Securing Faculty and Staff Buy-in for AQIP The Higher Learning Commission 2004 Annual Meeting March 30, 2004 Chicago, Illinois

Presenters Paula Hopper, Faculty Nursing Department Jackson Community College Paula Hopper, Faculty Nursing Department Jackson Community College Jim Dingman, Faculty Institutional Research & Assessment Jackson Community College Jim Dingman, Faculty Institutional Research & Assessment Jackson Community College

Why should any of us care about buy-in? AQIP requires broad institutional support AQIP requires broad institutional support Faculty are the heart of the academy Faculty are the heart of the academy The absence of buy-in is either apathy or resistance The absence of buy-in is either apathy or resistance

Jackson Community College

What happened to quality at JCC? Changes in college programs, priorities Changes in college programs, priorities Reductions in resources Reductions in resources Turnover of personnel Turnover of personnel Loss of momentum Loss of momentum

President Dan Phelan

Who was chosen... Members of the committee represented: The breadth of the organization The breadth of the organization Opinion leaders Opinion leaders Diverse experiences with accreditation Diverse experiences with accreditation Widely varied viewpoints Widely varied viewpoints

President’s Charge Compare Self-Study and AQIP Compare Self-Study and AQIP Evaluate training and implementation time Evaluate training and implementation time Define relationship to Strategic Plan initiatives Define relationship to Strategic Plan initiatives Assure congruence with the campus culture Assure congruence with the campus culture Make a recommendation as to which accreditation strategy JCC should select Make a recommendation as to which accreditation strategy JCC should select

Process Used to Make a Decision… We talked with other colleges

Then...

We attended conferences and training sessions Leadership for Quality in Education (AQIP and ASQ) Leadership for Quality in Education (AQIP and ASQ) Pre-conference AQIP workshops at NCA Annual Meetings Pre-conference AQIP workshops at NCA Annual Meetings AQIP Vital Focus Team Leader Training AQIP Vital Focus Team Leader Training Michigan Community College’s Quality Improvement Initiative Roundtable Michigan Community College’s Quality Improvement Initiative Roundtable

We listened to JCC people Constellation Constellation Vital Focus Vital Focus

Mean Evaluator Ratings of Responses Favorable Neutral Unfavorable Mean Number of Responses Constellation Data

Vital Focus Conversations Over one-third of the faculty and staff participated. Over one-third of the faculty and staff participated. The experience was engaging, collaborative, participatory and open. The experience was engaging, collaborative, participatory and open. We heard concerns about readiness, cost, effort and time commitment. We heard concerns about readiness, cost, effort and time commitment. Feedback indicated significant readiness and commitment to continuous improvement. Feedback indicated significant readiness and commitment to continuous improvement.

How Decision was Delivered All campus presentation of recommendation to the president All campus presentation of recommendation to the president Town hall meeting to discuss issues Town hall meeting to discuss issues President invited s, phone calls or appointments to talk President invited s, phone calls or appointments to talk President announced his decision President announced his decision

Compare Self-Study and AQIP Criteria Criteria Processes Processes How are they similar? How do they differ?

The AQIP Cycle Continued Accreditation Action Projects Strategy Forum Systems Portfolio Annual Update Systems Appraisal

Is it Self-Study or AQIP? There is clarity of authority for mission- driven decision–making about goals. There is clarity of authority for mission- driven decision–making about goals. The organization’s planning processes and strategy and action plans help achieve the institution’s mission and vision. The organization’s planning processes and strategy and action plans help achieve the institution’s mission and vision.

Try Again? The organization’s systems of quality assurance include regular review of whether the strategies, activities, processes, and technologies being used to enhance student learning are the most effective possible. The organization’s systems of quality assurance include regular review of whether the strategies, activities, processes, and technologies being used to enhance student learning are the most effective possible. The organization collects, analyzes, and uses information to manage itself and to drive performance improvement. The organization collects, analyzes, and uses information to manage itself and to drive performance improvement.

Comparison of Effort…

Compare Self-Study and AQIP… Criteria Criteria Both are similar in scope and objective Both are similar in scope and objective Both contain quality improvement language Both contain quality improvement language Processes Processes Self-Study: Concentrated two-year effort Self-Study: Concentrated two-year effort AQIP: Sustained effort AQIP: Sustained effort

Next Steps... Strategy Forum Strategy Forum Action projects Action projects Portfolio development Portfolio development Time lines Time lines Kick-off day Kick-off day

What made it work? Broad representation on initial committee that investigated AQIP Broad representation on initial committee that investigated AQIP Personal invitations from president to faculty and staff to become team members Personal invitations from president to faculty and staff to become team members Confidence in president’s vision to become a quality-driven institution Confidence in president’s vision to become a quality-driven institution

What made it work? Evidence that campus is ready to join AQIP Evidence that campus is ready to join AQIP Critical mass of opinion leaders in favor of AQIP Critical mass of opinion leaders in favor of AQIP Commitment of resources for exploration of and preparation for the AQIP move Commitment of resources for exploration of and preparation for the AQIP move

Surprises Missionaries’ excitement Missionaries’ excitement Aurelie's passion Aurelie's passion Broad willingness to serve Broad willingness to serve

What'd you call it? ? AQIP!