UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND Teaching, Faith, & Service Michael Connolly, D.M.A. Workshop on Institutional Self-Study 2008

Relevance: Value, self-interest, and buy-in

Value AcademicsAccreditation A love/hate relationship? Good news: Most academics value the “peer” review process.

Making visible the value President Board of Regents Faculty Leadership Classified Leadership Student Leadership Others Commitment Seriousness Ownership

Self Interest Academics Natural Curiosity Meaningful engagement Show casing good “stuff” Work through problems

Buy In Understand and recognize the culture of the institution Thoughtful and deliberate pre self study communication process

University of Portland as an example

Principles that guided the process Specific goals and values were not articulated publicly at UP during the self- study. However, these principles directed the work:

To complete the self-study and report in a way that recognized the good work at UP and received outside validation. To be honest, finding areas of concern and addressing them, essentially writing the evaluators’ report. To be inclusive, but not so much that the work cannot be completed.

To have the process be as transparent as possible. No hidden agendas! To use the self-study as a continuation of the university’s regular planning and a springboard to new growth.

ENGAGEMENT “This process is primarily for us.” Cite examples of positive change from previous planning, especially to skeptics. Keep the campus informed. Creative ideas: songs, art, joke s… Letters of appointment: –From the president: Steering Committee –From the chair: Committee Members

COMMUNICATION faculty/staff newsletter computer mailing lists web site(s) student newspaper meetings with senate(s), departments letters to committee members workshop for all faculty and staff to study first full draft (all comments were typed and posted on web.). Make this fun!

EMPOWERMENT Committees given clear tasks and allowed to complete them. Clear understanding that all drafts will be edited for final document. No surprises! Take input seriously, but be clear about what applies to the standards. A faculty comment after the workshop with the draft: “This is the most I’ve ever known about the university in my 17 years here.”

APPRECIATION Can people ever be thanked too much? Letters to committee members after completion of first draft with CHOCOLATE. Public recognition: all names included in draft and report. Dinner for the Executive Committee Forty personal thank you letters upon completion Home made cookies for the Print Shop and Computer Services