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20.1. Substantive Change *
The COE must be notified and the college receive approval by the Council of any of the following substantive changes in the program:
- Any change in the established mission or objective of the college.
- Any change in the legal status, form of control, or ownership of the college.
- The addition of courses or programs that represent a significant departure, in either content or method of delivery, from those that were offered when the COE last evaluated the institution.
- The addition of courses or programs as a degree or credential level above that which is included in the institution's current accreditation or preaccreditation.
- A change in the clock hours (student contact hours) to credit hours ratio.
- A substantial change in the number of clock hours (student contact hours) or credit hours awarded for successful completion of a program.
- The establishment of an additional location geographically apart from the main campus at which the institution offers at least 25 percent of the entire professional program.
- The establishment of an additional location geographically apart from the main campus at which the institution offers an educational experience in which 25 percent or more of any class is enrolled.
- An anticipated enrollment change of 10 percent or more students.
Approval of substantive changes is at the discretion of the COE based upon the information received and continued compliance with the standards. A site visit may be required to verify the reported substantive changes.
20.2. Interim Report
The Council requires an annual interim report from each accredited college except when a site visit has been conducted less than six months previously, or when a site visit is planned to occur in the first six months of the ensuing year. The interim report should describe any recent or anticipated changes and the ways in which previous Council recommendations have been met. When an accredited college contemplates fundamental changes in administration, organization, association with the parent institution, curriculum, faculty, increased enrollment, instructional program, or stated objectives, the Council should be given an opportunity to review the proposed change prior to adoption. Student suggestions, comments, and complaints regarding the college's compliance to the standards for accreditation must accompany the interim report.
Individual members of the Council are assigned a specific report(s) for an in-depth review and are required to prepare a draft written summary of the findings. The assigned individual leads Council discussion of the report and his/her summary (included in the COE meeting agenda book), and makes a recommendation on the accreditation status of the college. When all issues arising from the annual report have been discussed, the Council votes (a majority is required) on extending the current accreditation status or taking an adverse action to lower the status. If the Council votes to extend the accreditation status, with or without comment, staff will notify the college in writing. Comments, however, are included in the transmission letter when appropriate. If the Council notes deficiencies that may result in an adverse accreditation action, the Council will defer the accreditation action and will provide the college an opportunity to respond in writing pursuant to Policy 19 of this manual. If the Council lowers the accreditation status after the college has had the opportunity to respond under Policy 19, then the college will be reminded of the appeal process.
Please note that the COE understands that some data are not collected annually, but summaries of those results should be reported when they become available. Evidence for the requested delineators should be collected no less than two to three times during the seven-year accreditation cycle.
20.3.Self-Study Report
The Council evaluates each college of veterinary medicine in terms of the degree with which it meets its own stated objectives and the established criteria for accreditation. To maintain accreditation, veterinary colleges must provide an extensive self-evaluation and arrange for a site visit at intervals of not more than seven years. More frequent site visits are scheduled for colleges with limited accreditation. The Council reserves the right to schedule site visits on a more frequent basis, if information of concern is provided in an annual report, or in response to complaints, or for a developing college still under a reasonable assurance designation.
At least nine months before the end of the period for which a college is accredited, the dean is alerted to the requirements for preliminary reports, and arrangements for a site visit are made. A copy of the current statement of policies and procedures of the COE is sent to the dean. No later than six weeks before the site visit, the college must provide the self-study as a hard copy (one only) and in electronic format to the AVMA office. The electronic copy should be sent either by e-mail, floppy disc, or CD ROM. Sufficient hard copies must also be prepared and shipped by the college to each site team member. Failure to file a suitable report by the deadline, and in the format specified, may result in postponement of the site visit. One college catalog must be made available on site.
20.4. Self-Evaluation – General Directions
The Council expects that every college of veterinary medicine engage in ongoing evaluation of all elements of the educational programs as they relate to the Standards. The self-evaluation report is a summary of the current state of regular self-evaluation.
Administrators, faculty, students and alumni of the college are best qualified to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the college, and should be consulted in preparation of the self-study. Committees composed of the above groups should be established by the administration for the purpose of composing the self-study. Department input should be included in the self-study, but not as a separate section of the document. As an outside group, the Council gains its best perception of a college through the eyes of those most intimately involved.
The Self-Study Report is the single most important document of the accreditation process and serves as the principal element of evidence that the program and resources of the college comply with the Standards of Accreditation. Each site team member is provided a copy of the self-study, and it is made available to all interested Council members. The accreditation site visit serves to clarify and verify that self-study is a true reflection of the conditions of the college.
Guidance and the elements necessary for the self-study are provided. Under each of the standards, provide the required information in the most concise manner for your college. Where appropriate, the information/data presented must be analyzed and/or summarized for brevity and clarity. The information provided under each standard is evaluated by the Council in relation to that standard and to the mission of the college in order to determine compliance. Should the college deem that background information would be helpful for the Council to understand a given issue or condition, the information should be included in a summary format in appropriate appendices.
The Council is seeking evidence-based documentation indicating that the college complies with each Standard. The Council broadly evaluates student outcomes that address technical knowledge and skills and life skills (for example, problem solving, communication, business and personal finance, etc.). Thus the system of self-evaluation used by each college must include these outcomes.
Specific compliance with each standard is judged by the Council based upon the adequacy/quality of the professional education program as documented in the self-study and site-visit. Programs that do not have, or have unacceptable program elements addressed by the standards will be cited for lack of compliance with that specific standard.
The body of the self-study should not be more than 50 total text pages of text (one sided) and supporting documentation not more than 50 pages. In preparing the self-study, analyze the data that are appropriate and present the results in an easily understandable form (for example, graphs, charts, etc.) that clearly describes trends. Please do not include educational philosophies or long explanations, but include brief explanations that may assist the site team and Council in understanding how the program is complying with a Standard. When printing the self-study, use a font size that is easily readable. Please have the hard copies of the self-study bound using a plastic or wire-spiral bound product (please do not use a loose-leaf notebook format). Include an electronic copy of the self-study for each site team member. Addendums should be those required and those the college feels assist in understanding how the college complies with a Standard. Additional materials may be placed in the meeting room for the site team, but the Council does not require these materials and they should be kept to a minimum.
The appropriate administrative officer should provide an executive summary of the self-study addressing strengths and weaknesses of program elements as covered by the standards.
* Adapted and modified from USDE regulations.
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