Accreditation 101 - Insight into your self-study process. 

October 31, 2008

Presented by Joan Stirling.

After discussing the last accreditation visit by the HLC in 2000 on November 17 and learning about Ozarka's challenges that were identified by the visiting team, a focus visit was scheduled for October of 2002. 

During this week's meeting, Joan Stirling offered information regarding that visit which focused on the following challenges that had been identified by the 2000 visit:

• Efficacy of the new Division Chair structure.
• Curriculum development process.
• Program review and assessment process

The team noted Ozarka's strengths, challenges, and made several recommendations & suggestions to Ozarka:

STRENGTHS

• Focus on student success
• Exemplary leadership from VPAA led to significant progress in assessment of student learning.
• President and Board have developed community support.
• Strong support from community leaders and graduates.

CHALLENGES

• Must ensure assessment of student learning & institutional effectiveness also occurs in Ash Flat & Mountain  View.
• Science labs needed in Ash Flat & Mountain View.
• Improve documentation of changes made as a result of assessment.
• Document, aggregate, evaluate assessment of Gen Ed. objectives not covered by CAAP.
• Review and revise Gen Ed. outcomes.

SUGGESTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Institutional Assessment Committee put grid in catalog.
• Develop more responsibility for faculty hiring, staffing and evaluation from VPAA to division chair.
• Inviting four-year institution to deliver more upper division courses leading to four-year degrees.
• Accreditation extended to 2010-2011 and Ash Flat approved.

Joan also spent some time going through how to read the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) results from surveys done Spring 2008. 

Contact Ms. Stirling for further information or comments regarding the 2000 Focus Visit or CCSSE

Joan Stirling, jstirling@ozarka.edu 870-368-2007