Core Component 4.A | SIU Carbondale HLC Accreditation | SIU

DRAFT

4.A The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs.

1. The institution maintains a practice of regular program reviews.
2. The institution evaluates all the credit that it transcripts, including what it awards for experiential learning or other forms of prior learning, or relies on the evaluation of responsible third parties.
3. The institution has policies that assure the quality of the credit it accepts in transfer.
4. The institution maintains and exercises authority over the prerequisites for courses, rigor of courses, expectations for student learning, access to learning resources, and faculty qualifications for all its programs, including dual credit programs. It assures that its dual credit courses or programs for high school students are equivalent in learning outcomes and levels of achievement to its higher education curriculum.
5. The institution maintains specialized accreditation for its programs as appropriate to its educational purposes.
6. The institution evaluates the success of its graduates. The institution assures that the degree or certificate programs it represents as preparation for advanced study or employment accomplish these purposes. For all programs, the institution looks to indicators it deems appropriate to its mission, such as employment rates, admission rates to advanced degree programs, and participation rates in fellowships, internships, and special programs (e.g., Peace Corps and Americorps).

Argument

SIU is committed to using student learning data to inform decisions regarding educational programming, the learning environments, and support services. Curricular and co-curricular teams have worked beside one another to share practices and data related to student learning outcomes to inform programmatic changes and future initiatives. Since the previous HLC Report in 2010, Southern Illinois University engaged in the HLC Assessment Academy and the following outcomes evolved from SIUC’s participation in the academy.

Office of Associate Provost for Academic Programs (since Spring 2010):

In March 2010, the University created an office and appointed a full-time Director of Assessment and Program Review reporting directly to the Provost in the spring of 2010. The following July, the same office hired a full-time Assistant Director, who worked closely with the Director, now the Associate Provost for Academic Programs (APAP). In the fall of 2018, the APAP hired an Associate Director of Program Review and Assessment to provide continued assistance to programs completing self studies and to oversee assessment activities.

Assessment and Program Review Website (since Spring 2010):

This vital resource for faculty and staff has been frequently updated since its inception, but the focus remains on the assessment of learning outcomes and the program review process of degree programs to promote better student learning, as mandated by the Illinois Board of Higher Education and supported by the HLC. Program review, assessment information and resources are found on the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs website. 

Participation in the HLC’s Assessment Academy (Fall 2009-Fall 2013):

The University’s goal to create a more comprehensive culture of transformative inquiry in student learning began with defining and measuring the outcomes of the Saluki First Year (SFY), the University’s first-year experience administered by the University College. The SFY Seminar evolved into the current UNIV 101 course, required for all freshmen. While the University College was formally eliminated in June of 2017 due to budget cuts, the practices associated with University College were maintained. The UNIV 101 course and the systematic assessment of University Core Curriculum courses continues. 

University Core Curriculum Assessment (Fall 2012 onward):

With the approval of the Faculty Senate in fall 2012, the University’s general education program, the University Core Curriculum, adopted the AAC&U’s LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes. The Core Curriculum Executive Council, in consultation with UCC instructors, created indicators and revised the LEAP rubrics to measure student learning for each outcome beginning in 2016. 

4.A.1. All SIU programs undergo regular review, either through an internally-managed program review or through an external accreditation process specific to a degree program. The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) requires each degree program to be reviewed on an eight-year cycle.   Exceptions to this requirement are new programs, which are reviewed three years after approval. Degree-specific accreditations are accepted in lieu of the IBHE-mandated review. All records and correspondence concerning these accreditation activities are on file in the Office of the Associate Provost for Academic Programs. On the SIU system website, Program Quality Assurance Reports (PQARs) contain annual information on accreditation reports, program review reports and program review schedules.

Program reviews are an examination of the current "state of health" of the degree programs in a department, school, or college. The documentation used for the review is the program’s self-study, which provides a summary of the assessment of the student learning outcomes, changes to the curriculum resulting from the assessment, and changes the program has made since the last review. The review process affords an opportunity to determine whether the assessed student learning outcomes meet the faculty’s expectations and standards.  It also facilitates the establishment of corrective actions necessary to carry out the programs’ curricular and assessment plans. Program review and the accreditation process provide the basis for documenting and acknowledging excellence in teaching, research, and service by the faculty and staff.

All programs are required to submit an Assessment Plan every four years and an Assessment Report every year. Each plan requires the program to identify student learning outcomes and the report requires the program to present student learning data and to describe how the data was used to make programmatic changes. Accredited programs submit an Assessment Report annually as well. Similar to the requirements of an accredited program, non-accredited program coordinators and/or department chairs work with the APAP office to set-up a site-visit for the review team. The review team is comprised of external and internal reviewers recommended by the program faculty and approved by the Faculty Senate and Graduate Council. The review team submits a report upon completion of their visit, and the program coordinators and deans have the opportunity to respond to this report before it is submitted to our President’s office and ultimately to IBHE. Examples of actions taken and improvements made as a result of program reviews across a variety of Colleges and Schools is provided here.

Improvements within the College of Agricultural Sciences include: (1) faculty increased undergraduate extracurricular activity opportunities, (2) the Agronomy Society, a registered student organization, was revitalized with an emphasis on student leadership, academics and interactions within the agriculture community at the regional and national levels, (3) faculty in several areas involved undergraduate students in research projects with outstanding results and involvement, (4) a new classroom located on the university farm near the Agronomy Research Center was constructed and is accessible by the university bus system; the building is also used for other events such as research field days and industry meetings, (5) classrooms in the agriculture building on campus have received updates with smart board technology offering improved learning experiences, and (6) the green roof (noted in the 2012 review), rain garden, and vertical garden are maintained by students and continue to provide hands-on experiences.

Within the College of Science, the following actions were taken: the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (1) decreased class sizes for lower division chemistry and science major courses and (2) began conducting undergraduate exit interviews in the spring of 2017; the Department of Physics (1) improved its undergraduate student recruitment efforts by providing all incoming majors an opportunity to participate in research through continued funding of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, focused on materials science and engineering, and (2) in 2016, put in place a non-thesis M.S. option to cater to the needs of a variety of students interested in careers in science or technology-related fields.

4.A.2. SIUC evaluates credit through course and program articulations, proficiency exams, military service experience, industry certifications, and work experience. The Articulation & Evaluation division of the Registrar’s Office processes all Occupational Education credit as transfer work for those undergraduate programs authorized to grant non-traditional credit. SIUC designates occupational education credit as that granted for past occupational educational experiences related to the student's educational objectives. Credit is established by program evaluation and is applied only to the technical or career electives requirement of the program, unless otherwise determined by the program chair.

Other transfer credit includes High School Advanced Placement (AP) Program test scores which are sent electronically from the College Board. A minimum score of 3 is required, and in some cases a score of 4 or 5, to receive major specific credit.

College Level Exam Program (CLEP) general exams and a selected number of subject exams are accepted for credit at SIUC. Scores are received directly from the College Board or from a previous institution with the exception of English which requires a CLEP transcript. Illinois Community College transfer students with an AA or an AS degree will receive credit for English CLEP if it is listed on the transcript as a course from that institution. CLEP exam results are provided.

Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES) credits are obtained from standardized subject tests. Credit is allowed for scores at or above the ACE-recommended minimum.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program is a comprehensive and challenging two-year course of study. SIUC awards proficiency credit to students who have passed the Higher Level exam with an eligible score. 

SIUC continues to expand and update its articulation agreements for seamless transition of transfer students to the institution. SIUC advisors work with community college advisors to ensure students are properly advised along their educational pathway.

4.A.3. Upon admission to the University, students’ transfer credit is evaluated through the Articulation and Evaluation office for acceptance toward University and University Core Curriculum (UCC) requirements. Courses which are remedial, developmental or pre‐college, will not be accepted for transfer. Credit accepted for transfer yet not applied to UCC requirements or to a specific degree program, will be considered general transfer credit (elective credit).

Transfer courses to be considered toward specific program requirements or departmental credit are determined by the department directing the program. The point of contact for program requirements and transfer is the academic advisor. Information on transferring courses from specific schools is available here. Schools not listed on the website will have their courses evaluated on a course-by-course basis.

Students who transfer to SIU Carbondale with IAI GECC Certification noted on their official transcript from an Illinois school, will have met the UCC requirements for general graduation purposes. Requests for substitution of courses to UCC requirements are reviewed and evaluated by the office of Articulation and Evaluation. To initiate this process an academic advisor needs to complete the Request for Substitution of UCC Form.

4.A.4. Program faculty determine the prerequisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for a student to be successful in their program. Changes to prerequisites are approved by Academic Affairs Committees within schools and colleges and then approved by the Associate Provost for Academic Programs. This same process is followed for the approval of new courses or revisions to current courses. Faculty determine expectations for student learning within the context of the programs.  Faculty qualifications are addressed thoroughly in Criterion 3.C. SIUC does not currently offer any Dual Credit programs; however, students who participate in Dual Credit programs offered through a community college, like at John A. Logan Community College, are accepted at SIUC.

4.A.5. Accreditation is a distinguished mark of excellence that affords external recognition of an organization's commitment to quality and improvement. Accreditation has two fundamental purposes; to assure quality and to assure improvement. A further benefit to the accredited program is broader recognition in the academic community and the professional field. Employers can be assured that graduates of accredited programs are fully qualified for entry level positions. SIU has eighty-five programs, labs, and centers currently accredited by forty-five different national agencies. The PVCAA website houses information on all SIUC accreditations. 

The School of Medicine was recognized in 2013 with three ASPIRE awards – for excellence in assessment, student engagement, and social accountability. They were recognized again 2018 for simulation from the Association for Medical Education in Europe. ASPIRE awards are an international recognition. The School will receive another award in 2019 for curriculum innovation and development. The School of Medicine is the only institution in the world to receive five ASPIRE awards. A review of their self-study documents reveals sound pedagogical and assessment practices that are focused on student learning and success. Faculty meet every month to review the academic progress of each student and advise the students accordingly to ensure their future success. The faculty are committed to using the assessment cycle to benefit student learning.

4.A.6. In SIU's strategic plan, Pathways to Excellence, one of the objectives states, "SIU will engage employers and industry partners in our pursuit of offering relevant high-quality degree programs that develop highly prepared graduates." This occurs when advisory boards from various industries review curricula for programs and when alumni complete surveys linking the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they obtained in their program with their current profession.

Starting in May 2014, SIUC’s Career Services modified its placement survey to align with NACE’s First Destination survey questions. In May 2018, the Career Development Center (formerly, Career Services) implemented the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards on its survey of graduates through the Handshake platform. Questions on the survey include all those identified in the NACE standard, as well as the following additions:

1. While studying for your degree, did you do any of the following?
2. If working under a contract, please indicate the contract length.
3. How related is this position to your degree?
4. If you participated in an internship, was it required for your degree?
5. If you participated in an internship, please share the name of the company/organization at which you interned.
6. If you participated in an internship, was it paid or unpaid?
7. If you participated in an internship, did you receive a full-time offer as a result of an internship?
8. Did you look for full time employment before deciding to go to graduate school?
9. As a future SIU alumnus, would you be interested in mentoring a current student?
10. How many times did you visit SIU Career Services?
11. What types of opportunities are you looking for?
12. If you did utilize SIU Career Services, would you recommend the services to future Salukis?

First Destination Data is used in a variety of ways across campus and outside the institution. The results are summarized and used to provide data required by externally accredited programs and as part of the self-study document for IBHE-mandated 8-year program reviews. Salary averages are shared with potential employers so that graduates are offered competitive salaries. Salary and placement data are used to assist students in selecting majors and identifying potential earnings related to various majors. Survey data inform prospective students of the opportunities available to them upon graduation and highlight the value obtained through higher education. Data is provided at the request of national survey associations (NACE) and other organizations, such as U.S. News & World Report.

Employment data collected by NACE from May 2018 graduates up to 6 months post graduation yielded the following information: 48.4% - employed, 31.1% - still looking, and 20.1% - continuing education (SIUC 2018 Data). The survey response rate was 38.3%. Placement data broken out by College can be found here. The Career Development Center has implemented Handshake, a recruitment platform that connects students with potential employers. SIUC is connected to over 9500 employers and 1808 students have a complete profile in Handshake. 

SIUC implemented the Saluki Mentor Network as an online platform designed to connect students with faculty and staff as well as SIU alumni for academic and career mentorship. The Saluki Mentor Network creates opportunities for students to identify a mentor or become a member of a mentor community. As of spring 2019, 1,134 alumni were in the Saluki Mentor Network.

Advisory Boards

Many programs across campus have external advisory boards that meet on a regular basis and provide input into the relevance of the curriculum and adequacy in successfully preparing graduates for the workplace. Evidence of program changes that have been made as a direct result of advisory board feedback include, but are not limited to, the following examples.

Dental Hygiene faculty extended hours of availability to assist students with mastery of technical skills. Peer tutors are available and meet with students at mutually agreed upon times. Faculty have agreed to calibrate more frequently while in clinic in addition to calibrating during the mock clinical exam.

Hospitality and Tourism Board members expressed the importance of experience, communication skills, and the importance of professional conduct and attire. So, students receive experience through job shadowing/internships. Communication skills are addressed in projects and presentations. A new class syllabi template requires students to wear professional attire and behave in a professional manner any time a guest speaker is present. The board members also mentioned safety and security concerns, the high demand for revenue managers, and a need for students with knowledge of digital marketing and branding. So, safety and security are now addressed in the facilities management class. The program faculty noted that students will have more access to accounting and revenue management once HTA has joined the College of Business. 

Mortuary Science and Funeral Service increased its grading scale (75% to pass with a C in all classes) and, as a result, the board scores have seen an improvement in both the Arts and Science sections. The faculty implemented competency exams at the end of the senior seminar. Students that do not pass the mock exams are not allowed to sit for the National Board Exam. The faculty also decided to re-implement professional dress day Wednesday. All Junior and Senior level students are required to dress professionally for all MSFS courses on Wednesdays. This resulted from a suggestion to improve professionalism in the field and assist the students in getting jobs once the degree is completed.

The Physical Therapy Assistant program responded to feedback by redistributing clinical hours to better meet curriculum needs, thereby increasing the availability of clinical sites. The faculty have also revised the student clinical evaluation form for first year students to better document clinical performance.

Healthcare Management made specific changes to courses by revising course topic outlines, adding performance activities (i.e. students conduct external and internal audits) to a course, and adding safety protocols to a course.

The Industrial Management and Applied Engineering program aligned syllabi among on-campus, off-campus and on-line courses. A PLC simulator (LogixPro) was added to the on-campus Robotics course to provide students with hands-on programming. Content from two courses was merged into one course titled “Facilities Planning & Workplace Design”. Two supply chain courses were added to the curriculum as well as a Fundamentals of Leadership course.

A curricular review of the MS in Quality Engineering and Management by its Industrial Advisory Committee led to the addition of courses in QEM 525 Six Sigma Black Belt II, QEM 530 Lean Manufacturing II, and QEM 535 Service Quality.

The Technology Department, housed in the College of Engineering, added a specialization in Industrial and Quality Engineering within the Engineering Sciences PhD program. This provides a pathway for master’s students in QEM that want to continue to study quality engineering topics in more depth. 

It is evident that our faculty are responsive to feedback received from advisory boards and alumni surveys. Faculty seek to maintain a high-level of rigor in their courses while also meeting the applicable demands of their professions. 

Feedback from SIUC's Campus Climate Survey that aligns with this core component indicates that 72.4% of our students “strongly agree” or “agree” that SIU provides adequate resources for academic growth (Table 23), 57.8% “strongly agree” or “agree” that SIU attempts to continuously improve the quality of its academic endeavors (Table 50), and 59.3% “strongly agree” or “agree” that SIUC promotes excellence in its undergraduate programs (Table 51).

Sources

• IBHE iTransfer
• SIU FY18 PQAR
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey (page number 29)
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey (page number 38)
• SIUC Accreditations/Affiliations by Programs
• SIUC Advanced Placement
• SIUC Agriculture Research News
• SIUC Agronomy Society
• SIUC Assessment Plan
• SIUC Assessment Report
• SIUC CLEP Summary 2016-17
• SIUC Core Curriclum Curriculum Checklist 2017-18
• SIUC DANTES
• SIUC International Baccalaureate
• SIUC NACE Results 2018.pdf
• SIUC Occupational Education Credit
• SIUC Physics Graduate Program
• SIUC Post-Graduation Status by Colleges.pdf
• SIUC Program Review and Assessment website
• SIUC Program Review Manual
• SIUC Request for Substitution of University Core Curriculum
• SIUC Research Experience for Undergraduates.pdf
• SIUC Sustainability Green Fund Projects
• SIUC Transfer Equivalencies
• SIUC Transfer Equivalency Guides