Evidence: Early and Often!

Evidence: Early and Often! Pam Braden

West Virginia University at Parkersburg

@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016

Agenda & Outcomes for the Session:

• Use CampusLabs 101 – Assurance Argument and Evidence Files

• Get Organized!

• SAVE and Back-up everything!

• Make it pretty and easy to view.

• Answer the question: Does it add value?

• Edit and Delete

• Upload and Let it Go!

• Think about a few more tips


You will understand how to:

CampusLabs 101

Assurances Argument

Evidence Files


CampusLabs 101

Assurances Argument

• Narrative – tell the story

• Word limit = 35,000

• No pictures or graphs (a little boring. . . )

Evidence Files

• Opportunity to provide detail

• MUST be linked within the narrative.

• Reviewer may not read every single document – especially if there are too many.

35,000 words =SAVE words – Don’t repeat!

Links to evidence in Assurances Argument

• OK to link an evidence doc more than once using the same name.

• MUST link every evidence doc in the Assurances Argument or reviewers will not see it.

Linked “sources” will ALSO be listed at the bottom using the file name.

These words do NOT count against total word count.

You add content here in the Assurances Argument.

No pix, no charts

Going Going and Get Organized!

Where do I start?


Prep - Watch the videos (If all else fails, read the directions!)

• ACBSP.org help and training.

• http://www.acbsp.org/?page=accred_webreporting

http://www.acbsp.org/?page=accred_webreporting

Use your mentor

• ACBSP provides a mentor for schools going through initial accreditation process.

• Take advantage of the mentor. Have her READ the evidence files and give you suggestions along the way.

Use the “recommended” tables

Complete each “suggested” table and include in an Evidence file for each

standard. Save it is “Figure 1.1 Impact on

Society”

Organizing Evidence Files

Choose an approach:1. By Standard Number

1. 5A.12 Faculty Qualifications by Credit Production Summary

2. OR - By Topic1. Faculty Qualifications

3. OR – By Unit 1. Academic 2. Institutional 3. Student Services


Organizing tips

• For “suggested” tables, use the name given in the standard.

• Links in the Assurance Argument

Examples of file naming protocol:

By Standard:

• 1.1a-1

• 1.1a-2

By Topic:

Faculty Qualifications

1. FacQual1 – HR Plan

2. FacQual2 – HR Policies in one doc (qualifications, hiring, promotion, tenure, evaluation, etc.)

When in doubt. . . SAVE it!

Assurances Argument

Evidence Files


Save your mind. . . Save (and back up) everything!

1. Easier to delete files than to find them at the last minute.

2. Prep for Murphy - Back-up, back-up, back-up.

3. Email the files to yourself.

4. Google Drive, external hard drive, iCloud, Amazon cloud

5. Shared drive on your institutional server


Make it pretty and easy to view


Presentation really IS everything!

Easy to read & easy to find

1. Reviewers = won’t read every word of every evidence file.

2. Use CampusLabs’ links within documents technique to take the reader straight to the “good (AKA important) stuff.”


Does it add VALUE?

Think like a reviewer


Value = Eyes of the beholder. ..

BEST = Include all docs in one super-doc

Demonstrate how you collected data and used it to make decisions.

Adding extra docs is like padding a research paper with quotes instead of hard research and analysis.

Edit and Delete!

Find a buddy to read!


Find a buddy

Use an external EXPERT reader.

Ask an English faculty expert to read. Dr. Sandra K is my BFF!

Institutional Research Guru

Jeremy is my IR guy. I need him for data on student profile, enrollment, retention, and help with analysis of assessment data.

The end is near. . . Edit and delete

If you have TONS of documents, think like a reviewer

1. Do not provide multiple examples to prove a point.

2. Charts and graphs show trend analysis.

3. More is NOT better!

4. Delete extras and excess. Keep everything as back-up – just in case.


Upload and Celebrate!


Upload it and forget it.

You will NEVER feel “done.”

As you approach the deadline for lock-down, set a time to STOP.

Don’t obsess about what you forgot.

The reviewers can and will ask for additional documentation for info they want to review.

Tips and examples. . .


Show the cycle with documents

1. Especially for assessment, the most important evidence is to show how you used the data collected. Include:

1. Minutes of faculty meetings where you discussed the changes.

2. Show the next iteration. After the changes were implemented, assess again and show improvements.

3. Demonstrate continuous improvement – not just one data set.


Provide most recent info available

Even though your “self study YEAR” was 14-15, if there is new info, INCLUDE IT!

Team will ask for newer info before or during the visit.


SUPER Evidence Files:Include Table of Contents / Cover Sheet

• For each major evidence section, include a TOC that serves as a cover sheet. – List the items included.

– Provide page numbers.

– Adobe or other imaging software helps create “master doc” creation.

• No matter what File Naming Protocol you use, every file will download as a number!


“Super” Evidence File for Standard 2:

Strategic Planning – Include:A. How was Strat Plan developed, who participated – minutes

A. Ev Doc: Integration with Institutional Strat PlanB. Ev Doc: SoB Strategic Plan C. Ev Doc: Advisory Board participationD. Ev Doc: Faculty participation

B. How did plan guide decision making? (Concrete examples - HR plan. . New hiring decisions)

C. Budget reflects Strat Plan – include a copy of budget and show alignment with Strat Plan

D. Other examples that demonstrate how the plan was implemented and helped influence decision making.


Standard 1 - Leadership

• Policy – show how/where faculty and stakeholders can find the policy (web page link, Faculty Handbook, etc.)

• Show how the policy was applied to decision making– Copy of Division Chair’s evaluation

– Example of faculty’s evaluation including CV

• Link to budgetClever “Smart Art” graphics aren’t

really instructive.

Standard 3 – Student and Stakeholder Focus

GOOD – definitely include:

• Examples of Student Satisfaction data collection– CCSSE or NSSE or Noel

Levitz – “canned” data

– Student Evaluation of Instruction

– “Open door” policy

BETTER – ADD:

• Example of a specific student concern

• How it was brought forward

• How it was handled

• Student satisfaction with result (close the loop)

More thoughts:

1. You can add evidence during the visit.

2. Reviewers must consider everything you included –even if it is in the wrong place or presented during the visit.

3. Perfection is not the goal. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT is the goal.

4. Demonstrate your SoB’s efforts to learn and get better.

Prof. Pam Contact Info

Pam Braden

Professor of Business

WVU at Parkersburg

[email protected]

304.372.6992

@pambraden

mailto:[email protected]

Evidence: Early and Often!

Education

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