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SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS COMMISSION ON COLLEGES 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 Telephone 404/679-4500 Fax 404/679-4558 www.sacscoc.org |
May 11, 2006 |
Dr. Norval F. Pohl President |
Dear Dr. Pohl: |
Thank you again for the hospitality and helpfulness extended to the Reaffirmation Committee. during its recent visit to the University of North Texas on April 3-6, 2006. Enclosed is the final report prepared by the Committee. |
The report represents the professional judgment of the Reaffirmation Committee made in accordance with the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement and subject to review by the Commission on Colleges and its standing review committees-the Committees on Compliance and Reports. Some parts of the report are directly related to the requirements of the Principles, while others may represent advisory comments offered by the
visiting committee in a spirit of helpfulness. A formal recommendation is included when a visiting committee judges that the institution does not comply with principles stated in Section 1, or all or part of a Core Requirement or a Comprehensive Standard stated in Sections 2-4. All recommendations included in a visiting committee report have been adopted by the total committee and require an institutional response. |
The Commission on Colleges and its Committees on Compliance and Reports meet officially in June and in December. Final decisions on accreditation are made public following each meeting. The report of the committee which visited your institution will be reviewed in December 2006. For that meeting, you should prepare a written statement of your responses to the recommendations contained in the Committee's report. Guidelines for the response are enclosed and it is critical that they be followed when developing your institutional response. |
Please submit five copies of your written response to my attention at the office of the Commission on Colleges on or before Wednesday, August 23, 2006. |
The Commission on Colleges endeavors to maintain a cooperative and constructive relationship with officials in system and state offices. However, because of the institutional nature of the |
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Dr. Norval F. Pohl May 11, 2006 Page 2 |
accreditation process, it is preferable that visiting committee reports be furnished to the system or state offices by the institution rather than directly by the Commission office. Therefore, you will also find enclosed a second copy of the report. |
An institution may release its visiting committee report; however, release of this report in its entirety or in part must be accompanied by the following statement: "The findings of this visiting committee represent a preliminary assessment of the institution at this time; final action on the report rests with the Commission on Colleges." If the institution releases part of its report, that part must contain a note stating: "A copy of the entire report can be obtained from the institution." |
Please express my sincere appreciation to all members of your faculty and staff for their cooperation and assistance during the review process. As you develop your responses to the report, please feel free to call upon me if I can be of any assistance. |
Sincerely, Michael S. Johnson MSJ: cp Enclosures |
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Commission on Colleges Southern Association |
REPORT OF -THE REAFFIRMATION COMMITTEE |
Statement Regarding the Report |
This report represents the professional judgment of the peer review committees that conducted a comprehensive review of the institution's compliance with the accreditation requirements of the Commission on Colleges contained in the Principles of Accreditation. The Commission on Colleges will make the final determination on reaffirmation of accreditation based on the findings contained in this committee report, the institution's response to issues contained in the report, other assessments relevant to the review, and application of the Commission's policies and procedures. Final interpretation of the Principles of Accreditation and final action on the report and on the accreditation status of the institution rest with the Commission on Colleges. Name of the Institution: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
COC Staff Member: Michael Johnson Chair of the Committee: Dr. Bert C. Bach, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, East Tennessee State University Note: "The findings of this visiting committee represent a preliminary assessment of the institution at this time; final action on the report rests with the Commission on Colleges." |
| Part I. Overview and Introduction to the Institution |
| Founded in 1890, the University of North Texas (UNT) currently serves as the flagship institution for the University of North Texas System, which consists of the University of North Texas and the UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth. Located in Denton in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, the University enrolls more than 31,000 students and is the fourth largest University in Texas. As the largest and most comprehensive research and doctoral degree-granting institution in the North Texas area, the institution's vision is to be "one of the state's top-tier universities" and to "be recognized for education, research, creative activities and public service, and for advancing innovations in the enhancement of learning." The institution offers 93 bachelor's, 107 master's, and 48 doctoral degree programs. |
| Appointed by the governor of Texas, the Board of Regents is the nine-member governing body of the University of North Texas system. The President of UNT reports to the Chancellor of the University of North Texas System and is responsible for the management and operation of UNT. |
Part II. Assessment of Compliance Institutional Integrity Comment: Adherence to Commission Policy Comment: Substantive Change Comment: Representation of Accredited Status Comment: |
| B. Assessment of Compliance with the Core Requirements |
2.1 The institution has degree-granting authority from the appropriate government agency or agencies. (Degree-granting Authority) Comment: The authority to grant degrees in Texas is regulated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The authority, so designated, is stated in the bylaws of the UNT Board of Regents and listed in Texas Education Code Ann., Chapter 105, Subchapter C, Section 105.101 (b )(5). |
2.2 The institution has a governing board of at least five members that is the legal body with specific authority over the institution. The board is an active policy-making body for the institution and is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the financial resources of the institution are adequate to provide a sound educational program. The board is not controlled by a minority of board members or by organizations or interests separate from it. Neither the presiding officer of the board nor the majority of other voting members of the board have contractual, employment, or personal or familial financial interest in the institution. A military institution authorized and operated by the federal government to award degrees has a public board in which neither the presiding officer nor a majority of the other members are civilian employees of the military or active/retired military. The board has broad and significant influence upon the institution's programs and operations, plays an active role in policy-making, and ensures that the financial resources of the institution are used to provide a sound educational program. The board is not controlled by a minority of board members or by organizations or interests separate from the board except as specified by the authorizing legislation. Neither the presiding officer of the board nor the majority of other voting board members have contractual, employment, or personal or familial financial interest in the institution. (Governing Board) Comment: The University of North Texas System (UNT) has a governing Board of nine members with each member serving a term of six years and with the terms of three regents expiring every two years. The Board of Regents (BOR) states in its bylaws that five members are needed to constitute a quorum. Vacancies on the BOR are filled by the governor for the unexpired term. The BOR has policy-making authority and each member of the UNT BOR acts as a fiduciary in the management of UNT funds that are subject to the Board's control and management. |
2.3 The institution has a chief executive officer whose primary responsibility is to the institution and who is not the presiding officer of the board. (Chief Executive Officer) Comment: Policy states that the President of the University reports to the Chancellor of the University of North' Texas System and is responsible for the management and operation of the University of North Texas. Policy also lists the duties of the President, and those duties do not include presiding over the operations of the Board of Regents (BOR). |
2.4 The institution has a clearly defined and published mission statement specific to the institution and appropriate to an institution of higher education, addressing teaching and learning and, where applicable, research and public service. (Institutional Mission) Comment: The University of North Texas has an appropriate mission statement published in both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs as well as the UNT Policy Manual. The statement was approved by the Board of Regents on May 26, 2000 and was subsequently reviewed with no changes in November, 2004. |
2.5 The institution engages in ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes that incorporate a systematic review of programs and services that (a) results in continuing improvement, and (b) demonstrates that the institution is effectively accomplishing its mission. (Institutional Effectiveness) Comment: The University of North Texas has been designated an "Emerging Research University" by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as part of a broader effort to reform higher education in the state. The implication of this change may not be fully known, but clearly this expanded institutional mission places demands on UNT to expand its focus on research and development. Events leading to this change in institutional mission as well as the lack of internal consensus have led to a protracted delay in normal planning activities and to a dated Strategic Plan. A Strategic Plan in support of UNT's expanded mission has been drafted, is based on the Academic Plan, and is scheduled for approval by the Board of Regents at its May 12 meeting. After a period of years, the University of North Texas reinvigorated its campus-wide planning process, which involved redesigning the process as well as developing a UNT Academic Plan under the leadership of the Provost. The planning process relies on a series of committees to identify strategic issues facing the university. Once in place individual units were asked to develop their own plans consistent with the Academic Plan, and those unit plans also included funding estimates which were considered in the budget process. Paralleling the academic planning process, the university created an "Institutional Effectiveness Database" as a vehicle for capturing essentially program-level information about student learning objectives, assessment methods and results, and assessment driven improvements. The Academic Planning Council and those granting final approval of the IE Database both acknowledge the need to integrate the process of this databaseinto the broader university planning effort. In addition, a similar need to integrate other assessment efforts (e.g., program reviews, specialized accreditations) was also expressed. Although the unit plans are expected to include information responsive to the findings of the Institutional Effectiveness Database, at the time of the off-site review the committee was unable to determine whether unit plans had been implemented and acted upon and instructed the on-site team to verify the implementation of the plans. Neither the Focus Report, its supporting documentation, nor the preliminary matrix provided the on-site committee during an interview with the Academic Planning Council substantiates the implementation, evaluation, or continuous improvements resulting from the unit plans. Based on review of documents and on-site interviews the committee concluded that the institution does not have in place an ongoing, integrated, and research-based planning and evaluation process. The committee noted the following: Recommendation 1 The Committee recommends that the institution demonstrate that it has a planninq and assessment process based on an approved strategic plan that leads to accomplishment of the University's mission. |
| 2.6 The institution is in operation and has students enrolled in degree programs. (Continuous Operation) Comment: The University of North Texas has operated continuously since its founding in 1890. Present enrollment exceeds 31,000 total undergraduate an.d graduate students who are pursuing degree requirements in 144 undergraduate and graduate degree majors. |
| 2.7.1 The institution offers one or more degree programs based on at least 60 semester credit hours or the equivalent at the associate level; at least 120 semester credit hours or the equivalent at the baccalaureate level; or at least 30 semester credit hours or the equivalent at the post-baccalaureate, graduate, or professional level. The institution provides a written justification and rationale for program equivalency. (ProgramLength) Comment: UNT offers degrees at the undergraduate bachelor level and graduate levels, master and doctoral. It does not offer the associate degree. The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the bachelor degree, as documented in the institution's submitted paperwork, is 120 and the maximum number shown is 144; those requirements vary for different degree programs. The minimum hours required for the master and doctoral degrees are 30 and 60 respectively. If a graduate wants to go directly from the bachelor degree to the doctoral degree, a minimum of 90 semester credit hours is required. UNT also has an elaborate set of criteria for bridging transfer and other students into its established degree programs. |
2.7.2 The institution offers degree programs that embody a coherent course of study that is compatible with its stated purpose and is based upon fields of study appropriate to higher education. (Program Content) Comment: The institution has a wide variety of contemporary quality programs that are competitive with those at most institutions of higher education. Its programs are welldefined, and their implementations are well thought out. |
| 2.7.3 The institution requires in each undergraduate degree program the successful completion of a general education component at the collegiate level that is (1) a substantial component of each undergraduate degree, (2) ensures breadth of knowledge, and (3) is based on a coherent rationale. For degree completion in associate programs, the component constitutes a minimum of 15 semester hours or the equivalent; for baccalaureate programs, a minimum of 30 semester hours or the equivalent. These credit hours are to be drawn from and include at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts; social/behavioral sciences; and natural science/mathematics. The courses do not narrowly focus on those skills, techniques, and procedures specific to a particular occupation or profession. The institution provides a written justification and rationale for course equivalency. (General Education) Comment: Texas Education Code, Sections 61.821-61.831, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Rules, Section 4.28-4.31, direct all Texas institutions in the establishment of core curricula based on a coherent rationale and a breadth of knowledge. The institution states in the UNT Undergraduate Catalog that each undergraduate degree must contain 47 semester credit hours taken from the University of North Texas Core Curriculum. The UNT core curriculum is widely focused and includes 11 categories which encompass the SACS core requirement for one course in humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences and natural science/mathematics. Course equivalency is addressed by the Texas Education Code which requires the transfer of part of the core or as a block among Texas institutions of higher education. This policy is written in the UNT Undergraduate Catalog. |
| 2.7.4 The institution provides instruction for all course work required for at least one degree program at each level at which it awards degrees. If the institution makes arrangements for some instruction to be provided by other accredited institutions or entities through contracts or consortia, or uses some other alternative approach to meeting this requirement, the alternative approach must be approved by the Commission on Colleges. In all cases, the institution demonstrates that it controls all aspects of its educational program. (Contractual Agreements for Instruction) Comment: This institution has a large number of degree-granting programs and thus has many course offerings. According to documentation reviewed, it is estimated that 99% of these course offerings are performed by its faculty at its facilities, and students can fulfill all degree requirements at UNT for virtually every degree offered. |
2.8 The number of full-time faculty members is adequate to support the mission of the institution. The institution has adequate faculty resources to ensure the quality and integrity of its academic programs. In addition; upon application for candidacy, an Comment: The off-site team indicated that the number of full-time faculty appears adequate to support the mission of the institution. However, the large proportion of students taught by part-time faculty (Teaching Fellows and Teaching Assistants) in some important programs (History, Mathematics, Psychology, and Sociology) may be problematic. In the institutional response and in an interview with the chairs of the departments involved, the Committee determined that teaching assistants and teaching fellows are properly trained, are prepared, and are being used effectively. The Committee did note, however, that an interview with the chairs led to the conclusion that the departments of Psychology and Sociology have barely adequate faculty for their mission. Any substantial growth in the institution could cause any of the four programs referenced above to be understaffed. |
2.9 The institution, through ownership or formal arrangements or agreements, Comment: Based on a careful review of supporting documents, the institution provides evidence that adequate learning resources are available in a multiplicity of formats for student and faculty on the main campus and on the Dallas campus. Overall, the collections demonstrate sufficient depth and scope to support undergraduate and graduate program areas of the institution. Also, the institution has formal agreements with area libraries; and the TexShare program allows students, faculty, and staff to use the libraries of 550 participating institutions in Texas and to access to the Center of Research libraries via extended interlibrary loan and document delivery. |
2.10 The institution provides student support programs, services, and activities consistent with its mission that promote student learning and enhance the development of its students. (Student Support Services) Comment: The institution provides adequate student support services that appear to support its mission as a doctoral research university. |
2.11 The institution has a sound financial base and demonstrated financial stability, and adequate physical resources to support the mission of the institution and the scope of its programs and services. The member institution provides the following financial statements: (a) an institutional audit {or Standard Review Report issued in accordance with Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services issued by the A/CPA for those institutions audited as part of a systemwide or statewide audit) and written institutional management letter for the most recent fiscal year prepared by an independent certified public accountant and/or an appropriate governmental auditing agency employing the appropriate audit (or Standard Review Report) guide; (b) a statement of financial position of unrestricted net assets, exclusive of plant assets and plant-related debt, which represents the change in unrestricted net assets attributable to operations for the most recent year; and, (c) an annual budget that is preceded by sound planning, is subject to sound fiscal procedures, and is approved by the governing board. Comment: Since the off site review, the University of North Texas has provided a Standard Review Report for the Fiscal Year ending August 31, 2005 as prepared by the State Auditor's Office of the State of Texas. A statement of financial position of unrestricted net assets and an annual budget was also provided. The university provided documentation for sound financial planning and sound fiscal management. |
| 2.12 The institution has developed an acceptable Quality Enhancement Plan and demonstrates that the plan is part of an ongoing planning and evaluation process. The Committee found the QEP to be in compliance; however, it did propose two recommendations. Narrative concerning these recommendations appears in Part 3. Recommendation 3 The committee recommends that relevant internal and external measures be developed to answer the assessment questions posed in the QEP. Recommendation 4 The committee recommends that the plan for conductinq the QEP assessment include consideration of how the results will be used to improve student learninq. |
C. Assessment of Compliance with the Comprehensive Standards Comment: The University of North Texas has a clear, comprehensive mission statement that is reviewed by the Board of Regents every four years. The mission statement is available in course catalogs, in the UNT Policy Manual, and in the Faculty Handbook. |
| 3.2.1 The governing board of the institution is responsible for the selection and the evaluation of the chief executive officer. Comment: The off site review found no documentation of an evaluation of the President. The institution has provided evidence that at least two annual evaluations did take place (in 2003 and 2004) by way of posting the UNT Board of Regents Executive Session agendas for these two years in which the confidential presidential review appeared as agenda items. No review took place in 2005 or 2006 as the President announced his resignation in July and his contract will expire in August, 2006. |
| 3.2.2 The legal authority and operating control of the institution are clearly defined for the following areas within the institution's governance structure: 3.2.2.1 the institution's mission; 3.2.2.2 the fiscal stability of the institution; 3.2.2.3 institutional policy, including policies concerning related and affiliated corporate entities and all auxiliary services; 3.2.2.4 related foundations (athletic, research, etc.) and other corporate entities whose primary purpose is to support the institution and/or its programs. Comment: The university catalog contains the UNT mission statement as required by state law. Texas Education code requires that the UNT BOR is ultimately responsible for the fiscal stability of the institution. The BOR has developed policies to guide the management of the institution, including auxiliary agencies. The written agreement between the UNT and the UNT Foundation which was established in August 2003 specifies that the foundation exists for the sole purpose of supporting the mission of the university. |
| 3.2.3 The board has a policy addressing conflict of interest for its members. Comment: The UNT Board of Regents ethics policy contains three specific provisions which ensure no conflict of interest for its members. |
3.2.4 The governing board is free from undue influence from political, religious, or other external bodies, and protects the institution from such influence. Comment: The UNT BOR is an independent Board composed of nine members appointed by the Governor of Texas and confirmed by the Texas Senate. Members are protected from arbitrary removal for political reasons. Texas law places the responsibility with the governing boards of institutions of higher education to preserve institutional independence and to defend its right to manage its own affairs through its chosen administration and employees. |
| 3.2.5 Members of the governing board can be dismissed only for cause and by due process. Comment: State of Texas law states that the members of the UNT Board of Regents may be removed from office for inefficiency or malfeasance of office. They may also be impeached, an unlikely process given its difficulty, so there are some guarantees for due process. |
| 3.2.6 There is a clear and appropriate distinction, in writing and practice, between the policymaking functions of the governing board and the responsibility of the administration and faculty to administer and implement policy. Comment: By state and UNT policy, the Board of Regents is responsible for policy and the President and Faculty Senate are responsible for implementation of policy. |
| 3.2.7 The institution has a clearly defined and published organizational structure that delineates responsibility for the administration of policies. Comment: The institution's organizational structure is published in its policy manual and is composed of two parts: the overall institution and a detailed schedule of the Provost area. The UNT Policy Manual does include assignments of the responsibility for the administration of policies. Many of these specific policies were reviewed in February 2005. |
| 3.2.8 The institution has qualified administrative and academic officers with the experience, competence, and capacity to lead the institution. Comment: A review of the officers reveals that each has appropriate credentials to lead the Committee to conclude that they have the capacity to be effective institutional leaders. |
| 3.2.9 The institution defines and publishes policies regarding appointmel1.t and employment of faculty and staff. Comment: UNT Policy Manual contains policies regarding the appointment of staff and comprehensive issues related to the employment of faculty and staff. The UNT Faculty Handbook defines the appointment of faculty. |
3.2.10 The institution evaluates the effectiveness of its administrators, including the chief executive officer, on a periodic basis. Comment: The institution's evaluation process appears to be especially vigorous. |
| 3.2.11 The institution's chief executive officer has ultimate responsibility for, and exercises appropriate administrative and fiscal control over, the institution's intercollegiate athletics program. Comment: The President of UNT appoints the Director of Athletics who then reports to the President on all management and fiscal matters. The President exercises control over the fiscal matters of the Athletic Department through recommendations to the Board of Regents. |
| 3.2.12 The institution's chief executive officer has ultimate control of the institution's fund-raising activities. Comment: UNT policy enumerating the duties of the President places ultimate control of the institution's fund-raising activities with the President. |
3.2.13 Any institution-related foundation not controlled by the institution has a contractual or other formal agreement that (a) accurately describes the relationship between the institution and the foundation, and (b) describes any liability associated with that relationship. In all cases, the institution ensures that the relationship is consistent with its mission. Comment: The UNT Foundation is a not-for-profit 501 (c)3 corporation chartered by the State of Texas. The August 2003 written agreement between the UNT Foundation and UNT clearly stipulates that the Foundation exists for the sole purpose of supporting the mission of UNT. Pursuant to the recitals in the agreement, the UNT Foundation is a separate corporation that exists independently of the University. |
3.2.14 The institution's policies are clear concerning ownership of materials, compensation, copyright issues, and the use of revenue derived from the creation and production of all intellectual property. This applies to students, faculty and staff. Comment: UNT addresses in its graduate catalog the conditions under which graduate and other students can perform research, land its Faculty Handbook stipulates the similar conditions for its faculty. Its infrastructure addresses and shows the importance of the research and intellectual property issue by having a separate entity, headed by an associate vice-president, to oversee this function. |
3.3.1 The institution identifies expected outcomes for its educational programs and its administrative and educational support services; assesses whether it achieves these outcomes; and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of those results. Comment: The off-site review committee instructed the on-site committee to determine whether the unit plans had been implemented. It appeared to the committee that all academic and service units had articulated expected outcomes. However, it also observed considerable variability in assessment measures, strategies, and reported results. A recently developed institutional effectiveness database is the university's vehicle to document expected outcomes, assessment methods and results, and programmatic improvements made; and the on-site committee reviewed this database and found it had not been fully populated. Evidence of the assessment, of achievement of the outcomes, and of improvements based on results of that review was generally lacking and thus confirmed the findings of the off-site committee. The on-site committee noted that the institutional effectiveness database was developed independently from the institution's evolving planning and assessment process even though it was often cited as a repository of information to support the planning process. In that light, the Committee could not determine that the institutional database fulfilled the purpose stated. In addition, the on-site committee noted that oversight of the institutional effectiveness database is decentralized at the level of associate deans, and thus there appeared to be little institutional coordination to ensure consistency across the units. Recommendation 5 The committee recommends that the institution demonstrate that it assesses the achievement of its expected outcomes and documents improvements made based on assessment results. |
| 3.4.1 The institution demonstrates that each educational program for which academic credit is awarded (a) is approved by the faculty and the administration, and (b) establishes and evaluates program and learning outcomes. Comment: After further review, the on-site team concluded that it does not appear that the system of IE oversight and the evaluation of program and learning outcomes are sufficiently mature to determine that the institution establishes and evaluates program and learning Recommendation 6 The Committee recommends that the institution provide evidence that it evaluates proqram and learninq outcomes on a campus-wide basis. |
3.4.2 The institution's continuing education, outreach, and service programs are consistent with the institution's mission. Comment: The institution's continuing education, outreach and service programs are managed by the Center for Continuing Education and Conference Management as established in the UNT Policy Manual, Section15.2.8, Continuing Education Policy. Other aspects of community outreach and service are the School of Community Service which is a school of applied social services, as well as, the UNT Volunteer Centet, American Humanics Program and a Service Learning Program. All are consistent with the institution's mission. |
| 3.4.3 The institution publishes admissions policies consistent with its mission. Comment: This institution publishes its admissions policies in at least 3 internal publications and/or documents. The primary ones with the most external exposures are the undergraduate and graduate catalogs and the institution's website. The ones reviewed were quite concise, complete, and consistent with the institution's mission. |
3.4.4 The institution has a defined and published policy for evaluating, awarding, and accepting credit for transfer, experiential learning, advanced placement, and professional certificates that is consistent with its mission and ensures that course work and learning outcomes are at the collegiate level and comparable to the' institution's own degree programs. The institution assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any course work or credit recorded on the institution's transcript. Comment: While the off-site team found no documentation of a defined and published policy for awarding credit for experiential learning and professional certificates, the on |
| 3.4.5 The institution publishes academic policies that adhere to principles of good educational practice. These are disseminated to students, faculty, and other interested parties through publications that accurately represent the programs and services of the institution. Comment: This institution has published widely its administrative and academic policies in documents such as its undergraduate and graduate catalogs and the Faculty Handbook. There are other media used as well. |
3.4.6 The institution employs sound and acceptable practices for determining the amount and level of credit awarded for courses, regardless of format or mode of delivery. Comment: The institution determines from policies of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the amount and level of credit awarded for courses. Within the institution, the Curriculum Committee and Graduate Council and the ProvosWice President of Academic Affairs track course credit when there exists a variation in format or mode of delivery. |
| 3.4.7 The institution ensures the quality of educational programs/courses offerecb through consortia relationships or contractual agreements, ensures ongoing compliance with the comprehensive requirements, and evaluates the consortia! relationship and/or agreement against the purpose of the institution. Comment: The institution participates in a consortia relationship through the Federation of North Texas Area Universities. Contractual relationships are maintained with North Central Texas Community College, the National Student Exchange Program and numerous study abroad agreements. The quality, compliance with comprehensive requirements and evaluation appear to be adequate. |
| 3.4.8 The institution awards academic credit for course work taken on a noncredit basis only when there is documentation that the noncredit course work is equivalent to a designated credit experience. Comment: The UNT Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs and the UNT Policy Manual Policy 15.2.8 indicate that the institution does not award academic credit for course work taken on a non-credit basis. |
| 3.4.9 The institution provides appropriate academic support services. Comment: Adequate and appropriate academic support services are offered through the various departments in both academic affairs and student affairs. Among the well provided services are a program in library instruction, a writing center and (web-based) tutorial programs. |
3.4.10 The institution defines and publishes general education requirements for its undergraduate programs and major program requirements for all its programs. These requirements conform to commonly accepted standards and practices for degree programs. Comment: The undergraduate catalog is clear about defining the general education and major program requirements for all undergraduate degree programs offered by the university. Specific subject area and credit hour requirements conform to those standards expected of comparable undergraduate degrees at peer institutions. |
| 3.4.11 The institution protects the security, confidentiality, and integrity of its student academic records and maintains special security measures to protect and back up data. Comment: Appropriate back-up of computer records are daily moved to off-campus storage, and on-campus fire protection is always available for university records. |
| 3.4.12 The institution places primary responsibility for the content, quality, and effectiveness of its curriculum with its faculty. Comment: The University places responsibility for development and approval of curriculum with its faculty through the University Curriculum Committee and the Graduate Council, both of which are comprised of faculty, administrators and students, but with a majority of seats reserved for faculty. The monitoring of effectiveness through assessment initiatives is also stated as being "placed in the hands of the faculty." |
3.4.13 For each major in a degree program, the institution assigns responsibility for program coordination, as well as for curriculum development and review, to persons academically qualified in the field. In those degree programs for which the institution does not identify a major, this requirement applies to a curricular area or concentration. Comment: The faculty at this institution is well-credentialed, and it senior faculty members are most often assigned to lead the academic program units. In the few cases where senior faculties (full professors) are not assigned to lead a program, the person chosen has the rank of at least associate professor. |
3.4.14 The institution's use of technology enhances student learning, is appropriate for meeting the objectives of its programs, and ensures that students have access to and training in the use of technology. Comment: The off-site team noted that computer labs are available for student use, but the University did not describe the available equipment or software. The University provided the on-site team a Chart of Computer Availability at universities in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area-UNT provides 2,136 public computers for its 31,155 students or a ratio of 14.6 students per computer. This seems adequate to the needs of the campus. The on-site team visited the 24-hour GAL located in the Willis Library, which contains 24 computers and three heavy duty printers. This lab is the most heavily used on campus, and often has a waiting line, although because of a two hour use limit, the wait seldom exceeds 10-15 minutes. An examination of the software available on the computers in the General Access Computers labs reveals a range of software, including the full Microsoft Office suite as well as SPSS, SAS, Adobe Photoshop, and a number of utilities. The Library GAL is staffed by well trained students, who can help patrons access and use most of the available software. This fall the library will be able to provide some relief to the GAL users when it loads Microsoft Office and other widely used software on many of its 250 public terminals, and makes them available to all UNT students, faculty and staff. Other labs are spread across campus, some with as many as 90 computers; departmental or school specific software is available in the different labs. Waiting is apparently seldom a problem at these departmental labs. |
3.5.1 The institution identifies college-level competencies within the general education core and provides evidence that graduates have attained those competencies. Comment: While the off-site committee expressed concern that there was a lack of direct evidence of general education competency, the institution provided the on-site team with a more detailed description for determining competency through course-embedded assessment. In addition, interviews with the UNT Core Oversight Committee revealed sound assessment practices and clear examples of making improvements in the core curriculum through use of that assessment. |
3.5.2 The institution awards degrees only to those students who have earned at least 25 percent of the credit hours required for the degree through instruction offered by that institution. Comment: The General University Degree Requirements in the UNT Undergraduate Catalog state that 25% of the University minimum of 124 semester hours toward a degree must be earned in residence. |
| 3.6.1 The institution's post-baccalaureate professional degree programs, and its master's and doctoral degree programs, are progressively more advanced in academic content than undergraduate programs. Comment: The off-site committee did not have sufficient syllabi to evaluate the extent of more advanced academic content for graduate programs relative to undergraduate programs particularly in the case of cross-listed or dually listed undergraduate/graduate courses. The on-site committee reviewed additional evidence provided by the institution including bulletin changes and a sampling of graduate course syllabi. Wording in the 0708 catalog describe the expected additional work requirements for graduate students in a cross listed graduate/undergraduate course beyond those expected of undergraduates in the same course. A sampling of syllabi for graduate level courses at the 5000/6000 levels were reviewed and indicated more advanced knowledge, skills and expectations for graduate students. The Graduate School oversees the approval of cross-listed courses. These courses are primarily introductory in nature with regular stand alone core graduate courses constituting the bulk of the graduate program curriculum. |
3.6.2 The institution ensures that its graduate instruction and resources foster independent learning, enabling the graduate to contribute to a profession or field of study. Comment: The off site committee did not find evidence for determining that some graduate programs foster independent learning. In order to demonstrate that the graduate programs that do not require either a thesis or dissertation foster independent learning, the institution provided to the on-site committee a list of opportunities that students in non-thesis graduate programs may engage. These included teaching practica, (e.g., EDSE 5105 and 5115), focused research courses (Chem 5900 & MVED 5120), capstone courses (ECON 5250, BUSI 5190, FINA 5700, AGER 5940), portfolios (ENTN 5640), independent study projects (CSCI 5900), comprehensive exams (sociology, music education), and public performances (music). The evidence substantiated that the graduate instruction and resources foster independent learning, |
| 3.6.3 The majority of credits toward a graduate or a post-baccalaureate professional degree are earned through the institution awarding the degree. In the case of graduate and postBaccalaureate professional degree programs offered through joint, cooperative, or consortia arrangements, the student earns a majority of credits from the participating institutions. Comment: UNT requires that the majority of credits are earned through UNT for its graduate programs. For the master's level, the policy on limits for transfer and nondegree credit is stated on page 60 of the Graduate Catalog: 6 hours in a 30-35 hours program; 9 hours in a 36-41 hour program; 12 hours in a 42+ hour program. The policy for the transfer of hours at the doctoral level is stated on page 66 of the Graduate Catalog (Le., permitting up to 24 hours of transfer). For doctoral programs this number of hours is small enough to warrant compliance (Le., a majority of the credits are earned through the institution) since doctoral programs require 60-90 hours of coursework. |
3.7.1 The institution employs competent faculty members qualified to accomplish the mission and goals of the institution. When determining acceptable qualifications of its faculty, an institution gives primary consideration to the highest earned degree in the discipline in accordance with the guidelines listed below. The institution also considers competence, effectiveness, and capacity, including, as appropriate, undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, honors and awards, continuous documented excellence in teaching, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements that contribute to effective teaching and student learning outcomes. For all cases, the institution is responsible for justifying and documenting the qualifications of its faculty. Comment: The off-site committee did not find that UNT had provided documentation that certain faculty were qualified for the courses assigned. The faculty in question taught courses in departments that included ANTH, BEHV, CJUS, ART, MKTG, SMHM, PSYCH, Music, Computer Science, Dance and Theatre, English, Finance, Geography, IT, Journalism, Kinesiology, Mathematics, Public Administration, Speech and Hearing, Teacher Education, Technology and Cognition. The University provided comprehensive additional documentation that gave more complete information concerning all faculty and that showed the faculty were qualified either by education or by other credentials or relevant experience. |
3.7.2 The institution regularly evaluates the effectiveness of each faculty member in accord with published criteria, regardless of contractual or tenured status. Comment: The off site team found insufficient evidence that the annual evaluation of faculty actually occurred. The institution provided to the on-site team a sampling of . faculty evaluation activities for the past 3 years which indicated that faculty are evaluated regularly at UNT. Documents were reviewed for all colleges and departments at the institution. |
3.7.3 The institution provides evidence of ongoing professional development of faculty as teachers, scholars, and practitioners. Comment: The institution requires faculty to provide evidence of ongoing professional development as part of tenure and promotion in the form of "maintaining professional competence in their fields." In addition, there are a large number of opportunities to participate in workshops on teaching with technology and using distributed learning. Also, a number of internal grants are available to support faculty research. This seems reasonable in comparison with similar institutions. |
| 3.7.4 The institution ensures adequate procedures for safeguarding and protecting academic freedom. Comment: Both the UNT Policy Manual and the Faculty Handbook state policy and procedures that ensure the safeguarding and protecting of academic freedom. |
3.7.5 The institution publishes policies on the responsibility and authority of faculty in academic and governance matters. Comment: Policies related to faculty responsibility and authority are in place and are typical of similar institutions. The Charter of the Faculty Senate, the Guidelines for Faculty Participation in Instructional Units, and the Policy Statement on Departmental Personnel Administration all contribute in a consistent manner to the scope of faculty participation in academic governance. |
3.8.1 The institution provides facilities, services, and learning/information resources that are appropriate to support its teaching, research, and service mission. Comment: The institution's library system includes the main library and several specialized branch libraries. Additionally, students and faculty are allowed to use regional library resources, services and facilities to support its teaching, research and service mission. |
3.8.2 The institution ensures that users have access to regular and timely instruction in the use of the library and other learning/information resources. Comment: The institution is in compliance in providing access to regular and timely instruction of the library and learning/information resources through library workshops, resources guides and information provided in the Libraries' Strategic Plan to its students on both the Denton and Dallas campuses. |
3.8.3 The institution provides a sufficient number of qualified staff with appropriate education or experience in library and/or other learning/information resources to accomplish the mission of the institution. Comment: Based on a review of documents, including the 2005 LibQUAL + Survey and the roster of Learning/Information Resource Personnel in the 2005 undergraduate and graduate catalogs, the institution is in compliance in providing sufficient number of qualified staff with the appropriate education and professional experience to accomplish the mission of The University of North Texas. |
3.9.1 The institution publishes a clear and appropriate statement of student rights and responsibilities and disseminates the statement to the campus community. Comment: The institution's Code of Student Conduct and Discipline is thoroughly explained in the student handbook and provides required due process for those accused of breaching the Code. |
3.9.2 The institution protects the security, confidentiality, and integrity of its student records. Comment: The institution protects the integrity of student records and has established an effective back-up system. |
3.9.3 The institution provides services supporting its mission with qualified personnel to ensure the quality and effectiveness of its student affairs programs. Comment: A review of staff credentials reveals that student affairs staff members are well-qualified to serve in their respective positions. |
3.10.1 The institution's recent financial history demonstrates financial stability. Comment: Since the off-site review, appropriate financial reports have been provided as previously outlined in CR 2.11. Reviewing the most recent annual financial report and audit shows a healthy and stable budget that is growing each year. |
3.10.2 The institution provides financial statements and related documents, including multiple measures for determining financial health as requested by the Commission, which accurately and appropriately represent the total operation of the institution. Comment: As previously stated in 3.10.1, audited financial reports were provided for the most recent fiscal year which represent the financial health of the university. The university is providing updated, accurate management reports at the departmental level to assist in managing departmental fiscal integrity. |
3.10.3 The institution audits financial aid programs as required by federal and state regulations. Comment: The UNT financial aid programs are audited as part of the Texas statewide single audit (A-133). |
| 3.10.4 The institution exercises appropriate control over all its financial and physical resources. Comment: The institution's policy manual clearly defines financial and physical responsibilities which indicate proper internal control. With regard to its financial
resources, duties appear to be properly segregated. Pursuant to Policy 2.1.2, requests for disbursement are audited by the Purchasing and Payment Services Department. A
newsletter on processes, "The Spreadsheet," is frequently issued th~9ughout the year on financial and information technology processes, policies and procedures. UNT has welldefined responsibilities for physical assets pursuant to Policy Manual, 4.3.2. There is a separate policy on key access control. Policy 4.3.3 requires an annual physical inventory. |
3.10.5 The institution maintains financial control over externally funded or sponsored research Comment: Pursuant to the Research Services Handbook, the Office of Research Services and the project managers are responsible for ensuring compliance with the applicable federal, state, and institutional policies and regulations. The university has a sophisticated model to develop budgets for sponsored programs called Budget Builder. Once awarded, the budget is entered into the UNT financial system and any proposed amendments to the budget are reviewed for compliance with the negotiated contract. The handbook for project managers gives specific instructions for compliance with A-21 and A-110 requirements. |
3.10.6 The institution takes reasonable steps to provide a healthy, safe, and secure environment for all members of the campus community. Comment: According to Policy 9.6, the University has a Risk Management and Environmental Services program. In support of this program, the university has established numerous committees which address a variety of safety concerns including the Bio-safety Committee, Radiation Safety Committee, Human Subjects Use Safety Committee, and the Animal Facilities and Care Committee. The Office of Risk Management and Environmental Services provides technical support to all areas of the University including investigation, evaluation, and correction of safety hazards. The director of this office acts as an ex-officio member of all the committees referenced above. The RM/ES office also disseminates a comprehensive Safety Manual. UN>T has commissioned police officers and a cooperative arrangement with the local and county police and sheriffs offices. |
3.10.7 The institution operates and maintains physical facilities, both on and off campus, that are adequate to serve the needs of the institutions educational programs, support services, and other mission-related activities. Comment: Based on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board space model, the main campus has a space deficit; this deficit is being used for justification for additional state funded facilities from the Texas Legislature. However, based on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board classroom space utilization model the main campus has adequate classroom space. Inspection by the on-site committee members found adequate physical facilities. The new University of North Texas, Dallas campus, was visited by two on-site committee members and found to have appropriate space for a growing campus serving primarily non traditional students. |
| D. Assessment of Compliance with Federal Requirements |
| 4.1 When evaluating success with respect to student achievement in relation to the institution's mission, the institution includes, as appropriate, consideration of course completion, state licensing examinations, and job placement rates. Comment: The off-site team noted that no data is provided that indicates that the institution includes consideration of course completion, state licensing examinations, and job placement rates or uses this information by the units in their evaluation of student success. They also noted that no job placementdata was provided nor was there a report indicating that such information had been collected. The on-site team found that UNT tracks its graduation and persistence rates and provides the information to the academic programs so that they can assess their programs. Professional departments such as Speech and Hearing Science, Psychology, Management, and Engineering Technology, track the performance of their students on professional licensing exams and uses this information to assess student performance. Many programs also track student job placements to assess the preparation of their students for the job market. |
4.2 The institution maintains a curriculum that is directly related and appropriate to the purpose and goals of the institution and the diplomas, certificates or degrees awarded. Comment: The curriculum maintained by the institution is documented as directly related and appropriate to the institution's goals and the credentials that it awards. |
| 4.3 The institution makes available to students and the public current academic calendars, grading policies, and refund policies. Comment: This institution publishes its academic calendars, grading policies. and refund policies in internal documents, and they are readily available 'to the students and public via the institution's undergraduate and graduate catalogs. |
| 4.4 The institution maintains a curriculum that is directly related and appropriate to the purpose and goals of the institution and the diplomas, certificates or degrees awarded. Comment: The institution's curriculum is appropriate to the institutional mission at all degree levels and these standards are adequately outlined in both the undergraduate and the graduate catalogs. |
4.5 The institution has adequate procedures for addressing written student complaints and is responsible for demonstrating that it follows those procedures when. resolving student complaints. Comment: Students have multiple means available to lodge written complaints. |
4.6 Recruitment materials and presentations accurately represent the institution's practices and policies. Comment: In addition to appearing quite attractive, recruitment materials also seem to accurately portray the nature of the institution. |
4.7 The institution publishes the name of its primary accreditor and its address and phone number. (The publication of this information is presented so that it is clear that inquiries to the Commission should relate only to the accreditation status of the institution, and not to general admission information.) Comment: This institution publishes the name of its primary accreditor in a concise and accurate manner, and it clearly states the accreditor's function. This information appears in the institution's undergraduate and graduate catalogs. |
| 4.8 The institution is in compliance with its program responsibilities under Title IV of the 1998 Higher Education Amendments Comment: The Texas State Auditor's Office entered into a contract with KPMG LLP to perform a review of federal student financial assistance programs for use in the statewide single audit (A-133). While there was a finding in the 2002-03 audit regarding the lack of notification of some students on the disbursement of loan proceeds, the institution responded quickly to correct the process. The finding had no questioned cost. The University's office of internal audit assisted with the review and reported that no significant findings or recommendations were expressed by KPMG upon completion of the audit to the UNT Board of Regents. |
| E. Additional Observations regarding strengths and weaknesses of the institution. (optional). |
| On Monday, April 3, two members of the on-site committee visited the UNT Dallas Campus. The campus is located in an industrial park on the 1-20 corridor south of the city of Dallas. Currently occupying a leased building, it contains administrative and student services offices, 15 classrooms, several well-equipped computer labs and electronic classrooms, and a small library as well as a lounge area for students, staff, and faculty. The Dallas campus will move into a new facility on its own 264 acre campus in the very near future, about four miles from the current campus. During the visit, the team spoke with Dr. John Price, the Vice Provost, and a number of other administrators, faculty, staff, and students. The facility is well maintained, and the team was particularly impressed with the sense of community, and how important the campus is to South Dallas and the underserved population there. |
Part III. Assessment of the Quality Enhancement Plan |
| A. Brief description of the institution's Quality Enhancement Plan |
The Quality Enhancement Plan at the University of North Texas centers on improving learning by transforming instruction and student learning outcomes in large enrollment courses. The institution has developed two thrusts to their QEP: the redesign of twenty-five large enrollment courses over a five year period and the creation of a Community of Practice that will nurture the redesign. The second thrust of the QEP at UNT is the development of a Community of Practice. Central to the courses chosen for the QEP is the replicability and sustainability of the course redesign. All courses are intended to become models for teaching and learning at UNT with the intent that the redesign of large (and even small) courses will ripple across campus. In order to foster this community, regular meetings of QEP faculty, who will be termed QEP Faculty Fellows, will occur during the redesign phase and campus-wide forums on their redesign efforts will occur once the courses have been implemented. The redesign teams will be cross disciplinary, allowing faculty to learn from others in disparate disciplines. QEP Faculty Fellows who have completed their redesigns will become Senior Faculty Fellows in subsequent years. The second thrust of the QEP will be assessed through several measures, including tracking the continued teaching of the redesigned course, the way in which other courses outside of the QEP are redesigned using techniques developed within the QEP, and focus groups of faculty who have completed the process. |
| B. Analysis of the Acceptability of the Quality Enhancement Plan |
| 1. Focus of the Plan. The institution identifies a significant issuers) related to student learning and justifies its use for the QEP. |
| The QEP document submitted to the On-site Review Committee is difficult to follow, although on campus interviews with the QEP Steering Committee and Faculty Fellows were helpful in clarifying the focus of the QEP. In the QEP document, the Institution did provide a clear and concise description of the critical issue it wishes to address, transforming the instruction and student learning outcomes in large enrollment undergraduate courses. It provided some relevant and appropriate goals and objectives to improve student learning,. including enhancing critical thinking skills, improving student attitudes towards the course, and developing better communication skills. The focus of the QEP and its relationship to student learning, however, has not been fully developed in the document, nor has the document clearly identified the benefits to student learning to be derived from the QEP. |
| 2. Institutional Capabilitv for the Initiation and Continuation of the Plan. The institution provides evidence that it has sufficient resources to implement, sustain, and complete the QEP. |
| The institution provided evidence that it has sufficient resources to implement, sustain, and complete the QEP. The University of North Texas has funded approximately $500,000 per year for five years for the institutional QEP. This operating budget funds were allocated beginning in FY 2006. This allocation will fund the following positions: |
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| Additional operating costs and five course grants per year are also a part of the operating budget for the QEP. The institution provided evidence that it has allocated sufficient resources to implement, sustain and complete the QEP. The QEP has timelines, administration and oversight by appropriate, qualified individuals to monitor the progress of the QEP. As a part of the annual QEP assessment process the university may want to consider a mechanism to reallocate some of these QEP resources within the QEP budget based on the findings from the assessment process. |
3. Assessment of the Plan. The institution demonstrates that it has the means for determining the success of its QEP. |
A series of research questions has been designed to guide the assessment of the QEP. These questions seek to determine whether the Community of Practice is successfully formed; whether the redesigned courses are sustainable and replicable; and whether the redesigned courses are adopted by other areas in the university. In addition, student learning objectives common to all QEP courses and at the individual course level will be assessed. The institution has identified potential assessment instruments and strategies relevant to its research questions, but looks to an assessment specialist (search underway) to work with the QEP faculty in designing specific assessment strategies and selecting appropriate assessment measures and instruments. How assessment results will be used to improve student learning is unclear. |
| 4. Broad Based Involvement of the Community. The institution demonstrates that all aspects of its community were involved in the development of the Plan. |
| Based on the QEP document the committee found a description of the methods used for the development of the QEP. Based on this description and interviews with administrators, faculty, staff, and students, it was determined that there was evidence that all aspects of its community were involved in the development of the QEP. |
| C. Analysis and Comments for Strengthening the QEP |
The Quality Enhancement Plan at the University of North Texas addresses what it considers a significant issue for student learning. The plan will bring together faculty from across disciplines to work in teams to redesign high enrollment courses, considering such things as learning outcomes, assessment strategies, and teaching and learning practices. While the written plan does not offer as much clarity as it might have regarding the focus of the plan and specifically how the plan would lead to improved student learning, the on campus discussions provided evidence that appropriate leadership and insight into the process exists to implement a successful plan. Several areas might be improved regarding the QEP at UNT: |
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APPENDIX A |
Roster of the Review Committee |
| Dr. Bert C. Bach Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs East Tennessee State University Johnson City, Tennessee 37601 Dr. Larry M. Boyer Associate University Librarian Appalachian State University Boone, N. C. 28608 Dr. D. Joe Benson Dr. Dianne Harrison Mr. C. Ray Hayes Dr. James E. Keesling Dr. A. James Wohlpart |
APPENDIX B |
Off-Campus Sites or Distance Learning Programs Evaluated as Part of the On-Site Review |
| The University of North Texas Dallas Campus 8915 S. Hampton Road Dallas, Texas 75232 |