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The Role of IR in Supporting the Accreditation Process: A Chair’s Perspective. Dr. Barbara R. Sadowski Chief Planning Officer Marywood University http://www.marywood.edu. Two Distinct Roles for IR. Support for the self-study process Preparing for the self-study (Year 1)
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The Role of IR in Supporting the Accreditation Process: A Chair’s Perspective Dr. Barbara R. Sadowski Chief Planning Officer Marywood University http://www.marywood.edu NEAIR November 2005
Two Distinct Roles for IR • Support for the self-study process • Preparing for the self-study (Year 1) • During the self-study (Year 2) • Preparing for the campus visit (Year 3) • Documenting Institutional Effectiveness • Critical Success Factors/benchmarks • Developing a plan NEAIR November 2005
Preparing for the Self-study • Start early – at least three years before expected visit (2003 summer for spring 2006 visit) • Activities: (Year 1) • Determine what accreditation process and standards require as evidence – MSA Website • Inventory current survey coverage • Conduct surveys where necessary – plan for funding • Sign up for surveys where needed, e.g., faculty, CLA, alumni • Scan important documents, e.g., accreditation reports NEAIR November 2005
Preparing for the Self-Study • Make survey data readily accessible to campus users • Provide campus with organized and easily interpreted data • Suggestions that worked: • Intranet IR site for campus users • Scanned documents as PDF files • Survey reports across years • Survey data in easily interpreted format, e.g, Excel files with multiple years, use conditional formatting for significant differences NEAIR November 2005
Preparing for the Self-Study • Link accreditation standards to survey results • Cross-walk between MSA elements and NSSE items • Organize list of IR resources by MSA standards • Table of Resources for Self-study Design • Organize resources by study group • Relate items from surveys, e.g., SSI, CSS to MSA elements • Special topics self-study requires a roadmap relating documentation evidence to elements of MSA standards NEAIR November 2005
NSSE Item Worked on a research project with faculty outside of course… Quality of relationships w/ faculty Community Service Attending campus events and activities MSA Standards 10, 13, 14 6, 9, 10 6, 13, 14 1, 11 Example of Cross-walk betweenSurvey data and Standards NEAIR November 2005
During the Self-Study • Use on-line surveys to handle ad hoc requests for data, e.g., Survey Monkey • Refer requests for survey data to website with resources for self-study accreditation • Check initial drafts of self-study for correct interpretation of survey data • IR staff serve on relevant study groups as resource person(s) NEAIR November 2005
Preparing for the Team Visit • Two distinct aspects to supporting evidence: • Charts and graphs in appendices to self-study document • Evidence for documentation room • Assemble the documentation room evidence • Create a CD with self-study text and links to supporting material • If a special topics self-study, then a roadmap linking elements and evidence needs to be developed NEAIR November 2005
Documenting Institutional Effectiveness • MSA standard on assessment of institutional effectiveness • Role of IR is not as support for accreditation process but rather as the primary source for documentation of institutional effectiveness • Mission statement including goals and objectives determines what needs to be documented as evidence of institutional effectiveness NEAIR November 2005
Documenting Institutional Effectiveness • Institutional Assessment is more comprehensive than Student Learning Outcomes Assessment • A distinction between direct and indirect evidence of outcomes needs to be clear • NSSE data provide direct evidence of institutional environment for learning, not evidence of learning outcomes. NEAIR November 2005
Documenting Institutional Effectiveness • Benchmarks comparing institution indicators against a peer group • Dashboard indicators track self-referenced critical success factors • Selection of no more than 10 indicators - very important • Across institution finance, enrollment, quality, advancement • Relate to both institutional goals and strategic goals NEAIR November 2005
Documenting Institutional Effectiveness • Dashboard indicators • Provide 5 years worth of data (hidden graph) • Indicate high and low points • Indicate current year’s value and assessment of change from previous year (color-coded) • Positive • Negative • Stable NEAIR November 2005