VOLUME I. Self-Study. for. Lock Haven University Business Administration and Accounting Programs

Transcription

1 VOLUME I Self-Study for Lock Haven University Business Administration and Accounting Programs Respectfully Submitted to the ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR BUSINESS SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS (ACBSP) West 119th Street Overland Park, KS U.S.A. Phone: FAX: info@acbsp.org

2 CONTENTS VOLUME I: Self-Study Institutional Overview Contact Information... 2 Identification of Individuals Who Helped Prepare the Self-Study... 2 Review of All Academic Activities... 3 Organizational Charts... 4 Conditions of Accreditation... 5 Business School or Program Organizational Profile... 7 Standards and Criteria 1. Leadership Strategic Planning Student and Stakeholder Focus Measurement and Analysis of Student Learning and Performance Learning Outcomes Assessment Program Reporting Results and Trends Selection and Use of Comparative Information Data Continuous Process Improvement Faculty and Staff Focus Human Resource Planning Employment Practices Faculty Qualifications, Work Load, and Coverage Faculty Deployment Faculty Size and Load Faculty Evaluation Faculty Operational Procedures, Policies, Practices and Development Scholarly and Professional Activities Educational and Business Process Management Education Design and Delivery Management of Educational Support Service Processes and Business Operation Processes Enrollment Management... 98

3 INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW The contents of the Self-Study begin with completing and submitting information about the institution in general and the business program specifically. Following is an outline that may be used to create the overview. Or, the institution may contact the ACBSP office for a pdf version that permits entering of information and return it as an electronic submission. The intent of the overview is to address what is most important to the business schools or programs, the key factors that influence how the business schools or programs operate, and where the business schools or programs are headed. 1. Contact Information Name of institution: Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania Name of business school or program: Business Administration and Accounting Name/title of president/chancellor: Dr. Michael Fiorentino, Jr., President Name/title of chief academic officer: Dr. Donna Wilson, Provost Name/title of business unit head: Dr. Zakir Hossain, Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Academic year covered by the Self-Study: The institution s Self-Study coordinator contact information: Name: Dr. Cori Myers Campus Address: 234 Akeley Hall, LHU Country: USA Title: Chair of Business Administration, Computer Science, and Information Technology Department and Associate Professor of Management City: Lock Haven State/Province: PA Zip/Postal Code: Phone: FAX: cmyers@lhup.edu Date of submission of this Self-Study: August Identification of Individuals Who Helped Prepare Self-Study Dr. Cori Myers Dr. William Lloyd Name Title Chair and Associate Professor of Management Assistant Professor of Accounting Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 2

4 3. Review of All Academic Activities a. Business Courses Offered by Business Unit. ACBSP accredits degree programs in business and business-related fields. The ACBSP accreditation process takes into account the traditional specializations in business, including accounting, business administration, finance, marketing, and management. Any of these specialized programs offered by the business unit seeking accreditation must be included in the self-study to be considered for accreditation. b. Business Degrees Offered by Business Unit. The accreditation process includes a review of all academic activities in a business school or program. In other words, if an institution offers associate degrees, bachelor s degrees, and graduate (masters and doctorate) degrees in the business school or business program, the accreditation process embraces all of these in the selfstudy. If an institution has only a bachelor s or master s degree program at the time of accreditation, but adds the bachelor s or the master s degree at some later date, the institution will have a maximum of five years from the date of the program s inception to achieve accreditation. When a new degree program in business is added after an institution has been accredited, it must be referred to in the institution s annual report to ACBSP. The new degree program needs to be operational, with enrolled students, for at least two years and have graduates before it can be considered for accreditation. c. Business Content Courses Not Offered by Business Unit. At the institution s written request, other business-related programs may be either included or excluded from the accreditation process. If they are to be excluded, appropriate justification should be set forth in the self-study material, and evidence must be included to ensure that the general public is clearly informed that these programs are not accredited. d. Branch Campuses/Extension Centers. If an institution has a branch campus or campuses, or if there are extension centers or other types of auxiliary operations where business courses are taught, then the accreditation process will include all of these locations in the self-study. On a case-by-case basis, such entities may be excluded. If they are to be excluded, appropriate justification should be set forth in the self-study material, and evidence must be included to ensure that the general public is clearly informed that these programs are not accredited, and there must be sufficient distinction between accredited degrees and those degrees offered by excluded segments to justify their exclusion. An institution may ask in advance of conducting the self-study for a determination of inclusion or exclusion from the self-study. Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 3

5 TABLE 1 Review of all Academic Activities Column A: List all business or business-related programs (including those with designations in the degree or major title such as business, industrial, administration, management, or organizational. ) Column B: Indicate with yes or no whether the business unit administers the program. Column C: Indicate with yes or no whether the program is to be accredited by ACBSP. If no, provide justification explaining why the program should be excluded from the accreditation process and how you will communicate with the public what is and what is not accredited. Column D: Indicate number of degrees conferred during self-study year A. Business or Business Related Programs 4. Organizational Charts B. Program in Business Unit Place in an Appendix of the self-study a copy of: 1) the institution s organizational chart 2) the business school or program s organizational chart Identify here the Appendix number: Appendices A and B C To be Accredited by ACBSP D. Number of Degrees Conferred During Year Business Administration, B.S. Yes Yes 81* Accounting, B.S.** Yes Yes 33* Business Administration, A.S. Yes Yes 2* Computer Science, B.S.*** Yes No 8* Recreation Management, B.S.**** No No 49* Sport Administration, B.S.**** No No 7* COMMENT: *These figures remain estimated for until the data are audited. ** We are not pursuing separate accounting accreditation, but anticipate accreditation of accounting within the business accreditation. ***The Department consists of Business, Accounting, and Computer Science. The Computer Science degree does not include a business component, but rather focuses on programming, application development, and database and network administration. ****These Programs are not being considered for ACBSP accreditation. They are housed in a separate college (the College of Education and Human Services); initially grew from the Health and Physical Education Program; and aside from financial accounting in Sport Administration, do not require business and accounting courses in their Program core. Financial accounting and Introduction to Computers are elective courses in Recreation Management. The Recreation Management Program is accredited by the National Recreation and Park Association. Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 4

6 5. Conditions of Accreditation a. Institutional Accreditation. Institutions operating in the U.S. must be accredited by their regional body. Non-U.S. institutions must have equivalent accreditation or recognition as appropriate. For non-u.s. institutions, this is typically a copy in an Appendix of a certified translation of an official document from an appropriate government organization in their respective countries stating recognition, accreditation, and/or their right to grant degrees. Membership in ACBSP requires regional accreditation or the filing of the official document by non-u.s. institutions. It is not necessary to provide these documents unless ACBSP staff cannot verify this information or there have been changes in the status. If this cannot be verified or is questioned, the institution will be required to provide documentation before the process can continue. Please note below any changes in regional or national accreditation status. Changes: Status Reaffirmed: March 1, 2012 Statement of Accreditation can be found at this URL: b. Statement of Mission Institution. Provide the approved statement of mission for the institution and state whether it is listed in the institution s catalog or program offerings bulletin (see subsection d). Lock Haven University Mission Statement Lock Haven University offers an excellent and affordable education characterized by a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences for all students, majors in the arts and sciences, and a special emphasis on professional programs. All programs are enhanced with real-world experiences and co-curricular activities that enable students to realize their full potential. In close personal interactions with faculty who are passionate about teaching, students are challenged to develop their minds and skills in order to be responsible citizens and to succeed in a global and technologically advanced society. c. Statement of Mission Business School or Program. The business unit will be evaluated to the ACBSP Standards and Criteria within the framework of institutional and business unit mission. Schools and programs must have a mission consistent with that of ACBSP. State the mission of the business school or program and whether the mission is listed in the institution s catalog or program offerings bulletin (see subsection d). The Programs mission, vision, and values (the Programs strategic statements) are listed below and appear on the Department s and Programs web site. Business Administration and Accounting Mission Statement The Programs prepare students to succeed in an increasingly competitive business world through professional courses in management and accounting within a strong liberal arts foundation. Students will acquire a fundamental knowledge of business specializations; the ability to research and solve a wide range of business and ethical problems; and communication skills. Business Administration and Accounting Vision Statement To become a recognized provider of quality, high-value business and accounting education to students from diverse backgrounds. Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 5

7 Business Administration and Accounting Values Statement Our core values provide a foundation for all we do in the business administration and accounting programs. We value: Teaching and learning Mentoring through frequent interaction Building strong community relationships Fair and ethical treatment Collegiality and respect for diverse opinions d. Public Information. State the catalog page number(s) where each of the following is located: The University s Catalog and Academic Information is provided entirely online. Although this information can be accessed via the web from multiple points, URLs are provided below to indicate the location of such information. 1) Listing of the business degree programs: All academic programs are listed at (PDF) Accounting, B.S.: pp (PDF) and Business Administration, B.S.: pp (PDF) and Business Administration, A.S.: p. 111 and 2) The academic credentials of all faculty members: Faculty members and discipline are listed in the catalog (pdf document), but credentials are listed on the separate catalog web pages listed below. Business Administration: Accounting: 3) The academic policies affecting students along with a clear description of the tuition and fees charged the students: Academic Policies: pp (PDF) Tuition and Fees: 4) The statement of mission of the institution: 5) The statement of mission of the business school or program: e. Accreditation of Doctoral Programs. If this self-study includes accreditation of a doctoral program, please indicate below and with attached documents as required that you have met these requirements or you intend to meet these requirements: Not applicable._ f. List all campuses at your institution at which a student can earn a business degree: Lock Haven University Main Campus Lock Haven University Clearfield Campus Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 6

8 6. Business School or Program Organizational Profile The Organizational Profile is a snapshot of your business school or program, the key influences on how you operate, and the key challenges you face. It consists of two parts: Organizational Description and Organizational Challenges. Importance of Beginning with your Organizational Profile. Your Organizational Profile is critically important because: It is the most appropriate starting point for self-assessment It helps the institution identify potential gaps in key information and focus on key performance requirements and organizational performance results It is used by ACBSP in all stages of review, including the site visit, to understand your organization and what you consider important It also may be used by itself for an initial self-assessment If you identify topics for which conflicting, little, or no information is available, you can use these topics for goal-setting and action-planning Submit your responses to both the Organizational Description and the Organization Challenges on documents included within the self-study as an Appendix, or immediately following these pages. Limit the response to the Organizational Profile to not more than five pages. a. Organizational Description Describe your organization s environment and key relationships with students and other stakeholders. Within your response, include answers to the following: 1) Organizational Environment a) What are the delivery mechanisms used to provide your education programs, offerings, and services to students? b) What is your organizational context/culture? c) What is your stated vision? d) What are your stated values? e) What is your faculty and staff profile? Include education levels, workforce and job diversity, organized bargaining units, use of contract employees. f) What are your major technologies, equipment, and facilities? 2) Organizational Relationships a) What are your key student segments and stakeholder groups? What are their key requirements and expectations for your programs and services? What are the differences in these requirements and expectations among students and stakeholder groups? b) What are your key partnering relationships and communication mechanisms? Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 7

9 Notes: Student segment and stakeholder group requirements might include special accommodation, customized curricula, reduced class size, customized degree requirements, student advising, dropout recovery programs, and electronic communication. Communication mechanisms should be two-way and might be in person, electronic, by telephone, and/or written. For many organizations, these mechanisms might be changing. b. Organizational Challenges Describe your organization s competitive environment, your key strategic challenges, and your system for performance improvement. Within your response, include answers to the following questions: 1) Competitive Environment a) What is your competitive position? Include your relative size and growth in the education sector and the number and type of competitors. b) What are the principal factors that determine your success relative to that of your competitors and other organizations delivering similar services? Include any changes taking place that affect your competitive situation. 2) Strategic Challenges What are your key strategic challenges? Include education and learning, operational, human resource, and community challenges, as appropriate. 3) Performance Improvement System How do you maintain an organizational focus on performance improvement? Include your approach to systematic evaluation and improvement of key processes and to fostering organizational learning and knowledge sharing. Notes: Factors might include differentiators such as program leadership, services, e-services, geographic proximity, and program options. Challenges might include electronic communication with key stakeholders, reduced educational program introduction cycle times, student transitions, entry into new markets or segments, changing demographics and competition, student persistence, and faculty/staff retention. Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 8

10 a. Organizational Description Program Organizational Profile 1. Organizational Environment Lock Haven University (LHU) is one of the 14 state universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). While the institution began and grew within a tradition of teacher education, it currently educates students in many professional programs (including business and accounting), yet remains dedicated to an educational foundation that is steeped in liberal arts. The University primarily offers undergraduate, baccalaureate degree programs (n=36); however, it also provides six associate degrees (mostly at our branch, the Clearfield Campus, which is 80 miles west of Main) and four Master s Programs. In general, LHU s undergraduate courses and support services are delivered mostly through face-to-face instruction or in-person consultation; however, distance education delivery (including both online and interactive television-itv) is increasing somewhat in the Business Administrations and Accounting Programs (the Programs) and University at large. Of the 57 sections for in accounting, management, and marketing courses, two courses were delivered online and two via ITV. Over the last decade ( ), the Programs enrollment has grown steadily from 240 headcount students (69 accounting and 171 business students) to 474 (125 accounting and 349 business students). While the overall trend line for this growth is positive, we have seen a decline in enrollment from our 2008 high mark of 616 headcount students (155 accounting and 469 business students). LHU historically and currently serves primarily students from central Pennsylvania, many of whom are first-generation college students, from rural communities, and economically disadvantaged. In 2010, 40 percent of first-time freshmen were Pell eligible and 66 percent came from rural Pennsylvania. These demographics mirror the attributes of our Programs students. Additionally, the Programs students are primarily white (about 86 percent in each major). In terms of gender, about 54 percent of accounting majors are female, but the business program enrolls a much lower percentage of female students (39 percent using a 10- year count of majors). More specifically, over the past five years, our Programs enrolled entering freshmen whose combined average SAT scores range from 904 to 978 (average around 940 to 950) and show an overall slightly decreasing trend in accounting and increasing trend in business administration with some variability. These statistics highlight that we educate a student population with a significant portion of economically- and educationally-disadvantaged students. Considering these attributes, it seems reasonable that our prospective majors choose LHU because we offer business and accounting programs, but more importantly, because our institution is viewed as being inexpensive, friendly, small, comfortable and supportive. 1 Students attend our Clearfield Campus for these same reasons, but the importance of these attributes is even greater at Clearfield. Our Programs mission statement suggests that we educate students in business and accounting to be competitive in the business world. As stated in our vision, 2 we seek recognition as a quality, high-value provider of business and accounting education. We foresee a program that has stable enrollments and increasing educational quality as measured by our graduates successes in business and the community. We envision that the value added by the LHU Business and Accounting Programs will continue to build a reputation for achieving high standards of quality with those students who may have earned less than excellent high school grades and admission scores. To achieve these results, we value and emphasize teaching and learning, mentoring, 1 Admitted Student Questionnaire: Final Report for Lock Haven University, published by the College Board, Programs Vision and Values Statements: Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 9

11 building community relationships, fair and ethical treatment, collegiality, and respect for diverse opinions. This quality and excellence emanate from the knowledgeable, qualified faculty who employ engaging instructional methods and experiential learning activities. Our faculty is unionized and covered by the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) collective bargaining agreement (CBA). 3 As such, minimum qualifications for each rank are referenced in the CBA and outlined in Act Our faculty members meet these minimum qualifications as well as the ACBSP guidelines for being academically- and professionallyqualified (see organization chart and Figures 5.1 and 5.6). Most faculty members (5 of 6 full-time, tenure-track) possess earned doctorates and have field experience in their primary area of teaching responsibility. In fall 2012, two new faculty members will join the Programs, both of whom are academically qualified. Moreover, our faculty members remain active in either professional consulting/work or community service relevant to their teaching responsibilities. Faculty members foster a highly interactive learning environment and integrate current technologies into learning activities. Faculty members at both campuses use extensively the features of the technology-equipped classrooms with the SmartBoard, DVD/VCR, and interactive document camera. Akeley Hall (the Main Campus business building) includes two computer labs, an instructional lab, and an open lab for student use, and Clearfield has similar facilities. The library and Programs subscribe to several databases necessary for research. The campuses provide other such facilities for guest lecturers, receptions, board meetings, committee meetings, and student group meetings. 2. Organizational Relationships We examine our Programs student populations to consider carefully the special needs and interests of various groups. We review data and special circumstances that may influence the educational activities or assistance for such groups as entering freshmen, graduating seniors, advisees, underrepresented students (13% of 2011 headcount), international students (2% of 2011 headcount), and Main v. Clearfield (9% of 2011 headcount). For example, our students SAT scores are average at best. As a University, we require new students to complete a math placement exam for immediate registration into the appropriate math course. Through advising, faculty monitor students progression in math since it is vital to their academic progress and success. From the students side, we try to gain an understanding of the expectations of our incoming classes, not only through the one-on-one meetings held during the advising process, but also by administering a student expectations survey during freshmen orientation. For fall 2011, our incoming students remarked that they expected to learn most about job and work-related skills; analyzing quantitative problems; thinking critically and analytically; and solving complex real-world problems. They also felt strongly that the Programs should be accredited and provide support to help students succeed academically. While we want to assure that incoming students receive adequate support, we remain very concerned that our graduating seniors possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be successful. Although we revised our assessment plan several times, one common thread throughout these changes includes soliciting feedback from senior students, alumni, donors, employers, and local businesses (especially through our Advisory Councils, internship evaluations, and business partners for course-embedded external experiences). The Programs constantly seek stakeholders insights about what our students need to know and how our students compare to those expectations. We survey seniors about how well we have met their 3 APSCUF Collective Bargaining Agreement: P.S : Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 10

12 expectations about their satisfaction with the course offerings, quality of instruction, advising, learning resources, job preparation, accessibility to faculty outside of the classroom, and support services. Generally, our seniors are satisfied with most of these areas, but would like a greater selection of courses (especially elective courses). While we collect information about incoming and graduating students, we focus on particular student needs through the advising process. All students must meet one-on-one with their academic advisor each semester for registration. At this time (if not before), faculty speak to specific concerns and interests related to academic progress and career aspirations. Students must meet with their faculty advisor prior to graduation to assure Program requirements are met and address concerns regarding graduation. Through the advising process, open office hours, , and any other means of communication, faculty members address those concerns with such special populations as underrepresented students (who earn on average lower SAT scores than their peers), non-traditional students, international students, Clearfield students, and associate v. baccalaureate degree seeking students. Program faculty members report that they allocate more time for one-on-one advising and instruction to these populations who visit with faculty more frequently during office hours. The Department Chair and Program faculty also work closely with the International Studies Office to determine appropriate placement and support for international students. Our faculty members attend opening semester activities for international students that help with their socialization at the University. The student population at the Clearfield Campus is also somewhat different than the student population at Main Campus. A greater percentage of these students are non-traditional, are employed full- or part-time, have families, and require greater flexibility for scheduling courses. The Clearfield Campus develops their scheduling differently (with a shorter week, less frequent course offerings, and more evening classes), and Clearfield faculty members focus advising and scheduling to accommodate the needs of these students. The Campus houses a student learning resource center at which Program faculty volunteer hours to assist these students. The Programs (including faculty and students) do partner with many key stakeholders to either improve educational quality through curricular development and experiential learning activities or to serve community needs better. As mentioned, the Programs solicit feedback from alumni, donors, employers, and local businesses/agencies through surveys, evaluations, and meetings (at which significant dialogue ensues) on the needs of businesses in terms of workforce development and skill/knowledge requirements. Curricular changes provide graduates who are better prepared for the workplace, but faculty involvement in community workshops/lectures/consulting also assists local businesses with upskilling workers and small business development. Specific partners in these endeavors not only include the stakeholders mentioned above (i.e., Advisory Councils, supervisors of all experiential learning activities), but also the Small Business Development Center, Economic Partnership, Downtown Lock Haven, Inc., SEDA-COG, Arts Council, KCnet, and Infinity Design Studios. Although the nature of these partnerships varies, we partner to identify, develop, promote, deliver, and fund educational activities for both students and businesses that will help them be successful in future endeavors. Regular communication with these entities occurs through face-to-face meetings, teleconferences, and as appropriate to the task at hand. We have also cooperated on the development and administration of surveys that help identify business needs. Of particular note, one management faculty member partnered with our Career Services Office to secure grant funding and develop an initiative, PartnerEd. This initiative involves course-embedded projects where students work with company partners to learn more about course concepts as applied in the real world and to research, analyze, and recommend alternatives to the partners on emerging issues. Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 11

13 b. Organizational Challenges 1. Competitive Environment As a state university, we strive, first and foremost, to educate Pennsylvania residents. While the labor statistics suggest that jobs in business, accounting, and related fields exist both in Pennsylvania and the nation, enrollment trends at LHU and other business schools have declined. 5 Our Admissions Office reported to us that not only has our program seen a decline in the past two years, but that numerous business schools applications and enrollments have dropped similarly. 6 The declining pool of interested students coupled with the overall downturn in traditional-age students (data available in Standard 6) places significant pressure on programs like ours who desire enrollment growth or maintenance. This competitive pressure poses a major threat to us without even addressing the following direct competition. In general, low-cost positioning and location tend to attract students to PASSHE schools, most of whom represent our direct competitors, as well as the Pennsylvania State University s Main Campus due to its close proximity. In PASSHE, LHU ranks as one of the lowest-cost schools (due to lower fees and housing costs) and as the third smallest university for enrollment (5,075 FTE students in fall 2011). In general, our strongest competitors for LHU (as measured by crossapplications and cross-admits) consist of Bloomsburg (9,242 FTE), Shippensburg (7,216 FTE), East Stroudsburg (6,728 FTE), West Chester (13,251 FTE), and Kutztown (9,439 FTE). The Clearfield Campus also competes with Penn State Dubois, as well as other local business colleges. For our Programs, such schools as Bloomsburg and Shippensburg hold a competitive advantage over other PASSHE universities due to their larger size, accredited business schools, and a tradition of excellence (Bloomsburg and Shippensburg have MBA Programs) in these fields. These schools generally attract the top-tier students who are interested in attending a PASSHE school and have the most robust business enrollments in the System. Within PASSHE, LHU is positioned as more intimate and affordable, but serves a much greater access mission especially for rural, economically-disadvantaged students. 2. Strategic Challenges Our strategic challenges center on enrollment management and resource acquisition. We have strategically considered our enrollment numbers, population demographics, niche markets, staffing, and the state s fiscal/economic issues that influence all public entities. Pennsylvania s pool of traditional-age college students (as measured by numbers of high school graduates) is expected to decline sharply from now until to the lowest levels posted in more than thirty years. The Programs and University s undergraduate enrollments already began to decline. While this trend initially presented an opportunity for the Programs enrollment to stabilize and align better with current staffing levels, the projected population demographics present a significant obstacle to pursue strategic growth within the current demographic of students. Furthermore, changes in financial aid reporting stand to negatively influence opportunity for this demographic as well. As an access institution, we believe our strengths lie in serving educationally- and economically-disadvantaged students. The kind of student/faculty interaction in both advising and instructional delivery serve as a hallmark of the Programs success in the last five years as entering students continually post lower scores on admission indicators and lack preparation in both math and writing. Therefore, we do not wish to reallocate resources and shift the current balance of face-to-face delivery to a much greater percentage of distance education; 5 Statistics can be found on web sites for the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics: and Pennsylvania s Department of Labor and Industry: 6 The College Board s SAT Score Senders Major Categories Report shows that not only have the number of students who send SAT scores to LHU s business program declined, but the numbers have declined in the Middle States Region as a whole. Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 12

14 however, we recognize that distance education delivery (especially to meet the new accountancy requirements) may provide some niche areas where enrollment could increase. On a more positive note, obtaining accreditation will help offset enrollment declines by increasing recruiting efforts with both domestic and international students. Our Admissions Office suggests that both student groups are more discriminant about college choice and bypass LHU s Programs due to lack of accreditation, a current strategic challenge. Accreditation may attract greater numbers of traditional-age students and if successful with the fall ACBSP site visit, we can soon discover the short-term impact of accreditation to understand how it may increase enrollment in the long-term. As for resource acquisition, the University authorized a new marketing position and a finance position in the last five years. Both positions enabled the Programs to serve student demand (especially in marketing), support enrollment growth, and develop our courses and concentrations. During the same time, the University supported efforts to attract academically-qualified faculty members, to move economics and business law FTE/courses into the department, and provide full-time staffing for international business. While this support is tremendously appreciated, the Programs realize that the current human resources serve as an upper limit within which we may need to operate in the near future. Deep cuts in state appropriations have not only constrained staffing levels, but also resources to fund special program initiatives. Expanding experiential learning and addressing such areas as writing, quantitative problem solving, and technology skills where student learning outcomes indicate deficiencies may require additional resources and facilities. Implementing our next strategic plan may require some sources of external funding, likely raised through the University s Foundation or grants. 3. Performance Improvement System LHU and our Programs use several systems to improve educational quality and outcomes. As mentioned throughout the profile, our Programs have implemented (yet continually refine) an assessment plan; administer stakeholder surveys and gather stakeholder feedback regarding such areas as the curriculum, required skills, and academic/administrative processes; conduct student and peer evaluations of faculty; hold monthly curricular meetings at which we discuss benchmarking and program data; and hold a program retreat to discuss program changes for the upcoming year. Learning outcomes assessment alone led to about 25 changes to our curriculum and learning processes and closing the loop in all cases. Each year, the Programs complete an annual report and monitor progress on the strategic plan, and every five years, we conduct a more extensive program review. These efforts allow the Program routinely to gauge progress on Program goals and document the changes made from assessment and stakeholder feedback. Aside from methods of evaluating and improving the Programs content, a regular review of processes occurs which includes refining assessment processes, instruments, and cycles; student/faculty orientation and advising/mentoring; communication processes; decision making processes; and support processes, among others. To date, more than 65 changes have been made to continuous improvement processes. Many of these key improvements up to and including the self-study year will be mentioned in each of the standards. Lock Haven University Self-Study - Institutional Overview, p. 13

15 STANDARDS AND CRITERIA Executive Summary: STANDARD #1 Lock Haven University s (LHU s) Dean of Arts and Sciences serves as the administrative leader of the Business and Accounting Programs (the Programs); the Chair is a member of the faculty and serves as the primary contact for the Dean. Through the annual review of programs, administrators, and faculty, the University employs systematic processes for establishing Program direction and expectations, assessing success, and pushing for continuous improvement through required action plans. The University maintains a very structured management and faculty evaluation process which uses input from various sources to evaluate employees and propose actions for employee development. Leadership within administration and the Programs exists to assure ethical behavior by disseminating statements about employee and student conduct. The University and Programs have fully deployed both the processes that support effective leadership and social responsibility. Uniform evaluation guidelines for all universities were implemented when the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) was formed in the 1980 s, either as Board of Governor s Policies, Management Directives, or articles in the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for faculty. While some PASSHE guidelines exist for ethical behavior (e.g., financial interests statements, code of conduct), the University s employee and student handbooks outline specific expectations about conduct. These documents are discussed and disseminated at orientation and are available on the web. Key results from evaluation of programs and employees are used in action plans for improvement. The Annual Reports, Management Evaluation, or Faculty Evaluation Reports list actions as a result of assessment data or information yielded from the evaluation process. Results of being socially and ethically responsible are found in several ways some of which include the number of volunteer hours in the community, the unqualified opinion on the financial audit, and low incident reports related to employee behavior. When issues or unusual violations arise, these results are used to make decisions, take actions, or revise policies to initiate warranted improvements. For example, constant monitoring of the budget and financial condition of the University has resulted in cost cutting measures to assure financial health. ACBSP Standard 1, p. 14

16 STANDARD #1. Leadership Administrators (chief academic officers, deans, department chairs) and faculty must personally lead and be involved in creating and sustaining values, business school or program directions, performance expectations, student focus, and a leadership system that promotes performance excellence. These values and expectations must be integrated into the business school s or program s leadership system; and the business school or program must continuously learn, improve, and address its societal responsibilities and community involvement. CRITERIA Use the following criteria to document the extent to which the business school or program meets the standard for Leadership. Justify any omissions. Criterion 1.1 The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (the Dean) is the first-line administrator for the Programs since the Department Chair (the Chair) is a faculty member. The Dean, Chair, and the remaining Programs faculty members work collaboratively to improve the Programs including the curricular aspects and supporting processes and to know about and comply with ACBSP standards. Communication between the Dean, the Chair, and faculty occurs constantly with a free flowing exchange of information between all parties, especially relating to the Program and accreditation guidelines. The Chair meets periodically with the Dean to discuss accreditation requirements, standards, accreditation timeline, costs, and progress. The Dean and Provost have targeted funds for accreditation costs (including conferences and regional meetings) and assessmentrelated initiatives to assure that the Chair and faculty learn about and comply with ACBSP standards. Although the Dean constantly communicates (at least on a weekly basis, but often more frequently) with the Chair and relevant faculty members about particular issues, the Dean formally reviews the Programs and processes through his Annual Evaluation of Academic Programs. The evaluation requires the Programs faculty to conduct analyses of such program elements as appropriateness to mission, demand, program quality, cost effectiveness, resource acquisition, potential for innovation and growth, and learning outcomes assessment. The analyses assess progress towards achieving Program Goals/Objectives and Learning Goals/Objectives. Results of these analyses are documented in three separate reports (Academic Program Report Summary Form (Annual Report), Program Outcomes Worksheet, and Learning Outcomes Worksheet) 1 that include outcomes data and changes made as a result of the data (see Sample Annual Reports in Appendices C, D, and E). 2 Once submitted, the Dean reviews the documentation and then meets with the Chair to discuss the Programs outlook, areas marked as strengths and concerns, and future direction especially as it aligns with the University s strategic direction and accreditation standards. Based on the information offered in the reports and annual meeting, the Dean makes a recommendation to the Provost about the Programs resource allocations (e.g., budget, faculty lines). Supplemental staffing requests prepared by the Programs faculty also provide detailed information with both quantitative and qualitative data to support the requests. Throughout the academic year, the Chair and Programs faculty usually meet bi-weekly in Curriculum meetings to determine intermediary steps and to monitor progress necessary to achieve the Program goals. Requirements of ACBSP standards and specific timelines are embedded within the Programs goals. Curriculum meetings include the review of specific standards and updates on progress toward or work required for compliance with one or more ACBSP standard. The Chair coordinates with administrative offices and support services (e.g., institutional research, library, career services, etc.) to collect information about majors (demographic data, retention/graduation rates, transfer in/out) and academic and support services to 1 The guidelines, templates, and reports are located at 2 We have included the reports for as sample reports since the reporting transitioned to an online format for the learning and program outcomes worksheets thereafter. ACBSP Standard 1, p. 15

17 comprehensively gauge the Programs compliance with the standards, especially Standard 6. The Programs faculty members report progress to the full department on a monthly basis. Criterion 1.1.a. In developing/revising mission, vision, and values statements, the Chair and faculty solicit and discuss input from such key stakeholders as academic administrators, Advisory Council members (who also represent the business community), and students (see flowchart below). The Dean s and Provost s Annual Evaluation of Academic Programs serves as a specific point each year when academic administrators consider how the Programs mission, vision, values, and goals align with the University s and Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education s (PASSHE s) overall strategic direction. The annual meetings serve as an opportunity for the Dean and Provost to comment on the Programs strategic direction and communicate performance expectations. These meetings include an open dialogue for both administration and faculty to share their views and confer on future direction and performance expectations. Over the past five years, these statements were revised (in 2008, 2011) as a result of stakeholder input and benchmarking. Most recently in 2011, the separate Business Administration and Accounting mission statements were streamlined into one statement for both Programs which continue to align with the University s strategic statements as well as the Programs learning outcomes and competencies. University Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan Key Stakeholder Input and Assessment Data Programs Mission, Vision, and Values Statements Review annually during Program Retreat alongside assessment data and stakeholder feedback. More extensively gather/consider stakeholder feedback/data during five-year self-study. Administration and Advisory Council Approve (with revision) ACBSP Standard 1, p. 16

18 Beyond the overall direction and general performance expectations for the Programs, faculty members discuss specific performance expectations of academic programs and processes, and in the spirit of continuous improvement, use data and information to improve them. These programs and processes are addressed throughout the Standards in this self-study, but some key ones are summarized below. The Program faculty members clearly understand that both administrative and faculty leadership in setting the direction and performance expectations are fundamental to providing an effective educational experience. Moreover, this review highlights the interrelationships between leadership, programs, and processes which are reflected in the integration of discussion throughout all of the Standards. When trying to determine which Standards apply to which programs and processes, the faculty members recognize that many Standards are interrelated and apply to each area. Figure 1.1.a List of Programs, Processes, and Performance Expectations Key Programs/Processes Performance Expectations Frequency of Review Business Administration (BS, AS) and Accounting Programs Strategic Planning Process Gather Stakeholder Feedback Learning Outcomes Assessment Staffing Compare actual student performance to expectations for student learning outcomes, stakeholder satisfaction, adopt best Program practices identified through benchmarking, improve retention/graduation rates, and job placement Implement actions to achieve goals and objectives according to timeline, assess progress, make changes to plan as the environmental circumstances dictate, and communicate results to stakeholders Gather useful data by reviewing/revising the process in such areas as reviewing data collection instruments, cycle, means, and stakeholder groups Gather useful data by reviewing such areas as learning objectives, competencies, criteria for success, assessment instruments, points of assessment (where assessed), cycle, appropriate comparisons, convergence exercises, analyses, and reporting format and methods Recruit and retain qualified faculty through providing, reviewing, and refining such processes as recruitment and selection, orientation, mentoring, evaluation, faculty load, professional development, release time, travel, and recognition At least annually At least annually At least annually At least annually As needed but often by semester Standard S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,S6 S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,S6 S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,S6 S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,S6 S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,S6 ACBSP Standard 1, p. 17

19 Figure 1.1.a List of Programs, Processes, and Performance Expectations Continued Key Programs/Processes Performance Expectations Frequency Standard of Review Educational Process Provide excellent educational experience through reviewing instructional methods, curricular design, course sequencing, and Ongoing S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,S6 Educational Support Processes Business Processes Enrollment management assessment data Support students by providing, reviewing, and revising such processes as advising and collaborating with University offices in such areas as counseling, tutoring, library services, and computer technology Support administrative offices where needed with business operations Recruit and retain students by reviewing and revising the faculty role in recruitment and retention (most of which is listed above) and collaborating with other areas in these efforts As needed and ongoing As needed At least annually S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,S6 S1,S2,S6 S1,S2,S3,S4,S5,S6 Criterion 1.1.b. As described under Criteria 1.1 and 1.1.a, the Provost, Dean, Chair, and faculty participate in the Annual Evaluation of Academic Programs which examines performance, success, and changing needs. Overall, the Annual Report documents performance and success, but specifically, the report requires faculty to consider mission centrality, environmental scans, demand, enrollment trends, faculty and student achievement, program learning outcomes, student learning outcomes, and unique program features. 3 The Chair and faculty use various student/alumni/business surveys, learning outcomes data, course assessments, demographic data, retention/graduation rates, and benchmarking to make Program changes. These data are discussed in the Program Annual Report 4 and Annual Program Learning Assessment Reports (reported electronically on TracDat 5 in 2011). During annual program reviews, the Dean and Provost will use information contained in the reports produced by the Programs. These reports provide a review of data in such areas as diversity, retention/graduation rates, program enrollment, credit hours generated, and job placement. The Dean uses these data and evaluates the Programs with an Academic Program Scoring Rubric. 6 He forwards his scores to the Provost. In her recommendations for resource allocation, the Provost evaluates the Program based on the Dean s rubric score, program cost analysis data, 7 and a value interpretation of how the Program aligns with the University s Strategic Plan. In order to continuously improve, the process for Annual Evaluation of Academic Programs is reviewed at the end of each reporting cycle and such changes as format, required data, timeline, and means of evaluation have been made. For example, now reporting is completed online using TracDat which allows for more standardized and robust reporting across all departments, and the timeline has been moved from May to August 1 st to allow faculty more time to analyze assessment and program results. 3 The Annual Report follows the format outlined in the Administrative Procedures for Board of Governor s Policy A: Program Review 4 Five years of University Program reports can be found here: 5 TracDat is an assessment management system: 6 Academic Program Scoring Rubric 7 Program cost analysis data for the most recent year ( ) are located at this URL ACBSP Standard 1, p. 18

20 Criterion 1.1.c. At the beginning of each performance cycle (July 1), all administrators (including the Dean and Provost) consult with their supervisor; establish work objectives, priorities, and a professional development plan; and complete the planning portions of the PASSHE Management Performance Evaluation and Development Form. 8 These goals must align with the University s Strategic Plan. During the performance cycle (generally between October 1 and May 31), the supervisor and manager monitor progress and meet at least once to discuss mid-cycle performance. At the end of the performance cycle (June 1 to June 30), the manager completes a self-evaluation which the supervisor reviews prior to rating the manager s performance. After the supervisor rates the manager and receives approval from the designated reviewing officer, the supervisor meets with the manager and discusses the evaluation. Results of the evaluation process are used to make such employment decisions as continuation, employee development, termination, and merit pay. While these evaluations are based on how well managers achieve established goals, the faculty does have an opportunity to provide feedback about senior administration (including deans and vice presidents) to the President through the APSCUF Faculty Evaluation of the President (an online survey conducted by the faculty union). Faculty evaluation for renewal, tenure, and promotion follows the guidelines outlined in the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) 9 and LHU s local policies, 10 and considers teaching effectiveness, scholarly activity, and service. Renewal decisions for non-tenured faculty members are based on peer observations, a Chair observation, student opinion of instruction surveys (SOIS) in each course section, and Department Committee, Chair, and Dean reports/recommendations. Each semester, non-tenured faculty members receive two peer classroom observations and SOIS until they become tenured. A Department Committee is comprised of three faculty members and selects a committee chair (must be a tenured faculty member). The Department Committee Chair writes a report documenting the faculty member s performance as determined by two peer classroom observations, SOIS for the academic year, scholarly activity record, and service record. The Department Committee forwards their report to the Chair who uses the same documentation in addition to the Chair classroom observation. The Chair (dis)agrees with the Department Committee and makes a recommendation. During these processes, a non-tenured faculty member can discuss with the Department Committee or Chair the reports prepared at each step. Continuing, the Chair forwards a recommendation to the Dean who, in turn, forwards a recommendation to the Provost s Office. Results of the faculty evaluation are used to make renewal, faculty development plans, and non-renewal decisions. Once tenured, the faculty member will undergo this process once every five years. Processes for promotion and tenure require the candidate to complete an application and submit a dossier/portfolio that provides detailed narrative and supporting artifacts of various aspects of teaching effectiveness, scholarly activity, and service. The Dean, Chair, and Department Tenure/Promotion Committee make recommendations for tenure and promotion for each candidate. These recommendations are forwarded to a University-wide committee of elected faculty representatives who review the candidate s materials (including Dean, Chair, and Committee recommendations). For promotion, the University committee ranks the candidates within each rank, and forwards the ranked-in-group list to the President who makes and announces promotion decisions. For tenure, the University committee makes a recommendation for or against tenure to the President who makes a final tenure decision in accordance with the CBA. Along with all articles in the CBA, the processes for evaluation, tenure, and promotion are reviewed and changed if appropriate during the negotiation process. University-wide committees 11 review and refine these processes within the parameters allowed by the CBA. For example, the Student Evaluation Instrument Committee drafted a new instrument and fully has vetted this instrument , APSCUF membership meetings, and APSCUF Executive Council. The Committee is also considering changing the administration dates and mode (online administration). 8 The template form is located: 9 Article 12: Performance Review and Evaluation, Article 15: Tenure, and Article 16: Promotion: 10 LHU s local policies for tenure: and promotion 11 List of University-wide Committees: ACBSP Standard 1, p. 19