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Basis for the decision/program commentsStandard 1: LeadershipThe leadership team at the institution work cohesively to bring learning, recruitment and retention opportunities for its various schools. For instance, the site-visit revealed that institution has been able to recruit international students by partnering with Wisconsin English as Second Language Institution (WESLI), and Madison English as Second Learning Institute (MESLI). Additional partnerships such as with local businesses have resulted in meaningful internship opportunities for learners at the institution.Categories: Approach, Deployment, Results, ImprovementsVerified: This Strength was verified on site.Criterion 1.1It is clear that the entire business unit leadership team- the Interim Dean, Department chairs are involved in the ACBSP accreditation process. During interviews with administrators, department chairs it was clear that these stakeholders knew about the continuous improvement process and its importance to the accreditation process.Categories: Approach, Deployment, Results, ImprovementsVerified: This Strength was verified on site.Criterion 2.1The business unit has strategically embedding institutionally promoted, work place learning experience which combines practice and theory in the form of projects and internships that reach into the civic community and beyond. In speaking with the business unit's key stakeholders, it is obvious that the work focused learning has made the entire learning process more authentic and meaningful to its various learner groups.Categories: Approach, Deployment, Results, ImprovementsVerified: This Strength was verified on site.Criterion 2.2It is clear from interviews during the site visit that the business unit has a clear understanding of its target audience (learner groups), and has planned degree programs and services specific to the needs of each learner group. For example the business unit offers a traditional MBA Program, MBA with Accounting concentration, MBA with Sustainability Leadership concentration, MBA in Health System Leadership, MBA/MS combined dual degree. In addition, the business unit offers an undergraduate program with majors in several key focus areas with one focused on serving the returning adult learners. Serving the needs of learner audience is evident in the institutional mission and vision statements and its strategic action plan.Categories: Approach, DeploymentVerified: This Strength was verified on site.Criterion 3.5To address retention, the institution uses an early warning system based on custom binary logistic regression model referred to as the Partner Program Retention (PPR) model. The PPR model is used to predict the likelihood of a learner to stay or to drop from the institution. Based on the model results, support services take the list of learners who are at the highest risk of attrition and then pairs them individually with staff/faculty volunteer mentors. This has resulted in exceptionally high level of retention at the institution and the business unit. This approach should be considered as a best practice.Categories: Approach, Deployment, Results, ImprovementsVerified: This Strength was verified on site.The business unit has partnered with several regional employers to create a very vibrant internship and career services program for its learner groups. Academic programs are actively aligned with internship activities to bring work experiences in classroom teaching. This has resulted in increasing satisfaction level among all learner groups at the business unit which has led to high retention.Categories: Approach, Deployment, Results, ImprovementsVerified: This Strength was verified on site.Criterion 5.2There is a formal Faculty Mentorship program in place that provides for interaction between junior and senior faculty at the business unit. Worth noting is an online component that provides for mentor relationships with online faculty. The mentor can view the classroom interaction and provide feedback in the virtual environment. During the site visit interviews faculty member stated that this feedback was extremely beneficial because they are able to incorporate the mentor's suggestions to improve their teaching methods.Categories: Approach, Deployment, Results, ImprovementsVerified: This Strength was verified on site.A formal online training program is in place that requires all faculty who wish to teach online to complete a 7-week training program. Faculty are also compensated for successful completion of the training program. Site visit interviews revealed that the survey is administered at the end of the training, however, no data was provided. Developers of the online faculty training modules are current in online pedagogy as evidenced by attendance and training at numerous academic conferences and workshops.Categories: Approach, Deployment, ResultsVerified: This Strength was verified on site.Criterion 5.8The business unit's full-time faculty is engaged in scholarly and professional activities as evidenced in figure 5.6. This information was verified on site through face to face discussions as well as a random review of faculty files. All full-time faculty have engaged in several professional and scholarly activities throughout the self study period. Several of adjunct faculty are engaged in professional and consulting activities bringing workplace experiences in classroom.Categories: Approach, DeploymentVerified: This Strength was verified on site.Criterion 6.2.1The business unit is provided with exceptional education support process. Noteworthy is a dedicated library liason for the business unit. This liason provides one-on-one guidance to faculty in course development and research tools. The site visit also revealed that specific databases are in place for business students - for instance, Accounting Research Manager and ValueLine Investment Survey.Categories: ApproachVerified: This Strength was verified on site.A May 2015 satisfaction survey was conducted with faculty and staff regarding technology services. Data was analyzed and action steps identified to address any areas of concern. A student satisfaction survey for technology services is planned for the current academic year.Categories: Approach, Deployment, Results, ImprovementsVerified: This Strength was verified on site.Opportunities for Improvement (OFI) (18)Conditions of AccreditationThere is an opportunity for the business unit to share information such as program learning outcomes, details about its degree programs, and routinely update, disseminate and communicate student learning outcomes data, stakeholders’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction results on its web-portal. It may be noted that the last quality assurance report available on business unit's web-site is from 2011. Sharing updated information may help the business unit meet its overall objective of marketing its degree programs, and to remain connected with its stakeholders.Categories: Approach, DeploymentVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 2.1While the business unit has identified its strategic goals, objectives, and a timetable, it may be noted that this has been done recently. There is an opportunity for improvement by clearly identifying tactical milestones, dates and defining a periodic review process which will ensure successful progression towards the strategic plan goals. Having tactical milestones could help the business unit formalize several of its other initiatives conceptualized since 2013-2014 which is to be noted are still fluid. Categories: Approach, DeploymentVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 3.3During the site visit, the response rates of the online course evaluation system could not be verified by the Director of Online Learning. Students are encouraged, but not mandated to provide feedback. There is an opportunity to explore ways to improve the student feedback response rate. Student feedback is an invaluable component in wide array of tools that can be used to improve overall student satisfaction level.Categories: ApproachVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 3.7While the business unit has several informal methods to solicit student and key stakeholder input, there is an opportunity to formalize feedback mechanisms - such as periodically conducting and reviewing satisfaction surveys. For instance, there was no data or report provided to the site visit team which summarized the business unit's end of class surveys. Additionally, the Director of Online Leaning indicated that there is no tracking of response rates for learner responses. Periodically reviewing stakeholder surveys will help the business unit to continually improve its academic programs and services. Categories: Approach, DeploymentVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 3.8There is an opportunity for the business unit to establish a formal stakeholder feedback process - by periodically conducting and reviewing stakeholder satisfaction surveys. It is to be noted that the frequency of satisfaction survey data presented by the business unit is ad hoc. Periodically administering and analyzing stakeholder survey will help the business unit in continually addressing the needs of its key stakeholders.Categories: ApproachVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 4.1The business unit is still in process of establishing student learning outcomes or "competencies" to guide pursuit in their degree programs. As an example, the business unit refers to the student learning outcomes of the traditional undergraduate program as their "Top 30." During the site visit, it was discovered that the competencies had been reduced from 30 to 24 indicating this is an ongoing process. Finalizing the competencies and their measurement methods may assist the business unit in tracking the success for all of its degree programs on a trend-line basis.Categories: Approach, ImprovementsVerified: This OFI was verified on site.All of the programs utilize embedded test questions as an internal and formative measure of assessment. However, this is the only internal and formative assessment approach taken in the Traditional undergraduate program in Accounting as well as the Master of Science in Accounting and evidence supporting this approach is quite limited. An opportunity exists for the business unit to expand its approach to the internal and formative assessment process.Categories: Approach, ImprovementsVerified: This OFI was verified on site.The self-study indicated that the the business unit utilizes ETS - Major Field Test for summative and external assessment for all programs with the exception of the Master of Science in Accountancy. While on site, it was discovered that the traditional undergraduate program in business stopped using the ETS - Major Field Test in 2012 and replaced it with Capsim Comp XM in 2014 thereby establishing the new instrument as the only external summative assessment tool for the undergraduate business program. Furthermore, in 2013, the Adult Accelerated Program stopped using the ETS - Major Field Test and neither the Adult Accelerated Program nor the MBA currently utilize any form of external or summative assessment measures. External, as well as summative measures should be utilized and can provide evidence of how well a program is preparing students.Categories: Approach, ImprovementsVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 4.2Each of the degree programs under consideration for ACBSP reaffirmation have two to four performance measures provided as evidence of data being gathered and analyzed. For instance, the traditional undergraduate program: accounting, as well as the MBA both have performance measure with only two data points: technical competency and average ethics scores, respectively. There is an opportunity with the business unit to have assessment measures in line with the identified program learning outcomes allowing to assess the success of its degree programs.Categories: Approach, DeploymentVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 4.4There is an opportunity for the business unit to establish periodic data collection and analysis process which could allow results to be analyzed on a periodic basis. Site visit revealed that limited learning outcomes results are being tracked and analyzed on a continual basis. For example, two or three student learning outcomes being evaluated for each of the degree programs, whereas, there are several student learning outcomes or "competencies" that are identified for each degree program (for instance, the traditional undergraduate program in business has 24 competencies). Periodic collection of assessment data and its analysis will provide the business unit feedback regarding how well each degree program is performing in its pursuit of the determined competencies.Categories: Approach, Deployment, Results, ImprovementsVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 5.1While the business unit has an informal staffing process in place, there exists an opportunity for the business unit to develop a formal human resource (HR) plan. Developing a short and long term business unit specific HR plan may allow the unit and its program coordinators to effectively deploy faculty and resources for various programs and ensure proper course offerings for its learner groups.Categories: ApproachVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 5.3After a review of faculty files and qualifications, it was found that at least 80 % of the undergraduate credit hours in business and 90 % of the graduate credit hours in business are taught by academically or professionally qualified faculty. However, only 56 %, not the recommended 70 % of the graduate credit hours at the business unit are being taught by academically qualified faculty. There is an opportunity for the business unit to assign an appropriate number of academically and professionally qualified faculty so as to maintain an emphasis on both theory and practice for all its degree programs.Categories: ApproachVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 5.5There is an opportunity for the business unit to review the workload for its full-time faculty. Upon verification, site-visit revealed several instances to exceed the recommended guidelines for semester hours taught per year, number of preps per year, and committee work for business unit full-time faculty. Assigning workload commensurate with recommended guidelines may keep the business unit faculty effectively fulfilling the mission of the unit as well as the institution.Categories: ApproachVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 6.1.2There is an opportunity for the business unit to review program delivery of its degree programs. For instance, the site-visit revealed that the adult accelerated program does not meet historical standard for classroom contact hours. Since the courses in the program are four credit hours, typical amount of classroom contact hours would be 60 hours; however, the adult accelerated program only has 28 contact hours which take place over a seven week period. In another instance, the MBA program was found not meet the historical standard for classroom contact hours. Typical amount of classroom contact is 45 hours, yet the MBA program only has 28 contact hours which take place over an eight week period. The business unit did provides an external measure of summative data to indicate that the students in the program perform as well or better than those in the traditional undergraduate program. Categories: ApproachVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 6.1.3Figure 6.5 reflects the business unit curriculum as stated in the self study year of 2013-14. The site-visit revealed that the business unit had undergone an extensive curriculum revision since. Site visit team was unable to get updated copy of the CPC coverage for verification, therefore there is an opportunity with the business unit to update the CPC coverage reflecting its updated curriculum. Verified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 6.1.5The minimum amount of business course coverage in a business-related program should be 25%. The site visit revealed that the business unit's Business and CIS degree program only devotes 20% of the curriculum to business. There is an opportunity for the business unit to review its business-related program(s) to provide sufficient coverage of business topics to meet the long-term needs of students and other stakeholders.Categories: Approach, ResultsVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 6.1.7There is an opportunity for the business unit to formalize methods and processes for program evaluation. For instance, the business unit's two master's programs currently do not use formal rubrics or methods for program evaluation. Though there is evidence for evaluation for the undergraduate program, these have been established only recently (from year 2013). Indirect methods of assessment, such as employer satisfaction surveys, are largely absent.Categories: ApproachVerified: This OFI was verified on site.Criterion 6.3.6There is an opportunity for the business unit to review its internal retention rate for its degree programs. While the institution is doing a good job addressing retention, the site-visit revealed that there are no measures available to track the business unit's own learner retention rate. Evaluating the retention data on business unit level may allow for additional improvements to be achieved in an already successful area for the institution.
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