NWCCU ACCREDITATION

SURVIVING THE SEVEN-YEAR CYCLE THROUGH PLANNING, COLLABORATION AND INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT

Erin Aselas, Director, Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Established in 1978 Private, non-profit Multi-disciplinary,

health-sciences University

The main campus in Kenmore, WA (a suburb of Seattle) with an alternate location in San Diego, CA

Bastyr University

Natural Health Arts and Sciences Bachelor’s completion programs Master’s degree programs Professional doctoral degree programs Graduate and undergrad

certificate programs

Bastyr University’s Programs

Natural Health Arts and Sciences Naturopathic Medicine Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Nutrition Exercise Science Midwifery Health Psychology Herbal Sciences

Bastyr University’s Programs

Population = 1035 (fall ‘12 census) Median Age = 30 Graduate Level = 76.8% Undergrad Level = 23.2%

Bastyr University’s 2012 Student Body

Full-time faculty = 53 Part-time faculty = 112 Full-time staff = 218 Part-time staff = 152

Bastyr’s 2011 Staff and Faculty

Bastyr’s Timeline/Context

Old Process: Bastyr’s last comprehensive (full) self-study

was in 2002 New Process

March 2011: Submitted first year report March 2012: Submitted revised first, third, fifth

and seventh year reports (as one “comprehensive” self-study).

June 2012: Notified of reaffirmation of regional accreditation status by NWCCU

Coming up March 2013: First year report (again!)

Self-Study Authors

Primary Authors: Timothy C. Callahan, PhD, Senior Vice President and Provost

Erin Aselas, MBA, Director, Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Contributing Authors: University President, Vice Presidents, Deans, Department Chairs, Finance, Admissions, Registrar, HR, IT, Library, Facilities, Research, Continuing Ed,

Faculty Services and Course Assessments.

Other Contributors: Department Chairs, Marketing and Communications, and Board of Directors subcommittee on

EducationEditor: Pat Baird

Proofreader: Suzanne Chase

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Revised NWCCU Accreditation Cycle

First Year

Year 1 Report (Standard 1)

Third Year

Year 3 Report(Standard 2)

Includes revised Year 1

Seventh Year

Year 7 Report (Standards 3-

5)

Includes revised Years 1& 3

Site Visit

Site Visit

The Importance of Preplanning

Framework for the NWCCU Self-Study:

Planning: Components of our Self-Study

Mission & Vision

Strategic Plan Master Plan

Financial plan

Collaboration: The “Strategic Planning” Process

2007-2008 institution-wide process involving all members of the Bastyr Community.

Primarily the administration and upper middle management staff

Academic deans and involved faculty Active students Board members Select line staff

Outcomes: 2007: Revised Mission and Vision Statements 2008: Six major strategic initiatives

Collaboration

Deliberate and inclusive collaboration with all concerned parties leads to a more robust self-study and generates a feeling of shared ownership and accountability.

The Importance of Strategic Plan

Don’t have a “real” strategic plan?

Get one! … But do it the “right way"

Methods for Completing the Self-Study

Development of Core Themes

Our Mission

We educate future leaders in the natural health arts and sciences. Respecting the healing power of nature and recognizing that body, mind and spirit are intrinsically

inseparable, we model an integrated approach to education, research and

clinical service.

Development of Core Themes

Core Themes = Mission

Mission = Core Themes

Keep the number low and keep it simple!

Development of Core Themes

Our Mission

We educate future leaders in the natural health arts and sciences. Respecting the healing power of nature and recognizing that body, mind and spirit are intrinsically

inseparable, we model an integrated approach to education, research and

clinical service.

Development of Core Themes

Our Mission

We educate future leaders in the natural health arts and sciences. Respecting the healing power of nature and recognizing that body, mind and spirit are intrinsically

inseparable, we model an integrated approach to education, research and

clinical service.

Development of Core Themes

Our Mission

We educate future leaders in the natural health arts and sciences. Respecting the healing power of nature and recognizing that body, mind and spirit are intrinsically

inseparable, we model an integrated approach to education, research and

clinical service.

Development of Core Themes

Our Mission

We educate future leaders in the natural health arts and sciences. Respecting the healing power of nature and recognizing that body, mind and spirit are intrinsically inseparable, we model an

to and

integrated approach education,researchclinical service.

Development of Core Themes

integrated approach

education

research

clinical service

Core Theme One

Academic Achievement

Core Theme Two

Research in the Natural Health Arts and Sciences

Core Theme Three

Clinical Training and Community Health

Core Theme Four

Interdisciplinary Integration

Planning for Institutional Assessment Choosing measurements that are both

meaningful and reflective of an institution as a whole, simplify the self-study by generalizing outcomes.

Collaboration: Developing the Goals, Objectives and Indicators for each Core Theme Nearly all academic and support

departments were consulted during the development process to carefully select goals, objectives and indicators of achievement that appropriately support and measure the core themes in the NWCCU self-study and, ultimately, the mission of the University.

Results

Planning

The strategic plan was the foundation for Bastyr’s NWCCU self-study.

Collaboration

The NWCCU site visitors commended Bastyr on its “shared sense of purpose and dedication within the university community.”

Institutional Assessment

Singular program or department specific outcomes were grouped together to show comprehensive outcomes. The use of similar measures across departments and programs allowed indicators to be generalized yet still meaningful.

Lessons Learned & Tips

Hindsight:

Standards 3B and 4

¡Ay, caramba, what a challenge that was to understand what the commission wanted us to write about!

Feel free to use ours if you like it. Unfortunately not yet searchable on our site: http://

www2.bastyr.edu/ftp/strategic_planning/Bastyr_University_Comprehensive_Self-Evaluation_Report_2012.pdf

Maybe easier … there's a link on my LinkedIn page under “Projects”: http://www.linkedin.com/in/erinaselas

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Changing Indicators

If they are not meaningful or flawed indicators – change them … with explanation.

Try to involve all students, faculty, and staff in the process

We were praised greatly for this. Deans Faculty Administration Staff Administration Board members Email/Hallway posters Students

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Site Visit: Treat your Site Visitors as… Guests

Make it is easy for your site visitors.

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Site Visit: Preparing your Staff/Faculty Explain to your staff/faculty the

importance of this process.

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Site Visit: Scheduling Meetings Build a schedule around student

and faculty schedules first

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Site Visit: Supporting Documents 90% electronic documents (soft copies) 10% paper documents (hard copies)

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Site Visit: Be Candid

Don’t be afraid to discuss candidly your shortcomings… at the same time be smart about it.

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Or Feel Free to Share Your Own Ideas

Q & A

easelas@bastyr.edu