Interpreting and Applying the 14 Standards

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Interpreting and Applying the 14 Standards

• Dr. José Jaime Rivera, President
• Universidad del Sagrado Corazón
• MSA Workshop - October 4, 2006

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By 1100 am you will be able to

• Interpret/apply Standards Fundamental Elements
• Develop interview questions, techniques lists
• Understand peer review process the value of
  differing perspectives
• Understand that C/U must be assessed in the
  context of its own Mission Culture NOT the
  Teams C/Us MC
• Differentiate between requirements,
  recommendations and suggestions the action
  level that corresponds to the first two.

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By 1100 am you will be able to

• Determine whether additional information,
  documents, or questions are needed
• List documents that should be requested relative
  to the standard
• Determine what other Qs must be asked, which
  institutional staff and additional documents must
  be accessed to determine compliance.

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Background

• Pat McGuires presentation
• Meaning and process of accreditation
• Expectations from Chair and Team by MSA and the
  Institution being visited roles
• Profile of an effective team and chair
• NEED for advanced preparation and knowledge about
  MSAs Mission, processes, resources and support.
• Beth Pauls presentation
• Importance differences between eligibility
  requirements, standards, context, fundamental
  elements
• Interpreting and applying standards fundamental
  elements
• Applying Fairness Doctrine Inst. Efforts
  progress MSA Exp.
• Standards 7 14 What evidence demonstrates
  compliance acceptable assessment processes
• Links among assessment, planning and resources.

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Standard

• Expressed in one or two sentences.
• Followed by narrative text, under the heading
  Context, that addresses topic of standard, its
  context and values provides guidance and
  definition and builds a bridge to the
  Fundamental Elements.
• The narrative is not part of the actual standard.

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Fundamental Elements

• FE explain the standard.
• FEs specify characteristics that
  constitute/encompass the standard.
• Institutions/evaluators use elements, within
  context of M, to demonstrate/determine compliance
  the standard.
• Institutions utilize FE and Standards, as guide
  to SS.
• FE specified for each standard have inherent
  relationship to each other, and collectively
  constitute compliance.
• Neither institution nor evaluators should use the
  FE as checklist.
• Both institution/evaluators must consider
  totality created by FE and other relevant
  institutional information or analysis.
• Where C/U does not demonstrate evidence of a FE,
  it may show through alternative inf/analysis that
  it meets standard.

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Optional Analysis and Evidence

• Most evidence/analysis provided to demonstrate
  C/U meets accreditation standards is
  clear/inherent in FEs.
• Optional Analysis and Evidence, the final section
  of each standard, provides additional examples of
  documentation/analyses that might be carried out
  relative to a standard.
• Each C/U determines if S.S. processes/report may
  be strengthened by these analyses and resources.
• The list is not comprehensive but is provided for
  use, as deemed appropriate, by the institution.
• It is not intended for independent utilization by
  the evaluation team, and institutions are not
  required to provide the information listed.
• A C/U should make choices of representative,
  useful sampling of evidence in any category.
• Relevant to each standard and FEs, C/Us are
  encouraged to incorporate other types of
  assessment/analysis particular to their M, G,
  programs, and structures, including assessment
  documents done for other agencies.

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Standard 1 Mission and Goals

• The institutions mission clearly defines its
  purpose within the context of higher education
  and indicates who the institution serves and what
  it intends to accomplish.
• The institutions stated goals, consistent with
  the aspirations and expectations of higher
  education, clearly specify how the institution
  will fulfill its mission.
• The mission and goals are developed and
  recognized by the institution with the
  participation of its members and its governing
  body and are used to develop and shape its
  programs and practices and to evaluate its
  effectiveness.

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Context Institutional Mission Goals

• Developed w. representation from all sectors
  gov. body.
• Defines institution, delineates scope, explains
  character and individuality, and articulates
  values as appropriate.
• Basic purposes/characteristics, research or
  community, are addressed in Mission Statement.
• M accompanied by related statements Phil.
  Goals, Vision.
• Goals define endpoint/characteristic that
  describe it stem from M developed w. community
  involvement based on review of existing goals
  and analysis of internal/external forces
  affecting it provide framework for ongoing
  development and self-evaluation.
• G expressed as outcomes how C/U, constituents
  community will change due to initiatives and
  undertakings.

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Context Institutional Goals

• Educational goals stated in terms of seeked
  outcomes academic personal changes/competencie
  s it seeks to foster in its students).
• Expressed in observable terms ensures ability to
  assess.
• Flexible for C/U to respond to internal/external
  opportunities /changes, new disciplines, their
  changes, methods tech.
• Institutional Objectives or strategies are
  activities, initiatives, that institutions might
  conduct to achieve a goal.
• CHE expects C/U to define a goal (the broader end
  point), the objectives or strategies (the path
  to achieve the goal).
• A C/U is expected to aspire to excellence, to
  operate within realistic goals given M, fin.,
  human, physical res.
• M G are most effective when part of an effort
  to improve integrate all activities/operations
  of the institution. SP
• Keeps evaluating itself, improves, reviews M
  keeps current.

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Fundamental Elements of Mission Goals

• An accredited institution is expected to possess
  or demonstrate the following attributes or
  activities
• clearly defined Mission and Goals that
• guide faculty, administration, staff and
  governing bodies in making decisions related to
  planning, resource allocation, program and
  curriculum development, and definition of program
  outcomes
• include support of scholarly and creative
  activity, at levels and of the kinds appropriate
  to the institutions purposes and character

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Fundamental Elements of Mission Goals cont.

• G developed collaboratively by those who
  facilitate or are responsible for the C/U
  improvement developments
• G are periodically evaluated and formally
  approved
• G are publicized and widely known by C/U members
• M Gs that relate to external as well as
  internal contexts and constituencies
• Institutional Goals consistent with Mission
• Gs focus on student learning, other outcomes, and
  institutional improvement.

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Fundamental Elements of Mission Goals cont.

• Institutions and evaluators must consider the
  totality that is created by the fundamental
  elements and any other relevant institutional
  information or analysis.
• Fundamental elements and contextual statements
  should not be applied separately as checklists.
• Where an institution does not possess or
  demonstrate evidence of a particular Fundamental
  Element, the institution may demonstrate through
  alternative information and analysis that it
  meets the standard.

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Optional Analysis and Evidence

• In addition to the evidence inherent within or
  necessary to document the FE above, the
  following, although not required, may facilitate
  institutions analysis of this accreditation
  standard
• evidence of written public statements to
  constituencies on chief executives vision for
  the institution
• analysis of how goals are applied at different
  levels within the C/U and how implementation of
  goals is coordinated
• analysis of processes used to develop goals and
  for periodic review of mission and goals or
• review of policies and processes to disseminate M
  G to new faculty, staff, students and governing
  body and efforts to maintain awareness and
  commitment to M.

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Analysis of a Mission Statement

• Questions
• 1. Are its Mission, Goals and objectives proper,
  broad enough, clear, accepted, measurable,
  achievable?
• 2. Are they appropriate for this community, for
  the population served?
• 3. Are the programs and services offered
  consistent with them?
• 4. Are they designed to reach them?
• 5. Is there evidence that we are reaching them?
• 6. Do they have the human, physical, financial
  resources to achieve them and continue to do so
  in the next planning cycle?
• SHOW ME!!!!

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Focus on Goals and Objectives

• Goals which complement and flow from the mission,
  indicate how the mission will be achieved. Thus,
  they are critical.
• There are three types of Goals (Kells, 1983,
  65.)
• 1. Input Goals describe the type of human
  resources, students, other resources that will
  characterize the institution
• 2. Process Goals describe then environment and
  types of programs services offered to promote
  the mission
• 3. Outcomes goals state expectations of what is
  to be achieved or produced as a result.

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Standard 2 Planning, Resource Allocation, and
Institutional Renewal

• An institution conducts ongoing planning and
  resource allocation based on its mission and
  goals, develops objectives to achieve them, and
  utilizes the results of its assessment activities
  for institutional renewal.
• Implementation and subsequent evaluation of the
  success of the strategic plan and resource
  allocation support the development and change
  necessary to improve and to maintain
  institutional quality.

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Standard 3 Institutional Resources

• The human, financial, technical, physical
  facilities, and other resources necessary to
  achieve an institutions mission and goals are
  available and accessible.
• In the context of the institutions mission, the
  effective and efficient uses of the institutions
  resources are analyzed as part of ongoing
  outcomes assessment.

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Standard 4 Leadership and Governance

• The institutions system of governance clearly
  defines the roles of institutional constituencies
  in policy development and decision-making.
• The governance structure includes an active
  governing body with sufficient autonomy to assure
  institutional integrity and to fulfill its
  responsibilities of policy and resource
  development, consistent with the mission of the
  institution.

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Standard 5 Administration

• The institutions administrative structure and
  services facilitate learning and
  research/scholarship, foster quality improvement,
  and support the institutions organization and
  governance.

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Standard 6 Integrity

• In the conduct of its programs and activities
  involving the public and the constituencies it
  serves, the institution demonstrates adherence to
  ethical standards and its own stated policies,
  providing support for academic and intellectual
  freedom.

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Standard 7 Institutional Assessment

• The institution has developed and implemented an
  assessment process that evaluates its overall
  effectiveness in achieving its mission and goals
  and its compliance with accreditation standards.

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Standard 8 Student Admissions and Retention

• The institution seeks to admit students whose
  interests, goals, and abilities are congruent
  with its mission and seeks to retain them through
  the pursuit of the students educational goals.

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Standard 9 Student Support Services

• The institution provides student support services
  reasonably necessary to enable each student to
  achieve the institutions goals for students.

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Standard 10 Faculty

• The institutions instructional, research, and
  service programs are devised, developed,
  monitored, and supported by qualified
  professionals.

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Standard 11 Educational Offerings

• The institutions educational offerings display
  academic content, rigor, and coherence
  appropriate to its higher education mission.
• The institution identifies student learning goals
  and objectives, including knowledge and skills,
  for its educational offerings.

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Standard 12 General Education

• The institutions curricula are designed so that
  students acquire and demonstrate college-level
  proficiency in general education and essential
  skills, including at least oral and written
  communication, scientific and quantitative
  reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, and
  technological competency.

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Standard 13 Related Educational Activities

• The institutions programs or activities that are
  characterized by particular content, focus,
  location, mode of delivery, or sponsorship meet
  appropriate standards.

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Standard 14 Assessment of Student Learning

• Assessment of student learning demonstrates that,
  at graduation, or other appropriate points, the
  institutions students have knowledge, skills,
  and competencies consistent with institutional
  and appropriate higher education goals.

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ADELANTE!