HLC Quality Initiative: A Decentralized Approach · What is the HLC Quality Initiative? Part of the...
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HLC Quality Initiative: A Decentralized Approach LINCOLN GIBBS, ASSOCIATE DEAN – COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS JENNIFER HEGENAUER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, PLANNING & ASSESSMENT – EIO MANDY SEIFERLEIN, DIRECTOR OF ASSESSMENT – COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Transcript of HLC Quality Initiative: A Decentralized Approach · What is the HLC Quality Initiative? Part of the...
HLC Quality Initiative: A Decentralized Approach
L I N COLN G I BBS , A S S OCI AT E DEA N – COL L EGE OF H EA LT H PROF ES S IONSJ EN N I F ER H EGEN AUER , EXECUT I VE D I R EC TOR OF R ES EA RCH, PL A N N IN G & A S S ESS M EN T – E I OM A N DY S E I F ER LE IN, D I R EC TOR OF A S S ES SM EN T – COL L EGE OF PH A R M ACY
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Presentation Notes
MANDY
Objectives
Following this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify strategies for defining and developing decentralized Quality Initiative projects
2. Discuss institutional structures in support of a decentralized Quality Initiative
3. Explain the process of collecting data and monitoring progress in a decentralized Quality Initiative
4. Identify institution-specific challenges for a decentralized Quality Initiative
Presenter
Presentation Notes
MANDY
Agenda
1. Introduction to Us & HLC-QI – 5 min
2. The Process – 20 min
3. Unique Projects – 10 min
4. Best Practices & Challenges– 10 min
5. Questions & Discussion – 10 min
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MANDY
Introduction
Lincoln GibbsAssociate DeanCollege of Health Professions
Jennifer HegenauerExecutive Director of Research, Planning & AssessmentExtended & International Operations
Mandy SeiferleinDirector of AssessmentCollege of Pharmacy
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MANDY Lincoln: 24 health professions programs spanning associates to doctoral Jennifer: continuing education unit for the university Mandy: single degree - professional
Introduction
Mid-sized, 4-year, public
14,000 students
8 colleges
190 degrees
Campuses: Big Rapids (main) 23 additional cities
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MANDY
Who is our audience?
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How many of you are at institutions accredited by the HLC? How many of you are in the HLC Open Pathway? How many of you have done a QI for HLC before? How many of you are planning to start a QI?
What is the HLC Quality Initiative?Part of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Open Pathway for reaffirmation of accreditation.
Undertake a major Quality Initiative designed to suit present concerns or aspirations.
Takes place between years 5 and 9 of the 10-year Open Pathway Cycle.
May be designed to begin and be completed during this time, or an institution may continue a project that is already in progress or achieve a key milestone in the work of a longer initiative.
Intended to allow institutions to take risks, aim high and, if so be it, learn from partial success or even failure.
Source: https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/quality-initiative.html
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JENNIFER The story of our quality initiative begins within the process of reaffirmation of accreditation through HLC. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States and works with colleges and universities in the North Central region that includes 19 states, including Michigan. Following our last reaffirmation visit in 2010, Ferris choose to follow the Open Pathway plan for our next cycle of review. As part of that Pathway we are required to undertake a major quality initiative. The other two pathways are AQIP and Standard. The quality initiative is to take place between years 5 and 9 of the 10-year cycle. As we have just entered the entered the seventh year we are well into this window and plan to report out our results in the spring of 2020, in advance of our comprehensive visit in the fall of that year. Within the Open Pathway we were free to design a project that meets the particular needs of our institution and allow us to take risks, aim high, and learn from both our successes and failures.
The Process: Decision MakingInput from:◦ Academic Affairs Assessment
Committee (AAAC)◦ NSSE Data◦ Academic Affairs Leadership
Creation of:◦ Decentralized Model for
Colleges/Units
Learning
Retention
Learning Environment
Academic Literacy
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JENNIFER With that as the backdrop, discussion about the quality initiative began with the Academic Affairs Assessment Committee and a review of NSSE data. The AAAC is comprised of the assessment leads (faculty and/or administrators) from each of the colleges. We had been participating in the NSSE project for several years but the data was not being used to any great extent at our institution. The committee looked at that data and suggested to the academic affairs leadership to concentrate efforts on making positive impacts on learning, retention, and the learning environment. The recommendation from AAAC was seen by the academic affairs leadership as supporting one of the strategic objectives of the Provost's office, the Center for Academic Literacy. In general terms the idea behind the Center is to implement services and pedagogy that assist students in strengthening their ability to learn, or improving their academic literacy. These efforts go beyond remediation as even the most well prepared student may need assistance somewhere along the path of their academic career. Based upon this connection, the Center for Academic Literacy became the umbrella under which the project areas of learning, retention, and learning environment were place. Nurturing a culture of quality improvement at the University is also a priority for our academic leadership. With this in mind, rather than having one centralized project, the academic affairs leadership charged each college and academic unit with creating a quality initiative project for each of the three identified project areas. The only parameters given were that the projects should have the goal of improving learning, enhancing retention, and facilitating a positive learning environment within the unique culture of their college or unit.
The Process: Establishing StructureProvost and College Deans
Academic Affairs Assessment Committee (AAAC)
College Project Teams◦ At time of proposal writing, 114 individuals across the University, 54% faculty
Project Management Team◦ Project Manager appointed in February 2017◦ Reports to Associate Provost
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JENNIFER From the charge from the provost to the deans, each college submitted their list of proposed projects in December 2016. This information was used to draft the proposal that needed to be submitted to and approved by HLC. Each college structured their planning processes differently, but typically we see project teams that discussed and developed the project plans. At the time when the proposal was written we had 114 individuals involved, 54% of them faculty. To oversee the reporting and overall tracking of progress, the project management team was formed in February 2017 with the appointing of the project manager. This position reports to the Associate Project. The AAAC continues to be involved and has an spent time reviewing all of the projects and providing feedback to the colleges. Suggestions included strengthening goal statements and clearly defining how results will be measured. This group received an update from each project team in the Spring of 2017, and will continue to be involved in tracking progress of the individual quality initiative projects.
College Project Highlights33 Individual Projects:
◦ College of Arts and Sciences◦ College of Business◦ College of Education and Human Services◦ College of Engineering Technology◦ College of Health Professions◦ Kendall College of Art and Design◦ Michigan College of Optometry◦ College of Pharmacy◦ Extended and International Operations◦ FLITE Library◦ Retention and Student Success
Project Examples:◦ Pre-professions tutoring and mentorship
(Health Professions)◦ POSIT Scholar living learning community
(Arts & Sciences)◦ Empowering students through learning how
to learn (Business)◦ Improve literacy across college curriculum
(Education & Human Services)◦ Adequacy of student service offerings
(Pharmacy)
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JENNIFER To give you a clearer picture of the size and scope of our initiatives, the left hand column lists the 13 colleges and academic units involved. Each of these thirteen have three projects each, making a total of 33 projects to track and report. Each college and unit is responsible for tracking their own progress that is then reported to the project management team. Examples of the types of projects currently underway are on the right.
The Process: Data CollectionProject reports submitted each fall and spring semesters.◦ Collect a summary of projects activities that were initiated or
continued since last report.◦ Give the project teams the opportunity to reflect on what has
changed as the result of their work, evaluate the effectiveness of the project, and consider adjustments to the plan.
All reports loaded to TracDat for compilation and tracking.◦ Projects mapped to core values, quality initiative focus, and
academic literacy type.
Each college project includes metrics to measure change.
NSSE and retention data used at the institutional level to measure change.
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JENNIFER Each fall and spring semester, we are collecting update reports from the colleges and units, including an update on the metrics they are using to measure change. The intention of this is to give project teams the opportunity to reflect on what has changed as the result of their work, evaluate the effectiveness of the project, and consider adjustments to the plan. From there, the information is entered into customized forms within TracDat to aid in the compilation of all the information. Each project is also mapped to our institution’s core values, the quality initiative focuses, and academic literacy type. At the institutional level, NSSE and retention data are being used to measure change.
What structures do you have in place?
…support QI development…support collection of data…support monitoring
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LINCOLN Now that you've heard a little about our process, turn to your neighbor and discuss how your structures may support, or additional structures may be needed to support, the development of a QI, collection of data, and monitoring? Think about... Organization of your colleges/units Committee structures within Reporting structures Climate of faculty/shared governance
TimelineEach college-level project involved in the quality initiative will have its independent timeline for implementation and evaluation.The overall timeline for the quality initiative and key milestones is outlined on our website.https://ferris.edu/academicaffairs/Accreditation/qualityinitiative/timeline.htm
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LINCOLN Brief summary on slide and then use link to illustrate entire timeline
Learning Project
“Assessment for Interprofessional Education”Mandy Seiferlein, College of Pharmacy
Learning Project Example:
College of Pharmacy • Founded in 1894
• Single degree - Doctor of Pharmacy• People:
• ~600 students• 45 faculty• 15 staff/administrators
• Big Rapids & Grand Rapids campuses• Specialized accreditation
Learning Project Example:
College of Pharmacy
Goal: To create a longitudinal assessment plan for the interprofessional education component of our didactic curriculum to measure competency.
Data that informed this decision:• Clinical expectations of pharmacists• Standard 11: “All students demonstrate competence in
interprofessional team dynamics”• Standard 25.6: “The college assesses the preparedness of all
students to function effectively and professional on an interprofessional healthcare team”
IPE Work Group:• Limited tools available• Developed rubrics to assess IPE
• VALUE rubrics• Clinical performance expectations• Seeking validity and reliability measures
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Add goal
Learning Project Example:
College of Pharmacy
Dean charged committee
Committee drafted projects
College-wide open comment
period
Committee finalized projects
Project teams formed
AAAC feedback loop
Implementation of projects
Reporting to AAAC
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Explain my role
Learning Environment Project
“Community Service and Service Learning”Lincoln Gibbs, College of Health Professions
Learning Environment
Project Example:
College of Health Professions
• Founded in 1967 Allied Health Sciences• Offer 24 clinical and non-clinical accredited
certificate, associate, bachelors and graduate degree programs: Dental Hygiene, Gerontology, Cancer Information Management, Nursing, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Health Care Systems Administration, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Health Information Management, Health Information Technology, Radiography, Molecular Diagnostics, Public Health, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Respiratory Care
• People:• 2000 students• 54 faculty• 24 staff/administrators
• Dental Hygiene Clinic• Big Rapids, online & statewide
Learning Environment
Project Example:
College of Health Professions
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)• Insufficient informal faculty-student interactions (i.e. interactions outside
the classroom)• Recommendations to improve student advising and integrate more
academic service learning into the curricula• Increase faculty-student research collaborations
CHP Strategic Plan 2015-18 Initiative 7• Faculty and staff engage in professional development that results in
professional growth to support the goals of the College• CHP faculty and staff participate in regular ongoing professional
development activities
Project Aims/Strategic Plan Addition Initiative 12:• Improve faculty-student engagement through shared participation in
community service activities.• CHP faculty and students will collaborate in the planning and
implementation of two community service events each year.• Students who 1) Participate in the two CHP community service events;
2) Complete at least 10 community service hours each semester (Fall and Spring) and 3) Provide evidence of meeting the first two criteria on the “CHP Community Service Log” form will earn an “Excellence in Community Service” certificate at the end of the academic year. Project Examples: Food pantry, 'Spook Butts Out', Service Abroad
Learning Environment
Project Example:
College of Health Professions
Associate Dean charged ULC
ULC project teams formed
NSSE/Dean's Student Advisory
Council/ CHP students surveyed
ULC drafted projectsALC feedbackAAAC & CHP
feedback loop
College-wide presentation
Implementation of projects Reporting to AAAC
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Explain my role
Retention Project
“Off-Campus and Online Student Advising”Jennifer Hegenauer, Extended and International Operations
Retention Project:
Extended & International Operations
Early Days:• Founded in the early 1970s as the Office of Continuing Education
focused on non-credit offerings, later renamed University Center for Extended Learning (UCEL)
• Mid-1970s: Launched degree completion programs in Traverse City and Dowagiac
• Early 1980s: Grand Rapids operation began as separate unit, College of Professional and Technological Studies (CPTS)
• 2004: Began delivering degree completion online• 2007: CPTS and UCEL merged operations
Today:• Ferris Statewide and Online
• 23 off-campus locations and online delivering 77 degree completion and certificate options to 2,780 students
• Conference and Professional Services• Personal development• Academic camps• Conference services
• Doctorate in Community College Leadership
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Extended and International Operations has had many names over the years, and due to some recent realignment, will soon have another. Founded in the early 1970s as the Office of Continuing Education focused on non-credit offerings, later renamed University Center for Extended Learning (UCEL) 1976: First off-campus degree completion location opened in Traverse City 1978: Second location in Dowagiac Early 1980s: Grand Rapids operation began as separate unit, College of Professional and Technological Studies (CPTS) 2004: Began delivering degree completion online 2007: CPTS and UCEL merged operations Ferris Statewide and Online 23 off-campus locations and online delivering 77 degree completion and certificate options to 2,780 students Conference and Professional Services Personal development Academic camps Conference services Doctorate in Community College Leadership
Retention Project:
Extended & International Operations
Goal: Off-campus and online students will be highly satisfied with the advising and student services that support retention and completion.• Inventory and describe current advising and student services available to
off-campus and online students.• Identify overlap and gaps between what is available to main campus
students and those off-campus and online.• Survey students or use existing data to determine the importance of all
services, particularly those “missing” and potential impact retention and completion.
• Develop action plans for delivery of support services and ongoing assessment of impact.
Data that informs this priority:• Data to inform decisions about student use and satisfaction with current
student services and academic programs are lacking. Research combined with mining available data will inform the project.
Measures to document results:• Creation of planning and service delivery documents and action timeline.• Documented increase in retention and completion rates.• Documented increase in student satisfaction with advising and student
services.
Retention Project:
Extended & International Operations
Dean charged committee
Committee drafted projects
Committee finalized projects
Project Leads Identified
EIO Admin Team Feedback
AAAC feedback loop
Implemented project plans
Reporting to AAAC
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We are part of academic affairs and are led by a dean, but we are not an academic college in the traditional sense, and our we have a very lean and flat administrative structure. For these projects, our dean charged a committee that was made up of myself and our associate dean. We drafted three quality initiative projects, which he then approved. Three of the leadership team were assigned to one of the projects, retention being assigned to me. We then shared the projects with the Statewide and Online team and got their feedback on the projects. Explain my role
Challenges, Best Practices, and Lessons Learned
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Lincoln
ChallengesDecentralized natureRole of AAACMultiple projectsUniversity-wide, yet difficult to engage all facultyNSSE data historically undergraduate only
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LINCOLN ET AL Decentralized Nature: so many projects with multiple communication paths makes for a lot to organize and report on Role of AAAC: struggled to define our role and the ongoing participation needed – should have been defined at the onset
Best Practices & Lessons LearnedNeed a project managerReporting and tracking structure ◦What really happened in the first round of reports
Did not include non-academic unitsFinancial and human resources/support
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LINCOLN ET AL
Questions and Discussion
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LINCOLN Next steps for taking it home
