Antioch McGregor Self-Assessment Report (2002 Accreditation)

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Page 1 ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY MCGREGOR ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY NCA ACCREDITATION SELF-STUDY REPORT AUGUST, 2002 Page 2 Page 3 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Chapter One: Introduction 1 Antioch University McGregor at a Glance 1 An Overview 2 The Undergraduate, Graduate Management, Teacher Licensure, and M.ED. Programs: Regional Characteristics 4 The Individualized Master of Arts and Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution: Limited Residency Programs 5 Community Outreach 5 Looking Ahead 6 Description of Self Study Process 6 Chapter Two: Criterion One 9 Antioch University McGregor Mission Statement 9 Chapter Three: Criterion Two 13 Organizational Structures and Systems 13 Human Resources: Faculty 14 Human Resources: Administration and Staff 14 Physical Plant 14 Library and Computing Facilities 15 Financial 17 Chapter Four: Criterion Three 19 Accomplishing Our Educational Purpose 19 Assessment of Student Learning 21 Assessment Summaries by Program 22 Chapter Five: Criterion Four 37 Problems and Concerns 39 Chapter Six: Criterion Five 45 Appendix One: Antioch University McGregor Mission Statement 47 Appendix Two: Antioch University Mission Statement 48 Appendix Three: Core Faculty by Program 49 Appendix Four: Administrative Listings 51 Page 4 iv LIST OF TABLES Page Table I: Antioch University McGregor Program Evolution 3 Table II: Self Study Task Force- Antioch University McGregor 7 Table III: Enrollment by Program: 1997-2001 17 Table IV: Antioch University McGregor Program Reviews 20 Table V: Assessment Methods 22 Page 5 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Antioch University McGregor at a Glance YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1988 FY 2001-2002 Budget Approx. $5,500,000 51% to direct instructional expense and academic support FALL 2001 PROGRAM ENROLLMENT Undergraduate Program 131 Graduate Management Program 66 Individualized Master of Arts Program 139 Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution Program 57 Teacher Licensure Programs 74 Master’s in Education (M.ED) Program and Principal Licensure 26 FACULTY- FALL, 2001 Core Faculty- 22 86% with terminal degree Female- 15 (64%) Male-7(36%) Adjunct faculty- 87 55% with terminal degree Female- 49 (56%) Male- 38 (44) STUDENT BODY 67% female 33% male 22% minority and international average age 39 DELIVERY undergraduate: one full day a week predominantly Saturdays Graduate Management: one full day a week, predominantly Saturdays summers off Teacher Education: two nights a week, some Saturdays IMA: at a distance, internet supported, 2 residencies Conflict Resolution: at a distance, internet supported, 2 residencies Page 6 2 An Overview Antioch University McGregor (AUM), established in 1988, offers adults who are interested in furthering their education a diverse range of graduate, undergraduate, certificate, and continuing education programs that are responsive to emerging societal needs. Each program encourages critical thinking, provides opportunities for collaborative learning, emphasizes cultural diversity and an international perspective, and promotes the integration of life and work experience with academic knowledge. Antioch University McGregor began its existence as the School for Adult and Experiential Learning (SAEL) by realigning two existing university programs housed on the Antioch College campus into a distinct college to serve adult learners. These included a Bachelor‘s completion program, the Center for Adult Learning, which was launched in 1986 and later informally referred to as the Weekend College and the Individualized Master of Arts Program (IMA) which began in 1976 to serve students in Europe and later students in the United States under the auspices of Antioch University Continuing and International Education. The college‘s name was changed in 1995 to The McGregor School of Antioch University and in 2000 to Antioch University McGregor. Antioch University McGregor offers seven programs which serve (Fall quarter, 2001) 626 students. Five are purely residential and are based at the home campus in Yellow Springs, Ohio, while two programs combine limited residencies with computer-supported distance education modules. The four locally based programs include an undergraduate B.A. completion program, an M.A. in Management, a variety of Teacher Licensure options, and an M.ED. program for licensed teachers. The predominantly distance programs are the Individualized Master of Arts program (now called Individualized Professional and Liberal Studies) and the Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution. Table 1 provides a timeline of the college‘s programmatic evolution. Please note that the M.A. in Conflict Resolution began in 1994 as a —track“ within the Individualized Master of Arts program and became a freestanding M.A. program in 2001. Programmatic expansion was designed to build on the McGregor mission statement, the academic strengths of the faculty, and market analysis of attractive niches. The Graduate Management program built on the success of the management major in the B.A. completion program and conversations with prospective students desiring academic alternatives to traditional MBA programs. Teacher Certification, Licensure, and the M.ED. were all logical extensions of our highly successful Educational Leadership Seminar Series (ELSS) summer professional development program for Miami Valley teachers. The M.A. in Conflict Resolution fills an important societal need and is grounded in the AUM value of fostering social justice as articulated in our mission statement. Page 7 3 TABLE 1 ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY MCGREGOR PROGRAM EVOLUTION PROGRAM YEARS OF OPERATION BBACHELOR‘S COMPLETION 1988-PRESENT INDIVIDUALIZED MASTER OF ARTS (IMA) 1988-PRESENT GRADUATE MANAGEMENT (GMP) 1992-PRESENT TEACHER CERTIFICATION 1996-1999 TEACHER LICENSURE 1999-PRESENT MASTER‘S IN EDUCATION (M.ED) 2000-PRESENT M.A. IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION 2001-PRESENT Like Antioch Southern California, Antioch New England Graduate School, and Antioch Seattle, Antioch University McGregor was established to serve the educational needs of adult learners. However, unlike these other Antioch campuses, from its inception AUM combined programs serving its geographic region with programs of study available to adult students all over the world. While it shares the Yellow Springs campus with Antioch College, AUM has developed a separate and distinct identity and organizational culture which is particularly sensitive and responsive to the needs and requirements of adult students. Antioch University McGregor had been in existence for only five years when the last NCA review took place. It offered only three programs at that time and two of those, the Individualized Master of Arts program and the Bachelor’s completion program, migrated from their original homes at Antioch College. Only the Graduate Management program was developed at AUM itself and it had been in existence for only a year at the time of the NCA review. Faculty were shared among all programs and hence true academic departments barely existed. Student service departments were understaffed and many important functions and positions- Academic Dean, Human Resource Officer, Development Director, Chief Financial Officer, Information Systems Director- had yet to be filled. Student records were kept in predominantly paper-based systems. Growth was rapid but unplanned and there was no strategic plan in place to guide and shape further development. Governance was informal and there was a notable lack of written and explicit policies to ground and shape organizational behavior and subsequent evolution. There was no use of technology in the classroom, even in at a distance programs like the IMA, and no Information Systems Department or support at all. Remarkable changes and transformations have taken place at Antioch University McGregor since the last NCA review. Some happened quickly, some took years to be implemented, but the institution today bears little resemblance to the fledgling start-up reviewed in 1993. This institutional evolution will be discussed in detail during the course of this self-study. Page 8 4 The mission of Antioch University McGregor embraces Antiochean ideals initially articulated by Horace Mann, Antioch College’s first president (1853-1859), who believed that full participation in public life required education for the “whole person”. Later, these ideals were expanded by President Arthur Morgan (1921-1933) who believed that the college experience of students should alternate both academic study and work. This work-study model, central to the curriculum of Antioch College for many decades, remains an integral component of an Antioch University McGregor education. Unlike the College, however, where traditional age students alternate work and study every several quarters, the working adults who comprise McGregor students experience these shifts between work and study on a weekly basis. The Undergraduate, Graduate Management, Teacher Licensure, and M.ED. Programs: Regional Characteristics Our four local programs have established Antioch University McGregor as a distinctive and innovative educational option for adult learners in southwestern Ohio, drawing students from Cincinnati, Dayton, and Columbus. Four key attributes in particular characterize our regional programs: an emphasis on cross-cultural and international issues, adult-friendly weekend/evening formats supplemented by computer-mediated support tools; an integration of theory and practice; and close personal connections between faculty and students. Our undergraduate program pays special attention to cross-cultural learning from the outset. Cross-cultural perspectives are embedded directly into the general education curriculum, as well as topical vital issues courses and special workshops. The undergraduate program features a world classics program which goes far beyond a survey of the Western canon and includes materials from Africa, Asia, and the rest of the non-Western world. The undergraduate program integrates theory and practice through professional development seminars which connect theory and classroom experiences to the student’s work experiences. Our Graduate Management Program offers a full Master’s program delivered entirely on Saturdays, a delivery system which is highly respectful of the competing work and family obligations which must be addressed by adult learners if they are to be successful in their programs of study. The Program insists on the integration of theory and practice in the classroom and utilizes a model which places highly diverse students in permanent study group teams which stay together for the two year duration of the program in an attempt to model the interface between theoretical learning and implementation in the workplace. Our evening-based Teacher Licensure and M.Ed. programs attempt to train effective teachers for the real world, with a strong emphasis on competency-based instruction and the need to foster and honor genuine diversity in the classroom. Like the rest of our local programs, our education programs feature small and highly personalized classes, with significant and powerful student/teacher interactions outside of the formal classroom experience. Small, non-formal classes encourage great personal involvement in discussion and increased and personalized feedback from faculty to students on an individual basis. Page 9 5 The Individualized Master of Arts and Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution: Limited Residency Learning For 13 years our students, in conjunction with faculty, have designed and implemented an unusual and creative distance learning graduate program called the Individualized Master of Arts program. The program has a very clearly defined structure in which the students move through a sequence of steps and checkpoints: from attending a residential orientation on campus to recruiting a degree committee in their home areas to the creation of an individualized curriculum and curriculum plan which is then implemented and evaluated for progress at every step along the way. In executing their learning plans, students undergo a midpoint review, a series of steps culminating in a thesis proposal or capstone project, a candidacy review prior to beginning the thesis or project, and a second residency dealing specifically with the thesis or final project itself. The program culminates with a Master’s thesis or capstone project which must be approved first by a candidate’s degree committee and then by his/her Antioch University McGregor faculty Advisor. The steps in the curriculum plan, and its execution, along with the administrative procedures involved, are outlined in the IMA Student Handbook ( available in the Resource Room for site visitation). This has been a highly successful and popular program over the years. However, some faculty desired to strengthen their academic relationships with students beyond the traditional faculty advisor role; what emerged in the mid-1990’s was the creation of discipline-based “clusters” within the umbrella of the IMA, include Liberal and Professional Studies , Psychology, Creative Writing, Intercultural Relations, and Education. The Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution began as a cluster within the IMA program in 1994 and quickly achieved substantial enrollments. Program modifications over the years, especially the development of a true “discipline” of Conflict Resolution and the movement to a highly structured course-based curriculum delivered in both residencies and online, made Conflict Resolution progressively less pedagogically and structurally individualized and in 2000 the Ohio Board of Regents approved free-standing degree status for this our newest Master’s program. Community Outreach Since our last accreditation visit in 1992 we have made substantial progress in strengthening the ties between our campus and the local community. Through its Educational Leadership Seminar Series (ELSS) our Center for Professional Development now provides professional development courses and workshops to over 800 certified and licensed Ohio teachers each year; we have become a key provider of professional development opportunities for education professionals in the area. The Center for Professional Development and the Graduate Management program’s Organizational Institute have provided consulting services and continuing education for an impressive number of for corporate and not for profit organizations both nationally and in the area, including the Huffy Corporation, Dayton Power and Light, the Defense Electronic Supply Corporation, the Public Television Outreach Association, and the Ohio Central School District, which represents all teachers working within Ohio’s correctional system. Dr. Barbara Gellman Danley, Antioch University McGregor’s President, has a strong external focus and has become very involved in important local projects and organizations, Page 10 6 including the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, the Information Technology Alliance (IT Alliance), as well as a number of workforce development initiatives for the region. Important grants have been secured to fund and equip a state of the art Classroom of the Future, which will be housed in the new Entrepreneur Center in Dayton and will be utilized beginning in the fall of 2001 by Antioch University McGregor’s various academic programs, especially those in the education area. The Classroom of the Future has received extensive media coverage in the area and serves the dual purposes of strengthening our educational offerings while at the same time bringing important recognition and visibility to Antioch University McGregor in the region. Looking Ahead Antioch University McGregor has a number of exciting new programs and opportunities either planned or already in preliminary stages of development. We have entered into an important partnership with the Comer Institute at Yale University to provide comprehensive training for urban teachers and school districts facing the special educational challenges and dilemmas posed by inner city environments. Our Graduate Management Program is in the process of developing a track focused specifically on providing the skills and expertise needed by professional managers working within community colleges to enable them to become effective managers and educational leaders. This community college management program, which features limited residencies with online learning and which will combine traditional management disciplines with case studies specifically focused on the community college environment, is scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2002. We have received a grant from the Porrath Foundation to look at developing a Patient Advocacy program for health care professionals; this ambitious program would utilize the expertise and knowledge of other Antioch campuses within the University, in addition to Antioch University McGregor, to provide this critically needed perspective to the evolving American health care system. Finally, we are preparing a certificate program in conjunction with the Bartos Institute in New Mexico to provide mediation and conflict resolution training for environmental professionals in both the private and governmental sectors. These are ambitious and important initiatives which hold great opportunity for Antioch University McGregor, but they bring with them significant challenges as well. Resources remain scarce, faculty workloads are already daunting, and these new initiatives must be funded and prioritized in a way that permit us to leverage our strengths rather than place further strains on an already burdened system. These challenges are real, but they are manageable, and Antioch University McGregor looks to the future with a great deal of optimism and excitement. Description of the Self Study Process A self study task force under the direction of Academic Dean Dr. Steven Brzezinski was convened in the fall of 2000. Working with the Antioch University liaison group, a timetable was laid out and benchmarked from the start of the process until the review team visit, tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2002. Task force membership includes representatives from all major stakeholder groups within the institution, including faculty, administration, student services, existing students, and alumni. The task force is comprised of 11 members including the chair. The first important decision of the group was around Page 11 7 how the organization of the self study report should be organized. The group felt strongly that for coherence and consistency the self study’s chapters should correspond in structure to the 5 principal criteria set forth in the North Central accreditation guidelines. Looking at each criterion, we will present a comprehensive response in terms of compliance, provide supporting documentation for the narrative, and highlight particular strengths as we see them while noting concerns and areas for improvement. TABLE 2 SELF STUDY TASK FORCE-AUM NAME POSITION V VIRGINIA PAGET D DIRECTOR, IMA PROGRAM STEVE BRZEZINSKI A ACADEMIC DEAN D DARLENE ROBERTSON R REGISTRAR MICHAEL ROBINSON DIRECTOR, GRADUATE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM I LINDA ZIEGAHN CHAIR, INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS TRACK ZAK SHARIF C CHAIR, M.ED. PROGRAM K KAREN CRIST ENROLLMENT SERVICES OFFICE TOM MCNICHOLS A AUM ALUMNI/STUDENT ROSEMARY HARTIGAN AUM ALUMNI/STUDENT CAROL FARQUAHAR A AUM AlUMNI/ STUDENT Page 12 Page 13 9 CHAPTER TWO CRITERION ONE The institution has clear and publicly stated purposes consistent with its mission and appropriate to an institution of higher education. Soon after our last accreditation visit in 1993 the Provost, Dr. Robert Miller, appointed a work group to revise, sharpen, and better focus the institution’s Mission Statement which provides a context for all our academic programs and initiatives. The mission statement is so central to everything done at AUM that we are placing it in the body of this document rather than merely as an appendix. ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY MCGREGOR MISSION STATEMENT Antioch University McGregor, established in 1988, offers academic programs for adults that are responsive to emerging societal needs. Each program encourages critical thinking, provides opportunities for collaborative learning, emphasizes cultural diversity and an international perspective, and promotes the integration of life and work experience with academic knowledge. We believe that education is most effective when students, faculty, staff, and administration unite as a community of learners. Our approach to education stems from Antioch University’s historical emphasis on intellectual, emotional, and ethical development. The principles promoted by Douglas McGregor, President of Antioch College from 1948-1954, also inspired the institution. McGregor, well known for his teachings in participatory management and leadership, believed that organizational effectiveness depends upon the cooperative efforts of the entire community. He asserted that all have the right to express their views openly and to act on the basis of their beliefs, provided that they act in accord with the principles of democracy, and with honesty and integrity. Antioch University McGregor is imbued with an entrepreneurial spirit and strives to provide high quality, socially responsive, flexible, and innovative educational programs. AUM seeks to pass on to its graduates a legacy of passion for lifelong learning and a commitment to the application of knowledge toward the betterment of our workplaces, our communities, and the wider society. ——————– Antioch University McGregor finds this Mission Statement to be as vital and current today as it was when adopted in 1993-1994. In 1999, each of the campuses that comprise Antioch University developed, articulated, and implemented a comprehensive strategic plan which takes the Mission Statement as a grounding to guide and focus our activities and initiatives. The AUM Strategic Plan, adopted in 2000 , is the result of full community involvement and participation in this effort over the course of 6 months, and clearly articulates and highlights both short and long-term goals for the institution. The full text of the Plan is available as an appendix to this document. Page 14 10 In addition to being highly specific about short and long-term goals, the Strategic Plan also adopted more generalized institutional goals as part of the visioning process developed to help us articulate how we see our future. These include the following: 1. Continue to emphasize the importance of attracting and retaining qualified faculty, staff, and administrators. 2. Build upon existing academic programs and develop new ones to meet the needs of adult learners. 3. Create legacy programs that reinforce the values of Antioch University and its rich history. 4. Emphasize a fiscally sound and well-managed campus. 5. Develop partnerships with the educational community, the corporate world, and others to assure seamless integration of work and study. 6. Present an image and an environment suitable for adult learners. 7. Strengthen the development component of the institution. 8. Facilitate appropriate integration of technology into the teaching-learning environment. As part of the Strategic Plan, each Antioch University McGregor academic program and administrative functional area was required to make explicit long and short-range institutional and educational goals for its area. Though the Plan is only a year old, we have clearly made major progress in moving towards successful implementation of many of the goals focused on in the plan. We have combined our undergraduate and graduate management departments into a cohesive single unit. Our undergraduate program has strengthened its partnerships with two-year institutions in the area through mutually beneficial articulation agreements. Our Individualized Master of Arts program reshaped its curriculum, delivery system, and academic content. Our Conflict Resolution program received Ohio Board of Regent’s approval as a freestanding Master of Arts program and took the lead within the institution in incorporating web-based learning into its teaching and learning paradigm. Our Teacher Education department successfully made the difficult transition from a state certification model for teachers to a mandated licensure system. Our Graduate Management Program modified its curriculum to better prepare and educate managers for participation in an increasingly collaborative global community. These are just a few of the successful initiatives which we will highlight during the course of this narrative. Antioch University McGregor is constantly analyzing and evaluating how its operational processes serve or hinder the achievement of our stated goals and purposes and how effectively we communicate these purposes to our stakeholders and constituencies. The comprehensive Strategic Plan of 2000 and the Mission Statement are the principal benchmarks by which we monitor the effectiveness of our efforts. Our Mission Statement is published in all catalogs and student handbooks and prominently displayed on our website. Programmatic, policy, and budgetary decisions are evaluated on the basis of their synergy with our mission and their likelihood of helping us accomplish our stated educational purposes. Antioch University McGregor has highly participatory decision-making processes which are congruent with the emphasis on participatory management and collaborative Page 15 11 leadership in our mission statement. These mechanisms include a Faculty Assembly chaired by a faculty member rather than the Academic Dean and which oversees curriculum and academic content; President’s Council, the primary administrative policy making group within the institution; the Faculty Standards and Review Committee, which administers our peer-review faculty evaluation process; a standing committee of faculty and administrators which monitors program assessment efforts; and four task forces in key priority areas, including Academic Planning, External Affairs, Enrollment Management, and Technology. The President chairs an Administrative Council for all non-faculty employees. Every employee in the college is a member of one, or in most cases, many of these bodies which provide ample opportunity for community participation and input. Antioch University McGregor attempts to keep the public informed of our programs and initiatives in a variety of ways. Our academic catalog is published yearly and available in all local public libraries. We have frequent Open Houses and Information Sessions to invite prospective students to come and find out more about the opportunities for adult learners offered at McGregor. Our public relations office sends out press releases to all local media keeping them abreast of AUM programs, initiatives, and human interest stories. We are in the process of developing an active and committed alumni organization and a variety of workshops and other alumni functions have been planned and implemented. Our website does an excellent job of portraying who we are and what we have to offer prospective adult students. Finally, we advertise our programs in local and national media, utilizing a combination of television, radio, newspapers, and other print media. Our institutional commitment to academic excellence is a source of pride and we use multiple instruments to monitor the success of our efforts. Each academic program at the school has developed student learning outcome assessment measures which are constantly monitored and the results used to make necessary programmatic improvements and changes; student learning assessment measures will be discussed at length in a later section of this self study. Antioch University governance mandates that every University program not subject to state board of education or Ohio Regent’s review, or review by other accrediting body, must be periodically reviewed by a University review team which includes an Academic Dean from a different Antioch campus than the one being reviewed. Since our last accreditation visit the undergraduate B.A. completion program, the Graduate Management Program, and the Individualized Master of Arts program have been reviewed by the University and changes and program modifications have resulted from this process. Over the course of the last three years Ohio has moved from Teacher Certification to a system of Teacher Licensure, necessitating full reviews and new approvals by the Ohio Department of Education of each component of licensure i.e. reading, math, language arts, special education, etc. All seventeen components of McGregor’s new licensure programs have been assessed by outside experts and fully approved by the Ohio Department of Education. Finally, the Ohio Board of Regents did a full site visit in 1999 and approved our Master’s in Educational Leadership program and in 2000 also approved, on the recommendation of an outside consultant, moving the Conflict Resolution track of the Individualized Master of Arts program into a freestanding Master of Arts program in Conflict Resolution. We are also very committed to the evaluation of student and faculty performance in the classroom. Antioch University does not provide letter grades to assess student performance, instead utilizing a system of comprehensive narrative evaluations which describe in detail student performance, noting particular skills and strengths and indicating, Page 16 12 when necessary, areas for improvement. Students do comprehensive course evaluations on each course they take, encompassing the material, effectiveness of the pedagogy, and performance of the instructor. We have in place a Faculty Standards and Review committee to assess and monitor teaching excellence in the classroom; the process includes a substantial component of peer review, including classroom observation, a self study by the faculty member under review, and reviews by the Director of the program who supervises the faculty member under review, and finally a review by the Academic Dean. Every effort is made to fund professional development opportunities for all faculty, administrators, and staff and our faculty has become quite active in giving papers and serving on panels at national conferences within their discipline. Page 17 13 CHAPTER THREE CRITERION TWO The institution has effectively organized the human, financial, and physical resources necessary to accomplish its purposes. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS Responsibility for governance at all Antioch University campuses is lodged with the Antioch University Board of Trustees, with representation from each of the adult campuses and Antioch College. The Board governs the University through a Chancellor and a central office. Much of the work around policy development, academic development, budget preparation, and long-range planning takes place within the University Leadership Council, made up of the Chancellor, the President of each campus, the Vice Chancellor for Finance, and the Vice Chancellor for Development. Antioch University McGregor and the rest of the University moved from a Provost model to a President/Academic Dean model in 1999, strengthening both external relations and the focus on academic excellence. The new President, Dr. Barbara Gellman Danley, has built a strong Board of Visitors to advise her on policy and to ensure strong community participation in the affairs of the institution. The Board of Visitors, comprised of distinguished Antioch University McGregor alumni and important community stakeholders, has been extremely effective in increasing visibility and fostering beneficial community linkages for the organization. The Board of Visitor roster is available for review in the Resource Room. We now have in place an effective organizational structure with the President as Chief Executive Officer and an Academic Dean responsible for all academic priorities within the school. An Organizational Chart is provided in the Resource Room. All internal governance structures seek to maximize participation and address key issues and priorities on a regular basis. The President’s Council is chaired by the President and includes all academic and administrative Directors and is the chief administrative policy-making organ within the institution. Serving as the key advisory group to the President, the President’s Council facilitates and monitors vision and planning; guides the budget planning, review, and resource allocation processes; resolves conflicts and issues that cannot be resolved within individual units; and fosters institution-wide community building. As a result of the recent strategic plan four key task forces were created to deal with strategically critical priorities for the institution; they all have broad-based memberships and include the areas of Enrollment Management, External Relations, Academic Planning, and Technology. Finally, the academic side of the house is governed by a Faculty Assembly chaired by a faculty member and comprised of all core faculty members at Antioch University McGregor. Page 18 14 HUMAN RESOURCES:FACULTY We have built a faculty extraordinarily well-equipped and prepared to carry out and deliver our portfolio of academic offerings. Since our last accreditation visit we have increased the number of full-time faculty in the school from 13 to 22 and have added a number of permanent associate faculty (less than 50% time) to help reduce our reliance on adjuncts. The practitioner focus of a number of our programs makes some use of practitioners as adjuncts not merely acceptable but desirable. However, a long -term goal of the institution is certainly to increase the number of full-time faculty while reducing the reliance on adjuncts. Since our primary focus is on student learning rather than pure faculty research , we attempt to recruit highly experienced professionals with terminal degrees (presently 85% with terminal degrees, with most of the rest at ABD stage). Our faculty members have been honored with special recognition for pedagogical innovations from the Southwestern Ohio Consortium for Higher Education (SOCHE) and several of our education faculty have been honored for distinction and merit from both state and national organizations in recent years. No core faculty members are hired without a formal search in order to assure maximum quality in the pool and to ensure that every effort is made to foster diversity and affirmative action in hiring. Search committees are appointed by the Academic Dean in accordance with written policy (Resource Room ) and are made up of faculty members within the area, supplemented by other McGregor faculty members, staff, and administration. Every candidate brought to campus as a finalist is expected to prepare a formal presentation which is open to all members of the community and who are encouraged to provide input to the decision-making process. HUMAN RESOURCES: ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF Our administration and staff have grown from 22 in 1992 to 33 today. Notable administrative improvements included the hiring of a capable professional to manage the Alumni Development area, the addition of professional recruiters to aid in the Enrollment Management area and the development of a strong institutional focus on public relations and press releases as a way to keep our message and programs visible in the community. PHYSICAL PLANT We have made significant strides in recent years in providing better services to our students that improve their chances of academic success and provide them with a safe and enjoyable environment. Our main administrative building, Fels Sontag Hall, has been remodeled and made more attractive and welcoming to students. Since we share a physical campus with Antioch College, we have collaborated in improving bookstore, cafeteria, gymnasium, library services, and classroom quality. Snow removal is handled by the college maintenance staff. Crime is very low and the campus is policed by college security staff . Antioch University McGregor has a policy banning smoking in all campus buildings and drug-free policies are enforced at all times. Parking is plentiful and readily available. There are problematic issues which arise from sharing a physical campus with Antioch College. We rely on Antioch College employees for classroom maintenance, security, library, bookstore, cafeteria, and all support activities which do not take place in Page 19 15 Fels Sontag Hall. This can lead to tensions and competing priorities at times since we rely on the efforts of employees who are not on our payroll. Our academic calendars are not the same (semesters versus quarters) and most of our classes take place at night or on the weekends, all of which makes logistical coordination and staffing difficult at times. We utilized Antioch College dorms to house our distance students during their limited residencies on campus, but had to vacate them when the College needed them back. We now house these students in local motels and bus them in every day which is less than ideal and has lead to some program dissatisfaction. We are working through all these issues and relations between AUM and Antioch College remain amicable and collaborative despite these occasional tensions. LIBRARY AND COMPUTING FACILITIES Criterion Two is very concerned that academic resources and equipment, including libraries, electronic services, learning resource centers, and computer laboratories are adequate to support institutional purposes. We have always benefited from access to Antioch College‘s Olive Kettering Library for faculty and student scholarly needs. Two areas where we have made the most improvements in recent years are in the area of electronic library access and the acquisition and implementation of sophisticated computer hardware and software. We are now a member of OhioLink, an Ohio consortium serving state colleges and universities which provides McGregor students, distance and local, with computer access to a large number of electronic journals, articles, and databases and the ability to download articles and abstracts to their home terminals. As mentioned earlier, each of our students and employees receives a First Class email and conferencing account which permits ease of communication between students, faculty, student services, and students with each other. On campus services Computer Lab: A generous grant from the Pierson Lovelace Foundation provided funds to create a computer laboratory for use by students. The lab was set up in 1996 in a renovated space on the first floor of the University‘s Kettering Building. The lab was equipped with sixteen Power Macintosh 7100 series computers for general use and two Power Macintosh 6100 DOS-Compatible computers for running either Macintosh or MS-DOS/Windows applications. Office and other productivity software were available on these computers. All computers in the lab had 10 base-T access to the Internet. Education & Multimedia Lab: In the year 2000, this lab was completely renovated in feature new hardware and software tools. The lab was designated as the —Education & Multimedia Lab.“ The improvements included 20 iMac DV computers, new furniture, a flatbed scanner, new networked laser printer, mobile instructor presentation cart with LCD projector, Microsoft Office 2001™, and a variety of education software. All computers continue to have access to the Internet with an upgraded 100-BaseT connections. Page 20 16 Business Lab: Also in the year 2000, a new computer lab was set up in the conference wing of the Sontag Fels building. This new lab was designated the “Business Lab.” It has been equipped with 13 IBM NetVista ® PCs, including a mobile instructor presentation cart with LCD projector. These computers feature Microsoft Office 2000 ™ and other business related applications. SPSS10 software is also available in the lab as a tool to aid in statistical analysis. All computers have 100base-T access to the Internet. Internet-based Services Dedicated Internet Access: In 1999, the decision was made that McGregor needed its own dedicated Internet connection in order to provide better and faster computer services to students. The campus formally became a part of the Ohio Academic Research Network (OARnet) and a SOMACS T-1 line was installed by Ameritech. FirstClass: In 1996, the University made a decision that each campus should use FirstClass ® groupware for electronic communications as opposed to simple POP3 email. It was left up to each campus to set up and implement a FirstClass ® server as well as create and manage user accounts. The McGregor administration made the decision to extend user accounts to all members of the McGregor community: faculty (full and part-time), staff, administration, and all matriculated students. All community members had been given accounts by March, 1998. A web browser interface was added to FirstClass ® so that students would not need to install propriety software on their computers in order to make use of the FirstClass ® system. The system features: email with file attachments, asynchronous bulletin boards, synchronous chat, web page publication, calendar and scheduling, etc. This system had been used to host on-line courses since April, 1998. ApplyWeb: In 1999, an agreement was reached with ApplyWeb, Inc. to host a secure web site for McGregor that would allow prospective students to apply for admission on-line. This service continues to be available to students. Public Web Site: In 1999, the campus web site was professionally re-designed by Bingenheimer Design, Inc. Current information is available about academic programs, continuing education, faculty, administrative offices. Application and program materials are downloadable, and an information request form can be used to request hard copies of materials. The web site is also searchable. Page 21 17 WebCT On-line Course delivery system: In 2001, a dedicated web-based course delivery system was set up using Sun Microsystems hardware and WebCT software. The campus joined the Ohio WebCT Consortium through the Ohio Learning Network. This delivery system is robust and scalable and very easy for faculty and students to use. It is currently being used to deliver on-line graduate courses. FINANCIAL One area of concern surrounds attracting a sufficient number of students to meet the institution’s financial needs. Certain of our programs, especially in the area of teacher education and licensure, have been faring well in the enrollment management area. Teacher education, which we did not provide or offer in 1993, now represents the largest area in the school’s portfolio in terms of revenue, with student FTE’s of 181. Most other programs have suffered some attrition over the last five years. In particular, our Bachelor’s completion program has struggled in recent years. Increasing competition from other providers, a strong economy and a tight labor market decreasing the pressure on workers to achieve the baccalaureate, and an increase in the hours worked per week have made this market somewhat difficult in recent years. We are working to add more majors and the tools of online courses to increase flexibility and options for adult learners in this segment. Already increased enrollment management attention and a Weekend College Task Force seem to be paying off; we attracted 40 new students in the fall versus 12 last fall. Table 3 presents enrollment by program over the last five years. TABLE THREE ENROLLMENT BY PROGRAM – 1997-2001 PROGRAM 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 B.A. 131 114 154 172 188 ILPS(IMA) 139 160 202 205 203 IMA-IR 56 85 81 86 91 CR 57 58 68 74 116 GM 66 67 80 88 93 TC 77 149 137 115 91 TL 74 N/A N/A N/A N/A M.ED 21 5 N/A N/A N/A OPL 5 7 N/A N/A N/A TOTAL 626 645 722 740 782 Our Individualized Master of Arts program, one of the earliest distance education programs, suffered somewhat in recent years by being behind the curve on technology. We have responded by providing all of our students with conferencing and course groupware and are beginning to provide a larger percent of the academic content in our distance programs while scaling back somewhat the individualized components. We are achieving some success here. For example, Conflict Resolution now combines limited residencies with Page 22 18 computer-assisted coursework and has dramatically improved its retention numbers while reducing the amount of time and money it takes students to receive their degrees. Antioch University McGregor also recognizes that the shift toward lifelong learning and a workforce need for constant updating of skills has created significant opportunities in the area of continuing education and certificate programs. We are experiencing major growth in these areas and intend to focus heavily on continuing education in the years to come. In 2000 over 700 certified and licensed teachers attended our Educational Leadership Seminar Series and over 300 more correctional educators and Public Television Outreach employees attended continuing education and certificate programs we provided. In order to coordinate growth and quality in continuing education we have created a Center for Professional Development to administer these programs. Revenue from continuing education initiatives and fundraising activities will generate about $400,000 this academic year Though we have struggled somewhat in recent years to maintain healthy growth in the enrollment area, we have made good strides in providing and augmenting the environment and human resources necessary for effective teaching and learning. Our revenue more than doubled over the last decade, from just over $2.5 million to the present $5 million level. The core faculty has increased from 13 to 22, over the same period. In 2000 we hired a professional Alumni Development officer and our Annual Fund contributions rose from $7,000 to almost $30,0000 , or over 400% from the previous year. Building renovations and rewiring, technology hardware and software acquisition, and the staffing of a professional Information Systems Department have transformed the technological capabilities of the school in dramatic fashion. All administrative functions have been computerized with Datatel, an integrated student information system now used by all the Antioch campuses, improving the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of record-keeping, admissions, and the business office. We have successfully operated on a balanced or surplus budget basis since our founding in 1988, though these surpluses have largely gone to cushion financial difficulties at Antioch College rather than into Antioch University McGregor reinvestment into our people and programs. Page 23 19 CHAPTER FOUR CRITERION THREE The institution is accomplishing its educational and other purposes. As articulated in our mission statement, Antioch University “strives to provide high quality, socially responsive, flexible, and innovative educational programs” and “seeks to pass on to its graduates a legacy of passion for lifelong learning and a commitment to the application of knowledge toward the betterment of our workplaces, our communities, and the wider society”. Each of our 6 degree programs- the undergraduate B.A. completion program, the Individualized Liberal and Professional Studies program (formerly the Individualized Master of Arts, the M.A. in Conflict Resolution, the M.A. in Management, Teacher Licensure programs, and the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership – are congruent and consistent with these core Antiochean values regarding design, content, and delivery. Each program attempts to provide not merely substantive knowledge, but seeks to encourage students to explore their values and connect their personal and professional development to the social units of community, work, and the wider society. The B.A completion program embeds this humanistic philosophy in each of its majors, featuring a humanities program which encompasses all world traditions and culture, and offers a series of Vital Issues courses which explicitly connect student learning to the rapid evolution and transformation being experienced in local, national, and global venues. The Individualized Liberal and Professional Studies program provides access to high quality graduate education to individuals interested in designing their own graduate curriculum or unable to attend a traditional residential program through the use of limited residencies and web-based support tools. The entire M.A. in Conflict Resolution curriculum trains practitioners to explore and master techniques and concepts designed to mediate, resolve, and ameliorate violence and conflict at all levels of society. The M.A. in Management, unlike traditional MBA programs, supplements core disciplines such as economics and marketing with courses on expanding diversity in the workforce and fostering value change within organizations. Teacher licensure programs educate students to honor and respect the value and potential of each child in their classrooms. These degree programs and the courses which comprise them are clearly defined and described in our institutional literature, including the yearly course catalog, student and program handbooks, and in the syllabii which accompany each course. The coherence and intellectual rigor of the programs are routinely and comprehensively reviewed through the mechanism of ongoing mandated university program reviews and by external site-based reviews when applicable. Page 24 20 TABLE FOUR ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY MCGREGOR PROGRAM REVIEWS PROGRAM REVIEWER YEAR OF REVIEW BACHELOR‘S COMPLETION ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY INTERNAL REVIEW 1991 GRADUATE MANAGEMENT ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY INTERNAL REVIEW 1996 INDIVIDUALIZED MASTER OF ARTS ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY INTERNAL REVIEW 2000 MASTER OF ARTS IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION OHIO BOARD OF REGENTS 2000 TEACHER LICENSURE OHIO BOARD OF EDUCATION 1999,2000 M.ED WITH PRINCIPALSHIP LICENSE OHIO BOARD OF REGENTS 1999,2001 Our students and faculty manifest their commitment to the Antiochean core values of community engagement and social justice with their involvement in a variety of community activities in the areas of civic leadership, environmental policy, affordable housing, mental health, and a plethora of other organizations and causes seeking to ameliorate social and economic societal ills. Students in a number of our programs, most notably Conflict Resolution and Teacher Licensure, apply their academic learning to their professional practice through internships and practica. Each program requires of the faculty and students the use of scholarship and research as integral components of the program. Because the philosophy of Antioch University strongly believes that written projects and reflective practice are better indicators of student performance than traditional tests, there is an unusually heavy concentration of primary and secondary research components in each of our programs. Antioch University McGregor is a “writing intensive” institution and embraces a commitment of quality scholarship in a practitioner context. This praxis is grounded in adult learning theories and models which support a cycle of theory-action- reflection- and assessment as most appropriate to the needs of adult students. One of Antioch University McGregor’s great pedagogical strengths is the intense interaction between student and faculty and between student and student. The cornerstone of our educational model is experiential education. Adult students come into the classroom with years of personal and professional experience and reflection and a lecture/testing Page 25 21 format does not serve their needs, nor does it honor their potential contributions to exciting dialogue and effective pedagogy. Though classes are small and lecturing is discouraged, these are only pieces of the interactive model we attempt to implement in the classroom. As practitioners of adult learning the exchange of intellectual and scholarly ideas is not merely encouraged; it is vital to the learning culture we seek to establish. This dialogic modality of scholarly dialogue and intense interaction is evident in the experiential nature of learning in all our classes and is reinforced informally outside the classroom and in the advising process. We get to know our students personally and in depth and this empowers them to confidently and enthusiastically participate in all aspects of the learning process. For the last three years we have provided each of our students, both local and at a distance, with a First Class email and conferencing account. This has afforded faculty and students with a variety of opportunities to dialogue using email, course conferencing, chat rooms, and other technological tools. First Class has had the effect of continuing and deepening discussions and conversations initiated in the classroom and has vastly increased student-student interactions beyond those that take place in a classroom, as well as involving and engaging students who may be reticent about participating verbally in classroom discussions and who feel more comfortable communicating through this channel. ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING One of the areas of weakness across the University identified in the 1993 NCA review was the relative lack of articulated student outcome assessment measures. Each program within the University submitted assessment plans for NCA review in 1994 and these plans have been modified, fine-tuned, and implemented since then. Significant progress has been made at Antioch University McGregor in the development and implementation of assessment plans by program. Though we still have areas that can be improved, principally in the areas of embedding assessment criteria at every level of the pedagogical process, in the documentation of how assessment outcomes have been fed back into the program development process, and systematically detailing what programmatic changes have been made in direct response to assessment findings. Student learning assessment plans for each Antioch University McGregor program, as well as examples of student portfolios and other assessment instruments are available for review in the Resource Room Though we have begun to take important first steps in utilizing assessment data for program modification purposes, we have done a better job of using program reviews to initiate necessary programmatic modifications. Most notably, the self study of the Intercultural Relations track in the IMA and the conclusions and criticisms of the University Review Team have led us to discontinue our existing partnership with the Intercultural Relations Institute in Portland, Oregon, and to no longer accept new students into this track effective academic year 2001-2002. Though all programs at the institution flow directly out of our mission statement, they differ substantially in outcome goals and modes of delivery. Hence we have opted for assessment plans customized to serve the needs of each program rather than a single assessment blueprint standardized for all programs. Page 26 22 TABLE FIVE ASSESSMENT METHODS PROGRAM ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS BACHELOR‘S COMPLETION PORTFOLIOS GRADUATE MANAGEMENT DREXLER-SIBBETT TEAM PERFORMANCCE INSTRUMENT, BIRKMAN INSTRUMENT, CAPSTONE PROJECT INDIVIDUALIZED MASTER OF ARTS THESIS, RANDOM FILE REVIEW WITH ASSESSMENT MATRIX MASTER OF ARTS IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION THESIS/CAPSTONE PROJECT TEACHER LICENSURE PORTFOLIOS, PRAXIS EXAM M.ED WITH PRINCIPALSHIP LICENSURE PORTFOLIOS, CAPSTONE COURSE ASSESSMENT SUMMARIES BY PROGRAM Bachelor’s Completion Program Student outcome goals for our undergraduate program include the following: A. Development of analytical writing skills B. Awareness and integration of diverse perspectives C. Mastery of content material within a chosen discipline or area of concentration D. Development of effective group interaction skills within a diverse environment Faculty assess the quality of projects and assignments at both the individual. They provide narrative evaluations of student performance which we believe provides a richness absent from traditional letter grade evaluation models. These narratives provide descriptive data about student stills, abilities, substantive knowledge, and strengths and weaknesses as they relate to the expected competencies of student achievement as described in course syllabii. The principal tool for assessing student outcomes is the portfolio process. The portfolio process is described to all incoming students at orientation. At the midpoint of their program and again as they approach graduation all students are asked to pull examples from their completed class work of how they demonstrate mastery of the four outcome goals for the program listed above. The student then must write a brief introductory paper for the portfolio explaining why they chose the work they did to demonstrate that the learning outcome goals have been met. Page 27 23 Portfolios from all concentrations are gathered from all students (not sampled). The portfolios are evaluated by two of the core faculty rather than just the department chair. Measurable descriptors for each goal have been developed and contained in a grid (Available in Resource Room). After portfolio evaluation is complete the core faculty from the program meet to determine necessary programmatic modifications. Master of Arts in Management Student outcome goals in the graduate management program include the following: A. Ability to understand business from a global perspective B. Ability to integrate theory and practice C. Ability to demonstrate competence in the traditional areas of management: accounting, finance, marketing, economics, and production D. Ability to work effectively in teams The primary integrating structure in this program is the study group team. Students are assigned team projects, which are generally class presentations or group papers. Faculty assess the quality of projects and assignments at both the individual and study group level. They provide narrative evaluations of student performance which we provides a richness absent from traditional letter grade evaluation models. These narratives provide descriptive data about student skills, abilities, substantive knowledge, and strengths and weaknesses as they relate to the expected competencies of student achievement as described in course syllabi for both individual and group performance. At the end of each course student complete narrative course evaluations which address the effectiveness of the course for the student as an individual and as a group member. Study group teams meet regularly with their faculty advisor in open forums to discuss issues and concerns about courses, faculty, or other issues. Student surveys, which combine Likert scales with open ended questions, are collected and scored at the end of the first year and upon completion of the program. These surveys focus on the curriculum, faculty competence, integration of theory and practice, degree of difficulty, general satisfactions levels, and perceptions of learning. Program Assessment Methods The Birkman Method Graduate Management Program faculty believe that in order to development effective interpersonal and teamwork skills, we must understand our own behavior and how that behavior interacts with and effects the behavior of other people. Faculty also believe that each person brings distinctive strengths and weaknesses to a team. The Birkman Method identifies these strengths and weaknesses in a framework of four productive styles. Each productive style, represented by a different color of the Birkman Method, identifies the basic motivational direction that drives us toward our interests, overall approach, and predispositions. These styles filter our worldview and determine how we choose to approach job assignments, solve problems and relate to people around us. Combinations of these styles provide diversity and significantly increase potential for optimum solutions. Page 28 24 Being aware of this information and understanding its application, students are able to improve their ability to work together in teams, organize team members according to their natural strengths, coach for individual development to achieve maximum efficiency, and utilize the strengths of diversity inherent in the study group team. The above applications of the Birkman Method, along with numerous others, have significantly impacted study group team performance. Students complete the Birkman Method Questionnaire during the first Critical Skills Seminar. Results are reviewed in the first professional development seminar. During the first professional development seminar faculty use the Birkman Method to help students analyze individual and cohort group profiles as they relate to working as individual contributors and members of teams and/or organizations. After completing the seminar, students are better able to: B Understand individual motivation, strengths, environmental needs and behaviors B Recognize and understand the causes of individual and team stress behaviors B Learn to manage individual and team stress behaviors B Understand ways in which individual needs, strengths, and motivations affect team effectiveness. B Understand the value (to the individual and the team) of various personal styles The types of assessment used in this seminar include individual reflections about being on a team in the program since the first professional development seminar, team reflections (using photographs taken by the team) describing the evolution of the team from initial study group team formation, and team reflections discussing how insights from the Birkman individual and team reports can be used to help the study group team‘s interaction and facilitate future success in the program and in the professional and personal lives of study group team members. The Drexler-Sibbet Team Performance Model Since the study group team is a major feature of the program, it is essential that a rigorous assessment of how an actual team performance model works in practice take place. It is equally essential that the program be able to measure whether the collaboration and team-building competencies, which the program stresses, have in fact been demonstrated. The Drexler-Sibbet Team Performance Model provides a way to map the significant things happening in a team, identify symptoms of destructive or counterproductive activity, and prescribe actions to move the team toward high performance. The model has seven primary elements, each representing a set of concerns team members face as they work together. For each element, the model describes three keys to resolving the critical issues, and some of the symptoms that mean the important issues are not resolved. All teams take the diagnostic inventory accompanying the Drexler-Sibbet Team Performance Model during their second quarter in the program and again in their fifth quarter as they near program completion. This system permits faculty to observe and measure changes and improvements in team processes and functioning over time and helps faculty assess the degree to which the team competencies are being absorbed and learned during the program. Study group teams identified by the inventory as struggling or in trouble then work with faculty advisors and, if Page 29 25 needed, outside consultants to improve performance and resolve internal difficulties which are getting in the way of their ability to become high-performing work teams. The Birkman Method and the Drexler-Sibbet Team Performance Model are used to address all individual and team-related issues that arise in the program. Analysis of the assessment data has led to changes in curricular content, changes in course sequencing, the replacement of some faculty deemed less than ideally effective, and in the creation of a true “capstone” course to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the four student outcome goals which the program seeks to foster. Analysis of the assessment data has led to changes in curricular content, changes in course sequencing, the replacement of some faculty deemed less than ideally effective, and in the creation of a true “capstone” course to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the four student outcome goals which the program seeks to foster. Student Learning Assessment Plan for the Individualized Liberal and Professional Studies (ILPS) program The Individualized Liberal and Professional Studies program, formerly the Individualized Master of Arts, is a fully individualized master‘s program, which had its beginnings at Antioch College in 1975. The following are the primary features of the program: The ILPS program builds upon the following Antioch/McGregor School values: Students have the responsibility of taking charge of their education Education should be integrated into the lives of students Learning is connected with personal and professional development Students, faculty, degree committee members, and instructors should form an educational community Education is linked with social responsibility. Foundations IMA 550 Applied Curriculum ( 5 credits) and IMA 560 Foundations in Academic Discourse or IMA 590 (5 credits) The Professional writer (5 credits). Students complete their foundations courses with their advisor. The courses begin during the first residency and continue through the first quarter of enrollment in the ILPS department. Specialization Individualized study in a chosen field (25-42 credits). Capstone Learning IMA 692 Capstone Project (5) credits or IMA 690 Thesis (10 credits). All students are required to attend two 3-4 day residential sessions during their programs. The first is attended during the first month of enrollment and the second is attended after the student completes half of the courses in the individualized curriculum, completed a Page 30 26 research methods course (social science students only) and have submitted a capstone project or thesis proposal. The degree requires the successful completion of 60 quarter credits. Students may receive credit for up to 15 credit hours for prior learning relevant to the field of study and representative of graduate level learning. ASSESSMENT METHOD Student work is assessed in stages by the following evaluators: 1) the student‘s committee and instructors 2) the faculty advisor 2) non-ILPS faculty Before a student is given credit for the designing an individualized curriculum (formerly referred to as the degree plan), committee members, experts in the student‘s field, review and approve the curriculum. The committee also reviews the student‘s progress toward his or her goals at two turning points in the student‘s career, at the completion of one half of the courses (the mid-point review) and again at completion of all courses ( the candidacy review). This same committee also evaluates and approves the thesis or capstone project proposal and finally the thesis or capstone project. The instructor for each course evaluates the learning achieved in the course. ( See attachment A for evaluations forms ) The student also evaluates his or her learning after the completion of each course . The faculty advisor reviews and approves the individualized curriculum, course evaluations, and the committee reports of the mid-point and candidacy reviews. The advisor has final approval of the thesis or capstone project proposals and evaluates and approves the theses or capstone project (See attachment B for thesis or capstone evaluation form). The Social Science and Humanities theses are evaluated by the faculty advisor for evidence of the following outcomes: 1. Ability to demonstrate a wide knowledge base in a focused area 2. Ability to demonstrate competence in designing and conducting systematic inquiry 3. Ability to synthesize the current and/or significant thought in a focused area of study and situate it in a larger social or a more complex context 4. Ability to critically analyze information and turn it into knowledge useful in the student‘s field 5. Ability to assert a cogent argument within the discourse of the focused area of study Page 31 27 6. Ability to demonstrate scholarly writing and format a thesis according to accepted master‘s standards The Visual Arts theses are evaluated by the faculty advisor for evidence of the following outcomes: 1. Ability to demonstrate a coherent linkage of the written and studio aspects of the project within the context of inquiry 2. Ability to use the process of invention as a mode of discourse 3. Ability to present a significant body of work in a public setting and within the written thesis The Creative Writing theses are evaluated by the faculty advisor for evidence of the following outcomes: 1. Ability to demonstrate a knowledge base of a genre 2. Ability to execute a good practice of craft and technique in writing an original work 3. Ability to write a work that shows a depth of understanding of a subject and aesthetic rules that govern he particular genre 4. Ability to articulate the relationship between literary influences and traditions and one‘s own writing The Performing Arts Theses are evaluated by the faculty advisor for evidence of the following outcomes: 1. Ability to demonstrate a coherent linkage of the written and studio aspects of the project within the context of inquiry 2. Ability to use the process of invention as a mode of discourse 3. Ability to present a significant body of work in a public setting and within the written thesis Faculty assess the research competency of students when they attend the second residential session to plan for their capstone learning. The assessment occurs as faculty debrief the seminar. (Minutes of meetings are in exhibit room.) Non- ILPS McGregor faculty members assess 12 randomly selected student files to determine if the expected student outcomes were achieved. For each of the expected outcomes the assessor indicates the degree to which documentation exists to demonstrate the outcome was achieved. The appropriate data sources for assessing outcomes are located in the student‘s official file in the registrar‘s office. (See attachment C for Instrument ) Primary data sources for this level of assessment of student learning exist in the student‘s file in the registrar‘s office and include the individualized curriculum submitted by each student for the purpose of guiding the individualized learning, narrative assessments submitted by students and their instructors for each course, summary reports from the committee after the mid-point and candidacy reviews, and degree committee evaluations of the thesis or capstone project. Page 32 28 ILPS STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM CHANGES REVISED STUDENT OUTCOMES Students will demonstrate the following abilities and knowledge: Ability to acquire and apply a knowledge base Ability to organize learning activities around goals Ability to integrate theory and practice Ability to collaborate with degree committee members, advisor, and evaluators around designing and implementing degree plan and learning activities Ability to establish and maintain a network of academic resources Ability to write and speak effectively as is appropriate to academic discipline Familiarity with social issues in his or her field In January 1999 a faculty team analyzed a random sample of eight student files to assess student learning related to these outcomes: The file of each student contained a degree plan, instructor and student narrative assessments of learning components , midpoint and candidacy reviews, a thesis and thesis evaluation by the student‘s committee. The random sample was stratified by gender and program focus. According to the report of the assessment in the IMA Self-Designed 1999 Self Study, several program weaknesses were noted in the discussion of the assessment results. They included the following: The faculty has limited quality control, rigor, and ethical oversight of student learning. Although the stated Antioch McGregor educational values include linking education with social responsibility, we had no data to assess if this was accomplished. Changes made to address these weaknesses: (Changes are reported in the faculty response to the recommendations of the University Review Team.) Prior experiential learning is now evaluated by the faculty advisor rather than the committee. Training on the use of the FirstClass system is given to all new students and faculty to provide more contact between the advisor and the student. Effective July, 2000, students have been required to enroll in an introductory seminar to prepare them for graduate study and the academic rigor of a self-designed master‘s degree program. The course is designed by the faculty advisor to enhance skills in academic Page 33 29 writing, critical inquiry and academic discourse on social responsibility in the student‘s chosen field. Letters sent to each student‘s committee members have been revised to better convey our standards and the responsibilities of the committee. Satisfactory academic progress guidelines were revised to require all students to have a degree plan (individualized curriculum) approved during the first 4 quarters and the introductory seminar at the end of six quarters. The assessment plan was revised, including the a revision of the wording of student outcomes. The forms for narrative evaluations by instructors and students were revised to insure the collection of adequate data for measuring learning outcomes. Learning outcomes for the social science, humanities, creative writing, visual and performing arts theses were identified and appropriate forms for evaluating theses were designed for each of these academic domains. (forms are attached) The Fall 2001/Winter 2001 assessment was implemented using the current Student Learning Assessment Plan for ILPS, IR and CR (Plan and Forms used in this assessment are attached) The ILPS Faculty Meeting Minutes 3/8/01 indicate that the faculty discussed the results of the assessment and concluded that student performance appears to be high. The majority of the students received ratings of —evidence“ or —strong evidence“ regarding the achievement of the learning outcomes. However, the faculty continued to be concerned about the ability of students to progress toward graduation at a satisfactory pace. Consequently several changes were planned and implemented: 1) Satisfactory academic guidelines were revised to require all full-time and half-time students to have completed 550 (Curriculum Design and either 560 ( Foundations in Academic Discourse) or 590 (The Professional Writer) by the end of the first 4 quarters. Faculty agreed to design an interview protocol for faculty to interview committee chairs to solicit their opinions about what worked and what did not as well as their recommendations for the improving the program. (This has not been implemented yet) The traditional IMA terms were changed to communicate the degree process and requirements more clearly. For example, —degree plan“ was changed to —individualized curriculum“ and —learning component“ was changed to —course syllabus.“ The degree process was more clearly outlined for students in a revised application and handbook. (student handbook is in exhibit room) Page 34 30 According to minutes from debriefing meetings after the second residential seminars, the faculty noted that students were not adequately prepared to engage in the social science research methods most appropriate for their respective fields. Although a research methods course was required for social science students, they appeared to lack the skills needed for research for their particular study. Consequently we have developed several online research methods courses and required students to fulfill their research requirement through one of these courses. (Proposal to curriculum committee documents this change.) PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR TEACHER LICENSURE Statement of Program Purpose The McGregor School Professional Preparation Program for Teacher Licensure is guided by a commitment to prepare competent, creative, and compassionate teachers with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to meet the challenges, continuous changes, and diverse needs within our schools. Student-Outcome Goals 1. Develop preservice teachers knowledgeable about current educational research and child development 2. Develop reflective practitioners able to integrate theory and practice. 3. Develop professionals able to communicate and to work collaboratively 4. Foster the growth of professionals with the skills of and commitment to life-long learning Program Description The Professional Preparation Program for Teacher Licensure is Phase I of the Master of Education (M.Ed.) program. The program is designed for adults with bachelor’s degrees who wish to change careers and enter teaching. It emphasizes the preparation of reflective teachers with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to teach diverse students using research-based innovative instructional strategies. The Antioch University McGregor Teacher Licensure Program focuses on learning, teaching, curriculum and assessment from a student-centered perspective. In keeping with the intent to model the strategies that students are encouraged to use in their own future classrooms, seminars stress active and multiple approaches to learning, integrated curricula, teamwork, and alternative assessment. Preservice students progress through the program in a cohort model that encourages teaching and learning as collaborative activities. Prior to the first seminar, students attend a weekend orientation session that sets a framework for collaboration and personal reflection. During three eleven-week quarters, students attend twice-weekly seminars and a limited (two-three) number of Saturday sessions, and participate in daytime on-site K-12 experiences that fulfill State of Ohio field experience requirements. During the final quarter, students spend twelve weeks student teaching and also attend coordinated weekly student teaching seminars. Throughout the course of each quarter, students receive narrative evaluations that address demonstration of identified quarter competencies. In addition to assessment of specific competencies, narratives address competence in oral and written communication skills. Students are evaluated for both individual progress and contributions as members of Page 35 31 collaborative teams. Throughout the course of the first three quarters, students are expected to participate in seminar discussions, experiential activities, and group project presentations. Team advisors evaluate quarter 1 and quarter 2 culminating projects to determine individual and team competence in applying and synthesizing the content of the curriculum. Students also evaluate their own participation and that of their colleagues in the culminating group projects. Journals submitted to advisors on a scheduled basis during each quarter are used to further assess communication competence; ability to reflect upon observation and participation field experiences; and progress in applying theoretical understanding to the realities of classroom life, child development and learning. Using the 10 essential performance competencies designated by the State of Ohio and the ETS Pathwise and Praxis 3 Four Domains and 19 Criteria evaluation frameworks, cooperating teachers and campus supervisors conduct midpoint and final evaluations of the student teaching experience. Supervisors and cooperating teachers use field observations; videotapes; written submissions, including lesson plans and reflections upon lesson plan implementation; and interviews to assess student teachers’ effectiveness in the four domains and 19 criteria. Prior to admission to student teaching and at the end of student teaching but prior to recommendation for state certification, students submit portfolios for further evaluation of competence. At the end of the program, all students submit reflection papers and take part in exit interviews during which they evaluate their own development as teachers A majority of the Teacher Education faculty are trained Praxis 3 assessors who assess entry year teachers using the Praxis 3 instrument adopted by ODE. Beginning fall 2003, all entry year teachers in Ohio will be required to pass this performance assessment to receive provisional licensure. As Praxis 3 assessors, our faculty has opportunity to observe in practice the standards the state has legislatively mandated. Faculty bring the knowledge gained from these actual K-12 experiences back to AUM and utilize it in assessing our curricula and our student performances, and then use the results to institute programmatic changes. MASTER OF EDUCATION IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP Statement of Program Purpose The Master of Education (M.Ed.) program in Educational Leadership is designed to produce effective and innovative school leaders with particularly strong curricular and instructional leadership skills. Program Description The Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership program at Antioch University McGregor is designed to produce educational leaders who are capable of dynamic leadership and innovative change in today‘s fast paced environment. Students participate in a classroom based, experiential curriculum that emphasizes problem solving in a collaborative, diverse environment. They are involved in a variety of learning experiences focusing on instructional leadership, guided inquiry, and optimum utilization of available Page 36 32 resources. Students may complete this 45 credit program by designing a program plan to accommodate their life circumstances. There are two major requirements of the program in addition to the coursework and field experiences. There is a one quarter internship, just prior to program completion, with a local school administrator. The other requirement is a portfolio the student must create to document learning from their coursework and field experiences. M.Ed Student Outcome Goals Students graduating from the M.Ed. program will: A. Demonstrate knowledge in the core areas of administration and instructional leadership B. Be able to utilize the basic tools of research to collect, analyze, interpret, and apply data C. Be able to implement basic administrative functions D. Demonstrate the ability to address a current educational problem using research and practical knowledge E. Employ democratic and inclusive decision-making processes and effective communication techniques to promote collaboration, equity, justice, and support by community stakeholders Individual Goals and Assessment Methods: 1. Students will demonstrate knowledge in the core areas of administration and instructional leadership. Students will be able to present clear, correct, and complete information on a variety of topics in these core areas and to perform various tasks demonstrating skills acquired in these core areas. These students will also be able to solve problems in these core areas by: A.demonstrating that they can define and describe the pertinent principles and appropriate assumptions, theories, concepts, and/or processes for specific problems, B.explaining how these elements are appropriate to the problem; and C.demonstrating how these elements have been applied to the solution of the problem. Page 37 33 Assessment Methods: The assessment of student learning in the M.Ed. program will be conducted using a variety of available instruments and methods. For the majority of the outcomes, the following will be used to determine whether students attained the prescribed educational goals. 1.The capstone course, the Internship, allows us to assess a student‘s the integration of knowledge, concepts, and skills associated with the entire course sequence of the M.Ed. program. 2.Course – embedded assessments will also be used to generate information about what and how students are learning within the M.Ed. program. These assessments are built into the course requirements. 3.The portfolio, a collection of student work that exhibits his/her progress and achievement across the M.Ed. coursework, will be evaluated to analyze the entire scope of our students‘ learning and their progression in acquiring their knowledge and skills. 4.Student surveys and exit interviews will be used to get important information on program strengths and weaknesses, levels of student knowledge acquisition in identified areas, and effectiveness of program design and content. 5.Alumni will be surveyed to gather data about program satisfaction, curriculum relevancy, and student preparation for professional work. 6.Faculty assessments of student progress and achievement in the identified areas will be used to determine program changes and needs. The entire assessment plan for the Master’s in Educational Leadership, including evidence for each goal, can be found in the Resource Room. PRINCIPAL‘S LICENSURE PROGRAM Statement of Program Purpose The Principals‘ Licensure (PL) program is designed to prepare innovative instructional school leaders who are able to perform effectively in a climate of diversity and restructuring. Program Description The Principal‘s Licensure program is designed for educators who hold a master‘s degree and wish to become school principals in Ohio. The program‘s curriculum emphasizes the skills necessary to assess a school community and create a supportive, engaging, and positive instructional school climate. The PL program prepares leaders skillful in instructional leadership, facilitation, planning, evaluation, and communication. Page 38 34 Program requirements include successful completion of a quarter length internship experience, a professional portfolio, and 67 course credit hours. PL Student Outcome Goals Students graduating from the PL program will: A. Master and apply interpersonal, communication, organizational, technical, and concept skills needed to facilitate the mission critical work of schools, B. Develop and maintain organizational structures and conditions that foster effective teaching and optimal, continuous learning, and the use of research based, developmentally appropriate practices, C. Practice leadership based on experience, reflection, inquiry, research, and analysis D. Practice collaborative goal setting and consensus decision-making for the school and its individual members (including all stakeholders) to foster and guide personal development, promote school improvement, and strengthen connections with the community E. Promote processes that encourage mutual respect, caring, and justice for all members, as well as sensitivity to differences across groups in gender, ethnicity, language, race, exceptionalities, culture, religion, and sexual orientation. Assessment Methods: The assessment of student learning in the PL program will be conducted using a variety of available instruments and methods. For the majority of the outcomes, the following will be used to determine whether students attained the prescribed educational goals. 1.The capstone course, the Internship, allows us to assess a student‘s the integration of knowledge, concepts, and skills associated with the entire course sequence of the PL program. 2.Course – embedded assessments will also be used to generate information about what and how students are learning within the PL program. These assessments are built into the course requirements. 3.The portfolio, a collection of student work that exhibits his/her progress and achievement across the PL coursework, will be evaluated to analyze the entire scope of our students‘ learning and their progression in acquiring their knowledge and skills. 4.Student surveys and exit interviews will be used to get important information on program strengths and weaknesses, levels of student knowledge acquisition in identified areas, and effectiveness of program design and content. 5.Alumni will be surveyed to gather data about program satisfaction, curriculum relevancy, and student preparation for professional work. Page 39 35 6.Faculty assessments of student progress and achievement in the identified areas will be used to determine program changes and needs. 7.Results of graduates who take the School Administration PRAXIS exam and pass it successfully will be used to assess student learning and program effectiveness. The entire assessment plan for Principalship Licensure, including evidence for each goal, is contained in the Appendix. Antioch University McGregor clearly distinguishes graduate from undergraduate program offerings. We have only a single undergraduate program, the Bachelor’s Completion Program, all the rest are graduate level. Transfer credit at the graduate level is restricted by University policy to no more than 25% of the total credits for a graduate program of study. Students and faculty engage in research and scholarship as appropriate to their degree and discipline through coursework, practica, and internship experiences. As mentioned previously, McGregor does not use tests to evaluate student learning and hence a writing/research orientation, including both primary and secondary research, is intensive and central to our pedagogy. Faculty research activities are numerous and listings of recent publications, papers, and consulting activities can be viewed in the yearly Indicators of Progress (Resource Room). Students at AUM are taught and evaluated by an exceptional graduate and undergraduate faculty who possess impressive academic credentials and substantial professional experience. These faculty members- Core, Associate, and Adjunct- support the educational mission, practitioner-orientation, and unique delivery systems of our undergraduate and graduate programs. “Core Faculty” are defined as individuals occupying contracted/benefit positions at more than 50% time who perform multiple roles within the institution, including teaching, advising, research, and administrative responsibilities. “Associate Faculty” are individuals with contracted positions at less than 50% time who perform teaching, advising, and program development activities. “Adjunct Faculty” teach a limited number of courses or perform designated course-support activities contracted for on a per course basis. They possess appropriate content knowledge and professional experience and background in their discipline. Faculty CV’s are available for inspection in the Resource Room. Antioch University McGregor rigorously evaluates instructor performance in the classroom. All faculty members, including Associate and Adjunct, are evaluated at the end of the course by students. Examples of course evaluation forms are included in the Resource Room. Core faculty are reviewed annually within their department by the appropriate program director and undergo an extensive comprehensive evaluation every two years, including a self-evaluation, a review by their Program Director, review by the Faculty Standards and Review Committee, and a review by the Academic Dean. Samples of comprehensive faculty evaluations as well as multiple course syllabi are available for inspection in the Resource Room. Antioch University McGregor regards the ongoing professional development of its employees as a key factor in maintaining excellence in the classroom and in all student service activities. Money is budgeted for the professional development of all employees on a Page 40 36 yearly basis. At the faculty level, there is a Faculty Leave (sabbatical) policy which permits faculty members paid time off to pursue a variety of professional development activities (Resource Room). For the academic year 2001-2002, all faculty were also given an additional week of time for such activities as improving teaching, consulting, or engaging in research and could petition via a proposal to their supervising Director for a second week of released time. We have made great strides in professionalizing the level and variety of student services we offer to our students. Faculty advising for all students is provided comprehensively and we are committed to further increasing ease of advisor access and competence in career counseling. Datatel has improved the quality, timeliness, and accuracy of student transcripts. Students are now able to request that narrative evaluations be sent in addition to official transcripts reflecting credits awarded. The improvements in technology- the hiring of an exceptional Information Systems staff, First Class accounts for all students, computer labs, and OhioLink online access to library materials and journals- have been previously noted. Finally, an aggressive alumni development program has been implemented and is designed to keep alumni connected with the institution on a lifelong basis. Antioch University McGregor regards the development of high quality certificate and continuing education programs in the larger community as key elements in our institutional development. Our Educational Leadership Seminar Series ( ELSS) provides professional development opportunities to over 700 licensed teachers each year. Our new Center for Professional Development has created highly customized certificate and professional development programs for such diverse groups as the Ohio Correctional Association and Public Television Outreach and is exploring further partnerships with the Dayton and Springfield public school systems as well as a variety of other initiatives for special constituencies. Though there is ample room for further improvement, Antioch University McGregor points with pride to the considerable accomplishments and improvements in our ability to accomplish our mission and achieve our educational purposes since our last accreditation visit ten years ago. We look forward to the future with excitement and institutional energy. Page 41 37 CHAPTER FIVE CRITERION FOUR Criterion four: The institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness. Antioch University McGregor, the newest campus within the Antioch University system, had been in existence for only five years when the last NCA review took place. It offered only three programs at that time and two of those, the Individualized Master of Arts program and the Bachelor’s completion program, migrated from their original homes at Antioch College because they no longer fit the College mission. Antioch University McGregor today is a professionally staffed, programmatically diversified, and technologically sophisticated institution, guided by a comprehensive strategic plan tied directly to its mission, innovative and entrepreneurial in its programs and in their delivery. Previously governed under a Provost/no Academic Dean/no Chief Financial Officer model, it is now organized with an externally focused President with a national reputation in the use of technology in higher education and an Academic Dean responsible for academic planning and quality assessment. Programmatic evolution and diversification have been profound. We have moved from three academic programs to six with the addition of the M.A. in Conflict Resolution, the Teacher Licensure program (with 17 possible specialization areas) and the Master’s in Educational Leadership. Continuing education and other non-degree professional development and certificate programs now account for an increasing percentage of McGregor new academic initiatives. The Teacher Education programs as a whole, which were not even in existence at the time of the last review, now make up about 40% of total McGregor revenue. McGregor programs which were in existence at the time of the last review have themselves undergone significant transformation. The Individualized Liberal and Professional Studies program, a single undifferentiated entity in 1993, is now composed of “tracks” or concentrations in the areas of creative writing, education, psychology, and individual and professional studies. An increasing percentage of IMA coursework is now delivered by McGregor faculty in online and computer-assisted formats. The Graduate Management Program has revamped its curriculum and has become the largest graduate management program within the Antioch University system. The Bachelor’s Completion Program has added new majors in Human Resource Management and Liberal Studies. Antioch University McGregor has always been fiscally sound and characterized by balanced or surplus budget performance at year end. The budgeting process is highly participative and includes access and input from all employees from all departments and areas of the school. In its early years Antioch University McGregor, which shares a physical campus with Antioch College and began as an outgrowth of the College, had a difficult time developing a distinct identity as a separate institution. In spite of frequent attempts to articulate our own identity within the Miami Valley community, local media in the area constantly confused the two entities, referring to us as part of Antioch College rather than Antioch University. This confusion has dramatically lessened in recent years for a number of reasons. First, we have Page 42 38 been around now for fifteen years and our growing number of alumni live and work all over the region. Second, the name change to Antioch University McGregor further clarifies and delineates our separateness from Antioch College. Finally, we have built a strong and active Board of Visitors to advise the President and keep McGregor connected and involved with important stakeholder groups in the region. Antioch University McGregor now has a strong external presence and much higher visibility in the local community through our involvement in important local initiatives such as the Greater Dayton IT Alliance and the Dayton Chamber of Commerce. The Greater Dayton IT alliance is a trade association dedicated to the retention and growth of the extensive information technology industry in the greater Dayton region. AUM‘s President is a member of the IT Alliance Board and serves as Vice Chair Of special note, a grant from the local business council we have received to develop, equip, and staff a state-of-the-art “Classroom of the Future” in downtown Dayton has attracted widespread media attention. We have carefully analyzed the strategic utility of existing partnerships with regards to their ability to help us further our academic mission. We have terminated two previous partnerships, the first with the George Meany Institute to offer a Labor Studies Bachelor’s degree and the second with the Intercultural Relations Institute(ICI) to offer an Intercultural Relations track within the IMA. In the George Meany case we did not feel we could provide the appropriate degree of academic oversight over a program located in Maryland; the George Meany Institute subsequently received stand-alone accreditation in Maryland. In the case of the Intercultural Relations Institute, we became concerned with low graduation rates in the program and as an outgrowth of a University review we insisted on curricular changes which ICI was unwilling to make. We terminated the partnership and ICI has now affiliated with the University of the Pacific. A number of new partnerships and relationships have been forged. We have developed a very strong articulation agreement with Sinclair Community College in Dayton, one of the largest and best known community colleges in the country, and the single largest source of student matriculants to our Bachelor’s completion program. We are working with the League for Innovation in the Community College to develop a track within our graduate management program specifically designed for community college managers and are in the process of developing a certificate program in environmental mediation with the Bartos Institute in New Mexico (Resource Room) Because the certificate program with Bartos includes online work and because we have associate faculty involved in the Conflict Resolution program all over the country, it is possible to mount such a new initiative without straining scarce faculty resources or compromising program quality. No change in the last decade has been more dramatic than the improvements in our technological capabilities. Each employee has an up-to-date computer with a variety of integrated software and the training to use them. First Class conferencing email access is provided to each student and employee, increasing the efficiency and ease of communication both within the school and with students, especially significant for our limited residency programs. Our website has brought us increasing numbers of matriculants and applications we might otherwise have not connected with. Datatel, the integrated student services module adopted uniformly by all Antioch campuses, has replaced the old paper system of record- keeping, and brought greater speed and accuracy to the offices of Registrar, Financial Aid, Billing, and Admissions and has notably improved our customer service capability. We have begun to use WebCT to offer courses to students enrolled in limited residency programs and Page 43 39 to extend and continue discussions and dialogues begun at the residencies. OhioLink provides McGregor students all over the country with the opportunity to access journals, books, and databases at colleges and university libraries all over Ohio. Powerpoint has begun to usurp overhead projectors in the classroom. Antioch University McGregor has embraced the use of technology in the classroom, not to replace traditional face- to- face teaching, but to enhance and expand it and at the same time provide access to higher education to working adults who cannot attend traditional evening or weekend formats. PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS The last section summarized with pride the many accomplishments and improvements which have taken place at Antioch University McGregor since the last site visit in 1993. The following section looks at institutional vulnerabilities and areas of concern which must be addressed if the institution’s growth and progress is to continue. Certainly the most daunting problem at Antioch University McGregor is the inadequate resource base both here and throughout the University. At McGregor most of the growth from $2 million in revenue to today’s $5 million took place in the first five years of the decade. Revenue (after inflation is factored in ) and enrollments in most of our degree programs have contracted somewhat in recent years. While new programs in education have surged in enrollment, core programs like the Bachelor’s Completion program and the Individualized Liberal and Professional Studies program have experienced substantial contractions in recent years. Once our Bachelor’s Completion program for working adults was the only one of its kind in the area; it now faces competition from at least fifteen other such programs at local colleges and universities. AUM can and must continually explore program modifications, new program development, and continuing education-non-degree initiatives as ways of coping with this increasingly competitive marketplace for adult education. Resource shortages contribute to organizational difficulties in a variety of ways. The ability to attract and retain outstanding faculty members is hurt by poor salaries and very heavy workloads. Resource shortages cause the substitution of adjunct part-time instructors for core faculty members in an effort to cope with difficult budget realities. We are close to outgrowing our physical facilities without the financial capability to either acquire additional capacity or renovate existing structures, though we have begun to explore potential new locations in downtown Dayton. These and other dilemmas require a systematic strategic and tactical response. We feel confident that we can successfully respond to these difficulties and challenges. That response is contained in the comprehensive McGregor Strategic Plan which will guide and shape institutional priorities over the next five years. The Strategic Plan can be viewed in its entirety in the Resource Room. The strategic plan is entitled VALUES, VISIONS, VENTURES, ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY MCGREGOR, STRATEGIC PLAN 2000. It is a comprehensive document which includes an overview of the institution’s history, a description of each academic program, a listing of trends that are impacting higher education, and recommendations on how the campus plans to respond to those trends. The plan was prepared after several community meetings and a culminating retreat, entitled “Radical Idea Day 2000”. The focus of the retreat was to develop ideas that would move the institution forward into the next several years, no matter how radical the suggestion. The results were very creative thinking and the formation of several exciting new initiatives. Page 44 40 The plan is basically composed of three types of information impacting our institution, its academic programs, and our student service departments: trends, goals, and objectives. The trend section represents an environmental scan of the status of adult education in the United States at the present time. It takes Antioch University McGregor outside its narrow focus on programs, budgets, and enrollments, and looks at the environmental, demographic, and competitive contexts within which we operate i.e. how what we offer and how we offer it are positioned to either take advantage of or hamper our ability to confront emerging trends in the marketplace for adult education. These trends are considered globally at the level of adult education in general and then programmatically as they impact the programs and student service departments that comprise Antioch University McGregor as an education provider. The implications of these trends for everything we do on the macro and micro levels shape the goals section of the plan and aid us in providing clear, explicit, and sensible goals to be achieved for each program and department within the institution. Finally, the objectives section looks at how we will measure and benchmark success in achieving our stated goals. Two aspects of this plan are noteworthy and demonstrably superior to more sporadic planning initiatives which have been undertaken in the past. The environmental trend analysis permits us a wider lens and a more comprehensive context with which to evaluate present and future strategic directions than we have utilized in the past. Planning previously had been sporadic, almost exclusively focused on goals, and hence essentially reactive in nature i.e. how can we improve what we already do; what makes sense to add to our programmatic portfolio given our present offferings? Second, the objectives section forces us to confront on a regular basis the degree to which we can confidently measure success or failure in achieving stated goals. Goal-setting without measurable objectives has its place in stimulating policy discussions, but cannot serve as a blueprint capable of monitoring success or failure. The trend analysis provided a very helpful lens with which to view the congruence or lack of congruence between our present programs and organizational priorities and the needs of the adult learner. It makes clear that adult learning is highly dependent on the “pushes” and “pulls” in life that lead to readiness to engage in higher education. Whether such circumstances include new job responsibilities, changing family roles, or a growing conviction that further education will consolidate professional development efforts, it is clear that those components of higher education serving the adult learner must create a variety of convenient and effective formats supporting the return of adult students to the classroom. Antioch University McGregor is uniquely placed to work with learners who wish to emphasize professional development and instrumental skill acquisition, as well as those who are more interested in pursuing group and community learning that goes along with improving the well-being of society. The core body of knowledge around adult development and around appropriate strategies and methods for adult learning can fit into either an individual or group focus, and can be applied toward either instrumental or liberatory aims. While these two philosophies are often dichotomized, it is both possible and desirable to serve both goals and through its relatively short history Antioch University McGregor has demonstrated that serving rapidly changing workforce development needs does not imply the sacrifice of more traditional Antiochean social values. The impact of these trends on goal formation and strategic objectives are discussed in detail in the plan itself, available in the Resource Room. Two areas, however, are clearly Page 45 41 worthy of extended treatment in this section because of their centrality and implications for changes in the marketplace. The first relates to the necessity and logic pushing toward the development of new, technologically-enhanced, delivery mechanisms. The second provides compelling evidence on the need to organize our resources more effectively in order to improve the institution’s ability to compete effectively for students in an increasingly crowded marketplace for the adult student. One of the clear trends in the adult student market is the role that technologically- enhanced delivery systems can and must play in increasing access to higher education for the adult learner. Juggling family and work roles, faced with diminishing amounts of spare time on evenings and weekends, even the most motivated would-be adult learner demands delivery systems and pedagogical models respectful of these multiple roles, designed and customized to make high-quality lifelong learning compatible with already crowded personal and professional lives. One option many adults are pursuing in the midst of these competing responsibilities is enrollment in one of the many online programs springing up all over the country. Some are being offered by ” traditional” institutions as supplements to synchronous face-to-face classroom education, while others, like the Apollo Group’s University of Phoenix, are proprietary, for-profit institutions aimed directly at the growing population of adult students desiring further education but hampered by a variety of constraints in attending more traditional night or weekend formats. Antioch University McGregor is well-suited to complement its traditional classroom- based programs with distance education initiatives providing web-based asynchronous learning opportunities for adult students. AUM has a long history of distance education through the Individualized Master of Arts program. Today, the distance learning field has moved into a technological environment. Fascination with technology for its own sake is fading; adults want distance education that makes good academic, technological, and economic sense. Colleges and universities must design distance learning offerings that add significant value to adult learner’s academic experience. The technology must be accessible and appropriate and the distance learning environment must not sacrifice interaction among learners and faculty. The Antioch University McGregor model, which combines limited residency programs with technology-enhanced support tools, seeks to provide students with a “high tech, high touch” learning environment. This model, which combines close faculty-student interaction, a distinctive component of an Antioch education, with sophisticated technological tools designed to further access and ease scheduling problems for the adult student motivated to engage in further higher education but juggling multiple roles and responsibilities. It is our intention to continue moving into this form of distance education in a planned way, with appropriate technologies, comprehensive faculty and student training, and procedures and policy formation supportive of such activities. Certainly one of the most important conclusions that we reached was that the traditional admissions function, which had served us well in the past, was no longer sufficiently proactive to ensure our success in an increasingly competitive environment. Accordingly, an admissions perspective, which responded to student inquiries and attempted to convert them to applications, was to be replaced by a different paradigm, an enrollment management perspective. Most of our programs historically were either inherited from Antioch College or were launched on the basis of the “passion” of the faculty coupled with “hunches” that they would find an audience. Little or no market research was done. We have come to the conclusion Page 46 42 that, given the lack of market research before launch and the lack of systematic assessment of students, programs, and target markets, we were quite lucky that most of our programs have remained viable but were extremely vulnerable to potentially damaging demographic shifts and market evolution. We had very little information as to why students chose to attend programs at our institution and equally little knowledge as to why they chose to go elsewhere or not at all. This lack of knowledge of our target audiences was exacerbated by the fact that our programs are split fairly equally between local and distant audiences. This lack of knowledge made strategic and tactical market initiatives highly problematic and has clearly negatively impacted recruitment in the difficult environment of the last few years, as we have struggled to understand and respond to enrollment plateauing and modest enrollment declines. From fall 1995 to fall 1999 there has been a 4.4% decrease in the overall student body, and the distribution of students by program has changed dramatically, most notably a shift to an increasing percentage of graduate versus undergraduate students. As a result of the strategic plan we have switched as an institution to an enrollment management perspective which emphasizes data, planning, and institutional research rather than intuition or mere academic “passion”. We have realized that we possess data showing us what our students look like in a profile, but afford little information as to why they are (or are not) Antioch University McGregor students. There are a number of key components to our enrollment management initiative. First and foremost is communicating a sense of importance and urgency to this effort to the entire community, since a successful program will require high levels of cooperation and coordination. Enrollment management is now clearly embedded in all institutional planning; every decision or choice is now made within a context of the institution as a whole. Critical to this effort is the development of Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s), which are standards to determine the plan’s effectiveness and efficiency. These numbers measure recruitment, retention, and performance against institution-wide standards, provide a longtitudinal performance monitoring capability, and are also useful in benchmarking strategies and tactics relative to peer competitive institutions. The trend analysis done in conjunction with the strategic plan must be institutionalized into an ongoing institutional research capability. This research will provide up-to-date information on decision-makers, demographic and societal trends, price sensitivity, and competitor analysis. This information will permit enrollment planning and management to be incorporated into academic and departmental planning rather than existing in a disjointed, or loosely connected manner. In order to collect the quality and quantity of data necessary to inform enrollment management planning and decisions, sophisticated technology will be utilized to provide competitive levels of service, appropriate and timely information flow to decision-makers, and the means for integrating the diverse functions which comprise genuine enrollment management. Similarly, technology will also aid in the assessment of the overall effectiveness of the enrollment management plan. Multiple assessment instruments will be used and will include surveys, service systems evaluations, program evaluations, program reviews, self studies, SWOT analyses, focus groups, and additional instruments deemed useful over time. It is clear to us that in order to carry out sophisticated enrollment management initiatives will require an investment in institutional research which we have not yet been able to fund. Page 47 43 In conclusion, the strategic plan of 2000 represents a serious, comprehensive, and credible response to many of the difficulties highlighted in this section and provides an operational blueprint governing and strategic initiatives over the next few years. Antioch University McGregor feels confident that we have taken important first steps in ensuring that, in the words of NCA Criterion 4, “the institution can continue to accomplish its purposes and strengthen its educational effectiveness” in the years to come. Page 48 Page 49 45 CHAPTER SIX CRITERION FIVE The institution demonstrates its integrity in its practices and relationships. Antioch University McGregor attempts to demonstrate integrity in all of its practices and relationships. Our institutional relationships with all constituencies are embedded and made explicit in all our publications, including student handbooks, catalogues, program brochures, web communications, admissions and financial aid materials. Catalogs and program handbooks accurately and fairly describe the institution, its operations, and its programs. Additional materials laying out behavioral norms include sexual harassment policies, policies on plagiarism, and policies on acceptable conduct are promulgated as well. We are a substance-free campus and drug and alcohol policies, as well as campus crime statistics, are distributed to students in the fall of each academic year. Grievance procedures are clearly specified. Student academic grievances are appealed first to the instructor, then to the program director, and finally to the Academic Dean. Procedures for handling employee grievances made by union employees are clearly specified in the union contract. Faculty evaluation grievances are handled by the faculty governance document; they include an appeal to the Faculty Standards and Review Committee and a final appeal to the Academic Dean. Antioch University McGregor has a variety of policies and practices consistent with our mission related to equality of treatment, nondiscrimination, affirmative action, and other means of enhancing access to education and the building of a diverse educational community. These policies and practices are embedded in our strategic plan, university human resource manual, in all recruitment activities (both faculty and students), and student and employee handbooks. We are an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action institution and publicize this orientation in all written and web-based communications. We see a clear link between institutional diversity and academic excellence and are working hard at increasing student, faculty, and administrative diversity. We have successfully made reasonable accommodations for all special requests brought to us by students under the Americans for Disability Act since its passage. The Registrar’s office protects special privacy by rigorously adhering to FERPA guidelines. In order to monitor and assess our performance in these areas, Antioch University McGregor, like other Antioch campuses, has undergone a self-imposed and extensive legal audit in the areas of human resource and academic policies in order to identify strengths and pinpoint areas of concern which require improvement. Like most of the other documents cited in this section, the legal audit of human resource and academic policies is available for review in the resource room. Relations with other institutions are handled and conducted ethically and responsibly. These include articulation agreements with Sinclair Community College, Clark State Community College, and Edison Community College. Antioch University McGregor is an active member of the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE), a not- for-profit consortium of twenty colleges, universities, and 3 corporations organized to promote service, institutional cooperation , and foster collaboration. McGregor’s President serves on the Executive Committee of SOCHE and the McGregor Academic Dean is a member of the SOCHE Chief Academic Officer‘s Council. Page 50 46 Integrity in the classroom, in the way our students and employees are treated, and in the way we interact with all of our stakeholders is among the highest priorities to this institution. Ethical laxness is not tolerated and behavioral norms on sexual harassment, drug and alcohol policy, behavioral standards, and plagiarism are explicit and enforced. We are a value-based institution and attempt to model the values we believe in all of our personal and professional interactions. Appendices to be included: 1. Antioch University McGregor Mission Statement 2. Antioch University Mission Statement 3. Core Faculty by Program 4. Administrative Listings Page 51 47 APPENDIX ONE ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY MCGREGOR MISSION STATEMENT Antioch University McGregor, established in 1988, offers academic programs for adults that are responsive to emerging societal needs. Each program encourages critical thinking, provides opportunities for collaborative learning, emphasizes cultural diversity and an international perspective, and promotes the integration of life and work experience with academic knowledge. We believe that education is most effective when students, faculty, staff, and administration unite as a community of learners. Our approach to education stems from Antioch University’s historical emphasis on intellectual, emotional, and ethical development. The principles promoted by Douglas McGregor, President of Antioch College from 1948-1954, also inspired the institution. McGregor, well known for his teachings in participatory management and leadership, believed that organizational effectiveness depends upon the cooperative efforts of the entire community. He asserted that all have the right to express their views openly and to act on the basis of their beliefs, provided that they act in accord with the principles of democracy, and with honesty and integrity. Antioch University McGregor is imbued with an entrepreneurial spirit and strives to provide high quality, socially responsive, flexible, and innovative educational programs. AUM seeks to pass on to its graduates a legacy of passion for lifelong learning and a commitment to the application of knowledge toward the betterment of our workplaces, our communities, and the wider society. Page 52 48 APPENDIX TWO Antioch University Mission Statement Antioch University provides programs of study leading to the Bachelors, Masters, and Doctors degrees, as well as other related special programs of study. Founded in 1852 as a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Antioch has evolved into a national multi-campus university serving over 5,000 students. Governed by a national Board of Trustees, its campuses, which serve students both on and beyond the physical campuses, currently include Antioch College and The McGregor School in Yellow Springs, Ohio; New England (Keene, NH); the Pacific Northwest (Seattle); and Southern California (Los Angeles and Santa Barbara). System Administration is located in Yellow Springs. All programs of Antioch University aim to develop students and graduates who grow in their commitment to contribute personally to improvement in the human condition through responsible leadership that fosters productive, democratic change in the institutions and communities in which they live and work. These programs are guided by core educational values that include rigorous scholarship and academic discipline, engaged service, community involvement, and student-centered, well-rounded learning. Committed to finding the most effective approaches to student learning through innovation and experimentation, Antioch encourages students to integrate work and study, to incorporate experience with academic study and reflection, and to address issues within a social and political context. Page 53 49 APPENDIX THREE CORE FACULTY BY PROGRAM Individualized Liberal and Professional Studies Virginia Paget, Ph.D. Director ______________________________ _____ Jane Gordon, Ph.D. Jon Saari, Ph.D. Beloo Mehra, Ph.D. Barry Cavin, MFA Linda Ziegahn, Ph.D. Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution Katherine Hale, Ph.D. Director ______________________________ ______ Margaret Cavin, Ph.D. Master of Arts in Management Michael Robinson, M.A. Director __________________________ Getinet Belay, Ph.D. Iris Weisman, ED.D Bachelor‘s Completion Jane Brown, Ph.D. Director ______________________________ _________ James Malarkey, Ph.D. Linda Tibbetts, M.B.A. Education Beverly Guterman, Ed.D. Director Robert Dizney, M.Ed. Page 54 50 Fay Ellis Jones, MS Diane Nelson, Ph.D. Saul Greenberg, Ph.D. Sherry Sutton, Ph.D. Rick Fairman, Ph.D. Page 55 51 APPENDIX FOUR Antioch University McGregor Administrator Listing by Department FY 02/03 Weekend College Vacant, Program Administrator Graduate Management Vacant, Program Administrator (.50 FTE) ILPS/CR Robin Lockhart, Program Administrator Teacher Education Vicky Cook, Program Administrator (Cont.Ed/NCATE) Sarah Wallis, Program Administrator (Teacher Ed) Financial Aid Kathy John, Director Admissions Oscar Robinson, Enrollment Services Manager Karen Crist, Enrollment Services Officer Willa Smith, Enrollment Services Officer Vacant, Enrollment Services Officer Registrar Darlene Robertson, Registrar and Co-Director, SAS President‘s Office Barbara Gellman-Danley, President Steve Brzezinski, Academic Dean Vacant, Assistant to the President Development/Alumni Relations Sean Creighton, Director and Co-Director, SAS Note: All positions are 1.00 FTE unless otherwise noted. 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