Timetable and preparation

Why Accreditation is Important? Recognition of credits by other institutions Recognition of degrees Federal funding Recruitment of students Expectations within state system and nationally Best practices

Reaffirmation Process Different process from 2003 ~92 standards (including subsections). Had a 5 year review on a small subset of these (~ 20%). Reviewed on all principles every 10 years. MUST be compliant with ALL to be accredited (100%). QEP also required – semiautonomous process and submission. What happens if not compliant? Monitoring report, warning, probation, denial of accreditation Is university-wide – entire university is accredited or not.

Timeline Leadership Team visits SACS 6 June person, membership determined by SACS Includes submission of background information Compliance document due 10 September 2012 Offsite review November 2012 Focused report and QEP proposal due 6 weeks prior to on-site review (Dec 2012-Feb 2013) Onsite review January-April 2013 Response to onsite visit Commission review December 2013 If monitoring report (~60% of cases), due 6 or 12 months after that.

General Areas of Compliance Integrity Governance and Administration Institutional effectiveness and assessment (ALL components of university) (35% non-compliant at final review; up to 85% in first review) Academic programs, faculty, learning resources, student affairs and services. Faculty competence and related faculty standards greatest area of concern (~10% at final review; 81-85% in early stage); general education competencies next greatest area of concern. Finances, physical facilities, other support services and resources Quality Enhancement Plan

Examples of Ongoing Efforts Compliance audit report process: 8 sub committees; fall 2009-spring 2011 University-wide assessment and IE efforts General education competencies Policy QEP process Fall terminal degree effort, spring faculty roster review Formation of Reaffirmation Steering Committee – Will take process to completion – compliance component of reaffirmation represents effort of small group assembling information and writing report – not university wide (unlike QEP which must be university-wide)

Reaffirmation Steering Committee Stephen McFarland, Chair (Vice Provost) Martin Posey, co-Chair (Accreditation Coordinator) Rosemary DePaolo (ex officio) Cathy Barlow (ex officio) Charlie Maimone (ex officio) Kim Cook (ex officio, QEP Development Coordinator) Gabriel Lugo (Faculty Senate President) Linda Siefert (Director of Assessment, CAS) Nathan Lindsay (Director of Student Life Assessment, Student Affairs) Rick Whitfield (Associate Vice Chancellor, Business Affairs) Ken Spackman (Professor) Sue Cody (Associate University Librarian) Leah Kraus (Associate Vice Chancellor, Information Technology Systems) Hank Weddington (Associate Dean, Watson School of Education) Ed Shuford (Project Design and Management, Business Affairs)