1. RIT Middle States Self-study 2017 Working Group Kick-off Meeting
May 19, 2015

2. Agenda
12:45pm Meengle (meet & mingle) 1:00pm Welcome Dr. William Destler 1:15pm MSCHE Overview & CIP Dr. Christine Licata 1:30pm Self-Study and Working Groups Dr. Michael Laver & Dr. Anne Wahl 2:00pm Working Group Breakout Sessions 2:30pm Working Group Reports 3:00pm Adjourn

4. Decennial Evaluation 10 years after last Self-Study (2007-2017)
Two major components:
Comprehensive Institutional Self-Study Report
External evaluation team visit (6-8)
Major focus:
Does RIT meet accreditation standards?
Outcome: “Gold Standard”:
Seal of approval for programs and operations
Qualified to offer degrees and grant financial aid

5. Accreditation standards
Recently revised (2014)
Moved from 14 Standards to 7 Standards
Modified emphasis from compliance to:
Reflection and improvement
Assessment and continuous improvement
Student learning and student experience
Outcomes
Effective:

6. Getting ready for the decennial evaluation
RIT Invited to Participate in Collaborative
Implementation Project (CIP)
15 Partner institutions
Unique opportunity
RIT’s “CIP” Team
Michael Laver, Self-Study Co-Chair
Anne Wahl, Self-Study Co-Chair
Christine Licata, RIT’s Accreditation Liaison Officer

7. The Revised Standards
I: Mission and Goals II: Ethics and Integrity III: Design and Delivery of Student Learning Experience IV: Support of the Student Experience V: Educational Effectiveness & Assessment VI: Planning Resources & Institutional Improvement VII: Governance, Leadership & Administration “VIII”: Compliance and Requirements of Affiliation

8. RIT organizational structure

9. Self-Study Progress Steering Committee
Karen Barrows Secretary to the Institute, and Chief of Staff, Office of the President Bob Finnerty Chief Communications Officer, University News Joan Graham Assistant Vice President, Institutional Research and Policy Studies Paula Grcevic Professor, National Technical Institute for the Deaf Clyde Hull Associate Professor, Saunders College of Business Bridget Hurley Student Government Representative Sandra Johnson Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Michael Laver Associate Professor, College of Liberal Arts, Co-chair Christine Licata Senior Associate Provost, Academic Affairs Ed Lincoln Assistant Vice President, Enrollment Management & Career Services Kevin McDonald Vice Pres/Associate Provost for Diversity & Inclusion, Office of the President Yin Pan Associate Professor, Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences Austin Sierra Student Government Representative Thomas Smith Professor, School of Chemistry & Materials Science, College of Science Kim Sowers Director, ITS Project Management Office Greg VanLaeken Business Manager & Analyst for Global Programs Anne Wahl Assistant Provost for Assessment & Accreditation, Co-chair Charlene Reagan Senior Staff Assistant, Accreditation

10. Self-Study Progress Working Groups – You!
1 Working Group for each of the 7 Standards.
Working Group 8 works exclusively on the Requirements of Affiliation.
Each member of the Working Group was formally invited to participate.
Very intentional about including a good balance of faculty and staff from diverse functions and backgrounds
Each working group has a designated chair. 

11. Working Group Involvement
Timeline
Self-Study Design Draft
Input/Feedback on Draft
MSCHE Self-Study Preparation Visit: Dr. Sean McKitrick
Finalize Self-Study Design
SC & WG Gather Data and Evidence
Compile 1st Self-Study Draft
Consult with RIT Community
Revise Self-Study Draft
Constituent Input
Self-Study Finalized
External Evaluation Team Visit
MSCHE Final Accreditation Action
January 20, 2015:
May 13, 2015:
September 2015 – June 2016
Working Group Involvement
June 2016
January 2017
March/April 2017:
June 2017:

12. Self-Study Design MSCHE Prescribes Most Design Elements
Flexibility on:
Intended Outcomes
Research Questions
Approval received for Self-Study Design from Middle States
Coordinate with RIT’s Strategic Plan
Implementation
May 13, 2015

13. Next Steps Working Group Charges
Implement the Design and Writing the Self-Study Report
Working Group Charges
The Working Groups will engage in a process of open inquiry related to the Standard to develop their respective sections of the Self-Study Report.
The process of open inquiry includes:
analyzing documents,
reviewing institutional processes and procedures,
determining if the Standard is met,
advancing priorities in RIT’s new Strategic Plan,
identifying institutional strengths, and
making recommendations for improvement.
To assist the Working Group, the SC will provide a timeline, guidelines, and the report template.
In addition, SC members are designated as liaisons to specific Working Groups.

14. Working Groups: Roles & Responsibilities
Know Thy Standard
“Standards of Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation”
Know Thy “Research Questions”
Self Study Design
Know Thy “Documentation Roadmap”
Self-Study Design; Taskstream

15. Working Groups: Roles & Responsibilities
Writest Thou a Report – 5 sections
An overview of the group’s charge, defining the scope of its tasks and responsibilities in relation to its assigned Standard
Discussion of the connection of the group’s charge with those of other groups, and if any collaboration between groups that took place
Analytical discussion of the data reviewed and the inquiry undertaken, and the group’s conclusions, including strengths and challenges
Explanation of how the group’s conclusions related to the assigned Standard
Recommendations for ongoing institutional improvement

16. Chairs’ Roles & Responsibilities
Set regular meeting dates over the summer for all of next year
Outlook Calendar!
Ensure that everyone is conversant with the materials
Self-Study Design, MSCHE Materials, Documentation Roadmap
Training for Taskstream (Chairs and members)
A workspace for each Working Group
Organize work flow for team
Determine division of labor, timeline and processes
Communicate progress and challenges
Check in and consult with Standard Liaison

17. Working Group Resources
Folder Contents Middle States Website: Standard Liaison Co-chairs

18. Working Group Resources
Administrative Support Staff for Working Groups
Stephanie Rankin Working Groups 1 - 4
Charlene Reagan Working Groups 5 - 8
Additional MSCHE Project Support Staff
Taskstream

19. Working Group Resources
Each Working Group will have its own Workspace in Taskstream (RIT’s Assessment Management System)

20. Working Group Resources
Training for Working Groups will take place early fall
Standard Workspace
Working Group Members
General Information for Working Group
Documentation Roadmap
(documents, policies, procedures, etc.)
Working Group Report Template
GOAL: ONE STOP SHOP FOR WORKING GROUPS
Grace Rubin – Assessment Management System Coordinator

21. Working Group Breakout Sessions
Get To Know Each Other - Introductions
Initial Opportunities and Challenges
Identify Questions from Working Group

22. WHAT’S NEXT FOR WORKING GROUPS?
Read and Review (summer) (Standard, Self-Study Design & Documentation Roadmap)
Chair will be Planning (summer)
WG Meetings (September 2015)
WG Formal Mid-Reports (mid-January 2016)
First Full Draft (June 2016)

23. Thank You for your “extra tiger effort” to serve on the MSCHE Self-Study 2017 project!
Happy Summer!