Self-Study Design

Nature and Scope of the Self-Study

The Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education will be conducting its decennial re-accreditation review of New York University in spring 2004. The site visit by an evaluation team is preceded by a self-study, and this process will begin in fall 2002. Our last re-accreditation review was in 1994 (followed by a Periodic Review Report in 1999) and utilized a "selected topics" approach focusing on continuing education and on international education.

On this occasion, we will again conduct a "selected topics" self-study, focusing on undergraduate education. One of the notable changes at NYU over the past two decades has been the increase in the percentage of undergraduates in the total degree-seeking student population to over fifty percent. At the same time, there has been a national concern about the role of undergraduate education in research universities. The Middle States review provides an opportunity to examine this essential element of our academic enterprise.

We intend to take full advantage of on-going institutional research activities to support a focused assessment of what has transpired at the university since the preparation of our Periodic Review Report. In addition, we intend to make use of the new administration's comprehensive planning effort already underway to enhance undergraduate education and life. These initiatives strongly support the decision of New York University to focus the self-study on this topic.

Undergraduate Education: Progress And Challenges

The overall objective of the self-study will be to review progress made at NYU in the 1980s and 1990s as it was transformed from a regional commuter school into a national research university, to understand the challenges that have resulted from this transformation, to synthesize the activities that characterize the undergraduate experience, and to formulate a vision and plans for making NYU a more exciting urban research university for undergraduates.

Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee
This committee, which is being created as part of this self-study, has as its charge an examination of academic issues in undergraduate education. It will continue after the conclusion of the self-study as a standing committee to advise the provost on matters related to undergraduate education.

Undergraduate Student Affairs Committee
As part of the new administration's comprehensive strategic planning effort, a Dean's Working Group on Student Affairs began its deliberations in June 2002. The working group was created to address the challenges facing NYU that were identified in the report submitted to President-Designate John Sexton by his Transition Team in March 2002. For the purposes of this self-study, the working group has expanded its membership and evolved into the Committee on Student Affairs. The committee is examining major issues affecting student life at NYU and developing programming plans for improving the residential experience of all students, particularly first-year students. The goals of the committee are to create approaches that are more appropriate to the needs and expectations of the high-quality national and international student body that NYU now attracts.

Institutional Assessment of Undergraduate Academic and Student Life
The new administration is placing special emphasis on ongoing self-assessment and evaluation. New Vice Presidents for Planning and for Fiscal Affairs have been appointed and a new Analytical Planning and Research Group has been created to enhance the university's activities in institutional research and financial and capital planning. In addition to drawing together existing institutional researchers, six new positions in institutional and comparative research and financial and capital planning were created in June 2002. This group will examine the factors affecting undergraduate retention and attrition at NYU. Graduation rates for the 1995 cohort of entering freshman, for example, place NYU below other top private and many public research universities in the country, including other urban universities, in this respect. The study of the Analytical Planning and Research Group will be used to inform the steering committee about areas needing particular examination.

Student Affairs Search
A national search for a new Vice President for Student Affairs was launched in June 2002. The opportunity to bring in new leadership in this important area provides an opportune time to shape a new approach to student life at NYU. Membership on the search committee overlaps with the membership on the Student Affairs Working Group.

Admissions and Financial Aid Search
A national search for a new Associate Provost of Admissions and Financial Aid was launched in spring 2002. Over the past decade, NYU has achieved a significant improvement in the quality of its applicants, which has allowed it to become a highly selective university. New leadership here will provide the opportunity to review existing policies and approaches in admissions and financial aid, and to suggest changes where needed.

Opening of the Kimmel Center for Campus Life
The Kimmel Center, which is scheduled to open in December 2002, will provide a focal point for the University's campus life. The facility will serve as NYU's primary student center and become the home for the meetings and activities of the over 250 student clubs at NYU; lectures and conferences featuring national and international leaders; theatrical, dance, and musical performances; career information sessions and recruitment fairs; and events for alumni and parents. Kimmel represents a significant step forward to provide high quality, congenial space for NYU students and will engage more students more deeply in the life of the university and New York City.

Goals of the Self-Study

With this re-accreditation coming at the beginning of a new president's administration and running parallel to a comprehensive planning process initiated in June 2002, NYU should benefit greatly from engaging in the self-study required for decennial re-accreditation from the Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education (MSA/CHE). The university plans to use the occasion to engage the community in substantive conversations and subsequently to develop ambitious plans for making NYU an exciting urban research university for undergraduates. We view the opportunity to conduct this focused self-study not as additional activity, but as complementary to the work of the new administration. It is anticipated that the recommendations produced by the self-study will become part of the comprehensive planning effort and taken into account by the relevant offices. While the educational missions of NYU's undergraduate schools are intellectually diverse, we intend to create an educational environment where classroom studies, out-of-class activities, and residential life are woven together using a common set of values. This shared set of principles will encourage students to engage each other across differences of background and life experience, undergraduate major and school, and career ambition.

Committees: Composition and Charges:

Steering Committee - Undergraduate Education: Progress and Challenges
The president and provost have assigned overall responsibility for NYU's re-accreditation self-study to Stokes Professor of Law and Counselor to the President Norman Dorsen, who will serve as chair of the steering committee. Barnett Hamberger, Assistant Chancellor, will serve as coordinator for this effort.

The Steering Committee will consist of the following members:

• Norman Dorsen, Counselor to the President and Stokes Professor of Law, chair
• Barnett Hamberger, Assistant Chancellor, coordinator
• Nancy Barton, Clinical Associate Professor of Art and Art Professions, Steinhardt School of Education
• Amelia Branigan, Undergraduate student, College of Arts and Science
• Lynne Brown, Vice President of University Relations and Public Affairs and Acting Vice President of Student Affairs
• Frederick Choi, Dean of the Stern School of Business Undergraduate College and Professor of Accounting and International Business
• Richard Foley, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science and Professor of Philosophy
• Linda Mills, Vice Provost and Professor of Social Work
• Ali Mirsepassi, Associate Dean, Gallatin School of Individualized Study and Professor of Middle Eastern Studies
• William Petre, Undergraduate student, Tisch School of the Arts
• Scott Pollack, Undergraduate student, Stern School of Business
• Mary Sansalone, Vice President for Planning
• Matthew Santirocco, Dean of the College of Arts and Science and Professor of Classics
• Nicholas Tanis, Associate Professor of Film and Television, Tisch School of the Arts
• Diane Yu, Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President

The charge to the Steering Committee is to oversee the preparation of the self-study. To do this it will:

• Document progress in undergraduate education at NYU over the past decade
• Define the issues for consideration by the committees it establishes
• Coordinate the work of the Undergraduate Student Affairs Committee, the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee, and other committees it may establish
• Assure that relevant Middle States standards are addressed in the work of the committees and compliance demonstrated in the final self-study report. It is expected that at least the following standards will be addressed in whole or in part by the selected topic of undergraduate education: 2 (Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal), 8 (Student Admissions), 9 (Student Support Services), 11 (Educational Offerings), 12 (General Education), and 14 (Assessment of Student Learning).
• Receive and discuss the results of the study on undergraduate retention and attrition and, as appropriate, request the Undergraduate Student Affairs Committee, the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee, and any other committees to utilize the study in their work
• Review and synthesize the recommendations of the Undergraduate Student Affairs, the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committees, and other committees
• Schedule and moderate campus-wide discussions of the self-study in fall 2003
• Review and approve the final report for the Middle States Association Commission on Higher Education

Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee

The committee will consist of the following members:

• Matthew Santirocco, Dean of the College of Arts and Science and Professor of Classics, Chair
• Efrain Azmitia, Professor of Biology and Neural Science, Faculty of Arts and Science
• Bruce Buchanan, Charles Nichols Professor of Marketing, Stern School of Business Undergraduate College
• Heather Cannady, Undergraduate Student, College of Arts and Science
• Marisa Carrasco, Professor of Psychology and Neural Science and Chair, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Science
• Frederick Choi, Dean of the Stern School of Business Undergraduate College and Professor of Accounting and International Business
• Gloria Coruzzi, Professor of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science
• Kay Cummings, Master Teacher of Acting for Dance, and Chair, Department of Dance, Tisch School of the Arts
• James Darling, Undergraduate student, Tisch School of the Arts
• Angela Dillard, Associate Professor of History and Politics, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
• Paula Feid, Undergraduate Librarian
• Erik Gaines (until 6/30/03), Undergraduate student, Steinhardt School of Education
• Sylvia Molloy, Albert Schweitzer Professor of Spanish and Portuguese Languages and Literature and Comparative Literature, Faculty of Arts and Science
• Fred Myers, Silver Professor of Anthropology and Chair, Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Arts and Science
• Godfrey Roberts, Master Teacher of Science and mathematics, School of Continuing and Professional Studies
• Frances Rust, Professor of Teaching and Learning, Steinhardt School of Education
• Donald Snead, Undergraduate student, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
• Otta Sonntag, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences
• Ex-officio member - Norman Dorsen, Stokes Professor of Law and Counselor to the President, chair of the steering committee

The charge to this committee is to:

• Develop a vision and goals for enhancing undergraduate education at NYU, taking specific advantage of NYU's characteristics as a large private, global research university in an urban environment
• Articulate the values and policies that should guide admissions and financial aid
• Prepare ways of expanding faculty commitment to undergraduates
• Create, as needed, committees or working groups to study selected topics:
  
  • Review the required liberal arts general education curriculum
  • Propose ways to increase undergraduate research where appropriate
  • Examine the interrelationship among undergraduate programs at the different schools and their availability to students
  • Recommend ways that existing programs can be revised to provide academic advice to undergraduate students
  • Recommend ways to increase diversity and full engagement throughout our student body
  • Examine the role of individualized study in the undergraduate schools
  • Examine the role that public service, community-based learning, and internships might play in the education of undergraduates
  • Recommend ways to improve the academic and cultural aspects of student life outside the classroom
  • Examine the role of study abroad and international internships in preparing undergraduates for membership in a global society
  • Examine and make recommendations concerning the role of technology in supporting the academic enterprise.
• Work with the deans and school committees on topics specific to each undergraduate school. The schools with traditional undergraduate programs will be the primary focus of this self-study. They are the College of Arts and Sciences, the Tisch School of the Arts, the Gallatin School of Individualized Study, the Steinhardt School of Education, the Stern School of Business, the Ehrenkranz School of Social Work, and the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, the latter of which was a focus of the Middle States self-study ten years ago.

In accord with its stated charge, the committee will address those related Middle States Standards for Accreditation and Fundamental Elements and Optional Analysis and Evidence:

• Standard 8 (Student Admissions) -- "The institution seeks to admit students whose interests, goals, and abilities are congruent with its "mission"
• Standard 9 (Student Support Services) -- "The institution provides student support services reasonably necessary to enable each student to achieve the institution's goals for students" -- with respect to advisement
• Standard 11 (Educational Offerings) -- "The institution's educational offerings display academic content, rigor, and coherence that are appropriate to its higher education mission. The institution identifies student learning goals and objectives, including knowledge and skills, for its educational offerings"
• Standard 12 (General Education) -- "The institution's curricula are designed so that students acquire and demonstrate college-level proficiency in general education and essential skills, including oral and written communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, technological competency, and information literacy"
• Standard 14 (Assessment of Student Learning) -- "Assessment of student learning demonstrates that the institution's students have knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with institutional goals and that students at graduation have achieved appropriate higher education goals."

Undergraduate Student Affairs Committee

The committee on student affairs, which grew out of a Dean's Working Group on Student Affairs, consists of the following members:

• Matthew Santirocco, Dean of the College of Arts and Science, Professor of Classics, chair
• Linda Mills, Vice Provost and Professor of Social Work, co-chair
• Helene Anderson, Professor of Latin American Literature, Faculty of Arts and Science
• Sara Arthur, Assistant Vice President for Student Life
• Lynne Brown, Vice President for External Relations and Acting Vice President of Student Affairs
• Mary Schmidt Campbell, Dean of the Tisch School of the Arts and Professor of Art and Public Policy
• Frederick Choi, Dean of the Undergraduate Business School and Professor of Accounting and International Business
• Nakeena Covington, Undergraduate student, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
• Thomas Ellett, Executive Director of Housing and Residence Life
• Jessica Evans, Undergraduate student, Steinhardt School of Education
• Sean Holohan, Undergraduate student, College of Arts and Science
• Judy (JJ) Jackson, Associate Provost for Institutional Engagement
• Christine Kim, Undergraduate student, College of Arts and Science
• Robert Kivetz, Assistant Vice President for Housing and Residence Life
• Debra LaMorte, Senior Vice President for Development
• Cheryl Mills, Senior Vice President and Secretary
• Tanaz Moghadam, Undergraduate student, College of Arts and Science
• Dora Morillo, Undergraduate student, Stern School of Business
• Beth Morningstar, Director of Administrative and Student Services
• Bridget O'Connor, Professor of Business Education, Steinhardt School of Education
• Cyrus Patell, Associate Professor of English, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Faculty of Arts and Science
• David Scicchitano, Associate Professor of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science
• Catharine Stimpson, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Science and University Professor
• Jonathan Vafai, Student, School of Medicine; College of Arts and Science, '00
• Srinivasa Varadhan, Professor of Mathematics, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
• Maurice Washington, Director of Residence Life
• Sharon Weinberg, Vice Provost and Professor of Quantitative Methods and Psychology
• E. Frances White, Dean of the Gallatin School and Professor of History
• Diane Yu, Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President
• Ex-officio member - Norman Dorsen, Stokes Professor of Law and Counselor to the president, chair of the steering committee

The charge to this committee is to:

• Establish a vision and goals for undergraduate student life
• Examine the potential for enhancing the learning environment in the residence halls, and propose programs involving faculty and graduate students
• Examine the extent of behavioral issues on campus (including alcohol and substance abuse), and propose programs to address these problems and to develop an accurate perception of them
• Examine the lottery system for housing and propose changes if appropriate
• Examine the advisability of clustering first year students in residence hall
• Examine the selection, training, and deployment of resident advisors, and propose appropriate improvements
• Examine ways to involve commuting students in campus life
• Examine and make recommendations concerning the role of technology in the undergraduate living/learning environment

In accord with its stated charge, the committee will address that Fundamental Element of Middle States Standard 9 (Student Support Services) -- "The institution provides student support services reasonably necessary to enable each student to achieve this institution's goals for students." -- which states that "Relative to this standard, an accredited institution is characterized by procedures to address the varied spectrum of student academic and other needs, in a manner that is equitable, supportive, and sensitive, through direct service or referral."

Search Committee for Vice President for Student Affairs

The search committee consists of the following members:

• Richard Stanley, Executive Vice Provost, chair
• Sara Arthur, Assistant Vice President for Student Life
• Lynne Brown, Vice President for University Relations and Public Affairs and Acting Vice President for Student Affairs
• Patricia Carey, Associate Dean for Student Services and Public Affairs, Steinhardt School of Education
• Una Chaudhuri, Professor of English, Faculty of Arts and Science
• Judy Jackson, Vice Provost of Multicultural Affairs
• Cheryl Mills, Senior Vice President and Secretary
• Linda Mills, Vice Provost and Professor of Social Work
• Tanaz Moghadam, Undergraduate student, College of Arts and Science
• Andrew Morey, Undergraduate student, College of Arts and Science
• Beth Morningstar, Director of Administrative and Student Services
• Matthew Santirocco, Dean of the College of Arts and Science and Professor of Classics
• Sharon Weinberg, Vice Provost and Professor of Quantitative Methods and Psychology

The charge to this search committee is to create a concept for the position, identify the characteristics required to implement the vision and carry out the administrative responsibilities of the position, and recruit a person who possesses the identified characteristics.

Search Committee for Associate Provost for Admissions and Financial Aid

The search committee consists of the following members:

• Robert Berne, Senior Vice President for Health Affairs and Professor of Health Policy, co-chair
• Richard Stanley, Executive Vice Provost, co-chair
• Richard Foley, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science and Professor of Philosophy
• Jacob Lew, Executive Vice President
• Ann Marcus, Dean of the Steinhardt School of Education
• Mary Sansalone, Vice President for Planning
• Harvey Stedman, Vice-Chancellor and former Provost

The charge to this search committee is to create a concept for the position, identify the characteristics required to implement the vision and carry out the administrative responsibilities of the position, and recruit a person who possesses the identified characteristics.

Assessment

The self-study will demonstrate compliance with Middle States Standards 2 (Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal), 8 (Student Admissions), 9 (Student Support Services), 11 (Educational Offerings), 12 (General Education), and 14 (Assessment of Student Learning). We will use the following surveys and sources of data, in addition to other sources that may be identified or surveys undertaken during the self-study:

• NYU retention and attrition statistics and trends beginning in 1990; particular attention will be focused on the 1995 entering class (last six year cohort)
• Admissions information and statistics
• Financial Aid data
• Residential housing data
• Student satisfaction surveys (2000-2001)
• Sophomore survey (2000)
• National College Health Assessment (Spring 2001)
• Transition team survey (2001)
• College of Arts and Sciences exit interviews (beginning 2002)
• College of Arts and Sciences orientation surveys (2002)
• Transfer data
• Internal transfers
• National Clearinghouse data
• Comparative information and data from other universities
• National trends
• Harvard School of Public Health Studies
• American College Health Association - National College Health Assessment

Supporting Documents

Supporting Documents

• New York University Financial Report
• New York University Faculty Handbook
• New York University Courses of Study
• Six Year Graduation Rates Report
• Annual Undergraduate Enrollment Trends Report
• Freshman Profile

Strategic Planning Documents to consist of:

• Final Report to President-designate John Sexton of the Presidential Transition Team (March 8, 2002)
• University Planning Days Agendas (June 4-6, 2002, August 2002, December 2002)
• Dean's Working Group Reports (to be submitted Fall 2002)
  
• Academic Priorities, Program Review, and Faculty Appointments
• Student Affairs
• Library and Information Technology
• Health Affairs
• Faculty and Student Housing
• Budget and Administrative
• Academic Space
• Planning and Research Priorities Document (August 2002)
• Ten-year Operating and Capital Planning Documents (Fall 2002)
• Outcomes Assessment Plan

Format of the Self-Study Reports

Introduction

Progress at NYU in the 1980s and '90s.

• Highlights from the Brademas Presidency
• Highlights from the Oliva Presidency

Challenges facing NYU in 2002 Summary of the 2001-2002 Transition Team report

2002 Strategic Planning Goals and Process

• Goals
• Creation of Analytical Planning Group
• Administration's Planning Days
• Working Groups
• Academic Priorities, Program Review, and Faculty Appointments
• Student Affairs
• Library and Information Technology
• Health Affairs
• Faculty and Student Housing
• Budget and Administrative
• Academic Space
• Faculty Deployment Initiative
• Ten-year Financial and Capital Planning

Undergraduate Education: Vision for the Future

Progress over the past decade in undergraduate education and student life.

• Curricular Innovations
• Progress in Residence Life
• Progress in Admissions and Financial Aid

Challenges facing the new administration in the area of undergraduate education and student life.

• Evaluation of the factors affecting retention and attrition as an important indicator of these challenges.
• Lack of sufficient resources (small university endowment on a per student basis).

New administration's goals for undergraduate education and student life.

• Academic goals
• Student Affairs goals
• Admissions goals
• Financial Aid goals

Search for new leadership.

• Student Affairs
• Admissions and Financial Aid

Policy recommendations and plans for enhancing the undergraduate experience.

• Academic policies and plans
• Student affairs policies and plans
• Admissions policies and plans
• Financial Aid policies and plans

Establishing fundraising priorities in undergraduate education for the upcoming campaign.

Profile of the Evaluation Team

Chair
A President/Chancellor or President/Chancellor Emeritus of a selective research university that places special emphasis on undergraduate education, including the residential experience.

Members
Given the scope of NYU's academic offerings and administrative offices we anticipate the need for an approximately ten-person evaluation team. We will need senior administrators from research universities and selective private colleges who will bring experience at least in student affairs, admissions and financial aid, administration, and planning. The evaluation team selected to visit NYU should also include faculty:

• With a special interest in undergraduate education, including faculty from institutions with innovative general education core curricula;
• From colleges or research universities with relevant experience with living-learning residential houses;
• With special knowledge about the role of public service in undergraduate education; and
• From research universities, especially in urban settings, with effective undergraduate research programs.