Examples of Compliance :

• Institutional mission and goals are clearly stated in the catalog and other publications.
   
• The mission statement does not conflict with the institution's charter or authorizations granted by the Regents.
   
• Institutional goals, objectives, policies, practices, and programs reflect and implement the mission.
   
• Components of the institution's educational program are consistent in defined objectives and content with stated institutional purpose, mission and goals.
   
• Members of the institutional community (trustees, administration, faculty, students) are knowledgeable about the institution's mission.
   
• Institutional and student outcomes are consistent with the institutional mission and goals.
   
• The institution has a plan and program to assess the effectiveness with which its units and services contribute to the consistent implementation of its mission and goals.

Suggested Documentation :

• Citations of pertinent statements in catalogs, other publications, and internal documents.
• Syllabi, examinations and other course materials.
• Surveys of members of the institution's community.
• Data on outcomes for students and the institution as a whole.
• Institutional effectiveness assessment plan and program.
• Reports of internal and external reviews of the institution.
• Minutes of trustees, administrative committees, and faculty committees.
• Institutional long-range master plan.
• Statement of mission.
• Statement of institution vision.
• Evidence of reappraisal of mission.
• Evidence that institutional budgets reflect the mission and goals.

 Examples of Compliance :

• The institution has a comprehensive plan and program to assess its effectiveness in promoting the quality of student achievement and development on a scheduled, periodic basis and has implemented the plan.
   
• The institution's plan to assess its effectiveness includes assessment of the outcomes of its educational programs and services and specifically includes student persistence and graduation rates, licensing examination results and job placement rates as applicable to the fields and programs of study, and the institutional policies and practices contributing (or not contributing) to these outcomes.

Suggested Documentation :

• Institutional effectiveness assessment plan and documentation of its implementation.
• Outcomes data on student persistence rate, graduation rate, job placement, and other outcomes including, if applicable, state professional licensing examination results.

Examples of Compliance :

• Annual reports are accurate, complete, and timely.

Suggested Documentation :

• Annual reports provided to the department.

Examples of Compliance :

• Provision of a satisfactory plan to address any shortfalls in the designated performance measures.

Suggested Documentation:

• Written plan, with timelines, to come into compliance with the performance standards.

Examples of Compliance:

• Remedial course work is not credit bearing.
   
• Coursework for undergraduate credit is college level.
   
• Course enrollment is strictly controlled by the institution according to level; appropriate prerequisite knowledge is required.
   
• Credit is granted only for courses that count toward some degree offered by the institution, at least as an elective.
   
• Credit is granted only for achievement of objectives of all credit-bearing activities; grades and credit are commensurate with demonstrated student attainment of course objectives.
   
• The length of instructional time and hours of supplementary assignments meet the requirements set forth in §4-1.2(s).
   
• Registrar audits of program progress and completion are consistent with published requirements for curricula and degrees completion.

Suggested Documentation:

• Instructional policy statement and internal guidelines on expectations of effort and level.
• Catalog descriptions of curricula and courses and their prerequisites.
• Comprehensive list of all courses scheduled for a term.
• Written institutional policies regarding enrollment in courses (by level or place in the curriculum).
• Course materials, including general syllabi, instructor course outlines, exam questions, graded student papers, as indicated by review coordinator. (See Attachment A, #13.)
• Recent self-assessments or external assessments of programs, departments, and general education, as available and as indicated by review coordinator.
• Transcripts, registrar's audits on program progress; degree and program templates for advisors.
• Feedback from students, alumni, employers on attainment of course objectives and needed general skills and knowledge.
• Completed Course Assessment Forms, as indicated by review coordinator.

Examples of Compliance:

• The curriculum design is coherent, implements the philosophy and purposes of the program, and is aligned with the educational objectives of the program.
   
• Learning experiences and methods of instruction are consistent with the purposes and objectives of the program.
   
• Curriculum content proceeds from introductory level to advanced in logical sequence with appropriate breadth, depth, and currency.
   
• Course outlines/syllabi are clear and comprehensive and include: course objectives; prerequisites; credits allocated; course content and assignments; testing methods; method of assessing student achievement; basis of grade; and bibliographic and other resources related to course; and other course policies.
   
• There is a record of ongoing and formal periodic review of curricular design, content, and effectiveness in implementing stated purposes, consistent with institutional mission and objectives.

Suggested Documentation:

• Descriptions of curricular objectives and requirements in the catalog and other printed materials, and on-line.
• Feedback from faculty and students regarding the effectiveness of curricula in implementing their purposes and meeting defined objectives.
• Course materials, including syllabi, examinations, and graded student papers, as indicated by review coordinator. (See Attachment A, #13.)
• Course evaluations by students and peer reviewers.
• Recent formal program evaluations, including assessment by internal committees and by external peer reviewers and/or constituencies.

Examples of Compliance:

• Courses are offered with sufficient frequency to allow full-time students to complete the program within the minimum time frames set forth in these standards.
   
• The length of time for part-time students is reasonable, with suggested limits for program completion.
   
• Associate degree curricula include a minimum of 60 semester hours.
   
• Associate degree curricula normally require a minimum of two years of full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study.
   
• Baccalaureate degree curricula include a minimum of 120 semester hours.
   
• Baccalaureate degree curricula normally require a minimum of four years of full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study.
   
• Master's degree curricula include a minimum of 30 semester hours.
   
• Master's degree curricula normally require a thesis, based on independent research, a culminating project, a comprehensive examination, or some combination of same.
   
• Master of Philosophy curricula include all the requirements for a doctor of philosophy except the dissertation.
   
• The M. Phil. requires that the student has been admitted to candidacy in a Ph.D. program.
   
• Doctoral programs include a minimum of three years of full-time graduate study or the equivalent in part-time study.
   
• Doctoral studies include a dissertation based on original research a comparable significant creative work, or the verified development of advanced professional skills.

Suggested Documentation:

• Catalog descriptions of all courses citing frequency of offering; catalog includes model schedules.
• Institution's analysis for the previous two years confirming the offering of courses with sufficient frequency for timely degree completion.
• Institution's analysis of its use of course substitutions and independent study as an alternative to offering of courses.
• Records of registrar's degree audits of students; student transcripts.
• For a master's degree program that does not require a thesis, a culminating project, a comprehensive examination, or some combination of the same, evidence that the program was registered with such a characteristic.
• Masters and doctoral theses or equivalent papers; comprehensive examinations for graduate degrees.
• Record of institution's reviews of graduate theses or the equivalent, and comprehensive examinations for sufficiency of depth, breadth, and quality of analysis.

• Faculty have the documented expertise, including the advanced study and licensure appropriate to the field, to teach each course to which they are assigned and conduct other faculty responsibilities set forth in this Section.
   
• Faculty members teaching at the certificate, associate degree, and baccalaureate degree levels hold at least a master's degree in an appropriate field or are actively pursuing graduate study and have the necessary background for in-depth teaching, curriculum development, and program evaluation responsibilities. A minimum of one faculty member teaching in each curriculum at the baccalaureate level holds an earned doctorate.
   
• Faculty members teaching at the graduate level hold earned doctorates or other terminal degrees in their specialty areas.  Any faculty members teaching at the graduate level who do not hold an earned doctorate or other terminal degree have significant, widely recognized special competence in the field in which they teach graduate students as demonstrated by such means as publication record.
   
• The faculty have college teaching and administrative experience appropriate to their assignments.

Suggested Documentation:

• Faculty transcripts/resumes; record of professional activity; record of service at the institution, as included in faculty folders and other documents.
• Completed faculty information forms and forms on expected advanced training for particular courses, as indicated by review coordinator.  (See Appendix B.)
• Completed Faculty Profile Form.  (See Appendix B.)
• Faculty handbook, employment agreements and contracts, and other documents with criteria for employment, retention, promotion and tenure; evaluation process and standards, and professional development expectations and support.
• Advertisements for faculty positions.
• Minutes of trustee meetings and administrative and faculty committee meetings related to staffing, curriculum and academic standards.
• Course materials, including syllabi and graded student work.
• Course evaluations by students and peers.
• Institutional self-assessments of the educational program and its components, and their outcomes on staffing.

Examples of Compliance:

• The faculty clearly are responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of curricular design, for ongoing quality assurance, and advising. 
• The number of full-and part-time faculty members is sufficient to assure the consistent attainment of institutional and program objectives with respect to breadth and depth of instruction, timely offering of all courses needed to complete each program, and effective conduct of other academic responsibilities.
• There is a sufficient and appropriate number of ongoing full-time faculty members to assure continuity of leadership and stability in all academic programs, including the development, implementation and evaluation of curricular design, ongoing quality assurance, and advising in all program areas.  Any exception to the maintenance of a well-qualified core of ongoing full-time faculty in each program area is thoroughly documented in terms of high qualitative learning outcomes for students as well as the unique nature of the field.
• Class size and the methods of instruction are consistently conducive to effective learning.  The size of each class is such as to assure prompt, continual, and substantive feedback on student performance during the course and to assure ongoing faculty accessibility to students in the course.  Class size is such that the instructor, or a well qualified member of the instructional team for the course, has a good working knowledge of each student’s strengths and weaknesses in the course and interacts with the student to strengthen performance. Remedial classes have enrollments consistent with intensive, individualized teaching; they are consistently less than 20.
• Course evaluations by students and peers assess whether class size and methods of instruction are conducive to effective learning.

Suggested Documentation:

• Printouts of courses offered, with class sizes; summary data on class sizes.
• Completed Faculty Profile Form.  (See Appendix B.)

• Course grade sheets, as indicated by review coordinator.
• Faculty Information Forms, as indicated by review coordinator.  (See Appendix B.)
• Expected Faculty Expertise Forms, as indicated by review coordinator.  (See Appendix B.)
• Syllabi, examinations, graded student papers, and other course materials as indicated by review coordinator.  (See Appendix A, #13.)
• Continuity of Faculty Form.  (See Appendix B.)
• Observations in institutional self-studies of programs and of institutional functioning, and their outcomes.
• Feedback from students, faculty, graduates and others on instructional effectiveness and outcomes.
• Student and peer evaluations of instructors and courses.
• Composition of committees, including academic standards, curriculum, and tenure and promotion.
• Minutes of faculty committees.
• Faculty handbook and other documents addressing (a) academic governance and (b) expectations in teaching.
• Institutional self-studies of optimum class size for effective teaching and the core of full-time faculty needed to assure continuity and stability in programs and policies.
• Data on student/faculty ratios and class size.
• Data on proportion of instruction by full-time faculty.
• Institutional definition of full-time employment for faculty members.

Examples of Compliance:

• Institutional policy provides for evaluation of faculty members according to an established schedule and procedure; faculty folders reflect adherence to stated policy.
• Orientation and supervision of inexperienced faculty members are carried on during the initial period of appointment; other faculty are evaluated periodically with respect to their teaching and other responsibilities.
• The institution has written policies regarding release time and other support for faculty members pursuing activities which contribute to their professional knowledge and implements them consistently and evenhandedly.
• Faculty workloads are consistent with the skill levels of students and their needs for instructional support, feedback and individual mentoring.
• Faculty workloads permit sufficient time for participation in academic governance, advising, professional development and other designated responsibilities.
• Faculty workloads provide sufficient time for course preparations and for frequent and careful assessments of students’ progress, including the development of writing and analytical skills.
• Assignment of maximum faculty teaching loads is consistent with the assessed quality of teaching and with high qualitative learning outcomes for students.  Total teaching loads, including overload assignments, take into account the effect of class size and total student load on quality of instruction.  Normally, full-time faculty have a teaching load of no more than three separate course preparations.

Suggested Documentation:

• Written institution policies in faculty handbook, individual or collective contracts or agreements, and other documents, including descriptions of formal systems of faculty evaluation, orientation and supervision of inexperienced faculty, and faculty workloads.
• Materials in faculty folders on evaluation of teaching and other responsibilities.
• Description of advising responsibilities and workloads of faculty and staff, description of basis for assigning advisees.
• Record of faculty development and other professional activities.
• Internal assessments of faculty workload in relation to the quality of student achievement and development.
• Completed Faculty Information Forms and Statements of Expected Expertise, as indicated by review coordinator.  (See Appendix B.)
• Any institutional self-studies on teaching effectiveness.
• Syllabus, examinations, graded student papers and other course materials as indicated by review coordinator.  (See Appendix A, #13.)

Examples of Compliance:

• Facilities include an adequate number of well-equipped class, conference, and multimedia/computer rooms, and laboratories, as appropriate to the curricula offered.
• Adequate maintenance and repair of equipment and supplies.
• Adequate faculty office space for meetings with students and course preparations.
• Adequate space and equipment for academic support services and administrative services.
• Compliance with the New York State Uniform Fire Code, or with a local fire code that supersedes it, with applicable local health and sanitation codes, and other licensing requirements.
• Provision of computers and other teaching aids sufficient in number, kind and condition to meet institutional and course objectives.
• Adequate provision for accessibility by all students.

Suggested Documentation:

• Summary data on classrooms, laboratories, academic support services, faculty, administrative services and other spaces, and equipment related to the educational program.  The institution may relate its facilities to the Regents Planning Standards for Higher Education Facilities, as appropriate.
• Summary of provisions for accessibility for students; reports on compliance.
• Summary data on computing and other equipment for the educational program and plans for upgrades.
• Maintenance agreements or budget allocations for maintenance and repair of classroom and laboratory equipment.
• Written agreements for provision of facilities or services by other organizations and to other organizations.
• Certificates of occupancy, code, fire, safety, and health compliance, as applicable.

• The library collection contains print materials, including monographs and serials, and non-print media adequate in breadth and depth to support the institution's mission and curricula, in addition to full-text data bases.
• Professional library staff have master's degrees from accredited library schools.
• Faculty and students have ready access to the circulation, reference, and reserve collections.
• Professional and support staff are sufficient in number to provide instruction and other services to students and to engage in collection development.
• Library services such as orientation, computer search, and duplicating equipment are available to faculty and students.
• Library seating capacity and hours are adequate to meet the needs of students and faculty.
• If the institution operates a virtual library, these resources complement rather than supplant an on-site collection.
• Students consistently attain information literacy skills through their use of library resources.

      Suggested Documentation:

• Statement of library hours for student use.
• Statement of collection development plan and underlying budgeting.
• Summary of library holdings and resources by major program area; list of acquisitions in the last year by program area.
• Summary of materials placed on reserve for courses in the fall term of the academic year of the site visit.
• Resumes of full- and part-time professional staff; summary of staffing during hours of operation.
• Summary of seating capacity and computers for student use.
• Summary of access to databases and other information available through library computers.
• Any written agreements or contracts for sharing information resources with other library organizations or networks.
• Summary of instruction in information accessing and library use skills in the term preceding the accreditation site visit; provision of instructional materials.
• Course materials documenting training in information literacy.
• Analysis of library holdings of materials cited under bibliographic resources in course syllabi.
• Evidence of support for the institution's mission in the library's holdings and services.

Examples of Compliance:

• The institution demonstrates an acceptable score on the Federal Test of Financial Responsibility and meets all other federal criteria for determining if the institution may participate in the Title IV student aid programs.
   
• The institution's certified audits and other data indicate ongoing capacity to carry out its educational mission effectively and in compliance with these accreditation standards.
   
• The institution demonstrates adequacy in enrollment, operating results, and balance sheet results, as measured by a set of thirteen ratios common to the higher education enterprise.

Suggested Documentation:

• Institutional budget for the current year; monthly cash flow for the 12 months preceding provision of the self-study.
• Certified financial audits for the three most recent fiscal years.
• Documentation of expenditures supporting the institution's mission, goals, and objectives.

Previous l Next