TABLE OF CONTENTS PROLOGUE ........................................................................................................................................... 5 CRITERION ONE ................................................................................................................................. 13 CRITERION 1.A. ........................................................................................................................................... 13 1.A.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 13 1.A.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 14 1.A.3. ................................................................................................................................................... 15 CRITERION 1.B. ........................................................................................................................................... 16 1.B.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 16 1.B.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 16 1.B.3. ................................................................................................................................................... 17 CRITERION 1.C. ........................................................................................................................................... 17 1.C.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 17 1.C.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 18 CRITERION 1.D. .......................................................................................................................................... 19 1.D.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 19 1.D.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 20 1.D.3. ................................................................................................................................................... 20 CRITERION TWO ................................................................................................................................. 28 CRITERION 2.A. ........................................................................................................................................... 28 CRITERION 2.B. ........................................................................................................................................... 32 CRITERION 2.C. ........................................................................................................................................... 34 2.C.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 34 2.C.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 35 2.C.3. ................................................................................................................................................... 35 2.C.4. ................................................................................................................................................... 35 CRITERION 2.D. .......................................................................................................................................... 36 CRITERION 2.E. ........................................................................................................................................... 36 2.E.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 36 2.E.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 37 2.E.3. ................................................................................................................................................... 38 CRITERION THREE .............................................................................................................................. 42 CRITERION 3.A. ........................................................................................................................................... 42 3.A.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 42 3.A.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 43 3.A.3. ................................................................................................................................................... 44 CRITERION 3.B. ........................................................................................................................................... 45 3.B.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 45 3.B.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 46 3.B.3 .................................................................................................................................................... 47 3.B.4. ................................................................................................................................................... 48 3.B.5. ................................................................................................................................................... 51 CRITERION 3.C. ........................................................................................................................................... 53 3.C.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 53 3.C.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 54 2 3.C.3. ................................................................................................................................................... 54 3.C.4. ................................................................................................................................................... 55 3.C.5. ................................................................................................................................................... 56 3.C.6. ................................................................................................................................................... 58 CRITERION 3.D. .......................................................................................................................................... 59 3.D.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 59 3.D.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 65 3.D.3. ................................................................................................................................................... 67 3.D.4. ................................................................................................................................................... 68 3.D.5. ................................................................................................................................................... 72 CRITERION 3.E. ........................................................................................................................................... 73 3.E.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 73 3.E.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 78 CRITERION FOUR................................................................................................................................ 83 CRITERION 4.A. ........................................................................................................................................... 83 4.A.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 83 4.A.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 83 4.A.3. ................................................................................................................................................... 84 4.A.4. ................................................................................................................................................... 85 4.A.5. ................................................................................................................................................... 86 4.A.6. ................................................................................................................................................... 87 CRITERION 4.B. ........................................................................................................................................... 89 4.B.1. ................................................................................................................................................... 89 4.B.2. ................................................................................................................................................... 89 4.B.3. ................................................................................................................................................. 105 4.B.4. ................................................................................................................................................. 111 CRITERION 4.C. ......................................................................................................................................... 113 4.C.1. ................................................................................................................................................. 114 4.C.2. ................................................................................................................................................. 115 4.C.3. ................................................................................................................................................. 117 4.C.4. ................................................................................................................................................. 120 CRITERION FIVE ................................................................................................................................ 122 CRITERION 5.A. ......................................................................................................................................... 122 5.A.1. ................................................................................................................................................. 122 5.A.2. ................................................................................................................................................. 135 5.A.3. ................................................................................................................................................. 135 5.A.4. ................................................................................................................................................. 136 5.A.5. ................................................................................................................................................. 136 CRITERION 5.B. ......................................................................................................................................... 138 5.B.1. ................................................................................................................................................. 138 5.B.2. ................................................................................................................................................. 140 5.B.3. ................................................................................................................................................. 140 CRITERION 5.C. ......................................................................................................................................... 144 5.C.1. ................................................................................................................................................. 144 5.C.2. ................................................................................................................................................. 145 5.C.3. ................................................................................................................................................. 145 3 5.C.4. ................................................................................................................................................. 146 5.C.5. ................................................................................................................................................. 147 CRITERION 5.D. ........................................................................................................................................ 148 5.D.1. ................................................................................................................................................. 148 5.D.2. ................................................................................................................................................. 150 EPILOGUE ........................................................................................................................................ 153 4 PROLOGUE PROLOGUE Ohio Northern University was born out of Henry Solomon Lehr’s dream to make quality education accessible in rural areas and to improve teaching in village and town schools. Following his discharge from the Union Army in 1865, Lehr moved to Ada, Ohio, where he served as the town schoolmaster and taught a “select school” in the evenings for those interested in an education beyond the school’s regular offerings. Lehr and two fellow teachers collaborated with the townspeople to establish Northwest Ohio Normal School, which opened in Fall 1871. The catalog prepared for that first entering class articulated Lehr’s vision for the education to be offered by his university: We aim, not only to impart the best instruction and to have our students independent thinkers, but also to assist them in acquiring the best modes of communicating what they know to others. … We strive to combine the practical with the theoretical. The original focus on professional and liberal education for teachers was broadened to include programs in business (1872‐1901; 1978), engineering (1882), pharmacy (1885), and law (1885), but Lehr’s vision for education never changed. In 1885, the school, renamed Ohio Normal University, was incorporated as a not‐for‐profit corporation by its founders. The development of publicly supported post‐secondary education in rural Ohio communities at the end of the 19th century signaled the close of the era of the private normal school. In 1898, the Central Ohio Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church proposed purchasing Ohio Normal University from the founders. The sale was finalized in 1900, and, in 1903, the Board of Trustees changed the name of the institution to Ohio Northern University. The acquisition by the church made explicit the University’s commitment to the development of the “whole” self—including the spiritual aspects of the students’ lives as well as their intellectual and professional development. The United Methodist Church is built on the “Wesleyan Quadrilateral”: scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. This theological construct, blending faith with reason and experience, meshed well with Lehr’s approach to higher education. The ensuing century has seen many changes in higher education. Nevertheless, much has remained constant: the University’s mission, its professional programs infused with the liberal arts values of critical thinking and clarity of expression, its commitment to integrating the practical with the theoretical, and its affiliation with the United Methodist Church. Indeed, Lehr would recognize his goals for education in the University’s current Mission Statement: Influenced by a unique history and an enduring affiliation with the United Methodist Church, Ohio Northern University’s mission is to provide a high quality learning environment that prepares students for success in their careers, service to their communities, the nation, and the world, and a lifetime of personal growth inspired by the higher values of truth, beauty, and goodness. The University’s distinctive academic program includes mutually supporting liberal and professional education components that integrate practice with theory, complemented by excellent co‐curricular offerings that enrich the Northern experience. To fulfill this mission, faculty and staff engage with students so they can learn to think critically, creatively, and entrepreneurially, 5 PROLOGUE communicate effectively, gain practical experience, solve problems collaboratively, and act as ethical and responsible members of a global community. Translating this commitment into a 21st‐century education has occupied the University for the past several years. Beginning in Fall 2007, the faculty undertook a thorough examination of the goals of general education and their congruence with the program in place at the time. After two years of study, the faculty adopted a new program that focused on learning outcomes rather than distributional requirements. The program re‐emphasized the commitment to experiential (practical) learning, the importance of clarity of expression, the benefit of close student/faculty interaction on long‐term study, and the necessity of critical thinking. The implementation of this new approach to general education was deferred until academic year 2011‐
12 so as to coincide with the University’s transition to a semester calendar. Over the ensuing two years, the faculty examined the curriculum for each major and minor program. New courses were developed, and existing courses were consolidated or eliminated. This University‐wide curriculum revision facilitated the incorporation of learning outcomes identified as part of the general education revisions. The adoption of the general education program and revised curriculum to fit within a semester calendar occurred during a time of national criticism of the quality and value of higher education in general and in the midst of a serious enrollment and financial challenge at the University in particular. In 2006, the United States Department of Education released the Spellings Commission Report, A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of Higher Education, calling for increased transparency and accountability by colleges and universities. The report was followed in rapid succession by critiques of the cost and value of colleges. (e.g., Vedder, Going Broke by Degree: Why College Costs Too Much (AEI Press, 2004); Bennett, Is College Worth It?, (Thomas Nelson, 2013); Selingo, The Diploma’s Vanishing Value, (The Wall Street Journal, April 27‐28, 2013, p. C3)) This litany of doubt in the value of education has, by simple repetition, come close to being established as accepted truth. At the University, a combination of demographic factors, financial market forces, and the onset of the recession combined to form a “perfect storm.” Full‐time enrollment had declined by more than 275 students between 2008 and 2011, the value of the University’s endowment had fallen by 30%, and the level of tuition discounting had passed 50% for new students. Although none of these challenges were unique to the University, in combination they threatened serious disruption to its operations. At this point, the University underwent a planned leadership change. In Fall 2009, Dr. Kendall Baker advised the leadership of the Board of Trustees that he intended to retire at the end of the school year in 2011 after 12 years in office. Throughout 2010‐11, the University conducted a national search for a new president. In summer 2011, the University welcomed Dr. Daniel DiBiasio as its 11th president. Soon after his arrival, President DiBiasio appointed a Sustainable Program and Financial Base (SPFB) Committee. The committee was charged with examining all aspects of University operations and making recommendations regarding programmatic and operational changes. Kaludis Consulting was retained to assist the committee. Each operating unit prepared “case statements” reviewing and analyzing their operations and suggesting changes to strengthen their programs. Utilizing these programmatic case statements, the SPFB Committee developed a series of academic and operating recommendations. In Spring 2012, an Implementation Plan was adopted to act on the SPFB recommendations. Work on the plan began immediately. 6 PROLOGUE Beginning in Fall 2012, every faculty member was invited to small group meetings with the President, Provost and Vice President for Financial Affairs to consider the current state and future course of the University. These discussions were informed by the SPFB report but ranged beyond the matters included there. Specifically, the groups considered tuition and financial aid approaches, enrollment and marketing challenges, programmatic possibilities, and any other topic the faculty members present wanted to discuss. Drawing on these discussions, a draft Strategic Plan and revised Mission Statement were prepared and circulated to the faculty and trustees. Written responses were requested, and the draft was discussed at faculty meetings. Utilizing this feedback, the drafts were revised and ultimately approved by the trustees in May 2013. Remaining open items from the SPFB were rolled into an Operational Agenda, which assigned responsibility for achieving the goals of the Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan reflects a reaffirmation of the University’s mission. We remain committed to being a residential college providing an education that combines the theoretical with the practical and develops the capacity for critical thought and clarity of expression delivered in an environment that fosters close faculty/student interaction. To make our commitment to this education explicit and to make it available to students from all socio‐
economic backgrounds, the University adopted The Ohio Northern Promise in Fall 2013. One of the components of The Ohio Northern Promise is a “four‐year graduation guarantee” for most of our undergraduate majors. In addition to helping our students graduate on time, The Ohio Northern Promise also reset tuition to levels existing before the recession. Along with these efforts directed at reducing student debt and cost, the University committed to continue to provide high‐impact educational opportunities to all students. Self‐Study Process The self‐study began in February 2013 with a presentation to the University Board of Trustees about both the nature of the self‐study and the purpose and process of accreditation. Following that meeting, five workgroups (corresponding to the five criteria) were established. The workgroups were composed of faculty, staff, and administrators. To draw on the earlier work of the SPFB review, each self‐study group included at least one member of the SPFB Committee. The workgroups met in April and May 2013 to determine the types of information they would need to develop responses to the self‐study questionnaire. Over the summer, Institutional Research gathered the materials requested by the workgroups. With the return of the faculty in Fall 2013, the groups continued to identify and request materials to consider as part of the study and began to draft responses to the questionnaire. This process of investigating and drafting continued into the early spring. Prior to the end of the Spring 2014 semester, the work groups forwarded their drafts, along with evidence developed to support the drafts, to the Provost’s office. Over the summer, the drafts were compiled and edited for consistency in format and presentation and sent to the cabinet, deans, and steering committee for review. Each of these groups provided suggestions and raised additional questions. The draft was revised to respond to this review. 7 PROLOGUE In early October 2014, the revised self‐study was sent to the faculty, staff, trustees, and college advisory boards. The draft was reviewed with the trustees and advisory boards during their fall meetings on campus. The draft was also reviewed in each of the colleges at meetings designated for that specific purpose. Members of the University’s staff were invited to two sessions to review and provide input on the draft. Student Senate considered the self‐study at a specially called meeting in October 2014. Each of these groups was also invited to provide written comments on the draft. During November 2014, the Provost’s office incorporated the feedback received during these reviews into a second revised draft. The second revision was then sent to the cabinet, deans, and steering committee for final review. Following their approval, the self‐study was delivered to the Higher Learning Commission. Commission Concerns from the 2004 Reaffirmation The University was first accredited by the North Central Association for Colleges and Secondary Schools in 1958. The University has been continuously accredited since then. The last site visit for reaffirmation occurred in 2004. We have taken several steps to address the concerns raised during that visit. Since 2007, the University has reviewed its curriculum three times (general education, semester conversion, The Ohio Northern Promise), studied its operations and program (SPFB), and considered its future and role in higher education (Strategic Plan). This self‐study has provided an opportunity to consider all the prior institutional reviews collectively within the framework of the HLC template. Moreover, it has allowed us to consider each of our prior studies not only in light of the current accreditation standards, but also in terms of the recommendations and suggestions of the last visit. Throughout these individual reviews, we have been mindful of the admonitions of the prior visit: sometimes explicitly (assessment and general education) and sometimes implicitly (strategic planning and globalization). Assessment The Commission was concerned that the University’s assessment efforts were not adequate. The lack of direct measures of learning and limited assessment of general education goals (Report of a Comprehensive Visit: Assurance Section, November 2004, p. 16, hereinafter “Report – Assurance Section”) were both considered problematic. The Commission requested, and the University submitted, an Assessment of Student Learning Progress Report in 2008 to address these issues. The report was accepted by the Commission with no further reporting required of the University. Since this report, the University has continued to develop and strengthen its assessment of student‐learning outcomes. Although our assessment program is still in its infancy, assessment is much more thoroughly integrated into University programs. The process was impacted by the curricular changes necessitated by the decision to switch from quarters to a semester calendar beginning with the 2011‐12 academic year and the restructuring of the General Education Program concurrently with the change in academic calendar. Since 2011, the University has developed a more robust assessment program, including the use of portfolios to demonstrate student‐learning outcomes. The assessment continues to include a variety of direct and indirect measures, including Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP), National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), College Senior Survey (CSS), and Alumni and Employer Surveys. 8 PROLOGUE Diversity The Commission noted in 2004 that, despite “well‐intentioned efforts” by the University, the campus remains quite “white.” (Report – Assurance Section, p. 11) To some extent, the ethnic makeup of the University is a function of location (rural Ohio) and program mix. Nevertheless, the University has tried to move from “intention” to “action.” These efforts have met with varying degrees of success. The student body, however, has become significantly less “white.” From 2004 to 2014, the percentage of students self‐identifying as “white” decreased from 95.2% to 82%. Moreover, in an era of declining total enrollment at the University, the number of African‐American students nearly doubled. Perhaps even more remarkable, the number of international students jumped from 23 to 232. In short, the University is significantly more diverse ethnically than a decade ago and is developing an extensive support system for international students as well as students from under‐represented groups. Beyond location and programs, the cost of private higher education poses additional challenges for enrolling a socio‐economically diverse student body. The University has, however, remained committed to its founder’s vision of being a school of opportunity for students seeking to enter professional careers. Fully one‐quarter of our undergraduates are first‐generation college students, and nearly 30% of the student body is Pell Grant eligible (up from 20% in 2007). Counseling The Commission also noted that “numerous people on campus told the team that the student counseling services are limited and do not meet the needs of students.” (Report – Assurance Section, p. 18) Since the visit in 2004, the University has restructured and improved the delivery of counseling services. The retirement of the long‐time Director of Counseling has led to a new understanding of the role of the center focusing on student needs. Staffing increased to two state‐licensed full‐time professionals, and the center relocated to newer space more conveniently located for students. The program collaborates closely with the Chaplain’s office and Residence Life and is an integral part of the Student Affairs Response Team (SART) designed to respond quickly to personal crisis situations. Financial Aid and Tuition The 2004 report noted that, “while the level of tuition discounting appears to be manageable and is clearly a parameter of the university’s enrollment plan, the current level of tuition discounting is a concern, which the university should closely monitor.” (Report – Assurance Section, p. 13) Beyond question, the level of tuition discounting has risen and continues to serve as a drag on University resources. Some of the rise in the discount rate is attributable to the University’s commitment to serve students from all socio‐economic backgrounds. The bulk of the continuing increase, however, is driven by competitive market forces that have adversely affected net tuition revenue. In order to begin addressing the increasing level of tuition discounting, in 2013 the University launched a comprehensive program, The Ohio Northern Promise, involving a reset of the nominal tuition and accompanying institutional financial aid to pre‐recession levels for each college. Additionally, the four‐
year graduation guarantee and focus on high‐impact practices and high placement rates contained in The Ohio Northern Promise will help to focus students and their families on the University’s strengths with the goal of increasing student enrollment with a reduced discount rate. Finally, the commitment to an aggressive marketing and branding campaign supported by an outside firm is driven by the goal of increasing the recognized value of a degree from the University. 9 PROLOGUE Institutional Research, Strategic Planning, and the Budgeting Process The report expressed the importance that “initiatives result from the strategic planning process, as opposed to being included later” (Report – Assurance Section, p. 13) and concern that “levels of accountability for strategy implementation are not fully articulated.” Both of these concerns have been addressed. The annual Operational Agenda for the Strategic Plan has clear designations of accountability. The programmatic initiatives currently under consideration have all come out of a planning process. The report also noted that “more work is needed to make the connection firmer between institutional research, budget development, and the planning process so that a continuous evaluative loop can be achieved and maintained.” (Report – Assurance Section, p. 12) After a period of significant turnover, the Office of Institutional Research has been staffed with the same three members since 2010. This level of consistency has allowed for more regularized data collection and assessment tools. The increased confidence level in the quality and reliability of the data collected has allowed for more data‐
driven planning and decision‐making. Governance and Institutional Identity “Although lines of communication have been expanded greatly in the recent past, much university communication is still vertically focused, directly to and from the higher administration. The institution could benefit from more horizontal communication and more decision making at the middle manager level.” (Report – Assurance Section, pp. 13‐14) Reports from all operational faculty committees are part of the agenda of each University faculty meeting. Minutes of University Council and University Faculty meetings are posted on the University website. Open forums are provided for faculty and staff to be informed about (and react to) enrollment and budgetary issues. The commission also believed that “trustees need to be more actively engaged in external relations and in fund‐raising on behalf of the university.” (Report – Assurance Section, p. 14) The Campaign for Ohio Northern University’s Tomorrow was led by members of the Board who actively participated in (and contributed to) the activities of the campaign. Trustees are currently at the forefront of efforts to fund the construction of a new engineering building, improved athletic facilities, and the creation of a new campus master plan. Marketing the Student Experiential Experience Experiential learning has long been part of the University’s effort “to combine the practical with the theoretical.” The University has extensive experiential programs across all five of its colleges. The opportunity for experiential learning is one of the key elements of The Ohio Northern Promise. The commission noted that “individual experiential programs negotiate, supervise and evaluate their own off‐campus partnerships relevant to their specific needs but there is little, if any, institutional oversight for such agreements.” (Report – Assurance Section, p. 10) The report suggested a more collaborative effort. The diversity of programs (e.g. engineering co‐ops, pharmacy clinicals, law public interest externships, athletic training internships) makes a collaborative approach difficult. Few of the sites or providers overlap. While the Provost’s office reviews all clinical contracts, quality‐control efforts remain with the unit sponsoring the experience. Beyond simply the pedagogical importance of these experiences, the Commission also noted: “There is no better way to be known, nor to overcome the isolated and insulated limitations of its rural location, than to export its students in service learning venues statewide. Indeed, the marketing value of these 10 PROLOGUE student‐learning opportunities should not be missed.” (Report – Assurance Section, p. 10) This is an opportunity of which we have yet to take full advantage. The comprehensive marketing campaign, however, on which the University has embarked incorporates the insight from the 2004 report. * * * * * In short, the University’s central and defining characteristic has always been its focus on students and learning infused with the liberal arts across all of its colleges. Throughout its history, the University’s commitment to an education that integrates theory and practice and prepares graduates to meet their social and ethical responsibilities has never wavered. Nor has the University deviated from the belief that students benefit most from small classes that facilitate close student/faculty relationships and a rigorous curriculum that encourages long‐term, in‐depth study. 11 CRITERION ONE|MISSION CRITERION ONE MISSION 12 CRITERION ONE|MISSION CRITERION ONE Mission The institution’s mission is clear and articulated publicly; it guides the institution’s operations. The University’s mission, although reformulated many times over the past 140 years, has never deviated from a focus on students and their success—in college and beyond. The past few years have been a time of thorough self‐examination at the University. After all the studies, reviews and assessments, however, the University remains committed to providing professional education informed by the liberal arts, combining the practical with the theoretical. This mission provides the prism through which decisions are filtered. Core Components Criterion 1.A. The institution’s mission is broadly understood within the institution and guides its operations. 1.A.1. The mission statement is developed through a process suited to the nature and culture of the institution and is adopted by the governing board. In Spring 2013, the Board of Trustees adopted the current Mission Statement. The Board’s action was the culmination of nearly two years of institutional review and study involving all aspects—faculty, staff, students, and alumni. During the 2011‐12 academic year, President DiBiasio appointed the Sustainable Program and Financial Base Review Committee (SPFB) composed of both faculty and staff from across the University. The purpose of the committee was to review the sustainability of the University in two major areas: the need to improve and protect the University’s reputation for academic excellence, and the need to ensure that the institution maintained a viable financial base. Each administrative and academic unit within the University was directed to prepare a case statement for both of these areas. With the help of Kaludis Consulting, the group spent several months examining University programs and organizations in light of the case statements. At the conclusion of their review, the SPFB Committee issued a draft report that was presented to faculty, staff, and trustees in February 2012. All were invited to submit their comments to the president, who finalized the report in April 2012. At the conclusion of these reviews, an SPFB Implementation Plan was developed. Committees of faculty and staff worked through 2012‐13 to carry out the Implementation Plan. Their work is documented in the September 2013 progress report. Concurrently with work on the Implementation Plan, President DiBiasio convened a series of focus groups, to which all faculty were invited, to consider further implications of the SPFB Report and to identify and discuss opportunities and concerns confronting the University. Drawing on the SPFB Report and faculty focus‐group discussions, a draft Mission Statement and Strategic Plan were prepared, reviewed with the Board, and circulated to the faculty. University faculty provided editorial suggestions and proposed substantive changes that led to two revisions. The 2013 Mission Statement and Strategic Plan were then approved by the Board on May 11, 2013. 13 CRITERION ONE|MISSION To implement the Strategic Plan, an annual Operational Agenda was created that identifies specific actions for each goal and priority, the office(s) primarily responsible for completing the action, and when an action is expected to be completed. Any items remaining uncompleted from the SPFB Report were included in the 2013‐14 Strategic Plan Operational Agenda. In short, the Operational Agenda is an annual accountability monitoring mechanism for measuring our progress and regularly updating the campus community on our efforts to implement the Strategic Plan. These updates are also included in the materials prepared for Board of Trustees meetings in order to ensure understanding and accountability. 1.A.2. The institution’s academic programs, student support services, and enrollment profile are consistent with its stated mission. The University’s academic programs, co‐curricular and extra‐curricular offerings, and enrollment profile are well‐aligned with the mission. The University attracts a well‐credentialed student body that is predominately focused on professional and pre‐professional programs. Even within the College of Arts & Sciences, nearly one‐half of the students are enrolled in professional programs (e.g. nursing, construction management, athletic training, exercise physiology, and education). As a rule, these students are not only well‐prepared academically, but also highly motivated and focused learners. More specifically, 62% of the entering freshmen in 2014 graduated in the top quarter of their high school classes. The class mean ACT composite score was 25.9. Of course, not all students come to the University thoroughly prepared for college‐level work. For example, the College of Arts & Sciences recognizes that high school performance may not always accurately represent a student’s academic potential as they mature. Likewise, some excellent students struggle with standardized examinations but perform well in the classroom and with practical/professional applications. For this reason, the College Transition Program accepts students with a desire to attend the University and a dedication to excelling despite one or more predictors that flag them as being academically at risk. Their success is facilitated by regularly scheduled meetings with a representative from the Dean’s office, special advising, a structured program, and participation in success courses to develop study and writing skills. (See 4.C.3.) More generally, student support services are available in a variety of venues. All colleges provide access to academic support staff and tutoring. At‐risk students are given access to remedial‐writing courses as well as study‐skills courses to allow for the adjustment to the academic demands of college life. All students are enrolled in a Transitions Experience course during the first semester of their freshman year. These courses serve as an introduction to college work and to the support services available throughout the University. The Office of Multicultural Development and the International Student Services office provide academic and social support for diverse student populations that may face unique challenges adjusting to college life in rural northwest Ohio. The University’s programs are built on close interaction between faculty and students. We are committed to offering small classes that permit discussion and other forms of personal interaction. To accomplish this, we maintain a low student/teacher classroom ratio (mean = 19 students/class for undergraduate lecture courses) and a low overall faculty‐to‐student ratio of 12:1. Academic advising and mentoring are crucial for student success. A knowledgeable faculty advisor with expertise in the interest area within the major is assigned to each student at the beginning of their first semester of 14 CRITERION ONE|MISSION matriculation and typically follows the student through their academic career. In addition to providing assistance for correctly registering for curricular requirements, advisors encourage their advisees to participate in pre‐professional activities, study abroad, research, shadowing opportunities, and professional conferences. The success of our graduates in finding jobs and passing licensure and professional exams, coupled with the responses to the employer survey, reflects the congruence of our programs with preparation for successful careers. The University‐wide commitment to civic engagement and service demonstrates our success at instilling a culture of service in our students. (See 1.D.3.) “The lifetime of personal growth” promised in the Mission Statement is nurtured via specialty academic programs and student support services. University students enjoy a rich religious life through participation in weekly services plus numerous chapel‐related student organizations, outreach teams, and volunteer opportunities. Many students participate in service activities through Greek organizations and professional student groups. Our students take full advantage of co‐curricular and extracurricular opportunities. More than 700 students participate in intercollegiate athletics. Many more take advantage of the numerous intramural and club sport offerings. For example, in 2013‐14, 796 students participated in intramurals, and another 384 students were in a club sport supported by the University. Additionally, there are high levels of student participation in “whole‐person educational experiences” (i.e. band, theatre, chorus), which are open to all students (not just majors) in those areas. The Office of Multicultural Development sponsors various cultural activities and celebrations of cultural and religious traditions in addition to their monthly “cultural conversations” on issues related to diversity. There are also sponsored academic programs throughout the year, such as the Lovett Distinguished Lecture Series, the Keiser Lectureship, the Sebok Lectures, the Spotts Lectures, and the Reading Series. The University has been successful in recruiting increasing numbers of international students to our campus. As a result of this increase, programs designed to support and facilitate international students are in place. The International Scholar Transition Program (ISTP) serves the needs of students as they begin their academic studies in their majors, providing advanced language instruction and support in tandem with mainstream academic classes. Each semester, students take two core courses: Listening and Speaking as well as Reading and Vocabulary, along with a College Composition course offered through the English department and one or two select academic courses. Additionally, students are enrolled in a one‐credit‐hour skills lab, which provides one‐on‐one tutoring, skill workshops and additional academic support. The Intensive English Program (IEP) is a multilevel English language instruction program that serves students who are academically admissible to the University but are in need of improved English skills and proficiency that prepare them for the ISTP. The IEP is a year‐long program divided into six required levels, from beginner to high intermediate, that are each seven weeks long. 1.A.3. The institution’s planning and budgeting priorities align with and support the mission. The Strategic Plan and the Mission Statement were developed concurrently (see 1.A.1), in part, to ensure congruence of our planning with our mission. The Strategic Plan was derived from the mission and frequently references the mission. The development of the annual budget also begins with operating‐unit requests specifically supported by reference to the Mission and Strategic Plan. (See 15 CRITERION ONE|MISSION 5.C.1.) The annual Operational Agenda for the Strategic Plan incorporates the budgeted initiatives to build on the mission. Criterion 1.B. The mission is articulated publicly. 1.B.1. The institution clearly articulates its mission through one or more public documents, such as statements of purpose, vision, values, goals, plans, or institutional priorities. The University Mission Statement, heritage and history statement, core values, and vision are prominently featured on the website. This information can be accessed in a number of ways, including clicking on the About ONU tab on the University’s home page. The mission, heritage and history, core values, and vision statements are also linked from numerous pages frequently accessed by visitors, students, and faculty and staff. For example, the following pages within the A‐Z index also link to the mission and vision statements: About Ada, Board of Trustees, History of ONU, HEOA Student Consumer Information, and Just the Facts. In addition to the web, the Mission Statement can be found in the following publications: 
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Just the Facts University Catalog Administrative Handbook Support Staff Handbook Faculty Handbook 1.B.2. The mission document or documents are current and explain the extent of the institution’s emphasis on the various aspects of its mission, such as instruction, scholarship, research, application of research, creative works, clinical service, public service, economic development, and religious or cultural purpose. Along with the development and adoption of a new Strategic Plan and revised Mission Statement, the University statements on its history and heritage, vision, and core values were revised during the 2012‐
13 academic year. This process included input from both University administrators and faculty from all five colleges. (See 1.A.1.) The resulting statements articulate our primary focus: educating students so that they can lead successful and productive lives. Each of the components of the Strategic Plan is directed to furthering that end and identifies the effort needed for achieving that goal. The core values statement further amplifies how the University creates a high‐quality learning environment with the expectation of excellence in all aspects of campus life, including professional and scholarly endeavors. The shared strategic vision is solidly rooted in the mission and core values of the institution. 16 CRITERION ONE|MISSION 1.B.3. The mission document or documents identify the nature, scope, and intended constituents of the higher education programs and services the institution provides. The University is a private, church‐related institution focused primarily on the education of its students. The Mission Statement makes this focus explicit. Our programs are designed to educate and graduate persons with the skills and knowledge necessary for useful lives and meaningful careers. We provide the necessary services—instructional and support—to allow our students to achieve success both at the University and in their careers. The University’s other constituents—alumni, faculty and staff, local community—are derivative of our focus on students. Criterion 1.C. The institution understands the relationship between its mission and the diversity of U.S. society. 1.C.1. The institution addresses its role in a multicultural society. The University’s role in a multicultural society is mediated through its graduates’ success “in their careers . . . [and] service to their communities, the nation, and the world.” To achieve that end, the University promotes diversity throughout its programs and activities. Several of the University’s core values directly address its role in a diverse society. The University values “community . . . strengthened by engaging all members of the community in the life of the University.” It also values “faith” as it seeks to “welcome persons of all faiths by providing a supportive environment for their moral and spiritual growth.” Notably, the University includes “diversity” among its core values as it pledges to “prepare graduates for success in a diverse nation and world.” The University has incorporated this aspect of its mission into its current Strategic Plan by seeking to “enroll a diverse student body” and “to implement student support systems that serve the distinct needs of various student subgroups,” including international students. The Office of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid annually develops a minority recruitment plan to implement this commitment. The University also seeks “to promote . . . community service and outreach activities to enhance student learning and civic engagement.” (See 1.D.3.) The University thus seeks to build a learning community where all are valued and educated for career success and a commitment to service in our multicultural society. This mission is also reflected in our expectations of our students. For example, the University urges students to conduct themselves “in a manner consistent with the values expressed in the University Mission Statement.” More specifically, “the University expects its members to respect differences among individuals and to encourage communication, learning, and understanding” and to demonstrate a commitment to others and a commitment to community that results in “mutually collaborative, respectful, social interactions” that lead to “responsible citizenship, active participation and global awareness.” 17 CRITERION ONE|MISSION 1.C.2. The Institution’s processes and activities reflect attention to human diversity as appropriate within its mission and for the constituencies it serves. The University recognizes the need to provide its students with a diverse environment across a wide variety of variables. The importance of the diverse experience for our students is not limited simply to exposure to difference but serves a vital role in educating our students to be good citizens and effective in their careers. Our physical location offers some challenges to attracting and maintaining diversity among students, faculty, and staff. Rural northwest Ohio is not a melting pot of racial and ethnic diversity. The University, however, continues to attract students from a wide range of economic circumstances. Over the past four years, nearly 30% of undergraduate students have been Pell‐eligible. Additionally, a quarter of our students are the first in their families to attend college. As part of the general education program, all students are required to have taken at least two courses that address diversity and include two artifacts in their portfolios. (See 3.B.4.) The artifacts that meet the requirement for tagging a course for this learning outcome address various dimensions of diversity: 1) Cultural self‐awareness, 2) Knowledge of cultural worldview frameworks through comparison and contrast, 3) Empathy, 4) Ability to gather appropriate information, 5) Cultural curiosity with cognitive flexibility, and 6) Tolerance of Ambiguity with respect to cultural differences. Office of Multicultural Development Through the Office of Multicultural Development (OMD), the University seeks to emphasize respect for diversity in all its forms, to create an inclusive campus environment, and provide programming opportunities that will allow students to feel more comfortable with difference when they leave the University, preparing them to thrive and succeed in the world of the 21st century. The University is home to seven student organizations that fall under the umbrella of the OMD: Asian American Student Union, Black Student Union, Indian Student Association, Latino Student Union, Muslim Student Association, Open Doors: Student Gay/Straight Alliance, and the World Student Organization. An additional organization is in the final stages of gaining official University recognition. It will join the list of organizations under the Multicultural Development umbrella. Brother 2 Brother will be the Ohio Northern chapter of the national Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) program. This initiative seeks to assist young men, especially young men of color, to persist to graduation within educational environments. Brother 2 Brother will engage young men at ONU and connect them with campus and community resources to help them form a solid support system. The University also sponsors a number of programs and services that are designed to cultivate retention, scholarship, intellectual engagement, and cultural awareness, such as:  Opening the Way Multicultural Reception  Multicultural Holiday Celebration  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Observance  Black History Month Celebration  Annual Multicultural Fair  Black Student Union Alumni Reunion  International Student Orientation  Dimension Award Scholars Program  Polar Pals Peer‐Mentoring Program 18 CRITERION ONE|MISSION The OMD hosts monthly Cultural Conversations in which some issue associated with multicultural diversity is presented by and debated among students, staff, and faculty. Unite For Awareness Week is a weeklong student initiative to educate the community about forms of prejudice and discrimination that exist in our society. Displays and interactive presentations are placed across campus, drawing attention to issues of diversity, including classism, sexism, religious tolerance, ableism, and racism. Speakers on issues of diversity, documentary presentations, and expert panels are hosted on campus during this week. During the 2013‐14 academic year, 93 events were hosted, with an average attendance of about 50 participants at each event. In Fall 2014, international students comprise 7% of our student body, up from 2.6% just five years ago. We have significant populations of students from Saudi Arabia, Brazil, South Korea, Japan, and China due to our relationships with sister universities and to certificate programs the University has established to attract specific student populations. The College of Law has established an LLM in Democratic Governance and the Rule of Law program, which has attracted more than 60 students from 30 countries in the last seven years while providing internship opportunities for domestic law students in other countries. International students participate in the English language programs as necessary to ensure their transition to a primarily English‐speaking campus. International Student Services (ISS) is devoted to facilitating the transition from the students’ home country. As part of this transition, the office assists students in finding and utilizing resources to facilitate academic and social success. Both ISS and the OMD are dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding of international cultures and cultivating global citizenship on campus and the surrounding village and area. Study Abroad The University maintains a study abroad office that coordinates international experiences to “develop in students an interest, understanding, and appreciation of other peoples and a cultivation of a spirit of world citizenship within the University community.” Immersion in another culture is a high‐impact practice that positively affects students’ ability and comfort in addressing multicultural issues. In 2013, a new part‐time position, the Director of Global Academic Initiatives, was established to broaden the impact of international experiences. This position is based in Academic Affairs but is closely involved with International Admissions, Student Affairs and Residential Life, ISS, and the OMD, allowing a holistic overview of campus international experiences. Criterion 1.D. The institution’s mission demonstrates commitment to public good. 1.D.1. Actions and decisions reflect an understanding that in its educational role the institution serves the public good, not solely the institution, and thus entails a public obligation. The University and each of its colleges and units understand their role in the promotion of the public good. Our mission includes preparing students for service and acting ethically and responsibly. The University encourages students and faculty as civic‐minded citizens by supporting their involvement in programs and organizations aligned with the public good. (See 1.D.3.) 19 CRITERION ONE|MISSION 1.D.2. The institution’s educational responsibilities take primacy over other purposes, such as generating financial returns for investors, contributing to a related or parent organization, or supporting external interests. The University is organized as a nonprofit corporation. Revenues generated and gifts received by the University are retained by the University and expended in support of its programs. No funds are distributed to external interests. The University undergoes an annual audit to confirm the sources and application of all funds it receives. 1.D.3. The institution identifies and engages with its identified external constituencies and communities of interest and responds to their needs as its mission and capacity allow. In 2011, the Board of Trustees created a volunteer position with the title of Director of Community Relations that is currently held by Chris Burns‐DiBiasio. Under her leadership, members of the University community have become increasingly involved within our community. Service, engagement and outreach are integral to our students’ experience. More than one‐half of our full‐time students (1,579 of 3,098) were engaged in community service during the 2013‐14 school year. Of that number, 232 were engaged in academic service learning, and 1,347 were engaged in other forms of community service. In total, our students donated 52,859 hours of service. The University engages in a number of community‐driven service projects in which students, faculty and staff have participated. Examples are outlined below, along with a variety of other service‐based and community‐driven organizations and events.  Get Connected ONU! A new program developed by the Director of Community Relations, Get Connected ONU! is geared toward connecting students with volunteer work with local nonprofit agencies and service organizations in west central Ohio. Students can sign up on the Get Connected ONU! website, which allows users to search online for volunteer opportunities both in the local community and near their homes. The website also allows students to track their volunteer hours. This program is coordinated and maintained by the Office of the University Chaplain.  Activate Allen County. In 2012, Lima/Allen County received a $1.2 million CDC Small Communities Transformation grant. Due to connections made possible by the Director of Community Relations, students and faculty have been involved in a variety of different aspects of this grant. Two faculty members have been part of the evaluation team, and students have been involved in some of the healthy‐eating initiatives that have taken place in the community. Students have had an opportunity to meet and work with local leaders and engage with a number of public‐health issues that impact the communities immediately surrounding the University. These students have used their experiences to present posters at the University’s undergraduate research conference and have continued to expand their interest in these issues.  Ada Exempted Village. The University is a nonprofit entity and thus does not pay property taxes on its campus facilities. The University does, however, support the village through financial 20 CRITERION ONE|MISSION 
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donations to the Ada‐Liberty Township Fire Department and the Ada‐Liberty Joint Ambulance District. About 10 employees and students of the University are also volunteers for the fire and ambulance squads. The University is flexible in permitting them time away from their jobs and classroom responsibilities to answer emergency calls. The University also offers an EMT training course each fall and permits full‐time students to enroll in this course without any tuition over‐
load fees. Ada First United Methodist Church. In March 2012, the century‐old building of the Ada First United Methodist Church on Main Street was completely destroyed by a fire. The University immediately invited the congregation to worship on Sunday mornings in the English Chapel and provided office space for the church staff in nearby Clark Hall. The chancel choir also meets weekly in the chapel for rehearsal. All of this has been and will be provided at no cost to the church until the new building is completed in March 2015. Habitat for Humanity. The University’s campus chapter shares Habitat’s mission to eliminate substandard housing with the further goal of providing an atmosphere of Christian service and fellowship. From building homes to raking leaves to working at the community “ReStore,” Habitat members spend their time during the school year improving the community and raising awareness about homelessness and substandard housing. The spring break trip, to different parts of the country to engage in construction, fellowship and warmer weather, contributes to improving the conditions of others. 
Northern Without Borders. This student organization formed in 2010 and connects students with service opportunities around the globe. The staple trip for this group is its annual visit to the Dominican Republic. Typically, two groups of 20 students travel for one week each to the Dominican to assist a medical and educational Christian mission with supplies and staff. Students have an opportunity to learn about different cultures and ways of life and about international aid. While in the Dominican Republic, they have opportunities to work with local mobile medical clinics in rural communities, aid with construction projects, engage in community education projects, and work with local schools in sustainable and responsible ways. 
Ada Civic Engagement Day (ACE). Ada Civic Engagement Day welcomes new Ohio Northern University students to the Ada community, offering them a way to help and engage with fellow students and village residents. The types of service opportunities range from painting, landscaping, tree planting and cleaning to the washing of fire trucks, decorating, cooking, and many others. The third annual ACE Day in Fall 2014 included participation by nearly 300 students, staff and faculty members at more than 30 ACE sites. Greek Philanthropy. The Greek community, currently nine national fraternities and sororities, at Ohio Northern University began in 1905. The strong tradition of Greek life provides students an opportunity to develop leadership skills, serve the University and local community, and become involved on campus. To meet the Standards of Excellence, the chapters each sponsor four direct community‐service activities (not a fundraiser) per year. (Three must involve at least 20% of the membership, and one must involve greater than 50%). The major philanthropies supported include Speech and Hearing Impaired, Breast Cancer Education and Awareness, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Choose Children, March of Dimes, St. Jude Children’s Research 
21 CRITERION ONE|MISSION 
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Hospital, American Lung Association, Ada Food Pantry, Red Cross, Ada Community Health Screenings, golf tournaments and highway cleanups. As noted in the Spring 2014 semester report, some examples of the impact the students have made include the following—for just one semester (Spring 2014): o The Greek community spent a total of 1,864 hours in direct community service. Greeks performed an average of 17.1 hours of direct community service per day throughout the semester. o $18,264 was donated to philanthropic organizations by the Greek community. Religious Life Outreach Teams. One of the most interactive areas of our religious life program is the outreach and growth teams. These teams use their talents and abilities to enrich the churches and civic and community organizations they visit. Each team has weekly rehearsals, which include team prayer and time for sharing about their faith. Also, during these rehearsals, team members improve and refine their skills in preparation for sharing in programs both on and off campus. Later, team members are able to reflect on the shared experiences and new insights gained from interacting with fellow team members, with members of the campus community, and with members of the churches and community organizations. The list of outreach teams includes: o Gospel Ensemble: The Ohio Northern University Gospel Ensemble was formed in December 1987. Since that time, the ensemble has traveled to many area churches and community group meetings each year. The group has also ventured outside of the area to visit the home churches of team members throughout Ohio and Michigan. The ensemble, which consists of students and staff from various racial and ethnic backgrounds, sings primarily contemporary African American gospel music, and much of it is sung a cappella. There is no academic credit granted for participation. The primary purpose of the Ensemble is to spread the Word of God through song. o Ultimate Faith Outreach: Ultimate Faith Outreach is a team that leads retreats for youth groups. These retreats are held on weekends and give college students an opportunity to share with and encourage younger students. o Northern Chimes: Northern Chimes is a handbell choir that performs at various churches throughout the state. They spread God’s word through music and scripture verses that are read between songs. o Son’s Rays: Son’s Rays is a group of musicians who bring the message of Jesus Christ through song and testimony. Contemporary Christian music is the medium through which the members of the Son’s Rays express their love for God. Another important aspect of the group is the sharing of personal testimonies by each member of the team. o Agape Improv!: Agape Improv! is a Christian theatre group that performs short plays for various churches in Ohio. The purpose of these plays is to show different aspects of modern‐day Christian life and to challenge Christians to live closer to their Lord. Summer Camps. The University is proud to host a number of summer camps that serve state and regional high school students by providing learning and social experiences that expand the opportunities available beyond their high school offerings. 22 CRITERION ONE|MISSION Examples of such camps include: o Each summer, the College of Engineering hosts Camp GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science) for seventh and eighth grade girls interested in STEM disciplines. The camp is designed to encourage all‐around student development while exposing young female scholars to possibilities in the STEM areas. o U.S.‐Japan Summer Camp o Summer Music Camp (grades seven‐12) o Piano Camp (elementary and middle school) Additional experiences hosted during the summer include various workshops, conferences, and charity groups. In total, more than 4,000 people are accommodated on campus during the summer. 
Summer Academic and Honors Institute. The University hosts the Summer Academic and Honors Institute for gifted high school students. The Institute includes 16 in‐depth and challenging courses scheduled over a two‐week period in June, and a three‐week scholar course in July. Each weeklong program provides separate opportunities for exploring education and career options. 
Freed Center. The Freed Center presents and produces high‐quality live performances, including theatre, music, and dance, that 1) provide entertainment and cultural enrichment for residents of this region, 2) foster learning and appreciation for the arts among students at Ohio Northern University, and 3) are a resource for education in the performing arts for schools in Hardin County and northwest/central Ohio. The Freed Center’s activities range from music, dance, theatre, lectures and symphonies to a Children’s Series, an Education Series, and a vast array of outreach activities such as workshops, master classes, school tours, pre‐ and post‐show discussions, and Teacher’s Guides. Examples of further involvement with external constituencies and communities of interest are outlined below, according to each college on campus. Getty College of Arts & Sciences  Art and Design department: Artists Against Hunger. In the nearby Kenton City Schools, 51% of students receive free or reduced lunches. Currently, there are 130 students in the Kenton schools who are recipients of the Backpack Program, which provides students in need with a backpack of food to help feed them over the weekend. The Artists Against Hunger luncheon offers the community an opportunity to donate to the Hardin County Backpack Program in exchange for a lunch of soup during which each donor chooses a handcrafted ceramic bowl made by students from the University and Hardin County schools.  Education department. SMArts is a Saturday‐morning art enrichment program offered free of charge to kindergarten through eighth‐grade students in local school districts sponsored by the Center for Teaching Education through a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts. Held at the Wilson Art Center, activities focus on art history, aesthetics, art production, art criticism, and connecting the arts to other disciplines. SMArts serves as clinical experience for teacher 23 CRITERION ONE|MISSION 
candidates and exposes public school students to opportunities in the arts they normally do not have a chance to experience due to shrinking budgets for such programs in the schools. English department: Reading Series. The English department hosts creative writers from all around the country in a reading series that features two to three authors each semester. Participants publish in a wide range of genres and styles, including poetry, fiction, science fiction, and memoir. While on campus, visiting writers offer a public reading of their work (accompanied by select student readers) and conduct mentoring workshops with our students, offering real‐world advice on the craft and business of writing. Recent visitors include Simone Muench, Carol Drinkwater, Tobias Buckell, and Tadd Adcox. 
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Criminal Justice: Public service internship. Students majoring in criminal justice are required to complete an internship with 600 on‐site hours in a close relationship with public offices and officials or approved private agencies and firms in Ada, Lima and the surrounding areas. Examples of these internships have included work in police departments, prosecutors’ offices, correctional institutions, and juvenile centers. Human Performance and Sport Sciences department: Partnering with the Ada Fire Department. Exercise physiology students have developed a special exercise regimen for a group of Ada‐
Liberty Township firefighters designed to help them lose weight, gain strength and, most importantly, develop a routine that they can continue into the future. This project marked the second year of a partnership between the program and the Ada‐Liberty Township Fire Department. Additionally, the exercise physiology program has worked with the Ada Chamber of Commerce Fitness Challenge and is always looking for new ways to help Ada get healthy. 
Environmental Chemistry: Experiential learning. Current research projects all deal with “watershed ecology.” Students are engaged in environmental chemistry research into the health and well‐being of local watersheds under the guidance of Dr. Chris Spiese, Assistant Professor of Chemistry. 
Reclaiming Futures project. The Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice supports the Reclaiming Futures project, which assists teens with drug and alcohol arrests in receiving treatment and completing their educations. The program is run through the Hardin County Juvenile Justice Court and the Hardin County Sheriff. Reclaiming Futures not only provides its students with treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, but also offers therapy for comorbid psychological issues, family therapy, and academic tutoring to help the students complete their high school degrees. The University’s association with Life Works, a local charter school using the Reclaiming Futures model, has opened several internship opportunities for students with interests in psychology, criminal justice, education, law, and social work. Additionally, Life Works students have access to academic assessments, career training, and University students who serve as peer mentors. Smull College of Engineering  Northern Engineers Without Boundaries. This engineering student group travels each May to a village in the Dominican Republic to implement and assist with engineering projects and lead engineering education workshops for Dominican teachers. Other college efforts support this 24 CRITERION ONE|MISSION 
group via design projects. For example, the first‐year engineering project course has tasked the students with developing cost‐effective ways to improve access to water, food or energy for those in undeveloped regions of the world such as the Dominican and Haiti. Other recent projects include a senior capstone project and an EPICS (see below) project in which students and faculty are assisting Haitians on the Gonave Island to become less reliant on their expensive, diesel‐generated electricity. Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS). Last year, the College of Engineering’s real‐
life class, Engineering Projects In Community Service (EPICS), worked on three major projects throughout the area: building a replica of the Mars rover Curiosity for the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio; refurbishing a concrete base for historical Civil War cannons in Forest, Ohio; and upgrading the village of Ada’s website. Raabe College of Pharmacy  Ghana Initiative. The college has made the following efforts to extend its collaboration with a College of Pharmacy in Ghana: 1) formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the respective institutions; the MOU between Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the Ghana Pharmacy Council, and the College of Pharmacy brings all the players together to effectively influence pharmacy education and practice; 2) the college has provided curricular review of the KNUST PharmD curriculum; 3) the college has assisted in the development of continuing education programs for Ghanaian pharmacists; and 4) faculty and student exchanges have been occurring since 2010. Additionally, the Ghana Ministry of Health has pledged support of this collaboration.  Hardin and Allen County Health outreach. The college engages 400 students per year in free health‐related screening and educational programming that targets the health needs of the region. Students work with local facilities (such as the Ada ReStore center) as well as at local events like the Harvest & Herb festival in Ada. Student groups provide education in the areas of disease prevention and immunization, proper medication usage, and some disease state‐specific information. In addition, the college generally conducts three regional health fairs per year.  Drug Information Center. The Center is a free service for health care professionals and patients across the region. The Center is staffed by a pharmacist as well as pharmacy students who are able to respond to questions about medications and disease states.  Annual Campus Health screening. Students from the college help with the annual employee and retiree health‐screening event. Students aid with administration of immunizations on‐site and then assist with follow‐up interpretation of laboratory results gained at that time.  Community Service. All students complete 10 hours of community service during each of their first two years in the program. This service can be performed in a variety of settings. Many of our students engage in a campus program called Ada Friends, coordinated by the Chaplain, in which they are matched with younger students from the local elementary school program. 25 CRITERION ONE|MISSION Pettit College of Law  Experiential learning. The College of Law’s programs include a walk‐in clinic available to serve low‐income persons in a variety of civil matters. Through the affiliation with the United Methodist Church, the clinic also provides legal services to local churches throughout Ohio. Between 2010 and 2013, the clinic handled 349 matters for low‐income clients and closed 101 transactional projects primarily for the Church. Dicke College of Business Administration  Volunteers for Income Tax Assistance (VITA). The College of Business Administration offers VITA (Volunteers for Income Tax Assistance), a free tax service for students and community members with low‐ to moderate‐income levels. The program is administered by Beta Alpha Psi, the international honorary organization for financial information professionals. The IRS partnership program that runs VITA is trying to publicize this program and wants people to receive what they are entitled to in respect to refunds and credits. A great asset to the VITA service is the assistance the program provides for international students, which was new in 2013 and is expected to grow in future years. VITA volunteers are juniors or seniors in the business college who have taken at least a few upper‐level accounting courses and have gone through training for the service. Each VITA volunteer puts in about 10 hours of assistance during the tax season. The University is the only listed VITA site in Hardin County. Without this service, community members within certain income limits would have to prepare their taxes on their own or pay for assistance. Alumni Relations  Alumni Events and Clubs. Numerous on‐ and off‐campus events are coordinated by the Alumni Relations office, including regional involvement in eight metropolitan locations: Cincinnati; Chicago; Columbus; Washington, D.C.; Indianapolis; Cleveland; Dayton; and Charlotte.  Alumni Recruiting Activities. The Office of Alumni Relations and the Office of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid are working together to increase the number of out‐of‐state students attending the University. Alumni have volunteered across the United States to serve as a contact for out‐of‐state students. They send letters, postcards, and emails to prospective students. Several alumni clubs host receptions for new students in late summer each year.  Alumni Publications. These include the Alumni Journal, Alumni News, and Northern Express Additionally, each of the colleges publishes an alumni magazine. 26 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT CRITERION TWO ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT 27 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT CRITERION TWO Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct The institution acts with integrity; its conduct is ethical and responsible. Integrity and transparency are the foundation for developing the sense of community essential to the success of the University. Particularly during challenging operating environments such as the present, policies that ensure decisions are free of conflicts of interest and that financial operations are understandable and clear are necessary to maintaining the community’s commitment to the University. Beyond operations, integrity in research, evaluation, and scholarship are core elements of the academic enterprise. The University strives to foster integrity and accountability in all of these areas. Core Components Criterion 2.A. The institution operates with integrity in its financial, academic, personnel, and auxiliary functions; it establishes and follows fair and ethical policies and processes for its governing board, administration, faculty, and staff. The Board of Trustees follows a Code of Conduct and a comprehensive Conflict of Interest Policy. The Governance Committee of the Board reviews these policies, along with the corporate Bylaws, to ensure they remain current and are responsive to the University’s commitment to integrity in all it does. The Committee recommends any needed changes to the full Board. Policies pertaining to students, faculty, and staff are on the University website. The Support Staff Handbook, the Administrative Staff Handbook, and the Faculty Handbook are on the Office of Human Resources web page. These handbooks contain information on benefits and privileges as well as rules and regulations for the respective classifications of staff and faculty. The University recently revised the Support Staff and Administrative Staff handbooks. These revisions modified policies on sick and vacation leave, standards of conduct, drug testing, at‐will employment, tuition remission, and retiree health benefits. The University conducted interactive review sessions for support and administrative staff to address their questions and concerns. Financial Audit: The University undergoes an annual independent audit performed by BKD LLP. The latest audit was completed in September 2014, for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2014. The audit reports for 2014 and previous years are available to the public on the Controller’s website. As part of the annual audit, BKD also provides a management letter addressing any concerns noted during the audit. Business Policies and Processes: The University operates under a comprehensive set of business policies and procedures. Examples of policies established to ensure that the University conducts its business with integrity include, but are not limited to:  Purchasing Policies: These policies and procedures address conflicts of interest, business expenses, bidding processes, and contracting protocols. 28 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT 
Gift Policies: Establishes fair and ethical procedures for accepting gifts to the University and ensures that donor gifts are used as intended. 
Business Services Policy: Ensures that there is a liaison between contracted/outsourced facilities and auxiliary services. EEO and Non‐Discrimination Policy: The Administrative Staff, Support Staff, and Faculty handbooks include this policy. This policy ensures that the University provides equal opportunity to all applicants for employment and that it administers all personnel policies and practices, such as recruitment, hiring, promotions, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, in a manner that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law. The policy complies with federal and state laws and affirms the University’s continuing commitment to provide equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment. The Office of Human Resources provides training for each hiring manager and search committee member with regard to appropriate screening, interviewing, and hiring methods and procedures. Students may not engage in or be subjected to discriminatory behavior. The Student Handbook, Section 2, Nondiscrimination, states, Students at Ohio Northern University are not discriminated against on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran’s status, military status, disability, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship, height, or weight. Sexual Harassment Policy: The University prohibits sexual harassment. The University biannually conducts mandatory sexual harassment and misconduct identification and prevention training for every employee on our campus. This training began in 2010. University policy specifies steps that members of the campus community should take if they have experienced sexual harassment and provides for reporting through the Campus Conduct Hotline. The Hotline is available 24 hours a day. A link to the hotline web page is at the bottom of each University web page. The Office of Business Services directly informs all members of the campus community annually that the Campus Conduct Hotline is available. The policy also outlines the protocol for acting upon cases of sexual harassment that have been reported to the University. With regard to cases of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct covered by Title IX, the University’s Director of Human Resources is the Title IX coordinator. The Title IX coordinator is responsible for tracking and reporting all allegations and claims pertaining to Title IX. The University has designated an athletic liaison and a student affairs judicial review liaison who report all allegations of sexual harassment or misconduct directly to the Title IX coordinator. The Office of Student Affairs investigates all matters involving students, and the Office of Human Resources investigates all matters involving employees. The University is currently revising its policy relative to Title IX. Equity for Athletics: As a member of the NCAA Division III and Ohio Athletic Conference, the University follows all rules and regulations pertaining to equal opportunities and appropriate support for staff and 29 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT student‐athletes. The Department of Athletics participates in regular compliance analyses. The University Controller completes the annual Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) survey. Human Resource Compliance: The Office of Human Resources is responsible for regulatory compliance under the guidance of governing agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Department of Labor (DOL), Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC). The Office of Human Resources completes the regulatory filings that the University submits to these agencies. These filings include those required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which governs the University’s retirement, medical, and benefit‐plan offerings. The Office of Human Resources approves and administers all filings in conjunction with the Vice President for Financial Affairs. Conflict of Interest policy: The Board of Trustees operates under a strict conflict of interest policy and requires annual reports from its members and the principal officers of the University. The Audit Committee of the Board reviews these annual reports and is empowered to address any concerns raised by the responses. The Administrative Policies & Procedures Manual specifically addresses conflicts of interest in University purchasing and contracts. The University discourages employment of relatives in the same department. The Administrative Staff, Support Staff, and Faculty handbooks include this policy. Occasionally, circumstances arise that create the need to have relatives in the same department. These include specialized educational qualifications or the marriage of two employees. The Faculty Handbook also includes an additional policy on conflicts of interest. It is the obligation of all University personnel to avoid involvement in activities that might conflict, or appear to conflict, with institutional responsibilities. Faculty governance rules provide for recusal of faculty committee members to avoid conflicts of interest. For example, members of the undergraduate faculty Promotion and Tenure Appeals Committee who have been involved in any case that is under appeal or who believe that some real or apparent conflict of interest has compromised their involvement must withdraw from participating in committee deliberations and voting. If one or more members withdraw, additional members will be added to the committee. Nominees not elected to the committee will serve as alternates in the order of votes received and in accordance with the required composition of the committee. Grants: The University requires investigators to disclose significant financial conflicts of interest (SFI) to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. Each investigator must disclose any SFI that would reasonably appear to be affected by research, educational, or institutional responsibilities funded by or proposed for funding by the Public Health Service (PHS), the National Science Foundation (NSF), or any other external sponsor whose financial interests would reasonably appear to be affected by such activities. The term “investigator” refers to the principal investigator and any other person, regardless of title or position, who is responsible for designing, conducting, or reporting on research or educational activities funded or proposed for funding. Investigators may include collaborators or consultants. The disclosure requirement extends to spouse and dependent children of the investigator. FERPA/HIPAA: The University complies with all applicable state and federal laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), that relate to retention and disclosure of information about students and former students. The University sends the Annual Notification to Students each fall semester via their 30 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT University email accounts. It is also posted, along with other pertinent FERPA information, on the Registrar’s web page of the University website. HIPAA information and policies are located on the website under the health center pages. The College of Pharmacy, as well as the nursing and medical laboratory science programs, provides ongoing HIPAA training to its students and employees. The University Registrar provides FERPA training to its employees and has prepared a FERPA guide for faculty and staff. The Office of Human Resources provides a FERPA training module that is required of all faculty and staff that might have access to student educational records. Transfer Credit Policy: The University welcomes transfer students from community colleges, colleges, universities, and other accredited institutions. Transfer students in good academic and social standing from accredited colleges and universities may be admitted with advanced standing. Credits to be transferred must be graded “C” (2.00) or higher and must apply toward the student’s intended course of study. The University requires transfer students to send a final high school transcript and transcripts from each post‐secondary institution previously attended directly from the issuing institution to the Registrar. Concealment of previous attendance at a college or university is cause for cancellation of admission and registration. Transfer policies and information about articulated courses, Advanced Placement, College‐Level Examination Program, transient work, and International Baccalaureate are available on the Registrar’s website, the University Catalog (Transfer and Transient), and the College of Law Catalog. Financial Aid: The University lists its financial aid criteria online for prospective and current students, in the University Catalog, and in the Student Handbook. These sites include information on Standards of Academic Progress (SAP), financial aid policies for military students, exit counseling, available aid and costs, withdrawal policy for aid, and a net price calculator. The Office of Financial Aid complies with the regulations set forth by the Ohio Board of Regents and the Department of Education. The last A‐133 audit was completed on Sept. 30, 2013, for the year ending May 31, 2013, with no financial aid findings. The audit determined that federal funds were awarded properly, that the University has proper policies in place for SAP verification, that student statuses were tracked properly and reported to NSLDS, and that the University returned funds properly. The University submits an official audit report to the Department of Education each fall. As an NCAA Division III school, no athletically related student aid is provided at the University to students. Annually, the University reports to the NCAA Division III Financial Aid Committee. In a memorandum dated Sept. 27, 2013, the University was notified by the Committee that the initial review of the University’s 2013‐14 financial aid report, for the 2012‐13 academic year, was conducted and no further inquiry would occur. The University also supports the data collection requirements of the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act and provides that public link on our Higher Education/Student Right‐to‐Know Act web page. The Federal Student Aid Handbook requires that a university’s student loan default rate remain below 30% to avoid establishment of a default prevention task force. Because the default rate of our students is 3%, a default prevention task force has not been necessary. All students who have taken a federal loan are required to undergo loan exit counseling before graduating. 31 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT Criterion 2.B. The institution presents itself clearly and completely to its students and to the public with regard to its programs, requirements, faculty and staff, costs to students, control, and accreditation relationships. The University publishes student achievement data in both print and digital formats. The bulk of the data is compiled and published by the Office of Institutional Research. The most readily found printed publication containing this information is our annual Just the Facts brochure, which summarizes various materials found in a much more thorough annual report called the Fact Book. (Both of these are also available in digital format on the University’s website within the A‐Z index.) Perhaps the most comprehensive compilation of student achievement data is the University’s Higher Education Act Student Consumer Information web page. It can be accessed within two clicks of the University’s web address of www.onu.edu under the main heading of “About ONU” or via the A‐Z index. Here, campus constituents can readily access a variety of data including graduation rates, placement rates, financial aid information, campus crime statistics, and accreditation information. An additional external site, the National Center for Education Statistics, is also linked from the HEOA Student Consumer Information page. These types of statistics are often quoted in printed and electronic admissions recruitment pieces. One of these digital resources for prospective students is the University and College Accountability Network (UCAN) website, also linked from the HEOA Student Consumer Information page. The University coordinates a Parent Advisory Group and sends an electronic newsletter to parents on a regular basis. Programs: Descriptions and requirements of the programs of the University are readily accessible. The University Catalog describes each college and program. Further details regarding the College of Law are found in the Law Catalog. Undergraduate courses are described in the University Catalog and are accessible via Self‐Service Banner for faculty and students and via the Registrar’s website for the public. Brief descriptions of each undergraduate major are provided via links to the web pages for each major. College web pages also provide information about programs. Brief descriptions of law courses are provided on the College of Law website. The University also provides information on its programs in its various printed materials from the Office of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid, which include college brochures, the undergraduate academic view book, and a “travel piece.” The College of Law Office of Admissions provides similar printed materials. The Office of Admissions annually sends the undergraduate academic view book to 30,000 prospective students. The undergraduate and law admissions offices also distribute information about academic programs via email. Requirements: The Student Handbook, as well as handbooks for each college, provides rules on academic standing, class attendance, and satisfactory academic progress. The University makes students aware of these resources and rules during initial orientation. Students meet regularly with their academic advisors, all of whom are full‐time faculty members. Requirements for admission into the undergraduate and pharmacy colleges are stated in the University Catalog and on the Admissions website. Requirements for admission into the JD program and the LLM program in the College of Law are stated in the Law Catalog and on the Law Admissions website. Similarly, requirements for admission into the MPPA program in the College of Business Administration 32 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT are also in the University Catalog and online. The admissions web pages include additional requirements for admission for transfer students, international students, and law students. The requirements for graduation and earning of degrees are available in the University and College of Law catalogs. The Office of Academic Affairs also maintains a web page that includes requirements for general education. Faculty and Staff: The University Catalog lists the members of the full‐time faculty and their rank, title, and credentials. The University website lists the faculty and staff of each college at the following web pages:  College of Arts & Sciences  College of Business Administration  College of Engineering  College of Law  College of Pharmacy The names of all University employees are available through the directory on the University website. Departmental web pages list faculty and administrative staff; the departmental web pages are accessible through the A‐Z index on the University website. A faculty and staff pictorial directory is also online. Costs to Students: The University lists all costs to students on its Admissions website and in the University Catalog. The financial aid pages further detail resources for families, including the net price calculator. The Office of Admissions actively encourages families to engage in conversations with financial aid staff to ensure that they understand the University’s charges and financial aid programs. With the mid‐
academic year 2013‐14 adoption of The Ohio Northern Promise, which features a reduction in tuition charges of 20‐25%, the University communicated to prospective students the nature of the changes to the tuition structure and directed them to the website. Each current student received a letter that detailed how the change in the tuition structure would affect them. To ensure that students understand the potential financial implications of changing majors and programs, the University requires them to meet with a financial aid counselor before a change of major can be completed. This is accomplished through a required signature from Financial Aid on the student’s change of major form. Parents may access cost and financial aid information on the Admissions website. Once a student is enrolled at the University, the student can grant access to anyone they approve on the student’s financial billing web page within the University’s Self‐Service Banner portal. Control: As an Ohio not‐for‐profit corporation, an independent Board of Trustees oversees the University. The full Board meets four times each year. The voting membership of the Board of Trustees includes the Chair of the University Council, elected by the faculty; the President of the Student Senate, elected by the student body; and the President of the Alumni Association Board, elected by representatives of the Alumni Association. 33 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT Accreditation Relationships: The most current listing of program accreditations of the University, its colleges, and its programs is maintained on the website and in the University Catalog. PRAXIS test results and professional examination and licensure performance of the University’s graduates are disclosed on the website. Criterion 2.C. The governing board of the institution is sufficiently autonomous to make decisions in the best interest of the institution and to assure its integrity. 2.C.1. The governing board’s deliberations reflect priorities to preserve and enhance the institution. The Board of Trustees consists of 42 members. Historically, the Board met three times a year. In Fall 2014, the Board voted to add an additional meeting each year. The meetings typically occur over two days and include plenary and committee meetings. The morning of the first meeting day is generally composed of a plenary session containing detailed presentations on areas of importance to the University. In this way, trustees remain current on issues confronting the University and are provided context for their deliberations and decisions. Recent presentations include admissions and enrollment, the accreditation purpose and process, campus master planning, financial and credit management, branding and marketing and program review. While these sessions contain presentations from the responsible administrator or outside consultants, the format for these sessions is built on dialog and discussion with the trustees. The afternoon of the first meeting day is devoted to meetings of operational committees. Individual committees also occasionally meet between full board sessions to discuss specific matters (e.g. promotion and tenure recommendations, investment directions). The committees are informed by the materials contained in the “board books” delivered in advance of the meeting identifying the issues for consideration. The committees develop “action items” for consideration by the full board. Each member of the Board is assigned to one or more standing committees focused on particular areas of University operation with defined responsibilities: Executive Committee Committee on Board Governance Committee on Academic Affairs Committee on Advancement Committee on Financial Affairs Committee on Student Affairs Audit Committee Investment Committee Committee on Admissions, Enrollment, and Financial Aid Honorary Degree Committee Each committee works closely with a designated member of the President’s cabinet. Organizing the Board’s work in this way allows members to become thoroughly familiar with the priorities and 34 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT challenges of the University. A comparison of the Board committee membership from September 2010 to February 2014 demonstrates that Board members rotate through committee assignments to ensure exposure across all aspects of University operations. Structuring its meetings and organizing its members in this manner allows its decisions to be informed and animated by the University’s best interests while creating an organizational efficiency that encourages attendance and participation by the members of the Board. 2.C.2. The governing board reviews and considers the reasonable and relevant interests of the institution’s internal and external constituencies during its decision‐making deliberations. The makeup of the Board facilitates the consideration of the interests of campus constituencies. For example, the President of the Student Senate is a board member with both voice and vote on all matters. Elected members of the Student Senate sit on most Board committees with full voting privileges. The Faculty Chair of the University Council is also a full voting member of both the Board and the Academic Affairs Committee. The Faculty Vice Chair of University Council serves as a voting member of the Finance Committee. The President of the University Alumni Association is a voting member of the Board. The concerns of external constituencies are also represented on the Board. Many administrators, and faculty who are part of the Board, live in the local community. Additionally, when considering matters of impact beyond the campus, the Board frequently solicits the impact of residents and community leaders. A good example would be the current master planning process, which included the mayor and a town council member on the Campus Master Steering Committee and also included town meetings for additional input from community leaders. 2.C.3. The governing board preserves its independence from undue influence on the part of donors, elected officials, ownership interests, or other external parties when such influence would not be in the best interest of the institution. The Board of Trustees operates under a strict conflict of interest policy and requires annual reports from its members and the principal officers of the University. The Administrative Policies and Procedures specifically address conflicts of interest in University purchasing and contracts. 2.C.4. The governing board delegates day‐to‐day management of the institution to the administration and expects the faculty to oversee academic matters. The Board’s Code of Conduct specifically notes that the Board is “a policy‐making body” and admonishes members to “avoid participation in administration of that policy.” The “supervision, management and governance of the University” is expressly delegated by the Bylaws to the President, who is appointed and evaluated by the Board. 35 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT Curriculum and programmatic development is the responsibility of the faculty which reports to the Board through the Provost’s office without the requirement of Board approval. Criterion 2.D. The institution is committed to freedom of expression and the pursuit of truth in teaching and learning. The University’s commitment to academic freedom is made explicit in the Faculty Handbook. The University acknowledges the importance of academic freedom. As a citizen engaged in a profession that depends upon freedom for its health and integrity, the faculty member has a particular obligation to promote conditions of free inquiry. A faculty member is entitled to freely study, discuss, investigate, teach and publish. Artists and craftsmen, subject to reasonable time and place regulations that may be from time to time imposed, are free to create and exhibit their works of art. Academic freedom applies to both teaching and research and, where appropriate, to professional library service. While a faculty member is entitled to freedom in researching and teaching, that freedom is subject to the appropriate performance of assigned professional responsibilities. The advocacy of personal sentiments in the classroom, when, taken in context, the sentiments advocated are irrelevant to the subject matter taught, would be an abuse of academic freedom. As a member of the community, the faculty member has the rights and obligations of any citizen. When a faculty member speaks or acts as a private person, the faculty member avoids creating the impression of speaking or acting for the University. Faculty are encouraged to push the bounds of knowledge in their discipline and to adopt new methods of instruction. The faculty are protected in their exercise of academic freedom through the University governance system. For example, terminations that derogate academic freedom are prohibited and subject to grievance. Any faculty member who believes promotion or tenure decisions resulted in a denial of academic freedom has recourse to the Promotion and Tenure Appeals Committee. Criterion 2.E. The institution ensures that faculty, students, and staff acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly. 2.E.1. The University provides effective oversight and support services to ensure the integrity of the research and scholarly practices conducted by its faculty, staff, and students. The institution maintains an office of Grants and Proposals to oversee, guide, and assist investigators in proposal development. The University Controller’s office has a designated staff member charged with the responsibility of ensuring appropriate expenditure of grant funds. The University offers training and oversight relevant to the research that investigators conduct on campus. In Spring 2013, the University completed a National Council on University Research Administrators (NCURA) Peer Review of our sponsored projects and grant processes, with the intent to continue to enhance services to faculty and staff and ensure the University’s compliance with federal guidelines. A result of that review has led to changes in our post‐award processing and the establishment of a 36 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT designated person within the Controller’s staff to handle post‐award disbursements. The University has also established an effort‐reporting form for tracking faculty effort on grants as of Fall 2014. Finally, the University has sent several staff to Kent State University and the University of Akron to discuss their policies and gain an understanding of their processes and software programs. The University complies with federal mandates that require research training for investigators involved with human subjects, bio‐safety, and animal research. The University verifies that principal Investigators have received the required training before they are permitted to accept an award for funded research or initiate unfunded research. The University has joined the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiatives (CITI) program. CITI provides externally tracked, discipline‐specific, online training modules for the social and behavioral sciences, biomedical and physical sciences, and the humanities. The University employs CITI educational modules in the following areas to satisfy federal mandates:  Protection of Human Research Subjects Course  CITI Refresher Courses  Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Course  Health Information Privacy and Security (HIPS) Course  Laboratory Animal Research Courses for Investigators  Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course  Bio‐Safety and Bio‐Security Course  Conflict of Interest Course  Chemical Hazard Communication Program (CHCP) Course Since 2012, faculty and students have taken a total of 1,522 training courses provided by CITI. The University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews all internal and external research proposals that involve human subjects (Faculty Handbook, Appendix 21). The University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) reviews all internal and external research proposals that involve animals (Faculty Handbook, Appendix 28). The University maintains an Exposure Control Plan for Blood Borne Pathogens for investigators working on research with bio‐safety considerations (Faculty Handbook, Appendix 29). Full copies of the Institutional Review Board‐Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research; Ohio Northern University Assurance of Compliance with Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals; and Exposure Control Plan for Blood Borne Pathogens are maintained by the Office of Academic Affairs. 2.E.2. Students are offered guidance in the ethical use of information. All entering undergraduate students who have not completed an equivalent course at another university enroll in Writing Seminar (ENGL 1221). As part of the instruction in that course, students learn to evaluate sources of information and the appropriate methods of citation and attribution required in using that information. Students in the College of Law receive similar instruction in the Legal Research and Writing sequence. 37 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT The University makes the expectation of the ethical use of information explicit in a variety of ways. Students enrolled in the College of Business Administration, College of Pharmacy, and College of Law sign Statements of Professionalism or Honor Codes during orientation. The Faculty Handbook, Section 3.25.2, and the Student Handbook, Appendix C, Preamble, state, “Ohio Northern University students have an obligation to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct. The University expects its students to conduct themselves in a dignified and honorable manner as mature members of the academic community and assumes that individually and collectively they will discourage acts of academic dishonesty.” The Code of Student Academic Conduct, Section 1, covers examination offenses; written work offenses, including plagiarism; improper knowledge of examination contents; improper laboratory and computer use; and misrepresentation of material facts. Additionally, some departments provide explicit sanctions for plagiarism that augment University policies. Guidance as to the meaning of these policies and the consequences of violating them are provided during Welcome Weekend orientation. Students who participate in sponsored research activities are required to complete the CITI training course on Responsible Conduct of Research. (See 2.E.1.) 2.E.3. The institution has and enforces policies on academic honesty and integrity. Policies The Code of Student Academic Conduct, Appendix C, the College of Law Student Code of Conduct and the Faculty Handbook, Section 3.25, establish the University’s policies on academic honesty. When cases of academic dishonesty within the campus community are alleged, the University applies policies in the Faculty Handbook, Appendix 3.2, the Student Handbook, Appendices F through J, and the College of Law Student Code of Conduct Part Two. Initial enforcement and appeals procedures take place within the colleges in accordance with the Faculty Handbook, Section 3.25.4, the College of Law Student Code of Conduct Part Two, and the Student Handbook, Appendix C.2.A. Further appeals may be filed with the University Committee on Academic Conduct in accordance with the Faculty Handbook, Section 3.25.5‐6, the College of Law Student Code of Conduct Article 2.9, and the Student Handbook, Appendix C.2.B. Academic honesty and integrity violation sanctions also are addressed in the syllabus of each course offered at the University. The instructor of record for the course initiates enforcement of these academic policies. The student appeal process first includes the department Chair followed by the Dean of the college when necessary. Procedures for faculty grievances and appeals are contained in the Faculty Handbook and College of Law Faculty Policy Manual. The Faculty Handbook also contains appeal processes for promotion, tenure and retention decisions. 38 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT Enforcement College of Arts & Sciences The College of Arts & Sciences maintains the official record of student violations of the University’s Academic Integrity Policy in the Office of the Dean. The college’s largest department, the Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, developed policy guidelines regarding academic integrity in 2013 and maintains records of student violations in the departmental office. Because new international students often need guidance regarding what constitutes a violation of academic integrity and need to learn what to expect in terms of enforcement, the English Language Program (ELP) has developed an iterative practice, reinforced by a statement on Academic Honesty and Plagiarism Policy in the ELP student handbook. Students enrolled in the Intensive English Program (IEP) receive a Plagiarism Learning Form upon the first incident of plagiarism. The student is asked to complete the assignment again. A second incident will result in a meeting with the instructor and the completion of a Counseling Report Form (CRF), which is given to the IEP program Director. The instructor may determine whether the student will be allowed to complete the assignment again for full or partial credit or receive a grade of “F” for the assignment. A third violation will be documented on the CRF and forwarded to both the IEP program Director and the Executive Director of English Language Programs (ELP). The student will receive an “F” for the assignment. These records are maintained in the ELP office. A fourth incident is reported to the Dean and may result in University disciplinary action. College of Business Administration Academic infractions are addressed by individual faculty members when such infractions occur in their respective classes. The faculty consult with the Dean's office about the alleged infractions, receive information about repeat offenders from the Dean's office, and receive recommendations and input from the Dean regarding disposition of an alleged infraction(s). The College of Business Administration has experienced a limited number of academic integrity issues involving its students. College of Engineering Academic honesty and integrity within the College of Engineering are enforced through the Code of Student Academic Conduct contained in the University Student Handbook. Enforcement typically happens at the faculty level in the case where academic honesty has been compromised due to situations such as cheating, plagiarizing, or similar infractions. The standard response by the faculty member is the awarding of a zero for the assignment or exam and a one‐on‐one discussion with the student who has not abided by the college’s academic conduct policy. In rare cases, the student appeals the faculty decision to the appropriate department Chair or to the Dean of the college and further investigation takes place. All actions are documented in the student file, which is maintained in the Dean’s office. Over the last 10 years, only one allegation of academic dishonesty was appealed to the Dean of the college. College of Pharmacy Prospective, new and continuing students are informed of the high moral and ethical expectations society places on pharmacists and all health care professionals. New students and continuing students must sign off that they have read, understand and promise to abide by the College of Pharmacy’s Code of Ethical and Professional Conduct. Professionalism again is corporately acknowledged when the third‐
year class recites the Pharmacist Code of Ethics during its Professional Commitment Ceremony. 39 CRITERION TWO|INTEGRITY: ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT Consideration of alleged violations of this code is begun by submission of a Notice of Complaint to the Associate Dean. The signed Notice must include the name of the accused individual, the violation and the recommended sanction. The accused individual must meet with the Associate Dean to review the violation, recommended sanction and options available to the accused. These options include acceptance of the sanction, appeal of the recommended sanction or denial of the code violation. The Board of Ethical and Professional Conduct is convened should the accused request an appeal of the recommended sanction or hearing to argue for the denial of the code violation. The Board consists of four class representatives (P‐2, P‐3, P‐4 and P‐5), with the P‐5 pharmacy class representative serving as chair. Also serving on the board are three faculty members. Each pharmacy academic department provides a member as well as a Dean’s office delegate. The board hears statements from the accused individual as well as the person who filed the complaint. Recommendations from this board are provided to the Dean. The Dean makes the final decision regarding the sanction appeal or code violation denial. College of Law In the College of Law, the Student Code of Conduct covers a number of areas, including academic integrity. Over the past three years, there have been three completed cases of academic misconduct brought before the college’s Adjudication Committee. On one occasion, the student admitted the conduct and was given a reprimand. The other two students went to a full hearing, were found guilty, and were suspended from the College of Law for one year. 40 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT CRITERION THREE TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT 41 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT CRITERION THREE Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support The institution provides high quality education, wherever and however its offerings are delivered. The University’s focus on students and student learning manifests itself in a host of ways. The curriculum is generally taught (even at the introductory level) by full‐time faculty in small class settings. The faculty work closely with students on research projects and professional development supported by state‐of‐the‐art laboratories and extensive library resources. Students participate in a wide variety of co‐curricular and extracurricular organizations and programs designed to enhance and deepen their preparation for life after graduation. Core Components Criterion 3.A. The institution’s degree programs are appropriate to higher education. 3.A.1. Courses and programs are current and require levels of performance by students appropriate to the degree or certificate awarded. The University awards degrees at the bachelor, master, and first professional levels. The College of Arts & Sciences offers majors in 17 departments, leading to the degree programs of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The College of Engineering offers majors in three departments, leading to the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. The College of Business Administration offers five majors within the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. It also offers the Master of Professional Practice in Accounting (MPPA). The College of Pharmacy offers the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD, a six‐year program), while the College of Law awards the Juris Doctor (a three‐year program) and the Master of Legal Letters (LLM) in Democratic Governance and Rule of Law. A student receives the appropriate degree after applying for graduation and completing the required curriculum as outlined by the colleges (a minimum of 120 semester credit hours for an undergraduate degree). Exceptions to this are the College of Engineering, which requires 128 semester credit hours; the MPPA, which requires 30 semester credit hours; the PharmD, which requires a minimum of 216 semester credit hours; the JD, which requires a minimum of 90 credit hours; and the LLM, which requires one year of full‐time study. At the beginning of the 2011‐12 academic year, the University transitioned from a quarter‐hour system to a semester calendar. The College of Law was already operating on the semester system. Much work was done in the years leading up to 2011‐12 to redesign programs to fit in the semester calendar. As part of this redesign, colleges and departments were required to examine the currency and relevancy of program requirements. In addition, the University adopted an outcomes‐based University‐wide general education program. Colleges revised general education programs for specific degrees while 42 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT departments revised specific majors during the transition to semesters. Curriculum committees from each college considered the redesigned program curricula, with college faculty approving each program. The result was a new and updated University curriculum for every program, which was implemented with the arrival of the 2011‐12 academic year. Faculty have designed the program objectives for each major offered at the University. In addition, the faculty have identified the measures and instruments to be used to determine the attainment of the objectives by each majoring student. Data is collected from these assessments and summarized each year. The faculty reports on the objectives, the measures, the data collected, and any changes that have been made to respond to this data (either in the program or the assessment process). These reports are submitted to the University Assessment Committee (UAC), which, in turn, evaluates these. The UAC provides input to the department on their process and results. This process ensures that departments are reflecting on their objectives, student attainment of the objectives, assessment instruments, and efficacy of the programs on a regular basis. In addition to the semester redesign and internal self‐study and assessments described above, programs undertake regular external review for currency and relevancy of curriculum and other program requirements. The College of Arts & Sciences has established a series of Program Reviews, with each program completing a Self‐Study Template. External reviewers consider written documentation and onsite campus visit observations to create an External Program Review Report. Additionally, specific professional programs within the College of Arts & Sciences (Athletic Training, Chemistry, Construction Management, Education, Exercise Physiology, Manufacturing Technology, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing, Music, Public Relations) as well as the College of Business Administration, the College of Engineering, the College of Pharmacy, and the College of Law all undergo external accreditation reviews by the appropriate professional organization as shown on the Accreditations Status and Schedule as well as in the University Catalog. Student performance on external professional assessments and licensure exams is impressive. In addition, placement data and employer surveys indicate that our students are prepared for the workforce and attractive to potential employers. Our courses and programs are current and relevant and provide graduates with the array of experiences and expertise necessary to be successful in their chosen fields. 3.A.2. The institution articulates and differentiates learning goals for its undergraduate, graduate, post‐baccalaureate, post‐graduate, and certificate programs. University‐wide learning goals for all undergraduate programs are contained in the general education program implemented in 2011. The seven goals are effective communication (both written and non‐
written); critical and creative thinking; scientific and quantitative literacy; an understanding of diverse cultures and their effects on human interaction; integration of concepts across disciplines; informed and ethical responses to personal, civic, and global needs; and informed responses to aesthetics in art or nature. The undergraduate university student‐learning outcomes are articulated via presentations to students, University websites, check sheets, degree audit and portfolio software packages, and academic advising sessions. (See 3.B.2.) 43 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Each of the five colleges and the one certificate program describe their learning outcomes through their websites: College of Arts & Sciences (see department websites for each major), College of Business Administration, College of Engineering, College of Law, College of Pharmacy, and Medical Laboratory Science Post‐baccalaureate Certificate Program. 3.A.3. The institution’s program quality and learning goals are consistent across all modes of delivery and all locations (on the main campus, at additional locations, by distance delivery, as dual credit, through contractual or consortial arrangements, or any other modality). The University is a residential institution located on a single campus in Ada, Ohio. Courses are primarily delivered in traditional face‐to‐face classes. Although the College of Pharmacy offered a non‐traditional PharmD program in an online format until 2012, the program was discontinued because demand declined. (The University’s last admitted cohort to this program was in Fall 2010; the last student graduated in Fall 2012.) Since Summer term 2010, selected courses in the College of Business Administration and in the College of Arts & Sciences have been offered in hybrid or online format. The MPPA program is delivered in a blended format combining face‐to‐face delivery with online components. Quality consistency for online and hybrid courses is achieved through use of the same syllabus, the same learning goals, and delivery by the same faculty as with face‐to‐face delivery of the course. To ensure quality of courses delivered in an online format, the Quality Matters benchmarking system for continuous improvement of online education was adopted in the College of Business Administration. Quality Matters is recognized as the premier way to ensure continuous quality improvement of online courses. The Quality Matters protocol includes two key components: a rubric for quality online course design and a peer‐review process. Faculty teaching online courses attend a Quality Matters introductory workshop to gain familiarity with the Quality Matters rubric and the peer‐review process. After delivering an online course two times, faculty are expected to have their courses undergo a peer‐ review evaluation using the Quality Matters rubric. The Quality Matters review process was interrupted by the University’s transition from WebCT to Moodle as its learning management system effective Summer 2012. Quality Matters’ reviews resumed in Fall 2014. To initiate a Quality Matters review, faculty contact the University’s Education Technology Manager, Dr. Joseph Blankson, who then coordinates the review process. Concurrent Enrollment classes are offered in regional high schools. A full‐time staff person in the College of Arts & Sciences Deans’ office oversees the administration of this program. Each concurrent enrollment course is supervised by a full‐time University faculty member. Policies and procedures for ensuring the quality and consistency of concurrent enrollment courses are in place (High School Concurrent Enrollment Program Policies and Procedures 2014‐15 Academic Year). In Summer 2014, the Ohio General Assembly adopted “College Credit Plus,” which will become the only dual‐degree vehicle permitted in Ohio high schools beginning in Fall 2015. The University has formed a task force to recommend changes to our program to comply with this new statewide approach. 44 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Criterion 3.B. The institution demonstrates that the exercise of intellectual inquiry and the acquisition, application, and integration of broad learning and skills are integral to its educational programs. 3.B.1. The General Education Program is appropriate to the Mission, educational offerings, and degree levels of the University. From its founding in 1871, the University “distinctively combined traditional arts and sciences departments and education with the professional fields of engineering, pharmacy, law, and business” in academic programming that “includes mutually supporting liberal and professional education components” (Mission Statement). To support this mission, the University has adopted an outcomes‐
based general education program. A focus on skills, instead of course distribution, allows our students the flexibility to meet the degree requirements while ensuring a broad education. Recognizing that the University Learning Outcomes had not been altered in a number of years, and responding to an HLC‐identified need for assessment of general education learning outcomes, the Academic Affairs Office in 2007‐08 convened an ad hoc committee to review the University’s learning outcomes and their assessment and expression in our general education program. The Committee concluded that the University did not have a uniform general education program. Instead, each college identified distributional requirements deemed appropriate to each degree offered. The Committee drafted a revised set of University learning outcomes, focused on the acquisition of both knowledge and skills, and an assessment plan that might measure them. A second committee convened by Academic Affairs in 2008‐09 was charged with finalizing the set of learning outcomes and developing a general education plan that would proceed through the faculty governance system. A consulting firm, Edumetrics, working with approximately 35 faculty, helped facilitate the development of rubrics for these outcomes. The plan was approved by faculty the same academic year. The approved General Education Plan defines the purpose of general education as “cultivat[ing] undergraduate student abilities as specified by general education learning outcomes” and general education as “the courses students take to achieve a well‐rounded education.” The learning outcomes for the University are the same as those for the general education plan. In keeping with the guiding plan to “cultivate undergraduate student abilities,” the outcomes are expressed in terms of seven skills: 1) Effective Communication; 2) Critical and Creative Thinking; 3) Scientific and Quantitative Literacy; 4) Understanding of Diverse Cultures and their Effects on Human Interactions; 5) Integration of Concepts across Disciplines; 6) Informed and Ethical Responses to Personal, Civic, and Global Needs; and 7) Informed Responses to Aesthetics in Art or Nature. Each of these outcomes is reflected in the Mission Statement of the University. Further, almost all of these outcomes are cited in an AAC&U employer survey as skills most often desired in an employee. The Program comprises two components: 1) an assessment plan that collects student work for each outcome completed as assignments in designated courses; and 2) a set of common classes and experiences. The assessment plan requires students to gather 20 work samples in the form of assignments that demonstrate their abilities in the seven learning outcomes. These assignments can be 45 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT gathered from courses approved, or “tagged,” to develop that skill. Students submit their work assignments to an electronic portfolio. In addition, students must take four common requirements, including two common classes. The common classes include Writing Seminar, a freshman composition class whose major assignment is used to develop student ability in and to assess Outcome 1a (Effective Communication‐Writing) and Extradisciplinary Seminar, which addresses a common theme in sections offered by departments in all undergraduate colleges and whose major assignment is used to develop and assess University Learning Outcome 2 (Critical and Creative Thinking). Students must also enroll in a Transitions Experience course and complete a capstone experience. Transitions Experience courses are used to develop and assess critical and creative thinking and to help students make the transition from high school to college‐level work. However, they vary considerably in content by college. For the colleges of Engineering, Business Administration and Pharmacy, the Transitions Experience course is primarily an orientation to the discipline with some attention to the relationship between the major and the liberal arts. While still orienting students to university‐level work, the College of Arts & Sciences’ Transitions Experience (TREX) course offers students sections on a range of topics with attention paid to the relationship between the liberal arts and the major. Finally, all students must participate in a capstone experience in the major. All capstone experiences in the University must develop and assess Critical and Creative thinking and Effective Communication‐Writing. 3.B.2. The institution articulates the purposes, content, and intended learning outcomes of its undergraduate general education requirements. The program of general education is grounded in a philosophy or framework developed by the institution or adopted from an established framework. It imparts broad knowledge and intellectual concepts to students and develops skills and attitudes that the institution believes every college‐
educated person should possess. The purpose of the general education program is to cultivate student skills in areas the University has identified as essential. These skills were chosen so that students would gain proficiency in verbal and numeric literacy; the ability to encounter thoughtfully and carefully ethical dilemmas, diverse cultures and aesthetic experiences; the ability to use scientific information; and the ability to integrate concepts from multiple disciplines. Above all, however, the outcomes are designed to help students apply their skills so that they can draw original conclusions (critical and creative thinking) and to communicate and engage with the broader world. The University’s general education requirements are stated in numerous locations. When students first arrive for Fall orientation as freshmen or transfer students, the Director of General Education explains the program and its requirements. Online, the general education requirements can be found on the General Education for Students and Faculty web page. This page is designed mainly for our prospective and current students, listing the outcomes, artifact storage in Taskstream, a check sheet of the requirements to assist students in monitoring their progress, and a link to the master list of tagged courses in the University Catalog. A second resource, the University Catalog, provides an overview for prospective and current students. Beginning in 2014‐15, the University implemented DegreeWorksTM, an electronic degree‐audit software package. This software presents the University general education requirements and tracks the student’s 46 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT progress towards graduation, in addition to the degree, major, and minor curricular requirements. Each semester, every student and academic advisor also receives a personalized report from the Director of General Education that provides a current listing of artifacts stored in the Taskstream portfolio system. Lastly, the plan is discussed each semester with the enrolled students during their academic advising sessions with their faculty advisors. In developing the general education program (see 3.B.1), the faculty began by reviewing the learning outcomes from AAC&U’s LEAP Project. After two years of discussions, the faculty approved a revised set of learning outcomes and a final general education program for all undergraduate students. The University learning outcomes are described in detail in the University catalog for students, faculty will more readily find these outcomes on a link titled Gen Ed Tag Requests‐‐Faculty on the Academic Affairs website, and both groups often access this type of general education information via General Education for Students/Faculty on the A‐Z website. As a skills‐based general education program, the plan requires that all students must demonstrate skills to meet graduation requirements for their degrees. For example, to fulfill the requirement that they demonstrate Effective Communication‐Writing, students must submit two writing assignments that match the rubric for University learning outcome 1a to the electronic portfolio and also earn at least passing grades in the courses in which the assignment was given. In the courses and experiences mandated for all students (Writing Seminar, Transitions Experience, Extradisciplinary Seminar, and Capstone), students must earn at least a “C.” The program’s breadth and format varies in each college. Arts & Sciences and Pharmacy, for example, ensure breadth by layering distribution requirements for each degree on a student’s requirement to complete at least two “artifacts” in courses “tagged” for each learning outcome. Although Engineering and Business Administration do not retain a distributional requirement, breadth is ensured by the requirement that 50% of the artifacts used for a student’s general education portfolio must be earned outside of their college. 3.B.3. Every degree program offered by the institution engages students in collecting, analyzing, and communicating information; in mastering modes of inquiry or creative work; and in developing skills adaptable to changing environments. Since the implementation of the University‐level general education program in Fall 2011, entering first‐
year undergraduate and pharmacy students enroll in coursework tagged as addressing these seven outcomes where they complete assignments (artifacts) that demonstrate attainment of these outcomes. Artifacts are submitted to the student’s electronic portfolio in Taskstream where they await assessment using outcome‐specific rubrics. Undergraduate students in all degree programs and PharmD students complete coursework to meet the Effective Communication learning outcome and, thus, are engaged in communicating information effectively. The rubric for scoring these Effective Communication (Written) artifacts measures the student’s ability to organize a written response, use appropriate paragraph development, and use correct format, style, and written language mechanics. The Effective Communication (non‐written) rubric includes components such as overall organization, argument and rhetoric, connection with audience, and verbal and nonverbal interaction. To meet the requirements, each student must 47 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT complete at least four courses with assignments approved for Effective Communication (two written, two oral) including the Writing Seminar and the Capstone. To complete requirements for the Critical and Creative Thinking outcome, students participate in coursework and approved assignments that can be measured using the associated rubric and includes the measure of tasks related to problem identification, research and analysis, and solution development. Students are expected to identify key issues and formulate a problem statement. The student must identify, evaluate, and analyze appropriate information to make a convincing argument for the recommended option as stated on the rubric. Students must complete at least four courses with assignments approved for Critical and Creative Thinking, including the Transitions Experience, Extra‐
Disciplinary Seminar, the Capstone Experience and one additional course of the student’s choice. Students practice modes of inquiry as described above and as part of the requirements of the Scientific and Quantitative Inquiry general education outcome among others. As described in this rubric, students complete courses with assignments that require understanding and interpret scientific and quantitative concepts and methods within a context, analyze and make judgments based on quantitative data, and express solutions in a way that an audience understands. In the Integration Across Disciplines outcome, students incorporate concepts from different disciplines or courses to make a thorough analysis of issues. As part of the Aesthetics learning outcome, students are asked to display the ability to both appreciate and critique an aesthetic stimulus as described by the rubric. The College of Business Administration Master of Professional Practice in Accounting (MPPA) program includes learning objectives related to the above skills. As described in the program’s annual assessment report, learning objectives of the MPPA program include the ability to “research, analyze, integrate and communicate complex information” and to “apply sophisticated analytical, creative and critical‐thinking skills” to solve problems. The College of Law’s mission is to educate and transform students into competent, ethical, professional legal practitioners able to apply their skills and talents in traditional and emerging environments. The law school works to maintain an educational program that prepares students for admission to the bar and effective and responsible participation in the legal profession. The objectives are to provide students with a foundation in legal reasoning, analysis, and writing; to give them a thorough understanding of the structures and policies of the law; to help them acquire a broad and general understanding of how the law and legal institutions evolve and operate; and to make them aware of the limits of the law and how lawyers can contribute beyond the boundaries of the profession. Following an extensive study (see here and here), the curriculum, particularly for the first year, was significantly revised in 2009 to achieve these goals. 3.B.4. The education offered by the institution recognizes the human and cultural diversity of the world in which students live and work. Through its curriculum programs and services, the University provides understanding and supportive interaction among diverse population groups and respects individuals’ personal values and ideas. The University welcomes international students and faculty and seeks engagement with peers from around the globe to expand our depth of understanding and share in the discovery of knowledge. We seek to provide opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage the world as professionals and citizens who will demonstrate leadership in their professional, personal, and civic lives. 48 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Curricular Programming The general learning outcomes adopted as part of our general education program specifically expect our students to develop “an understanding of diverse cultures and their effects on human interactions” as well as “informed and ethical responses to personal, civic and global needs.” As mentioned in 1.C.2, students must take at least two courses that address diversity and include the artifacts in their electronic portfolio. As a result, the University offers an array of courses that address aspects of diversity. Regardless of their majors, students have opportunities to engage in exploration of a global society through coursework and co‐curricular programming. The accreditation standards for the Doctor of Pharmacy program mandate that students are prepared to provide patient care in a team‐based fashion based upon sound therapeutic principles and evidence‐
based data, taking into account relevant legal, ethical, social, cultural, economic, and other factors that may impact patient outcomes. The college must ensure that the curriculum addresses patient safety, cultural competence, health literacy, health care disparities, and other competencies needed to provide patient care. Practice experiences must include direct interaction with diverse patient populations in a variety of practice settings and involve collaboration with other health care professionals. The College of Pharmacy’s curriculum exceeds these standards in its didactic, skills‐lab, and experiential instruction. The nursing program requires traditional nursing majors to take a course titled Transcultural Health Care. Through this coursework, students broaden their understanding and perspective of health and illness of differing sociocultural populations. Students are introduced to cultural influences that affect individual attitudes towards institutional health care and identify culturally competent nursing interventions. Students examine culturally based beliefs and values, preventative and therapeutic health practices, and caring behaviors in diverse cultural and ethnic groups. Students complete a cultural self‐assessment to examine their own beliefs and practices in addition to interviewing someone from a different culture. They also participate in a cultural experience of their choice and complete a presentation and written reflection of their experiences. The written work provides an overview of the cultural experience, what they learned from the experience, how they felt being in an unfamiliar environment/situation, what they found most interesting or surprising, what differences/potential conflicts with their values they encountered, and how this experience would impact the way they would care for a client from that culture. The Master of Laws (LLM) program attracts international students from developing countries. These students interact with traditional law students in classes, moot court competitions and student activities. The measures used to assess their learning differ from those applied to the JD students. The LLM program relies upon the faculty evaluation of the students in each of their courses, including their capstone seminars designed to utilize the knowledge gained in their other courses, and surveys both during and after their time at the University. The Study Abroad program seeks to develop in students an interest, understanding, and appreciation of other peoples and a cultivation of a spirit of world citizenship within the University community. With a focus on broadening our students’ international perspective and supporting their individual growth and intellectual development, the University’s study abroad program is committed to promoting intercultural understanding; the acquisition of language and communication skills; providing appropriate academic learning opportunities; and encouraging leadership, service to the community, maturity and tolerance. 49 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT The University partners with several study abroad providers, with most of the students studying on programs through USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium) and ISA (International Studies Abroad). In addition to these providers, the University has a number of bilateral exchange agreements with individual universities. For example, the University of Salford has been an active participant in exchanges of both faculty and students for the past few years. Moreover, in recent years, many of our performing groups (marching band, wind orchestra) as well as athletic teams (football, men’s and women’s soccer) have made international trips to perform or compete. Co‐curricular Enhancements The University supports individuals from underrepresented groups by providing meaningful educational experiences both within and outside the classroom. The University seeks to emphasize respect for diversity in all its forms, to create an inclusive campus environment, and to provide programming opportunities, which will allow students to feel more comfortable with difference. Campus events facilitated by the OMD are the monthly Cultural Conversation Hour, Unite for Awareness Week, and the Annual Diversity Forum – sponsored by the Black Law Student Association. Educational programming is hosted by the following student organizations: Asian Student Union, Black Student Union, Gospel Ensemble, Indian Student Association, Latino Student Union, Muslim Student Association, Open Doors, and World Student Organization. The Dimension Award Scholars program not only offers financial assistance to students from under‐
represented racial and ethnic backgrounds, but also addresses the academic needs of this population of students by forging an academically supportive network among the student, his or her faculty, and Multicultural Development staff. The academic progress of each Dimension Award Scholar is tracked each semester, and any student with a GPA of 2.2 or below is required to meet with an OMD staff member to complete an Academic Improvement Plan. This plan requires the student to self‐reflect on their academic progress as well as plan for academic success in the future. Accountability is encouraged throughout the student’s Academic Improvement Plan completion process. The OMD, the Office of Residence Life, International Student Services, the English for Specific Purposes Program, and the International Scholar Transition Program (ISTP) offer services, resources, and consultation for creating inclusive and welcoming classrooms as well as weaving issues related to diversity into course content. The Global Village is a culturally focused living‐learning community on campus, which is designed to pair international students with domestic students in order to promote cross‐cultural sharing and provide opportunities for members to develop long‐lasting friendships. Residents learn what it means to live and interact with people of diverse backgrounds. Throughout the year, participants gain a better understanding of themselves and their roles in our global society and of the various cultures represented by their peers. Residents grow intellectually, socially and personally as they share the college experience together. Members of the Global Village are required to participate in a one‐credit‐hour course, which meets one hour a week in the Global Village commons room. The course combines relevant readings, guest speakers, classroom discussion, cultural outings, and service projects in order to achieve the following learning outcomes: 50 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT ●
●
●
●
●
●
Students will actively engage with persons of other cultures and backgrounds in a culturally sensitive manner Students will develop increased self‐awareness of what it means to be a part of your culture Students will compare and contrast cultural differences and shared cultural elements Students will gain understanding of what it means to be culturally competent Students will use historical perspectives to better understand present day contexts Students will gain an appreciation for the creative and unique aspects of various cultures Now in its 11th season, the University’s International Play Festival produced by the Department of Theatre Arts has staged world premieres of plays from around the globe and brought together professional theatre artists from surprising places such as Iceland, Estonia, Cuba, Chile, and Israel. Professional international theatre artists have come to the University and joined with undergraduate theatre students to produce theatre from 16 countries and plays translated from no less than seven languages. The work produced has varied substantially in terms of style and content. The primary goals of the festival are twofold: to promote new work for the international stage and to expand the horizons of our students by creating an innovative, intercultural theatre experience. The student organization of Northern Without Borders formed in 2010 and connects students with service opportunities around the globe. The staple trip for this group is their annual visit to the Dominican Republic. Typically, two groups of 20 students travel for one week each to the Dominican to assist a medical and educational Christian mission with supplies and staff. Students have opportunities to learn about different cultures, different ways of life, and international aid. While in the Dominican Republic, they have opportunities to work with local mobile medical clinics in rural communities, aid with construction projects, engage in community education projects, and work with local schools in sustainable and responsible ways. 3.B.5. The faculty and students contribute to scholarship, creative work, and the discovery of knowledge to the extent appropriate to their programs and the institution’s mission. All colleges require their tenure‐track faculty to demonstrate scholarship, creative work or other endeavors appropriate to a specific discipline that are directed to the discovery of knowledge. Scholarly activities are a requirement for promotion and tenure with guidelines provided by each of the colleges. Support for these activities is provided at the start of the initial appointment. Faculty in the sciences in the colleges of Arts & Sciences, Engineering and Pharmacy are provided start‐up funds and laboratory space to meet the needs of their research programs. Under the guidance of faculty, students often contribute significantly to the research activity of the faculty. The University continues support of faculty scholarly pursuits throughout their tenure at the University. The University employs a Grants Coordinator to help identify opportunities for faculty and facilitate grant submissions. The SPINPlus system is available to help faculty identify opportunities. Webinars on using the system are offered to the faculty each semester. Over the past five years, the University has received more than $2.9 million in external grant funding. Since 2008, the University has received funded research awards from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund, Ohio Sea Grant Program, U.S. Air Force Research Labs and the private sector. 51 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT In addition, the University provides each college with supplemental funds to underwrite faculty development travel. These funds are allocated by the Deans. Internal funding is also available on a competitive basis to faculty. The Office of Academic Affairs awards Summer Research Stipends to eight to 10 undergraduate faculty annually. Research funding is also available from the individual colleges. In addition to direct financial support, the University encourages scholarly pursuits from eligible full‐time faculty by awarding sabbaticals to provide uninterrupted time away from the classroom. Funds provided by the University cover the hiring of part‐time visiting faculty to cover course loads if necessary. Typically, six to eight sabbaticals are awarded annually. The scholarship activities of faculty are documented using Digital MeasuresTM activity reporting software, which allows faculty to self‐document their academic accomplishments. Table 3.1 lists the scholarly activities, by college, for intellectual contributions (e.g., journal articles, books or book chapter), presentations, and artistic/professional performances and exhibits. Table 3.1: Faculty Scholarship
Intellectual Contributions
2011
Arts & Sciences
169
Business Administration
25
Engineering
65
Pharmacy
54
Law
81
2012
164
25
79
50
69
2013
159
22
73
37
89
Presentations
2011
Arts & Sciences
159
Business Administration
43
Engineering
51
Pharmacy
49
Law
31
2012
177
32
57
44
32
2013
171
28
51
59
47
Artistic and Professional Performances and Exhibits
2011
2012
2013
Arts & Sciences
68
61
61
Engineering
1
2
1
Pharmacy
5
5
5
A listing of funded scholarship is maintained on the University website. As most departments do not have graduate programs and it is rare for faculty to have the financial support for research technicians or post‐doctoral fellows, undergraduate students are significantly involved in the research and scholarship activities of our faculty. Students not only become engaged in outside‐the‐classroom learning, but also have the opportunities to present at conferences and be included as authors on manuscripts. Students often accompany faculty mentors to meetings and 52 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT conferences described above. In these venues, students may present their findings and be exposed to cutting‐edge developments in their disciplines. As part of the University’s commitment to high‐impact learning practices, undergraduate research is emphasized. Students present their research activities at meetings and conferences ranging from the local to national levels. The University itself celebrates the scholarly and research achievements among students of all disciplines through the annual Student Research Colloquium. In this forum sponsored by the College of Arts & Sciences, either through podium or poster presentations, students demonstrate their expertise to other students, faculty and visitors. Posters at the Capitol: Undergraduate Research in Northwest Ohio, held annually in Columbus, is another opportunity for students to demonstrate their scholarly pursuits to Ohio legislators, state agency personnel and others. The College of Law publishes student research in each issue of the Law Review. Criterion 3.C. The institution has the faculty and staff needed for effective, high‐quality programs and student services. 3.C.1. The institution has sufficient numbers and continuity of faculty members to carry out both the classroom and the non‐classroom roles of faculty, including oversight of the curriculum and expectations for student performance; establishment of academic credentials for instructional staff; involvement in assessment of student learning. The University has sufficient numbers of faculty to carry out both the classroom and the non‐classroom roles of a faculty. The faculty‐to‐student ratio is 12:1, and class sizes are kept to a minimum where possible to provide the student interaction characterized by an Ohio Northern University education. In 2014‐15, of 616 undergraduate class sections, 360 (58%) had fewer than 20 students and 536 (87%) had fewer than 30 students. When comparing class sizes fewer than 20 students, the University has a higher percentage than the majority of its peer schools. In addition to small class sizes, the University maintains continuity in its instructional staff. In 2014, there were 307 faculty serving at the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor or lecturer. Of those 307 faculty members, 210 had full‐time status. Tenure has been obtained by 121 full‐time faculty members, with another 28 full‐time faculty members in tenure track positions, for a total of 149 or 71% of full‐time faculty members. Of the 307 faculty members at the University, 132 or 43% have served the University for longer than 10 years. When new faculty are hired, the college or department designates the appropriate academic credentials required for the position. The faculty participate in the governance of the University through meetings at both the college and University levels, representation on University Council, and a variety of faculty committees. The faculty play a critical role in the development of curriculum and expectations for student performance. For example, the current general education program was developed entirely by the faculty. The revised first‐year curriculum in the College of Law was developed by the college faculty. The faculty further revised the undergraduate curriculum as part of the conversions to the semester calendar. The faculty also makes recommendations to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs with respect to new majors and programs. The University general education committee is responsible for 53 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT administering the University general education program. Colleges and departments have their own curriculum development mechanisms, such as the Committee on Curriculum in the College of Arts & Sciences. The University Assessment Committee, made up of representatives from each of the five colleges as well as representatives from Academic Affairs, the Registrar’s office, Student Services, Career Services, Admissions, Institutional Research, Student Senate and University Council, reviews all college assessment reports and makes recommendations to implement changes to existing programs that would help in improving academic and program outcomes. In addition to the University committees, each college has its own assessment committee. 3.C.2. All instructors are appropriately credentialed, including those in dual credit, contractual, and consortial programs. In general, faculty are expected to have terminal or appropriate professional degrees in their fields. Limited exceptions are made for those with significant, relevant experience or in fields (e.g., nursing) that do not currently have a sufficient number of doctoral‐trained persons. In these fields, the University provides a tuition‐assistance program to encourage faculty to obtain their doctorates. In 2012, 193 of the 229 full‐time faculty had terminal degrees. As is often the case, the percentage of part‐
time faculty with a terminal degree is lower (26 of 76), with 30 of the remaining faculty having master’s degrees. The University Catalog contains a list of all full‐time faculty who taught in the prior year. The listing includes the faculty member’s position title and academic degree history. Faculty are expected to teach in their department subject matter. The registrar’s Dynamic Course Offerings (an online master bulletin of courses) lists all faculty instructors teaching in a given term. A comparison of those instructors’ names with their information in the University Catalog confirms the University’s practice of requiring faculty to teach within their expertise. The University also has a concurrent enrollment program for high school students. All faculty teaching in this program have graduate degrees and meet the credentialing levels required by the Ohio Board of Regents. (See 4.A.4.) A few select courses in religion and education allow students to earn credits based on courses taught at nearby Bluffton University. Bluffton University is also accredited by relevant bodies (the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education). Faculty teaching in these programs are appropriately credentialed. 3.C.3. Instructors are evaluated regularly in accordance with established institutional policies and procedures. University faculty are evaluated regularly. These evaluations serve a variety of purposes: A. Merit evaluation B. Promotion evaluation C. Tenure evaluation D. Post‐tenure evaluations of tenured faculty E. Renewal/nonrenewal of contract 54 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Probationary faculty receive extensive annual peer reviews at the department or college level. These reviews are intended to provide clarity and guidance on the faculty member’s progress toward continuing appointment. All evaluations are based on a combination of teaching, service, scholarship, and other items deemed appropriate by the colleges. Promotion and tenure evaluations are conducted at the appropriate time. Some colleges have included additional peer review. For example, the College of Engineering has all tenure‐track faculty meet with the Promotion and Tenure committee annually, and the College of Business Administration has instituted a regular post‐tenure review process. All students are offered the opportunity to complete an online faculty course evaluation at the end of each course. More than 50% of the students complete evaluation forms each term. Table 3.2: Student Response Rates of Course Evaluations 2011‐12 College Fall Spring Arts & Sciences 62% 2012‐13 2013‐14 Fall Spring Fall Spring 49% 51% 49% 50% 47% 73% 82% 67% 79% Engineering 81% 80% Business 79% 74% 75% 77% 85% 79% 38% 32% 31% 25% 68% 55% 69% 54% 74% 54% 69% 52% Pharmacy 45% 39% Law University Total 78% 64% 56% 55% Student evaluation results are required as part of promotion and tenure reviews. The colleges generally incorporate student evaluations into annual reviews. 3.C.4. The institution has processes and resources for assuring that instructors are current in their disciplines and adept in their teaching roles; it supports their professional development. The University’s work to ensure that faculty are current in their disciplines and adept in their teaching roles begins from the first day of employment for new faculty. The new faculty orientation agenda includes a panel of faculty discussing best practices, a session on library resources, and a session on research opportunities. Faculty development is also included at both the University and college levels as part of the campus opening activities each year. These sessions have included updates on instructional technology and general education. The University has been providing an increasing level of support for teaching with educational technology. The University currently has three full‐time employees and one student support person in this area. Development sessions on the use of technology are offered throughout the year. More than 140 faculty attendees have participated in these workshops over the last year. A schedule of upcoming 55 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT events is available on the Educational Technology website. Faculty have the full resources of two libraries on campus. (See 3.D.4.) Faculty members have multiple ways to obtain funding for travel and other resources for professional development. Each faculty member receives an annual allocation for travel and professional development. These funds can be accumulated for up to three years. In addition, the University provides each college with supplemental funds to underwrite faculty development travel. These funds are allocated by the Deans. In addition, all full‐time faculty with at least six years of service are eligible to participate in the sabbatical program. Over the past five years, 30 faculty have received sabbaticals. Three times since the last HLC visit, an on‐campus Master Teacher Workshop has been offered. This program has been completed by 136 attendees from across all five colleges. In Fall 2013, all but one faculty member from the College of Engineering took part in a workshop focused on bringing Problem‐
Based Learning into their courses. In Fall 2014, Dr. Richard Felder and Dr. Rebecca Brent led a University faculty development event based on active learning that was open to all faculty. Dr. George Kuh led the faculty in a program on the importance of high‐impact learning practices in Fall 2011. Faculty teaching online courses in the College of Business Administration are required to have the course reviewed by a Quality Matters team after the course has been offered two times as part of the agreement for University grants to develop online courses. Also, in the Peer Review of Teaching policy recently adopted by the College of Business Administration, the Quality Matters rubric is used. 3.C.5. Instructors are accessible for student inquiry. University faculty take great pride in their commitment to fostering environments that promote student interaction and engage student questions. The Faculty Handbook requires faculty to provide a minimum of five hours per week with the recommendation of allocating additional time to be set aside for office hours. Office hours are communicated to students via the course syllabus and are posted either outside the faculty member’s office or on the member’s electronic calendar available to students. The University utilizes several tools to facilitate interaction between faculty and students. These tools include email, Moodle, ooVoo and Google Hangouts, with training available to all faculty, staff and students. Faculty are encouraged to attend extracurricular events and recognize that it results in an increased rapport within the classroom. This rapport deepens the faculty/student relationship and increases the likelihood of student inquiry. Research projects, offered by academic departments and individual faculty, push students to perform in‐
depth research and interact with faculty directly within that research. These projects require intensive interaction with the faculty advisor and foster an environment for student inquiry. Each Spring, students present the results of their research to the campus community (Colloquium 2014, 2013, 2012). Other academic areas schedule office time to aid students during their time at the University. For instance, Heterick Memorial Library offers research assistance to students through a variety of means. Reference librarians are on duty 50 hours each week for walk‐in assistance. They also offer email reference assistance from a dedicated reference email account or by contacting the librarians through their personal email accounts. The 121 Research Consultation program allows students to schedule appointments with a librarian for personal research assistance. Heterick Memorial Library also provides 56 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT around‐the‐clock access to scholarly electronic resources via the website, including a courseware management system that makes available assignment‐specific research resources in one location. The high level of our student‐faculty interaction is reflected in student survey results. In the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), our students have consistently reported high levels of interaction with faculty members inside and outside the classroom. For example, in the 2014 NSSE results of Student Faculty Interaction, our senior students reported frequent interactions with faculty on all the indicator items compared to those from Carnegie peers as well as all nationally participating schools. Table 3.3: Student‐Faculty Interaction %
73
%
*59
Carnegie Class
%
*49
Discussed course topics, ideas, or concepts with a faculty member outside of class
66
*43
*40
*35
Worked w/faculty on activities other than coursework (committees, student groups, etc.)
53
*38
*31
*28
Discussed your academic performance with a
faculty member
51
*39
*38
*34
Percentage of senior students who responded that they 'Very often' or 'Often'…
Talked about career plans with a faculty
member
ONU
Peer Schools
NSSE 2014
%
*44
Response rates of ONU seniors: 52%
* Indicates that the mean score difference between ONU and the comparison group is statistically significant at 95% confidence level. Source: NSSE 2014
Student responses to the 2012 College Senior Survey—a senior exit survey—also confirm high levels of interaction with faculty. Our senior students’ satisfaction levels for the amount of contact with faculty, as well as the ability to find a faculty member, were significantly higher than those from the participating four‐year private schools (Table 3.4). 57 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Table 3.4: Satisfaction with Faculty Accessibility Percentage of senior students who responded that they were 'Very satisfied' or 'Satisfied' with …
4‐Yr Private 2012
%
ONU 2005
ONU 2012
%
%
Amount of contact with faculty
89
96
*92
Ability to find a faculty or staff mentor
72
88
*83
Response rates of ONU seniors: 2005 (34%) and 2012 (29%)
* Indicates that the mean score difference between ONU and 4‐year private schools in the 2012 survey is statistically significant at 95% confidence level. Source: College Senior Survey
3.C.6. Staff members providing student support services, such as tutoring, financial aid, advising, academic advising, and co‐curricular activities, are appropriately qualified, trained, and supported in their professional development. Staff members across campus provide support services in a variety of areas, including academics (Math Resource Center, The Writing Center), financial aid advising (Financial Aid), academic advising, counseling (Counseling Center, Career Services) and co‐curricular activities. All academic advising is carried out by faculty members or instructional staff. In the College of Arts & Sciences, members of the Dean’s office staff advise students who have not yet selected a major area of study. All members of the Student Affairs staff at director level or above have earned at least a master’s degree in higher education student administration, counseling, or a related field. This includes directors in the areas of Residence Life, Polar Careers, Counseling, Multicultural Development, Student Involvement, University Chaplain, Health Services, McIntosh Center and Student Conduct. In the University’s Office of Admissions, professional staff in financial aid must hold at least a bachelor’s degree. New staff is initially trained by current professional staff in the Financial Aid and Admissions offices. New staff is provided with the University’s policies and the Federal Student Aid Handbook. In addition to staff members, student tutors in the Math Resource Center, The Writing Center, and the College of Pharmacy Tutor Center are hired on the basis of GPA, interviews and/or faculty recommendations. The College of Engineering and the College of Business Administration each utilize honorary societies to provide tutoring. The College of Law provides tutoring for every first year course and every bar exam course. Staff is encouraged to participate in professional development activities. For example, Student Affairs directors attend national and/or regional conferences to stay current on issues and trends within the field and find new ways to assist students. Each director has an annual budget allocation for travel to be used for conference attendance and/or other professional development opportunities appropriate to their area of responsibility. Additionally, library staff attends conferences such as the OLSSI professional development conference. 58 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Financial Aid staff is encouraged to be involved in the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the Midwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Through these organizations, financial aid staff receives further training on a variety of topics. Typically, every financial aid staff member has the opportunity to go to an OASFAA conference each year. In addition, selected staff members are sent to other conferences, such as the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators conference, Midwest Association of Financial Aid Administrators conferences, the federal Department of Education conference and conferences on enrollment management. To support academic development, the University has a tuition remission policy in place that allows all full‐time faculty or staff members to take one academic course per semester in any of the undergraduate colleges of the University. Since 2008, an average of 12 full‐time employees per year have taken advantage of this policy. Criterion 3.D. The institution provides support for student learning and effective teaching. 3.D.1. The institution provides student support services suited to the needs of its student populations. Support services for students are provided through multiple offices and departments across campus. Students are assigned a faculty advisor prior to their first term. Advisors are provided with packets for each student containing test scores and high school records. Advisors use these materials to guide students into appropriate courses. Students continue working with a faculty member throughout their college careers. Faculty and students form close relationships; faculty members not only provide academic support for their advisees and other students, but also frequently help connect students to campus resources and support services. (See 3.C.5.) Students are also provided academic support services and college/departmental‐sponsored tutoring. (See 4.C.3.) In addition to faculty, members of the Student Affairs staff provide a variety of support services. The division of Student Affairs is committed to being a vital and integral element of the overall learning community, partnering with the faculty and other staff to achieve the University’s mission. The staff is dedicated to the holistic development of the student, both in and out of the classroom. Departments within Student Affairs provide students with opportunities to develop and cultivate leadership skills, respect for diversity, civic responsibility, and service to the University and local community. Some examples of out‐of‐class programs that build, sustain, and nurture a learning environment vital to the development and growth of students are student involvement in residence halls, multicultural organizations, fraternities and sororities, student organizations, academic and honorary societies, intramural sport clubs, and other co‐curricular experiences that promote engagement with the University. (See 3.E.1.) In addition, students are also afforded opportunities to gain practical experience and assist their campus community by serving as Resident Directors and Resident Assistants in the campus residence halls, Peer Career Assistants in our Polar Careers Office, Orientation Leaders for both Summer and Fall new student orientation programs, International Student Greeters working with incoming international students, and Summer Conference Coordinators working with the various groups that visit our campus all summer. 59 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT The programs and services of the division are student‐centered, service‐oriented and values‐based and reflect and embrace the University’s core values of collaboration, community, diversity, excellence, faith, integrity and service. While supporting and promoting these values and providing outstanding service is a collective responsibility, these offices, in particular, are paramount to the success of student support services: Counseling Center The counseling staff provides a nonjudgmental atmosphere of compassion and concern where problems of any type can be examined and discussed. Whether a student’s issues are situational or more chronic in nature, the Center’s licensed mental health professionals are available to provide competent, respectful care in a confidential setting. In addition to one‐to‐one personal counseling, staff often makes presentations to campus groups on popular mental health topics. Examples of such topics include test anxiety, improving memory, establishing healthy eating habits, improving relationships, personality assessment, stress management, coping with depression and study skills. Types of services provided and usage statistics are summarized in the Counseling Center Year‐End Report. Services at the Counseling Center are provided to students at no charge. The Director of the Counseling Center has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, is a licensed clinical psychologist, and is a licensed independent chemical dependency counselor in the state of Ohio. He has obtained the Certificate of Proficiency in the Treatment of Alcohol and Other Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders from the American Psychological Association, College of Professional Psychology. The Assistant Director holds a master’s degree in social agency counseling and is a licensed professional clinical counselor. She is licensed by the state of Ohio to provide individual and group counseling as well as psychological assessments and is certified as a crisis‐intervention specialist. Dining Services The University partners with Sodexo to provide food service for the campus community. All students living in the residence halls are enrolled in a dining plan. Students in campus apartments, commuters and other students who live off‐campus may choose to enroll in a plan or simply purchase individual meals as desired in one of the four campus dining facilities. The dining hall in the McIntosh Student Center is open seven days a week and is the campus all‐you‐can‐eat dining facility. Food stations include Main course, grill, Red Hot Chef, deli, vegetarian, pizza, salad bar and desserts. There are also special occasions hosted, such as Steak Night, Luau Night, Chef’s Fare, Halloween Dinner and Christmas Dinner. There is a snack bar in McIntosh Center that offers a grill, deli wrap sandwiches and grab‐and‐go items. Another option in McIntosh Center is the faculty dining room, which is open to students as well. It features hot and cold entrees, salads and desserts. The fourth facility operated by the University dining service is the Northern On Main Café (NOM). Located on Main Street, NOM offers a variety of coffees, teas, baked goods, freshly made sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts and other specialty items. The dining service displays nutritional information to allow diners to better manage their food choices and to locate and select options that best fit their lifestyles. Additionally, the daily lunch and dinner menus are posted to the Dining Services Facebook page. Students who are off‐campus for student teaching assignments or other experiential learning can pick up a boxed‐lunch in the morning before departing campus. If a student is ill, a roommate or friend can come to the dining hall and pick up a meal to go. Those with dietary restrictions (either for health or personal choice) can be accommodated by meeting with the dining hall manager. 60 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Health Center The Health Center is a free, walk‐in clinic for University students. When school is in session, a medical provider (DO or CNP) is in the Health Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. A registered nurse is on call weekends from 4 p.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Sunday. The Health Center is staffed with registered nurses during the school year from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, and 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday. Any student, regardless of insurance, may utilize the Center’s services. The Health Center provides general health assessments, treatment, and referrals to specialists in the area. Three years ago, we hired a new Health Center Director and changed the location of the Center. The Center had been located in a small house near the east end of the campus. The facility was quite dated. The Center relocated to the former community room area of one of the on‐campus apartment complexes. This facility is much more modern and conveniently located to student residences. During the past five years, the number of student visits to the Health Center has increased by 25%. Types of services provided and usage statistics are summarized in the Health Center Year‐End Statistics. International Student Services The International Services Coordinator is housed in our Multicultural Center and is dedicated to assisting international students with making smooth and easy transitions from their home countries. Staff is actively engaged with international students, assisting them in finding and utilizing resources to facilitate academic and social success. One of the ways this is accomplished is through the Polar Pals program. Polar Pals is a peer‐paring program designed to help new international students with the transition to ONU and U.S. life. New international students who apply for the program are paired with a domestic or experienced international student for the first semester of school. They meet at least one hour a week to spend time together, practice English and learn more about each other’s cultures. Another program facilitated by International Services is the Holiday Hosts program. The goal of this program is to connect international students with local families and community members who want to open their homes to students during the holiday breaks (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter). Celebrations include Thanksgiving meals, events and family gatherings, weekend trips, or simply spending time together. Duration and amount of interaction is decided between the student and the family. The program is designed to give international students opportunities to experience United States customs and traditions associated with holidays. In addition to providing services to meet international student needs, the staff is dedicated to promoting awareness and understanding of international cultures and to cultivating and forming global citizenship throughout the campus community, the Ada community and the region. Multicultural Development The Multicultural Center houses the Office of Multicultural Development, as well as International Student Services, and has office space for the various student organizations. The goals of the office are three‐fold. The first is to provide support for students from under‐represented groups on campus. Second, the staff seeks to provide educational and social experiences to underscore for all students, faculty, and staff the importance of diversity. Finally, the office seeks to provide culturally relevant programming and diversity training to encourage respect and understanding of the benefit of individuals and the overall campus and surrounding communities. 61 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Student organizations that fall under the Office of Multicultural Development umbrella include the Asian American Student Union, Indian Student Association, Black Student Union, Latino Student Union, Muslim Student Association, World Student Organization, and Open Doors. Each group works proactively to enhance the multicultural environment on campus. Polar Careers Polar Careers (formerly known as the Office of Career Services) is dedicated to enabling students and alumni to develop lifelong career management skills by offering comprehensive services and educational programs that prepare undergraduate students for internships and matriculating students and alumni for career and graduate school selection processes. The Polar Careers staff members provide a number of services to students, including review of resumes, cover letters and graduate school statements; mock interviews; and assistance with many online tools that can aid in current and future career opportunities. They offer innovative programs and services responsive to current job market trends and economic conditions. They build and sustain relationships with high‐integrity employers, provide state‐
of‐the‐art recruitment assistance, and have successfully increased the numbers of presenters at career fairs resulting in a corresponding increase in student interviews. With a reporting rate that is regularly 90% or higher, the University’s overall placement rate is consistently above 90%. Religious Life As an organization affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the University recognizes the importance of faith and religious belief in the life and education of its students. Opportunities are available for students, faculty and staff, based on their religious convictions, to examine, develop, and practice faith in formal and informal settings. This non‐academic emphasis is the concern of the Office of the University Chaplain and the Religious Affairs Committee. More than 20% of our students are actively involved in one or more chapel programs. In addition to these programs, the Office of the Chaplain coordinates various opportunities for the campus to engage in service to the community. Among them is a new program to encourage volunteer service and community engagement called “Get Connected ONU.” Get Connected is a website where students can search for and sign up for volunteer opportunities in the Ada area, surrounding communities or nationwide. Students engage in spiritually enhancing activities such as worship, meditation, or prayer. The Office of the Chaplain oversees several student organizations that interact with local and regional churches and surrounding communities. These organizations include Habitat for Humanity, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International (CPFI), Newman Club, Northern Christian Fellowship, Kappa Phi, Muslim Student Association, and Sigma Theta Epsilon. Several other groups (Gospel Ensemble, Ultimate Faith Outreach, Northern Chimes, Son’s Rays and Agape Improve!) also provide outreach to surrounding communities. (See 1.A.2.) Residence Life The Office of Residence Life assists in the holistic development of students as they move from the dependence of home to independence at and beyond the University. The goal of the staff is to provide students with a positive and healthy living‐learning environment. They accomplish this by supporting the meeting of academic needs and providing opportunities for personal development and responsible citizenship. Residence life staff is responsible for creating programming to engage residents. The programming model used is known as A.C.H.I.E.V.E.M.E.N.T., because programs include the following dimensions: Academic success, Cultural awareness/diversity appreciation, Health and wellness, Identity 62 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT development, Educational endeavors, Values/spiritual discovery, Engagement in service, Music/arts appreciation, Entrepreneurial/career development, N’tertainment, and Targeted areas of interest. Students participate in volunteer work or community service‐based projects often. The Office of Residence Life has contributed $5,000 to the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library over the past two years. This money is generated by sales of Shirley’s Popcorn ONU flavors, the $10 fee for lockouts, and profits from Residence Life’s all‐campus events: Founders Mud Volleyball, Affinity Fun Run, Park Hall Hoops, Lima Casino Night, Maglott Kickball, and Apartment Sand Volleyball. Additionally, the Office of Residence Life coordinates a Good Neighbor Meeting with students who apply to live off campus to encourage responsible citizenship and respect for the Ada community. (See 1.D.3.) Other University Support Services The University prides itself on student service, and, like many other areas of campus, students have easy access to address questions related to billing, financial aid and scheduling. In most cases, students are able to walk in to the following offices and receive immediate help. In cases of a more complex nature, they are able to schedule individual appointments to make sure their questions are answered. Controller’s Office The Office of the Controller provides financial support services to the University community. The staff provides accurate and timely processing of financial transactions, tracking of funds and preparation of financial reports. They also make sure the University is in compliance with regulatory requirements. They maintain individual student accounts as well as accounts for student organizations and clubs on campus. Financial Aid Office The primary goal of the financial aid program is to provide financial assistance to all qualified students, who, without aid, would be unable to attend the University. Staff guides students and parents through the financial aid process, providing information and answering questions about the various kinds of funding available, the application processes and eligibility requirements. Registrar The Office of the Registrar has the responsibility for maintaining timely and accurate records of the academic progress and accomplishments of all University students while maintaining the privacy and security of those records. They provide administrative services to students, alumni, faculty and administrators. The staff coordinates and supervises academic processes and events including but not limited to registration/course scheduling, grades and transcript processing, evaluation of transfer credit, enrollment verification processing, commencement, and academic calendar and catalog publication. Student Employment The University provides employment opportunities for students with federal‐work‐study eligibility. There are also non‐work‐study positions available to students who do not qualify for federal‐work‐study aid but still wish to find employment on campus. All student employment opportunities can be found on the Polar Careers website. Study Abroad The Study Abroad office supports students throughout the process of seeking international opportunities. (See 3.B.4.) The Director of Study Abroad coordinates with the Director of Global 63 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Academic Initiatives and manages several student ambassadors to provide initial counseling to students regarding opportunities for study abroad. The Director of Study Abroad also coordinates with faculty for approving course equivalencies, with the Financial Aid office for adjusting aid packages, and with the Registrar’s office for enrolling in the appropriate course offerings. The Study Abroad office maintains frequent contact with study abroad providers and exchange partners to update the opportunities available to students and brings in our partners each fall for a study abroad fair. Satisfaction with Student Support Services The College Senior Survey captures students’ satisfaction with various student support services (Table 3.5). Although student satisfaction with in the areas of student housing, career counseling, student psychological counseling services, and job placement services improved significantly and either exceed or are on par with our peers, student satisfaction with health services declined. Table 3.5: Satisfaction with Student Support Services Percentage of senior students who responded that they were 'Very satisfied' or 'Satisfied' with …
4‐Yr Private 2012
%
ONU 2005
ONU 2012
%
%
Career counseling and advising
41
71
*60
Student housing
46
70
*56
Job place services for students
25
47
43
Student psychological services
na
46
49
Student health services
42
32
*49
Response rates of ONU seniors: 2005 (34%) and 2012 (29%)
* Indicates that the mean score difference between ONU and 4‐year private schools in the 2012 survey is statistically significant at 95% confidence level. Source: College Senior Survey
An earlier (2011) internal research project on student perceptions of the Health Center undertaken by College of Business Administration students reported that 58% of the student respondents who had visited the Health Center reported that they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their experiences at the Health Center. In response to these results, several changes have been made in the delivery of health services to address concerns expressed by students and observed by Student Affairs leadership. The first was the creation of the Health Center Director position, which replaced the former Nursing Supervisor position. The intent was to increase the authority and scope of the position and empower the Director to create policies and procedures and manage the overall operation of the Center to ensure the most effective, responsive and efficient service for our students. The Director, who is also a nurse, has administrative experience and medical experience that have helped us advance and improve our services. Among the concerns about the Health Center facility was its condition and location. The former Center was an old house located near the entrance to campus. The Center has been relocated to a more modern space in the Lakeview apartment complex, which is central to most of the student residential 64 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT areas on campus. In general, it is a more functional and aesthetically pleasing facility than the previous building. Staffing was also a concern. We had previously contracted with a hospital in nearby Lima, Ohio, for the services of medical providers. The approach taken by these providers was similar to that of an urgent care facility or medical clinic. Our vision for the Center was more akin to a family physician’s office in which there would be follow‐up and ongoing relationships between providers and student patients. We ended our contractual arrangement with the hospital, hired a Certified Nurse Practitioner to provide medical coverage for 40 hours a week, and engaged the services of a local physician for a few additional hours per week. Our new medical staff takes a developmental approach to health care, providing education and partnering with our students. In addition to partnering with student patients, the Center staff works with students in other ways. There are now nursing students who are employed several hours a week in the Center to assist with basic nursing and administrative functions. The Center Director also works with nursing faculty to provide experiential opportunities for several nursing classes each year. There are also pharmacy and nursing students who assist with administering flu vaccines to faculty and staff at clinics held on campus each year. 3.D.2. The institution provides for learning support and preparatory instruction to address the academic needs of its students. It has a process for directing entering students to courses and programs for which the students are adequately prepared. The University provides to all entering students a variety of services designed to make the transition smooth and the placement of students in academic programs successful. Academic advising is coordinated by the various colleges, departments and Deans’ offices. Freshman orientation is coordinated by the Division of Student Affairs and the colleges. Currently academic advising for post‐
graduate students, re‐entry students, post‐secondary students, and those admitted to the RN‐BSN completion program are administered through the Dean’s office for each respective college. All entering freshmen are encouraged to attend Summer Orientation. During this daylong experience, the students meet with an academic advisors and register for Fall classes. All freshmen are required to register for a Transitions Experience class. This course facilitates the student’s transition from high school to college life, while demonstrating a tie between general education and the major or potential major. These Transitions Experience courses are designed and delivered by the individual colleges. Advising provisions are made for transfer students and those who cannot attend Summer Orientation. The University accepts AP, IB and CLEP credit. Information about credits and acceptance policies is available on the Registrar’s website. The Summer Orientation day is also when students are introduced to the Summer Reading Program. This first assignment to be completed by all incoming students helps provide a common experience and sense of community for students transitioning to college life. The book is then discussed during Welcome Weekend when the students meet with their Transitions Experience professors. 65 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT The four‐day Chemistry Refresher course allows freshman students who are required to take chemistry an opportunity to prepare for the rigors of college chemistry. A similar experience is offered each summer to those students enrolled in biology. Welcome Weekend is required of all new students and consists of four days of events developed to immerse the students in the Ohio Northern University culture. During this time, students meet with faculty from their major. They learn about the various student organizations within the department, the academic and tutoring resources the department recommends, and how to make changes to their fall schedule at this time. Some students are informed that based on a review of their high school credentials, they should participate in a mathematics placement exam during Welcome Weekend. Students who feel their math ACT/SAT score is not an accurate reflection of their knowledge and ability are also welcome to participate in the math placement exam. The placement results are available within four hours of taking the test itself, and faculty advisors contact students who should adjust their fall schedule accordingly. Additionally, a voluntary online placement test is available for students who are interested in taking classes in Spanish, French, or German. The College of Arts & Sciences Transition Program is designed for students who appear to have the intellectual and personal characteristics needed to succeed in college and earn a degree but who may need additional assistance and guidance to enhance their prospects for academic success. A major indicator for this program is the student’s score on the ACT or SAT examination. All students admitted into this program are required to attend regular meetings throughout their first year with the Coordinator of the program and to enroll in the Study Skills Class in the fall semester of their first year. Placement in reading or writing developmental courses is based upon the results of these ACT and SAT scores. International students have a distinct orientation program. This mandatory week of scheduled events includes activities designed for all entering students with additional emphasis on assessment testing, basics of scholarship and cultural acclimation. Recently, an ad‐hoc group consisting of representatives from each of the five colleges, the Counseling Center and the Office of Academic Affairs has met to discuss avenues of support for those international students not currently enrolled in English Language programs. Students with disabilities are served by each college and the Office of Residence Life based on their needs. Additional information about disabilities resources can be found online and in the Student Handbook. Individual colleges and departments offer further direction. For example, College of Business Administration freshmen are enrolled in the DCBA Mentoring Program. The Mentorship Program eases the transition from high school to college, retains quality students through commencement, and facilitates networking and job placement. Upperclassmen in the College of Business Administration serve as mentors to help introduce freshmen to the academic and social culture at the University and the College of Business Administration. The College of Engineering also hosts a student‐led mentoring program. Sophomores and juniors who would be effective mentors are nominated by the faculty and asked to write a short personal summary description (not necessarily academic). First‐year students are sent this information and they select (or de‐select via an email link) mentors they think they can work with. Teams of about six first‐year 66 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT students are grouped with a mentor. The goal is to give first‐year students a resource and a peer group of people with similar outside‐the‐classroom interests. Study groups form from these mentor groups in addition to friendships and a sense of community (the goal). The College of Pharmacy provides practitioner mentors for its students beginning in their third year of study. In addition to providing advice and guidance to the students in regard to their professional careers and helping in their professional development and growth, the mentors also participate in a White Coat Ceremony for third‐year students. At this ceremony, students take an oath of Professional Commitment, to signify their commitment to the profession and their future patients, and are given white coats by their pharmacist mentors. The expectation is that the White Coat Ceremony will act as a springboard beyond the third year to a continuing relationship where mentors assist students in expanding their knowledge of the pharmacy profession and various career options and guide in their professional development longer term. The College of Law provides separate orientation, advising and programmatic assistance. All incoming first‐year law students are required to attend a two‐day orientation prior to the commencement of classes in the Fall. As well as receiving a variety of administrative information, they are provided with an introduction to the Academic Assistance program. All students are provided with an introduction to their first‐year courses by their professors. In addition, they are given a lecture by the Legal Research and Writing instructors on case briefing. Finally, they are provided with information regarding plagiarism in the College of Law. The international LLM students are also required to attend an orientation prior to the start of classes in the Fall. This orientation extends over the course of a week, during which a great deal of administrative information is given. The LLM students are also provided with five days of instruction on an introduction to Legal Research and Writing. 3.D.3. The institution provides academic advising suited to its programs and the needs of its students. All first‐year students entering the University are assigned an individual faculty advisor. (See 3.D.1 and 3.D.2.) On average, there are approximately 13 students assigned to an advisor. The advisors are faculty members in the student’s major area of study. Each college has an Assistant or Associate Dean who provides additional assistance when necessary. Starting with freshman orientation activities, students are encouraged to seek out assistance from their assigned advisor. Although most faculty interact with their advisees frequently throughout the year, contact between student and faculty advisor occurs at least once a semester during the pre‐registration process. Registration requires the use of short‐term PIN numbers, which are distributed directly by the faculty advisor. In order to register, the student must meet their advisor, who informs students of their code. Academic advising of undecided students at summer orientations and throughout the year is coordinated through the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s office with an academic advisor assigned to them. The members of the Dean’s staff serve as advisors until a major is declared. The advising service offered by the Counseling Center includes the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers and Briggs Type Inventory. Both of these instruments provide valuable information to students, in particular freshman students, who are undecided about choosing a major. In the Fall, both of these instruments are completed by all freshmen in the College of Business Administration as a means to 67 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT provide each student and his or her advisor additional information about the students’ personality and assessment of their interests in order to help the students in their choice of a major. In the College of Law, students are assigned both a faculty advisor and peer advisors throughout their law school tenure. At the beginning of the first semester, each student is assigned a faculty member who is responsible for academic advising. As a general rule, this faculty member remains the student’s advisor until graduation. Each full‐time faculty member advises between five and seven students from each class. In addition to the faculty advisor, a group of peer advisors is available to help the new student become integrated into law school life. More centrally, the Polar Careers office is available to students. Among its many services, Polar Careers teaches students lifelong skills for identifying appropriate career paths. AASG 3001 (Career and Graduate School Search Strategies) is a one credit‐hour elective course designed to improve career management skills through practical assignments and discussion. The Assistant to the Dean for Student Success in Arts & Sciences is an advising resource to students in all colleges who seek to apply to graduate or professional schools or national fellowship competitions. She also informs students of opportunities to participate in regional and national conferences for undergraduate research and organizes the Student Research Colloquium. 3.D.4. The institution provides to students and instructors the infrastructure and resources necessary to support effective teaching and learning (technological infrastructure, scientific laboratories, libraries, performance spaces, clinical practice sites, museum collections, as appropriate to the institution’s offerings). Over the past several years, the University has made substantial investments in infrastructure to support faculty and students. (See 5.A.1.) For example, the Mathile Center, a 95,000‐square‐foot science and laboratory facility; the College of Pharmacy Hakes‐Pierstorf addition; and an observatory were completed in 2009. Taggart Library was substantially renovated in 2008. The wireless network has been enhanced and expanded repeatedly (most recently in 2014). Each of these projects has contributed to the support of teaching, learning, and scholarship. These investments have resulted in a high level of student satisfaction (Table 3.6). 68 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Table 3.6: Satisfaction with Academic Support Facilities and Assistance ONU 2005
ONU 2012
%
%
4‐Yr Private 2012
%
Library facilities
78
72
74
Laboratory facilities and equipment
54
72
63
Computing assistance
42
62
58
Percentage of senior students who responded that they were 'Very satisfied' or 'Satisfied' with …
Response rates of ONU seniors: 2005 (34%) and 2012 (29%)
Source: College Senior Survey
The University Library System, which includes Heterick Memorial Library and Taggart Law Library, provides resources to support the research and instructional needs of faculty and students. Resources in both libraries are available to all faculty and students, and electronic resources are accessible off‐
campus 24/7 via a proxy server. The combined libraries house more than 1 million volumes and subscribe to 260 databases and 480 electronic journals. Heterick has four faculty‐ranked librarians and eight support staff; Taggart has an additional four faculty‐ranked librarians and four staff. Heterick Memorial Library is open 98.3 hours per regular school week, with additional hours during the last two weeks of each semester. Taggart is open 113 hours a week during the academic year. The libraries recently implemented an integrated search software that is designed to aid undergraduate and law students and faculty and staff by streamlining access to valuable and relevant materials that will, as a result, expand their research potential. In addition, the libraries recently upgraded the shared integrated library system. This upgrade provides the University community with a more efficient library catalog and allows for innovative customizations and enhancements. The University Library System is a member of OhioLINK, a library consortium that includes 91 public research universities, independent colleges, and community and technical colleges in Ohio. Through their membership in OhioLINK, the libraries are able to provide the University community with access to an additional 50 million books and other library materials; 81,000 e‐books; millions of electronic articles; more than 100 databases; more than 49,000 electronic theses and dissertations from Ohio colleges and universities; and thousands of images, videos and sounds. Library users can borrow items from OhioLINK directly, and materials usually arrive within a few days. When an item is not available from the University Library System or through OhioLINK, the libraries utilize their worldwide access to interlibrary loan materials via their bibliographic utility (OCLC). The library system serves as a net lender to other libraries in Ohio and beyond. This highlights the strength of the libraries’ collections and is an important commitment to participating in library consortia, which provide great benefits to the University community. At Taggart Law Library, every Fall, legal research workshops are offered to supplement the Legal Research & Writing curriculum. Nearly 65 of these workshops were offered during the months of September and October 2013. Reference desk service is provided by reference librarians, including 69 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT weekend and evening hours during peak periods of reference need. Reference service is also available by phone, by email, and by personal consultation with librarians outside of scheduled reference desk hours. In addition, Taggart offers a number of other instructional services. Upper‐level students are able to receive instruction through specialized research presentations given to seminar classes, special topics classes, the Law Review, and moot court teams. The library also produces a variety of informational and instructional publications, including various online research guides and handouts prepared for specific courses and on topics of special interest to students and faculty. The Office of Information Technology provides connectivity to the Internet via OARNet. Currently, the University is able to access the Internet at a capacity of 400 Mb/s and intra‐Ohio networking at 1 Gb/s. Each building on campus is connected by fiber optics at a minimum of 1 Gb/s. The network is then distributed at either 100 Mb/s or 1 Gb/s. Wireless networking is available in all academic and residential buildings. Information Technology and the various colleges also provide access to computer labs for teaching and learning. These labs are available across campus and are used for teaching, scientific research and general student access. The Information Technology Drop‐Off Center is also available to serve the computing needs of the students. The IT Drop‐Off Center provides free computer software repair, software installations, and virus and malware cleanup. Support is available via walk‐in or phone. The hours of walk‐in operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional phone support is available in the evenings and on weekends. Moodle is available as the learning‐management system. This hosted solution provides access to online materials, quizzes and discussion boards. It is supplemented with Blackboard Collaborate to provide real‐time discussion rooms with access to live video and online whiteboards. Other collaborative tools, such as Google Apps and ooVoo, are available and supported by Information Technology. Along with these tools, the University has agreed with Microsoft to provide the latest versions of Microsoft Office and operating systems to students, faculty and staff. This includes a copy for faculty and staff use at home. Information Technology dedicates three individuals to educational technology. These three individuals are tasked with aiding faculty in the creation of course material whether it be traditional or online material. Training programs for the effective use of the learning‐management system (Moodle), ooVoo, SmartBoards and various other technology are also provided. The facilities in the sciences (biology, chemistry, engineering, nursing, pharmacy, physics, and psychology) include both teaching and research laboratories that are central to the educational mission. The teaching labs provide space for both basic laboratory curricula as well as specialized areas such as downdraft tables for cadavers, patient simulators in nursing, ventilation hoods for organic chemistry, the astronomical observatory, and wind tunnels for engineering. Additionally, faculty members maintain research labs with specialized equipment that provide support for student coursework as well as venues for capstone projects. Several museums are also available to students. These include the Hakes‐Pierstorf Museum, which displays a historical view of the pharmaceutical profession; the Rare Book Room in the College of Law; the Elzay Art Gallery; and art displays in the Freed Center for Performing Arts. Several areas on campus are also designated as performance sites for student learning and activities. The focal point for performance is the Freed Center for Performing arts. The Freed Center has a large classic venue, a “black box” theatre, and several rehearsal rooms to support student productions. Presser Hall provides 70 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT additional recital and rehearsal space for both vocal and instrumental performance. A dance studio is located on the third floor of the Mathile Center. Off Campus Experiential Learning To further enhance the educational experience, several opportunities exist for external practicum. The College of Pharmacy requires each student to have a year of clinical experience. These pharmacy rotations encompass traditional hospital and consumer pharmacy locations as well as military installations, physicians’ offices, and emerging walk‐in clinics in pharmacy chains. Nursing and athletic training students begin clinical experiences during their sophomore year in a variety of settings. The Law Clinic also provides real‐world legal experience in litigation, transactional and counseling settings. In the College of Business Administration, all incoming students are required to complete an internship, either while completing other coursework or as a stand‐alone experience. Students are supported in their internship placement by the Office of Experiential Learning, which also assists with career planning, résumé and cover‐letter writing, and building relationships with industry professionals. In the College of Engineering, students are encouraged to seek summer internships and can opt to participate in the co‐
operative education program. This five‐year co‐op program, overseen by the Director of Corporate and Alumni Relations, is optional and available for all disciplines in the college. In the College of Arts & Sciences, a number of majors require an internship as part of their graduation requirements: advertising design (BFA), graphic design (BFA), studio arts (BFA), communication studies, criminal justice, public relations, teacher education licensure (student teaching), professional writing, exercise physiology, sport management, and theatre design and production. Most other majors across the college either encourage students to participate in internships or require one as an option along with study abroad or a similar experiential opportunity. The Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences manages the Tidd‐Oakes Wetlands Restoration Project located 12 miles from campus. It consists of nearly 400 acres of fields, woodlots, and wetlands that provide a long‐term biological site in the till plains of glaciated northwest Ohio. The Department also manages the Metzger Nature Center, which is located 160 miles east of Ada, tucked into the hills of Ohio’s Amish country near Ragersville and Stone Creek in Tuscarawas County. The center is located on a 70‐acre farm and includes a century‐old farmhouse and a modern laboratory/residential building (completed in 2002). The property, with its forest‐covered hills, provides vegetation and topography that are in dramatic contrast to the flat, glaciated region near the University’s main campus. The nature center is also home to the Field School in Archaeology, part of the Public History and Museum Studies Minor. Over the course of four weekends, students participate in lectures and field work to apply what they learned and get first‐hand experience in excavation techniques. The field work centers on the Zimmer Homestead abandoned after a fire in the 1890's. The objective is to uncover, through archaeological means, the locations of the various parts of the homestead and to identify, through the remains they left behind, how they lived. Several hundred artifacts (ceramic and glass shards, nails, tools, dolls, coins, etc.) have been excavated from the residence, milk house, tool sheds, and cistern since the initial excavation in 2000. 71 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT 3.D.5. The institution provides to students guidance in the effective use of research and information resources. Students learn to effectively access, critically evaluate and effectively use information as part of the general education program and throughout their academic careers. The successful completion of ENGL 1221 or one of its equivalents (HONR 1221 Honors Writing Seminar or the College Composition sequence for international students), required of all entering freshmen, shows success in all aspects of writing; objectives of the course include developing an argument by incorporating outside sources, analyzing and synthesizing information, gaining familiarity and fluency with research resources, and properly documenting information sources. Information Literacy instruction, designed in accordance with the published Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) standards, is immersed throughout the ENGL 1221 curriculum. The University Library System’s faculty‐ranked librarians provide reference assistance and information literacy instruction to develop student research skills and ensure that they are using information resources effectively. Both Heterick Memorial Library and Taggart Library provide a variety of reference and instructional services. At Heterick Memorial Library, all librarians teach in the information literacy program, which supports the general education outcomes and student research. Instruction occurs formally through integrated instruction sessions in courses as well as informally through reference interactions and assistance. All freshman students, regardless of major, receive information literacy education through a series of instructional sessions embedded in the Writing Seminar courses. Most sophomore students continue their information literacy education through integrated library instructional sessions in their Extra‐Disciplinary Seminar classes, building upon what they learned in Writing Seminar courses. In addition, course‐specific information‐literacy sessions are offered at all levels of undergraduate coursework, and librarians regularly teach classes throughout the four undergraduate colleges. Heterick librarians provide regular drop‐in reference desk hours as well as an individual reference consultation service for which faculty and students may schedule appointments in advance. The librarians have also developed online research guides that provide additional vetted resources specific to particular classes and disciplines as well as useful information about research and citation. The College of Law, working with Taggart Library, offers a two‐semester sequence in Legal Research and Writing, which is required of every first‐year student. The college also offers an Advanced Legal Research course to upper‐level students, a short course in tax research, and assistance to law review and moot court participants. The Drug Information Center functions as resource center for the students in the College of Pharmacy. Additionally, the Director instructs students in the basic skills for searching databases/texts/online resources, assessing and evaluating the information retrieved, and formulating an appropriate response to specific drug information requests. In their first two years, all pharmacy students are exposed to the resources in the Center and complete projects that require accessing and interpreting information from the available resources. The Director teaches the skills necessary to provide drug information specifically in the third‐, fourth‐ and fifth‐year classes via lectures, journal clubs, and projects such as an assigned drug information question that requires significant research and assimilation of data to appropriately respond to in a formal written paper. 72 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Criterion 3.E. The institution fulfills the claims it makes for an enriched educational environment. 3.E.1. Co‐curricular programs are suited to the institution’s mission and contribute to the educational experience of its students. Students from all disciplines are offered opportunities to participate in intercollegiate, intramural and club sports; professional organizations that align with their academic interests; multicultural groups (see 1.C.2); the arts; and many other activities. Units within the division of Student Affairs, as well as academic units within the colleges, offer activities and educational opportunities for students in those outside‐the‐classroom hours designed to foster the transition from high school to a productive life in and beyond college and provide students with opportunities to develop leadership skills, serve the University and local community, and become involved on campus. Athletics Our athletics program strives to reflect the general mission of the University, which requires that we educate students in an environment that integrates liberal education with preparation for successful careers. To contribute to this mission, we seek to attract athletically talented students committed to excellence in academics and athletics and teach them to be ethical and responsible leaders who are prepared for meaningful personal and professional lives. The University currently fields 21 teams in varsity sports involving nearly 700 undergraduates. After an in‐depth study, we will add men’s and women’s lacrosse in 2015‐16. At that point, we will sponsor intercollegiate competition in each of the championship sports of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Student Involvement The Office of Student Involvement is responsible for supervising all aspects of social fraternity/sorority life at the University, overseeing the student organization process (including the formation of new organizations), and working with student leadership development on campus. The staff serves as a resource for student organizations and those on campus who provide co‐curricular opportunities for students to grow and develop successfully through participation in programs and activities. The staff works to create learning opportunities and experiences that promote, encourage, and recognize students in their development of lifelong, personal leadership abilities. Structured and formalized initiatives provide students with opportunities for enhancing their leadership educations and their transitions into citizen leaders of the future. Annually, the area recognizes the leadership accomplishments of students in a variety of ways, including the President’s Leadership Dessert, which is planned and implemented in coordination with several campus offices and the planning committee from Omicron Delta Kappa, the student leadership honorary society. There are more than 200 organizations on campus for students to join, ranging from religious, athletic, and Greek organizations to professional, honorary, and other special interest groups. Each semester, the Office of Student Involvement works with Student Senate to collect rosters from each organization. This recorded information allows students to request up‐to‐date co‐curricular activity reports. 73 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Greek Life Approximately 16% of the student body participates in Greek life as members of one of the five national fraternities and four national sororities that have chapters on campus. Chapters are founded upon leadership, brotherhood/sisterhood, scholarship and service. Service and philanthropy are core values of these Greek organizations, which are governed by the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council. Affiliated students build lifelong skills and enhance their college experiences through active participation in University programs as well as programs and events sponsored by individual chapters and/or the Greek community members. Leadership Student Senate is the governing body for the students at Ohio Northern and serves as a liaison between the students and administration. The members work with the student body to address issues relating to all aspects of campus, including student life, dining services, and academics. Members are elected to represent various housing areas of campus and each of the colleges. Additionally, a non‐voting cabinet is appointed by the Student Senate President to facilitate Senate activities. Student leadership is encouraged in a variety of ways on campus. Leadership resources and training options are available to both student organizations and individuals. Leaders’ Council is an organization composed of a small group of students who are recommended by faculty and staff and successfully navigate a selection process. Leaders’ Council regularly assists student organizations with leadership development exercises and activities. Annually, the group plans a variety of events and programs, including a networking dinner for organizational presidents, speakers presenting educational programming, and workshops on varying topics. Each undergraduate college includes a select group of student leaders who meet regularly within each college. The councils serve as a liaison between the students and administration, faculty, and staff concerning issues that affect students; they help to promote leadership, organized teamwork, and dynamic communication with students and faculty. The Getty College of Arts & Sciences Student Advisory Board consists of 22 students, one from each of the 17 college departments, three Arts & Sciences Student Senate representatives, and two at‐large members chosen by the Dean of the college. The Dicke College of Business Administration Dean’s Advisory Council is a group of four student representatives, one from each undergraduate class. Pharmacy Student Council is a group of elected students representing their various classes and includes a pharmacy Senator serving on the University Student Senate. The Joint Engineering Council (JEC) represents the student body of the College of Engineering; its purpose is to consider all matters relevant to engineering and computer science students and to secure greater cooperation and communication between the professional societies, the Dean of the College of Engineering, the faculty, and the students. Service Learning The initial community service offering for new students is the Ada Civic Engagement (ACE) Day. The ACE program is designed to engage incoming students with the community. A partnership with the village of Ada, ACE provides opportunities for first‐year students to contribute to the village’s beautification while building a connection with the town and their new classmates. An “ACE site” is any community organization or individual that has a need and is willing to provide a service project. The types of service 74 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT opportunities range from painting, landscaping, tree planting and cleaning to washing fire trucks, decorating, cooking, and other similar activities. (See 1.D.3.) Religious Life The University Chaplain oversees the religious life staff to provide an ecumenical and interfaith environment for spiritual growth and development at the University. Opportunities are available for students, faculty and staff, based on their religious convictions, to examine, develop, and practice faith in formal and informal settings. This non‐academic emphasis is the concern of the Office of the University Chaplain and the Religious Affairs Committee. (See 3.D.1.) Two new initiatives have been launched in this area. “Merge” is a gathering for small group spiritual direction for freshman students. Participants meet weekly throughout the semester and attend a retreat at the end of the process as part of learning to grow in their faith. The Chaplain’s office is also overseeing a new program to encourage volunteer service and community engagement called “Get Connected to ONU.” (See 1.D.3.) The affiliation of the University with The United Methodist Church has provided an atmosphere in which sacred and secular, art and science, and theory and practice work in harmony. This enables students to position themselves for future success in their careers while, at the same time, asking deeper questions about the meaning of work and the connection between one’s career path and the greater good of all humanity. In theological terms, this would traditionally be classified as discerning a call from God, or vocational discernment. The University chooses to focus the attention of its students on vocational discernment through engaging in a process of development that begins in the introductory courses for freshmen, asking questions such as, “What makes you want to be a pharmacist (or engineer, or teacher, or physicist, etc.)?” Faculty and staff encourage students to continue asking such questions throughout their time at the University, and high‐impact practices such as internships and co‐curricular civic engagement provide opportunities for students to go even deeper in reflecting on their sense of vocation. The University’s commitment to vocational discernment is deepened through membership in the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE). In Spring 2015, we are engaging in a process of conversation across the University around the topic of “creating a common language of vocation.” This conversation recognizes that, while each college or department might speak of vocational discernment in a specific way (distinct dialects), there are common principles (the primary language of vocation) that undergird the University‐wide conversation about this topic. By encouraging faculty and staff development around the common language of vocation, the educational and social cultures of the campus will begin to further embrace the concept, helping students to deeply ingrain vocational discernment into their professional and personal lives. Additional Campus Opportunities In addition to the student affairs programming already referenced, there are multiple opportunities for students from all areas of study to be involved in activities that align with their interests and talents. Opportunities abound on campus for involvement in local, regional or national competition; musical dramatic, or comedic performances; and professional affiliations. The following are a few examples. 75 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT Competition College of Arts & Sciences: Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Competition. Construction management majors competed against teams from top universities across the Midwest, including Big 10 schools Ohio State University and Purdue University in Fall 2013, placing sixth out of 12 teams in a pre‐construction services competition. Mock Trial: An Examination of the American Legal System. Students participating in the mock trial experience have an opportunity to hone their oral and written communication talents and develop their critical and analytical skills. For the last eight years, our students have hosted a Polar Bear Invitational Mock Trial Tournament, which gives them a chance to prepare for regional and national competitions. College of Business Administration: The Polar Innovation Encounter. Students have an opportunity to participate in teams or as individuals in a competition in which they pitch a new product or business idea in two minutes or less. Categories are Ideas that Improve Society, High‐Tech Commercialized Product Ideas, As‐Seen‐on‐TV Product Ideas, and New Businesses that Create Jobs. Project Run with It. This competition is an opportunity for members of Beta Alpha Psi, the financial information honorary for students and professionals, to compete with other members from schools around the world to work together to solve a real client issue for a not‐for‐profit organization in a 24‐
hour time period. A total of 72 student representatives competed and comprised 18 teams of four members. Andria Beehler‐Evans, a senior accounting major, was a member of a four‐person team that took top honors in the 2014 Beta Alpha Psi conference held in Atlanta, Ga. College of Engineering: Baja Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Completion. Baja SAE® consists of three regional competitions that simulate real‐world engineering design projects and their related challenges. Engineering students are tasked to design and build an off‐road vehicle that will survive the severe punishment of rough terrain and, in the East competition, water. In Spring 2013, the Baja SAE team finished second overall at the Tennessee Tech Baja SAE Collegiate Design Series in Cookeville, Tenn. The event featured approximately 100 colleges and university teams. ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge. The University chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) captured fourth place at the Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC) East competition at the University of Central Florida from April 11‐13, 2014. Thirty‐two teams of ASME student members took part in the competition, which consisted of three races (a men’s and women’s drag race and an endurance event) as well as design and innovation evaluations. IEEE Micromouse. Micromouse is a miniature robot controlled by a microcontroller. The mouse has to find its way through an arbitrary maze. It competes with other mice to see which one finds the center of the maze within the least amount of time. Sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Micromouse competition is held once a year. It includes a design contest, a paper 76 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT contest and the actual Micromouse maze navigation. Last spring, the ONU’s Micromouse team captured second place at the Region 2 IEEE‐Student Activities Conference hosted by Rowan University in New Jersey on April 5. ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition. In the concrete canoe competition, each team is graded on the design paper, oral presentation, final product of a concrete canoe, and the actual men’s, women’s, and co‐ed race results. This year’s University team garnered three awards at the 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers’ regional concrete canoe and steel bridge competition held at the University of Detroit Mercy from March 28‐30. The Ohio Northern concrete canoe squad captured the best theme award and, as a team, placed third on design paper and second on oral presentation. College of Law: Moot Court. The Moot Court program provides an opportunity for law students to improve oral advocacy and brief‐writing skills through participation in appellate and trial advocacy competitions across the nation. College of Pharmacy: Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) Innovative Student Business Plan Competition. Student teams create a hypothetical, feasible and realistic pharmacy with a business plan and loan request. A panel of judges evaluates the written submissions on marketing, structure, financials, feasibility, creativity and professionalism. In Spring 2013, the team took first place at the 135th OPA Annual Conference and Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio. American Pharmacists Association‐Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA‐ASP) National Patient Counseling Competition. This competition encourages student pharmacists in their efforts toward becoming better patient educators. The competition is designed to reflect changes that are occurring in practice, to promote and encourage further professional development of the student pharmacist, and to reinforce the role of the pharmacist as a health care provider and educator. Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) Challenge Competition. This local and national competition is intended to give students an opportunity to hone a variety of skills, including critical analysis, presentation and research skills. More importantly, the competition allows students to view different styles and processes that can be used in effective formulary management. It also provides exposure to and a working knowledge of AMCP’s Format for Formulary Submissions. Students learn to develop and manage a formulary system through evaluating literature, conducting comparative studies, and making real‐life decisions based on cost‐benefit analysis. Teams prepare a P&T Committee monograph and a PowerPoint presentation and present this information before the P&T Competition Judging Panel on the competition date. Good Neighbor Pharmacy National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Pruitt‐Schutte Student Business Plan Competition. The goal of this competition is to motivate pharmacy students to create the blueprint necessary for buying an existing independent community pharmacy or developing a new pharmacy. The competition is the first national competition of its kind in the pharmacy profession and is named to honor two great champions of independent pharmacy: the late Neil Pruitt Sr. and the late H. Joseph Schutte. Through this competition, NCPA is better able to prepare tomorrow’s pharmacy 77 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT entrepreneurs for successful futures. The University’s NCPA Student Chapter has placed in the top 10 in the nation multiple times, including 2014. Performance Opportunities There are many performance opportunities with multiple choirs, instrumental ensembles, and fully staged dramatic and musical theatre productions. Instrumental ensembles include the Wind Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Steel Drum Band, Percussion Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Woodwinds Ensemble, and Marching Band. Vocal ensembles include the University Singers, Chamber Singers, Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus and an array of small ensembles. A well‐developed opera workshop prepares students for small opera scene productions as well as fully staged professional‐quality musical theatre and operetta productions. The theatre program is supported by a vigorous production schedule that includes two dance concerts, two or three theatre productions, and three musical theatre productions each year. All students at the University are encouraged to audition. A unique international emphasis includes plentiful opportunities for students to work with international guest artists, tour nationally and internationally, and participate in the biannual International Play Festival on campus. Each year, students have opportunities to engage in inspiring, challenging work with nationally and internationally acclaimed directors, actors, dancers, choreographers and designers (20 guest artists each year). Professional Organization Opportunities Each of the colleges has a number of professional organizations and honorary societies in which students may elect to participate. Examples of professional organizations range from the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), the American Marketing Association (AMA), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In the College of Arts & Sciences, these opportunities are typically stated on the At a Glance web pages for each major. (Click on a major under Prospective Students.) Below are links to additional information on professional, social and honorary student organizations on campus.  College of Business Administration  College of Engineering  College of Pharmacy  College of Law  All Student Organizations on Campus 3.E.2. The institution demonstrates any claims it makes about contributions to its students’ educational experience by virtue of aspects of its mission, such as research, community engagement, service learning, religious or spiritual purpose, and economic development. The University uses several sources of information to measure the effects of its programs, which contribute to students’ educational experience. The Office of Institutional Research used the information garnered from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to identify our high performing areas in student engagement. The University also offers a variety of co‐curricular programs 78 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT that are in line with the mission of the University. The Office of Student Affairs provides guidance for programs and activities that enhance student learning and values vital to holistic student development. Additional measures of student enrichment come from community service‐based projects that students participate in through the Office of Residence Life and through the Office of the Chaplain, which oversees several student organizations that service both the surrounding communities as well as the University at large. The University will provide a high‐quality learning environment that prepares students for success in their careers. (Mission Statement.) In The Ohio Northern Promise, the University states its commitment to high‐impact practices. As defined by NSSE, high‐impact practices (HIPs) share several traits: They demand considerable time and effort, facilitate learning outside of the classroom, require meaningful interactions with faculty and students, encourage collaboration with diverse others, and provide frequent and substantive feedback. As a result, participation in these practices can be life‐changing (Kuh, High Impact Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter (AAC&U, 2008)). On the most recent 2014 NSSE survey, 91% of the senior survey participants indicated their involvement in two or more high‐impact activities while enrolled at the University, with 99% of the students indicating participation in at least one experience (Figure 3.1). Figure 3.1: Percentage of senior students who participated in high‐impact practices (HIP) by Number of Activity ONU
91%
Peer Schools
8%
77%
Carnegie Class
15%
69%
NSSE 2014
20%
64%
0%
25%
23%
50%
Participated in two or more HIPs
75%
100%
Participated in one HIP
Response rates of ONU seniors: 52%
Source: NSSE 2014
A key to achieving this success is the University’s commitment to the integration of practice and theory. Each student must complete a capstone project as part of their general education and major 79 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT requirements. The University provides meaningful research opportunities in a variety of disciplines that enhance the educational experiences in students’ academic careers, giving them the tools and practice to develop their skills before entering the world. Students work side by side with faculty mentors and become familiar with state‐of‐the‐art equipment used by professionals. For example, the Student Research Colloquium celebrates academic achievement among students of all disciplines by providing the opportunity to discuss their research with and demonstrate their expertise to other students and faculty and visitors to campus. The presenters represent a multitude of disciplines and employ research methods from across the scholarly spectrum. A breakout of the high‐impact practices by activity type is provided in Table 3.7. Table 3.7: Percentage of senior students who participated in high‐impact practices by Activity Types Carnegie ONU
Peer Schools
NSSE 2014
Class
%
%
%
%
Culminating Senior Experience
87
*57
*55
*47
Internship or Field Experience
81
*65
*54
*52
Service‐Learning
71
70
68
*62
Research with Faculty
50
*32
*28
*26
Learning Community
34
29
28
*25
Study Abroad
11
*24
12
15
Response rate of ONU seniors: 52%
* Indicates that the mean score difference between ONU and the comparision group is statistically significant at 95% confidence level. Source: NSSE 2014
The University’s high‐impact practices have assisted students to achieve high placement results after graduation. This is another key component of The Ohio Northern Promise. For the past five years, graduate placement reports indicate 92% or more of each graduating class (with 91% or more of each class reporting) were placed six months after graduation. (See 4.A.6.) The University will provide a high‐quality learning environment that prepares students for service to their community, nation, and the world. (Mission Statement.) The Office of Student Affairs provides guidance for programs and activities that enhance student learning and values vital to student development. Additional measures of student enrichment come from community service‐based projects that students participate in through the Office of Residence Life, and through the Office of the Chaplain, which oversees several student organizations that service both the surrounding communities as well as the University at large. (See 3.D.1, 3.E.1, and 4.B.1‐2.) 80 CRITERION THREE|TEACHING AND LEARNING: QUALITY, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT The University will provide a high‐quality learning environment that prepares students for a lifetime of personal growth inspired by the higher values of truth, beauty, and goodness. (Mission Statement.) Since its inception, the University has been dedicated to a liberal arts program, carefully blended with professional education. “The lifetime of personal growth” promised in the Mission Statement is nurtured via specialty academic programs and student services that support the liberal arts. From the outcomes‐based general education program to the various student activities, our students are aware that the University values critical and creative thinking, effective communication, exposure to the sciences, informed and ethical responses to personal and civic needs, an understanding of diverse cultures, and appreciation of the fine arts. Students enjoy the rich religious life, various student organizations, music and arts programming, and extracurricular opportunities. The University is dedicated to the community of faculty, staff, and students on this primarily residential campus and strives to provide these quality liberal arts experiences. (See 1.A.2.) 81 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT CRITERION FOUR TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT 82 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT CRITERION FOUR Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs, learning environments, and support services, and it evaluates their effectiveness for student learning through processes designed to promote continuous improvement. The University’s focus on students and student learning requires both an investment in the resources necessary to support learning as well as a rigorous assessment of the currency and efficacy of the curriculum. The substantial number of graduates directly entering the workforce allows the University annually to measure the thoroughness of many of its programs through the results of professional licensure exams. The long‐standing belief in the importance of a solid grounding in the skills resulting from a liberal education causes us to utilize recognized national tests and metrics to assess our program’s performance at instilling these habits of mind. The results of the measures of student learning have informed and strengthened our programs. Core Components Criterion 4.A. The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs. 4.A.1. The institution maintains a practice of regular program reviews. The University maintains a practice of regular program reviews. The program review is part of the accreditation process in our accredited colleges (Business Administration, Engineering, Pharmacy, and Law) and in some Arts & Sciences programs (athletic training, chemistry, education, exercise physiology, medical laboratory science, music, nursing, public relations, and technological studies). Other programs in Arts & Sciences are reviewed using a common template. (See 3.A.1 for additional discussion on program reviews and 4.A.5 regarding accreditation.) Recent accreditation self‐study reports and external program review documents are provided in the Resource Room. 4.A.2. The institution evaluates all the credit that it transcripts, including what it awards for experiential learning or other forms of prior learning. The University Registrar’s office oversees all transcript processes. There are several common types of transcription that occur in the office. Credit by Examination. Students may request an examination in undergraduate courses as determined by the appropriate department chair. Satisfactory performance on the exam can be used in two ways. Students may use the score for purposes of placement only, with no credit awarded, or may use the score for purposes of establishing credit. No more than 30 semester hours of credit by examination (including AP, CLEP and IB) can be applied toward baccalaureate degree requirements. Additional information about Credit by Examination is posted on the Registrar’s website. 83 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Advanced Placement (AP). The University grants credit for College Entrance Exam Advanced Placement Tests to those high school students achieving at least the minimum score established by the academic department in which credit is being sought. College‐Level Examination Program (CLEP). The University grants credit under the College‐
Level Examination Program of the College Entrance Examination Board to students by subject‐
level examination prior to enrollment. International Baccalaureate (IB). The University recognizes the International Baccalaureate Program and will grant transfer credit, up to a total of 30 semester hours, for scores of 5 or above on individual IB Higher level exams. Additional information on AP, CLEP, and IB credit is available on the Registrar’s website. Experience‐Based Credit. The University Registrar evaluates all applications in which the student is seeking credit based on military or other prior experience. The Registrar refers the request to the appropriate academic Dean for purposes of determining what academic credit, if any, can be awarded for the experience in question. Internships. Internships, practicums, co‐ops, professional practice, advanced practice rotations, and externships are governed by the Faculty Handbook, which provides the guidelines to be applied when designing a program. These “professional experience” programs have defined learning objectives and are subject to a rigorous program of supervision and evaluation. 4.A.3. The Institution has policies that assure the quality of the credit it accepts in transfer. Potential transfer credits are evaluated by the college and department that offer the subject at the University. The course is reviewed from the perspective of comparability in terms of subject matter and rigor to courses offered at the University and pertinence to the intended major. Once the course has been approved for credit by the college, it is included on the articulation list maintained by the Registrar and available via the website. Transfer Credits from Attendance at Other Institutions. Coursework is accepted for transfer from accredited institutions if a grade of “C” (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) or better was earned in the course and the content applies toward the student’s intended course of study. Transfer credit can be accepted from institutions in the United States lacking regional accreditation but having accreditation by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The College of Law accepts transfer credits only from other ABA‐accredited law schools for courses in which the student received a “C” or better. Transfer credit can be accepted from foreign institutions once approved by the department chair of the subject area. The University has articulation agreements with several nearby institutions. For example, the College of Business Administration has articulation agreements with Rhodes State College, North Central State College, Sinclair Community College, Columbus State Community College and Owens Community College. 84 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Study Abroad. Students wishing to obtain academic credit for study abroad programs must comply with the study abroad procedures established by Academic Affairs. These include completion of a Study Abroad Request Form, which articulates the course equivalency for each study abroad course. Because the authority for all curriculum matters is the faculty, the form requires a separate approval for each course with a faculty signature, usually by the department Chairperson. The student is responsible for obtaining the signatures by providing the study abroad syllabus or other materials to the Chairperson so a determination of equivalency can be made. Following these signatures, the form is signed by the Dean’s office and Academic Affairs to confirm the completeness and accuracy of the request. 4.A.4. The institution maintains and exercises authority over the prerequisites for courses, rigor of courses, expectations for student learning, access to learning resources, and faculty qualifications for all its programs and dual credit programs. It assures that its dual credit courses or programs for high school students are equivalent in learning outcomes and levels of achievement to its higher education curriculum. Faculty Qualifications. Minimum credentials for faculty rank for the University are defined in ¶2.8(2) of the Faculty Handbook. Faculty are responsible for ensuring the rigor of the instruction provided in courses. At a minimum, they are expected to fulfill expectations with respect to teaching effectiveness found in ¶2.3(1) of the Faculty Handbook. More college‐specific academic policies and faculty teaching expectations are found within the policies (Arts &Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy) of the individual colleges. The process for searching and appointing faculty members is governed by Appendix 7 of the Faculty Handbook. This process includes position authorizations, compilation of a recruitment plan, a screening plan, and a selection plan. Curricular Authority. Faculty are responsible for the development and implementation of curriculum. Curriculum changes initiate from faculty recommendations. For example, both the revised general education program and the curricular modifications necessitated by the change to a semester calendar were proposed and developed by the faculty. The University has specific guidelines in place to govern the addition or deletion of programs. The Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs will approve or disapprove recommendations pertaining to new programs, degrees, majors, minors, options, or other coherent curricula of degree credit courses and report to the Board. (See 3.A.1 for further discussion on course rigor and appropriate levels of performance by degree.) The individual colleges each have structures in place to review proposed new courses. Course descriptions are placed within the catalog. Course prerequisites are an integral part of the course description and are initiated and processed through the approval system for additions and changes to the course catalog. In the College of Arts & Sciences, the Committee on Curriculum handles this responsibility. In the other four colleges, department and college committees manage the curriculum offerings. Access to Learning Resources. Beginning with the 2014‐15 academic year, the University adopted a unified University library system combining the Heterick Memorial and Taggart administrations. Although the two libraries had loosely collaborated in the past, they have had different reporting structures and budget‐accountability systems. This approach subjected the libraries to potentially competing or inconsistent policies with the potential for inefficient, even redundant, expense structures. 85 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT After extensive consultation with the Directors of both libraries, a University library system was created to be responsible for both Heterick and Taggart libraries. The Directors of both libraries now report directly to the Provost’s office. This structure recognizes our continued commitment to support the faculty and students in each of our colleges with the resources necessary for success and enhances our ability to provide efficiently for the divergent needs of both libraries’ constituents. Although each library continues to have separate personnel and operating budget lines within the University system, the combination allows for collaboration regarding space needs, facilities utilization, acquisitions and staffing and ensures consistent policy regarding the preservation and development of critical academic resources. This structure will not only assist us in managing though this continued period of scarce resources, but also allow integrated responses to the potential repurposing of space (i.e. the first floor of Heterick), the management of collection development, and the continued evolution of the University library in a digital age. Dual‐Enrollment Programs. In Fall 2014, the Ohio General Assembly adopted policy regarding dual‐
enrollment programs that will change how post‐secondary institutions deliver instruction to high‐school students. The policy, known as College Credit Plus, is in effect as of Fall 2015. Ohio Northern University is currently developing its curriculum for 2015‐16 high‐school instruction in the College Credit Plus program via a task force. Currently, the University operates a traditional dual‐enrollment program that provides participating local high schools with a way to deliver rigorous curriculum to their students through college‐level courses taught in their home facilities by qualified faculty members. (See 3.A.3.) Faculty who teach concurrent enrollment social studies courses must have master’s degrees at minimum and, therefore, have the same minimum qualifications that the University requires for adjuncts. For the past three years, Dr. Russ Crawford, a tenured faculty member in the Department of History, Politics and Justice, has conducted site visits and evaluation of our concurrent enrollment teachers. Copies of his evaluations are maintained in the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s office. Teachers submit syllabi to our department at the start of every semester. They are free to choose their own texts and assess their courses. Faculty who teach concurrent enrollment math and statistics courses must meet the credentialing requirements as stated on the program’s website. Dr. Donald Hunt, a tenured faculty member in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, oversees the program in this area and ensures that the faculty follow the content of the department course syllabi. At a minimum, the department expects dual‐enrollment instructors to perform at a level at least equivalent to that of the on‐campus department adjuncts. Dr. Hunt approves the textbook utilized in each high school course offering and reviews all graded instruments for each course. He also visits the classrooms twice each year, once in Fall and again in Spring. 4.A.5. The institution maintains specialized accreditation for its programs as appropriate to its educational purposes. The University has a significant number of accredited programs with a record of very successful reaccreditation processes. 86 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT College of Arts & Sciences  Athletic Training: Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education  Chemistry: American Chemical Society  Education: National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and approved by Ohio Board of Regents  Exercise Physiology: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, and Committee on Accreditation for Exercise Sciences  Medical Laboratory Science: National Accrediting Association for Clinical Laboratory Sciences  Music: National Association of Schools of Music  Nursing: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and Ohio Board of Nursing  Public Relations: Public Relations Society of America  Technological Studies: Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering College of Business Administration The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business College of Engineering Four engineering programs—civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering—are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, and the computer science program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of ABET. The engineering education program began the process of seeking initial accreditation in Fall 2014 from the EAC of ABET. College of Pharmacy Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education College of Law The American Bar Association, Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar The University has never been denied an accreditation that it has sought in the past 50 years. 4.A.6. The institution evaluates the success of its graduates. The institution assures that the degree or certificate programs it represents as preparation for advanced study or employment accomplish these purposes. For all programs, the institution looks to indicators it deems appropriate to its mission, such as employment rates, admission rates to advanced degree programs, and participation rates in fellowships, internships, and special programs (e.g., Peace Corps and Americorps). Each year, every academic program completes an Annual Program Assessment Report. (See 4.B.2.) A common focus of these reports is the success of the program’s graduates. Typical measurements of that success include placement rates, enrollment for further education (graduate school), and professional examination and licensure results. Placement Rates The Office of Polar Careers annually conducts a six‐month placement assessment of graduates and collects employment information from the participating graduates. For the recent five years, over 92% of responding graduates (response rates of 91%‐97%) find either employment or placement in a 87 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT program of graduate school within six months after graduation (Table 4.1). Detailed data of placement classification (i.e., employed full‐time, graduate school) can be found in the University’s placement reports. The placement assessment of law graduates is conducted at nine months after graduation. The placement assessment by program informs planning, program review, and outcome assessment with regard to the success of the program and its graduates. Table 4.1: Placement Rates by College – Six Months after Graduation Class
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Arts & Sciences
91%
92%
88%
91%
92%
Business Administration
89%
92%
95%
95%
98%
Engineering
93%
94%
94%
90%
97%
Pharmacy
99%
100%
97%
99%
96%
All Four Colleges
93%
94%
92%
94%
95%
Response rates: Class of 2010 (91%), 2011 (91%), 2012 (93%), 2013 (96%), and 2014 (97%)
The past few years have been challenging ones for college graduates seeking their first jobs. Nevertheless, as indicated in the NACE First‐destination Follow‐up Survey (Table 4.2), about 70% of our students who completed a bachelor’s degree in 2012 found full‐time employment within six months after graduation, and approximately 20% enrolled in a program of graduate school. Table 4.2: NACE First‐destination Follow‐up Survey ‐ Class of 2012 National
Carnegie Peer
ONU
Employed Full Time
Graduate School
Military
66%
67%
70%
20%
16%
20%
1%
1%
1%
Median time of the NACE follow‐up survey was 6 months after graduation, which was consistent with ONU's Placement Assessment Survey.
Source: NACE 2013‐14 Career Services Benchmark Survey Report
Professional Examination and Licensure Student performance on external professional assessments and licensure exams is impressive. The following examination results for the past five years are available online and in the University Fact Book. 





Athletic Training Board of Certification American Chemical Society (ACS) Cooperative Exam Nursing NCLEX‐RN Praxis II Test Business Administration – ETS Major Field Test Fundamentals of Engineering Examination 88 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT 

Pharmacy State Board Exam Ohio Bar Exam Perceived Gains of Preparedness for Employment In the 2012 College Senior Survey, 91% of the senior students reported their preparedness for employment was stronger or much stronger compared with when they first entered the University. For those senior students considering graduate school, 93% of our senior students responded their preparedness for graduate or advanced education was stronger or much stronger compared with when they first entered the University. Criterion 4.B. The institution demonstrates a commitment to educational achievement and improvement through ongoing assessment of student learning. The University has chosen to address 4.B.1 and 4.B.2 in one combined discussion. This discussion will focus on two areas: University‐level academic assessment and program‐level assessment. 4.B.1. The institution has clearly stated goals for student learning and effective processes for assessment of student learning and achievement of learning goals. 4.B.2. The institution assesses achievement of the learning outcomes that it claims for its curricular and co‐curricular programs. The University has clearly articulated University‐level and program‐level Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) as noted in 3.A.2. The University‐level outcomes for the undergraduates are consistent with the general education outcomes. For graduate programs, there is no common set of learning outcomes at the University level; thus, learning outcomes and assessments are defined and discussed at the program level for each of the graduate programs (Pharmacy , MPPA, and Law). The University General Education Committee and the University Assessment Committee (UAC) both play a role in the clarification and assessment of the University‐level SLOs. The UAC is also tasked with assisting the academic and co‐
curricular programs with the clarification and assessment of their program SLOs. Assessment of University‐level Student Learning Outcomes In Fall 2007, the faculty as a whole began the process of formulating a revised set of undergraduate University‐level learning outcomes. In order to support a culture of assessment with appropriate faculty buy‐in, faculty members formed small discussion groups with representatives from all five colleges in each group. The groups discussed the knowledge and skills that every student should possess after receiving an education at the University, and these lists were shared with the whole. A consensus emerged as the suggestions from the various discussion groups were compared. This consensus served as the foundation for the University‐level SLOs. The University then chose to adopt these SLOs as the University general education outcomes (Final Report of the General Education Committee). The University‐level Student Learning Outcomes are: 89 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT As a result of their educational experiences at Ohio Northern University, students will be able to demonstrate: 1. Effective Communication: Students will demonstrate the written, oral and visual communication skills necessary to communicate professionally and effectively as responsible members of their organizations and their communities. 1‐1: Writing skills 1‐2: Non‐writing format 2. Critical and Creative Thinking: Students will correctly identify the underlying problems or issues in both theoretical and practical realms, apply appropriate analytical and creative skills to develop feasible alternatives while considering multiple perspectives, and provide creative and logical solutions. 3. Scientific and Quantitative Literacy: Students will demonstrate an understanding of scientific concepts and the scientific method, and an ability to apply quantitative methods to identify and solve real‐world problems. 4. Understanding of Diverse Cultures and Their Effects on Human Interaction: Students will recognize, appreciate and understand the complexities of different cultures as well as recognize, appreciate and understand how they affect human interactions. 5. Integration of Concepts Across Disciplines: Students will display the ability to integrate concepts learned under different disciplines/courses together in a holistic manner so as to be able to carry out a thoughtful and thorough analysis of problem(s)/issue(s) in a practical situation. 6. Informed and Ethical Responses to Personal, Civic and Global Needs: Students will display an understanding of personal, civic and global needs; identify underlying ethical issues in specific situations; and make informed, ethical responses to those needs. 7. Informed Responses to Aesthetics in Art or Nature: Students will demonstrate the ability to reflect critically on art, culture, and nature. These Student Learning Outcomes are measured by a variety of direct and indirect measures. 1. General Education Artifacts 2. Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) 3. National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) 4. College Senior Survey (CSS) 5. Alumni Survey 6. Employer Survey Table 4.3 illustrates the alignment of the University‐level learning outcomes and these various measures. 90 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Table 4.3: Alignment Matrix of University Learning Outcomes and Measures General Education Artifacts
CAAP
NSSE
1‐1. Effective Communication (Writing)
D
D
1‐2.Effective Communication (Non‐writing)
D
2. Critical & Creative Thinking
D
D
I
3. Scientific & Quantitative Literacy
D
D
I
4. Diversity & Human Interaction
D
I
5. Integration of Disciplines
D
6. Informed & Ethical Responses
D
7. Informed Responses to Aesthetics
D
University Learning Outcomes
D=Direct measure; I=Indirect measure
College Senior Survey
Alumni Survey Employer Survey I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Utilization of multiple measures allows the University to “triangulate” the evidence to enhance decision‐making. (Finley and McNair, Assessing Underserved Students Engagement in High Impact Practices (AAC&U, 2013) p. 34.) 1. General Education Artifacts: The general education program is based on an artifact‐based assessment mechanism (Figure 4.1). A central feature of the artifact system is that artifacts come from three different groups of courses: the four common courses of the University general education program, general education courses found throughout the curriculum, and major courses. The four common University courses (Transitions Experience, Writing Seminar, Extradisciplinary Seminar and Capstone) are tagged with Effective Communication and/or Critical Thinking to ensure that assessment data on these learning outcomes are distributed appropriately throughout the educational process. While this arrangement requires careful organization, it allows the students to see the connection between their major, the general education learning outcomes (which are identical to the University‐level outcomes), and the educational experiences of other students. It also allows colleges to include the requirements of the general education program in a manner that reflects their particular overall educational focus. During the course of their undergraduate educations, students must produce 20 artifacts: four each for Effective Communication and Critical Thinking, two each for the remaining five outcomes, and two additional of their choice. Students submit these artifacts to the Taskstream software program for assessment purposes. Courses that provide artifacts are “tagged” by faculty members who submit a tagging request to the General Education Committee. The proposal must provide a description of the role of the Learning Outcome(s) in the course, the assignment(s) that will produce artifacts, and the 91 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT evaluation criteria in the relevant rubric that should be applied. The tag is assigned to the course in the University Catalog, and a search engine is available for students and faculty to identify available course offerings with a particular tag. A master list of all tagged courses is published each semester on the General Education for Students and Faculty webpage. In 2011‐12, the University began its new general education system with the freshman cohort. Faculty teaching tagged courses were asked to assess one‐fourth of their freshman students utilizing the appropriate learning outcome rubric. Unfortunately, due to the lack of appropriate norming, the effort resulted in widely varying evaluations and little useful information. Specifically, some sections of a course were evaluated as “proficient” while other sections were scored as “below expectations.” In Summer 2012, the University participated in the AAC&U Institute on General Education and Assessment. The membership of the University General Education Committee and staff from the Office of Academic Affairs discussed the University’s new plan with leading educational experts. It was clear that the assessment would need to change to teams of faculty who would assess a random data pull from all tagged courses for a particular student learning outcome and apply the common rubric. These faculty would also participate in norming and training prior to the actual assessment. In Fall 2013, the Effective Communication‐Written Student Learning Outcome was assessed. In Fall 2014, the University assessed Informed Responses to Aesthetics in Art and Nature. The plan going forward will be to complete one assessment of an outcome every semester. The University General Education Committee is responsible for the assessment of the artifacts stored in Taskstream. Figure 4.1: The General Education Program Process 92 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT 2. Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP): The CAAP testing is a standardized, nationally normed assessment program from ACT Inc. that enables postsecondary institutions to assess, evaluate, and enhance outcomes of the general education programs. In 2012‐13, first‐year and senior students participated in two of the CAAP test modules (Critical Thinking and Writing Essay) that correspond with assessing the University’s learning outcomes of Critical and Creative Thinking and Effective Communication. The CAAP tests of Critical Thinking and Writing Essay were repeated in 2013‐14. In 2014‐15, we will participate in the CAAP test module of Science, which corresponds to the University learning outcome of Scientific and Quantitative Literacy. The CAAP testing was designed for the following assessment methodologies:  Benchmarking Study: To measure achievement levels and help establish benchmarks, student performance is compared with that of the national normative groups (i.e., four‐year colleges).  Value‐added Learning Gains: To assess value‐added learning gains over the course of their studies at the University, cross‐sectional comparisons are conducted of freshmen and senior students. Value‐added performance levels are estimated using mean ACT Composite scores and mean CAAP scores. 3. National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE): The NSSE was designed to assess the extent to which students are engaged in effective educational practices that are linked with learning, personal development, and other desirable outcomes for student success, such as satisfaction, persistence, and graduation. Learning‐outcome measures include a section of questions in which students indicate the extent to which their experiences at the University contributed to their knowledge, skills and personal development in several areas that correspond with the University’s learning outcomes. We have participated in NSSE since 2001, and the latest survey administration was in Spring 2014. Due to the survey instrument revisions made in 2004 and 2013, the data sets for the self‐study were selected from the 2012 NSSE results (for the recent survey results available at the time of the self‐study design) and the 2004 NSSE results (for the study of eight‐year changes). The 2013 and 2014 NSSE results are available at the assessment results web site. 4. College Senior Survey (CSS): The CSS, developed by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA, was designed as an exit survey for graduating seniors. The CSS data provides information on a broad range of student outcomes, student‐faculty interaction, and satisfaction with the college experience. Learning‐outcome measures include questions that ask students to indicate whether or not their abilities in several areas (related to the University’s Student Learning Outcomes) are stronger compared to when they first started. The CSS was administered to graduating seniors regularly since 2005, and the latest survey administration was in Spring 2014. As the survey questions of the learning‐
outcome measures were revised in 2013, the data sets for the self‐study were selected from the 2012 CSS results (for the recent survey results at the time of the self‐study design) and the 2005 CSS results (for the study of seven‐year changes). The 2013 and 2014 CSS results are available at the assessment results web site. 5. Alumni Survey: The Alumni Survey was developed internally to determine the degree to which various learning outcomes associated with the University’s learning outcomes are obtained. Graduates indicate to what extent they consider the importance of each outcome to their development and the extent to which their experience at the University has contributed to their development for each outcome. The survey has been conducted every three years since 2004‐05. The latest survey 93 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT administration completed was in 2013‐14. The 2013‐14 Alumni Survey included alumni who graduated between Fall 2008 and Summer 2011 from all colleges except the College of Law. 6. Employer Survey: The Employer Survey was developed to coincide with the Alumni Survey. Employers are asked to indicate the importance of each of the University’s learning outcomes when making a decision to employ a college graduate and the extent to which the graduates in their employ demonstrate each of the outcomes. The survey has been conducted every three years since 2004‐05 in conjunction with the Alumni Survey. The latest survey administration completed was in 2013‐14. The results of the most recent survey are utilized in this self‐study. Student Learning Outcome Results For University‐level assessment purposes, the following standards of performance are utilized: 1) Benchmarking against peer norms, 2) Cut‐off mean scores defined for each measure, and 3) Continuous improvement (changes over a broad time period). Application of these standards to the University‐level learning outcomes reveals three different levels of success in achieving the desired outcomes. Met expectations (students have been able to demonstrate):  Effective Communication  Critical and Creative Thinking  Scientific and Quantitative Literacy  Integration of Concepts Across Disciplines Challenges (students have not clearly demonstrated):  Understanding of Diverse Cultures and Their Effects on Human Interaction  Informed and Ethical Responses to Personal, Civic, and Global Needs Limited data at this time:  Informed Responses to Aesthetics in Arts and Nature Summary results for each learning outcome are discussed below. The full assessment results can be found in the Assessment Results of University‐level Student Learning Outcomes. Effective Communication. Students are able to demonstrate written, oral and visual communication skills necessary to communicate professionally and effectively as responsible members of their organizations and their communities. Our students have met expectations for this SLO. The students’ performance on the CAAP Writing Essay test in 2012‐13 and 2013‐14 provides direct evidence of the learning outcome. As presented in Table 4.4, the average senior student received a Writing Essay score equal to or higher than that of 93% (in 2012‐13) and 92% (in 2013‐14) of seniors in the national normative group. The cross‐sectional comparison of the freshman and senior students indicated that there was a substantial increase in the test performance by senior year, with the value‐
added learning gains meeting an “at‐expected” level. This means the increase in the writing performance is the same as what would be expected at an institution with students of similar academic abilities. 94 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT AY
Table 4.4: Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) Writing Essay Writing Essay Test Mean Score
National Percentile Rank Class
of ONU’s Mean
ONU National 2012‐13
Freshmen
Seniors
3.35
3.95
3.10
3.30
67
93
2013‐14
Freshmen
Seniors
3.50
3.89
3.20
3.40
71
92
Sample: AY 2012‐13 (111 Freshmen, 86 Seniors), AY 2013‐14 (112 Freshmen, 131 Seniors) Score range of Writing Essay test: 0~6
Normative group scores are based on 4‐year colleges that ACT collected for the recent 3 years
The evaluation results of the University’s general education artifacts provide another direct evidence of the learning outcome. Specific skill areas in which our students are strong or weak are identified using the rubric of Effective Communication – Written. The rubric is composed of the following dimensions: Overall Organization, Paragraph Development, Format & Style, and Written Language Mechanics. The evaluation results (Table 4.5) of sample artifacts randomly selected from general education courses in 2012‐13 indicated that the highest performing area was Format and Style (78% were ‘proficient’ or ‘meet expectations’), followed by Paragraph Development (71% were ‘proficient’ or ‘meet expectations’). Student performance on Overall Organization and Written Language Mechanics received relatively lower scores. The overall mean score was 2.9, which was close to a rubric score of 3 (i.e., meets expectations). A focus group session held after the assessment for those faculty involved noted that the process of norming, calibrating, and evaluating made the process easier and more efficient. Several minor rubric edits were noted as well. Table 4.5: Evaluation Results of General Education Artifacts Effective Communication ‐ Written Effective Communication ‐ Written Proficient or Meets Mean Rubric Rubric Dimensions
Expectations
Score
bc
Overall Organization
62%
2.8 Paragraph Development
71%
2.9 Format and Style
78%
3.1 Written Language Mechanics
64%
2.7 b
a
c
Sample: 85 artifacts randomly selected from all tagged courses for Effective Communication‐
Written outcomes in AY 2012‐13 Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different based on the paired t‐tests at 95% confidence level. 95 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Perceived learning gains in writing skills are evidenced from the National Student Engagement Survey (NSSE) results. About 81% of the senior student respondents in the 2012 NSSE rated “very much” or “quite a bit” on the extent to which their experience at the University contributed to their skills in writing clearly and effectively. For the skills in effective speaking, 78% of the seniors answered “very much” or “quite a bit” regarding the University’s contribution to their skill. The 2012 NSSE results of both writing and speaking skills were comparable to the Carnegie peer ratings, and there was an 11% point increase in writing skill and a 9% point increase in speaking skill as compared to the 2004 results. During this same period of time, the English department made a strong effort to begin standardizing all sections of its freshman writing sequence to have required key assignments and longer lengths for the required papers. In 2011, the English department further standardized its sections of freshman writing as the University moved to a semester calendar and developed a new set of courses. Since the adoption of the semester calendar, the University requires all students to complete the ENGL 1221 course or to transfer an equivalent course from another institution, regardless of the ACT or AP examination scores. The 2013‐14 Employer Survey results provide additional indirect evidence of the student performance in communication skills. About 83% of the employer respondents rated “very much” or “quite a bit” on the satisfaction of our graduates’ performance in written communication skills, and in a similar question on speaking and presentation skills, 77% were “very much” or “quite a bit” satisfied. Critical and Creative Thinking. Students are able to correctly identify the underlying problems or issues in both theoretical and practical realms, apply appropriate analytical and creative skills to develop feasible alternatives while considering multiple perspectives, and provide creative and logical solutions. Our students have met expectations for this SLO. Of all the University’s learning outcomes, critical‐thinking skills have received the top ratings by the University alumni and their employers. On the 2013‐14 Alumni Survey (three‐ to five‐year follow‐up of graduates), 86% of alumni respondents reported “very much” or “quite a bit” on the extent to which the University contributed to their skills in critical and analytical thinking. About 91% of employer respondents in the 2013‐14 Employer Survey answered “very much” or “quite a bit” on the satisfaction of our graduates’ performance in critical and analytical thinking, and 86% of those in problem‐solving skills. On the CAAP Critical Thinking test in 2012‐13 and 2013‐14 (Table 4.6), the average senior student received a score equal to or higher than that of 70% (in 2012‐13) and 71% (in 2013‐14) of seniors in the national normative group. While the students’ performance in the test was lower than the University’s initial expectation determined by the relationship with their ACT scores, the cross‐sectional comparison of the freshman and senior students indicated that the value‐added learning gains in critical‐thinking skills met an “at‐expected” level. This means that the increase in the Critical Thinking performance is the same as what would be expected at an institution with students of similar academic abilities. 96 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT AY
Table 4.6: Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) Critical‐Thinking Test Critical Thinking Test Mean Score National Percentile Rank Class
of ONU’s Mean
ONU National 2012‐13
Freshmen
Seniors
63.0
66.4
60.6
62.8
67
70
2013‐14
Freshmen
Seniors
62.9
66.5
60.0
62.6
70
71
Sample: AY 2012‐13 (111 Freshmen, 86 Seniors), AY 2013‐14 (112 Freshmen, 131 Seniors) Score range of Critical Thinking test: 40~80
Normative group scores are based on 4‐year colleges that ACT collected for the recent 3 years
Perceived learning gains in critical‐thinking skills are evidenced from the National Student Engagement Survey and College Senior Survey results. As presented in Table 4.7, about 94% of the senior student respondents in the 2012 NSSE answered “very much” or “quite a bit” on the extent to which their experiences at the University contributed to their skills in critical and analytical thinking. When compared to the Carnegie peers, the mean rating scores by our senior respondents were significantly higher. This was consistent with the 2012 College Senior Survey results. Compared with when they first started at the University, about 95% of the graduating seniors reported that their critical‐thinking and problem‐solving skills were “much stronger” or “stronger.” Table 4.7: NSSE Results of Perceived Learning Gains Critical‐Thinking Skills Percentage of seniors reporting that their experiences at the institution contributed 'Very much' or 'Quite a bit' to their skills in the following areas:
NSSE Items of Perceived Gains
ONU 2004
ONU 2012
Thinking critically and analytically
%
85
%
94
Carnegie Class 2012
%
*88
Solving complex real‐world problems
53
71
*66
Response rates: ONU 2004 (48%) and ONU 2012 (31%)
* Indicates that the mean score difference between ONU and Carnegie Class in the 2012 survey is statistically significant at 95% confidence level. Scientific and Quantitative Literacy. Students are able to demonstrate an understanding of scientific concepts and the scientific method, and an ability to apply quantitative methods to identify and solve real‐world problems. Our students have met expectations for this SLO. Over the past eight years, perceived learning gains in quantitative skills have significantly increased, as evidenced from the National Student Engagement Survey results (Table 4.8). In the 2012 NSSE, 86% of 97 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT the senior student respondents rated “very much” or “quite a bit” on the extent to which their experiences at the University contributed to their skills in analyzing quantitative problems. This is a 23% point increase as compared to the 2004 NSSE result. The University alumni also perceived their learning gains relatively high in Scientific and Quantitative Literacy as indicated on the 2013‐14 Alumni Survey. The CAAP Science test to be administered in 2014‐15 will provide direct evidence of the students’ performance in the areas of scientific and quantitative‐reasoning skills. Table 4.8: NSSE Results of Perceived Learning Gains Quantitative Skills
Percentage of seniors reporting that their experiences at the institution contributed 'Very much' or 'Quite a bit' to their skills in the following areas:
NSSE Item of Perceived Gains
Analyzing quantitative problems
ONU 2004
ONU 2012
%
%
63
86
Carnegie Class 2012
%
*78
Response rates: ONU 2004 (48%) and ONU 2012 (31%)
* Indicates that the mean score difference between ONU and Carnegie Class in the 2012 survey is statistically significant at 95% confidence level. Diversity & Human Interaction. Students are able to recognize, appreciate and understand the complexities of different cultures, as well as recognize, appreciate and understand how they affect human interactions. This SLO remains a challenge. Students have not yet clearly met expectations. The survey results from the National Student Engagement Survey (NSSE), College Senior Survey (CSS), and Alumni Survey indicate that the perceived learning gains of intercultural knowledge and competence have been lower than the University’s standards of performance. The desired standard of performance is a mean score of 3.0 or above for NSSE and Alumni Survey (on a 4‐point scale) and a mean score of 4.0 or above for CSS (on a 5‐point scale). In addition, the survey results from NSSE and CSS are compared with the peer norms. In the 2012 NSSE, only 27% of the senior student respondents (vs. 55% of those from Carnegie peers) rated “very much” or “quite a bit” on the extent to which their experiences at the University contributed to their understanding of people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. The mean rating score by our senior respondents (mean=2.2) was significantly lower when compared to the Carnegie peers (mean=2.6). In the 2014 NSSE instrument, the question was broadened to include not only racial and ethnic backgrounds, but also those of economic, political, nationality, and religious differences. Here, 54% of the senior student respondents (vs. 61% of those from Carnegie peers) rated “very much” or “quite a bit” on the extent to which their experiences at the University contributed to their understanding of people of other diverse backgrounds. The improvement from 2012 to 2014 in this NSSE area aligns with the University’s diversity in the student population; that is, the University’s diversity includes the economic, political, nationality, and religious differences, as well as the racial and ethnic backgrounds. 98 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT In the 2012 CSS (Table 4.9), 66% of our graduating seniors (vs. 78% of those from four‐year private schools) reported that their knowledge of people from different races/cultures was “much stronger” or “stronger” as compared with when they first started college. On the ability to get along with people of different races/cultures, 64% of our seniors (vs. 67% of those from four‐year private schools) reported “much stronger” or “stronger.” When compared to the four‐year private schools, the mean rating score by our graduating seniors was significantly lower for knowledge of people from different races/cultures (mean=3.8), whereas the mean rating score for ability to get along with people of different races/cultures (mean=3.9) was comparable to the peer ratings. There has been a substantial increase, however, in perceived learning gains of intercultural knowledge and competence as indicated in NSSE and CSS. As compared to the 2005 CSS (Table 4.7), the students’ ratings were significantly higher in the 2012 survey (15% point increase in intercultural competence; 6% point increase for intercultural knowledge). Compared to the 2004 NSSE, the students’ ratings of Intercultural knowledge were significantly higher in the 2012 NSSE (4% point increase). This improvement is likely due to the increased international student population (23 students in 2004 to 186 in 2012), the establishment of the Center for Multicultural Development facility that opened in 2007, and the creation of the two additional staff member positions in the Office of Multicultural Development. We continue to build upon these improvements by including an understanding of diverse cultures as one of the general education learning outcomes and by focusing our required Extradisciplinary Seminars on a globalization theme. Additionally, the employer ratings of our graduates’ intercultural competence meet their expectations as well as the University’s standards of performance. In the 2013‐14 Employer Survey, 87% of employers rated that they were satisfied (“very much” or “quite a bit”) with our graduates’ ability to work with persons from diverse backgrounds (mean=3.4). Table 4.9: College Senior Survey Results of Perceived Learning Gains Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Percentage of seniors reporting 'Much stronger' or 'Stronger' as compared with when they first entered ONU CSS Items of Perceived Gains
ONU 2005
ONU 2012
Knowledge of people from different races/cultures
%
60
%
66
49
64
Ability to get along with people of different races/cultures
4‐Yr Private 2012
%
*78
67
Response rates: ONU 2005 (34%) and ONU 2012 (29%)
* Indicates that the mean score difference between ONU and 4‐year private schools in the 2012 survey is statistically significant at 95% confidence level. 99 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Integration of Concepts Across Disciplines. Students are able to integrate concepts learned under different disciplines/courses together in a holistic manner so as to be able to carry out a thoughtful and thorough analysis of problem(s)/issue(s) in a practical situation. Our students have met expectations for this SLO. In the 2013‐14 Employer Survey, 93% of employers rated that they were satisfied (“very much” or “quite a bit”) with our graduates’ ability to integrate skills and knowledge from various areas. This skill is one of the high performing areas as rated by the employers of our graduates. Student engagement in academic activities that require integrating information from various sources was measured through the National Student Engagement Survey (NSSE). In the 2012 NSSE (Table 4.10), about 91% of our senior students reported that they frequently worked on papers or projects that required integrating idea or information from various sources, and 73% reported that they frequently put together ideas or concepts from different courses when completing assignments or during class discussions. Table 4.10: NSSE Results of Perceived Learning Gains Integration of Concepts Across Disciplines Percentage of seniors reporting that 'Very often' or 'Often' they have done the following during the current school year
NSSE Items of Perceived Gains
ONU 2004
ONU 2012
Worked on a paper or project that required integrating %
88
%
91
Carnegie Class 2012
%
89
69
73
73
ideas or information from various sources
Put together ideas or concepts from different courses when completing assignments or during class discussions
Response rates: ONU 2004 (48%) and ONU 2012 (31%)
Informed and Ethical Responses to Personal, Civic, and Global Needs. The University students are able to display an understanding of personal, civic and global needs; identify underlying ethical issues in specific situations; and make informed, ethical responses to those needs. This SLO remains a challenge. Students have not yet clearly met expectations. In the areas of developing a personal code of values and ethics, the perceived learning gains reported by our senior students are comparable to those of the Carnegie peers. In the 2012 NSSE (Table 4.11), about 63% of our senior student respondents rated “very much” or “quite a bit” on the extent to which their experiences at the University contributed to developing a personal code of values and ethics. In the area of contributing to the welfare of one’s community, 53% of our senior student respondents in 2012 rated “very much” or “quite a bit” on the extent to which their experiences at the University contributed. This is a 14% point increase as compared to the 2004 NSSE result. 100 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Table 4.11: NSSE Results of Perceived Learning Gains Ethical Responses Percentage of seniors reporting that their experiences at the institution contributed 'Very much' or 'Quite a bit' to their personal development in the following areas:
NSSE Items of Perceived Gains
ONU 2004
ONU 2012
Developing a personal code of values and ethics
%
57
%
63
Carnegie Class 2012
%
64
Contributing to the welfare of your community
39
53
52
Response rates: ONU 2004 (48%) and ONU 2012 (31%)
On the civic awareness of community, national and global issues, the perceived learning gains reported by our senior students marked relatively low. In the 2012 College Senior Survey, for an example, 68% of our graduating senior students (vs. 77% of four‐year private schools) reported that their understanding of global issues was “much stronger” or “stronger” as compared with when they first started college. Informed Responses to Aesthetics in Art or Nature. Students are able to demonstrate the ability to reflect critically on art, culture, and nature. This SLO has limited data currently to form a conclusion. (See 4.B.3.) The evaluation results of the University’s general education artifacts provide direct evidence of the learning outcome. Specific areas in which our students are strong or weak are identified using the rubric for Informed Responses to Aesthetics in Art and Nature. The rubric is composed of the following dimensions: Identification and Response to Aesthetics Stimulus, Appreciation and Critique, and Sensitivity to Functional Requirement Aspects. The evaluation results (Table 4.12) of sample artifacts randomly selected from the general education courses in 2012‐13 indicated that rubric scores were lower than anticipated. The desired outcome would be to see approximately 70% of the artifacts being proficient or meeting expectations. The faculty involved in this assessment exercise participated in a focus group in which they discussed the assessment process. The faculty noted several difficulties that likely affect these rubric scores. The first was that the rubric was difficult to apply. For example, the dimension descriptions of Appreciation and Critique refer to the student’s ability to “both critique and appreciate.” It would be easier to assess if these were separate dimensions. The second was that the artifacts were quite varied in length and format. The artifact samples included written essays, digital photographs, portions of lengthy student journals, etc. This variation made it hard to apply the rubric consistently. The focus group comments were sent on to the General Education Committee for further review. 101 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Table 4.12: Evaluation Results of General Education Artifacts Informed Responses to Aesthetics in Art or Nature Informed Responses to Aesthetics Proficient or Meets Rubric Dimensions
Expectations
Mean Rubric Score
Identification and response to an aesthetic stimulus
47%
2.5
Appreciation and critique
40%
2.4
Sensitivity to functional requirement aspects
50%
2.5
Sample: 88 artifacts randomly selected from all tagged courses for Informed Responses to Aesthetics outcomes in AY 2012‐13 In the 2013‐14 Alumni and Employer Surveys, a new survey question was added in order to measure the importance and satisfaction of the students’ abilities to reflect critically in art or nature. Both alumni and employer respondents reported that this learning‐outcome area was relatively less important to the students’ development and to the employers making the decision to employ a college student. Consequently, their satisfaction ratings were also lower as compared to other learning‐outcome areas. Assessment of Co‐Curricular Learning Outcomes Several programs offered by the Division of Student Affairs contribute in substantive ways to the University learning outcomes. During 2012‐13, the Office of Student Affairs developed a comprehensive, division‐wide assessment program of student learning, which involves mapping the activities and services provided by the Division to the University learning outcomes. (See alignment matrix.) The assessment program follows all the assessment components of academic programs, such as outcome statements, measures, results, and adjustment, while the assessment reports are completed using a unique form that can reflect the nature of programs in Student Affairs. Each of the departments is required to submit the program‐level assessment reports to a web‐based reporting system by the end of each semester. In 2013‐14, the Division completed its first year of the new assessment program, and the assessment plans and reports (Fall 2013 Reports, Spring 2014 Reports) are being evaluated by the Office of Student Affairs in consultation with the University Assessment Committee. Example assessment activities reported in Fall 2013 are presented below.  Ada Civic Engagement (ACE) Day coordinated by the Office of Student Involvement: Incoming students participate in a community‐service opportunity and engage with their new community. Student Learning Outcomes of this activity are aligned with the University’s learning outcomes of “Informed and Ethical Responses to Civic Needs” and “Understanding of Diverse Cultures and their Effects on Human Interactions.” Its assessment involves a pre‐ and post‐tests of the student participants regarding their perceived learning gains in civic awareness and interpersonal and intercultural competence. According to the assessment result of the 2013 ACE Day, the participants reported a greater level of learning gains in all areas of the measures.  Emerging Professional Series (EPS) Presentation by the Office of Polar Careers: EPS presentations are made to students living in the residence halls to prepare them with the initial knowledge and skills needed to successfully navigate the search process for gaining experiences related to their chosen career fields. The program series’ learning outcomes include the use of 102 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT 
two online applications, Polar Careers and Career Shift, as well as preparedness for professional interview standards, which are aligned with the University’s learning outcome of Effective Communication. Student participation is tracked throughout the student’s college career. Those engagement instances increased by 20% by the end of fall semester and 72% by the beginning of spring semester. Get Connected ONU by the Office of Religious Life: The program’s purpose is to coordinate University‐wide volunteer and community services, which is closely aligned with the University’s learning outcome of Informed and Ethical Responses to Civic Needs.” Since its initiation in September 2013, more than 550 referrals have been made through the program, resulting in about 1,120 hours of community service (as of May 30, 2014). The largest number of referrals has been to Habitat for Humanity followed by Ada Food Pantry. The assessment data shows a strong initial participation rate (about 15% of the student body) and development of good relationships with community organizations. Assessment of Program‐level Student Learning Outcomes In addition to University‐level learning outcomes, each program’s faculty are responsible for formulating its own learning outcomes and measurements reflecting its own particular requirements. These program‐level outcomes are stated on the department’s (or, if appropriate, college’s) website. (See 3.A.2.) Each Spring, the University Assessment Committee requests the department Chairs and program directors to complete the Annual Report on the Assessment of Student Learning for the previous academic year. (By this point in time, professional examination and licensure results, in addition to six‐
month placement results, are typically available, which are common measurements in many programs.) Some departments task the department Chair to complete the report administratively, while others work collaboratively on the report. The Annual Assessment Report form contains the following assessment components:  Assessment Program: o Statement of the Learning Outcomes o List of Measures: What measures are used to assess student progress toward the achievement of the stated learning objectives?  Assessment Activities: o Description of the Measures: Which measures did you use during the past year? Which learning objective(s) does each measure address? How and when did you administer the measures? o Results of the Data Collection and Analysis: Present the summary data resulting from assessment activities. What are the standards and expectations for performance? Did the students meet the standards? What gaps were found between the standards for student learning and the actual results?  Programmatic/Operational Adjustments: o Adjustment to the Program or the program operations: What changes in curriculum, instructional strategies, course content, personnel, facilities, equipment, resource allocation, etc. are recommended to address the gaps between expected performance and actual results? 103 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Changes that need to be made to the assessment plan and practices: Have questions been raised about the effectiveness of the assessment plan? If so, what changes are needed? Are different objectives, measures, analysis, etc. needed? Discuss the review of evaluation results provided by the University Assessment Committee. The Annual Assessment Report is due in mid‐October, allowing the department to meet at the end of Spring semester and again as Fall semester starts up to discuss the findings and determine the appropriate adjustments, whether it be at the course or program level. The UAC provides feedback to the program on the Annual Assessment Report in its yearly evaluation. Each Fall, evaluation teams of two committee members form, and the committee splits the work of reviewing all of the program reports by the end of January. An evaluation rubric provides guidance to both the evaluators and the program faculty who completed the report. The three report sections are evaluated as “Exemplary” (4.0), “Established” (3.0), “Developing” (2.0), or “Undeveloped” (1.0). Evaluators can utilize increments of 0.5 when completing the rubric. Each evaluator independently reviews the reports, and then the pair meets to resolve any discrepancies of 1.0 or more on the 4.0 scale. The two UAC evaluators then meet with programs with an evaluation rubric score of 2.0 or below for any of the report sections to discuss their concerns and to offer suggestions for improvement. According to the UAC’s evaluation of the 2012‐13 Annual Assessment Report, about 88% of the University’s academic programs currently have “Exemplary” or “Established” learning outcomes, and 77% have “Exemplary” or “Established” measures for those learning outcomes (Table 4.13). Table 4.13: Evaluation Results of Program‐level Assessment Reports (AY 2012‐13) o
Percentage of programs Assessment Components
Assessment Performance
Exemplary
Established
Developing
Undeveloped
N/A
Learning Outcomes
31%
57%
8%
0%
0%
Measurements
20%
57%
18%
0%
0%
Description of Measures
23%
31%
37%
3%
2%
Results
22%
26%
37%
5%
6%
Adjustments to the Program
14%
26%
38%
9%
8%
Changes to Assessment Plan
29%
32%
28%
3%
3%
The evaluation was based on a 4‐point scale of the rubric: Exemplary (a mean rubric score of 3.6 or greater), Established (2.6‐3.5), Developing (1.6‐2.5), Undeveloped (1.5 or less), N/A (Program recently started or too few students to present data or adjustments)
A total of 65 programs were expected to submit the 2012‐13 Assessment Reports, and 62 programs (95%) completed the reports.
Each program’s annual report and evaluation rubric scores for the past five years are available in the Resource Room. A few reports are highlighted here to illustrate the UAC’s evaluations. 104 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT 





The mechanical engineering (ME) program received “Exemplary” evaluations for both Learning Outcomes and Measures. Their well‐formulated learning outcomes responded creatively to the requirements set by the ABET accrediting body and effectively translated those requirements into a form appropriate for the assessment process. The ME program uses a range of direct and indirect measures, ranging from the Fundamentals of Engineering exam results to the innovative Faculty Course Assessment Reports (FCARs) building on the work on Dr. John Estell from the electrical and computer engineering program. FCARs are modeled after a form created by Dr. Estell and presented at assessment‐related conferences and include summaries of the results of direct and indirect measurement tools. The psychology program is representative of programs that received “Established” evaluations in both learning outcomes and measures. The psychology program has five appropriate and measurable learning outcomes and clearly indicates how the direct and indirect measures they utilize are linked to those learning outcomes. As the UAC evaluators note, the psychology program clarified the details of this relationship in response to feedback from the UAC. Construction management is representative of programs that received a “Developing” evaluation in measures along with an “Established” evaluation in learning outcomes. The evaluators point out that the program only involves two measures, though they note that internship data is presented as a third measure in another portion of the report. In the Changes section of the report, the construction management program indicates that it “has made a complete revision of the assessment plan” for the 2012‐13 year. Athletic training is representative of programs that were evaluated as “Exemplary” for the assessment results they accumulated and evaluated. Building on its well‐formulated learning outcomes and mix of direct and indirect measures, the athletic training program gathered and analyzed extensive data on the students in the program. For each measure, the program provides carefully thought‐out standards and highlights any instances where students fall below those standards. The nursing program is typical of programs that were evaluated as “Established” with regard to accumulating and evaluating assessment data. For example, the nursing program utilizes the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI)/RN Content Mastery Series. This assessment tool allows the department to set benchmarks for mastery of content areas and to identify where students are meeting those benchmarks. The primary point raised by the evaluators was that the presentation of the results was not as clear as it could have been. The physics program is characteristic of programs that were evaluated as “Developing” with regard to accumulating and evaluating assessment data. Physics collected information from the Capstone, graduate school admissions, and a senior exit survey. They showed that the students all met the relevant standards. The evaluators pointed out that in some cases the number of students was too limited to draw a conclusion and observed that some standards were not clearly laid out. 4.B.3. The institution uses the information gained from assessment to improve student learning. University‐Level and Co‐Curricular Adjustments The University‐wide assessments are regularly disseminated and reviewed with Deans, cabinet members, and University Assessment Committee members. Additionally, the Office of Institutional Research produces an annual newsletter highlighting these assessment activities. The assessment 105 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT reports are stored on the University’s secure website portal, which is available to faculty, staff, and students via a link from the Office of Institutional Research web page. As noted in 4.B.2, assessment data indicates that the University has not been as successful as we would like with regard to two outcomes: An Understanding of Diverse Cultures and Their Effects on Human Interaction and Informed and Ethical Responses to Personal, Civic, and Global Needs. In addition, we currently lack sufficient assessment data for Informed Responses to Aesthetics in Arts and Nature. A number of University initiatives demonstrate institutional commitment to improving these results.  Students are introduced to ethical issues at the start of their college careers as part of the Summer Reading Program. The common reading of Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks allowed the students to encounter a wide range of ethical issues. These topics and other dimensions of the University general education program were discussed in special sessions of the Transitions Experience course required of every first‐time freshman student.  The professional colleges each require their majors to specifically take a course on ethics, in addition to weaving discussions of ethics throughout the curriculum. The colleges of Engineering and Pharmacy both require all of their students to complete the ethics course called “Professional Ethics (PHIL 2401).” College of Business Administration majors complete the course in ethics titled “Ethics for Business Planning (BIZ 1201).”  The Office of Multicultural Development and Student Affairs have continued to develop programming, increasing the interactions between diverse student groups and helping all students prepare for a diverse world.  The Extradisciplinary Seminar, required of all students, within the University’s general education program has focused on the theme of globalization for the past three years. While professors from all areas of campus are instructors of the Extradisciplinary Seminar, students must take the course from a professor outside of their college or, in the case of Arts & Sciences, outside the student’s division.  The University continues its membership in the Ohio Campus Compact, a network of Ohio colleges and universities that works to develop the civic purposes of higher education. Ohio Campus Compact conducts trainings, informational sessions, staff development workshops, and strategic planning consultations for member campuses to begin and extend the civic engagement conversations and initiatives.  Civic engagement is a growing focus. In 2011, the Board of Trustees created a volunteer position with the title of Director of Community Relations, which is currently held by Chris Burns‐DiBiasio. Under her leadership, members of the University community have become increasingly involved with our community. o Students are now introduced to the importance of civic engagement when they first arrive on campus with the opportunity to participate in the highly successful Ada Civic Engagement (ACE) Day events. In Fall 2014, nearly 350 students and faculty engaged in 38 different projects, ranging from painting to planting trees, before they even entered a classroom. o The Chaplain’s office has taken the lead on an initiative to coordinate service opportunities. The Chaplain has developed “Get Connected ONU” to match volunteers with available service opportunities in the community. Other examples of civic engagement are discussed in 1.D.3. 106 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Program‐Level Adjustments The annual assessment reports for all of our programs over the past five years are available in the Resource Room. This section highlights some of the adjustments noted in the 2012‐13 reports. Modifications to the curriculum to improve student learning are an integral part of our programs and occur primarily at the department level. Each year, the departments submit an annual assessment report that addresses three aspects: 1) learning objectives and measures, 2) assessment activities for the previous academic year, and 3) programmatic or operational changes occurring or being proposed as a result of assessment activities. The reports are evaluated by the University Assessment Committee (UAC) using an established rubric. The UAC provides feedback to the department on their process and results. This process ensures that departments are reflecting on their objectives, student attainment of the objectives, assessment instruments, and efficacy of the programs on a regular basis. As shown in the UAC’s assessment in Table 4.13, 40% of the University’s academic programs have “Exemplary” or “Established” adjustments for assessment, and we are continuing to increase participation for those below these levels. Examples demonstrating curricular and program responses to identified gaps in student learning as a result of their assessment programs are provided below: Biology Student performance in written and oral communications directly measured by presentations of their senior capstone projects has been outstanding (i.e., more than 95% have received scores above 70%). As part of this assessment, it has been noted that a small number of students did not achieve the greater than or equal to 70% overall score. These students typically received a “D” or “F” in the course, which is not acceptable for meeting graduation requirements; thus, the students will retake the course with the goal of improving their communication regarding the capstone project. In addition, new rubrics are being designed for 2013‐14 to better assess the problem areas. The 2012‐13 assessment is a combined assessment of all four major departmental programs: biology, field biology and environmental studies, molecular biology, and forensic biology. After thorough review and consideration of the evaluation given for the 2011‐12 Annual Assessment Report, the biology department plans to restructure its assessment procedures for 2013‐14. Each program within the department will be assessed separately using its own set of learning objectives. Medical Laboratory Sciences In response to a Graduate Survey question, “the WCOCLS Program prepared me to perform a full range of testing in Blood Bank,” the results were lower than expected, and so the 2012‐13 class spent a laboratory period learning the “gel card” technique for determining blood types. This technique had not been taught to the previous class yet was still being utilized in some the clinical affiliate laboratories, which resulted in our students feeling unprepared. In addition, the lack of knowledge in performing gel card testing was noted by one of our affiliate laboratories as an area in need of improvement. Lima Memorial Hospital Laboratory purchased new blood banking equipment and donated their gel card equipment to our student laboratory, which was, and will continue to be, a great help in teaching this technique. The 2011‐12 evaluation states that the evaluator is “unclear as to how the presented data ties into specific learning objectives.” To better tie the data to the objectives, the descriptions of Direct 107 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Measures 1, 2, and 3 and Indirect Measure 2 were modified to provide more detail about each. After these modifications were made, the measures were scrutinized to determine which objectives were truly addressed. In report section II A, the lists of learning objectives addressed by Direct Measure 1 (ASCP BOC), Indirect Measure 1 (WCOMLS Employer Survey), and Indirect Measure 2 (WCOMLS Graduate Survey) have been changed creating a better correlation between the learning objectives and the data used to assess them. Athletic Training Adjustments to the program have been primarily made in better aligning our learning outcomes to adequate measures. We did make one faculty teaching change to address a gap that we identified a few years ago with our Senior Seminar (capstone) course that has proven to improve outcomes on simulation exams and the national Board of Certification (BOC) exam, as well as to address a need for increased student research and high‐impact learning opportunities. Compared to last year, we specifically noted improvements in overall scores on the BOC exam in Domain 1, Injury/Illness Prevention. We had concerns that, because many of these competencies are taught in the first year, students may need more review later in their coursework. Thus, we integrated that information into our Senior Seminar course. The athletic training program underwent a thorough self‐study process and on‐site review for continuing accreditation by our accrediting agency, CAATE, during 2012‐13. One of the main areas of revision required following the on‐site review was the program’s master assessment plan. A thorough revision of the master assessment plan was done in coordination with the Office of Institutional Research and accepted by CAATE, resulting in the maximum 10‐year continuing accreditation award given in August 2013. Exercise Physiology Through a mutual agreement with biology, we offered EXPH 1301 Anatomical Structure and Function as a substitute for BIOL 1341 Anatomy and Histology. This course better prepares our students for future exercise physiology courses and meets prerequisite requirements for other BIOL courses. Due to some low enrollment in our two‐credit‐hour Personal Training 1 & 2 courses, we are considering combining these two two‐credit‐hour courses into one three‐credit‐hour course to better meet program needs. Chemistry In general, faculty are proud of the programs that have been developed in the chemistry and biochemistry department and note with satisfaction the average percentiles achieved on the ACS standardized exams, the placement of students into competitive graduate programs, and the successful employment of all students. In addition, a significant number of students participate in competitive summer REUs, and top students continue to garner prestigious awards such as the Goldwater Scholarship. It has been noticed that when certain students progress to upper‐level classes, their understanding of some fundamental concepts is either not adequately retained or was not mastered as completely as hoped. Thus, while high scores on the introductory ACS exam indicate mastery of the material for the moment, the faculty desire to improve in‐depth understanding and long‐term retention. 108 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Instructors in upper‐level courses will begin to include assessment questions, addressing specific topics, early in their courses to determine in a more systematic way what concepts and skills are the most problematic. If deficiencies are noted, the curriculum of introductory chemistry will be re‐examined to see if more time should be spent on particular topics. It may also be the case that there needs to be a more developed connection between material presented in the general chemistry sequence and classes taken in the junior and senior years that occurs during the sophomore year when most students are taking organic chemistry and are not intimately using some seed knowledge gained the first year. Education The department has begun discussions concerning the need to more closely tie the first five‐day field experience (EDUC 1501) directly to the Culture and Schooling (EDUC 1151) course. Currently, the field experience is completed after the Fall semester or during the spring break. There seems to be a disconnect between the course content and the experience in the field. Because this is the initial field experience for students interested in earning a teacher licensure, it would be more logical to incorporate the field experience hours into EDUC 1151 rather than have the field experience be a stand‐
alone requirement. This would allow the faculty member to be in the field with the students, provide greater opportunity for classroom discussion through debriefing, and allow for a more focused experience for the students. Construction Management The Department of Technological Studies has developed a comprehensive assessment plan that includes a new certification examination for construction management. This will be administered by the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE), which is our accreditation organization. Incidentally, Dr. Rich Miller, a member of the program’s faculty, serves on the national committee developing this new construction management examination. Religion and Youth Ministry Senior exit survey data indicated student interest in a greater variety of upper‐division courses, so faculty implemented a plan to use the Extradisciplinary Seminar offerings that are part of the University general education program to help meet that need. They also entered into an agreement with the Methodist Theological Seminary to allow students to enroll in upper‐division courses there tuition‐free. Business programs The College of Business Administration assessment of the baccalaureate majors consists of ETS Major Field Tests, Capstone Evaluation, Student Academic and Career Development Participation, Internship Evaluation, Cross‐cultural Adaptability Inventory, Mock Interview Day, Placement at Three Months, and the EBI Student Exit Inventory, supplemented by University CAAP, NSSE, and Senior Survey data. The results of these assessments have been reflected in curricular changes. For example, below‐standard balance on ETS (accounting indicator below 70th percentile for three of five years) performance was addressed by modifying the BIZLAB2 coursework (Spring 2014) with accounting results and adding casework in the Capstone 1 course. Additionally, below‐standard Capstone results for “Integration” were addressed by increasing individual written case studies in the Capstone 1 plus BIXLAB2 (first to be taught in Spring 2014) using a business simulation. Similar changes have occurred in other areas where student performance has not met the standard. The MPPA assessment consists of the California Critical Thinking Skills Test, results of professional examinations, course assignments submitted for review, and graduate surveys. The results of these 109 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT assessments have been reflected in curricular changes. For example, some weaknesses were assessed in the critical‐thinking skills of students and are being addressed by adding more content throughout the program related to building critical‐thinking skills. Additionally, students in future cohorts will provide a more detailed reflection of their critical‐thinking skills as well as a plan for improvement. Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering Course‐level assessment is based on the Faculty Course Assessment Report (FCAR). This tool has been used by multiple universities and has often been presented at the ABET Best Assessment Processes Symposium. A summary is included here. Each course is to address specific student outcomes as outlined in the course syllabus. The FCAR summarizes student‐performance levels in achieving each student outcome as well as course‐specific outcomes. Student performance on a variety of assessment tools (which can include any class assignment such as homework, projects, quizzes, exams, etc.) is divided into four performance levels (Excellent, Acceptable, Marginal, Unacceptable), which we refer to as the EAMU vector. The department has decided that, at the course level, at least one assessment tool for each outcome should have 15% or fewer “Unacceptable” ratings. It should also be noted that students who fail a course (and therefore will have to retake it) are not included in the EAMU vector. All of the achievement levels were set by the department and have been reviewed by both the department and the Mechanical Engineering Program Working Group. FCARs for each course are reviewed in department meetings the following semester. The faculty member responsible for the course presents the results, a summary of course changes, and reflection for improvement. Other faculty in the department can also suggest changes or ask questions about how the course could be improved. The completion of this review is documented in the department meeting minutes. The FCARs are then collected centrally, and the data is reduced for use in the department assessment report. Any issues that are raised from the annual data (for example, FE pass rates) are also discussed in department faculty meetings. While placement rates do not necessarily correlate to one specific student outcome, they are monitored closely. According to our career‐placement services, placement rates for engineering graduates the past three years have been 97%, 95%, 97%. Pharmacy Based on a recommendation from the University Assessment Committee, the College of Pharmacy developed the Ability‐Based Outcomes (ABO) for their particular pharmacy program. The ABOs are a condensed version of college’s expectations for students, in addition to including the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) learning outcomes. A curricular mapping analysis was performed to assess if these ABOs were being addressed in the program. After revising a few course syllabi, the mapping demonstrates 100% compliance with the ABOs, the ACPE outcomes, and the CAPE guidelines. As part of the curricular/outcome mapping process, the examination software package called ExamSoft was pilot‐tested in Spring 2013 and then used during the 2013‐14 academic year to map exam questions throughout the therapeutics modules with the first complete cohort of students. The faculty has concluded a longitudinal analysis using the software results to determine areas of weakness in the question outcomes. The questions showing weak outcomes will then be used in the capstone pretest. 110 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT In addition, each student will receive an individual report of their strengths and weaknesses in the past two years of modules prior to the pretest. Students are required by the capstone syllabus to work on modules/assessment quizzes where they scored poorly in the ExamSoft assessment, and a post‐test will be given to assess improvement. ExamSoft analyses are run by module for each module instructor team at the end of the semester to identify potential curricular issues. For example, the central nervous system (CNS) module report showed students to be proficient in areas like depression and psychosis pharmacotherapy but weak in the understanding of local and general anesthetics (<50%). Based on these results, the module team is making modifications to this material for the CNS module next year. In addition to tools such as ExamSoft, the college routinely utilizes student focus groups to provide opportunities for course improvements based on student feedback. For example, the Infectious Disease module focus group felt that the students were still weak in their statistical and drug literature evaluation skills. Based on this feedback, the course coordinator worked with the drug information faculty to implement a new active learning project/break‐out group to help with this problem. ExamSoft scores in the area of drug literature evaluation were gathered from both the pre‐project and post‐
project. The increase in scores was 54% and the feedback from students was very positive. Law One of the measures utilized by the College of Law to assess whether law students have accomplished the identified learning objectives is that of the bar exam passage rate. Historically, ONU’s Ohio bar passage rates have been at or near the top among Ohio law schools. In July 2013, ONU law graduates had a 90% passage rate on the Ohio bar exam. In July 2014, ONU law students saw their passage rate in Ohio decline to 75%. As a consequence, the College of Law carefully reviewed the records of those students who failed the Ohio bar exam in 2014 in the hopes of finding commonalities. In fact, we did discover that seven of the nine students who failed the exam had a GPA of 2.5 or below after their first year of law school. In addition, we discovered that these same students had taken no more than five of the nine elective courses identified as covering subjects tested on the Ohio bar exam. In response, the College of Law recently changed its graduation requirements to attempt to address this problem. Now, any student with a first‐year GPA of 2.5 or below will be required to take a bar passage‐
based course of study as a condition of graduation. The course of study would be specific to the state in which the student plans to take the bar exam and would require the student to take a number of elective courses that will be identified by the Academic Support staff as those tested on the bar exam of the state in question. 4.B.4. The institution’s processes and methodologies to assess student learning reflect good practice, including the substantial participation of faculty and other instructional staff members. University‐Level Practice The revision of the University general education program and the corresponding work on assessment materials, processes, and methodologies has placed the University‐level student‐learning outcomes (SLOs) on a solid foundation reflecting good assessment practices. The introduction of direct measures using the artifact system and Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency builds on the existing 111 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT indirect measures such as National Student Engagement Survey, College Senior Survey, and Alumni and Employer Surveys. A steering committee was formed in Spring 2007 to begin gathering models and research on general education and to begin discussions within their areas in the colleges regarding desired key elements for a new general education program. The University‐level SLOs were established with the involvement of the entire faculty, starting with roundtable discussions involving the faculty members from all five colleges in an open meeting. After the adoption of the SLOs, the new general education program was also developed by the faculty. Faculty members played an equally central role in the development of the rubrics; each rubric was constructed by a committee with appropriate membership from across the University. The implementation of the rubric system required each faculty member to reflect carefully on how their courses fulfilled the various requirements and to develop appropriate artifacts. Faculty members then received feedback from the General Education Committee during the tag approval process. As a result, there is a high level of awareness of the SLOs and their measurement by faculty via the general education program. During the process of implementing the artifact system, faculty involvement resulted, appropriately, in a high level of faculty feedback and discussion. Challenges and limitations were made evident in this process. The General Education Committee has been making adjustments in response to this feedback.  The initial plan was for faculty members to evaluate the artifacts created in their own courses. In consultation with outside experts, the General Education Committee determined that best practices required that the artifacts receive an independent evaluation. Artifacts are now evaluated by committees with faculty members from a wide range of relevant departments. The evaluation process includes a calibration stage to increase inter‐evaluator reliability.  The design of the general education program provided the individual colleges with some flexibility in how the program would be integrated into their overall set of requirements. While this allows the colleges to make the connection between the general education program and the major clearer, it has led to some problems communicating in a consistent fashion with the students. Some colleges have used an approach to general education that involves distribution requirements, and others have used lists of required courses. As a result, when students compare their experiences, they do not always clearly understand the relationship between University‐level and college‐level requirements. Even some advisors are not as clear on this relationship as they could be. The implementation of the DegreeWorksTM software, which is divided into University‐level, college‐level, and program‐level requirements, will provide an easier platform for communication between faculty and students.  The flexible design has also raised questions about whether the experiences in different courses are equally suitable for the successful achievement of the SLOs. While the evaluation process can be expected to identify deficiencies over time to allow appropriate adjustments, the concern is significant enough that a more immediate response is needed. The General Education Committee held a retreat on this topic in May 2014, and discussions began with faculty during Fall 2014 to implement modifications to the general education program.  As the UAC’s role in the general education program assessment process increases, the communication between UAC and the General Education Committee needs to improve. The lines of authority and responsibility need to be clarified. For example, the UAC will need to inform the General Education Committee of adjustments that need to be made to the approval process based on the University‐level assessment results. To resolve this, the UAC will be 112 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT 
updating its charge and membership in the Faculty Handbook to include the general education program responsibilities and a representative from the General Education Committee. As the artifacts are evaluated, faculty members are informed of the results to facilitate closing the loop with appropriate adjustments. Program‐Level Practice The UAC’s approach to assessing student learning at the program level represents a solid foundation. The high level of participation, systematic data collection, and consistent methodology for feedback support a continuous improvement model. The UAC has identified several areas for improvement in its methodologies. It has introduced additional mechanisms for inter‐rater reliability. At the same time, it has taken steps to increase the consistency and rigor of its measures. Finally, it has recognized the importance of timeliness to effective feedback. All of these adjustments are ongoing and are expected to continue, at increasingly refined levels, for the foreseeable future. Not surprisingly, programs that have external accreditation requirements are furthest along in the assessment process. By having all programs report using a consistent format, the UAC facilitates cooperation between programs that have more fully developed assessment processes and programs in disciplines that do not have as robust a history of assessment. Additionally, the new approach by UAC members to visit departments to discuss sections of their report that scored less than 2.0 on the rubric has been more helpful than simply receiving the lower score. The UAC evaluators provide suggestions and assistance to the program faculty and can make connections to similar situations due to their familiarity with multiple program assessment processes. Criterion 4.C. The institution demonstrates a commitment to educational improvement through ongoing attention to retention, persistence, and completion rates in its degree and certificate programs. The University has consistently achieved high (>80%) first‐to‐second‐year retention rates. (See 4.C.2.) The University remains concerned, however, about retention beyond the second year. It has undertaken a significant initiative directed at this concern. The University’s commitment to increased retention, persistence, and completion rates is the foundation of The Ohio Northern Promise, a significant institutional initiative that “is about ensuring that higher education, historically a key enabler of social mobility, remains accessible and affordable for bright young students and their families.” The Ohio Northern Promise includes four elements:  20‐25% reduction in tuition rates (based on 2013‐14 rates)  A four‐year graduation guarantee  Hands‐on high‐impact learning, a core component of every academic major  Sustained job placement and graduate and professional school admissions rates for graduates 113 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT This emphasis on an affordable pathway to degree completion, in combination with continued investments in advising, financial aid counseling, and career planning, reflects our commitment to retention and graduation rate improvement. 4.C.1. The institution has defined goals for student retention, persistence, and completion that are ambitious but attainable and appropriate to its mission, student populations, and educational offerings. Student retention, persistence, and completion have traditionally been addressed at the college level. Each college possesses unique information about its particular student population and the challenges those students face. As a result, each of the undergraduate colleges (Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, and Engineering) has a persistence and retention plan appropriate for its students. However, in the context of The Ohio Northern Promise and the University’s Strategic Plan, there is an increased focus on University‐level initiatives with regard to retention, persistence, and completion. The Strategic Plan supports The Ohio Northern Promise with Goal No. 4: “Attract, retain, and graduate the optimal number, quality and profile of students.” Particularly relevant elements of Goal No. 4 are: “A. We will align our tuition pricing, financial aid policies, curriculum, and support services to become a peer leader in graduating undergraduate students in four years.” and “F. We will develop and implement student support systems that serve the distinct needs of various student subgroups, e.g. transfer, graduate, and international students, and that increase the University’s retention and graduation rates.” These elements will be evaluated using the first metric: “Meeting or exceeding enrollment goals and other student‐quality measures regarding academic preparation, diversity, retention, and graduation” The Strategic Plan builds on the existing college‐level retention, persistence, and completion rates efforts. The Strategic Planning Work Group: Exploring Options to Increase the University’s Four‐Year Completion Rate was tasked in Fall 2013 with harmonizing these efforts and putting into place appropriate University‐level processes to develop and make use of the first metric. The Work Group preliminary report on retention was submitted in July 2014. The University is currently in the process of defining goals for graduation and persistence rates (4.C.3). 114 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT 4.C.2. The institution collects and analyzes information on student retention, persistence, and completion of its programs. To support the University’s commitment to make informed data‐driven decisions related to retention, persistence, and degree completion, the Office of Institutional Research assumes the primary responsibility to collect, examine and report data to a number of internal and external stakeholders. Much of the data pertaining to enrollment, retention, graduation and degree completion is publicly available from the Institutional Research website. Table 4.14 provides first‐to‐second‐year persistence rates for first‐time full‐time students who are seeking degrees and who return to the institution to continue their studies the following Fall. The overall first‐to‐second‐year persistence rates for the University have ranged from 83% to 88% for students starting in Fall 2007 through Fall 2012. The retention rates for most colleges and the University have been relatively stable over the past few years. Table 4.14: First‐to‐Second‐Year Persistence Rates for Fall Entering Cohorts Cohort Year College 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Arts & Sciences 82% 75% 81% 83% 80% 80% 86% Business Administration 87% 77% 83% 85% 86% 83% 81% Engineering 85% 89% 81% 92% 89% 84% 84% Pharmacy 96% 96% 94% 96% 95% 90% 98% University Total 86% 83% 84% 88% 86% 84% 88% Note: Persistence rates are based on the first college in which a student initially enrolled and do not take into account students switching colleges or majors. Due to the unique nature of admission to our College of Pharmacy (see 4.C.4), in 2006, after correspondence with IPEDS, overall University first‐year retention rates include those in Pharmacy in addition to the three undergraduate colleges. Figure 4.2 provides four‐ and six‐year graduation rates for the undergraduate colleges. The overall bachelor’s degree‐seeking four‐year graduation rate for the University has ranged from 48% to 53% for the four most recent cohorts for which data is available, whereas the overall bachelor’s degree‐seeking six‐year graduation rate for the same time period has ranged from 65% to 69%. 115 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Figure 4.2: Graduation Rates by College Note: Bachelor’s degree‐seeking graduation rates measure the percentage of entering students beginning their studies full‐time and are planning to get a bachelor’s degree and who complete their degree program within a specified amount of time (four year or six year years). Graduation rates are based on the first college in which a student initially enrolled and do not take into account students switching colleges or majors. Consistent with IPEDS definition, ONU graduation rates include undergraduate‐degree seeking students only (i.e., students in A&S, Business Administration, and Engineering). Additionally, the University collects data from different sources to conduct peer comparisons and longitudinal trend analyses to help the University better understand its performance results. The University uses the IPEDS Peer Analysis System to build its own comparison groups based on a number of variables of interest (e.g., location, student enrollment). Table 4.15 provides a list of our current peers along with their most recent retention and graduation rates. Compared with the current peer institutions (2012‐13 and 2013‐14), the University’s retention rates were above the average, whereas six‐year graduation rates were below the average. 116 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT Table 4.15: Retention and Graduation Rates for Peer Institutions First‐Year Retention Rates
Six‐Year Graduation Rates
Peer Institutions
2010 Cohort
2011 Cohort
2005 Cohort
2006 Cohort
Bradley University
86%
86%
75%
78%
Butler University
87%
91%
72%
73%
Campbell University
77%
72%
55%
51%
Drake University
88%
88%
75%
72%
Samford University
84%
87%
70%
71%
Valparaiso University
81%
87%
71%
74%
University of Evansville
85%
83%
62%
68%
Ohio Northern University
88%
86%
65%
67%
Source: IPEDS Data Center
The University also gathers and analyzes data from student exit interviews to better understand the demographics of outgoing students as well as the reasons for leaving. The University recognizes the limitations regarding the use of the current exit interview instrument. The sample size is small and the response rate low. The small, self‐selected sample may overstate financial concerns and downplay others (e.g., academic progress, athletic participation, changed goals). Discussion is currently underway to establish a new, improved process to better capture the characteristics of outgoing students. 4.C.3. The institution uses information on student retention, persistence, and completion of programs to make improvements as warranted by the data. The University is committed to using data on retention, persistence and completion, collected both within the institution and from external researchers outside the institution, to make improvements to the University’s academic programs. As part of this focus, the President recently appointed the Strategic Planning Work Group – Four‐Year Completion Rate committee to survey the full range of factors influencing retention and four‐year completion rates at the University. Examples of Retention and Graduation Analysis and Action Plans University Level  The new general education plan includes a Transitions Experience (TREX) class to help students adapt to college life, and each college integrated the requirements of the Transitions Experience class into their academic programs in a slightly different fashion. Generally, the three undergraduate professional schools utilize the Transitions Experience class to introduce students to their majors and academic disciplines. Arts & Sciences adopted an approach to TREX that deals more broadly with introducing the University academic experiences as well as the majors.  Beginning in 2013‐14, each student who declares a new major or minor is required to visit the Office of Financial Aid for appropriate counseling. In some cases, the scholarship a student has 117 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT 

been receiving is tied to a specific major. In others, new opportunities for scholarship might become available due to the changing major. If the counselors feel this change would likely delay the graduation of the student, they advise the student of the potential financial consequences. A significant University‐wide initiative associated with the improvement of retention, persistence, and completion is the implementation of a degree audit program, DegreeWorksTM, in Fall 2014. This program allows advisors, students, and administrators to gain detailed information on a student’s progress and perform “what‐if” scenarios to make informed decisions on possible changes to educational plans. DegreeWorksTM will substantially assist in the fulfillment of The Ohio Northern Promise and can be expected to improve retention, persistence and completion more generally as the University moves away from department paper checksheets to the electronic software. Opening Activities to engages students in the University and surrounding community include Welcome Fest, Ada Civic Engagement Day, the Summer Reading Program for the incoming freshman class, and meetings with college/department faculty on the Friday before classes begin in the Fall. College Level  The College of Engineering and the College of Business Administration have both implemented mentoring systems to assist freshmen as they adjust to the campus. Upper‐level students serve as the mentors and strive to build a longitudinal community through the colleges.  The College of Pharmacy implemented electronic testing software that provides students with detailed scoring reports. The reports provide detailed information on exactly what level of proficiency they have on each topic in the examination. Instead of the student simply knowing that he or she earned a “B” on the test, the report warns the student that all of the points missed on the examination dealt with one topic. This guides the student’s future study habits and informs the faculty on how to best support the student.  The College of Arts & Sciences has the greatest variety of majors and faces the most challenging retention and persistence issues. (See Table 4.5.) As a result, it has adopted several initiatives to address these issues. 1. Developed and implemented admissions standards and protocols for College Transition Program (CTP) Data was reviewed concerning the CTP students’ academic success, which resulted in the ACT composite score being increased to 19 for admission to the College of Arts & Sciences. Discussions with the Counseling Center resulted in increased participation in the Summer Study Skills Workshop, which is organized and provided by Rebecca Diller, counselor. Discussions occurred about the possibility of a required summer transition program, but it was determined it would be cost‐prohibitive for the students. CTP students (see 1.A.2) are required to work with the Office of the Dean throughout the freshman year to ensure that expectations are being met and questions and concerns from the students are addressed in a timely manner. Emails are sent to faculty requesting information on the CTP students addressing attendance, grades, and other areas of concern. 118 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT 2. Increased advisor training and oversight procedures for advising within Arts & Sciences Academic advising sessions were held, and approximately 50% of the faculty attended sessions that provided information and materials on qualities and expectations for good academic advisors. Advising resources are now available on the A&S web page. Department chairs and departments received merit‐pay recommendations based partly on the successful advising of majors, timely processing of junior check sheet and graduation applications, and participation in midterm grade evaluations by department faculty. 3. Study Skills and Introduction to Reading courses The Study Skills course, formerly housed in the Counseling Center, was changed to provide focus on applying skills to enrolled courses rather than a more general approach and is now taught by the Assistant to the Dean in A&S. This enables the course to be tied directly to the courses students are currently taking. The Introduction to Reading course is now taught by a nationally certified reading teacher to provide greater focus on comprehension in college‐
level courses. 4. Tutoring Tutoring services for students enrolled in A&S courses are coordinated by the Dean’s office and are posted on the online each semester. These sessions are led by upper‐level students who have excelled in the coursework and are selected by the faculty members. In addition to scheduled tutoring sessions, individual sessions can be requested by students. Because of the higher need for assistance in math and statistics, the Math Resource Center, located within the math department with day and evening hours available all week, was created to provide additional support for these students. 5. Mid‐term monitoring system for freshmen and sophomores Arts & Sciences has requested mid‐term grades from faculty for students in 1000‐ and 2000‐
level courses and has requested grades for any courses in which a grade of “D” or “F” is currently being earned. This information is then disseminated to the appropriate college Deans and the appropriate academic advisor for Arts & Sciences students. Program Level  As part of the development of The Ohio Northern Promise, each program was asked in Fall 2013 to review its curriculum and to determine if there was enough flexibility within the degree requirements to graduate within eight semesters (four years). Some programs, such as the adolescent/young adult teacher licensure or middle childhood education majors, have degree requirements that inherently require more than eight semesters. The required 130 or more credit hours in these education majors results from the various licensure and accrediting agencies. Other programs require a Summer of internship or, as in the College of Engineering, offer an optional co‐operative program that extends the traditional four year program to five years.  During the Sustainable Program and Financial Base (SPFB) review, the committee found that credit hours for internships were varying greatly across the programs. Six hundred hours of experience might be worth one credit or 12 credits. A task force of the affected programs worked during Spring 2014 to identify a new internship policy that limits departments to requiring no more than six credits of internship per major, and each credit hour represents a 119 CRITERION FOUR|TEACHING AND LEARNING: EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT minimum of 80 hours of internship experience. After much discussion with the effected departments during Fall 2014, this new policy is scheduled to go before University Council in Spring 2015. 4.C.4. The institution’s processes and methodologies for collecting and analyzing information on student retention, persistence, and completion of programs reflect good practice. (Institutions are not required to use IPEDS definitions in their determination of persistence or completion rates. Institutions are encouraged to choose measures that are suitable to their student populations, but institutions are accountable for the validity of their measures.) The Ohio Northern Promise guarantees that the majority of the University’s undergraduate programs are designed to be completed within eight semesters of study. This promise not only reflects our commitment to the successful completion of degrees in a timely manner, but also addresses one of the primary causes of high levels of student debt. Collecting and Analyzing Data The Office of Institutional Research regularly collects, analyzes, and reports information on student retention and completion data. The University uses the IPEDS definition in graduation rates. Consistent with these definitions, the graduation rates include undergraduate‐degree‐seeking students only (i.e., students in Arts &Sciences, Business Administration, and Engineering). Because the College of Pharmacy does not require a bachelor’s degree prior to admittance, however, the University’s first‐year retention rates include pharmacy students in addition to the three undergraduate colleges. Pharmacy students are undergraduates for the purpose of first‐year retention, since they have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree. The interactive report of retention and graduation data enables the University to track information at the program level as well as by cohort. Peer school comparisons are regularly conducted with regards to retention and completion rates. Profile analyses of retention and completion are periodically conducted in order to identify factors impacting student retention and completion of programs. The student variables in the profile analysis include demographical information, financial status, pre‐college academic achievement, and academic performance and activities. (See retention study in 2010 and four‐
year graduation study in 2013.) A predictive retention model, in conjunction with the retention profile analysis, which can be used as a tool to assist in targeted interventions through early warning systems of at‐risk students, is being developed. Reviewing Data As noted above, retention and completion information has typically been gathered by Institutional Research at the college, department, and program levels. This information is provided annually to the Deans’ offices for review and comment. The deans are tasked with the development of specific retention plans to continue to maintain or increase retention and graduation rates. These plans are reviewed in the Office of Academic Affairs. Closing the Feedback Loop The college plans have resulted in numerous efforts to improve persistence and graduate rates. (See 4.C.3.)
120 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS CRITERION FIVE RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS 121 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS CRITERION FIVE Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness The institution’s resources, structures, and processes are sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its educational offerings, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. The institution plans for the future. The past decade (and particularly the years since 2008) has proven to be a financially challenging one for private higher education. The University has not been immune to these demographic and market forces. Nevertheless, since the last HLC visit, the University has funded several construction projects, completed a $110 million comprehensive campaign (The Campaign for Ohio Northern University’s Tomorrow), continued to adopt cutting‐edge administrative and educational technologies, attracted highly credentialed faculty and staff, created a new strategic plan, developed a campus master plan, and launched a cost/value proposition called The Ohio Northern Promise. Although the challenging environment for higher education persists, the University is confident it has the financial resources necessary to support its operations and take advantage of future opportunities. Core Components Criterion 5.A. The institution’s resource base supports its current educational programs and its plans for maintaining and strengthening their quality in the future. 5.A.1. The institution has the fiscal and human resources and physical and technological infrastructure sufficient to support its operations wherever and however programs are delivered. Net tuition remains the University’s largest source of revenue. As a result, the ability to attract and to retain students is the biggest determinant of University fiscal resources. Enrollment peaked at 3,505 full‐time students in 2008. By 2012, the decline had leveled off, and enrollment has stabilized near 3,100 full‐time students. 122 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Figure 5.1: Full‐time Fall Enrollment
4,000
3,500
3,252
3,505
3,364
3,232
3,229
3,151
3,098
3,098
2012
2013
2014
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
2003
2008
2009
2010
2011
Source: University Fact Book In many respects, the change in enrollment is symptomatic of demographic trends affecting colleges and universities throughout Ohio. With more than 80% of its students coming from Ohio, the University is particularly susceptible to the declining number of Ohio high school graduates. Moreover, given the University’s program mix, our competition for students comes primarily from state‐supported schools with significantly lower nominal tuitions. In responding to these challenges, the University has increased the amount of institutional aid to meet the price competition from both private and public schools. Figure 5.2: Institutional Financial Aid by Fiscal Year
($1,000s)
$70,000
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
$30,000
$20,000
$10,000
$0
2003
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Source: Annual Audited Financial Statements As a result, financial aid is now the single largest annual “expense” in the University’s budget. The combination of increased institutional aid and decreased full‐time enrollment has caused net tuition revenue to decline (Figure 5.4) since 2009. 123 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS The University has taken several steps to respond to these enrollment and pricing challenges. Last fall, it adopted The Ohio Northern Promise, a series of strategic initiatives that reset tuition and financial aid, committed to delivering high‐impact learning, facilitated on‐time graduation (a four‐year graduation guarantee), and emphasized the value‐added nature of our programs and impressive student placement rates. In addition, the University has embarked on a comprehensive branding and marketing campaign. While this effort will support a variety of University operations, perhaps its most obvious beneficiary will be our student recruitment programs. The University also conducted an “admissions audit” led by Kevin Crockett, CEO of Noel‐Levitz. Several of his recommendations are incorporated into our recruiting plan for Fall 2014. The decline in enrollment, however, has not impacted all colleges at the University equally. Figure 5.3: Full‐time Fall Enrollment by College 4,000
3,500
3,000
398
355
278
295
318
317
1,324
1,359
399
316
316
301
317
289
286
291
248
292
217
1,259
1,224
1,181
1,126
1,138
1,157
439
443
385
395
407
429
451
956
991
990
991
1,021
1,014
992
981
2003
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Pharmacy
Engineering
Arts and Sciences
Law
Business Administration
The Ohio Northern Promise retains the University’s segmented tuition pricing approach, which ameliorates some of the effect of the enrollment decline on tuition revenue. Because the two colleges with little to no decline in enrollment (Engineering and Pharmacy) are also the colleges with the highest nominal tuition rates, overall enrollment levels and tuition revenue are not directly correlated. We continue to work with an outside consultant (Human Capital) to refine our financial aid model to take advantage of the varying levels of demand and tuition for our programs. Our success in increasing net tuition per student for the 2014 entering Pharmacy class is encouraging. Revenues University aggregate net tuition revenue increased significantly between 2003 and 2008, reflecting a steadily increasing number of students and rates of tuition increases in excess of the rate of financial aid growth. Full‐time enrollment declined from 2008 to 2011 before stabilizing over the past three years. 124 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Total institutional financial aid, however, has continued to increase (Figure 5.2). As a result, net tuition revenue has declined since 2009 (Figure 5.4). Nevertheless, University operating revenues have remained fairly stable. Figure 5.4: UNRESTRICTED OPERATING REVENUES BY FISCAL YEAR
($1,000s)
$100,000
$90,000
$80,000
Releases from Restrictions
$70,000
All Other
$60,000
Endowment For Operations
$50,000
Grants & Contracts
$40,000
Annual Gifts
$30,000
Aux Rev
Net Tuition
$20,000
$10,000
$0
2003 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
The stability of total operating revenues in conjunction with declining net tuition means that other sources of revenue have grown. The University is a residential institution with only a small number of commuting students. Even with the reduced enrollment, the University has consistently filled more than 90% of its campus residence space. In response to this demand for campus housing, the University has expanded and remodeled residential space and substantially grown auxiliary revenues, mostly from room and board charges. The University has also benefited significantly from its endowment. Although the market value of University investments declined precipitously during the 2008‐09 market collapse, it has subsequently recovered. The successful completion of The Campaign for Ohio Northern University’s Tomorrow in 2012 (including more than $44 million in irrevocable planned or testamentary gifts) will provide substantial future growth in endowed resources. Moreover, the University’s policy of basing endowment draws on the average market value of the endowment over the preceding 12 quarters cushions the effect of the market fluctuations on University operations. 125 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Figure 5.5: University Endowment at End of Calendar Year
($1,000s)
$250,000
$200,000
$150,000
Perpetual Trusts
Remainder Trusts
Charitable Remainder Trusts
$100,000
Investments
$50,000
$0
2003
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Source: Annual Audited Financial Statements Several changes since 2010 have enhanced both the returns generated by, and stewardship of, our endowment. Cardinal Investment Advisors was hired in 2010. They have guided the Investment Committee of the Board through a number of changes in asset allocation and fund managers and significantly improved investment reporting and monitoring. Although endowment returns remain somewhat impacted by “legacy” investments (primarily illiquid alternative investments) made prior to the market downturn, with Cardinal’s help the University has successfully exited most of those investments. Additionally, the University installed the Fundriver© endowment accounting system in 2010. This streamlined the accounting and reporting processes relative to the endowment as a whole, as well as individual endowment funds. This enhanced reporting has allowed significantly improved stewardship activities with donors. The Investment and Financial Affairs Committees of the Board adopted a Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA)‐compliant Investment Policy Statement in 2013. This formalized the practices already in place and ensured a complete review and connection between investment decisions and financial discipline. As part of this policy, the Board annually adopts strategies to deal with underwater endowment accounts (i.e. accounts in which the principal had declined below the original value of gifts to the account) by reducing draws on those accounts. This decision, combined with substantial market returns during 2013, restored the balance in most of these accounts to above the amount of the gifts made to the account. 126 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Expenses Aggregate annual operating expenses also increased significantly between 2003 and 2008. With the reduction in the rate of revenue growth, however, the University has also slowed the rate of growth in expenses. Since 2008, total operating expenses have grown 2% annually and at an even smaller 1% annual rate from 2010 forward. Figure 5.6: Operating Expenses by Fiscal Year
($1,000s)
$100,000
$90,000
$80,000
$70,000
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
$30,000
$20,000
$10,000
$0
2003
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Source: Annual Audited Financial Statements This reduced rate of increase in expenses has been achieved largely by limiting or eliminating annual wage increases, reducing the University contribution to the 403(b) retirement plan from 10% to 7% of faculty and staff salaries, and reducing the number of full‐time faculty. The consequence of controlling expenses by these methods was that, while total operating expenses grew slowly, there was a reallocation of funds within the budget. 127 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Figure 5.7: Operating Expenses by Fiscal Year
($1,000s)
$100,000
$95,000
$90,000
$85,000
$80,000
$75,000
$70,000
$65,000
$60,000
$55,000
$50,000
$45,000
$40,000
$35,000
$30,000
$25,000
$20,000
$15,000
$10,000
$5,000
$0
Sponsored Programs
Auxiliary
Fundraising
Student Services
Institutional Support
Libraries
Academic Support
Instruction
2003 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Source: Annual Audited Financial Statements Even with the reduced rate of growth in expenses, the declining amount of net tuition revenue has created a “structural budgeting deficit” within University operations. The University has adopted several actions to address this deficit. In Spring 2009, the University, in consultation with its auditors, addressed this deficit by adopting a “cash basis” operating budget. This decision removed depreciation from the operating budget and allowed the use of a portion of the resulting cash flow to fund operations. This change has provided $1 to $2 million in operating funds annually. 128 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS $10,000
Figure 5.8: Operating Cash Flow From Depreciation by Fiscal Year
($1,000s)
$9,000
$8,000
$7,000
$6,000
$5,000
Total Depreciation
$4,000
$3,000
Total Capital and
Principal Payments
$2,000
$1,000
$0
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Source: Annual Audited Financial Statements Additionally, in both Fiscal Year 2012 and 2013, the University was also able to realize $1 million in annual operating revenue from distributions from a trust administrated by a third party. These distributions have been exhausted, but several other steps with continuing budget impact have been adopted. Effective March 2013, the University moved to a contribution‐based funding model for its retiree benefits. (These benefits are available to eligible faculty and staff hired before 2001.) While this sustained coverages for retirees through insurance exchanges, it reduced the University’s outstanding unfunded liability by almost $10 million. The University completed a bank refinancing of $50 million of outstanding publicly held debt, including some with variable rates and associated interest rate swaps, as of Dec. 30, 2013. This will reduce annual debt service costs by $1.5 million on average over the next five years. This transaction removed our exposure to interest rate fluctuations and letter of credit renewal risk and eliminated a $5 million interest rate swap liability from our balance sheet. In November 2014, the University completed the refinancing of its remaining $18 million in public debt. further reducing its debt service costs. The combination of the two transactions eliminated all publicly held University debt. In Summer 2014, as part of an overall expense reduction process, the University offered a Voluntary Retirement Option (VRO) to several administrators and faculty with more than 15 years of service who were otherwise eligible to retire under the provisions of the Faculty Handbook (2.17.3). The purpose of the plan was to allow these persons to accelerate their retirement timetables and permit the University to benefit from a significant reduction in continuing personnel expense. Nineteen of the 54 individuals 129 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS who were offered the VRO accepted. Although many of these individuals will be replaced, substantial one‐time and ongoing savings in compensation expense will result from their retirements. In Summer 2014, each operating unit in the University (informed by the insights from the Sustainable Program and Financial Base (SPFB) Committee and the priorities from the Strategic Plan) undertook a line‐by‐line review of their operating budgets and recommended reductions consistent with maintaining the quality of their programs. The University has also adopted several financial improvements and safeguards in recent years. The University went through a major reconstruction of its chart of accounts effective for FY2013. This greatly expanded the granularity and information transparency of financial operations. Leveraging from the new chart of accounts, budgeting processes are being improved to include all University activities—
not just operations. Contingency budgeting has been incorporated into the budgeting scheme. The result has been a significant improvement in the quality of budgeting and planning information available to the University. 130 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Human Resources Since the 2008 recession, the overall size of the University’s workforce has been relatively stable. Figure 5.9: Employees by Assigned Postion
(Fall 2008‐Fall 2014)
Headcount
700
105
15.3%
109
16.2%
114
16.8%
97
14.4%
48
7.1%
102
14.7%
107
15.1%
115
16.1%
91
13.1%
99
14.0%
83
11.6%
70
10.1%
149
21.0%
104
15.4%
600
84
12.3%
500
63
9.2%
400
300
111
16.2%
48
7.1%
106
15.7%
87
12.7%
72
10.7%
235
34.3%
242
35.9%
60
8.8%
112
16.5%
102
15.0%
122
17.6%
49
6.9%
83
12.0%
76
10.7%
225
32.5%
229
32.3%
2011
2012
153
21.4%
44
6.2%
93
13.0%
74
10.9%
157
23.2%
34
5.0%
97
14.3%
200
243
35.8%
100
226
31.7%
210
31.1%
0
2008
2009
2010
Full‐time Faculty
Full‐time Executive/Administration
Part‐time All Other
2013
Part‐time Faculty
Full‐time Other Professionals
Full‐time Clerical/Serv. Maint.
2014
Some employee positions were reclassified by Human Resources between 2011 and 2012 to accurately match the IPEDS Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) codes. While there was a shift in IPEDS categorization between full‐time Executive/Administrative/Managerial and Other Professionals between 2011 and 2012, the combined number in these positions was virtually unchanged. The reduction in full‐time faculty staffing levels has been achieved largely by allowing attrition in colleges experiencing declining enrollment. For example, while several faculty lines in the College of Law have not been reauthorized, all vacancies in faculty positions in the colleges of Pharmacy and Engineering have been approved for tenure‐track hires. Indeed, additional tenure‐track positions have been approved for the College of Engineering as part of a strategic initiative. 131 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Ten faculty members accepted the VRO and retired prior to the start of the Fall 2014 semester. Because of the proximity of the retirements to the beginning of the school year, the University determined not to attempt to fill the positions with permanent hires. As a result, the reduction in the number of full‐time faculty for 2014 (Figure 5.9) will be partially reversed. Although several of the vacated positions will not be reauthorized, the bulk of the retirees will be replaced by full‐time tenure‐track appointments prior to the beginning of the 2015‐16 academic year. More importantly, the University has resisted the increasingly common practice of replacing full‐time faculty with part‐time faculty as a money‐saving device. The percentage of credit hours taught by full‐
time faculty has declined only marginally from 84.3% to 81.4% over the past few years. Figure 5.10: Student Credit Hours Taught
130,000
120,000
116,267
116,910
112,282
110,000
100,000
98,043
98,262
95,872
110,947
108,276
92,750
92,789
90,000
108,827
106,208
89,162
86,401
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
2007‐08
2008‐09
2009‐10
Total Credit Hours Taught
2010‐11
2011‐12
2012‐13
2013‐14
Credit Hours Taught by Full‐time Faculty
The fluctuations in part‐time credit hours primarily reflect the timing of success in tenure‐track searches, not a determination to move away from full‐time faculty. In fact, prior to the VRO, the University had determined to reduce adjunct and part‐time spending by nearly 25% for FY2015. The University has a number of practices in place to ensure that it has sufficient personnel to support its operations and programs.  Incremental personnel position needs (both faculty and staff) are solicited and gathered as part of the annual budget process. 132 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS 
A stable budgeting process tied to the Strategic Plan to approve adjustments (add/remove/reallocate) to personnel budgets.  A defined and mindful search process for faculty and staff positions. For key or hard‐to‐fill positions, search firms are often used to generate a superior candidate pool.  A full‐day orientation is provided for new faculty members followed by department‐level programming sessions during the first year. For staff positions, onboarding procedures (including but beyond traditional new‐hire orientation) provide a successful and productive start to their new positions.  Competitive benefit programs and specific support for faculty, including a funded sabbatical program, Summer research support, and laboratory startup funds. Physical Infrastructure The University has made significant investments in the last 10 years in its operating plant. Major investments include:  James F. Dicke Hall (College of Business Administration)  Student apartments  Dial‐Roberson Stadium for football and lacrosse  Kerscher Stadium for soccer and track and field  Hakes‐Pierstorf Family Pharmacy Education Center  Student housing: Affinity Village; Stadium View Apartments; Lima Hall remodel  Weber Hall renovation  Mathile Center for the Natural Sciences  Business Services building  Founders Hall renovations and upgrades  The Inn at Ohio Northern University  Observatory The campus remains informed by an inclusive master planning process. A comprehensive Master Plan was prepared in 2001 and updated in 2006. In addition, the campus conducted an architect‐led classroom study in 2005‐06 of 15 major campus buildings. All of this information was informational to The Campaign for Ohio Northern University’s Tomorrow, which began in 2007 and was successfully completed in May 2012. As part of the Strategic Plan Operational Agenda, the University has completed a new campus master planning process. This was begun in October 2013 using The Collaborative Inc., an architectural firm based in Toledo, Ohio. The process has included all primary constituencies (students, faculty, staff, trustees, and village of Ada administrators) in providing input through focus group discussions. These inputs have been assembled and cost estimates prepared to assist in the prioritization of projects. The final master plan was presented to the Board of Trustees for approval at the October 2014 Board meeting. This master plan also includes a significant and detailed space utilization study, which will be used to improve facilities as well as establish more explicit policies around space utilization. The 2014 campus master plan will inform both annual budgets and the next comprehensive campaign. The University outsourced its facilities management work and day‐to‐day operations to Sodexo in 2006. Although this was done in part as a cost‐savings move, this decision has allowed the University to better 133 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS leverage facility operations through best practices from a much larger firm. One of the services that Sodexo provides is an assessment, about every five years, of facility conditions and deferred maintenance. This service involves a building‐by‐building (including sub‐components) review by a Sodexo engineering expert. The most recent facilities assessment was completed in May 2013. The assessment will be used to determine a multi‐year approach to maintaining and enhancing the physical plant. An energy‐management study to develop a plan for reducing energy usage and expenses was begun in September 2014 and is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year. An overview of the services provided by Sodexo was summarized in a recent presentation, which includes facilities updates, work order statistics, and assessment. Technology Resources The Office of Information Technology (IT) reports to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The staff is composed of 20 full‐time staff organized in multiple functional areas: Banner support, educational technology support, infrastructure and application support, and technical services. The Help Desk is staffed by student workers and managed by a full‐time staff member. It functions to provide students with general technical information, personal computer software installation and malicious software remediation. Because of the nature of technology resources, IT continues to develop capacity to support the increased use of instructional technology and learning management systems. (See 5.C.5.) The University, through its IT department, provides a rich integrated host of services for academic and administrative functions, student engagement and activities, and University outreach. The core of the IT infrastructure for the campus is the Ellucian Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, known as Banner, which provides integrated processes and data for student, finance, human resources, alumni, and enrollment management functions. IT is responsible for the planning, budgeting, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of all services related to the University’s connection to the Internet, the campus intranet, the wireless network, the campus administrative system and related third‐party software, general campus network software and file servers, campus personal computers and printers, telephone services, voicemail services, classroom technology, video conferencing, campus cable TV distribution, the campus learning management system, and educational technology support. In the past several years, the University has engaged Banner expertise in enhancing processes and reporting, especially in the finance and administrative functions. Banner experience and expertise is also a sought‐after quality in employee recruitment. Reporting is primarily provided through an extensive user library of WebFocus reports or other data extracts. Another example of improved functionality is the recent addition of the DegreeWorksTM product. DegreeWorksTM provides a comprehensive set of web‐based academic‐advising, degree‐audit, and transfer‐articulation tools to help students and their advisors negotiate the University’s curriculum requirements. It will be a critical tool in support of the academic completion component of The Ohio Northern Promise. The University also uses tools other than Banner and its extensions. Moodle has been added in recent years to support learning management as well as employee‐training needs. University personnel generally use Microsoft Office products as their desktop tools. Google Apps was incorporated within the 134 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS past three years as a cost‐effective approach to campus‐wide email, calendar management, and collaboration. 5.A.2. The institution’s resource allocation process ensures that its educational purposes are not adversely affected by elective resource allocations to other areas or disbursement of revenue to a superordinate entity. The University operates on an essentially “continuation‐based” budgeting process. Adjustments to the budget are the result of a holistic process. Any modifications to the prior budget are the result of an allocation process that includes a collaborative effort among the University President, trustees, Provost, Vice President for Financial Affairs, Deans, and faculty committees. The result is an annually proposed institutional budget that has been broadly reviewed and ultimately authorized by the Board of Trustees. (See 5.A.5.) The President and Vice President for Financial Affairs host regular informational forums to provide faculty and staff information regarding the progress, changes, and modifications of resource allocation. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend and participate in these sessions. The University is neither subject to, nor distributes funds to, a superordinate entity. 5.A.3. The goals incorporated into mission statements or elaborations of mission statements are realistic in light of the institution’s organization, resources, and opportunities. The goals articulated by the University’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values statements and in its Strategic Plan present viable and realistic objectives. In a period of enrollment and financial challenges, the University has identified initiatives that combine a careful use of increased financial resources and resources generated by organizational and personnel reallocations and re‐prioritization. The projects that the University plans to embark upon in the next decade requiring additional financial resources are those that will assist with recruitment, enrollment and retention of students and respond to market demands and institutional expertise. The branding campaign is central to enhancing the image and reputation of the University. The effort to build a new facility for the College of Engineering will allow more students to enroll in programs currently operating at capacity and provide the college the opportunities to expand its faculty and increase the space for research and development projects. This new facility will also allow the re‐purposing of the existing engineering space to accommodate other needs in a more cost and organizationally efficient manner. Developing an enhanced allied health professions program may require some reorganization and additional personnel expense but is well within the capacity of the existing colleges and departments. A new student recreation center, a student center renovation and expansion, and a first‐floor library renovation are part of the master planning process to focus on enhancing student services. Other elements of the Strategic Plan objectives involve engaging the University community in a concerted way to move forward without significant additional financial resources. Meeting the four‐
year graduation goal, new strategic partnerships and opportunities with local and regional firms, and 135 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS sustainable environmental practices are achievable through the engagement and commitment of current faculty and staff. 5.A.4. The institution’s staff in all areas are appropriately qualified and trained. The University seeks to attract and retain excellent‐quality people to fill its staff positions. To begin the hiring process, a position description is developed to set forth the knowledge, skills, abilities, and education that applicants for a position should possess. Advertisements for all open positions are posted on the University’s website as well as in appropriate advertising mediums. Prior to a faculty search commencing, members of the search committees go through interview training with the Human Resources department. The training session covers EEOC guidelines and the search process. This training helps interviewers to follow laws pertaining to fair‐
hiring practices. For staff positions, once a pool of qualified candidates is identified, each candidate is first screened by phone. The narrowed pool of candidates selected from the phone interviews is then brought in for face‐to‐face interviews with personnel at a variety of levels within the University. Once a new staff member is hired, the University has an onboarding program to provide mentoring and support for the new‐hire evaluation. There are a number of training programs to help the employee learn how to use the information technology tools that are used on campus generally as well as within the employee’s specific position. The University believes in lifelong learning for its employees and provides educational support to help employees advance in their careers, including tuition remission for one undergraduate course per term and tuition reimbursement. The University’s tuition‐reimbursement policy is designed to assist full‐time employees who enroll in graduate level coursework (master’s or doctoral degrees) to enhance their current academic and administrative skillsets. Support‐staff positions can also receive tuition reimbursement. For support staff and administrative positions, the degree of choice must be in an academic area that would be beneficial to enhancing and developing the employee’s employment. 5.A.5. The institution has a well‐developed process in place for budgeting and for monitoring expense. The University is audited annually by a national accounting firm, BKD LLP, with a strong practice niche in higher education. In the last 10 years of audited financials, the University received unqualified opinions each year on its financial statements. The most recent management letter accompanying the 2014 audit noted no reported material weaknesses or deficiencies related to financial processes. In short, the University follows sound accounting and internal control practices. Budget Development Process The timetable for the budget is developed during the Cabinet Retreat, which typically occurs in June/July of the preceding year. The timeline is developed with the ultimate goal being the review and approval of a provisional budget by the Board of Trustees at its Spring meeting. 136 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Budget requests for incremental changes to prior‐year operating budgets as well as capital expenditures requests are solicited in November/December. These are vetted by the Vice Presidents (and college Deans in conjunction with the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs) and prioritized before submission to the Office of Financial Affairs (OFA). These requests are expected to provide an explicit tie‐in to the Strategic Plan. The initial requests are reviewed for support, completeness, and congruence with the Strategic Plan by the University Budget Analyst as well as the Vice President for Financial Affairs. This occurs during December‐January. The requests are compiled by the OFA and then reviewed by the President and Cabinet in February for initial prioritization. Concurrently with Cabinet consideration, budget parameters and conditions are also discussed with the Budget & Appropriations Committee of the faculty as well as the Financial Affairs Committee of the Board during their Winter meeting. The Budget & Appropriations Committee discussions also incorporate recommendations from the faculty Personnel Committee as to salary increases for the upcoming year. Inputs and revisions in order to achieve a balanced and strategically congruent budget continue during February‐March. This includes discussion with the President’s Cabinet, Deans, and faculty Budget & Appropriations Committee. Reports from the faculty committees are included on the agendas of the University Council and University Faculty meetings each month. Spring semester billings for net tuition revenue are also a major input to the next year’s budgetary process. Institutional Research provides an analysis of probable returning student numbers. Enrollment Management provides estimates for new student enrollment (headcount and FTE) as well as expected net tuition revenue for the upcoming Fall and the expected full‐year net tuition revenue structure. These inputs are compiled by the OFA and then reviewed by the Cabinet and Deans. An Endowment Analysis Report (EAR) is prepared to consider the proposed endowment draw for the upcoming year. This considers the endowment value as of Dec. 31, which is the measurement date for the 12 quarters ended Dec. 31 consistent with the Board‐approved Investment Policy Statement. The EAR is presented to the Investment Committee as well as the Financial Affairs Committee. The EAR not only is a numerical analysis of endowment values, but also takes into consideration the Board and University’s compliance with UPMIFA. In April, the initial budget is presented to the Board for approval. This budget is considered to be provisional. The final budget is dependent upon final enrollment and net student revenues (tuition and auxiliaries) determined as of the census date three weeks into the Fall semester. At that point, any necessary adjustments are made to the budget. This Final (or Revised) Budget is presented to the Cabinet, Deans, Budget & Appropriations Committee, and the Financial Affairs Committee of the Board and then the full Board for approval at the Fall Board meeting. Any adjustments are then posted to the Banner ERP system. The University does not yet have multi‐year budgeting/forecasting in place but is in the preliminary stages of determining its system and process requirements, which will lead to the investigation and purchase of a supportive software system. 137 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Budget Monitoring Budget monitoring begins with timely closing of the monthly general ledger. The schedule for the initial close is the fifth working day of the following month and a final close on or around the 20th of the month. The final close catches any lagging entries (especially accounts payable) but more so the investment valuation and return entries, which are dependent upon reported data from the investment custodian. The closes are accomplished by data extracts from Banner and a comprehensive Excel pivot table analysis. These pivot tables examine financial results and budgetary comparisons from a number of perspectives, e.g., program, vice president responsibility, restriction (GAAP), and so forth. The Budget Analyst and Vice President for Financial Affairs, assisted by the Controller’s office, then perform a variance review. Variances, and especially unfavorable expense variances, are identified and resolved through discussions with applicable Vice Presidents, Deans and department heads, and adjustments are made to the budgets loaded into Banner. Human Resources is also engaged as to any compensation (salary and benefits) variances. Revenue variances are likewise followed up as applicable. Reports in summary form are then prepared and reviewed with Budget & Appropriations as well as Cabinet, and with the Financial Affairs Committee of the Board during regular Board meetings. Forecasts (projections) are prepared beginning with the January close once Spring semester billings are known. Any necessary budgetary actions are taken to ensure that the fiscal year end will stay in balance. The outcomes and information from such projections are also incorporated in the budget setting for the upcoming fiscal year. Criterion 5.B. The institution’s governance and administrative structures promote effective leadership and support collaborative processes that enable the institution to fulfill its mission. 5.B.1. The institution has and employs policies and procedures to engage its internal constituencies—including its governing board, administration, faculty, staff, and its students—in the institution’s governance. University governance engages all its campus constituencies, including students (Student Senate), faculty (University Council), staff (University Staff Association), alumni (Office of Alumni Relations and college advisory boards), administration, and Board of Trustees. Policies and procedures are in place in the University to engage with all these constituencies. The University has a well‐defined, extensive system of shared governance. Faculty committees (particularly Academic Affairs, Budget & Appropriations and Personnel), along with the University Council, meet regularly and are actively involved in the development of programs, policies and budgets. In addition, numerous faculty working groups and committees play essential roles in University governance. The Board of Trustees is the University’s governing board. It has procedures in place to effectively engage the various campus constituencies. (See 2.C.) The trustees require reports from the President and (through the committee structure) each Cabinet member at each Board meeting. The Cabinet members are active participants not only at the Board meetings, but also at University Council sessions. 138 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS In addition, the Chair of University Council and President of Student Senate are full voting members of the Board. The President receives input from various University constituencies. He meets with his Cabinet on a weekly basis and jointly with the Cabinet and Deans of the colleges on a monthly basis. The President meets monthly with the University Council and Student Senate. He meets with the faculty as a whole monthly during the academic year. He meets bi‐weekly with the leadership of Student Senate and hosts informal coffee house meetings with students each semester. The President is available to meet directly with students and members of faculty and staff in one‐on‐one meetings, special forums, and meetings with Student Senate, among other venues. Faculty governance is operationalized through the University Council. The Council Chair also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees. The administrative structure of the five colleges further fosters faculty governance. Through Council, each of the colleges and non‐academic operating divisions (e.g. Admissions, Financial Affairs, etc.) of the University also participate in the governance process. On University standing committees are ex‐officio representatives from senior administrators of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Financial Affairs, and University Advancement. The professional staff provides input through their administrative leadership and through the Class 5 Support Staff Committee. Issues or concerns are gathered through suggestions to committee members by email or face‐to‐face contact. Meetings are held monthly during the academic year with the University President, Vice President for Financial Affairs, and the Director of Human Resources with six or seven Class 5 Support Staff Committee members. A recent example of inclusion of staff in key deliberations on campus involved a modification to severance packages for Class 5 Support Staff employees. Comments were taken under consideration by the administration and, ultimately, the moderations to the severance packages were less severe. The Student Senate is composed of approximately 50 students drawn from each of the University’s five colleges. Collaboratively, these students serve as the primary liaison between students and the University’s administration. The President and Vice President of the Student Senate meet on a bi‐
weekly basis with the University’s President, and weekly with the Vice President of Student Affairs, to discuss timely topics pertaining to various areas of academic and student life. In addition, the President of the Student Senate serves as a voting member of the University’s Board of Trustees and of University Council. Five other Student Senate members also serve various roles as non‐voting members on certain committees of the Board of Trustees and faculty committees of University Council. A recent example of the University’s commitment to student input involved the improvement of the dining services offered on campus. Students requested the addition of healthier alternatives to the food options previously available in the dining hall and a more flexible number of meals on the plan. Student Senate provided its immediate support to this issue and communicated its request to the University President. Discussions with the University’s food provider yielded a number of positive changes in the dining options and experience. Students now can choose a “mindful plate” at each meal that considers caloric and nutritional values to ensure they receive a healthy offering. In addition, an abundance of fruit is now found throughout the dining hall, a soy milk machine was installed, and nutritional information placards are placed in front of each food item offered. Students may now choose from several different meal plans that all include the ability to purchase food at the White Bear Inn snack 139 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS shop and Northern on Main coffee shop. Additional examples of the Student Senate role in University governance include its work in removing coin‐operated laundry machines in residence halls and replacing them with no‐pay high‐efficiency units, its support for placing drinking fountains on the Green Monster walking path, and its participation in the placement of “sweetheart benches” around campus. The foregoing highlights the collaborative spirit between University administration and students and exemplifies the continuous commitment to considering student input and feedback in all facets of academic and student life. Some issues that require potential action by the University are occasional in nature and, in some cases, non‐recurring. In cases of this nature, the University will create ad hoc committees to address such issues. Typically, composition of these ad hoc committees will involve representation from across the institution. For example, in 2013 the University President took the initiative to develop a campus master plan. A Campus Master Planning Committee was created with 20 campus employees, University trustees, and students, including the President, Provost, Vice President for Financial Affairs, three college Deans, three trustees, the President of the Student Senate, four faculty members and two students. Another example of an ad hoc committee was the SPFB Committee, which was composed of academic and staff members from across the University. (See 1.A.1.) 5.B.2. The governing board is knowledgeable about the institution; it provides oversight for the institution’s financial and academic policies and practices and meets its legal and fiduciary responsibilities. The Board of Trustees meets in plenary sessions four times each year. Prior to each meeting, each member receives a Board Book describing the activities of the University since the last meeting, as well as any action items scheduled for the upcoming meeting. In this way, each member is apprised of developments across the University and any issues expected to come before the Board. Each member also serves on one or more committees, which receive more detailed information regarding matters within the committee’s charge. Several of these committees (Academic Affairs, Advancement, Financial Affairs, Investment, and Audit) are particularly tasked with oversight of the University’s financial and academic policies and practices. For example, Academic Affairs considers all promotion and tenure applications, all sabbatical requests, and the actions of all departments reporting to the Provost’s office. It also receives reports regarding program initiatives, the results of faculty hiring, and measures of program rigor and success. The Investment Committee works closely with the University’s investment advisor to manage the endowment, maximize returns, and meet relevant fiduciary standards. The Financial Affairs Committee develops and monitors the budget. Each of these committees reports on matters within its purview during the plenary sessions of the Board. 5.B.3. The institution enables the involvement of its administration, faculty, staff, and students in setting academic requirements, policy and processes through effective structures for contribution and collaborative effort. The University’s system of shared governance allows a collaborative effort for setting academic requirements, policies and processes that includes administration, faculty, staff and students. (See 5.B.1.) Both the faculty Academic Affairs Committee and Personnel Committee are actively involved in 140 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS the development of academic policies. For example, the general education program was considered and recommended to the faculty by the Academic Affairs Committee. The Personnel Committee initiated and drafted a “stop the tenure clock” plan as well as a faculty telecommuting policy. These committees report directly to University Council. Members of University Council include faculty, administration, and the President of Student Senate. Proposals for changes in academic requirements, policies and processes generally arise in a variety of ways. Departments may propose new programs to take advantage of opportunities or faculty interest. The results of the annual University assessment cycle or college‐ or program‐level accreditations may also lead to proposals for change. All of these mechanisms involve significant engagement from a wide range of faculty and typically involve serious efforts to collect feedback from students. Occasionally, changes in academic requirements, policies, or processes originate from individual colleges or the Provost’s office. Additions, deletions and changes to academic programs begin with the appropriate college curriculum committee, college and Dean for approval. Appendix 5 of the Faculty Handbook, titled “Guidelines and Procedures for Addition or Deletion of Programs,” acts as the source of definitive guidance involving significant program changes. The colleges’ Associate Deans, working with the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, address consistency and effectiveness of academic policies and procedures. Some recent examples include final‐
exam policies and new‐student registration. The colleges also operate on a shared governance model and have additional committees that include faculty, staff, and student representation. College of Arts & Sciences The College of Arts & Sciences is governed by its Faculty Constitution. The Arts & Sciences faculty meet monthly throughout the academic year. The Dean chairs the faculty meetings and appoints a parliamentarian. Faculty elect a President pro‐tempore and a Secretary each year. Faculty vote to approve curricular proposals brought forward by the Committee on Curriculum, changes in bylaws for standing committees, and major academic policy initiatives in the college. The standing committees or individual members may also present motions to be voted on by the faculty. The standing committees of the Arts & Sciences faculty are the Council of Department Chairs, Committee on Curriculum, Committee on Faculty Affairs, Committee on Professional Evaluation, Committee on Academic Qualifications, Committee on Grade Appeals, Committee on Academic Policy Oversight, and Committee on Assessment. In addition, the faculty elect representatives to the Course Release Committee. Additional committees are formed on an ad hoc basis as needed. Membership in each standing committee is determined by its bylaws, and members on most committees are elected by the faculty as a whole or by academic division. The Council of Department Chairs consists of all department Chairs plus two members elected at large by the faculty. The Committee on Academic Policy Oversight consists of the division Chairs plus two members elected at large by the faculty. Members of the Committee on Assessment are appointed by the Dean. Student representatives to the Committee on Curriculum, Grade Appeals Committee, and Committee on Assessment are elected by the Arts & Sciences Student Advisory Board. 141 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS The Arts & Sciences faculty and its standing committees ensure that faculty are well‐represented and involved in drafting, discussing, and approving academic requirements, policy, and processes. College of Business Administration The Dicke College of Business Administration is not departmentalized but is governed by a committee of the faculty as a whole. The Dean serves as Chair of the faculty. The college faculty meet monthly to address an agenda of action items and receive standing committee reports. The faculty vote on action items included on the agenda. Standing committees include the Curriculum Committee, Assessment Committee, and Promotion, Retention & Tenure Committee. The Curriculum Committee is comprised of faculty representing each disciplinary area of the business school and an at‐large position. The Curriculum Committee has responsibility for curriculum issues in the academic program. Recommendations are advanced as action items at a faculty meeting. The Assessment Committee is similarly composed and includes student representatives. The Assessment Committee oversees college assessment activities, produces assessment reports, and makes recommendations based on assessment findings. The Promotion, Retention & Tenure Committee is comprised of all tenured faculty in the college plus one tenure‐track representative and an alternate. Ad hoc committees are charged on an as‐
needed basis to address specific needs of the college. Ad hoc committees report back to the faculty as a whole at college faculty meetings. College of Engineering Faculty in the College of Engineering participate in the faculty governance process by serving on departmental, college and University committees. Curricular changes are largely handled by each department, and any major changes are brought forward to the college’s Curriculum Committee and the entire faculty as needed. Ad hoc committees are established by the Dean of the college to address specific curricular initiatives. For example, an ad hoc committee has been established during the 2014‐
15 academic year to explore the possibility of combining the college’s four different capstone programs together into one coherent capstone program. The college’s faculty select various representatives to serve on University governance committees such as Budget and Appropriations, Personnel, General Education and others. Faculty representatives provide reports regarding the work of the University governance committees during monthly college faculty meetings. College of Pharmacy The College of Pharmacy has bylaws for its operation that are articulated in the faculty and student handbooks. The college has several standing committees that are tasked with oversight and continuous review of operations, including curriculum, assessment, staffing, accreditation, academic standards, academic projects, quality improvement initiatives, faculty and staff matters, tenure and promotion, student policies, student organizations, co‐curricular activities, and other aspects of governance. The College Executive Committee provides broad oversight and direction for college governance and is composed of faculty, staff, administration, and students. Students are members of all college committees and are active in the governance of the unit. The college faculty and staff meet monthly to discuss and deliberate on policy and procedure matters and provide a forum for issues to be voiced and addressed. 142 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS The Pharmacy Council is a student‐government structure that provides a forum and process for student concerns and issues to be addressed organically. A faculty advisor and the Dean are ex officio members of the Pharmacy Council. The President of the Pharmacy Council is a member of the College Executive Committee. College of Law Basic decisions relating to governance of the College of Law are made by the faculty through either standing or ad hoc committees. The five permanent committees of the College, as required by its constitution, are Admissions, Re‐admissions and Recruitment Committee; Curriculum Committee; Placement Committee; Personnel Committee; and Tenure Committee. Current additional standing committees are Adjudication Committee (for honor code proceedings), Adjunct Hiring Committee, Assessment Committee (assessing bar success, placement, and student writing), Clinic Committee, Examination Accommodation Committee, Examination Accommodations Appeal Committee, Grievance Committee, Legal Writing Committee, Library Committee, Professional Engagement and Development Committee, Public Interest/Pro Bono Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, and Student Faculty Relations Committee. The Dean appoints all committee Chairs and committee members except in two instances. The Tenure Committee consists of all tenured faculty members. The Dean appoints the Chair of the Grievance Committee, and the faculty elects the other two members. The Student Bar Association appoints at least two students to the Personnel Committee, Curriculum Committee, and Placement Committee. Faculty may express preferences for the committees on which they wish to serve, although the particular preferences of each faculty member may not always be satisfied. Faculty meetings are divided into three distinct categories. “College Meetings” include both the administrative staff and the faculty and are held at the beginning of each semester. “Teaching Faculty Meetings” are held monthly (except in months that College Meetings are held) and include tenure, tenure track, visiting, and American Bar Association Rule 405(c) faculty. Meetings of the “Governing Faculty,” which includes all tenure and tenure‐track law faculty members, are called specially for votes on new faculty hires and other decisions that are limited to the governing faculty by the College Constitution. 143 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Criterion 5.C. The institution engages in systematic and integrated planning. 5.C.1. The institution allocates its resources in alignment with its mission and priorities. The University allocates its resources in alignment with its mission and priorities. As explained in Subcomponent 5.A.2., the allocation of resources is a collaborative process that involves all segments of the University community. The University depends on these entities to provide a system of checks and balances for its mission and priorities. Particular attention is given to the key elements outlined in the Strategic Plan. •
We will identify and implement opportunities for both new and existing academic program growth, with programs in the allied health professions among the first to be considered. •
We will adopt technology resources that enhance student learning and improve administrative functioning. •
We will align our financial aid policies, curriculum, and support services to become a peer leader in graduating students in four years. •
We will build strategic partnerships and expand opportunities to serve our local communities, the region, and beyond. •
We will develop a new campus master plan to meet academic and co‐curricular needs, focusing first on a new engineering building and enhanced student services. •
We will incorporate sustainable practices to be better stewards of our environmental, energy, and financial resources. •
We will improve the financial state and fiscal strength of the University. •
We will develop a more compelling brand promise for the University that will advance and enhance our national reputation The annual operating budget process involves all members of the President’s Cabinet, college Deans, and department Chairs and Directors; the University’s Board of Trustees approves the final version. (See 5.A.5.) The capital budget process requires that all requests be prioritized. Prioritization begins with the operating units submitting requests to the Provost or Vice President for Financial Affairs. The collection of prioritized requests is then re‐prioritized according to the key elements identified in the University’s Strategic Plan and available funding. A recent review of the University tuition and financial aid policies and practices resulted in a financial‐
impact review and a restructuring of the University’s tuition costs and financial aid awards to future and continuing students to align with our priorities in enrollment. Other goals are to develop and implement recruitment and marketing plans and strategically use tuition pricing, financial aid strategies, and the prospect of The Ohio Northern Promise to meet the enrollment goal of becoming a leader in graduating undergraduate students in four years. (See 5.A.1.) As a result of the planning process, the University has contracted with a firm to lead discussion and facilitate the development of a new campus master plan to meet academic and co‐curricular needs, focusing first on a new engineering building and enhanced student services. (See 5.B.1.) The University 144 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS has also hired a firm to develop a more compelling brand with a goal to advance and enhance our national reputation. Within the past year, the University created the position of Director of Sustainability. This position is charged with facilitating the incorporation of sustainable practices to be better stewards of our environmental, energy, and financial resources. 5.C.2. The institution links its processes for assessment of student learning, evaluation of operations, planning, and budgeting. The budgeting process (see 5.A.5.) of the University is structured to incorporate each of these areas. By virtue of the active participation of Financial Affairs (operations), Academic Affairs (student learning), and Deans and Cabinet (planning) in developing the budget, each of these areas are linked in developing the University budget. The role of the Board through its committee structure in overseeing each of these areas, as well as giving final approval to the budget, reinforces the linkage of planning, learning, and operations. 5.C.3. The planning process encompasses the institution as a whole and considers the perspectives of internal and external constituent groups. The University planning process encompasses all affiliated groups and is tailored to meet the particular issues under consideration. For example, an ad hoc group of faculty began discussions in 2007 on creating a new general education framework for all undergraduate and pharmacy students. A second committee formed in 2008‐09 developed the current general education plan that was approved by faculty in April 2009. More than 100 faculty then participated in the development of rubrics for each of the learning outcomes. The faculty thus developed, revised, and finalized the current general education plan. (See 3.B.1.) Similarly, faculty and staff were quite involved in the development of the current Mission Statement and Strategic Plan. President DiBiasio convened in Spring 2013 a series of focus groups, to which all faculty were invited, to consider further implications of the SPFB Report and to identify and discuss opportunities and concerns confronting the University. Drawing on the SPFB Report and faculty focus group discussions, a draft Mission Statement and Strategic Plan were prepared, reviewed with the Board, and circulated to the faculty. University faculty provided editorial suggestions and proposed substantive changes that led to two revisions. The 2013 Mission Statement and Strategic Plan were then approved by the Board on May 11, 2013. (See 1.C.1.) To implement our Strategic Plan, we have created an Operational Agenda that identifies specific actions for each goal and priority, including the office(s) primarily responsible for completing the action and when an action is expected to be completed. In addition, the recommendations from the SPFB Review that have not yet been completed are now incorporated into the Operational Agenda, bringing closure to that important effort. Thus, the Operational Agenda is an annual monitoring mechanism for measuring our progress and regularly updating the campus community. These updates will also be 145 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS included in the materials prepared for Board of Trustees meetings in order to ensure understanding and accountability. Another key element of our implementation work was to convene six workgroups to address several important tasks. 1. Creating Brand Awareness 2. Reforming University Governance 3. Considering the Role of Online Learning 4. Incorporating Principles and Practices for Sustainability 5. Increasing the University’s Four‐Year Completion Rate for Undergraduates 6. Developing a Comprehensive Campus Master Plan The committees are composed of administrative, faculty, and staff members plus some trustees, alumni and local community leaders when appropriate. Minutes from each committee are posted on a secure‐
web page for transparency to all faculty and staff. This web page also hosts the Operational Agenda, which identifies tasks that support the Strategic Plan, the office that is responsible for the undertaking of the task, and the status of that task. The Operational Agenda is updated annually at the President’s Cabinet Retreat. Finally, the master planning process has involved faculty, staff, students, trustees, and representatives of the Ada community. Led by an experienced architectural firm, the yearlong process has involved a series of conversations to develop an understanding of the needs of various groups and vet possible approaches to providing for these needs. 5.C.4. The institution plans on the basis of a sound understanding of its current capacity. Institutional plans anticipate the possible impact of fluctuations in the institution’s sources of revenue, such as enrollment, the economy, and state support. The institutional self‐examinations of past few years (SPFB study; general education development; strategic planning and master planning) along with more narrowly focused reviews (health science programming; Engineering facilities planning, athletics reviews) have given the University a clear picture of its capacity, as well as opportunities and challenges. The demographic and market constraints on the University’s choices are at the forefront of all planning discussions. As a private institution, state levels of support variations are largely irrelevant; enrollment levels are critical. The University continues to refine its enrollment projection mechanisms to provide the soundest possible basis for planning and anticipating changes in resources. As a tuition‐dependent institution, tracking future enrollment is critical to sound financial planning. With five colleges (including a law school) that operate in very different markets and are subject to a variety of economic and demographic trends, this process is very challenging. Historically, enrollment and budget projections were done on a year‐to‐year basis with data of varying reliability. 146 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS The Office of Admissions has completed a recruiting plan for 2014‐15 (Strategic Plan, “Goal 4: Attract, retain, and graduate the optimal number, quality and profile of students.”) Multiyear enrollment and budget plans are being developed to aid in planning. Efforts have begun to expand the financial planning parameters to provide better data for decision making. The Financial Affairs office is moving toward a five‐year budget planning cycle. Enrollment Management utilizes the services of Human Capital Inc. for freshman enrollment and financial aid projections for the four undergraduate colleges. The Office of Institutional Research within Academic Affairs projects continuing student enrollment, and has done so within a margin of 0.43‐2.23% over the past five years. Financial Affairs and Enrollment Management work in concert with Institutional Research to develop comprehensive student enrollment and net student revenue financial models. The objective for all of these efforts is to increase the accuracy of projections for enrollment, tuition, and financial aid commitments. Better‐quality information and projections will allow the University to plan and allocate resources in a more effective manner. 5.C.5. Institutional planning anticipates emerging factors, such as technology, demographic shifts, and globalization. The work of the SPFB committee and the ensuing development of the Strategic Plan focused attention, not only on emerging challenges, but also on the implementation of coherent responses to those challenges. The context within which the University operates requires that it must react nimbly, yet thoughtfully, to enhance competitiveness and efficiency. A few examples of areas in which planning has allowed the University to be successful in responding to the emerging technology or competition include technology, globalization, and demographic changes. Technology The institution is sensitive to the constantly growing needs of information technology (IT) in the academic environment. From wireless networks that allow students to access their email and online class materials to the University’s network file‐sharing system, everyone on the campus depends on the IT department. In Fall 2011, the Office of Information Technology hired a consultant to perform an assessment of IT’s strategic direction. Four areas were identified as challenges: 1) Administrative System Services: Additional personnel are needed to deliver more efficient services and business intelligence. In January 2013, a five‐year staffing plan was developed by the Director of Information Technology, which has identified six new positions. Three of these have now been filled. 2) Professional Development Services: The University has moved some of its lines within the IT staffing to create three positions that support educational technology. Workshops for Moodle classrooms and blended classroom technologies are held frequently to support faculty course development and student learning. 3) Server and Network Services: The wireless network was found to be of great concern in 2012. As part of The Ohio Northern Promise, the University has invested in new antennas and hardware to support stronger and more adequate wireless network access in all of the University’s residence halls. 147 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS 4) Support Services: Currently, IT staff is housed in three main areas on campus. This creates some confusion within the IT staff and also to the campus community when inventorying parts or assigning work orders. Once the new College of Engineering is built and the IT department is consolidated into one building, the Taft Building in the center of campus, further convenience for students and the campus IT infrastructure will be realized. In the shorter term, IT staff is assigned to a work order via a ticketing system that tracks the resolution and customer service. (See 5.D.1.) Purchasing and IT have worked closely together to limit all computer purchases to flow through the IT budget lines to control inventory and allow IT to seek bulk‐pricing efficiencies. Currently, the University is beginning to investigate the possibility of starting some online programs that complement the existing academic programs, such as an online RN‐BSN completion program. Globalization As the international student population has increased at the University, we have implemented a six‐level English language program (ELP) to provide English instruction prior to the student beginning their academic degree work. All students who enroll in this program are conditionally admitted to one of the University’s degree programs. For students with higher proficiencies in English language, the University has offered a blended set of academic courses with intensive writing and listening courses called the International Scholarship Transition Program (ISTP). The ISTP began more than 10 years ago, and since the inception of ELP in 2010, the University has seen strong growth in our international enrollment. In Fall 2013, a new position, the Director of Global Academic Initiatives, was created to support the international students and domestic students who desired to study abroad. Demographic Changes Over the next decade, the number of high school graduates in Ohio will continue to decline. Currently, more than 80% of the students enrolled in ONU’s undergraduate and pharmacy programs are from Ohio. The highly competitive nature of higher education in Ohio makes it imperative that the University identify marketing techniques to broaden its image within the region and nationally. As part of the Strategic Plan, the University has embarked on a new branding initiative to assist these marketing initiatives. Criterion 5.D. The institution works systematically to improve its performance. 5.D.1. The institution develops and documents evidence of performance in its operations. The University is committed to accountability in all its operations. Just as it strives to document the success of its students and the efficacy of its instructional programs, the University consistently documents its operational performance. Examples include the information technology trouble‐ticket system, dining services, and the Sodexo work order system. 148 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS IT Trouble Ticket System In Spring 2012, Information Technology (IT) implemented a trouble‐ticketing system called SpiceWorks, which enables IT to track tickets and measure the effectiveness of the department. A ticket is created as the help desk is contacted with each issue. Initial contact is made via phone (x1111) or email (help‐
desk@onu.edu). The end user may also make a help desk ticket through the IT web page. After the ticket is made, it is assigned to the appropriate IT staff. As work is performed on the issue, the IT staff updates the comments section of the ticket, and the user is notified via email at each change in the status. This enables the user to be continuously updated as to the status of their ticket. Users may also contact the individual working on the ticket by submitting comments via the web interface. Once the ticket is resolved, the final comments are made and the ticket is closed. At the time of a ticket being closed, the user is notified and a user‐satisfaction survey is emailed to the user. This survey measures the time it took for the individual to initially contact the user, the level of professional courtesy, the overall satisfaction of the work and a comments section for the user to provide customized feedback. These responses are analyzed on a weekly basis, and issues that arise from the services are discussed with the individuals performing the work. This enables IT to continuously evolve and improve its service. Several other reports are generated to measure the effectiveness of each staff member based on their workload and number of tickets closed. This allows IT to more evenly distribute tickets, measure which individuals are performing at higher levels, and address any concerns related to poor performance. These reports are generated on daily, weekly and monthly schedules. A knowledge base is also present within SpiceWorks. This enables IT staff members to submit articles that document how to fix the common issues that users encounter. The articles are then available for the campus community to review and to search. Dining Services The University partners with Sodexo to provide food service for the campus community. Over the past two years, Sodexo has taken aggressive steps towards improving the overall dining experience for our students. Those include the addition of an executive chef who has made many improvements in menus and overall choices. Other changes have focused on supporting healthy living. They have instituted the “Mindful” plate, which has all the components of a well‐balanced meal and is offered daily. 60% of the menu choices in the main dining room are from the “mindful” category. To ensure that students have healthy choices every day, fresh cut fruit is offered in several locations throughout the cafeteria along with whole fruit. Several cereal choices are healthy, angel food cake is offered daily as a dessert option, a “Silk Milk” machine has been added to the beverage offerings, and fair‐trade coffee is also offered. On the vegetarian line, Mediterranean salad, two types of hummus, and fresh‐made pita chips are offered daily. The salad bar offers a large variety of fresh composed salads daily. All menu choices are clearly labeled with nutritional information, and the menu is displayed above each line on digital screens. The dining service displays nutritional information to allow diners to better manage their food choices and to 149 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS locate and select options that best fit their lifestyles. The daily lunch and dinner menus are posted to the Facebook page for Dining Services. There is a snack bar in McIntosh Center that offers a grill, deli‐wrap sandwiches and grab‐and‐go items. “Pastabilities” and Wings and Things” are new items that are very popular with the students, and the wide variety of foods in the “Simply to Go” cases include Mediterranean salads and hand‐rolled Sushi. In addition, items like a Gourmet Grilled Cheese and Bodacious Specialty Burger are new additions to the White Bear Inn’s menu. Sodexo Work Order System The University’s physical plant staff manages all of our building and system maintenance, the grounds, and custodial needs. The University contracts this task to Sodexo. Similar to IT’s trouble‐ticket software, Sodexo also utilizes a work‐order software program called InSiteSM. Students, faculty, and staff can establish a work order by calling the physical plant office at x2460, emailing physical‐
plant@onu.edu, or accessing the InSiteSM software directly via a username and password. The user receives a ticket number and status updates of the job. Between July 1, 2013, and June 30, 2014, the campus community filed 15,784 work orders, with 97.4% of those being in a completed status. The InSiteSM software permits supervisors to track the number of days the work order took to complete, who completed the work, and other productivity measures. 5.D.2. The institution learns from its operational experience and applies that learning to improve its institutional effectiveness, capabilities, and sustainability, overall and in its component parts. The University seeks not only to document its operations, but alto to utilize its operational experience to enhance the quality and efficiency of tis services. Several examples of the University’s efforts to improve based on experience include the print management proposal, the assessment of management information systems, and the enrollment management assessment. Print Management Proposal Printing expenses (equipment, toner, maintenance) totaled nearly $175,000 in FY2013. In early 2014, Purchasing and Information Technology worked with ONU’s current copier provider to map all print devices on campus. This process revealed that the University had almost 375 laser jet printers, more than 225 inkjet printers, and 62 copier units. Department Chairs were also surveyed requesting information about their specific department’s printing needs. After careful review of this information, the following recommendations have been put in place for FY2015.  All inkjet printers have been eliminated.  Laser jet printers have been reduced by 55%. All toner supplies for these laser jet printers are purchased centrally by the Purchasing office.  The University will invest in approximately 10 new copier units.  The total number of print devices on the campus has been reduced by 64%. 150 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS All copier units have been equipped with an identification card scanner. In order to make copies, fax, scan, or print a job, the employee or student must first log in or scan their ID. This permits budget units to carefully track usage expenses. The University anticipates a realization of savings of $65,000 in FY2015. Assessment of Management Information Systems In early 2011, the University requested an assessment of its management information systems, particular that of the Banner software package. (See 5.C.5.) The review was performed by Kaludis Consulting, which concluded that the University should:  Invest in human capital  Eliminate duplicative data entry  Eliminate paper‐driven processes  Eliminate manual processes Invest in Human Capital. The Department of Information Technology reviewed its operations and, in 2012, established a five‐year staffing plan. As retirements and vacancies have occurred within the staff, all new hires have been part of this new staffing plan, especially in the managerial and educational technology areas. To date, one new staff member position has been added in the educational technology area, another to assist with administrative duties of purchasing, and a third to produce better report modules for the Advancement, Alumni, and Financial Affairs areas. Eliminate paper‐driven processes. The Office of Admissions has moved to a paperless file‐review system, and the Office of the Registrar has eliminated the forms required to enroll students into courses that require overload or pre‐requisite waivers. As an added benefit to the Registrar’s actions, a new wait‐list feature is now implemented to assist students in course registration. Eliminate manual processes. The Office of Admissions has created a leave‐of‐absence policy that requires no action for re‐admission on behalf of the student or staff within a year’s time of the student’s departure. The Registrar has implemented an electronic transcript service to reduce staff‐processing time while providing secure, reliable, same‐day electronic transcript delivery. The new degree‐audit software, DegreeWorksTM, is in its first year of usage at the University and already shows great promise in reducing the maintenance and reliance of paper check sheets. University Advancement is working with Information Technology to develop and implement enhanced reporting to track prospective donors, proposals and gifts received. Utilization of these reports will assist both the current campaign to fund construction of a new engineering facility and the anticipated comprehensive campaign to conclude in 2021. Attractive remaining suggestions: In 2010, the University issued an RFP on document‐imaging systems to reduce the University’s reliance on paper‐driven processes. It was decided at the time that the University’s return on investment was not significant enough to move forward. An additional product that will likely be implemented in 2015 is Banner Workflow, which will reduce both the paper‐driven and manual steps required to process forms and routine approvals. 151 CRITERION FIVE|RESOURCES, PLANNING, AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Enrollment Management Assessment The Enrollment Management area of the University has carried out assessment activities to ensure that it continues to improve its services to students and processes. In June 2014, the University asked Noel Levitz to conduct an enrollment assessment. Human Capital Research Inc. also provided an assessment of our financial aid packaging regimen for freshmen. Members of the University community, including Cabinet, Deans and enrollment management staff, attended meetings with one or both of these firms. Further discussion with Cabinet and Admissions and Financial Aid led to a prioritization of the findings and recommendations, many of which are being implemented during this recruiting cycle. These include a revamping of student search and expansion of the recruitment funnel, full utilization of a customer relationship management (CRM) system (purchased in June 2014), changes to the University’s web site, and investigation of retention initiatives. In Spring 2012, Financial Aid was engaged to perform a Financial Aid Office Assessment (FAOA). As a result of the assessment, the office implemented a number of changes. For example, instead of manual packaging, the office now uses Banner’s auto‐packaging capabilities. In addition, the office has moved to a paperless environment even though the University has not purchased a document‐imaging system. These improvements have allowed the Office of Financial Aid to employ 1.5 fewer staff, while providing better service to students. Financial Aid also addresses student concerns as part of the assessment process. One of the recommendations of the American Bar Association’s accreditation visit was that Financial Aid respond to student concerns regarding the financial aid process. With the help of Institutional Research, Financial Aid surveyed all students in the College of Law. As a result, the Financial Aid staff has set up periodic meetings with law students and are providing additional tools that law students can use to manage their debt.
152 EPILOGUE EPILOGUE Much has changed in higher education since Solomon Lehr established his school in Ada, Ohio. Indeed, the pace of change has accelerated with every decade—new pedagogy, new subjects of study, new technology, new sources of information, new skills required of faculty and students. Most recently, the rate of change has been amplified by forces—societal, governmental, financial—outside the University demanding accountability, requiring fiscal restraint and necessitating competitive ingenuity. In response, the University has become more strategic and programmatically coherent. It has invested a great deal of thought and energy—manifested in general education revision; academic calendar (and accompanying curricular) revision; institution‐wide program review (SPFB); implementation, creation and adoption of a strategic plan; and the development of a comprehensive master plan—in internal study unrelated to the imperatives of the accreditation process. The insights derived from these reviews, however, are reflected in the pages of the present self‐study. To some extent the introspective looks of the past several years have been necessitated by external forces. Regardless of their genesis, the result has been the creation of a culture of self‐study where decisions are driven by strategic goals tempered by realistic understanding of University resources and capacity. The nearly two‐year long effort to develop this self‐study has revealed both the coherence of the efforts of the past several years and goals yet to be achieved. Most of all, this study has reaffirmed the University’s commitment to a particular kind of education: Dr. Lehr’s vision of a combination of the practical with the theoretical understood today as professional education infused with the liberal arts. Regardless of change or challenge, the University has never wavered from that understanding of its mission. 153