An institution or organization that wishes to establish a degree-granting institution must undergo and prepare a self-study documenting substantial compliance with the standards of the Commissioner of Education pertaining to program registration. This self-study is an integral component in the planning for a college and a required part of a proposal to establish a college. A self-study should show evidence of solid research on, and incorporation of, sound practices and policies in the larger community of higher education. There must be evidence of a reflective process in the self-study.
First, an already existing educational institution must document involvement of its internal and external constituencies in a formal self-assessment of the institution’s readiness to establish a college through demonstration of substantial compliance with applicable standards.
Second, prospective applicants should engage an external advisory group of knowledgeable peer advisors that include academic administrators and faculty with expertise in the discipline(s) at the level and above the level being proposed. The advisory group may, and if one or more proposed program is occupational or professional in purpose, must include experienced and knowledgeable employers or practitioners. The persons selected should have the experience and expertise to advise the institution on all the categories in the self-study framework. This advisory group should not have the same members as the group of required external reviewers, selected by the institution later in the process in consultation with the OCUE.
In preparing a self-study, the institution should review its strengths and needs in relation to the standards for registration, describe how these determinations were made, and provide a detailed plan for how and when any deficiencies will be remedied.
For each area of the standards the self-study must include a statement of the informing documents on sound practice for that area. For example, in the area of library reference might be made to lists of core collections prepared by professional associations; expected database standards and their access by students; and information literacy standards. References might include standards of professional associations and well regarded literature in the field, such as NCLS studies on attributes of institutions that attain “better than expected” student outcomes, and other literature expressing consensus or effective or appropriate practices.
The attached form lists the regulations related to resources, faculty, curricula, admissions, administration, and student support services. For each section of regulations, three responses are called for”
52.2(a)(1) The institution shall possess the financial resources necessary to accomplish its mission and the purposes of each registered curriculum.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(a)(2) The institution shall provide classrooms, faculty offices, auditoria, laboratories, libraries, audio-visual and computer facilities, clinical facilities, studios, practice rooms, and other instructional resources sufficient in number, design, condition, and accessibility to support the curricular objectives dependent on their use.
52.2(a)(3) The institution shall provide equipment sufficient in quantity and quality to support instruction, research, and student performance.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(a)(4) The institution shall provide libraries that possess and maintain collections sufficient in depth and breadth to support the mission of the institution and each registered curriculum. Libraries shall be administered by professionally trained staff supported by sufficient personnel. Library services and resources shall be available for student and faculty use with sufficient regularity and at appropriate hours to support the mission of the institution and the curricula it offers.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. Reference/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(b)(1) All members of the faculty shall have demonstrated by training, earned degrees, scholarship, experience, and by classroom performance or other evidence of teaching potential, their competence to offer the courses and discharge the other academic responsibilities which are assigned to them.
52.2(b)(4) At least one faculty member teaching in each curriculum culminating in a bachelor's degree shall hold an earned doctorate in an appropriate field, unless the commissioner determines that the curriculum is in a field of study in which other standards are appropriate.
52.2(b)(5) All faculty members who teach within a curriculum leading to a graduate degree shall possess earned doctorates or other terminal degrees in the field in which they are teaching or shall have demonstrated, in other widely recognized ways, their special competence in the field in which they direct graduate students.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(b)(2) To foster and maintain continuity and stability in academic programs and policies, there shall be in the institution a sufficient number of faculty members who serve full-time at the institution.
52.2(b)(3) For each curriculum the institution shall designate a body of faculty who, with the academic officers of the institution, shall be responsible for setting curricular objectives, for determining the means by which achievement of objectives is measured, for evaluating the achievement of curricular objectives, and for providing academic advice to students. The faculty shall be sufficient in number to assure breadth and depth of instruction and the proper discharge of all other faculty responsibilities. The ratio of faculty to students in each course shall be sufficient to assure effective instruction.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(b)(6) The teaching and research of each faculty member, in accordance with the faculty member's responsibilities, shall be evaluated periodically by the institution. The teaching of each inexperienced faculty member shall receive special supervision during the initial period of appointment.
52.2(b)(7) Each member of the faculty shall be allowed adequate time, in accordance with the faculty member's responsibilities, to broaden professional knowledge, prepare course materials, advise students, direct independent study and research, supervise teaching, participate in institutional governance and carry out other academic responsibilities appropriate to his or her position, in addition to performing assigned teaching and administrative duties.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.1(f) Each course offered for credit by an institution shall be part of a registered curriculum offered by that institution, as a general education course, a major requirement, or an elective.
52.2(c)(3) Credit toward an undergraduate degree shall be earned only for college level work. Credit toward a graduate degree shall be earned only through work designed expressly for graduate students. Enrollment of secondary school students in undergraduate courses, of undergraduates in graduate courses, and of graduate students in undergraduate courses shall be strictly controlled by the institution.
52.2(c)(5) The institution shall assure that credit is granted only to students who have achieved the stated objectives of each credit-bearing learning activity.
50.1(o) Semester hour means a credit, point, or other unit granted for the satisfactory completion of a course which requires at least 15 hours (of 50 minutes each) of instruction and at least 30 hours of supplementary assignments, except as otherwise provided pursuant to section 52.2(c)(4) of this Subchapter.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.1(b)(3) To be registered, each curriculum shall show evidence of careful planning. Institutional goals and objectives of each curriculum and of all courses shall be carefully defined in writing, and a reviewing system shall be devised to estimate the success of students and faculty in achieving such goals and objectives. The content and duration of curricula shall be designed to implement their purposes.
52.2(c)(1) In addition to the requirements of section 53.3 of this Subchapter, the objectives of each curriculum and its courses shall be well defined in writing. Course descriptions shall clearly state the subject matter and requirements of each course.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(c)(2) For each curriculum, the institution shall assure that courses will be offered with sufficient frequency to enable students to complete the program within the minimum time for completion, in accordance with paragraphs (6) - (10) of this subdivision.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(d)(1) The admission of students shall be determined through an orderly process using published criteria which shall be uniformly applied. Among other considerations, the admissions process shall encourage the increased participation in collegiate programs at all levels of persons from groups historically underrepresented in such programs.
52.2(d)(2) Admissions shall take into account the capacity of the student to undertake a course of study and the capacity of the institution to provide the instructional and other support the student needs to complete the program.
52.2(f)(2) The institution shall assure that whenever and wherever the institution offers courses as part of a registered curriculum it shall provide adequate support services.
(See also 52.2(b)(3) under Faculty-Adequacy to Support Programs and Services.)
(See also 52.2(e)(5) under Administration.)
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(e)(1) Responsibility for the administration of institutional policies and programs shall be clearly established.
52.2(e)(2) Within the authority of its governing board, the institution shall provide that overall educational policy and its implementation are the responsibility of the institution's faculty and academic officers. Other appropriate segments of the institutional community may share in this responsibility in accordance with the norms developed by each institution.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(e)(3) The institution shall establish, publish and enforce explicit policies with respect to:
(i) academic freedom;
(ii) the rights and privileges of full-time and part-time faculty and other staff members, working conditions, opportunity for professional development, workload, appointment and reappointment, affirmative action, evaluation of teaching and research, termination of appointment, redress of grievances and faculty responsibility to the institution; and
(iii) requirements for admission of students to the institution and to specific curricula, requirements for residence, graduation, awarding of credit, degrees or other credentials, grading, standards of progress, payment of fees of any nature, refunds, withdrawals, standards of conduct, disciplinary measures and redress of grievances.
52.2(e)(4) Academic policies applicable to each course, including learning objectives and methods of assessing student achievement, shall be made explicit by the instructor at the beginning of each term.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2(e)(5) The institution shall provide academic advice to students through faculty or appropriately qualified persons. The institution shall assure that students are informed at stated intervals of their progress and remaining obligations in the completion of the program.
52.2(e)(6) The institution shall maintain for each student a permanent, complete, accurate, and up-to-date transcript of student achievement at the institution. This document will be the official cumulative record of the student's cumulative achievement. Copies shall be made available at the student's request, in accordance with the institution's stated policies, or to agencies or individuals authorized by law to review such records.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
52.2 (f) Other requirements. The institution shall assure:
(1) that all educational activities offered as part of a registered curriculum meet the requirements established by statute, the rules of the Regents or this Part; and
(2) that whenever and wherever the institution offers courses as part of a registered curriculum it shall provide adequate academic support services.
(3)
(4)
(5)
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources on sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
53.3 Information to be provided.
Information shall be provided on financial assistance available to students, costs of attending the institution, the refund policy of the institution, and the instructional programs and other related aspects of the institution, as provided in this section.
(a) Information on financial assistance available to students shall be provided for each of the aid categories listed in this subdivision. The information printed for each program of financial assistance available to students at that institution, and for which student application is required, shall include: application procedures, including a description of forms and their preparation, method of selection of recipients and allocation of awards, award schedule, and rights and responsibilities of recipients. Standard current descriptions of State and Federal financial assistance programs will be provided by the Education Department in cooperation with the Higher Education Services Corporation to the institutions subject to the provisions of this Part. These descriptions, or some other descriptions providing the required information, along with current procedures and definitions related to emancipated student status, shall be provided by the institutions to persons identified in section 53.2 of this Part. Where summary information is provided, an institutional office where detailed information can be obtained shall be identified.
(1) State programs. Information shall be provided for those of the following programs for which students at the institution may be eligible: the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), Regents College Scholarships, Regents Nursing Scholarships, Regents Awards for Children of Deceased or Disabled Veterans, State Assistance for Native Americans, guaranteed student loans, and also special programs for the economically and educationally disadvantaged including the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), Education Opportunity Program (EOP), Search for Education and Elevation through Knowledge (SEEK), College Discovery (CD) Program, and the Work Incentive (WIN) Program. Any other State program which accounts for 10 percent or more of the total State student aid administered by the institution shall also be described in similar detail and terminology.
(2) Federal programs. Information shall be provided for those of the following programs for which students at the institution may be eligible: the Basic Educational Opportunity Grants (BEOG) program, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), National Direct Student Loans (NDSL), College Work Study (CWS) program, social security payments to children of deceased/disabled parents, Federal aid to Native Americans, and Veterans Administration educational benefits. Any other Federal program which accounts for 10 percent or more of the total Federal student aid administered by the institution shall also be described in similar detail and terminology.
(3) Local institutional programs. Information shall be provided on grants, scholarships, waivers, deferrals, loans, including small emergency loans, and work-study arrangements which are administered by the institution. Financial aid programs involving awards of $300 or more per year shall be individually listed, including restrictions if any. The number and average value or programs with awards of less than $300 per year shall be provided, along with the name, address and telephone number of an institutional office from which more detailed information can be obtained.
(b) Costs of attending the institution for each of the cost categories listed below shall be provided. Estimates, so indicated, may be used where exact figures are unavailable or inappropriate. Where summary information is provided, an institutional office where detailed information can be obtained shall be identified.
(1) Tuition and fees. Information shall be provided on all assessments against students for direct educational and general purposes. A brief description of purpose of any mandatory fee shall be included if the purpose of such fee is not apparent from its name. Course fees and lab fees shall be clearly identified. Conditions under which nonmandatory fees need not be paid shall be clearly stated.
(2) Books and supplies. Estimated costs of textbooks, books, manuals, consumable supplies and equipment, which a student should possess as a necessary corollary to instruction, shall be provided. Separate estimates shall be provided for major program categories for which such costs vary more than 25 percent from the average for the entire institution.
(3) Room and board. Costs of housing and food services operated by the institution shall be provided where such services are available. Estimated costs of similar accommodations available in the community shall also be provided. These figures shall be consistent with estimated student budgets prepared by the institution’s financial aid office.
(4) Other living expenses. Estimated cost of personal expenses applicable to students devoting primary efforts to pursuit of educational objectives shall be provided. This estimate shall be consistent with similar figures defined by the institution’s financial aid office.
1. Data concerning present status
2. Analysis
a. Strengths
b. Weaknesses
c. References/sources sound practice used to inform response.
3. Plans for improvement
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03/07