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SACS Review and Reaffirmation @ WCU. Training and Orientation Thursday, February 24, 2005 Carol Burton, Director, SACS Review. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - SACS. 785 member institutions of higher education (includes private, public, junior colleges and universities)
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SACS Review and Reaffirmation @ WCU Training and Orientation Thursday, February 24, 2005 Carol Burton, Director, SACS Review
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - SACS • 785 member institutions of higher education (includes private, public, junior colleges and universities) • Eleven southernmost states, Latin America and the Caribbean • Voluntary process/federal involvement • Process AND product • Integrity AND commitment • Self regulation AND self-government
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - SACS • Commission on Colleges oversight • Emphasis on institutional assessment of effectiveness related to: ~ Mission ~ Compliance with common standards ~ Enhancing quality of student learning ~ Programs and services ~ Evaluation and continuous assessment • Accountability to external and internal groups
Review Process - Compliance • Core Requirements – institutional mission and effectiveness; educational programs; faculty. • Comprehensive Standards – governance; degree programs; faculty credentials; library and learning resources; student affairs; physical and financial resources. • Federal Requirements – HE Amendments, recruitment; academic policies; publications.
Compliance – Core Requirements • Twelve Basic Qualifications • Degree-granting power • Governing Board • CEO • Mission • Effectiveness • General Education • Quality Enhancement (etc., see pp. 15-17)
Institutional mission Institutional governance and effectiveness Administration Assessment Educational programs graduate undergraduate post-baccalaureate professional Faculty (credentials) Library/learning resources Student affairs Student services Distance education Resources physical financial (see pp. 21-27) Compliance Comprehensive Standards
Compliance – Federal Requirements(see p. 31) • Quality indicators (job placement, state licensing exam rates, course completion data) • Curriculum relevance • Quality control of public documents • Student complaints • Recruitment materials • HE Amendments
Quality Enhancement Plan cont’d • Complement strategic planning and institutional mission • Enhance student learning • Focused and futuristic • Reflect current best practices • Capitalize on university strengths and weaknesses • Engage university community • 75 (+25 reference) Pages
Evaluation of the QEP • Development and topic selection • Capability for initiation, sustenance, and resource allocation • Assessment • University community involvement * * * * * * *
SACS Peer Review Process • External Review • Three Stages
1. Off-Site Review Committee • Determines institutional compliance with core requirements, comprehensive standards, and federal requirements; • Does NOT review QEP; • Reviews cluster of compliance certification reports by institution type; • Convenes in November, 2006.
2. On-Site Review Committee • Reviews QEP; • Reviews all core requirements and comprehensive standards found non-compliant; • Responsible for the reaffirmation report submitted to the Commission on Colleges; • Visit institution in late spring, 2007.
3. Commission on Colleges Review • Reviews institutional and on-site committee reports; • Determines reaffirmation status; • Creates follow-up/further action report if necessary; • Convenes in June and December, 2007.
SACS Review - Abbreviated Timeline • June 13, 2005…SACS Orientation, Atlanta • December 3-6, 2005…SACS Annual Meeting, Atlanta • August 15, 2006…Compliance Certification due • December 1, 2006…QEP due • March – April, 2007…On-Site Team Visit
http://www.wcu.edu/sacs Carol Burton, Director, SACS Review 560 H. F. Robinson Administration Bldg. Western Carolina University 227-7497/3019 burton@email.wcu.edu