NEAIR November 2005

The Role of IR in Supporting The Role of IR in Supporting the Accreditation Process:the Accreditation Process:

A Chair’s Perspective A Chair’s Perspective

Dr. Barbara R. SadowskiChief Planning OfficerMarywood University

http://www.marywood.edu

NEAIR November 2005

Two Distinct Roles for IRTwo Distinct Roles for IR

Support for the self-study process Preparing for the self-study (Year 1) During the self-study (Year 2) Preparing for the campus visit (Year 3)

Documenting Institutional Effectiveness Critical Success Factors/benchmarks Developing a plan

NEAIR November 2005

Preparing for the Self-Preparing for the Self-studystudy

Start early – at least three years before expected visit (2003 summer for spring 2006 visit)

Activities: (Year 1) Determine what accreditation process and standards

require as evidence – MSA Website Inventory current survey coverage

Conduct surveys where necessary – plan for funding Sign up for surveys where needed, e.g., faculty, CLA,

alumni Scan important documents, e.g., accreditation reports

NEAIR November 2005

Preparing for the Self-Preparing for the Self-StudyStudy

Make survey data readily accessible to campus users

Provide campus with organized and easily interpreted data

Suggestions that worked: Intranet IR site for campus users

• Scanned documents as PDF files • Survey reports across years • Survey data in easily interpreted format, e.g,

Excel files with multiple years, use conditional formatting for significant differences

NEAIR November 2005

Preparing for the Self-Preparing for the Self-StudyStudy

Link accreditation standards to survey results Cross-walk between MSA elements and NSSE items

Organize list of IR resources by MSA standards Table of Resources for Self-study Design Organize resources by study group

Relate items from surveys, e.g., SSI, CSS to MSA elements

Special topics self-study requires a roadmap relating documentation evidence to elements of MSA standards

NEAIR November 2005

Example of Cross-walk Example of Cross-walk betweenbetween

Survey data and StandardsSurvey data and StandardsNSSE Item

Worked on a research project with faculty outside of course…

Quality of relationships w/ faculty

Community Service

Attending campus events and activities

MSA Standards

10, 13, 14

6, 9, 10

6, 13, 14

1, 11

NEAIR November 2005

During the Self-StudyDuring the Self-Study

Use on-line surveys to handle ad hoc requests for data, e.g., Survey Monkey

Refer requests for survey data to website with resources for self-study accreditation

Check initial drafts of self-study for correct interpretation of survey data

IR staff serve on relevant study groups as resource person(s)

NEAIR November 2005

Preparing for the Team Preparing for the Team VisitVisit

Two distinct aspects to supporting evidence: Charts and graphs in appendices to self-study document Evidence for documentation room

Assemble the documentation room evidence

Create a CD with self-study text and links to supporting material

If a special topics self-study, then a roadmap linking elements and evidence needs to be developed

NEAIR November 2005

Documenting Institutional Documenting Institutional EffectivenessEffectiveness

MSA standard on assessment of institutional effectiveness

Role of IR is not as support for accreditation process but rather as the primary source for documentation of institutional effectiveness

Mission statement including goals and objectives determines what needs to be documented as evidence of institutional effectiveness

NEAIR November 2005

Documenting Institutional Documenting Institutional EffectivenessEffectiveness

Institutional Assessment is more comprehensive than Student Learning Outcomes Assessment

A distinction between direct and indirect evidence of outcomes needs to be clear

NSSE data provide direct evidence of institutional environment for learning, not evidence of learning outcomes.

NEAIR November 2005

Documenting Institutional Documenting Institutional EffectivenessEffectiveness

Benchmarks comparing institution indicators against a peer group

Dashboard indicators track self-referenced critical success factors Selection of no more than 10 indicators - very

important Across institution finance, enrollment, quality,

advancement Relate to both institutional goals and strategic

goals

NEAIR November 2005

Documenting Institutional Documenting Institutional EffectivenessEffectiveness

Dashboard indicators Provide 5 years worth of data (hidden

graph) Indicate high and low points Indicate current year’s value and

assessment of change from previous year (color-coded)

PositiveNegativeStable