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Assistant Chair Webinar

Tuesday December 13, 2011Please join the audio portion of this training:

866-740-1260, Access Code: 7489001

ReadyTalk Help Desk: 800.843.9166 International Help: 303.209.1600

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AnnouncementsThis presentation and the accompanying materials are available for download from:

http://www.wascsenior.org/actraining

Please mute your microphone if you are not speaking

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Agenda• Introduction of participants (name, home

institution, institution being visited, WASC experience)

• Outcomes for webinar • Role of assistant chair • AC responsibilities for guiding logistics• AC responsibilities for guiding and compiling the

team report• Common challenges of visits and reports• New protocols and emphases on visits• Available tools

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Training OutcomesAt the end of the webinar, participants will: • Understand the role and responsibilities of the assistant chair:

Guides the writing of the team report Manages team logistics

•Be aware of common challenges that assistant chairs face on visits and obtain guidance on how to address challenges•Know how to address recently added emphases for visits in 2011-2012•Be able to locate tools available for visits

Role of Assistant Chair

There are individuals who support the team through several special roles:

•The team chair guides the visit.

•The assistant chair guides the writing of the team report and manages team logistics.

•The WASC staff liaison guides the process.

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Responsibility for Managing Team Logistics

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Before the Pre-Visit Conference Call

• Talk with the chair and VP to clarify assistant chair responsibilities

• Talk with the chair and VP to discuss the timeline, issues, assignments, and basic schedule

• Assist the chair, as needed, in planning the pre-visit conference call and sending first chair memorandum to the team

• Ensure modified draft visit schedule is sent to team by ALO before conference call

• Prepare as you would for any visit by reading and making notes on the report, data portfolio, etc.

• Receive, compile, and distribute drafts of team worksheet

Tools: Conference Call Worksheets (EVG pg. 95; SVG pg. 51)

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During the Pre-Visit Conference Call

• Take part in agenda as asked by chair • Be sure the team decides about pre-visit drafting• Assist chair to ensure all sections of report get assigned,

including the additional areas of emphases• Take notes re issues, lines of inquiry, visit • Take notes re additional documents and/or meetings

needed by team• Discuss logistics with team (travel, logistics survey, due

dates for pre-visit narrative, first night meeting times, due date for final sections on last day of visit)

Tools: Guidelines for Drafting Preliminary Report Prior to Visit (EVG pg. 99, SVG pg. 39)

After the Pre-Visit Conference Call

• Send pre-visit conference call notes to team• Send report template to team with sections

assigned• With VP, communicate with ALO re changes to

the schedule and additional documents needed• Clarify any additional logistics with ALO

(restaurants, transportation)• Participate on chair’s call with president (if

asked by chair)

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More Pre-Visit Work…

• Draft opening sections of report (Section 1)– Description of institution and visit– Quality of report and alignment/evidence– Response to last action letter recommendations

• Receive and incorporate team draft narratives into report template along with AC’s Section 1

• Send compiled draft narrative to team a few days before first night meeting

• Take part in first night meeting as asked by chair

Tools: EER Team Report Template (EVG pg. 243)CPR Team Report Template (EVG pg. 233)Special Visit Team Report Template (SVG pg. 164)

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During the Visit-1

• Make notes as needed in opening strategy/planning session and other meetings

• Help keep team members on track with issues and lines of inquiry, agenda, etc.

• Help team chair be alert to issues with the team functioning

Tool: Standards at a Glance (EVG pg. 68; SVG pg. 63)

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During the Visit-2

• Attend your scheduled meetings

• Draft your own sections of the report

• Work with ALO and VP re adjustments to schedule, additional documents, etc.

Tools: Expectations for Two Reviews (EVG pg. 45; SVG pg. 42)

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During the Visit-3

Check the confidential email account• Check for emails every day; do not reply• Share with team chair and team as appropriate• Ensure that team is diligent in investigating

issues raised by emails• Ensure that only issues from emails discussed

with institution are included in report • Ensure that report does not make

unsubstantiated claims based on emails

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During the Visit-4At end of visit:

• Help chair and team draft the commendations and recommendations to be shared with the campus at the exit meeting

• Ensure that the team completes the Educational Effectiveness Framework

• Ensure that the team decides on confidential recommendation to Commission

• Collect final drafts of each team member’s report sections before exit meeting

Tool: EE Framework (EVG pg. 195, SVG pg. 119) Commission and Team Decision Indicators

(EVG pg. 271, SVG pg. 173)

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After the Visit • Compile the report using team’s final narratives• Edit the report for continuity, voice and coverage

– Avoid redundancy– Identify gaps– Correct grammar, punctuation, spelling– Eliminate report no-no’s– Ensure the consistent use of CFRs– Ensure use of documentation and evidence

• Send report to VP and team for review • Make changes and send report to team chair• Ensure completed EEF and Confidential

Recommendation are sent to WASC and VP

Responsibility for Guiding the Team Report

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Effective Team Reports

• Reflect a thorough assessment of the institution’s capacity and/or effectiveness

• Are evidence based• Provide the basis for a sound and supportable

Commission decision• Identify important areas for the institution to address

• Effective June 2012, action letters and team reports starting with Spring 2012 reviews will be made publicly available on WASC website.

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The Importance of Using CFRs in Team Reports

• CFRS link the interpretations of various readers to a common source

• Standards and CFRs form the basis for Commission decisions

• CFRs must be cited in reports• Team recommendations must be linked to specific

Standards and CFRs

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The Importance of Using Evidence in Team Reports

• Use qualitative and quantitative evidence • Select evidence carefully and purposefully• Connect evidence to an assertion or question• Document the evidence (provide source) • Analyze data; do not just set forth data• Let evidence suggest improvements• Use evidence that speaks to the institution’s themes and

the team's questions

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Team Recommendations(at end of team report)

Should be:• Overarching and important• Clear and direct• Supported by evidence • Linked clearly to Standards and CFRs• Supported by text in the report• Limited in number (3-8)• Distinct from minor recommendations and from

suggestions embedded in the report

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Tips for Writing Team Reports

• Remember the multiple audiences for the report: the institution, Commission and staff

• Honor requirements for length • Be sure the report addresses the themes/priorities

and goals set by the institution• Make commendations that do not send the wrong or a

mixed signal

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More Tips on Team Reports

• Use formal language and tone, e.g., no “we” or “they”• Do not criticize or praise personnel by name• Do not be overly prescriptive or try to solve the

institution’s problems• Consider creating a short list of conventions for the

team to help with consistency among draft sections

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Some Challenges• Logistics

– Team does not gel– Chair is ineffective or disorganized– Team seeks to criticize rather than understand– Team member is not prepared– Team does not achieve consensus– Team does not honor meeting schedules on visit

• Team Report– Team member does not complete his/her assigned

sections of the report– Quality of section is not as expected– Team doesn’t understand the themes/comprehensive

assignments

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Emphases for 2011-2012 visits

• Institution and team reports should address:– student success (for both CPR and EER visits)– program review (for EER visits)– sustainability of effectiveness (for CPR and EER visits)

• Team reports should address:– marketing and recruitment practices – finances in light of economic recession– credit hour policy (CPR and EER visits)

Some Revised CFRs• 1.2 Published data on graduation/retention rates and SLOs• 2.3 SLOs at course, program, and, if appropriate, institutional

level• 2.7 Regular cycle of systematic program review• 2.10 System for collecting and analyzing data about students• 2.11 Assessment of co-curricular programs• 3.6 Information resources/support aligned with educational

objectives• 3.8 Clear roles, responsibilities, and lines of authority that are

reflected in an organization chart• 3.10 A full-time CEO and a full-time CFO• 4.4 Quality Assurance processes at all levels• 4.5 Institutional Research capacity consistent with objectives

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Addressing Student Success

• State 3-5 year trends in retention and graduation rates (aggregated and disaggregated)

• Benchmark against peer institutions• Set goals with timelines• Establish Plan B scenarios

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Addressing Program Review

• The systematic approach described below calls for the team to:– review a sample of recent program reviews (the number may vary

by institution)– evaluate them under the CFRs, applying various WASC rubrics

as appropriate– study one or two program reviews in depth, and– meet with the faculty and appropriate administrators from the one

or two programs selected for in-depth examination to learn more about

• how program review works,• what was learned, • and what actions flowed from the program review.

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Addressing Sustainability

• What structures, processes, and plans does the institution have in place for continuing the progress that it has made in the current review cycle?– For CPR: What are the plans for using institutional

capacity to achieve and demonstrate educational effectiveness at the EER?

– For EER: What are the plans for optimizing EE at the institution until the next interaction with WASC?

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Covering the Impact of the Financial Recession on Institutions

Questions to ask the institution:

• How has the financial recession affected your institution?

• How has your institution responded?• What plans are in place to operate within the current

financial environment?

Covering Recruitment and Marketing

Question: Does the institution provide accurate information about:

•The length of time to degree?•The overall cost of the degree?•The kinds of job for which the graduate is qualified with this degree?

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Addressing the Credit Hour Policy

• Does the institution have a policy for assigning credit hours?

• How does the policy address non-standard courses (e.g. labs, studios, internships, individual directed studies)

• Review a sampling of syllabi for non-standard courses

• Conduct audit of term course schedule• Complete form for appendix of team report

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A Look at Available Tools• Team Report Template: guide for organizing report• EER Toolkit: flow chart for program review; helpful for in-depth

analysis of program review process required at EER• EE Framework: rubric for assessing capacity and effectiveness

of student and institutional learning; submission to WASC VP required following EER; also a good teaching tool

• Compliance Audit: check list for organizing/storing documents; required for Candidacy and IA visits; include in report appendix

• Summaries for Distance Ed and Online: worksheets to help assess these areas; include as appendices in team report

• Rubrics: tools to help evaluate GE, program learning outcomes, capstones, portfolios, and program review

• Credit Hour Policy and forms; include form in report appendix

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Location of Tools

• Report Templates (ECG pg. 231; SVG pg.33)

• EE Toolkit (available on WASC website)

• EE Framework (EVG pg. 195; SVG pg. 119)

• Compliance Audit Checklist (EVG pg. 103; SVG pg. 67)

• Distance Ed. Summary (EVG pg. 223; SVG pg. 137)

• Off-Campus Site Summary (EVG pg. 211; SVG pg. 141)

• Rubrics (EVG pg. 197; SVG pg. 121)

• Credit Hour Policy (EVG pg. 225; SVG pg.143)

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Thank you for your service to WASC and the region

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Post-Webinar SurveyWASC is interested in ongoing improvements to our training.

Please let us know how well you believe the webinar has helped you to understand and be better prepared for your role as a member of a visiting peer review team.

This survey should take fewer than 15 minutes. Responses will be aggregated; comments will be reported anonymously.

The link below will be sent directly to your e-mail.

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Using Box.net• Introduction to Box.net: What is it?

• Demonstration of use of Box.net– Invitation from Siobhan to Access Postings– Maneuvering through the materials

• Institutional specific material from WASC • General visit resource materials from WASC• Logistical materials from WASC

– Downloading, saving, and printing from Box.net

• Possible future use: Drafting team reports