Rejected! Rebounding From and Moving Forward Following a Monitoring Report Requirement

1. Rejected!Rebounding From and Moving Forward Following a Monitoring Report Requirement

2. Presenters Lisa Rainey Assistant to the Vice President for Instruction Harford Community College Lrainey@harford.edu 443-412-2158 Deborah Cruise, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Development and Institutional Effectiveness Harford Community College Dcruise@harford.edu 443-412-2233

3. Shock – Rebound – Clarity

4. SHOCK! What happened?

5. SHOCK! What were we required to do?

6. SHOCK! Recent Accreditation Actions • NOVEMBER 2007 – 41 Actions • 22 Required no follow-up (9 were commended for quality) • 18 Required Progress Letters • 11 Required Monitoring Report (3 with visits) • Standard 14 = 25 • Standard 7 = 20 • Standard 3 = 10 • Standard 2 = 6

7. Rebound! Keep Moving Forward • Attended P.D. Sessions: • President and Executive Staff attended MSCHE “Integrating Higher Education Planning & Assessment” • HCC representatives attended • MSCHE“Addressing Public Needs” accreditation update for Middle States member colleges • “MSCHE Annual Conference” • MSCHE“Fostering a Campus Culture of Assessment” • VP began “SCUP Planning Institute” certification

8. Rebound! Communication • MSCHE Liaison/VP • President Campus and Board of Trustees • VPs Campus at Open Forum • Posted on internal network drive for campus • Faculty at Faculty P.D. Session • Students through S.G.A.

9. Rebound! Strengthening Learning Outcomes Assessment - Standard 14 Assessment Plan • Updated in2008 and aligned with the Middle States Expectations for Assessing Student Learning (Student Learning Assessment- Options and Resources, Chapter 4 ) • Breakout Sessions devoted to Student Learning Assessment and Program Goals Faculty Professional Development

10. Rebound! Strengthening Learning Outcomes Assessment - Standard 14 • Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment (SLOA) • Tied to Academic Outcomes or Program Goals. • Evidence that assessment information is shared and used to improve teaching and learning SLOA’s End of Year Reports/ Updates

12. Rebound! Strengthening Learning Outcomes Assessment - Standard 14 • Program reviews are completed in a 5 year cycle. • Assessment processes are ongoing, systematic and sustainable. • Course, certificate or program creation or modification. Program Reviews Curriculum Work

13. Strategic Plan, Academic Outcomes, Program Goals Assessment Plan Faculty Professional Development SLOA’s End of Year Reports/ Updates Curriculum Work Program Reviews

14. Rebound! Strengthening Standards 2 & 7 • Implementation of new Strategic Plan • Approved by Board of Trustees in August 2007 • Unveiled at College Convocation in August 2007 • All employees received a 3-ring S.P. binder • College and community received slick S.P. brochure • All new employees oriented to S.P. • Strategic Planning Assessment Committee created • Currently in 4th year of 5-year S.P.

15. Rebound! Strengthening Standards 2 & 7

16. Rebound! Strengthening Standards 2 & 7 Planning – Budgeting – Assessing – Improving Time Line

17. Clarity! Writing the Report • Four main writers: • Instruction – VP and Assistant VP • Institutional Effectiveness – VP and Coord for Assess • Coordinated the work • Created outline using MSCHE guidance • Clarified systems/processes • Strengthen systems/processes • Documented system/processes

18. Clarity! Writing the Report • Involved input from many areas: • 27 appendices from Instruction • Strategic Planning Committee, College Advisory Council, • Finance, Institutional Research, President’s Executive Staff • Academic Divisions • Administrative and Service Units

19. Clarity! Writing the Report

20. Commendation from MSCHE • NOVEMBER 2009 – Monitoring Report accepted with commendation for progress: • Middle States Commission on Higher Education acted to accept the monitoring report, to commend the institution for progress to date, and to request that the self-study, in preparation for the 2011-2012 evaluation visit, document • ongoing implementation of a comprehensive institutional strategic plan that links long-range planning to decision-making and budgeting processes (Standard 2) and • ongoing implementation of an organized and sustained process to evaluate and improve student learning and institutional effectiveness (Standards 7 & 14).

21. Recent Accreditation Actions • JUNE 2010 – 27 Actions • 6 required no follow-up • 1 commended for quality • 2 received no comments • 3 had specific directions for PRR • 78% Required Follow-Up: • 16 required Progress Letters • 5 required Monitoring Reports • Standards 7 & 14 = most of them

22. Resources Assessing Student Learning and Institutional Effectiveness: Understanding Middle States Expectations This brochure clarifies Middle States expectations regarding Standard 7: Institutional Assessment and Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning in Characteristics of Excellence. (2005, 8 pgs). Student Learning Assessment: Options and Resources (2nd Edition, 2007)This handbook serves as a resource for institutions seeking a bridge between the Commission’s standards for accreditation and the practical daily challenges of assessment and continuous improvement. Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education- 2009 EditionRequirements of Affiliation and Standards of Accreditation [This edition applies to all institutions being evaluated in academic year 2009-10 and thereafter]. This edition contains the new Requirements of Affiliation that became effective March 1, 2009 (pages xii and xiii). http://www.msche.org/myche/public/publications/publicationorderform.aspx

23. Presenter Contact Lisa Rainey Assistant to the Vice President for Instruction Harford Community College Lrainey@harford.edu 443-412-2158 Deborah Cruise, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Development and Institutional Effectiveness Harford Community College Dcruise@harford.edu 443-412-2233