HLC/NCA Steering Committee
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Library Multipurpose Classroom
Meeting Notes
Present: Darrell Carnahan, Queta Chavez, Karen Christen, Corina Gardea,
Marsha Hopkins, Morris Johnson, Casandra Kakar, Nancy Matte, Michael
Mitchell, Denny Sheehan, Dorothy Sisneros, and Marian Tadano.
Note taker: Patti Schellhase
Special Guest: Steve Boettcher, Math faculty, EMCC
Absent: Brent Jameson, Emily Lander, Jesse Mireles, Jeremy Moreland,
Jim Moore, Mike Murphy, and Wilbert Nelson.
Marian Tadano, Dean of Instruction, NCA Committee Co-Chair
Dean Tadano greeted those in attendance.
She noted there were several handouts at today's meeting. Many of
these handouts are for your reading/review outside of the meeting.
She made special mention of the white spiral bound handout Restructured
Expectations: A Transitional Workbook. In late February, new criteria
for accreditation and a policy on annual reporting expectations were
adopted by the Commission's Board of Trustees, along with a new name
change. This workbook (handout) contains some basic draft chapters/information
until the new Handbook for Accreditation will be available. This should
be ready for distribution very soon. The blue accreditation handbook
that you may have contains the old criteria but has very important
information regarding the accreditation process.
There will be a job posting soon for an OYO Administrative Secretary
II position for support to all the NCA Committees.
Marian reviewed the key points of an assessment plan. The self study
will be an evaluation of every process. The following are the foci
for assessment. In every assessment cycle, an outcome is identified,
a plan for implementation is decided upon to achieve the stated outcome,
the results are evaluated, a plan for improvement is determined and
the cycle is again repeated.
Assessment is commonly used in the following areas:
a. Student academic achievement outcomes
b. Assessment - placement of students
c. Institution
d. Process
Assessment Process:
1. identify outcome
2. implement the plan
3. evaluate the outcome
4. improve
An example of process assessment or evaluation is the creation of
the "Hiring Process Committee" The recommendations coming
forth from this committee will be reviewed by the President and then
implemented. Later an assessment of this recommended process along
with an evaluation of results and continued improvement should occur.
It is very important to have evaluation built into the process rather
than to have peopled complain that the process does not work and then
bring a committee together for review.
When the overall institution is assessed (institutional assessment),
the results are referred to as institutional effectiveness. These
hard data results are referred to as indicators. Usually those indicators
that the campus identifies as being core to the Mission are called
core indicators. (note: these are very important measures that the
campus closely reviews and consistently monitors. The close, consistent
review is necessary so data of a negative impression can be quickly
changed to a positive image, assuming the campus has a plan to implement.)
Marian also referred to the handout The Self-Study Process in Accreditation
which covers the following:
1) Fits the distinctive nature of the organization = caring teachers,
caring staff;
2) Promises to have an impact on the organization beyond the Commission
visit = ongoing, continuous improvement;
3) Engages multiple constituencies of the organization = everyone
must be involved;
4) Builds naturally on existing and ongoing self-evaluation processes
= total improvement, over and over;
5) Has strong presidential and board support = Dr. Gardea expressed
total support from her office.
Marsha Hopkins expressed to the committee that NCA changing its accreditation
arm to a new organization called the Higher Learning Commission was
to reflect the focus on learning. In regards to the NCA Review team,
we need to anticipate "What are their expectations? What do they
want?
The committee was asked to respond to the question "What self
discovery have you come across?"
Mike Mitchell - Happy to have 12 members now working with his Criterion
3 committee.
Dorothy Sisneros - Would like some input on how the Strategic Plan
is fitting in, etc.
Karen Christen - Currently has 20 people to work on Criterion 4 committee
and most were very excited to be a part. Identified 4 components and
will tackle 2 this semester and 2 in the Spring semester.
Denny Sheehan - Have submitted names for the Criterion 1 committee
and noted it is all beginning to gel now.
Nancy Matte - Have identified about all the writers that will be needed.
Will be scheduling a meeting in November with all the criterion chairs
to review/discuss the formatting plans for the report.
Marian Tadano - Have asked Mike Murphy to be a part of this committee.
Would like to have the PC logo expanded to include HLC/NCA.
President Corina Gardea - Expressed total support from her and the
President's office.
Marsha Hopkins - Noted there are many other colleges that are also
going through this process at the same time as PC and we can share
with them.
Casandra Kakar - Support and learning a lot, and is serving on one
of the Criterion committees.
Queta Chavez - Continuing to gather members for the Criterion V committee
and wants to include some community members.
Morris Johnson - The Student Services area is there to support in
any way needed.
Special guest, Steve Boettcher, Math faculty and Student Academic
Achievement (Assessment) Coordinator from Estrella Mountain Community
College (EMCC) was introduced. Clay Goodman, Dean of Administrative
Services of EMCC was also scheduled to attend, but was not able to
be at today's meeting. Steve was invited to share his experiences
as Assessment Coordinator and his experience in EMCC"s Self Study
and site visit. He explained the key is to educate your faculty/staff
on campus so the correct information is shared with the NCA team when
they visit your campus. He also explained the 3 levels of implementation
(I, II, III) to indicate how effectively the assessment process is
working.
Steve presented a hands-on look at the EMCC webpage for the Student
Academic Achievement Committee. http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/academics/saac/fpg.html
There are templates located there for faculty portfolios for each
level. You may borrow templates and use as needed. Steve also expressed
that documentation is very important. Weaknesses are okay as long
as you have a way to address them.
Dean Tadano encouraged everyone to read handouts between now and
the next meeting scheduled for October 23 in the Administrative Conference
Room. Next month LTD will be setting up a BLOG for the NCA Steering
and other Committees. BLOG = A setup on a website where information/updates
is posted and others can respond. Work will get started with the HLC/NCA
web page.
Please place these meeting dates on your calendar:
October 23, 3:00 pm, Administrative Conference Room
November 18, 3:00 pm, Administrative Conference Room
December 16, 3:00 pm, Administrative Conference Room
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