Working Group 1: Strengthen commitment to the success of all students

Co-Chairs: Dr. Susan Dunkle, Visiting Assistant Professor, School of Education and Amy DeKay, Dean of Students

• Standard 8: Student Admissions and Retention
• Standard 9: Student Support Services
• Standard 10: Faculty

Working Group 2: Continue to develop new and improve existing programs to meet the Educational needs of a diverse community

Co-Chairs: Dr. Judith M. Horowitz, Dean of the School of Adult and Graduation Education & Associate Professor, Social Sciences and Dr. Daniel Kotzin, Assistant Professor, Social Sciences

• Standard 11: Educational Offerings
• Standard 12: General Education
• Standard 13: Related Educational Activities
• Standard 14: Assessment of Student Learning

Working Group 3: Build on emerging success in resource development and allocation

Co-Chairs: Barbara Bilotta, Director of Human Resources and Pamela Jones, Library Director & Assistant Professor

• Standard 2: Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal
• Standard 3: Institutional Resources
• Standard 7: Institutional Assessment

Working Group 4: Extend our strong sense of community

Co-Chairs: Dr. Jenifer Bavifard, Executive Director of the Accelerated Learning Program and Deborah Ceppaglia, Associate Professor & Professional Librarian

• Standard 1: Mission and Goals
• Standard 4: Leadership and Governance
• Standard 5: Administration
• Standard 6: Integrity

Responsibilities of Working Groups and Co-Chairs

Working Groups will examine a set of research questions that explore relationships between the themes of the self-study, MSCHE accreditation standards, and data related to those themes and standards. Working Group co-chairs are responsible for directing and coordinating the efforts of the Working Groups, submitting drafts and analyses on time, and working directly with the Steering Committee co-chairs to provide communication across the Working Groups and to represent the Steering Committee to various constituencies.

The research questions are intended to keep the self-study future-oriented. In other words, they are meant to encourage exploration of how Focus Fourteen builds from the lessons we have learned as a reflective organization and of how that plan can best be implemented to strengthen mission effectiveness and ensure ongoing compliance with MSCHE standards. The self-study must be based on evidence and data collected by the Working Groups and measured, where possible, against the College’s mission, goals, and aspiration. Each Group will examine the research questions for its theme and standards and submit a report of its analysis, findings, and recommendations to the Steering Committee, following the style guidelines for Working Group reports. Each report should be analytical and interpretive rather than simply descriptive. While reports will need to describe how the College organizes and deploys its resources to accomplish its mission, it will be even more important to explain why the College deploys its resources in particular ways, the degree to which current decision-making processes advance the mission, and how the College can improve its capacity to provide exceptional educational opportunities to its students. A broad outline of tasks to accomplish these purposes is provided below.

• Design and refine research questions appropriate to themes and all fundamental elements of MSCHE standards
• Identify, collect, and organize institutional data—including College publications, policy manuals, and other institutional materials—appropriate to questions, themes, and fundamental elements
• Analyze data and other materials in light of research questions, themes, and fundamental elements
• Report analysis, findings, and recommendations to Steering Committee