Chapter One

Introduction and Accreditation History

 

Self-Study Report: Purpose and Process

The purpose of the 2013 Self-Study Report is to assess the current status of the Robert B. Miller College and to apply for reaccreditation status from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA) of Colleges and Schools. This report will seek to demonstrate the College’s commitment to continuous improvement, revealing the strengths and challenges for future institutional improvement. The College is poised for growth and change as we continue to move forward.

The current self-study process began in June 2010. Gloria Robertson, Vice President, was appointed as Self-Study Coordinator. The Self-Study Coordinator has attended The Higher Learning Commission Conferences and the Self-Study Workshops for several years. She solicited the assistance of two Co-Chairs, Patricia Haskins, School of Education Faculty, and David Fisher, Dean of the School of Business at Miller College. The first organizational meeting was held in June, 2010 by selecting the Criterion Co-Chairs and the Criterion Team Members. The Self-Study Co-Chairs developed strategies for success for the self-study process, and planned a kick-off/celebration for the entire college. A self-study timeline was created, and copies of the timeline were distributed throughout the campus. The Self-Study Leadership Team was formed, comprised of the Co-Chairs and Criterion Chairs: Susan Hendrickson, Business Faculty, Dr. Sean Kottke, Dean of the School of Education and Dean of Arts and Sciences, Paula McPhee, Education Faculty, Dr. John Rasmussen, Arts and Science Faculty, Theresa Dawson, Dean of the School of Nursing, Jacqueline Washburn, Registrar and Certification Officer, Jacquelyn McInnis, Academic Support, and Jenny Andrews Director of Institutional Advancement.

Five subcommittees, each chaired by a Leadership Team Member, were formed around the five Criteria themes. An additional committee was formed for the collection of exhibits and archives. The role of each team is identified as follows:

Leadership Team:

• Calls together sub-committees to accomplish the task
• Leads in focusing on specific criteria
• Prepares an Activity Report/minutes for each meeting
• Develops Self-Study questions
• Reviews the concerns and recommendations from the previous Higher Learning Commission visit
• Examination of Criteria (Alpha, Beta, Gamma and final Delta versions) to determine which ones have been met and which need improvement
• Prepares a 3-year calendar of meeting dates to ensure completion of the Self-Study
• Drafts the report
• Shares the report with all faculty, staff, Miller College Board of Trustees, Miller Foundation Board of Trustees, community stakeholders, students, and alumni

                            Evidence: Three-year calendar

• 2010 Calendar-Accreditation Self-Study  (333 KB, PDF)
• 2011 Calendar-Accreditation Self-Study (333 KB, PDF)
• 2012 Calendar-Accreditation Self-Study (333 KB, PDF)

Criterion Teams:

• Each team is made up of representatives from the President’s Council, faculty, staff, Board of Trustees, students, and alumni
• Creates a written, evaluative self-study utilizing the information gathered from stakeholders
• Does the work of assessing strengths and challenges of the College
• Finds evidence of improvement, meeting criteria, and achieving goals, determines goals yet to be met
• Develops evaluative summaries which will additionally address the actions being taken by Miller College to address needs uncovered through the self-study process

Steering Committee:

Is comprised of everyone in the College: administration, faculty, and staff, its responsibilities are to:

• Review completed work
• Give input to various teams as needed
• Lead the institution in contacting stakeholders, obtaining information and data, and engaging in reflection, analysis, and evaluation that promotes continuous improvement
• Review and revise the various sections created by the subcommittees to create a consistent and coherent self-study

The Exhibits and Archives Committee:

Responsible for the collection of data, exhibits and linking documents throughout the Self-Study document

The evidence presented in the 2013 Self-Study Report clearly demonstrates the progress made by Miller College towards fulfillment of the Criteria for Accreditation since its initial accreditation in 2007. It also shows that Miller College has been able to meet both the expected and unexpected challenges it has faced since the inception of the College in the 2004-2005 Academic Year. In many instances, Miller College has not only met the challenges but continued to exceed expectations by offering quality bachelor’s degree programs to meet the needs of the community service area, in the field of nursing, education, business, arts and sciences.

 

Institutional Goals for the Self-Study Process:

The Robert B. Miller College has four main goals for the self-study process:

1.  To maintain accreditation

2.  To provide evidence to support its request for continued accreditation

3.  To engage in continuous quality improvement throughout the institution

4.  To improve student learning

These goals continue to be in harmony with the vision of the founders of Miller College, who wanted to create an institution that was responsive to and served the educational needs for upper division higher education in the Battle Creek area.

Miller College recognizes that it will be able to best serve the needs of its stakeholders if regional accreditation is maintained. In addition, the self-study process not only has the benefit of assisting the College in meeting the expectations required of accredited institutions of higher education, it is also in alignment with the College’s philosophy of continuous improvement and quality assurance.

Furthermore, the College recognizes that numerous benefits will arise when institutional accreditation is maintained. These include the ability to continue to provide financial aid to students, the increased likelihood of having Miller College students accepted into graduate schools, the increased likelihood of Miller College credits transferring to other institutions, the increased likelihood of employers accepting Miller College degrees, and the ability for Miller College to seek grants that require regional accreditation.

Additionally, the heightened perception of the public in regard to this College, the resulting ability of Miller College to attract students, and the general public perception of Miller College will increase the pride of the students, faculty, and staff in being associated with the institution.

Self-Study Roles and Responsibilities

1. Providing evidence of how the criteria are being met
2. Selecting the best evidence to verify declarations and pronouncements included in the Self-Study Report
3. Using Technology to support communications and documentation
4. Developing consensus about what reflects the institution’s thinking and projections for the future
5. Achieving “one voice” in writing the Self-Study Report (Selectivity and presentation of ideas and findings)
6. Making evidence available that will inform the evaluation team and assist it in writing the Visit Report
7. Celebrating achievements!
8. Keeping the energy level up during the process

 

The Robert B. Miller College

(The Self-Study Calendar and Timetable)

April 2010	Attend HLC Conference & Share Fair. Committee members attend and collect information about the HLC Accreditation process, criteria, and on conducting a self-study/campus visit.
June 29, 2010	Leadership Team-Organizational Meeting
	Establish Self-Study Steering Committee Establish goals and responsibilities Establish subcommittees
June 2010	Introduce the self-study process to faculty & staff. Discuss criterion data gathering and written reporting expectations of subcommittees (all documents submitted electronically) Develop self-study questions Review draft of Self-Study Design at the meeting
June 22, 2010	Motion passed by Miller   College Board of Trustees for adoption of Timeline leading to Site Visit
June-July 2010	Self-Study   Steering Committee reviews sample self-study documents provided online Review   revised draft of Self-Study Design Finalize   Self-Study Design for submission to President’s Council on July 27, 2010
July 15, 2010	Self-Study   Steering Committee reviews Self-Study Design a final time-College Forum Test   Self-Study Questions & modify
July 27, 2010	Self-Study   Design submitted to President’s Council    Present   Self-Study Questions & modify
August 13, 2010	Self-Study   Design submitted to Academic Affairs Committee Present   Self-Study Questions & modify
September-October 2010	Criteria   Subcommittee Co-Chairs provide oral progress reports Faculty/Staff   discuss self-study questions and potential responses
November 6, 2010	Self-Study   Design to Miller College Board of Trustees
November 10, 2010	Criteria   subcommittees provide oral progress reports Evaluative   summary – discussion, questions, and answers on approach to writing
November 19, 2010	Kick-off   to Self-Study Luncheon Celebration
December 2010	Subcommittees   work independently
January 2011	Subcommittees work independently
February 2011	Self-Study Co-Chairs prepare/list exhibits and archives and presents to the Leadership Team
March 2011	Criteria subcommittees review Alpha version revisions and make suggestions and comments for transition
April-May 2011	Criteria subcommittees complete cross-walk to Alpha version
July 2011	Criteria subcommittees review Beta version revisions and make suggestions and comments for transition
July-August 2011	Criteria subcommittees explore ways to make the cross-walk to Beta version
September 8, 2011	Leadership   Team attends HLC Regional Forum in Detroit Input   on Criterion Gamma Version
October 11, 2011	Received   notification/letter of site visit in 2013 (February 11-13)
October 18, 2011	Web   Page Demo released by the Exhibits & Archives Committee
October 21, 2011	Dr.   Andrew Lootens-White’s Visit Self-Study   Design shared with HLC staff liaison
November-December 2011	Criteria   subcommittees review the Gamma Version and discuss changes and cross-walk for   the transition
February 2012	Criteria   subcommittees review the Final Delta Version and discuss changes and   cross-walk for the transition
	Review   Substantive Change Application for MSN Program and General Studies Online   Program
March 9, 2012	Criteria   subcommittees submit written narrative reports and evaluative summaries   (draft)
March 20, 2012	Self-Study   Steering Committee will critique the written sections from subcommittees
April 13, 2012	Self-Study   Steering Committee will critique the written sections from subcommittees and   make revisions
	Make   revisions to Self-Study
April 14-17, 2012	Leadership   Team attend HLC Conference in Chicago
April 24, 2012	Self-Study   Steering Committee will critique the written sections from subcommittees and   make revisions (exchange reports to different committees for suggestions)
April 24, 2012	Self-Study Steering Committee review response to concerns of last visit and check Self-Study draft for consistency and completeness
April 25, 2012	Check all links in the electronic document
April 2012	Send questions to HLC staff liaison Send section(s) to HLC staff liaison for clarification/critique
April 30, 2012	Steering Committee approves final Self-Study (draft complete)
May 2012	Provide final version of Self-Study to Miller College Board of Trustees
June 11-14, 2012	Self-Study Party (each Criterion Team presents the final draft to the whole College at College Forum for review and recommendations).
June 18, 2012	Exhibits and Archives Committee begins linking the documents throughout the report.
June 25-27, 2012	Draft of self-study shared with constituencies at Read-in and committee gathers comments and edits.
June 27, 2012	Final copy of Self-Study shared with Board of Trustees at the Board Meeting.
July 2012	Self-Study Steering Committee will critique the written sections from subcommittees and make needed revisions
August 2012	Ten final copies made of Self Study for review throughout the College/community.
September 2012	Send   (electronic) final version of Self-Study to HLC
October-December 2012	Prepare   for Visit-See list of things to do in preparation for Resource Room.
January 2013	Finalize   preparations for Visit.  Set up   Resource Room/Technology
February 11-13, 2013	HLC   Team Site Visit