Transcript Slide 1

Moving Successfully Toward SACS
Reaffirmation:
An Introductory Discussion
Presenters
Dr. Cathy Fleuriet
Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness
Ms. Lisa Garza
Director for University Planning and Assessment
Dr. Beth Wuest
Director for Academic Development and Assessment
Purpose of Presentation
To provide a holistic overview of issues,
activities and timelines leading to
reaffirmation by the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
 To illustrate how planning and assessment
initiatives at Texas State are leading to
SACS reaffirmation
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Our Presentation will address:
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Changes in SACS reaffirmation requirements
since our last reaffirmation in 1999.
Overview of SACS requirements for reaffirmation
Review of major documents and committees
required for reaffirmation
Explanation of Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
Relationship of Texas State’s planning and
assessment activities to SACS requirements for
reaffirmation
Clarification of department, college, division, and
university responsibilities
Summary of Institutional Effectiveness Calendar
SACS Requirement Changes
Reaffirmation, not “reaccredidation”
Integrity and commitment to quality
enhancement overriding principles
 Accreditation is self-regulated
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Elimination of self study
Elimination of 462 “must statements”
Focus on student learning
Certification of Compliance and Quality Enhancement
Plan
Quality improvement through ongoing process
review
SACS Requirements
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Core Requirements
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Comprehensive Standards
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Basic qualifications that an institution must meet to
be accredited with the Commission on Colleges
Ensure that policies and procedures are in writing,
approved through appropriate institutional processes,
published, accessible, implemented, and enforced
Federal Requirements
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Requirements mandated by federal government for all
institutions
Meeting SACS Requirements
Review of SACS requirements at all
university levels
 Determination of individual department
responsibilities
 Communication with Institutional
Effectiveness and Leadership Team
 Determining where each of us “fits in”
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Major Documents Required
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Compliance Certification
 Once
signed by the President and
Accreditation Liaison, forms a “bond of
integrity” with the Commission
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Quality Enhancement Plan
 Describes
a course of action for institutional
improvement crucial to enhancing educational
quality that is directly related to student
learning
Major Committees Involved
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Leadership Team
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Off-site Review Committee
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An internal team that manages and validates the institutional
assessment of compliance with all Core Requirements and
Comprehensive Standards
An external team that reviews the submitted Compliance
Certifications to determine if the institution is in compliance with
all requirements except QEP
On-site Review Committee
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An external team that determines whether the institution is in
compliance with the QEP and all requirements for which the
report of the Off-site Review Committee indicated as “noncompliance” or “did not review”
Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
Outlines a course of action for long
term institutional improvement with
special attention to student learning
QEP Basics
What is submitted?
 Who’s involved?
 What steps are included?
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 Determine
theme & justify
 Convene task force(s)
 Identify outcomes & assessment
 Establish timeline
 Draft QEP document
Texas State Processes
How do
Texas State’s ongoing processes
relate to SACS reaffirmation?
Strategic
Planning
Educational
Core
Assessment
SACS
Reaffirmation
Academic
Program
Review
Student Learning
Outcomes
Educational
Support
Outcomes
Texas State Assessment
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Texas State Planning Calendar
 Academic
department and school student
learning outcomes
 Administrative division educational support
outcomes
 Strategic planning
 SACS deadlines
Department, School, College,
Division, and University
Responsibilities
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Internal process review
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Strategic plan
Student learning outcomes
Educational support outcomes
Ongoing assessment at all levels
Participation in QEP process
SACS requirements review
Documentation
Education at a Distance
Questions and Answers
Contact Information
Dr. Cathy Fleuriet
245-8113 [email protected]
Ms. Lisa Garza
245-2780 [email protected]
Dr. Beth Wuest
245-2112 [email protected]