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Preparing for Cañada College’s
Institutional Self Study
Dr. Deborah G. Blue, Vice PresidentDecember 2, 2005
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Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
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What we will cover today
Accreditation and the ACCJC/WASC Standards of accreditation Themes in the standardsThe Importance of evidenceOrganizing the college community for self studyResources for doing a self studyPractical matters: the report, the visit, andfollow-up
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Accreditation and the ACCJC/WASC
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Regional AccreditationRegional Accreditation
Regional accreditation is conducted Regional accreditation is conducted by seven agencies in the U.S., each by seven agencies in the U.S., each with its own geographic region.with its own geographic region.
Regional accreditors accredit the Regional accreditors accredit the wholewhole institution. institution.
Regional accreditors are recognized Regional accreditors are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education by the U.S. Department of Education
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The Purposes of Accreditation The Purposes of Accreditation are:are:
To provide assurance to the public To provide assurance to the public that education provided by institutions that education provided by institutions meets acceptable levels of qualitymeets acceptable levels of quality
To promote continuous institutional To promote continuous institutional improvementimprovement
To raise the quality of higher To raise the quality of higher educational institutions in the educational institutions in the region/nation region/nation
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The ACCJCThe ACCJC //WASC Region Region
The region includes California, The region includes California, Hawai‛i, Territories of Guam and Hawai‛i, Territories of Guam and American Samoa, the American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the Republic of Palau, the Marianas, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
The region includes public, private, The region includes public, private, secular, faith-based, non-profit and secular, faith-based, non-profit and for-profit institutions. for-profit institutions.
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The ACCJC The ACCJC
The Commission is composed of The Commission is composed of nineteen members including three nineteen members including three administrators, five faculty, five public administrators, five faculty, five public members, and one representative of members, and one representative of the California Community College the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, the Western Pacific Chancellor’s Office, the Western Pacific colleges, the Hawai‛i Community colleges, the Hawai‛i Community Colleges, the independent colleges, the Colleges, the independent colleges, the ACSCU/WASC and the Commission on ACSCU/WASC and the Commission on Schools/WASC. Schools/WASC.
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ACCJC encourages and ACCJC encourages and supports institutional supports institutional development through:development through:
Establishing standards of quality based upon Establishing standards of quality based upon excellent practices in higher education excellent practices in higher education
Evaluating institutions with these standards Evaluating institutions with these standards using a three-part process that entailsusing a three-part process that entails Institutional Self StudyInstitutional Self Study Peer ReviewPeer Review Commission ReviewCommission Review
ACCJC Bylaws, ACCJC Bylaws, Accreditation Reference HandbookAccreditation Reference Handbook, p. 145, p. 145
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Standards of Accreditation and Their
Evolution
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Are necessary conditions for high - quality education
Reflect best practice in higher education, not common practice
Apply to diverse institutions
Standards of Accreditation:
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The ACCJC StandardsThe ACCJC Standards
Standard I: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness
Standard II: Student Learning Programs and Services
Standard III: ResourcesStandard IV: Leadership and Governance
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Standard I: Institutional Mission and Effectiveness
A. Mission – A. Mission – The institution:The institution: Defines its purposeDefines its purpose Defines its intended populationDefines its intended population Defines its commitment to student Defines its commitment to student
learninglearning
continued…continued…
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B. Improving Institutional B. Improving Institutional Effectiveness – Effectiveness – The institution:The institution:
Provides evidence of student Provides evidence of student achievement and student learning achievement and student learning outcomesoutcomes
Provides evidence of program review and Provides evidence of program review and ongoing, systematic evaluation ongoing, systematic evaluation
Provides evidence of cyclical and linked Provides evidence of cyclical and linked planningplanning
Provides evidence of improvementProvides evidence of improvement
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Standard II: Student Learning Programs and
ServicesA. Instructional Programs – A. Instructional Programs – The The
institution:institution: Offers high quality instructional programsOffers high quality instructional programs Identifies student learning outcomes and Identifies student learning outcomes and
evaluates how well students are learningevaluates how well students are learning Assesses student achievementAssesses student achievement Assesses programs systematicallyAssesses programs systematically Assures quality and improvement of Assures quality and improvement of allall
programsprogramscontinued…continued…
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B. Student Support Services – B. Student Support Services – The The institution:institution:
Identifies and meets the diverse learning Identifies and meets the diverse learning support needs of its students support needs of its students
Provides precise and accurate information Provides precise and accurate information about the institution to students and the publicabout the institution to students and the public
Assesses services systematicallyAssesses services systematically Assures quality and improvement of servicesAssures quality and improvement of services
continued…continued…
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C. Library and Learning Support Services C. Library and Learning Support Services – – The institution:The institution:
Offers sufficient services to support Offers sufficient services to support instructional programsinstructional programs
Includes library, tutoring, technology and Includes library, tutoring, technology and other learning support servicesother learning support services
Trains students and staff to use these Trains students and staff to use these servicesservices
Assesses services systematicallyAssesses services systematically Assures quality and improvement of servicesAssures quality and improvement of services
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Standard III: ResourcesA. Human resources – The institution:
Employs qualified personnel Evaluates all personnel Ensures professional development of
personnel Assesses its performance in
employment equity and diversity Uses human resources to support
student learning Integrates human resource planning
with institutional planning
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B. Physical Resources – The institution: Provides safe and sufficient facilities and
equipment Evaluates the quality of its physical
resources on a regular basis Ensures physical resources support
student learning Integrates physical resource planning
with institutional planning
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C. Technology Resources – the institution: Ensures its technology supports facilities,
research and college-wide communication Provides training to students and
personnel in the use of technology Ensures that technology supports student
learning programs and services Integrates technology planning with
institutional planning
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D. Financial Resources – the institution: Ensures fiscal stability and integrity Plans for short-term and long-term
financial needs Ensures that financial resources are
sufficient to support student learning programs and services and to improve institutional effectiveness
Integrates financial planning with institutional planning
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Standard IV: Leadership and Governance
A. Decision-Making Roles and A. Decision-Making Roles and Processes – Processes – The institution:The institution:
Uses ethical and effective leadership that Uses ethical and effective leadership that enables it to identify values, set and achieve enables it to identify values, set and achieve goals, learn, and improvegoals, learn, and improve
Provides for staff, faculty, administrator, and Provides for staff, faculty, administrator, and student involvement in governancestudent involvement in governance
Establishes and evaluates the effectiveness of Establishes and evaluates the effectiveness of governance structures and processesgovernance structures and processes
Ensures that governance supports student Ensures that governance supports student learning and improves institutional learning and improves institutional effectivenesseffectiveness
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B. B. Board and Administrative Board and Administrative Organization – Organization – the institution:the institution:
Has a governing board that sets policy, assures Has a governing board that sets policy, assures quality and integrity of student learning quality and integrity of student learning programs and services and financial stabilityprograms and services and financial stability
Has a chief administrator that provides Has a chief administrator that provides leadership for institutional quality and leadership for institutional quality and improvementimprovement
Has clearly defined and effective lines of Has clearly defined and effective lines of authority and responsibility between colleges authority and responsibility between colleges and the district/system in a multi-college and the district/system in a multi-college system. system.
Ensures that board and administrative Ensures that board and administrative organization supports student learning and organization supports student learning and improves institutional effectivenessimproves institutional effectiveness
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Themes in the Standards
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Six themes integrate the standards:
Dialogue Student Learning
Outcomes Institutional
Commitments
Evaluation, Planning, and Improvement
Organization Institutional
Integrity
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DialogueDialogue
The institution should:The institution should:
Engage in inclusive, informed, and Engage in inclusive, informed, and intentional dialogue about institutional intentional dialogue about institutional quality and improvementquality and improvement
Ensure participation in reflection and Ensure participation in reflection and exchange by as many members of the exchange by as many members of the college community as is feasiblecollege community as is feasible
continued…continued…
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Base dialogue on reliable information Base dialogue on reliable information about the college’s programs and services about the college’s programs and services and evidence on how well the institution is and evidence on how well the institution is meeting student needsmeeting student needs
Employ quantitative and qualitative Employ quantitative and qualitative information that is responsive to a clear information that is responsive to a clear inquiry, meaningfully interpreted, and inquiry, meaningfully interpreted, and broadly communicatedbroadly communicated
Expect ongoing self-reflection and Expect ongoing self-reflection and conscious improvement as a resultconscious improvement as a result
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Student Learning Outcomes
The institution should:The institution should: Identify intended SLOs at the course, program, Identify intended SLOs at the course, program,
and degree levelsand degree levels
Inform students of intended SLOs Inform students of intended SLOs
Evaluate the actual student learning outcomesEvaluate the actual student learning outcomes
Demonstrate that evaluations are used to Demonstrate that evaluations are used to improve learning and teachingimprove learning and teaching
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What are Student Learning Outcomes?
KnowledgeSkillsAbilities UnderstandingAttitudesBeliefsOpinionsValues
SLOs are defined in the context of each college’s mission, populations and programs, as well as the values of “higher education.”
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Institutional MissionEducational Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Measurable Performance Criteria
Assess/Evaluate
Feedback for ContinuousImprovement Educational
Practices/Strategies
Assessment:
Collection, Analysis
of Evidence
Evaluation :
Interpretation of
Evidence
Constituents
Institutional Effectiveness Cycle: Assessment for Quality Assurance By Gloria Rogers
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Institutional Commitments
Commitment of the whole institution to:
Delivery of high quality education congruent with mission
Student learning as primary mission
Participation of entire institution in review of performance and plans for improvement
Periodic review of mission statement
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Evaluation, Planning, and Improvement
Evaluate student needs, college programs and services
Set Goals, plan
improvement
Allocate needed resources
Implement plans
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Organization
The institution: Has adequate staff, resources and
organizational, communication and decision-making structures to produce and support student learning
Has in place the organizational means to identify and make public the learning outcomes, to evaluate the effectiveness of programs in producing those outcomes, and to make improvements
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Institutional IntegrityThe institution demonstrates: Honesty and truthfulness in the manner in
which it represents itself to all stakeholders, internal and external, including the Commission
Integrity of its policies, practices, and procedures
Regard for issues of equity and diversity in the manner in which it treats students, employees, and its publics
Clarity, understandability, accessibility, and appropriateness of publications
Academic freedom Integrity in its determination of grades and
credits
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The Importance of Evidence
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Evidence should include:Evidence should include: Demographic and institutional data Demographic and institutional data
Student achievement data Student achievement data - student progress - student progress through the institutionthrough the institution
Student learning outcome dataStudent learning outcome data - student - student knowledge gained through courses, programs and knowledge gained through courses, programs and degreesdegrees
Qualitative and quantitative data Qualitative and quantitative data
Documentary materials - Documentary materials - policies, minutes, policies, minutes, etc. etc.
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In using Evidence, the In using Evidence, the college should :college should :
Gather it routinely and systematically Analyze and reflect upon it Publish it and share it widely within the
college (research reports, fact books) Use it to plan and implement program
improvements Use it to plan and implement
institutional improvements
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Characteristics of Good Characteristics of Good EvidenceEvidence
Relevant Verifiable Representative Intentional Purposeful Interpreted and reflected upon Both qualitative and
quantitative
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Organizing the College Community for Self Study
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Self Study should reflect Self Study should reflect
Broad participation Broad participation from:from:
FacultyFaculty AdministratorsAdministrators Support StaffSupport Staff StudentsStudents
Leadership from:Leadership from:
FacultyFaculty Support StaffSupport Staff IR StaffIR Staff AdministratorsAdministrators CEO/College CEO/College
PresidentPresident BoardBoard
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The college should establish The college should establish structures and processes for structures and processes for the self study that ensure:the self study that ensure:
It evaluates itself against each standard and It evaluates itself against each standard and eligibility requirementeligibility requirement
Its evaluation is holistic, integrated (themes Its evaluation is holistic, integrated (themes in the standards),in the standards), and honestand honest
The self study uses and is integrated with The self study uses and is integrated with ongoing research, evaluation and planningongoing research, evaluation and planning
The self study leads to institution - wide The self study leads to institution - wide reflection about quality and student learningreflection about quality and student learning
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The college should establish The college should establish structures and processes for structures and processes for the self study that ensure:the self study that ensure:
The report summarizes and references The report summarizes and references evidence to support its analysesevidence to support its analyses
The report has coherence and a single The report has coherence and a single voice voice
The report is a meaningful document The report is a meaningful document for the college, the team, and the for the college, the team, and the CommissionCommission
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Resources for Doing a Self Study
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Institutional ReportsInstitutional Reports Previous Accreditation Reports:Previous Accreditation Reports:
Self Study, Midterm, Annual, Annual Self Study, Midterm, Annual, Annual Fiscal, Progress, and Substantive Fiscal, Progress, and Substantive Change ReportsChange Reports
Team Report(s)Team Report(s) Commission Action LettersCommission Action Letters
Institutional PlansInstitutional Plans EducationEducation FacilitiesFacilities FinancialFinancial
continued…continued…
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Institutional data and Institutional data and analysesanalyses
Program reviewsProgram reviews Assessment reportsAssessment reports Student learning outcome dataStudent learning outcome data Student achievement dataStudent achievement data Environmental scans, market studiesEnvironmental scans, market studies Demographic studies Demographic studies
continued…continued…
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Human ResourcesHuman Resources
Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO)Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) Editor(s)Editor(s) Institutional Research Staff Institutional Research Staff College PresidentCollege President
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Technology ResourcesTechnology ResourcesInternet/intranet for:Internet/intranet for: Communication about the self study process Communication about the self study process Sharing results of assessment Sharing results of assessment Publishing draft analyses/reports for comment Publishing draft analyses/reports for comment Providing access to data (internal and Providing access to data (internal and
external)external) Presenting data, analyses and plans to the Presenting data, analyses and plans to the
college or to the teamcollege or to the team
Technology resources for the team to use Technology resources for the team to use in their work.in their work.
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Practical Matters
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Format for the Self Study Format for the Self Study ReportReport
Certification of the Self Study ReportCertification of the Self Study Report Eligibility RequirementsEligibility Requirements Responses to prior team recommendationsResponses to prior team recommendations Descriptive SummaryDescriptive Summary Self-analysisSelf-analysis Citing the standards in the textCiting the standards in the text Plans for improvement and references to Plans for improvement and references to
institutional plansinstitutional plans
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The Site Visit The Site Visit Pre-visit by team chair Electronic and hard-copy documents
for the team Team room and other facilities Availability of key personnel Classroom and off-site visits Access to distance education Exit report
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AfterAfter the visitthe visit
Draft team chair report and correction of errors of fact
Confidential team recommendation to the Commission
Commission action and action letters from the Commission
Institutional follow-up
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ACCJC/WASC10 Commercial Blvd, Suite 204
Novato, CA 94949415-506-0234
FAX: 415-506-0238
Web site: [email protected]
12/05