ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries November 1995/697 A ccreditation: O pportuni­ tie s for lib ra ry lead ersh ip Every Librarian a Leader B y Stephanie R ogers B an gert a n d B o n n ie G ratch 20 ways to get involved in your library’s self-study process A ccreditation in higher education is a pro­cess o f institutional self-study and evalu ation. The structure o f the accreditation review is guided by a set o f standards written and en­ dorsed by academic peers. These standards, variable across the seven regional accrediting agencies in the United States, attempt to estab­ lish criteria or benchmarks considered basic to quality education. Although the definition of quality education is often elusive and difficult to articulate, the accreditation review sets into motion institutional review regarding mission, integrity, learning goals and outcomes, teach­ ing effectiveness, and commitment to improve­ ment. As has been noted by Ralph Wolff, associ­ ate executive director o f the Western Associa­ tion o f Schools and Colleges (WASC), and oth­ ers, the role o f librarians in the formal accreditation review is minimal. Librarian par­ ticipation is somewhat evident during the writ­ ing o f the institutional self-study, specifically the response to the standard regarding library and learning resources, and also evident dur­ ing the site visit when a team evaluator (often a librarian) visits the library and interviews staff. There are, however, additional opportunities in which academic librarians can participate in the accreditation review. Contrary to the commonly held perception that accreditation-related activities are the pur­ view o f administration, librarians within all units o f an organization have the potential for con­ tributing to the institutional self-study. Particu­ larly at a time when the descriptive and com­ pliance nature o f accreditation is under criti cism— by both accreditation agencies and col­ leges and universities— librarian collaboration with classroom faculty, integrative approaches to collection development and educational tech­ nology planning, and design o f library instruc­ tion to complement classroom learning out­ comes can strengthen the “culture o f evidence” sought by accreditation bodies such as the WASC. Leadership through initiative and action There are concrete ways that academic librar­ ians can involve themselves in the process, products, and final outcomes o f a campus ac­ creditation review. Whether preparing for a major ten-year review or for a special follow- up site visit, librarians have planning, writing, communication, and organization skills that can contribute positively to the content and sub stance o f their institution’s self-study. The most significant indicators of librarian involvement in accreditation are interest and initiative. Ex­ pressing an interest to the library director or dean, the chief academic officer, the internal accreditation liaison, or the chair o f the aca­ demic senate, curriculum, or library committee can usually guarantee you a role in prepara tion for your campus’ next accreditation review. Some librarians might ask the question: why would I want to take on an additional respon­ sibility or assignment? A powerful motivator for involvement in the accreditation process and review is in the affirmation of the meaning and integrity o f what academic librarians contrib­ ute to student learning. Despite decades of thoughtful organization, planning, structure, and exemplary “customer first” public services, rig­ orous self-assessment and improvement within Stephanie Rogers Bangert is dean f o r academic resources, director o f the library at Saint M a ry ’s College o f California; e-mail: sbangert@stmarys-ca.edu. Bonnie Gratch is head o f inform ation and instructional services at Saint M ary ’s College o f California; e-mail: hgratch@stmarys-ca.edu mailto:sbangert@stmarys-ca.edu mailto:hgratch@stmarys-ca.edu 698/C&RL News library organizations are not as common as our predisposition might otherwise indicate. So, while librarian administrators and their col­ leagues get high marks for identifying long- range goals, developing effective implementa­ tion programs, and exhibiting staying power for annual budget negotiations, the nagging truth is that most o f us have not, for ourselves (let alone for our campuses), answered key questions with resolve and specificity. Focusing attention on the im portance of lib rarian s How have library programs contributed to criti­ cal thinking skills and lifelong learning for stu­ dents after graduation day? What difference do reference interactions, library instruction ses­ sions, or the careful crafting o f electronic and print collections make in the lives o f our stu­ dents? H ow do we contribute directly to the mission o f the institution? Identifying questions such as these and attempting to find their an­ swers with improved assessment techniques and commitment to shared analysis o f program . . . librarians need to il­ lustrate to administration that it takes a whole col­ lege or university—includ­ ing librarians—to educate a student. outcomes can become a more effective way o f communicating to the campus the reasons why librarians are critical co-educators. In fact, classroom faculty and administrators often do not believe that librarians help shape curriculum, teach students, possess knowledge skills that complement classroom content, and may contribute to student retention. To improve visibility and credibility outside the library, even where librarians have faculty status, library pro­ fessionals can assert practical and political in­ fluence for increased innovation, collaboration, and resource allocation by becoming active and involved in milestone moments in the current events o f their institutions. Certainly, the ac­ creditation review is one such milestone in the life and culture o f a college or university, whether viewed as a positive or negative ex­ perience. Through visible and active accredita­ tion preparation, documentation, and commit­ tee work on the part o f librarians, members of the campus community become familiar with and, hopefully, convinced that their institution is enriched by the contributions o f librarians. If librarians are not at the table when the univer­ sity or college is exploring the success o f learn­ ing outcomes, evaluating teaching effectiveness, and attempting to define quality education dur­ ing the self-evaluation process, it is no wonder library programming is so often unknown, mis­ understood, or overlooked. Like the proverb “it takes a village to raise a child,” librarians need to illustrate to administration that it takes a whole college or university— including librar ians— to educate a student. Leading is e a sie r than you think: Tw enty w a y s to m a k e a difference Academic librarians often have experience and perspective in many areas o f campus life be­ yond the library. It is useful, therefore, to know what areas o f the college or university are un­ der review in order to determine how you might contribute. For example, in the WASC hand­ book, Standards f o r Accreditation, the follow­ ing areas are identified as required elements for review: institutional integrity; institutional purposes, planning, and effectiveness; gover­ nance and administration (including role o f fac ulty); educational programs; faculty and staff; library, computing, and other information and learning resources; student services and the co- curricular learning environment; physical re sources; and financial resources. Twenty practical ways that librarians can make a difference in the preparation of the in­ stitutional self-assessment and contribute to the ongoing campus academic review and revision process are categorized below. To identify an effective avenue for leadership, consider a match o f individual interests and skills accord­ ing to your personal strengths in writing, inter­ personal communication, speaking, or planning. Institutional purposes, planning, effectiveness 1) Participate in campus or academic strate­ gic planning by serving on a committee, at­ tending open hearings, or preparing written responses to draft documents; 2) emphasize institutional mission in discus­ sion and policy development as part o f regular activity in both external (curriculum and library) and internal (reference, instruction, collection development) meetings; November 1995/699 3) use professional development time to develop skills in the area o f assessment and evaluation (schools o f nursing and education are particularly experienced in frequent accredi­ tation reviews and assessment techniques); 4) define and develop a process o f program review for your academic assignment which involves faculty and student participation; 5) ask the campus faculty development of­ ficer to include librarians in workshops on teaching effectiveness; or, if you are able, offer to co-organize such a workshop to model li brarian-faculty collaboration. Governance and adm inistration 6) Collaborate with the library director or dean in establishing a regents- or trust ees-level advisory committee on information resources; 7) participate in fundraising or celebratory events sponsored by the campus development office to increase visibility o f the library in cam­ pus life; 8) seek a committee appointment or nomi­ nation for the academic senate, or campuswide initiatives involved with technology planning, development, and fundraising, or student af­ fairs. Educational p ro g ra m s 9) Seek involvement and endorsement of library research/information literacy objectives through the library and/or curriculum commit­ tee, as well as from interactions with faculty collection development liaisons; 10) co-develop program review assessment strategies with other academic units, working first with those departments that are likewise committed to internal review; request inclusion o f library research goals in the regular process o f curriculum review and approval; 11) collect course syllabi and analyze the degree to which academic programs require research and library usage; report on and pub­ licize the annual reports o f the library instruc­ tion coordinator which document for the cam­ pus the extent to which library research/ information literacy assignments are included across the curriculum; 12) initiate meetings with departmental fac­ ulty in your role as librarian/collection devel­ opment selector to propose revisions to cur­ ricular design where library instruction and electronic resource training can be built into course requirements; 13) obtain appointments on campus and de­ partment curriculum committees. Faculty and students 14) Offer regular training workshops on new technologies for faculty and students; 15) organize faculty and student focus groups on a regular basis to provide assessment data regarding services, collections, technology, and library facility programming; 16) help organize and create a Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable spon­ sored by the American Association o f Higher Education— a collaborative group o f faculty, librarians, computing staff, and academic ad­ ministrators who help define the role o f tech­ nology in improved teaching effectiveness. Library, computing, and oth er inform ation and learning resou rces 17) Write sections o f library planning docu­ ments so that articulation o f the learning and teaching function o f the library is adequately described; provide evidence o f assessment to demonstrate integration o f library learning goals with those o f academic programs; 18) chair the library committee to which requests for input into the institutional accredi­ tation review are anticipated; volunteer to the library director or dean to assist in internal or­ ganization o f the library’s self-study; write sum­ mary briefing papers for classroom faculty col­ leagues who are preparing a departmental self- study in which library research and informa­ tion literacy are components in the educational program; 19) meet and work with internal institutional accreditation liaisons to review past analysis and documentation regarding the self-study and site visits, for educational programs and the library, in particular; 20) regularly use all campus communica­ tion outlets to publicize the library’s role and involvement in teaching; collection develop­ ment for print, media, and electronic resources; and organization and access to information. Conclusion Librarians have a definite role in redefining educational outcomes, and new ways o f learn­ ing and teaching. The twenty initiatives de­ scribed above suggest greater opportunities for academic librarians to assert institutional lead­ ership and influence. Choose an initiative that works for you and make a difference! 700/C&RL News