HLC Accreditation Overview

HLC Accreditation Overview

CSU s Institutional Accreditation CSU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a division of the North Central Association one of 6 regional accrediting organizations.

The Higher Learning Commission s Nineteen-State Region 1000± institutions 50% public, 50% private 30% two-year; 3% for profit 3

Purpose of Institutional Accreditation Assess the quality and effectiveness of our institution Make recommendations for improvement Assist CSU in making improvements in operational efficiency

CSU s Institutional Accreditation CSU is hosting a regularly scheduled HLC accreditation visit November 12, 13 and 14, 2012. In preparation for the visit, CSU has written a self-study report which has been submitted to the HLC. You may download a copy of this self-study at Cougar Connect.

The Basis of the HLC Evaluation The HLC will evaluate the entire organization in light of: 1. The mission of the University, and 2. The Commission s standards and criteria.

CSU Mission Statement Chicago State University (CSU) is a public, comprehensive university that provides access to higher education for students of diverse backgrounds and educational needs. The university fosters the intellectual development and success of its student population through a rigorous, positive, and transformative educational experience. CSU is committed to teaching, research, service and community development including social justice, leadership and entrepreneurship.

Previous Concerns Angela Henderson Paul Musial Committee Co-Chairs

Previous Concerns CSU responded to a number of concerns that were raised in 2003 and in the intervening years: Concern: Financial Stability Response: Implementation of cost efficiencies Diversification of revenue streams Decreased dependence on the State of Illinois Strong cash position Endowment has doubled over the last decade.

Previous Concerns CSU responded to a number of concerns that were raised in 2003 and in the intervening years: Concern: Communication and Shared Governance Response: Frequent Town Hall meetings Updated webpage, emails, newsletters, marketing Broad-based President s Executive Council Faculty representation on numerous committees Faculty Senate consulted on academic matters.

Previous Concerns CSU responded to a number of concerns that were raised in 2003 and in the intervening years: Concern: Enrollment Management Response: Increased staffing Enrollment plan reviewed and updated Data used to inform practice Image building.

Criterion One

Criterion 1 Mission and Integrity Sarah Austin Teresa McKinney Criterion Committee Co-Chairs

Criterion 1 Mission and Integrity The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students.

Criterion 1 Core Components 1a The organization's mission documents are clear and articulate publicly the organization's commitments. 1b In its mission documents, the organization recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves. 1c Understanding of and support for the mission pervade the organization. 1d The organization s governance and administrative structures promote effective leadership and support collaborative processes that enable the organization to fulfill its mission. 1e The organization upholds and protects its integrity.

Successes Chicago State University s official Mission Documents clearly and accurately describe the purposes and aspirations that the CSU community lives every day. Promoting diversity is fundamental to CSU s purpose; its mission documents clearly describe how it adds richness to teaching and learning by embracing, engaging, educating, and empowering our diverse students and communities. The University has a history of making strategic decisions based on its mission, and the current strategic plan articulates how CSU has used its mission to guide its plans for the future.

Successes In performance of his duties, the President hosts, at minimum, quarterly all-staff meetings, faculty forums, and student town hall meetings to communicate important matters affecting the University. The CSU Board uses its authority to oversee the operations of the University and to ensure fiscal honesty. The University understands and abides by applicable regulations, and the creation of a compliance office has made this process more transparent.

Opportunities The University has an opportunity to promote pride in its actions and accomplishments by developing awareness of the many ways in which it lives its Mission. CSU has an opportunity to develop further its capacity to embrace, engage, educate, and empower African- American men. CSU has an opportunity to use the data generated from recent surveys to maintain an open dialogue with internal and external constituents about how effectively the institution is enacting these commitments.

Opportunities The institution is committed to implementation of the 2012 strategic plan through the Planning, Measurement, and Effectiveness (PME) process. Putting systems in place to track the resolutions of student grievances will add integrity to a system designed to promote timely response.

Criterion 2

HLC Criterion 2 Preparing for the Future Derrick Collins Richard Darga Criterion Committee Co-Chairs

HLC Criterion 2 Preparing for the Future The organization s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.

Criterion 2 Core Components 2a The organization realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends. 2b The organization s resource base supports its education programs and its plans for maintaining and strengthening their quality in the future. 2c The organization s ongoing evaluation and assessment processes provide reliable evidence of institutional effectiveness that clearly informs strategies for continuous improvement. 2d All levels of planning align with the organization s mission, thereby enhancing its capacity to fulfill that mission.

Criterion 2 Successes A strategic plan built by stakeholders throughout the University which advances its mission vision and is aligned with the current dynamics of higher education and the society at-large. Key academic programs established as a result of planning efforts, which include the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, the College of Pharmacy, the Master of Science in Nursing, and the Master of Public Health. Online course offerings and attendant enrollments increasing five- and six-fold to address the dynamics of the current CSU student body.

Criterion 2 Successes The University s budget increases over the last decade demonstrate institutional priorities in the areas of organized research, student services, information technology, physical plant operations and maintenance, institutional research, compliance, academic support, institutional support, and instructional programs. The University recognizes human resources as the foundation for its educational program and institutional operations and, therefore, has instituted operational and technological changes in its talent management processes to attain and develop the best employees while also incorporating succession planning for the future.

Criterion 2 Opportunities CSU should implement initiatives and programs that enable attainment of the highest institutional performance measures of the University s identified aspirational peer institutions. CSU can develop additional strategies to develop further financial resources in an era where the national trend is the continual reduction of State-provided resources. Existing evaluation reports related to workforce planning, KPIs, and PME strategic planning should be located and/or organized in a platform. The platform should facilitate access and institutionalize communication.

Criterion 2 Opportunities Campus surveys should be conducted on a regular cycle, preferably administered through a centralized location. CSU should embrace accountability and assess processes to be implemented to support operations and ensure that aligned objectives have been identified. CSU is implementing an organization-wide annual planning and assessment process that will focus on alignment with the Strategic Plan as well as continuous improvement.

Criterion Three

Criterion 3 Student Learning and Effective Teaching Thomas Rowan Sylvia Gist Criterion Committee Co-Chairs

HLC Criterion 3 Student Learning and Effective Teaching The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.

Criterion 3 Core Components 3a The organization s goals for student learning outcomes are clearly stated for each educational program and make effective assessment possible. 3b The organization values and supports effective teaching. 3c The organization creates effective learning environments. 3d The organization s learning resources support student learning and effective teaching.

Criterion 3 Successes CSU has maintained a continued focus on assessable student learning. CSU has made a variety of changes to enhance its assessment system and increase student learning. The addition of new teaching and learning resources at the University enable faculty to develop further their skills and abilities for increased effectiveness in the classroom.

Criterion 3 Successes Renovated classrooms and laboratories have strengthened the context for receiving instruction and for learning outside the classroom. Small class sizes provide opportunities for close contact with students at CSU. A wide variety of co-curricular and student services support the learning environment.

Criterion 3 Opportunities There will be an ongoing need to develop further the relationship between assessment results, program objectives, and learning outcomes. The thesis/capstone project will provide a basis for learning that conveys in a summative sense how our students learn and the knowledge and skill bases they have developed during their time at CSU.

Criterion 3 Opportunities Piloting centralized advising in several colleges and departments is necessary to meet the need for continuous advising. Faculty mentorship of students outside of advising should be developed as a service initiative. Enhancing the Freshman Experience should strengthen linkages to advising and the transition to academic departments.

Criterion 3 Opportunities Information Technology Division (ITD) and the Library and Instructional Services should continue to create synergy in the provision of technology for the learning environment. The University s priority in capitaldevelopment and space studies, as well as University strategic planning and budgeting, is to create additional classrooms in the Robinson Center.

Criteria Four

Criterion 4 Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge Joseph Balogun Philip Cronce Criterion Committee Co-Chairs

HLC Criterion 4 Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creative practice and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.

Criterion 4 Core Components 4a The organization demonstrates through the actions of its board, administrators, student, faculty, and staff, that it values a life of learning. 4b The organization demonstrates the acquisition of a breadth of knowledge and skills and the exercise of intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational programs. 4c The organization assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse and technological society. 4d The organization provides support to ensure that faculty, students, and staff acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly.

Criterion 4 Successes The CSU Honors College offers an enriched general education curriculum, a cohort learning model, leadership and professional opportunities and professional experiences for high-achieving and highly motivated students. The establishment of the Center for Teaching and Research Excellence has strengthened the Institution s support of a life of learning through increased funding for faculty research and creative activities.

Criterion 4 Successes Assessment of CSU s general education program indicates that CSU graduates have acquired a breadth of knowledge, prerequisite life skills, and the capacity to engage in intellectual inquiry. Chicago State University s internship and clinical practicum programs provide valuable avenues for students to apply cognitive knowledge and other skills acquired in the classroom for the workplace and other real-world settings.

Criterion 4 Successes Through its structures of appropriate committees, CSU has in place a process for protection of both human participants and animal subjects in research that includes required training for committee members, faculty members, and student researchers. Chicago State University has clearly stated policies and procedures for faculty, staff, and students regarding intellectual property, conflict of interest, and research misconduct.

Criterion 4 Opportunities The recommendation for additional resources to implement the new curricula requirement of a thesis or capstone project for the students must be supported by the administration. Given a decrease in the number of Sabbatical Leaves and Faculty Excellence Awards in the last three years, the Institution must encourage greater support for sabbaticals in the near future.

Criterion 4 Opportunities To further strengthen CSU s commitment to intellectual inquiry as an integral component of its educational programs, the University will develop linkages between general education assessment processes and other curricular and co-curricular activities. During this Institutional Self-Study, a low response rate from the alumni and employers survey was identified as a concern.

Criterion 5

Criterion 5 Engagement and Service David Kanis Miriam Mobley Smith Criterion Committee Co-Chairs

HLC Criterion 5 Engagement and Service As called for by its mission, the organization identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value.

Criterion 5 Core Components 5a The organization learns from the constituencies it serves and analyzes its capacity to serve their needs and expectations. 5b The organization has the capacity and the commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and communities. 5c The organization demonstrates its Responsiveness to those constituencies that depend on it for service. 5d Internal and external constituencies value the services the organization provides.

Criterion 5 Successes The University community is aware of its constituents needs and has been able to secure funding to support many of its important initiatives. The University has developed effective partnerships and collaborations with many institutions. These partnerships focus on shared visions, goals, programs, and initiatives designed to improve the quality of education, health, economy, life, and sustainable resources for the constituents served.

Criterion 5 Successes The University s physical facilities are open and extensively utilized. Students and faculty alike are engaged in service endeavors on and off campus. Civic leaders and the public value the programs that are offered, and recognize that value through service awards and/or recognitions.

Criterion 5 Opportunities A more systematic and collaborative approach to the identification, development, and implementation of service and engagement endeavors will be undertaken to further maximize input and participation across campus and beyond. The University will better evaluate the effectiveness of each of its engagement activities in order to prioritize what activities will be expanded and which will be suspended. Encourage academic and non-academic units to publicize their service and engagement endeavors on the University website and/or homepages.

Next Steps

Acknowledgements On behalf of the HLC Steering Committee, we would like to thank the Criterion Committee members and everyone who helped to develop the Self-Study.

Thank you Questions or Comments?