Work Group I will examine the College’s Mission as it relates to the Strategic Plan and the internal programs and processes in place to further the Mission.  This will include, but is not limited to:  individual college unit operations; student success programs such as Pathways to Graduation Project – Title III Grant, Achieving the Dream, and Diversity and Global View Program; and external partnerships.  Work Group members will review, gather, analyze, and summarize key sources of relevant documentation to determine if MVCC meets the MSCHE Standard I and to support the conclusions of the Self-Study – it is anticipated that this process will uncover areas of potential improvement in addition to documenting the effectiveness of the internal mission driven programs in meeting the diverse needs of students. 

Work Group II will examine all policies, procedures, and published materials as they relate to the College’s integrity in pursing the College’s Mission, in all of its venues.  This will include, but is not limited to: academic policies; academic freedom; student support programs such as counseling, student grievances, student affairs, Pathways to Graduation Project – Title III Grant, Achieving the Dream; student enrichment programs such as Diversity and Global View Program, civility initiatives, student clubs and diversity initiatives; transparency and shared governance; marketing materials including print and digital offerings; issues of affordability and accessibility including student debt management; funding and budget related issues; all federal and state regulations and the assessment processes in place to ensure continuous improvement within these areas.  Work Group members will review, gather, analyze, and summarize key sources of relevant documentation to determine if MVCC meets the MSCHE Standard II and to support the conclusions of the Self-Study – it is anticipated that this process will uncover areas of potential improvement in addition to documenting the effectiveness of the internal mission driven programs in meeting the diverse needs of students.

Work Group III will examine all aspects of student learning experiences in formal academic settings in the credit and non-credit programs (including certificate, degree, and other) as they relate to the College Mission and Strategic Goals.  This will include, but is not limited to: diversity and inclusiveness of the student body; applied learning; faculty credentials and development; accuracy of program development, program descriptions, program requirements, and course descriptions; student academic progress and completion; general education experience both within other programs and as a transfer program; and the assessment processes in place to ensure continuous improvement within these areas.  Work Group members will review, gather, analyze, and summarize key sources of relevant documentation to determine if MVCC meets the MSCHE Standard III and to support the conclusions of the Self-Study – it is anticipated that this process will uncover areas of potential improvement in addition to documenting the effectiveness of the internal mission driven programs in meeting the diverse needs of students.

Work Group IV will examine all aspects of the student experiences outside of the formal academic setting.  Work Group members will evaluate these in relation to the College Mission, College Strategic Goals, and the formal internal programs designed to ensure student success such as the Pathways to Graduation Project – Title III Grant, Achieving the Dream, and completion related programming.  This will include, but is not limited to: ethical processes to admit, retain and facilitate student support programs and procedures; student guidance through the academic process such as orientation, residence life, guidance, counseling; support process for student completion, transfer and job placement; advanced standing policies and procedures;  student privacy and records management; athletic and extracurricular activities; and the assessment processes in place to ensure continuous improvement within these areas.  Work Group members will review, gather, analyze, and summarize key sources of relevant documentation to determine if MVCC meets the MSCHE Standard IV and to support the conclusions of the Self-Study – it is anticipated that this process will uncover areas of potential improvement in addition to documenting the effectiveness of the internal mission driven programs in meeting the diverse needs of students.

Work Group V will examine all areas within the college in regard to the ongoing college-wide institutional effectiveness plan (IEP) and the related assessment processes.  Work Group members will ensure that all areas of the college have a well-developed, effective assessment plan that drives continuous improvement within the discrete college units, and how the assessment plans at the unit levels collectively drive continuous improvement at the college level.  This will include but is not limited to:  shared governance and transparency in developing and utilizing assessment data and the IEP; the use of assessment data in improving student learning experiences; budgeting, improving programs and processes within each area; student retention and success; and the ongoing assessment of our overall IEP to meet the Strategic Plan and its five strategic goals.  They will review, gather, analyze, and summarize key sources of relevant documentation to determine if MVCC meets the MSCHE standard V and to support the conclusions of the Self-Study – it is anticipated that this process will uncover areas of potential improvement in addition to documenting the effectiveness of the internal mission driven programs in meeting the diverse needs of students.

Work Group VI will examine all areas of the college resources and budget.  Work Group members will review these areas in relation to the College Mission and Strategic Plan in order to ensure that the Mission and Goals are the driving force in the utilization of college resources, and in the development and management of all budgetary processes and functions.  This will include, but is not limited to: planning and improvement processes; budget development processes; fiscal, human, physical, and technical infrastructure that supports programs and operations;  responsibility and accountability of budget managers; long term planning to ensure sustainability of operations; annual auditing process; and the evidence of assessment data and its utilization for these areas.  Work Group members will review, gather, analyze, and summarize key sources of relevant documentation to determine if MVCC meets the MSCHE Standard VI and to support the conclusions of the Self-Study – it is anticipated that this process will uncover areas of potential improvement in addition to documenting the effectiveness of the internal mission driven programs in meeting the diverse needs of students.

This Task Force will review all areas of the College that relate to verification of Compliance with Accreditation-Relevant Federal Regulations and the Requirements of Affiliation.  Work Group members will compile documentation of MVCC’s compliance with these regulations and requirements.