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Accreditation Purpose, Not Process

Accreditation Purpose, Not Process. Sonny Ramaswamy. New Economy. Population Demographic changes Poverty Hunger Health Sustainability Global competition Migration Conflict Innovations Big Data. Robotics Smart systems Technology Automation Climate change Shale/Fracking

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Accreditation Purpose, Not Process

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  1. AccreditationPurpose, Not Process Sonny Ramaswamy

  2. New Economy • Population • Demographic changes • Poverty • Hunger • Health • Sustainability • Global competition • Migration • Conflict • Innovations • Big Data • Robotics • Smart systems • Technology • Automation • Climate change • Shale/Fracking • Resource stewardship • Ecological footprint • Environmentalism • Anti-intellectual • Anti-science

  3. Higher Education in 21st Century • Internal pressures • Demographics • Student success and learning outomes • Student Preparation • Budgets • Technology • Infrastructure • Relevance • External pressures • Student success • Value proposition • Shelf life • Federal, state, local regulations • Political considerations • HEA Reauthorization • Relevance to national and global economies • Demographics • Technology, online, MOOCs, MOOSEs • Competition • Integrity of education systems

  4. Context for Accreditation • Reauthorization of Higher Education Act • Negotiated rulemaking • Political environment • Calls for transparency and disaggregated data • Enrollment and financial challenges • Managing change

  5. Aligning Efforts • Retention, persistence, and student success academies • Mission fulfillment fellowship • Workshops • Webinars • Networking, best practices, mentoring • Annual conference • Commission staff and other resources • Rethinking purpose

  6. Purpose of Accreditation • Peer evaluative process for assessing educational quality, stability, and sustainability by applying a set of standards, eligibility requirements, and policies • Institutions qualify for Federal Title IV funds and grants and contracts • Institutional reputation • Purpose • Student achievement and success • Accountability • Quality assurance • Continuous improvement USDE States BC Accreditors

  7. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) • Title 34 – Education • Part 602 – The Secretary’s Recognition of Accrediting Agencies • Subpart B - The Criteria for Recognition. Required Operating Policies and Procedures • Metrics • Retention, Graduation, Default rates NACIQI , Employment Accreditors

  8. NWCCU’s Current Mission “The mission of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) is to assure educational quality, enhance institutional effectiveness, and foster continuous improvement of colleges and universities in the Northwest region through analytical institutional self-assessment and critical peer review based upon evaluation criteria that are objectively and equitably applied to institutions with diverse missions, characteristics, and cultures.  Institutions accredited or preaccredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities are required to examine their own missions, goals, operations, and achievements. It then provides expert analysis by peer evaluators, and, later, commendations for accomplishments and recommendations for improvement from the accrediting body. Since the accreditation status of an institution is reviewed periodically, institutions are encouraged toward continued self-study and improvement. NWCCU fulfills its mission by establishing accreditation criteria and evaluation procedures by which institutions are reviewed.”

  9. Current NWCCU Standards • STANDARD ONE – MISSION & CORE THEMES • 1.A Mission • 1.A.1 • 1.A.2 • 1.B Core Themes • 1.B.1 • 1.B.2 • STANDARD TWO – RESOURCES & CAPACITY 2.A Governance • 2.A.1 • 2.A.2 • 2.A.3 • GOVERNING BOARD • 2.A.4 • 2.A.5 • 2.A.6 • 2.A.7 • 2.A.8 • LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT • 2.A.9 • 2.A.10 • 2.A.11 • POLICIES AND PROCEDURES • Academics • 2.A.12 • 2.A.13 • 2.A.14 • Students • 2.A.15 • 2.A.16 • 2.A.17 • Human Resources • 2.A.18 • 2.A.19 • 2.A.20 • Institutional Integrity • 2.A.21 • 2.A.22 • 2.A.23 • 2.A.24 • 2.A.25 • 2.A.26 • Academic Freedom • 2.A.27 • 2.A.28 • 2.A.29 • Finance • 2.A.30 • 2.B Human Resources • 2.B.1 • 2.B.2 • 2.B.3 • 2.B.4 • 2.B.5 • 2.B.6 • 2.C Education Resources • 2.C.1 • 2.C.2 • 2.C.3 • 2.C.4 • 2.C.5 • 2.C.6 • 2.C.7 • 2.C.8 • UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS • 2.C.9 • 2.C.10 • 2.C.11 • GRADUATE PROGRAMS • 2.C.12 • 2.C.13 • 2.C.14 • 2.C.15 • CONTINUING EDUCATION & NON-CREDIT PROGRAMS • 2.C.16 • 2.C.17 • 2.C.18 • 2.C.19 • 2.D Student Support Resources • 2.D.1 • 2.D.2 • 2.D.3 • 2.D.4 • 2.D.5 • 2.D.6 • 2.D.7 • 2.D.8 • 2.D.9 • 2.D.10 • 2.D.11 • 2.D.12 • 2.D.13 • 2.D.14 • 2.E Library and Information Resources • 2.E.1 • 2.E.2 . • 2.E.3 • 2.E.4 • 2.F Financial Resources • 2.F.1 • 2.F.2 • 2.F.3 • 2.F.4 • 2.F.5 • 2.F.6 • 2.F.7 • 2.F.8 • 2.G • PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE • 2.G.1 • 2.G.2 • 2.G.3 • 2.G.4 • TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE • 2.G.5 • 2.G.6 • 2.G.7 • 2.G.8 • STANDARD THREE – PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION • 3.A Institutional Planning • 3.A.1 • 3.A.2 • 3.A.3 • 3.A.4 • 3.A.5 • 3.B Core Theme Planning • 3.B.1 • 3.B.2 • 3.B.3 • STANDARD FOUR – EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPROVEMENT • 4.A Assessment • 4.A.1 • 4.A.2 • 4.A.3 • 4.A.4 • 4.A.5 • 4.A.6 • 4.B Improvement • 4.B.1 • 4.B.2 • STANDARD FIVE – MISSION FULFILLMENT, ADAPTATION, & SUSTAINABILITY • 5.A Mission Fulfillment • 5.A.1 • 5.A.2 • 5.B • 5.B.1 • 5.B.2 • 5.B.3

  10. A New Path: Purpose, Not Process aka “It’s the students, stupid”

  11. Future Focus • Student outcomes-focused • Risk-based • Enhanced engagement and partnership • Reduced institutional burden and costs

  12. Themes • Student Achievement • & • Success Risk-Based Accreditation & Alternative Pathways Efficiency & Effectiveness Governance Sustainability Transparency

  13. 7-Year Cycle Risk-Based Accreditation • Within-Type Core Measures/Outcomes • Base Goals • Institutional • Regional Peers • National Peers • Aspirational Goals • Institutional • Regional Peers • National Peers Expectations Exceeds Meets Below

  14. Risk-Based Institutional Engagement • Exceeds Expectations • Self-guided continuous improvement • Meets Expectations • NWCCU-guided continuous improvement • Peer review focused on flags during risk assessment • Below Expectations • Mandatory improvement plan • Review of QUALITY and COMPLIANCE aspects of institution • Coordination with State and Federal regulations

  15. Accreditation and Institutional Improvement • Mission fulfillment • Outcomes: Student achievement and success • Costs and indebtedness • Become a learning organization • Institutional critical thinking • Innovation • Programmatic improvements • Effective governance • Improved infrastructure • Improved processes • Continuous improvement

  16. A New Mission that Reflects Purpose The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accredits institutions of higher education by applying evidence-informed standards and processes to support continuous improvements and promote student achievement and success • Student achievement and success • Educational quality • Institutional effectiveness • Continuous improvement • Analytical self-assessment Themes • Critical peer review • Accountability and transparency • Equitability • Research and engagement

  17. Proposed New Standards Imagine: Standards with Purpose Core Competencies/ General Education • Mission Fulfillment (QUALITY) • Themes • Goals • Indicators • Student Success • Core competencies • Program learning outcomes • Retention • Completion • Graduation • Capacity, Resources, Governance (COMPLIANCE) • Desk and Onsite Review • Learning how to learn/ metacognition • Critical thinking • Problem solving • Critical literacies • Global perspective • Integrative learning • Quantitative reasoning • Digital competencies • Ethical responsibility • Collaboration • Communication skills USDE Requirements Student success & achievement Curricula Faculty Facilities, equipment, supplies Fiscal & administrative Student support services Recruiting & admissions Program measures Student complaints Title IV

  18. Aspirational Foundational Accreditation Standards and Eligibility Requirements standard | noun a required or agreed level of quality or attainment … is a journey, and not a destination (eligibility) requirement| noun a thing that is compulsory; a necessary condition

  19. Proposed New Standards STANDARD ONE – INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND EFFECTIVENESS • Institutional Mission • Institutional Effectiveness • Academic Quality • Student Achievement STANDARD TWO – GOVERNANCE, RESOURCES, & CAPACITY • Governance • Policies and Procedures • Institutional Integrity • Financial Resources • Human Resources • Student Support Resources • Library and Information Resources • Physical and Technology Infrastructure

  20. The Process and Timeline Sept-Dec 2018 Sept-Dec 2018 Feb-Mar-Apr-May 2019 Dec 2018 Jan 2019 Members Vote Jun 2019 Jul 2019 Aug 2019 Oct-Dec 2019 Jan 2020

  21. The Process • Annual submission • Staff review • Red flags and non-compliant recommendations moved to Commission Meeting agenda • Onsite peer review in third year • 2 evaluators per visit • Staff review of evaluation reports for Commission Meeting consent agenda • Offsite peer review in fifth year • 5-7 evaluators per season • Non-compliant findings written in a report and forwarded to AQSSE Evaluation Team in Year 7 • Commission Meeting consent agenda • Year 7 onsite peer review • 5-7 evaluators per institution per season • Review of red flag and non-compliant findings from PRFR • Commission Meeting agenda

  22. What We Hope to Accomplish • Develop a relationship with institutions that fosters Continuous Quality Improvement focused on outcomes • Engage faculty and other campus entities to become more fully and meaningfully involved in accreditation • Create a process that inspires achievement of institutional aspirational goals versus a punitive or “Gotcha” process

  23. ….think anew, and act anew.- Abraham Lincoln

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