2012 Middle States Accreditation Report Review Chapter 1: Institutional Excellence Standards 1 and 6

Middle States Commission on Higher Education  Regional Accreditor for SUNY Oswego  Ensures that institutions of higher education meet minimum standards.  Provides a mechanism for institutional improvement through peer review.  Is self-regulating through its members, but is required by the U.S. government for an institution to be eligible for federal financial aid

Accreditation  Mission-based  Decennial self-study Compliance and improvement 14 Standards Characteristics of Excellence Emphasis on results instead of processes

Self-Study Process to Date  Steering committee and work group selection Self-study design  Work group met and drafted portions of the self- study reports Multiple rounds of report editing Selection of evaluation team chair Dates selected for Chair’s preliminary visit, and for the team visit.

Timeline  Fall 2011 Campus comment on self-study draft Evaluation team Chair reviews draft Dr. Javier Cevallos President, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania November 2 nd - 4 th : Dr. Cevallos makes preliminary campus visit Final self-study report prepared Preparation of electronic document repository  Spring 2012 Final report sent to team (6 wks. prior to visit) April 1 st – 4 th : Team visit and report Institution response

Organization of Self-Study Comprehensive Model  14 Standards grouped into 8 chapters Chapter 1: Institutional Excellence Chapter 2: Institutional Vitality Chapter 3: Institutional Leadership and Governance Chapter 4: A Learner-Centered Campus Chapter 5: A Vibrant Faculty Chapter 6: Intellectual Rigor Chapter 7: An Education for the 21 st Century Chapter 8: A Culture of Continuous Improvement

Standard Description Standard 1: Mission and Goals  A clearly defined mission, indicating who the institution serves and what it intends to accomplish.  Stated goals, consistent with the aspirations and expectations of higher education, specifying how the institution will fulfill its mission.  Mission and goals developed with broad input, widely recognized  Mission and goals develop and shape programs and practices

Standard Description Standard 6: Integrity  In the conduct of its programs and activities involving the public and the constituencies it serves, the institution demonstrates adherence to ethical standards and its own stated policies, providing support for academic and intellectual freedom.

Work Group Members Yvonne Petrella (Chair) Mary Avrakotos David Bozak Barb Garii Florence Kirk John Moore Tim Nekritz Betsy Oberst Mike Pisa

Questions Addressed Standard 1  In what ways does the mission and vision set a compelling direction for the college in the 21st century?  Do stakeholders receive communications that relate to strategic directions of Engaging Challenge?  Is the college successfully advancing its mission and goals?  Are all divisions making significant contributions to the mission and goals of the college?

Questions Addressed Standard 6  What efforts have been made to ensure academic integrity by students and faculty?  How well does the institution demonstrate integrity in business and academic practices?  Has assessment strengthened our practices?  Do the institution’s policies and procedures clearly communicate high ethical standards to students, staff and faculty?

Input/Data Sources Reviewed Engaging Challenge: The Sesquicentennial Plan Oswego: By the Numbers The Policies of the Board of Trustees of the State University of New YorkThe Policies of the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York The Faculty and Professional Staff Handbook Faculty Bylaws Criteria for Personnel Decisions Student Handbook Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs Committee on Intellectual Integrity web siteCommittee on Intellectual Integrity Conflict of Interest & Professional Ethics brochureConflict of Interest & Professional Ethics Internal Control Policies CTS Policies Other print on online college publications

General Findings  The mission, vision and strategic directions of the college Are developed with a broad degree of input Are well-communicated and disseminated widely Inform the operations of all divisions Set the directions and priorities in institutional planning.

General Findings (cont.)  We have advanced a culture of academic integrity through participation in national assessments development of a local curriculum providing guidelines for faculty in dealing with violations.  Internal control systems have been strengthened through a concerted effort to educate all employees.

Recommendations  Ensure that the college’s mission and strategic directions are known to newer faculty and staff  Improve on communication of decisions based on the college’s mission and goals.  Evaluate how current policies regarding human- animal studies are promulgated on campus.  Develop and provide training to faculty and staff responsible for administering sponsored programs that cover financial and programmatic requirements.

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