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REPORT OF A
COMMISSION-MANDATED FOCUSED VISIT
Advancement Section
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, 68 1 78
Robert W. Nienhuis, Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer,
Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525
Lany J. Davidhizar, Dean of Faculty, Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL, 606 1 0
(Chairperson)
Advancement Section Antioch University/06FM1527
ADVANCEMENT SECTION
CONSULTATION OF TEAM
A. Observations of Team Regarding Area(s) of Focus
The financial health of Antiocli University is generally quite good but the
financial 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 be commended for its willingness to invest significant
time and resources into the plan to revitalize Antioch College.
In addition, the new President of Antioch College brings a vibrant vision
and a clear path to fmancial stability. He is laying a solid foundation for
the future and brings considerable energy and enthusiasm to his role. .
With the support of the Bokd of Trustees, there is considerable. potential
.for success of the upco~g funding campaign,
Finally, the Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer seems to possess
the fman~ial acumen, the necessary understandmg 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 bog-tern 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 arc in
need of upgrade or replacement. Improvement in this area will enhance
recruitment and retention.
The recently adopted six liberal arts learning 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
v:cdd the2 bykg fcrxzA e~idenc:: (iz~h&g zz?ecti~a GZ %lei leazizg]
in support of these outcomes. Tie continued work and development of
the assessment program along with the new cmiciilm will also provide
opportunities for faculty in the iicholarship of teaching, learning and
assessment.
Advancement Section
Given the current requirements for senior projects and capstone courses,
there are rich existing 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 formally to the
new learning outcomes.
Consultations of Team
~ntioch 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 200-9-2010. 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 time
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 and 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
co’mrnendation is the excellent technology which has been installed in the
learning environment for first year students. This will be a boon to
students and faculty 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 of technology.
The faculty is well aware of the disparity between the first year learning
environmentand the balimce’of th5classfooms and “they lament-the
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 Uiuversity/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 Antioch
CoIIege, 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
assessing student -learning -in their classrooms, seminars and laboratories ,
will ultimately e e their teaching. While critical reflection is part of
the Antioch 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 conirnunity on what
reflection is and how it is best facilitated across students and faculty.
Team Recommendations for the
STATEMENT OF AFFILIATlON STA TUS
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: 411 0106 – 411 1/06
Nature of Organization
LEGAL STATUS: PrivatevNFP
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
DEGREES AWARDED: B, M, D
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
Conditions 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, a
and BA and MA site based programs for educators in the state of Washington.
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
APPROVAL OF DISTANCE EDUCATION DEGREES: Prior Commission approval required.
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
+ REPORTS REQUIRED: None
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: Progress reports on finance and assessment of student ,
learning due by July 31, 2009. .. . ,- ,..- — *… * A -. . –
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
STATEMENT OFAFFIL1ATION STATUS
YEAR OF LAST COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION: 2002 – 2003
YEAR OF NEXT COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION: 2012 – 2013
TEAM RECOMMENDATION: no change
ORGANIZATIONAL PR0FIL.E
INSTITUTION and STATE: Antioch University, OH
Educational Programs
Program Distribution Recommended Change
(+ or -) Programs leading to Undergraduate
Associate 0
Programs leading to Graduate
Off-Campus Activities
In-S tate:
Campuses:
Sites:
Course Locations:
Ou t-of-S tate:
Campuses:
Sites:
Course Locauons:
Campuses:
Sites:
Course Locations:
Bachelors 27
Masters 3 8
Specialist 0
First Professional 0
Doctoral 4
Present Activity:
Yellow Springs (Antioch
College) ; Yellow Springs
(Antioch University McGregor)
None
None
Present Wording:
Culver City, CA (Antioch
Southern California) ; Sank
Barbara, CA (Antioch Southern
California) ; Keene, NH
(Antioch New England Graduate
School) ; Seattle, WA (Antioch
University Seattle)
Saco, ME (C.K. Bums School) ;
Poultney, -V-T-(Poultney-High-
School) ; Springfield, VT (River .
Valley Technical Center)
INone
Present Wording:
None
None
None
Recommended Change:
(+ or -) ,
Recommended Change:
(+ or -)
Recommended Change:
(+ or -)
Distance Education Certificate and Degree Off rings:
Present Offerings:
. . None
Recommended Change:
(+ or -) .
REPORT OF A
COMMISSION-MANDATED FOCUSED VISIT
Assurance Section
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, 68 178
Robert W. Nienhuis, Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, Cornerstone
University, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525
.Larry J. Davidhizar, Dean of Faculty, Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL, 60610
(Chairperson)
Assurance Section Antioch University/06FMI 527
CONTENTS
I. Context and Nature of Visit ………………………………………………………………………… 3
11. Are.a(s) of Focus 5 ………………………………………………………………………………………
111. Af51iation Status 1 1 …………………………………………………………………………………
Assurance Section Antioch University/06FM 1527
I. Context and Nature of Visit
A. Purpose of Visit
In October 2002, Antioch University (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, OH
campuses, it is interesting to note that there was agreement on the many
challenges facing the University. The team recommended the next
comprehensive visit for 20 12- 13 with a focused visit early in the ten-year
cycle. The focused visit in April 2006 was unusual 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 3) 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 htioch University
had legal authority to operate in evey state in which it offers educational
programs. This moniioring report was in response to the comprehensive
evaluation visit in 2002.
C. Organizational 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 assessment professional. Trustees mandated
a Renewal Commission to develop a plan, strategy, and timetable for the
a
renewal of Antioch College. Budgetmg, plming, deveIopment, 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 — these -.. efforts to make – – … . the . . . College more VIabke.
D. Unique Aspects of Visit t
Antioch is a unique university. Aside from its historic mission steeped in
the values of Horace Maim, the five campuses are autonomous in
organization. Each campus 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
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 College 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 the
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
A-ntioch College and hence the University on a road to health.
E. Interactions with Organizational Constituencies
I. Board of Trustees (4) [chair, chair of finance committee, chair of
academic affairs committee, former board chair]
2. Acting Chancellor/President, Seattle Campus
3. Dean of University-wide programs
4. Campus presidents and Deans (6)
5. Antioch College faculty (8)
6. Antioch-College students (7)
7. Emollment Management administrator
8. Co-chair University ‘Assessment Task Force; author of University .
Assessment audit
9. Chair, Assessment ~o’~mrnittee, Aztioch CoUege
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. Acting Vice President for Development
F. Principal Documents, Materials, and Web Pages Reviewed
New four-color promotional viewbooks (2)
Mailers
College-Marketing and Communication Plan 2005-2008
Enrollment Management Admissions Plan
Enrollment Management Retention Plan
htioch College Renewal Commission-Final Repon m me Board of
Trustees, 6/04
Antioch Strategic Plan, 2006-20 10
Antioch College Information Technology Plan, 2005-2010
Antioch College Facilities Planning: Campus Master Plan
10. htioch College
Assessment materials/rninutes for 2003-2004; 2004-2005; ’05-’06
Assurance Section Antioch University/06FMI 527
ACT-CAAP Critical Thinking Assessment data
ACT-CAAP Writing Assessment data
Critical Thinking Direct Evidence
Writing Direct Evidence
CIRP data 200 1-2005
CIRP Trends data
NSSE data 2000-2005
Narrative evaluations
1 1. 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 Centers
13. Antioch Santa Barbara
Assessment materials for PsyD 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
1 5. 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. FimnCla1 P1arUniig: Narrative and Documents
2 1. Audited Financial Statements, Years Ending June 30, 2003, ’04, ’05
22. Capital Campaign Information 2002-March 2006
23. Campaign Reports to Board of Trustees 2002-February 2006
24. Renewal of Antioch College & Comments from External Experts
11. ARJEA(S) OF FOCUS
Al. 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.
Assurance Section Antioch Universityl06FM 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
, $3 1.952M 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 firm will to keep
the finances 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 actively 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 generous in suppor&,of the College.
The President of Antioch College has embraced the challenge of
adequate funding for the school 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 non-residential campuses to begin to build their own
reserves and initiate their respective strategic plans.
Evidence that demonstrates that further organizational attention is
required in the area of focus.
A significant drop in the 2005-2006 enrollment, though not
unexpected by the administration due to curricular revision, must be
turned around in subsequent years of the College is to remain viable.
a The reduction of-dollars expected from the nm-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
watching.
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, a reasonable but challenging amount of
money.
Assurance Section Antioch Universityl06FM 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 kalized.
Deteriorating facilities and deferred maintenance continue, cal1Illg into
question the ability of the College to attract and retain students in
sufficient numbers.
Evidence that demonstrates that further organizational 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 w1-H be dedicated to facilities, it will be
important to monitor the succeiss of this campaign.
Cl. Recommendation of Team
. A progress report is due July 3 1,2009. This report will show the increased
ty of Antioch University, More specifically’ it will report on
aign, endowment growth, and the health of Antioch
financials, capital improvements, and enrollment and
retention figures for the years 2006-2009.
Dl. Rationale for Team Recommendation
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, plannbg, development, budge-, and enrollment. For
the last three years, the board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff
have worked diligently in not only renewing the College, but in developing
infrastructure that will preserve the health and autonomy of the existing
campuses. Exciting interviews with the leadership 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 across planning, budgeting, development 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.
Tie Board of Trustees and the campus presidents have taken planning very
seriously with each campus developing a welldocumented 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 along with the decreasing enrollments at the College are
inextricably intertwined. While the outlyin campuses of the University
have had somewhat flat enrollments over the past three years, they
Assurance Section Antioch UniversityI06F.Ml527
nevertheless have produced revenue sufficient to not only sustain their
respective growth but to also share with the College. The College, on the
other hand, with a major curricular revision, has weathered declining
enrollment through 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 T Jniversity planning
document that is “in process, long-term, and integrated.”
Since 2003, there have been substantial increases in Admissions staff
, and operating budgets with applications for 2006 up 500%.
Recruitment has more information technology support than ever and is
more strategic and cost-effective.
Selectivity and retention have shown improvement over the last two ,
years
Two college cctearns”—Enrollment Management Group and Customer .
Service and Retention Group—formed as a result of the Renewal
initiative are on task and on target ill 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 a loosely 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 enrollment 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 firm is
underway and the public relations/marketing budgets have never been
higher.
The curricular change made recruitment challenging but with its
commencemencement 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.
Rationale for Team Recommendation
Strategic planning, financial resources, budgeting, development, and
enrollment create an interesting interplay of intended and unintended
Assurance Section Antioch University/06FMI 527
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 campuses 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 finances. Three years into 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 of students.
B3. Statements of Evidence
Evidence that demonstrates adequate progress in the area of focus.
From October 2003 to March 2004, a nationally recognized expert in
educational evaluation undertook an extensive assessment audit of the
entire University. This 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 standards for 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 learning goals 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 of data. – 1 here 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.”
Assurance Section Antioch University/06FMI 527
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
ha”; left Antioch University struggling when IT cmes 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 reviser!
curriculum that included’first-year learning cohorts. With an
assessment committeeand 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 ofAntioch College; and show any impact on the four-year
revised cUnacular 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 thai
form the basis for assessment of student learning. There is strong evidence
in the documents and verified through interviews that the College
‘
assessment committee in its weekly meetings will develop a rubric for each
of these outcomes. At this time, however, the assessment process of
student lebg for Antioch College is emergent 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
Assurance Section Antioch University/06FM 1527
111. STATEMENT OF AFFILIATION STATUS
A. Affiliation Status
No Change
B. Nature of Organization
No Change
C. Legal Status
No Change
D, Degrees awarded
No Change
E. Conditions of Affiliation
Stipulation on affiliation status—no change
Approval of degree sites—no change
Approval of distance education degree–no change
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 of Antioch College including
financials, capital improvements, and enrollment 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
undergraduate program as-well as any-impact on- the cooperative
learning sites.
, F. Summary of Commission Review
No Change
Year for next comprehensive evaluation—20 12-20 13
THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION
OF THE NORTH CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND’S.CHOOLS
EVALUATION FORM TO BE COMPLETED BY: .INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
1. Please evaluate the team that visited your institutionon
i each of the following characteristics using a 0-to-1 0 0- 5 -10 Performance
scale, where 0 = Poor, 5 = Adequate, and 10 = Excellent: poor Adequate E~,A~,,I Enter 0-10-1 0 .
a Preparation – the team appeared to be well-informed and knowledgeable about the
institution and identified important questions and.issues for investigation –
b. Judgments -the team members appeared to base their judgments on aft relevant ‘ .-
information; the team members appeared to be fair and objective in decision . . .
makinq –
interviewing – the team members asked appropriate and insightful questions, . *
listened carefully to the answers; were courteous and showed respect for the . – ion and the people associated with the institution
Report – the team prepared a comprehensive -and useful report . . .. – Chair’s Performance – the Team Chair was wed organized, efficient, and . e – -.- ,.
communicated well with institutional representatives –
2. For each team member that visited your institution, please indicate whether that persons-participation .?’.- – ..
was competent or disappointing: (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER FOR EACH PERSON.) .: -..,.–.–.: :..-,- 2: :;:.;. -2 ,+.
‘
Team Member Competent DisaRRointinq Team Member II
. ifyou “idic~tad t^a; any i~ac zerbei’s pariic;piiiIo~~ was diilappoinIing, piease explain why, (Use
the back of this sheet or additional sheets if necessary.).
Please describe any significant problems or notable developments that occurred during the team’s
visit. (Use the back of this sheet or additional sheets if necessary,)
– I hank you very much for your input.
