ACBSP has implemented an online reporting platform for self-studies and quality assurance reports, called Campus Labs. Campus Labs is running similar reporting platforms for regional accreditors such as North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC), and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The research and development phase started in 2012 and rolled over into 2013. The cost is $80,000 per year. ACBSP incurred the cost for the first two years. In 2014, we will start adding a $200 technology fee to annual membership invoices of schools in candidacy and those with accredited status.

This is a great value when you consider all the features that come with the system. Our members will have access to all their archived reports and feedback — no more shipping or mailing paper reports, no printing costs, plus access to many other Campus Labs tools for free. Campus Labs provides training and technical support. The platform has some great features for learning and reporting. A customized HELP tab will house user documentation and video tutorials. The system offers pre-loaded Standards and Criteria as well as quality assurance reports. Clicking on a criterion allows users to page through the requirements to respond, edit or add evidence. Business units can create a file folder system and upload evidence/documents into the Evidence File for referencing in the self-study or quality assurance report. Users with edit rights can type in the Institutional Response area or copy and paste text from Microsoft Word®. Users can link to sources of evidence in the narrative, including linking to specific page numbers in PDF documents.

A dashboard area displays the status of the self-study, including assigned users and internal due dates for institutional workflow processes. The site includes an activity log with a saved version of each change to the Institutional Response for each criterion. Users can export a printable file of the entire self-study to PDF or Microsoft Word®. Several business units volunteered to test the platform. The training for the test phase starts this week and several business units will start entering data and information into the quality assurance report template in October 2013. Other testers will be entering self–study data and information starting in November or December 2013. The process will be used by a majority of business units by the fall of 2014, and will become mandatory for all business units in 2015. I hope you enjoy the benefits as much as I believe you will.