Attending: John M. Crisp, Noe Guerra, Dolores Huerta, Mattie Marcum, Vickie Natale, Mary Peña, Jim Pierce (Chair).

After confirming phone numbers and email addresses with the members present, Pierce distributed:

1. The SACS Criteria for Accreditation: Pierce pointed out the five sections that the visitation team will be most concerned with: Institutional Purpose, Institutional Effectiveness, Educational Program, Educational Support Services, and Administrative Processes. He said also that DMC would have to comply with any changes made in the criteria, even up until near the end of the Self-Study. He suggested that the committee read the Criteria, especially the section concerned with institutional effectiveness, the area which has been assigned increased emphasis by SACS since DMC's last accreditation.

2. The SACS Handbook for Institutional Self-Study: Pierce asked the committee to read Parts One and Two and Appendixes A and B. He suggested the need for some committee members to participate in site visitations at other institutions, both as observers and team members.

3. The SACS Resource Manual on Institutional Effectiveness.

SACS Consultant Doug Boyce's Visit, November 21, 1997: Steering Committee members are invited to attend Boyce's presentation from 8:00am to 9:00am in La Palma Room, as well as any other sessions they are able to attend. Pierce said that Boyce will be talking about the kinds of things the SACS Visitation Team will be looking for, particularly in terms of institutional effectiveness. During his visit, he will be reviewing the institutional effectiveness unit plans that have already been developed. Furthermore, he will provide consultation after his visit. Pierce said that SACS will be interested in each of the institution's units' mission and goals and the extent to which those goals are effectively reached. SACS will be interested in what DMC is actually doing and how it is assessing its work; in short, the emphasis will be on results. Finally, Pierce pointed out that far more assessment will have to be done at the unit level, rather than at the institutional level, than has been done in the past. The Visitation Team will want to review at least two cycles of assessment.

Goals for the Next Meeting:

1. Discussion of the number of Principal Committees and the responsibilities of each.

2. Nominations for the chairs of the Principal Committees.

3. Discussion of the number of members of each committee.

4. Beginning of work on a calendar and a budget for the Steering Committee.

Pierce will look for a committee meeting time during the week of December 15.

The Chair's Requests for Committee Members: Pierce asked that committee members:

1. Supply him with final exam schedules as soon as possible.

2. Attend as many of Boyce's sessions as possible.

3. Bring suggestions with regard to the committee's goals to the next meeting.

4. Prior to Friday's workshop, read as much of the Criteria for Accreditation as possible, but particularly the section on institutional effectiveness.

5. Prior to Friday's workshop, read Parts One and Two and Appendixes A and B of the Handbook for Institutional Self-Study.

6. Prior to Friday's workshop, read as much of the Resource Manual as possible.

Minutes prepared by John M. Crisp.