I have been in the accreditation arena for a long time, starting with my first SACSCOC annual meeting in 2003 or 2004 and my first On-Site Committee in 2006 or so. In total I have worked at three institutions, visited a dozen or so, and over the past four years consulted with 15 institutions andContinue reading “Why is it so Complicated?!?”
Author Archives: Douglas A. Wymer
Big (but misplaced?) Changes for SACSCOC Standard 12.6 (Student debt and financial literacy)
There is a new interpretation for Standard 12.6, based on USDOE expectations, that becomes effective in September 2025. Let’s start by figuring out who will be impacted. Based on the President’s Communique from June 2024, the first group of institutions to write to the new interpretation of 12.6 will be the Track B institutions inContinue reading “Big (but misplaced?) Changes for SACSCOC Standard 12.6 (Student debt and financial literacy)”
QEP and Assessment
Sorry this is a bit late, I was caught up in the process of moving my son to the University of Alabama for his freshman year. Move-in on that scale was a well-oiled and impressive machine. I often work with institutions to support the development of the Quality Enhancement Plan. Sometimes as a component ofContinue reading “QEP and Assessment”
A New Accreditor on the Scene?
Every chance I get I will attend and participate in the Future Trends Forum. Each week there is a guest or two on the forum to participate in a discussion about some specific topic in higher education. I encourage all of you to take a look. On May 23, the guest was Stig Leschly withContinue reading “A New Accreditor on the Scene?”
New to the IE Director role? Hah, now you’ve done it!
As I recently shared with a Provost who had just been named the next institutional President, “You’ve got the tiger by the tail now!” But seriously, congratulations on working your way into the role of the IE Director for your institution (especially you Alison!). So, what do you do now? Don’t re-invent the wheel. Look.Continue reading “New to the IE Director role? Hah, now you’ve done it!”
Building a Three-Year Baccalaureate Degree
SACSCOC recently published a Position Statement on the three-year baccalaureate degree. You can find that here. The document is an interesting read and offers guidance to SACSCOC institutions who seek to develop and offer a three-year baccalaureate degree, while cautioning institutions to take each step carefully. This Position Statement discusses different approaches that don’t removeContinue reading “Building a Three-Year Baccalaureate Degree”
Can AI Write Your Report on Student Attainment of Learning Outcomes?
Paraphrasing the standard: The institution will identify student learning outcomes for each program, assess the extent to which students attain those outcomes, and will use the data to inform changes seeking improvement in student learning. I was recently reviewing a student learning outcomes report from a faculty member at one of my client institutions. TheContinue reading “Can AI Write Your Report on Student Attainment of Learning Outcomes?”
Maximizing ROI on assessment processes in in the BAG
We all get a feeling of satisfaction from meeting a goal we have set for ourselves and, when it comes down to it, this looks good on paper. Maybe that paper is your C.V., maybe it is the series of ridiculous screens of questions that accompany most higher education job applications these days, maybe thatContinue reading “Maximizing ROI on assessment processes in in the BAG”
Worst Practices
So much of what you read about accreditation, or anything for that matter, focuses on best practices. Best practices for assessing student attainment of learning outcomes. Best practices for institutional strategic planning. Best practices for accreditation. All of that is important and valuable, but equally (or perhaps more) valuable is knowing what not to do. WhileContinue reading “Worst Practices”
Assessment Academy
Somehow November just snuck on past without a post. Sorry about that. I have been working on a new idea that I am excited to write about. Assessing student attainment of learning outcomes is a common point of pain for institutions and most find themselves on the “non-compliant” side of things at some point asContinue reading “Assessment Academy”