An effective self-study process.*

• Fits the distinctive nature of the organiztion
• Achieves stated goals that guide the design and the conduct of the process
• Ensures effective evaluation of the whole organization
• Promises to have an impact on the organization beyond the Commission visit
• Engages multiple constituencies of the organization
• Builds natually on existing and ongoing self-evaluation process
• Has strong presidential and board support
• Draws on the expertise and credibility of recognized leaders throughout the organization
• Maintains regular and effective communication links with organizational constituencies
• Produces evidence to show that the Commission's Criteria for Accreditation are met
• Produces a self-study report that meets the Commission's needs
• Testifies to the organization's commitment to peer review

Practical Advice for Creating and Conducting an Effective Self-Study Process

Make Good Preparations

Build on the context of the organization and its ongoing planning

• Create the stated organizational goals or outcomes for the process; if there are expected priorities for organizational issues, make them clear.
• Identify anticipated changes or improvements that need to be integrated into the self-study process or the self-study report (for example, review of a change requiring Commission approval.)
• Make explicit the organization's values and culture that the self-study process must honor.
• Propose the appropriate linkages between the self-study process and ongoing planning endeavors.
• Understand the U.S. Department of Education compliance components and ongoing planning endeavors.
• Consult with Commission staff as needed to determine how the self-study process can be used to meet objectives of the organization's leadership.
• Determine the size of eh committee in relation to tasks that only the members of the committee can achieve.
• Use a smaller, more efficient committee charged with creating and working with multiple subcommittees or working groups.

Models to Craft the Self-Study Design

• Craft the self-study process around the Criteria for Accreditation.
• Craft the self-study process around the themes identified by the Commission.
• Craft the self-study process around functional areas of the organization.
• Organize the self-study process to fit continuous quality improvement structures and processes (including benchmarking as appropriate.
• Structure the self-study process around strategic planning processes.
• Build the self-study process around a major mission review process.
• Build the self-study proces around selected topical headings.
• Create the self-study process to support a learning organization.
• Develop a customized self-study process in consultation with staff liaison.

Early in the Process

Organization's Leaderships and steering committee must agree on

• Establish timelines that fit the time available before the team visit.
• The tasks to be done.
• The expected outcomes of the process.
• The budget for the process.

Involve the Right People in the Process

• Experienced with accreditation, including, if possible, a few veterans who did it a decade earlier.
• Able to focus on the organization, mitigating against silo-thinking.
• Recognized for their credibility within the organization.
• Highly visible and influential within the organization.

Keep in Mind

• Be very conscious of the risk of task overloading.
• Recognize the work being accomplished.
• Provide training, guides, and consultant help, if necessary.
• Support networking activities.

Establish and Use Effective Structures, Processes, and Techniques

As the steering committee and coordinators plan for the process ahead of them,

• Creating structures or processes that involve a broad range of constituencies.
• Using technology for data collection, communication, and networking
• Establishing effective coordination of all processes within the larger self-study process.
• Providing effective data management.
• Overseeing effective use of the budget for the self-study process.
• Creating a process check system.
• Including ways to have fun.

Plan for Writing the report

• Choose one or more writers/editors and clearly define their responsibilies
• Weigh how direct the linkages must be between working papser generated through the process
• Create a timeframe for writing, and create strategies for review and revision.
• Develop the strategy for providing data in the report.

The Self-Study Design Should Include

• The self-study calendar and timetable.
• The organization's goals for the self-study process.
• The fit between the self-study process and the self-study report, and how they will meet both the Commission's and the organization's needs.
• A working outline that may become the table of contents for the self-study report.

Hallmarks of an Effective Self-Study Report

Substance over graphic design

Provides

• A brief evaluative profile ofthe organization, including special qualities and distinctive programs
• A summary of significant changes that have occurred since the last comprehensive evaluation
• A brief summary of the organizations accreditation history
• A brief evaluation of the thoroughness of the self-study process
• A summary of the organization's undertanding of and response to the major issues identified by the last team(s)
• An explicit evaluation of how the organization fulfills each of the Criteria for Accredtation through meeting the Core Components

Teams also find the following very helpful

• A clear explanation of the purposes of and audience for the report
• A clear explanation of how the report is organized
• Identification early in the report of any requests for change that are included
• A useful table of contents
• Effective cross-referencing with the report
• Indexed citations in the report corresponding to appendices to the report and exhibits in the resource room

Teams expect

• Use of information and data to create evidence to support the organization's self-study
• Thoughtful analysis of evidence
• Easily identified and succinctly stated institutional priorities for improvement
• Honest evaluation, not public realations, characterizes the tone and content of the report

*All information quoted from The Higher Learning Commission Handbook of Accreditation, version 1:10/03