ACCREDITATIONACCREDITATION

Goals:Goals:

- Certify to the public and to - Certify to the public and to educational organizations that educational organizations that the school is recognized as an the school is recognized as an effective institution of learningeffective institution of learning

- Improve the school’s - Improve the school’s programs and operations that programs and operations that support student learning support student learning

WHO CERTIFIESWHO CERTIFIES

North Central Association of Schools North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA founded in 1895)and Colleges (NCA founded in 1895)– Purpose: Encourage & support Purpose: Encourage & support

cooperative relationships among cooperative relationships among member schools colleges and member schools colleges and universities (over 1000 in 19 states)universities (over 1000 in 19 states)

– The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the NCA grants the accreditationof the NCA grants the accreditation

NCA AREA OF NCA AREA OF OPERATIONSOPERATIONS

FOCUSFOCUS

ASSESS the effectiveness of the ASSESS the effectiveness of the scope and quality of student scope and quality of student learninglearning

Make recommendations for Make recommendations for improvementimprovement

ASSIST the institution in carrying ASSIST the institution in carrying out improvements to operational out improvements to operational effectivenesseffectiveness

WHY DOES A SCHOOL WHY DOES A SCHOOL NEED ACCREDITATION?NEED ACCREDITATION? Assures the community that the Assures the community that the

purpose and scope of its’ education purpose and scope of its’ education programs are viable and effective.programs are viable and effective.

Validates the integrity of a school’s Validates the integrity of a school’s programs and its’ transcriptsprograms and its’ transcripts

Fosters continual improvement Fosters continual improvement efforts for programs that support efforts for programs that support student learningstudent learning

ACCREDITATION HELPS ACCREDITATION HELPS FOSTER:FOSTER:

Course transfer between institutionsCourse transfer between institutions Scholarships – often granted only for Scholarships – often granted only for

attendance at accredited schoolsattendance at accredited schools Acceptance of students to programs Acceptance of students to programs

at the next levelat the next level Influences teacher salary scheduleInfluences teacher salary schedule

ACCREDITATION ACCREDITATION EXPECTS:EXPECTS:

Clear and appropriate mission/goal Clear and appropriate mission/goal statementsstatements

High achievement of studentsHigh achievement of students Effective and varied assessmentsEffective and varied assessments Plans that are aligned to findingsPlans that are aligned to findings Ongoing improvement and Ongoing improvement and

accountabilityaccountability Total involvement and collaborationTotal involvement and collaboration

OUR ASSESSMENT OUR ASSESSMENT WILL BE BASED ON:WILL BE BASED ON:

Our mission and programs and the Our mission and programs and the HLC’s standards for evidence of:HLC’s standards for evidence of:– Student learningStudent learning– Governance and administrationGovernance and administration– Student servicesStudent services– Financial stabilityFinancial stability– Resources: Faculty, staff, capital, Resources: Faculty, staff, capital,

technology, etc.. technology, etc..

CONT’DCONT’D

Every process and aspect of Every process and aspect of institutional operationsinstitutional operations

Relationships with internal and Relationships with internal and external constituenciesexternal constituencies

STEPS IN THE STEPS IN THE ACCREDITATION ACCREDITATION

PROCESSPROCESS Annual reports to the HLCAnnual reports to the HLC Multiyear self study processMultiyear self study process

– A process for critical self evaluationA process for critical self evaluation– Needs to be open, transparent and Needs to be open, transparent and

should engage the entire college should engage the entire college and all constituenciesand all constituencies

– 1. Self study 2. Site visit 3. Follow 1. Self study 2. Site visit 3. Follow upup

EVERYONE’S EVERYONE’S INVOLVED?INVOLVED?

All stakeholdersAll stakeholders– AdministrationAdministration– StaffStaff– FacultyFaculty– StudentsStudents– AlumniAlumni– BoardBoard– The communityThe community

SPECIFIC ROLESSPECIFIC ROLES

Steering CommitteeSteering Committee Criterion subcommitteesCriterion subcommittees

– Five criterion which went into effect Five criterion which went into effect in 2005in 2005

Evaluative writersEvaluative writers Hospitality coordinatorsHospitality coordinators

FIVE CRITERIONFIVE CRITERION

2. Preparing 2. Preparing for the futurefor the future

3. Student Learning

4. Acquisition, discovery, &

applied knowledge

5. Engagement & Service

1. Mission &

Integrity

UNDER THE FIVE UNDER THE FIVE CRITERIACRITERIA

21 Core components21 Core components– Four to five under each criteriaFour to five under each criteria

Four themes or effectiveness Four themes or effectiveness indicatorsindicators

This provides the structure and This provides the structure and back drop for the self studyback drop for the self study

FOUR THEMESFOUR THEMES

The FUTURE oriented organizationThe FUTURE oriented organization The LEARNING FOCUSED The LEARNING FOCUSED

organizationorganization The CONNECTED organizationThe CONNECTED organization The DISTINCTIVE organizationThe DISTINCTIVE organization

FUTURE-ORIENTED FUTURE-ORIENTED

Our key theme for criterion twoOur key theme for criterion two– Engages in planningEngages in planning– Driven by the missionDriven by the mission– Accommodates social and economic Accommodates social and economic

changechange– Focuses on future needs of the Focuses on future needs of the

constituentsconstituents– Integrates new technologyIntegrates new technology

FUTUREFUTURE

Visualize what will be differentVisualize what will be different– One year from nowOne year from now– Two years from nowTwo years from now– Three years from nowThree years from now– Further down the roadFurther down the road

1. MISSION AND 1. MISSION AND INTEGRITYINTEGRITY

The organization operated with The organization operated with integrity to ensure fulfillment of integrity to ensure fulfillment of its’ mission through structures its’ mission through structures and processes that involve the and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, board, administration, faculty, staff, and studentsstaff, and students

2. PREPARING FOR 2. PREPARING FOR THE FUTURETHE FUTURE

The organization’s allocation of The organization’s allocation of resources and its’ processes for resources and its’ processes for evaluation and planning evaluation and planning demonstrate its’ capacity to fulfill demonstrate its’ capacity to fulfill its’ mission, improve the quality its’ mission, improve the quality of its’ education, and respond to of its’ education, and respond to future challenges and future challenges and opportunitiesopportunities

3. STUDENT LEARNING 3. STUDENT LEARNING & EFFECTIVE & EFFECTIVE

TEACHINGTEACHING The organization provides The organization provides

evidence of student learning and evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that teaching effectiveness that demonstrates fulfillment of its’ demonstrates fulfillment of its’ educational missioneducational mission

4. ACQUISITION, 4. ACQUISITION, DISCOVERY,DISCOVERY,& APPLYING KNOWLEDGE& APPLYING KNOWLEDGE The organization promotes a The organization promotes a

culture of learning for faculty, culture of learning for faculty, administration, staff, and administration, staff, and students by fostering and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with the in ways consistent with the missionmission

5. ENGAGEMENT & 5. ENGAGEMENT & SERVICESERVICE

The organization identifies its’ The organization identifies its’ constituents and serves them in constituents and serves them in ways mutually valuedways mutually valued

BACK TO CRITERION BACK TO CRITERION TWOTWO

Four core componentsFour core components– 2a: The organization realistically 2a: The organization realistically

prepares for a future shaped by prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trendsmultiple societal and economic trends

– 2b: The organization’s resource base 2b: The organization’s resource base supports its’ educational programs supports its’ educational programs and its’ plans for maintaining and and its’ plans for maintaining and strengthening their quality in the strengthening their quality in the futurefuture

TWO CONT’DTWO CONT’D

– 2c: The organization’s ongoing 2c: The organization’s ongoing evaluation and assessment processes evaluation and assessment processes provide reliable evidence of provide reliable evidence of institutional effectiveness that clearly institutional effectiveness that clearly informs strategies for continuous informs strategies for continuous improvementimprovement

– 2d: All levels of planning align with 2d: All levels of planning align with the organization’s mission, thereby the organization’s mission, thereby enhancing its’ capacity to fulfill that enhancing its’ capacity to fulfill that mission mission

WHAT DO WE DO?WHAT DO WE DO?

Assign teams and tasksAssign teams and tasks Dedicate time Dedicate time Answer criteria questions with Answer criteria questions with

short answers or bullet phrasesshort answers or bullet phrases Find evidence and documentationFind evidence and documentation ExamplesExamples ConsolidateConsolidate WriteWrite

NEED TEAM WORKNEED TEAM WORK

To do until we meet:To do until we meet:– Find evidenceFind evidence– What do we expect in the future?What do we expect in the future?– How are we planning to How are we planning to

accommodate?accommodate?– How will we budget to meet expected How will we budget to meet expected

needs?needs?– How have we modified or changed as How have we modified or changed as

a reaction to feedback/assessmenta reaction to feedback/assessment

THANKS FOR YOUR THANKS FOR YOUR TIMETIME

Questions/discussionQuestions/discussion