Accreditation

Town Hall Meeting
Middle States
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
5:00-6:00pm
Room 19A

Under the umbrella of the Graduate School and University Center, the School of Labor and Urban Studies is in the process of undergoing reaccreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

In accordance with Middle States expectations, SLU has engaged in a comprehensive self-study that will culminate in a visit to SLU by a team of Middle States peer reviewers in the spring of 2020. The self-study report addresses the seven areas identified by Middle States as standards for accreditation: mission and goals; ethics and integrity; design and delivery of student learning experience; support of student experience; educational effectiveness and assessment; planning resources and institutional improvement; and governance, leadership and administration.

The Town Hall meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 27, 2019 is to share with the campus community the process that is underway and to solicit feedback and hear recommendations on how to improve the process.

We invite all students, faculty, and staff to attend this important information session.

For more information about the Middle States process, visit the Middle States page on SLU’s website(https://slu.cuny.edu/about/accreditation/).

Mission and Goals

Under the umbrella of the Graduate Center, the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies has begun the work required for reaccreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The School will welcome a Middle States Peer Review Team to our campus during the spring of 2020.

In anticipation of the review team’s visit and in accordance with Middle States expectations, the School has engaged in a comprehensive self-study that addresses the seven areas identified by Middle States as standards for accreditation: mission and goals; ethics and integrity; design and delivery of student learning experience; support of student experience; educational effectiveness and assessment; planning resources and institutional improvement; and governance, leadership and administration.

The Accreditation Briefs are designed to share important information about the reaccreditation process.  The first one focuses on “Standard One: Mission and Goals,” namely, how “The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.”

To address this standard, SLU held a Town Hall meeting on March 27th, 2019, in part dedicated to the re-affirmation of the School’s mission.  Those present agreed that the institution should continue to embrace and fulfill its mission as derived from its core values: access to education, diversity at every level, social justice, and equality for all.

SLU’s goals are consistent with teaching and learning in the 21st century: to expand higher education opportunities for workers; to prepare students who aspire to careers in public service and movements for social justice; to promote civic engagement; provide leadership development for union and community activists; and to help workers achieve greater economic security. Its perspective is unique, addressing the needs of its constituents while helping New York City and State fulfill their needs for a well-educated, highly skilled public and private workforce.

Middle States Brief 2

In early July, the SLU Middle State Committee met to review the continuing work on the draft reports for the seven standards.  The complete reports will be part of the Graduate School/University Center evidence inventory and SLU executive summaries for each report will be included in the 100-page self-study document.  The self-study will be shared with the team Chair when he visits sometime in October of 2019.

SLU report drafts based on each of the seven standards (Standard I – Mission and Goals, Standard II – Ethics and Integrity, Standard III – Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience, Standard IV – Support of the Student Experience , Standard V – Educational Effectiveness Assessment, Standard VI – Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement, Standard VII – Governance, Leadership, and Administration) will be submitted by the end of July.  It is the intent of the Committee to have these drafts available for review by the end of August. The School’s new Director of Institutional Research and Assessment, Elizabeth Sergile, has created a SharePoint site to house the documentation. She and Dr. Emily Drabinski, Critical Pedagogy Librarian at the CUNY Graduate Center, will work collaboratively to tag the evidence supporting the reports.

Middle States Brief 3

With an updated report due to the Graduate Center on July 30, the accreditation team worked diligently on the standards for the Self-Study. Standards 1 and 2 are in good shape and are being handled by SLU faculty and staff; the Committee is currently editing Standards 3, 4, and 5; Standards 6 and 7 are just entering the revision stage. Standard 7 will include documentation from SLU’s first time participating in CUNY’s Performance Management Process (PMP).

Associate Dean, Dr. Gladys Schrynemakers, will be working with SLU’s Director of Institutional Research and Assessment, Elizabeth Sergile, to create one-page executive summaries for each of the sections of the report. An SLU SharePoint has already been created with an efficient tagging system that will help organize evidence across multiple standards.

Several SLU web pages will be under construction in the coming months in order to comply with Middle States standards, incorporating sections for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Administration. The SLU community will be able to view SLU’s Self-Study report and provide comments and feedback on a dedicated webpage.

Self-Study Reports will be ready to view by end of August for feedback from the SLU community. Recommended changes will be incorporated into the report and shared during a Town Hall meeting scheduled for September. It is the School’s intention that the final Self-Study and its recommendations will serve as a good starting point for SLU’s next Strategic Plan.

Working Group 1: Mission

The institution’s mission defines its purpose within the context of higher education, the students it serves, and what it intends to accomplish. The institution’s stated goals are clearly linked to its mission and specify how the institution fulfills its mission.

Stephen Brier, Professor, PhD Program in Urban Education and Interactive Technology & Pedagogy Doctoral Certificate Program
sbrier@gc.cuny.edu

Additional Members TBA

Working Group 2:  Ethics and Integrity

Ethics and integrity are central, indispensable, and defining hallmarks of effective higher education institutions. in all activities, whether internal or external, an institution must be faithful to its mission, honor its contracts and commitments, adhere to its policies, and represent itself truthfully.

Michael Giliberti, Bursar
Michael.Giliberti@slu.cuny.edu

Sharon Hardy, Director Enrollment Services
Sharon.hardy@slu.cuny.edu

Maureen LaMar, Labor Studies, Program Director
Maureen.lamar@slu.cuny.edu

Gladys Palma de Schrynemakers, Associate Dean Academic Affairs (Graduate Center Steering Committee)
gschryne@slu.cuny.edu

Working Group 3: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience

An institution provides students with learning experiences that are characterized by rigor and coherence at all program, certificate, and degree levels, regardless of instructional modality. All learning experiences, regardless of modality, program pace/schedule, level, and setting are consistent with higher education expectations.

Gladys Palma de Schrynemakers, Associate Dean Academic Affairs
gschryne@slu.cuny.edu

Michael Rymer, Director of Writing Center
Michael.rymer@slu.cuny.edu

Laurie Grimes, Registrar
Laurie.grimes@slu.cuny.edu

Stephen Greenfeld, Urban Studies Program Manager
Stephen.Greenfeld@slu.cuny.edu

Working Group 4: Support of the Student Experience

Across all educational experiences, settings, levels, and instructional modalities, the institution recruits and admits students whose interests, abilities, experiences, and goals are congruent with its mission and educational offerings. The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.

Rochel Pinder-Cuffie, Director of Student & Community Affairs
Rochel.pinder-cuffie@slu.cuny.edu

Padraig.O’Donoghue, Manager of Student Support and Retention
Padraig.O’Donoghue@slu.cuny.edu

Samina Shahidi, Program Advisor, Urban Studies MA
Samina.shahidi@slu.cuny.edu

Fitzroy Searles, MA Urban Studies

Veronica Windley, MA Urban Studies

Working Group 5: Educational Effectiveness Assessment

Assessment of student learning and achievement demonstrates that the institution’s students have accomplished educational goals consistent with their program of study, degree level, the institution’s mission, and appropriate expectations for institutions of higher education.

Stephen Greenfeld, Academic Program Manager, Urban Studies
Stephen.Greenfeld@cuny.edu

Rochel Pinder-Cuffie, Student Affairs
Rochel.pinder-cuffie@slu.cuny.edu

Maryam (Sara) Esfarayeni, Manager of Workforce Development
Maryam.Esfarayeni@cuny.edu

Penny Lewis, Associate Professor Labor Studies
Penny.lewis@slu.CUNY.edu

Emily Drabinski, Associate Professor Library
edrabrinski@gc.cuny.edu

Working Group 6:  Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement

The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.

Burt Sacks, Associate Dean Administration
Bart.sacks@slu.CUNY.edu

Dorothy Benson, Associate Director for Administration
dorothy.benson@mail.cuny.edu

Rochel Pinder-Cuffie, Student Affairs (Graduate Center Steering Committee)
Rochel.pinder-cuffie@slu.cuny.edu

Gladys Palma de Schrynemakers, Associate Dean Academic Affairs
gschryne@slu.cuny.edu

Nelly Benavides, Office of Administration
Nelly.benavides@slu.cuny.edu

Faculty Representative: TBA

Working Group 7: Governance, Leadership, and Administration

The institution is governed and administered in a manner that allows it to realize its stated mission and goals in a way that effectively benefits the institution, its students, and the other constituencies it serves. even when supported by or affiliated with governmental, corporate, religious, educational system, or other unaccredited organizations, the institution has education as its primary purpose, and it operates as an academic institution with appropriate autonomy.

Burt Sacks, Associate Dean Administration
Burt.sacks@slu.cuny.edu

Gladys Palma de Schrynemakers, Associate Dean Academic Affairs
gschryne@slu.cuny.edu

Faculty Representative: TBA

Labor and Community Advisory Board Representative: TBA