Minutes from February 23, 2022

1. Welcome and announcements
2. Approval of minutes from 1/26/2022 – approved
3. Discussion
   1. Accreditation Update - Steve Swinford
      

      1. Vice provost Swinford shared the requirements and proposed process for meeting the mid-term and full cycle evaluation and reporting needs for NWCCU accreditation.  The Intentional Focus Strategic Effectiveness Teams (IFSETs) will be reviewed and reconstituted.  We will focus on recommendations from our last reporting cycle on aligning and assessing learning outcomes and on communicating assessment and actions that result.  To partially address these, Steve and Assistant Provost Martha Cabel are redesigning the seven-year department and program evaluation cycle in a way that should make faculty investment in the process meaningful and improve outcomes for students.

      2. Institutional data collection for the NWCCU efforts is underway, with a completion target of Jan 2023.  The year seven report writing will begin in earnest Jan 2024, with the team visit in Fall 2024 and feedback returned Jan 2025.

   2. Goal 1.2 Update
      

      1. Council reviewed the metrics and actions in Goal 1.2 on graduate education.  There was discussion about the word “enhance” relative to metrics that capture growth, the program review efforts in process, placement of graduates, time-to-degree and completion measures not reported in the plan itself, recruitment, and equity of outcomes.  Dean Ogilvie gave some insight into his experiences here (post plan adoption) and Council members asked questions specifically about budgeting, understanding of metric 1.2.2, and whether we are satisfied with the current state.

   3. Information needs for FY24 prioritization discussion

      1. Fastnow asked the Council to share the questions they have, the data they want to see, or the experts they want to hear form to inform our annual prioritization process.  The following topics were suggested, and Fastnow will invite experts to address these.  Please send more questions and suggestions.

         1. Environmental scan on cost of living, especially housing and child care, and impacts on faculty, staff, and students
         2. Employee recruitment pools and responses from top choices
         3. Other external environmental impacts from pandemic
         4. Current efforts on staff and faculty retention and recruitment
   4. Goal 1.3 Update (if time) - postponed
4. Other business - none 
5. Public comment - none

Next meeting:  March 23, 10:30 am -12 noon, MT Room

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