Process for Gathering Examples of Evidence

Initial Charge

The initial charge to the criterion committees was to analyze and interpret their criteria in relation to MCC's mission, culture and environment. Committee members began their work by discussing, reaching a common understanding of, and writing interpretive statements about each of the criterion and component statements. The intent was that committee members personalize the criteria and consider MCC's distinctiveness and culture in relation to them. An Interpretation of Criterion and Components Document was developed to facilitate this process.

Identifying Evidence

The members then used their collective expertise to identify examples of evidence in order to document and critically evaluate how the college fulfills the criteria and components. Two worksheets were created to aid the committee members in their tasks, including the Examples of Evidence Worksheet and a Requests for Evidence Form.

Data Collection

Requests for evidence were collated and organized and a comprehensive data collection plan was developed and implemented. Several principles guided the data collection process: adherence to good research and evaluation practice, sound methodology, verifiable or empirical approaches, and commonly applied analysis methods. The goal was to obtain credible data that committee members could then interpret and evaluate in relation to MCC's mission.

Self-study data included the following:

Surveys	Discussion Groups	Interviews	College Reports and Documents
Student Assessment of the College Environment (SACE) Student Computer Use Survey Distance Learning Student Survey Online Faculty Survey Online Non-faculty Employee Survey Community Leaders and Partners Survey	Deans' Council Faculty Commission on Excellence Student Leadership Professional Staff Association Maintenance and Operations and Crafts Staff	College President Interview Department Chair Interviews Director and Manager Interviews	Strategic Plans Annual student assessment reports Institutional Effectiveness Report Institutional Research Reports Budget Documents College Catalogs Class Schedules Student Handbook Residential and Adjunct Faculty Handbooks Policy Manuals

 

Analysis and Interpretaion 

Finally, committee members reviewed, synthesized, interpreted, and evaluated the findings and wrote working papers which were used in preparing the report.