Self-Study Design Middle States Commission

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Self-Study Design

Middle States Commission on Higher Education

July 7, 2017

Table of Contents

I. Institutional Overview 3

II. Intended Outcomes of Self-Study 4

III. Organizational Structure 5

IV. Guidelines/Charges to Working Groups 9

V. Organization of the Self-Study Report 15

VI. Style, Formatting, and Collaboration Guidelines for Self-Study Report 17

VII. Self-Study Timeline 20

VIII. Communications Plan 21

IX. Profile of Evaluation Team 22

Appendix I: Documentation Roadmap

2 I. Institutional Overview

Arcadia University’s main campus is in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Its 65 acres represent the terminus of a journey across Pennsylvania that began over 160 years ago, the home of a vibrant comprehensive university, and a home base for global exploration by our current students.

The flag posts of the journey to Glenside are multiple. Beaver Female Seminary was founded in 1853 in western Pennsylvania, at the confluence of the Ohio and Beaver Rivers. Nineteen years later the school attained collegiate status and changed its name to Beaver College. Beaver College moved to Jenkintown, PA, near Philadelphia, in 1925 and acquired the present campus in nearby Glenside in 1928. More recently, Beaver College became a coeducational institution in 1972 and, in 2001, the Pennsylvania State Department of Education approved the institution for university status. At that point, the institution was also renamed Arcadia University.

During this journey, Arcadia not only changed its name and transformed its mission, but also grew larger and more comprehensive. Academically, the University currently offers forty-nine undergraduate programs leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Fine Arts. At the graduate level, the University offers fourteen degree programs at the Masters level, two doctorate programs, six dual degree programs and nineteen graduate certificate programs. These programs enroll approximately 2,650 undergraduate students and another 1,350 graduate students. Physically, the University now owns over 100 acres, with additional locations in Christiana, DE (where a branch of our Physician Assistant program operates) and Willow Grove, PA (where our Forensic Science program is based).

Moreover, since 1948, Arcadia University has offered international programming for students seeking a global perspective as part of their undergraduate education. The College of Global Studies runs 130 programs in 12 foreign countries, each year enrolling several thousand students from more than 350 colleges and universities across the nation. In addition, a recent collaboration with the Global Pathways Institute in Mumbai, India allows the teaching of the first two years of Arcadia’s distinctive undergraduate curriculum to native students, offering an alternative route to higher education for students in one of the world’s fastest growing nations.

Consistently ranked number one by the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors for student participation in study abroad, three-quarters of our current students will use their passports before they graduate.

Among undergraduates at our main campus we maintain a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. We have built our graduate programs upon the same principle. Arcadia faculty know their students and work closely with them in pursuit of their personal and professional goals.

Our distinctive undergraduate curriculum encourages students to engage in integrative learning, global reflection, and experiential learning while creating opportunities for students to deepen their skills in areas as diverse as quantitative reasoning, writing, and visual literacy. In this way, Arcadia builds upon a strong liberal arts tradition and a legacy of distinction in global education to provide a distinctively global, integrative, and personal learning experience for intellectually

3 curious undergraduate and graduate students for a life of scholarship, service, and professional contribution.

As we begin the Self-Study process, the University faces several challenges. In Sping 2017, the University Board of Trustees determined it would not renew the contract of President Nicolette DeVille Christensen, launched a search for a new president, and began planning for an interim president to lead the University through a transition period. The search for a new President should be completed, and a new President inaugurated, by time the review team visits. The University also completed a long-planned campus climate survey in Spring 2017. The data generated by the survey reveal significant concerns among faculty and staff about governance, decision-making processes, and communication at Arcadia. At the same time, the University currently faces a significant budget deficit, and student enrollments lower than projected.

The University faces these challenges head-on in the Self-Study. As outlined in Section II below, the Self-Study’s Intended Outcomes focus on reprioritizing academic programming, developing additional means of assessing performance, and strengthening shared governance across the University. In addition, the University intends to use its Self-Study to launch the next cycle of strategic planning. The University’s current Strategic Plan ends in Spring 2018. During 2017-18, the Board of Trustees, in conjunction with the President’s and Provost’s Cabinet and in consultation with the Faculty Senate and the Staff Council, is expected to extend the current Strategic Plan for two years, through the conclusion of the 2019-20 academic year. This extension will allow the new President to lead the creation of a new strategic plan that builds on the findings and recommendations of our Self-Study Report, to guide the University’s activities in the coming years.

II. Intended Outcomes of Self-Study

Throughout the Self-Study process, we will assess and demonstrate how Arcadia University meets the seven Standards for Accreditation and how we strategically plan to advance the University’s mission, vision, and goals by achieving the following goals: ● Expand upon current accreditation and program review processes to go beyond course- and program-specific learning outcomes in order to critically assess the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of programs using academic or unit-based, fiscal, and qualitative metrics in order to identify and support sustainable centers of excellence as well as areas of improvement and/or growth. ● Within an emerging model of financial stewardship, establish evidence-based recommendations to improve the effectiveness and implementation of strategic and annual planning processes to efficiently align campus resources in order to better meet the University’s mission, vision, and goals.

4 ● Engage the campus community in the development and implementation of a common definition of Shared Governance that provides for appropriate involvement in and communication of University decisions and priorities.

III. Organizational Structure

Arcadia University’s Self-Study process will be inclusive of the entire campus community, allowing for participation from a wide array of constituent groups and stakeholders: senior administrative leadership, faculty, staff, students, and alumni. To reflect Arcadia’s core commitment to global education and the importance of our College of Global Studies (CGS), a CGS representative will sit on each of the working groups. The Self-Study process will be managed through the following organizational structure:

Executive Committee

The role of the Executive Committee shall consist of: facilitation of the entire Self-Study process; communication with the President’s office as to the progress of the Self-Study and the work of the Steering Committee and Working Groups; communication and scheduling with the MSCHE Liaison and the Evaluation Team; composition of the Self-Study Design and Documentation Roadmap; providing support and logistical assistance to the Steering Committee as needed--particularly on administrative tasks such as the hosting of the Middle State liaison and the visiting team.

The Executive Committee’s primary responsibilities include completing the Self-Study Design, managing the creation and development of the Documentation Roadmap, managing the

5 completion of the compliance report, and planning the three visits of representatives from Middle States to campus. The Steering Committee has one primary responsibility—completing the Self-Study.

Our intention in establishing an Executive Committee (in addition to a Steering Committee) is threefold: ● To give the University a head start on completing the preliminary work necessary to initiate the Self-Study process; ● To maximize the efficiency by which the administrative tasks required in the Self-Study process are completed; and ● To allow the faculty and staff members who serve as co-chairs of the respective working groups—and, thus, as members the Steering Committee—the opportunity to focus their time and energy on the core assessment work of the Self-Study.

Members of the Executive Committee are: ● John Hoffman, co-Chair, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs ● John Noakes, co-Chair, Accreditation Liaison Officer and Associate Professor/Chair, Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice ● Diane Bockrath, Cataloger and Archive Liaison ● Will Paddock, Director of Institutional Research ● Julie Rosner-Lengele, University Controller ● Diane Taylor-Alleyne, Associate Dean of Students ● Nancy G. Rosoff, ex-officio (Steering Committee co-Chair), Dean of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies ● Jonathan Shandell, ex-officio (Steering Committee co-Chair), Associate Professor/Program co-Director, Theater Arts

Steering Committee

The role of the Steering Committee shall consist of: oversight and coordination of all Working Groups; compilation and editing of all sections of the Self-Study Report; communication with the Executive Committee, the President’s office and other campus constituencies regarding the work of all Working Groups and the composition of the Self-Study Report as needed; communication periodically with the Campus Community regarding the Self-Study process.

Members of the Steering Committee are: ● Nancy G. Rosoff, co-Chair, Dean of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies ● Jonathan Shandell, co-Chair, Associate Professor/Program co-Director, Theater Arts ● Dan DiPrinzio, co-Chair Working Group E, Director of University Communications ● Michael Dwyer, co-Chair Working Group D, Associate Professor of Media and Communications ● Larissa Gordon, co-Chair Working Group C, Assistant Professor/Librarian ● Kay Greene, co-Chair, Working Group D, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies

6 ● Heather Horowitz, co-Chair Working Group C, Director of Engagement and New Student Programming ● Lauren Howard, co-Chair Working Group A, Associate Professor of Biology ● Anne Leonard, co-Chair Working Group A, Administrative Manager for Graduate and Undergraduate Studies ● Kate Mangione, co-Chair Working Group B, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy ● Scott Terry, co-Chair Working Group B, International Program Manager ● Kathy Valverde, co-Chair Working Group E, Associate Professor and Chair of Genetic Counselling ● Charles Lentz, Chair, Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee ● John Noakes, ex-officio (Executive Committee co-Chair),Accreditation Liaison Officer Officer and Associate Professor/Chair, Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice

Working Groups

See Section IV for a description of the role of the Working Groups collectively, and the charge to each Working Group individually. Members of the Working Groups are:

Working Group A: ● Lauren Howard, co-Chair, Associate Professor of Biology ● Anne Leonard, co-Chair, Administrative Manager for Graduate and Undergraduate Studies ● Jon Church, Professor of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice ● Maryam Deloffre, Assistant Professor of Historical and Political Studies ● Jessie Guinn, Assistant Academic Dean--STEM, College of Global Studies, ● Katie DiSantis, Assistant Professor of Public Health ● Jeff Spence, Director of Alumni Relations ● Ashling Suppan, Enrollment Management Counsellor ● May Their-Aye, Coordinator of Diversity Programs and Initiatives ● Steph Maggio (Fall 17), Student ● Kristen Stedman (Spring 18), Student ● Olivia Romano, Student ● Diane Bockrath, ex-officio (Executive Committee), Cataloger and Archive Liaison

Working Group B: ● Kate Mangione, co-Chair, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy ● Scott Terry, co-Chair, International Program Manager ● Kate Bonin, Assistant Professor of Modern Languages ● Dan Brumbach, Senior Graphic Designer, University Relations ● Raghu Kurthakoti, Assistant Professor of Marketing, School of Global Business ● Tyler Mitchell, Senior Programmer Analyst, Information Technology ● Alison Lalond Wyant, Assistant Academic Dean of Experiential Education, College of Global Studies ● Emmie Parker, Student

7 ● Leah Mangold (Fall 17), Student ● Dian Taylor-Alleyne, ex-officio (Executive Committee), Associate Dean of Students

Working Group C: ● Larissa Gordon, co-Chair, Assistant Professor/Librarian ● Heather Horowitz, co-Chair, Director of Engagement and New Student Programming ● Tim Barton, Director of Student Life and Support Services, College of Global Studies ● Laurie Bushar, Professor and Chair of Biology ● Marissa Deitch, Director of Career Education ● Mike Hebenstreit, Athletics Business Manager ● Matthew Heitzman, Assistant Professor of English ● Elijah Wilson, Student ● Madalyn Swaltek, Student ● John Noakes, ex-officio (Executive Committee co-Chair), Compliance Officer and Associate Professor/Chair, Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice

Working Group D: ● Michael Dwyer, co-Chair, Associate Professor of Media and Communications ● Kay Greene, co-Chair, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies ● Kira Baker-Doyle, Associate Professor of Education ● Christian Cintron-Marsh, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies ● Jennifer Matisoff, Assistant Professor of English ● Carol Radle, Director of Institutional Planning and Budget ● David Rudd, Director of Strategic Planning and Research, College of Global Studies ● Tessa Kilcourse, Student ● Kiersten Griesback, Student ● Will Paddock, ex-officio (Executive Committee), Director of Institutional Research

Working Group E: ● Dan DiPrinzio, co-Chair, Director of University Communications ● Kathy Valverde, co-Chair, Associate Professor and Chair of Genetic Counselling ● Christina Brown, Associate Professor of Psychology ● Colleen Burke, Chief Operating Officer, College of Global Studies ● Marnie Christian, Assistant Vice President for Development ● Bre Donnelly, Director of Residence and Commuter Life ● Alex Otieno, Instructor of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice ● Peter Siskind, Assistant Professor and Chair of Historical and Political Studies ● Kathleen Waters, Human Resources Specialist ● Domick Bierwisch, Student ● Claire Murtha, Student ● Julie Rosner-Lengele, ex-officio (Executive Committee), University Controller

8 IV. Guidelines/Charges to Working Groups

General Charge for All Working Groups

All Working Groups will proceed with the work of composing sections of the Self-Study Report by doing all of the following: 1. Develop four to eight pertinent research questions to guide the Group’s assessment of the assigned MSCHE Standard(s) and Arcadia University Strategic Plan themes (as outlined below). 2. Collect and review relevant documents, including (but not limited to) those specified in the “Documentation Roadmap.” Links to documents relevant to this Working Group’s research that were not previously referenced on the “Documentation Roadmap” should be added to the appropriate section of that document. 3. Engage the campus community and its various constituencies (ie. administration, faculty, staff, students, alumni, trustees) to collect a comprehensive range of perspectives and insights. 4. Consult actively with the offices and individuals on campus with direct expertise and experience in the relevant subject area. 5. Collaborate and share documents and information with other Working Groups whenever appropriate. 6. Respond to feedback or additional requests offered by the Steering Committee. 7. Provide periodic updates and drafts of portions of the Self-Study Report as requested by the Steering Committee.

Working Group A

This working group will compose the section of the Self-Study Report related to: ● MSCHE Standard I: Mission and Goals ● MSCHE Standard II: Ethics and Integrity

Working Group A is charged with: 1. Examining documentation, processes, policies, and procedures as they relate to Arcadia’s mission and goals (including its Strategic Planning process), to the fulfillment of the Requirements of Affiliation #7 and #10 (as related to the university’s mission and goals), and the university’s pursuit of Theme 3 (Deepening the University’s Engagement with

9 External Communities) and Theme 5 (Committing to Institutional Diversity and Global Engagement) in the university’s 2013-2018 Strategic Plan. 2. Evaluating strengths, and weaknesses in regards to Arcadia’s articulation, pursuit and assessment of is mission and goals, including the Strategic Planning process. 3. Examining documentation, processes, policies, and procedures as they relate to Arcadia’s pursuit of the highest ethical standards. 4. Evaluating strengths and weaknesses in regards to Arcadia’s articulation of its institutional ethics and its fulfillment of the highest ethical standards. 5. Offering recommendations to the Self-Study Steering Committee to be considered as the final Self-Study Report is composed, as well as in the creation of the university’s next Strategic Plan. These recommendations shall be related to Arcadia’s fulfillment of MSCHE Standards I and II, substantive in nature, and tied to current institutional priorities.

MSCHE Standards: ● Standard I: The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission. ● Standard II: Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. In all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.

Requirements of Affiliation: ● #7 - The institution has a statement of mission and goals, approved by its governing body, that defines its purpose within the context of higher education. ● #10 - Institutional planning integrates goals for academic and institutional effectiveness and improvement, student achievement of educational goals, student learning, and the results of academic and institutional assessments.

Working Group B

This working group will compose the section of the Self-Study Report related to ● MSCHE Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience.

Working Group B is charged with:

10 1. Examining documentation, processes, policies, and procedures as they relate to design and delivery of the student learning experience at Arcadia, to the fulfillment of Requirements of Affiliation #8-10 and #15 (as pertaining to design and delivery of the student learning experience), and to the university’s pursuit of Theme 1: Enhancing Academic Excellence in the university’s 2013-2018 Strategic Plan. 2. Evaluating strengths, and weaknesses in regards to Arcadia’s design and delivery of the student learning experience throughout the university. 3. Offering recommendations to the Self-Study Steering Committee to be considered as the final Self-Study Report is composed, as well as in the creation of the university’s next Strategic Plan. These recommendations shall be related to Arcadia’s fulfillment of MSCHE Standard III, substantive in nature and tied to current institutional priorities.

MSCHE Standard: ● Standard III: An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. all learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations.

Requirements of Affiliation: ● #8 - The institution systematically evaluates its educational and other programs and makes public how well and in what ways it is accomplishing its purposes. ● #9 - The institution’s student learning programs and opportunities are characterized by rigor, coherence, and appropriate assessment of student achievement throughout the educational offerings, regardless of certificate or degree level or delivery and instructional modality. ● #10 - Institutional planning integrates goals for academic and institutional effectiveness and improvement, student achievement of educational goals, student learning, and the results of academic and institutional assessments. ● #15. The institution has a core of faculty (fulltime or part-time) and/or other appropriate professionals with sufficient responsibility to the institution to assure the continuity and coherence of the institution’s educational programs.

11 Working Group C

This working group will compose the section of the Self-Study Report related to ● MSCHE Standard IV: Support of the Student Learning Experience

Working Group C is charged with: 1. Examining documentation, processes, policies, and procedures as they relate to support of the student learning experience at Arcadia, to the fulfillment of Requirements of Affiliation #8 and 10 (as pertaining to support of the student learning experience), and to the university’s pursuit of Theme 2: Strengthening a People-Focused University Community in the university’s 2013-2018 Strategic Plan. 2. Evaluating strengths and weaknesses in regards to Arcadia’s design and delivery of the student learning experience throughout the university. 3. Offering recommendations to the Self-Study Steering Committee to be considered as the final Self-Study Report is composed, as well as in the creation of the university’s next Strategic Plan. These recommendations shall be related to Arcadia’s fulfillment of MSCHE Standard IV, substantive in nature and tied to current institutional priorities.

MSCHE Standard: ● Standard IV: Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.

Requirements of Affiliation: ● #8 - The institution systematically evaluates its educational and other programs and makes public how well and in what ways it is accomplishing its purposes. ● #10 - Institutional planning integrates goals for academic and institutional effectiveness and improvement, student achievement of educational goals, student learning, and the results of academic and institutional assessments.

12 Working Group D

This working group will compose the section of the Self-Study Report related to ● MSCHE Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment

Working Group D is charged with: 1. Examining documentation, processes, policies, and procedures as they relate to educational effectiveness assessment at Arcadia, to the fulfillment of Requirements of Affiliation #8 -10 (as pertaining to educational effectiveness assessment), and to the university’s pursuit of Theme 1: Enhancing Academic Excellence in the university’s 2013-2018 Strategic Plan. 2. Evaluating strengths and weaknesses in regards to Arcadia’s assessments of educational effectiveness. 3. Offering recommendations to the Self-Study Steering Committee to be considered as the final Self-Study Report is composed, as well as in the creation of the university’s next Strategic Plan. These recommendations shall be related to Arcadia’s fulfillment of MSCHE Standard V, substantive in nature and tied to current institutional priorities.

MSCHE Standard: ● Standard V: Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution's students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution's mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.

13 Working Group E

This working group will compose the section of the Self-Study Report related to ● MSCHE Standard VI: Planning, Resources and Administration ● MSCHE Standard VII: Governance, Leadership and Administration

Working Group E is charged with: 1. Examining documentation, processes, policies, and procedures as they relate to planning, resource allocation, governance and administration at Arcadia, to the fulfillment of Requirements of Affiliation #8 and 10-13 (as pertaining to planning, resource allocation, governance,and administrative leadership), and to the university’s pursuit of Theme 4: Improving the University’s Resources, Financial Processes and Infrastructure in the university’s 2013-2018 Strategic Plan. 2. Evaluating strengths and weaknesses in regards to planning, resource allocation, governance and administration at Arcadia University. 3. Offering recommendations to the Self-Study Steering Committee to be considered as the final Self-Study Report is composed, as well as in the creation of the university’s next Strategic Plan. These recommendations shall be related to Arcadia’s fulfillment of MSCHE Standards VI and VII, substantive in nature and tied to current institutional priorities.

MSCHE Standards: ● MSCHE Standard VI: The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges. ● MSCHE Standard VII: The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. even when supported by or affiliated with governmental, corporate, religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.

Requirements of Affiliation: ● #8 - The institution systematically evaluates its educational and other programs and makes public how well and in what ways it is accomplishing its purposes. ● #10 - Institutional planning integrates goals for academic and institutional effectiveness and improvement, student achievement of educational goals, student learning, and the results of academic and institutional assessments.

14 ● #11 - The institution has documented financial resources, funding base, and plans for financial development, including those from any related entities (including without limitation systems, religious sponsorship, and corporate ownership) adequate to support its educational purposes and programs and to ensure financial stability. e institution demonstrates a record of responsible fiscal management, has a prepared budget for the current year, and undergoes an external financial audit on an annual basis. ● #12 - The institution fully discloses its legally constituted governance structure(s) including any related entities (including without limitation systems, religious sponsorship, and corporate ownership). e institution’s governing body is responsible for the quality and integrity of the institution and for ensuring that the institution’s mission is being carried out. ● # 13 - A majority of the institution’s governing body’s members have no employment, family, ownership, or other personal financial interest in the institution. e governing body adheres to a conflict of interest policy that assures that those interests are disclosed and that they do not interfere with the impartiality of governing body members or outweigh the greater duty to secure and ensure the academic and fiscal integrity of the institution. e institution’s district/system or other chief executive officer shall not serve as the chair of the governing body.

V. Organization of the Self-Study Report

Reports from Working Groups A-E will be synthesized into a comprehensive final Self-Study Report, to be submitted to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in advance of the Evaluation Team visit. The final Self-Study Report will be organized as follows (with each section listed below including links to relevant items catalogued in the Documentation Roadmap):

I. Executive Summary of Key Findings and Recommendations

II. Description of the Self-Study Process

III. Glossary of Arcadia Acronyms/Abbreviations contained in Self-Study Report

IV. Institutional Profile

V. Report from Working Group A—MSCHE Standard I: Mission and Goals, and Standard II: Ethics and Integrity; Arcadia Strategic Plan Theme 3 (Deepening the University’s Engagement with External Communities) and Theme 5 (Committing to Institutional Diversity and Global Engagement)

15 A. Overview B. Analysis and Summary of Findings (areas of strength and for improvement) C. Recommendations

VI. Report from Working Group B—MSCHE Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience; Arcadia Strategic Plan Theme 1: Enhancing Academic Excellence A. Overview B. Analysis and Summary of Findings (areas of strength and for improvement) C. Recommendations

VII. Report from Working Group C—MSCHE Standard IV: Support of the Student Learning Experience; Arcadia Strategic Plan Theme 2: Strengthening a People-Focused University Community A. Overview B. Analysis and Summary of Findings (areas of strength and for improvement) C. Recommendations

VIII. Report from Working Group D—MSCHE Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment; Arcadia Strategic Plan Theme 1: Enhancing Academic Excellence A. Overview B. Analysis and Summary of Findings (areas of strength and for improvement) C. Recommendations

IX. Report from Working Group E—MSCHE Standard VI: Planning, Resources and Administration, and Standard VII: Governance, Leadership and Administration; Arcadia Strategic Plan Theme 4: Improving the University’s Resources, Financial Processes and Infrastructure A. Overview B. Analysis and Summary of Findings (areas of strength and for improvement) C. Recommendations

X. Conclusion: Summary of Major Findings and Recommendations

XI. Appendices A. Document Roadmap B. Additional documentation C. References

16 VI. Style, Formatting, and Collaboration Guidelines for Self-Study Report

In the composing of sections of the Self-Study Report, all Working Groups shall conform to the guidelines outlined below. Following these guidelines will assist the Steering Committee in achieving uniformity of style and formatting across the entire Self-Study Report, and will facilitate collaboration among working groups and the Steering Committee.

Formatting and Technical Guidelines

Formatting/Technical Option Specifications

Font Times New Roman, 12 point. Use underlining for emphasis, sparingly.

Margins 1” margins on top, bottom, left and right

Spacing Single spaced paragraphs with no indent; double spacing between paragraphs

Section Headings Bold font, Roman numerals, title case, no final punctuation, double space following

Level 1 Sub-headings Underlined font, title case, no final punctuation, double space following

Level 2 Sub-headings Italics font, sentence case, colon (:) as final punctuation only when immediately followed by a numbered or bulleted list, single space following

Page numbering 12 pt. Times New Roman, bottom right-hand corner of page

Date formatting MM-DD-YYYY

Table formatting First row or column shaded with boldface type (as appropriate); all cells Times New Roman 12 pt, single spaced, left justified.

17 Grammatical and Stylistic Guidelines

Grammatical/Stylistic Option Specifications

Acronyms and Abbreviations Write out first usage with preferred abbreviation or acronym following in parentheses—e.g., “Arcadia University Curriculum (AUC).” Use abbreviation or acronym thereafter.

References to Arcadia University Use “Arcadia University,” “Arcadia” or “the University.” Avoid using other phrasings.

Voice and Tense Use third person, present tense constructions. Active voice is preferable to passive voice. Strive for clear, concise, jargon-free language.

Names, Positions and Offices Whenever possible, refer to the official title of positions and offices (title case), rather than the names of the individuals who hold those positions. Arrange lists of names in alphabetical order by last name.

Numbers Spell out numbers for quantities of ninety-nine and fewer. Use Arabic numerals for quantities of 100 and greater.

Punctuation In lists of three or more items, use the Oxford comma before the “and”—e.g., “Faculty, staff, and students.” Place final punctuation marks inside of quotation marks at the end of a sentence. Insert only one space after the final punctuation mark of a sentence.

Self-Study The phrase “Self-Study” is always hyphenated and capitalized.

18 Working and Collaboration Guidelines

Working/Collaboration Option Specifications

Software Working Groups may conduct their internal writing work using whatever word processing platform and methods of collaboration its members prefer. All sharing of documents with the Steering Committee—including requested in-progress drafts—must be completed on Arcadia’s Google Drive/Google Docs platform. Therefore, Working Groups are encouraged to use Google Drive/Google Docs throughout the Self-Study process.

File naming When sharing sections of the Self-Study Report on Google Drive/Google Docs (either in final or draft state), name those files with Working Group Name and Date, ie. “Working Group A 05-01-2017”

File sharing and permission When sharing sections of the Self-Study Report on Google Drive/Google Docs (either in final or draft state) with the Steering Committee, provide all members of Steering Committee with “Can edit” permission. Working Groups can use their own discretion when collaborating with other groups or individuals, and when sharing other kinds of materials (e.g., reference documents, data collected, meeting notes) with the Steering Committee.

19 VII. Self-Study Timeline

Fall 2016 Representatives Attend Self-Study Institute Executive Committee convened Self-Study co-chairs named Working group structure established

Spring 2017 Working Group co-chairs and members named Working Groups convened Compliance subcommittee convened Self-Study Design completed Preliminary Documentation Roadmap completed Self-Study Steering Committee convened Visit by Dr. Christy Faison, Middle States Institutional Liaison

Summer 2017 Revisions to Self-Study Design completed

Fall 2017 Steering Committee oversees research and reporting by Working Groups Working Groups invite community to participate in Self-Study process. Compliance Subcommittee begins to compile documents Documentation Roadmap Committee updates Document Roadmap Working Groups submit preliminary reports

Spring 2018 Evaluation team selected by MSCHE Chair of evaluation team works with institution to select date for Chair’s visit to institution Copy of Self-Study Design sent to Chair of evaluation team Documentation Roadmap Committee updates Document Roadmap (Rosoff, Paddock, Bockrath) Working Groups complete draft of respective sections of Self-Study Report

Summer 2018 Steering Committee Co-Chairs compile and edit first draft of Self-Study report

20 Fall 2018 Campus community invited to review draft of Self-Study Draft of Self-study Report sent to Chair of evaluation team Chair of evaluation team makes preliminary visit to campus Compliance Subcommittee completes report (Noakes; Elnick; Taylor-Alleyne; Rihl-Lewinsky; Callahan Steering Committee finalizes Self-Study Report

Spring 2019 Final Self-Study Report sent to evaluation team members Evaluation Team visit Evaluation Team report Institutional Response

Summer 2019 MSCHE meeting and Commission Action (June 4, 2019)

VIII. Communications Plan

The central platform for communication regarding Arcadia’s Self-Study process will be a dedicated web portal (currently under construction). This portal will feature general information about MSCHE’s Self-Study process, as well as various materials specific to Arcadia’s Self-Study, including: the composition of the Working Groups, Steering Committee, and Executive Committee; the MSCHE Standard(s) of Accreditation assigned to each Working Group; and announcements of all campus events related to the Self-Study. Information provided on the portal will be reinforced periodically (as circumstances warrant) with strategic campus-wide email announcements and with in-person updates provided by Steering Committee co-chairs to Faculty Senate, Staff Assembly, and Student Government. The Chair of the Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee serves on the Steering Committee and will work with the Provost to provide updates to the Board of Trustees at each of their three semiannual meetings.

Each Working Group will formulate its own strategy for seeking input from the campus community and for conducting open forums for students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders during 2017-18. Co-chairs of the Steering Committee will periodically update the campus community about the progress of the Self-Study, using the web page and email announcements, as appropriate.

In addition, there will be multiple opportunities—both online and in-person—for members of the campus community to comment about the Self-Study Report, especially during Fall 2018 semester, as the Steering Committee assembles the report and prepares for submission to MSCHE.

21 IX. Profile of Evaluation Team

Arcadia is a comprehensive university with a strong liberal arts tradition and an array of strong graduate professional programs. Arcadia University is comprised of the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Global Studies, College of Health Sciences, School of Education, and School of Global Business. With approximately 2,650 undergraduate and 1,350 graduate students, Arcadia is identified as a Masters-Large institution by the Carnegie Classification. The primary focus of the faculty is on the teacher-scholar model, but we are working to enhance opportunities for research, scholarly and creative work by our faculty and students.

We request that the Chair of the Evaluation Team be a President or Chief Academic Officer of a similarly sized private institution with a blend of liberal arts and professional programs. We request that one member be a chief financial officer from a private, tuition-dependent institution. It would be helpful if at least one member of the team had experience with assessment of student learning within a highly integrated general education program.

Peer Institutions from the Middle States region (from which we would prefer an evaluation team member) ● Bucknell University ● Chatham University ● Gannon University ● Ithaca College ● Niagara University ● Wagner College

Competitor Institutions (from which we would prefer not an evaluation team member) ● Albright College ● Cabrini University ● Chestnut Hill College ● DeSales University ● Gwynedd Mercy University ● Holy Family University ● Immaculata University ● Neumann University ● Rosemont College ● Stevenson University ● Susquehanna University ● Widener University