The Higher Learning Commission HLC

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The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

• We are part of the North Central Agency, based
  upon our geographic region.

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Purpose for Accreditation

• 1. Quality assurance
• 2. Institutional and program improvement

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Why do we have to do this?

• Accreditation provides an incentive for self
  study and self improvement.
• Accreditation provides public certification that
  the college meets acceptable institutional
  quality.
• Our courses will transfer to other accredited
  institutions.
• Responsiveness to communities of learners
• Prepare graduates for citizenship, careers,
  transfer education, and lifelong learning

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The Accreditation Process

• In the words of the HCL, the accreditation
  process should be, a learning experience that
  supports an organization's ability to sustain
  excellence, foster assessment and improvement,
  and demonstrate integrity and accountability.

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Method of Review for Accreditation

• Significant institutional self study
• Substantive written report given to the HLC team
• Peer review visit
• Judgments about accreditation are made by the
  trained peer reviews
• Institutions have the right to respond during the
  process

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What is assessed in the self study?

• The entire institution in the case of FRCC
• Formal educational activities
• Governance and administration
• Financial stability
• Student Services
• Admission and student personnel services
• Resources
• Student academic achievement
• Organizational effectiveness
• Community relationships.

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We want to showcase what we do well.

• and honestly evaluate areas of concern

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FRCC Mission Statement

• At Front Range Community College, we enrich lives
  through learning.

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HLC

• Mission Statement
• Serving the common good by assuring and
  advancing the quality of higher learning.

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HLC Staff Liaison, Bob Appleson

• Assists in aligning the self study process with
  ongoing planning and evaluation programs
• Reviews the self study design
• Participates in programs to support self study
• Proposes evaluation team for self study
• Reviews the
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  draft of self study
  report

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Steps to Re-Accreditation

• 1. Self study project for about two years report
  is produced that describes highlights and
  concerns
• 2. Comprehensive review by peer team who will
  visit the college for three days and make
  recommendations
• 3. Documents are reviewed by a Readers Panel or
  Review Committee
• 4. Institutional Actions Council take action on
  the recommendation
• 5. The Board of Trustees validates the
  recommendation

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Attributes of a Successful Self Study

• 1) adapts to the organization
• 2) develops goals that shape the process
• 3) provides effective evaluation of the entire
  organization
• 4) engages constituencies
• 5) builds on what is already occurring

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Attributes of a Successful Self Study

• 6) support from the president and board
• 7) maintains consistent communication
• 8) produces the evidence that the criteria for
  accreditation are met
• 9) produces a document that meets the
  Commissions needs

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Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

• Judgment, reason, and documentation of evidence
  are critical to effective peer review as part of
  the qualitative analysis.
• Graphs, charts, and numeric evidence aspart of
  the quantitative analysis

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Examples of Evidence

• The HLC provides examples of the types of
  evidence that are relevant in demonstrating that
  the criterion are being met.
• Absence of one specific type of evidence is not
  going to end it all because each institution is
  unique.

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Four Interconnected Themes tie the Criterion
together

• Future Oriented Strategic planning and mission
  statement committed to the future opportunities
  and challenges
• Learning Focused Assessment of student learning
• Connected Constituencies partner and communicate
• Distinctive Unique to FRCC

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The Five Criterion

• Five criterion will be addressed in the self
  study report.
• Each criterion has three elements Criterion
  Statement, Core Components, and Examples of
  Evidence.

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Criterion One

• Mission and Integrity
• The college operates with integrity to ensure the
  fulfillment of its mission through processes and
  structures that involve the board,
  administration, faculty, staff, and students.

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Core Components Criterion One

• 1A The organization's mission documents clearly
  articulate the organization's commitments
• 1B In its mission documents the organization
  recognizes the diversity of its constituents

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Core Components Criterion One

• 1C Constituents understand and support the
  mission statement
• 1D Administration supports collaborative
  processes that enable the organization to fulfill
  its mission
• 1E The organization upholds and protects its
  integrity.

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Criterion Two

• Preparing for the Future
• The colleges allocation of resources and its
  processes for strategic planning demonstrates its
  capacity to fulfill its mission, improve the
  quality of education, and respond to future
  challenges and opportunities.

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Core Components Criterion Two

• 2A The organization realistically prepares for a
  future shaped by multiple societal and economic
  trends.
• 2B The organizations resource base supports
  instruction

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Core Components Criterion Two

• 2C The organizations evaluation and assessment
  processes provide reliable evidence of
  institutional effectiveness that clearly informs
  strategies for continuous improvement.
• 2D All levels of planning align with the
  organization's mission statement.

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Criterion Three

• Student Learning and Effective Teaching
• The college provides evidence of student learning
  and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it
  is fulfilling its educational mission.

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Core Components Criterion Three

• 3A Student learning outcomes are clearly stated
  for each education program and make effective
  assessment possible.
• 3B Values and support effective teaching.

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Core Components Criterion Three

• 3C Creates effective learning environments.
• 3D Resources support student learning and
  effective teaching.

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Criterion Four

• Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of
  Knowledge
• The college promotes lifelong learning for its
  faculty, administration, staff, and students by
  fostering inquiry, creativity, practice, and
  social responsibility in ways consistent with its
  mission.

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Core Components Criterion Four

• 4A The organization demonstrates, through the
  actions of it board, administrators, students,
  faculty, and staff, that it values a life of
  learning.
• 4B The organization demonstrates that acquisition
  of a breadth of knowledge and skills and the
  exercise of intellectual inquiry are integral to
  its educational programs.

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Core Components Criterion Four

• 4C The organization assesses the usefulness of
  its curricula to student who will live and work
  in a global, diverse, and technological society.
• 4D The organization provides support to ensure
  that faculty, students, and staff acquire,
  discover and apply knowledge responsibly.

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Criterion Five

• Engagement and Service
• As called for by its mission, the college
  identifies its constituencies in the community
  and serves their needs and expectations in a
  mutually valuable way.

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Core Components Criterion Five

• 5A The organization learns from the
  constituencies it serves and analyzes its
  capacity to serve their needs and expectations.
• 5B The organization has the capacity and the
  commitment to engage with its identified
  constituencies and communities.

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Core Components Criterion Five

• 5C The organization demonstrate it responsiveness
  to those constituencies that depend on it for
  service.
• 5D Internal and external constituencies value the
  services the organization provides.

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In Which Criterion are Student Services
Important?All of the Criterion
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Student Services Participation

• Criterion One Mission and Integrity
• Criterion Two Prepare for the Future
• Criterion Three Teaching and Learning
• Criterion Four Acquiring and Creating
  Knowledge
• Criterion Five Engagement and Service

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How Can You Help?

• Please cooperate with the sub-committee team
  members to help them complete their tasks
  expeditiously.
• Please volunteer to participate in areas that are
  interesting to you.
• When you are asked to provide data via a survey,
  focus group, or a departmental discussion please
  participate and prioritize returning the results.
• Contact the steering committee members with any
  questions

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Time Commitment

• It will take commitment from everyone to complete
  the self study within two years.
• Everyone in the college will be asked to
  contribute to the process by participating on
  committees, gathering data, and/or filing reports.

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Self Study Process in PEAQ Accreditation

• Three major processes
• Institutional self study (a two year process)
• Peer evaluation (a three day process)
• FRCC uses the self study and the feedback from
  peer reviewers for continuous improvement, thus
  closing the loop

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Steering Committee Members

• Phyllis Abt (consultant) LC
• Geri Anderson College Wide
• James Butzek LC
• Mike Daugherty LC
• Rob Ingle BCC
• Rene Couture WC
• Gerald Rogers WC

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Steering Committee Members

• Barbara Bollman BCC
• John Sullivan WC
• Pat Meade WC
• Joanna Vance BCC
• Therese Clemens LC
• Shyrel Hosseini College Wide
• Rita Kratky LC

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Steering Committee

• Sandie Love BCC
• Joanne Maypole (Coordinator) College Wide

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Source of Information

• The Higher Learning Commission Handbook of
  Accreditation

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Thank you!