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SCU’s WASC Reaccreditation

SCU’s WASC Reaccreditation. Diane Jonte-Pace, Self Study Steering Committee Chair Don Dodson, Academic Liaison Officer Winter 2007. What is WASC?. Western Association of Schools and Colleges One of 7 regional accrediting commissions recognized by federal government

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SCU’s WASC Reaccreditation

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  1. SCU’s WASC Reaccreditation • Diane Jonte-Pace, Self Study Steering Committee Chair • Don Dodson, Academic Liaison Officer • Winter 2007

  2. What is WASC? • Western Association of Schools and Colleges • One of 7 regional accrediting commissions recognized by federal government • Responsible for 157 institutions of higher education in California and Hawaii

  3. What is WASC? • Regional accreditation required for • Title IV eligibility • Federal grants • Transferability of credit • Recognition of degrees

  4. New WASC Process • Four standards including 42 Criteria for Review, compared with about 150 standards previously • Collegial process: Aimed at promoting improvement rather than at looking for failure • Focus on evidence of actual student learning

  5. WASC’s Concerns • What is our capacity to educate students well? • How effective are we in doing this? • How can we improve student learning and institutional learning?

  6. Step 1: Institutional Proposal • Due May 15, 2007 • Presents preliminary self-review under standards • Proposes plan of work for self-study

  7. Step 2: Capacity and Preparatory Review • Fall 2009 • Site visit • Focus: • Resources, structures, processes • Infrastructure to support educational effectiveness • Status of preparations for Educational Effectiveness Review

  8. Step 3: Educational Effectiveness Review • Spring 2011 • Site visit • Focus: • Learning environment • Student learning outcomes • Effectiveness of quality assurance processes • How we use evidence for improvement

  9. What does WASC want from us? • Identify our most important issues • Examine each as an “action research project” • Gather and interpret evidence • Make improvements • Increase effectiveness

  10. Fall 2006 Survey • Purpose • How Santa Clara is doing on the WASC criteria for review • Possible themes for WASC review • Response Rate • Full-time faculty: 45% • Staff: 33% • Students: 14% • Board members: 29%

  11. Fall 2006 Survey (cont.) • Findings • Majority of all four groups think Santa Clara meets all the WASC criteria • Board members most positive, followed by students, then staff, then faculty • However: >25% of at least one group rated performance negatively on 15 criteria

  12. Areas of Some Concern • Diversity • Leadership; structures; processes • Staffing levels or qualifications • Information Resources • Alignment of Priorities • Student Advising • Stakeholder Involvement

  13. Themes Proposed in Survey • Respondents rated importance of six possible themes. • A majority of all four groups rated all six as very important or important.

  14. Themes Proposed in Survey • Competence, Conscience, and Compassion • Teaching Scholar Model • Processes to Improve Academic Quality and Student Learning • Implementation of Core Curriculum • Diversity and Inclusive Excellence • Role of Graduate Programs

  15. Principles for Selecting Themes • Important to University • Relevant to Strategic Plan • Relevant to student learning • Relevant to WASC Criteria for Review • Suitable for action research • Something SCU needs to do anyway

  16. Proposed Themes for WASC Self Study • Educating for Competence, Conscience and Compassion • Strengthening the Santa Clara Teaching Scholar Model • Promoting a Community of Inclusive Excellence

  17. Questions, Evidence, Decisions: ECCC • What do we mean by “educating for competence, conscience, and compassion”? • ECCC learning outcomes for undergrads? For graduate students? • Evidence? • Becoming more effective?

  18. Questions, Evidence, Decisions: SCTSM • What is the Santa Clara Teaching Scholar Model (SCTSM)? • How is it different from other models of faculty roles? • Faculty concerns about TSM? • Connection to SCU’s commitment to a community of inclusive excellence?

  19. Questions, Evidence, Decisions: SCTSM • Connection to goal of educating for competence, conscience, and compassion? • Can TSM be more effective in serving faculty and students in the context of Santa Clara’s distinctiveness as a Jesuit university?

  20. Questions, Evidence, Decisions: COIE • What do we mean by a “community of inclusive excellence”? • Diversity and inclusive excellence • Among faculty? • In the administration? • Among staff? • In the student body?

  21. Questions, Evidence, Decisions: COIE (cont.) • Diversity and inclusive excellence in • Policies? • Practices? • Campus climate?

  22. Questions, Evidence, Decisions: COIE (cont.) • Diversity and inclusiveness in curriculum? • Improving as community of inclusive excellence, based on evidence collected?

  23. WASC Reaccreditation • Burden or Opportunity? • Report Writers or Change Agents? • Compliance or Engagement?

  24. Previous WASC recommendations • Library/CIO • Counseling Psych/Ed • Diversity • Program Review • Centralize Faculty Development

  25. Communication with University Community • Self-Study Committee of faculty & staff • Website with SCU’s WASC data • Coming soon • Draft documents shared • Comments and feedback welcome

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