SACSOC ACCREDITATION AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS STUDENT AFFAIRS LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES REVIEW COMMITTEE OCTOBER 17, Allan Aycock Director for Assessment and Accreditation Office of Academic Planning

Today’s discussion 2  Overview of accreditation  Institutional Effectiveness in accreditation  Implications for Student Affairs programs

US Higher Education System 3 HEA— Federal Reauthorization ~5 years; next up in FEDERAL REGS CHEA—”Recognizes” Accreditors UGA—Accredited SACSCOC—Regional Accreditor

Why does accreditation matter? 4 $ $ $  Federal aid for students  Federal grant funding for researchers  Also, general recognition of level of quality

How does UGA maintain accreditation? 5 Fifth-Year Interim Report ( )  Compliance Certification— Documents compliance with ~20 dynamic “Principles of accreditation, including all federal requirements Decennial reaffirmation ( )  Compliance Certification— Documents compliance with dynamic “Principles” of accreditation  Quality Enhancement Plan Major project emerging from institutional assessment to improve student learning or the environment supporting student learning Ongoing processes, constant vigilance

What is “institutional effectiveness?” 6 Core Requirement 2.5 The institution engages in ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes that (1) incorporate a systematic review of institutional mission, goals, and outcomes; (2) result in continuing improvement in institutional quality; and (3) demonstrate the institution is effectively accomplishing its mission.  Permeates all SACSCOC expectations

IE explicitly distributed 7 Comprehensive Standard The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis...  educational programs  administrative support services  academic and student support services  research within its mission  PS&O within its mission

What does SACSCOC say about Student Affairs programming? 8 Core Requirement 2.10 The institution provides student support programs, services, and activities consistent with its mission that are intended to promote student learning and enhance the development of its students

2.5 Integrated, mission- based evaluation and continuous improvement processes 2.5 Integrated, mission- based evaluation and continuous improvement processes Interrelated requirements Defined outcomes, assessment thereof, improvements made Defined outcomes, assessment thereof, improvements made 2.10 Mission-based programs that support student learning and development 2.10 Mission-based programs that support student learning and development

What is required for DSA? 10 Minimum:  Clearly defined student learning and development outcomes for all programs  Assessment of those outcomes  Evidence that you use the assessment to improve Effect of Minimum: We describe the connections to mission and the integration of program level IE with the institution after the fact

alert! 11 SACSCOC Decennial Review Statistics for Annual Meeting in December 2012 indicates that of all institutions undergoing reaffirmation of accreditation during the prior year, 54.8% received citations for during their off-site review, and 23.1% during the on-site review Made the top 5 !!!

What is optimal for DSA? 12 Division-level outcomes (SALDOs?)  defined in relation to institutional goals Program outcomes  defined in relation to division-level outcomes Assessment leading to improvements in  Programs  Attainment of division goals  Attainment of institutional goals

Why is this optimal? 13  You define the relation to institutional mission and goals up front  You intentionally integrate your overall IE process with institutional IE processes  It’s just a better model!

Resources 14  UGA SACSCOC Reaffirmation of Accreditation Compliance Certification:  SACSCOC website Fifth-Year Interim Report section:  SACSCOC Resource Manual:

15 Questions? Thank you.