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Accreditation Newsletters - Updates

September 2006

March/April 2006

Accreditation 2007
College of San Mateo

Second Issue
September 2006 Accreditation Newsletter

Welcome back to our second year of the accreditation self study! Next September we will be preparing for the arrival of the accrediting team’s visit in October. This update will notify you of CSM’s accreditation process to date.

What has happened with accreditation since the April accreditation newsletter?
From March 6 to March 14, the standards committee co-chairs made oral progress reports to the three editors of the self-study steering committee—Pat Griffin, Juanita Alunan, and Sandra Stefani Comerford. The purpose of these reports was to assist co-chairs and their committees in writing the first draft of their standard. On May 1, this first draft of the responses to the standards was due to the steering committee for feedback. Over the summer, the editors of the steering committee reviewed the submissions, looking for areas that seemed to need further explanation or clarification. After studying these drafts, the editors made written suggestions to help committees with their revisions. During August, these marked drafts of the self study were distributed to the co-chairs.

During the week of September 5th, the editors of the steering committee met with each of the nine standards co-chairs to discuss the suggestions on the drafts, to answer their questions, to give them samples, and to assist in any way.

What will happen with accreditation the rest of this semester?
For the rest of this semester, the co-chairs and their committees will continue to research, write, and revise their standard. The second drafts will be due at the end of fall semester. A theme point person, selected from each of the standards committees, will assist in identifying themes within their standard. Also reports will be made to the SMCCCD Board of Trustees and the Academic Senate.

How can you help?
The standards committees have asked that certain questions from the previous survey be explored in more depth. Therefore, we are asking that you complete this much shorter on-line survey so that we can gather more information on selected items.

This follow-up survey has been emailed to you. Please complete it by September 22. We appreciate your input very much!

When will I be able to read the accreditation self study and give input?
After final editing in February or March 2007, the steering committee will post the self-study draft on CSM’s Accreditation Self Study 2007 website, and printed copies will be made available for review and feedback in division offices and the library. The SMCCCD Board of Trustees, personnel at the district chancellor’s office, CSM students, classified staff, faculty, and administrators will have the opportunity to provide input.

At this time, we will ask for feedback not only on the standards but also on the themes. WASC requires that we evaluate four standards—Institutional Mission and Effectiveness, Student Learning Programs and Services, Resources, and Leadership and Governance—as they apply to CSM and that we describe the presence of the six themes—Dialogue; Student Learning Outcomes; Institutional Commitments; Evaluation, Planning, and Improvement; Organization; and Institutional Integrity. We will notify you when the self-study draft will be available for your review.

Our Appreciation
The steering committee continues to appreciate and value very much the time and effort of those participating in the accreditation self-study process.

Accreditation 2007
College of San Mateo

First Issue
March/April 2006 Accreditation Newsletter

What is accreditation?

The College of San Mateo, which is affiliated with the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), a division of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges ((WASC), has the obligation to undergo periodic evaluation through self study and professional peer review. The heart of this obligation is the conducting of a rigorous self study during which we, as an institution, must appraise ourselves. A comprehensive self study is required every six years. Our preparation for the next accreditation review is underway.

What progress has been made so far on the accreditation self study?

To reaffirm its accreditation, College of San Mateo will be visited in fall 2007 by a team from WASC, which will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the college. In preparation for this site visit, we are required to complete a self-study report addressing accreditation standards as set forth by WASC. These standards are meant to help us, as a college community, evaluate our strengths along with areas of concern and to assist the accrediting team members in familiarizing themselves with our college.

Last November, the Accreditation Self Study 2007 process began when nearly a hundred administrators, faculty, staff, and students agreed to serve on committees addressing one of the four standards of good practice for institutions of higher learning established by WASC. All CSM faculty, administrators, classified staff, and students were also asked by John Sewart from the Office of Articulation and Research to complete surveys to ensure an accurate evaluation of CSM and to assist our college's accrediting teams in writing the self-study report.

On December 1, 2005, the college had its Accreditation Kick-Off meeting with Deborah Blue, vice president of ACCJC, who conducted an all-college accreditation training session. After this session, each committee began the task of researching information covered by their standard and of writing responses. Standards committee co-chairs, comprised of a faculty member and an administrator, provided oral progress reports to the steering committee in mid-March, and the first draft of each standard self-study response will be due to the steering committee by May 1st.

Who is serving on the accreditation committees?

The names of the co-chairs and their committee members are in an attachment to this email. The steering committee would like to thank the co-chairs and the committee members for their work and time dedicated to making the self study a valuable document, not only for the accrediting agency but for ourselves.

What will happen after May 1st?

During the summer, the editors on the steering committee will review the submissions, looking for areas that may need further explanation or clarification. These first drafts will be distributed to the standards committee co-chairs in the fall, and at the end of fall semester, the co-chairs will resubmit their second drafts to the steering committee for feedback. After final editing in March 2007, the steering committee will post the self-study draft on CSM’s Accreditation Self Study 2007 website, and printed copies will be made available for review and feedback in division offices and the library. The SMCCCD Board of Trustees, personnel at the district chancellor’s office, CSM students, classified staff, faculty, and administrators will have the opportunity to provide input during this time. The site visit will take place in October 2007. To see a timeline for the entire accreditation process, please see the second attachment to this email.

To those of you currently participating in the accreditation self-study process, the steering committee thanks you for your time and effort. If you’re not already participating, but would like to join us, please contact any of the three self-study editors: Juanita Alunan, Sandra Stefani Comerford, or Pat Griffin.