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This presentation provides a holistic overview of the issues, activities, and timelines leading to reaffirmation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). It explains the changes in SACS requirements, major documents and committees, the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), and the relationship of Texas State's planning and assessment activities to SACS requirements.
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Moving Successfully Toward SACS Reaffirmation: An Introductory Discussion Presenters Dr. Cathy Fleuriet Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness Ms. Lisa Garza Director for University Planning and Assessment Dr. Beth Wuest Director for Academic Development and Assessment
Purpose of Presentation • To provide a holistic overview of issues, activities and timelines leading to reaffirmation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) • To illustrate how planning and assessment initiatives at Texas State are leading to SACS reaffirmation
Our Presentation will address: • Changes in SACS reaffirmation requirements since our last reaffirmation in 1999. • Overview of SACS requirements for reaffirmation • Review of major documents and committees required for reaffirmation • Explanation of Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) • Relationship of Texas State’s planning and assessment activities to SACS requirements for reaffirmation • Clarification of department, college, division, and university responsibilities • Summary of Institutional Effectiveness Calendar
SACS Requirement Changes • Reaffirmation, not “reaccredidation” • Integrity and commitment to quality enhancement overriding principles • Accreditation is self-regulated • Elimination of self study • Elimination of 462 “must statements” • Focus on student learning • Certification of Compliance and Quality Enhancement Plan • Quality improvement through ongoing process review
SACS Requirements • Core Requirements • Basic qualifications that an institution must meet to be accredited with the Commission on Colleges • Comprehensive Standards • Ensure that policies and procedures are in writing, approved through appropriate institutional processes, published, accessible, implemented, and enforced • Federal Requirements • Requirements mandated by federal government for all institutions
Meeting SACS Requirements • Review of SACS requirements at all university levels • Determination of individual department responsibilities • Communication with Institutional Effectiveness and Leadership Team • Determining where each of us “fits in”
Major Documents Required • Compliance Certification • Once signed by the President and Accreditation Liaison, forms a “bond of integrity” with the Commission • Quality Enhancement Plan • Describes a course of action for institutional improvement crucial to enhancing educational quality that is directly related to student learning
Major Committees Involved • Leadership Team • An internal team that manages and validates the institutional assessment of compliance with all Core Requirements and Comprehensive Standards • Off-site Review Committee • An external team that reviews the submitted Compliance Certifications to determine if the institution is in compliance with all requirements except QEP • On-site Review Committee • An external team that determines whether the institution is in compliance with the QEP and all requirements for which the report of the Off-site Review Committee indicated as “non-compliance” or “did not review”
Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Outlines a course of action for long term institutional improvement with special attention to student learning
QEP Basics • What is submitted? • Who’s involved? • What steps are included? • Determine theme & justify • Convene task force(s) • Identify outcomes & assessment • Establish timeline • Draft QEP document
Texas State Processes How do Texas State’s ongoing processes relate to SACS reaffirmation?
Strategic Planning SACS Reaffirmation Student Learning Outcomes Educational Core Assessment EducationalSupport Outcomes Academic Program Review
Texas State Assessment • Texas State Planning Calendar • Academic department and school student learning outcomes • Administrative division educational support outcomes • Strategic planning • SACS deadlines
Department, School, College, Division, and University Responsibilities • Internal process review • Strategic plan • Student learning outcomes • Educational support outcomes • Ongoing assessment at all levels • Participation in QEP process • SACS requirements review • Documentation • Education at a Distance
Questions and Answers Contact Information Dr. Cathy Fleuriet 245-8113 cf07@txstate.edu Ms. Lisa Garza 245-2780 ag02@txstate.edu Dr. Beth Wuest 245-2112 wuest@txstate.edu