MSCHE Follow-up MSCHE Follow-up Reporting Reporting

ExpectationsExpectations

MSCHE Annual Conference MSCHE Annual Conference 20102010

Mary Ellen PetriskoMary Ellen Petrisko

Linda SuskieLinda Suskie

MSCHE GuidelinesMSCHE Guidelines

www.msche.orgwww.msche.org

Click on “Policies” on left side.Click on “Policies” on left side.

Scroll down to “Follow-Up Reports & Scroll down to “Follow-Up Reports & Visits”Visits”

What is Follow-Up?What is Follow-Up?

A Commission request for aA Commission request for a– Progress reportProgress report– Monitoring reportMonitoring report– Supplemental reportSupplemental report

– Commission liaison guidance Commission liaison guidance visitvisit

– Small team visitSmall team visit

Why Did You Get a Follow-Why Did You Get a Follow-Up?Up?

Concern about compliance with one or Concern about compliance with one or moremore– StandardsStandards– Requirements of AffiliationRequirements of Affiliation

See See Characteristics of ExcellenceCharacteristics of Excellence

USED’s Two-Year RuleUSED’s Two-Year Rule

If MSCHE finds your institution out of If MSCHE finds your institution out of compliance…compliance…– WarningWarning– ProbationProbation

Accreditation must be reaffirmed Accreditation must be reaffirmed within two years.within two years.

Short extensions possible for “good Short extensions possible for “good cause”cause”

Progress ReportsProgress Reports

Meet the Commission’s standardsMeet the Commission’s standards

But MSCHE needs assurance that But MSCHE needs assurance that activities planned or being activities planned or being implemented are carried outimplemented are carried out– Improved governance structureImproved governance structure– Rewritten strategic planRewritten strategic plan– Revised assessment planRevised assessment plan

Monitoring Reports #1Monitoring Reports #1

Meet the Commission’s standardsMeet the Commission’s standards

But MSCHE has concerns about But MSCHE has concerns about ongoing compliance with one or more ongoing compliance with one or more standardsstandards– Financial future looks diceyFinancial future looks dicey– Enrollment management plan doesn’t Enrollment management plan doesn’t

seem based on realistic assumptionsseem based on realistic assumptions– Maintaining quality during a time of Maintaining quality during a time of

dramatic changedramatic change

Monitoring Reports #2Monitoring Reports #2

Warning or probationWarning or probation– Lack of evidence that the institution is in Lack of evidence that the institution is in

compliance with one or more standardscompliance with one or more standards

Supplemental ReportsSupplemental Reports

Postponement of an accreditation Postponement of an accreditation decisiondecision

Insufficient evidence to verify Insufficient evidence to verify compliancecompliance– Topic not addressed in reportTopic not addressed in report– Assurances but no evidenceAssurances but no evidence– Evidence not yet available Evidence not yet available

Audited financial statementsAudited financial statements

Short time-frameShort time-frame

Preparing an Effective Preparing an Effective Follow-Up ReportFollow-Up Report

Read the Directions!Read the Directions!

Read carefully & understand Read carefully & understand the Commission’s actionthe Commission’s action

Understand MSCHE’s Understand MSCHE’s Underlying Concerns & Underlying Concerns &

ExpectationsExpectations Characteristics of ExcellenceCharacteristics of Excellence

– IntroductionIntroduction– StandardStandard– ContextContext– Fundamental ElementsFundamental Elements– Requirement of Affiliation?Requirement of Affiliation?

Reports from MSCHE Reports from MSCHE reviewersreviewers– Evaluation teamEvaluation team– PRR reviewerPRR reviewer– Small teamSmall team

Address Everything That is Address Everything That is RequiredRequired

Clearly document compliance with standard(s)Clearly document compliance with standard(s)

Focus on Past and Present, Focus on Past and Present, Not FutureNot Future

CurrentCurrent and and sustainedsustained compliance compliance No “I’m a gonna”sNo “I’m a gonna”s Concrete details on work to be Concrete details on work to be

donedone– Action plansAction plans– TimelinesTimelines– AccountabilitiesAccountabilities– BenchmarksBenchmarks

Focus on OutcomesFocus on Outcomes

More than structures & processesMore than structures & processes

– What is the governance structure?What is the governance structure?– Is the governance structure fulfilling Is the governance structure fulfilling

its responsibilities?its responsibilities?

Provide Documented EvidenceProvide Documented Evidence

Not just platitudes or assertionsNot just platitudes or assertions

– We have made major progress toward We have made major progress toward creating a thriving culture of creating a thriving culture of assessment.assessment.

– Faculty are dedicated to meeting Faculty are dedicated to meeting student needs.student needs.

– Budget decisions are linked to strategic Budget decisions are linked to strategic goals.goals.

Be Forthright & HonestBe Forthright & Honest

Honesty is the best policy!Honesty is the best policy! Standard 6: IntegrityStandard 6: Integrity If there’s a problem…If there’s a problem…

– Explain why.Explain why.– Provide clear, specific plans.Provide clear, specific plans.

Be Concise & Well-OrganizedBe Concise & Well-Organized

Respect readers’ time and energy.Respect readers’ time and energy. Avoid data dumps.Avoid data dumps. Cull out irrelevant documentation.Cull out irrelevant documentation. Make the report easy to follow.Make the report easy to follow.

– HeadingsHeadings– ChartsCharts– Links to supporting documentationLinks to supporting documentation– Document names/labelsDocument names/labels

Submit the Report On Time!Submit the Report On Time!

MSCHE may consider your institution MSCHE may consider your institution to have voluntarily allowed its to have voluntarily allowed its accreditation to lapse!accreditation to lapse!

Electronic submissions (e-mail or CD) Electronic submissions (e-mail or CD) are usually fine.are usually fine.

Report FormatReport Format

Title page templateTitle page template IntroductionIntroduction

– OverviewOverview– ContextContext

Progress to date and current statusProgress to date and current status– Summary, discussion, analysisSummary, discussion, analysis– What does documentation say to you?What does documentation say to you?– Next steps to sustain compliance?Next steps to sustain compliance?

Appendices of supporting Appendices of supporting documentationdocumentation

ConclusionConclusion

Report LengthReport Length

Proportionate to number and Proportionate to number and complexity of issuescomplexity of issues

Self-studies are 100 pagesSelf-studies are 100 pages Relatively short report with well-Relatively short report with well-

organized appendices of organized appendices of documentationdocumentation

Follow-Up VisitsFollow-Up Visits

Commission Liaison Guidance Commission Liaison Guidance VisitVisit

To help you get an A!To help you get an A! NOT an accreditation visitNOT an accreditation visit

– No Commission actionNo Commission action Schedule depends on issuesSchedule depends on issues

– Key administratorsKey administrators– Faculty/staff representativesFaculty/staff representatives– Governing board Governing board

representativesrepresentatives– Often an open meetingOften an open meeting

Small Team VisitSmall Team Visit

To verify information in your reportTo verify information in your report Required for warning & probationRequired for warning & probation Smaller than evaluation teamSmaller than evaluation team Shorter than evaluation team visitShorter than evaluation team visit Shorter timeframe to complete team Shorter timeframe to complete team

report & institutional responsereport & institutional response

Small Team Dates & Small Team Dates & MembersMembers

Developed by MSCHE VP liaisonDeveloped by MSCHE VP liaison Written confirmation to institution & Written confirmation to institution &

teamteam

Hosting a Successful Hosting a Successful Small Team VisitSmall Team Visit

Travel Travel ArrangemenArrangemen

tsts

Hotel Hotel reservationsreservations

Ground Ground transportationtransportation– Airport/train Airport/train

station to hotelstation to hotel– Hotel to campusHotel to campus

Private, Secure Meetings Private, Secure Meetings Rooms Rooms

on Campus & in Hotelon Campus & in Hotel

Computer & printerComputer & printer Internet accessInternet access Phone & on-call technical supportPhone & on-call technical support Supplies (paper, flash drives)Supplies (paper, flash drives) RefreshmentsRefreshments Check with team for additional Check with team for additional

needsneeds

MealsMeals

Check with team chair.Check with team chair. Generally private working mealsGenerally private working meals No interruptions (buffet or pre-plated)No interruptions (buffet or pre-plated) Meals with campus representatives?Meals with campus representatives?

Small Team Visit ScheduleSmall Team Visit Schedule

Depends on issuesDepends on issues– PresidentPresident– Key administratorsKey administrators– Faculty/staff representativesFaculty/staff representatives– Governing board Governing board

representativesrepresentatives– Open meetingOpen meeting– Private team meetingsPrivate team meetings– Oral exit reportOral exit report

Respond to reasonable requests Respond to reasonable requests for additional informationfor additional information

Emergency contact info (travel Emergency contact info (travel delays)delays)

After the VisitAfter the Visit

Draft team reportDraft team report Correction of errors of Correction of errors of

factfact Institutional responseInstitutional response Chair’s confidential briefChair’s confidential brief Committee on Follow-UpCommittee on Follow-Up

– Late JanuaryLate January– Late MayLate May– Early NovemberEarly November

Commission MeetingCommission Meeting

Your MSCHE VP Liaison is Your Your MSCHE VP Liaison is Your Friend!Friend!

E-mail or telephone with questions. E-mail or telephone with questions. Meet in Commission offices?Meet in Commission offices? Meet during MSCHE Annual Meet during MSCHE Annual

Conference?Conference? Commission Liaison Guidance VisitCommission Liaison Guidance Visit Campus visit? (Fee charged)Campus visit? (Fee charged) CannotCannot review drafts review drafts