Surviving SACS

The Librarian’s Role in Reaccreditation

North Carolina Library AssociationOctober 17, 2007

Surviving SACS

Carol Burton, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

Eloise Hitchcock, Director of Doris and Harry Vise Library, Cumberland University, Lebanon, TN

Heidi Buchanan, Reference Librarian and Instruction’Inforamtin Literacy Coordinator, Hunter Library, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

Ann Hallyburton, Reference Librarian/Health Sciences Liaison, Hunter Library, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

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Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

@Western Carolina University

http://www.wcu.edu/sacs/

Carol Burtonburton@wcu.edu

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Compliance Documents

Eloise Hitchcockehitchcock@cumberland.edu

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Core Requirements are basic, broad-based, foundational requirements that an institution must meet to be accredited with the Commission on Colleges. They establish a threshold of development required of an institution seeking initial or continued accreditation by the Commission and reflect the Commission’s basic expectations of candidate and member institutions.

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2.9 The institution, through ownership or formal arrangements or agreements, provides and supports student and faculty access and user privileges to adequate library collections and services and to other learning/information resources consistent with the degrees offered. Collections, resources, and services are sufficient to support all its educational, research, and public service programs. (Learning Resources and Services)

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The Comprehensive Standards are more specific to the operations of the institution, represent good practice in higher education, and establish a level of accomplishment expected of all member institutions.

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3.8 Library and Other Learning Resources

3.8.1 The institution provides facilities and learning/information resources that are appropriate to support its teaching, research, and service mission. (Learning/information resources)

3.8.2 The institution ensures that users have access to regular and timely instruction in the use of the library and other learning/information resources. (Instruction of library use)

3.8.3 The institution provides a sufficient number of qualified staff—with appropriate education or experiences in library and/or other learning/information resources—to accomplish the mission of the institution. (Qualified staff)

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Recommendations for Writing and EditingCompliance Certification Reports

and the Quality Enhancement Plan

Ann Hallyburtonahallyb@email.wcu.edu

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Writing Guidance

Download or otherwise obtain copies of ALL relevant SACS instruction/reference manuals.

Make sure ALL contributors and editors use these guidelines.

Examples of completed documents from other institutions may prove useful.

Defer to current SACS documentation.

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Establish a SIMPLE, SHORT Style Guide Early

The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White, Jr. is a great resource.

Focus on issues of wording, punctuation, and abbreviation.

Make style decisions and stick with them; if you make changes to your guide, contributors may have already printed copies of older versions.

Make the style guide easily accessible online.

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Formatting for Contributors

Have contributors submit PLAIN TEXT FILES. Or, create a LOCKED document template that all contributors must use but cannot edit.

Contributors should submit any tables to editors with minimal formatting or in an image format (jpeg, etc.).

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Timelines and Deadlines

Set realistic deadlines – AND THEN ANNOUNCE DEADLINES THAT ARE AT LEAST TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF THOSE REALISTIC ONES!

Identify all individuals who can make changes to the institution's website (administrative, department, and individual level). Establish a date to end all substantive changes (URLs, meaning of the text) to the website. Lift this ban once the SACS review ends.

In the event of absolutely NECESSARY changes, individuals making those changes MUST inform the editorial team.

WHY? Technical problems (server crashes, drive melt downs, Web glitches) will likely occur. Printing problems will also likely occur.

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Resources from SACS

SACS Commission on Colleges websitehttp://www.sacscoc.org/

Areas of the site of particular importance are:

Accrediting Standardshttp://www.sacscoc.org/principles.asp

Handbooks, Manuals, and Guideshttp://www.sacscoc.org/handbooks.asp

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Document Mapping

Carefully review all document sections.

Map out which document sections are closely related to other sections.

Label which individual/organizational entity has responsibility for contributing each section.

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Final Editing makes Documents Cohesive

Establish a small group of individuals with proven writing and editing capabilities.

OR

Have one employee with all of the preceding skills work full-time for a set number of weeks/months compiling and editing.