Keeping Focus: WSCUC Interim
Report Preparation
Meiling Tang, Ph.D., Touro University
California
Diane Waryas, Ph.D., Touro University
Nevada
Session Learning Outcomes
• Understand the purpose & requirements of the
Interim Report
• Understand the process used by TUC to prepare
the Interim Report
• Understand the rationale for recommendations
to aid preparation of your Interim Report
Touro University Western Division
• Part of the Touro College & University System, a
Jewish-sponsored independent institution,
headquartered in NY
• Includes two campuses: Touro University California
(TUC) located in Vallejo, CA, and Touro University
Nevada (TUN) located in Henderson, Nevada.
• Both campuses are graduate/professional schools
focusing on health care and education
Touro WSCUC History
• Touro University is accredited by WSCUC under the name
of TUC; TUN is considered a branch campus of TUC for
accreditation purposes.
• Last EER in 2010
• Interim Report due March 1, 2014
Interim Report Basics
• Limited in scope, not comprehensive evaluations
• Focus on the progress that institution has made in
addressing the specific issues identified by the
Commission & the major recommendations since last
vising team
• Consists of 2 sections:
– Interim Report Form & Appendices (today’s focus)
– Additional Required Data (if required)
Required Interim Report Elements
1. Cover page: Name of Institution; Person Submitting the Report;
Report Submission Date
2. Statement on Report Preparation
3. List of Topics Addressed in this Report
4. Institutional Context
5. Response to Issues Identified by the Commission (Main Section)
6. Identification of Other Changes and Issues Currently Facing the
Institution
7. Concluding Statement
The Submission Process
1. Use Box.Com to upload the report (No longer Live Text)
2. Instructions for creating Box account were provided in
mid-January
3. A panel of Interim report committee members review
the report within 90 days of receipt
4. Representatives from the institution will be invited for a
conference call
5. The WASC staff liaison contacts the institution with the
outcome of the review
Possible Review Outcomes
1. Receive the Interim Report with recommendations and
commendations—No follow up required
2. Defer action pending receipt of follow-up
3. Request an additional Interim Report
4. Request a Progress Report (less formal than #3 and is
reviewed only by the WASC staff liaison)
5. Receive the Interim Report with a recommendation that
the Commission sends a site visit evaluation team
TUC’s Experience:
Process and Suggestions
TUC’s Top Ten Tips…
• Tip One: Start earlier than you think you need to (and save time at the
end)
– We started in May 2013
• Tip Two: Appoint a main coordinator
– “If everyone leads, no one leads”
– Recommend: Clarify project flow and communication routes
• Tip Three: Set deadlines
– Multiple—and give people turnaround time and reminders
– Plan to look at the first combined draft at least three months before
deadline
…
• Tip Four: Divide and conquer
– Charge smaller teams with writing and appoint a team lead
– Request content in bullet points to make merging easier
(template?)
– Think broadly when identifying project team (AA’s are a great
asset!)
– Recommend: Request content in smaller pieces instead of all at
once
– Recommend: Frame content expectations for writers—avoid a
compositional free-for-all
…
• Tip Five: Use a centralized content management system
– Consider using project management tools also (e.g. GANTT
charts)
• Tip Six: Manage project details from the start to save time
– Maintain active contributor lists as you go—who did what
and her/his title (see template)
– Keep all of your drafts
– Agree upon and use a common naming convention for
support materials
…
• Tip Seven: Use WSCUC published review criteria
– Structure your responses using the criteria (detail and examples
are a plus)
– Give the criteria to your readers to “evaluate” your draft and
final version
• Tip Eight: Publicize the process (it’s a campus educational
opportunity)
• Tip Nine: Ask WSCUC questions if you have them
• Tip Ten: Upload…..and wait to submit
Where to budget your time: “Response to
Issues Identified by Commission”
• Majority of your writing time and final product
• Biggest aspect of project to manage
• Overestimate the time you think you need to write this section
• Example: TUC had five topics each with several subtopics:
– Clinical Education, Institutional Outcomes, Program Review,
Relationships with the Touro System, Faculty Development
*Of the 76 total pages of the Interim Report, 63 were dedicated to this
section
The Silver Lining—Good Things that
Came from the Interim Report Process
• Increased campus awareness of regional accreditation
• New opportunities for collaboration
• Renewed awareness of accreditation related priorities
• Set the stage to rollout the 2013 Handbook for
Accreditation
• We all learn more about our shared organization
• Was educational for new CEO and Senior Provost and her
Chief of Staff
Questions?
Thank you!
Meiling Tang
Diane Waryas
meiling.tang@tu.edu
diane.waryas@tun.touro.edu
707-638-5880
702-777-1763