AQIP: An Alternative NCA Accreditation Procedure

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AQIP An Alternative NCA Accreditation Procedure

• Presented to the Department Chair Retreat
  November 4, 2005

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AQIP

• Academic
• Quality
• Improvement
• Program

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What is AQIP?

• An accreditation option from The Higher Learning
  Commission of the North Central Association of
  Colleges and Schools
• A program for self-directed systematic
  improvement of the institution
• A system for maintaining accreditation while
  pursuing continuing performance improvement

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How is AQIP different from the traditional
accreditation process?

• AQIP focuses on the future of the institution
  rather than requiring a retrospective report
• Institutions can concentrate on specific areas of
  improvement that are determined by the
  institution, not the accrediting agency
• AQIP is an on-going process, not something the
  institution does every ten years
• Allows the institution to choose and focus on
  specific areas of improvement

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How is AQIP different from the traditional
accreditation process?

• Emphasis in AQIP is similar to the foundations of
  many new quality initiatives
• Modeled after the Baldridge Quality Awards
• Decisions must be data driven
• Dont collect data unless you first have a
  question to answer
• Abandon processes without goals
• Be proactive instead of reactive
• Focus on prevention instead of inspection

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Who is Involved with AQIP?

• AQIP is an institutional initiative that involves
  all stakeholders
• Students
• Faculty
• Staff
• Administration
• Board of Trustees
• Employers
• Community

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Cycles of Improvement

• Action Projects and Systems Portfolio -every year
• Strategy Forum and System Appraisal - every four
  (4) years
• Initial Strategy forum involves the
  administration, members of the Board, faculty,
  and staff
• Check-up Visit and Reaffirmation of Accreditation
  - (7) years

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What is required for AQIP?

• Interest Exploration and Self-Assessment
• Action Projects At least 3 specific improvement
  projects must be chosen (instructional and/or
  non-instructional) update annually on-line
• Strategy Forum Interactive forum with other
  institutions to review each others action
  projects and provide and receive feedback
• Systems Portfolio Document improvements in the
  processes the institution uses to achieve its
  goals and the performance results it obtains.
  Created once and then updated with changes and
  results

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What is required for AQIP?

• System Appraisal Written appraisal of the
  portfolio with actionable feedback
• Reaffirmation of Accreditation Reviews evidence
  from the action cycles and strategy cycles that
  resulted in measurable performance improvement
• Quality Check-Up Confirms the improvements an
  institution is making and the accuracy of the
  evidence

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Examples of Action Projects

• Cuyahoga Community College Increase Student
  Retention through Proactive Intervention and
  Programming
• Cuyahoga Community College Fully Implement
  Student Outcomes Assessment and Academic Program
  Review
• Cuyahoga Community College Improve Employee
  Recruitment and Hiring Process
• Sinclair Community College High School
  Linkages-Student Readiness

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Overall, AQIP asks

• Are you doing the right things Things that are
  most important to achieve your institutional
  goals?
• Are you doing things right Effectively,
  efficiently, in ways that truly satisfy the needs
  of those you serve?

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General Comments

• The accreditation process for most programs tends
  to focus on continuous improvement and mirrors
  the AQIP philosophy
• This trend is likely to apply to institutional
  accreditation in the future

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Strengths Concerns

• Focus To help students learn
• Continuous improvement
• Many people are involved
• Major focus on 3 projects
• Projects are part of everyday activities

• Fear of the unknown
• Ongoing workload
• Many people are involved
• Concern that NCA will not know us well
• Learning curve related to a new process

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Strengths Concerns

• Accreditation process for many programs mirrors
  AQIP so additional work decreased
• Faculty and staff have ownership and vision about
  college direction
• Accreditation becomes more meaningful
• Identifies Lakeland as a quality institution

• Perception that process is more work
• Perception that this is a fad
• Will require effort of many people
• Complacency will need to be addressed