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How to be Successful with the SACS Process: A Review of the Approach and Process of the Owensboro Community and Technical College Web-based SACS Compliance Certification and Crafting of the Quality Enhancement Plan. Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research http://www.octc.kctcs.edu/ir.
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How to be Successful with the SACS Process: A Review of the Approach and Process of the Owensboro Community and Technical College Web-based SACS Compliance Certification and Crafting of the Quality Enhancement Plan Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research http://www.octc.kctcs.edu/ir Kevin Beardmore Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Research Owensboro Community and Technical College Downtown Campus 1501 Frederica Street Owensboro, KY 42303 270.686.4504 kevin.beardmore@kctcs.edu Chad Gesser Instructor of Sociology Owensboro Community and Technical College 4800 New Hartford Road Owensboro, KY 42303 270.686.4435 chad.gesser@kctcs.edu
OCTC SACS Compliance Certification: Timeline • OCTC submitted its SACS Compliance Certification electronically in March 2005 • OCTC submitted its SACS Focused Report electronically in August 2005 • OCTC received reaffirmation of accreditation in June 2006
OCTC SACS Compliance Certification: Lessons Learned • Lessons learned from Presenting Data and Information: A One-Day Course Taught by Edward Tufte, Louisville September 2004 • Information design and the presentation of information • …”the supreme and enduring test of all information design, the integrity of the content displayed: • Is the display revealing the truth? • Is the representation accurate? • Are the data carefully documented? • Do the methods of display avoid spurious readings of the data? • Are appropriate comparisons and contexts shown?” (p. 70, Tufte’s Visual Explanations)
OCTC SACS Compliance Certification: Lessons Learned • Two members of our leadership team had been on recent SACS visits, and our President had a previous history as a reviewer • This gave us insights into strengths and weaknesses of the approach to the Certification • Paper versus electronic • What is the profile of the reviewer? • What are the pros and cons?
OCTC SACS Compliance Certification: Considerations • What are the advantages/disadvantages for the institution? • Web design and information • Investment of time • Historical record • Planning purposes • What are the advantages/disadvantages for SACS? • Easy to transport information • Allows reviewers to focus on the review • Less informational clutter • Easier to get questions answered
OCTC SACS Compliance Certification: Considerations • Design and format* • Keep it simple • Be consistent • Maintain specificity and relevancy of documents and narrative • Consider use of simple navigation From the SACS website, “Guidelines for Communicating Information Electronically“ (http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/Guidelines%20for%20Communication%20Information%20Electronically.pdf)
OCTC SACS Compliance Certification: Guidelines SACS says keep it simple (see resources at: http://www.sacscoc.org/techguidelines.asp)
OCTC SACS Compliance Certification: Our Approach • Dean of Institutional Effectiveness was the SACS Liaison • He chaired the SACS Committee • Instructed respective department heads to draft their narrative with suggested supporting documents • He assisted in revising narratives and identifying additional supporting documents • President revised narratives along with Committee support • All material was transferred to Coordinator of Institutional Effectiveness and formatted electronically into appropriate format • Final Certification for submission was reviewed, and reviewed, and reviewed…then submitted
