Think Like an Accreditation Reviewer

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Michael JohnsonSenior Vice President/Chief of Staff

Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsCommission on Colleges

Prepared for the UNCF Institute for Capacity Building

Memphis, TNFebruary 14, 2014

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3Navigating Accreditation

Goals for this Session

Who is your reviewer?

Reviewer likes

Reviewer dislikes and Red Flags

Examples and advice

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Facts About Your Accreditation Reviewers

Peers at similar institutions

Volunteers

Not from your state

Have higher education experience

Not reading materials cover-to-cover

Are all from Missouri

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What a Reviewer Likes

Direct Answers

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"Just the Facts, Ma’am.”

What a Reviewer Likes

Direct Answers

Stick to the Standard

Appropriate Supporting Documents

Clean Navigation of Materials

Requests for additional materials to be honored (On-Site Committees)

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What a Reviewer Dislikes

Abbreviations/acronyms

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THECB

SCHEV

IEAR

ERMA

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What a Reviewer Dislikes

Abbreviations/Acronyms

All Material Treated as Equal

Hunting within a Document

Wasting Time with Irrelevant Information

Being Insulted

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Red Flag

Using Future Tense in Reports!

“We will soon be developing expected learning outcomes for each of our majors.”

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Red Flag

Saying you are in compliance when you obviously are NOT!

“The institution maintains good control over all of its financial resources. The most recent audit management letter confirms this.” [management letter had 4 findings, with 2 material weaknesses and both of these also repeat findings.]

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Red Flag

Two parts of the report contradict each other.

1. Standard on “institution-related entities” says that Michael College has no related entities such as a foundation.

2. The most recent Michael College financial audit mentions the “Michael College Foundation” in a Note.

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Mike Johnson’s Top 12 List

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ACCREDITATIONPARTY!