Institute H: The Road to Becoming a Center of Excellence Thursday, October 8, 9:00 am - 12:00 p.m., Executive C D Lisa D'Adamo-Weinstein, Director, Academic Support Northeast Center of SUNY Empire State College Elaine Richardson, Retired Director, Academic Success Center Clemson University Laura Sanders, Assistant Dean, Student Success, College of Engineering Valparaiso University The purpose of the Centers of Excellence Designation Program is to:  promote professional standards of excellence for learning centers;  encourage centers to develop, maintain and assess quality programs and services to enhance student learning;  honor the history of established and unique learning centers; and  celebrate the outstanding achievements of centers that meet and exceed these standards. This post-conference institute will walk participants through the rationale for the creation of the designation program; review the criteria for evaluation and discuss the steps for completing an application. We will also share insights gathered during the first two rounds of applications reviews to assist participants in developing a clear plan for how they can best put together their own application

1. The Road to Becoming
a Center of Excellence
Lisa D’Adamo-Weinstein
Laura Sanders
M. Elaine Richardson
NCLCA Subcommittee for Learning Centers of Excellence Project

2. Developing the
Learning Centers Of Excellence Program
Inspired by the works of Frank Christ, Council on
Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, and John
Gardner, NCLCA has developed seven major categories and
subsets of those categories by which centers will be evaluated.
● Christ, F. L. (2009). Best and Promising Practices for Learning Support Centers: A
Handout for Workshop at NCLCA Conference in Golden, CO on October 3, 2009.
● Council on Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) website to review
and purchase the standards - http://www.cas.edu/index.php/standards
● Model for the Centers of Excellence was Institutions of Excellence in the First College
Year - http://www.jngi.org/institute/past-initiatives/institutions-of-excellence-in-the-first-college-year/

3. Purpose
The Learning Centers of Excellence
is conferred upon those
outstanding learning centers which
demonstrate excellence by
exceeding professional learning
center best practices in seven areas.

4. Seven Major Categories for Evaluation
I. Programs and Services (10%)
II. Organizational Framework (20%)
III. Academic Integrity & Learning Environment (10%)
IV. Funding, Resources and Design (10%)
V. Staff and Professional Development (15%)
VI. Promotion and Public Relations (15%)
VII.Assessment and Evaluation (20%)

5. Programs and Services (10%)
Describe how your center meets the criteria of the NCLCA Learning Center
definition:
• Provides interactive academic spaces
• Reinforces and extends student learning
• Effectively uses physical and/or virtual environments
• Provides a variety of comprehensive support services and programs
• Enhances student academic success, retention, and graduation
• Aligns with best practices of student learning theory and addressing student
learning needs
• Fosters critical thinking, metacognitive development, and academic and
personal success

6. Small Group Activity
• Make a list of the programs and services in your center
and share with your group.
• How do these fit with the NCLCA definition of a Learning
Center?

7. Organizational Framework
(20%)
• MISSION STATEMENT
• Mission statement is in alignment with division and institutional mission
• Regular review process for the mission statement
• Mission statement is appropriate for the student population
• LEADERSHIP
• The director has the appropriate blend of professional degrees,
certifications and work experience
• Other center professionals have appropriate blend of professional
degrees, certifications and work experience
• Learning center professionals are represented on campus/university-
wide committees

8. Discussion Points
• The mission statement for center and connections to
institution.
• The professional experience for center director and
other personnel.

9. Academic integrity and learning
environment (10%)
• ETHICS AND POLICIES
• All staff members are trained on ethical practices and institution policies
• Learning Center employees respect student privacy and confidentiality
• Scholarly integrity and academic honesty is upheld
• DIVERSITY
• Center staff are sensitive to needs of diverse populations
• Academic support needs of diverse student groups are considered when
planning programs
• All staff members provide fair and impartial academic support for all
students and promote a harassment free environment

10. Discussion Points
• Be sure that ALL center staff (professionals, support
staff, students) are trained on ethical practices,
institutional policies, FERPA training, etc. You must
describe how this is done and provide evidence in the
application.
• Centers need to describe how diversity issues are
addressed and provide evidence of how the needs of
the entire student population are being met.

11. IV. Funding, Resources and Design
(10%)
• Funding and Staff Support
• Funding is used effectively to provide services that meet the needs of the
student population
• Administrative/clerical support is adequate to provide strong customer
service
• Learning center profession staff is adequate
• Technology, Space and Universal Design
• Learning center uses technology to enhance student learning and to deliver
programs/services
• Learning center staff have access to online resources and technology

12. Universal Design
• UD is "the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest
extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design”
(www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/pubs_p/docs/poster.pdf).
• “As increasing numbers of people with disabilities pursue educational opportunities, the
accessibility of tutoring and learning centers and other student services increases in
importance. The goal is simply equal access; everyone who needs to use your services should
be able to do so comfortably and efficiently.”(DO-IT)
• Make sure everyone feels welcome, and can:
• get to the facility and maneuver within it
• communicate effectively with support staff
• access printed materials and electronic resources
• fully participate in all learning activities (DO-IT)

13. Discussion Points
• Applications should discuss the sources of funding and
any creative ways you have tried to increase funding.
• What technology is used AND how is it used?
• Discuss your center’s location and equipment/
furnishings and how these relate to the principles of
Universal Design.
• Describing your space in a VISUAL way is recommended.

14. V. Staff and Professional Development (15%)
• Student/Peer Professional Training/Professional Development
• Strategic planning meeting held at least annually
• Basic and advanced training offered for all student/peer programming
• Training is certified by appropriate professional organizations
• Learning Center Professionals Professional Development
• Belong to at least one learning assistance organization and/or
professional listservs/discussion forums
• Participate in professional development/leadership opportunities
• Active in or contribute to the profession of learning assistance

15. Strategic Planning
• “In general, strategic plans for higher education
cover a three to ten year time frame and include
the following components: mission, vision,
strategic priorities, goals, objectives, action steps,
time frames and responsible parties.”
(Strategic Planning Workbook, Lake Eric College 2013)
• Strategic planning ≠ assessment

16. Small group activity
• Discuss your strategic planning process.
• Discuss the student training program.
• Discuss the certifications you have/plan to have.
• Discuss the professional organizations, professional
development activities (publications/presentations)
for your professional staff.

17. VI. Promotion and Public Relations (15%)
• Student Population Relations
• Branding is well-recognized
• Virtual presence through a website and social media
• Informational/promotional materials are made available to students at
least three times/semester or term
• Institutional Relations
• Utilizes an advisory board
• Provides program information to key institution stakeholders
• Feedback is solicited from key institutional stakeholders

18. Advisory Boards
• Advise the Learning Center Director on ways to increase the impact of
the Learning Center.
• “Provide a vehicle for marketing the learning center and its programs,
strengthening (and sometimes repairing) relationships with key
learning center stakeholders, prioritizing programs and budgets, and, if
it hasn’t already been done, developing learning center mission, goals,
and objectives.” - Alan Craig
• Who should be represented on a learning center advisory board?
• INTERNAL - learning center director and any key coordinators,
coaches, tutors, etc.
• EXTERNAL - students, faculty etc. who are not active in the center

19. Discussion Points
• Describe the brand of your center including any logos or taglines. When
students are thinking about your center, what comes to their mind?
• Provide your plan to market this brand.
• Provide descriptions and links to any virtual opportunities your center
provides
• Describe your plan to touch each student at least 3 times in each semester.
• If you don’t have an advisory board to bring an external perspective, you
should form one before you apply.
• Describe in detail how you inform stakeholders and also get their feedback.

20. VII. Assessment and Evaluation
(20%)
• The PROCESS of Data Collection, Organization and Analysis
• Data collection, organization and analysis process
• The PLAN for Assessment and Evaluation
• Learning outcomes are clearly defined with a sustainable system to
measure effectiveness
• Process is in place to provide continual review and quality improvement
in programs and services
• The PRODUCT of Assessment – Annual and Other Reports
• An annual report is compiled each year, including quantitative and
qualitative information/data and an executed summary
• Alignment with the assessment plan

21. Developing
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes are statements specifying what students will know, think or do:
“Learning outcomes should flow from a needs assessment. The needs assessment
should determine the gap between an existing condition and a desired condition.
Learning outcomes are statements which described a desired condition – that is,
the knowledge, skills, or attitudes needed to fulfill the need. They represent the
solution to the identified need or issue. Learning outcomes provide direction in the
planning of a learning activity.
They help to:
• Focus on learner’s behavior that is to be changed
• Serve as guidelines for content, instruction, and evaluation
• Identify specifically what should be learned
• Convey to learners exactly what is to be accomplished”
Source:http://www.aallnet.org/Archived/Education-and-Events/cpe/outcomes.html

22. Small Group Activity
•Describe any reports compiled by your center. How is
this shared on your campus?
• Describe your center’s plan for assessment and
evaluation
•Share your center’s process for data collection,
organization and analysis
• Discuss how you develop and effectively measure
learning outcomes.

23. Your Road to Becoming a
Center of Excellence
• Steps for application
• Download the application form and checklist from the NCLCA
website.
• Use the checklist to guide your preparation of the application
packet. It is important to identify and include the
appropriate evidence to meet the criteria
• Deadlines for submitting application: January 15 and June 15
• Centers will be notified of score by April 15 and September15,
respectively
• Fees and designation duration
• Initial designation (Valid for 3 years) $500
• Renewal (Valid for 5 years) $250

24. Benefits to your center
• A plaque to be displayed in the center
• A .jpeg to be included on your digital materials
• Congratulatory letter to your institution
president/chancellor
• Press release template
• Listing on NCLCA website

25. Lessons Learned SUMMARY
• READ THE DIRECTIONS!
• FOLLOW THE CRITERIA and EVIDENCE
REQUESTED

26. Final Discussion
• Reflection on your center
• Current strengths
• Areas for improvement
• Pathway for excellence for your center