Substantive Change Recommendation Form: Embedded Change Review

Transcription

1 Substantive Change Recommendation Form: Embedded Change Review After the team achieves consensus, the team leader completes this form and includes it with the report for the visit. Notes and evidence should be essential and concise a bullet or two, 50 words maximum. Institution: Antioch University City, State: Yellow Springs, Ohio Change requested: Removal of stipulations that limit locations on the psychology doctoral programs and the approval to offer doctoral degrees in the general disciplines of leadership and change, psychology, and environmental studies. In addition, the institution asks that Commission remove the DBA from the list of doctoral programs, eliminating the associated stipulation. Part A: Analysis (See Part 1, General Questions in change application) Item Accurate, clear, complete Inaccurate, vague, incomplete Notes Requested Change Classification of Change(s) Institutional Context Special Conditions Required Approvals Essential Elements The categories below relate to the evidence expected across subsections of Part 2 of the change application. Acceptable Acceptable if modified Not acceptable Evidence Commitment to, preparation for, and fit of the proposed change(s) to the institution (characteristics, history, planning, design) (Reference Institution s Change Application Parts 1, 2, 3, 4.) Antioch University has two very successful doctoral programs ongoing now and will build on previous success in new doctoral programs in areas of specific expertise. Higher Learning Commission 1 Ver. 2 October 2011

2 Substantive Change Recommendation Form: Embedded Change Capacity (people, structures, and resources) for implementing and sustaining the change(s) (Reference Institution s Change Application Parts 1, 3, 5, 6.) Unlike many universities, Antioch University s doctoral programs are actually operating in a financially sound manner and are not a drain on the institution. The Ph.D. and Psy.D they currently have return a profit to the institution and they certainly have the people, structures, and resources to add to their doctoral portfolio in the specific areas they have requested. Strategies for systematically monitoring and evaluating the effects, performance, and/or quality of the change(s) (Reference Institution s Change Application Parts 1, 7.) The new programs would be subject to the same one and five year program review process as existing doctoral programs. Antioch uses a capstone project for each doctoral program that affords the faculty the ability to assess student performance against program level outcomes and improve the quality of the program from these data. Visits to the campuses in Seattle, Santa Barbara, and New England indicated a systematic tracking of doctoral graduates to ensure that the program was properly preparing them for the professional field as intended. Strategies for addressing strengths, challenges, or strategic issues (especially those previously identified by the Commission) related to the change(s) (Reference Institution s Change Application Parts 3, 7.) Potential positive or negative effects of the change(s) on other institutional operations (Reference Institution s Change Application Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.) No previous issues were identified by the Commission in regards to the doctoral programs except location limitations. The institution plans to apply the strengths and successful strategies used in their current doctoral programs to ensure the programs included in this change request are of the highest quality. Their track record with the current programs indicated to the team that they will be successful. Graduation rates in current programs are well within the national norms and the scholarly activities of the students should be considered a strength in the majority of the doctoral programs. While most doctoral programs are cost centers, Antioch has created programs that return a profit to the institution and provide it with much needed income in a challenging economic marketplace. Additional programs of this type portend economic benefit for the institution s general fund and other institutional operations. During visits to the Seattle, Santa Barbara, and New England campuses, the existing Higher Learning Commission 2 Ver. 2 October 2011

3 Substantive Change Recommendation Form: Embedded Change Quality standards incorporated that would make successful implementation likely (Reference Institution s Change Application Parts 1, 7.) programs were also identified as being particularly strong in connecting the University to the local communities around the campuses where they are offered. If potential additional programs continue this trend, the various campuses would create an even stronger bond with their local communities. The institution will use the same focus on quality standards that has worked successfully in the current Psy.D. and Ph.D. programs. The team is convinced that with the current standards in force the new doctoral programs would be equally successful. While the team s time at the system office in Yellow Springs provided ample evidence of the stability of these doctoral programs, the onsite visits in Seattle, Santa Barbara, and New England reinforced these findings, particularly in the area of program quality and academic rigor. Evidence of program quality and scholarly faculty involvement was obvious at these locations and the degree programs appear to be meeting the established standards of the disciplines. The Psy.D. program at the New England campus holds specialty accreditation from the American Psychological Association and boasts nearly a 100% employment rate for its graduates. The faculty and students in New England are engaged in scholarly research, with student publications being an obvious strength. One faculty member in NE serves as the associate editor of the APA Journal of Professional Psychology, an indicator as to her involvement in her discipline. Other faculty members also occupy leadership in national, regional, and state offices in their discipline. In Seattle the institution has tracked the Psy.D. graduates from 2007 to Of the 16 who have taken the Examination for the Practice of Psychology exam (EPPP), 12 are now licensed in Washington State, four in British Columbia, 1 in New York, and 1 in California. This 100% pass rate for those that took the examination speaks directly to the quality of the Psy.D. program and its preparation of aspiring professional psychologists. This Higher Learning Commission 3 Ver. 2 October 2011

4 Substantive Change Recommendation Form: Embedded Change number represents just over half of the graduates since the program s inception seven years ago, though licensure is not a requirement for many positions in the field. Students in Seattle s program are also active in publication, with numerous articles and chapters in print or digital form. In Santa Barbara, along with similar licensure rates, students and faculty also are active in publication with one student receiving the National Council of Schools of Professional Psychology GLBT Student Award. Though only the NE program has APA specialty accreditation, the placement and licensure examination rates for Seattle and Santa Barbara graduates speak to the academic quality of these programs. Beyond the Psy.D. program, the Environmental Studies doctoral programs also present indicators of the educational quality of the curriculum and academic involvement of the faculty. Student research involvement in climate change and publications in journals and books indicate the scholarly influence of the program. Faculty members in Environmental Studies are also engaged in scholarly pursuits, with a core faculty member receiving a $250,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation in the area of climate change. The Ph.D. in Leadership and Change exhibits the same strengths listed above, but also is reaching out on a global basis and attracting noted scholars in the field. The scholarly involvement in the various doctoral programs, coupled with successful licensure examination rates in the appropriate programs, indicates the quality and currency of the curricula and programs. At the same time as the team endorses the quality of the university's doctoral offerings, its comprehensive review revealed a lack of consistency across programs that carry the same name. As the university develops and implements new programs, the team expects that a single program will appear comparable - and completely transferable - from one location to another. The comprehensive report Higher Learning Commission 4 Ver. 2 October 2011

5 Substantive Change Recommendation Form: Embedded Change includes a recommendation that includes the expectation that programs that carry the same title will be the same and that if the current Psy-D programs are not going to be the same for the university that they carry different titles. This naming may be as simple as identifying areas of concentration in the various degree titles. The team emphasizes that Its concern with the doctoral programs is not about quality but about comparability from one location to another. The previous more decentralized approach likely led to the individualization of programs from campus to campus, and many initiatives are underway with the Roadmap to create "one university." Part B: Recommendation and Rationale Recommendation: Approve Request Approve Request with Modifications Deny Request Rationale for the reviewers recommendation (100 words maximum). If the reviewers are recommending a modification of the institution s original change request, identify the modification here. The institution has demonstrated, through its current doctoral programs, the ability to run academically and financially sound doctoral programs in accordance with Commission requirements. The new programs under consideration are all within areas of expertise for the institution and present potential financial opportunities for Antioch. The faculty and administration are committed to excellence in graduate studies and have dedicated appropriate resources to these programs. It appears from the historical record that the limitations placed on Antioch University in reference to doctoral program locations may have been influenced by the decentralized organization of the institution and how it originally requested the programmatic approvals. As one university, sufficient oversight must also be exercised to assure consistency among geographically disparate locations offering the same program title. Clarification of information. If applicable, identify the date and topics of any inquiries the reviewers made to the institution for clarification or other communication and the results of those inquires. No clarifications were necessary beyond the April 2013 site visit and ensuing campus visits followed by a return visit to the system office in August With these multiple visits (a total of seven), the team was able to gain considerable insight into the philosophies, content, and rigor of the graduate programs. Organizational Profile. If the institution s change request requires an addition or modification to the institution s Organizational Profile, identify it here. No changes to the institution s Organizational Profile will be necessary, as they already offer some doctoral degrees. Higher Learning Commission 5 Ver. 2 October 2011

6 Substantive Change Recommendation Form: Embedded Change Stipulations or limitations on the institution s future accreditation relationship. If a team is considering a stipulation, contact the Commission s change team at changerequests@hlcommision.org. Recommended Stipulation: Degree offerings at the doctoral level are limited to the general disciplines of leadership and change, psychology, and environmental studies. In limited situations, reviewers may choose to recommend that the Commission monitor the institution's implementation of the change through a variety of methods. Examples of monitoring include: Progress report Monitoring report Focused visit Cover in detail in next PEAQ Comprehensive Self-Study Report Cover in detail in next AQIP Systems Portfolio If monitoring is recommended by all parties, specify the schedule or deadline for the monitoring and briefly describe the concerns and the goals and expectations of the monitoring in relation to these concerns. Additional comments related to denial of the change request: Provide the institution with any additional explanation for the denial of the request. Higher Learning Commission 6 Ver. 2 October 2011

7 STATEMENT OF AFFILIATION STATUS WORKSHEET INSTITUTION and STATE: Antioch University OH TYPE OF REVIEW: Comprehensive Evaluation DESCRIPTION OF REVIEW: Visit to include the review of the request for the removal of stipulations that limit locations on the psychology doctoral programs and the approval to offer doctoral degrees in the general disciplines of leadership and change, psychology, and environmental studies. Multi-campus visit to 4 campuses to occur concurrently: Santa Barbara 602 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA Antioch University Los Angeles 400 Corporate Pointe Culver City, CA Antioch University Seattle 2326 Sixth Avenue Seattle, WA Antioch University New England 40 Avon Street Keene, NH DATES OF REVIEW: 04/22/ /24/2013 No Change in Statement of Affiliation Status CONTROL: Private NFP TEAM RECOMMENDATION: nc DEGREES AWARDED: B, M, D TEAM RECOMMENDATION: nc Nature of Organization STIPULATIONS ON AFFILIATION STATUS: Conditions of Affiliation

8 Team Recommendations for the STATEMENT OF AFFILIATION STATUS Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree is limited to Antioch-Keene, NH, Antioch-Seattle, WA and Antioch-Santa Barbara, CA. Doctor of Business Administration degree with emphasis in international business is limited to Antioch-Santa Barbara. TEAM RECOMMENDATION: Degree offerings at the doctoral level are limited to the general disciplines of leadership and change, psychology, and environmental studies. APPROVAL OF NEW ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS: Prior Commission approval required. TEAM RECOMMENDATION: nc APPROVAL OF DISTANCE EDUCATION DEGREES: The institution has been approved under Commission policy to offer up to 100% of its total degree programs through distance education. The processes for expanding distance education are defined in other Commission documents. TEAM RECOMMENDATION: nc ACCREDITATION ACTIVITIES: TEAM RECOMMENDATION: Focused visit within three years of official action on assessment of student learning, finances, and institutional research. Summary of Commission Review YEAR OF LAST REAFFIRMATION OF ACCREDITATION: YEAR FOR NET REAFFIRMATION OF ACCREDITATION: TEAM RECOMMENDATION: STAFF RECOMMENDATION: (Due to timing of action taken in new academic year)

9 ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE WORKSHEET INSTITUTION and STATE: 1527 Antioch University OH TYPE OF REVIEW: PEAQ: Comprehensive Evaluation DESCRIPTION OF REVIEW: Visit to include the review of the request for the removal of stipulations that limit locations on the psychology doctoral programs and the approval to offer doctoral degrees in the general disciplines of leadership and change, psychology, and environmental studies. Multi-campus visit to 4 campuses to occur concurrently: Santa Barbara 602 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA Antioch University Los Angeles 400 Corporate Pointe Culver City, CA Antioch University Seattle 2326 Sixth Avenue Seattle, WA Antioch University New England 40 Avon Street Keene, NH No change to Organization Profile Educational Programs Programs leading to Undergraduate Program Distribution Associates 0 Bachelors 8 Programs leading to Graduate Masters 31 Specialist 0 Doctors 4 Certificate programs Certificate 19

10 ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE WORKSHEET Off-Campus Activities: In State - Present Activity Campuses: Antioch University Midwest - Yellow Springs, OH Additional Locations: None. Out Of State - Present Activity Campuses: Antioch University Los Angeles - Culver City, CA Antioch University New England - Keene, NH Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara, CA Antioch University Seattle - Seattle, WA Additional Locations: Muckleshoot Tribal College - Auburn, WA The Child and Family Center - Santa Clarita, CA Allan Hancock College - Santa Maria, CA Stanwood-Camano School Dist. - Stanwood, WA Out of USA - Present Activity Campuses: None. Additional Locations: None. Distance Education Programs: Present Offerings: Master Sustainability Studies Master of Arts in Urban Sustainability Internet Master Doctor Creative Writing Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Internet Organizational Leadership Ph.D. in Leadership and Change Internet Master Sustainability Studies MBA in Sustainability with a Concentration in Organizational and Environmental Sustainability Internet

11 ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE WORKSHEET Master Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution Master of Arts in Conflict Analysis and Engagement Internet Master Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Master of Arts in Individualized Studies Internet Certificate Creative Writing Post-Masters Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing Internet Master Business Administration and Management, General Master of Arts in Management Internet Correspondence Education Programs: Present Offerings: None. Contractual Relationships: Present Offerings: Bachelor Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies Bachelor Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies (B.A. in Liberal Studies) Bachelor Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Bachelor Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (B.A. in Liberal Studies) Consortial Relationships: Present Offerings: None.