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REPQRTOFA
COMMISSION-MANDATED FOCUSED VISIT
Advancement Section
TO
ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY
Yellow Springs-; Ohio
April 10-11, 2006
The Higher Learning Commission
A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
EVALUATION TEAM
Gail M. Jensen. Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Assessment, Creighton
University. Omaha, NE, 68178 .
Robert W. Nienhuis, Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer.
Cornerstone University, Gr~d Rapids, 111, 49525·
Larry J. Davidhizar, Dean of Faculty. Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL, 60610
(Chairperson) ., .
Advancement Section Antioch University/06FM1527
ADVANCEMENT SECTION
CONSULTATION OF TEAM
A. Observations of Team Regarding Area(s) of Focus
The fInancial health of Antioch University is generally quite good but the
fmancial health of Antioch College is very poor. For several. years, the
non-residential campuses have been responsible for supporting the
College .. However, the Comprehensive Visit of 2003 has served as a
wake-up call for the university in general and the Board of Trustees in
particular.
Clearly, the university’s Board of Trustees has accepted responsibility for
the condition of the College and is determined to address its -deficiencies.
The Board is to b~ commended for its willingnes~ to invest significant
time and resources into the plan to revitalize Antioch Co~l.ege.
In addition, the new President of Antioch College brings a vibrant vision
and a clear path to financial stability. He is laying a solid foundation for
the future and brings considerable energy and enthusiasm to his role ..
With the support of the Board of Trustees, there is considerable’ potential
Jor success of the upcoming funding campaign.
Finally, the Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer seems to possess
the fInancial acumen, the necessary understanding of higher education.
finances, and the requisite ~ steel will’ to wrest the budget under. control.
Under his direction, a new budget process is in place, a series of decisions
have been made concerning the long-term debt, and a reporting structure
has been implemented which keeps the Board of Trustees and senior
. administration informed on the budget on a monthly basis..
It cannot be·emphasized enough that many of the existing facilities are in
need of upgrade or replacement. Improvement in this area will enhance
recruitment and ret~ntion.
The recently adopted six libera.l arts le~rning outcomes for Antioch
College provide an excellent foundation for building the assessment
program. While faculty are well aware of these learning outcomes,
students expressed less specific understanding of the learning outcomes.
There are many ways to facilitate student engagement and understanding
of their learning goals. For example, these learning outcomes could. be
used, to ground the structure of student learning portfolios. Students
“u,rnl 1~ 1’h~~ ‘h””;T”lt’T .;,…,.,..”‘t::tto::l~rl e:.~,~ r1~,., ….n (l·'””‘l’u~;”‘g …0+1.0_”‘:0″ “””” +hO;’T’ lO~i’:””;~g”fy””‘……….’-4 “””‘”””””… ‘” VJoJ.J,~5 …. v~ rl’ ~ “-4 _ ‘f “‘~,,”,J..L””‘” ,u”v …………&…&. • ” …… ‘-‘vi.'” .L.L vu U. ‘-‘.LJ. l””-.Ir,. •..L.U.J. )
in support of these outcomes. The continued work and development of
the assessment program along with the new curriculum will also provide
opportunities for faculty in the scholarship of teaching, learning and
assessment.
?
Advancement Section A..ntiochUniversity /06FM 1527
Given the current requirements fiJr senior projects and capstone courses,
there are rich exi~ting data sources to “mine” for evidence of student
learning and performance. Systematic review of a sub-sample of existing
documents or projects could be used to develop rubrics or standards·for
. assessment of student performance. A focus group interview with a
group of experienced faculty could also be used to verify rubrics.
Overall, as cited in the assessment audit, there· are many examples of
embedded assessment in the Antioch learning. environment. The next
steps are uncovering these tools and linking them more fonnally to the
new learning outcomes.
B. Consultations of Team
Antioch College, in an attempt to increase enrollment, has embarked on a
challenging journey when it comes to the tuition discoUnt rate with an
anticipated ceiling of 41 % in 2009-2010. The entering class of 2001 had
a discount rate of 57% so Antioch College is walking the tightrope of
increasing enrollment in a competitive market while at the same tiIp.e
facing the realities of budget shortfalls.
The Team recommends that the College give consideration to rethinking
the wisdom of a tuition discount rate of 41 per cent in a few years. As the
endowment grows and as retention efforts succeed there might be a day
for further reduction of the discount rate. A review. of the rate by
institutions in its peer group will continue to be beneficial C!lld the,
ongoing consideration of additional means of funding for the College will
be prudent.
Recent improvements to the Science Building and one residence hall have
been well received but have also served to accentuate the necessity of
additional facility improvements acroSs the campus. Worthy of particular
cdmmendation is the excellent technology which has been installed in the
learning environment for first year students. This will be a boon to
students and factilty alike.
However, without additional technology upgrades to the rest of the
classrooms, this initial work is likely to create dissatisfaction as the first
year students exit their technology-rich learning environments for the
more traditional classrooms which suffer from a paucity of technology.
The faculty is well aware of the disparity between the first year learning
.e-Iivirbfime’iit-arfd–tHe ·ba1a:nce·of the–c1a.ssf06ms·-aiia–they-ramehTllie’
difference. .
The Team recommends that the College continue to move quickly to
develop and install a base level of technology in all the classrooms and
that the faculty be given training in the proper use of the technology to
enhance student learning. Student and faculty satisfaction and retention
requires that standards for classroom technology be adopted and adhered
to across the campus, not just in the fIrst year learning environment.
Advancement Section Antioch University/06FM1527
Antioch University is a multi-campus institution with a diverse and
talented faculty who are doing some excellent work in assessment of
student learning. Continued efforts for meeting and sharing assessment
activities and ideas across campuses as done the last three years will
benefit all members of the University. Development of electronic
portfolios across all campuses may also facilitate sharing of assessment
ideas as well as evidence in support student learning consistent with your
institutional mission.
There appear to be several new, young faculty members at Antio·ch
College, which argues well for the future; The current and continued
focus on assessment activities also provides an excellent opportunity to
facilitate effective teaching. Providing faculty with ideas and tools for
assessirig student -learning–intheir c};:tssrooms,seminars arid laboratories
will ultimately enhance their teaching. While critical reflection is part of
the Antiqch culture, this appears to be much more implicit than explicit.
Structured conversations or seminars on the pedagogy of reflection may
lead to new understandings across the campus community on what
reflection is and how it is best facilitated across students and faculty.
Team Recommendatjons for the
STATEMENT OFAFFILJATION STATUS
INSTITUTION and STATE: Antioch University, OH
TYPE OF REVIEW (from ESS): Focused Visit
DESCRIPTION OF REVIEW: A visit focused on resources, planning, budgeting, development,
enrollment and assessment.
DATES OF REVIEW: 4/10106 – 4/11/06
Nature of Organization
LEGAL STATUS: Private·NFP
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
DEGREES AWARDED: B, M, D
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
Cc:mditions of Affiliation
STIPULATIONS ON AFFILIATION STATUS: None.
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
APPROVAL OF NEW DEGREE SITES: No prior Commission approval required for Antioch
Seattle, WA and Antioch-Santa Barbara, CA to offer the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree,
and SA and MA site based programs for educators in the state of Washington. .
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
APPROVAL OF DISTANCE EDUCATION DEGREES: Prior Commission approval requi~ed.
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
REPORTS REQUIRED: None
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: Progress reports on finance and assessment of student
learning due by July 31, 2009.
OTHER VISITS REQUIRED: Focused Visit 2005 – 2006; A visit focused on resources,
planning, budgeting, development, enrollment and assessment.
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: None
Summary of Commission Review
..~
Team Recommendations for .the
STA TEMENT OF AFFILlA TION STA TUS
YEAR OF LAST COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION: 2002 – 2003
YEAR OF NEXT COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION: 2012 – 2013
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE
INSTITUTION and STATE: Antioch’ University, OH
TYPE OF REVIEW:
Educational Programs
Programs leading to Undergraduate
Programs leading to Graduate
Off-Campus Activities
Program Distribution
Associate 0
Bachelors 27
Masters 38
Specialist 0
First Professional 0
Doctoral 4
Recommended Change
(+ or -)
Campuses: Culver City, CA (Antioch
Southern California) : Santa
Barbara. CA (Antioch Southern
California) ; Keene, NH
(Antioch New England Graduate
. School); Seattle, WA (Antioch
University Seattle)
Sites: Saco, ME (C.K. Bums School) ;
Poultney, -V-T–{FQultney-High–·
School) ; Springfield, VT (River
Valley Technical Center)
Course Locations: None
In-State:
Campuses:
Sites:
Course Locations:
Out-of-State:
Present Activity:
Yellow Springs (Antioch’
College) ; Yellow Springs
(Antioch University McGregor)
None
·None
Present Wording:
Recommended. Change:
(+ or-)
Recommended Change:
(+ or-)
Out-of-USA: Present Wording:
Campuses: None
Sites: None
Course Locations: None
Recommended Change:
(+ or -)
Distance Education Certificate and Degree Offerings:
Present Offerings:
None
Recommended Change:
(+ or -) .
.<" REPORTOFA COMMISSION-MANDATED FOCUSED VISIT Assurance Section TO ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY .yellow Sprin?;s, Ohio April 10-11, 2006 The Higher Learning Commission A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools EVALUATION TEAM Gail M. Jensen,·Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Assessment, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178 Robert W. Nienhuis, Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Cornerstone . University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525 . Larry J. Davidhizar, pean of Faculty, Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL, 60610 (Chairperson) . Assurance Section CONTENTS Antioch University/06FM1527 . 1. Context and..Nature of Visit 3 II. Area(s) of FoeliS : 5 III. Affiliation Status : ; 11 ....-: 2 05/30/06 Assurance Section 1. Context and Nature of Visit Antioch University/06FM 1527 A. Purpose of Visit In October 2002, Antioch Univ,~rsity (AU) underwent a comprehensive. evaluation visit as the "five campuses welcomed a total of fourteen peer reviewers. While not all the evaluators visited the Yellow Springs, OR carn.puses, it is interesting to note that there was agreement on the many challenges facing the University .. The team recommended the next comprehensive visit for 2012:..13 with a focused visit early in the ten-year cycle. The focused visit in April 2006 was unusua] in its extent as it covered several areas of key importance to the ongoing health of AU. The ·2002 comprehensive team recommended a focus visit in three areas: .1) adequacy of resources to achieve institutional objectives; 2) effectiveness of linking planning, budgeting; development and enrollment management; " and J) implementation of assessment of student learning. In the team's report there was the challenge that if AU "does not show progress in these areas, the date of the next comprehensive visit should be moved forward." The leadership of Antioch University took these challenges seriously and was well prepared for the focus visit B. Accreditation Status Since the 2002 comprehensive visit, Antioch was given HLC approval to offer the Psy. D. degree at the Santa Barbara, CA campus. A monitoring report was also filed in September 2003 declaring that Antioch University had legal authority to operate in every state in which it offers educational programs. This monitoring report was in response to the comprehensive evaluation visit iri 2002. " C. Organiz~tional Context As previously mentioned, the recommendation of a focused visit by the - 2002 team and the scope of such a visit spurred AU and all of its constituencies into action. An audit of all assessment activities at each campus was completed by an asses~;ment professional. Trustees mandated a Renewal Commission to develop a plan, strategy, and timetable for the renewal of Antioch College. Budgeting, planning, development, and enrollment management strategies have all changed in three years. Consultants have been hired, staff sizes increased or reduced depending on need, and undergraduate curriculum at the College has been changed---all of!J?e~_~_~ff()!!s ~Q""~~e !4~_C.9Il~ge m.p_re vi~QJe.. . D. Unique Aspects of Visit Antioch is a unique university. Aside from its historic mission steeped in the values of Horace Mann, the five campuses are autonomous in organization. Each campus has its own president, academic dean, and distinct shared governance structure. The presidents were interviewed as a group during the focus visit. Antioch University has an acting Chancellor and is close to naming a permanent one. Roughly two-thirds of the 3 05/30106 Assurance Section Antioch University/06FM 1527 enrollment of AU is composed of graduate students taking classes away from the College in Yellow Springs, OH. The College itself once having a full-time enrollment of 2700 has reduced in size by seventy-five percent. To protect the other campuses, the Board of Trustees has taken invasive action to correct the problems at Antioch College (the undergraduate campus) and in essence protect and save the University. Following the 2002. NCA final report, the University Leadership and the Board of Trustees created a Renewal Commission for Antioch CoUege to address enrollment issues. While the verdict is still out at to the success of the Renewal Commission, the Board of Trustees (primarily AU graduates) is committed to the success of the traditional Antioch College and its mission at the undergraduate level. So much so that the Board and t.he Renewal Commission bypassed the lengthy shared governance process for which Antioch has been known. While some of the constituencies have sacrificed during this time, most agree that this intervention has. put . Antioch College and hence the University on a road to. health. . E. Interactions with Organizational Constituencies 1. Board of Trustees (4) [chair, chair of finance committee, chair of academic affairs committee, former board chair] . 2. Acting ChancellorlPresident, Seattle Campus 3. Dean of University-wide programs 4. Campus presidents and Deans (6) 5. Antioch GoUege faculty (8) 6. Antioch·College students (7) 7. Enrollment Management administrator 8. Co-chair University' Assessment Task Force; .author of University Assessment audit 9. Chair, Assessment cOITunittee,Antioch College 10. Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer 11. Chair of Finance Committee, Board of Trustees 12. Director, Auxiliary Services and Purchasing 13. Archivist 14. President, Antioch College' 15. Actin~ Vice President for Development F. Principal Documepts, Materials, and Web Pages Reviewed 1. New four-color promotional viewbooks (2) 2. Mailers 3. College-Mar.keting and.Communication Plan 2005-200.8 4. Enrollment Management Admissions Plan 5. Enrollment Management Retention Plan 6. Antioch College Renewal Commission-Final Repon !O me Board of Trustees, 6/04 . 7. Antioch Strategic Plan, 2006-2010 8. Antioch College Infonnation Technology Plan, 2005-2010 9. Antioch College Facilities Planning: Campus Master Plan 10. Antioch College Assessment materials/minutes for 2003-2004; 2004-2005; '05-'06 ....,..,~ 4 05/30/06 Assurance Section Antioch University/06FM1527 ACT-CAAP Critical Thinking Assessment data ACT-CAAP Writing Assessment data Critical Thinking Direct Evidence Writing Direct Evidence CIRP data 2001-2005 CIRP Trends data NSSE data 2000-2005 Narrative e'laluations 11. Antioch McGregor Assessment materials for School of Management; School of Liberal Studies; School of Education 12. Antioch Seattle Assessment materials for BA Completion Program; Education Center; Center for Creative Change; Psychology c.enters 13. Antioch Santa Barbara Assessment materials forPsyD Program; Master of Arts 'in Psychology, Organizational Management, Education; Bachelor of Arts Program; 14. Antioch Los Angeles Assessment materials for Master of Fine Arts; Master. of Arts in Psychology; Organizational Management; Education/Teaching Credential; Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies 15. Antioch New England Assessment materials for student learning 16. Antioch University, PhD Leadership and Change Program Assessment materials . 17. Examples of student work and capstone samples 18. WebPages for all Antioch campuses; Antioch University 19. Facilities Planning: Campus Master Plan 20. Financial PlfuJIlmg: Nfu'Tativeand Documents 21. Audited Financial Statements, Years Ending June 30,2003, '04, '05 22. Capital Campaign Infonnation 2002-March 2006 23. Campaign Reports to Board of Trustees 2002-February 2006 24. Renewal of Antioch College & Comments from External Experts II. AREA(S) OF FOCUS AI. Statement of Focus In 2002, the Higher.Learning Commission conducted a comprehensive visit of Antioch University. The report of the visiting team noted concerns in the area of Financial, Human and Physical Resources. Specifically, the team cited a lack of financial resources and repeated operating deficits along with deferred maintenance and the deterioration of existing facilities. in their report. The purpose of the 2006 ·Focused Visit was to review the plans and progress that Antioch University has made to address these deficiencies. The primary focus of the visit was the financial stability and attention to facilities.on the campus of Antioch College. 5 05/30/06 Assurance Section Antioch University/06FM 1527 .. Bl. Statements of Evidence Evidence that demonstrates adequate progress in the area of focus • After multimillion dollar budget deficits in 2001 and 2002, the university has had two consecutive years of budget surpluses (2003 and 2004) and anticipates another budget surplus in 2005. • The endowment value has grown from $19.347M in June, 2001 to . $31.952M in June, 2005. A sixty percent increase in four years. • A Vice Chancellor/Chief Financial Officer has been hired bringing a strong background in higher education finances and a frnn will to keep the fmances in proper order. • A refinancing of bonds has resulted in a $125,000 annual reduction in long-term debt (from $872,853 in 2003 to $745,303 in 2005). • The development of a Sustainability Budget Model and Dashboard Indicators to monitor progress. • The Board of Trustees is activdy engaged in oversight of the Antioch College budget by regular communication with the 'College Advancement Office. • The Advancement office has been expanded and reorganized and is being structured in relationship to campaign priorities. • The Board of Trustees is heavily involved in fund-raising for the College and has been personally gener:ous in support.of the College. • The President of Antioch College has embraced the challenge of adequate funding for the sch.ool and is an articulate spokesperson on behalf of the College. . • The Science Building and one residence hall have been partially . renovated this past year in part to service the revised curriculum and in part to begin the many capital improvements that are necessary. • The presidents of the non-residential campuses are supportive of Antioch College and believe that they will. benefit from a stronger College, thereby allowing the Board of Trustees to give focused attention to the College. . • The support from the non-residential campuses has been capped, making the College more responsible for its own financial health and allowing the Don-residential campuses to begin to build their own reserves:ci.ndinitiate their respective strategic plans. . Evidence that demonstrates that. further organizational attention is required in the area of focus. • A significant drop iIi the 2005-2006 enrollment, though not unexpected by the administration due to curricular revision, must be turned around in subs~quent years of the College is to remain viable. • The reduGtioR-of-clellar-sexpected-fremthe non-residential'campuses to Antioch College is a right and sound decision but the ability of the. College to remain financially sound without those dollars demands wa~h~g. . • The College has benefited from numerous .grants but the ability to sustain its programs and balance its budget by revenue from enrollment and the annual fund continues to demand careful attention. • A new Director of the Annual Fund has been appointed and charged with raising $1.3M annually I a reasonable but challenging amount of. money. ........~. 6 05/30/06 Assurance Section Antioch University/06FM 1527 • A new president and advancement staff have developed a strategic plan to rebuild relationships with College alumni and donors. The . ability to regain their financial support is yet to be realized. • Deteriorating facilities and deferred maintenance continue, calling into question the ability of the College to attract and retain students in sufficient numbers. Evidence that demonstrates that further o~ganizationaJ attention and Commission follow-up are required. • The enrollment projections for 2006-2007 are positive and trending in the right direction but the ability of the College to attract and retain students in sufficient numbers remains to be seen. . .• The capital campaign is being rethought and revised and likely will be increased by $45M and extended by two years., to. January 2009. Since half of these new dollars will be dedicated to facilities, it will be important to monitor the success of this campaign. Cl. Recommendation of Team . A progress report is due July 31, 2009.' This report will shl?w the increased fmancial stability of Antioch University. More specifically it will report on the capital campaign, endowment growth, and the health of Antioch College including financials, capital improvements, and enrollment and retenti~n figures for the years 2006-2009. . Dl. Rationale for Team Recommend2ltion The visiting team believes that Antioch University has sufficiently demonstrated that the criteria for accreditation are being met with continued improvement and growth needed in the areas of financial, human, and physical resources. This focused visit was unique in that it covered many basic criteria essential to a healthy institution, specifically, financial resources. planning, development, budgeting, and enrollment. For the l~st three years, the board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff have worked diligently in not only renewing the College, but in developing infrastructu.re that will preserve the health and autonomy of the existing campuses. Exciting interviews with the leader~hip of .the Board, campus presidents, deans, faculty. and students affirm that Antioch University is committed to a Wholly healthy institution. A2. Statement of Focus The 2002 comprehensive visit also challenged the effectiveness of the linking -accoss planning, budg.e.ting, deYelDpmept and .enrollment. While there is some overlap with the focus' on financial and physical resources, this visit revealed a set of planning goals to guide the next several years. The Board of Trustees and the campus presidents have taken planning very .seriously with each campus developing a well-documented strategic plan and the board of trustees taking invasive action by mandating the Renewal Commission of Antioch College. Hence there can be little argument .the financial issues a~ong with the decreasing enrollments at the College are inextricably intenwined. While the outlying campuses of the University have had somewhat flal tmrollments over the past three years, they ."".. 7 05/30/06 Assurance Section Antioch University/06F.M 1527 nevertheless have produced revenue sufficient to not only sustain their respective growth but to also share with the College. The College, 0]] the other hand, with a major curricular revision, has weathered declining enr011mentthrough the transition and is now poised for the move to health over the next six to eight years. B2. Statements of Evidence Evidence that demonstrates adequate progress in the area of focus. • Renewal Commission of Antioch College is in its second year implementation and interviews with the Board of Trustees have confirmed plans for a new comprehensive University 111annine document that is "in process, long-tenn,and integrated." • Since 2003, there have been substantial increases in Admissions staff and operating budgets with applications for 2006 up 500%. • Recruitment has more infonnation technology support than ever and is more strategic and.cost-effective. .• . 'Selectivity and retention have shown improvement over the last two y.ears .• Two college "tearns"---Enrollment Management Group and Customer Service and Retention Group":--formed as a result of the Renewal .initiative are on task and on target in creating systems and a culture to encourage persistence. Evidence that demonstrates that further organizational attention is required in the area of focus. . • Antioch University is aloosely coupled and complex institution and its commitment to strategic planning is well evidenced on the individual campuses, but it is just beginning to wrestle with the impact it has or . does not have on resources and enrolhnent at the University. • Documents show that each campus has initiated various actions to address the enrollment picture long term. . • Re-branding the College with the help of an outside marketing fInn is , underway and the public relations/marketing budgets have never been higher. . • The curricular change made recruitment challenging but with its .commencement the inquiry rate has gone from 2,435 in 2004-5' to 12,000 in 2005-6. This is an institutional record. Applications are up from 214 to 1120 with 400 admits compared to 36 last year. Consistency in this area will be the goal, Evidence that demonstrates that further organizational attention and Commission. follow-up are required. None . C2. Recommendation of -Team Antioch University will give evidence of the successful linking: between planning, budgetIng, development, and enrollment as it meets the challenges of the first focused concern---adequacy of financial, physical and human resources. D2. Rationale for Team Recommendation Strategic planning, financial resources, budgeting, development, and enrollment create an interesting interplay of intended and unintended 8 05/30106 Assurance Section Antioch University/06FM1527 consequences. The Board of Trustees has taken a very strong and direct ownership of the ongoing viability and health of Antioch University. The overall financial picture will insure that the revised curriculum can be supported at the College and will allow the outlying c~puses to continue their respective growth and development. The resource room was full of University-wide and College-specific documents related to planning. budgeting, development, enrollment, and fmances. Three years info a ten year accreditation cycle, it is agreed that this is an aggressive beginning. A3. Statement of Focus The comprehensive visit of 2002 determined there were ·three areas of challenge under assessment. Antioch College historically has provided students with written portfolios at the end of a course rather than assign semester grades. This assessment practice ·was unevenly applied and interpreted across the College. Across the University, it was noted that the multiple·methods used to assess student learning were inadequate in some areas and unevenly applied in others. Finally. there has been a lack of institutional research on students, especially as.it applies to admission and retention ofstudents. B3. Statements of Evidence Evidence that demonstrates adequate progress in the area of focus. • From October 2003 to March 2004, a nationally recognized expert iIi educational evaluation undertook an extensive assessment audit of the entire UI;liversity. Thi,s expert is on the staff of AU and his subsequent recommendations have provided a structural foundation and roadmap for continued development of assessment activities across campuses. • Each campus has developed and implemented sta...'1dardsfor narrative evaluations while Antioch New England has developed a matrix assessment form. Review of assessment documents and data across the campuses provides consistent evidence of this standardization for narrative evaluations. • . In the past, an explicit structure for looking systematically at the evidence of student learning in light of the specific learI;linggoals had been less visible. The following changes now demonstrate more evenness in assessment across the University: 1) the use of multiple data collection methods (assessment audit), and 2) more visibility (University dialogue and sharing of a assessment strategies assessment). • There is strong evidence that all programs use multiple sources of data. Review of assessment notebooks across programs verifies these multiple sources afdata. . • There is a University Assessment Task Force with representatives from all campuses as well as senior administrators. As a result of the focused visit, this task force has begun to share best practices across the .University. . • Review of materials and interviews support that assessment evidence is being used to improve student learning across all campuses. The feedback loop is being "closed.Jl ."-. 9 05/80/06 A~surance Section Antioch University/06FM1527 Evidence that demonstrates that further organizational attention is required in the area of focus. • The use of assessment practices is beginning to serve AU well in the area of student learning. The related challenge of institutional research has left Antioch University struggling when it comes to admissionS'and retention_ The University Leadership Council·has developed a system for organizing institutional research data within and across the campuses. Interviews with administrators verify that an intensive effort was undertaken to establish a common metric system across campuses for enrollment, retention, graduation, tuition and revenue. The first such report was published in October 2005 and interviews confirm that the University is committed to producing this annually. Evidence that demonstrates that further organizational attention and Commission follow-up are required. • Antioch College has just completed its first year of the revised curriculum that included' first-year learning cohorts. With an assessment committee. and plan in place, more years are needed to show evidence that the plan is functional and driving the improvement of student learning and curricular revision. ' C3. Recommendation of Team A progress report will be due July 31,2009. This report will restate the assessment plan of Antioch College and show any impact on the four-year revised curricular cycle of the undergraduate program as well as any impact on the cooperative learning sites. D3. Rationale for the Team Recommendation The Renewal Plan for Antioch College included a major curricular revision that affects the classroom and learning communities but also the cooperative learning sites. There are six liberal arts learning outcomes that form the basis for assessment of student learning. There is strong evidence in the documents and verified through interviews that the College assessment 90mrnittee in its weekly meetings will develop a rubric for each of these outcomes. At this time, however, the assessment process of student learning for Antioch College is emerg~nt and will 'need to mature . with the full implementatiOn of the new curriculum that is.currently in its first year. E. Other Accreditation Issues None 10 05/30/06 Assurance Section Antioch University/06FM 1527 III. STATEMENT OF AFFILIATION STATUS A. Affiliation Status No Change B. Nature of Organization No Change C. Legal·Status No Change D. :Oe~ees awarded No Change E. Conditions of Affiliation 1. Stipulation on affiliation status---no change 2. Approval of degree sites-~..no change 3. Approval of distance education degree-no change 4. Reports required Progress Reports • Financial Status of Antioch University due July 31,2009. This report will show the increased financial stability of Antioch University. More specifically it will report on the capital campaign, endowment growth, and the health o~ Antioch College including financials, capital improvements, and enroHment and retention figures for the ·years 2006-2009. . • Assessment of Student Learning at Antioch College due July 31, 2009. . This report will restate the aSsessment plan of Antioch College and show any impact on the four-year revised curricular cycle of the -undergr-a4uate-prQgr-amas-w~U -as any-impact n Qn---the cooperative learning sites. F. Summary of Commission Review No Change Year for next comprehensive evaluation---2q12-20B ..... 11 05/30/06 THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION OF THE NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND·S.CHOOLS EVALUATIONFORM TO BE COMPLETEDBY: .INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Visit Number: Institution: Date:--- ---_:.....-_------------ ----- Evaluationswill be used by the Commission to: 1) Provide feedback to CEs about their performance, 2) IdentifyCEs who would be good Team Chairs, & 3) Improve the professional education programs for CEs. Please·fillout this form completely. Your candid evaluationsare critical for improvinqteam performance. 1. Please evaluatethe team that visited your institution.on on each of the followingcharacteristics using a O-to-10 scale, where 0 =Poor, 5 = Adequate, and 10= Excellent: o--5 ----:-10 Poor Adequate Excellent Performance Enter 0-to-10 a. Preparation- the team appeared to be well-informedand knowledgeableabout the instilutionand identifiedimportantquestion.sand.issL!esfor investigatio,:!. b. JUdgments- the' team members appearedto base their jUdgmen.fson all relevant information; the team members appeare9to be fair and objectivein decision making . c. Interviewing- the team members asked appropriateand insightfulquestions, Iislenedcarefullyto the answers; were courteous and showed respect for the instltutionand the people associatedwith the institution d. Report- the team prepared a comprehensive·and useful report e. Chairls Performance - the Team Chair W<;lS well .organized,efficient, and communicaledwell with institutionai representatives 2. For each team memberthat visited your institution,please indicatewhether that pefson:s·partk;;patio"n·.':'-• wa.s competentor disappointing:(CIRCLEONE NUMBER FOR EACH PERSON.) .-; _...;~~,-.....,.,.:--'- .': :.::," .,;.,.: ..,. Team Member Competent Disappointing a. 1 2 b. 1 2 c. 1 2 d. 1 2 e. 1 2 f. 1 2 g. 1 2 h. 1 2 1 2 1 2 Team Member k. I. m. .. n·. o. p. q. r. s. l ComDelen{ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Disappointing 2 2 2 ;Z 2 2.. 2 :2 2 2 !f you indicatedthat any' team member's participationwas disappointing,piease expiain Why. (Use the back of this sheet or additional sheets if necessary.). Please describeany significantproblemsor notable developmentsthat occurred during the team's visit. (Use the back of this sheet or additionalsheets if necessary.) Thank you very much for your input.
