Preface
Letter from President Arnold
 
Goals of NCA Self-Study 2000 Process
Steering Committee Members’ Responsibilities
List of Steering Committee Members, Titles, Offices, Phone Numbers
Timeline for Self-Study Process
Timeline for Subcommittee Reports (Deadlines for 1st and Final Drafts)

MCC’s Mission Statement

Overview of Criteria and General Institutional Requirements

Format for Subcommittee Reports
Guidelines for Each Subcommittee

Mission and Purposes
History
Fiscal Resources
Academic Services and Learning Resources
Governance
Physical Resources
Human Resources
Student Services
Educational Programs and Instruction
Planning and the Future
Institutional Integrity
Assessment of Learning

  Welcome to the MCC/NCA 2000 Self Study Process

 We prepared this guidebook to help “guide” you through this process.  The information found in the following pages will, we hope, be very useful to you.  There is general information written to all of you.  And there is other material written specifically for individual subcommittees.  Towards the end of this book you will find a calendar, complete with some of the dates and deadlines you’ll want to know.  Please also use this calendar to schedule your own subcommittee meetings and other appointments.

 Some of the information in this guidebook comes from the Handbook of Accreditation, Second Edition, published by NCA.  The co-chairs of each subcommittee have their own copies of the Handbook of Accreditation, and they may duplicate as they wish.  Please refer to it whenever further explanation is needed.

 The work ahead of us is extensive, but if done well, this study will provide valuable insights for the improvement and future development of this college.  We want to thank each of you for agreeing to participate in this process.  Please do not hesitate to contact either of us at any time.  Bon Chance!

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As Mott Community College prepares to enter the next decade, and the next millenium, the development of a vision to propel the institution forward will be critical to future growth and success.

As a participant in the MCC 2000 North Central Self-Study process, you are about to embark on a process that will provide us with the opportunity to assess the college’s viability—to identify our strengths and recognize our weaknesses—and to build on the recommendations that are brought forward.  You will play an important role in developing our “vision for the future.”

This guidebook has been prepared to assist you, and it clearly spells out all you need to know to ensure that your endeavor is a successful one.

I extend to you my best wishes for what is certain to be a rewarding and challenging experience.  I look forward to working with each of you!

Sincerely,
 
Allen D. Arnold

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Our hope is the self-study process will not only fulfill the North Central Association’s requirements for continued accreditation but will prove valuable to MCC in many ways.  We need to assess the college’s viability thoroughly and objectively in the hope of reinforcing and strengthening what we do well and identifying ways we can enhance and improve the institution’s effectiveness.  The self-study process provides the opportunity to identify challenges and confront issues that might not be addressed otherwise.  Our approach needs to be appropriate to our college and will not be (nor would NCA want it to be) a “cookie cutter” procedure that merely follows bureaucratic regulations.
 
To accomplish this goal, the process will need to involve the following:

• Provide for and encourage widespread participation of people from throughout all the various areas of the college:  faculty, staff, administration, board, students, and other constituents.
• Regular, clear, thorough communication with everyone throughout the college about self-study activities and findings.
• Learning from and building upon the studies and initiatives carried out in the past few years, such as Alfred/Carter, Gennett/Gay, and Strategic Planning critical priorities.
• Objective, thorough analysis of what MCC’s purposes are and how well we are fulfilling them.
• Examining and evaluating MCC’s current and projected resources.
• Assessing student learning and using the results to increase learning.
• Determine MCC’s success at addressing the concerns and suggestions provided by the last NCA team in1990 and review and evaluate the changes that have taken place at MCC since 1990.

     Needless to say, though, we do need to maintain our membership in the North Central Association.  There will be a visit in February, 2000, by an evaluation team who will carry out their work and submit a report and recommendation.  Prior to their arrival we will write a self-study report that will be sent to NCA and the team members as well as being available campus-wide.

 It is absolutely critical that we all remember throughout the self-study process that our job is to analyze and evaluate and not simply to describe.  We need to look at the goals and purposes of the institution as a whole and to the various parts of the college, how well we are meeting the goals, the problems and challenges we discover, and possibilities and opportunities for correcting problems and enhancing what we are already doing well.

 
     The purposes of the self-study report, as presented on p. 74 of the Handbook of Accreditation, are:
 
THE SELF-STUDY REPORT

The Purpose of the Self-Study Report

“An institution’s Self-Study plays specific roles in the Commission’s processes.

* It constitutes the institution’s formal request for initial or continued accreditation.

* It summarizes the purposes and findings of the self-study process.

* It demonstrates the institution’s ability to analyze its effectiveness and develop plans for its own improvement.

* It provides evidence that the institution fulfills the commission’s General Institutional Requirements and the Criteria for Accreditation.

* It succinctly summarizes the information necessary for the evaluation visit, the review  process, and Commission action.”

 Steering Committee Members’ Responsibilities

“A Strong Self- Study Steering Committee.  The primary tasks of the Steering Committee are to assist the Self-Study Coordinator to develop the Self-Study Plan, coordinate its implementation, and prepare the Self-Study Report.  People chosen for the Steering Committee should be recognized leaders who can command the respect of the institution’s various constituencies.  They should be knowledgeable about the institution and enthusiastic about the self-study process, appreciating its critical importance to the institution.  Steering Committee members should be open-minded enough to examine difficult or controversial issues fairly;  they should possess the resolve to follow through on all work undertaken.

Membership on the Steering Committee represents a serious commitment in time and energy.  The Institution’s Executive Officers should make these appointments,  in consultation with the Self-Study Coordinator, so that a broadly representative Steering Committee, including significant faculty involvement, can receive the cooperation necessary to carry out its tasks.”

   Handbook of Accreditation
   Second Edition,  page 71

It’s not possible to list every facet of what every member of the Steering Committee will need to do or be responsible for.  The roles will have differences that come about because of the various subjects and purposes of each subcommittee or team.  Nonetheless,  we have tried to identify some of the critical roles for Steering Committee members, knowing full well that this list is not complete but hoping it will be helpful.  Each Steering Committee Member will have a good deal of work to do and will need to provide extensive leadership to his or her team or subcommittee.  We will do everything we can to help avoid any confusion or waste of time and energy regarding what needs to be done or how to do it.

The job of each Steering Committee Member entails:

Attending Steering Committee meetings
Providing advice, reaction, and direction to the self-study co-chairs
Helping in the selection of subcommittee/team members with whom he or she will work
Reviewing, evaluating, and helping with revision of the Self-Study Report

The subcommittee co-chairs have extensive research, leadership, and writing responsibilities.  The self-study process requires the gathering of a great deal of information and material.  The college has already engaged in such efforts extensively through Alfred/Carter, Gennett/Gay, Strategic Planning and many other initiatives.  We hope we can use these, considering their findings and the priorities they identified.  We don’t need to re-do studies that have already been done, but rather we need to build on or from them.  It is absolutely critical, though, that everyone involved in the self-study process understands that our job is analysis and evaluation, not just description.
 
Each subcommittee co-chair will need to work with his counterpart and carry out the following effectively:
 

• Chair subcommittee meetings
• Make certain that records of meetings are kept
• Organize plans for carrying out subcommittee work
• Delegate tasks and responsibilities
• Assure good communication among subcommittee members and with self-study coordinators
• Gather essential information
• Complete analysis and evaluation according to the relevant Criteria for Accreditation and General Institutional Requirements
• Identify strengths
• Recognize concerns, weaknesses, and challenges
• Identify any possible threats
• Make recommendations for solving problems – identify opportunities for improvement and change
• Submit subcommittee’s written report by its deadline for first draft and then final draft

 The main purpose of the teams is to assist the self-study coordinators and the subcommittees.  The Research Team will help with both data gathering and analysis.  The Format Team will provide guidance and assistance in presenting materials and information in an attractive, appropriate, clear, and usable fashion.  The Format Team will also offer guidance and instruction from the very beginning of our work regarding style, organization, and the like, and will be available throughout the self-study process to answer questions regarding format and organization.  Neither the Format Team nor the Research Team will write a report, but they will be of critical importance to the rest of us as we prepare and then complete our reports.  The Resource Room Team will be responsible for gathering and organizing the myriad materials that we must have available for the NCA visiting team.  This team’s challenge will be not only to locate and assemble all the documents but also to organize and present them in such a way that NCA visiting team members will be able to locate what they want quickly and easily.
 
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NCA Self-Study 2000 Timeline

Winter 1997

-Generate overview of self-study process
-Susan and Jim attend NCA Annual Meeting and Self-Study Institute
-Assessment activities continue

-Clarify immediate needs for self-study process to begin
-Begin identifying and gathering necessary documents available
-Gather and begin reviewing sample self-studies
-Establish workplace with essential equipment and supplies in MMB2120D
-Assessment activities continue

-Review sample copies of excellent self-studies
-Review changes in NCA requirements: new Handbook of Accreditation
-Determine elements necessary for local Guide to Self-Study 2000
-Develop committee structure plan
-Assessment activities continue and are moved to next level

-Ensure data retention and availability
 -Determine means of gathering data
 -Determine types of data needed
-Ensure data from past years and Prime Computer System will be accessible
 -Request help from Information Systems for data analysis team
-Plan format for Guide to Self-Study 2000 and self-study report
-Write Guide to Self-Study 2000
-Do preliminary NCA S-S plan
-President Arnold invites people to become Steering Committee members
-Susan, Jim, and Gail Ives, Director of Institutional Research, attend Self-Study Institute and  NCA Annual Meeting.
-Steering Committee meets first time: April 17
-Develop list of possible subcommittee members
-Assessment activities continue.  Loop is closed.

-Formally announce to Board that self-study is being planned and ask for their support and participation
-Print Guide to Self-Study 2000
-Second Steering Committee meeting--workshop
-List of possible subcommittee members is begun
-President Arnold invites people to serve on subcommittees
-Establish format plan for self-study report
-Finalize self-study plan and submit to NCA for review
-Analysis and conclusions on assessment so far
-Plans for Welcome Back Program on NCA accreditation and self-study
-Plans for orientations for all subcommittees
-Plan orientation for the Board for its August meeting
-Finalize plans for handling Fall/Winter self-study process
-Communication links with MCC constituencies planned and established

-Orientation for Board to kick off year of self-study 2000 process
-Welcome Back Breakfast: Entire presentation
-Steering Committee meets regularly
-Sub-committees established and working
 -Massive participation
 -Cross section of MCC constituencies active and involved
 -Charges are spelled out clearly
 -Orientations and initial meetings of subcommittees
 -Guide to Self-Study 2000 presented to and discussed with all
          subcommittee members
 -Subcommittees begin their study and analysis
 -Basic Institutional Data Forms begun
 -Data gathering: data analyst and research team assist sub-
          committees
 -Co-chairs coaching and mentoring everyone involved in process
 -On-going planning and help from Format Team
 -Draft reports due from some sub-committees. (check deadline list)
  -Drafts are reviewed
  -Jim and Susan respond
 -Final reports due from two subcommittees (check deadline list)
-Assessment activities and applications, showing how learning is being improved as a result of assessment efforts
-Continuous communication with college about self-study process/progress

-Ask for review of MCC’s self-study process from NCA staff
-Steering Committee meets regularly
-Remaining subcommittee reports completed and submitted (Staggered due dates.  See deadline list.)
 -Initial drafts reviewed
 -Susan and Jim respond
 -Second drafts written and submitted
 -Reports compiled
 -Reports duplicated and made available to everyone
 -Electronic data/report center established
-Data gathered, analyzed, and organized on Federal Compliance
-Susan and Jim attend Self-Study Institute and NCA Annual Meeting
-Basic Institutional Data Forms completed
-Assessment efforts and analysis continue
-Continuous communication with entire college about self-study process/progress

-Draft of self-study report is written
-All BIDs compiled
-Report written on Federal Compliance
-Possible Steering Committee meetings, but only if needed
-Plans completed for soliciting third party comment
-Review and edit report
-Draft report submitted to NCA for review
-Identify what remains to be done
-Final format decisions made
-Prepare for report to the college about self-study process and documents
-Identify areas that need attention and perhaps improvement prior to the team visit
-Assessment analysis and activities continue

-Third party comment solicited via various means
-Steering Committee meetings
-Initial mailings to team members
-Final editing of report
-Duplicate report
-Distribute or make the report available to everyone
-Focus on making improvements in areas identified in self-study report
 -Specific assignments made by college leadership
 -Due dates set for responses
 -Compiling of responses and writing report update
-Finalize and Duplicate appendices for report, including Basic Institutional Data Forms
-Preparation for visit
-Resource room materials assembled and organized (Resource Room Team)
 -Lodging, dinner, transportation, and other logistical concerns arranged
 -Set schedule for visit with team chair
 -Determine computer needs of team members
 -Various mailings
 -Any prepared visuals, etc. sent to team members
-Continuous communication with college about self-study process/progress
-Assessment activities continue

-Writing and duplicating of any needed updating
-Final prep for visit
 -Everything in team and resource room set up
 -Amenities
 -Clerical Services
 -Xerox machines, telephones, computers, etc.
 -Communicating with everyone at college about what to expect
-Team visit in late February
-Follow up on visit
 -Review of team report
 -Decision on response to report and its recommendation
 -Possible Review Board
 -MCC addresses the concerns and suggestions in the team report
-Continuous communication with everyone throughout MCC on the self-study and evaluation process and results
-MCC representatives attend the NCA Annual Meeting
-Assessment activities continue

 The mission of Charles Stewart Mott Community College is to provide quality higher education for the people in Genesee and surrounding counties.  Mott Community College reflects the cultural, ethnic, and gender diversity of the community, anticipating and responding to its varied needs and aspirations by providing learning opportunities for all who want to identify and develop their abilities and interests.  Mott Community College will provide a sound general and liberal arts education and train a well-prepared work force that can successfully compete in the global community.  The college is a catalyst for sharing technologies and facilitating technology transfer by effectively using resources and by building and sustaining community alliances.  College faculty and staff are committed to equal access and opportunity for all students.  The college’s strength lies in promoting excellence in teaching and eliminating barriers to learning.

To carry out its mission, Mott Community College will:
 

• Attract potential learners by reaching out to community groups and leaders so the college can work with them to determine the community’s educational needs and respond in a timely manner.
• Assess students’ needs upon admission and then throughout their stay at MCC so that the college can provide academic advising, counseling, and other essential services to ensure student success.  The college will continue to change as the students’ needs change.
• Create a smooth transition for students from high school to the community college and then to other educational institutions or the work place.  The college’s programs will lead to advanced educational opportunities that encourage students to broaden their vision of their life long goals and potential.
• Develop and implement innovative, culturally integrated approaches that build and strengthen multicultural diversity by welcoming and encouraging individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation or disability.
• Support and encourage formal and informal lifelong learning to satisfy the needs and goals of the population we serve.
• Maintain its campuses, state-of-the-art equipment, and other physical resources that support quality higher education.  The college will provide the appropriate services, programs, and facilities to help students reach their maximum potential.
• Commit the necessary time and finances to provide educational, professional, and/or promotional opportunities for all college personnel in order to enhance their abilities and recognize their worth.
• Collaborate with business, labor and government to create and maintain a highly-trained work force to attract and sustain businesses that contribute to the community’s economic well-being and quality of life.
• Marshal community-wide human and financial resources through an appropriate balance of taxes, tuition, donations and government support-—all of which will be managed with prudence and integrity.

An Overview of The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and  the General Institutional Requirements and Five Evaluative Criteria used in the Evaluation Process

The information which follows is made up almost entirely of excerpts from a pamphlet entitled Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions: An Overview.  We include it here to provide some overall background information that we hope will prove helpful and interesting to everyone working in the self-study process.
 
Introduction

In the United States, accreditation is voluntarily sought by institutions and is conferred by non-governmental bodies.  There are two types of educational accreditation: institutional and specialized.

An institutional accrediting body evaluates an entire institution in terms of its mission and accredits the institution as a whole.  It reviews more than the educational offerings of the institution; it also assesses such characteristics as governance and administration, financial condition, admissions and student personnel processes, institutional resources, and relationships with outside communities.  Institutional accreditation is provided by regional associations of schools and colleges (each named after the region in which it operates—Middle States, New England, North Central, Northwest, Southern, Western) and by several national associations that limit their scope to particular kinds of institutions.  While independent of one another, the regional associations cooperate extensively and recognize one another’s accreditation.

A specialized accrediting body evaluates particular units, schools, or programs within an institution.  Specialized accreditation, also called program accreditation, is often associated with national professional associations, such as those for engineering, medicine, and law, or with specific disciplines, such as business, teacher education, psychology, or social work.

The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education

The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, with its office in Chicago, accredits degree-granting institutions of higher education.

The Commission adopted the following Statement of Mission on August 6, 1992:
 

History and Purpose

The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.  The Association was founded in 1895 as a membership organization for educational institutions.  It is committed to developing and maintaining high standards of excellence.  The Association is one of six regional institutional accrediting associations in the United States.  Through its Commissions it accredits, and thereby grants membership to educational institutions in the nineteen-state North Central region.  The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education is recognized by the Secretary of Education and the Committee on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation (CORPA).

 
 Statement of Mission

The mission of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education is (1) to establish requirements and criteria for the accreditation of institutions of higher education and accredit institutions found to meet those requirements and criteria; (2)  to strengthen educational and institutional quality through its assistance to its affiliated institutions, its evaluation processes and its programs, publications, and research; (3)  to advocate and exercise self-regulation through effective peer review; and (4) to provide to the public accurate information concerning the relationship of affiliated institutions with the Commission.
 

 To fulfill its mission, the Commission:
 

• monitors and evaluates institutions affiliated with it, to ensure that they continue to meet the Commission’s requirements and criteria and strive to improve their institutional strength and the quality of the education they provide;
• prepares and disseminates publications, provides counsel, sponsors research, and conducts meetings directed toward the improvement of higher education;
• evaluates itself to assure that its policies and practices represent the best theory and practice of institutional accreditation, promote the self-regulation of institutions and respond to the educational needs of society;
• provides a program of non-membership affiliation open to new or developing institutions of higher education that appear capable of achieving accreditation within a specific period of time;
• involves educators from member institutions in all of its review and decision-making processes, and trains and evaluates them to ensure that their work is consistent and of high quality;
• serves the public by providing useful information about the role and purposes of accreditation, and by providing through its publications and other means timely and accurate information concerning affiliated institutions;
• honors the historical purposes of the North Central Association through its work with the Commission on Schools to strengthen the linkages between primary and secondary education and higher education;
• cooperates with the other agencies that share the objectives of assuring the integrity and enhancing the quality of higher education.

The Commission’s work is conducted by several groups:

• A full-time staff in the Commission office is responsible for implementing the Commission’s programs and policies and coordinating all of its activities.
• More than 900 educators, selected for their experience and expertise from all types of accredited institutions throughout the North Central region, serve on the Commission’s Consultant-Evaluator (C-E) Corps.  C-Es serve as members of the evaluation teams that conduct site visits to institutions.
• Accreditation Review Council (ARC) members are currently Consultant-Evaluators who have been selected to participate in the Commission’s review processes.  The primary responsibility of ARC members is service as Readers and on Review Committees.
• Fifteen Commissioners comprise the decision and policy-making body of the Commission.  Twelve are from accredited institutions; three represent the public.  Commissioners are responsible for decisions on the accreditation of institutions, the formulation of Commission policies, and the oversight of Commission operations.  The Commission elects a Vice-President/President of the North Central Association, who serves as an ex-officio member of the Commission.

The Commission offers an extensive variety of programs and services to all its institutions.  Each affiliated institution is assigned to a professional staff liaison.  These staff provide assistance to institutions and to evaluation teams during both the self-study and evaluation processes for initial or continued status; monitor institutions continuously through Annual Reports and institutional change processes; and offer other types of counsel.

The Commission’s publications and its Annual Meeting are a major part of the effort to assist institutions.  To inform all its constituencies, the Commission publishes a variety of materials on self-study, evaluation, and institutional improvement, including the Handbook of Accreditation, describing the policies and procedures for the accreditation process; the Briefing newsletter; two editions of the NCA Quarterly journal; and various other documents and articles.  The Commission offers an extensive program on self-study, evaluation, and institutional improvement for institutions, Consultant-Evaluators, and others, as a part of the Annual Meeting of the North Central Association held each spring in Chicago.  In spring 1997, the Commission launched its Web site to further strengthen communication with its various constituencies as well as with the general public.
 
The Evaluation Process

The Commission’s process of evaluation for both initial and continued accreditation is formulated to determine whether an institution meets the General Institutional Requirements (GIRs) and the Criteria for Accreditation.  There are four steps in the process:
 

• First, the institution undertakes a self-study aimed at examining how it meets the GIRs and the Criteria.  The results of the self-examination are summarized in a Self-Study Report that forms the basis for the Commission’s evaluation.  The completed Self-Study Report constitutes the institution’s formal application for initial or continued accreditation.
• Second, the institution is visited by a team of Consultant-Evaluators appointed by the Commission.  This team gathers comprehensive information about the institution and summarizes its findings in a written Team Report.  The Report assesses whether the institution satisfies the GIRs and the Criteria, offers advice and suggestions for improvement, and concludes with a formal recommendation for accreditation action.  The institution has an opportunity to make a formal written response to the Team Report.
• Third, the Self-Study Report and the Team Report are reviewed by a Readers’ Panel and/or by a Review Committee that meets with representatives of the institution and the team.  If the review process results in suggested changes in the team recommendation, the institution and the team chair have an opportunity to respond in writing.
• Fourth, all recommendations are considered by the Commission, which takes official action on the institution’s accreditation.

The General Institutional Requirements

An institution affiliated with the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools meets the following General Institutional Requirements:

Mission

1. It has a mission statement, formally adopted by the governing board and made public, declaring that it is an institution of higher education.

2. It is a degree-granting institution.

Authorization

3. It has legal authorization to grant its degrees, and it meets all the legal requirements to operate as an institution of higher education wherever it conducts its activities.

4. It has legal documents to confirm its status:  not-for-profit, for-profit, or public.

Governance

5. It has a governing board that possesses and exercises necessary legal power to establish and review basic policies that govern the institution.

6. Its governing board includes public members and is sufficiently autonomous from the administration and ownership to assure the integrity of the institution.

7. It has an executive officer designated by the governing board to provide administrative leadership for the institution.

8. Its governing board authorizes the institution’s affiliation with the Commission.

Faculty

9. It employs a faculty that has earned from accredited institutions the degrees appropriate to the level of instruction offered by the institution.

10. A sufficient number of the faculty are full-time employees of the institution.

11. Its faculty has a significant role in developing and evaluating all of the institution’s educational programs.

Educational Program

12. It confers degrees.

13. It has degree programs in operation, with students enrolled in them.

14. Its degree programs are compatible with the institution’s mission and are based on recognized fields of study at the higher education level.

15. Its degrees are appropriately named, following practices common to institutions of higher education in terms of both length and content of the programs.

16. Its undergraduate degree programs include a coherent general education requirement consistent with the institution’s mission and designed to ensure breadth of knowledge and to promote intellectual inquiry.

17. It has admissions policies and practices that are consistent with the institution’s mission and appropriate to its educational programs.

18. It provides its students access to those learning resources and support services for it degree programs.

Finances

19. It has an external financial audit by a certified public accountant or a public audit agency at least every two years.

20. Its financial documents demonstrate the appropriate allocation and use of resources to support its educational programs.

21. Its financial practices, records, and reports demonstrate fiscal viability.

Public Information

22. Its catalog or other official documents include its mission statement along with accurate descriptions of its educational programs and degree requirements; its academic calendars; its learning resources; its admissions policies and practices; its academic and non-academic policies and procedures directly affecting students; its charges and refund policies; and the academic credentials of its faculty and administrators.

23. It accurately discloses its standing with accrediting bodies with which it is affiliated.

24. It makes available upon request information that accurately describes its financial condition.

Criteria for Accreditation

In addition to the General Institutional Requirements, an institution accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education demonstrates that it satisfies five Criteria for Accreditation. Because all five Criteria are critical to overall institutional effectiveness, meeting all five is required for accreditation.

CRITERION 1.  The institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with its mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education.

CRITERION 2.  The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes.

CRITERION 3.  The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes.

CRITERION 4.  The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.

CRITERION 5.  The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships.

 Every member of the Steering Committee has a copy of the Handbook of Accreditation (Additional copies are also available in the self-study office.), and it spells out in detail the “patterns of evidence” NCA sees as relevant to each of the Five Criteria.  These patterns are not, however, lists of specific items or even categories of items but general guides regarding the kinds of data and analysis we will need.  Most of the subcommittees will need to address several General Institutional Requirements and three or more of Five Evaluative Criteria in their reports.  Portions of the subcommittees’ reports will thus be used in several different chapters of the self-study report according to the Criteria being considered.
 
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 Each subcommittee will be submitting a report, and our hope is that these reports will be consistent enough in format, style, and approach, that they can be incorporated, with only minimal editing and revising, into the final report.  Our goal is not simply to reproduce the subcommittee reports verbatim in the self-study report because there will often be a need to divide subcommittee reports into sections that will appear in different chapters.  On the other hand, the less revising that needs to be done, the greater the chances for our molding a final report that presents exactly what the subcommittee intended as well as having a final document that is a unified whole.

 The Format Team is always available to offer help and suggestions, so please do not hesitate to contact Lynn or Mara or any other members of the team.  The following are some guidelines for how material needs to be presented and the major components that will make up each subcommittee’s report.

 -Each report will contain narrative that spells out the subcommittee’s analysis and findings.  If material relates reasonably directly to any GIR, please indicate that relationship in brackets or parenthetically.  Material relating to criteria will probably be under major headings or otherwise identified as you write.  During the narrative part of the report, each subcommittee should consider the SWOT issues fully.

 
 -The final part of each report should identify:

   -Strengths
  -Challenges
  -Possibilities, which can include
  -Ways to further enhance strengths
  -Opportunities that can be pursued
  -Possible solutions to challenges or problems
  -Ways of meeting and dealing with threats

 -Charts and graphs can often be very useful in presenting information clearly and concisely, and we recommend you consider using them whenever they would prove helpful
 
-Tone should be generally positive or at least neutral, but do not, under any circumstances, avoid difficult or negative issues.

 -Audience awareness is important because readers may not always be familiar with MCC or the topics being discussed.

 -Try to write using the third person plural whenever that is appropriate.  Doing so helps avoid gender specific pronouns.  For example, instead of writing “a student registers for his class,” one can write, “ students register for their classes.”

  -Avoid passive voice expressions such as “The programs were evaluated for content and organization.”  Instead, try to use active voice, as in “The Social Science Division evaluated their programs for content and organization.”

 -Abbreviations are almost certain to be needed and used, but be sure to write out the entire name or whatever before using an abbreviation, and put the abbreviation in parentheses immediately after the use of the full name.   “The College Professional Study Committee (CPSC)…..”

 -Documentation should not involve any formal citation system such as the MLA or APA.  We would prefer that you not use footnotes, endnotes, or any brief  parenthetical citations.  Instead, please identify fully the sources of the information you are using right in the text of the report.

 -When using numbers in your report, please let the quest for clarity be your guide.  Generally, one uses words if the number is ten or less, but we are not asking for any strict adherence to any set of rules.  Use numerals or words or combinations thereof which make the numbers clear.  Also, try to avoid beginning sentences with numerals.

 -Refer to positions or titles throughout when it is necessary to discuss particular job functions or responsibilities.  Avoid using the names of people who hold those positions.

-Format considerations

• Font: Times New Roman
• Margins: Left - 1.5,  Right – 1.25,  Top and Bottom: 1
• Headings:  Bold 14 point
• Body Text: Regular 12 point
• Paragraphs: Single Space
• Between Paragraphs: Double Space
• Tab Stops: Increments of 5 (default on most set-ups)
• Charts/Graphs: Excel or MSWord or Powerpoint
• Other Graphics: see Lynn Thigpen or Mara Fulmar

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 By far the largest portion of the work in the self-study process will be carried out by the twelve subcommittees.  Their work is primarily analytical and evaluative, but some description will be necessary to provide a context for their findings.  Everything else that comes out of the self-study process will, in one or more ways, be the result of the subcommittee’s work and findings: the self-study report, the materials in the resource room, the appendices that accompany the report, and the other documents that are prepared for the visiting team.  The depth of every subcommittee’s analysis and the quality of the report generated have a significant impact on the outcome of the entire process.

 To give the subcommittees an assist in getting started, we have prepared a separate overview of responsibilities for each subcommittee.  Our hope is that these guides will provide an impetus for thinking, a starting point that will stimulate  more questions and thoughts.  We certainly did not think of everything that needs to be studied, and we don’t in any way want to limit your thinking.  We have, we hope, presented some main points that will prove helpful for you to consider.

 Each guide begins with a list of the General Institutional Requirements and Criteria for Accreditation that  appear relevant to the subcommittee’s work.  These need to be considered as you carry out your study and write the narrative of your report.  We do not expect anyone to read the entire Handbook of Accreditation, but we strongly recommend that you read carefully those parts that relate directly to your topic, GIRs, and Criteria, particularly with regard to the patterns of evidence.   Indeed, subcommittee chairs may want to photocopy and distribute those pages to everyone on the subcommittee.  More specific information on format and organization for your reports is covered in another section of this booklet, and the Format Team is also available to help.

 Finally, it is critical that you base your work on solid data.  Be sure to keep track of your sources and maintain good files.  Much of the data you use will be compiled and placed in the resource room, and the raw data and results of surveys and other research will probably be published in the appendices to the self-study report.  The Research Team may prove very helpful to you in gathering and analyzing data.

 At any point in your work, you are always encouraged to call Susan or Jim for help with anything.  Good luck, and have fun!
 
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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. MCC has a mission statement, formally adopted by the governing board and made public, declaring that it is an institution of higher education.

2. It is a degree-granting institution.

14. Its degree programs are compatible with the institution’s mission and are based on recognized fields of study at the higher education level.

 These three GIRs are found, along with explication, on pages 19-20 and 23 of the Handbook of Accreditation and relate particularly to Criterion One.  GIRs 3 and 4, which deal with legal authorization, also relate, but far less directly to this criterion.  GIR 12 is also relevant to this criterion.

CRITERION ONE:  The institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with its mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education.

 The college’s mission and goals serve as the benchmark from which everything else is measured in the self-study process.  The committee needs to identify “indicators” and “patterns of evidence,” through its analysis, that point to the appropriateness and effectiveness of MCC’s efforts to meet this criterion.  The following represent some questions and considerations that can be used as starting points for the committee’s study.  Pages 29-35 in the Handbook of Accreditation discuss this criterion at length.
 

History of the college’s mission and goals

• Original principles for founding FJC
• Evolution of the college’s purposes
• Efforts at defining mission and purpose over the past couple of decades
• Re-evaluation and rewriting/reframing mission statement since 1990 visit
• Charette process
• Post-Charette review and revisions
• Internal and external distribution

• Mission Statement as it now exists, including the list of actions to be carried out to fulfill the mission.
• Examination and evaluation of mission statement and goals:
• Are they each clear and readily understandable to all of MCC’s constituencies?
• What needs further explanation and/or explication?
• Are they appropriate to an institution of higher education in general and a comprehensive community college in particular?
• Are they consistent?  Do they create a unified whole?

How are the mission and goals “publicly stated” to MCC’s constituencies?
• Is there widespread understanding throughout the college of MCC’s stated purposes?
• Is there widespread acceptance of MCC’s publicly stated purposes among the various constituencies?
• To what extent do the stated purposes influence the establishing of MCC’s priorities? Long- and short-term goals and planning?
• How well do the stated purposes affirm MCC’s commitment to excellence in teaching and service?
• To what extent do the publicly stated purposes guide governance, planning, budgeting, physical resources, retention policies, student services, hiring and maintaining of human resources, overall decision making?  (Remember that the rest of the self-study process will focus on these questions.  It’s impossible to answer them fully here!)
• How measurable are the statements of purpose?  Can MCC or does MCC measure its success at fulfilling its purposes?

 As you are going about your work, do not hesitate, ever, to contact Susan or Jim about any issue, question, problem, confusion or other item that might come up.  The Format Team and Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.
 
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 This subcommittee’s work and report do not relate directly to any of the General Institutional Requirements or the Five Evaluative Criteria.  The information it gathers and presents, though, provides a context for much of the rest of the self-study report as well as background information for the various audiences who will read the report.  This subcommittee report will be more descriptive than analytical, which also makes it different from the reports of all the other subcommittees, but it should not be overly lengthy.  You will need to be precise without going into extensive detail.
 
 The following list indicates some of the key elements that should be included in the subcommittee report.  Some of these, we recognize, go well beyond the typical definition of history.

 
• Profile of the community we serve

 
• Brief history, including significant events
• GM founded here
• C. S. Mott
• Sit-down Strike
• First city to vote open housing

- Demographics
- Economic bases
- Political characteristics
- Arts and cultural opportunities for participation
- Public and private schools
- Other institutions of higher education
- Major changes that have taken place over the last decade (very significant element)

• MCC’s history
• - Brief overview of first 65 years
• - History of MCC’s affiliation with the North Central Association
• - Changes since last NCA evaluation visit, including but not limited to:
• Southern Lakes Branch Campus
• Lapeer Center
• Millage and bond elections
• Physical changes on campus (MMB, etc.)
• Growth in Distance Learning – real leader in Michigan
• CETL
• General education requirements developed and presented at NCA Annual Meeting
• Changes in governance and administrative structure and personnel
• Various initiatives such as Alfred/Carter, Gennett/Gay, etc.
• 75th anniversary
• many others

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19. It has an external financial audit by a certified public accountant or a public audit agency at least every two years.

20. Its financial documents demonstrate the appropriate allocation and use of resources to support its educational programs.

21. Its financial practices, records, and reports demonstrate fiscal viability.

24. It makes available upon request information that accurately describes its financial condition.

 These four GIRs relate most directly to this subcommittee’s responsibilities, and they can be found, along with some explication, in the Handbook on pages 25-27.

 GIRs 5, 6, 7, and 18 also relate to fiscal resources but much less closely.

CRITERION TWO:  The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes.

CRITERION FOUR:  The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.

CRITERION FIVE:  The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships.

 The Handbook of Accreditation discusses Criterion Two on pages 35-40, Criterion Four on pages 52-57, and Criterion Five on pages 57-63.  These criteria involve far more than financial issues, but the importance of the fiscal basis for the college and how money is allocated cannot be exaggerated.  It’s also important to note that these Criteria relate the issue of resources directly to the question of what is necessary for the college to accomplish its purposes and whether there are adequate policies and processes for handling those resources to ensure that MCC can continue not only to fulfill its mission, but also to strengthen its effectiveness.

 The subcommittee will need to describe the college’s fiscal resources and analyze their adequacy and reliability, determining whether they meet the definition of “necessary.” Further, the subcommittee needs to evaluate how the college develops its budget with attention to the major points in the relevant GIRs and Criteria.  Written below are a few general topics that the subcommittee will no  doubt want to consider.  These are intended only as starting points for discussion and analysis.  The subcommittee’s work will need to be thorough and detailed, supported by as much specific data as possible.
 

• What is the nature of MCC’s financial resources?

- Are they adequate for present needs, given the college’s mission and purposes?
- Will they be adequate to meet future needs and allow the college to strengthen its effectiveness?
- Is MCC financially viable?

• During several years recently, MCC experienced budget deficits.  Has this situation been resolved?
• How are resources allocated?

- What are the goals and objectives of the budgeting process?
- How does fund allocation relate to MCC’s mission?
- How are budgeting priorities set?
- How clear and readily understandable are MCC’s budgeting processes?
- Are resources allocated and expended as a result of assessment efforts?

• How effective and efficient is the college’s financial management system?

- Have there been changes in this system over the past several years?
- Is the system well organized?
- How is the college audited?

• How satisfactory is MCC’s relationship with those with whom it has financial dealings?

 As you are going about your work, do not hesitate, ever, to contact Susan or Jim about any issue, question, problem, confusion or other item that might come up.  The Format Team and Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.
 
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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
 

18. It provides its students access to those learning resources and support services requisite for its degree programs.

 GIR 18 (along with some explication) is found on page 25 of the Handbook of Accreditation.  There is also a rather remote connection between the focus of this subcommittee and GIR 22 on page 26.

CRITERION TWO:  The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes.

CRITERION THREE:  The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes.

CRITERION FOUR:  The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.

 These three criteria and the suggested patterns of evidence are discussed in detail on pages 35-57 of the Handbook.  This subcommittee will focus partly on the second criteria, but the role of academic services and learning resources in assessment and the institution’s commitment to providing these in the future are important considerations in dealing with the third and fourth criteria.

 As you go about your work, try to limit description as much as possible and concentrate on evaluation.  You may wish to divide into two groups for at least part of the time; one dealing with academic services and the other with learning resources.  The two are not unrelated, though, and the subcommittee should cover both in its report.

 As you carry out your analysis, it may be useful, as a start,  to try to answer these questions as you go along:
 

• What are the goals and purposes of MCC’s academic services and learning resources?  Why do we provide them?
• How are we measuring whether the goals and objectives are met?
• Are we meeting our goals?

• What are we doing to identify successful areas that are working well in order to enhance their effectiveness?
• What do we do to identify needs, fulfill those needs, make improvements, solve problems?

• Library resources

- Collections
- Technology available
- Services
- Inter-library agreements and FALCON
- VLC and Testing Center (These will also be considered by the subcommittees on educational programs and physical resources.)
- Policies and procedures
- SLBC services and availability of resources
- Relationship to Lapeer Center
- Extent of student and community use and trends over the past several years
- Space and ambience
- Flexibility to meet challenge and change

- Learning Center
- DisAbility Services
- WICAT and similar services
- Various tutorial services
- Writing Center and Grammar Hot Line
- Honors Program
- Others

 As you are going about your work, do not hesitate, ever, to contact Susan or Jim about any issue, question, problem, confusion or other item that might come up.  The Format Team and Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.
 
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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

3. It has legal authorization to grant its degrees, and it meets all the legal requirements to operate as an institution of higher education wherever it conducts its activities.

4. It has legal documents to confirm its status:  not-for profit, for-profit, or public.

5.  It has a governing board that possesses and exercises necessary legal power to establish and review basic policies that govern the institution.
 
6. Its governing board includes public members and is sufficiently autonomous from the administration and ownership to assure the integrity of the institution.

7.  It has an executive officer designated by the governing board to provide administrative leadership for the institution.

8.  Its governing board authorizes the institution’s affiliation with the Commission.

22. Its catalog or other official documents includes its mission statement along with accurate descriptions of

• its educational programs and degree requirements;
• its learning resources;

its admissions policies and practices;
• its academic and non-academic policies and procedures directly affecting students;
• its charges and refund policies; and
• the academic credentials of its faculty and administrators.

CRITERION ONE:  The institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with its mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education.

CRITERION TWO:  The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes.

CRITERION THREE:  The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes.

CRITERION FOUR:  The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.

CRITERION FIVE:  The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships.

 The Five Evaluative Criteria are all discussed, along with patterns of evidence, on pages 32 through 63 in the Handbook of Accreditation, with a review of the patterns of evidence for all five on pages 64 to 67.

 The topic of governance covers a wide range of structures and several levels of authority.  You will need to describe, both verbally and by chart and diagram, the structures that exist at MCC, but you should remain focused on your main job, which is to analyze and evaluate how effective our governance system is and how well it is working.  You cannot avoid considering credentials, levels of experience, and other qualifications, but as much as possible, your analysis needs to be objective and not personal.  You should try hard to avoid evaluating the personnel who are in the various positions.

 The college is owned by the people of District and governed ultimately by the Board of Trustees elected by the people.  The Board should be analyzed in terms of its understanding of the college’s mission and purposes and the Board’s role in carrying them out.  As the subcommittee considers its work regarding the Board, it may want to ask some of the following questions:

• What does the Board see as its goals?
• Does the Board understand its policy making role?
• Does the Board avoid involvement in the administration of the college?
• What is the relationship between the Board and the administration and the rest of the college?
• How well do the Board Members represent their community?
• What are the Board Members’ qualifications?  Experience?  Knowledge of the college and its district?

Does the Board avail itself of professional development opportunities?
How does the Board set priorities?
What is the relationship between the Board and other governmental units, local, state and federal?
• How good a relationship does the Board enjoy with the people of its district and the press and other media?
• How does the Board assess its own effectiveness, how well it is meeting its own goals?

  A significant part of the operation of MCC is governed by collective bargaining agreements, but we urge you not to become involved in collective bargaining issues.  Identifying problems that need to be resolved is certainly within the realm of our analysis, but it would be ill-advised and probably destructive to try to use the self-study process to further any union’s agenda or, for that matter, to oppose any union’s agenda.  It is also NCA’s policy not to become involved in collective bargaining issues.  We believe that policy is wise and wish to abide by it.

 As the subcommittee looks at MCC’s administrative structure and the effectiveness of its administration, it may wish to consider some of the following questions and topics.  This list is not meant to be all inclusive, but we hope it will provide some starting points for your thinking.

• What are the goals for MCC’s administrative structure?
• How do the goals relate to the college’s mission and purposes?
• What is the structure?

 -Major subdivisions
• Administration
• Academic Affairs
• Student Services
• Other
  -Clarity of structure to rest of college
• How are priorities set?
• What mechanisms exist for determining effectiveness?
• How extensive and successful are institutional research efforts?
• Is there an appropriate division of labor/responsibilities?
• Is there mutual respect throughout the administration?
• Is there good communication? Laterally and vertically?
• What is the level of morale among the various sections of the administration and the various levels?  Is there cohesiveness?
• How effective are planning policies and practices?  How many of the college’s constituencies are involved and to what extent?
• How stable is the administrative structure?
• Is there administrative support of assessment of student learning?
• How effectively is the Human Resources area organized?

 -Are there clear job descriptions?
 -How well are hiring and evaluating procedures carried out?
 -Level of employee satisfaction with HR area?
• How successful is the administration in meeting its goals?

 As you are going about your work, do not hesitate, ever, to contact Jim or Susan about any issue, question, problem, confusion, or other item that might come up.  The Format Team and the Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.

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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

20.  Its financial documents demonstrate the appropriate allocation and use of resources to support its educational programs.

 There is huge variance in the kinds of campuses and facilities required for institutions of higher education, and the growth of “virtual” colleges and universities means some institutions have no physical resources at all, at least in any traditional sense.  Thus, there is only one GIR that relates directly to physical resources.  It is found on page 25 of the Handbook of Accreditation, but as you will see, it is limited to how and whether MCC allocates resources to support its programs.  Physical resources, though, are a significant part of our college’s overall resources.

CRITERION TWO:  The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes.

CRITERION FOUR:  The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.

 Criterion Two is discussed on pages 35 through 40, and Criterion Four is covered on pages 52 through 57 in the Handbook of Accreditation.  The critical elements in the lists of patterns of evidence seem to relate most directly to how effectively MCC’s physical resources support effective teaching and learning and create a healthy and safe environment.

 The subcommittee’s work will cover a wide spectrum of topics and issues, but we hope the following list will serve as a springboard for your thinking and will stimulate ideas and questions.  It is certainly not intended as a complete list of all items the subcommittee will want to weigh and consider.  Unquestionably, you will need to describe facilities and other physical resources on the main campus, SLBC, Wagner Auto Lab, Lapeer, and extension centers and locations, but keep in mind that your main purposes are evaluative and not just descriptive.  Extensive hard data on square feet, numbers of rooms, and a variety of other topics may be included in the appendices of the report rather than in the report itself.
 

• What is the relationship between the allocation of support for physical resources and  MCC’s mission and purposes?

 -How are priorities set?
 -What are the goals that govern support for physical resources?
-What are the planning mechanisms for meeting future needs and   who participates in the planning?
 -Who determines future needs?  On what basis?
-How is adequacy and organization of physical resources evaluated?

• How adequate, up-to-date and well supplied are

 -Natural science laboratories
 -Technical laboratories
 -Computer laboratories
 -Classrooms, including instructional technology support
 -Lecture halls
-Facilities for scientific, technological, health science and other demonstrations
 -Computer facilities for student use
 -Administrative offices
 -Offices for full- and part-time faculty
 -Technical support for faculty and instruction
 -Other physical resources
• Is there cost effective utilization of the college’s physical resources?
• ADA compliance?
• Is there adequate and safe parking?
• How attractive are the grounds?
• Is the atmosphere of the buildings appropriate to an institution of higher education?
• Maintenance and repair of physical facilities

 -What are the goals or principles governing maintenance?
 -Is maintenance carried out equally effectively everywhere?
-Are there adequate numbers of personnel to accomplish what needs to be done?
-What plans and policies govern maintenance procedures and activities?
-Who determines how effective maintenance is and how is success measured?

 As you go about your work, do not hesitate, ever, to contact Jim or Susan about any issue, question, problem, confusion, or other item that might come up.  The Format Team and the Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.

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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

9. It employs a faculty that has earned from accredited institutions the degrees appropriate to the level of instruction offered by the institution.

10. A sufficient number of the faculty are full-time employees of the institution.

 GIRs 9 and 10 (along with some explication) are found on pages 21 and 22 of the Handbook of Accreditation.  There is also a less direct connection between the focus of this subcommittee and GIRs 11, page 22, and 22, page 26.

CRITERION ONE:  The institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with its mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education.

CRITERION TWO:  The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes.

CRITERION THREE:  The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes.

CRITERION FOUR:  The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.

CRITERION FIVE:  The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships.

 These criteria and the suggested patterns of evidence are discussed in detail on pages 32 through 63 of the Handbook, with a review of the patterns on pages 64 to 67.  A major focus of this subcommittee’s work will be on Criterion two, but it is important to consider the implications of assessment on human resources as well to look at future college needs and the integrity with which the college deals with all the constituencies that make up its human resources.  It’s also important to evaluate the commitment of the college’s human resources to MCC’s mission and purposes.

 Unquestionably, the subcommittee will need to describe the college’s human resources, but as much as possible, work should be concentrated on analysis and evaluation.  It may be useful to identify employee groups by bargaining unit (and exempt administrators), but collective bargaining issues should not become a part of the subcommittee’s analysis.  No doubt there will be items that are volatile or bargainable, but our purposes are neither to represent union points of view nor refute them, let alone get involved in the collective bargaining process.  Moves in that direction tend to be disruptive to the self-study process and divisive.  We may find ourselves recommending that issues be solved via bargaining, but we shouldn’t take sides or initiatives in the bargaining process.

 The following is a list of questions and topics the committee may wish to  take up as it carries out its evaluation.  The list is by no means complete, and the subcommittee is encouraged to come up with additional ideas, and perhaps this list will serve to suggest other issues.

• Who are our students?

 -Are they different from 10 years ago?
 -Are their expectations different?
 -Where do they come from?
• Who makes up the various employee groups?

 -What are their qualifications and credentials?
 -How much experience do they have and what kinds of
 experience?
-How are they different from 10 years ago?  Consider changes in all employee groups such as size, reliance on part-time and temporary employees, sought after characteristics
 -Diversity?

• How well do they understand the college’s mission and purposes?
• How well does each group understand its roles and responsibilities?
• How are the various groups evaluated?
• How does MCC evaluate the effectiveness of its human resources?
• How does the college determine its present and future human resource needs?
• Stability of MCC’s human resources?
• Are policies regarding students and employees published in easily accessible form, such as in handbooks and other ways?
• How committed are employees to the college?
• What is the level of employee morale? General satisfaction with the institution?
• Are there professional development opportunities?  If so, for which groups?  Does MCC financially support and encourage professional development?
• Do employees, especially faculty and administrators, keep current with their fields?
• Are there changing demographics and economics in the community the college serves?  Is that taken into account?
• Are college employees active in the community?
• How effective is communication within employee groups and among them?

 As you are going about your work, do not hesitate, ever, to contact Susan or Jim about any issue, question, problem, confusion or other item that might come up.  The Format Team and Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.

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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

17. It has admission policies and practices that are consistent with
the institution’s mission and appropriate to its educational
programs.

18. It provides its students access to those learning resources and  support services requisite for its degree programs.

22. Its catalog or other official documents includes its mission statement along with accurate descriptions of

• its educational programs and degree requirements;
• its learning resources;
• its admissions policies and practices;
• its academic and non-academic policies and procedures directly affecting students;
• its charges and refund policies; and
• the academic credentials of its faculty and administrators.

CRITERION ONE:  The institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with its mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education.

CRITERION TWO:  The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes.

CRITERION THREE:  The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes.

CRITERION FOUR:  The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.

CRITERION FIVE:  The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships.

 Student services include a broad array of activities, offices, opportunities, requirements, policies, and procedures that all relate directly to our students and the college’s ability to serve their needs.  As indicated above, student services relate to all five of the Evaluative Criteria, and as the subcommittee does it analysis and evaluation, it should keep all five in mind and try to address each in its written report.  More emphasis will no doubt be placed on responding to Criterion Two and the patterns of evidence involved, but the others are also significant.  A listing of patterns of evidence that could relate to each of the five Evaluative Criteria is found on pages 64-67 of the Handbook, and chapter 4, pages 29-63, discusses the criteria at length.

 MCC’s mission statement may be a good place for you to begin.  Not only are there implications for student services in the general statement, but also the first four of the ways listed for carrying out the mission all connect directly with the student services we provide.  As you do your work, as a start, you could ask these questions:

• What is the philosophy behind MCC’s student services?
• Are there clearly expressed and understood goals that spell out why we provide the services we do?
• How well are we fulfilling those goals, how effective are the services we provide, and how do we know?
• What are we doing, based on the college’s own evaluation, to enhance and improve student services at MCC?

 There is a plethora of topics, areas, and issues that all fall under the umbrella of student services.  The following list includes those that occurred to the self-study coordinators, but it is likely that the list is not complete, and it is presented (more or less) in alphabetical order.

• Activities for students such as dances, clubs, and organizations (student life)
• Academic advising
• Admissions and recruitment, including placement testing, marketing, and orientation
• Athletics:  intercollegiate and intramural
• Career and job placement
• Cashier’s office and services
• Catalog
• Child care
• Code of Conduct, including all policies, procedures, and guarantees of due process
• College Store
• Counseling and Student Development
• Cultural opportunities for students
• Financial aid, including all the various types and loan default monitoring and rates
• Food Services
• Health Services
• Phi Theta Kappa
• Recreation possibilities
• Registration and Records
• Safety and Security
• Student Government
• Student Handbook

 As you are going about your work, do not hesitate, ever, to contact Susan or Jim about any issue, question, problem, confusion or other item that might come up.  The Format Team and Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.

 
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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. It has a mission statement, formally adopted by the governing
board and made public, declaring that it is an institution of
higher education.

2. It is a degree-granting institution.

3. It has the legal authorization to grant its degrees, and it meets all the legal requirements to operate as an institution of higher education wherever it conducts its activities.

9. It employs a faculty from accredited institutions the degrees appropriate to the level of instruction offered by the institution.

10. A sufficient number of the faculty are full-time employees of the institution.

11. Its faculty has a sufficient role in developing and evaluation all of the institution’s educational programs.

12. It confers degrees.

13. It has degree programs in operation, with students enrolled in them.

14. Its degree programs are compatible with the institution’s mission and are based on recognized fields of study at the higher education level.

15. Its degrees are appropriately names, following practices common to institutions of higher education in terms of both length and content of the programs.

16. Its undergraduate degree programs include a coherent general education requirement consistent with the institution’s mission and designed to ensure breadth of knowledge and to promote intellectual inquiry.

17. It has admissions policies and practices that are consistent with the institution’s mission and appropriate to its educational programs.

18. It provides its students access to those learning resources and support services requisite for its degree programs.

22. Its catalog or other official documents includes its mission statement along with accurate descriptions of
 

• its educational programs and degree requirements;
• its learning resources;
• its admissions policies and practices;
• its academic and non-academic policies and procedures directly affecting students;
• its charges and refund policies; and
• the academic credentials of its faculty and administrators.

CRITERION ONE:  The institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with its mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education.

CRITERION TWO:  The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes.

CRITERION THREE:  The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes.

CRITERION FOUR:  The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.

CRITERION FIVE:  The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationships.

 The Five Evaluative Criteria are discussed in detail, along with the relevant patterns of evidence, on pages 32 through 63 of the Handbook, with a review of the patterns of evidence for all five on pages 64 to 67.

  Because of the centrality of this subcommittee’s subject, its work connects with all the criteria just as it does with so many of the GIRs.  It is important, we feel, that, as you carry out your analysis and evaluation, you pay attention not only to the college’s mission statement in general but also to bulleted items three through eight.  (As you will see, they are not actually numbered in the statement as published.)  These seem to point most clearly to the goals and functions of our instructional offerings.  Much of the rest of the subcommittee’s work will relate to the second and third criteria, but it is, clearly, important for you to determine how well we can strengthen our educational offerings in the future, as well as consider item h. in the patterns of evidence for Criterion Five.

 This subcommittee has the largest membership of any of the self-study subcommittees, and it may be necessary for the group to subdivide into task forces, each  with a limited focus.  Please remember, however, that your report, and the analysis and evaluation it reflects, should consider the whole and not just the parts.  You are looking at a really wide spectrum of programs and varieties of instruction, but they are all focused on fulfilling MCC’s mission effectively.

 Below is a lengthy list of topics and questions that we hope will stimulate your thinking.  This list is in no way intended to be complete or all-encompassing.  We hope it is a start, a springboard for your own thinking.

 First, there are several major areas or types of educational programs and offerings at MCC.  Each needs to be evaluated and is listed below along with a few questions or issues presented as suggestions for how you might begin your examination.  A division-by-division or program-by-program analysis is not necessary or advisable.  NCA accredits institutions as a whole and not their individual programs.  Many of the questions overlap, and some apply across the whole spectrum.  Some of those are listed later in this section of the Guide.

Career Programs

• What are the overall goals and principles determining what we offer and how we offer it?  Relationship to mission?
• Are our offerings appropriate to MCC’s students and our community’s needs?
• How does the college determine the need for programs?
• To what extent are advisory committees used?
• Are programs’ contents and approaches up-to-date?
• Are there external certifications? Program accreditations?
• What major changes have taken place over the last 10 years?
• How are programs evaluated for effectiveness?  How do we know if the programs are successful in meeting their goals?
• What measures are used?
• Are there surveys of employers, community agencies, students?
• How is assessment carried out, and how is it used to improve student learning?

• What is the relationship between A and S and the college’s mission?  What  principles govern what is offered and how and when it is offered? What are the goals for A and S?
• How rigorous is course and program content?
• Are offerings suitable to MCC and institutions of higher education in general?
• What major changes have taken place over the last 10 years?
• What mechanisms exist for determining the success of A and S in meeting its goals and fulfilling its purposes?  How well are we doing and how do we know that?
• How is assessment carried out, and how is it used to improve student learning?

• What are the goals of the developmental program and how do they relate to the college’s mission and purposes?
• How are determinations made about what is to be offered?
• Are the offerings suitable for MCC’s students?  Do they meet community needs?
• What major changes have taken place over the last 10 years?
• How successful is the developmental program at meeting student and college needs?  What mechanisms are used to measure success?  How are students tracked?  Are goals being met, and how do we know?
• How is assessment carried out, and how is it used to improve student learning?

• What are the goals and principles governing Continuing Education?  How do they relate to the college’s mission and purposes?
• How are community needs identified?
• Who determines what will be offered? Where and when it will be offered?  What are the bases for these determinations?
• Are offerings appropriate and suitable for MCC’s constituencies?
• What major changes have taken place over the last 10 years?
• How effectively is CE meeting its goals and objectives?  How does it determine success?  What are the mechanisms used? Are employers, students, community agencies, others surveyed?

• What principles and goals govern the apprenticeship programs?  How do they relate to the college’s mission and purposes?
• How are needs established?
• What is the relationship between the Apprenticeship Program and the other major components of the college?
• What major changes have taken place over the last 10 years?
• How successful is the Apprenticeship Program in meeting its goals?  What are the mechanisms for determining success?  Are there certification processes?

• Apprentice Preparation
• Corrections Preparation
• Health Unit Coordinator (Ward Clerk)
• Nail Technician
• Nanny/Child Care Professional
• Nurse Aide
• Phlebotomy
• Radiography Preparation

• Are there clear-cut goals and principles?  What is the relationship with MCC’s mission and purposes?
• What are the major issues that are driving the plans for this part of the college’s activities and the construction of the new center?
• How does the college measure its success in this area?  What are the mechanisms for review?  How are they used, and what do they reveal?

• How and when were MCC’s GE requirements established?
• What are the goals of MCC’s general education requirements?  Is there a  clearly defined statement of philosophy and objectives?
• Consider whether GE requirements “stimulate the examination and understanding of personal, social, and civic values.”
• Are there assurances that our graduates will possess “proficiency in skills and competencies essential for all college-educate adults”?
• Are MCC’s GE requirements central to its missions and purposes?
• What mechanisms are in place for determining the success of MCC’s GE requirements in fulfilling their goals and purposes?
• How does the college measure the success of GE?
• How is assessment carried out, and how is it used to improve student learning?

• What are the principles, goals, and objectives for DL at MCC?
• How do these relate to the college’s mission and purposes?

How has DL at MCC changed over the past 10 years?
-Expanded offerings
 -Local production
 -On-line instruction
 -College in the Work Place
 -Degree program
 -Standards and Practices document
 -Qualifications of faculty
 -Other
• What media are being used and what are DL’s plans for the future?
• How are needs for DL offerings determined and by whom?
• How is assessment carried out and how is it used to improve learning?
• How well is DL meeting its goals?  What mechanisms exist to determine success?

• What are the purposes of CPSC, contractual and otherwise?
• What are the goals of CPSC?  How do they relate to the college’s mission?
• Is there faculty/administrative cooperation?
• How are course and program proposals generated? Academic policies?  By whom? Under what circumstances?
• Is there encouragement of  and are there mechanisms for developing experimental courses?
• After courses and programs are in operation, how are they reviewed?
• How timely is the CPSC process?
• Have there been changes in the CPSC system or how curricular changes occur or are reviewed during the last 10 years?
• How well is the process accepted and used college-wide?
• Is the CPSC system successful in meeting its and the college’s goals?  How do we know?

• Is there strong support for academic freedom at MCC?
• Is there support for instructional innovation at MCC?
• Do faculty avail themselves of opportunities for innovation?  Are faculty innovative?
• Is there sufficient technological support for instruction?

 -Availability of equipment
  -Educational Technology and its services
  -Faculty Development Center
  -Training related to new technology

• Are advisement and placement successful?  What evidence exists?
• Are there non-traditional or alternative means available for instruction and granting credit?

  -AP
  -Internships
  -Co-op
  -School to work
  -Experiential credit
  -Credit by examination
  -CLEP
  -Others?

• Are class size and lab size maximums reasonable and related clearly to the nature and purposes of the courses and their goals?
• Is there active support for professional development for  faculty?

 -Is professional development encouraged?
  -Are resources dedicated to PD?
  -What kinds of opportunities exist?
  -Internal and external activities?
  -Are academic administrators offered PD opportunities?
  -Do MCC faculty and administrators avail themselves of PD opportunities?
• How high is the quality of instruction at MCC?

-How do we know?  What mechanisms or methods of   evaluation are used?
 -How is instructional improvement encouraged?  Rewarded?
 -Consistency of evaluation among full- and part-time faculty?

 The subject matter of this subcommittee relates pretty directly in many ways with the focus of the subcommittee on assessment of student learning, and we hope there will be ongoing communication and cooperation between the two subcommittees.  We will be happy to do whatever we can to facilitate that interaction.  We ask that, as you carry out your analysis and evaluation, you keep the in mind and address the SWOT issues:

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

 Yours is a huge job, so we want to be as helpful as we possibly can be.  Do not hesitate, ever, to contact either or both of us (Jim and Susan) about any issue, question, problem, confusion, or other item that might come up.  The Research Team and Format Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.

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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

 The General Institutional Requirements are the threshold minimums required for membership in the North Central Association.  The college must meet all 24 GIRs to be accredited, so, clearly, it must be able to continue to do so in the future.  Thus, we have not listed them all here, but they can be found on pages 19 through 27 in the Handbook of Accreditation.

CRITERION FOUR:  The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness.

 In some ways, this is the toughest of the subcommittee assignments because it involves looking into the future, determining not only whether MCC can continue to accomplish its purposes but also whether it can strengthen its educational effectiveness.  Discussion of Criterion Four and appropriate patterns of evidence are found on pages 52 through 57 in the Handbook.  The evaluation team, of course, must weigh our ability to meet the requirements of this criterion, but we ourselves need to know whether we are capable of maintaining continuity and improving what we do over the coming years.  We have logged 75 years, making us one of the oldest community colleges in the country, but we must ask if we have the vitality, resources, and commitment to keep going.

 Below is a list of questions and topics that can be used as starting points for discussion and analysis.  We don’t believe the list is complete or exhaustive, but we provide it as a springboard for your own thoughts and ideas as you carry out your evaluation.

• What is the quality, depth, and reliability of our resource base for the future?

 -Human
 -Fiscal
 -Physical
• How strong is the commitment of the Board, administration, faculty, staff, and other employee groups to the college and its mission and purposes?
• To what extent can MCC rely on continued community support?
• How well has MCC adapted to changing demands and needs over the last 10 years?
• How well has the college responded to opportunities it has encountered?

How well has MCC responded to economic and demographic change in the district?

• Are mechanisms in place to allow for and facilitate curricular change?

Does the college have the ability to take advantage of new teaching and learning technologies, such as various distance learning approaches?

• What mechanisms for planning has the college used over the past 10 years?

 -What were the goals of the planning efforts?
 -Who was involved in planning?
-What outside studies have been carried out?  How were they used?
 -How successfully were the goals met?
 -How is success of the planning processes determined?

• What planning strategies and processes are currently being used?

 -What are the goals of MCC’s planning efforts?
 -Who has input in planning?
 -How is planning carried out?
 -Is there adequate institutional research to support sound
   planning?  Is necessary information available and usable?
 -Who sets priorities?  How?
 -What is the role of assessment of student learning in the planning
  process?  The importance of assessment in determining resource
  allocation?  In strengthening educational effectiveness?
 -How is information about planning disseminated?
 -How effectively are we meeting the goals?
 -How do we know?

• What is the economic and demographic future of the college’s district? Michigan?
• Role and success of the Foundation for MCC
• What has the self-study process itself revealed?

 -How can it be used in the future?
-Will information gathered in the self-study process prove valuable?
-Will the self-study’s identifying of strengths, challenges, threats, and opportunities be considered in future planning?
-Are there parts of the self-study process that can be used effectively in the future?

 As you go about your analysis and evaluation, do not hesitate, ever, to contact Jim or Susan about any issue, question, problem, confusion, or other item that might come up.  The Format Team and the Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.

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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

3. It has the legal authorization to grant its degrees, and it meets
all the legal requirements to operate as an institution of higher education wherever it conducts its activities.

6. Its governing board includes public members and is sufficiently autonomous from the administration and ownership to assure the integrity of the institution.

7. Its governing board authorizes the institution’s affiliation with the Commission.

17. It has admissions policies and practices that are consistent with the institution’s mission and appropriate to its educational programs.

22. Its catalog or other official documents includes its mission statement along with accurate descriptions of

• its educational programs and degree requirements;
• its learning resources;
• its admissions policies and practices;
• its academic and non-academic policies and procedures directly affecting students;
• its charges and refund policies; and
• the academic credentials of its faculty and administrators.

24. It makes available upon request information that accurately describes its financial condition.

 These GIRs are found, along with some explication, on pages 20, 21, 25, and 27 of the Handbook of Accreditation.

CRITERION FIVE:  The institution demonstrates integrity in its practices and relationship.
 

 This Criterion is the newest of the Five Evaluative Criteria.  We have all read or heard of institutions of higher education who have engaged, whether intentionally or unintentionally, in practices that were at least questionable and sometimes even illegal.  The point of the Criterion is not simply to consider whether MCC obeys laws and state and national mandates, but whether it is ethical in all its policies and practices.  It asks whether we as a college are honest and candid in what we say and do to our internal constituencies and the many publics with whom we communicate and deal.  Do we communicate policies and expectations clearly so they are readily understandable to the appropriate audiences?

 The Handbook, on page 60, presents this key point:  “Ethical policies and procedures.  Criterion Five addresses the institution’s expectations of the ethical behavior of individuals within each of its constituencies (board members, administrators, staff members, faculty, and students).  Its also addresses the basic underlying attitude an institution takes toward those constituencies, other institutions, and the public at large.  A self-study process that includes critical examination of institutional policies and procedures will go far in identifying commitment to those expectations and that attitude.”  On the following page, the Handbook goes on to state, “A self-study process should include critical examination of documents released to the public and contractual agreements between the institution and other organizations to be sure that they are honest and candid and reflect ethical values.” . . .  “An institution may wish to provide both statements of policy and records of activities and accomplishments that demonstrate its commitment to the elimination of discrimination in all its forms.”

 Criterion Five is discussed at length on pages 57-63 of the Handbook.  A list of the topics for consideration is included at the bottom of page 61 and the top of page 62.  These patterns of evidence are designed to apply to institutions of higher education in general, but the list can serve as a good starting point for identifying specific questions and issues that relate to MCC.

 The following are just a few examples of areas where the subcommittee would probably want to review college policies and practices:

• Student recruitment and admissions
• Marketing
• Financial aid policies and practices
• Contract training
• Foundation for MCC
• Student rights and responsibilities
• Accuracy of college publications
• Transfer agreements
• Relationships with K-12 systems
• Financial transactions
• Means for problem solving/conflict resolution and many, many more.

 As you are going about your work, do not hesitate, ever, to contact Susan or Jim about any issue, question, problem, confusion or other item that might come up.  The Format Team and Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.
 
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GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

16. Its undergraduate degree programs include a coherent general
education requirement consistent with the institution’s mission and designed to ensure breadth of knowledge and to promote intellectual inquiry.

17. It has admission policies and practices that are consistent with the institution’s mission and appropriate to its educational programs.

 These two GIRs are found on pages 23-25 of the Handbook of Accreditation.  These GIRs are only loosely related to assessment.  Most of the work of this subcommittee will focus on the following two criteria.

CRITERION THREE:  The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes.

 This criterion includes assessment of appropriate student academic achievement in all its programs, documenting:

• proficiency in skills and competencies essential for all college-educated adults;
• completion of an identifiable and coherent undergraduate level general education component; and
• mastery of the level of knowledge appropriate to the degree granted.

 This criterion includes having structured assessment processes that are continuous, that involve a variety of institutional constituencies, and that provide meaningful and useful information to the planning processes as well as to students, faculty, and administration.

 Criterion Three is discussed in detail on pages 40-52 of the Handbook of Accreditation and Criterion Four is discussed on pages 52-56.  Please read these pages carefully asking yourself the following questions:
 

• What are the goals of assessment?
• How can we determine if those goals are being met?
• What is the level of participation in the assessment process at MCC?
• To what extent are the results of assessment used to improve learning?
• To what extent are the results of assessment used in planning and budgeting at MCC?

• The faculty’s comprehension of and attitude towards the assessment of student learning.
• Resources available to assure continuation of assessment at MCC.
• Structure of the Committee for the Assessment of Student Learning.
• The extent to which student learning is clearly documented across campus at various levels (discipline, program, general education).
• The extent to which the results of assessment are used to improve student learning.  Does it drive planning and budgeting?  Does it drive professional development?

 Each of the subcommittees are being asked to consider the SWOT issues in their areas of concern:  Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

 As you go about your work do not hesitate to contact Susan or Jim if you have questions.  The Format Team and Research Team are also available to offer help and suggestions.
 
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An Overview of the Self-Study Report

 The report will present an accurate review of the findings made throughout the entire self-study process as well as describing how that process was carried out.  In one sense, it is a snapshot of the college at one particular time, but our hope is that the report will be a “living document” that will be usable for years to come and which can be updated, amended, appended, and altered as the institution continues to evolve.
 
As coordinators, we hope that the process of self-evaluation at MCC does not end after the team visit in 2000 but will be ongoing.  Dwight Eisenhower once stated that plans are not particularly valuable but planning is terribly important.  We hope the report will be valuable in itself, but even more, we hope it can continue to be useable and can help encourage, in perpetuity, efforts to look at ourselves, where we are and where we need to be going.

 We are not suggesting that the Self-Study Steering Committee members and all the subcommittee members are going to be asked to continue their work indefinitely.  That situation could probably qualify as someone’s definition of Hell on Earth.  On the other hand, we hope that all of us who make up the college will not simply quit thinking critically about our institution and our roles in helping it continue to succeed.  We need to keep the process of institutional self-evaluation from withering away and disappearing, and we can prevent that by adding to the report as time goes on.

 The report itself has several audiences, and as writers we need to keep those audiences in mind.  Everything in the report needs to be communicated clearly so that the report is readily understandable to everyone who needs to read it.  By far the most important audience is ourselves, those who make up the Mott Community College family.  We need to be able to learn from our own self-analysis and apply what we have learned to enhancing strengths, eliminating or remedying weakness, identifying and taking advantage of opportunities, and handling threats that inevitably arise.  A second and obvious audience for the report is North Central Association team that will visit our campus in February, 2000.  They will receive the report, along with numerous other documents, several weeks before coming here, and in order for them to be prepared fully, we will need the report to be clear and explicit.

 The team’s recommendation and report will probably go to a Reader’s Panel, and our self-study report and various other materials will also go to them.  Both the team’s report and our self-study report may go to a Review Council, and they will, like the readers, need to understand the report fully without benefit of having visited MCC.  It is also possible that the report could go to the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education itself.

 The table of contents for the report will probably look somewhat like the following, but we are also highly likely to make changes as we write the report, and the final table of contents will be much more detailed and precise, reflecting the various areas of focus in each subcommittee report.  Primarily, this simple table of contents is included here to show which subcommittees are connected most directly with the major elements to be included in the written report.

HIGHLY TENTATIVE AND BRIEF
SELF-STUDY REPORT
TABLE OF CONENTS

PREFACE

CHAPTER ONE:  INTRODUCTION

• HISTORY AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF COLLEGE COMMUNITY

- FLINT, GENESEE COUNTY, AND NEIGHBORING AREAS
- MOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S HISTORY
- THE COLLEGE’S HISTORY WITH THE NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION

• GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF MCC’S SELF-STUDY PROCESS
• METHODS OF CARRYING OUT SELF-STUDY:  THE SELF-STUDY
• PLAN
• STEERING COMMITTEE AND ITS MEMBERSHIP
• SUBCOMMITTEES AND THEIR MEMBERSHIP
• OVERVIEW OF THE REPORT
• SUMMARY

• RESPONSES TO CONCERNS AND ADVICE AND SUGGESTIONS IN THE 1990 TEAM REPORT
• MAJOR CHANGES SINCE THE 1990 VISIT
• SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
• SUMMARY

• MISSION
• AUTHORIZATION
• GOVERNANCE
• FACULTY
• EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
• FINANCE
• PUBLIC INFORMATION
• SUMMARY

• MISSION STATEMENT

- ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
- VALIDATION
- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

• GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

- ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
- EVALUATION
- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

• HUMAN RESOURCES

- ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

• FINANCIAL RESOURCES

- ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

• PHYSICAL RESOURCES

- ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF:
• BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS MAIN CAMPUS
• SOUTHERN LAKES BRANCH CAMPUS
• WAGNER AUTO LAB
• LAPEER CENTER
• OTHER LOCATIONS
- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

• STUDENT SERVICES

- ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

• ACADEMIC SERVICES AND LEARNING RESOURCES

- ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF BOTH
- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

• ANALYSIS, DATA, AND EVALUATION FROM AT LEAST THESE SUBCOMMITTEES:

- ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING
- EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
- STUDENT SERVICES
- ACADEMIC SERVICES AND LEARNING RESOURCES
- GOVERNANCE
- FISCAL RESOURCES
- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

• ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION FROM THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON PLANNING AND THE FUTURE, BUT THEY WILL DRAW HEAVILY ON THE FINDINGS OF ALL THE OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES

- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

• AS WITH CRITERION FOUR (CHAPTER SEVEN), THERE IS A SUBCOMMITTEE CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ANALYZING AND EVALUATING THIS CRITERION, BUT THIS SUBCOMMITTEE WILL ALSO RELY ON THE FINDINGS OF THE OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES WHO WILL HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THEIR REPORTS.

- SUMMARY
- STRENGTHS
- CHALLENGES
- POSSIBILITIES

CHAPTER TEN:  SUMMARY OF SELF-STUDY REPORT AND MAJOR STRENGTHS, CHALLENGES, AND POSSIBILITIES

CHAPTER ELEVEN:  REQUEST FOR CONTINUED ACCREDITATION
 

APPENDICES

 We will also be assembling and publishing a set of appendices as a separate volume to accompany the self-study report.  It is impossible at this time to do a very precise job of identifying all the materials that will be included in the appendices.   The following list, though, gives an indication of the kinds of information and documents that could be included.

• Basic Institutional Data Forms
• Summaries of raw data gathered by subcommittees
• Any surveys used in the self-study process and the full results of the surveys
• Extensive demographic and economic data and trends for the college’s areas
• Physical facilities data
• Financial data
• Detailed organizational charts
• Maps
• Enrollment data and trends
• Assessment plan approved by NCA
• Bragging points