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A. Quick Summary of Chapter 3
B. What are the purposes of Washburn University?
C. What are the processes by which we develop our purposes? To what extent are our constituencies involved in their development?
D. How well understood are the University's mission and purposes by students, faculty, administration and staff, the Board of Regents, city and state government, alumni and the general public? To what extent do these groups "buy into" the mission and purposes?
E. What are the means by which we evaluate our effectiveness in meeting these purposes?
F. What steps have we taken to insure freedom of inquiry for faculty and students?
G. How does the University demonstrate its commitment to excellence in the teaching we provide to and the learning we expect from students?
The University's mission statement has been recently revised and explains the institution's purposes. Outcome measurements related to each purpose have been recently developed, and the process of measurement is getting underway. The processes by which the mission was devised and the outcomes developed have been open and inclusive.
Every department and unit at Washburn is required to undergo self-study every five years as part of the University's Program Review process. Mission statements and objectives for each of these departments and units have been developed as part of this process.
Washburn will need to make continued effort to increase awareness of these purposes by its alumni and the general public. An effort to increase the visibility of the institution has begun, and continuing this effort will be an important objective for several years. The University has participated in the Pew Higher Education Roundtable, with an eye not only to future change but to enhancing understanding of the institution today.
The theme of institutional "health consciousness" is illustrated in this chapter by at least the
three activities listed above: institutional outcomes, program review, and Roundtable
participation.
Section B
: What are the purposes of Washburn University?
The purposes of Washburn University derive from the University's mission statement (p.11 of the catalog). This mission statement has been divided into a set of declarations, for which objectives and measures for those objectives have been developed (see chapter 5, section B.3). This list of declarations follows:
A. Washburn is a public metropolitan educational institution.
B. Washburn's emphasis is on quality instruction in the learning/teaching process.
C. Washburn University will have a diverse student body, faculty and staff.
D. The University will employ qualified and well-trained faculty who are interested in enhancing their students' knowledge.
E. Washburn will prepare individuals for productive careers.
F. The University will prepare its graduates for a lifetime of continuous learning.
G. Washburn will have an open admissions policy on the undergraduate level. Student quality will be kept by testing, advising, and maintenance of graduation standards instead of admission requirements.
H. The University will make available services to help students reach their full academic potential.
I. Washburn will provide educational opportunities for the residents of Topeka, Shawnee County, and Northeast Kansas.
J. Washburn will also attract students from the entire state, nation, and the world.
K. A strong general education program will be the common foundation for all the University's undergraduate degrees.
L. Washburn will offer bachelor programs in the basic disciplines, and provide preparatory programs in career and selected professional areas.
M. Washburn will offer associate degrees in technical areas, applied fields and selected academic areas.
N. The University will offer degrees in law and selected masters programs.
O.Washburn will be responsive to the needs of the recent high school graduate, but will also be committed to provide educational opportunities for other adult learners.
P. The University has a responsibility to participate in the broad educational needs of the area.
Q. Washburn will work with the community to make sure the University meets its community responsibilities.
R.Washburn's faculty and staff will engage in scholarly and creative activities to improve teaching effectiveness, meet community needs and contribute to the extension of knowledge.
S. Washburn will participate with other post-secondary institutions and organizations to offer appropriate cooperative educational opportunities for the people of Kansas.
T.Washburn is responsive and accountable to itself, the students, the citizens of Topeka, and
the taxpayers of Kansas.
Section C
: What are the processes by which we develop our purposes?
To what extent are our constituencies involved in their development?
The purposes described above, and the methods of measuring our success in accomplishing these purposes, combine to form a set of "Institutional Outcomes," described in detail in chapter 5, section B.3. These outcomes were prepared by the University Assessment Committee, a standing committee of the University Council. Its members are largely elected faculty (one from each of the divisions of the College of Arts & Sciences, one each from the Schools of Business, Nursing and Applied Studies, and one member of the professional library staff), along with the Executive Director of Planning and a member of the Center for Learning and Student Success.
The Assessment Committee spent most of the 1996-97 academic year drafting these outcomes. At least four separate drafts were prepared and discussed, and were reviewed by many non-committee members as well. The final draft was approved by the Assessment Committee in April 1997 and approved by the University Council the following month.
Of course, these purposes arise from the mission statement, which was recently (January
1996) revised. The process by which the mission statement was reviewed and revised
included members from all segments of the University. A draft was prepared by the
President and his senior staff in cooperation with members of the Board of Regents, and was
sent out for discussion and comment to faculty and staff, students and alumni. The final draft
was then approved by the Board.
Section D
: How well understood are the University's mission and
purposes by students, faculty, administration and staff, the Board of
Regents, city and state government, alumni and the general public?
To what extent do these groups "buy into" the mission and purposes?
Continual effort is made to communicate the mission and purposes of the University to these various groups. As noted in the previous section, the mission statement has been reviewed and revised within the last three years via an inclusive process, and the purposes and the corresponding methods of assessment have been similarly developed and discussed. A brochure entitled "Preparing for the Twenty-First Century" describes the University and its mission and has been widely distributed.
Students have a variety of perspectives on the institution, and quite naturally tend to focus on those aspects of institutional purpose that most directly impact them. Some traditional students have expressed concern that the University is losing track of them in its emphasis on meeting the needs of non-traditional students. The Office of Student Life, the Campus Activity Board and the Student Union make special efforts to meet the needs of these traditional students. However, some non-traditional students said they find this concern difficult to understand, pointing to the amount of student funds used for "traditional student activities."
Another concern of some students is the effect of Washburn's open admissions policy on the image of the University. The six Kansas Regents schools have adopted a selective admission policy which is being phased in over a period of years. These students fear that Washburn will be considered second-rate because it admits all Kansas high school graduates. The faculty and administration have recently started discussions on alternatives to "selective admissions," such as allowing new freshmen who do not meet specific ACT exam score or high school grade requirements to enter Washburn only under conditions of intrusive advising.
Faculty, administration and staff are typically the most well tuned in to these matters. Faculty concern about the number of two-year degree programs and the use of resources for these programs has been expressed in some quarters. These programs fit the University's mission, but they do not fit the image some at Washburn still have of a "small liberal arts college." However, the revised general education program has addressed the importance of a general education in both two- and four-year programs. Further, most two-year programs have come into existence in response to identified community needs.
To bring clarity to the foundational issues facing the institution, approximately 30 faculty, staff and community members held a series of discussions as part of the Pew Higher Education Roundtable. Sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts and based at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Higher Education, the Roundtable's roughly 150 member institutions include colleges and universities from all parts of the nation, representing a broad range of institutional size, control and mission. The Roundtable is a national laboratory that seeks to identify "best practices" for academic restructuring. Working from an institutional mission perspective, the participants dealt with such topics as "Building a Community Using Technology," "Community Partnerships," "Creating a Niche," and "Turning from a Credit Generating Institution to a Learner Centered University." Some of the results of these discussions are described in chapter 6.
Naturally, the Board of Regents has been actively involved in the revision of the mission statement and subsequent development of the purposes and outcomes. To keep the Board abreast of these issues amid the crush of routine business, annual Board retreats with administration and elected faculty representatives to the Board are held.
The President and the Executive Director for Governmental Relations work regularly with city and state officials to make clear Washburn's purposes and its needs. Special retreats with Shawnee County legislators and key city officials have helped keep these important people informed about the institution. The mayor of Topeka is especially well informed about us; not only is she a Board member, but she is a former legislator who has lived across the street from the campus for many years, and her spouse is a senior professor at the University.
As a preliminary step toward determining how well alumni understand and "buy in" to the University's mission and purpose, several alumni who are active in the Washburn Alumni Association were asked the questions posed at the start of this section. Naturally, it was assumed that these alumni would be among those who understand the mission and purposes, and would have the pulse of other alumni.
These alumni indicated they really were not well aware of the mission and purposes, or had only recently been made aware. One pointed out that a mission statement was not part of the materials she had received when becoming an Alumni Association Board member. Another said: "I quite honestly was not really aware of the University's formally adopted mission and purposes until I just this year received the booklet 'Preparing for the Twenty-First Century.' It is an excellent document and outlines an exciting future for Washburn and one which I feel most alums would 'buy into'." This long-time board member indicated she was generally aware of the mission and purposes of various segments of the University through her involvement, but felt that this information needed to be communicated to the broader alumni public. She felt the information would need to be communicated frequently in order to reach this audience.
Another alumnus wrote: "The University's accomplishments and advancements are covered well in the alumni magazine and through news articles in The Topeka Capital-Journal. I think alumni who retain membership in the alumni association provide good support for the university through their financial contributions and/or participation. I think many alumni, however, do not understand why they should continue to cultivate an allegiance with their alma mater after they graduate. I've known several Washburn alumni who seem to downplay the role the university played in their lives and who back KU and K-State even though they never went to these schools....I think some alumni mistakenly perceive Washburn as a second-rate school in comparison to K-State and KU because of its commuter-college label. I'm not sure what can be done to instill a sense of pride in those who don't possess it, but I think a large group of alumni are simply not sold on the university's merits."
However, another alumnus stated: "I believe the alumni buy into the mission and purposes to the extent they are personally involved in the University. I have seen the trend in recent years to more actively involve the alumni in the work of the University; and more recently I have witnessed the inclusion of 'friends of the university' in order to utilize the energy and support of non-alumni. I feel this is a great step in integrating new people into our mission and purposes."
Thus, while there is not complete agreement on the matter, it is clear that there is much for Washburn to do in communicating its mission and purposes to its alumni.
It is equally clear that Washburn must do more to make portions of the general public more aware of the institution. A comprehensive public opinion survey conducted for the University by Leslie Associates in 1996 indicated that nearly half of the general public (in a state-wide random sample) have no impression of Washburn at all. In Johnson county (suburban Kansas City), the fastest growing county in Kansas, over 60% of the residents had insufficient awareness of Washburn to be able to compare it to other Universities (this figure compares to less than 20% in Shawnee County).
A substantial advertising campaign was conducted during October and November 1997.
Kansas subscribers to such major magazines as Time, Newsweek, and Sports Illustrated will
receive in those publications a full-page advertisement introducing them to the University.
Local television and print advertising is on-going as well. While the primary purpose of such
advertising is ultimately to attract students to the institution, the ads serve a secondary role of
increasing awareness of the institution and its function.
Section E
: What are the means by which we evaluate our effectiveness
in meeting these purposes?
As mentioned in section B of this chapter, measurable outcomes for the purposes derived from the mission statement have been developed and are in the preliminary stages of implementation. These are discussed in detail in chapter 5.
At the individual unit level, Washburn has developed a program review process. Every department or unit, academic and non-academic, is reviewed on a five-year cycle. A department or unit that is scheduled for program review during a particular year receives two important documents from the University Planning Office: a summary of management indicators for the department, and copies of "A Guide for Program Self-Study at Washburn University." The latter is a 50-plus page document that describes the program review process, and provides the department with the mission statement and related purposes. Each department then is expected to evaluate itself in light of its role in helping the institution meet these purposes.
As a department embarks on program review, it develops or revises its own mission statement, prepares realistic goals and measurable objectives for itself, and designs and implements an evaluation system. Ultimately, the department evaluates its strengths and weaknesses and seeks ways to revise its program and/or procedures based on this evaluation.
Once its self-study is complete, the department submits it to the Program Review Committee, chaired jointly by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Administration and Treasurer, and consisting of faculty, staff and students. The department makes a formal presentation to the committee, and the committee then makes recommendations and comments. Departments may respond to these recommendations and comments, and then all materials are reviewed by the appropriate vice president, who also makes observations. All of the materials then go to the President for review, and are ultimately reviewed by the Board of Regents as well.
Program Review is in its sixth year, so the second cycle is underway. Changes resulting from Program Review are discussed in detail in chapter 5. All Program Review documents will be available to the North Central evaluation team.
The University Faculty Handbook, 10th edition, contains a "Statement on Academic Freedom" (Section Two, part I), as have many previous editions of the handbook. This statement spells out the guarantees of faculty to full freedom from censorship in teaching, research and publication. Furthermore, Section Three, part II ("University Policy on Faculty Tenure") lists "freedom of teaching and research and of extramural affairs" as the primary justification for faculty tenure.
Students have similar freedoms, of course. Student government operates with broad freedom and has a budget separate from the University derived directly from student fees. The student newspaper and magazine staffs do not report to an academic department, but are advised by a board consisting of students, faculty and staff. The Board of Student Publications is responsible for safeguarding the editorial freedom of all such publications.
Student freedom is further protected by grade appeal procedures, which give students the right
to challenge grades that are perceived to be based on anything other than academic
performance. A disciplinary appeal procedure also provides students the opportunity to
challenge any disciplinary sanction that might be imposed. These policies appear in Section
Seven, parts VII-IX of the faculty handbook. Brochures for students containing the details of
these policies are available from the Student Affairs Office, and information about them is
published each fall and spring in the class schedule. Procedures for appeals on the basis of
illegal discrimination (in admission to programs and for other causes) are in place.
Information about these procedures is available in the Affirmative Action Office.
Section G
: How does the University demonstrate its commitment to
excellence in the teaching we provide to and the learning we expect
from students?
The University demonstrates its commitment to good teaching and learning (1) by hiring, promoting and rewarding faculty members who make effective contributions to the teaching/learning process; (2) by providing assistance and support for faculty who desire to improve their educational effectiveness; (3) by providing a variety of services to students to help them learn; (4) by recognizing and supporting student academic achievement; (5) by formally reviewing various programs; and (6) by maintaining reasonable student-faculty ratios.
An elaboration on each of these six points follows:
(1) Hiring: Prior teaching experience is a major consideration in ranking candidates for teaching positions. Candidates for faculty positions must teach a class in their field during the on-campus interview process. Students and faculty have the opportunity to evaluate the candidates' presentations. Promoting: Teaching effectiveness is weighted significantly (>50%) for tenure, promotion and salary considerations. Student evaluations are required of all faculty members in all classes every semester. Rewarding: For several years the University has awarded annually two teaching awards to full-time faculty and one or two to adjunct faculty. Considerable recognition and a monetary stipend come with these awards.
(2) Faculty development seminars are presented monthly during the academic year, and a mentoring system for new faculty is operating. More information on these programs is given in chapter 5, section C. Faculty development and curriculum development grants are available. At least seven academic sabbaticals are awarded each year. A generous summer sabbatical program also provides professional development opportunities for faculty. A "Writing Across the Curriculum" group has been formed, sharing ideas in periodic meetings and by an electronic discussion group. The Adjunct Faculty Handbook provides special information to that important group of faculty. Mabee Library, the Law Library and the Curriculum Resources Center provide sessions for faculty on searching the online databases, searching and evaluating internet sites, and using library resources more effectively. Copies of the Teaching Professor Journal are available to faculty. Travel funds are available for faculty to make presentations at professional meetings.
(3) Some services to students specifically aimed at improving learning are listed below. Most of these services are described more fully in later chapters.
-Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS)
-Writing Center, providing assistance to students with writing assignments of all kinds at two locations on campus
-Koca Mathematics Enrichment Center, providing computer-assisted instruction and peer tutoring for algebra, trigonometry, statistics and calculus
-Academic Computer Center and numerous computer labs with student assistants available
-Mabee Library, offering hundreds of classes in library use, electronic search techniques, and so on
-Modern instrumentation for student use in laboratory and research classes
-Departmental peer tutoring and supplemental instruction programs
-Special support system, developed by CLASS for courses which were identified as being particularly difficult for students
-"Early Assistance Program," operated by CLASS and aimed at getting assistance to struggling students before their academic difficulties become overwhelming
-"On-Line Syllabus" project, making more substantial information about courses available to students to assist in course selection
(4) Outstanding academic achievement is recognized and supported in several ways. Graduating students who achieve certain standards are awarded Latin honors, and departmental and academic unit honors are also awarded. The University also supports a large and varied number of honor societies, and offers many scholarships based on academic achievement.
(5) The Program Review process was described in section E of this chapter. The course approval process for general education, described in chapter 5, section B, is another review mechanism.
(6) Washburn endeavors to keep class sizes small, limiting the number of "large lecture sections." Composition classes are typically closed when enrollment reaches 25 students. Average student-faculty ratio (FTE students per FTE faculty) across the University is about 16 to 1.