final version of the self-study document - Keuka College's Middle ...

Introduction
Keuka College, on the shores of Keuka Lake in New York State’s Finger Lakes region, was
founded in 1890 as the Keuka Institute, a coeducational preparatory college dedicated to serving
the educational needs of rural youth. Its motto then, “committed teachers and scholars devoted
to providing maximum attention to the individual student,” remains Keuka’s philosophy, as
underscored in its mission statement. This commitment to student success is at the heart of
Keuka’s endeavors, although the College has expanded its mission and educational program
beyond serving rural youth to meeting the educational needs of a diverse group of learners,
including adult, traditional, online, and international students. As this self-study will document,
Keuka has done an excellent job of fulfilling its mission to provide a supportive and
intellectually challenging educational experience to a diverse group of learners.
Keuka offers 30 bachelor’s degree programs on its home campus at Keuka Park, many with
specialized concentrations; 27 minors; and self-designed majors. Four master’s degree programs
are offered at the home campus, in Occupational Therapy, Literacy (B-6 and 5-12), and a Master
of Science in Management—International Business concentration. Through its Accelerated
Studies for Adults Program (ASAP), the College offers bachelor’s degree completion programs
in organizational management, criminal justice systems, social work, and nursing, as well as
master’s degrees in management, criminal justice administration, and nursing at sites across New
York state. The College also extends educational opportunities via the Internet through its
Wertman Office of Distance Education.
The Self-Study process got underway in fall 2010, with the appointment by President Joseph G.
Burke, Ph.D. of an eleven-person Middle States Self-Study Steering Committee, to be chaired by
Dr. Tim Sellers, the Associate Vice President for Academic Programs and faculty member Ann
Tuttle, Professor of Business and Management. The Committee and their respective working
groups are comprised of representatives from the key functional areas of the College: faculty,
finance, admissions, student affairs, professional studies, students, and trustees.
Some members of the Steering Committee engaged in training relevant to the Self-Study and
Reaccreditation process. This training included attendance by Anne Weed, Vice President for
Academic Affairs, and Tim Sellers, Associate Vice President for Academic Programs, at a
number of MSCHE events: “A Basic Toolbox for Assessing Institutional Effectiveness” in
August 2010, “Meeting Middle States Expectations for Student Learning Assessment” in
September 2010, the MSCHE Self-Study Institute in November 201, the 2011 MSCHE Annual
Meeting (Tim Sellers), “Integrating Planning and Assessment” in April 2012, and the 2012
MSCHE Annual Meeting, including Dorothy Schramm, Director of Institutional Assessment.
The other members of the steering committee also participated in training through a joint retreat
with members of the administration in October, facilitated by a Middle States Self-Study
consultant. At this retreat, the Committee discussed communication strategies, College
community readiness for participation in self-study, key institutional issues, and self-study
outcomes.
The Middle States Steering Committee began meeting in September 2010, and at the Steering
Committee’s first meeting, the committee members began to review the College’s mission
statement as a first step in understanding the nature and scope of the self-study process. In
Page 1 of 8 Introduction