Middle States Reaccreditation Process at The Catholic University of America

Comprehensive Design with Selected Emphases from CUA’s Strategic Plan  Undergraduate Retention  New Applied Masters’ Initiatives  Enhanced Extramural Research Support  Increased Graduate Student Support

Purpose of a University Self Study  Examines the mission and goals of the university  Examines the educational programs of the university  Examines services and the infrastructure that supports the programs  Determines how well these programs and services accomplish the university's goals, fulfills its mission and meets the Middle States Commission (MSCHE) standards for accreditation  Produce a written report that serves as the basis for evaluation by the MSCHE for accreditation Adapted from Self Study – Creating A Useful Process and Report (MSCHE, 2007)

Characteristics of a Good Self Study  Should be evidence-based  Should not be too general and defensive  Recognizes that it has two audiences – the primary audience is the university’s own community; the secondary is MSCHE  Where it identifies weaknesses, it should offer specific solutions  Should be open to identifying new opportunities  Should be forward-looking Advances institutional self-understanding and advancement while presenting evidence for fulfilling standards for accreditation Adapted from Self Study – Creating A Useful Process and Report (MSCHE, 2007)

CUA Task Forces & Middle States Standards 1.Catholic Identity, Mission, Goals, and Objectives  Standard 1: Mission & Goals 2.Leadership, Governance and Administration  Standard 4: Leadership & Governance  Standard 5: Administration 3.Institutional Planning, Resources and Renewal Work Group A: Human Resources, Infrastructure & Physical Plant Work Group B: University Finances, Development, & Capital Funding Work Group C: Comprehensive Strategic Planning  Standard 2: Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal  Standard 3: Institutional Resources  Standard 6: Integrity

CUA Task Forces & Middle States Standards (cont.) 4.Student Admissions and Retention  Standard 8: Student Admissions and Retention 5.Faculty Scholarship & Research  Standard 10: Faculty  Standard 11: Educational Offerings  Standard 6: Integrity 6.Graduate and Professional Education  Standard 11: Educational Offerings  Standard 6: Integrity

7.Undergraduate Education  Standard 11: Educational Offerings  Standard 12: General Education  Standard 6: Integrity 8.Learning Resources and Student Life  Standard 9: Student Support Services 9.Related Educational Programs & Activities  Standard 13: Related Educational Activities 10.Assessment Work Group A: Institutional Assessment  Standard 7: Institutional Assessment Work Group B: Student Learning Assessment  Standard 14:Assessment of Student Learning CUA Task Forces & Middle States Standards (cont.)

Role of the Committees Steering Committee  Principal administrative body of the self study  Formulates the charges given to the Task Forces  Prepares the draft and final copies of the self-study report. Coordinating Committee  Facilitates the work of the Steering Committee and Task forces  Provides documentation, research and editing

Assessment and Self-Study: a Continual Process  Institution-wide comprehensive assessments and self- study have traditionally been done to prepare for accreditation.  Making it a continual process, integrating it into the CUA culture will improve the university and its ability to meet its mission.  CUA must nurture good assessment practices and demonstrate that decisions are based on evidence.

Assessment and Self-Study: a Continual Process (continued)  The Provost’s Office can serve to consolidate and coordinate this process.  The Middle States Accreditation website serves as the central repository of assessment and self-study data, facilitating the work of the Task Forces as well as the MSCHE Accreditation Team.  By informing the university community about the progress of the self-study, it will make it a transparent process as well as inviting feedback to make the self-study more inclusive The address for the site is:

Select Co- chairs Prepare Self-Study Design Construct Dedicated Self-Study Web Site Constitute Steering Committee and Task Forces Jan 2008Feb 2008 Key Milestones in the Self-Study Process The First Months

Steering Committee formulates charges for Task Forces Task Forces devise specific questions for study and methodology to address questions Mar 2008Apr 2008 Task Forces begin detailed self- study process Coordinating Committee collects documentation Key Milestones in the Self-Study Process Completing the Design of the Self-Study Steering and Coordinating committees prepare self-study design document

Preliminary Visit by MSCHE liaison Apr 2008Jun 2008 Steering Committee prepares draft of self- study May-Aug 2009Sep-Oct 2009 Task Forces work on conclusions and recommendations --1-year--- Key Milestones in the Self-Study Process Conducting the Self-Study

Draft Self- Study finished and distributed to university community for comment Nov 2009 MSCHE site visit Dec 2009 Mar-Apr 2010 Final version of Self-Study finished and submitted to MSCHE Key Milestones in the Self-Study Process Finishing the Self-Study, Preparing for the Site Visit

Clarity of Direction for the Task Forces Steering Committee provides the principal charges to the Task Force Task Force meets and devises specific questions to address the charges Task Forces then devises specific methodology to answer the questions  This approach provides a clear vision of the mission of the Task Forces  Avoids ambiguity  Provides direction on how to proceed  Participation in formulating questions and methods gives “ownership” of the Task Force to its members