SACS CASI Letter, January 13, 2010

7/31/2019 SACS CASI Letter, January 13, 2010

1/13

From: Lowdermilk, SueSent: Friday, January 15, 2010 10:19 AMTo: Buddy Armour; Catherine Thomas; Karen Sain; Hairfield, Rob; Stroup, Susan V.; Wilkinson,SamCc: Stellar, Art; Sherrill, Rick; Cox, Anthony JSubject: SACS CASI Report

To: Board of EducationCc: Mr. Rick Sherrill, Mr. Tony CoxFrom: Dr. Art Stellar, SuperintendentRe: SACS CASI ReportDate: January 15, 2010

The attached SACS CASI report is pretty much what was expected for where wewere at the time. Progress has been made since then. Two of the recommendations,superintendent selection and Hairfield censure were considered completed without

any directives for further action. Most were marked, Has Not Addressed as our plans and documentation were just starting when they visited. In a few cases wewere given credit for being, In Progress, with only initial documentation which isvery encouraging.

The follow up visit is scheduled for May 10-13. Another interim report is required by March 12 th and on May 1 st an Institution Progress Report is to be submitted.

There are several references such as: The system must establish and enforce policiesand procedures for actions when board policies are not followed by board members.Of particular importance in this regard is recommendation #7 (page 6) on the ethics

policy.

Directives: A code of conduct, reflective of the work in Recommendation #3, should accompany the ethics policy. Once approved, the ethics policy must have the commitment of each board member. The policy must contain appropriate steps for monitoring its implementation and consequences for individual board members who violate the policy.

We will have to add back what we dropped on Monday as this is the specifics theywant in a code of conduct which we can achieve by labeling it code of conduct with afew minor adjustments. The directive is that the policy must contain appropriatesteps for monitoring its implementation and consequences for individual board

members who violate the policy. Using what was dropped and re-labeling it code of conduct will meet this directive.

Several times throughout the report statements indicated that, With the assistanceof a consultant or through professional growth activities or Objectiveconsultants secured from outside Burke County and professional growth sessionsimplemented. These directives are clearly counter to what some would like (alllocal and at no cost), however, the board has no choice if accreditation is desired.


2/13

The conclusion beginning on page 8 contain some significant requirements. Theemphasis is upon the entire board working together to become, The board.

Since the SACS CASI visit a great deal has been accomplished in terms of planning

workshops. Further aspects of this schedule will be completed early next week.However, SACS CASI clearly has in mind for these workshops to create highstandards of behavior of the board members, collectively and individually.

Documentation can be collected to show that workshops were planned and held.The change in behavior will be primarily assessed by SACS CASI from boardmeeting tapes and from what people tell them. Hence, as a board member, you havethe added burden of convincing as many people as possible that your behavior hasindeed changed or demonstrated the highest level of professionalism through your actual behavior. This opportunity presents a tremendous challenge. Regainingaccreditation is important enough to be worth the effort.

This email is for the sole use of the individual or entity to whom it has been addressed. If you are neither the intended recipient,nor an agent responsible for delivering this email to the intended recipient, any disclosure, retransmission, copying, or takingaction in reliance upon the message contained herein is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, you shouldnotify the sender immediately. All email correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina publicrecords law, which could result in monitoring and disclosure to third parties, including law enforcement.


3/13


4/13


5/13


6/13


7/13


8/13


9/13


10/13


11/13


12/13


13/13

SACS CASI Letter, January 13, 2010

Documents

Transcript of SACS CASI Letter, January 13, 2010