El Centro College Self-Study Calendar

Fall 2000
•Appoint Self-Study Director
•Establish self-study structure and organization
•Appoint Steering Committee and all principal committee chairpersons
•Select telecommunication method for self-study
•Supply principal committee chairs and editor with copies of Criteria for Accreditation

January 2001
• Collect and evaluate self-study materials from other institutions
• Distribute copies of committee reports from last self-study to principal committee chairs
• Begin publication of self-study newsletter The Spotlight and distribute college-wide

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February 2001
• Host visit by Dr. Tom Benberg, SACS Liaison
• Conduct an orientation for all committee chairs

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March 2001
• Establish Goal Statement for Self-Study
• Establish Objectives and Charges for Steering Committee
• Establish communication channels for self-study leadership, including compatible software for data and document exchange
• Establish all principal and special committee memberships
• Finalize Self-Study Office needs and requirements
• Establish Guidelines for record retention and documentation for inclusion in the Self-Study Plan and Procedures Manual

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April 2001
• Establish objectives and responsibilities for principal committees
• Establish objectives and responsibilities for principal committee chairs
• Conduct orientation for all committee members
• Hold first principal committee meetings
• Establish committee guidelines for record retention and documentation for committee activities and reports
• Publish the newsletter, The Spotlight
• Submit draft of Self-Study Plan and Manual documents for Steering Committee review

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May – June 2001
• Determine subcommittee needs
• Compile and draft components of the Self-Study Plan and Procedures Manual
• Scan and place self-study and college documents on-line for accessibility to committees
• Scan the approved Self-Study Plan and Procedures Manual into the Intranet site for college use
• Self-Study Office submits Self-Study Plan to SACS

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July – August 2001
• Committee chairs begin outlining their own committee-level plans of action in accordance with established self-study procedures and the Self-Study Plan and Procedures Manual
• Basic comprehensive survey design begins

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Study Phase

August – September 2001
• Hold campus-wide self-study kick-off activity to begin study phase
• Publish and distribute the self-study newsletter, The Spotlight
• Committees begin self-study
• Principal committees pass along institutional effectiveness findings to Institutional Effectiveness Committee as they develop
• Complete inventory of current information resources and create the self-study library
• Formalize cataloguing of all materials compiled during the summer
• Duplicate, catalog, and categorize all data compiled according to committee and sub-committee tasks
• Begin Intranet training in room B209 for Steering Committee and all principal committees
• Begin work on survey development for employees and students
• Distribute approved Self-Study Plan and Procedures Manual to all Steering Committee members

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October 2001
• Committees make initial data requests
• Committees begin interviews and document analysis
• Begin preparation of Self-Study Status Report for SACS
• Ask for determination of Visiting Committee Chairperson
• Prepare draft of comprehensive survey

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November 2001
• Begin administering Comprehensive Survey
• Committees continue interviews and document analysis
• Publish the self-study newsletter, The Spotlight

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December 2001
• SACS Annual Conference in New Orleans

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Report Draft Phase

January – March 2002
• Distribute and analyze survey results
• Committees conclude self-study
• Committees compile first drafts of their reports and prepare according to editorial guidelines
• Publish the self-study newsletter, The Spotlight

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April – May 2002
• Committees submit first drafts of their reports to the Steering Committee
• Steering Committee and Editorial Committee review first drafts
• Committees begin work on second draft as soon as the first draft with comments is returned
• Publish the self-study newsletter, The Spotlight
• Committees submit second drafts to administration and Steering Committee

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June – August 2002
• Second drafts of all committee reports are reviewed for completeness
• Self-Study Office submits status report to SACS

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Implementation Phase

August 2002
• Self-study status reported to the college
• Committees prepare final draft of their report
• Institution-wide review of self-study report
• Publish self-study newsletter, The Spotlight

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September 2002
• Compile final document
• Distribute final report to all college stakeholders
• Develop a web site for the Visiting Committee with documents and general college information
• Develop plans for travel, hotel, and college facilities and hospitality arrangements for the visiting team

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November 2002
• Publish self-study newsletter, The Spotlight
• Print the self-study

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January 2003
• Self-study status reported to the college
• Publish self-study Newsletter, The Spotlight
• SACS appoints Visiting Committee members
• Preliminary visit by the Visiting Committee Chairperson
• Prepare information for students informing them about SACS

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February 2003
• Determine status of implementation of recommendations
• Prepare the Self-Study Addendum
• Collect self-study and related documents and pack them for mailing to the Visiting Committee members
• Mail Addendum and remaining materials to the Visiting Committee members
• Hospitality Committee contact the visiting Committee and make arrangements for local transportation, hotel comfort, and interview arrangements
• Prepare document files for college and hotel sites for visiting team
• Publish self-study newsletter, The Spotlight

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Visitation Phase

March 2003
• Hold orientation sessions for college to prepare for visiting team
• Publish information for students explaining the visit and the schedule of meetings

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March 30 – April 2
• Host SACS Visiting Committee on campus
• Party when they leave!

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Follow-Up Phase

April 2003
• Respond to factual errors in draft of Visiting Committee Report
• Publish the self-study newsletter, The Spotlight

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May 2003
• Receive official copy of Visiting Committee’s Report for the COC along with instructions for preparing the required responses

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June – December 2003
• Respond to official report by the assigned deadline
• Begin implementation of recommendations and suggestions
• Submit follow-up report on implementation (if applicable)
• Provide additional information or materials requested (if applicable)

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Accreditation Phase

December 2003
• Receive reaffirmation of accreditation

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