Self Study 2024-2025 Self Study 2024-2025

Self Study 2024-2025

Frederick Community College Mission Statement

 

Focused on teaching and learning, Frederick Community College provides affordable, flexible access to lifelong education that responds to the needs of diverse learners and the community.

 

 

Fall campus

Accreditation Overview

In the Commission's own description:

 

“The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), through accreditation, mandates that its member institutions meet rigorous and comprehensive standards, which are addressed in the context of the mission of each institution and within the culture of ethical practices and institutional integrity expected of accredited institutions. In meeting the quality standards of MSCHE accreditation, institutions earn accredited status, and this permits them to state with confidence: “Our students are well-served; society is well-served.” (see MSCHE Standards)


Visit the MSCHE website for more information: https://www.msche.org/

Grants of accreditation are given for eight-year periods. In order to maintain its institutional accreditation, the College is responsible for meeting all of the MSCHE Requirements of Affiliation and Standards for Accreditation.

To see more about accreditation, access this page.

 

Accreditation Cycle

 

The College is required to demonstrate compliance through periodic reporting to MSCHE and to complete a self-study nearing the conclusion of the grant of accreditation. This is done through the following:

 

Annual Institutional Updates (AIU)

 

The College provides an annual update on its institutional characteristics including its institutional contacts, location, state degree granting authority, control, and its Carnegie classification; as well as key data indicators such as enrollment, financial information, and measures of student achievement.

Midpoint Peer Review (MPPR)

 

The College submits its AIU data to the Commission, which then compiles this information over a four-year period (the mid-point between an eight-year grant of accreditation) for peer review of its financial data, student achievement data, and responses to Commission recommendations as applicable.

Self Study

 

The Self-Study is required every eight-years, coinciding with the end of a grant of accreditation. The Self-Study is an opportunity for the College to conduct an in-depth evaluation of its operations, with an emphasis on a collaborative and data-driven process, demonstrating compliance with the Requirements of Affiliation and Standards for Accreditation.

Peer reviewers conduct an on-site review of the Self-Study, verifying the College’s compliance, and providing areas for improvement if warranted. The Self-Study is conducted over a three-year period. FCC’s Self-Study process began in Fall of 2022 and will be concluded in early 2025 with the peer evaluation and notice of action by MSCHE.

 

Goals of the 2024-25 Self-Study

  • Reaffirmation of Accreditation

 

Self-Study Timeline 2022 - 2025

 

  1. 2022

    • Participation in the Self-Study Institute

  2. 2022

    • Appointment of the Self-Study Chairs
    • Selection of Steering Committee Members

  3. 2023

    • Steering Committee Charged
    • Begin drafting the Self-Study Design

  4. 2023

    • Establish Working Groups
    • Develop a Communication Plan
    • Finalize the Self-Study Design

  5. 2023

    • Submit Self-Study Design to MSCHE

  6. 2023

    • Host MSCHE VP Liaison

  7. 2023

    • Self-study Design approved by MSCHE

  8. 2023

    • Collection of Evidence demonstrating compliance

  9. 2023

    • Working Groups develop drafts of their chapters for Steering Committee feedback

  10. 2024

    • Team chair selection
    • Working Groups refine their chapters and submit to the Steering Committee for feedback

  11. 2024

    • Steering Committee develops draft of the Self-Study Report

  12. 2024

    • The Self-Study Report is presented to the College community for feedback and review
    • Continued development of the Self-Study Report based on feedback

  13. 2024

    • Submission of the Self-Study Report to the evaluation team chair

  14. 2024

    • On-site evaluation by the team chair
    • Revisions to the Self-Study Report draft as needed based on team chair feedback
    • Final Self-Study Report presented to the campus community

  15. 2025

    • Submission of the Final Self-Study Report and evidence to MSCHE and the team chair

  16. 2025

    • On-site evaluation by the peer review team
    • Receive team report and prepare institutional response

  17. 2025

    • Notice of MSCHE action to FCC
  18.  

 

Steering Committee

The Self Study Steering Committee is the body that ensures that the self-study is conducted in a rigorous manner that is inclusive, in-depth, and works toward achieving the intended outcomes of the self-study process. Steering Committee Members support the overall work of the Self-Study. The Committee is composed of two Co-Chairs of the Self-Study, Chairs of the Working Groups, and other individuals deemed necessary to the development of the final Self-Study.

The co-chairs of the Self-Study are:

  • Frederick Cope, Assistant Professor of English
  • Kevin Martin, Senior Researcher for Institutional Effectiveness

The Steering Committee is composed of the following individuals:

  • John Anzinger, Director of Capitol Planning and Project Management
  • Jacob Ashby, Assistant Dean for Assessment and Articulation
  • Gerald Boyd, Special Assistant to the President for Institutional Effectiveness (Accreditation Liaison Officer)
  • Molly Carlson, AVP for Continuing Education and Workforce Development
  • Frederick Cope, Co-Chair of the Self Study, Assistant Professor of English
  • Anne Hoffman, Professor of English, Department Chair
  • Julie Horton, Education Program Coordinator
  • Amelia Iams, Director of Physical Therapy Assistant Education
  • Kevin Martin, Co-Chair of the Self Study, Senior Researcher for Institutional Effectiveness
  • Sandy McCombe Waller, AVP for Academic Affairs/Dean of Health, Business, Technology, and Science
  • Colleen McKnight, Director for Library Services
  • Diana Oliver, Human Resources Manager
  • Benita Rashaw, AVP for Student Affairs
  • Amy Stake, Interim VP for Finance
  • Brian Stipelman, AVP for Academic Affairs/Dean of Liberal Arts

Work Groups

Work Groups are the principal means of identifying compliance with the MSCHE standards and documenting their evidence. Each Work Group is aligned with a specific standard and are responsible for demonstrating compliance with the standard. The Working Groups are led by a Chair and Vice Chair. The Chair is responsible for reporting the progress made within the Work Group to the Steering Committee and must be intimately involved in the overall process to do so. The Vice Chair of the Work Group is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the work of the Working Group.

 

Work Group 1: Mission and Goals
 
Work Group 2: Ethics and Integrity
 
Work Group 3: Design and Delivery of Student Learning Experience
 
Work Group 4: Support of the Student Experience
 
Work Group 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment
 
Work Group 6: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
 
Work group 7: Governance, Leadership, and Administration
 

 

 

Get Involved with the Self-Study

 

The Self-Study process is intentional collaborative and representative of the varied thoughts and visions of the College community. As such, we welcome individuals to self-nominate for areas in which they feel they might best contribute to the Self-Study. The following are areas in which the Steering Committee has greatest need for support: The following are areas in which the Steering Committee has greatest need for support: 1) participation in a Work Group and 2) serving as secondary readers and commenters on drafted chapters of the self-study.

Complete this brief questionnaire to express your interest.

Resources

 

Contact

 

Kevin J. Martin, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher, Institutional Effectiveness
Phone: 301.846.2621

Frederick Cope
Assistant Professor, English
Phone:301.846.2584