Follow-up Reporting Follow-up Reporting Expectations Part IIExpectations Part II

MSCHE 2009 Annual MSCHE 2009 Annual ConferenceConference

Mary Ellen PetriskoMary Ellen Petrisko

Monitoring ReportsMonitoring Reports

“… “…when the institution meets the when the institution meets the Commission’s standards …, but the Commission’s standards …, but the Commission has concerns about ongoing Commission has concerns about ongoing compliance with one or more standards.”compliance with one or more standards.”

“…“…when the Commission places the when the Commission places the institution on warning or probation institution on warning or probation because of a lack of evidence that the because of a lack of evidence that the institution is in compliance with one or institution is in compliance with one or more standards.”more standards.”

----Guidelines: Follow-Up Reports and Visits Guidelines: Follow-Up Reports and Visits (Draft)(Draft)

Supplemental ReportsSupplemental Reports

““The Commission postpones an The Commission postpones an accreditation decision and requests a accreditation decision and requests a supplemental report when it has supplemental report when it has insufficient information to substantiate…insufficient information to substantiate…compliance with one or more accreditation compliance with one or more accreditation standards.”standards.”

Intended only to allow institution to Intended only to allow institution to provide further information, not to give the provide further information, not to give the institution time to formulate plans or institution time to formulate plans or initiate remedial actioninitiate remedial action

Short-time lineShort-time line

Length of monitoring and Length of monitoring and supplemental reportssupplemental reports

No length prescribedNo length prescribed Previous guidelines said to limit Previous guidelines said to limit

monitoring reports to 25 pages, monitoring reports to 25 pages, supplemental reports to 15supplemental reports to 15

Relatively short reports with well-Relatively short reports with well-organized appendices generally the organized appendices generally the best approachbest approach

Length should be proportionate to Length should be proportionate to number and complexity of issues number and complexity of issues addressedaddressed

Report organization and Report organization and formatformat

As for progress reportsAs for progress reports Title pageTitle page IntroductionIntroduction Progress to date and current statusProgress to date and current status Appendices of supporting Appendices of supporting

documentationdocumentation ConclusionConclusion

Submittal of reportsSubmittal of reports

Same as for progress reportsSame as for progress reports If paper, four copies bound ONLY by If paper, four copies bound ONLY by

staples or clamps (NO binders or staples or clamps (NO binders or folders)folders)– Send to Evaluation Services Office at the Send to Evaluation Services Office at the

CommissionCommission If electronic: send as email If electronic: send as email

attachments to attachments to info@msche.orginfo@msche.org or or cmorrison@msche.orgcmorrison@msche.org

Preparing an effective Preparing an effective reportreport

READ AND UNDERSTAND THE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE COMMISSION’S ACTIONCOMMISSION’S ACTION

Understand the Commission’s Understand the Commission’s underlying concerns and expectationsunderlying concerns and expectations– Read the relevant standard(s) and their Read the relevant standard(s) and their

fundamental elements in fundamental elements in Characteristics Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Educationof Excellence in Higher Education

– Review all reports considered by Review all reports considered by Commission when it took its actionCommission when it took its action

Preparing an effective report, Preparing an effective report, cont’dcont’d

Address everything that is requiredAddress everything that is required– Write the report so that it clearly Write the report so that it clearly

addresses the issues specified in the addresses the issues specified in the actionaction

– Don’t make the readers search for Don’t make the readers search for requested informationrequested information

Focus on past and present, not Focus on past and present, not intentions or pledges for the futureintentions or pledges for the future– No “I’m a gonna”sNo “I’m a gonna”s

Preparing an effective report, Preparing an effective report, cont’dcont’d

Focus on outcomesFocus on outcomes Provide documented evidenceProvide documented evidence Be forthright and honestBe forthright and honest Be concise and well organizedBe concise and well organized

– Respect the readers’ time and energy: Respect the readers’ time and energy: unnecessarily voluminous reports may unnecessarily voluminous reports may frustrate and confuse the readerfrustrate and confuse the reader

– Avoid data dumps and exclude Avoid data dumps and exclude irrelevant information and irrelevant information and documentationdocumentation

Preparing an effective report, Preparing an effective report, cont’dcont’d

Make the report easy to followMake the report easy to follow– If report is extensive, begin with outline of If report is extensive, begin with outline of

contentscontents– Use subheadings, charts, bulleted text as Use subheadings, charts, bulleted text as

appropriateappropriate– Clearly label supporting documents and Clearly label supporting documents and

provide clear references to them in textprovide clear references to them in text Submit the report on timeSubmit the report on time

– Commission may consider an institution to Commission may consider an institution to have voluntarily allowed its accreditation to have voluntarily allowed its accreditation to lapse if its report is not submitted on timelapse if its report is not submitted on time

Follow-up visitsFollow-up visits

Commission Liaison Guidance visitsCommission Liaison Guidance visits– To provide additional information so that To provide additional information so that

institution fully understands Commission’s institution fully understands Commission’s concernsconcerns

– Typically conducted by vice presidentTypically conducted by vice president– Discussion of standards and expectationsDiscussion of standards and expectations– Schedule varies according to issues at Schedule varies according to issues at

handhand– NOT accreditation reviews; no NOT accreditation reviews; no

Commission action other than to note visitCommission action other than to note visit

Follow-up visits continuedFollow-up visits continued

Small team visitSmall team visit– May be directed after monitoring report May be directed after monitoring report

or supplemental reportor supplemental report– Required after monitoring report if Required after monitoring report if

institution is on warning or probationinstitution is on warning or probation– Liaison identifies peer evaluators for Liaison identifies peer evaluators for

teamteam Number, backgrounds, expertise vary Number, backgrounds, expertise vary

according to issues in reportaccording to issues in report

– Liaison ordinarily accompanies team as Liaison ordinarily accompanies team as resourceresource

Scheduling of small team Scheduling of small team visitsvisits

Typically last one or two daysTypically last one or two days At least one week after report due dateAt least one week after report due date Early enough to allow for completion of Early enough to allow for completion of

team report, institutional response and team report, institutional response and chair’s confidential brief at least two chair’s confidential brief at least two weeks prior to Committee on Follow-up weeks prior to Committee on Follow-up ActivitiesActivities

Liaison works with team chair and Liaison works with team chair and president on schedule for report president on schedule for report submissionsubmission

Commission review and Commission review and actionsactions

Follow-up report (and if team visited, the Follow-up report (and if team visited, the team report, institutional response, and team report, institutional response, and chair’s confidential brief) is considered by chair’s confidential brief) is considered by the Committee on Follow-up Activities the Committee on Follow-up Activities (composed of Commissioners)(composed of Commissioners)

Reviewed by Commissioner reader and Reviewed by Commissioner reader and liaisonliaison

Recommendation for action is forwarded to Recommendation for action is forwarded to Commission (March, June and November Commission (March, June and November meetings)meetings)

Commission action is communicated to Commission action is communicated to president, included in Statement of president, included in Statement of Accreditation StatusAccreditation Status