MSCHE Follow-up Reporting Expectations MSCHE Annual Conference 2010 Mary Ellen Petrisko Linda Suskie

MSCHE Guidelines Click on Policies on left side. Click on Policies on left side. Scroll down to Follow-Up Reports & Visits Scroll down to Follow-Up Reports & Visits

What is Follow-Up? A Commission request for a A Commission request for a –Progress report –Monitoring report –Supplemental report –Commission liaison guidance visit –Small team visit

Why Did You Get a Follow-Up? Concern about compliance with one or more Concern about compliance with one or more –Standards –Requirements of Affiliation See Characteristics of Excellence See Characteristics of Excellence

USEDs Two-Year Rule If MSCHE finds your institution out of compliance… If MSCHE finds your institution out of compliance… –Warning –Probation Accreditation must be reaffirmed within two years. Accreditation must be reaffirmed within two years. Short extensions possible for good cause Short extensions possible for good cause

Progress Reports Meet the Commissions standards Meet the Commissions standards But MSCHE needs assurance that activities planned or being implemented are carried out But MSCHE needs assurance that activities planned or being implemented are carried out –Improved governance structure –Rewritten strategic plan –Revised assessment plan

Monitoring Reports #1 Meet the Commissions standards Meet the Commissions standards But MSCHE has concerns about ongoing compliance with one or more standards But MSCHE has concerns about ongoing compliance with one or more standards –Financial future looks dicey –Enrollment management plan doesnt seem based on realistic assumptions –Maintaining quality during a time of dramatic change

Monitoring Reports #2 Warning or probation Warning or probation –Lack of evidence that the institution is in compliance with one or more standards

Supplemental Reports Postponement of an accreditation decision Postponement of an accreditation decision Insufficient evidence to verify compliance Insufficient evidence to verify compliance –Topic not addressed in report –Assurances but no evidence –Evidence not yet available Audited financial statements Audited financial statements Short time-frame Short time-frame

Preparing an Effective Follow-Up Report

Read the Directions! Read carefully & understand the Commissions action Read carefully & understand the Commissions action

Understand MSCHEs Underlying Concerns & Expectations Characteristics of Excellence Characteristics of Excellence –Introduction –Standard –Context –Fundamental Elements –Requirement of Affiliation? Reports from MSCHE reviewers Reports from MSCHE reviewers –Evaluation team –PRR reviewer –Small team

Address Everything That is Required Clearly document compliance with standard(s) Clearly document compliance with standard(s)

Focus on Past and Present, Not Future Current and sustained compliance Current and sustained compliance No Im a gonnas No Im a gonnas Concrete details on work to be done Concrete details on work to be done –Action plans –Timelines –Accountabilities –Benchmarks

Focus on Outcomes More than structures & processes More than structures & processes –What is the governance structure? –Is the governance structure fulfilling its responsibilities?

Provide Documented Evidence Not just platitudes or assertions Not just platitudes or assertions –We have made major progress toward creating a thriving culture of assessment. –Faculty are dedicated to meeting student needs. –Budget decisions are linked to strategic goals.

Be Forthright & Honest Honesty is the best policy! Honesty is the best policy! Standard 6: Integrity Standard 6: Integrity If theres a problem… If theres a problem… –Explain why. –Provide clear, specific plans.

Be Concise & Well-Organized Respect readers time and energy. Respect readers time and energy. Avoid data dumps. Avoid data dumps. Cull out irrelevant documentation. Cull out irrelevant documentation. Make the report easy to follow. Make the report easy to follow. –Headings –Charts –Links to supporting documentation –Document names/labels

Submit the Report On Time! MSCHE may consider your institution to have voluntarily allowed its accreditation to lapse! MSCHE may consider your institution to have voluntarily allowed its accreditation to lapse! Electronic submissions ( or CD) are usually fine. Electronic submissions ( or CD) are usually fine.

Report Format Title page template Title page template Introduction Introduction –Overview –Context Progress to date and current status Progress to date and current status –Summary, discussion, analysis –What does documentation say to you? –Next steps to sustain compliance? Appendices of supporting documentation Appendices of supporting documentation Conclusion Conclusion

Report Length Proportionate to number and complexity of issues Proportionate to number and complexity of issues Self-studies are 100 pages Self-studies are 100 pages Relatively short report with well-organized appendices of documentation Relatively short report with well-organized appendices of documentation

Follow-Up Visits

Commission Liaison Guidance Visit To help you get an A! To help you get an A! NOT an accreditation visit NOT an accreditation visit –No Commission action Schedule depends on issues Schedule depends on issues –Key administrators –Faculty/staff representatives –Governing board representatives –Often an open meeting

Small Team Visit To verify information in your report To verify information in your report Required for warning & probation Required for warning & probation Smaller than evaluation team Smaller than evaluation team Shorter than evaluation team visit Shorter than evaluation team visit Shorter timeframe to complete team report & institutional response Shorter timeframe to complete team report & institutional response

Small Team Dates & Members Developed by MSCHE VP liaison Developed by MSCHE VP liaison Written confirmation to institution & team Written confirmation to institution & team

Hosting a Successful Small Team Visit

Travel Arrangements Hotel reservations Hotel reservations Ground transportation Ground transportation –Airport/train station to hotel –Hotel to campus

Private, Secure Meetings Rooms on Campus & in Hotel Computer & printer Computer & printer Internet access Internet access Phone & on-call technical support Phone & on-call technical support Supplies (paper, flash drives) Supplies (paper, flash drives) Refreshments Refreshments Check with team for additional needs Check with team for additional needs

Meals Check with team chair. Check with team chair. Generally private working meals Generally private working meals No interruptions (buffet or pre-plated) No interruptions (buffet or pre-plated) Meals with campus representatives? Meals with campus representatives?

Small Team Visit Schedule Depends on issues Depends on issues –President –Key administrators –Faculty/staff representatives –Governing board representatives –Open meeting –Private team meetings –Oral exit report

Respond to reasonable requests for additional information Respond to reasonable requests for additional information Emergency contact info (travel delays) Emergency contact info (travel delays)

After the Visit Draft team report Draft team report Correction of errors of fact Correction of errors of fact Institutional response Institutional response Chairs confidential brief Chairs confidential brief Committee on Follow-Up Committee on Follow-Up –Late January –Late May –Early November Commission Meeting Commission Meeting

Your MSCHE VP Liaison is Your Friend! or telephone with questions. or telephone with questions. Meet in Commission offices? Meet in Commission offices? Meet during MSCHE Annual Conference? Meet during MSCHE Annual Conference? Commission Liaison Guidance Visit Commission Liaison Guidance Visit Campus visit? (Fee charged) Campus visit? (Fee charged) Cannot review drafts Cannot review drafts