Accreditation Liaison Officer
Workshop
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
DoubleTree Hotel Seattle Airport
Seattle, Washington
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Peer ALO Presenters
Michael W. Bowers
Executive Vice President and Provost
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Maureen J. McGlynn
Dean, Curriculum and Instruction
Chemeketa Community College
Cynthia J. Price
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
Seattle Pacific University
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
NWCCU Presenter
Dr. Pamela J. Goad
Vice President
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Welcome
Dr. Sandra E. Elman
President
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
NWCCU Purpose
Assure educational quality
Enhance institutional effectiveness
Foster continuous improvement
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Scope
NWCCU accreditation:
Applies to the institution as a whole;
not to its individual units or programs
Is not partial
Is not granted for a fixed period of time
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Assurances
An NWCCU accredited institution:
Has a clear and appropriate mission
Has the potential to fulfill its mission
Is substantially fulfilling its mission
Is projected to continue to do so
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Means
Deep institutional self assessment
Critical peer evaluation
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Terminology
Self-Study Report
Self-Evaluation Report
Evaluation Report
Peer-Evaluation Report
Progress Report
Ad Hoc Self-Evaluation Report
without Visit (only if necessary)
Focused Interim Report
Ad Hoc Self-Evaluation Report
with Visit (only if necessary)
ARFE
Annual Report on Finances and Enrollment
FRR
Financial Resources Review
(Local) Commendations
Compliments
Comprehensive Review
Candidacy Cycle Only (after 2012*)
*with 1 exception
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Evaluation Cycle (Candidate Institutions)
Comprehensive Evaluation for Candidacy
Candidacy Granted
18 Months Later
1st Comprehensive Interim Candidacy Evaluation
Candidacy Continued
18 Months Later
2nd Comprehensive Interim Candidacy Evaluation
Candidacy Continued
2 Years Later
Comprehensive Evaluation for Accreditation
Evaluation Cycle (Accredited Institutions)
Year
1
3
5
7
Primary Focus
Event
Standard One:
Mission, Core
Themes, and
Expectations
Year One Self-Evaluation Report (Standard One)
No Visit; Evaluator Panel Reviews Standard One;
Peer-Evaluation Report forwarded to Institution and Board.
Standard Two:
Resources and
Capacity
Year Three Self-Evaluation Report
(Update Standard One; Add Standard Two)
Committee Visit to Review Standards One and Two;
Peer-Evaluation Report forwarded to Institution and Board.
Standard Three:
Planning and
Implementation;
Standard Four:
Effectiveness and
Improvement
Year Five Self-Evaluation Report (Update Standards One
and Two; Add Standards Three and Four)
No Visit; Evaluator Panel Reviews Standards Three and Four;
Peer-Evaluation Report forwarded to Institution and Board.
Standard Five:
Mission Fulfillment,
Adaptation, and
Sustainability
Year Seven Self-Evaluation Report (Update Standards
One, Two, Three, and Four; Add Standard Five)
Committee Visit to Review Standards Three, Four, and Five;
Peer-Evaluation Report forwarded to Institution and Board.
Year One and Year Five Panel Structure
Three-Evaluator Panel
Panel agrees—as a whole—on all Peer-Evaluation Reports,
Commendations, Recommendations, and Confidential Counsels
Evaluator 2
aInstitution
3
Review and
Evaluation
Report
aInstitution
4
Review and
Evaluation
Report
Evaluator 1 (Chair)
aInstitution
1
Review and
Evaluation
Report
aPrimary
aInstitution
2
Review and
Evaluation
Report
Responsibility
Evaluator 3
aInstitution
5
Review and
Evaluation
Report
aInstitution
6
Review and
Evaluation
Report
Year Three Committee Structure
Chair
Standards 1.A; 1.B; 2.A; ERs 2-21
Evaluator 1
Standards
2.B; 2.D
(Students)
Evaluator 2
Standard
2.C
(Academics)
Evaluator 3
Standard
2.E
(Library)
Evaluator 4
Standards
2.F; 2.G
(Finance)
Year Seven Committee Structure
Chair
Standards 3.A; 5.A; 5.B; ERs 22-24
...
Evaluator 1
Evaluator 2
Evaluator 3
Evaluator N
Core Theme 1 Core Theme 2 Core Theme 3 Core Theme N
Standards
Standards
Standards
Standards
3.B; 4.A; 4.B 3.B; 4.A; 4.B 3.B; 4.A; 4.B 3.B; 4.A; 4.B
Panel, Committee, and Ad Hoc Evaluations
Self-Evaluation Report
Draft Evaluation Report
Corrected Factual Errors
Peer Evaluation Report
Confidential Counsel
Written Response
Action
Institution
Self Evaluation Report
NWCCU
Office
Communication of Action
NWCCU
Board
Evaluators
Years Three & Seven and Comprehensives
NWCCU
Board
Institution
Institutional Response
Chair’s Statement
Public Comments
NWCCU
Office
Notice of Opportunity
for Public (Third Party)
Comments
Evaluators
Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines
Title page to include:
Title of Self-Evaluation Report
Name of Institution
Date Submitted
Table of Contents
Introduction [One (1) page maximum]
Institutional Context [One (1) page maximum]
Preface
Brief Update on Institutional Changes since Last Report
Response to Addenda Requested by NWCCU
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines
Chapter One: Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations
Eligibility Requirements 2 and 3 (Executive Summary)
Standard 1.A Mission to include (3 pages max):
Institution’s Mission Statement
Interpretation of Fulfillment of Institution’s Mission
Articulation of Acceptable Extent of Mission Fulfillment
Standard 1.B Core Themes
One Section per Core Theme (3 pages max each) to include:
Title of the Core Theme
Brief Description of the Core Theme
Objectives of the Core Theme
Indicators of Achievement of Core Theme Objectives
Rationale for the Selection of those Indicators
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines
Chapter Two: Resources and Capacity
Eligibility Requirements 4 through 21 (Executive Summary)
Standard 2.A Governance
Standard 2.B Human Resources
Standard 2.C Education Resources
Standard 2.D Student Support Resources
Standard 2.E Library and Information Resources
Standard 2.F Financial Resources
Standard 2.G Physical and Technological Infrastructure
Chapter Three: Planning and Implementation
Standard 3.A Institutional Planning
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines
Chapter Four: Core Themes. Assessment, and Improvement
Eligibility Requirements 22 and 23 (Executive Summary)
One Section per Core Theme to Address Standards 3.B Core
Theme Planning, 4.A Assessment, and 4.B Improvement as
they related to that Core Theme
Chapter Five: Mission Fulfillment, Adaptation, Sustainability
Eligibility Requirement 24
Standard 5.A Mission Fulfillment
Standard 5.B Adaptation and Sustainability
Conclusion
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
ALO
Appointed by the institution’s CEO
One of two official contacts with NWCCU
Institution’s accreditation “conscience”
Resource on NWCCU accreditation
Catalyst for effective practice
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Characteristics
Knowledge of the institution
Interest in accreditation
Understanding of NWCCU Standards
Familiarity with NWCCU procedures
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Correspondence
ALO is included on:
Notification of accreditation actions
Notification of substantive change actions
Reminder letters of upcoming evaluations
Annual Report solicitations
Meeting and Workshop announcements
Requests for information, as necessary
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Expectations
Maintain a file of NWCCU correspondence
and schedule of evaluations
Ensure fulfillment of Commission requests
Provide assistance with logistical
arrangements for evaluation visits
Keep the Commission apprised of
accreditation-related changes, including
changes of CEO or ALO.
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Power of Leverage
For a large ship at cruising speed it is almost
impossible to apply enough direct pressure on the
rudder to move it. However, by placing a small,
movable, and easily controlled extension on the
rudder’s trailing edge (trimtab), water flowing past
the rudder is compressed, creating a partial vacuum
that pulls the rudder in the desired direction.
So the trimtab, which is very small compared to the
ship as a whole, determines the course of the vessel.
ALO Trimtabs
The trimtab principle applies to you as
an ALO. You have the opportunity and
ability to influence institutional practice
with respect to NWCCU accreditation.
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Responsibility
Accreditation is a joint responsibility.
You are not personally responsible for the
accreditation status of your institution.
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Reference Line
You never know a line is crooked unless
you have a straight one to put next to it.
Socrates
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011
Comments and Questions
Accreditation Liaison Officer Workshop
February 4, 2011