1 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Reaffirmation of Accreditation under the new Principles of Accreditation… the LSU Perspective

2 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 philosophy:LSU philosophy:  Embraced SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation  Involved minimal # individuals in Compliance Certification  Engaged campus in creation of QEP  Used electronic format exclusively  Streamlined process minimized disruptions

3 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Louisiana State University Overview Louisiana’s research extensive, flagship institution Land-grant and Sea-grant designations Enrollment of ~32,000 (Fall 2004) Wide array of degree programs in multiple colleges and schools Mission: generation, preservation, dissemination, and application of knowledge and cultivation of the arts Vision: to be a leading research-extensive university, challenging undergraduate and graduate students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development

4 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Initial Structure of LSU’s Reaffirmation 3 distinct entities within LSU System:  Louisiana State University, LSU Hebert Law Center  Both are degree-granting institutions  Both seek reaffirmation of accreditation  LSU Agricultural Center  Non-degree-granting institution  Does not seek accreditation  All share single, large physical space in Baton Rouge  All share select functions, joint support services  Historical precedent for joint submission

5 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Nov : Provost selected Accreditation Liaison/Leadership Team Chair  Chose a Distinguished Professor  Granted release time from classroom teaching  Allocated temporary office space and budget Dec. 2001: Provost, University Planning Council appointed Leadership Team Jan. 2002: Liaison began collaboration with Computing Services Structure of LSU’s Reaffirmation

6 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 LSU’s Leadership Team Chancellor Provost Accreditation Liaison served as Team Chair 9 distinguished full professors (including past/current Faculty Senate Presidents) Law Center representative Student Government representative Ex-Officio members  Academic Affairs: Vice-Provost, Assistant Vice-Chancellor  Budget & Planning: Associate Vice-Chancellor, Director  Center for Excellence in Learning & Teaching: Director Reaffirmation Staff  Part-time Editor: English Instructor (2003)  1 Graduate Assistant  2 Student workers

7 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Development of Compliance Certification Spring 2002: Compliance Certification Sub-Committee formed within Leadership Team (4 members) – Grouped corresponding Core Requirements and Comprehensive Standards into ‘assignments’

8 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Development of Compliance Certification Fall 2002: A ssignments given to key administrators most likely to have ‘answers’ – Detailed instructions provided:  to complete assignment  specified formatting instructions – Liaison worked directly with each administrator and his/her staff to complete assignment – Designated members of Leadership Team served as resource contacts

9 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 November 2002: Website activated. Included public and secure sections - (Leadership Team, SACSCOC Reviewers).

10 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Development of Compliance Certification Fall 2002: Created on-line faculty credentials database  Generated from existing HRM & course mgt. data  Conducted 1 st verification by faculty in Spring 2003 Spring 2003: Created on-line credentials databases for academic support staff, department heads, administrators Created on-line Academic Programs Assessment Matrix

11 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Development of Compliance Certification March - April 2003: Majority of input received from across campus – Liaison and editor collated input April 2003: Liaison and Provost reviewed and revised documentation May - June 2003: Liaison continued revisions, developed full working draft  Embedded hyperlinks throughout  (1000+ hyperlinks)  On-line appendix provided

12 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Compliance Certification Sample Core Requirement & Response 3.The institution has a chief executive officer whose primary responsibility is to the institution and who is not the presiding officer of the board.  In Compliance Narrative: The Chancellor serves as the chief executive officer of Louisiana State University, a unit head within the LSU system and subject to the direction and control of the President of the LSU System and the LSU Board of Supervisors. The Chancellor exercises complete executive authority over the institution in accordance with LSU Policy Statement 50: Responsibilities and Concerns of University Personnel, Section D, #1 and the Bylaws & Regulations of the LSU Board of Supervisors, Article 7, section 4. (To view the Rights, Duties, and Responsibilities of Principal Administrative Officers of the LSU System, click on the Bylaws link, open the.pdf file, and page forward to Article 7, section 4.)Policy Statement 50Bylaws & Regulations Bylaws

13 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Development of Compliance Certification June 2003: Posted draft on secure website for limited review July 2003: Posted revised draft for review by full LSU Community August 14, 2003: Submitted completed documents on-line & on CD to SACSCOC August 15, 2003: Moved Compliance Certification to LSU public website

14 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Submissions for Off-Site Review: Support Form Hardcopy of Compliance Certification Signed Cover Detailed user instructions CD of Compliance Certification, Supporting documents

15 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Follow-up to Off-Site Review October 16, 2003: Conducted Conference call with SACSCOC Liaison to hear results of Off-Site Review In response to Off-Site Review: LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center now seeking accreditation separately Limited number of issues required more documentation/clarification. Information included in Focused Report submitted March 2004.

16 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) “Fulfilling the LSU Flagship Agenda: Enhancing Students' Academic Experiences through Scholarly and Creative Activity” Intricately linked to LSU’s 7-year strategic plan – Flagship Agenda Flagship Agenda focuses on increasing research and scholarly productivity and quality and competitiveness of graduate and undergraduate students

17 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 QEP  QEP focuses on enhancement of student learning and is designed to help achieve Objectives 2 and 3 of the Flagship Agenda –Objective 2 “…increase number and quality of graduate students and programs” –Objective 3 “… increase quality of undergraduate students and programs”  Will run concurrently with Flagship Agenda,

18 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Development of QEP Fall 2002: Campus-wide dialogue/discussion of Flagship Agenda Spring 2003: Flagship Agenda adopted LSU Leadership Team actively involved Focus of QEP determined Fall 2003: Chancellor & Provost created 2 Flagship Study Groups Graduate Education Study Group Undergraduate Education Study Group

19 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004  Each Study Group had ~30 members  Faculty, professional staff, and students  Met bi-weekly Fall 2003 & Spring 2004  Discussed assigned readings such as:  Dealing with the Future Now: Principles for Creating a Vital Campus in a Climate of Restricted Resources  Greater Expectations: A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to College  Preparing for the Revolution: Information Technology and the Future of the Research University  Reinventing Undergraduate Education: A Blueprint for America's Research Universities  (See Bibliography in Handout.) Development of QEP

20 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004  Study Groups reviewed LSU assessment data:  National Survey of Student Engagement  Your First College Year  Cooperative Institutional Research Project  Undergraduate Graduating Student Survey  Other institutional data  Made action recommendations that formed basis of QEP  Contributed text and served as reviewers as QEP evolved  Now helping to implement QEP Development of QEP

21 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Development of QEP Early Spring 2004: QEP actively publicized within LSU Community Website ( Broadcast s Presentations Print articles

22 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 QEP Press Coverage (sample)

23 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Development of QEP March 2004: QEP finalized and submitted to On-Site Review Committee Moved to public part of LSU website

24 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Submissions to On-Site Reviewers: Hardcopy: –FOCUSED REPORT –QEP Detailed user instructions CDs of Focused Report, QEP, Supporting documents

25 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Preparations for On-Site Review Spring 2003: Date set for Site visit Block of Hotel rooms reserved Campus meeting rooms reserved Fall 2003: Two QEP consultants determined and invited to participate Spring 2004: Leadership Team prepared for visit on April Logistics Hospitality PR

26 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 On-Site Review Sample of materials provided to Site Team members General LSU Information Campus food & beverage debit card Portable office Supplies & snacks

27 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 On-Site Review Spreading the word around campus… Street Banners Screen Saver on All Public Access PCs Yard Signs Poster Library Bulletin Board

28 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 On-Site Review Press Coverage Before After

29 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 On-Site Review Expressions of appreciation given to campus participants during On-Site Reception

30 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Outcomes of On-Site Review Reviewers were complimentary of arrangements Advanced preparations, attention to details helped all run smoothly Invited consultants took lead on review of QEP component No surprises in results of Exit Report Initiatives now underway to address recommendations

31 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 In retrospect… format worked well What helped to make it work for LSU? Established planning/assessment process Extensive electronic documentation Computing Services collaboration Campus communication Participation of faculty, staff, students Support of upper administration Release time for Liaison Plan for surprises, delays

32 WCU Retreat 9/23/2004 Contact Information Teresa A. Summers, Ph.D. Spanier Alumni Professor Interim Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs Louisiana State University System 3810 West Lakeshore Drive Baton Rouge, LA (225)