Accreditation Liaison Officers (ALOs)

1. Accreditation Liaison Officers (ALOs) MSCHE Annual Conference December 2011 Robert A. Schneider Senior Vice President

2. Who is the ALO? • The primary contact with MSCHE staff • A resource to the institution on accreditation issues • Someone with time, knowledge and authority to engage with president and others on campus on accreditation • Not the president and not a consultant

3. ALO roles and responsibilities • For Commission guidelines see: The Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) Role and Responsibilities http://www.msche.org/documents/6B---5-ALO-guidelines-122109.pdf • For resources see: ALO Orientation e-Packet http://www.msche.org/publications/ALO-Orientation-ePacket11.pdf

4. What does an ALO need to know? • Commission Schedule • Accreditation Events and Cycles • Annual Reporting Requirement (IP) • Follow-Up Reporting Requirements • Handbooks contents • Policies, Guidelines & Procedures • MSCHE Website Contents • ALO Newsletter • Workshops, Institutes, Conferences

5. Commission Meetings • Full Commission meets early March, late June, and mid-November • Takes action on recommendations following from Self-Study Evaluations, Periodic Review Reports, Follow-up Reports and Visits • Actions communicated within 30 days of meetings

6. Commission Schedule • Committee meetings • Self-Study Evaluations: 3 x year • Periodic Review Reports: 4-5 x year (October) • Follow-up Reports: 3 x year • Substantive Change Requests: every other month (February, April, etc.) with deadline the first of the month before (January, March)

7. Accreditation Events and Cycles • Self-study evaluation and visit: every ten years (except newly accredited: five years after first accreditation) • Periodic Review Report: five-year interim report between self-studies: always due June 1 • Annual Institutional Profile: due in April of each year

8. Annual Institutional Profile • Offers evaluation teams and staff a snapshot of an institution's structure, operations, finances, and accreditation status; • Enables staff to monitor an individual institution's compliance with selected aspects of accreditation standards;

9. Annual Institutional Profile • Updates the on-line member Directory of member and candidate institutions and the Statement of Accreditation Status; • Provides the Commission with a basis for assessing dues; and • Assists staff in developing region-wide aggregate data.

10. Annual Institutional Profile http://www.msche.org/?Nav1=INSTITUTIONS&Nav2=IP&Nav3=INTRODUCTION

11. Follow-up Reports • Can be requested as result of self-study evaluation, periodic review report, or previous follow-up report • Progress report • Monitoring report • Supplemental report

12. Follow-up Reports • See Guidelines: Follow-Up Reports and Visits http://www.msche.org/documents/6B---4-Follow-up-reports-and-visits-guidelines-122109.pdf

13. Know your handbooks!! • Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education: Requirements of Affiliation and Standards for Accreditation • Handbook for Periodic Review Reports • Self-Study: Creating a Useful Process and Report • Team Visits: Conducting and Hosting an Evaluation Visit

14. Handbooks • All available on our website, http://www.msche.org/publications.asp • Can also be ordered at the website http://www.msche.org/myche/public/publications/publicationorderform.aspx

15. Handbooks • Check handbooks for information prior to contacting the Commission staff with questions • Self-studies are to be 100 pp single-spaced, 200 pp double-spaced

16. Policies (categories) • General Accreditation Policies, Guidelines, and Procedures • The Peer Review Process • Institutional Programs and Services • Public and Government Relationships and Communication

17. Policies (categories) • International Programs • Commission Administrative Procedures • Complaints, Comments, and Appeals

18. Policies • See Policies, Guidelines & Procedures index: http://www.msche.org/?Nav1=POLICIES&Nav2=INDEX

19. Policies of special note • Substantive Change Policy:http://www.msche.org/documents/6B---6-SubstantiveChange_4_.pdf • Substantive Change Processes:http://www.msche.org/documents/Substantive-Change-Processes-New-Version-January-2011.pdf • Substantive Change Visits to Branch Campuses and Additional Locations:http://www.msche.org/documents/P2.8-SubChangeVisits.doc

20. Policies of Special Note • Schedule of Dues and Fees: http://www.msche.org/documents/P1.8-Dues4111[1].doc • Selection of Peer Evaluators: http://www.msche.org/documents/6B---3-Selection-of-Peer-Evaluator-guidelines-122109.pdf

21. Policies of Special Note • Contracts by Accredited and Candidate InstitutionsFor Education-Related Services: http://www.msche.org/documents/P3.2-ContractsforServices[1].doc

22. Special note regarding policies • They change! • Be sure to check the website for most up-to-date • Changes due to HEOA, etc.

23. MSCHE website

24. www.msche.org • Institutions • Alpha order: all candidate and accredited institutions • Basic directory information, institutional website link, date of accreditation and latest reaffirmation • Statement of Accreditation Status and Detail View

25. ALO Newsletter • MSCHE ALO Newsletter is published five times each year: Early Fall, Early Winter, Winter, Spring, and Summer. • ALO Newsletters are also archived on our website: http://www.msche.org/news_newsletter.asp

26. MSCHE events • Self-Study Institute (invitation) • Periodic Review Report Workshop (invitation) • Chairs and Evaluators Workshop (invitation) • Annual conference • Assessment Workshops • Planning and Assessment Workshops

27. Final tips • Check the website regularly • Check with the president’s office upon receipt of MSCHE communications to make sure they receive prompt attention • Keep up with due dates for reports • Communicate with constituencies as needed • Get to know your Commission liaison!