communities that the 21st century so urgently needs.
Recommendations
Sagrado should continue with the planned implement of the new institutional and learning
comprehensive assessment plan and support this implementation by establishing an
independent unit reporting to the President that is responsible for institutional intelligence,
assessment, efficacy and planning, that is supported with the staff and information systems
necessary, to fully integrate the system into Sagrado’s culture and organizational structures,
and thus provide continuous assessment to support innovations in all institutional areas.
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Standard VI: Planning, Resources and Institutional Improvement
The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and
are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs
and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.
Sagrado meets the nine criteria of Standard VI and is compliant with the Requirements of
Affiliation 8 and 11. Evidence that demonstrates this can be reviewed in the Documentation
Roadmap and is analyzed in the following section.
Sagrado complies with Standard VI.
Criterion Number
Standard VI Criterion Meet
Criterion
C1 Institutional and individual unit objectives are clearly stated assessed appropriately, linked to mission and goal achievement, reflect conclusions drawn from assessment results, and are used for planning and resource allocation
C2 Clearly documented and communicated planning and improvement processes that provide for constituent participation and incorporate the use of assessment results
C3 A financial planning and budgeting process that is aligned with the institution’s mission and goals, evidence-based, and clearly linked to the institution’s and units’ strategic plan/objectives
C4 Fiscal and human resources, as well as physical and technical infrastructure support operations
C5 Clear assignment of responsibility and accountability
C6 Comprehensive planning for facilities, infrastructure, and technology that includes consideration of sustainability and deferred maintenance and is linked to the institution’s strategic and financial planning
C7 Annual independent audit confirming financial viability with evidence of follow-up on any concerns in the audit’s accompanying management letter
C8 Strategies to measure and assess the adequacy and efficient utilization of institutional resources required to support mission and goals
C9 Periodic assessment of the effectiveness of planning, resource allocation, institutional renewal processes, and availability of resources
Compliance with Standard VI
Sagrado’s Mission guides the University’s planning, operational and capital budgeting and
decision-making processes. The University has a formal, standardized and participatory budget
planning process in which expenditures and capital needs are evaluated in accordance to the
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Mission, the Vision and the institutional Values and priorities. Budgets are developed in
consultation with all operational units, reviewed by a multi-sector team and the Administrative
Board. The budget is also presented to the Board of Trustees’ Finance and Investment, and
Infrastructure and Technology Committees and, upon their recommendation, eventually
approved by the Board of Trustees. The administration and these two Board committees review
operational and capital budgetary performance on a periodic basis.
Sagrado is currently seeking to embed its robust budgetary process into an integrated and
systematic planning, budget and assessment process anchored in the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan
and supported by the necessary information technology systems. This plan was developed in a
participatory process led by a steering committee representing all community stakeholders. It
was approved by the Academic and Administrative Boards and the Board of Trustees in March
2017. After the extraordinary events of the Fall 2017, the plan was placed on hold for an
academic year. It has now been refined, reaffirmed and translated into institutional objectives
and key results for 2018-19 and approved by the Board of Trustees.
Sagrado’s performance management system initiated in the Spring of 2017, and implemented
in 2017-2018, which will incorporate the 2018-2019 institutional objectives and key results
derived from the Strategic Plan. For 2019-2020, the budget planning process will be expressly
linked to the institutional objectives and key results.
Sagrado’s planning, budgeting and decision-making processes has allowed the University to
develop the fiscal and human resources, as well as the physical and technology infrastructure,
necessary to support, sustain and grow the Mission into the future. The improved processes
will build on this foundation and place Sagrado in a stronger position to provide an innovative
response to the challenges of the times.
Institutional Planning.
Institutional Priorities. Sagrado’s Mission, Vision and institutional Values guide the University’s
decision-making regarding operational expenditures and capital investments. Sagrado has
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developed three strategic plans during the review period: 2008-2013256, 2014-2017257 and
2017-2020258 that expressly reaffirm the Mission, the Vision and the institutional Values.
Explained in Standard I , all three share the following areas of emphasis: the nature of the
educational experience, the context or environment in which educational experience takes
place, and the feasibility of that experience. The Mission focuses specifically on the character
and objectives of the education and thus each strategic plan begins by focusing on the nature of
the educational project. The Vision focuses on how the educational project is accomplished and
thus each plan engages the community and the environment necessary to nurture that project.
And each plan finally turns to the kind of organization and institutional viability necessary to
sustain the Mission. These three areas provide the three institutional priorities that have
guided the University’s direction through all three strategic plans.
The character and quality of the learning experience. All plans focus on integral education for
social solidarity: an integral education of the whole person through an interdisciplinary
approach grounded in the liberal arts and the development of specific transversal competencies
across academic disciplines, and aimed at solidary social impact.
The character and quality of the community experience. All plans focus on the quality of the
community and the community’s engagement with the broader world: a student-centered
University community anchored in the dignity of each person and its Christian values,
meaningfully engaged in the world, and committed to providing students the integral
experiences, services and support necessary to accomplish their educational and life objectives.
The character and viability of the organization. All plans focus viability of the organization: an
effective and innovative organization, characterized by institutional ethics and integrity, with
sufficient resources to sustain and accomplish the Mission and institutional goals.
Although all three priorities are conceptually distinct, all are necessarily interrelated. Sagrado is
both a community and an organization engaged in an educational project in furtherance of its
Mission and thus the community and the organization must support and model the integral
education for social solidarity that Sagrado aspires to accomplish.
256 Fundamentos para el Plan Estratégico Institucional Visión 2013 (2008). 257 Plan Estratégico Visión 2014-2017. 258 Plan Estratégico 2017-2020.
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The Strategic Plans. All three strategic plans during the review period were developed with
different levels of community participation. The 2008 Self-Study and the 2013 PRR discuss the
process for the development and implementation of the 2008-2013 Strategic Plan, and the
2013 PRR the process for the development of the 2014-2017 Strategic Plan. As related in the
introductory discussion regarding the presidential transition, further work on the 2014-2017
Strategic Plan could not continue due the challenges of that transition in the midst of Puerto
Rico’s complicated economic and fiscal scenario. In a span of the two years, from 2015 to 2017,
the University had to replace most of its leadership team. As the President explained to the
faculty in September 9, 2016, those two years were dedicated to an in-depth assessment of the
University’s operations, managing the leadership transitions and starting basic infrastructure
projects that he had detailed in previous faculty meetings, including the institutional and
learning assessment systems in conjunction with the Jenzabar platform.259
During the latter half of the 2015-2016 academic year, Sagrado had already begun a series of
initial discussions with faculty and the Executive Leadership Team in preparation for the
development of the new strategic plan. At the beginning of the 2016-2017, the President
appointed a Strategic Planning Steering Committee with representation from all sectors of the
community including students, faculty, administration, trustees and alumni260. At the time,
Sagrado was managing a leadership transition, its re-licensing process with the state licensing
authority and the beginning of its MSCHE self-study process. Although related, each process
required a separate team in charge and thus a special representative committee made sense
for the important task of formulating the new strategic plan. The Steering Committee led a
community-wide consultation process as presented in Figure 6.
259 Informe del Presidente: Reunión Ordinaria del Claustro (12 de febrero de 2016); Informe del Presidente: Reunión Ordinaria del Claustro (9 de septiembre de 2016). 260 Comunicación a la comunidad (19 de octubre de 2016).
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Figure 6: Strategic Plan and MSCHE reaccreditation timeline.
The Steering Committee conducted multiple open sessions with the community, met with
faculty, students and staff, held sessions with the strategic planning committees of the
Academic and Administrative Boards and opened an online portal to receive comments261. The
process lasted from September 2016 through March 2017, when the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan
was presented to and approved by both the Academic and Administrative Boards262 and then to
the Board of Trustees for final approval263. The plan was then presented to Puerto Rico’s
Council on Education in compliance with regulatory requirements, which accepted and
approved the plan on June 7, 2017264.
The plan included specific objectives and activities at the institutional and unit level and was
scheduled to begin implementation during the 2017-2018 year. As previously explained, the
261 http://vision2020.sagrado.edu/. 262 Certificación de la Junta Académica (17 de marzo de 2017); Acta de la Junta Administrativa (17 de marzo de 2017). 263 Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (30 de marzo de 2017), available for review upon request. 264 Carta de Determinación del Consejo de Educación de Puerto Rico (7 de junio de 2017).
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initial implementation had to be delayed due to the impact of hurricane Maria. In the
aftermath, first the academic leadership and then the whole Executive Leadership Team
engaged in a profound reflection of what Sagrado’s Mission requires in response to the
challenges of the times. After a series of intense sessions of the Executive Leadership Team
during August 2018265, the Strategic Plan was refined, translated into institutional objectives
and key results for the academic year 2018-2019 and eventually presented to the whole
community and approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2018266. The concept of “key
results” was introduced to identify the specific results necessary to accomplish each objective.
The 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. The main difference between the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan and
its predecessors is that the current plan calls for a redesign of the interactions between the
University and its surroundings to emphasize the promotion of innovation and social
entrepreneurship for solidary social impacts267. In the aftermath of hurricane Maria, the
redesign of Sagrado’s community impact strategies became an urgent priority. Puerto Rico
needs to develop its own engines of economic and social activity, based on our own intellectual
capital, to develop an equitable, sustainable and solidary economy that works for all our
citizens. As explained in Standard I, the experience of hurricane Maria allowed us to distill to
their essence the five strategic priorities of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan.
Academic Priorization. At the same time as Sagrado was developing and implementing its
strategic plans, a parallel and related process of academic priorization was taking place as well.
During the Summer of 2008 Sagrado started a participatory planning and assessment process of
all academic programs based on the Dickenson Model that was repeated in 2012 with a revision
in 2013268. The local consulting firm Estudios Técnicos, Inc. supported both efforts. As detailed
in the PRR, Sagrado examined each academic program and adopted specific response
strategies: a moratorium and closing timeline or an active revitalization effort. As detailed in
the discussion of Standard IV, there has been a gradual reduction in the number of academic
programs as a result of these priorization efforts.
265 Agenda Executive Team Workshop; Presentación de las Ideas a la Ejecución (2018). 266 Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (11 de octubre de 2018), available for review upon request. 267 Plan Estratégico 2017-2020. 268 Proyecto de Priorización de Programas Académicos (2008); Proyecto de Priorización de Programas Académicos basado en el Modelo Dickenson (2012).
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As explained in the discussion of Standard III, a third assessment was carried out between 2016
and 2017 with the assistance of consulting firm QBS in order to support the new strategic
planning process. Indeed, the same firm worked closely with the Steering Committee in
developing the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. This study analyzed the financial viability of each
program and assisted in the development of a profile of a viable program in terms of
enrollment and faculty composition269. Each program should aspire to have sufficient faculty
members to drive the program’s development and a sufficient number of students to maintain
both pedagogical excellence and financial sustainability. One of the key results of the 2017-
2020 Strategic Plan is the development and application of a standard set of criteria that can be
regularly applied to evaluate Sagrado’s academic programs270.
All of these assessments recognized that financial criteria cannot be the deciding criteria for
program evaluation, but all strive to accomplish an equitable institutional balance between all
relevant assessment factors, particularly mission-alignment, academic excellence and financial
sustainability.
Financial Planning.
While the strategic plan framework was under construction for translation of priorities into
specific institutional and unit objectives and key results, the institutional priorities guided
Sagrado’s planning, assessment and resource allocation through Sagrado’s robust budgetary
process. The priorities have remained constant with the student at the center: (a) the quality of
the integral education for solidary social impact; (b) the quality of the community experience
and engagement; and (c) the financial and operational viability of the organization. These three
institutional priorities aligned with the Mission, the Vision and the institutional Values have
guided decision-making regarding the annual plans and operational and capital budgets at the
institutional and unit levels.
For the specific period between 2014-2015 and 2016-2017 prior to the development of the
2017-2020 Strategic Plan, Sagrado’s Leadership Team developed the specific priorities that
guided institutional efforts as a result of the team members’ assessments of their operational
269 Quality for Business Success: Informe de Situación Operativa; Diagnóstico del Modelo Académico Actual (2016). 270 Plan Estratégico 2017-2020.
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areas. The results of these assessments and the institutional priorities for each year were
presented the Board of Trustees and to the faculty and the administrative personnel. Many of
the priorities during this period involved laying the groundwork with operational platforms in
different areas and the recruitment of human resources.271
The Budgetary Process. Sagrado is blessed to have a strong budgetary process with community
participation and active involvement of the Board of Trustees. Indeed, the Board of Trustees
has played a critical role in steering the University’s financial management through challenging
times. As Puerto Rico has suffered from prolonged economic contraction, fiscal
mismanagement and default and extended migration, Puerto Rico’s higher education sector,
generally tuition dependent, has been seriously affected as well with declining enrollments and
revenues. The Board of Trustees has been a steadying presence. The current Chairperson of
the Board’s Finance and Investment Committee has served on the Board for 14 years. The past
two Chairpersons of the Board, in place from 2011 through 2018, were chief executive officers
of publicly-traded Puerto Rico corporations272.
The process for the annual operational and capital budgets usually starts early in the second
semester once there are reliable enrollment results for the semester. The Finance Team
establishes a timeframe with a detailed budget work plan that includes training and orientation
for the different operational units273. The first step in the process is update to the enrollment
analysis and projections to forecast undergraduate and graduate enrollment for the next year.
This step is performed with the analysis and input from the marketing and admissions and
retention teams. The Finance Team then evaluates a variety of factors to determine whether
any adjustment in tuition, fees and other charges is necessary. The analysis varies from year to
year but usually considers factors such as the current level of student charges, comparative tuition
and fees at other institutions, the availability of financial aid programs, and any extraordinary events
271 Informe del Presidente: Reunión Ordinaria del Claustro (9 de septiembre de 2016); Informe del Presidente: Reunión Ordinaria del Claustro (12 de febrero de 2016). 272 https://www.sagrado.edu/en/board-of-trustees/. 273 Budget Call Letters (2012-2013; 2013-2014; 2014-2015; 2015-2016; 2016-2017; 2017-2018); Budget Calendars (2012-2013; 2013-2014; 2014-2015; 2015-2016; 2016-2017; 2017-2018); Directors – Budget Construction Module Use Training - Kuali (2016); Work Plans (2014-2015; 2015-2016).
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impacting operational costs. The resulting adjustment is applied to the enrollment forecast in
order to establish the baseline tuition and fees revenue levels for the next fiscal year. This
baseline and other revenue from alternative sources establish the total availability of funding
and thus the parameters for the budget process.
The process continues with each member of the Executive Leadership Team reviewing the
situation of his/her own area of operations and making an assessment of needs in view of the
institutional priorities. There are, in effect, four kinds of needs: (a) basic infrastructure needs for
each area to adequately perform its operations in accordance with the university’ standards of
quality; (b) compliance and regulatory needs to meet applicable legal, regulatory or accreditation
requirements; (c) preservation and maintenance needs of physical assets; and (d) strategic or
improvement needs to improve or enhance operations. For example, the need for additional
routers to provide the campus with Wi-Fi coverage or the need to fill a staff vacancy to provide
student services are examples of basic infrastructure needs. The need to repair staircases and
access ramps in accordance to regulatory requirements or faculty release time or additional
resources to work on a program accreditation are examples of compliance or regulatory needs.
The replacement of A/C units and electrical equipment are examples of preservation and
maintenance needs. And new laboratories for the nursing department or the remodeling of the
experimental theater are strategic or improvement needs.
Every operational area is familiar with its own needs and discusses them every year within its
own internal teams. After this internal consultation, every area leader prepares a budget request
for operational and capital expenditures. The Facilities, Conservation and Services (ICS) Team
and the Integrated Information and Technology (ITI) Team play a critical role in this process
because they receive each area’s request and then they submit institutional capital requests for
the physical and technological infrastructure improvements, respectively. These requests reflect
their assessment of the needs in these areas after engaging with operational units across the
University and in their own experiences executing their different projects. The Financial Planning
Director gathers, organizes and evaluates all the requests received from all operational units.
The Executive Leadership Team determines whether there are any strategic projects that merit
special attention during the process.
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A budget committee appointed in 2016 with multi-sectorial representation from academic,
student and administrative affairs, alongside the Vice-president for Finance and Operations
and the Financial Planning Director, meets with each area leader to discuss the budget request
and its alignment with institutional priorities. The committee may challenge assumptions,
request additional information or justification and even require further revisions or
resubmissions. This rigorous and challenging process allows the committee to have a better
understanding of the situation in the different operational areas and have a sound basis to
recommend the proper allocation of resources in accordance with institutional priorities.
This is an intense, participatory process, that eventually leads to a draft budget proposal that
is presented to the Administrative Board for review and recommendation274. The
Administrative Board has representatives from the faculty, students and staff. Once these
recommendations are recorded, the final draft with any necessary decision points are
presented to the President for decision and eventual submission to the Finance and
Investment and Infrastructure Committees of the Board of Trustees for review and approval
and eventually to the full Board, which gives final approval275. This is an organic and active
process with active internal discussions and many compromises. The following flowchart
outlines the process:
274 Acta de la Junta Administrativa (28 de mayo de 2010); Acta de la Junta Administrativa (23 de mayo de 2014); Acta de la Junta Administrativa (4 de junio de 2015); Acta de la Junta Administrativa (16 de junio de 2017). 275 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018); Budget presentations to the Board of Trustees available for review upon request.
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Figure 7: Budget Flowchart.
Once approved by the Board of Trustees, the budget is available to all units at the beginning of
the fiscal year276. The Finance Team uploads the opening balances into the Kuali Budget
Module, each identified by account/object code, and thus provides each unit with a useful tool
to keep track and control of the assigned funds277. As discussed in the PRR, the implementation
of the Kuali ERP and the eThority reporting system was a major accomplishment of the review
period as they provided the University with a robust system to support financial and
operational accountability and visibility. The new reports facilitate accountability, control and
assessment and lead to better decisions in the financial planning, budgeting and resource
allocation process.
Periodic Intra-year Assessment. Sagrado recognizes that even with all considerations and
details captured in the budget, deviations from the budget may and often arise. Adjustments to
the budget (surplus or reductions) are made, considering the order of priorities aligned with the
institutional goals to expand its services and maximize market opportunities using prudent
budgetary practices. If any saving is identified, the available funds are redirected to other units
in need, bearing in mind the priorities. The budget also includes a reserve for unexpected
276 Approved Budget Letters (2013-2014; 2014-2015; 2015-2016; 2016-2017; 2017-2018). 277 Instrucciones de Acceso al Presupuesto – Kuali (2015-2016); Instrucciones de Acceso a Presupuesto “Avaliable Balances” – Kuali (2017-2018).
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situations.
Periodic revision of accounts (income and expenses) is made by the Finance Team after the
enrollments closing dates (October and March). Variances are communicated to the Executive
Leadership Team and, if necessary, adjustments are made to budget accounts. Variance reports
are prepared and submitted to the Finance and Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees
and to the Board of Trustees278.
Prior to 2017, Sagrado used to monitor and report income and expenses twice in each semester
to revise projections based on actual enrollments. In late 2017, the Finance Team started to
issue financial statements on a monthly basis and thus more closely monitor any variances
against the budget and the prior year, and make timely adjustments. The objective was to
provide more flexibility and enable the university to respond quicker to situations that require
may deviation from the budget and even to pursue strategic opportunities. One example of this
institutional agility is Sagrado’s response to hurricane Maria. The University responded quickly
to the demands of the external environment and was able to resume and maintain operations
and thus assist students, faculty and staff and eventually communities near the university and
many others across Puerto Rico.
Facilities Planning
As indicated above, the Facilities, Conservation and Services (ICS) Team is responsible for the
university’s facilities and physical infrastructure. As part of Finance and Operations, the ICS
Team is responsible for facilities planning and preparing the annual proposed capital budget for
facilities and physical infrastructure.
Sagrado is located in a 34-acre urban campus. As discussed in PRR, Sagrado developed Facilities
Master Plan in 1998 and that has continued to evolve over the years in response to the
University’s needs and strategic initiatives.279 As part of the financial planning and budgetary
process, every year ICS develops a work plan of improvements, renovations and remodeling, as
well as the necessary investments for deferred maintenance and the construction of any new
structures. ICS organizes the work plan into the following categories: compliance, savings and
278 Presentations of budget deviations to the Board of Trustees, available for review upon request. 279 Informe Final Plan Maestro (mayo 1998).
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energy, sustainability, major repairs, a/c and permanent improvements. The work plan is then
aligned with institutional priorities during the budgeting process. The primary sources of
income for improvements to physical plant and facilities are: capital funds corresponding to a
portion of the non-cash depreciation expense and federal funds for capital improvements. All
AFICA improvements have been performed.
Technology Planning
Also as reported above, the Integrated Technology and Information (ITI) Team is responsible for
Sagrado’s information technology infrastructure and thus for technology planning and
preparing the annual proposed capital budget for technology.
The ITI Team constantly updates its plans, which have evolved through the review period due to
advances in technologies and the need to update unsupported systems and better support
Sagrado’s needs and institutional objectives. The primary sources of funds for technology are:
capital funds corresponding to a portion of the non-cash depreciation expense and federal
funds for capital improvements. The ITI is engaged in a continuous assessment and
improvement of Sagrado’s infrastructure.
Strategic Improvements and Investments
As discussed above, Sagrado is operating in a challenging environment of depressed economic
conditions in Puerto Rico, a reduced pool of candidates resulting from a declining population,
and highly competitive higher education sector. This context is well documented in the U.S.
credit rating agencies reports on Sagrado’s public debt.
Within this complex reality, Sagrado’s financial, facilities and technology planning and its
budgetary processes have allowed the University to maintain a stable financial condition while
continuing to push forward its strategic initiatives in support of the Mission. During the review
period, Sagrado invested in strategic improvements to both strengthen its operational capacity
and improve the students’ learning and community experiences. The guiding criteria has been
modest investments for significant impact.
Technology Infrastructure. The University’s technological infrastructure has been significantly
upgraded through the new Kuali Financial System for finance and operations and the new
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Jenzabar student-academic information technology platform, both critical investments for the
future of the university. These new systems have been complemented with significant
upgrades to the underlying network, server and security infrastructure.
Student Learning Spaces. There have been significant improvements to the students’ learning
spaces in all four of the University’s academic units. Pursuant to a substantial endowed gift
from the Ferré Rangel Family, Sagrado significantly remodeled the facilities of its flagship
communication department, now renamed the Ferré Rangel School of Communication. Several
federal grants made possible the renovation of 7 natural sciences laboratories and significant
upgrades to classroom technology. Many classrooms and learning spaces in Barat Hall, the
main classroom building, have been significantly renovated such as the nursing program
laboratories, the experimental theater and the art studios. New learning spaces have been
developed such as the Neeuko Collaborative Innovation Center, the new campus space for
innovation and entrepreneurship and closely connected with the Business Department; the
StudioLab Creative Technologies Studio for digital animation and virtual reality that is part of
the Ferré Rangel School of Communications; and the Musical Arts Institute in the Humanities
and Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Faculty.
Student Gathering Spaces. Similarly, there have been significant improvements to many
student gathering and social spaces, perhaps the most significant of which is the Marta Miranda
rscj Pastoral Care Center, which was completely renovated and reopened in 2015. The offices
of the Student Council and the student associations were moved to a larger location next to the
St. John Paul II Student Center, the Pastoral Care Center and the Students Walkway, and
completely renovated. The ground floor of the Madre María Teresa Guevara Library,
overlooking the main quad, was rearranged and converted into study and gathering spaces for
students with new furniture and equipment. And the lobby of the Women’s Residence Hall, a
critical gathering space, was also renovated. All of these spaces are Mission-critical as they
make important contributions to the quality of the students’ experience on campus.
Administrative Support Areas. There have also been significant improvements to
administrative support areas. In view of the critical importance of the University’s human
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resources, the offices of the Organizational Development and Human Resources Team have
been renovated in order to provide a more welcoming environment for employees. As in many
of the renovated spaces, students’ artistic creations were used in the renovation. Academic
Affairs, the Registrar and ITI have also been renovated. Lastly, the Board of Trustees’
Committee Room where all committee meetings are held has been renovated and decorated
with paintings from the students.
Properties for Future Development. Finally, Sagrado took advantage of a unique opportunity
and in 2016 acquired three urban repossessed properties one block in front of the University
and in the main Ponce de Leon Avenue to hold for future development. Two of these
properties will be renovated in 2019 under a grant from the Economic Development
Administration to support the business development program of the Santurce: Nuestro Barrio
Project.280
Financial Condition and Institutional Resources
As a result of the above planning and budgetary processes, Sagrado has maintained the fiscal
and human resources, as well as the physical and technical infrastructure, necessary to support
institutional operations and deliver a student learning experience in accordance with the
Mission.
Financial Condition. Sagrado’s strong financial management and the support of the Board of
Trustees has allowed the University to maintain a stable financial condition and outlook during
the challenging times in Puerto Rico. Besides the downward pressures on revenues due to
declining enrollments, the only other items exerting pressure on the university’s financial
condition were the accrued pension costs and the investment results on the Endowment Fund
and the Pension Plan Fund.
280 http://nuestrobarrio.org.
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Table 37: Condensed Statements of Financial Position FY2013-2017 (in thousands).
Sagrado has been able to manage the downward pressure on revenues due to enrollment
declines with effective cost controls, including a voluntary transition plan for employees during
2015 in which 79 employees of 424 participated281. The accrued pension costs and the
investment results, on the other hand, have been beyond the University’s ability to effectively
control and forecast.
In 2006, Sagrado’s defined benefit pension plan was frozen, but not terminated282. Accordingly,
the University is still required to make contributions and record pension plan liabilities on its
statement of financial condition based on actuarial assumptions that change over the years due
to a variety of factors, including regulatory changes, changes to mortality tables and discount
rates, and the investment performance of the pension plan fund. During the review period, the
minimum pension liability adjustment fluctuated between positive and negative adjustments,
but for fiscal year 2014-2015 the adjustment was $5,709,161 and for the fiscal year 2015-2016
was $2,844,472 for a combined negative adjustment of $8,553,633, which adversely impacted
the University’s net assets. As discussed below, these adjustments created some regulatory
281 Comunicación del Plan de Transición Voluntaria (2015). 282 Presentación del Plan de Pensión de los Empleados de la Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (4 de junio de 2015).
Audited
2013
Audited
2014
Audited
2015
Audited
2016
Audited
2017
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents 3,253$ 2,588$ 1,312$ 360$ 463$
Investments 2,837 - - - -
Accounts receivable, net 4,885 5,122 4,623 4,586 4,042
Other current assets 1,462 1,063 698 491 359
Current Assets 12,437 8,773 6,633 5,437 4,864
Investments 21,059 26,753 24,789 21,067 23,892
Capital Assets, net 42,280 45,794 46,262 47,158 44,853
Other non-current assets 4,328 3,991 3,547 2,686 2,247
Total Assets 80,104$ 85,311$ 81,231$ 76,348$ 75,856$
Liabilities:
Current liabilities 4,673$ 5,975$ 5,549$ 6,071$ 6,793$
Bonds payable 23,133 22,299 21,449 20,283 19,431
Other non-current liabilities 3,036 2,929 2,645 2,577 1,908
Accrued Pension costs 7,427 4,815 8,594 11,938 9,317
Total Liabilities 38,269 36,018 38,237 40,869 37,449
Net Assets:
Unrestricted 28,355 33,919 28,079 23,565 24,954
Temporarily restricted 1,514 1,718 1,578 5,718 12,073
Permanently restricted 11,966 13,656 13,337 6,196 1,380
Total Net Assets 41,835 49,293 42,994 35,479 38,407
Total Liabilities and Net Assets 80,104$ 85,311$ 81,231$ 76,348$ 75,856$
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pressures that were quickly and adequately resolved.
Table .38Condensed Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets FY 2013-17 (in
thousands).
Sagrado has been able to mitigate some of the volatility of these adjustments by more active
management of its Endowment and Pension Plan funds to realize and maintain investment
gains and by increasing the amount of temporarily and unrestricted assets in its Endowment
Fund. When adjusted for items beyond Sagrado’s operational control such as the pension
liability adjustment and expenses and the investment results, and for extraordinary one-time
charges such as the cost of the transition plan, Sagrado has been able to maintain positive
increases in net assets before pension costs, depreciation, interests and gains (losses) on
investments. For the fiscal year 2016-2017, these increases were 8.6% of total operating
revenues.
Audited
2013
Audited
2014
Audited
2015
Audited
2016
Audited
2017
Tuition and fees, net of scholarships 37,631$ 35,630$ 32,468$ 30,697$ 30,249$
Auxiliary enterprises and other revenues 14,137 9,267 8,157 7,464 8,055
Total Operating Revenues 51,768 44,897 40,625 38,161 38,304
Instruction and Academic Support 23,701 21,988 21,138 20,583 19,335
Student Services and Student Aid 6,439 6,212 6,158 6,758 6,938
Institutional Support 10,371 10,104 9,927 11,496 11,244
Other Expenses 3,445 3,163 3,531 3,549 3,238
Total Operating Expenses 43,956 41,467 40,754 42,386 40,755
Increase (decrease) in unrestricted net assets before Minimum Pension
Liability Adjustment 7,812 3,430 (129) (4,225) (2,451)
Minimum Pension Liability Adjustment (5,076) 2,134 (5,709) (2,844) 3,840
Increase (decrease) in unrestricted net assets 2,736 5,564 (5,838) (7,069) 1,389
Increase (decrease) in temporarily restricted net assets (9,390) 197 (140) (482) 6,355
Increase (decrease) in permanently restricted net assets 7,208 1,698 (319) 37 (4,816)
Change in Net Assets 554$ 7,459$ (6,297)$ (7,514)$ 2,928$
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Table 39: Condensed Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets - Alternate
Presentation FY 2013-17 (in thousands).
Financial Resources.
Revenue from Tuition and Fees. Sagrado is a tuition driven institution. As shown in Table ___,
Tuition and Fees decreased from $37.6 million for FY 2013 to $30.2 million for FY 2017,
primarily as a result of enrollment decreases as shown in Figure ___. The decreased in
enrollment was caused basically as a result of economic conditions in Puerto Rico and changes
in demographics which have impacted institutions of higher education. For many students,
tuition cost is a determining factor in the decision to seek higher education. Sagrado is aware of
the cost sensitivity of prospective students and their families. True to its Mission, Sagrado has
implemented modest increases to cost per credit and fees, and has not increased tuition and
fees for the past two fiscal years.
Audited
2013
Audited
2014
Audited
2015
Audited
2016
Audited
2017
Total Operating Revenues - unrestricted 51,145$ 43,964$ 40,625$ 38,161$ 37,517$
Total Operating Expenses 38,421 36,668 35,730 36,789 34,273
Increase in unrestricted net assets before Pension Costs, depreciation, interest
and gains (losses) on investments 12,724 7,296 4,895 1,372 3,244
Pension Cost (751) (935) 63 (679) (1,220)
Net Unrealized/Realized gain(loss) on investments 623 933 (276) (479) 787
Interest on Debt (1,048) (945) (923) (989) (912)
Depreciation Expense (3,736) (2,919) (3,888) (3,450) (4,350)
Minimum Pension Liability Adjustment (5,076) 2,134 (5,709) (2,844) 3,840
Increase (decrease) in unrestricted net assets 2,736 5,564 (5,838) (7,069) 1,389
Increase (decrease) in temporarily restricted net assets (9,390) 197 (140) (482) 6,355
Increase (decrease) in permanently restricted net assets 7,208 1,698 (319) 37 (4,816)
Change in Net Assets 554$ 7,459$ (6,297)$ (7,514)$ 2,928$
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Figure 8: Total Enrollment USC First Semester.
Continuing Education. Another source of revenue accounted for as Tuition and Fees is
Sagrado’s long standing continuing education courses offered by the Department of Continued
Education. This department has been accredited by the International Association for Continuing
Education and Training (IACET) since 1998 and was reaccredited in 2016. It provides courses,
workshops, trainings, and professional certifications to adults and other populations of
learners. Table 40 below shows that this unit provides learning activities to a diverse population
with over 300 courses per year, serving close to 4,000 students, that have represented
approximately $600,000 in average annual revenues over the past five years. Another portion
of the revenues from this unit comes from industry trainings and seminars, and is accounted
under other sales and services of educational activities and provides another $$270,000 in
average annual revenues, for a combined contribution of near $$870,000. Sagrado has
identified this unit as an area of opportunity and the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan seeks to convert
this department into a lifelong learning platform for alternative education.
Table 40: Participants and courses offered by the Department of Continued Education.
2008-
09
2009-
10
2010-
11
2011-
12
2012-
13
2013-
14
2014-
15
2015-
16
2016-
17 Average
Participants 4,718 4,530 4,564 3,969 3,645 3,276 3,546 4,144 3,093 3,943
Courses 331 315 315 314 305 271 277 314 254 300
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Grants, Auxiliary Enterprises and Other Revenues. Although tuition and fees are Sagrado’s
primary sources of revenue, there are additional sources of revenue that are used to support
the institutional priorities. Revenues from grants, auxiliary enterprises and other sources
include private gifts and public grants, occupancy of the students’ residences, renting of
facilities, fundraising efforts, investments return of the unrestricted funds and others. Some of
these have been impacted by the reduction in students and others by the current economic
situation. Grants, Auxiliary Enterprises and other sources of revenues per Table 41, decreased
from $14.1 million for FY 2013 to $8.0 million for FY 2017 due mainly to a reclassification of
$4.5 million from restricted funds to the unrestricted funds as a result of the expiration on May
2013 of an Endowment Challenge Grant that required that the funds remain restricted for 20
years, (Note 10-FY 2013 Audited Financial Statements) and a decrease of $1.8 million in
Federal, State and Private Gift and Grants.
Table 41: Detail of Grants, Auxiliary Enterprises and Other Revenues.
Grants (public and private) are an important source of revenues that allow for the development
of innovative initiatives in support of the Mission. There are grants that provide for renovation
of the physical facilities and investments in technology. Sagrado has an internal grant specialist
to support the development of grant proposals such as Title V-HSI, STEMeD, PAE, National
Endowment for the Arts, Walmart Foundation, Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades,
among others. Sagrado has identified this as another important area of opportunity and has
retained the services of experienced stateside firm to support the university’s efforts and
implement a plan to pursue 4 major grant opportunities per year. Grants are also an important
Audited
2013
Audited
2014
Audited
2015
Audited
2016
Audited
2017
Sales and services auxiliary enterprises 1,982$ 1,998$ 2,032$ 1,793$ 1,974$
Government grants and contracts 4,071 3,833 3,415 3,335 2,655
Net unrealized and realized gain on investments 624 933 - - 787
Interest Income and dividends 117 164 204 235 189
Private gifts and grants 762 336 161 150 327
Fund raising 379 236 325 108 328
Sales and services of educational activities 479 436 390 499 569
Net assets released from restrictions 4,794 280 395 371 438
Other 929 1,051 1,235 973 788
Total 14,137$ 9,267$ 8,157$ 7,464$ 8,055$
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source of funding for academic research and as part of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, Sagrado
will be pursuing opportunities in community-based academic research.
Occupancy in the student residences (dormitories and apartments) fluctuates during the year in
accordance with student enrollment and has low occupancy rates in the summer and the
winter breaks. Overall occupancy rates are detailed in Figure 4 in Standard IV. A higher and
more stable occupancy rate during the academic year and higher occupation during the off-
peak periods would provide the University with additional revenues. This is another area of
opportunity identified in the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan as well as the need to increase revenues
from the rental of many facilities available for public use such as the sports venues, the theater
and the many classroom and meeting spaces.
Endowment Fund. Sagrado has a modest Endowment Fund that is invested to grow the
principal, following an investment policy approved and updated by the Board of Trustees’
Finance and Investment Committee with the support of an investment advisory consultant283.
The institutional policy establishes diversification, but annual investment balances are subject
to market volatility and may increase or decrease depending on prevailing conditions. As part of
the Board of Trustees’ assessment processes, the investment policy has been reviewed over the
years284. The Board of Trustees has also acted affirmatively to protect annual investment gains
to strengthen the University’s financial condition and capacity to meet regulatory and
compliance requirements, particularly when necessary to mitigate the effects of the pension
liability adjustments.
Table 42:Endowment Fund FY 2013-17 (in thousands).
283 Policy on Quasi-Endowment (June 21, 2017); Donor Restricted Endowment Fund Policy (December 14, 2017). 284 Statement of Investment Objectives, Policies and Guidelines are available for review upon request.
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Endowment:
Permanent 12,008 13,634 13,245 6,196 1,380
Term 1,058 1,751 1,728 5,718 12,073
Board Designated 7,476 9,680 8,634 9,723 9,695
Total 20,542$ 25,065$ 23,607$ 21,637$ 23,148$
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The Endowment Fund is nurtured from fundraising activities and private donations from
individual and corporate donors, and revenues have been used for student scholarships and the
improvement of facilities that support academic projects and student life. In 2009, Sagrado
received a substantial gift from the Ferré Rangel Family to endow the communication
department, now renamed the Ferré Rangel School of Communication. As related above, this
gift allowed significant improvements to the school’s infrastructure. Sagrado has held an
annual event called “El Sabor Tiene Nombre” to raised funds for different purposes, which
could not be held in 2017 due to the impact of hurricane Maria but will resume in 2019. The
2010 and 2011 event raised funds for the restoration of the Chapel and the 2012-2016 events
for scholarships.
In recent years, Sagrado’s increased presence in virtual and social media has made it easier for
individual donors to contribute. Outreach to corporate sponsors such as AT&T, Pepsi, El Mesón
Sandwiches, SARCO – Church’s Fried Chicken and others has yielded positive results. However,
economic conditions in Puerto Rico have made fundraising particularly challenging during the
past years. This is another important area of opportunity and Sagrado is in the process of
restructuring its complete development operation with the support external consultant. The
impact of the hurricane, Puerto Rico’s international visibility and Sagrado’s solidary response
have opened potential development and fundraising possibilities. Sagrado is currently engaged
in the recruitment of a new chief development officer.
Expenditures. Sagrado has been able to adjust expenses to keep in line with revenues. Over
the five years period, as shown on Table 43, total operating expenses decreased from $43.9
million for FY 2013 to $40.7 million for FY 2017 due mainly to reductions in payroll and other
expenses due to the implementation of strategies to mitigate the expected reduction in
enrollment. There have been a number of one-time extraordinary adjustments reflected in the
financial statements that have impacted operating expenses, particularly for the last two fiscal
years that distort that comparison. As mentioned, the voluntary transition plan impacted fiscal
years 2015 and 2016 and its positive effect on operations were first seen in 2017. For fiscal
2017, Sagrado recorded increased depreciation expense as a result of the simultaneous closing
and recording of many previous capital improvement projects and also reviewed its policies and
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procedures for its accounting for uncollectible accounts and implemented a more conservative
approach to providing for potential losses on outstanding balances given historical collections
and recorded an additional provision of $1 million. Sagrado has been able to manage the
reduction of revenues and has positioned itself to improve its financial condition as a result of
the strategies to reduce operational expenditures.
Table 43: Extraordinary Charges/Adjustments to Total operating expenses FY 2013-17 (in
thousands).
Human Resources
The narrative of this Self-Study demonstrates that Sagrado has an active and dedicated group
of human resources committed to accomplish and sustain the institutional Mission, from the
faculty, the student support staff, the administrative staff, the leadership team and the Board
of Trustees. Sagrado has 91 full time faculty and 240 part-time faculty; 62 academic support
staff; 78 student affairs staff and 73 administration personnel for a total number of 544
employees. In addition, Sagrado employs 83 employees on a temporary basis; 29% of them in
federal programs. There is also a network of third-party support for the following services:
security and paramedic, custodial and cleaning, landscaping, dining hall, cafeteria and
convenient store, transportation and accounting.
During the review period, Sagrado implemented a series of important initiatives to invest and
develop the personnel. Sagrado’s men and women are a most important resources and the
University is committed to their growth and development. They must model the conduct and
the Values that Sagrado aspires to develop in its students. As detailed in the PRR, from 2009
Audited
2013
Audited
2014
Audited
2015
Audited
2016
Audited
2017
Total Operating Expenses 43,956$ 41,467$ 40,754$ 42,386$ 40,755$
Extraordinary Charges/Adjustments in Operating Expenses
Voluntary Transition Plan - - 438 2,176 -
Depreciation - - - - 800
Provision for doubtful accounts - - - - 1,000
Total adjustments - - 438 2,176 1,800
Total Operating Expenses, adjusted 43,956$ 41,467$ 40,316$ 40,210$ 38,955$
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the Office of Human Resources developed and implemented two critical initiatives: a
community-wide cultural transformation initiative called Transfórmate285, and an academy to
develop potential future leaders called Academia de Desarrollo de Talentos286. The continued
success of systemic efforts of this nature depended on strong leadership supported by the
necessary resources. Accordingly, in 2015 the Office of Human Resources was restructured and
separated from the Deanship of Administration and a new executive office for Organizational
Development and Human Resources (ODHR) created287. An experienced professional was
engaged to lead the new team and integrated into the Executive Leadership Team288 This
change has proven decisive in allowing Sagrado to continue developing and improving its
human resources and organizational culture.
Since its inception, the ODHR Team has significantly improved human resources processes and
established important initiatives to promote organizational and personnel development. A new
electronic platform was implemented substituting SENSE with Automatic Data Processing (ADP)
that facilitates the management of human resources including payroll, personnel profile,
attendance and performance management289. All human resources policies have been revised
and updated, including the Employee Handbook approved by the Board of Trustees in March
2017, and training provided on the new policies. Several initiatives to develop and improve our
resources and organizational culture have been implemented such as training and development
in relevant areas, regular discussion meetings with leadership, internal transfers of qualified
staff to promote their growth and semester updates from the President to all personnel. In
2015 a voluntary employee transition plan was executed that allowed significant payroll
expense savings while providing participating employees significant compensation and other
terms in recognition and gratitude for their long years of service290. Robust and participatory
hiring processes have been put in place for the recruitment of qualified personnel capable of
285 https://mi.sagrado.edu/ICS/ClientConfig/HtmlContent/Transformate/index.htm. 286 https://mi.sagrado.edu/ICS/ClientConfig/HtmlContent/Academia/index.html. 287 Comunicación a la Comunidad (29 de enero de 2015); Organizational chart (2016). 288 https://www.sagrado.edu/marilyn-figueroa-rivera/. 289 Taller I: Redacción de Objetivos SMART; Taller II: Evaluación de Desempeño ADP Workforce Now; Taller III: Destrezas Generales para el Manejo Efectivo de Sistema de Gerencia de Desempeño. 290 Comunicación a la comunidad sobre el Plan de Transición Voluntaria (2015).
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upgrading Sagrado’s operations291. A new performance management system for administrative
staff was first piloted in the Spring of 2017 and implemented during 2017-2018. For the 2018-
2019, the system will incorporate the institutional objectives and key results derived from the
2017-2020 Strategic Plan. This system will be accompanied by personal and professional
development plans292 tailored to the needs identified during the review process and a new
employee recognition program to celebrate employee initiatives and accomplishments. A
performance management system for the faculty will be piloted in the Spring of 2019. The
discussion of Standard III relates the many initiatives implemented to support faculty
development, as well as research, creative and professional activity.
Sagrado will continue to make significant investment in programs to train and develop all its
human resources and continue to transform its organizational culture. The objective is an
innovative community of service and continuous improvement capable of sustaining and
accomplishing the Mission.
Physical and Technical Infrastructure
Sagrado has a strong and improving physical and technical infrastructure to support the
Mission. As related above, Sagrado has a 34 acres urban green campus in the Santurce
neighborhood of the capital city of San Juan. In addition, Sagrado has 8 residential properties in
the immediate perimeter of the campus and 3 future development properties one block south
of the campus in Ponce de Leon Avenue, one of Santurce’s main thoroughfares. The physical
infrastructure is supported by a technology infrastructure that, as also related above, is growing
stronger both with respect to hardware a software. Sagrado’s has two new information
technology platforms, Kuali and Jenzabar, to sustain operations into the future, and there have
been significant investments to upgrade the underlying network and security. Sagrado’s system
will be located in the cloud with redundant back in safe locations on campus.
During the past years, Sagrado has invested significant resources to improve the physical
facilities and upgrade the technology infrastructure. The best example of the strength and
291 Política de Reclutamiento Personal Administrativo (2017). 292 Plan de Desarrollo Individual (2017).
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resiliency of the overall infrastructure was Sagrado’s response to the impact of hurricane Maria.
The University was able to quickly resume operations, provide network and internet
connectivity and become an active solidarity hub in the web of relief and recovery that lifted
Puerto Rico. Sagrado will continue to invest in technology and the renovation of our physical
facilities to have the infrastructure necessary to support and sustain the Mission into the
future. In fact, one of the recommendations of this Self-Study, in the wake of hurricane Maria,
is precisely for Sagrado to review and update its Disaster Recovery Plan to incorporate the
lessons of this experience.
Audit and Compliance
As discussed in relation to Standard II, Sagrado is committed to institutional ethics and integrity
and the highest professional standards. Accordingly, Sagrado has the internal and external
audit services necessary to comply with all legal, regulatory and accreditation standards, and to
continually review and upgrade financial and institutional performance.
Internal Audit. Sagrado has an internal auditor who reports directly to the Audit Committee of
the Board of Trustees. Until 2015, the internal audit functions were performed by an internal
auditor on staff293. In 2016, the Audit Committee decided to outsource these services to a CPA
firm with the objective of strengthening these functions. After careful review of the work
performed by the external CPA firm, the Committee and the administration recently concluded
that due to the importance of these functions, it was preferable to have a full-time internal
auditor on staff. The internal auditor performs compliance audits and risk management
evaluations pursuant to a risk assessment plan approved by the Audit Committee294. The
internal auditor works with the administration to ascertain that the management letter
recommendations issued by the external auditors are fully implemented.
External Audit. Sagrado is subject to annual financial and compliance audits performed by an
external and independent CPA firm appointed by the Board of Trustees that issues audited
financial statements and other required reports295.
293 Organizational chart (2014). 294 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018). 295 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018).
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Compliance audits are required in order to be eligible to participate in the following federal and
state funding programs: (a) U.S. Department of Education federal programs including Title IV
programs that provide economic assistance to students; (b) Federal programs for grants that
are an important source of funding for academic research and improvements to student
services (Title V-HSI, STEMmED, Trio Programs-PAE and Upward Bound, National Endowment
for the Arts, among others); and state programs for student scholarships and student grants.
The University submits information from its audited financial statements to the U.S.
Department of Education through the ezAudit platform to demonstrate the University’s
compliance with the “financial responsibility” composite score required to participate in the
Federal Student Financial Aid Programs. A composite score of at least 1.5 is required to be
considered “financially responsible” and eligible to receive federal funding without special
conditions. In April 2017, the Department surprisingly informed Sagrado that the calculation for
fiscal year 2015-2106 erroneously reflected an addback of the pension plan liability and,
therefore, that the composite score was below the 1.5 threshold. The University’s calculation
had been used for years, was consistent with relevant Code of Federal Regulations guidance,
and had been verified by the university’s external auditors and the state licensing authority. The
University engaged an external consultant, who had been part of the team who developed the
Department’s formula, to review the situation. The consultant confirmed that Sagrado’s
formula was indeed correct and recommended that the University appeal the Department’s
determination, while at the same taking all appropriate measures to address the situation in
the event that appeal was not successful. The University took several remedial measures and
was able to comfortably exceed the 1.5 threshold for the fiscal year 2016-2017 even using the
Department’s formula that disallowed the pension plan liability addback296. The Department
did not address the appeal, but in August 2017 issued a Sagrado a new agreement to
participate in Federal Student Aid Programs.
Sagrado also has to submit audited financial statements in compliance with local laws and the
terms of its 2012 refinancing bond issue by the Puerto Rico Industrial, Tourism, Education,
296 Appeal to the U.S. Department of Education, available for review upon request.
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Medical and Environmental Control Financial Authority (“AFICA”). The University has always
complied and is current with all bond related payments. As part of the bond agreement, the
University is required to meet two financial ratios for each completed fiscal year. During the
fiscal years 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, Sagrado could not meet one or both of these ratios
primarily due to the effect of the pension plan liability adjustment for those years. Pursuant to
the AFICA Loan Agreement, Sagrado engaged a financial consultant to review university
operations and make recommendations. Sagrado complied with all contractual requirements,
engaged the consultant, accepted its recommendations and was compliant with both ratios by
the fiscal year 2016-2017297. Sagrado will comply for 2017-2018.
Table 44: Financial Ratios FY 2013-17.
The audited financial statements are also necessary to prepare annual reports required from
non-profit corporations and by accrediting and licensing agencies298. The University’s Defined
Benefit Pension Plan Fund299 and the 1165(e) Retirement Plan (401(k) Plan)300 are also audited
as required by applicable laws and regulations.
In addition to the above listed audit and compliance reports, Sagrado receives a management
letter from its external audit firm listing areas of concern or attention301. Over the review
period, the reports have included minor comments or findings, none of which were considered
a material weakness.
297 https://emma.msrb.org/IssueView/Details/EP358998. 298 OMB; CEPR audits; and Financial Statements, available for review upon request. 299 Financial Statements for the Defined Benefit Pension Plan, available for review upon request. 300 Financial Statements for the 1165(e) Retirement Plan (401k), available for review upon request. 301 Management Letters from the external auditors, available for review upon request.
Audited
2013
Audited
2014
Audited
2015
Audited
2016
Audited
2017
Projected
2018
U.S. Department of Education Financial Responsibility Ratio (Composite) 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.4 2.9 2.6
(1.5 required to be financially responsible)
AFICA
Debt Service Coverage Ratio (minimum required: 110%) 411% 555% -90% -156% 388% 289%
Expendable Resources Ratio ( minimum required: 35%) 47% 57% 26% 17% 65% 76%
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Conclusion
Sagrado has robust planning, budgeting and decision-making processes with community
participation, from the individual operating units to the Administrative Board and the Board of
Trustees. These processes are supported by strong financial management with the active
oversight and support of the Board of Trustees through the Finance and Investment and
Infrastructure and Technology Committees. The combination of both factors has allowed
Sagrado to navigate difficult times and develop the fiscal and human resources, as well as the
physical and technology infrastructure, necessary to support, sustain and grow the Mission into
the future. The improved processes to implement the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan and embed the
plan into a systematic planning, budget and assessment process will build on this foundation to
put Sagrado in a stronger position to provide an innovative response to the challenges of the
times and continue fulfilling its important Mission of integral education for social solidarity.
Recommendations
Sagrado must continue its efforts to operationalize its 2017-2020 Strategic Plan by
incorporating institutional objectives and key results into the performance management system
and embedding the plan in the proposed systemic planning, budgeting and assessment process.
As in Standard V, Sagrado should (a) establish an independent unit reporting to the President
that is responsible for institutional intelligence, assessment efficacy and planning that is
supported with the staff and information systems necessary to drive strategic planning and
decision-making and assess compliance with the strategic plans; (b) should focus on the
initiatives to diversify revenue sources through the expansion of the continuing education
platform, the increase in occupation levels of the University residences and apartments
throughout the year, renewed efforts to promote the use of available facilities by third parties
and the reestablishment of the development operation; and (c) in view of the many changes in
Puerto Rico over the past 10 years, and the many changes impacting the higher education
sector, Sagrado should consider conducting a review and assessment of its master development
plan.
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Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration
The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated
mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other
constituencies it serves. Even when supported by or affiliated with governmental, corporate,
religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the institution has education
as its primary purpose, and it operates as an institution with appropriate autonomy.
The University meets the five criteria and all sub-criteria of Standard VII and is compliant with
the Requirements of Affiliation 12, 13 and 14. Evidence that demonstrates this can be reviewed
in the Documentation Roadmap and is analyzed in the following sections. Some documents
given their sensitive nature are available upon request.
Sagrado complies with Standard VII.
Criterion Number
Standard VII Criterion Meet
Criterion
C1 Clearly articulated and transparent governance structure that outlines its roles, responsibilities, and accountability for decision-making by each constituency
C2 A legally constituted governing body that:
C2a Serves the public interest, ensures that stated mission and goals are met, has fiduciary responsibility, and is ultimately accountable for the institution
C2b Has sufficient independence and expertise to ensure the integrity of the institution
C2c Ensures that neither the governing body nor its individuals interferes with the day-to-day operations of the institution
C2d Oversees at the policy level the quality of programs, approval of degree programs and awarding degrees, establishment of personnel policies and procedures, and the assurance of strong fiscal management
C2e Plays a basic policy-making role in financial matters to ensure integrity and strong financial measurement
C2f Appoints and regularly evaluates the performance of the Chief Executive Officer
C2g Is informed in all operations by principles of good practice in board governance
C2h Establishes and complies with conflict of interest policies
C2i Supports the Chief Executive Officer in maintaining the autonomy of the institution
C3 A Chief Executive Officer who:
C3a Is appointed by, evaluated by, and reports to the governing body
C3b Has appropriate credentials and professional experience consistent with the mission of the institution
C3c Has authority and autonomy required to fulfill the responsibilities of the position
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Criterion Number
Standard VII Criterion Meet
Criterion
C3d Has the assistance of a sufficient number of qualified administrators to enable the effective discharge of duties
C4 An administration demonstrating:
C4a A clearly documented organization structure and clear lines of reporting
C4b An appropriate size and with relevant experience to assist the Chief Executive Officer to fulfill his role and responsibilities
C4c Members with credentials and experience consistent with the institution’s mission and their roles
C4d Skills, time, assistance, technology and information systems expertise required to perform their duties
C4e Regular engagement with faculty and students to advance the goals and objectives of the institution
C4f Systematic procedures for evaluating administrative units and use of assessment data to enhance operations
C5 Periodic assessment of the effectiveness of governance, leadership, and administrations
Compliance with Standard VII
Sagrado is an independent, non-profit Catholic university. Sagrado serves its Mission through a
clearly defined, well-functioning governance structure consisting of a Board of Trustees, an
Academic Board and Administrative Board, each with its governing statutes and regulations,
which are regularly reviewed and updated; and a qualified chief executive officer and
experienced leadership team.
The Board of Trustees is an independent and autonomous body that acts in accordance with
Sagrado’s governing By-laws, first adopted in 1943 and amended regularly. The ninth and tenth
revisions took place in 2016 and 2018, respectively. The Board of Trustees is ultimately
responsible for the fulfillment of the Mission in accordance with the By-laws and applicable
laws and regulations. It has 25 members, a majority of which represent the community and a
minority is selected by the Society of the Sacred Heart and the Archbishop of the Archdiocese
of San Juan. The University is not subject to governance oversight by any religious or ecclesial
body.
As related in the discussion of Standard IV, there are two student governance bodies, the
Student Council and the Student Residents Council. The Academic and Administrative Boards
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include student representation and the Board of Trustees has recently established a Student
Affairs Committee to address student and enrollment affairs and provide a forum for students
to communicate their concerns directly to the Board.
Sagrado’s leadership integrates into a single executive team the President and leaders of the
following areas: Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Finance and Operations, Integrated
Communications, Information Technology and Development. A larger Executive Leadership
Team integrates the deputy chief academic officer, the academic department heads, the chief
retention officer and the Director of the Pastoral Care Center. The University also has a General
Counsel, who is the chief legal, compliance and institutional integrity officer, and an internal
auditor. Each internal governing body acts in an autonomous manner and makes
recommendations to the President and the Executive Leadership Team. The Academic Board is
responsible for academic policy.
The performance of the Executive Leadership Team is reviewed annually through a
performance management system. The Board of Trustees assesses its own performance and
formally reviews the President’s performance. The Board has adopted a formal evaluation
policy and starting on 2017-2018, the President’s review will take place on an annual basis.
The Board of Trustees
Composition of the Board of Trustees. Sagrado is governed by an independent Board of
Trustees integrated by 25 members who offer their time, talent and financial support ad
honorem302. Nineteen members are community leaders with proven track records in diverse
fields that are pertinent to the fulfillment of Sagrado’s Mission, Vision and institutional
philosophy303. Over the years Sagrado has been privileged that leaders in fields such as higher
education, banking, architecture, consumer goods, insurance, securities, arts, law, among many
others, have served as trustees with distinction304.
Three of the 25 seats are reserved for trustees appointed directly by the Society of the Sacred
Heart, often after informal consultation with the leadership of the Board305. The remaining
302 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018). 303 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec .1 (2018, p. 3-4). 304 Criterios y Perfil de los Síndicos (2018). 305 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. 1(c) (2018, p. 4).
SELF-STUDY UNIVERSIDAD DEL SAGRADO CORAZON Page 183 of 198
other 3 seats are reserved for trustees that the Board selects from recommendations presented
by the Archbishop of the San Juan Archdiocese, where Sagrado is located306. This selection
process is collegial and often involves informal consultations prior to the recommendations.
The Responsibilities of the Board of Trustees. The By-laws clearly articulate and outline the
powers and responsibilities of the Board of Trustees, its Committees, and the President of the
University307. The Board of Trustees, as the ultimate governing body, is responsible for
establishing the strategic direction of the University and formulating the policies that will
guarantee its Catholic character, academic excellence and integrity, fiscal health and overall
best interests308. The Board also approves the strategic plan, the annual operating and capital
budgets, the principal institutional policies regarding academic, student affairs and
administrative affairs, new academic programs, financial and investment policies, and the
infrastructure and technology master plans, among others309. It appoints, supervises and
advises the President on critical appointments and operational matters310. The President and
the Executive Leadership Team are responsible for the day to day operations and the execution
of the initiatives to achieve the institutional objectives established.
As explained in Standard VI, the Board of Trustees reviews and approves the annual budget311.
Through its permanent committees, the Board works hand in hand with the Vice-President for
Finance and Operations to ensure that Sagrado follows the best practices of fiscal controls
(Audit Committee)312, administration, investments and finances (Finance and Investment313,
and the Infrastructure and Technology committees314, are handled in a manner that protects
the fiscal well-being of the University.
306 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. 1(d) (2018, p. 4). 307 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. 4, Art. IX, and Art. X (2018, pp. 5-6,12-18, and 18-19). 308 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. 1 (b) (2018, p. 4). 309 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018, p. 5-6). 310 Estatutos Décima Revisión (2018, p. 5). 311 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IV, Sec. 4(b)(8) (2018, p. 6). 312 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Audit Committee (2018, p. 14); Manual de Procedimientos de los Comités Permanentes (pp. 18-20). 313 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Finance and Investment Committee (2018, p. 15-16); Manual de Procedimientos de los Comités Permanentes (pp. 25-26). 314 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Infrastructure and Technology Committee (2018, p. 16-17); Manual de Procedimientos de los Comités Permanentes (pp. 29-30).
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The Committees of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees fulfills its institutional
responsibilities through eight permanent committees315. Each Committee has an annual
calendar for its meetings316. Currently, it has the following permanent committees with the
following responsibilities:
• Executive Committee: all the powers and responsibilities of the Board of Trustees,
except the powers expressly reserved to the full Board in the By-laws317.
• Audit Committee: the appointment and oversight of the internal auditor and the internal
audit plan, the oversight of the external auditors approved by the Board of Trustees and
the approval of their reports and audited financial statements318.
• Academic Affairs and Honorary Degrees Committee: oversight and support of all
academic affairs for the fulfillment of the University’s Mission, including approval of
new academic programs319.
• Student Affairs Committee: oversight and support of all student affairs and admissions
and enrollment practices for the fulfillment of the University’s Mission320.
• Finance and Investments Committee: oversight and support of all financial affairs,
recommendation of the annual budget for approval and the management of the
University’s investments321.
• Development and University Relations Committee: oversight and support of the
University’s development and fundraising efforts322.
• Physical Infrastructure and Technology Committee: oversight and support of the
University’s master plans for infrastructure and technology investments323.
• Institutional Governance Committee: all matters related to selection and election of
trustees and the Board’s internal governance324.
315 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX (2018, p. 12-18). 316 Manual de Procedimientos de los Comités Permanentes, Calendarios de Trabajo (pp. 4-13). 317 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 2 (2018, p. 13). 318 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 3 (2018, p. 14). 319 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 4 (2018, p. 14-15). 320 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 5 (2018, p. 15). 321 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 6 (2018, p. 15-16) 322 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 7 (2018, p. 16) 323 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX. Sec. 8 (2018, p. 16-17) 324 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 9 (2018, p. 17).
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The Student Affairs Committee was created as part of the ninth revision of the By-laws in 2016.
At the time, the Academic, Student Affairs and Honorary Degrees Committee handled all
academic and student affairs and, thus, mirrored the University’s administrative structure,
which consolidated both areas under a Dean of Academic and Student Affairs. In view of the
student-centeredness of the mission, the President proposed and the Board of Trustees agreed
that student affairs should have its own permanent committee that would devote exclusive
attention to these matters. The administrative structure was similarly changed to create a Vice
President and Dean for Student Affairs, who would report to the President and be a part of the
Executive Leadership Team. This committee will provide a forum for the Student Council and
other student representatives to interact directly with the Board of Trustees.
Faculty and staff often serve in different committees of the Board of Trustees as consulting
members or are invited to participate325. The Board of Trustees may also create special
committees whenever they are needed, as was the case with the process of recruiting a new
president326. At that point, a special committee of trustees and former trustees was appointed,
which consulted the community regarding the profile of the new president and the main
institutional priorities.
Meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees holds ordinary meetings 4 times a
year, twice a semester to provide strategic direction, oversee the implementation of
administrative and academic policies and review the achievement of institutional objectives327.
One of these ordinary meetings is usually a special workshop328. The Board often holds
extraordinary meetings for special purposes329.
Trustees not only attend regular board meetings, but also actively participate in committee
work and board development activities. Annual retreats, strategic planning meetings and
educational activities provide trustees with opportunities to learn and lead more effectively330
The Board clearly understands its responsibility to support the President of the University, who
325 Manual de Procedimientos de los Comités Permanentes (pp. 21-24, 25, 27, 29). 326 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 10 (2018, p. 18). 327 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VIII, Sec. 1 (2018, p. 11). 328 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VIII, Sec. 2 (2018, p. 11). 329 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VIII, Sec. 2 (2018, p. 11). 330 2016 Board Assessment: AGB Consulting; Self-Study Criteria for Governing Board.
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is the chief executive officer331, to achieve the Mission and institutional objectives and
dedicates a significant amount of time in fulfilling these responsibilities, without affecting the
autonomy of the University.
Selection of Trustees. The Board’s Institutional Governance Committee is responsible for the
trustees’ recruitment and selection process, except in the case of the trustees appointed by the
Society of the Sacred Heart who are appointed directly by the Society332. Trustees serve for
three-year periods that can be renewed up to 12 years333, except for the Society’s appointees
who do not have a time limitation334. In 2016, the Board approved an amendment to the By-
laws to allow the Board to approve, upon unanimous recommendation of the Executive
Committee, a special extension for an additional three-year period when the best interests of
the University would be served by such an extension335.
The Board of Trustees has developed an institutional trustee profile336 and a decalogue337 of
basic trustee obligations to ensure alignment with Sagrado’s Mission. The Committee reviews
that each prospective candidate in accordance with this profile and the professional experience
and expertise needed to fulfill institutional obligations and responsibilities338. Candidates are
interviewed before their selection to ascertain that they are independent and that they clearly
understand their responsibilities, time requirements, expectations and confirm their
commitment to fulfill their responsibilities as trustees of the University. The Committee makes
its recommendations to the Executive Committee, which considers them for an eventual vote
by the Board339.
Loyalty to the Mission: Written Conflict of Interest Policy. To ensure full loyalty and
commitment to Sagrado’s Mission, the By-laws set forth a conflict of interest policy that
provides that all trustees and University officials have the duty to act free of any conflicts of
331 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. X (2018, p. 18-19). 332 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. 2(c) (2018, p. 4). 333 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. 2(d) (2018, p. 4). 334 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. 2(f) (2018, p. 5). 335 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. (d) (2018, p. 4). 336 Criterios y Perfil de los Síndicos (2018). 337 Decálogo de la Junta de Síndicos (2018). 338 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 9, (i) (2018, p. 17). 339 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 9 (d) (2018, p. 17).
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interest, real or potential; that is, free of any personal or external pressures or interests that
will prevent them from performing their duties on behalf of and in the best interests of
Sagrado340.
In June 20, 2018, the Board of Trustees approved a revised Code of Ethics applicable to trustees
and all employees of the University to govern specifically the avoidance of conflicts of
interests341. On that same date, the Board of Trustees also approved a policy applicable to
trustees and all employees of the University regarding conflicts of interests in contracts with
the federal government342. Violations of these policies are investigated and addressed using
the appropriate disciplinary procedures: the Employee Handbook for employees, and by the
procedures established by the Board for trustees. To identify a potential or real conflict of
interest, every year the trustees complete and execute two forms: (1) a conflict of interest
form343, and (2) a separate form in compliance with IRS and insurance requirements344.
Board Self-Assessment. The Board of Trustees has an internal self-assessment process in which
the Board assesses its collective performance, as well as that of its individual trustees345. In
2016, the Board engaged a consultant from AGB to assist in carrying out a self-assessment
process and conducted a day-long workshop to discuss the results and develop an action
plan346. In 2018, the Board conducted another self-assessment through a survey of its members
and has another workshop planned for November 2018 to discuss the results347.
Board Engagement with the University Community. Besides the formal engagements with
members of the community in committee and Board meetings, Trustees receive guided visits of
the campus and participate regularly in campus activities, in which they interact with members
of the community. Trustees receive periodic notifications of campus events and specific
340 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. 4, Sec. 4(d) (2018, p. 6). 341 Política de Conflicto de Interés (2018); Política de Conflicto de Interés (1995). 342 Políticas sobre el Conflicto de Intereses en la Contratación con el Gobierno Federal (2018); Política sobre el Conflicto de Intereses en la Contratación con el Gobierno Federal (1995). 343 Formulario de Conflicto de Interés (completed forms are available for review upon request). 344 Form for conflict of interest (completed forms are available for review upon request). 345 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. IX, Sec. 9(g) (2018, p. 17). 346 2016 Board Assessment: AGB Consulting; Self-Study Criteria for Governing Board. 347 Informe del Comité de Gobierno Institucional sobre Votaciones, Evaluación de la Junta de Síndicos y Auto-evaluación de los síndicos (4 de junio de 2018), available for review upon request.
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invitations to events that may be of special interest348. Trustees also support the Sagrado in
admissions functions by regularly attending the annual Open House. In the 2018 Open House, a
group of trustees participated in a Business Department forum with prospective students and
their families.
The President or Chief Executive Officer
The President of the University is appointed and evaluated by and reports to the Board of
Trustees349. The President is a member ex-officio of the Board and its permanent committees
but has no voting rights350.
Selection of the New President. Early in 2014, Sagrado’s President, Dr. José Jaime Rivera
announced his retirement after 22 years of service. The Board of Trustees immediately
launched a search effort for a new President and created a special committee to lead the
process351. This special committee designed the process in consultation with the Board of
Trustees. The Board insisted that it was important to start by reaching out to the University
community and obtaining its recommendations regarding to the profile of the new president
and the changes and priorities that the new president should consider upon assuming the
office. The Chairperson of the Board of Trustees obtained the input of the former president to
have a seamless transition.
The special committee facilitated a consultation process in which different stakeholders were
able to contribute to the articulation of a profile with a list of desired competencies and a set of
institutional priorities. The committee, led by a former Chairperson of the Board of Trustees
and a former Managing Partner of PwC’s Puerto Rico office, Rafael Martínez-Margarida CPA,
then conducted a six-month search process and made a recommendation to the Board of
Trustees that ratified the selection of the current president as he met the profile that the Board
was looking for in the new president and was willing to assume the responsibilities and
348 Examples of communications to the Board of Trustees: February 13, 2017; February 22, 2017; February 24, 2017; May 8, 2017; December 1, 2017; March 7, 2018; August 28, 2018. 349 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. 4(b)(5) (2018, p. 5). 350 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VIII, Sec. 5(c) (2018, pp. 12). 351 Notification to the University community from Ramón Ruiz Comas then President of the Board of Trustees (February 3, 2014).
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challenges identified as the result of the input from the trustees and the community during the
consultation process.
Gilberto J. Marxuach-Torrós was appointed tenth President of Sagrado on August 4, 2014. A
lawyer by training, Marxuach-Torrós brings an interdisciplinary background and perspective,
given his studies in the Program of Liberal Arts at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana (the
curriculum vitae is included in the Road Map). After earning a Juris Doctor at Yale University, he
began his professional career that took him up the ladder in one of Puerto Rico’s most
prestigious law firms; through a family business venture; a tenure as Chief Legal Counsel to
Puerto Rico’s Governor; and then as legal and executive advisor to several firms, including in
higher education. While in public service, Marxuach-Torrós was responsible for the creation of
important educational policies and legal frameworks in Puerto Rico. What is more, Marxuach-
Torrós is an intellectual, avid reader and practicing Catholic that honors the values and
principles that provide the religious and ethical framework of Sagrado’s Mission352.
Authority and Responsibilities of the President. According to the University’s By-laws, the
President has the authority and the autonomy to fulfill the responsibilities of the position353.
The President is responsible for the development of the strategic plan, the preparation of the
annual budget and the identification of the resources needed to accomplish the goals and
objectives established354. Also, the President is responsible for the hiring of the necessary
personnel to discharge his duties and responsibilities effectively355. Since his appointment in
2014, the Board has supported the President in his assessment of the resources needed to deal
with the challenges identified during the consultation with the community, challenges that
were initially complicated by the retirement of several members of the University leadership
that he inherited.
Every year, the President presents multiple progress reports to the Board of Trustees on
academic, administrative and financial matters, the University’s priorities for the Executive
352 https://www.sagrado.edu/gilberto-j-marxuach-torros/. 353 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. X Sec. 1 (2018, p. 18). 354 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. X (2018, p. 18). 355 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. X Sec. 1(b) (2018, p. 18).
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Leadership Team, all aligned with Sagrado’s Mission and the strategic objectives for each
year356 President Marxuach-Torrós has established the practice of sharing similar reports with
the faculty, staff and the student body357. This practice has helped improve organizational
communication at all levels. (C2i, 3c; C4e)
Review of the President’s Performance. The Board of Trustees formally reviews the
President’s performance358. In 2017, the Board of Trustees conducted an evaluation of the
President and decided to grant him a new five-year appointment359. In 2018, the Board of
Trustees adopted a formal policy for the evaluation of the President and starting on 2017-2018,
this review will take place on an annual basis360.
The Executive Leadership Team
The President as the University’s chief executive officer has a team of executive leaders with
the experience required to perform the tasks for which they are responsible. There is an
executive group of seven that reports to the President with responsibility over the following
operational teams: (a) academic affairs; (b) student affairs; (c) organizational development and
human resources; (d) integrated communications; (d) finance and operations; (e) information
technology; and (e) development. The General Counsel reports to the President and the Board
of Trustees’ Audit Committee.
There is a larger Executive Leadership Team that also includes: the deputy chief academic
officer and the academic department heads who report to the Provost and Executive Vice
President for Academic Affairs; the University’s chief retention officer, who reports to the Vice
President and Dean of Student Affairs; the Director of the Pastoral Care Center; and the General
Counsel. All of them are highly qualified and experienced professionals (their curriculum vitae
is included in the Road Map) that have the credentials and professional experience that is
required to achieve Sagrado’s Mission, institutional objectives and key results361. The following
356 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. X, Sec. 3 (2018, p. 19); Presentations to the Board are available for review upon request. 357 Presentations to staff (2016); faculty (2016); and students (2015). 358 Estatutos Décima Revisión, Art. VI, Sec. 4 (b)(5), Art. IX, Sec. 9(l) (2018, pp. 5, 17). 359 The President’s process and evaluation are available for review upon request. 360 Política para el Pago de la Bonificación Discrecional por Desempeño del Presidente de la Universidad (2018) available for review upon request. 361 https://www.sagrado.edu/grupo-ejecutivo/
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organizational chart clearly documents the operational areas that integrate the Executive
Leadership Team and defines the reporting relationships.
Figure 9: Executive Leadership Team.
As a Mission-driven institution devoted to the education of the whole person, Sagrado is
committed to the success of each of its students. The new organizational chart reflects this
commitment by placing the “students” at the top of the chart and all academic, student affairs
and administrative units in service for the students.
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Figure 10: Organizational Chart.
President Marxuach-Torrós made important changes to Sagrado’s organizational structure that
are reflected in the above organizational charts. The first is the inclusion of the “students” in
the chart as a visible reminder of the institutional Mission that brings all members of the
community together in a shared purpose. There followed the separation of academic and
student affairs into different operational units with direct participation in the Executive
Leadership Team362. This change was necessary in view of the student-centered character of
the mission. It was important that an official responsible for Student Affairs and the voice of
the students be a full member of the Executive Leadership Team. Prior to 2015, Sagrado had a
chief academic and student affairs officer under the title of Dean of Academic and Student
Affairs363. This changed in August 2015 with the appointment of a new Provost and Executive
362 Organizational chart (2016). 363 Organizational chart (2014).
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Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the promotion of the previous Assistant Dean for
Student Affairs to the new position of the Vice-president and Dean for Student Affairs364. The
purpose of the double designation was to emphasize the executive character of both
appointments.
In view of the importance of organizational and employee development to the success of the
University, the human resources function was elevated to an executive position responsible for
organizational development and human resources365. A highly accomplished professional with
more than thirty years of experience in the field was hired in 2015 to lead this area366.
Previously, there was only a director of human resources who reported to the Dean of
Administration. Similarly, in view of the critical role of the University’s information technology
systems and infrastructure, the information technology function was also elevated to an
executive position and given responsibility for the IT operations of the whole University367.
Previously, there was a Director of the Center for Information Resources with limited
responsibilities368. In March 2018, a highly qualified professional was recruited to lead the
area369.
The areas of finance and operations have been consolidated under a new Vice-president for
Finance and Operations370. The previous Dean of Administration was responsible for operations
and purchasing while there was a separate Chief Financial Officer371. In 2017, after the
retirement the previous occupant, the President hired an experienced professional with
significant experience in higher education to improve the timeliness of financial information
and the breadth and depth of financial analysis and projections, while identifying opportunities
to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of resources. Finally, all marketing,
communications, public relations and calendar functions were consolidated in a new integrated
364 Comunicación a la comunidad (1 de septiembre de 2015). 365 Organizational chart (2016). 366 https://www.sagrado.edu/marilyn-figueroa-rivera/. 367 Organizational chart (2016). 368 Organizational chart (2014). 369 Comunicación a la comunidad (23 de febrero de 2018); Curriculum vitae of Luis Gotelli is in the Roadmap. 370 https://www.sagrado.edu/guillermo-m-nigaglioni/. 371 Organizational chart (2014).
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communications team, that includes the Office of Admissions372. An experienced marketing
professional was engaged in 2018 to lead this team373.
Members of the Executive Leadership Team serve as liaisons between the administration and
the Committees of the Board of Trustees and regularly interact with the Board. The Provost
and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs is the liaison for the Academic Affairs and
Honorary Degree Committee; the Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs for the Student
Affairs Committee; the Vice President for Finance and Operations for the Finance and
Investment, and the Infrastructure and Technology committees; the Vice President for
Development and University Relations for the Development Committee; and the General
Counsel for the Audit Committee. The President is an ex-officio member of all committees and
regularly attends committee meetings374.
The performance of the Executive Leadership Team that reports directly to the President has
been reviewed annually since 2015375. In 2017, a performance management system was
implemented for all administrative staff, including the academic leadership376. Since the
implementation of this system, it has been used to conduct the annual review of the Executive
Leadership Team members. This team is also driving the implementation of the 2017-2020
Strategic Plan throughout the University with the institutional objectives and key results for
2018-2019, which will flow through to all administrative staff as individual objectives in the
performance management system377.
The Academic and the Administrative Boards
Sagrado has two other official governance bodies to fulfill its institutional Mission: the
Academic Board and the Administrative Board. Faculty, students and staff participate in each of
these two bodies to foster collegial decision-making. Several members of the Executive
Leadership Team are ex-officio members of both bodies. Other members of the Executive
Leadership Team are regularly invited to participate.
372 Comunicación a la comunidad – Vice-presidenta de Comunicaciones Integradas (2015). 373 Comunicación a la comunidad (5 de marzo de 2018); Curriculum vitae of Laura García is in the Roadmap. 374 Manual de Procedimientos de los Comités Permanentes (pp. 23, 25, 27, 29). 375 Examples of performance evaluations are available for review upon request. 376 Examples of performance evaluations in ADP are available for review upon request. 377 Presentación del Plan Estratégico, Objetivos y Resultados Claves (2018).
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The Academic Board. The Academic Board is responsible for establishing the general policies
for the development of Sagrado’s academic project. The Board has its own by-laws and
handbook, which were last revised and updated in 2016378 and approved by the Board of
Trustees in 2017. The powers and responsibilities of the Academic Board are set forth in Article
III of its by-laws379 The President, the chief academic and the chief student affairs officers and
all academic department heads are ex-officio members of the Board380 The President of the
Student Council is also an ex-officio member381. The faculty members are elected directly by
academic unit and at large382 and one student member for each academic unit is elected
directly from the student body383. The Academic Board meets no less than 4 times a year, twice
per semester384. With participation from the faculty, students and members of the Executive
Leadership Team, its meetings foster dialogue and collegial decision-making regarding key
academic affairs issues. For example, the Academic Board has a permanent Curriculum
Committee that is responsible for reviewing all proposed changes to curricular structures and
new academic programs385. It has a Faculty Committee386, that was responsible for reviewing
and approving the changes to the Faculty Handbook that were presented to the Board of
Trustees for approval in March 2017387.
The Administrative Board. The Administrative Board is responsible for providing
recommendations regarding strategic planning with respect to administrative and financial
matters388. The Board has its own Regulation which were last revised and updated in 2017389,
and approved by the Board of Trustees also in 2017390. The President and several members of
the Executive Leadership Team are ex-officio members of the Board, as well the President of
378 Estatutos de la Junta Académica (2016); Reglamento de la Junta Académica (2016). 379 Estatutos de la Junta Académica, Art. III (A) (2016, p. 4). 380 Estatutos de la Junta Académica, Art. III (B)(1) (2016, p. 5). 381 Estatutos de la Junta Académica, Art. III (B)(1) (2016, p. 5). 382 Estatutos de la Junta Académica, Art. III (B)(2); Art. IV (2016, pp. 5, 6-7). 383 Estatutos de la Junta Académica, Art. IV (2016, pp. 7-8). 384 Reglamento de la Junta Académica, Art. II (2016, p. 3). 385 Estatutos de la Junta Académica, Art. VIII (C) (2016, pp. 10-11). 386 Estatutos de la Junta Académica, Art. VIII (C) (2016, pp. 12-13). 387 Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (30 de marzo de 2017), available for review upon request. 388 Reglamento de la Junta Administrativa, Art. B (2017). 389 Acta de la Junta Administrativa (17 de marzo de 2017). 390 Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (21 de junio de 2017), available for review upon request.
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the Student Council and the President of the Students Residents Council391. The members of
the Administrative Board are elected directly from the faculty and staff according to the
procedures established in the Board’s Regulation392. This is another example of an institutional
forum in which faculty, students, staff and members of the Executive Leadership Team come
together to discuss and make recommendations regarding important institutional matters.
Over the past few years the Administrative Board has been very active in the review and
approval of many institutional policies including the Employee Handbook393 approved by the
Board of Trustees in March 2017394. Every year, the Administrative Board reviews and makes
recommendations to the institutional budget395.
Assessment Processes. The Academic and the Administrative Boards do not currently have a
formal self-assessment process similar to the process established by the Board of Trustees.
Both Boards engage in assessment of their operations as attested by the reviews of their by-
laws and regulations that the Academic Board conducted in 2016396, and the Administrative
Board in 2017397. One of the recommendations of this Self-Study is to invite both boards to
consider establishing a formal process for the self-assessment of their operations. Another
recommendation is to invite both boards to review their areas of responsibilities as there may
be areas overlap in their functions, particularly with respect to strategic planning and policy
reviews as these areas are addressed by both boards.
Student Government Structures
Sagrado also has two official student government structures: the Student Council and the
Student Residents Council, discussed in detail in Standard IV. As explained above, the Student
Council plays a formal role in the Academic and the Administrative Boards and the Student
Council President is an ex-officio member of both boards398. The Student Residents Council
391 Reglamento de la Junta Administrativa, Art. C (1)(h) (2017, p. 2). 392 Reglamento de la Junta Administrativa, Art. C (3) (2017, p. 2). 393 Acta de la Junta Administrativa (17 de marzo de 2017). 394 Acta de la Junta de Síndicos (30 de marzo de 2017), available for review upon request. 395 Example of Budget Presentations to the Administrative Board: 2014-2015; 2015-2016; 2017-2018. 396 Estatutos de la Junta Académica (2016); Reglamento de la Junta Académica (2016). 397 Reglamento de la Junta Administrativa (2017). 398 Estatutos de la Junta Académica, Art. III (B) (2016, p. 5); Reglamento de la Junta Administrativa, Art. C (1)(h) (2016, p. 2).
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plays a formal role in the Administrative Board and its President is an ex-officio member399. The
Executive Leadership Team interacts significantly with both student government bodies in
student assemblies and meetings and other formal and informal functions throughout the
academic year. The Executive Leadership Team has an open-door policy and meets regularly
with student representatives. One of the findings of this Self-Study is that neither of these
student governing bodies has a governing statute or regulation and thus one important
recommendation is for both to formally develop and adopt a governing document that includes
a self-assessment process with the support of the Student Affairs Team.
Conclusion
The Mission of integral education for social solidarity requires the participation of all members
of the University community in the advancement of the Mission. Sagrado has developed
effective and participatory governance and administrative structures that allow the university
to fulfill its Mission and accomplish its institutional goals in a way that integrates and serves all
members of the community. These structures model the Mission by inclusion and participation.
Recommendation
In order to improve its governance structures, Sagrado should (a) invite the Academic and
Administrative Boards to establish self-assessment processes similar to the process followed by
the Board of Trustees; (b) invite both boards (Academic and Administrative) to evaluate ways to
avoid overlaps between their respective functions in areas where they may have shared
responsibilities such as strategic planning and policy reviews; and (c) recommend to the
Student Council and the Student Residents Council to consider adopting formal governance
documents that incorporate self-assessment processes.
399 Reglamento de la Junta Administrativa, Art. C (1)(i) (2016, p. 2).
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CONCLUSION
This Self-Study conclusively demonstrates that the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón
meets MSCHE’s Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation.
Sagrado has a deeply-engrained Mission, lived with passion and integrity, to provide an
excellent integral education for social solidarity grounded in the arts of liberty, in a community
of faculty, students, staff, trustees, alumni and collaborators, committed to the quality of the
student’s integral experience and anchored in the dignity of each person as created in the
image and likeness of God; and that Sagrado is constantly assessing its own performance and
innovating to keep the Mission alive and responsive to the signs of the times, with the support
of a strong governance and administrative structure.
This Self-Study shows that Sagrado is faithful to its founding charism and historical wellsprings
in the Society of the Sacred Heart: “education is, of itself, an act of justice”—an act of justice for
the person educated and an act of justice for the community the person will serve. This is the
double solidarity at the heart of our Mission. This Self-Study shows that this community always
strives, however imperfectly, to achieve this fundamental goal. Sagrado’s immediate response
to hurricane Maria and its subsequent reflection and development of the RBK Project are the
latest examples of this commitment in a proud history of 138 years of service. Puerto Rico and
Sagrado are living through challenging times, but Sagrado has always responded to adversity by
opting for solidarity and hope.
As this Self-Study shows, there is much work to be done to reach Sagrado’s noblest aspirations.
There are recommendations for further action in each standard. The community came
together to after Maria and it came together for this Self-Study. A deep gratitude is owed. St.
Magdalene Sophie Barat’s commitment is alive: “for the sake of one child, I would have
founded the Society.” The success of each student is sacred. The work of building a “more
authentically Christian society, a community of solidarity, in justice and peace” is never
finished.