Overview of On-Site Team
Evaluation
Presented by
Dr. Tanmay Pramanik
Purposes of the Accreditation
Process
 To provide a quality educational program
 To assist the institution in the
improvement of its entire operation by
assessing both strengths and
weaknesses
The Meaning of Accreditation
 The institution has met the standards
and criteria at an acceptable level of
compliance and has the prospects of
addressing any identifiable weaknesses
within a reasonable time.
 The institution has demonstrated that its
educational program has satisfactory
quality.
The Meaning of Accreditation
 The institution has demonstrated that it
has the adequate resources to support
the program.
 The institution has committed itself to
self-improvement and self-enhancement.
Overview of Accreditation
 It is voluntary and non-governmental in
nature.
 It is a system of institutional selfregulation.
– Institutional means the institution as a whole
is considered rather than programs within
the institution.
 It is based on peer review.
Scope of TRACS Accreditation
TRACS provides accreditation for
 Bible Institutes
 Christian Liberal Arts Colleges/
Universities
 Bible Colleges
 Graduate Schools
 Seminaries
Scope of TRACS Accreditation
Levels
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Certificates
Diplomas
Associate degrees
Bachelor’s degrees
Master’s degrees
Doctoral degrees
Levels of Compliance
 Basic – candidacy (IERs)
 Substantive compliance – accredited or
reaffirmation status (All Standards
Apply)
Four Major Steps in the
Accreditation Process
 Self-Study and Self-Study Report
 On-Site Visit and Evaluation Team Report
 Accreditation Commission Action
 Follow-up
Self-Study and Self-Study
Report
 The institution conducts a self-study and
prepares a report.
 The self-study report addresses the
institution’s analysis of the level of
compliance with each standard.
 The self-study report is supported with
documentation.
 The self-study report becomes the basis
for the on-site evaluation team review.
Evaluation Team
 Team members are selected from a list of
trained individuals and are chosen with
care.
 The teams vary in size depending on the
institution and the type of visit.
 The minimum team size is four for a
candidacy visit and five for an
accreditation visit.
 One of the team members is designated
as the chair of the team.
Evaluation Team
 A TRACS Staff Representative always
accompanies the team.
 An attempt is made to match the
experiences and credentials of the
evaluators with the needs of the
institution.
Basic Purposes of the
Evaluation Team
 To determine if the institution is in
compliance with the standards and
criteria
 To identify areas that need improvement
 To validate the self-study
 To recommend the institution’s
accreditation status to the Accreditation
Commission
Team Preparation
Read All TRACS Manuals
 Policies and Procedures
 Accreditation Manual
 Benchmarks
 Visiting Team Manual
 Visiting Team Workbook
 Visiting Team Evaluation Instruments
Team Preparation
 Read the entire self-study, supporting
documents, catalog, and other material
submitted by the institution.
 Analyze the assigned areas in detail.
 Formulate questions, determine
interviews, and determine additional
documentation that may need to be
reviewed.
Team Preparation
 Prepare a draft copy of your report prior
to the visit including preliminary
recommendations.
 Be prepared to discuss your preliminary
findings with the team at the team
meetings.
The Chair
 The Chair contacts the team and the
institution to prepare for the visit.
 Sometimes, the Chair makes a
preliminary visit to the institution.
 The Chair coordinates the visit and
provides support for each team member.
 The Chair convenes the team meetings.
The Chair
 The Chair provides basic information to
the institution in preparation for the visit.
 All communication from the team is
conducted through the Chair.
The Site Visit
 The evaluation team composed of
professional educators evaluates
– The institution according to its mission
– The self-study report
 The site visit or evaluation team visit is a
major component of the review.
 A typical visit usually lasts four days.
The Site Visit
 The team arrives the afternoon of the
first day in time to complete a team
orientation in the afternoon.
 The team provides a list of people to be
interviewed to the chair at the orientation
meeting in the afternoon.
 A dinner or reception is held on the first
evening with the key administrators of
the institution.
The Site Visit
 The second and third days are dedicated
to interviews, meetings, and review of
documentation.
 An evaluation team report is written by
the team, and submitted to the
Accreditation Commission.
 An exit interview is held on the fourth
day.
The Site Visit
 A draft copy of the team report with
commendations, recommendations, and
suggestions are left with the institution
for action and response.
 The team makes a confidential
recommendation to the Accreditation
Commission on the status sought.
General Duties of the Team
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Ask questions
Visit classes
Interview
Conduct open meetings
Take extensive notes
Share findings with other team members
Make Recommendations and Suggestions for
institutional improvement or compliance.
 Expand and correct sections of the team report
- Reality THE TEAM IS A VERY BUSY GROUP FOR
THE ENTIRE FOUR DAY PERIOD!!!!!
A Typical Team Assignment
Roster for a Candidacy Visit
Standards
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Biblical Foundations
Purpose and Objectives
Philosophy of Education
Ethical Values and Standards
Instructional Support
A Typical Team Assignment
Roster for a Candidacy Visit
(Cont.)
Standards
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Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Undergraduate Faculty
Graduate Faculty
Distance Education
Student Services
A Typical Team Assignment
Roster for a Candidacy Visit
(Cont.)
Standards
 The Governing Board
 The Administration
 Support Staff
 Institutional Advancement
 Institutional Effectiveness
A Typical Team Assignment
Roster for a Candidacy Visit
(Cont.)
Standards
 Publications
 Policies
 Financial Operations
 Health and Security
 Facilities and Equipment
For an accreditation visit, a team member for
institutional effectiveness is added.
Accreditation Commission Action
 The Accreditation Commission reviews
– The self-study report
– The evaluation team report
– The response submitted by the institution to the
team report
– The Staff recommendation
– The Commission Readers’ recommendation
 The institution is invited to have
representative(s) present for the Accreditation
Commission’s decision-making meeting
 The Accreditation Commission makes the final
decision on the accreditation status of the
institution
Follow-up
 The institution follows-up on team
recommendations and/or Accreditation
Commission conditions.
 A Progress Report is prepared and
presented to the TRACS Office .
Things You Might Want to
Know
 The institution arranges for airport and
on-site transportation, lodging, and
meals.
 The institution provides a separate
hotel/motel room for each team member.
 A work room is provided at the hotel as
well as a documents’ room that can be
used as a team room at the institution.
Things You Might Want to
Know
 A computer is provided by the
institution.
 A typist may also be provided.
 You may wish to bring your own
computer.
TRACS Office Responsibilities
 Make the team assignments
 Provide a roster and team itinerary to all
parties involved
 Make the team travel arrangements
 Provide a packet of information to the
team that contains forms, etc.
“Not All Standards Are Created
Equal”
Foundational Standards
 Biblical Foundations
 Purpose and Objectives
 Philosophy of Education
 Ethical Values and Standards
Uniqueness of Foundational
Standards
 The foundational standards distinguish
TRACS from most accrediting agencies.
Operational Standards
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The Organizational Structure – Governance
Publications and Policies
Educational Program
Faculty
Student Services
Financial Operations
Operational Standards
 Institutional Advancement
 Institutional Effectiveness
 Library and Learning Resources
 Facilities and Equipment
 Health and Security
“The Fab Five” which is now
the “Incredible Seven”
 Governance (Board) and Administration
(Leadership Team)
 Academic Programs
 Faculty
 Students
 Library and Learning Resources
 Finances
 Planning and Assessment
“Writing the Team Report”
Suggestions concerning
writing the team report
 All recommendations must be supported
in the narrative preceding the
recommendation (s).
 No first or last names are to be used.
 Combine recommendations where
possible. Do not duplicate.
 Use the Benchmarks in writing the team
report.
Suggestions continued
 Discuss with other peer evaluators at
regular chair called meetings your
findings prior to finalizing your report.
 Begin each recommendation,
suggestion, and commendation with
“The Visiting Team…..”
 Recommendations should be based
solely on non-compliance with a
standard(s).
Suggestions continued
 Each recommendation must be criterionreferenced.
 Suggestions reflect a professional view
and are not based on a standard (s).
 The team report in total must be
discussed by the entire team, led by the
chair, prior to finalization. All
recommendations, suggestions, and
commendations must be read aloud by
the evaluator giving them.
Let’s move ahead!
 The team report must represent a true
“snap shot” of the institution at the time
of the visit.
 Don’t deal with future promises.
 The team report must validate the selfstudy.
 The team report must be supported by
interviews with faculty, administration,
staff, board, students, academic alumni,
and significant others of the institution’s
community.
We’re just about finished!
 The team report must represent the
evaluation team’s assessment of the
institution’s compliance/non-compliance
with the TRACS Standards and Criteria.
Summary
 Each major criteria category (e.g.,
undergraduate faculty) should be
followed with narrative which describes
what actually exists in light of the
individual criteria statement.
 After the narrative, include the
commendations, recommendations, and
suggestions for that section.
 The recommendation(s) must contain the
number of the standard that is in noncompliance at the end of the statement in
parenthesis.
Summary
 Be prepared!
 Be objective!!