Substantive Change

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Substantive Change

• Requesting Commission Approval of Substantive
  Changes at Institutions

MSCHE Annual Meeting December 2008
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What is Substantive Change?

• Accreditation applies to conditions existing at
  time of Commissions decision
• Institutions can and do change
• Changes may affect the quality, integrity, or
  effectiveness of institutions
• When substantive changes occur, the Commission
  is obligated to review how the change affects the
  institution

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What changes are considered Substantive?

• Consult the Commissions policy on substantive
  change
• Typical changes included in current policy
• Significant changes in Mission, Goals, or
  Objectives
• Distance Learning, Content or Mode of Delivery
  (50 or more of degree) of courses and programs
• Higher Degree or Credential Level
• Contractual Agreements

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What changes are considered Substantive? (cont.)

• Non-credit offerings that affect mission
• New sites/Location Branch Campus or Additional
  Locations
• Rapid Growth
• Significant changes in governance or programs
• Mergers and other changes in legal status,
  ownership, or form of control
• Site Closure Institutional Closures
• Clock/Credit hours

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What are the most common changes?

• New Sites/Locations
• Distance Learning
• New Degree Level/Professional Degree
• Others Contractual agreements changes in
  ownership

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Understanding the Process

• Originally part of Committee on Follow-Up
• Substantive changes go to Executive Committee of
  the Commission
• Meets every two months
• Committee readers are assigned proposals
• Role of the staff liaison
• Consent agenda
• Meetings via conference call
• Committee Actions

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Preparing a Report

• One page executive summary
• What is the change, purpose, and how does it fit
  into the mission
• Financial impact
• Legal authorization to conduct the program or
  activity (state approval, etc.)
• Additional documentation and evidence

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What to include in the report

• Dont assume the readers know about you
• Include any relevant documents, such as
• Basic planning documents such as budgets and
  financing
• Resources (faculty, library, facilities, etc.)
• Analysis of impact on the institution
• Intended constituency
• Governance and administrative structure
• Assessment plans
• Records of institutional processes for approving
  the activities, contractual arrangements,
  publications, etc.

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Additional Materials to Include

• Branch campuses educational programs and
  financial projections, governance, oversight,
  services and resources at the site
• New degree programs constituency, faculty
  resources, educational resources, assessment
  processes for the degree
• Additional locations access to resources,
  oversight
• Distance learning programs technology, access to
  library, campus resources, assessment, etc.
• Rapid Growth enrollment projections,
  institutional impact and resources
• Approval of state or other agencies
• Dont assume anything

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What do readers look for?

• Type of change
• Relations to institutional mission
• Readiness for review (are all supporting
  documents included such as budget, impact
  analysis, resources, need, etc.)
• Is there evidence of sufficient resources,
  outcomes assessment, proper oversight,
  appropriate planning, realistic projections
• Impact on other campus programs?
• Related entities and contractual agreements

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Planning Ahead

• Allow sufficient time to submit the report
• Submission deadlines 1st business day of
  January, March, May, July, September, November
• Committee Action 3rd Wednesday of February,
  April, June, August, October, December
• Dont let change sneak up on you
• Fees, visits, and follow ups
• When in doubt, ask your staff liaison!

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New Challenges and Developments

• More title IV audit reviews
• New programs that might not follow logically from
  existing programs may need to be reviewed
• Requirements will change as result of Higher
  Education Act
• More Distance Learning Review
• Standard 13 related to Substantive Change
• Keep informed of the policy on-line

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Resources

• Policy on substantive change
• Commission website www.msche.org
• Staff liaison
• FAQ