North Central Association Higher Learning Commission

Chair/Director RetreatAugust 14, 2012

What’s Different?• NCA-Higher Learning Commission• Every 10 years regional accreditation• Institutional Self-study– 2 years to produce– Hundreds of pages– Resource Room

• New methodology – Open Pathway• BGSU is one of 14 Pioneers in Cohort 1

Open Pathway

• Two components– Quality Initiative– Assurance Document

Quality Initiative• New proposal/project to improve institutional quality• Original proposal identified two areas

– Enrollment Management and General Education

• HLC Consultants visited Mar. 2010• Expand the student populations for BGSU enrollment

and implement programs to recruit them and retain them to successful degree completion.

University Learning Commons

Quality Initiative• Report Team in place– Albert Colom, Joe Frizado, Marc Nelson, Michelle Simmons

• First Draft is complete• Report is due Aug. 31, 2012• Maximum 6,000 words• Review occurs during fall

Assurance Document

• Replaces the self study• Moved to an online process• Requires answering a series of prompts to

address each criteria

New Criteria

•Mission•Integrity: Ethical & Responsible Conduct•Teaching & Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support•Teaching & Learning: Evaluation and Improvement•Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness

Example

3.C The institution has the faculty and staff needed for effective, high-quality programs and student services.

1. The institution has sufficient numbers and continuity of faculty members supported by effective structures to carry out both the classroom and the non-classroom roles of faculty, including oversight of the curriculum and expectations for student performance; establishment of academic credentials for instructional staff; involvement in assessment of student learning.

Assurance Document

• 35,000 words total• Only 15 user accounts (3 system)• Only PDF may be uploaded• Only PDF directly referenced will be kept• Only 6 URL

BGSU Team• Mission – Joe Frizado• Integrity – Pat Pauken• Teaching & Learning: Quality, Resources, and

Support – Simon Morgan-Russell• Teaching & Learning: Evaluation and

Improvement - Sue Houston• Resources, Planning, and Institutional

Effectiveness – Rodney Rogers

Assurance Document Process

• Assemble the writing/data collection team• Create a first draft *• Collect and upload data*

Collect Data• Faculty Credentials– All faculty should have an official transcript

showing award of the highest degree– Faculty should hold an appropriate degree for

every class taught.– Errors/discrepancies must be addressed

Collect Data• Faculty Activities– Need to demonstrate currency and contributions

to “scholarship, creative work and discovery of knowledge”

– Move Annual Faculty Update Form to digital– Transfer data from past year(s) to new system

Assurance Document Process

• Assemble the writing/data collection team• Create a first draft *• Collect and upload data*• Technical Editing• Assemble a review team*• Edit the draft into final form

Summary- Due Dates

• Quality Initiative – Aug. 31, 2012• Assurance File – Mar. 15, 2013– Draft complete late Fall– Review over break/early spring

• Federal Compliance Document – Mar. 15, 2013• HLC Campus Visit – April 15, 2013*