Criterion 4 Subcommittee Report The Highfalutenist – Rootentootenist Criterion Group You Ever Saw!

Component 4a The organization demonstrates through the actions of its board, administrators, students, and staff, that it values a life of learning.

Faculty Encouraged to Seek Terminal Degrees 1995 – 1997 Full-Time Faculty with TD – 12 (39%) F-T Faculty Without TD – 19 (61%) F-T Admin Faculty with TD – 9 (64%) F-T Admin Faculty Without TD – 5 (79%)

2006 – 2008 F-T Faculty with TD – 24 (64%) F-T Faculty without TD – 16 (40%) F-T Admin Faculty with TD – 6 (67%) F-T Admin Faculty without TD – 3 (33%) F-T Faculty in TD programs – 4 (10%)

64% of full-time faculty hold terminal degrees compared to 39% ten years ago

Benefits that Promote Criterion 4a Employee Tuition Benefit Discount Tuition Benefit Discount for AGTS/NCU Master’s Program Campus-Based Faculty Development John Phillipps Scholarship Grant

Benefits Con’t. In-Service Stipends Sabbatical Leaves Faculty Discount

Training Seminars Attended by NCU Staff through staff members attended a total of 481 conferences (273 unique) Average of 5 conferences per staff member Nearly $100,000 spent on staff development All staff attend all day staff in- service twice each year

Strengths Strong funding for staff development Wide variety of personnel attend training Staff meet regularly for staff development NCU committed to building a FT teaching faculty with terminal degrees with excellent progress toward this goal in last 10 years

Weaknesses NCU does not have a formal means of tracking staff development NCU needs to increase funding and opportunities for staff and faculty professional development NCU relies too heavily on Part-Time Adjunct Faculty

Board of Regents Support Budget line for professional development Leave of absence Assessment of administrators includes literature read and professional and personal development activities

Sabbatical leave and Promotions 20 sabbatical requests approved from through academic years 16 faculty promotions granted from Sept to Sept. 2005

New majors approved – 9 from 1997 to spring 2006 New supporting programs added

Weaknesses Concern over hiring “specialists” bringing into question pay equity Little evidence demonstrating how the Board values a life of learning for itself Board Minutes/Dockets contain no evidence of information provided in this report

Student Commitment to a Life of Learning Number of students earning ministry credits total – total – % of Freshmen in ministry activities Department specific requirements

Youth majors have participated in ministry projects 1700 times from Fall 2001 through Fall % graduating seniors participated in volunteer work 100% graduating seniors participated in local church activities

General student population 98.3% attend religious services 60% participated in organized demonstrations 90% performed volunteer work 60% performed community service as part of a class 8.3% participated in political campaigns

Srengths Many requirements and opportunities for community involvement 90% of students regularly involved in church services Over 50% regularly involved in community activities

Weakness No not have one all inclusive measuring tool for overall community involvement

Student Internships All majors include a student internship requirement – serves as bridge between academic and real- life experience All graduating seniors must participate Includes 120 hours of field work plus journaling, readings, and reporting

Leadership Mentoring Two strong foci at NCU 230 formal leadership positions on campus Minor in Leadership Studies Male and female Mentor Communities offered 27 – 30% students report having been mentored Results of two surveys indicate students value mentoring (60%/96%)

Publications Student Newspaper “Northern Light” and alternative newspapers led by students published 73 articles supporting a life of learning from 1982 – 2005 Quarterly “Friends” and “NCU Magazine” published 20 and 23 articles respectively in support of life of learning.

Srength Both alumni and student publications regularly feature articles reflecting importance of “life of learning”

Weaknesses Both types of publications have relatively infrequent publication schedules and emphasis on “life of learning” changes from year to year NCU does not adequately track students attending graduate school. Number cannot be determined

Component 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

IRC Comprehensive program of library instruction that meets the needs of any student interested in library research IRC not proactive because of shortage of staff and resources Students must request

Strength Comprehensive seven-part strategy for meeting student research needs

Weakness IRC lacks adequate professional staff to undertake a library instruction program The IRC (through no fault of their own) does not meet the requirements of this section of the criterion

SIFE Nonprofit organization that gives students the tools to learn the free enterprise system Teaches students the value of teaching others throughout a lifetime

English 124 Rhetoric and Resaerch Strategies for critical reading Learn and apply stages of the writing process Learn to use a variety of sources Research a specific topic and write original persuasive paper Develop fluency in Standard Written English Learn to make well-reasoned responses to others’ ideas

Senior Project Culminating experience for most majors Projects differ Intellectual inquiry integral to NCU programs Research, writing, performance, speaking, and teaching skills needed throughout a lifetime

Component 4c The organization assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society

Program Self Assessment Survey (PSAS) Subjects Questions Indicators Recommendations

Technology This is a weakness

Component 4d The organization provides support to ensure that faculty, students, and staff acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly

Faculty Survey Description Questions Representative responses Summary