ACCSC Webinar Series:
A Conversation with the Executive Director
July 17, 2012
Dr. Michale S. McComis
Christopher Lambert
Executive Director
Director of External Affairs
Webinar Logistics
• There may be a slight pause between slide transitions
• This webinar is interactive (online links)
• Please feel free to ask your questions by typing them into the webinar platform
system.
• Staff will do our very best to answer all questions, either during, or after,
the webinar.
• If you have an “institution specific” question, for example on your credit
hour calculations, engaging with staff offline via email/phone is the best
scenario.
• A copy of the webinar will be made available at www.accsc.org under Events, /
Webinars Section
• Yes, a copy of the slides will be made available online as well.
• Provide this information to your staff for ongoing training and development.
Agenda
• An update on the Commission’s Membership Services
Activities
• New Website
• Student Corner
• ACCSC Graduation Letter
• Social Media: ACCSC Launches Facebook / Twitter Pages
• Expanding Our Team: Director of Member Services / Volunteer
Coordinator / Institutional Review Assistant
• Revisions to the Standards of Accreditation
• Student Achievement Rates: Placement
• Catalog Disclosures: Definition of a Credit Hour
Agenda
• An Overview of the 6th Annual Professional Development
Conference
• September 10-12, 2012 – San Diego, California
• 2012 ACCSC Annual Report: Portal is LIVE
• ACCSC: On the Road…
• Online Member Forum
---------------------------------
New Website
New Website
• One of ACCSC’s areas of focus has been on the Commission’s use of its website and
other media in order to ensure transparency and effective communication with member
institutions and others interested in the ACCSC-accreditation process. As part of this
effort, the Commission recently undertook a comprehensive overhaul of its website, both
in terms of content and design.
• The result is one that the Commission believes enhances access to and understanding of
information regarding ACCSC accreditation.
Graduation Letter
ACCSC has issued a letter that schools may download and distribute to graduates upon
completion of their program of study.
The intent of the letter is
1)
to congratulate graduates on the successful completion of their programs of study and
1)
to encourage graduates to maintain contact with their institutions and to report on their
successes in finding employment, need for employment assistance, or to provide feedback
regarding the education and training received.
The hope is to assist schools in building on existing
connections with graduates for the purposes of
strengthening employment reporting.
Student Corner
• Why is accreditation important?
• What is the value of attending an ACCSC-accredited institution?
Fundamental Message
When you attend an ACCSC-accredited institution, you are attending a school that
has undergone a rigorous process that evaluates educational quality.
Social Media
Social Media
• In addition, the Commission has established a Facebook page and a Twitter
account in order to disseminate important information regarding ACCSC
accreditation.
• The intent is to reach a far broader audience when announcing new or revised
standards or policies, Commission actions, and training and professional
development opportunities.
• The Commission strongly believes that the more individuals who are
knowledgeable about the ACCSC-accreditation process, the greater the
opportunity for institutions to continuously improve and maintain on-going
compliance with accrediting standards.
Expanding Our
Team
Expanding Our Team
New Positions
Director of Member Services
•
•
Develop and conduct broad-based programs that will enhance the value of membership
using electronic and other media (e.g., webinars, workshops, etc.).
Communicate and report on membership success stories and activities.
Volunteer Coordinator
•
•
•
Recruit qualified individuals to serve as volunteers for onsite evaluations;
Develop and conduct initial and on-going volunteer training;
Oversee the scheduling processes for volunteers;
Institutional Review and Development Assistant
•
Administrative support for the IRD Department
• Branches, Program Approvals, Changes of Ownership, Name, Location, etc.
Building Our Bench
Accreditation Coordinator(s)
• Allison Price
Revisions to the
Standards of
Accreditation
June 29, 2012
Accreditation
Alert
Revisions to the Catalog Checklist
• Given recent changes to the Commission’s definition of a credit hour as well as federal
requirements in this area, the Commission determined that it is appropriate to simplify catalog
disclosure requirements in this area.
• The Commission determined that since ACCSC’s accreditation process will have a greater focus on
ensuring that schools follow credit hour award policies in accordance with new federal
requirements, the disclosure to students should focus primarily on the number and type of credit
hour awarded in courses and programs. Hence, the Commission has made the following changes to
the ACCSC Catalog Checklist
• New Language in bold and italic print, deleted language indicated by strikethrough:
12.
The total number of clock hours (or credit hours units, if as applicable) for each
course and program.
13.
As applicable, the type of credit hour awarded, semester or quarter. The definition
of clock hours and credit units and the clock hour to credit hour conversion
formula used by the school for academic purposes.
Credit Hour Resources
• April 13, 2012 Accreditation Alert
• Read about the Commission’s Definition of a Credit Hour
• Read about the program approval process
• Read about the approval process for avocational/continuing education programs.
• Under Accreditation / Accreditation Alerts at www.accsc.org.
• April 30, 2012 Webinar
• Hear from ACCSC’s Executive Director as he explains the Commission’s Definition of a
Credit Hour, the approval process, expectations, and some interesting questions from the
membership.
• Under Events / Webinars at www.accsc.org
• Contact ACCSC
• Engage with the Commission’s staff regarding any questions you have with respect to the
application of the Commission’s Definition of a Credit Hour.
Student Achievement Rates
•
As stated in the May 10, 2010 Accreditation Alert, the Commission, established a
benchmark employment rate of 70% based on Annual Report data from 2006 through
2008 and indicated its understanding that economic conditions could impede the ability
of some programs in attaining that benchmark in the post 2008 economy.
•
The Commission has now reviewed data reported for the period 2009 through 2011
and found that while graduation rates have not changed significantly, the data show a
marked decrease in reported employment rates, which has affected the average
employment rate for this period.
•
As such, the Commission has not made changes to the graduation rate benchmarks, but
has acted to modify the employment rate benchmark to 66% in alignment with the data
collected for this three-year period of time.
•
The 66% rate is in effect for all Graduation and Employment Charts that use a July 2012
Report Date or later.
Student Achievement Rates
• Please be advised that the Commission intends to revisit the employment data
in 2013 and may return the benchmark employment rate to 70% or establish
some other appropriate rate.
• Moreover, in adjusting the Commission’s benchmark employment rate to 66%,
the Commission will also accordingly adjust its tolerance for programs that
report below-benchmark rates.
• While the Commission will continue to provide institutions with opportunities
to demonstrate successful student achievement and improvement in this area,
the Commission will take decisive action to direct institutions to cease
enrollment or to revoke approval for those programs that do not demonstrate
successful student achievement.
2012 Professional
Development
Conference
Registration is LIVE for the 2012 ACCSC
Professional Development Conference
September 10-12, 2012
Omni San Diego Hotel
San Diego, California
Visit www.accsc.org for more
information.
2012 ACCSC Annual
Report
2012 ACCSC Annual Report
The electronic submission of the 2012 ACCSC Annual Report is required for all
ACCSC-accredited institutions (Main School and Branch) that received
accreditation prior to July 1, 2012 and is due on or before November 6, 2012.
Should you need assistance, please contact the Commission office at (703) 2474212 and ask to speak with a member of our 2012 Annual Report Support Team or
by sending an e-mail.
On the Road…
Accreditation Workshop – San Francisco
• July 19-20, 2012 – San Francisco, California
• Michale McComis, Chris Lambert, Kris Pritchard, Michelle Ragnetti
Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges
Annual Conference
•
July 25-26, 2012 – Aventura Florida
• Educational Breakout Session with Dr. Michale McComis
• “Accreditation: A Blueprint for Institutional Success”
• Thursday, July 26, 2012
• 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Pennsylvania Association of Private School Administrators
Annual Conference
• July 25-26, 2012 – Cranberry (Pittsburgh!), Pennsylvania
• Chris Lambert
Online Member Forum:
Questions & Answers
ACCSC Webinar Series:
A Conversation with the Executive Director
July 17, 2012
Dr. Michale S. McComis
Christopher Lambert
Executive Director
Director of External Affairs