Assessment Accreditation A Presentation to the WSU

Assessment & Accreditation A Presentation to the WSU Higher Education Academy WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Part I: Introduction What’s in it for me? WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Part II: External Validation: Accreditation and other Recognitions WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Question? Name five excellent colleges or universities and state why these schools are excellent. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Measures of quality WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, including schools of the Navajo Nation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior (Junior) Colleges and Universities California, Hawaii, the United States territories of Guam and American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Republic of the Marshall Islands WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Northwest Accreditation Standards

The Accreditation Process WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Accreditation When granted, accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is not partial. It applies to the entire institution in operation at the time of the most recent comprehensive evaluation. It indicates that the institution as a whole is substantially achieving its mission and that it meets the Commission's expectations for compliance with the accreditation criteria. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Does Accreditation Matter? WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Does Accreditation Matter? WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Does Accreditation Matter? Earning regional accreditation is important for colleges because it allows students to receive federal financial aid and helps students transfer credits to other institutions. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Does Accreditation Matter? Compton Community College, in California, a large two-year public institution--Action: Accreditation removed. The institution remains accredited pending an appeal. Barber-Scotia College, in Concord, N. C. , a small, historically black, fouryear Presbyterian institution--Action: accreditation rescinded. D-Q University, in Davis, Calif. , a small, comprehensive community college and California's only tribal institution--Action: show cause -- the last step before loss of accreditation WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Other Types of Accreditation WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Applied Science & Technology Automotive Service Technology [AAS programs] (National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation) Electronics Engineering Technology, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology (Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) Interior Design Technology (National Kitchen & Bath Association) [Endorsement] WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Arts & Humanities Music (National Association of Schools of Music) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics All undergraduate and graduate programs in business (AACSB - Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) School of Accountancy--all undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting (AACSB Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Jerry and Vickie Moyes College of Education Athletic Training (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) Early Childhood Education (National Association for the Education of Young Children Teacher Education, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) Elementary Education (Association of Childhood Education International) Family Studies (National Council on Family Relations Standards for the Certified Family Life Educator) Melba S. Lehner Children's School (National Association for the Education of Young Children Standards) Physical Education Teaching (National Association for Sport and Physical Education) Teacher Education (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Utah State Board of Education Standards) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Dr. Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions Clinical Laboratory Sciences (National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science) Dental Hygiene (Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association) Emergency Care & Rescue (Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs in the Emergency Medical Services Professions) Health Administrative Services (Association of University Programs in Health Administration) Health Information Management, Health Information Technology (Council on Accreditation of the American Health Information Management Association) Nursing (National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission) Respiratory Therapy (Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Science Chemistry (American Chemical Society) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Social Work (Council on Social Work Education) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Professional Accreditation Prescriptive Standards In 2001, the Foster College of Business Administration at Bradley received its third reaffirmation of full accreditation from AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business for both business and accounting programs. With only… 163 having achieved both accounting and business accreditation. This puts Bradley in an elite groups of schools. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation The Rankings WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

U. S. News—What Factors Matter WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

WSU’s Categorical Ratings America’s Best Colleges 2006 Edition (released Aug. 19, 2005) 3680 Weber State University Category: Universities Master’s (West) Final Tier: 1 Final Rank: 49 Final Overall Score: 36 Peer Assessment Rank: 34 Financial Resources Rank: 119 Graduate and Retention Rank: 54 Student Selectivity Rank: 36 Faculty Resources Rank: 71 Alumni Giving Rank: 78 Graduation Rate Performance Rank: (National Universities and Liberal Arts Colleges only): Not Applicable WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Part III: Assessment WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment: Basic Questions Do we know how we are doing? Are we doing a good job? WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Possibilities 1) We believe we know something, and we have evidence to support our belief. 2) We believe we know something, but we don’t have evidence to support our belief. 3) We don’t know anything, but we could know something if we had evidence. 4) We don’t know anything, and we believe knowledge is unattainable. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

The Path to Knowledge WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

The Scientific Method 1. Observe some aspect of the universe. 2. Invent a tentative description, called a hypothesis, that is consistent with what you have observed. 3. Use the hypothesis to make predictions. 4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations and modify the hypothesis in the light of your results. 5. Repeat steps until there are no discrepancies between theory and experiment and/or observation. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

An Accreditor’s View of Assessment Concerned with Student Learning Focused on Outcomes Oriented Toward the Assessment Process WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Is Student Learning the Only Thing? Student satisfaction Student placement Student retention Student graduation WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Do Inputs Matter? Accrediting standards, which are overwhelmingly concerned with institutional inputs and processes rather than academic results, have done nothing to arrest any of those trends. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Do inputs matter? WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Do inputs matter? Lemon Spaghetti Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis 1 pound spaghetti 2/3 cup olive oil 2/3 cup grated Parmesan 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

SEVEN PRINCIPLES FOR GOOD PRACTICE IN UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION Good practice in undergraduate education: encourages contact between students and faculty, develops reciprocity and cooperation among students, encourages active learning, gives prompt feedback, emphasizes time on task, communicates high expectations, and respects diverse talents and ways of learning. By Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. Gamson WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Question? Should you examine inputs, process, or outcomes? WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

The Issue of Process

Question? How much does the process matter? WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation If it is that easy what’s the problem. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Setting goals WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Where are we going?

Assessment & Accreditation Gathering data Everyone’s an expert WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Interpreting the data WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Observation: In many parts of Europe, medieval farmers stored grain in barns with thatched roofs (like Shakespeare’s house). As a roof aged, it was not uncommon for it to start leaking. This could lead to spoiled or moldy grain, and of course there were lots of mice around. “Conclusion”: It was obvious to them that the mice came from the moldy grain. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

The Scientific Method 1. Observe some aspect of the universe. 2. Invent a tentative description, called a hypothesis, that is consistent with what you have observed. 3. Use the hypothesis to make predictions. 4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations and modify the hypothesis in the light of your results. 5. Repeat steps until there are no discrepancies between theory and experiment and/or observation. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Using the information for improvement Time to go to Work WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Assessment & Accreditation Let’s look at some data WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Faculty Satisfaction with Work WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

WSU 2005 NSSE Positive Relative to Peers Examinations challenged students to do best work (F, S) Participated in activities to enhance spirituality (F, S) Worked on problem sets taking more than one hour (S) Quality of relationship with faculty (S) Amount of time studying (S) Received support needed to succeed academically (S) Acquired work-related knowledge (S) Satisfaction with entire educational experience (S) Would attend WSU again (S) Commuting (lower) (F, S) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

WSU 2005 NSSE Negative Relative to Peers Made a class presentation (F) Worked with other students during class (F) Worked with students outside class (F, S) Tutored other students (F, S) Used the Internet (or other electronic medium) (S) Used email to communicate with the faculty (F, S) Discussed assignments with instructor (F) Discussed ideas with faculty outside class (F) Received prompt feedback on assignments (F) Worked with faculty on non-course activities (F) Had conversations with diverse students (F, S) Synthesized ideas (F) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

WSU 2005 NSSE Negative Relative to Peers Wrote a paper of 20 pages or more (S) Wrote papers of 5 to 17 pages (F) Attended cultural event (F) Participated in a learning community (F) Did foreign language coursework (F, S) Pursued independent study (S) Capstone experience (S) Quality of relationship with other students (F) Worked for pay on-campus (lower) (S) Worked for pay off-campus (higher) (F, S) Co-curricular activities (F) Partying/watching TV (higher) (F, S) Contact with diverse students (F) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

WSU 2005 NSSE Negative Relative to Peers WSU helped cope with non-academic demands (F) Social support (F) Campus events (F) Speaking effectively (F) Thinking critically (F) Using information technology (F) Working effectively with others (F) Voting (F) Understanding yourself (F) Understanding people of different backgrounds (F) Solving complex problems (F) Developing values (F) Contributing to the community (F) WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Some 2005 NSSE Data 16 percent of WSU first-year students often come to class without doing the required reading. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Some 2005 NSSE Data 85 percent of WSU first-year students never work with faculty on activities other than coursework. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Some 2005 NSSE Data 59 percent of WSU first-year students never talk with faculty members outside class. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Weber State University Retention of First-Time Students WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Weber State University Graduation Rates WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Weber State University Retention Compared to 4 -Year USHE WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Weber State University Graduation Rates Compared to 4 -Year USHE WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Some 2005 NSSE Data 8 percent of WSU first-year students and 9 percent of WSU seniors never had a serious conversation with students who were different in terms of religious beliefs, political opinions or personal values. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Some 2005 NSSE Data 20 percent of WSU first-year students and 17 percent of WSU seniors never read an unassigned book for personal enjoyment or academic enrichment. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

A Question? How College Affects Students—. . simply going to college…makes a major difference… …[however the researchers] were unable to uncover significant differences between colleges once the quality of entering students was taken into account. Research by Ernest Pascarella and Patrick Terenzini Referenced in Richard Hersh’s “What Does College Teach, ” Atlantic Monthly, November 2005 WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Some 2005 NSSE Data 13 percent of WSU seniors never wrote a paper longer than four pages. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Some 2005 NSSE Data 8 percent of WSU first-year students and 5 percent of WSU seniors never examined the strengths and weaknesses of their own views on a topic or issue. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Some 2005 NSSE Data 34 percent of WSU first-year students and 35 percent of seniors have never attended an art exhibit, gallery, play, dance, or other theater performance. WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY

Questions? WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY