New Traditions:NWCCU Standards and Process

Ronald L. Baker

Executive Vice PresidentNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Messenger

These are but the shadows of the things that have been. That they are

what they are, do not blame me.Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens)

Evolution

While we flatter ourselves that things remain the same, they are changing under our very

eyes from year to year, from day to day.Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Incongruence

Most of us do not look as handsome to others as we do to ourselves.

Assiniboine Tribal Proverb

Change

OutcomesImplied Explicit

What does that mean?

AchievementsAssumed Assessed

How do you know?

EvidenceAnecdotal Verifiable

Show me the data!

Homo Academicus

Most people are in favor of progress; it’s the changes they don’t like.

Anonymous

Redirection

When you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.

Dakota Tribal Proverb

Interrelationships

The challenge is for us to see beyond the innumerable fragments to the

whole, stepping back far enough to appreciate how things move and

change as a coherent entity.Margaret Wheatley

Viewpoint

What you see depends on where you stand.Albert Einstein

Trust

Who are you going to believe . . .me or your own eyes?

Chico Marx

Isolated Functions

Interlocking Communities

Function-Centric Fit

Interest-Centric Fit

Relevance

How does this talk grow corn?Hopi Tribal Saying

Assurances

An NWCCU accredited institution:

Has a clear and appropriate mission;

Has the potential to fulfill its mission;

Is substantially fulfilling its mission; and

Is projected to continue to do so.

Framework

The standards are principle-based statements of agreed-upon expectations for institutional practice that form a flexible qualitative, catalytic, non-prescriptive framework that enables institutions with divergent missions, philosophies, and characteristics to exhibit essential principles of quality and effectiveness.

Standard One:Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations

Examines institutional purpose and intentions based on a clear statement of institutional mission, articulation of mission fulfillment, and identification of mission core themes complete with objectives and assessable indicators of achievement of those objectives.

Revised Standards

A core theme is a manifestation of a fundamental aspect of institutional mission with overarching objectives that guide planning for contributing programs and services, development of capacity, application of resources to accomplish those objectives, and assessment of achievements of those objectives. Collectively, the core themes represent the institution’s interpretation of its mission and translation of that interpretation into practice.

Standard One:Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations

Revised Standards

Mission

Core Theme 1

Objective 1

Indicator 1

Objective N

Core Theme N

...

. . .

...

Indicator N

Indicator 1

...

Indicator N

Indicator 1

...

Indicator N

Indicator 1

...

Indicator N

Objective 1 Objective N...

Nuance

Input-driven Core ThemesStudent AccessEffective Learning Environments

Outcome-driven Core ThemesStudent SuccessIntegrative Student Learning

Values-driven Core ThemesResponsible Civic EngagementEmbodiment of Catholic

Character

Systems vs. Components

Standard One:Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations

Standard Two:Resources and Capacity

Revised Standards

Standard One:Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations

Standard Two:Resources and Capacity

Standard Three:Planning and Implementation

Standard Four:Effectiveness and Improvement

Revised Standards

Standards Three and Four

Institutional Planning (Standard 3.A)

Core Theme 1

Planning to AchieveCore Theme 1 Objectives (3.B)

Assessment of Achievement ofCore Theme 1 Objectives (4.A)

Use of Assessment Results to Improve Core Theme 1 Success (4.B)

…

Core Theme N

Planning to AchieveCore Theme N Objectives (3.B)

Assessment of Achievement ofCore Theme N Objectives (4.A)

Use of Assessment Results to Improve Core Theme N Success (4.B)

Standard One:Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations

Standard Two:Resources and Capacity

Standard Three:Planning and Implementation

Standard Four:Effectiveness and Improvement

Standard Five:Mission Fulfillment, Adaptation, and Sustainability

Revised Standards

Standard One Standard Two

Sta

nd

ard

s T

hre

e a

nd

Fo

ur

Co re

Theme

1

Standard 3.A

Standard Five

Co re

Theme

2

Co re

Theme

3

Co re

Theme

N

...

Stan

dard

s 3.B; 4.A

; 4.B

Standard 5.A Standard 5.B

Direction and Distillation

Mission

Core Themes

Programs/Services

Contributing Components

Mission Fulfillment

Objectives

Goals/Intended Outcomes

Accomplishments

Communities

Institutional Communities

Communities of Function

and

Communities of Interest

Community of Function

A community of function is an assemblage of expertise and services that contribute to the essential infrastructure needed to operate and sustain the institution and fulfill its mission.

Community of Interest (Core Theme)

A community of interest is a purposeful cross-functional application of capacity and allocation of resources to achieve clearly-defined objectives of an essential aspect of institutional mission.

Purpose, Potential, and Direction

Mission Fulfillment

Co

re T

hem

e 1

... C

ore

Th

eme

2

Co

re T

hem

e 3

Co

re T

hem

e 4

Co

re T

hem

e N

Standards3.B, 4.A, and 4.B

StandardFive

StandardsOne, Two, and 3.A

Co

re T

hem

e N

Human Resources

Education Resources

Student Support Resources

Library and Information Resources

Financial Resources

Governance

Physical and Technological InfrastructurePhysical and Technological Infrastructure

Co

re T

hem

e 1

Human Resources

Education Resources

Student Support Resources

Library and Information Resources

Financial Resources

Governance

Co

re T

hem

e 3

Co

re T

hem

e 4

Co

re T

hem

e N

...C

ore

Th

eme

2

Weave

GovernanceHuman Resources

Education Resources

Student Support Resources

Library and Information Resources

Financial ResourcesPhysical and Technical Infrastructure

Core T

heme

1

Core T

heme

2

Core T

heme

3

Core

Them

e 4

Cor

e Th

eme

N

. . .

Image

Tapestry

Analysis and Synthesis Embedded in the Accreditation Standards

Standard One: Mission, Core Themes, and ExpectationsExplication of Mission, Core Themes, Objectives, and Achievement Indicators

Standard Three: Planning and ImplementationInstitutional and Core Theme Planning to Apply Resources and Capacity

Theme 1 Theme 2 Theme 3 . . . Theme N

Governance ↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓

HumanResources

↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓

EducationResources

↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓

StudentSupport

Resources

↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓

Library andInformationResources

↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓

FinancialResources

↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓

Physical andTechnical

Infrastructure

↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓ → ← ↓

↓ ↓ Theme 1 Theme 2 Theme 3 . . . Theme N

↓ ↓ Standard Four: Effectiveness and Improvement↓ ↓ Assess Achievement in Core Themes with Results Used for Improvement

Standard Five: Mission Fulfillment, Adaptation, and SustainabilityEvaluate Mission Fulfillment; Evaluate Adaptability to Change

Determine Confidence for Future Relevance, Success, and Viability

Ex

am

ina

tio

n o

f M

ajo

r In

sti

tuti

on

al

Sy

ste

ms

Standard Two

Monitoring

People change and forget to tell each other.Lillian Hellman

1

Standard One: Mission, Core Themes, and Expectations

Submit Year One Report to Address: Standard One

No Visit; Evaluator Panel Reviews Standard One; Findings forwarded to Board of Commissioners.

3

Standard Two: Resources and

Capacity

Submit Year Three Report to Address: Standards One and Two

Committee Visit to Review Standards One and Two; Findings forwarded to Board of Commissioners.

5

Standard Three: Planning and

Implementation; Standard Four:

Effectiveness and Improvement

Submit Year Five Report to Address: Standards One, Two, Three, and Four

No Visit; Evaluator Panel Reviews Standards Three and Four; Findings forwarded to Board of Commissioners.

7

Standard Five: Mission Fulfillment,

Adaptation, and Sustainability

Submit Year Seven Report to Address: Standards One, Two, Three, Four, and Five

Committee Visit to Review Standards Three, Four, and Five; Findings forwarded to Board of Commissioners.

Seven-Year Accreditation CycleEventPrimary FocusYear

aInstitution 3 Review and Evaluation

Report

aInstitution 6 Review and Evaluation

Report

aInstitution 5 Review and Evaluation

Report

aInstitution 2 Review and Evaluation

Report

aInstitution 1 Review and Evaluation

Report

aInstitution 4 Review and Evaluation

Report

Evaluator 2 Evaluator 1 (Chair) Evaluator 3

Three-Evaluator PanelPanel agrees—as a whole—on all Peer-Evaluation Reports,

Commendations, Recommendations, and Confidential Counsels

aPrimary Responsibility

Year One and Year Five Panel Structure

ChairStandards 1.A; 1.B; 2.A; ERs 2-21

Year Three Committee Structure

Evaluator 1Standards

2.B; 2.D(Students)

Evaluator 2Standard

2.C(Academics)

Evaluator 3Standard

2.E(Library)

Evaluator 4Standards

2.F; 2.G(Finance)

ChairStandards 3.A; 5.A; 5.B; ERs 22-24

Year Seven Committee Structure

Evaluator 1Core Theme 1

Standards 3.B; 4.A; 4.B

Evaluator 2Core Theme 2

Standards 3.B; 4.A; 4.B

. . . Evaluator 3

Core Theme 3Standards

3.B; 4.A; 4.B

Evaluator NCore Theme N

Standards 3.B; 4.A; 4.B

BYU-I Transition Calendar

Spring 2011 Year One Report

Spring 2012 Year Three Report and Visit

Spring 2013 Year Five Report

Spring 2014 Year Seven Report and Visit

Spring 2015 Year One Report

Summary

Consistency in communication, purposeful collaboration, and clarity of

expectations are necessary elements for the pursuit of a common agenda.

Anny Morrobel-Sosa

Comments and Questions