surviving reaffirmation: two tstc approaches to compliance & the qep

www.harlingen.tstc.eduwww.westtexas.tstc.edu www.tstc.edu

Surviving Reaffirmation:Two TSTC Approaches to Compliance

& the QEP

Surviving Reaffirmation:Two TSTC Approaches to Compliance

& the QEP Texas Association for Institutional Research

27th Annual ConferenceFebruary 23, 2005

Presented by

Texas Association for Institutional Research27th Annual Conference

February 23, 2005

Presented by

Kathy Kennedy

Manager-ORPA

SACS Accreditation Liaison

Blanca Treviño Bauer

Director-IER

SACS Accreditation Liaison

Texas State Technical College

Two Essential Components of Reaffirmation

• Compliance Certification

• Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)

www.harlingen.tstc.eduwww.westtexas.tstc.edu www.tstc.edu

The First Component:The First Component:

The Compliance CertificationThe Compliance Certification

Texas State Technical College

TSTC Harlingen’s Story…

• Reviewed work of pilot institution’s• Selected SACS Leadership Team (SLT)• SLT assigned Principles based on

expertise/area of responsibility• Established aggressive timelines• Narratives completed by Dec. ’03, BUT

format of all later changed• Little attention paid to QEP

development

Texas State Technical College

Approaching Compliance:

• Select a Leadership Team with authority

• Set aggressive timeline based on complexity of each Principle

• Ensure enough IT expertise

• Before narratives are entered, outline, plan, and collect all documentation to support requirement

Texas State Technical College

Approaching Compliance• Plan narratives/organize based on

1) the amount and types of documentation 2) a standard format all “writers” follow 3) responses to all sections of Principle

• Promptly identify:1) documentation to be converted to electronic format, 2) documentation/information best presented through database format, 3) any elements college is not doing and begin planning/implementing immediately

Texas State Technical College

TSTC Harlingen . . .Show & Tell

• Visual design & ease of use is important

• Use databases! (Assessment Plans, Program Review reports, policies & procedures, position descriptions, “closing the loop” examples)

• Embed references in text…no extraneous documents

• Cross-reference between principles

• Use pictures to tell your story (labs, library)

• Don’t let narrative get tedious for the reader

Texas State Technical College

To access TSTC Harlingen’sreaffirmation documents

(Compliance & QEP)

Go to: http://sacs.harlingen.tstc.eduTo access the secure system, use the following:

username: sacs

password: SACScoc2005(login username and password are case sensitive)

Questions: contact Blanca Treviño Bauer at blanca.bauer@harlingen.tstc.edu or 956.364.4050

www.harlingen.tstc.eduwww.westtexas.tstc.edu www.tstc.edu

The Second Component:The Second Component:

The QEPThe QEP

Texas State Technical College

Importance of the QEP

QEP

Impact on Student Learning

Impact on the Institution

Texas State Technical College

First Things First

• Read carefully the “Handbook for Review Committees” published by SACS

• Determine what should be in a QEP

• Establish an internal timeline

Texas State Technical College

Developing a QEPTSTC West Texas Experience

• Highlights (see Chronology Handout)

– Assessed the college’s needs through a variety of methods• Focus groups• Surveys• Strategic planning and SWOT analyses

Texas State Technical College

Developing a QEP

• The Team • Members• Meetings

• Student learning in the context of our QEP

Texas State Technical College

Review Criteria and the West Texas Experience

The Focus1. Finding our Focus

• Research Information• College Community Input• Business and Industry Surveys and

Advisory Committee recommendations

2. The Executive Summary

Texas State Technical College

The Review CriteriaInstitutional Capability….

• Answered the following questions– Who will be responsible?– Do we have the resources to implement

and sustain the plan?• Fiscal resources• Expertise (internal and external)

– Do we have the support of administration, faculty, staff, and business and industry?

Texas State Technical College

The Review CriteriaAssessment

• Based on goals and objectives from committees concerning:– Processes – Student learning– Overall plan

• Developed narrative

• Created chart of process

Texas State Technical College

The Review CriteriaDeveloping Broad-based

Involvement

• Focus Groups, surveys, development activities

• Committees– Importance of committee chairs– Number of committees/purpose– Empowering committee members– Retreat

• Preparing for the visit

Texas State Technical College

Putting It All Together

• Lead writer• Editor• Content reviewers/contributors• Final editor• Preparation for the visit

– Evaluators– Informing the college community– Scheduling

Texas State Technical College

To access TSTC West Texas reaffirmation documents

(QEP)

Quality Enhancement Plan:

http://www.westtexas.tstc.edu/qep

Questions: Contact Kathy Kenney at Kathy.Kennedy@sweetwater.tstc.edu or

325.235.7379

Texas State Technical College

Final thoughts

• Create balance between demands of Compliance Certification and QEP

• Communication among ALL is a must

• If Accreditation Liaison, know what is happening in all areas (QEP, audits, policies, assessment plans), push Leadership Team members to meet their deadlines

• Support from President is key throughout the two years—USE IT!

Texas State Technical College

Questions?

Texas State Technical College

Thanks for Coming

Good Luck with your own SACS journey!