2005 SACS Reaffirmation: Progress Report

1. 2005 SACS Reaffirmation: Progress Report Library & Information Center Kathy Tomajko June 22, 2004

2. What is SACS • Commission on Colleges - Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). • In order to be accredited by the Commission on Colleges, an institution is required to conduct a compliance audit prior to submission of their Compliance Certification. • Each institution goes through this process every 10 years. • In addition to the Compliance Certification, a Quality Enhancement Plan must be submitted (formerly called a Self-Study).

3. Georgia Tech Accreditation Council • SACS Leadership Team • Wayne Clough, Jean-Lou Chameau, Bob Thompson, Jack Lohmann • Council for Institutional and Academic Program Review and Accreditation • Tom Akins Bob McMath • Doug Allen Rosalind Meyer • Richard Barke Ralph Mobley • Nate Bennett John Mullin • Gail DiSabatino Bill Sayle • Merrick Furst Bill Schafer (as of spring 2004) • Joseph Hoey Andy Smith • Hal Irvin Kathy Tomajko • Charlie Liotta Bill Wepfer • Jack Lohmann (Chair) Jane Ammons (as of spring 2004) • Francois Malassenet

4. SACS Compliance Certification • Institutions are required to conduct a compliance audit on the following: • 11 “Core Requirements” • 61 “Comprehensive Standards” • Principals of Accreditation (as of April 2004): http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/PrinciplesOfAccreditation.PDF

5. Library’s 1 Core Requirement & 3 Comprehensive Standards • Library Core Requirement: “The Institution, through ownership or formal arrangements or agreements, provides and supports student and faculty access and user privileges to adequate library collections as well as to other learning/information resources consistent with the degrees offered. These collections and resources are sufficient to support all its educational, research, and public service programs.”

6. Library’s Core Requirement & Comprehensive Standards (cont’d) • Library’s three Comprehensive Standards: • The institution provides facilities, services, and other learning/information resources that are appropriate to support its teaching, research, and service mission. • The institution ensures that users have access to regular and timely instruction in the use of the library and other learning/information resources. • The institution provides a sufficient number of qualified staff—with appropriate education and experiences both in library or other learning/information resources—to accomplish the mission of the institution.

7. Quick Overview • Accreditation Council has been meeting since late fall 2002 on a monthly basis, including a retreat in January 2003. • Compliance Subgroup (Joseph Hoey, Office of Assessment is coordinating) • Major issues have been identified; e-submission via a web site is being managed by the Office of Assessment; an editor has been hired to edit and unify the reports. • Quality Enhancement Plan – QEP (Jack Lohmann is coordinating) • Theme determined; projects in development in the area of “Experiential Learning” (more details will follow).

8. Compliance Subgroup • Meets on a monthly basis as well • Developed Georgia Tech definitions and statements of adequacy for each SACS core requirement and comprehensive standard • Has conducted a compliance audit and written a report for each requirement and standard; all requirements & standards available at: http://www.assessment.gatech.edu/SACS/introduction.php • Posted reports to GT SACS website [not available to the GT community at large as yet].

9. Path Forward: Compliance • Action steps are being taken for areas where the Institute is in partial compliance. • Policy / procedure changes and updates are being implemented as necessary for compliance. • Editing and final sign-off on the reports is being done by the responsible offices.

10. Path Forward: Compliance (cont’d) • The GT Internal Audit Dept. did a “reality check” of the reports during spring semester. • The web site (online documentation) is being developed and expanded. The web site will be finalized and frozen in late July 2004 (once the editor completes her work). At that time, the campus will be given an opportunity to comment. • Final Compliance reports are due Sept. 10, 2004 to SACS.

11. Path Forward: ComplianceLibrary & Information Center • Library’s collection development policies are being updated; when completed they will be at: http://www.library.gatech.edu/about_us/collection_dev/ • Instruction assessment - Evidence that users are instructed in the use of the Library and that the instruction is effective. Currently, work is under way to develop a program of authentic evaluation, based on measurements of student outcomes as a result of library instruction – an Information Services task force will work on this during summer 2004.

12. Path Forward: ComplianceLibrary & Information Center (cont’d) • Continue to update the Library’s “Institutional Effectiveness” document until the final date of submission. • Rich Meyer, Crit Stuart, and Tyler Walters have given me their feedback on the Library’s core requirement and comprehensive standards.

13. Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) • Role of QEP • Plan to improve student learning • Means to assure commitment to continual improvement between SACS visits / audits • We have lots of opportunities! And it’s been challenging to come to an agreement on the focus area. • The QEP will be submitted in early March 2005 so there’s still time.

14. Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP): Tentative Focus Area and Subtopics • “Enhancing and Expanding Experiential (Undergraduate) Learning” • Undergraduate research experiences • Active/collaborative learning (the Undergraduate Learning Center or ILRC may be covered here) • International education experiences • Living and learning experiences • Learning to be engaged learners • Co-curricular learning experiences

15. SACS Timeline • September 2004: The final Compliance Certification & the QEP Prospectus (topic and summary) are submitted. Off-site SACS Committee reviews these and reports back. • November 2004: Jack Lohmann and perhaps others have an oral interview with Jack Allen, our SACS liaison, where any compliance gaps are identified. • Fall 2004: The GT Accreditation Council completes the “operational” QEP. It is due in early March 2005.

16. SACS Timeline (cont’d) • January 2005: Georgia Tech submits a Focused Report in response to any compliance gaps. • January – April 2005 : On-site Committee looks at any problem compliance areas. • March – April 2005: On-site Review Committee reviews the Quality Enhancement Plan. • April 24-26, 2005: On-site SACS Committee visits the campus.

17. SACS Timeline (cont’d) • Early June 2005: GT gets a official report from SACS. • September 2005: Deadline to make right any Compliance or QEP gaps. • December 2005: Decision about Georgia Tech’s accreditation is made at the Annual SACS Conference.

18. SACS Overview / June 2004 • Questions / Comments