University Accreditation Open Forum April 7, 2011 Christa Walck Professor & Assistant Provost

1. University Accreditation Open ForumApril 7, 2011Christa WalckProfessor & Assistant Provost

2. Criteria For Accreditation • Mission and Integrity • Preparing for the Future • Student Learning and Effective Teaching • Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge • Engagement and Service

3. Programs: PEAQ vs. AQIP PEAQ Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality PEAQ employs a five-step comprehensive evaluation process to determine continued accredited status. AQIP Academic Quality Improvement Program AQIP is structured around quality improvement principles and processes and involves a structured set of goal-setting, networking, and accountability activities.

4. AQIP Categories • Helping Students Learn • Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives • Understanding Students’ and other Stakeholders’ Needs • Valuing People • Leading and Communicating • Supporting Institutional Operations • Measuring Effectiveness • Planning Continuous Improvement • Building Collaborative Relationships

5. AQIP Cycles of Improvement • Action • One-year cycle • 3 or more Action Projects • Annual updates • Accreditation • Seven-year cycle • Check-up Visit • Reaffirmation of Accreditation • Strategy • Four-year cycle • Systems Portfolio • Systems Appraisal • Strategy Forum

6. Michigan Tech AQIP Timeline

7. Summary of Action Projects

8. Summary of Action Projects

9. AQIP Project: Increasing Gender Diversity of Faculty & Students The goal of this project is to develop processes and practices that will increase the gender diversity of faculty and students in order to • “prepare students to create the future” (mission) and • “attract, retain, and support a world-class and diverse faculty, staff, and student population” (goal). It will improve processes for students and faculty, and communicate the value of gender diversity to our stakeholders.

10. AQIP Project: Increasing Gender Diversity of Faculty & Students Five interrelated projects: • Communication campaign: Develop and communicate gender/diversity goals to all stakeholders. • Improve brand awareness of Michigan Tech among females in external environment. • Improve processes for recruiting and mentoring female faculty (NSF ADVANCE Grant) • Improve processes for recruiting female students. • Improve processes for advising and mentoring female students.

11. AQIP Project: Increasing Gender Diversity of Faculty & Students • Goal 1: 35% of all students (graduate and undergraduate) at Michigan Tech will be women by 2020 • Goal 2: Top 10 for number of engineering undergraduate degrees granted to women • Goal 3: Exceed national average for women faculty and students in STEM disciplines

12. The Case for Increasing Female Enrollment at Michigan Tech It’s strategic • Women are half of the world’s population – we need to attract and retain them. Our students will gain a better understanding of contemporary global social and cultural contexts with engaged, thoughtful men and women in the classroom. • There are highly qualified women students we are not reaching. Women tend to engage more in research and other activities that promote social development, which supports our goal of sustainable economic and social development.

13. The Case for Increasing Female Enrollment at Michigan Tech It’s the right thing to do The world needs more talented scientists and engineers, but cultural barriers in STEM disciplines challenge even gifted women. Encouraging girls and young women to consider careers in STEM and pave the way to success is the right thing for us to do.

14. The Case for Increasing Female Enrollment at Michigan Tech It will improve the Quality of Education • We need to educate the whole person. Women students want to make a difference and take on more leadership roles on campus. More women students will change the learning environment at Michigan Tech. • More women on campus will improve the climate for diversity. It will alleviate the isolation of female students majoring in fields where they are a small minority, and create a better social climate for male students, preparing them to work with women when they graduate.

15. The Case for Increasing Female Enrollment at Michigan Tech It’s good business • Upgrading overall academic achievement One of the most predictable drivers of academic success is the quality of the student body. Women are strong students, and we need to attract them to our talent pool. As the overall quality of our applicant pool rises, we can be more selective. • Improving retention As the quality of our student body improves, fewer students will leave for academic reasons. If we achieve a critical mass of women in all disciplines, they will be more comfortable here and more likely to stay. The male students may be more likely to stay, too. •  Enhancing alumni support Better, happier students become more successful, engaged alumni who are more likely to support the University. • Raising US News rankings More-selective admissions, higher retention, and alumni engagement are all drivers of US News rankings.

16. AQIP Project: Increasing Gender Diversity of Faculty & Students DESIRED OUTCOMES • Increased % of retention and graduation of female students. • Increased % of retention, tenure and promotion of female faculty • Improved satisfaction of female students and faculty. • Improved membership in organizations supporting women, and participation by women in Enterprise and professional science & engineering organizations.

17. AQIP Project: International Experience Michigan Tech’s Strategic Plan Goal 2 encourages student participation in international experiences in order to understand the social and cultural contexts of the contemporary world. AQIP tasks: • Clarify student options for international experiences so that students can be better informed about opportunities and assisted in selecting opportunities appropriate to their needs.  • Identify all current programs that could broadly be considered “faculty-led” and determine how and where coordination between academic units, IPS and the Provost is necessary to facilitate international experiences.  

18. AQIP Project: International ExperienceGlobal Citizenship Award

19. AQIP Project: International Experience GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP AWARD • Rank-orders experiences which would help students understand the social and cultural contexts of the contemporary world. • Encourages students to gain the experience necessary to be a global citizen – both on campus and studying abroad. • It is open to all students at Michigan Tech - undergraduate and graduate domestic and international students.

20. AQIP Project: International ExperienceStudy Abroad Important guidelines: • Assure the safety and protection of students studying abroad. • Promote consistency and reduce redundancies with a process that is helpful and not onerous for faculty. • Follow university policies to reduce university liability.

21. AQIP Project: International ExperienceStudy Abroad • What aspects of faculty-led programs should be centralized in IPS so that IPS can provide oversight and consistency? • What aspects should be delegated to academic units so that innovation is encouraged? • What aspects should be overseen by the Provost to insure fairness and consistency? • How and where coordination between academic units, IPS and the Provost is necessary to facilitate international experiences?

22. AQIP Project: International ExperienceStudy Abroad • Faculty International Academic Coordinator (FAIC). A faculty member with significant international experience, appointed by the Provost. • New faculty-led study abroad programs must follow a consistent process. • Existing study abroad programs should assure that they meet the criteria underlying this process. • All programs which involve Michigan Tech students in international travel and study require standard documentation, insurance and a briefing.

23. AQIP Project: International ExperienceStudy Abroad Review process for study abroad programs: • Attend annual fall semester study abroad workshop. • Develop a concept proposal. • Estimate revenues & expenses to determine break-even • Cover instructor salary & expenses • Review of concept proposal by FAIC • Register and promote accepted proposals. • Pre-departure briefing.

24. AQIP Project: Academic Advising • Academic Advising Council • Assessment of Advising: • Student learning objectives: Requirements for graduation • Advising processes & delivery • Advisor resources: • Expectations for Advisors • website, handbook, FAQs, resource map • Training – ethics, DARS • Regular workshops

25. AQIP Project: Professional Development Goal: Develop, implement and continuously evaluate a system that supports and encourages professional development and provides all employees with opportunities to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities.

26. AQIP Project: Professional Development Supervisor Education – Leadership Academy Structure of the Academy • Cohort of 20 participants for 10 months • Theme: transitioning from supervisor to leader and continuous improvement using lean principles Learning outcomes • Understand and apply core competencies • Improve strategic plan implementation • Utilize lean principles to improve a process • Plan for professional and career development

27. AQIP Project: Professional Development Core Training for All Supervisors • Recruiting and hiring policies, conducting interviews, reference checking • Performance management, conducting effective performance appraisals, on-going reviews, corrective action, discipline • Legal issues for supervisors (FLSA, AAO, Workers comp, etc.) • Supervisor responsibilities and accountabilities, including supervising in a union environment • HR policies and procedures • Introduction to Continuous Improvement

28. Assessment of Student Learning • AQIP Category 1 = Helping Students Learn • First Step: University Student Learning Goals • Developed by Assessment and General Education Councils • Reviewed by Deans & Directors • Reviewed by Board of Control & Senate committee • Feedback from USG, GSG • Identify General Education Learning Goals

29. University Student Learning Goals • Disciplinary Knowledge • Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World • Global Literacy • Critical and Creative Thinking • Communication • Information Literacy • Technology • Values and Civic Engagement

30. Assessment of Student Learning • Next Steps: • Integrate SLOs with professional accreditation (AACSB, ABET, SAF) • Establish student learning goals for College of Science and Arts degree programs • Integrate with Student Affairs and Academic Advising learning goals • Map University SLOs onto program curriculae.g., where do students learn Information Literacy during their 4+ years at Michigan Tech? • Assess University SLOs

31. University AQIP Forums • USG March 23 • GSG March 28 • University Senate April 6 • AQIP Open Forum April 7 4pm MUB Ballroom B3 • Assessment Open Forum April 25 1:30pmMUB Ballroom B2-3

32. THANK YOU! • AQIP webpage: www.mtu.edu/aqip • Feel free to contact me and give me feedback on AQIP projects and assessment! Christa Walck cwalck@mtu.edu